Corporia RPG (Beta-Test)

Corporia_Playtest:Layout 1 12/4/13 9:14 PM Page 1
KICKSTARTER BACKER PLAYTEST
corporia
Mark Plemmons
Mathew Segal (order #5308170)

INTRODUCTION
The world is slipping into chaos – and it’s all your fault.
As a new Knight of the Round Table in a regimented corporate metropolis, your
mission should be clear-cut: fight for justice, bring freedom to wage-enslaved citizens
and restore the ideals of chivalry and honor. Unfortunately, the rebirth of the knights
also restored the old magics – the primeval forces that once ruled the ancient times
but dwindled and vanished with the rise of science. Now you struggle to hold the line
between the forces of Order and Chaos, each striving to control the other. Your bene-
factor, corporate CEO and reborn knight Sir Lancelot du Lac, provides the means to
combat the obvious threats, but there are other challenging dilemmas to resolve.
Will you ally with rival corporate security forces to face off against magical threats
– or is getting in bed with the enemy too far down the path of corruption? Can you
risk allowing a monster to live – even if an innocent human may lie beneath its horrific
shape? Can you trust that your allies are not fallen knights, corrupted to throw in
with the corporations or forces of chaos? Can you fully support Lancelot in his role of
a corporate CEO and assist him in taking morally ambiguous actions to maintain his
power base – or will you take a stand and weaken him in the eyes of the other ruling
corporations? The choices are yours.
You can also decide how you want to have adventures in Corporia. Do you want
your Knightwatch team to focus on reconaissance and gunplay alone? Or would you
prefer your characters to be department heads, balancing their time between battling
the extremes of Order and Chaos, and handling the all-too-real threats of corporate
espionage, lawsuits from injured mutates, and other red tape entanglements? What-
ever you decide works for you and your friends is just what you should do.
And speaking of how things work, I’ve placed each chapter into an order that I
think flows well for both experienced role-players and new readers. You’ll start with
the basic rules, move on to character creation, then specialize your character further
with assets and equipment. Next, you’ll get the history of the setting and a guide to
The City, ending with the game mastery chapter. In addition, I’ve added section guides
at the start of each chapter, a comprehensive index, and incorporated color into the
design so you can read more effectively. For example, chapter tables and sections often
appear in certain color schemes that should help you get where you’re going a little
more easily. After all, this book was made to be used.
Now let’s get to it – the future awaits!
MARK PLEMMONS
CHICAGO, IL

CREDITS
WRITING, DEVELOPMENT, AND GRAPHIC DESIGN: Mark Plemmons
ADDITIONAL DEVELOPMENT: Jim Davenport
CONTRIBUTING EDITORS: Rob Burke, Stephanie Ewing, Mark Gallichio, Bret Hammitt,
Andy Miller, Elizabeth Plemmons, RPGPundit, Christopher Stogdill, Ross Watson,
Kira Williams
COVER: Flat-it (Bebas font), Andrejs Pidjass (Nejron) (knight), Yongnian Gui (city)
INTERIOR ART: A-papantoniou (AI), Adam121 (Asheland), Alphaspirit (potion), Anderm

(Southland), Aniram (red dress headhunter), Arne9001 (Idlewild), Astroid (Farming-
ton), Stacy Barnett (morlock), Diego Barucco (Flux anomaly), Dean Bertoncelj (blue
female knight weapons), Bowie15 (business troll/Helfield), Boysun (Order skyscraper
bkgrnd), Buchachon (unseen), Andrey Burmakin (alien jar), Mel Canlas (male runner
splash), Creativefire (pentagram), Andrii Deviatov (chimera), Dtopal (knight subway),
Dwphotos (Belmont), Bojan Dzodan (black Witcher book), Elisanth (theta), Maksym
Filipchuk (weapon master), Flexflex (3 cultists, Sorcerer girl energy), Markus Gann
(fist Radical), Ilya Glovatskiy (synth), Gradts (girl on broom), Grafvision (network),
Igorigorevich (fortuneteller assets splash), Jacetan (Asians), Jayson Jung (Chao park),
Raisa Kanareva (Morgan le Fay), Sebastian Kaulitzki (geist), Sergey Khakimullin
(Towers), Alexander Khromtsov (Biocom star/cross), Peter Kim (xcalibre), Andrey
Kiselev (Badge POV, Alice), Konradbak (Expenses splash), Kornilovdream (Relics,
Yoroshiku), Igor Kovalchuk (witch blue fire, Lister blue fire, Suit killer), Yiu Tung Lee
(Union Heights), Viktor Levi (therianthrope), Neil Lockhart (mummy skull), Jandrie
Lombard (Romero Park), Pavel Losevsky (sword vs xbow), Arup Maity (visitors guide
cover), Moori (cultist NPC), Nejron (city central, Ch1 splash, Ch5 city splash),
Nostal6ie (Hydron Island), Nyul (train), Luca Oleastri (UDV), Oleksandrslyvka (Ch
2 suit bat splash), Franz Pfluegl (surgeon Thinker), Andrejs Pidjass (Nejron), Sergey
Pristyazhnyuk (phage),Howard Pyle, Oleg Shipov (Fresnillo), Ljupco Smokovski
(bangers), Konstantin Sutyagin, Monkey Business Images (taped), Philcold (Wood-
lawn), Anatoly Repin (GM splash girl), Retrodiva88 (journo), Watchara Rojjanasain
(blue Hacker), Isabell Schatz (sanguivore), Syda Productions (succubus), Szefpi
(Surya), Teros (levitating apple), Vlue (faceless), Corepics Vof (CSI), Lynn Woodward
(sword businessman KE), Konstantin Yuganov (3 sorcerers fire), and Arman
Zhenikeyev (cryptids splash).
BETA PLAYTESTING: xxxx
For Zoë

SPONSORS


20
CONTENTS Combat
Introductory Pages
8 | The Story So Far
Chapter 1: The Basics

12 | What is Corporia?
12 | What is Role-Playing?
15 | How to Use This Book
17 | Character Attributes
18 | Using Abilities
19 | Special Results
20 | Combat
24 | Social Combat
24 | Miscellaneous Rules 30
PCs
Chapter 2: Human Resources
27 | Character Concepts
30 | Sample Player Characters
XX | Personality Traits/Signs
XX | Core Competencies/Values
XX | Skill Set
XX | Flux Points
XX | Assets
XX | Weapons & Equipment
XX | REPP Points
Chapter 3: Assets
XX | General Assets
XX | Supernatural Assets
XX | Globex Report
XX | Sample Spells
80
Chapter 4: Expenses
Equipment
XX | Equipping Your Character
XX | The Cover-Up
XX | Quest Magazine
XX | Weapons
XX | Armor
XX | Miscellaneous Items
XX | Augments
XX | Wands
Chapter 5: The City

XX | Location and History
XX | Government and Law
XX | Society and Religion
XX | Technology
XX | Flux and the Retro Movement
126 | Visitor’s Guide
XXX | Travel Tips
XXX | District Map
XXX | Districts
XXX | Corporate Alliances

Chapter 6: Game Mastery

161 | Plot Generation 126
163 | Adventure Structure
City Guide
164 | Behind the Scenes
166 | Special Combat Rules
168 | Corporate Secrets
170 | NPC & Cryptid Design
172 | City Design
176 | Adventures
184 | Special NPCs
190 | Cryptids
200 | Relics
202 | Index
207 | Inspirations
208 | Character Record Sheet
Copyright © 2013 Brabblemark Press

All rights reserved.
190
Cryptids
No part of this publication may be reproduced, dis-
tributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means,
including photocopying, recording, or other electronic
or mechanical methods, without the prior written per-
mission of the publisher, except in the case of charac-
ter record sheets (page 208), brief quotations
embodied in critical reviews, and certain other non-
commercial uses permitted by copyright law.
First Printing, February 2014
ISBN 0-9000000-0-0
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, busi-

nesses, institutions, organizations, products,
places, logos, incidents, and locales either are prod-
ucts of the author’s imagination or are used ficti-
tiously. Any resemblance to actual cryptids or
persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.
www.brabblemark.com
gplus.to/Corporia
facebook.com/brabblemark
twitter.com/brabblemark
DOCUMENT: THE STORY SO FAR
Throughout this book, sidebars like this one indicate

that the next pages provide a first-person glimpse into the
setting with pages from magazines, classified files, tourist
guides, spellbooks, and more. (Single-page and smaller
items appear without this preface.)
The immediately following pages display the scan of a
written history concerning the legend of King Arthur and the
Knights of the Round Table, as well as the near-future story
of the setting. Reader discretion is discouraged.

The Story So Far
Hundreds of years ago, upon the death of his father,

Arthur Pendragon draws forth the legendary sword from
the stone and officially takes his place as king of a
leaderless Britain. His armies, with the help of his chosen
Knights of the Round Table and the arcane talents of the
great Merlin, soon establish an Arthurian kingdom
embodying honor, love, and the knightly virtues. The
mystical Isle of Avalon and its representative, the Lady
of the Lake, validate Arthur’s kingdom by providing him
with Excalibur, a sword of ancient British sovereignty.
Though his throne is secure, Arthur’s court of Camelot
is beset by troubles. His knights grow restless, fighting
and wenching to sate their boredom. Sir Lancelot, his
most revered knight, and Guinevere, the queen consort,
are unable to renounce their secret love for one another.
Arthur’s half-sister, Morgan le Fay, discovers the affair
but is banished from the court, consumed with revenge
and a desire to expose the queen’s secret.
A vision of a holy chalice inspires the knights to labor
in a glorious quest, providing exploits and adventures
for all who dare seek it. In time, however, the end of the
grail quest and the return of Lancelot
bring trouble back to Camelot. Merlin
disappears, having been imprisoned by his
lover and apprentice, Nimue. The queen’s
adultery is exposed, fracturing the court
and beginning the war between Arthur
and Lancelot.
Arthur leaves Camelot in the care of
Mordred, son of Morgan, but the treacherous
knight claims both throne and queen. Arthur
returns and slays Mordred, but suffers a
mortal blow. Excalibur is returned to the
Lady of the Lake, and Arthur’s body is
retrieved from OMNICORP Archive 001/J

borne to Avalon. Someday, the last knight is told, the

“once and future king” will return to aid his people in
the hour of their greatest need. At least, that is what my
books tell me.
In my time, centuries later, King Arthur is
no more than a fairy tale; magic is absent
from the land. Massively sprawling cities are
ruled by corporations with amoral concerns,
paying little heed to the weakened and
privatized governments. Chivalry, valor and
honor are outdated concepts that no longer have a place
in the corporate order.
Citizens are defined by their place in the corporate
hierarchy and the power and possessions such standing
brings. Persons convicted of non-violent crimes work off
their sentences for a corporate benefactor, becoming
wage-slaves with no possessions, housed in cramped
capsule hotels. A simple citywide virtual intelligence
provides ‘net access to all, though each corporate
district possesses its own complex V.I. for planning,
scheduling and predicting markets even while it
monitors district traffic, corporate sabotage and illegal
freelancing over a vast network of closed-circuit vids.
Recent vid records contain footage of a naked
scientist wandering the streets, waving a kitchen knife
and ranting in an unknown language. Private security
quickly subdues and relocates this worker to an
unknown location. Within hours, a freelance courier
follows in a similar manner. The next day’s e-news sheet
reports that a luxcar driver suffered a sudden onset of
identity disorder and crashed his vehicle on Chargeway
One. His wealth keeps him in private care and out of the
public eye, as it does for the CEO whom shareholders
claim collapsed after a religious experience in the
midst of a virtual meeting.

More weeks pass, and The City shows little outward

change. Listers’ antics dominate the news and Zeroes toil
at their jobs, while the Badges monitor surveillance
cameras and follow up on any crimes the Suits pay them
to investigate. Runners carry illegal messages and
sensitive items, delivering them to Radical citizens who
long for a return to the days of old. Hackers build the
networks, manipulating data for a mega-corp paycheck
while creating secret ‘back doors’ and customizations of
their own. Scientists still work day and night in heavily
secured laboratories, hoping to pursue private research
while appeasing the stockholders.
Yet, change has come, though few people realize it.

Video footage of inhuman creatures and walking corpses
now appears too often to be dismissed, even by the most
hardheaded badges. Victims of recent mental trauma
vanish from their sickbeds, only to be sighted later
carrying archaic weapons and speaking of honor and
chivalry. In the laboratories, scientists experiment with
strange new energy sources, making what was formerly
impossible now quite probable indeed. Hackers tentatively
probe the front lines of battle against newly living
energies and virtual intelligences, and the men and
women who once merely dabbled in the arcane arts are
amazed to find that their spells actually work.
Why did it take me so long to see what was happening
around me? Perhaps I was blind, too secure with my
warm bed, cheap fatty foods, and free ‘net access. Years
ago, when reporters were true journalists who did more
than forward corporate-scrubbe d newspeak to the public,

questions might have been asked, facts correlated, and

secrets revealed. Perhaps I would have learned the truth
more quickly – but perhaps not. After all, who would have
believed that the forces of extradimensional Chaos (what
we call magic) have returned to the world? I still find it
incredible, though I believe it is true. Magic is no mere
fiction; it simply faded with the rise of the scientific
method, manifesting now to a world unprepared.
The scientists and their corporate masters, unwitting
servants of Order, claim these manifestations are
“fluctuations of energy caused by cosmic radiation
particles hitting weak areas of the upper atmosphere,
creating sporadic energy displays and, in rare cases,
mutations,” though most of us just call it “the Flux.”
Sadly, even those who witness the Flux firsthand may
be too easily persuaded (or bought) to believe in a
rational explanation. How deeply did I question the Flux
when it brought my wife back to me, seem-
ingly whole but for her need of frequent
blood infusions? I gladly acccepted
whatever pseudo-science excuse she
offered, and blinded myself to the
reality until... until it was too late.
They came last night to take her away.
Surprisingly gentle, some of them, though
they bore the authority of the Watchman.
In battle, however, they betray their
nature, wielding the Flux as easily as
their swords. She fought, you see, and I
thought (hoped?) she would prevail –
but it was not to be. In the end, all
they could do for me was tell me the
truth: about the King, and the Flux, and
their role in the coming war. It was
cold comfort, but at least it was
something. Perhaps it will be enough.

1THE
BASICS
13 | WHAT IS CORPORIA? 17 | CHARACTER ATTRIBUTES

YOUR MISSION DIRECTIVE. CORE VALUES, SKILLS, & FLUX
13 | WHAT IS ROLE-PLAYING? 18 | USING ABILITIES

MAKE BELIEVE, NOT WAR. EXPLAINING ABILITY CHECKS.
15 | HOW TO USE THIS BOOK 20 | COMBAT

NOTES ON SPECIFIC SECTIONS. RULES FOR FIGHTING BATTLES.
15 | WHAT YOU’LL NEED TO PLAY 24 | MISCELLANEOUS RULES

MOSTLY JUST THIS BOOK AND DICE. SOCIAL CONFLICTS AND MORE.

WHAT IS CORPORIA?
Corporia is a tabletop role-playing game set in ‘The City’, a future metropolis ruled
by an alliance of powerful mega-corporations. Players take on the roles of members
of the Knightwatch, a small team of individuals with supernatural abilities who make
up the elite special operations unit of the Watchman private security company, under
the auspices of its mega-corporate entity Valyant and Chief Executive Officer Lance
Martin – the reincarnated Sir Lancelot du Lac. The Knightwatch resolve extreme in-
cidents involving manifestations of Chaos magic (aka the Flux) that regular officers
are unable to handle, including mutated humans, monsters from other dimensions,
and corporate Flux experiments gone wrong.
All members of the Knightwatch have been hand-picked from individuals touched
by the Flux, ironically gaining their supernatural abilities from the very force that
also transforms innocent citizens into dangerous mutants and provides fascinating
new resources for the mega-corps to exploit. Exactly how a knight’s powers manifest
depends on the individual’s personality, social caste, and profession. For instance, sol-
diers often become stronger and faster, executives gain influence and mettle, hackers
discover they can transfer their minds into computers to battle Flux-infused virtual
life, creative thinkers find themselves able to cast magical spells, and so on. An indi-
vidual might even awake with memories and skills (and obligations!) from a former
life as a knight in King Arthur’s court. You’ll define your character’s background, per-
sonality, and abilites in the character creation process beginning in Chapter 2: Human
Resources.
Because public knowledge of your character’s abilities could lead to him or her
being hunted down by cryptids, criminals, and rival mega-corporate research teams,
the Knightwatch is usually a character’s only family. Thus, how your characters in-
teract with each other is as much a part of the Corporia experience as combat, if not
moreso. For example, not every character may agree on the correct action to take
when a child insists on protecting her ‘imaginary friend’ or when a doctor starts steal-
ing from the blood bank to support his wife’s newly-acquired vampirism. Your char-
acters’ decisions are as equally valid a way to provide conflict as are the threats of
monsters, rogue Virtual Intelligences, and greedy corporate overlords. It’s all about
role-playing.
WHAT IS ROLE-PLAYING?
A role-playing game is one where you and your friends take on the roles of fictional
characters in a make-believe setting – in this game, members of the Knightwatch in
‘The City’. It’s a lot like the ‘army men’ or ‘cops and robbers’ games you may have
played as a child, only now you sit at a table and don’t need to use your sofa as a fort!
THE DIRECTOR
One of your friends takes on the responsibility of being the Director. It’s his or her job
to set up the adventure and play the parts of all the non-player characters (and mon-
sters!) that your player characters will meet. When there’s a question about a rule,
the Director is the final arbiter. Naturally, this means that the Director needs to be
very familiar with the rulebook.
Of course, no book can contain rules for everything, especially when the setting
includes such diverse elements as monsters, future tech, and more. If there’s a ques-
tion that the rulebook doesn’t specifically answer, the Director should just make a
common sense ruling and move on without delaying the game. (Consulting the players
is also an option, but the Director’s ruling should be final.)
Being the Director is a big responsibility, since he or she must not only play many
parts but also spend time away from the gaming table designing adventures, creating
intriguing objectives, and providing challenges that are difficult but not impossible.
13

However, it’s also very rewarding. If you’re the kind of person who likes writing sto-
ries, having the rulebook within arm’s reach during gameplay, and providing fun for
your friends, then you’re probably a good candidate for the Director.
THE PLAYER CHARACTERS

If you’re not the Director, you and your friends each control a player character, or ‘PC’
for short. Player characters are the protagonists in the Director’s campaign. To create
a PC, follow the character creation guidelines in Chapter 2: Human Resources.
These guidelines help you choose a character type and assign numbers to his or
her attributes. These numbered attributes show how strong your PC is, how much
affinity he or she has for magic, and so on, in relation to other characters and mon-
sters. When the Director puts a challenge before you, these numbers – in addition to
your decisions – indicate how successful your character will be.
GAMEPLAY
Your first gameplay session may involve new characters who don’t know each other
at first, but are thrown together as larger events take shape. How well they work to-
gether (and even whether they like each other) depends on how you and your friends
role-play your characters and how their actions shape the world.
Your Director will probably begin the first game by telling you what your charac-
ters know about the overall setting, their current location, recent events, any shared
background they may have, and so forth. He may introduce a non-player character
(NPC) ally who provides the impetus for the PCs’ mission, in return for the completion
of which they may receive money, goods, services, or other benefits.
If you want your PC to complete a task, you should describe his or her actions,
perhaps even speaking ‘in character’ like an actor reading a script. The Director then
describes the outcome of those actions, perhaps also speaking ‘in character’ for his
NPCs.
For instance, if your character enters a room, the Director may briefly describe
what your character can see from his current position (such as a desk in front of a
plate glass window opposite you, a sofa in the corner to your left, a bookshelf on the
right wall, and framed pictures hanging here and there). If you want more detail, you
should tell the Director what you want to investigate within that room, and he’ll give
you more details as your character explores further.
Some situations require your character to battle foes and meet challenges that
test his or her abilities. Meeting this challenge usually involves rolling dice and com-
paring the result to a Target Number (TN) or an opponent’s statistics to determine
success or failure.
Most adventures contain multiple challenges, concluding with the most difficult.
The best adventures have challenges that can be approached in a non-linear fashion
and completed in multiple ways (e.g., brains or brawn). Once the characters accom-
plish the last required challenge, that adventure ends. Completing an adventure can
fill hours, days, weeks, or longer, with game sessions occuring as often as you want to
play. Depending on what the Director has planned, your next adventure may feature
the same characters or different ones.
T YPES OF ADVENTURES
Before you create your PC, you might want to sit down with your Director and fellow
players to discuss what type of adventures you’re interested in. (If you’re experienced
role-players, this may be easy.) Some examples are listed below.
The action/adventure scenario is perhaps the most common. A ‘cry for help’ often
sends your team into various perils where they must work together, using their dis-
parate personalities and abilities to survive while accomplishing one or more tasks.
Missions usually start with the characters receiving their assignment, followed by
14

some research and exploration with a series of minor battles against henchmen, and
then culminating in a difficult battle against a powerful villain.
Other adventure types include: diplomatic (keeping two mundane/magical groups
from fights that destroy property and innocent lives), disaster (magic doesn’t leak into
the world; it explodes, and your lives are contant fights for survival), escape (breaking
free from a mega-corporate prison or laboratory), espionage/heists (spying and sneak-
ing past guards and electronic systems), horror (blood-drenched crime scenes and el-
dritch terrors), questing (seeking magical items), and so on.
These examples are neither exclusive nor exhaustive. Your Director can mix and
match them, or create something new. There are no limits.
HOW TO USE THIS BOOK

Chapter 1: The Basics through Chapter 4: Expenses each contain background material
and rules that both players and Directors should read. However, if a section doesn’t
seem appropriate to your character, you can probably skip it. If you’re not playing a
Sorcerer or Witcher, for example, you don’t need to study these ‘casters or their spell
lists. On the other hand, you might want to learn more about them; if so, go for it.
Chapter 5: The City details the setting’s background, history, and locations. Beyond
those pages, the index is certainly recommended for everyone, but players should skip
Chapter 6: Game Mastery, which is intended specifically for the Director and contains
spoilers. If you don’t want to ruin some of the surprises your Director might reveal to
you later on, resist the temptation to read this one!
WHAT YOU’LL NEED TO PLAY

When you and your friends get together for a session of Corporia, it helps if you’re pre-
pared. To avoid delays, everyone should have their own copy of this book – that way
your friend’s not twiddling her thumbs and waiting for you to hand her book back. You
should also bring pencils and paper, your character sheet, and some dice.
DICE. Corporia uses 6-sided and other polyhedral dice as a way of randomizing
charcter actions. You can purchase polyhedral dice at stores that
sell role-playing games or direct from several dice manufacturers.
A typical set of polyhedrals includes seven different numbered
dice: one each of 4-, 6-, 8-, 10-, 12- and 20-sided dice, plus a spe-
cial 10-sided die numbered 10, 20, 30 and so on up to 00. Corpo-
ria abbreviates these dice as d4, d6, d8, d10, d12, d20, and
d%. Mostly, however, you’ll be rolling two 6-sided dice.
ROLLING THE DICE. If the rules ask you to roll 2d6, you
roll two 6-sided dice simultaneously, or one 6-sided die
twice, and view the results. If the rules call for something
like 3d8, you roll three 8-sided dice. As for d10, note that
most are numbered 1, 2, 3, and so on up to 0. If you roll
a 0 on a d10, treat it as a 10, not a zero.
If the rules ask you to roll d100, you need to roll the d%
together with the standard d10, which allows you to
get a result of 1 to 100. For example, a d% roll of 40
plus a d10 roll of 3 equals 43, while a d% roll of 00
and a 1 on the d10 means you got a total result of
1. If you roll 00 on the d% and 0 on the d10, you’ve
rolled a 100!
If you want to roll a d3, it’s simple; just roll 1d6
and read a result of 4 as 1, a 5 as 2, and a 6 as 3.
15

BATTLEMATS AND MINIATURES. Although these aren’t required, feel free to use them
to better visualize combatants in relation to each other. Any token, coin, or miniature
figure can represent your character, as long as it’s not significantly bigger or smaller
than everyone else’s, and you can remember which one is yours. A variety of bat-
tlemats, tokens, and miniatures are available in most stores where RPGs are sold.
CHARACTER SHEETS. You can keep your character information on whatever sheet of
paper or digital device is most convenient for you. However, Corporia includes a spe-
cific form that you can use for this purpose (see the last page of this book). If you’re
uncertain where to find the information that should go on your sheet, just go to the
page numbers listed on the preview image below.
26
56 58
96 64 71
88 72
18 19 21 19 20 21
22
75
63
84
20
16

CHARACTER ATTRIBUTES
After you have a idea of who your character will be, you’ll use numerical values to de-
fine his abilities and what he can do in relation to other PCs, NPCs, and cryptids.
These abilities are primarily composed of Core Values and Skill Sets.
A character's CORE COMPETENCY sets the number of Character Points (CP) you can
spend on your PC’s Core Values, Skill Set, and Assets. Core Competencies are listed
as Touched, Gifted, and Fluxed. For instance, a character who is 'Touched' by the Flux
is unnaturally strong and fast, but has no supernatural assets, while a Fluxed char-
acter has the greatest supernatural abilities but is weaker in other matters. A Gifted
character falls somewhere in between.
CORE VALUES include Strength (STR), Deftness (DFT), Mettle (MTL), Knowledge
(KNO), Wits (WIT), and Magick (MGK). These are expressed as a number, typically
from 1 to 6. A ‘normal’ person has only 1 or 2 in each of the first five core values and
none in MGK, while particularly strong, intelligent, or otherwise talented individuals
(such as members of the Knightwatch) might have 3 or better in one or more values.
A character’s SKILL SET lists abilities learned from life experience, such as Crime,
Firearms, Instinct, Science, and Sorcery. These are expressed as a number, usually
ranging from 0 (since a character need not have points in every skill) to 6. For in-
stance, a character with a military background or personal interest in firearms might
start with 3 points in Firearms but 0 points in Science: Biology. Each skill is associated
with a specific core value, such as Fisticuffs (STR) and Sorcery (MGK).
Whenever the rules refer to FLUX DICE, it means a roll of 2d6 where you keep the
highest result and drop the lowest. This so-called ‘Flux’ is the effect of the magical
chaos now pervading the world. Fortunately, your character is more in tune with the
Flux than most, and able to exercise a measure of control over it (i.e., being able to
instinctively choose the most favorable result).
FLUX POINTS are a further measure of your character’s ability to manipulate the
Flux. During games, you can earn and spend Flux Points (FP) to alter events. In be-
tween game sessions, FP can be used to increase core values or improve a skill. The
Flux Point rules are discussed in detail starting on page 70.
Your character isn’t just a faceless

set of numbers. Use Chapter 2:
Human Resources to create your
own special character with a unique
personality and set of powers.
17

USING ABILITIES
When a situation calls for your character to perform an unopposed task, like hacking
a computer or jumping from one car roof to another, you need to make an ability check.
Choose the most appropriate [Core Value + Skill] combination, then roll the Flux Dice
(2d6) and add the highest die result to that [Core Value + Skill] total. If the grand
total meets or exceeds the Target Number (TN), the character succeeds. The Director
chooses the Target Number based on the circumstances at the time, so a task like
opening a door would not require any ability check at all, but hacking open a locked
door might be Difficult – and doing so in semi-darkness or while being shot at might
be Hard or Incredible. For sample actions, see the Quick Reference: Sample Core
Value and Skill Use Options sidebar on page 67. The Director determines the degree
of success based on the difference between the roll and the TN. Most important TNs
will probably be TN 9 or higher.
For example, let’s say that Gwen Rexxwell, a Headhunter, needs to find a specific
bureaucrat’s unlisted phone number. The Director decides the Target Number should
be 11 (Hard). Gwen’s player considers both her abilities
and possible role-play options. She could use [WIT + In-
fluence] to ply the number from someone, or use [KNO + TARGET NUMBERS
Sciences: Computer] to hack the phone servers. However,
she decides to use [KNO + Business] to make connections DIFFICULTY TN
and cut through the red tape. Gwen’s player adds her SIMPLE .................3
KNO 3 with her Business 4, then rolls her 2d6 Flux Dice EASY ....................5
and gets a 2 and a 4. Since 4 is the highest, her total is [3 AVERAGE .............7
+ 4 + 4 = 11], which is at least as high as the TN 11. Gwen DIFFICULT............9
finds the phone number, but barely. HARD .................11
If her result had been slighly higher, the Director INCREDIBLE ........13
might have said that she also found the bureaucrat’s home
HEROIC ..............15
address. If she’d gotten a raise (16 or better), he might
EPIC ....................17
have given her the EyePhone number, home address, and
the name and location of a private club where the bureau-
crat likes to spend his time.
OPPOSED CHECKS. When two characters oppose each other, either in combat, magic,
or some other test of ability, the TN to beat depends upon the actions of the characters
themselves. In this case, both players or one player and the Director) make ability
checks and compare them. The character with the highest result succeeds. The Di-
rector may also impose situational modifiers based on the circumstances, or decide
that the defending/resisting character is not able to react.
Let’s say that Gwen wants to throw a punch at her boss. Throwing a punch re-
quires a straightforward Fisticuffs roll, so Gwen’s player adds her STR 3 to her
Fisticuffs 3, for a result of 6. She then rolls her 2d6 Flux Dice, getting a 2 and a 5.
She takes the 5 and ignores the 2. The result is a simple formula of [3 + 3 + 5 = 11],
which means that the boss needs to meet or exceed TN 11 to block or avoid Gwen’s
blow. Because the boss is an NPC, the Director makes the ability check. The Director
determines the boss has DFT 3 and Fisticuffs 2. He then rolls the Flux Dice, getting
a 5 and a 4. Taking the 5, since it’s the highest, this results in a formula of [3 + 2 + 5
= 10]. Gwen’s 11 attack is higher than the boss’ 10 defense, so her attack succeeds.
COMBINING CORE VALUES. The [Core Value + Core Value] combinations are possible,
but should be used only when a special resistance check is required – such as when
fighting to resist the effects of poison, disease, a spell, or a cryptid’s magical ability.
See the Sample Defense Actions chart on page 23.
COOPERATIVE ROLLS (QUOTAS). A Quota is a particularly challenging, higher-than-
normal, non-combat TN that few characters could handle on their own. However, mul-
tiple players can combine their skill rolls in order to meet or exceed the Quota.
If the attempt fails, the character with the lowest contribution becomes the scape-
18

goat for why the group failed to make their Quota, and he loses 1 Flux Point. (You’ll
read more about Flux Points on page 70).
UNSKILLED CHECKS. If your character wants to use a skill that he doesn't have, he
adds only the relevant Core Value to his Flux Dice roll, and must use the lowest die
result instead of the highest. A success means the character just got lucky. Note: the
MGK disciplines cannot be used unskilled; these must be purchased to be effective.
SPECIAL RESULTS
TIES. No, not what a busy executive wears around his neck. Ties are what happens
when two opposed rolls have equal results. When that occurs, the character with the
highest [Core Value + Skill] total is the winner. For instance, if Gwen’s attempt to
punch her boss resulted in an attack result of 11, and if her boss’s defense had been
11, they tied. To determine the winner, compare the attack [STR 3 + Fisticuffs 3] and
defense [DFT 3 + Fisticuffs 2] without Flux Dice. The winner is the character with
the highest total. Gwen wins with a 6, versus her boss’ result of 5. If the characters
continue to tie, roll more opposed checks until someone wins. Each roll represents the
continuing struggle between the two combatants.
CRITICALS. If you roll the highest number on a Flux Die (i.e., rolling a 6 on a d6,
you can roll that die again and add the total to the result. If you get a second ‘crit’ on
the same die, add it to the running total and roll it again. (You don’t get criticals on
damage die rolls – unless your character has the Knight’s Prowess asset (page XXX)
– since it’s abilities that are affected by the Flux, not the physical force of the weapon.
DOUBLE CRITICAL. If both Flux Dice come up 6s, treat each one like a critical and
keep re-rolling as needed. However, instead of only keeping the highest, you keep and
add all their results together! You also gain 1 Flux Point.
CRASHES. If both Flux Dice result in 1s, you don’t get to keep and add either die.
If your [Core Value + Skill] (plus any bonus modifiers) gave you a high enough total,
you might still succeed, of course. It’s just not as likely.
RAISES. Whenever an ability check exceeds a Target Number or opposed roll by 5
points or more, you get a ‘raise.’ Raises on Attack actions increase the damage total
by +1d6 per raise.
19

For example, let’s say that Gwen attempted to punch her boss with an attack roll
of [STR 3 + Fisticuffs 3]. She gets a 1 and 6 result on her Flux Dice, and the 6 is a
critical, so she rolls it again for a result of 4. Her final total is thus [3 + 3 + 6 + 4 = 16].
Her boss defended with an 10, and Gwen easily beat that by 6 points, giving her one
raise. She now deals her normal unarmed combat damage of [3] plus an additional
+1d6 roll. If it rolls a 5, that means she deals a total of [3 + 5 = 8] points of damage.
Raises on Quotas (see page 18) give 1 Flux Point to everyone involved.
COMBAT
Despite its beauty and wealth, The City is a dangerous place. The mega-corporations
relish their powers and are not about to relinquish them easily. Anyone foolish enough
to interfere with their plans will quickly find himself the target of security forces.
Worse, the PCs must also deal with the monstrous cryptids manifested by the Flux
or released by corporate researches into the arcane.
Details for combat actions are described below. However, these are intended to
provide a cinematic experience that is not overly complex. If a character wants to take
an action that the rules don’t cover, don’t halt the game to debate on the ideal roll;
just choose what seems most appropriate and keep playing!
WHO GOES FIRST?

During most of the game, actions occur only as needed. For instance, Chris might say
“I want to snoop in the Suit’s desk.” The Director might say “How much time do you
want to spend?” and give Chris some (or no) information depending on what is there
to be found. In combat, however, it’s important to note the order of events.
INITIATIVE. When the Director says it’s time for combat, each player should make a
standard [WIT + Instinct] check, adding the high Flux Dice result as usual. The total
is the character’s Initiative score for that round.
20

TURNS. The character with the highest Initiative goes first. A turn is defined as 10
seconds. During each turn, a player character can perform either one Move action and
one Attack action, or two Move actions. If a players wants to perform an action that
doesn’t fit easily into either a Move or Attack action, the Director decides how many
actions, turns, or even rounds it takes.
For example, simple actions like shouting a warning or drawing a weapon are
“free” actions. Running to a parked car, leaping up onto its roof, and leaping off to slice
a sword through a flying creature would be three Move and one Attack actions (in that
order), requiring two turns to complete.
You may find it helpful to play proactively, by declaring your character's actions
and what you're trying to achieve with a roll, even before you pick up the dice. By
telling the Director and the other players what you're trying to do, you can pre-define
your character's basic intent, though these will be modified by a roll's failure, success,
and even raises. Alternatively, you can play reactively and wait for the Director to
provide you with a description or ask you what you want to do. There's no right or
wrong way; choose what your group prefers.
ROUNDS. The amount of time it takes for everyone to have a turn is defined as a
‘round’. Once the first round ends, each player again determines his Initiative to see
who gets the first turn, and combat continues from the previous round.
SURPRISE. When a character is surprised at the start of combat (e.g., an eldritch
tentacle lashes out of the darkness at him), that character must attempt a [WIT + In-
stinct] check. In most cases, the TN should be Easy (5) for characters on alert or Hard
(11) for characters who don’t expect trouble. Characters who fail their check get only
[WIT + Instinct] (no Flux Dice roll) for Initiative on the first round of combat. For the
second and subsequent rounds, determine Initiative normally.
ATTACK ACTIONS
During an Attack action, the character may attempt to strike his opponent hand-to-
hand, with melee weapons, ranged weapons, or magic. To successfully deal damage,
the Attack action total must first beat the opponent’s defense total (so don’t forget
about criticals and raises).
Note that a minimum ‘Getting Medieval’ or ‘Firearms’ skill is required to use a
melee or ranged weapon effectively. Otherwise, suffer the difference between the re-
quirement and your actual skill level as a penalty to the Attack roll.
AIMING. A character can target a body part in order to cause a specific wound. Aim-
ing for the torso imposes a –1 penalty to the attack. Moving down to the groin or over
to either arm increases this penalty to –2, while a leg shot is –3 and a headshot is –4.
If the attack succeeds, the PC strikes the chosen location.
Aiming while moving doubles this penalty. However, when a character foregoes
all movement for his turn so he can take careful aim instead, he reduces the penalty
by –1 (cannot be reduced below 0). If the character already declared he was moving
during his turn or used his Move action, he cannot take careful aim during that turn.
SAMPLE ATTACK ACTIONS
CAST A SORCERY SPELL..............................................MGK + SORCERY DISCIPLINE

CAST A WITCHCRAFT SPELL ......................................MGK + WITCHCRAFT DISCIPLINE
FIRE RANGED WEAPON (PISTOL, WAND, ETC.) .........DFT + FIREARMS
THROW WEAPON (KNIFE, AXE, ETC.)SS .....................DFT + GETTING MEDIEVAL
UNARMED ATTACK (PUNCH, KICK, ETC.) ..................STR + FISTICUFFS
USE MELEE WEAPON (AXE, BAT, SWORD, ETC.) ........STR + GETTING MEDIEVAL
21

HIT LOCATION. When not aiming, your total Flux

Dice roll reveals where an attack lands. An attack that
HIT LOCATION (2D6)
deals a wound (see Damage on page 21) imposes a –1
penalty, based on the body part struck.
For instance, a leg wound causes a –1 penalty to ROLL TO HIT
Athletics checks involving movement. An arm wound 2 ...................L EFT LEG
penalizes Firearms, Fisticuffs, Getting Medieval, spell- 3 ...................R IGHT LEG

casting, and any other actions that involve use of the 4 ...................GROIN
arms or hands. Groin, torso, and head shots penalize 5-9 ...............TORSO
all actions, and head shots also cause double damage. 10.................LEFT ARM
Penalties are cumulative with each wound suffered. 11.................RIGHT ARM
Fortunately, wound penalties apply after combat, 12.................HEAD
not during. While in combat, PCs are operating on
adrenaline and unconsciously draw more energy from
the Flux. When the combat ends, the body and mind relax, the energy fades, and the
character starts to feel the effects (penalties) of the wounds. Penalties fade as wounds
are healed. This avoids the so-called ‘death spiral’ where a wounded character finds
it increasingly harder to move, attack, and/or defend, and so the chance of failure be-
comes increasingly more likely with each wound received.
However, if your group prefers tougher combat, the Director might rule that all
wound penalties are effective immediately!
THROWING. Your character can accurately throw an item (using a [DFT + Getting
Medieval] attack) for a number of feet equal to [STR+DFT+MTL] x 3. Throwing at a
target beyond this range applies a minimum –2 penalty to the attack. Throwing at
least twice the base distance adds another –2 (–4 total), triple distance adds yet an-
other –2 (–6 total), and so on up to the max distance x5 (–10 total).
MOVE ACTIONS
During a Move action, your
character can traverse a num- SAMPLE MOVE ACTIONS (FEET PER TURN)
ber of feet in any direction,
with the distance depending WALK ..............................UP TO [ATHLETICS] X 5
both on the action and his JOG .................................UP TO [ATHLETICS] X 10
[Athletics] score. No movement
RUN .................................UP TO [ATHLETICS] X 15
checks are needed unless the
SPRINT (AFTER RUN) .......UP TO [ATHLETICS] X 25
character is impeded by large
debris, obstacles, gaps between LONG JUMP .....................UP TO [ATHLETICS] X 4
buildings, and so forth. HIGH JUMP ......................UP TO [ATHLETICS] X 2
A Move action to sprint CLIMB ..............................UP TO [ATHLETICS] X 2
must be preceded by a Move
action to run, though not nec-
essarily in the same turn. COMBINED MOVE AND ATTACK ACTIONS
COMBINING MOVE AND ATTACK
ACTIONS. Actions that combine RUN-AND-GUN ...............DFT + FIREARMS
movement and attacks are pos- SLIDE-AND-SLICE .............STR + GETTING MEDIEVAL
sible. Most characters favor WEAPON DISARM ...........DFT + GETTING MEDIEVAL
‘running and gunning’ (run-
ning while firing a gun) or
‘sliding and slicing’ (sliding under/near an enemy and slicing upwards with a blade),
but any reasonable combination may be allowed. Weapon disarms are included here.
A character can perform two Combined Move/Attack actions per turn, but with
penalites. He must accept the lowest result on the Flux Dice roll, and distance moved
is reduced by half (round down fractions). Aiming penalties are doubled.
22

DEFENSES
To avoid an opponent’s Attack action, your defense total must beat his attack. Defense
checks are reactions, and do not normally count as a character’s Move or Attack ac-
tion. A defense check might be one of several [Core Value + Skill] combinations, to-
gether with any armor, shield, or other modifiers as appropriate.
SAMPLE DEFENSE ACTIONS
VS HACKING ...............................................WIT + SCIENCES: COMPUTER

VS HORROR (MONSTROUS ABILITY)...........MTL + VALOR
VS MELEE (DODGING)................................DFT + ATHLETICS
VS MELEE (DEFLECTING).............................DFT + GETTING MEDIEVAL
VS MELEE (WHEN UNARMED) ....................DFT + FISTICUFFS
VS POISON/DISEASE/RADIATION ...............STR + MTL
VS SPELL (PHYSICAL ATTACKS)....................DFT + MGK
VS SPELL (MENTAL ATTACKS) ......................WIT + MGK
For example, a [DFT + Athletics] check allows your character to dodge melee at-
tacks, area attacks, and other such deathtraps. To deflect a melee attack with your
own weapon or shield, you'd use [DFT + Getting Medieval]; this attack is deflected,
so no damage applies even against the shield. When two unarmed characters battle,
or when an unarmed character wants to block or deflect an opponent's melee attack,
use [DFT + Fisticuffs] to defend.
A few defense checks use [Core Value + Core Value] results. A [STR + MTL] check
helps resist toxins, diseases, radiation, and other environmental hazards. Resisting
spells or spell-like abilities would use [DFT + MGK] for physical manipulations. To
shrug off a spell that would affect a PC’s mind, use [WIT + MGK].
When confronted with a horror not meant for human eyes, you'll need a successful
[MTL + Valor] check or lose your next Attack action. Hackers attempting to digitally
evade or block a foe's hacking attempts will use [WIT + Sciences: Computer].
FULL DEFENSE. At the beginning of a turn, you can declare that your character is
forgoing both actions during this turn, in exchange for a Full Defense. Double the re-
sult of any defense check you roll against melee attacks.
PARTIAL DEFENSE. At the beginning of a turn, you can declare that your character
is forgoing his Move action during this turn, in exchange for a Partial Defense. To
make a defense check against melee attacks, double your character's Athletics skill.
Thus, your defense check is: [DFT + Athletics + Athletics] plus the Flux Die result.
DAMAGE
To determine how much damage a successful attack deals, the attacking player rolls
the damage dice for the weapon and adds any modifiers. The defending player or Di-
rector then subtracts his character's damage reduction (typically armor and/or shield)
from the attack total. If the remaining damage meets or exceeds the target’s MTL, he
suffers one wound to the appropriate location – along with any appropriate penalties
from hit location. Note that Raises also apply; each 5 points of damage greater than
MTL causes an additional wound. For example, 8 points of damage against MTL 3
would deal two wounds. Damage less than the target’s MTL deals only incidental
damage (nicks, scratches, bruises, etc.) that imposes no penalties.
After a character suffers a number of wounds equal to his [MTL x 2], he may at-
tempt a [STR + MTL] check against TN 11 to remain on his feet – and repeat this
check each turn after taking his actions. This check itself does not count as an action.
23

On a failed check, he slumps to the ground, conscious and able to speak but too
wounded to act. If he’s lucky, his opponent may spare his life.
Whenever the number of wounds becomes greater than [MTL x 2], the character
falls unconscious, dying. Thanks to medical technology, he may be revived if healed
within a number of rounds equal to his [MTL x 2] score. If not, he dies.
HEALING
PCs heal one wound (and its as-
sociated penalties) every 24 CLINICS AND HOSPITALS
hours without need of medical To locate a certified Biocom clinic,
attention, thanks to the Flux en- PCs should look for the white star
ergies within them. on signs or digital maps. Hospitals
For example, a character are marked with a white cross. See
with three wounds heals the page xxx for more information.
first one after 24 hours, the sec-
ond after 48 hours, and the third
after 72 hours. Wounds can be healed faster with certain Spiritism spells (instant;
pXXX), skin guns (12 hours; see page 86), or a trip to a clinic or hospital (usually 6
hours or less; p129).
SOCIAL ‘COMBAT’
In most situations, influencing an NPC is a matter of achieving success on a contested
check, as detailed in the Influence skill description (see page XXX). However, you may
select another [Core Value + Influence] combination if it seems appropriate.
For instance, if your character wants to threaten with words (e.g., "If you don't do
what I want, I'm going to chop off your fingers one by one."), you'll probably want to
use [WIT + Influence]. Alternatively, he might want to threaten by flexing his muscles
[STR + Influence], twirling a dagger in his hand [DFT + Influence], taking a punch to
the gut without flinching [MTL + Influence], or pretending to curse his opponent
[MGK + Influence].
The Director determines the degree of success based on the difference between
the two rolls. For instance, a success with a difference of only 1 or 2 points might
mean that the NPC agrees ‘for the moment’ but still has some reservations. On the
other hand, a raise (a difference of 5 or more points) probably means that the NPC
sincerely believes the character and will need some strong evidence to change his
mind again. Failures work similarly. A check that barely fails still allows the PC to
try again (though the Director may impose an additional penalty – probably the
amount the PC failed by). A check that severely fails means that the NPC steadfastly
refuses to be influenced until circumstances change drastically.
Except when faced with magic, a PC may never have to make a check to resist
being influenced. After all, few players want to admit that their character can be per-
suaded to do something that he normally wouldn't, and using rules to force this doesn't
usually work well. Instead, the Director influences the PCs simply by playing the
NPCs and offering rewards (both tangible and intangible) in order to get a reaction
from the players – and thus from their characters.
MISCELLANEOUS RULES
This section lists a few rules that may be useful on occasion, but that don’t necessarily
occur every time you sit down to play.
BREAKING AND ENTERING. Unless a door is specially reinforced, it can be forced open
with a successful [STR + MTL] check versus the door’s resistance. Most interior doors
can be opened with a successful check versus TN 9, but exterior building doors usually
have at least a TN 15 resistance to being forced open. Every 6 points of damage dealt
24

against a door’s lock reduces the TN by 1 (exterior) or 2 (interior). If you want to open
an electronic lock quickly and quietly, you’ll want the Hack asset (see page XXX).
Glass windows can be shattered without the need for damage rolls, though bul-
let-resistant glass requires additional force. In general, assume that a 1” thick sheet
has an armor value of 13, and that a single attack dealing at least 13 points of damage
against the material breaches it and drops the armor value of the remaining material
by 1 point. It then takes only 12 points of damage to breach the material, again re-
ducing it by 1 point to a value of 11. And so on.
CHASES. If two (or more) characters are involved in a chase through The City, just
determine Move actions as you normally would, with an additional opposed [MTL + Ath-
letics] check at the end of each character’s turn. A failed check means that, on his next
Move action, that character can move only the minimum distance; this means he is
winded, stumbles, or otherwise distracted, and so only moves [feet] instead of [Athletics
x feet]. The Director may also require additional [DFT + Athletics] to avoid obstacles.
For example, let's say that Andrea (Athletics 3) is chasing Vic (also Athletics 3).
Both move at the same run speed (45 feet per Move action), so if they both take two
Move actions per turn, Andrea would not gain any ground on Vic. However, if Vic fails
his opposed check, he only moves 15 feet on his next Move action (instead of 45 feet),
and Andrea starts to gain.
FALLING. For falling onto hard surfaces, apply 1d6 points of damage for the first
10 feet fallen, with an additional +1d6 and automatic wound for each increment be-
yond 10’. Damage reduction from armor and/or shield does not apply. The Director
chooses what hit locations are wounded.
For example, a character falling 20’ suffers one wound, plus however many addi-
tional wounds he would normally receive from 2d6 points of damage. A fall of 30’ would
be two wounds plus any wounds from 3d6, while a fall of 40’ would be three wounds
plus any wounds from 4d6, etc.
A successful [DFT + Athletics] check allows the character to roll with the fall and
reduce the amount of damage by 1 die, plus an additional die for each raise, if any.
FIRE. When a character or similarly sized object is set alight, you can assume that
the fire deals a minimum of 1d6 points of damage immediately, doubling on each of
the character’s turns until it reaches 4d6. Thus, a burning character suffers at least
1d6 damage the first turn, 2d6 the second turn, 4d6 the third turn, 4d6 the fourth
turn, and so on until the fire is extinguished. Armor and shield damage reductions do
not apply, unless the item is specially said to be flame-retardant. The Director may
increase the fire damage as needed, depending on the starting size of the blaze and
whether any accelerants were used.
ILLUMINATION. The rules-as-written assume that all actions occur in areas of ade-
quate lighting. When events occur at night or in areas of dim illumination, however,
the Director may apply modifiers. A good way to represent being in dim light is to
apply a –1 penalty to all relevant checks (e.g., attacking, defending, jumping), while
total darkness might impose a –4 penalty. Flashlights and other such light sources
reduce these penalties by –1, and headlights reduce the penalty by –2 (assuming they
are pointed in the right direction). See page XXX for night goggles.
POISON. Each poison’s effect depends on its nature. After all, it may be giant spider
venom, cleaning fluid, rat poison, arsenic, or one of any number of poisons. In general,
you can assume that the intended effect (death, damage, paralyzation, unconscious-
ness, etc.) of a short-term poison occurs within 2d6 minutes after ingestion, injection,
or other contact as appropriate. The character may attempt a [STR + MTL] check to
resist the poison’s effects, with the Director choosing the TN depending on the poison’s
strength. For example, a powerful, fast-acting poison like cyanide might require a suc-
cess against TN 19, while a knockout drug might be a TN 13.
25

2HUMAN
RESOURCES
27 | CHARACTER CONCEPT 64 | CORE VALUES

IMAGINING YOUR CHARACTER. SET YOUR CHARACTER’S STARTING
MENTAL AND PHYSICAL ATTRIBUTES.
30 | SAMPLE CHARACTERS
CHARACTER ARCHETYPES IN THE CITY. 65 | SKILL SET
BUILD YOUR CHARACTER’S SKILLS.
59 | PERSONALITY TRAITS
LIKES, DISLIKES, GOALS, FEARS. ETC. 73 | FLUX POINTS
DETERMINE YOUR CHARACTER’S
64 | CORE COMPETENCIES MASTERY OF THE FLUX.
YOUR CHARACTER’S ABILITIES AS
DEFINED BY THE FLUX.
26

Before you dive into character creation, find out if the Director is planning on certain
types of adventures where particular Player Character concepts would work best (e.g.,
action, espionage, corporate, etc.). Groups with a good mix of occupations, qualities,
skills, and even personalities, are often better equipped to face the challenges ahead.
To create your PC, follow each of the following steps: Concept, Core Competency,
Core Values, Skill Set, Traits, and Flux. Afterwards, you may purchase assets (Chap-
ter 3: Assets) and buy equipment and augments (Chapter 4: Expenses). Your Director
may have limits on what is available in the campaign, so you might want to discuss
your options before taking those last two steps.
STEP ONE: CHARACTER CONCEPT

Although reincarnated Knights-Errant are a central focus of the game, you aren’t re-
quired to play one. Instead, you can play a modern human who finds he (or she, of
course) has gained supernatural abilities. Just be sure to create a character that in-
terests you, and one that can work with other characters. Cooperation is key – at least,
if you want your character to survive.
KNIGHTWATCH OPERATIONS
Whether reborn or not, all players are considered ‘knights’ – members of the elite, su-
pernormal team of modern monster-slayers known as the Knightwatch. They are the
central players in the ongoing battle between the forces of order and chaos, as they
strive to keep the balance and prevent a future apocalypse where monsters and spell-
casters rule as the overseers and oppressors of enslaved mankind. Because the
Knightwatch is supported by the mega-corporation Valyant (under cover of its Watch-
man private security force), the Knightwatch is perceived by the public only as a semi-
covert ‘special ops’ team, with its true nature known only by a very few.
Your team is answerable to Valyant’s Chief Executive Officer, Lance Martin, his
personal assistant Vivienne Morrow, and Chief Operations Officer Kenneth Bridge-
man, revealed to your team as the awakened reincarnations of Lancelot, Nimue, and
Perceval, respectively. Another key character (with no ‘official’ standing at Valyant)
is the Master Eye Registrar and Logistical Intelligence Network (aka M.E.R.L.I.N.).
This corporate artificial intelligence appears in three forms: as the seemingly normal
in-company guide and business directory hologram, as a digitized face on monitor
screens, and as a powerful avatar in virtual space.
When Vivienne/Nimue receives a prophetic vision, or M.E.R.L.I.N. detects spikes
of Flux activity, they dispatch the Knightwatch to quietly eliminate the threat. Once
complete, a Watchman team arrives to clean up the scene and acquire any (living or
dead) specimens and magical materials. A Knightwatch team may also be sent on
other types of missions (such as covert or diplomatic) against rival corporations and
private security firms. They may even encounter threats while off-duty.
Knights receive free room and board in Watchman headquarters beneath Watch-
man Keep (see p149), plus initial training and a limited selection of equipment (due
to citywide arms restrictions). They can improve and expand on this as they gain ex-
perience, and can purchase or scavenge additional firearms, relics, and other items.
GROUP DYNAMICS
When you sit down to create your player character, there are at least three ways to
do so; you may discover many more. The first, and most traditional, is to work in soli-
tude, putting building the abilites you want your character to have, but having little
to no coordination with other players. In this case, none of the Knightwatch operatives
know each other before the first time they appear together in a Corporia game.
Another option is to give your character a long-term background that meshes with
one or more other PCs, even if your Corporia game starts with inexperienced charac-
ters. For example, perhaps your Hacker was once hired by a Suit to break into a com-
27

petitor’s server. You might say that the Hacker did a good job and the Suit paid on
time (with a bonus), and that you’ve been acquaintances and occasional co-workers
ever since – even before being recruited by the Knightwatch.
A third option is to build all the PCs around a single theme. This usually involves
all the PCs being of the same or similar type. For instance, you might play a team of
awakened Knights-Errant who want to do the work of vanquishing monsters, seeking
out magical items and hotspots, and aiding persons in need, all while serving the
Knight’s Code. To these Knights-Errant, it is not merely a job, but a holy quest.
Whatever you choose, you’ll need to have a serious discussion with the other play-
ers and the Director to make sure that everyone’s interested and willing to commit to
this theme. If one player decides to go against the group, it can disrupt the theme and
cause problems.
SAMPLE ARCHETYPES
The following pages detail character concepts and archetypes that you can use to build
your own unique individual whose personality will develop further with each passing
game. You can choose any modern archetype,
or even combine a special archetype with a
modern one. (Just note that you can’t combine MODERN ARCHETYPES
two special archetypes with each other!) BADGE ....................................P28
BACKGROUND. This section supplies some HACKER .................................P30
basic ideas, but you should consider other, more HEADHUNTER ........................P32
personal, questions as well. Where is he from? JOURNO .................................P34
How old is he? What was his childhood like? LISTER .....................................P40
And so on. You should also consider the event RADICAL ................................P42
when your character’s supernatural abilities RUNNER .................................P44
awoke; it’s usually quite dramatic. For in- SUIT ........................................P48
stance, Hackers might accidentally disrupt THINKER.................................P50
their company servers, Knights-Errant suffer ZERO ......................................P54
seeming mental breakdowns, and Sorcerers
and Witchers let loose an uncontrolled burst of
SPECIAL ARCHETYPES
arcane energy. Other typical symptoms include
KNIGHT-ERRANT ...................P36
bursts of accelerated strength and speed, and
a reaction similar to an epileptic fit. SORCERER ..............................P46
Naturally, the Knightwatch keeps a close WITCHER ...............................P52
eye on hospitals and news reports in order to
locate potential recruits. Why did your charac-
ter join? Is she afraid of being captured by another corporation and experimented on?
Does she have a family to support? Or does she just ‘get off ’ on the adrenalin rush
and the excitement of the chase? The answer is up to you, but it should be an impor-
tant part of your concept.
Most members of the Knightwatch believe the world should be orderly, but don't
support an oppressive corporate rule that subjugates the people and severely restricts
liberty. On the other hand, they fight the Flux to prevent the world from falling into
a wild, primeval chaos where humanity lives under the rule of magic and those who
wield it. Thus, they stand between the extremes of Order and Chaos.
SIGNS AND PERSONALITY TRAITS. Here are listed some sample personalties, and as-
trological signs common to each concept. Starting characters should have three public
traits and one private trait of your choosing. These traits define much about the char-
acter’s life, such as his goals, motivations, and personality – primarily, how he reacts
when encountering new people and new challenges. See pages XXX for more details.
Keep your private trait a secret between you and the Director. You can tell the
other players what your character’s public traits are, but don’t let this be a substitute
for role-playing – especially if you want to earn Flux Points (see page XXX)!
28

NAMES. A character’s name or alias usually reflects who he is. The name ‘Razor’
sounds like a Radical with violent tendencies and talent with a blade, while Alain
Winterbottom the Fourth sounds like a Suit with high resources. Of course, you can
also twist this around. There are lots of big guys nicknamed ‘Tiny,’ after all.
LOOK. Your character’s ‘look’ is his style and clothing (e.g., formal, casual, punk,
blue-collar, etc.), but you should also consider his physical appearance. How tall is
he? What color are his eyes? What is the style and color of his hair? Is he slim, fat, or
muscular? Is he dark or pale?
Knightwatch teams, who often need to move through the urban environment with-
out drawing attention, aren’t required to wear the standard Watchman security uni-
forms. They are outside the Watchman rank structure, though you can assume that
each PC received basic training in self defense and arrest techniques, firearms train-
ing, high speed pursuit driving, and other security enforcement subjects.
ROLE. A character’s role is his typical position within the group dynamic, and any
particular talent for combat or social combat. Of course, his level of enthusiasm for
the job can vary. Even Knights-Errant may despair of the cruelty of the modern world,
and follow their oaths as little as possible. Other character may be less interested in
the magic and the monsters than in the steady job and the money.
KEY CORE VALUES AND SKILLS. This section lists the most frequently used core values
and skills for a particular character concept. If you decide to combine multiple con-
cepts for your character, like a Knight-Errant and Lister, you’ll need to decide what
abilities your character focuses on mastering. See pages XXX for more details.
ASSETS. A character’s assets include any special abilities – depending on whether
his Core Competency was Touched, Gifted, or Fluxed – as well as his funds, resources,
and network of contacts. All character types have one asset that they can purchase at
a cheaper point cost than normal. See Chapter 3: Assets for more info.
WEAPONS AND EQUIPMENT. Some character concepts are more suited to particular
items. Sneaky characters are more likely to favor light, camouflage equipment and
silent weapons, for instance, while street fighters might prefer heavy armor and loud
but powerful firearms. See pages XXX for more details.
AUGMENTS. The term ‘augments’ is short for ‘augmentations’, which are biological,
mechanical, nanotechnological, and similar improvements or additions to the human
body. This section details some basic augments most common to a particular character
concept. Start reading on page XXX of Chapter 4: Expenses for further specifics.
INSPIRATION. Feel free to imitate characters from comics, novels, movies, or televi-
sion, within reason. This section provides examples you may know.
Welcome to ‘The City’

It is a world like our own, but different. It is a glimpse
into the future, or perhaps an alternate universe
where history takes a different turn. It is the setting
of the Corporia role-playing game.
Its name is unimportant, be it Arcadia, Ilium, or even

a real-world locale like New York, Tokyo, or London.
Its inhabitants merely call it... The City.
To learn more, review the history and guide found on

pages XXX-XXX, but be warned – reading beyond
those pages may spoil some of the excitement and
mystery that the Director has in store for you!
29

BADGE Private sector military and security personnel
BADGES are employees of private military and security companies (PMSCs). Most serve
as privatized police forces for facilities, residences, and project sites. Others are pri-
vate investigators, mobile escorts, security management consultants, specialist train-
ers, and soldiers. Their employer’s services are often ‘subscription-based,’ meaning
that they provide protection for a regularly scheduled fee. They focus primarily on
preventive methods of security, rather than tracking down and punishing criminals,
though some companies will tackle the latter if paid to do so.
BACKGROUND. Most Badges decided on their profession at an early age, finding an
employer immediately after their secondary education (high school or equivalent),
though some individuals may have gone on to further their education at a university
before seeking employment. Your character’s career may have been a distinguished
one filled with glory, a dull one shuffling back and forth between routine assignments,
or a mix of both.
SIGNS AND PERSONALITY TRAITS. Common signs are: Aries, Taurus, Leo, and Scorpio.
Good Badges are disciplined, courageous, and reliable, but there are always a few who
are cowardly, reckless, corrupt, or lazy.
NAMES. Badges usually introduce themselves by their rank and surname (e.g.,
Lieutenant Miller, Detective Gardner) even when not in service.
LOOK. When not in uniform, badges tend to dress in a utilitarian style, favoring
blue, gray, black, or tan colors. Facial hair is rare except among high-ranking person-
nel, and haircuts are usually ‘high and tight.’ Of course, the longer a Badge is unem-
ployed, the more likely he is to revert to his normal sloppiness.
ROLE. Most PC Badges see themselves as the embodiments of justice – willing to
'bend' the law to achieve desired results. Others believe the law is all, and even the
smallest infraction should be punished; otherwise, it's a slippery slope to chaos and
anarchy! Whether or not the Badge is a team leader, his tactical knowledge demands
respect and attention. Badges are often valued marksmen, and so well-known for
their ability to mete out extreme violence that their mere presence may deter an op-
ponent from taking unwanted action.
KEY CORE VALUES AND SKILLS. Badges, especially those who served in foreign cor-
porate wars, often have high STR, DFT, Firearms, WIT, and Instinct. Individuals not
on the front lines of combat may focus on improving MTL, Crime, WIT, and Influence.
ASSETS. Badges are usually ‘Touched’ by the Flux and so have no supernatural as-
sets. Many badges have at least two ranks each in Lionheart and Network. Bravado
and Prudent are also common, as is Null. Their core (discounted) asset is Detective.
WEAPONS AND EQUIPMENT. Badges prefer to have a large cache of weapons
and armor available to meet any situation. In general, they favor firearms in-
stead of melee weapons, and medium to heavy body armor.
AUGMENTS. Badges often equip themselves with the full body Silkskin up-
grade, and their vision with EyePads and the Spec.Tac.Le eye augment.
INSPIRATION. You can get some ideas about Badge archetypes from many fic-
tional sources that feature cops or soldiers of any background. Some notable in-
dividuals include Harry Callahan (Dirty Harry), General Hank Landry
(Stargate SG-1), Lieutenant Gorman (Aliens), Detective Vic Mackey (The
Shield), Lieutenant Jean Rasczak (Starship Troopers), Officer Tang (Southland),
and Major West (28 Days Later).
30

“You have the

right to remain
dead.”
SAMPLE BADGE
INIT +5; ATK +6 unarmed [3 STR], +6 melee [2d6 + 3 com/bat], +7 ranged, +8 (7 + 1) pistol [2d6];
DEF +2 (5 – 3 armor); DR 2/3/2 (med mod, silkskin); WD 6
Abilities: STR 3, Fisticuffs 3, Getting Medieval 3; DFT 3, Athletics 2, Firearms 4; MTL 3, Valor 0;
KNO 2, Crime 3; WIT 2, Influence 2, Instinct 4 (3 initiative); MGK 1
Assets: Detective, Network 4, Prudent, Weapon Master (+1 Pistol)
Augments: EyePhone, Silkskin
Traits: Courageous, Intolerant, Reliable; Has a death wish
31

HACKER Computer specialist hacking tech and diving into virtual reality
In a world where computers are everywhere, hacking is a respected talent – but also
a feared one. HACKERS in the corporate hierarchy are clever programmers who spend
their work hours attempting to reinforce their employer’s cyber gateways, or trying
to break down the firewalls of competitors. Some secretly believe that all information
should be free, but fear of losing their job usually keeps them (figuratively) chained
to their terminals.
BACKGROUND. Hackers often spent their youth as budding computer nerds, later
entering higher education before taking a corporate job. Other prodigies may catch
the eye of a mega-corp when they unexpectedly break through high-level security, but
are offered a job instead of being arrested or killed.
SIGNS AND PERSONALITY TRAITS. Common astrological signs include Aries, Gemini,
Leo, Virgo, Sagittarius, Capricorn, and Aquarius. Most hackers are also motivated,
hard-working, creative, and easily bored. Hackers that openly support their corporate
overlords are rare. Most have an anti-authoritarian outlook on tech development,
which means that megacorporations often distrust them – and keep close surveillance
on them whenever they are on (and off) company premises.
NAMES. Many Hackers conceal their identity behind obvious ‘handles,’ such as Acid
Burn, Babbage, Cereal Killer, Gibson, Lord Kanti, Neo, Wipeout, or Zero. Older Hack-
ers often disdain these handles, claiming that a true Hacker is proud of his work and
shouldn’t be afraid to give his real name.
LOOK. At a major corporate office, Hackers may dress as conservatively as any jun-
ior executive. Freelancers, or those who work at smaller offices with a looser dress
code, tend to prefer hip clothing in the latest style, or jeans, caps, and t-shirts embla-
zoned with cartoons or logos.
ROLE. Hackers are fascinated by problems and puzzles, and not just digital ones.
They can often be tempted into tackling an incident simply because of its unusual fea-
tures. In a team, they circumvent security systems to access information, spread mis-
information, and break into digitally locked doors, webcams, servers, and so forth.
With the right asset, a Hacker may even dive into the ‘net and enter a virtual world.
KEY CORE VALUES AND SKILLS. A hacker should focus on KNO and the Sciences:
Computer skill. Other abilities depend on what sort of hacker you envision. If the
nerdy type, add in extra Knowledge or Humanities skills. If he took a few karate
classes in his youth, give him a point of Fisticuffs. And so on.
ASSETS. A Hacker without the Hack asset is unheard of. Most Hackers were also
'Gifted' with supernatural abilities, and so have the NT3RF4CE asset, which enables
them to actually dive into the virtual reality of the 'net with their allies linked
in. Network and Funding are also typical assets among Hackers.
WEAPONS AND EQUIPMENT. Hackers tend to favor raypiers, since its glowing
blade reminds them of certain sci-fi movies. X-Calibre brand firearms are also
a popular choice. For protection, energy shields and blur suits are common.
AUGMENTS. Hackers max out their heads with all the latest EyePhone apps.
Those who can afford a Cloak augment usually have one.
INSPIRATION. Some examples of Hackers in fiction include: Henry Case (Neu-
romancer), ‘Ed’ (Cowboy Bebop), Alec Hardison (Leverage), Richard Langly (X-
Files, Lone Gunmen), Hiro Protagonist (Snow Crash), Lisbeth Salander (The
Girl with the Dragon Tattoo), and Randy Waterhouse (Cryptonomicon).
32

“ASCII and ye
shall receive.”
SAMPLE HACKER
INIT +4; ATK +2 unarmed [1 STR], +3 melee [1d8+1 short sword], +4 ranged [2d6 pistol]; DEF
+5; DR 1/1/1 (suit weave); WD 3
KNO 4, Computers 5; WIT 2, Influence 2, Instinct 3; MGK 1
Assets: Hack, Lady Luck, Network 2, NT3RF4C3
Augments: EyePhone, EyePad
Traits: Easily bored, Humorous, Organized; Obsessed with a celebrity
33

HEADHUNTER Assassin living a secret double life
Outwardly, HEADHUNTERS are employment recruiters who earn fees by filling empty
positions within a corporate structure. These recruiters may be outsourced freelancers
or full-time staff within a human resources department. Independent Headhunters
work for multiple clients simultaneously,on a third-party broker basis. Most Head-
hunters are a normal part of the corporate workforce.
Privately, however, some Headhunters can be hired for targeted killings or to dis-
pose of incriminating evidence (e.g., files, bodies). Some may accept protective roles
as bodyguards to ensure the safety of an executive and his family, if the exec believes
that “it takes an assassin to stop an assassin.” Headhunters may even be hired by
Globex Power or Biocom to “repossess” replacement organs and augments – a partic-
ularly bloody way to earn a living.
BACKGROUND. When a headhunter joins the Knightwatch, it may be for one of sev-
eral reasons. Perhaps he believes in the cause, or is just looking for more exotic chal-
lenges. Worse, he might be a double agent for Globex Power or another mega-corp.
SIGNS AND PERSONALITY TRAITS. Many headhunters are Virgos, Scorpios, or Capri-
corns. Few are loyal to anyone other than their employer, provided the credits are
paid on time. They are often amoral, rarely swayed by pleas or threats, and prefer to
simply do their job and move on to the next order of business.
NAMES. A new headhunter character may have identification for d6 aliases sup-
plied by previous employers or leftover from earlier jobs.
LOOK. Headhunters dress as appropriate for blending into the target environment,
be it casual clothes in a crowded street, a suit in a office building, a waiter’s outfit in
a restaurant, high fashion at a gathering of wealthy executives, and so on. Depending
on the extent of their resources, they may own these various outfits, hire them from
costume shops, or be forced to steal them off the bodies of unwitting victims.
ROLE. Headhunters are often skilled in the art of disguise and tend to have a solid
network of contacts among the privileged upper classes of society. In combat, head-
hunters are often at their best when they can shoot from a distance or slip out of the
shadows to deal a killing blow.
KEY CORE VALUES AND SKILLS. Headhunters use DFT and Athletics to sneak, and
prefer blades (STR and Getting Medieval) or silenced Firearms. They also need good
WIT and Instinct. Decent MTL, Business, and Crime statistics are often helpful.
ASSETS. Most headhunters are ‘Touched’ by the Flux and have no particular su-
pernatural abilities, though ‘Fluxed’ Headhunter/Sorcerers and ‘Gifted’
Headhunter/Knight-Errant combinations can be particularly interesting. Generally,
assets include multiple levels of Funding and Network, with various combinations of
Fortitude, Lady Luck, Prudent, and discounted Weapon Master.
WEAPONS AND EQUIPMENT. As noted, headhunters usually prefer to kill quickly
and quietly, which requires knives or silenced firearms such as the X-Calibre.
Blur suits, suit weaves, and energy shields are common armor, since these still
allow complete freedom of movement. Headhunters usually forego heavier ar-
mors unless expecting return fire.
AUGMENTS. Headhunters favor the cloak and silkskin augments, along with
the EyePhone and Spec.Tac.Le app.
INSPIRATION. You can get some ideas for your headhunter concepts from: Syd-
ney Bristow (Alias), Nikita (La Femme Nikita), the Operative (Serenity), Evelyn
Salt (Salt), John and Jane Smith (Mr. & Mrs. Smith), Vincent (Collateral),
Sarah Walker (Chuck), and Michael Weston (Burn Notice).
34

“Shut up
or get back
in the trunk.”
SAMPLE HEADHUNTER
INIT +; ATK +3 unarmed [2 STR], +5 melee [2d4+2 longsword], +10 (9+1) ranged [2d6 pistol];
DEF +10 (7+3 blur suit); DR 0/1/0 (silkskin); WD 6
KNO 2, Business 2; WIT 2, Influence 3, Instinct 3; MGK 1
Assets: Bravado, Funding 4, Network 2, Weapon Master (pistol)
Augments: EyePhone, Silkskin
Traits: Analytical, Perfectionist, Slow to act; No qualms sacrificing allies to complete a mission
35

JOURNO Reporter investigating mysterious crimes tied to the supernatural
Reporters for any corporate-sponsored or independent e-periodical are known as

JOURNOS. Though most of the big ‘news’ sheets contain little more than promotional
pieces or articles intended to damage competitors, some small, independent journals
strive to publish other material. These independent journos may be news hounds for
cheap tabloids, celebrity-stalking paparazzi, bloggers, or even true investigate jour-
nalists designed to expose the hidden secrets of the mega-corps or make their big
break with an expose proving the existence of the supernatural.
BACKGROUND. Most journos have a university degree in journalism, though some
may have worked their way up the ranks from mailroom boy or cub reporter to get
their own bylines or spot in front of the camera. Your journo might have been any-
where along his career path when his abilities revealed themselves.
SIGNS AND PERSONALITY TRAITS. Aries, Virgo, Libra, and Aquarius are some of the
most common astrological signs for Journos. Most knight Journos hunt out stories
and are known for rushing into danger, despairing of sitting idly at their desks and
relying on the daily ‘puff pieces’ fed by the mega-corps.
NAMES. A Journo’s name is no more remarkable than those of the general public,
though some may have nicknames pulled from old-fashioned journalism terms, such
as ‘Flash’ or ‘Scoop’, or actual reporters (‘Woodward and Bernstein.’)
LOOK. Most journos dress in business casual clothing when not sneaking into re-
stricted areas in search of a scoop. At such times, they favor dark-colored clothes and
quiet rubber-soled shoes.
ROLE. A Journo may see himself as a champion of the people, exposing the truth
at all costs – even if such events are usually relegated to the tabloids – or work to
cover up 'things man was not meant to know'. Few Journos can resist getting emo-
tionally involved or embellishing a story to the outer limits of the facts. Journos may
have helpful contacts in government offices, and are often the best persons to often
gather information from witnesses, Badges, and informants.
KEY CORE VALUES AND SKILLS. The best abilities for journos are usually WIT, In-
flence, and Instinct, with some MTL, DFT, Athletics, and Firearms for defensive pur-
poses. Journos who have been on the job for years may also have minor knowledge of
Business and/or Crime.
ASSETS. Journos are usually ‘Touched’ with no supernatural assets. However, they
tend to have ‘mysterious informants’ acquired from previous cases, as part of the Net-
work asset. Their core discounted asset is Influential. Bravado, Conviction, and Lady
Luck are also good assets.
WEAPONS AND EQUIPMENT. Most Journos carry a firearm for protection and
have their clothes fitted with suit weaves, though they may be better equipped
if embedded with a strike team and knowingly entering into a hostile situation.
AUGMENTS. Any Journo who can afford it will have an EyePhone with a full
range of upgrades, utilizing the EyePad for typing or dictation, and the Eye-
Photo for capturing pictures, sound, and video.
INSPIRATION. A mix of fictional reporters includes: Danny Concannan (The
West Wing), Irwin Fletcher (Fletch), Spider Jerusalem (Transmetropolitan),
Carl Kolchak (Night Stalker), Veronica Mars (Veronica Mars, natch), Susan Ro-
driguez (Dresden Files), Rita Skeeter (Harry Potter), Sarah Jane Smith (Doctor
Who), and Frank West (Dead Rising). Though not a journalist, Fox Mulder (The
X-Files) and his search for the paranormal could be a good inspiration as well.
36

“Zombies in the
streets, strange
lights in the sky,
and a knight with
a sword... Can I
quote you on
this?”
SAMPLE JOURNO
INIT +8; ATK +3 unarmed [2 STR], +4 melee [1d4+2 knife], +6 ranged [2d6 pistol]; DEF +6;
DR 1/1/1 (suit weave); WD 4
KNO 2, Business 2, Crime 2, Sciences: Computer 1; WIT 4, Influence 5 (4+1), Instinct 3; MGK 1
Assets: Bravado, Detective, Funding 2, Influential, Network 4
Traits: Easily bored, Skeptical, Worrier; Emotionally detached
37

KNIGHT-ERRANT Reincarnated knight

from the court of Camelot
While King Arthur was taken to the mystical realm of Avalon, his knights were not
so fortunate. Most died bloody deaths on the field of battle and were not granted pas-
sage to Avalon with their King. A KNIGHT-ERRANT is one of these knights awakened in
the body of a future descendant who bears a trace of the heroic bloodline. Knights-Er-
rant are determined to find their lost King and battle evil in all guises, even while
following the dictates of the Knight’s Code.
BACKGROUND. Before his awakening, the modern PC could have held almost any
type of profession. Feel free to review other concepts and combine them as you build
your Knight-Errant. However, Knights-Errant are never reincarnated into any magic-
wielding concept, perhaps due to their ancient foreswearing of magics.
A Knight-Errant may have served within any of the orders in Arthur’s court.
These included:
• THE KNIGHTS OF THE ROUND TABLE, considered Arthur’s best knights;
• THE TABLE OF THE WANDERING COMPANIONS, who waited to become sworn
Knights of the Round Table;
• THE KNIGHTS OF THE OLD TABLE, who were inducted under the rule of
Arthur’s father King Uther Pendragon;
• THE QUEEN’S KNIGHTS, those young knights eager for honor and charged with
protecting Arthur’s love, Guinevere;
• THE KNIGHTS OF THE WATCH, who were charged with guarding borders and
strongholds, and seeking out threats against the kingdom; and
• the sadly-named TABLE OF LESS-VALUED KNIGHTS, the weak, old, sickly, or
cowardly knights who once were well-regarded but fell from the king’s favor. Whether
this fall from grace was due to an action they took or some event that may have been
beyond their control, they were still personally responsible for it.
SIGNS AND PERSONALITY TRAITS. Common signs for a Knight-Errant are Aries,Tau-
rus, Cancer, Leo, Sagittarius, and Aquarius. Some interesting private traits could in-
clude the knight being reincarnated in a body of the opposite sex, or in a body much
older or younger than before. Such a character might hate his new body and seek out
magical means of transformation, or revel in its newness.
The magical merging of an ancient personality with a modern host results in a
unified, psychologically stable composite being. However, the medieval personality is
dominant. An awakened Knight-Errant knows how to drive a car, operate a computer,
and anything else that the future self knew – he even retains any affection and enmi-
ties for his loved ones and acquaintances – but his loyalties to the Round Table, its
knights, and its King remain as strong as they ever were. He has little doubt
that this is surely the hour of the peoples' greatest need.
Despite what much fiction tells us, Knights-Errant don't have to be dashing,
romantic figures who speak in a Hollywood producer's idea of 'Olde English di-
alect' (especially since many of them were Welsh). The knights of Arthur's court
were warriors, and when the circumstances were appropriate, they swore, spit,
got drunk, and partied as hard any modern day soldier.
NAMES. Most Knights-Errant use their modern names, answering to their
old English, French, Latin, or Welsh names only among close allies. When de-
signing your concept, avoid using the “Big Three” (Arthur, Guinevere, and
Lancelot) and other prominent Knights (Galahad, Kay, Percival, Gawain, etc.)
unless you’re in a special campaign where you’re playing those characters; your
38

“I will show
you mercy if
you ask for it.
Please don’t.”
SAMPLE KNIGHT-ERRANT
INIT +5; ATK +6 unarmed [3 STR], +7 melee, +8 two-handed sword [2d8 + 3], +4 ranged,
+3 pistol [2d6]; DEF +4 (6 – 2 armor); DR 5/2/1 (lt traditional); WD 7
KNO 1, Humanities (Antiques 2, Religion 2); WIT 2, Influence 2, Instinct 3; MGK 1
Assets: Bravado, Knight's Prowess, Lady Luck, Lionheart 2, Weapon Master (longsword)
Augments: EyePhone, Hardened
Traits: Chivalrous, Courageous, Loyal; Thinks all spellcasters are secretly evil
39

Director may be using them as NPCs. Don’t worry, though. King Arthur’s court is said
to have had between 50 and 1,600 knights, so there’s little danger in running out of
them. Talk to your Director and see if he or she has any preferences.
Though rare, women could become knights by being the holder of their knightly
husband’s land (inherited or conceded to by special privilege) or being inducted into
an order of knighthood. Such women were known as ‘chevalieres’. Though there are
no known female Knights of the Round Table, there may have been some in the other
knightly orders at King Arthur’s court.
Sample Male Names. Adam, Alard, Alexander, Andras, Baldric, Bertram, Colin, David, Eustace,
Fabian, Geoffrey, Giles, Heddwyn, Henry, Hugh, James, John, Lawrence, Leofwin, Malcolm, Mark,
Matthew, Nigel, Osbert, Norman, Nicholas, Peter, Ralf, Ranulf, Richard, Robert, Roger, Simon,
Stephan, Thomas, Umfrey, William, Ymbert.
Sample Female Names. Agnes, Alice, Amice/Amicia, Beatrice, Christiana, Cicely/Cicelia,
Cordelia, Dionisia,Denise, Elaine, Eleanor, Fina, Gundred, Hawisa, Isabel, Isolde, Joanna, Julianna,
Leticia, Margery, Mary, Matilda, Millicent, Muriel, Nicolaa, Philippa, Richolda, Sabina, Sybilla, Una,
Winifred, Ygraine
Surnames (Upper-Class). Upper-class family names usually come from the land of a family home,
such as: de Gaulle, de Montfort, or Hugh of Fairfax.
Surnames (Lower-Class). Lower-class surnames often reveal the family profession or include a
topographical feature that was near the family home. Examples include: Ashdown (“on the ash tree
hill”), Athill (“at hill”), Baker, Brickenden, Brooker (“by the brook”), Carpenter, Cheeseman, Clarke,
Cooper, Fletcher, Foreman, Priest, Reeve, Taylor, and Weaver.
LOOK. Wearing metal armor in a modern city is conspicuous, to say the least. Even
modern reproductions are noisy and uncomfortable, so most Knights-Errant don metal
armor for ceremonial uses only. Characters paying tribute to their roots often wear
cloth hoods and tabards, which are not only much quieter than metal armor but also
more easily removed in order to blend into a crowd. Knight-Errants may even wear
suits, preferring to be “knights in shining Armani.”
ROLE. A Knight-Errant often tries to take charge of his group, even if that’s not
what they’d prefer. Following the Knight’s Code may put him at odds with allies not
so quick to leap into danger. Yet, his valor and desire to defend the oppressed may be
exactly what’s needed to inspire the people of The City.
Most Knights-Errant hope to eventually raise an army of followers to force the
corporations to restore rights and free speech to the people – and to inspire them to
fight the magical horrors of the Flux before the entire planet falls under their sway.
KEY CORE VALUES AND SKILLS. Knights-Errant most often use STR, Getting Me-
dieval, DFT, Athletics, WIT, Influence, and Instinct, with any relevant skills from the
character’s modern background.
ASSETS. Knights-Errant receive the Knight’s Prowess asset (see page XXX) for free,
as long as they follow the Knight’s Code. If you want to play a Knight-Errant who re-
jects the old ways and lives in his present, but you still want to have the Knight’s
Prowess asset, you’ll have to select the ‘Gifted’ Core Competency in order to purchase
that supernatural asset. Other common assets among Knights-Errant include Con-
viction, Fortitude, Lady Luck, Null, Street Fighter, and multiple levels of Lionheart.
WEAPONS AND EQUIPMENT. Most Knights-Errant prefer swords and other bladed
weapons hidden beneath a long coat, with light armor such as a bulletproof vest or a
blur suit. They consider firearms to be uncivilized weapons of the weak, making it
too easy to kill indisciminately. Of course, it doesn’t hurt that they have practical ex-
perience with bladed weapons and know that an iron blade is particularly effective in
warding off or dealing extra damage to a magical creature. They may prefer swords
forged in the medieval style to which they were accustomed, or favor katanas and
other such swords from the far East. Knights-Errant also tend to name their weapons;
King Arthur named his dagger Carnwennan and his spear Rhongomyniad.
40

AUGMENTS. The Hardened augment helps alleviate the need for heavy armor,
though some knights-errant prefer to keep their bodies unsullied by technology and
prefer only non-invasive augments like the EyePad or Spec.Tac.Le.
THE KNIGHT’S CODE. Despite their situation, Knight-Errants still remain true to
the code of the Round Table of Camelot. Following the Code overrides any personal
ties from either lifetime, and Knights who refuse to follow the code at all times not
only lose their Knight’s Prowess with a blade, but suffer the taunts and disdain of
their fellows. Of course, each Knight-Errant will have his own level of devotion to the
Knight's Code, and interpret its rules in different ways. Some treat it like 'holy writ'
that must be followed to the extreme. Others may obey it only grudgingly, and others
take a pragmatic middle stance. The Director is the final arbiter on whether a Knight-
Errant’s action violates the rules of the Knight’s Code:
• To never surrender
• To seek after the wonders of this world and the next
• When asked, to defend the rights of the weak with all one's strength
• To never be cruel and to give mercy to all who ask for it
• To never battle with other Knights-Errant in wrongful quarrels
• To fight for the safety of one's land (in this case, The City)
• To always aid children, ladies, gentlewomen, and widows
• To always act with honor
• To never break faith (spurn one’s allies) for any reason
• To shun the magical arts (they will use relics but not cast spells)
• To grant hospitality to anyone, each according to his ability
• To always speak truth to allies, whether in honor or disgrace
INSPIRATION. Aside from the Knights of the Round Table, consider these for poten-
tial role models: Blade (Blade), Caine (Kung Fu), Marcus Cole (Babylon 5), Eli (the
Book of Eli), Jöns (the Seventh Seal), Solomon Kane (Red Shadows, others), Michael
Knight (Knight Rider), Molly Millions (Neuromancer), Travis Morgan (the Warlord),
Paladin (Have Gun Will Travel), Don Quixote (Man of La Mancha), Luke Skywalker
(Star Wars), the Seven Samurai and the Magnificent Seven, any of the four veterans
from The A-Team, and the unnamed protagonist in Ghost Dog.
Medieval armor is impressive,

but it does make you stand out
in a crowd. Most reborn
knights are discreet, using suit
weaves atop bulletproof vests.
41

LISTER Rock stars and celebrities living life on the A-, B-, C-, or D-lists
Any person with star power, regardless of popularity, may be known as a LISTER. Su-
perstars on the ‘A-List’ are major movie stars, the beautiful elite, the hottest rockers,
and other persons with great popular appeal. The ‘B-List’ includes teen idols and other
persons with a strong fan base, but who aren’t well-known among the general public.
The ‘C-List’ features the “oh I know that guy” stars who are easy to recognize but hard
to name (or vice versa). Minor celebrities land on the ‘D-List’, which predominantly
includes talk show hosts, DJs, reality television stars, stand-up comedians, and so on.
BACKGROUND. Many Listers actually grew up in poor surroundings and earned
their celebrity status through hard work and talent, while others have already-famous
parents or other relatives and use this connection to more easily open all the right
doors. The Lister’s powers often erupt during a strong surge of emotion, whether it
be yelling at hecklers, fleeing from paparazzi, partying at the club, performing a vul-
nerable scene in front of the cameras, or so on – and with so many witnesses around,
the Knightwatch is able to learn of the event almost immediately.
SIGNS AND PERSONALITY TRAITS. Common signs are Gemini, Cancer, Libra, and
Aquarius. Regardless of how they earned their star power, most Listers eventually
gain feelings of entitlement and expectations of receiving preferential treatment.
NAMES. While some Listers adopt elaborate or unusual stage names in order to be
better noticed, others may opt for a name change to avoid confusion with similarly-
named celebrities, or simply because they favor something more exotic.
LOOK. The A-Lister fashions often comes from whatever trendsetting designer
they’re working with, and might include very unusual fashion creations and combi-
nation. Lesser stars may wear clothing that blends in more with the crowd, only with
touches of embellishment in patterns or colors.
ROLE. Listers in the Knightwatch often take advantage of their fame in order to
draw attention to (or away from) certain actions on the part of their allies, and to
smuggle weapons and magical items around security checkpoints. Their celebrity sta-
tus often allows them easy access to places off-limits to the general public, and usually
gives the impression that they can’t possibly be a threat.
KEY CORE VALUES AND SKILLS. Listers often slightly better than average DFT and
MTL, as well as high WIT and Influence scores. A good KNO and Humanities: Arts
ability is required, through one’s Arts skill rank rarely corresponds to popularity.
ASSETS. Listers tend to be Touched or Gifted characters, with minor supernatural
abilities no greater than the Neurotik asset. Lady Luck, Network and Star Power are
common assets, as is some level of Funding (4 or above).
WEAPONS AND EQUIPMENT. Most Listers favor ranged weapons, if for no other
reason than to avoid a fistfight and earn bruises that would require explana-
tions on stage. Light body armor can easily be explained away as protection
against a stalker or crazed fan.
AUGMENTS. A full range of EyePhone apps and upgrades is typical of Listers.
Action movie stars often have Metamuscle, Jumper, and/or Speedster augments
as well.
INSPIRATION. No doubt you can think of dozens of real celebrities to base a
Lister on, but you might even consider fictional celebrities like: Truman Bur-
bank (The Truman Show), Ed (Ed TV), Richard Castle (Castle), Dr. Frasier
Crane (Frasier), Jem (Jem!), Nick Lang (the Hard Way), Miley Stewart (Hannah
Montana), and even Rainier Wolfcastle (the Simpsons).
42

“Yeah, you could say I

design all my own
special effects. Totally
‘magic,’ am I right?.”
SAMPLE LISTER
INIT + 5; ATK +5 unarmed [2 STR], +4 melee [2+1d10 com/bat], +4 ranged [2d6 pistol];
DEF +5 (armor); DR 1/1/1 (suit weave); WD 4
Abilities: STR 2, Fisticuffs 3, Getting Medieval 2; DFT 2, Athletics 3, Firearms 2; MTL 2, Valor;
KNO 1; WIT 3, Influence 3, Instinct 2; MGK 2, Holography 2
Assets: Funding 4, Lady Luck, Neurotik (Holography), Star Power 3
Augments: EyePhone, Nanodetoxifiers
Traits: Clever, Loves Attention, Superficial; Insecure about Career
43

RADICAL Driven by revenge or philosophy to overthrow corporate rule
The RADICAL objects to the power of the mega-corporations on personal or philo-

sophical grounds. Thus, Radicals fall into a wide-ranged set of ‘chaotic good’ charac-
ters. They may be punks, criminals, preachers, anarchists, professors, hippies, or any
other post-conventional character who believes a person’s rights should be greater
than those of a corporation and has the willingness to take action against those in
power. Whether this action involves violence or peacefully taking the moral high
ground and trying to work within the system depends on the individual.
BACKGROUND. Some Radicals seek revenge against a corporation that wronged
them personally, while others desire a utopian goal of worldwide personal freedom
that may never be truly attained. They may come from any social class, from the child
of the poorest worker to the wealthiest 1% of executives already in power – though
the latter are naturally much rarer.
SIGNS AND PERSONALITY TRAITS. Such a diverse group may have almost any signs
or traits, but the most common astrological signs are Aries, Taurus, Gemini, Libra,
Sagittarius, Capricorn, and Pisces. Radicals often have an unsteady moral compass,
focusing on the ends rather than the means, and tend to become extremists (though,
admittedly, well-intentioned ones).
NAMES. Among other Radicals, they often answer only to invented code names or
nicknames, such as The Alderman, Johnny Zero, Mr. Glass, or Skum.
LOOK. When on missions or protesting against a mega-corp, the Radical character
often wears simple street clothes in combination with a face-shrouding hood, hat, or
mask. (Following a decades-old trend, Guy Fawkes masks are still quite popular.) Oth-
erwise, they dress as appropriate for their current job (if any).
ROLE. Radicals often see themselves as idealistic rebels and troublemakers. When-
ever possible, they avoid associating with known mega-corp or criminal organizations,
but most know how to send or receive rumors, information, or calls for aid to and from
disaffected persons from all levels of society.
KEY CORE VALUES AND SKILLS. Radicals often have several ranks in Humanities
skills plus some Influence, and either STR and Fisticuffs, or DFT and Firearms.
ASSETS. Radicals are typically ‘Touched’ by the Flux, though some persons with a
strong spiritual or religious background may be ‘Gifted’ with the Neurotik asset. They
rarely have high Funding, and frequently live in a ‘slumburb’ after their behavior be-
comes an annoyance to someone in power. The Street Fighter asset is discounted for
Radicals, and the Fortitude, Lionheart, and Network assets are common.
WEAPONS AND EQUIPMENT. A Radical’s type and quantity of gear depends heavily
on their resource level and personality, though most prefer fists or com/bats,
and tend to avoid armor or shields that might attract attention.
AUGMENTS. Some Radicals favor older hand-held tech instead of the newer
body-invasive augments, though most have an EyePhone and some upgrades.
INSPIRATION. Examples include such diverse characters as: the Dude (the Big
Lebowski), Elphaba (Wicked), Nathan Ford (Leverage), Jasper (Children of
Men), Elyse and Steven Keaton (Family Ties), Magneto (X-Men), the Maquis
(Star Trek), Leia Organa (Star Wars), Robin Hood (Robin Hood), Rorschach
(Watchmen), Spartacus (Spartacus), Tank Girl (Tank Girl), V (V for Vendetta),
and the members of La Résistance/the Resistance (Les Misérables, Metropolis,
Night Watch, ad infinitum).
44

“I have a trust fund,

a stock portfolio,
and a doctorate in
modern art.
And I know
a dozen ways
to kick your ass.”
SAMPLE RADICAL
INIT +5; ATK +8 unarmed [4 STR], +8 melee [4 + 1d10 com/bat], +2 ranged [2d6 pistol];
DEF +4; DR 1/1/1 (suit weave); WD 7
KNO 3, Humanities (Arts 2); WIT 2, Influence 2, Instinct 3; MGK 1
Assets: Bravado, Fortitude, Network 2, Street Fighter
Augments: EyePhone, Nanorebuilders
Traits: Artistic, Optimistic, Reckless; Wanted for murder
45

RUNNER Urban acrobat delivering covert messages and illegal items
Professional couriers are common within The City, delivering packages with a rep-
utation for security, tracking, and swift delivery times. While most favor bicycles or
motorcycles, a few courier companies also offer the services of RUNNERS. These highly
trained individuals are traceurs specialized in moving quickly through the urban en-
vironment, vaulting, rolling, running, climbing, and jumping over obstacles that would
block a wheeled vehicle and slow pursuers.
Before joining the Knightwatch, a Runner probably took freelance jobs that in-
volve ferrying banned items and covert messages. If you’d like a play a character that
focuses on wuxia-type martial arts acrobatics and defense instead of heavy damage,
consider playing a Runner.
BACKGROUND. Most Runners come from lower- or middle-class families with one or
more Radicals in their circle. Many youths became Runners because they thrive on
the danger and risks inherent in this sort of existence, even to the extent that they
enjoy being chased. Joining the Knightwatch is a perfect fit for most.
SIGNS AND PERSONALITY TRAITS. Runners are often born under the signs of Aries,
Taurus, Gemini, Scorpio, or Sagittarius. They seem to have an inborn taste for excite-
ment and danger.
NAMES. When on the job, runners use call signs (usually a nickname or first name
only), since it's wise not to give your full name when dealing in illegal transportation.
LOOK. All Runners are slender and athletic. They often wear fingerless parkour
gloves to protect their hands, jika-tabi shoes (the ones with a split rubber sole) to re-
tain tactile contact with the ground, and loose (but not baggy) cotton pants and shirts.
Tattoos and dyed hair are not uncommon.
ROLE. The Runner sees himself as a spirit of freedom and chaos in a dysfunctional
megasprawl where work is revered and happiness is mandatory. In combat, they are
best slipping in from an unexpected direction, dealing damage, and continuing on
their path before the enemy can retaliate.
KEY CORE VALUES AND SKILLS. Runners usually focus on improving their DFT, Ath-
letics, WIT, and Instinct, with a lesser focus on STR, MTL, and Firearms.
ASSETS. Runners are usually ‘Touched’ by the Flux, using the Traceur asset and
discounted Wall Run asset to boost their agility and speed. The Network asset is par-
ticularly common, as Runners have contacts throughout The City. The Null asset is
rare, but Runners with it can even avoid magical detection.
WEAPONS AND EQUIPMENT. Energy shields and suit weaves provide the best defense
for Runners, who need to be unencumbered to use their movement and agility freely.
Thus, most Runners prefer pistols that are relatively light and easily secured
in a holster, but there are always a few Runners who enjoy the flourish of whip-
ping out a sword and slicing through an enemy as they rush by.
AUGMENTS. All Runners should have an EyePhone for easy communication
with their allies, other Runners, and those who hire them. The Jumper and
Speedster augments are also natural choices for a Runner.
INSPIRATION. Perhaps the best examples of this trope are Faith and her com-
patriots from Mirror’s Edge, but other fictional traceurs skilled in traversing
the urban environment include: Altaïr (Assassin’s Creed), Prince Dastan (Prince
of Persia), Vivian Gandillon (Blood and Chocolate), Leïto (District 13), Lola (Run
Lola Run), Matt Murdock (Daredevil), deadly little Miho (Sin City), and Mollaka
(Casino Royale).
46

“When you’re
tracking a
Runner, don’t
forget to
look up.”
SAMPLE RUNNER
INIT +9; ATK +3 unarmed [1 STR], +3 melee [1d8+1 short sword], +7 ranged [2d6 pistol]; DEF
+9; DR 1/1/1 (suit weave); WD 4
KNO 1, Crime 1; WIT 4, Influence 2, Instinct 5; MGK 1
Assets: Funding 1, Network 4, Traceur 4 (move distance Athletics + 2), Wall Run
Augments: EyePhone, Jumper
Traits: Independent, Unorganized, Witty; Superstitious
47

SORCERER Spellcaster that mimics and manipulates tech
Magicians who embrace the modern world with its technology, fashions, and firearms
are known as SORCERERS. They reject musty old spell books and chalk line pentagrams,
instead using modern items such as augmented reality EyePads and spray-painted
ideograms (e.g., stop sign, no entry) to sense and mold the Flux energies most closely
aligned to the forces of discipline and control. Wands are items of metal, recycled plas-
tic, or other artificial materials.
BACKGROUND. Sorcerers come from a variety of backgrounds, though they are usu-
ally young persons, particularly video gamers and teenagers dabbling with the occult.
They had no idea the ability for casting spells lay within them, but they always sus-
pected they were somehow different from everyone else.
SIGNS AND PERSONALITY TRAITS. Typical astrological signs are: Taurus, Scorpio,
Sagittarius, Capricorn, and Aquarius. Most sorcerers want wealth and power – prefer-
ably without having to work too hard to get either. They prefer modern ideas and
items over traditional ones, and often conflict with Radicals and Witchers.
NAMES. Many Sorcerers insist they be referred to by ‘handles’ of dramatic flair,
such as: Bloodstorm, Hellmaxx, Lord Doom, Redstone, or Zil the Enchanter.
LOOK. Males seem to be fond of dusters and other long coats, while females often
favor high fashion. Both like to show off their powers with magically-accented clothing
that they pass off as cutting-edge technological (rather than magical) holograms.
ROLE. Sorcerers are a good character to have in any group, with magical manip-
ulations that allow them to change shape, manipulate light and create holographic
illusions, control movement, and alter the physical properties of objects.
KEY CORE VALUES AND SKILLS. Sorcerers should focus their efforts into improving
their MGK, though good DFT, MTL, and WIT can be useful, too. Improving spell dis-
cipline levels is crucial, and many Sorcerers like to have good Athletics, Firearms, and
one or more Sciences skills. Most starting characters should have at least 3 points in
MGK and 2 points in one or more sorcery disciplines (Holography, Kinesis, Meta-
morph, and Technomancy). Witcher disciplines cost double.
ASSETS. Sorcerers need to be ‘Fluxed’ to get the Spellcaster asset. Since this re-
duces the character’s ability to deal damage through more mundane means, as well
as his ability to avoid damage, other assets usually focus on keeping the character
safe. Bloodline is discounted, and Fortitude and Prudent are common choices. The
Funding and Network assets provide support from elsewhere.
WEAPONS AND EQUIPMENT. Sorcerers tend to prefer firearms and modern technology,
rather than the archaic equipment beloved by Witchers. Shields and body armor, with
the exception of blur suits and suit weaves, impede their casting (see pXXX).
When hurling bolts of raw magical energy, a Sorcerer’s magical ability flows
best through artificial (not wooden) wands. They prefer spray paint (instead of
chalk) for drawing protective circles and other similar iconography. Mundane
spell components are included in their Knightwatch mission loadouts.
AUGMENTS. Most Sorcerers have an EyePad with plenty of data storage des-
ignated for spells and rituals, but avoid other augments due to their interference
with spellcasting (page XXX lists possible augment penalties).
INSPIRATION. Any fictional ‘caster can serve as inspiration for this concept,
provided that you keep it hip, modern, and tech-savvy. Avoid dusty old books,
robes, and herbs, which are the province of Witchers.
48

“Power
corrupts –
but who
cares,
right?”
SAMPLE SORCERER
INIT +3; ATK +1 unarmed [1 STR], +2 melee [1d4+1 dagger], +3 ranged [2d6 pistol], +4+1
wand [4 MGK]; DEF +3; DR 1/1/1 (suit weave); WD 3
KNO 1; WIT 1, Influence 1, Instinct 3 (2 initiative); MGK 4, Holography 3, Kinesis 3
Assets: Bloodline (offense), Bravado, Lady Luck, Spellcaster, Weapon Master (wand)
Traits: Energetic, Patronizing, Stubborn; On the run from Globex Power
49

SUIT Corporate manager able to work within the system
Corporate Executives working in a wide range of industries are commonly referred to

as SUITS. Junior execs are the most visible link in the corporate chain, as they scurry
through The City performing the duties that senior executives rarely have time for.
BACKGROUND. Your character may have been an office worker for Valyant when the
Flux began, or served another corporation before changing allegiance to Valyant. Re-
view the list of corporations (starting on page XXX) to choose a previous employer –
or your true secret master, if you have a private double-agent trait...
SIGNS AND PERSONALITY TRAITS. Suits are often consumate liars and master manip-
ulators, working to score a raise, get a deal signed, and do whatever it takes to move
up the corporate ladder. Aries, Taurus, Virgo, and Scorpio are common astrological
signs for Suits, though you can also have fun with stereotypes.
For instance, rather than a typical power broker, consider the ‘working mom’ who
suddenly finds herself thrust into a world she never imagined, the incompetent worker
who only knew how to pawn off his duties on someone else, and even the socially awk-
ward guy who now must learn to fight the supernatural when his last weapon was
nothing more deadly than a red stapler.
NAMES. Suits often introduce themselves while simultaneously handing out their
business card. Otherwise, they have no unusual names or handles.
LOOK. Men used to the financial sector prefer formal suits and ties, with others
favoring business-casual dress shirts and trousers. Women wear feminine variants of
the men’s suit, or dresses, skirts, and blouses of varying formal or informal styles.
ROLE. Morally bankrupt Suits often suggest lies, sabotage, and other underhanded
tactics for success, while honest PCs may go to extreme lengths to protect the public
– though neither have any problem throwing their weight around.When a team needs
to track down an unlisted executive’s phone number, navigate the labyrinthine corri-
dors of an office building, differentiate between actual and faked records, find cam-
era-free zones where employees take their cigarette breaks, or anything involving a
corporation, this is the character to call on.
KEY CORE VALUES AND SKILLS. Good MTL, Business, WIT, and Influence help to cut
through bureaucratic red tape, with STR and Getting Medieval (or DFT and Firearms)
to slay the more confrontational threats.
ASSETS. Suits are often ‘Touched’ and so have no supernatural assets. Instead, they
focus on power-building assets such as the discounted Master of Red Tape asset, with
several levels of Funding and Network. Ponderous and Prudent are also common as-
sets among these individuals.
WEAPONS AND EQUIPMENT. Most Suits prefer pistols or small blades that are
easily concealable in their clothes or briefcase, though some prefer larger
weapons that make a suitably dramatic impact. Suit weaves are common, as
are light bulletproof vests.
AUGMENTS. The full range of EyePhone upgrades allows a Suit to not only
work from any location, but also record meetings, notes, and access materials
that might be better left secret.
INSPIRATION. Suits include: Arthur (Inception), Carter Burke (Aliens), Noah
Cross (Chinatown), Jack Donaghy (30 Rock), “Dick” Jones (Robocop), Rotti
Largo (Repo: the Genetic Opera), Bill Lumburgh (Office Space), Lex Luthor and
Oliver Queen (Smallville), the Rossum employess (Dollhouse), Charles Travis
(Congo), and the Wolfram and Hart employees (Angel).
50

“NOW do you
have time to
discuss my
raise?”
SAMPLE SUIT
INIT +6; ATK +2 unarmed [1 STR], +3 melee [1d8+1 short sword], +5 ranged [2d6 pistol];
KNO 4, Business 6 (5+1); WIT 3, Influence 3, Instinct 3; MGK 1
Assets: Funding 5, Master of Red Tape (+1 Business), Network 4
Augments: EyePhone, Nanodetoxifiers
Traits: Greedy, Manipulative, Passionate; Secretly owes a favor to OmniCorp
51

THINKER Scientist driven to understand the secrets of the Flux
Most THINKERS toil away in corporate labs under pressure to succeed while still pleas-
ing the shareholders. Only a few wealthy individuals have their own private labora-
tories for independent field research. Most specialize in traditional fields (e.g., biology,
chemistry, physics), but interest in the Flux is rapidly spawning new fields of research
(e.g., cryptozoology, necroforensics, parapsychology, arcanotechnology).
BACKGROUND. Most corporations have a division where a Thinker might be found
(with the exceptions of Formosa, Sun, United Superpostal, and Wildfire), so choose
the employer that suits your PC best (see page XXX). Maybe your character left this
mega-corp after he discovered that the corporation was using his research to cause
harm, or to avoid accidentally revealing his new powers and thus becoming one of
their experiments. On the other hand, maybe their equipment and funding are too
good to pass up, and he’s keeping that job while secretly aiding the Knightwatch.
SIGNS AND PERSONALITY TRAITS. Virgo, Capricorn, and Aquarius are typical signs.
'Amoral' is a good description of many Thinkers, who focus more on the 'ends' than
the 'means', and show little regard for the physical or emotional well-being of others.
NAMES. Many people use ‘Doc’ as a nickname for Thinkers, regardless of whether
or not the character earned his doctorate. Thinkers are sometimes called ‘rad scien-
tists’ (a slang combo of Flux ‘radiation’ and ‘mad scientist’).
LOOK. In the lab, Thinkers wear whatever protective clothing is required for their
work, then discard them for street clothes at the end of the day. Of course, there are
those few absent-minded characters who forget to change clothes, or those who simply
find it easier to wear ‘scrubs’ to and from work.
ROLE. A Thinker often considers himself to be the only truly rational individual
on the team – the one who understands that the needs of the many outweigh the needs
of the few. His speciality depends heavily on his schooling; for instance, those with
medical degrees serve well as combat medics. Thinkers usually lead the team on mis-
sions where the goal involves research or questing, using their KNO skills to lead
them in the right direction.
KEY CORE VALUES AND SKILLS. Most Thinkers focus their energies into KNO and
one or two Sciences skills, while a few may be ‘omnidisciplinary’ and delve into as
many skills as possible. Many Thinkers have points in MGK, in order to learn about
the arcane arts in hopes of expanding the new fields of arcane research.
ASSETS. Most Thinkers have the discounted Quester asset for either Sciences or
Humaities checks. ‘Rad scientist’ type Thinkers are often Gifted individuals with the
Neurotik: Technomancy assets. Independent researchers often have Funding at level
5 or higher.
WEAPONS AND EQUIPMENT. Thinkers often favor the most technologically ad-
vanced equipment, such as X-Calibre firearms and suit weave armors.
AUGMENTS. Most Thinkers prefer to have an EyePhone with a full range of
upgrades for easier access to records and research. Otherwise, most prefer to
upgrade their equipment rather than themselves.
INSPIRATION. Fictional examples of Thinkers include: Walter Bishop (Fringe),
Topher Brink (Dollhouse), Winifred ‘Fred’ Burkle (Angel), Samantha Carter
(Stargate SG-1), Owen Harper (Torchwood), Elsa Kast and Clive Nicoli (Splice),
Helen Magnus (Sanctuary), Dana Scully (X-Files), Abby Sciuto (NCIS), Egon
Spengler (Ghostbusters), Tony Stark (Iron Man), Abraham Van Helsing (Drac-
ula), and Herbert West (Re-Animator).
52

“Let’s open this

up and see what
the problem is.”
SAMPLE THINKER
INIT +4; ATK +2 unarmed [1 STR], +3 melee [1d8 + 1 short sword], +5 (4 + 1) ranged [2d6 pistol];
KNO 3, Sciences (Computers) 1, Medicine 3; WIT 2, Influence 2, Instinct 2; MGK 2, Technomancy 2
Assets: Detective, Funding 2, Network 2, Neurotik (Technomancy), Quester, Weapon Master (pistol)
Traits: Loner, Miserly, Skeptical; Pining for a lost love
53

WITCHER Spellcaster that manipulates living beings and elements
Spellcasters with a talent for the harmonic, ‘natural’ magics of witchcraft and voodoo
are known as WITCHERS, a term that originates with the dousers of days past. Just as
those dousers could detect water and minerals, so can Witchers sense and even mold
the energies of the Flux. Witchers are often neo-luddites, preferring books to electronic
tablets, and earpieces or handheld smartphones instead of EyePhones. They cast their
spells with old-fashioned material components such as herbs, bones, salt, chalk, tal-
ismans, fetishes, and candles, and hurl raw magical energy through wooden wands.
BACKGROUND. The powers of Witchers seem to appear most often in wiccans, or
older persons who have a Witcher somewhere in their ancestral line. Less frequently,
a professor or tabletop role-player might gain such powers while studying magic.
SIGNS AND PERSONALITY TRAITS. Many Witchers have Gemini, Cancer, Libra, Sagit-
tarius, Aquarius, or Pisces as their astrological sign. Witchers feel a strong connection
to Chaos magic and think it can be ‘managed’. They often disagree with Knights-Er-
rant, Suits, Thinkers, and other such ‘Orderly’ persons.
NAMES. Many Witchers have two names (their birth name and their magical
name), though some may have three (this last one used solely in secret rituals). Mag-
ical names often represent one’s ‘true self ’, and may include a plant, animal, element,
personal aptitude, or so on. Sample magical names might include: Beryl Lotus, Ju-
niper Fireweaver, Leo Griffin, Magpie, Orion, Red Rain, and Stargazer.
LOOK. Despite the movies, few Witchers venture out into the city with flowing
robes and pointed hats. Still, there does seem to be a common trend of flowing multi-
colored dresses for the women, and black Edwardian suits for the men.
ROLE. Witchers are multi-purpose ‘casters, with magical prophecies and charms
that may obliviate the need for violence, give power over the elements for use in com-
bat, and provide the healing abilities to revive wounded allies.
KEY CORE VALUES AND SKILLS. Witchers focus primarily on their Witchcraft skills,
along with one or two Humanities. MTL and MGK are their core values for combat,
with KNO and WIT helping to avoid battle entirely. Starting characters should have
at least 3 points in MGK, and put 2 points into one or more Witcher disciplines
(Charm, Elemental, Perception, and Spiritism). Sorcerer disciplines cost double.
ASSETS. All Witchers must be ‘Fluxed’ in order to purchase the Spellcaster asset.
Because they focus on their magical abilities rather than their physical ones, other
assets are usually centered on damage resistance and other protective edges. Typical
assets include the discounted Bloodline, with Fortitude, Lady Luck, and Prudent also
being common selections.
WEAPONS AND EQUIPMENT. Though they shy from direct combat, many Witch-
ers are skilled with a dagger. They avoid armors or shields that might interfere
with the gestures needed for casting. Witchers should pay for or craft a wand,
but common spell components are included in the Knightwatch loadout.
AUGMENTS. These characters also avoid permanent augments, as they inter-
fere with the caster’s connection to the magical ether (see page XXX).
INSPIRATION. Inspiration for male Witchers might come from: Harry Dresden
(the Dresden Files), John Zatara (Zatanna), Papa Midnite (Hellblazer), Phillip
Swann (Lord of Illusions), or Tim Hunter (the Books of Magic), for instance. Fe-
male concepts include: Amy Madison (Buffy the Vampire Slayer), Frau
Totenkinder (Fables), Marie Laveau (real life), the Halliwell sisters (Charmed),
or Willow Rosenberg (more Buffy).
54

“Magic is the
hidden
essence of
nature.”
SAMPLE WITCHER
INIT +3; ATK +1 unarmed [1 STR], +3 melee, +3 ranged, +2 pistol [2d6], +4+1 wand [MGK];
KNO 1, Humanities: all 1 (0+1); WIT 2, Influence 2 (1+1), Instinct 3; MGK 4 (5 defense), Charm 3,
Elemental 3
Assets: Bloodline (defense), Bravado, Influential, Quester, Spellcaster, Weapon Master (wand)
Traits: Loyal, Naive, Touchy; Lacks self-confidence
55

ZERO Service worker or laborer with a big heart and a hard fist
ZEROES are the laborers and service forces of The City, the peasants to the white-
collar lords. They amake sure each district functions as it should, and include: me-
chanics, technicians, construction workers, garbage collectors, sex workers, actors,
salesmen, waiters, janitors, and others. Although disparagingly called Zeroes by most
Suits, none of the mega-corps could function without their worker force.
BACKGROUND. While all Zeroes wish they had more money and vacation time, most
are fairly content with their lives. They have enough savings to keep from being en-
dentured, and family responsibilities prevent them from becoming radicalized. Zeroes
often find themselves serving the Knightwatch to receive protection for themselves
and their family members.
SIGNS AND PERSONALITY TRAITS. Aries, Taurus, Cancer, Libra, and Pisces are com-
mon astrological signs among Zeroes affected by the Flux. A typical Worker has dili-
gence, extraversion, and compassion in varying amounts, along with occasional
irritability and anxiousness depending on the situation.
NAMES. A Zero’s given name is no more unusual than his colleagues, though he
may have a nickname earned during childhood or given to him by his friends.
LOOK. Zeroes often wear durable cotton clothing appropriate to their job, usually
with the employer’s name printed or embroidered on it.
ROLE. A Zero often sees himself as the ‘only sane one’ in the team. He tends to
keep a low profile and tries to ensure his teammates do the same. He is often the
character who reminds the others what they’re fighting for, and may confront his allies
when the situation seems to require sacrificing an innocent even to avoid the possi-
bility of greater long-term harm. Zeroes often know how to blend into a crowd better
than anyone, which can be a vital skill if a team needs to disguise themselves as blue-
or pink-collars in order to infiltrate a certain location.
KEY CORE VALUES AND SKILLS. Most Zeroes have well-rounded abilities, with the
highest value depending on the nature of their job (e.g., greater STR for manual la-
borers or better WIT for salesmen). They may even have one or more unusually poor
core values, since their parents were unable to afford the prebirth genetic selection
available to the very rich. They often have decent Fisticuffs and Instinct, with a mix-
ture of other skills.
ASSETS. Zeroes often have the discounted Everyman asset, though they rarely have
any supernatural ones. Funding of rank 2 or better is uncommon, as are any major
contacts or power brokers within rank 3 or higher of the Network asset. Typical assets
vary widely, but Bravado, Fortitude, Lady Luck, Lionheart, Null, Prudent, and Street
Fighter are common.
WEAPONS AND EQUIPMENT. Most Zeroes already have a basic knowledge of
knives and com/bats, which they know are good for silent kills. They may receive
firearms and sword training in the Knightwatch. They often prefer modern body
armors over traditional ones.
AUGMENTS. Few Zeroes have augments more advanced than an EyePhone
(or its related upgrades). Zeroes in physically hazardous professions such as
mining or construction are likely to have at least one biosynthetic limb.
INSPIRATION. Some fictional Zeroes that might inspire you include: Cliff
Clavin (Cheers), Joe Garelli (News Radio), Dawn Tinsley/Pam Halpert (the Of-
fice), Douglas Quaid (Total Recall), Nada (They Live), R.J. MacReady (the
Thing), and Shaun (Shaun of the Dead).
56

“When the
world’s getting
sucked into Hell,
you gotta work
a little
overtime.”
SAMPLE ZERO
INIT +4; ATK +9 unarmed [7 STR + KNO], +8 melee (1d10+4 com/bat),
+6 ranged [2d6 pistol]; DEF +6 (7 – 1 armor); DR 2/3/1 (light modern); WD 7
KNO 1; WIT 2, Influence 2, Instinct 2; MGK 1
Assets: Everyman, Lady Luck, Street Fighter
Augments: EyePhone, Prosthetic Arm (right)
Traits: Independent, Short-temper, Sucker for a pretty face; Imagines conspiracies
57

STEP TWO: SELECT PERSONALITY TRAITS

Traits define your character’s personality, covering a wide range of motivations, beliefs,
duties, loyalties, and emotions. Each character should have a set of four traits: three
public traits and one private trait. Unlike core values and skills, traits are not repre-
sented numerically. Instead, you define each trait with a descriptive word, short
phrase, or sentence. Feel free to pick from the list on pXXX or use them as inspiration
to create your own. If you can’t decide on any traits yet, feel free to leave them blank
and fill them in later based on experiences that happen during game sessions.
It’s important for both player and Director to understand that these traits are your
‘wish list’ for what you’d like to happen in the game. Regardless of whether the traits
seem positive or negative, they’ll both benefit and complicate your character’s life.
For instance, if you decide that your character has a “Vengeful” personality trait,
then you’re also telling the Director that you want your character to occasionally be
put in situations where he’ll feel the need to inflict harm on some person or thing in
retaliation for the harm that was done to him or others. Your character may get his
vengeance, but not without suffering first.
A seemingly positive personality trait, like “Courageous,” is a fine trait to have
when you’re confronting the horrors of the Flux, but it could also mean that your char-
acter is a little too quick to leap at these challenges when he should be backing away.
Traits can also be a method of earning Flux Points. See the Flux section on p73 for
more details but, in general, all that’s required is for the player or Director to announce
that a particular trait could come into play, then barter for the number of Flux Points
it would take for the character to exhibit that trait. (If you want to know more about
how this works, feel free to skip ahead and review the examples in the Flux Points sec-
tion now (page 73), then come back and continue from here.)
TSENO H YLLATURB
R E K NI HT LANOITA R
YHS
1 R TS
3 TFD
2 LTM
58

PERMANENCY. Traits are usually permanent. It takes a major event for a character
to give up one of his Traits, and the Director shouldn’t let you do so lightly. In fact, if
you do give up a trait, you should replace it with another that somehow relates to
your reason for giving up the previous trait.
For example, if Johnny Akihabara has a “Loves Family” trait, but his family is
later slaughtered by vampire-like cryptids (aka sanguivores), he might easily give up
that trait and replace it with a generic “Vengeful” or specific “I Will Avenge My Fam-
ily” trait. If he manages to do so, he might then replace that trait with a phrase like
“I Will Slay All Vampires” or the shorter “I Hate Vampires.”
FREQUENCY. There is no specific limit as to how many times a character’s traits
may become relevant during the course of an adventure. However, both player and
Director should be prepared to explain how a particular trait is relevant to the current
situation. This may require a bit of creativity, so feel free to open up the question to
group discussion, provided it doesn’t take too much time away from continuing play.
PUBLIC TRAITS
Public traits are those that other people can see from interacting with your character
on a daily basis, and sound positive but may have both positive and negative conse-
quences. These could include “Obeys Authority,” “Generous,” “Flighty,” or “Sucker For
A Pretty Face,” just to name a few.
PRIVATE TRAITS
These traits are those hidden thoughts, goals, phobias, or emotions your character
keeps locked away inside and rarely expresses, and are usually negative liabilities.
This could be something as simple as “Afraid of Heights” or as complex as “Double
Agent,” “Will Betray Friends for Wealth,” or “Reincarnated as the Opposite Sex.”
It’s actually not important whether the private trait is really a deep dark secret
that could ruin lives or just a slightly embarrassing one; what matters is that the
chararcter believes it must stay hidden. The Director may tempt you to reveal or ex-
hibit a private trait during gameplay in exchange for Flux Points; see the Flux section
on pXXX for specifics.
A player may choose to take one additional private trait for an additional +1 point
to spend on assets, but only during character creation.
Character Points earned from taking on extra private traits can only be spent on
assets (general or supernatural), as detailed on pXXX.
DOCUMENT: ASTROLOGICAL TRAITS
To make choosing traits even easier, see the “Astro-

logical Traits” document on the following pages 60-63. You
can choose your character’s astrological sign or roll it ran-
domly with a d12.
Remember that your character isn’t limited to only the
traits listed under a particular sign. You should feel free to
mix and match traits from multiple signs or invent new
ones, as long as your character has at least three public
traits and one private trait.
Consult with your Director if you need advice.
59

60

Aries, the Ram (1): March 21 to April 20
Public: Adventurous, Aggressive, Arrogant, Easily

Bored, Easily Offended, Energetic, Foolhardy, Generous
to Friends, Headstrong, Impatient, Independent, Inse-
cure, Optimistic, Selfish, Short-Tempered, Strikes First,
Upbeat,Visionary
Private: Addict, Death wish, Gambling problem,
Guilty conscience, Orphan
Common Among: Badges, Hackers, Journos,
Knights-Errant, Radicals, Runners, Suits, and Zeroes
Taurus, the Bull (2): April 21 to May 20
Public: Dependable, Energetic, Fiercely Loyal, Greedy,

Hides Intense Feelings, Likes to Do Things His Way,
Patient, Reliable, Shy With Strangers, Stubborn, Strong-
Willed, Swayed by Emotion Over Reason
Private: Afraid of blood, Guilty of murder, In debt to
____, Jealous of ____, Wary of ____ technology
Common Among: Badges, Knights-Errant,
Radicals, Runners, Sorcerers, Suits, Zeroes
Gemini, the Twins (3): May 21 to June 20
Public: Adapts to Change, Clever, Devious, Easily Distracted,

Impulsive, Independent, Inquisitive, Jack of All Trades, Leaves
Many Projects Unfinished, Naïve, Nervous, Shoots First and
Questions Later, Superficial, Witty
Private: Jealous of __, Multiple personality, Sees conspiracies
everywhere, Steals from friends
Common Among: Hackers, Listers, Radicals, Runners,
Witchers
Cancer, the Crab (4): June 21 to July 20
Public: Craves Attention, Dependable, Enjoys Simple

Pleasures, Loves Family, Loyal, Nostalgic, Sulky, Stands Up
For What’s Right, Skeptical, Touchy
Private: Being blackmailed about ____, Clinging to a
past trauma, Finds it difficult to trust others, Formerly fat,
Holds a grudge about _____
Common Among: Knights-Errant, Listers, Witchers,
Zeroes
61

Leo, the Lion (5): July 21 to August 20
Public: Ambitious, Chivalrous, Courageous, Cruel,

Faithful, Forgives and Forgets, Gallant, Generous, Intol-
erant, Loves Attention, Overbearing, Patronizing,
Pompous
Private: Abused by ____, Has a secret relationship,
Hates anyone else being a hero, Stirs up trouble to
avoid boredom, Will betray friends for power
Common Among: Badges, Hackers, Knights-Errant
Virgo, the Maiden (6): August 21 to September 20
Public: Analytical, Conservative, Detail-Oriented, Meticulous, Obser-

vant, Pacifist, Perfectionist, Rational Thinker, Reliable, Shy, Skeptical, Slow
to Act, Will Not Be Dissuaded From Tasks, Worrier
Private: Believes all magics and monsters are fakes, Former teen rebel,
Someone died in her arms, Emotionally detached but pretends to care
about helping people,Virgin
Common Among: Hackers, Headhunters, Journos, Suits,
Thinkers
Libra, the Balance (7): September 21 to October 20
Public: Artistic, Diplomatic, Easily Swayed by Flattery,

Flirtatious, Friendly, Graceful, Gullible, Idealistic, Lazy, Loves
Beauty and Wealth, Peaceful, Romantic, Sociable, Sucker
for a Pretty Face, Sympathetic
Private: Criminal record, Lacks self-confidence, Nursing
a broken heart, Will betray friends for ‘better’ friendships
Common Among: Journos, Listers, Radicals, Witchers,
Zeroes
Scorpio, the Scorpion (8): October 21 to November 20
Public: Bold, Confident, Enterprising, Fearless, Fiercely

Independent, Manipulative, Passionate, Resourceful, Sup-
presses Emotions, Tactless
Private: Embarrassing nickname, Holds a grudge about
____, Jealous of ____, Obsessed with ____, Planning
world domination, Wants vengeance on ____
Common Among: Badges, Headhunters, Sorcerers,
Suits
62

Sagittarius, the Archer (9): November 21 to December 20
Public: Brutally Honest, Careless, Cheerful, Freedom-

Loving, Independent, Irresponsible, Jovial, Optimistic,
Reckless, Selfless, Straightforward, Unorganized
Private: Loved and left ____, Phony veteran, Regrets
a past deed, Wanted for arrest because of ____
Common Among: Hackers, Radicals, Runners,
Sorcerers, Witchers
Capricorn, the Goat (10): December 21 to January 20
Public: Cautious, Conceited, Enjoys Solitude, Humor-

ous, Intellectual, Miserly, Organized, Philosophical,
Punctual, Responsible, Scholarly, Self-Disciplined,
Unimaginative
Private: Afraid of needles, Holds a grudge about
____, Insecure about ____, Will sacrifice others for
the greater good
Common Among: Hackers, Headhunters, Radicals,
Sorcerers, Thinkers
Aquarius, the Water Bearer (11): January 21 to February 20
Public: Aloof, Easily Bored, Eccentric, Humanitarian, Independ-

ent, Intellectual, Loyal, Needs Frequent Intellectual Stimulation,
Stubborn, Unpredictable
Private: On the run from ____, Thinks he’s better than
everyone else, Was betrayed by ____, Pretending to be one of
the awakened Knights-Errant.
Common Among: Hackers, Journos, Listers, Sorcerers,
Thinkers, Witchers
Pisces, the Two Fish (12): February 21 to March 20
Public: Compassionate, Creative, Easily Led, Generous,

Idealistic, Indecisive, Lazy, Modest, Scholarly, Sensitive,
Trusting, Weak-Willed
Private: Has a secret master plan, Haunted by dreams
of ____, Superstitious
Common Among: Knights-Errant, Radicals, Witchers,
Zeroes
63

STEP THREE: CHOOSE CORE COMPETENCY

You can describe your character numerically by spending Character Points (CP) to
purchase Core Values (physical and mental attributes), define a Skill Set (what skills
he or she has), and buy Assets (special traits and supernatural abilities). However, to
know how many points you can spend on each, you'll need to define the extent to which
your character was affected by the Flux.
SELECT TOUCHED, GIFTED, OR FLUXED CHARACTER POINT TOTALS
CORE GENERAL SUPERNATURAL

VALUES SKILLS ASSETS ASSETS
TOUCHED 14 20 10 0
GIFTED 12 17 10 5
FLUXED 10 14 10 10
Those who were lightly 'Touched' are strong in mind and body but have no super-
natural assets. 'Gifted' characters have some supernatural assets and decent abilities,
while characters who are completely 'Fluxed' are heavily infused with magical energy,
but are weakest in other physical and mental abilities. See the accompanying chart
to determine how many points to allocate for each type.
STEP FOUR: DEFINE CORE VALUES

The six core values are Strength (STR), Deftness (DFT), Mettle (MTL), Knowledge
(KNO), Wits (WIT), and Magick (MGK).
Strength defines your character’s physical power, Deftness shows how quick and
nimble your character is, and Mettle represents endurance and fortitude. These three
core values are generally considered the most physical of the six.
Knowledge represents the extent to which a character can master intellectual
ideas both abstract and concrete. Knowledge is something he “KNOws”; acting on it
may simply be role-played or, for more complicated actions, require an ability check.
Wits represents intuition and persuasive abilities. Magick is the natural force of chaos
that defines a character’s magical potence, knowledge of magic, ability to resist mag-
ical spells, and the strength of his aura and presence, making it usable even by char-
acters that aren’t able to cast spells. These three core values are generally considered
the most intellectual of the six.
Each core value is defined by the number of Character Points (CP) in it. A new
character gets 14, 12, or 10 CP to distribute among the six core values. Apply CP on
a one-for-one basis. For example, a Strength score of 3 costs 3 points, while a Strength
score of 4 costs 4 points. At this point in character creation, no core value can be less
than 1 or greater than 4. Once you’ve distributed these points, continue to Step Five:
Build Skill Set.
Chapter 3: Assets provides some possibilities for altering your character’s core
values after this step, but before your first game. That comes later, though. Once
you’ve assigned each rank, continue to the next step.
If the Director agrees, you can treat your first adventure as a ‘test run.’ After it’s over, you can
take a step back to adjust your point spreads and replace your augment(s) and assets. There’s
no going back after this, though! Once you lock these in, you’re in it for the long haul!
64

STEP FIVE: BUILD SKILL SET

Skills are special aptitudes that a character gained through experience, training, or
study. This skill set (i.e., list of skills) is intentionally generalized to speed up charac-
ter creation and gameplay, but is detailed enough to cover almost any situation.
Skills are usually associated with a particular core value. In most circumstances,
this is the core value for the [Core Value + Skill] ability check (see page 12). Of course,
you and your Director may find alternate combinations; see the samples in the “Spe-
cial:” section of the skill description and the Quick Reference sidebar on page 67. Still,
these are only some examples of the possi-
ble [Core Value + Skill] combinations. You
SKILL ASSOCIATIONS
can expand on these as much or as little as
the Director allows; just use what seems
STR: FISTICUFFS, GETTING MEDIEVAL most appropriate at the time.
DFT: ATHLETICS, FIREARMS STR skills illustrate a character’s
MTL: VALOR brawn and the ability to fight, while DFT
KNO: BUSINESS, CRIME, skills indicate how easily a character per-
HUMANITIES*, SCIENCES* forms in a variety of movement-related ac-
WIT: INFLUENCE, INSTINCT tivities, as well as how well he or she
MGK: SORCERY*, WITCHCRAFT* handles ranged weapons.
MTL-related skills show a character’s
*REQUIRES A SPECIALITY vigor and ability to cope with circum-
stances outside the norm, while KNO
skills cover what a character might know
(from experience, viewing television, reading a book, etc.). WIT skills define a char-
acter’s intution and ability to influence others. MGK skills are the various magical
disciplines for ‘casters.
Each new character gets 20, 17, or 14 Character Points to spend on skills (as de-
fined in Step Three), on a one-for-one basis. For example, an Athletics score of 2 costs
2 points. During this part of character creation, no skill can be greater than 1 point
above its associated core value. For instance, a STR of 3 limits Fisticuffs and Getting
Medieval skills to a maximum of 4.
Both core values and skills can be raised later in the character creation process
with the purchase of assets (see Chapter 3: Assets), and still later during gameplay
as your character gains experience from surviving battles and completing tasks (see
page 70).
ATHLETICS (DFT)
If your character wants to dodge a blow, leap from rooftop to rooftop, jump, climb,
swim, or perform any movement action such as acrobatics or gymnastics, this is the
skill to use. Athletics can also be used to move quietly or unseen.
EXAMPLES: Acrobatics, Climb, Dodge, Hide, Jump, Leap, Sneak, Swim, Tumble
SPECIAL: For climbing and swimming, combine this skill with STR instead of DFT.
BUSINESS (KNO)
The Business skill covers such subjects as the complexities of bureaucracy, economics,
enforcing and studying law, leadership, stocks, politics, marketing, management, ad-
ministration, financial planning, and mathematical methods of assessing risk.
EXAMPLES: Assess Business Risks, Call in Minor Favors from Contacts, Determine
Fair Pricing, Embezzle, Locate Information/Offices/Persons, Negotiate Deals, Network
with Contacts, Track Embezzlements, Navigate Through Maze-Like Buildings, Un-
derstand Jargon
SPECIAL: You can replace [WIT + Influence] with [WIT + Business] when negoti-
ating financial and other business deals.
65

CRIME (KNO)
This skill provides a basic knowledge of criminals and criminalistics, as well as ways
to commit a crime. The worst criminals are usually limited to certain neighborhoods
or slumburbs, though anyone might commit a crime under the right circumstances.
Criminals usually have little to no familiarity with crime scene investigation.
EXAMPLES: Assess Risks/Penalties if Caught, Call in Minor Favors from Contacts,
Dispose of Corpse, Estimate Value of Illegal Merchandise, Find a Snitch, Find Best
Point of Break-In (Door, Window, etc.), Forge, Know Crime Scene Procedures, Know
Where to Buy or Sell Black Market/Illegal Items, Locate Information/Persons/Rumors,
Negotiate Deals, Network with Contacts, Open (Non-Electronic) Lock, Pretend to Be-
long to a Certain Gang, Pick Pocket, Shoplift, Smuggle, Understand Slang
FIREARMS (DFT)
This skill gives proficiency in loading, firing, cleaning and identifying powder-, laser-
or plasma-based firearms, plus ranged weapons such as a bow or crossbow.
FISTICUFFS (STR)
Use this skill for unarmed fighting, whether you want to deliver a punch, kick, head-
butt, elbow to the face, or other such move. It covers such specialties as: boxing, judo,
wrestling, and other forms of unarmed combat.
SPECIAL: When you’re unarmed, and need to block or deflect an unarmed or other
melee blow, combine Fisticuffs with DFT instead of STR.
GETTING MEDIEVAL (STR)

The more points your character has in this skill, the better he or she is at wielding
bludgeoning, hacking and piercing melee weapons. Despite the skill name, this skill
covers all melee weapons, as traditional as a battleaxe or a modern as a baseball bat.
66

HUMANITIES (KNO)
When selecting the Humanities skill, place your points into one of the following spe-
cializations or (for Arts, Language, and Music) sub-specializations. The Director may
allow a character to attempt a skill check on a similar specialty (such as a related art,
language, musical instrument or religion) without purchasing that additional spe-
cialty, but against a higher Target Number.
ANTIQUES. This skill gives knowledge of collectibles and antiquities, including how
to buy and sell them and how to recognize a fake from the genuine article.
EXAMPLES: Estimate Value, Identify Age or Creator or Place of Origin, Spot Fake
ARTS. The Arts skill shows talent in one chosen medium (such as paint and canvas,
chisel and stone, photography, or acting on stage and screen).
EXAMPLES: Craft, Disguise, Estimate Value, Identify Artist, Spot Fakes
HISTORY. A character with this skill has studied myths and events that influenced
the course of history, and can usually name prominent persons, places, and dates.
EXAMPLES: Identify Ancient Objects/Relics, Identify Historical Period of an Object,
Recall Specific Events/Personages/etc.
LANGUAGE. Everyone in the global population speaks English as a secondary or pri-
mary language, but there are many divergent regional dialects with different words,
slang, and grammatical rules. Purchasing this skill gives a character the ability to
attempt to speak or understand these regional dialects.
SPECIAL: Learning a particular foreign language, sign language, or dead language
requires an additional purchase of this skill. For instance, a character might have
Language: Olde English, Language: Sign, and/or Language: Mandarin Chinese.
EXAMPLES: Decipher/Make Codes, Interpret Slang, Read/Write a Foreign Dialect,
Speak a Foreign Language
MUSIC. This skill provides proficiency in one particular musical instrument, as
well as related knowledge of other instruments, musicians and their techniques.
EXAMPLES: Estimate Value of Instrument, Identify Composer, Identify
Genre/Style, Play a Specific Instrument
RELIGION. The greater a character’s mastery in this skill, the greater his knowledge
of commonly practiced spiritual belief systems and the better he can discourse with
other religious leaders who are higher in the hierarchy.
EXAMPLES: Call in Minor Favors from Contacts, Identify Heresy, Identify Religious
Icons, Quote Religious Scriptures, Recall Beliefs/Deities/Saints/etc.
INFLUENCE (WIT)
This skill represents a character’s ability to persuade others, as well as his mental
resistance and morale against those same abilities.
EXAMPLES: Barter, Blend In, Calm, Charm, Fast Talking, Flatter, Interview, In-
timidate, Lie, Mediate, Persuade, Reassure, Seduce, Threaten
SPECIAL: Every 10 Flux Points a character possesses provides an additional +1
bonus to Influence checks.
INSTINCT (WIT)
The skill defines a character’s ‘gut feelings’ and perception of his environment. With-
out this skill, a character probably can’t tell if someone is lying, if an enemy is sneak-
ing up behind him, or if he’s walking into a trap. The character has to be focusing on
something or someone when he uses this skill; it’s not a constant proximity alarm.
EXAMPLES: Drive Aggressively at High Speeds, Find Route/Shortcut, Identify Re-
lationships Between Objects, Locate Ambush/Vantage Points, Sense Motives, Spot
Clues, Sense Trouble
67

QUICK REFERENCE:
SAMPLE CORE VALUE AND SKILL USE OPTIONS
MEDIEVAL
ATTACK WITH MELEE WEAPON ....................................STR + GETTING
ATTACK WITH RANGED WEAPON................................DFT + FIREARMS
MEDIEVAL
ATTACK WITH THROWN WEAPON ...............................DFT + GETTING
ATTACK WHEN UNARMED ............................................STR + FISTICUF FS
BARTER ...........................................................................WIT + INFLUENCE

CAST A SPELL.................................................................MGK + SPELL DISCIPL
INE
CLIMB .............................................................................STR + ATHLETICS

CON GAME ...................................................................WIT + INFLUENCE
DEFEND VS FIREARM (DODGE)......................................DFT + ATHLETICS

DEFEND VS MELEE (DODGE) .........................................DFT + ATHLETICS
MEDIEVAL
DEFEND VS MELEE (BLOCK) ..........................................DFT + GETTING
DEFEND VS SPELL (PHYSICAL)........................................MGK + MTL
DEFEND VS SPELL (MENTAL) ..........................................MGK + WIT
DEFEND/BLOCK WHEN UNARMED ..............................DFT + FISTICUFFS
)
DISGUISE ........................................................................WIT + ARTS (ACTING
DODGE ..........................................................................DFT + ATHLETICS
DRIVE FAST (WITHOUT CRASHING) .............................DFT + INSTINCT
HACK A COMPUTER .....................................................WIT + COMPUT

ERS
HIDE ............................................................................. ..DFT + ATHLETI CS
INTIMIDATE .....................................................................WIT + INFLUENCE
KNOW HOW TO EMBEZZLE FUNDS .............................KNO + BUSINES

S
KNOW HOW TO HEAL A WOUND ..............................KNO + M EDICIN E
KNOW HOW TO REPAIR: COMPUTER ..........................KNO + COMPUT

ER
KNOW HOW TO REPAIR:VEHICLE ........... ........... ..........K NO + M ECHAN ICAL
LISTEN ............................................................................WIT + INSTINCT

MOVE .............................................................................DFT + ATHLETICS
NEGOTIATE DEAL ..........................................................INFLUENCE + BUSINES
S
PERSUADE .......................................................................WIT + INFLUENCE

RESIST POISON ..............................................................STR + MTL
SEARCH ..........................................................................WIT + INSTINCT
SNEAK ............................................................................DFT + ATHLETICS

SPOT ...............................................................................WIT + INSTINCT
SWIM ..............................................................................STR + ATHLETICS
UNDERSTAND CORPORATE PLANS ...............................KNO + BUSINES

S
68

SCIENCES (KNO)
When putting points into the Sciences skill, a character must also choose a special-
ization. A character can have as many specialties as he or she can afford, though it’s
more effective to focus on one or two.
BIOLOGY. Mega-corp biology labs tend to focus on applied research or product de-
velopment, studying bacteriology, biomedical engineering (cybernetics), eugenics, ge-
netics, and other fields that could be used to stabilize population growth, improve
biofeuls, and create new biological weapons or super soldiers.
EXAMPLES: Analyze or Identify Biological Matter (Blood, Flesh, Viruses, etc.),
Match Samples, Modify Biological Augments, Use Lab Facilities
CHEMISTRY. This skill gives a character knowledge of matter and the changes it
can undergo. Anything a character can touch, taste, or smell is composed of chemicals,
and a knowledge of this skill may help the character analyze the unknown. The skill
is also useful in cooking and bartending, as well as identifying and analyzing drugs,
toxic chemicals, and explosives.
EXAMPLES: Analyze or Identify Chemicals (Drugs, Toxins, etc.), Create Simple
Chemical (Acid, Drug, Explosive, Gas, Poison), Manufacture Controlled Substances,
Match Samples, Use Lab Facilities
COMPUTER. Encompassing advanced study and design of various electronic and
electrical systems, this skill relates not only to computer systems but also to electron-
ics, programming, nanotechnology (including claytronics), telecommunications, and
related mechanical devices and activities. It is not required for general operation of
computers or simple electronic devices used by the modern public on a daily basis.
EXAMPLES: Find Data, Identify False Data, Manipulate Data (images, sounds,
etc.), Manipulate Electronic Components (cameras, digital locks, etc.), Programming
MECHANICAL. The design, construction, and repair of buildings, bridges, dams, in-
frastructure (e.g., roads, airports, railways), generators, vehicles, and robotics (ex-
69

cluding nanoscale robots) are all covered by this skill.

EXAMPLES: Determine Weak Points of Entry/Egress (Doors, Windows, Air Ducts,
etc.), Perform Basic Repairs, Predict Material Strengths/Weaknesss, Spot Sabotage
MEDICINE. This skill focuses on exploring and practicing safe healing treatments
and the study of human anatomy. It includes not only knowledge of standard medical
procedures, but also such specialties as dentistry, holistic medicine, forensic pathology
and forensic toxicology. See page XXX for more information on wounds and damage.
EXAMPLES: Call in Minor Favors from Contacts, Diagnose Disease/Injury, Heal
Wound, Operate Skin Gun (see page 86), Perform Autopsy to Identify Cause of Death,
Perform Autopsy to Find Something Unusual, Perform Simple First Aid
PHYSICS. Mega-corp research and applications in this field study energy sources,
superconductors, teleportation, plasma, lasers, and even (though still in the theoret-
ical stages) time travel. However, it can also be used for more mundane means.
EXAMPLES: Calculate Path/How to Intercept an Object, Shark a Billiards Game,
Understand the Basics of Strange Technology, Use Lab Facilities
PSYCHOLOGY. Psychologists study mental behaviors of individuals or groups, and
often serve in advertising, media, human resources, or worker-management positions.
This skill can be used to determine whether someone is lying, what actions a certain
individual or group might take in response to various stimuli, or even how what steps
a foe might next take to achieve his master plan.
EXAMPLES: Diagnose/Treat Neurological Disorder, Profile Personality, Sense Motive
SPECIAL: This skill can awaken a suspected Knight-Errant by engaging him in
conversation about topics from his past. The Director sets the TN based on the ob-
scurity of the trigger words and how deep the personality is buried. There may even
be magics keeping the old memories buried until a particular confluence of events.
SORCERY (MGK)
This skill focuses on magi-
cally manipulating the nat-
ural order. When putting
points into this skill, choose
a discipline (Holography,
Kinesis, Metamorph, or
Technomancy). A character
can have multiple disci-
plines, but should focus on
one or two.
EXAMPLES: Identify
Sorcerous Items, Identify a
Spell By Viewing its Cast-
ing or Aftereffect, Recall
Beliefs/Historical Facts
about Sorcerers, Sense
Presence of Magick, Under-
stand Magical Jargon
SPECIAL 1: If a charac-
ter wants to be a Sorcerer,
not just know about sor-
cery, he must purchase the
Spellcaster asset (see
pXXX).
SPECIAL 2: Witchers
can purchase Sorcery disci-
70

plines (and vice versa), but each rank costs twice as much (e.g., must spend 2 points
instead of 1).
SAMPLES: Although you can create your own spells, you can also find a pre-gener-
ated sample listing for each Sorcery discipline starting on pXXX.
HOLOGRAPHY. Disciples of this magic are adept at creating temporary non-tangible
illusions. At the lowest levels, these often appear as small floating lights or inanimate
figures, though they can also be used for the purposes of disguise and deception (such
as changing hair color or removing cracks from an antique vase). As the Sorcerer’s
power increases, the illusions may be of great size, emit sound, and even move as the
caster directs without constant supervision. When a Holography aura is visible, it has
a deep green light.
SAMPLES: Pre-generated Holography spells include: XXX (see pXXX).
KINESIS. This specialization allows the character to slow or speed an object in mo-
tion, or to move an inert object from one place to another. The most powerful Sorcerers
can fly, teleport, or slow down a speeding bullet to such an extent that it seems to be
frozen in time.
Other uses of this spell could involve flying brooms and carpets (the latter tied to
a frame so as to prevent its collapse), using loose rubble to form a wall, levitating a
trash can and dropping it on a foe, and so forth. These animated objects often must
be directed by the caster’s concentration, often using a wand as a pointer. If the
caster’s concentration lapses, the object stops moving (and falls, if airborne). Spherical
or wheeled objects may continue along their path for a short distance, depending on
the slope and terrain of the ground (Director’s ruling). Visible Kinesis effects are no-
ticeable by an orange glow.
SAMPLES: Pre-generated Kinesis spells include: XXX (see pXXX).
METAMORPH. Sorcerers use this skill to transform one object into another through
the use of sympathetic magic. Novices find it easier when both objects are of a similar
shape, size, or material. For instance, a Sorcerer might transform a screwdriver into
a knife, a walking stick into a rubber snake, a glass of water to a mug of beer, a ragged
suit into designer clothing, and so on. Powerful ‘casters may eventually learn how to
use the smallest bit of sympathy to morph themselves and objects into seemingly un-
like creations. Visible Metamorph spells glow with a pulsing red light.
Perhaps following some fundamental law of nature, living creatures may only be
transfigured into other living creatures. They do not lose (or gain) any of their mental
abilities, may be forced to rely on other physical abilities, and gain no magical abili-
ties. For instance, a knight turned into a sparrow can fly just like a normal sparrow,
and he retains his memories and knowledge, but he cannot speak or perform many of
the other activities common to humans (wielding a sword or wand, for instance).
As for non-living objects, even a powerful Sorcerer can only transfigure a solid
into a liquid or another solid. Liquids may be transfigured into solids or gases, while
gases can only be transfigured into liquids. Thus, a block of stone can be transfigured
into an equivalent block of water (which then spills unless contained) after which a
second casting can turn the water into a gas, but the caster cannot transform the
block directly from stone to steam in a single casting. Oddly, no Sorcerer has yet de-
termined how to transfigure an item into a pure element (such as gold), radioactives,
synthetics, or rare earths.
SAMPLES: Pre-generated Metamorph spells include: XXX (see pXXX).
TECHNOMANCY. Using this magic can bestow various enhancements upon objects –
usually weapons – though a creative Sorcerer may find new methods of improving
other items as well. When visible, Technomancy auras glow with a yellow light.
SAMPLES: Pre-generated Technomancy spells include: XXX (see pXXX).
71

VALOR (MTL)
This special skill represents a character’s strength of mind and spirit, enabling him
to face otherworldly horrors and grotesque sights with bravery. Indeed, certain crea-
tures and scenes are so horrific that they cause even the strongest man to falter.
The consequences of failing a Valor check depend on the situation, but in most in-
stances the result is the character losing his next action and holding his ground while
he regains his composure. He can still speak, but cannot attack, defend, or continue
advancing until he composes himself. His only other option is to spend a Move action
to flee from the situation (if possible).
SPECIAL: A new character starts the game with Valor 0, plus any points granted
by the Lionheart asset. A character’s Valor cannot drop below this starting Valor.
SPECIAL: A crash on the Valor check, or an amazingly horrific sight (Director’s per-
ogative) causes the character to lose his next two actions (instead of just one). The
character also loses 1 point of Valor, being a little shell-shocked.
SPECIAL: Players cannot improve Valor with Flux Points. Instead, the PC receives
1 additional Valor point after surviving his first encounter with a new horror.
WITCHCRAFT (MGK)
This covers ancient magics that affect mental, spiritual, and natural properties such
as energy, the elements, and life itself. When putting points into the Witchcraft skill,
a character must also choose a discipline. A Witcher can specialize in as many disci-
plines as he or she can afford, though it’s usually better to focus on one or two.
EXAMPLES: Identify Witchcraft Items, Identify a Spell By Viewing its Casting or
Aftereffect, Recall Common Beliefs/Historical Facts about Witchers, Sense Presence
of Magick, Understand Magical Jargon
SPECIAL 1: If a character wants to be a Witcher, not just know about witchcraft,
he must purchase the Spellcaster asset (see XXX).
SPECIAL 2: Sorcerers can purchase Witchcraft disciplines (and vice versa), but
each rank costs twice as much (e.g., must spend 2 points instead of 1).
SAMPLES: Although you can create your own spells, you can also find a pre-gener-
ated sample listing for each Witchcraft discipline starting on pXXX.
CHARM. This discipline allows the character to control another person’s mind, caus-
ing him to act in ways he normally would not – usually in order to cause accident or
misfortune. For instance, he might not look both ways before stepping into traffic, he
might start swearing at his boss, or even begin to self-mutilate. However, charms may
also be useful for casual mind control such as “Hi, Bob! Remember me, your old buddy
from college?” or “These aren’t the workers you’re looking for. They can go about their
business.” When visible, Charm spells have a light blue aura.
SAMPLES: Pre-generated Charm spells include: XXX (see pXXX).
ELEMENTAL. The elementalist knows how to summon and control the elements of
earth, air, fire, and water. This might involve summoning water to extinguish a fire,
creating a wall of fire, causing a gust of air to disarrange someone’s carefully arranged
legal documents, and so on. Visible Elemental spells have a deep blue-violet glow.
SAMPLES: Pre-generated Elemental spells include: XXX (see pXXX).
PERCEPTION. A Witcher uses this discipline to recognize the presence of unseen
spirits or natural/magical energies, as well as for the purposes of astral sight, divina-
tion, and prophecy. Visible Perception spells glow with a purple light.
SAMPLES: Pre-generated Perception spells include: XXX (see pXXX).
SPIRITISM. Practitioners of this discipline cast spells to manipulate the very energy
of life itself. Spells primarily involve communing with spirits and healing wounds,
but can also be twisted into the dark arts for animating corpses or draining a crea-
ture’s life force. Visible Spiritism spells glow with a soft, ghostly white light.
SAMPLES: Pre-generated Spiritism spells include: XXX (see pXXX).
72

STEP SIX: DETERMINE FLUX POINTS

Flux Points (FP) are a fundamental instrument of your character’s ability to alter the
world around him. New characters start with FP equal to their [WIT + INT + MGK]
score. A character’s FP serve as ‘point buy’ currency for ability bonuses and character
improvement beyond character creation.
HOW FLUX POINTS WORK IN GAMEPLAY. Traits add flavor to your character, but can
also be a method of spending and earning Flux Points. All that’s required is for the
player or Director to announce that a particular trait could come into play, then barter
for the number of FPs it would take for the character to use that trait.
For example, Gwen Rexxwell has a public “Does Daring Deeds” trait. Now, imag-
ine Gwen’s in a situation where she has the opportunity to perform such a deed, but
doing so would be irrational and/or detrimental. For instance, this could involve leap-
ing from a higher roof onto a lower skylight and crashing through to land on a desk.
This would be very daring and impressive, but could cause falling damage, not to men-
tion leaving her at the mercy of whatever lurks inside the office, without the help of
her companions who are stranded on the other rooftop.
If the Director wants to tempt Gwen’s player into making the leap, he could offer
her a free Flux Point if she does it. If Gwen’s player wants to resist the temptation,
the Director can offer progressively more Flux Points (up to a maximum of 6) until
Gwen succumbs to the urge, or it’s obvious that her player won’t take the bait.
On the other hand, Gwen’s player might realize that a daring deed is right in front
of her, and she wants to tempt the Director into handing over some Flux Points. In
that case, she might point out that her trait has come into play, and then barter with
the Director to see how many Flux Points she can get for her deed of derring-do.
When the Director puts a character in a situation where his or her traits may
cause problems, the player can spend one or more Flux Points to avoid succumbing to
the temptation. This primarily applies to private traits, but may apply to public traits
depending on the circumstances.
73

For instance, Hiro Two Lanterns has the Kleptomaniac trait. If left alone with a
display of several small and valuable antiques, the Director could tell Hiro’s player
that this trait has come into play. Hiro’s player can decide to succumb to his trait and
steal one of the antiques, or spend a Flux Point to resist the temptation.
Depending on the circumstances (such as how likely the character will get caught),
the Director may require the player to spend up to 6 FP to avoid succumbing.
Let’s go back to Hiro’s example above. If the antiques were in a public office and
the theft of even one of them would be rapidly noticed, Hiro’s player probably only
needs to spend 1 point to resist. On the other hand, if the antiques were in a little-
used museum storage room and Hiro knows that the curator of these objects is re-
cently deceased, the temptation to steal them would be greater, and the Director could
require Hiro’s player to spend as many as 6 FP to resist this personality trait.
SPENDING FLUX POINTS (TO SHRUG OFF WOUNDS). A character can spend FP to ignore
a wound and its subsequent penalty. The amount of FP required is equivalent to the
damage dealt by the wound. For instance, an attack that (after Damage Reduction)
deals 8 points of damage and causes a wound would require 8 FP to ignore.
SPENDING FLUX POINTS (TO GAIN TEMPORARY BONUSES). Before you roll the dice, you
can spend 1 FP to add a 1-point bonus to that result. However, the maximum number
of FP you can spend is equal to the character’s rank in the related skill. For example,
a character with Firearms 3 can spend up to 3 FP for a +3 bonus to a Firearms check,
while a character with Firearms 5 can spend up to 5 FP for a +5 bonus.
SPECIAL ABILITY FLUX POINTS (TO GAIN PERMANENT BONUSES). Each time you spend
Flux Points in gameplay, either to shrug off wounds or to gain temporary bonuses,
you earn special Flux Points that you can use to improve your character’s core values
and skills between game sessions. To distinguish these from your standard Flux
Points we’ll call them Ability Flux Points, or AFP.
The AFP cost to improve a core value or skill is 2x the desired score. You can only
increase a core value or skill by +1 AFP per game session. For instance, if Ross wants
to improve Firearms from ranks 3 to 5, it will cost him a total of 18 AFP. It costs 8
AFP to reach rank 4, then (after the next game session) Ross can spend an additional
10 AFP to improve his Firearms skill from rank 4 to 5.
Your Director may require your PC to have used the skill in those game sessions,
so the improvement can be justified in terms of character development. If your char-
acter always uses a sword, when did he find time to improve his Firearms skill?
SPECIAL (VALOR): The only exception to the purchasing rule is Valor, which cannot
be purchased. See the skill description for details.
SPECIAL (EPIC CHARACTERS): Once your character has maxed out a core value to 6,
you can improve it further, but now the cost starts at 3x, plus an additional 1x per
point beyond 7. For instance, Topher can spend 21 AFP (3 x 7) to improve his STR 6
to STR 7. To go from STR 7 to STR 8, however, he has to spend 32 AFP (4 x 8). Getting
to STR 9 requires 45 AFP (5 x 9). STR 10 needs 60 AFP (6 x 10), and so on.
This additional 1x per point represents the ‘skill wall’; although you can always
get better at something you already have a talent in, it’s increasingly harder to do so.
It’s easier to get better at something you’re not very good at.
STEP SEVEN: DETERMINE ASSETS

All characters get at least 10 character points to spend on general assets, with a vary-
ing number to spend on supernatural assets depending on your character’s Core Com-
petency (see page XXX). Assets are detailed and priced in Chapter 3: Assets.
As mentioned earlier, a player may choose to take one additional private trait for
an additional +1 point to spend on assets, but only during character creation.
74

STEP EIGHT: CHOOSE WEAPONS AND EQUIPMENT

Each member of the Knightwatch receives a standard weapons loadout described in
Chapter 4: Expenses. If you want more items beyond this starter package, talk to your
Director. He or she may allow them now, or have your character gain them during
missions. If you select the Funding asset in Chapter 3: Assets, your Director may
allow you to purchase additional equipment.
STEP NINE (OPTIONAL): DETERMINE REPP POINTS

Really Effective People Promotions, or REPP, is a database and algorithm managed
by a subset of the Akihabara Group (see page XXX). Persons who sign up for a REPP
account volunteer to have their social media catalogued on the REPP scale (1 to 100).
Where an individual appears on the scale depends on his celebrity status, how many
people ‘follow’ and repost his media, how many follow those followers, and so forth.
For instance, most celebrities have REPP scores of 70 or higher. When they check
into a hotel that participates in the REPP network, they usually receive a free upgrade
to a better room or other special perks, in hopes that they’ll tell their followers about
it and thus promote the business. Mega-corporations might even invite high-ranking
members to special events, let them test out new technologies, and so forth.
If you’d like to say that your character has been participating in the REPP net-
work, you can assume he has a starting score equal to [WIT x 6]. Whenever you want
to improve this REPP score, simply tell the Director that the character is ‘REPPing’
an event or location; in other words, the character is posting his status, thoughts, lo-
cation, and/or pictures about where he is and what he’s doing. The more interesting
the event, the higher and faster the REPP score will grow.
At certain times, your character will receive special promotional items, gifts, in-
vitations, and the like. The Director chooses what items your character receives, and
when. As well as making your character feel more like a part of the setting, this also
provides the Director with an additional way to offer adventure hooks, so feel free to
take full advantage of it. You can’t lose... right?
75

3ASSETS
77 | GENERAL ASSETS 86 | CORPORATE SPELL RESEARCH

CHARACTER-ENHANCING BONUSES. HOW SPELLCASTING WORKS.
81 | SUPERNATURAL ASSETS 90 | CHARM

MAGICAL CHARACTER BONUSES. 91 | ELEMENTAL
92 | HOLOGRAPHY
81 | KNIGHT’S PROWESS 93 | KINESIS
81 | NEUROTIK 94 | METAMORPH
82 | NT3RF4C3 95 | PERCEPTION
83 | SPELLCASTER 96 | SPIRITISM
97 | TECHNOMANCY
76 – 76 –

Assets are optional backgrounds, advantages, and supernatural talents, each costing
a set number of Character Points (Bravado costs 1 point, Hack costs 5, and so on).
Deduct these CP from the amount awarded in Step Three of character creation. Each
character concept also receives a discount on a closely related asset, as shown below.
GENERAL ASSETS
BLOODLINE (3; OR 2 FOR SORCERERS AND WITCHERS)

One of your character’s ancestors was tainted by the Flux, giving her a +1 bonus on
wand damage and on either defensive or offensive MGK checks (select one only).
BRAVADO (1)
If your character fails a Valor check in the face of overwhelming danger or supernat-
ural horror, and chooses to stand his ground instead of doing the smart thing and flee-
ing, he can defend himself if attacked (instead of losing his entire next action). He
does not gain additional Valor for doing so.
DETECTIVE (2; OR 1 FOR BADGES)

Characters with the Detective asset receive a 2-point bonus per 1 FP spent on KNO
checks that involve research and investigation (instead of the normal 1-point bonus
per 1 FP spent). This might involve identifying relationships between objects, sensing
motives, spotting clues, delving into records to discover whether an antique is a fake,
using a laboratory to determine the nature of a strange 'ectoplasm', and so forth.
EVERYMAN (2; OR 1 FOR ZEROS)

Your character appears almost devoid of individuality, with a plain face, nondescript
clothing, and an unexciting personal history. He easily fades into the background,
blends into most crowds, and is often ignored as a person of little or no importance.
Foes must take the low Flux Die result on [WIT + Instinct] or other checks to spot
this character in a crowd, notice his suspicious activity, or other similar circumstances.
FORTITUDE (5)
If your character is wounded in combat, you can add ‘+X’ to his melee attacks, where
X is the number of wounds he received in this combat. Additional wounds suffered in-
crease the bonus, but once the combat ends, so does the bonus. Wounds remaining
from previous combats do not apply.
FUNDING (VARIABLE; 1–10)

This asset shows a character’s available starting capital (in cash and credit) beyond
the room, board, and general necessities provided by the Knightwatch. This may be a
lump sum or an annual salary – or partially tied up in investments and unavailable.
Check with your Director to see how to handle Funding in your campaign.
1: $25,000. The poorest 10% of the work force.
2: $45,500. The bottom 20%. Zeroes, Runners, and Radicals are usually here.
3: $55,300. Badges, Hackers, Journos, and Thinkers are common in this 25%.
4: $135,200. Headhunters and junior executive Suits usually start in this 33%.
5: $152,400. This character is probably in the middle 20%.
6: $190,500. These characters will likely be in the top 25%.
7: $226,100. Individuals with this rating are likely in the top 20%.
8: $410,500. Powerful Suits, Listers, and Headhunters are often in the top 5%.
9: $614,500. A select number of senior Suits are in the top 1.5%.
10: $860,300. The most powerful executives luxuriate in the top 1%. Annual
salaries higher than this do exist, but only among NPCs.
77

HACK (5; OR 4 FOR HACKERS)

This asset hacks and controls electronics (e.g., cameras, locks, vehicle controls, home
webcams, or other systems). Detecting a network is automatic, but an EyePad (or Eye-
Phone), plus a successful [KNO + Sciences: Computer] check, is required to breach the
network. The Director determines if further checks are required for certain actions.
For example, let’s say that Hiro successfully hacks a security camera with a [KNO
+ Sciences: Computer] result of 9. The Director might determine that making the cam-
era rotate is automatically successful, but to make it capture and show a particular
screenshot requires a second [KNO + Sciences: Computer] check versus the same TN.
SAMPLE HACK TNS
TN 3 (SIMPLE)
TARGET: OBSOLETE CELLULAR PHONE OR SIMILAR HANDHELD DEVICE
TN 5 (EASY)
TARGET: UNSECURED TOUCHSCREEN OR WEBCAM
TN 7 (AVERAGE)
TARGET: PERSONAL COMPUTER, SECURED TOUCHSCREEN OR WEBCAM
TN 9 (DIFFICULT)
TARGET: SPECIALIZED AND SECURED SERVER, SECURITY CAMERA
TN 11 (HARD)
TARGET: CORPORATION MAINFRAME WITH A BASELINE VIRTUAL INTELLIGENCE
TN 13 (INCREDIBLE)
TARGET: MEGA-CORPORATION NETWORK WITH A STRONG VIRTUAL INTELLIGENCE
TN 15 (HEROIC)
TARGET: MEGA-CORPORATION NETWORK WITH A POWERFUL VIRTUAL INTELLIGENCE
Increase the TN by at least +2 when either not directly wired in or not inside the
range of the wireless network, or when using an EyePhone instead of an EyePad. De-
crease the TN by –2 per day spent probing the network. The Director determines if
an alarm triggers, based on the ability check result.
Devices with direct neural interfaces, like EyePhones, can be hacked and profiled
but not controlled. For instance, a Hacker might be able to determine the user’s device
ID (perhaps personalized with the user’s name), music playlist, list of applications,
and so forth, without having any direct control over it. The Director determines the
extent to which such a device can be profiled.
INFLUENTIAL (2; OR 1 FOR JOURNOS)

Your character has power over the minds of others. This may be a Flux effect, or some-
thing more mundane like fame or authority. He receives a +1 to Influence checks.
LADY LUCK (4)

You get one free re-roll per session, which can be used on any check. You may choose
to accept the result of the re-roll or your first roll, whichever is better.
LIONHEART (VARIABLE; 2–10)

A character with this asset is resilient under pressure. Every 2 points spent on this
asset improves the character’s starting Valor skill by +1 point, to a maximum of +5.
MASTER OF RED TAPE (2; OR 1 FOR SUITS)

This character has a flair for navigating the labyrinthine corporate structures and
paperwork of The City, giving him a +1 bonus on all Business checks.
78

NETWORK (VARIABLE; 2–10)

A character’s network contains NPC family, friends, acquaintances, and business as-
sociates. How easy it is to reach a contact, how trustworthy he is, and the reliability
of information and assistance he can provide is up to the Director. Contacts may be
solicited by role-playing or require a successful Influence or other appropriate check
(Business for an executive, Crime for a gang member, etc.). Guidelines are below.
2: Two minor contacts (e.g., Zeroes with no other significant friends or family)
4: Four minor contacts, or one moderate contact with a small network of his own
(e.g., gang member, Radical, Runner, family member)
6: Six minor contacts, or two moderate contacts, or one major contact with a mod-
erate network of his own (e.g., Journo, Badge, Headhunter)
8: Eight minor contacts, or three moderate contacts, or two major contacts
10: Ten minor, or four moderate, or three major contacts, or one power broker (e.g.,
a character in charge of his own large network, such as a wealthy Suit or high-ranking
Badge, who may be able to occasionally bail your character out of serious trouble).
NULL (1)
A character with this asset permanently loses his personal connection to the forces of
magic. This gives him extra potency elsewhere but puts him at a loss when facing
magical foes. You may take your character’s starting MGK value and redistribute it
to any other core values (max +1 each). For instance, if Shane’s character has MGK
2, Shane must first reduce this to 0. He can then add 1 point to two other core values,
such as changing STR 3 to STR 4 and WIT 1 to WIT 2.
Null PCs are invisible to any magical scrying or tracking, but can no longer use
their MGK score to resist magic spells, nor can they cast spells. They also cannot gain
any bonus from magical weapons or use any other magical items. For example, the
null PC can attack with a magical sword, but any bonuses granted by the sword do
not function while in his hands. Other types of magical items, such as a ring of dis-
pelling, also do not function for the character.
79

PRUDENT (2)
Your character keeps his eyes and ears open for signs of danger. This asset provides
a +1 bonus on Instinct checks (including surprise rolls, but not initiative).
QUESTER (2; OR 1 FOR THINKERS)

Your character may have been a medieval knight who sought the spiritual essence of
the Holy Grail, or he may simply seek knowledge as nourishment for the soul. He re-
ceives a +1 bonus on (choose one only) either Humanities or Sciences checks.
SAFEHOUSE (2)
If your character wants a private getaway, this asset provides a small apartment or
condo (2 br/1 ba; 400 sq ft) plus enough capital for monthly rent and utilities. (This
money cannot be directed elsewhere, and any special security or furnishings must
come from the Funding asset or other sources.) Optionally, a Director may allow larger
safehouses at higher point values, such as a townhouse (4), suburban house (6), pent-
house apartment (8), or small mansion in a gated community (10). Check with your
Director to see how to handle safehouses in your campaign.
STAR POWER (VARIABLE; 1-4; LISTERS GET FIRST RANK FREE)

When purchased at 1-point, this asset provides your character with 70 REPP points.
Each additional point of purchase adds a further +10 REPP points, up to a maximum
of 100 (so 2 = 80, 3 = 90, and 4 = 100). Listers get the first 70 REPP for free.
STREET FIGHTER (5; OR 4 FOR RADICALS)

Characters skilled in the art of dirty combat receive a +X bonus to all damage rolls
on Fisticuffs attacks or blunt weapon Getting Medieval attacks, where ‘X’ is always
equal to the character’s Crime skill rank.
TRACEUR (VARIABLE; 2–10)

Your character has honed his spatial awareness and body to traverse the most direct
path. Every 2 points spent on this asset improves your character’s Athletics skill by
+1 in regard to Move actions only, up to a maximum of +5. For example, let’s say that
Kim Wu has Athletics 3. Normally, a single Move action allows him to walk [Athletics]
x 5 feet (see pXXX). Spending 2 points on this asset allows him to walk [Athletics +
1] x 5 feet, while 4 points allows him to walk [Athletics + 2] x 5 feet. And so on.
This asset improves all types of Move actions simultaneously. For instance, Kim
Wu gains this bonus on walk, jog, run, sprint, jumps, and so on.
WALL RUN (2; OR 1 FOR RUNNERS)

A character with this asset can use one of his Move actions to run parallel to the
ground on a wall or similar flat vertical surface for a distance up to half his normal
run distance. He must end the Move action by grabbing onto a stable object or landing
on a horizontal surface, or follow it up with a second Move action (climb, jump, or a
second wall run) appropriate to the environment, or fall.The character must be unen-
cumbered with no unwieldy armor or shield. (Blur suits, suit weaves, energy shields,
and similar items are not encumbering.) A character can extend his wall running dis-
tance with the Traceur asset.
WEAPON MASTER (3; OR 2 FOR HEADHUNTERS)

This character specializes in one particular weapon (e.g., dagger, short sword, pistol,
etc.), giving him a +1 bonus on all attack rolls with it. You may purchase this asset
multiple times, but each purchase must apply to a different weapon.
80

SUPERNATURAL ASSETS
KNIGHT’S PROWESS (5; OR 0 FOR KNIGHT-ERRANTS)
Criticals, double criticals and other such special rolls normally apply only to Flux Die
rolls, not to damage or other results. However, the Knight’s Prowess asset allows crit-
icals on damage rolls with bladed melee weapons only. )
For example, let’s say that Carolyn has STR 3 and a sword that deals STR+2d8.
If she rolls a 4 and an 8 on her damage dice, she gets to roll that 8 die again. If that
critical roll results in a 6, her damage total would be 17 [3 + 8 + 6].
A knight-errant receives this asset for free, but if he ever fails to follow the
Knight’s Code (see page XXX), the benefits of this asset disappear until the Knight-
Errant regains his honor. This usually involves a quest or mission wherein the char-
acter finds himself presented with a strong temptation to break that rule again. If he
completes his mission without succumbing, he regains his honor and this asset.
NEUROTIK (5)
Some individuals suffer from Flux-addled brain chemistry, providing limited psionic
abilities. This allows them to cast (some) spells with their mind. They do not need to
gesture like normal ‘casters, but also cannot cast raw bolts of arcane energy or gain
any other benefit from wands. Neurotiks can evoke a daily maximum number of spell-
like effects equal to their MGK score, provided they succeed at the [MGK + discipline]
check. They can modify their spell-like abilities and TNs as ‘casters do, but cannot
copy or counter spells. Which spell discipline a character can mentally access should
be based on personality and concept. For instance, a cowardly PC might naturally
have Holography (for hiding) or Kinesis (for sneaking).
These abilities most often occur among persons of strong religious faith (usually
Radicals) or those whose brain chemistry suffers from a medical or hormonal imbal-
ance. A Hacker's mind is too structured to possess this asset, while Knights-Errant
have foresworn all types of magic, and Sorcerers and Witchers already possess greater
Flux-manipulating abilities. Thus, none of these concepts can have this asset.
81

NT3RF4C3 (5; MUST HAVE HACK)

A Hacker with the ‘Interface’ asset can use an EyePad to mentally enter any AI- or
VI-inhabited environment (known as ‘Multi-User Dimensions’ or ‘Multi-User Dun-
geons’), provided that he can first breach its security with a successfuly hack. Unlike
the classic computer programs from which the term derives, MUDs in Corporia may
appear as anything the intelligence (or its original programmer) selects, such as the
cinematic digital grid in TRON, the seemingly normal reality in The Matrix, or a
melding of worlds and themes as in Sucker Punch.
Once a character (a Hacker, assumedly) breaches the security of any computer in-
habited by a virtual intelligence, he can expect to eventually confront the inhabiting
intelligence (either in negotiation or combat) if he hopes to accomplish his goal. Any
damage that occurs to a character in the virtual world may cause brain damage or
death in the real world, as the VI directs feedback into
the character’s brain.
BRINGING IN OTHER PLAYERS. Of course, a virtual bat- VIRTUAL AVATARS
tle wouldn’t be much fun for your group if only the
Hacker gets to act while everyone else sits around and LIMITATION ..........TN
watches him breathe. Fortunately, the Hacker can ALL PCS..............5
bring his companions along. +1 NPC .............7
After a Hacker succeeds at his [KNO + Sciences: +2 NPCS............9
Computer] security breach and enters the virtual +3 NPCS ..........11
world, he can attempt a second check to link into the
+4 NPCS ..........13
EyePhones of his accompanying allies and create vir-
tual avatars of them, as shown in the ‘Virtual Avatars’ +5 NPCS ..........15
sidebar. The VI often ignores any conversations di- +6 NPCS...........17
rected to it from these avatars, and converses only
with the Hacker.
Each avatar is an autonomous subroutine that appears as a digitized ally, com-
plete with equipment. In game terms, this keeps the other players involved in the ac-
tion by allowing them to control their avatars just as they would their PCs. Armor,
shields, weapons, and most augments appear to function in the computer matrix just
Virtual and Artificial Intelligences are the

rulers of their own digital dimensions.
82

as they do in the real world, with two exceptions. First, any devices (including aug-
ments) that allow access to data or external communication do not work. Second, vir-
tual FCG grenades act like plasma grenades instead.
AVATAR LIMITATIONS. Whatever TN the Hacker meets or exceeds determines how
many allies he can link with and thus how many avatars he can create (see the side-
bar). The Hacker’s ability to create his own construct is automatically successful.
COMBAT. Virtual combat works just like combat in reality, but each avatar (includ-
ing the Hacker’s own) begins its existence with a [STR + MTL] score equal to the
Hacker’s current total, instead of that character’s own personal score. When wounded,
the character running that avatar suffers an equivalent number of –1 penalties to all
actions. After suffering a number of wounds greater than the Hacker’s [STR + MTL]
score, the construct is immediately erased (‘dies’) and the character wakes.
Some VIs also have the power to ‘boot’ (remove) characters from their world. A
Hacker may spend a full turn trying to re-connect a ‘booted’ character. At the end of
that turn, he attempts a [KNO + Sciences: Computer] check versus TN 9. If successful,
he has reconnected the character to his avatar.
SPELLCASTER (10)
An aspiring Sorcerer or Witcher must purchase this asset and have at least 1 point in
any Sorcery or Witchcraft discipline in order to cast spells. If he wants to hurl bolts
of raw arcane energy, or boost his natural ‘casting ability, he also needs a magical im-
plement (i.e., a wand) to assist.
SPELLS. ‘Casters can cast almost any spell that they can imagine, within their spell
disciplines and certain natural limits. Magic may be bleeding into the world, but na-
ture has a way of regulating itself. No matter how much imagination a ‘caster has,
there isn’t enough magical energy in the world (yet!) for a spell to turn the oceans to
blood or cause the forests to wither and die. There’s also a limit to how much energy
a ‘caster can channel through his body each day without suffering ill effects.
CASTING SPELLS. Each spell has a maximum range, area or number of targets, and
duration. These limits may be defined by a set number or, more often, based on a
[MGK + discipline] total. This is displayed on spell lists as the ✪ symbol.
To summon magical energy, your character attempts to beat a certain Target
Number. If successful, the spell functions. Living creatures, and any items touched
by the Flux, may attempt to resist your character’s spell – as seen on the Sample
‘Casting Checks sidebar, below. Non-magical objects have no resistance to spells,
though objects held by (or in!) a living being resist in the same manner as that being.
SAMPLE ‘CASTING CHECKS
CAST A SPELL....................................................MGK + DISCIPLINE

CAST A COUNTERSPELL ...................................MGK + DISCIPLINE
COPY A SPELL ...................................................MGK + KNO
RESIST SPELL EFFECTS (PHYSICAL)....................MGK + MTL
RESIST SPELL EFFECTS (MENTAL) ......................MGK + WIT
‘Casters require a combination of specific ingredients (i.e., material components)

to cast spells. For Witchers, this may be herbs, bones, salt, chalk, candles, and so
forth, while Sorcerers use spray paint, computer chips, and so on. Such items are
readily available and can be considered part of the Knightwatch loadout (page XXX).
COUNTERSPELLS. ‘Casters can attempt to block an enemy’s spell with a counterspell.
This requires the character to cast a spell of the same type [MGK + appropriate dis-
83

cipline] and meet or exceed the opponent’s original casting TN. If successful, the spells
cancel each other out. If unsuccessful, the enemy spell functions normally.
SPELLS PER DAY. A Sorcerer or Witcher can cast a number of spells per day equal
to his MGK score, without harm. For each additional spell cast beyond this limit, the
character suffers a cumulative –1 penalty to the casting. Furthermore, any time a
‘caster fails his TN with one of these excess spells, he suffers painful mental feedback
and can no longer cast for the rest of his current turn and the entirety of the next.
For example, a character with MGK 4 can cast 4 spells per day with no ill effects.
On his fifth spell, he suffers a –1 to his Flux Dice roll. On his sixth spell, the penalty
increases to –2. On his seventh, the penalty increases to –3, and so on.
If the fifth, sixth, or seventh (and so on) casting fails to meet or exceed the required
TN, the caster loses all casting for the remainder of the current turn and the entirety
of the next. Afterwards, he can attempt to start casting again.
Valyant research predicts that areas of Flux exist where such limits do not apply,
and that (should the Flux not be stopped) they will eventually envelop the planet.
MODIFYING SPELLS. A caster can double (triple, quadruple, etc.) the range, duration,
and targets as desired, with limitations. For each improvement, the TN increases by
a cumulative one step. Furthermore, the character suffers a cumulative –1 penalty
for each improvement. If a modified spell fails, the caster suffers an agonizing mental
feedback equivalent to 1 head wound.
For example, if a character doubles the range of a TN 9 spell, the TN increases by
one step to 11. If he doubled range and duration, the spell increases two steps to TN
13. Likewise, if he triples the range of a TN 9 spell, it becomes TN 13 (doubling takes
it to TN 11, and tripling to TN 13). If the modified spell fails to meet or exceed the re-
quired TN, the caster suffers 1 head wound and associated penalties.
If the number of steps in a spell modification would increase the difficulty beyond
TN 17, simply calculate the appropriate TN (such as TN 19, 21, 23, 25, 27, 29, 31,
etc.) as needed.
Modifying spells that have a range or target of “Self” to work on other creatures
or objects also increases the TN by at least one step.
84

LEARNING SPELLS. For your PC to invoke a spell, determine what you’d like the
spell to do. You might want to wave your wand and short-circuit a character’s Eye-
Phone, cast a bolt of ultraviolet light (i.e., artificial sunlight) at a suspected vampire,
slow a bullet in midair, raise a wall of earth, or something else entirely.
Exactly what you’re able to try is limited only by your imagination. It’s the level
of your magic skill specialty, and the difficulty of the spell, that determines what you
can actually do. Casting a small fireball at a single person is much easier than con-
juring a fiery cloud to rain blazing hail down over a city block.
Sample spells for each discipline are listed beginning on the following pages, but
your Director has final say on your casting’s TN, range, targets, and duration.
Copying a spell your character has seen another ‘caster use is fairly simple; just
succeed at a [MGK + KNO] check vs a TN 13 – X (where ‘X’ = your character’s MGK
score). For instance, if your MGK is 5, then the TN is 8 (since 13 – 5 = 8).
WANDS. Wands are special ranged weapons usable only by ‘casters. To hurl a bolt
of raw magical energy, a ‘caster must have a wand to serve as a conduit. For 'casters,
this is as easy as firing a pistol and requires only a successful Firearms attack to hit
the target. The bolt deals damage equal to the 'caster’s MGK ability. For example, a
caster with MGK 4 may fire a magical bolt dealing 4 points of damage. Range varies
by distance in the same manner as other ranged weapons. This power bypasses Dam-
age Reduction from armor and shields.
A caster may own as many wands as he can collect, but must choose one as his
‘signature’ piece that he will wield for the rest of his life. Using another wand has a
greater chance of failure, equal to [50 – X ]%, where X is the ‘caster’s relevant [MGK
+ discipline] score. For example, a character with MGK 4 has a 46% chance of failure
(50 – 4 = 46) when using a wand other than his signature piece.
The wand may be some cheap plastic wand from a toy store, an old wand from a
stage magician’s kit, or a petrified bit of wood found in a relative’s belongings. Its
composition helps to boost certain spells cast through it (see page XXX).
Witchers may only utilize wooden wands, just as Sorcerers are limited to artificial
wands. Otherwise, the attack roll has a significant chance of backfire, equal to [90 –
X ]%, where X is the ‘caster’s [MGK x 2] score. For example, a character with MGK 4
has an 82% chance of failure (90 – 8 = 82) when using a wand other than his signature
piece.
AUGMENT PENALTIES. Augments disturb your character’s connection to the forces of
magic. Each permanent augment applies a cumulative 1-point penalty to all MGK re-
lated checks. Non-permanent, easily removable pieces of tech (e.g, the EyePhone) do
not cause this penalty.
DOCUMENT: THE HALL-ADAMS ENERGY INITIATIVE REPORT

Several mega-corps are determined to learn the se-
crets of mastering magic. Globex, in particular, has
already established research teams to study this new en-
ergy source.
The following document, transmitted from Globex at
great risk from undercover operatives, features a
sampling of magical spells available to ‘casters.
However, this is only a sampling. ‘Casters may create
their own spells, using the ones within this document as
a guideline for power levels. (Directors have the final say
over whether a spell is valid.)
85

THE HALLADAMS
ENERGY INITIATIVE
Applying the secrets of nonscientific causal effects
through quantum energy resonance to establish a
privately held and infinitely renewable energy resource.
GLOBEX POWER ANNUAL MEETING WALKER BUILDING JANUARY 17

REPORT
SUMMARY
FOREWORD
We are pleased to present the HallAdams Energy Initiative (HAEI) policy
recommendations for strengthening the protection of Globex Power assets and
unleashing the innovation of our scientists and creative thinkers to exploit the next
generation of energy.
The HAEI incorporates extensive research and analysis, and provides a clear frame
work for further quantum energy resonance research and its manipulation of
nonscientific causal effects, being referred to henceforth as ‘arcane’ energy. The HAEI
reflects a proactive, flexible, and balanced approach in response to changing environ
mental conditions and the emergence of this new energy resource.
The effect of arcane energy resonance as an asset class is causing greater volatility
in the security and scientific markets, making it essential to deepen the analysis and
understanding of the behavior and determinants of arcane energy resonance, as well
as the linkages between current and historical activities.
Based upon our review, we believe that the information contained herein is accurate
and appropriately stated, and that the human trials performed in accumulating this
information meet all legal and corpohumanization requirements (as first established in
Connor v. Corporate Alliance). More extensive reports,which will allow for greater sub
stantive evaluation of estimates related to Flux rate and fate, are forthcoming.
Under your leadership, we can achieve the objectives of the HAEI by
establishing the eight recommended disciplines (see following pages) as official
company studies under a new ArcanoScience team and working with the Board of Di
rectors to launch the framework for this immensely profitable new market.
In closing, we would like to thank all our researchers, partners, and employees for
their continued commitment and support. We are more confident than ever that Globex
Power is wellplaced to deliver innovation and benefits to clients, and sustained
performance and returns to shareholders.
Sincerely,
Simon Hall, Director Megan Adams, M.Sc.

Department of Energy Control Head of GP RD&D
87

MANIPULATING
ARCANE
ENERGY
TEST SUBJECTS
Recent studies undertaken in GP Research, Development, and Demonstration Lab 4 (see
accompanying scans) indicate a connection between brain function lateralization and
the arcane energies a test subject can best manipulate.
Lefthemisphere dominance shows a distinct unconscious preference for what we
have categorized as ‘witchcraft’ while righthemisphere dominance is towards the ‘sor
cery’ disciplines. This is proven in 81% of test subjects. Corpus callostomy greatly reduced
arcane ability in 97% of selected subjects and is not recommended for further study.
The best test subjects were ‘creative’ types (e.g., radical architects, avantgarde
composers, surrealist artists, and sciencefiction writers).
Further studies are forthcoming.
CASTING & VISUALIZATION

Of the test subjects, 89% have indicated that the emission, or ‘casting’, of a particular
type of energy is strongly associated with handedness and finger position. In these sub
jects, witchcraft ‘spells’ appear strongest when certain gestures are manipulated with
the right hand, and sorceries with the left hand. This seems to be an unconscious action
on the part of each subject.
Current studies indicate that the primary energy flow may be channeled from a ‘mor
phic field’ resonating through the subject’s brain and out through the hands. If we in
deed visualize the handbrain connection as a manipulator of a particular energy, with
each fingerbrain connection acting for one of the four disciplines, this could indicate
that the thumbbrain connection serves as a regulator of this socalled ‘Magick.’
Further studies are scheduled.
FOCUSES
Short, straight rods composed of woods, plastics, or metals (aka wands) allow subjects
to regulate the energy flow and direct a seemingly pure stream of this energy flow at a
specific target. Furthermore, when used in addition to normal spellcasting, the material
composition of the wand can alter the strength, transmission distance, and other as
pects of spell energy. Further research is underway and you can expect results to be re
leased in a forthcoming supplement. Current data appears on page XXX of the attached
document.
88

LIMITATIONS
OF ARCANE
ENERGY
DAILY LIMITATIONS
A test subject’s natural limit of spells per day is equivalent to his MGK. Persuasion to
push the subject beyond this limit indicates a morphic resistance that grows with each
casting. A failure to exceed this resistance causes mental feedback and a minimum 10
second inability for further casting. See page XXX of the attached document.
DESCRIPTORS
THE ✪ SYMBOL
The ✪ symbol is shorthand representing a test subject’s combined casting power within
the discipline referenced. For instance, when a Technomancy spell mentions a distance of
“✪ feet”, it means a number of feet equal to the caster’s [MGK + Technomancy] total.
TARGET NUMBER (TN)

To successfully summon forth arcane energy, the caster’s combined ✪ and 2d6 Flux
(the latter being shorthand for a formula representing the randomness of sixthdimen
sional space) must be greater than or equal to the Target Number.
SPELL NAME
To aid participation, the scientist or test subject that discovers a specific manifestation
of arcane energy is allowed to name it.
RANGE
A spell’s range defines the maximum transmission distance from the caster that arcane
energy can originate (i.e., how far the subject can hurl a spell or how far away he can
cause a spell effect to appear).
TARGET
Each spell requires a focal point, be it the caster, an object or person, or an area of space.
Spells that may be cast on other persons may also be cast on one’s self. Living targets
may resist physical spells with their natural [MGK + MTL] and mental with [MGK + WIT].
DURATION
Duration is how long a spell lasts, unless the caster chooses to end it prematurely. A
‘turn’ is roughly equivalent to 10 seconds, and a ‘round’ is a variable number roughly
equivalent to 10 seconds multiplied by the total number of turns.
89

CONTROLLING MENTAL
ENERGY THROUGH
HYPNOSIS
Witchcraft
Discipline
Charm [c]
TN Spell Range (ft.) Target Duration
3 Mindtrick [c] x 3 [c] persons ✪ rounds
Persuade target to follow one simple, reasonable, nonharmful suggestion.
5 Sleep ✪x5 One person [c] hours
Victim attempts to cease current activity and go somewhere to sleep.
If target is attacked or otherwise disturbed, the spell ends prematurely.
7 Confuse [c] x 5 One person Instantaneous
Target loses its next turn.
[c] x 5 [✪ x 3]ft
9 Crowd Control ✪ minutes
radius area
Suppress excitement or anger in multiple persons.
11 Befriend [c] x 5 One person ✪ minutes
Make another person regard you as a friend.
Somebody
13 [c] x 5 One person ✪ minutes
Else’s Problem
Cloud an individual's mind. He or she ignores one specific person or object
(spellcaster's choice), making it effectively invisible.
15 Retcon Touch One person Instantaneous
Cause a person to forget something he recently learned.
17 Mindjack Touch One person Instantaneous
Implant a false memory of a recent event in someone’s mind.
90

AGITATING MOLECULES
TO RECONSTITUTE
ENVIRONMENTAL
FACTORS
Witchcraft
Discipline
Elemental [e]
3 Invoke [c] x 5 Special Instantaneous
Conjure earth, breathable air, fire, or water. (e gallons water, e x 30 sec
onds air, e x .13 cu ft fire, e x 8 pounds earth)
5 Elementalism Touch One person ✪ x 5 minutes
Choose one element: fire does not burn, wind does not buffet, water and
earth do not suffocate. No protection vs. magically summoned elements.
7 Elchemy [e] x 5 ✪ radius area ✪ minutes
Convert one element into another.
[✪ x 10] sq ft
9 Elemental Wall [e] x 5 ✪ minutes
area
Create an opaque [e]” thick barrier of any one element (DR ✪/✪/✪)
11 Armormental Touch One person ✪ rounds
Invoke one elemental armor (air 0/2/0, fire 2/0/0, earth 1/1/0, water 0/0/2).
13 Aerosoldier ✪x5 [✪ x 5] ft radius [e] rounds
Combine two or more elements into fog (air/water), haze (air/fire), or dust
(air/earth) cloud, giving all within it an [e] point penalty to attacks.
15 Protector [e] x 5 One elemental ✪ rounds
Summon one elemental. Attacks via melee only, use caster's stats x2.
17 Vengeance Self Self [e] rounds
Enemies that damage you receive equivalent in chosen elemental form
(buffeted by air, burnt by fire, spew water from lungs, pelted by rock).
91

SCATTERING AND
RECONSTRUCTING
LIGHT WAVES
Sorcery
Discipline
Holography [h]
3 Glowstick Self Special [h] minutes
Emit a [h]ft long beam of visible light.
5 Hologram ✪ x 10 One hologram [h] minutes
Create a 3D illusion of a stationary object/creature up to [h] x [h] x [h] ft.
7 Blackout [h] x 5 [h] x 5 ft radius ✪ minutes
Eliminate all visible light from an area, making normal vision impossible.
9 Diorama ✪x5 ✪ x 5 sq ft area [h] hours
Create a 2D image of a wall, ceiling, floor/terrain.
11 Cloak [h] x 5 One person [h] minutes
Bend light to be invisible to cameras and laserbased security (LiDAR).
13 Magic Cube ✪x5 [h] x 5 cu ft area ✪ rounds
Create a flashing, multicolored cube. Everyone inside the cube becomes
disoriented and suffers an [h]point penalty to all actions.
Hardlight
15 [h] x 5 One hologram ✪ rounds
Persona
Create a semisolid duplicate of yourself that follows one simple command
(i.e., attack, run there). If damage/ability checks are needed, the persona
has the equivalent of your stats. The persona cannot speak or cast spells.
17 Holodeck ✪ x 10 ✪ x 5 sq ft area ✪ hours
Create a 3D scene with appropriate sound and up to ✪ interacting
characters and/or objects (cannot move beyond target area).
92

MANIPULATING
RELATIVE TIME
AND MOVEMENT
Sorcery
Discipline
Kinesis [k]
3 Manipulate ✪ One tiny object Concentration
Cause an object under [k] lbs. to float at a movement rate equal to half
your normal walking speed (i.e., [Athletics] x 0.5 feet every 5 seconds).
5 Lockdown ✪x5 One portal ✪ minutes
Hold door, window, gate, or other similar portal open or closed.
7 Dancing Blade ✪x5 Melee weapon ✪ rounds
Make a melee weapon fight on its own, as if wielded by an invisible
duplicate of you. (Use your statistics where needed for combat.)
9 Deflection Aura Self Self [k] rounds
Gain +[k] bonus to Defense checks vs ranged weapon attacks.
11 Slow/Surge [k] x 5 One person [k] rounds
Double or halve the target’s Move distance. Can also be cast to slow a
falling object (half damage upon landing) or speed it up (double damage).
13 Flight Belt Touch One person ✪ min
Fly at running speed, to a height of up to ✪ x 100 feet.
15 Bullet Time Touch One person 1 round
Total # of actions per round become [k+1]. These actions can be all Move,
all Attack, or mixed as the target desires.
Transmitte [k] persons or
17 [c] x 5 Instantaneous
Sursum mansized objects
Transport to any destination within ✪ x 10 feet.
93

TRANSITIONING STATES OF MATTER

WHILE MAINTAINING STRUCTURE
PRESERVING MAPPING
Sorcery
Discipline
Metamorph [m]
3 Makeover Self Self ✪ x 5 minutes
Change a character’s hair color and style.
5 Plastic Surgeon Touch One creature ✪ x 10 minutes
Change a number of physical features (hair/eye color, height, weight, skin
tone, etc.), where the number of features is less than or equal to [m].
7 Resize Touch One object ✪ x 10 minutes
Shrink target to 1/2 size or enlarge to 2x. Melee damage and movement 1/2
(enlarged) or 2x (shrunken), and Defense 2x (shrunken) or 1/2 (enlarged).
9 Reconfigure Touch One object ✪ x 10 minutes
Change one inanimate object less than [m x m x m] feet into another inani
mate object of similar size and appearance (e.g., a pen into a knife, a book
into a ream of blank paper, a disc into a saucer). The object retains any
data stored on it while morphed.
11 Transmogrify Self Self [m] rounds
Turn into any living creature (within size limit of + or – [m x 100]%).
13 Irradiate ✪x5 [m] x 10 ft radius [m] rounds
All creatures in this 'hot' zone suffer [m]d6 damage (no DR) per round.
15 Shaper Touch One object ✪ hours
Like Reconfigure, but does not need to be of similar size or appearance.
17 Freeform Touch One person ✪ rounds
Like Transmogrify, but also includes cryptids/imaginary creatures up to ✪
x 100% greater or smaller. Can add/remove up to ✪ points of Horror.
94

UNSCIENTIFICALLY OBTAINING
ACCURATE PREDICTIONS
(+ AUDIOVISUAL SYSTEM
MANIPULATION)
Witchcraft
Discipline
Perception [p]
3 Navigator Self Self ✪ minutes
Know fastest way to all major landmarks and locations in area.
5 Sense Flux Touch One object Instantaneous
Determine whether an object is magical.

✪ x 5 ft radius
7 Baffle ✪ x 10 ft ✪ minutes
sphere
No one can perceive any sound within this area.
[p] x 5 ft radius
9 Gotcha Self Instantaneous
sphere
See persons or objects that are using camouflage technology or magic.
✪ x 5 ft radius
11 Tracker Self ✪ minutes
sphere
See the afterimage left by a person’s aura (in order to trail them). Person
must have been in target area within the last ✪ x 5 minutes.
13 Visionary Self Self Instantaneous
Get an obscure vision of what a particular person or object is doing.
15 Flashforward Touch One person ✪ rounds
Gain +✪ on one KNO or WIT roll. Expires if not used within the duration.
17 Know Touch One object Instantaneous
Know all desired properties of an object (magic or nonmagical).
95

CHANNELING VITALISM
THROUGH INTUITIVE
BRAIN PROCESSING
Witchcraft
Discipline
Spiritism [s]
3 Succor Touch One person Instantaneous
Transfer another character’s wounds to yourself.
5 Neuromancer Touch One person ✪ rounds
Alter mental state to imbue a +1 or –1 on attack rolls and Valor checks.
7 Atropine [s] x 5 One person ✪ rounds
System shock causes target to gain or lose +[s] points for one Core Value.
9 Dark Faith Touch One person Instantaneous
Cure one wound, or necrotize an existing wound. Count a necrotized
wound as 2 wounds for purposes of healing and penalties; this does not in
flict a separate wound elsewhere in the same or different hit location.
11 Immunize Touch One person Instantaneous
Remove all effects of drugs, poison, disease, or radiation sickness.
Does not remove addiction.
13 Corpse Speak Touch One human corpse ✪ x 10 seconds
Reignite the spark of memory in a corpse deceased less than ✪ hours. If
the head is intact, you may converse with it as if it were alive, for [✪ x 10]
seconds. This spell does not function on undead.
15 Necromancer Touch One human corpse ✪ rounds
Create mindless servant from a corpse; it obeys simple oneword commands.
17 Regen Touch One person Instantaneous
Raise character that died within [s] rounds, or regrow limb within ✪ days.
96

NEW! COMBINING
BIOELECTRICITY WITH
TECHNOPAGANISM TO FUEL
ION MANIPULATION
Sorcery
Discipline
Technomancy [t]
3 Charge Touch One device Instantaneous
Instantly provides a battery or kineticpowered device with 100% of its
normal charge. The charge drains with use, as per the device’s normal
battery life. Device size must be less than or equal to [m x m x m] feet.
5 Infinite Ammo Touch One firearm ✪ rounds
Ignores all ‘doubles’ rolls that indicate a jam/overheat/loss of ammunition.
7 Armorall Touch One armor [t] rounds
Armor DR improves by [t] points.
9 Overheat ✪x5 One device Instantaneous
A surge of power rushes through the targeted device (including XCalibre
firearms), causing it to cease function for ✪ minutes. Device size must be
less than or equal to [m x m x m] feet.
11 Lockdown Touch One device Instantaneous
Electronic item refuses to function unless the user speaks a password.
13 Vorpalize Touch One weapon [t] rounds
Improve weapon damage by [t] points.
15 Summon Bot ✪ x 10 One AUTAC ✪ rounds
A small, flying Tactical Autonomous Combatant appears and attacks your
enemies. Operates under character or Director control, as desired.
17 Electrify ✪x5 [m x 5] ft radius Instantaneous
All creatures within an area with a [m x 5]foot radius suffer [m]d6 points
of electricity damage. Devices overheat as per the Overheat spell.
97

4EXPENSES
99 | EQUIPPING YOUR CHARACTER 109 | ARMOR

99 | PURCHASING 110 | SHIELDS
100 | ENCUMBRANCE 110 | MISCELLANEOUS
100 | DISCOUNT EQUIPMENT
100 | JURISDICTION 112 | AUGMENTS
101 | THE COVER-UP 112 | PERSONAL
102 | GRIME & PUNISHMENT 115 | SUBSTANCE
116 | WEAPON
104 | WEAPONS AND GEAR 116 | ARMOR
104 | MELEE WEAPONS
106 | RANGED WEAPONS 117 | WANDS
107 | GRENADES
98

Valyant transfers enough funding into each knight’s monitored account for the pur-
chase of food and basic needs. This eliminates the need for you to track every purchase
down to the last nickel (the penny has been eliminated).
The only items to concern yourself with are those that the average citizen doesn’t
have easy access to, or doesn’t encounter on a regular basis. These items are listed
here, and mostly include black market weapons, armor, augments, and other pieces
of gear with special rules. A character receives a standard loadout at the start of each
mission, but can maintain an additional supply of as much equipment he can afford.
EQUIPPING YOUR CHARACTER

The high-tech operations center of the Watchman private security company (also ac-
cessible by the Knightwatch) is contained within Valyant’s HQ (aka “Watchman
Keep”), and includes indoor ranges, fitness centers, urban reproductions, an armory,
and even an artificial lake. Secret safehouses are located throughout The City.
The City-wide weapons ban does not apply to private security companies, but even
they are restricted in what weapons they can distribute among their workers. Omni-
Corp PSC, being the largest and most powerful private security company, has fewer
weapon regulations than its biggest competitor, Global Republic. Third in prominence
is Watchman PSC, whose officers are able to carry one pistol, one additional weapon
(either a melee weapon or firearm), and
one piece of personal protective equipment
WATCHMAN ARMORY LOADOUT (armor or shield). A company-owned Eye-
Phone is also included for communication
1 PISTOL purposes, though other personal upgrades
1 ADDITIONAL WEAPON and apps are not. Naturally, since the
Knightwatch operate under the guise of
1 SHIELD OR SUIT OF ARMOR
Watchman special ops, they must adhere
1 EYEPHONE
to these rules (or at least appear to).
1 PERSONAL OR WEAPON AUGMENT* When a new mission begins, you can
assume that the character has the stan-
*APPLIES ONCE TO NEW HIRES ONLY dard Knightwatch armory loadout as
shown in the sidebar. The starting aug-
ment is only given to new characters; an
existing PC doesn’t automatically receive a new augment with each mission.
Additional or special equipment may be requested, if the team feels the mission
warrants it. Procurement requests are subject to certain restrictions and prioritization
lists, and are awarded only where they are not likely to impact operational mission
requirements or draw undue attention to the Knightwatch. Furthermore, weapons
and related equipment may only be removed from the armory for specific missions.
Characters may find it most effective to purchase their own custom gear, rather than
go unarmed when off-duty or wait for supplies that may take too long to arrive.
PURCHASING
Almost no one carries cash anymore, and many people don’t even use credit cards.
(“What are you, some sort of primitive?”) Instead, you simply walk your purchases be-
tween a store’s specially designated scanners on your way to the exit. Smart labels
‘talk’ to the store’s network to scan your biometrics, track your purchases, and wire-
lessly deduct the cost from your account. If an inadequate or unauthorized account
(or unrecognized person) is flagged, security is immediately alerted.
Ordering from the ‘net is even easier. As long as you have the money in your ac-
count, the items should be delivered to your designated address within 12 to 24 hours.
You can exceed your credit rating, but only once, and for no more than 10% of your
maximum rating. After that, the creditors lock down your account and come after you.
99

ENCUMBRANCE
Of course, there’s a limit to how much gear your character can carry around at one
time and still be able to function without penalties. To keep it simple, limit the number
of cumbersome or heavy items to less than or equal to his MTL score. Use common
sense depending on the circumstances.
For instance, if we’re talking about a briefcase that holds a flashlight, a knife,
various paper or flimsy plastic files, a tablet, and a handful of tiny solid state hard
drives, that only counts as one item. If it’s a computer server that takes two hands to
lift and carry, your character’s other items should be stowed on his person (e.g., sword
in scabbard, armor worn, gun in holster, etc.).
If you exceed the recommended limit, the Director may impose a –1 or greater
penalty to certain actions, as the excess items weigh the character down and may be-
come entangled with other characters and obstacles.
‘DISCOUNT’ EQUIPMENT
If you want to save some cash, you can avoid reputable dealers and seek out cheaper
copies or imitations of almost any popular brand name item. Street vendors, discount
stores, unsavory websites, and black marketeers are all available points of purchase.
Unfortunately, what you save because of a low price, you lose in terms of durability
and craftsmanship.
Whenever your character attempts an ability check that involves a discount item
(e.g., firing a cheap pistol, accessing the ‘net with an EyePad knock-off, or casting a
spell with a stick you snapped from a tree branch), there’s a greater possibility that
the item ‘crashes.’
As mentioned in Chapter 1: The Basics, a crash occurs when you roll your Flux
Dice and get a pair of 1s. Rolling a crash means that you don’t get to keep and add ei-
ther of those dice to your ability check.
Cheap equipment purchased at 75% of normal cost will crash on pairs of 1s or 2s.
So-called ‘deals’ of 50% off will crash on results of pairs of 1s, 2s, and 3s.
JURISDICTION
The four major private security companies in The City are (listed
in order of largest to smallest): OmniCorp PSC, Global Republic,
Watchman PSC, and Speedy Security. Each is contracted to pro-
vide service to businesses, families, and individuals throughout
The City. The largest companies seek near-exclusivity on all secu- OmniCorp PSC
rity contracts in their headquarters neighborhood and/or district,
with full authority to conduct law enforcement activities and crim-
inal investigations.
Thus, Omnicorp oversees almost all security in Woodlawn,
while Globex’s Global Republic controls the Globex district,
Valyant’s Watchman PSC watches Union Heights, and Atoyo’s Global Republic
Speedy Security operates in Towers. Their authority in other dis-
tricts varies, depending on the neighborhood or building contract.
A resident can contract an outside provider, but this is rare,
since it increases a resident's district maintenance fees (corporate
taxes) and incurs an additional charge from his chosen security
company, as they need special permits to operate in that area. Knightwatch
Knightwatch teams, able to carry Watchman identification and
pass themselves off as special ops units, can operate fairly easily
in any Watchman-contracted location. Operating in another PSC's
contracted district (or home, gated enclave, etc.) requires contact-
ing Watchman headquarters and waiting the few minutes (or sev-
eral hours or days!) for clearance to come through. Speedy Security
100

Of course, the Knightwatch can always operate secretly. However, choosing not
to go through the proper intercorporate channels means that the PCs may be detained
as vigilantes. Should a character be detained by a rival PSC, then Valyant may be
able to discreetly intervene on their behalf through contract negotiations, bribery or
some other means – assuming they even know where he is.
THE COVER-UP
Despite Lancelot's desire to keep secret even the mere existence of the Knightwatch,
the prevalence of cameras and social media soon proved that to be impossible. Fortu-
nately, most persons (even Watchmen PSC officers) simply believe the Knightwatch
to be a mundane, though highly trained, special operations task force. M.E.R.L.I.N.
can also track down and delete most unencrypted references to the Knightwatch’s
battles with the supernatural, the characters must deal with any witnesses.
The fastest way to ‘clean up loose ends’ is to murder everyone who knows the truth
– certainly the most efficient means, but a brutal deed hardly worthy of a knight. Per-
suasion via an Influence check is also an option, convincing the witness that what he
thinks was supernatural was a special effects publicity stunt, Radicals in costume, a
hologram, hallucinogenic gas, a serial killer physically warped by the Flux, or any
number of implausible scenarios. Threats and bribery could also work, but are less
likely to be effective in the long term.
Alternatively, the player characters may deem a witness trustworthy enough to
become an informant. Informants have limited access to Knightwatch resources (re-
ceiving only a small stipend), but know little to nothing of the Camelot connection,
still believing them only a well-funded special ops force with high-minded ideals.
Should an informant prove himself to be of significant value, Nimue may authorize
the informant learning the truth about the Flux and the Knightwatch. Such individ-
uals are usually brought into the Valyant corporate structure in some capacity.
GRIME AND PUNISHMENT

After the Knightwatch completes a mission, Valyant sends in Watchman patrols for
the ‘clean up’, but their accountants, lawyers, and executives severely frown upon ex-
cess damage to persons and property. Knightwatch teams that frequently succeed at
their goals may be rewarded with higher-profile assignments and better equipment,
while those that fail may find themselves temporarly assigned to ‘cool their heels’
with routine clean-up or investigative work. They will certainly find that their armory
access has been restricted to only the most necessary light firearms and melee
weapons.
DOCUMENT: QUEST MAGAZINE

Despite the efforts of the megacorporations, stories
of magical creatures, knights, and other strange events
have begun to appear in the public sphere. A few so-called
‘crackpot’ Radicals and disaffected citizens latched onto
these sightings with a fervor, as seen by the following
“Quest Magazine.”
Although this document was redacted (and most print
and e-copies destroyed or confiscated, thanks to Valyant’s
imposition of an obsure publishing law), you can still use
it to learn more about the items available for purchase.
101

THE VOICE OF THE UNDERGROUND!
QUEST ®
VIGILANTE
FEVER
+ 23
AND WHY WANDS
THAT
THEY’RE GO
GETTING WITH
MEDIEVAL ANY
ON YOUR OUTFIT
ASSETS
Runners
life on the
rooftops
> more
book
bannings!
We discuss
> Camelot 3000 review: itc
augments
> The Once and Future King
> Knight Life
> Neuromancer your guide to
the best deals
> Jennifer Government
> and 15 others!

“...the city just keeps

editorial getting stranger. ...
UNEXPLAINED. IT’S A WORD THAT’S BEEN cropping You’ve probably heard
up a lot lately. It’s been less than a year since the the same stories I have,
first reports of the so-called Flux began circulating
or you may have even
in the lamestream media, and the rumors of
mutations, electronic ghosts, strange creatures and
seen them: gangs of ar-
corporate death squads began to appear. mored knights dashing
At first, we were assured that it would soon through subway tun-
pass, but the city just keeps getting stranger. The nels, runners who can
megacorp ‘news’ streams are particularly absent of now leap great dis-
many of these stories, but you’ve probably heard tances, well-dressed
the same rumors I have. If you’re lucky, you may junior executives pulling
have even seen them: gangs of armored knights
guns and swords to
dashing through subway tunnels, runners who can
now leap great distances, well-dressed junior exec- chase dark strangers
utives pulling guns and swords to chase dark down the street ... and
strangers down the street, V.I.s that talk back to so-called ‘casters who
their users, scientific experiments raging out of ... use magic wands to
control, dead bodies rising from their coffins, and hurl mystical energy
so-called ‘casters who actually do use ‘magic through the air...
wands’ to hurl mystical energy through the air.
Well, I can now tell you what it’s taken me months
of covert research to learn.
It’s all true. With this issue, I blast the lid off the conspiracy and provide you with details
and information on how you can arm yourself and join our vigilante protectors in their
fight against the forces of evil. STAND WITH ME — FOR ARTHUR! FOR GLORY!
FOR THE KNIGHTS OF THE ROUND TABL[ERROR]DATASTREAM OVERRIDE[/ERROR]
103

feature
A Hard Day’s Knight

Black market gear for all occasions
IT CAN BE DIFFICULT FOR A NOVICE TO KNOW WHAT WEAPON WILL BEST SUIT HIS OR HER
particular needs or skill set. Some prefer a particular type of weapon, while others simply
want whatever can deal the most damage. This article lists damage factors for multiple
weapon categories, using terms such as turns, rolls, and various abbreviations for STR,
DFT and other factors. (If you missed last issue’s detailed analysis of how to turn your
personal attributes into numerical quantities, don’t worry; it’s still free on our site.)
Prices given for many items are black market estimates, due to the unanimous ban
on offensive weapons within all corporate districts, as well as the economic stranglehold
on body armor and other Personal Protective Equipment (PPEs). Remember, any un-
licensed weapon use within a corporate district or neighborhoodmay result in arrest
and detainment by the private security officers contracted to that area.
Note that you must have a minimum ‘Getting Medieval’ or ‘Firearms’ skill to use
these weapons effectively. Otherwise, you’ll suffer the difference between the require-
ment and your actual skill level as a penalty to your Attack.
MELEE WEAPONS
If you've been following our new peer-reviewed Psience journal, you've probably seen
the leaked Globex case reports that suggest the mutated horrors roaming our city are
more vulnerable to damage with iron and iron-based blades than with many other ma-
104

terials. Whether this is really because Flux-affected individuals have a greater number
of magnetite crystals in their brains and are thus less resistant to iron, as the case reports
suggest, or because of some native (or even psychosomatic) sensitivity to cold iron,
there is no doubt that it works – though only in the hands of persons who have been
at least 'Touched' by the Flux. Ranged weapons, even bows and thrown weapons, do
not carry the same power.
Unarmed. An unarmed attack is any attack you make with a part of your body
when you’re not wielding a weapon. It’s usually a kick or a punch, but it could be a head-
butt, elbow jab, a knee in the groin, or so on.
Axes. Axes range from simple hand axes to large fantasy-replica war axes. Both deal
decent damage, though the two-handed war axe draws a lot more attention to the wielder
and forgoes the use of a wooden/riot shield.
Com/Bat: This advanced prototype of Ostec Sports' patented baseball bat has
50% less carbon to increase the flex properties, as well as dilute quantities of iron added
to the patent pending COM3 shell (4x stronger than aluminum). Strands of titanium in
the carbon fiber core imbue greater durability and provide a bigger sweet spot. You
cannot use a physical shield when wielding a bat.
Knives and Daggers. These weapons deal only half STR damage if thrown (round
down). Effective range is a number of feet equal to your STR+DFT+MTL. Throwing
a blade is defined in the following Ranged Basics section.
Raypier. The raypier is a technological marvel – a slender sword with a specially
designed nanoparticle-energized blade. Though not as powerful as certain fictional
lightsabers, it is still the weapon of choice for those who don’ t mind drawing attention
with a glowing blade. Energy color options include: blue, red, green, purple, yellow,
cyan, silver, orange, and gold.
Swords. Models may vary in style (such as European or Asian), length (one- or two-
handed), and type of blade (straight, curved, single- or double-edged), but all are fine
choices. You cannot use a shield when wielding a two-handed sword.
Skill
Melee Weapon Level Price Damage
Unarmed 0 - STR
Dagger, Knife 1 $75 STR + 1d4
Hand Axe 1 $105 STR + 1d6
Short Sword 2 $1300 STR + 1d8
Com/Bat 2 $1700 STR + 1d10
Longsword 3 $2400 STR + 2d4
War Axe 3 $3100 STR + 2d6
Two-Handed Sword 4 $5000 STR + 2d8
Raypier 5 $8000 STR + 2d10
105

RANGED WEAPON BASICS

Base Range. Attacking a target beyond this range applies a –2 penalty to your char-
acter’s attack. More than double the base distance adds another –2 (–4 total), distance
x3 adds yet another –2 (–6 total), and so on up to the max distance x5 (–10 total).
Rate of Fire. This is the number of shots per Attack. Damage listed is for each
individual shot. You may distribute each shot among multiple targets, though you must
attempt a [DFT + Firearms] check for each shot fired, and suffer with a cumulative –2
penalty per additional target. Each target defends as normal.
Reload Die (Ammunition). If you’re not particularly worried about realism, and
don’t want to track each time you fire your weapon, use this simple rule to streamline
combat. If your Flux Dice roll on a Firearms attack results in doubles of any kind (1s,
2s, 3s, etc.), roll the listed Reload Die. If that result is a ‘1’, it means your weapon is out
of ammo or jammed (or overheated, in the case of energy weapons). You can reload,
unjam, or cool down a weapon by spending a Move or Attack action to do so.
Throwing. The base distance you can accurately throw a dagger, knife, hand axe, or
grenade is a number of feet equal to your [STR+DFT+MTL] x3. Failed throwing
checks alter the distance by [STR+DFT+MTL] feet.
To determine the direction of a failed throw, imagine your PC standing on a flat
analog clock (you are the ‘6’ facing the ‘12’ target), then roll a d12. Thus, a 7–11 goes
left, a 1–5 goes right, a 12 overshoots the target, and a 6 falls short.
RANGED WEAPONS
Bows. These finely-tuned bows are the perfect blend of modern performance and
compactness. Buyers should note that each package includes a top-of-the-line com-
pound shortbow or crossbow with a high-tech rest, quiver, wrist sling, vibration damp-
ening stabilizer, and a scope or peep sight with alignment tube. All of the accessories
are factory-installed and shipped in a hardshell case. PRICE NOTE: $185 (12 arrows/bolts)
Ranged Skill Base Reload

Weapon Level Price Range ROF Damage Die
Dagger/Knife 2 $75 15 ft 1 STR none
Hand Axe 2 $105 10 ft 1 STR + 1 none
Taser 1 $1,625 15 ft see text see text see text
Bow 4 $1,950 40 ft 1 2d4 d12
Pistol 2 $1,300 30 ft up to 3 2d6 d10
Rifle 3 $3,900 80 ft up to 2 2d8 d6
Shotgun 3 $1,120 see text up to 2 see text d4
Submachine Gun 4 $4,900 40 ft 1 burst see text d20
Wand (spellcasters only) 1 $375 25 ft. 1 MGK none
X-Calibre Pistol 5 $6,500 20 ft 1 3d6 d8
106

X-Calibre: the future of weapons is here!
Pistols. These cutting-edge, specially coated 9mm, .40 caliber designs feature a 4”
barrel, 8-round magazine, and a light trigger pull for smooth action. Cross directional
textured grips are fully customizable to fit your hand and can be changed within seconds.
PRICE NOTE: $190 (500 rounds)
Rifles. This .300 caliber rifle comes from the law enforcement series and features
a 26” carbon steel barrel with detachable 6-round magazine and matte black aluminum
stock. Accurate and reliable. PRICE NOTE: $80 (20 rounds)
Shotguns. This attractive 12 gauge gun features a natural high luster wood stock
and carbon steel barrel with blued satin finish. Due to pellet spread, damage caused by
this weapon has a greater variation by distance than other firearms. Within 1–10 feet,
typical damage is 3d6. Within 11–20 feet, damage becomes 2d6, and damage to targets
from 20–30 feet is only 1d6. PRICE NOTE: $10 (5 buckshot shells)
Submachine Guns. This SMG has an unlined 10” barrel, matte black finish, and
synthetic adjustable stock. It functions with .223/5.56 ammunition, and has a limited
magazine capacity of 21 rounds. Each shot is a burst of three. Roll Attack as normal,
treating the second bullet as Attack result –1 and the third as Attack result –2. Roll dam-
age for each die separately. PRICE NOTE: $76 (100 rounds)
Taser. A taser’s electricity deals d4 damage and requires the target to succeed at a
[STR + MTL] roll versus TN 15. A failed check means the target is stunned for his next
turn and unable to react. The attacker may extend this for 2 additional turns, by leaving
the taser attached to the victim and forgoing attacks against other targets. Tasers can
penetrate energy shields or clothing up to 2” thick, but not armor or physical shields.
X-Calibre. Directed-energy weapons such as the latest X-Calibre model fire a mul-
tiphase pulse of infrared light instead of a bullet, replacing the traditional internal mech-
anisms with hyper-capacitor technology, and forgoing clips and magazines for
rechargeable battery packs. Despite the significant advances in high-temperature super-
conductors, these packs are prone to overheat and fuse. It takes one Move or Attack
action to replace a battery pack. PRICE NOTE: $110 (replacement battery pack)
107

G RENADES
ITC grenades eliminate dangerous threats while keeping excess damage to a minimum!
You can spend a Move or Attack action to set any grenade to explode upon impact;
otherwise it explodes after 5 seconds (or at the end of the next action, as appropriate).
FCG Grenade. The Field Compression Generator grenade delivers a low intensity
electromagnetic burst over a 30-foot radius. All electronic devices (including nanoma-
chines and removable augments such as the EyePhone) cease to function for 20 minutes.
V.I.s and A.I.s may make a [MTL + Sciences: Computer] check vs TN 9 to resist
the effect if unable to wirelessly depart to a safe server; failed checks cause only a tem-
porary sleep mode, not death, except on crashes of double ‘1s.’ (Note: in the virtual
world, an FCG grenade acts like a plasma grenade.)
Frag Grenade. This small bomb explodes to hurl metal/plastic shards over a radius
of 20 feet around the point of detonation.
Plasma Grenade. A plasma grenade works just like a frag grenade, but hurls su-
perheated plasma and bits of molten metal casing.
Smoke Grenade. The cloud of smoke from this grenade hides all activity within a
15-foot radius from the point of detonation. Actions taken against someone hidden by
the smoke receive no Flux Dice rolls, only the [Core Value + Skill] total. PRICE: $15
Grenade Price Radius (feet) Damage

FCG $100 30 0; see text
Frag $7 20 4d6
Plasma $30 10 6d6
Smoke $15 15 0; see text
PERSONAL PROTECTIVE EQUIPMENT

PPEs include such items as armor (both modern and medieval) and shields. If you can’t
afford these, you can always hide behind a car, wall, or other object. Of course, you
can’t take the wall with you when your enemies approach!
Based on our research, some sample cover objects reduce damage from high-ve-
locity weapons as follows: corpse/wooden door/sheetrock (2), car door/car body/con-
crete block (4), heavy wooden door (6), steel door (8), computer server (10), stone
wall/tree (12), bullet-resistant glass (13), engine block (14), or armored car body (16).
DEF Modifier. The weight and unwieldiness of each P.P.E. means that it reduces
damage the wearer might take, but makes him slightly slowly and possibly easier to hit.
Comparative modifiers for GP-brand shields and armors are listed in the P.P.E. industry
standard numerical terms. For instance, a private guard carrying a riot shield and wearing heavy
body armor suffers a combined penalty of –7 on Defense and DFT-related checks such as Athletics.
Damage Reduction. DR is represented as series of three numbers. The first rep-
resents DR vs melee weapons, the second vs high velocity (usually gunpowder based)
firearms and frag grenades, and the third vs energy weapons and plasma grenades. The
wearer suffers any remaining damage. Thus, each item is named for its DR values, such
108

as the “Globex SW 111” for the Suit Weave 1/1/1. Please have the desired values ready
when ordering your item.
Casting Modifier. Sorcerers and Witchers need a full range of motion to perform
the magical gestures required for spellcasting. However, P.P.E.s tend to inhibit this mo-
tion, imposing penalties on MGK ‘casting checks.
B ODY A RMOR
Blur Suit. This black jumpsuit’s microscopic carbon nanotube fabric actually bends
light rays, making the wearer invisible to machines, save for an indistinct heat shimmer.
Invisibility can be turned on/off with the tiny remote (included) that stimulates low
levels of electricity through the fabric and thus makes the mirage possible. Purchase
includes a pair of light toe shoes, gloves, and a full facemask of the same material.
Body Armor. These P.P.E.s range from reproductions of leather (light), chainmail
(medium; includes coif, shirt, and gloves), or functional plate (heavy) to more modern
wear. Modern armors include various concealable bulletproof vests (light), tactical
vests (medium), or assault/riot jackets (heavy) composed of ballistic and energy-resistant
materials. Helmet and flack pants included.
Suit Weave. Because suits and ties rumple easily with most body armors, the stylish
executive buys GP-brand suits made with artificial spider silk and other synthetic genes.
These protein-engineered fabrics provide greater tensile strength and elasticity than
normal cloth, and thus additional protection against most disgruntled employees. For
an additional cost beyond its normal retail price, any piece of clothing can become a
suit weave, not just business attire.
Unlike other armors, suit weave clothing can be worn atop light modern armor to
‘stack’ an extra layer of protection.
DEF DR vs DR vs DR vs Casting
Armor Price Mod Melee Hi-Velocity Energy Mod
Blur Suit $25,000 +3 0 0 0 0
Body, Lt
$1,300 –1 2 3 1 –3
Modern
Body, Lt
$1,300 –2 4 2 1 –3
Traditional
Body, Med
$1,850 –3 2 4 2 –5
Modern
Body, Med
$1,850 –4 5 2 2 –5
Traditional
Body, Hvy
$2,400 –5 4 6 2 –7
Modern
Body, Hvy
$2,400 –6 7 4 2 –7
Traditional
Suit Weave +$1,000 0 1 1 1 0
109

S HIELDS
Shield, Energy. This P.P.E. consists of a small cloud of nanomachines that floats
around the wearer, reacting to intense bursts of energy and providing a low-level force
field. These nanomachines are digitally ‘tied’ to a large gauntlet on one of the wearer’s
forearms. When this control device is removed or damaged (i.e., one or more wounds
on that hit location), the nanomachines refuse to function.
Shield, Riot. Our lightweight riot shield is composed of a polycarbonate material
specially hardened to resist energy and plasma blasts, as well as melee and gunpowder
assaults. Used primarily by Badges, it is long enough to cover an average sized man from
the top of the head to the knees. This provides excellent defensive power, but requires
two hands to manipulate and eliminates the user’s ability to fight back. All Attack actions
must be replaced with Move actions while wielding a riot shield. Casting spells is im-
possible while using a riot shield.
Shield, Wooden. This is a classic reproduction of a period gilded wooden shield
that any warrior would cherish. Available in the following styles: Medieval English, An-
cient Greek, Ancient Roman, and now – Renaissance France! Custom hand painted de-
signs and decorations are available. PRICE NOTE: $130 plain or $400 customized.
Def DR vs DR vs DR vs MGK
Shield Price Mod Melee Hi-Velocity Energy Mod
Energy $1400 0 0 1 5 –1
Riot $225 –2 3 2 1 see text
Wooden $130–400 –1 2 1 0 –3
MISCELLANEOUS
Night Vision/Thermal Goggles. These high-quality military-grade goggles are
available as either IID (Image-Intensifying Devices) and FLIRD (Forward-Looking In-
frared Detectors), depending on your needs. IIDs amplify ambient illumination (up to
x5000) in order to provide night vision, while FLIRDs are thermal sensors that only
detect temperature differences.
For example, IIDs allow the wearer to distinguish between a man or woman at a range of up to
300 feet. FLIRD wearers can usually identify a human shape up to 1 mile away (assuming a clear
line of sight), but cannot make any distinction of sex or appearance.
Operator Loadout Pack. If you’re looking for a pre-packaged kit including all
those basic tactical items you use regularly, grab this and go! This sturdy padded carrier
bag holds up to 36 pounds easily, and includes: flashlight, multitool, goggles, gas mask,
3 rubber doorstops, a 10-ft long roll of duct tape (40-lb strength), a 225-ft length of
paracord (550 lb. strength), and 10 flex-cuffs (300-lb strength).
Silencer. These are the most high-efficiency shot suppressors that you can buy.
Stop worrying about your gunshots alerting the neighbors! Pistol and rifle only.
Skin Gun. Need battlefield medicine? This handheld dermal regenerator closes in-
cisions with laser-bonding and soothes burns by firing dermal skin cells into the affected
110

area. A [KNO + Sciences: Medicine] skill check vs TN 9 is required to use this device.
Operating a skin gun requires a full turn per wound, and neither healer nor patient
can take any other actions during this time. If interrupted, the healer must begin again.
Once complete, any related wound penalty disappears. The wound heals fully within
12 hours (halving normal healing time). However, any strenous activity (fighting, run-
ning, etc.) within this time may (% chance = 60 – MTL) cause the wound to reopen.
For example, Avery, a Knight-Errant with MTL 4, suffers one wound. If a skin gun is used on
this wound, Avery recovers sufficiently so that the wound penalties disappear. If he engages in another
battle or strenuous activity within the next 12 hours, there is a 56% chance (a result of 01 to 56 on
a d100 roll) that the wound reopens and the penalty returns.
Wounds healed at a clinic or hospital do not reopen, thanks to their advanced treat-
ments and technology.
StimPack. If you’re not sufficiently skilled to use a skin gun, why not try adrenaline
StimPacks? These adhesive medical
packs require only one Move or Attack
action to slap on, and immediately re- Miscellaneous Items Price
move one wound penalty for the next Goggles, Night Vision (IID) $14,700
[MTL+10] minutes.
Vehicles. Tired of congestion Goggles, Thermal (FLIRD) $16,500
charges and tolls of $10+? Sign up for Operator Loadout Pack $75
the new Chargeway discount package
you’ll receive whenever you select an Silencer $375
ITC brand motorbike, citycar (small Skin Gun $30,000
economy, sporty, or SUV), or luxcar
(upscale/mid-sized sedan, sportscar, or StimPack $1,000
SUV). Additional ITC options are
Vehicle: Motorbike $21,000
available at higher prices.
ITC’s recent offerings include the Vehicle: Citycar $25,000
UDV (urban defense vehicle), an SUV
conversion with state of the art com- Vehicle: Luxcar $40,000
munications equipment, armor plating Vehicle: Urban Defense $165,000
(DR 16), bullet-resistant glass (DR 13),
EMP shielding, and run-flat tires. Night vision cameras and an enhanced video wind-
shield allow the driver to operate in smoke or pitch black environments.
UDV prototype
111

review
Augments: What to Look for

Basic packages deliver the most value
When adding an augment, consider Integrated Technologies Corporation-brand prod-
ucts. After all, high prices don’t necessarily mean quality, and Globex’s ITC division has
a record of delivering value at a decent price.
Overload Warning. Your nervous system has difficulty processing the input from
multiple augments per location (i.e., head, arms, legs, blood, and subdermal). Each excess
(such as two subdermal augments) causes a cumulative –1 penalty to all checks involving
this body part. Upgrades do not count as additional augments.
Magick Penalties. Augments are also believed to disturb your character’s connec-
tion to the forces of magic. Each body augment that permanently modifies your natural
capabilities applies a cumulative 1-point penalty to all MGK related checks. Non-per-
manent, easily removable pieces of tech (e.g, the EyePhone and its upgrades/apps) do
not cause this penalty.
PERSONAL AUGMENTS
Cloak (Subdermal/Full Body). This augment alters your body’s epithelial proteins
and inserts nanoprojection units into the epidermis to distort your visual signature. Pro-
vides a +3 bonus to checks against automated cameras, holographic sentries, and such.
EyePhone (Head). Eliminate clunky earpieces and handheld phones! This wireless
earbud holds 1 PB (petabyte; or 1024 terabytes) of data, including phone numbers and
music files. Stream easily with secure voice commands through an electronic patch that
adheres gently to the throat – soft, flexible, thinner than a hair, and nearly invisible!
112

EyePhone Upgrade: EyePad (Head). Upgrade the EyePhone with an additional

1 PB of memory, contact lenses that provide a transparent HUD (head-up display) and
holographic keyboard that only you can see. View customized augmented reality adver-
tising layers, access the ‘net and other authorized data systems, and utilize most software
from your digital cloud with no modification.
EyePad Upgrade: EyePhoto (Head). Use your contact lenses to record up to
250,000 hours of high-definition video and sound, and an astronomical number of
photos! Store on the earbud or stream to a personal data cloud.
Hardened (Subdermal/Full Body). Nanomolecular hardening of the epidermis
helps protect you from bladed, plasma-, or energy-based melee weapons. Damage from
such an attack is reduced by 1 point. Armor reduces initial damage as normal, and the
hardened skin reduces any remaining damage. This augment may be purchased multiple
times, but each additional purchase beyond the first also imposes an equivalent –1 on
all DFT-related checks, due to the skin becoming hardened and thus less flexible.
Jumper (Legs). Enhanced myofibrils woven into the leg muscles allow jumps 3x
normal, and reduces falling damage from high leaps by 2d6.
Metamuscle (Arms). This augment amplifies the muscle microfibrals of the arms
and shoulders, providing a +1 bonus to melee damage rolls.
Nanodetoxifiers (Blood). Self-replicating nanomachines supply and administer
detoxifying and antibacterial agents, doubling all [STR + MTL] results for checks to re-
sist the effects of poison (including alcohol).
Nanorebuilders (Blood). These self-replicating nanomachines supply and admin-
ister a controlled release of smart drugs and chitosin to promote fast healing and tissue
regeneration. This enhances the wound-healing process so that wounds heal at a rate
of half the normal healing time. PCs without nanorebuilders heal one wound every 24
hours, thanks to the Flux energies within them. With nanorebuilders, they heal one
wound every 12 hours or, when a skin gun is used, one wound every 6 hours.
Prosthetic Limb (Arms or Legs). Thanks to a direct neural-biosynthetic interface,
these biocompatible polymer structures not only support tissue growth, but look, feel,
and respond almost like the original. The first wound to a biosynthetic limb causes no
penalties; for example, four wounds impose only a –3 penalty.
Silkskin (Subdermal/Full Body). This full body weave incorporates spider silk
into human skin to produce a surface specially resistant to high-velocity impacts. Dam-
age rolls from ranged weapons (e.g., bullets, plasma, or energy) are reduced by 1 point,
depending on the asset purchased. It provides no additional protection against any
melee weapons. Armor reduces initial damage as normal, and the silkskin reduces any
remaining damage by an additional 1 point. This augment may be purchased multiple
times, but each additional purchase beyond the first also imposes a –1 penalty on all
DFT and appearance-related checks, due to the skin being harder and thus less flexible.
Spec.Tac.Le (Head). The military-grade Special Tactics Lenses provide HUD
showing: target designation highlights (e.g., enemy = red, ally = green), velocity, and
strike acceptability range. This augment allows the wearer to fire a ranged weapon at
multiple targets with only a cumulative –1 penalty per target. An EyePhone can be in-
tegrated with these lenses (include additional cost), but the display signals from an Eye-
Pad or EyePhoto are currently incompatible.
Speedster (Legs). This myofibril enhancement doubles the speed at which you
can run, sprint, and climb.
113

Runners favor the

Jumper and Speedster
augments.
Personal Augment Location Price

Cloak Subdermal $30,000
EyePhone Head $1,250
EyePad upgrade $2,500
EyePad: EyePhoto upgrade $1,000
Hardened Subdermal $100,000
Jumper Legs $60,500
Metamuscle Arms $70,600
Nanodetoxifiers Blood $29,000
Nanorebuilders Blood $63,000
Prosthetic Limb Arms or Legs $81,250
Silkskin Subdermal $100,000
Speedster Legs $90,500
Spec.Tac.Le Head $5,000
114

SUBSTANCE AUGMENTS
Substance augments (aka designer drugs) allow temporary augmentations, often at a
cost to mind and body. If a drug is addictive, each dose requires the user to succeed at
a [STR + MTL] check vs the listed TN, or gain an Addicted trait that requires a daily
dose of the drug.
Addicts who miss a dose suffer a cumulative –2 daily penalty to all MTL-related
checks until another dose is taken. A [STR + MTL] check vs a TN one step higher than
the addiction TN (e.g., 9 becomes 11) removes the addiction, but each failed check to
remove the addiction increases the TN by one step (e.g., 11 becomes 13).
(Disclaimer: No, this book does not promote substance abuse. Don’t even think about it.)
Flatliner. Pop a few of these pills for a feeling
of intense calm and to receive the Null asset. Dura-
tion: 2d4 hours per dose. Penalty: 25% chance of hal- Substance Price
lucinations per dose, with the nature of the
Flatliner $100
hallucinations determined by the Director.
Goldrush. Snort these vapors for a burst of en- Goldrush $50
ergy and a doubled movement rate. Duration: [DFT]
turns. Penalty: –1 to MTL-related checks for [12 – Hard Snow $30
MTL] hours. Lotus $1
Hard Snow. Snort this powder for a quick high
and a +1 bonus to Influence checks. Duration: [30 – Morpheus $200
MTL] minutes. Penalty: Addictive TN 9. OP8 $150
Lotus (aka Pax). This chewable, anxiety-can-
celing, mood-enhancing tablet keeps the population Psykadel $275
sedate, and provides a temporary +2 bonus to Valor
Solvit $75
checks. Duration: [12 – MTL] hours. Penalty: -4 to
resist Influence. Tweek $40
Morpheus. Inject this drug for a pleasant eu-
phoria and the temporary removal of all mental spell U4EA $60
effects. Duration: d4 hours. Penalty: Addictive TN 13. Zodiaz $50
OP8. Take a dose of this liquid to ignore all
wound penalties. Duration: [STR + MTL] hours. Penalty: Addictive TN 11.
Psykadel. Consume this artificial shroom for a feeling of oneness with the universe
and temporarily gain the ability to 'cast Perception spells, using [WIT + Instinct] instead
of [MGK + Perception] to cast. Duration: WIT minutes. Penalty: Immediate –4 to all
checks including spell casting for 1+d4 hours.
Solvit. Inhale this aerosol to triple any KNO-related results. Duration: KNO rounds.
Penalty: After duration ends, suffer –1 to all checks for d4 days.
Tweek. Snort this mix to stay awake and gain a +1 boost to STR and MTL. Duration:
[12 – MTL] hours. Penalty: Each use has a cumulative [15 – MTL]% chance to cause
permanent –1 loss of MTL (fall into a coma when MTL drops to 0).
U4EA. Snort this powder for energy, confidence, and a +2 bonus to DFT checks.
Duration: [12 – MTL] rounds. Penalty: Immediate –1 STR for the next [12 – MTL] hours.
Zodiaz. Pop this pill for a feeling of calm and a +2 bonus versus MGK. Each ad-
ditional pill increases the bonus, duration, and addictive TN by +2. Duration: MTL
rounds. Penalty: Addictive TN 11.
115

WEAPON AUGMENTS
Ammunition. Buying a reload augment lessens the chance you’ll run out of ammo
or suffer a weapon jam during a critical moment. Each purchase improves the Reload
Die type by one step. For example, augmenting your X-Calibre’s standard d6 reload improves it
to d8. Subsequent purchases will improve it to d10, d12, and d20 (maximum).
Damage. Get a +1 damage bonus to successful attacks ! Any weapon can be re-
peatedly augmented up to a maximum of +6, but only one step at a time. For instance,
augmenting a BP model 2d6 pistol increases its damage factor to 2d6+1. Subsequent augments increase
it to 2d6+2, then 2d6+3, and so on. Note: damage augments greater than the user’s relevant
Firearms or Getting Medieval skill minus 1 will be ineffective until the skill improves.
Buyers should note that damage increases may not be solely due to an improved
weapon’s penetration damage or stopping power. Damage augments may also include
visually imperceptible improvements to weapon balance, accuracy, and other attributes.
Weapon Augment Type Price

Ammunition (per step) Ranged +$5,000
Damage (per +1) Melee/Ranged +$20,000
Range (per foot) Ranged +$200
Range. Purchasing this augment adds improved sighting and kinetic stabilizers,
providing a +1 foot bonus to the weapon’s base range. Naturally, this does not apply to
melee weapons. This augment cannot improve a weapon beyond base range x5.
ARMOR AUGMENTS
Damage Reduction. Improve your P.P.E’s damage reduction! Your P.P.E. can be
repeatedly augmented to reduce up to a maximum of 6 points of damage. Note that a
single augment can only reduce melee, high-velocity, or energy damage, not upgrade all
three simultaneously. For instance, let’s say that you want to augment your GP Suit Weave from
its standard m1/v1/e1 resistance. A single augment can upgrade this particular suit to either 2/1/1,
1/2/1, or 1/1/2. Later augments can upgrade it further as desired (to a maximum of 6/6/6).
Note that DR 6 is a fixed maximum for all non-magical armors; for example, an suit of armor with
natural DR 4 can only be upgraded to DR 6.
Magic Resistance (Warding). With the addition of certain scientific equations
and formulae woven into the lining, stamped into the plastic, or engraved into the metal,
any armor can be repeatedly augmented to improve the wearer’s resistance to magical
damage by 1 point (up to a 6 point-maximum). Other P.P.E. statistics are unchanged.
The bonus applies only while the armor is being worn. Shields cannot be warded.
Armor Augment Type Price

Damage Reduction (per point) Melee/Ranged +$25,000
Magic Resistance (per point) Armor +$50,000
116

feature
More Wands, More Choices

Making magic with our 23 top wands
As knights use blades to strike down a foe, so may ‘casters use their wands – thin, mostly
straight sticks or rods roughly 12 to 16 inches long. You don't need a wand to cast a
spell, though certain woods, plastics, and other materials have their own unique affinity
for magic and may modify spells cast through them. Most materials only affect spells
from certain disciplines, while some materials affect all spells, though you may sacrifice
some power for the sake of flexibility. See the following chart for specifics.
If you’re a Witcher in the market for a new wand, you’ll need a wooden one to focus
your arcane powers. Sorcerers, on the other hand, can only benefit from wands com-
posed of metals, plastics, or other artificial materials. (Our staff will continue testing to
see what other types of wood and materials can be turned into wands.) Regardless of
magical ability, anyone can craft a usable no-frills wand with a [MGK + Arts] check at
a cost of only materials and time. Each additional embellishment (carving, jewels, coat-
ing, etc.) raises the crafting TN (see the following page) by one step.
Wooden. If you are a Witcher who lives in a rural or conservation area, you may
be able to locate the right type and size of wood at little to cost. There are also plenty
of movie prop wand-makers to be found online, though none of the dealers we inter-
viewed seemed to know that these wands actually work when in the right hands.
Buying a pre-carved wand also allows you to select special embellishments such as
a special arcane or zodiac sign burned or carved onto the handle, and a clear acrylic
gloss or satin coat. Many also come with storage boxes, velvet satchels, and polishing
cloths. AVERAGE PRICE: $375 FOR PRE-CRAFTED WANDS.
117

Craft Limited to
Wood TN Spell Effect Witchcraft:
Beech 9 Reduces TNs by 1 step Perception
Cypress 9 Doubles # of targets Spiritism
Ebony 7 Doubles range Charm
Hornbeam 9 Doubles duration Charm
Ivy 9 Doubles # of targets Elemental (Air)
Mahogany 9 Doubles # of targets Elemental (Earth)
Redwood 9 Doubles # of targets Elemental (Fire)
Reed 9 Doubles # of targets Elemental (Water)
Yew 7 Doubles range Spiritism
Craft Limited to
Plastic TN Spell Effect Sorcery:
SPI 1 (PET) 9 Doubles duration Kinesis
SPI 2 (HDPE) 7 Doubles range Holography
SPI 3 (PVC) 9 Doubles duration Metamorphosis
SPI 4 (LDPE) 9 Doubles # of targets Technomancy
SPI 5 (PP) 9 Doubles duration Holography
SPI 6 (PS) 7 Doubles range Kinesis
SPI 7 (PC) 7 Doubles range Technomancy
SPI 7 (PLA) 7 Reduces TNs by 1 step Metamorphosis
Craft
Other Materials TN Spell Effect (all disciplines)
Ash/Aluminum 9 Increase number of targets by +1
Cedar/Copper 9 Increase duration by +1 turn, rd, etc, as per spell
Elder/Bronze 11 Improve caster MGK attack roll by +1
Hawthorn/PMMA 9 Improve caster MGK defense roll by +1
Oak/Silver-plated 11 Increase wand damage by +1 point
Rowan/Pewter 9 Increase range by +5 feet
118

Plastic. Each of these sorcerous wands is composed of (or recycled from) one of
several types of plastic, and may be crafted or purchased from any unwitting movie
prop or stage magician supplier. Should you need to recycle your wand, please refer to
the numerical SPI (Society of the Plastics Industry) code printed on your wand.
Classifications include: PET (polyethylene terephthalate), HDPE (high-density poly-
ethylene), PVC (polyvinyl chloride), LDPE (low-density polyethylene), FP (polypropy-
lene), PS (polystyrene), PC (polycarbonate), and PLA (polylactide). All plastic wands
can be harmful if ingested. AVERAGE PRICE: $375 FOR PRECRAFTED WANDS
Special Woods and Other Materials. When it comes to flexibility, these materials
have the edge. On the other hand, although they can improve spells of any discipline
available to the caster, their improvements are less potent. For instance, a Witcher using an
ebony wand can only double the range of his Charm spells. With a special rowan wand, he can only
improve his range by +5 feet, though this bonus is also available to any of his Charm, Elemental,
Perception, or Spiritism spells.
If you’re seeking one of these multi-faceted wands, Witchers can choose from ash,
cedar, elder, hawthorn, oak, or rowan woods. Sorcerers have aluminum, copper, bronze,
PMMA (poly[methyl methacrylate]), silver-plated, and pewter options. Check the chart
to see how they compare.
Damage. A ‘caster may fire his wand like he would fire other ranged weapons, deal-
ing MGK damage upon a successful hit. See page XXX for ranged weapon listings.
We are all naturally exposed to cosmic radiation on a daily basis. Most of this comes from
space or radioactive materials in the earth, with additional doses from air travel and x-rays.
Sadly, years of governmental neglect left the planet’s protective atmosphere badly
degraded. This allows fluctuations in the atmosphere to occasionally let in more cosmic ra-
diation than is natural. The corporate alliances are working hard to restore the environment
to its peak, and have increased population monitoring for your safety, but success will take
time. Though you might feel there is nothing you can do, the truth is that being alert and
prepared helps everyone.
Signs of excess radiation include:

glowing or shimmering air, unusual temper-
ature variations, strange animal behavior,
items disappearing and reappearing, unex-
plained noises or smells, electronic devices
turning on and off, and fleeting shapes and
shadows.
Irradiated persons may exhibit:

odd or bizarre behavior, agitation, memory
problems, unexpected aggression, unusual
sensitivity to stimuli (noise, light, color, etc.),
and an increase in strength and speed.
119

5THE CITY
121 | LOCATION, HISTORY 125 | THE FLUX AND THE RETRO

AN INTRODUCTION TO THE SETTING. MOVEMENT
AN INTRODUCTION TO THE SETTING.
122 | GOVERNMENT AND LAW
AN INTRODUCTION TO THE SETTING. 126 | VISITOR’S GUIDE
AN IN-PERSON LOOK AT THE CITY.
123 | SOCIETY, RELIGION
AN INTRODUCTION TO THE SETTING. 127 | WELCOME
128 | TRAVEL TIPS
124 | TECHNOLOGY 132 | MAP
AN INTRODUCTION TO THE SETTING. 133 | DISTRICTS
153 | CORPORATE ALLIANCES
120

This chapter details ‘The City’, an urban megasprawl of the near future.
All the action takes place here (unless, of course, the Director prefers to run his or
her adventures in another city). Players may feel free to read this chapter, but should
not continue beyond it into Chapter 6: Game Mastery – at the risk of learning secrets
best kept hidden and ruining surprises your Director may have in store.
LOCATION
The City exists everywhere, anywhere, and nowhere. It can substitute for the future
version of almost any major city on Earth, with any minor modifications the Director
might desire.
HISTORY
Imagine a time and place where corporations, though metaphysical entities created
by law, are granted the same legal rights as a person (in addition to the rights they
already possessed). With this ruling in place, monetary contributions to political cam-
paigns, once regulated, become part of each corporation’s right to free speech. Money
flows like water and, in short order, political representatives soon find themselves ob-
ligated to their corporate backers. With each new law passed, the corporations subtlely
and incrementally gain increasing amounts of power.
Meanwhile, cash-strapped government entities begin privatizing ever more func-
tions. It starts small, of course, and in seemingly beneficial ways. One city sells its
parking meter maintainance to a corporation in exchange for an immediate influx of
funds to meet other budget shortfalls. Many cities privitize water and sewer mainte-
nance, a costly, dirty job at the best of times. In another region, the government con-
tracts the care of its prison systems. Private schools, police forces, and XXX follow.
BLOODY MONDAY. The lack of jobs, poor economy, and governments increasingly
catering to corporate interests caused multiple organizations and thousands of citi-
zens to mount a non-violent campaign for social and economic equality. Many parks,
streets, and private buildings were occupied for months, though clashes between law
enforcement and protestors were surprisingly mild.
Then, near dusk one Monday night, according to eyewitnesses, a law enforcement
officer turned and began firing his weapon at the protestors. Within moments, four
protestors were killed. Backup officers attempted to subdue their colleague with phys-
ical force, but the situation intensified as the braver protestors began throwing rocks
and objects at the officers. This skirmish quickly turned into a 48-hour riot resulting
in 34 deaths, 1,032 injuries, 3,438 arrests and over $40 million in property damage.
Worse, the following days saw similar scenes in other cities, in what most corpo-
rate media outlets called ‘violence by people who just want more free crap’. Within
that week, 8,310 more people had been arrested, with an additional 106 deaths, 2,745
known injuries, and more than $700 million dollars of damage. Over 2,000 buildings
were damaged, burned, looted, or destroyed.
AFTERMATH OF THE RIOTS. The combined damage significantly compromised eco-
nomic activity in the affected cities, handing the corporations a publicly-justified rea-
son to lobby for stronger public safety laws and limitations on all ‘free speech’ both in
person and online. In the wake of the riots, these new laws were backed by a great
percentage of the general public and passed almost unanimously.
The story of The City is the story of our world – or, at least, it could be. History has
certainly shown us that what we predict may never come to pass, at least not when
we expect it. Consider this history a ‘possible future’ or, if you prefer, an ‘alternate
history’ from a parallel universe...
121

Many corporations sponsored rebuilding projects in the affected areas, acquiring

not only public approval but also governance of large swaths of real estate. Soon, al-
most all business transacted in these ‘corporate wards’ was sponsored by, or in the
control of, a single massive conglomerate known as a mega-corporation. Independent
businesses that sprang up were promptly gathered into the fold, with each person a
mere cog in the corporate wheels.
Free speech, likewise, suffered under corporate control. Large unsponsored gath-
erings became illegal and employee contracts began to place similarly expansive re-
strictions on personal freedoms. Yet, society adjusted.
Social welfare is operated only on a small scale by a few non-profit corporations.
There are truly enough jobs for all residents, thanks to a complex computer calculation
of The City’s available housing space and the number of citizens. Unfortunately, the
lowest pay scales are barely above starvation wages. Many of the poorest workers in-
tentionally fall into debt to a corporation in order to become wage-slaves (aka drones),
to improve their standard of living.
GOVERNMENT AND LAW ENFORCEMENT

As federal power faded, so too did the power of the states. Large cities became mega-
sprawls, divided into autonomous districts owned and operated by various mega-cor-
porations. The now small, privatized federal government holds only minor executive
powers, and those it grasps loosely. The former legislative and judicial branches exist
in a single branch composed not of senators and judges, but of mega-corp representa-
tives, with the combined population of their city districts determining the number of
representatives.
Within each district, governance occurs through a board of directors. A corpora-
tion’s total percentage of land within the district determines how many members they
can place on this board. District board members are often selected from the corpora-
tion’s in-house board of directors. No district board member can serve more than a
four-year term, though that member’s corporation may have an internal vote for early
removal. Members are only selected, not voted upon, with the exception of the chair-
man; the district board votes for a new chairman every 18 months.
122

Some districts also have executive committees – usually consisting of the presi-
dent, president-elect, immediate past president and executive director, plus a varying
number of immediate subordinates – conducts district business on a regular basis.
The executive committee (or board) establishes or contracts out any requisite utilities,
fire departments, police forces, and so on.
The presence of a mega-corp headquarters often identifies the board’s chairman
and/or the board’s majority members, but this is not always the case. The City Central
district board members, for instance, are fairly evenly split between all the mega-
corps. Only employees may purchase land from their employer, thus keeping all prop-
erty within the corporation’s control.
Each city is primarily served by a single large private security company (PSC),
though some districts may have contracts with smaller PSCs or even corporate police
of their own. Employees, or ‘badges,’ protect and serve all the subscribers in their dis-
trict, but are concerned mostly with preventing crime rather than solving it.
If you are the victim of a crime, but are not subscribed to the PSC service of the
district where the crime happened, you have little to no legal recourse. A not-for-profit
welfare corp might be able to help you, but their case load is heavy and employees
are few, and many cases fall through the cracks (if they ever make it to the top of the
case worker’s pile).
A badge’s methods are usually draconian, and they show little concern for the
rights of non-subscribers, whether criminals or victims. The phrase “shot while at-
tempting to escape” is a common excuse for badges who let their desire for justice (or
simple bloodlust) get out of control.
For the accused who survive their arrest, trials are little more than kangaroo
courts. Corporate or non-violent criminals are usually sentenced to wage-slavery, be-
coming endentured drones. Violent offenders are transported to one of the many large,
privitized facilities scattered around the country, though the most extreme offenders
are quickly executed.
SOCIETY
Although the poorest inhabitants of the metropolis would call this a dystopian city,
most urban dwellers have grown accustomed to the corporate rule – not happy, but
content. The main source of discontent is the one that has plagued mankind for cen-
turies – everyone is focused on earning more money to get more power and accumulate
more status symbols – which actually helps reinforce corporate control. Those who
forsake this lifestye, whether by choice or not, live primarily in ‘slumburbs’ (declining
areas of high crime) and are distinctly in the minority.
After all, it is the business of the mega-corporations to make money. They ask
only one thing of their employees: obedience. They don’t judge race, sex, creed, reli-
gion, or an individual’s relations to the community, society, or family. As long as an
employee provides full hours and faithful service, the corporation supports them.
The mega-corporations also have cost effective technologies that keep the streets,
air, and water clean (for a reasonable deduction from your wages), and the public tran-
sit services running on time. Their almost globally-accepted ‘two-child limit’ has re-
duced world population by hundreds of millions, slowly easing the strain on the planet
and increasing individual savings. The corporations even offer free basic internet serv-
ices, with easy access to ad-sponsored wireless augmented reality everywhere you go.
Who could ask for anything more?
RELIGION
Corporate-backed megachurches, particularly the multimillion-dollar structures sup-
ported by Wildfire (see page 157), assist the corporate power structure by keeping
workers complacently focused on the riches of the afterlife, rather than on attaining
wealth, well-being, fame, power, or promoting human achievements. Targeting market
123

share and moral materialism rather than social betterment, these businesses (for
such they are) promote their social centers, programs, and even holographic preach-
ers, and of course the obedient willingness to donate and sacrifice to the church rather
than developing and growing the personal abilities of the individual.
Of course, there are some minichurches that focus on community betterment and
personal growth, but these often disappear as their congregation is slowly lured away
to the comfortable seats and technological marvels of the megachurches.
TECHNOLOGY
Thanks to advanced nanotechnology and other advances, The City is ecologically
friendly, with low-greenhouse-emission public transport and almost complete self-suf-
ficiency in water and energy, combined with the use of zero energy building principles.
The only powered vehicles allowed in The City utilize electricity or hydrogen, and
even the skyscrapers maintain their brilliant whiteness thanks to magnesium car-
bonate wall coatings that consume excess carbon dioxide from the air. Most of The
City’s waste is recycled.
Most internet providers offer free, but restricted, internet access overseen by a
so-called "Webmaster General" virtual intelligence. Users receive free access to a
‘walled garden’ (i.e., extranet) with many free corporate-sponsored services and media
programs, applications, and security protections. Thus, any user-generated online
content deemed ‘dangerous’ is easily censored and/or deleted immediately upon de-
tection. Users who insist on a more free ‘net access may have it – for a significant sub-
scription cost. Such users also have their names added to monitored lists of possible
digital pirates.
Telework has become increasingly popular – so much so that 90% of business pro-
fessionals work at home for at least two days each week. Most call centers, reception-
ists, and administrative departments have been highly automated, replacing physical
employees with Virtual Intelligences who have attractive holographic forms (when
needed) and pleasant voices, combined with exabyte-level data storage, but no ability
to improvise. Still, these are sufficient for most activities and require only a few
human beings waiting in reserve.
Clothing styles range from futuristic to retro, made from a variety of materials,
with retro becoming increasingly common (see The Flux and the Retro Movement).
Dense armors, blur suits, and suit weaves are found mostly among private security
forces and corporate executives, though self-cleaning, color-changing, heat-regulating
nanotech fibers can be seen among all levels of society.
Special three-dimensional printers (known commonly as ‘makers’) utilize smart
polymers and recycled materials to create many simple, cheap ‘flexonics’ such as light
bulbs, handheld electronic devices, and toys as a single continuous item. However,
because all the components are embedded, with no individual pieces, broken devices
cannot be repaired and must be discarded. Flexonics with embedded electronics are
also less reliable and more easy broken than machine-built products. Some of the
larger gangs and criminal organizations have ‘acquired’ makers and earn much of
their income selling cheap copies of brand-name products on the black market. Thus,
the sale of makers is even more regulated as the sale of firearms. In fact, while makers
are illegal for private use everywhere in the world, firearms are only illegal (except
for law enforcement) within the limits of The City and other similar urban areas.
Expensive products are often composed of reconfigurable nanoscale robots known
as ‘catoms’ (i.e., claytronic atoms) that can be morphed into other shapes or colors
upon receipt of a digital signal or activation of pre-programmed pressure points. Com-
mon examples include changing the color of your car, molding a chair to perfectly fit
your body shape, and so on. There are rumors that some powerful executives own
catom robot avatars that can be controlled remotely and are outwardly indistinguish-
able from the real thing.
124

Nanorobotics is also common in medicine, providing diagnoses, targeted drug-de-

livery, guided surgery, biomedical monitoring, and more. Biochips, stem cell develop-
ment, and various biomaterials appear both in medical uses and in augments.
Augmented reality layers (holographic virtual screens that can be easily viewed
by handheld devices and head augments such as EyePhones) are so common as to be
intrusive, with personalized advertisements popping up on signs, menus, windows,
walls, and any other place a clever marketing executive might think of. Device apps
and shielded wallets are available (for a reasonable fee) to block AR microsensor read-
ings from registering your identity. True holographic technology, such as televisions
and virtual reality rooms, are still too expensive for most consumers, though they can
be found in such locations as theaters, museums, high-tech clubs, executive hotel
suites, and the homes of the wealthy.
Yet, technology is not immune to problems of its own...
THE FLUX AND THE RETRO MOVEMENT

Spatial breaches, cryptids, mental disturbances, and mutations are actually the least
common Flux manifestations. In fact, its primary detriment is the unpredictable im-
pact it has on on electromagnetic radiation and electronic devices. For instance, wire-
less data clouds may have their access codes unlocked, files scrambled, or (even worse)
be completely deleted. Satellites, communication systems, and power grids may suffer
service interruptions, and even have their grids overloaded when the power returns
unexpectedly.
Though the corporations put as much blame as possible on solar activity and gov-
ernmental oversights of years past, their inability to eliminate such manfestations is
causing a growing lack of public confidence. The top marketing firms were, of course,
hired to put the best spin on the problem. It’s unknown whether the ‘Retro Movement’
came from paid celebrity endorsements or was simply a natural evolution of circum-
stances, but whatever the reason, it exists.
In short, the Retro Movement is a resurgence in popularity of solid-state devices
based on older designs (e.g., handheld screens and memory sticks, in addition to the
digital head-up displays and data clouds). Thus, a person may have not only a stan-
dard EyePad augment that accesses his personal data cloud, but also a backup mem-
ory device in his pocket – assuming he can afford both. Of course, the newer devices
contain a much greater processing power and memory retention capacity than do sim-
ilar devices from the era they emulate (i.e., the years 2010–2020), but in appearance
are not much different.
Fashion, likewise, is trending towards the ‘classic’ designs of years past, and not
just from the early 21st century. If you can imagine it, someone’s probably wearing it.
DOCUMENT: ‘THE CITY’ VISTOR’S GUIDE

The following document provides one of many
tourist guides available to visitors. The accuracy of any in-
formation is, of course, dependent on the publisher and
the editorial voice – and heavily swayed by how much the
business owners were willing to ‘contribute’ to the publi-
cation. Any company or location with too good a reputa-
tion is probably just that: too good to be true.
Likewise, warnings against certain persons or places
may be accurate, or they may be the result of a bias on
the part of the publisher. Your Director will determine just
what is truth and what is fiction.
125


Dear Friends:
The City is utopia. Its brilliant architecture is home not only

to Globex Power and many other of the world’s most powerful
mega-corporations, but also the most exquisite restaurants, Welcome
top-rated designer stores, finest entertainments, grand accom-
modations, and exceptional nightlife. I welcome you to enjoy its numerous
parks, infinite streets, and centrally located lake reflecting a
dazzling skyline.
A cutting-edge commitment to growth and embracing the
future make it no surprise The City is attracting visitors and
business from all over the world. Our sponsored City Tourist
Office is proud to welcome you with this official Globex -spon-
sored guide designed to help you plan the perfect visit.
To help you learn more about The City, we’ve divided this
guide into multiple sections. After some helpful facts about
transportation and safety, we provide even more details about
City Central and the most popular districts within The City limits, with selected
listings for: shopping, dining, entertainment, leisure/recreation, museums/his-
tory, architecture, and more.
Finally, don’t forget to access the most updated, interactive version of this
guide with your EyePhone or other device at all .thecity sites. Just touch the
links for the best resources and digital coupons available at all Globex locations.
Enjoy your stay with us – and come back soon!
- Angela Morgan, Globex CEO
City Central – and much more!

The City is one of the most densely populated megasprawls on the
continent, with millions of citizens on less than 1,000 square miles of
land, but when most visitors speak of The City they often mean City
Central, a popular district serving as a major financial center and cor-
porate meeting point, providing offices, residences, restaurants,
schools, shopping, nightlife, and open spaces for the enjoyment of res-
idents and tourists alike.
Although City Central is a great district to start in, there are many
more districts, each administered by its corporate sponsors (though
these district boundaries are mostly defined in regards to local gov-
ernment, administration, and security). Most district neighborhoods are
open to visitors and have something unique to offer, though you should
avoid those private gated community neighborhoods unless you hap-
pen to be visiting a resident.
Whether you plan your entire vacation in City Central, or spread
your wings and explore beyond, you’ll find a true tourist’s paradise with
sights and sounds to amaze even the most jaded global traveller.
127

BUDGETING AND EASY PAY

Visitors are encouraged to enroll in the BioMetrik system, linking
your unique biometric (retina, print, and facial scan) and customer
Travel ID number to one or more financial accounts. Once complete, you
can pay for most goods and services, including public transporta-
Tips tion, with a simple biometric scan.
Debit and credit cards are still accepted at most establishments and
are compatible with all touch pads at public transport turnstiles, conveniently al-
lowing you to pay fares without having to read the fare maps to determine your cost.
There are multiple brands of cards offered by private corporations and, except for
fees, they are functionally identical.
Unfortunately, cards also attract criminals interested You can eat well and
have a great time for around
in exploiting them. So-called ‘black cards’ (that do not re-
$100 a day, not including
veal purchase data and require no fees) are a popular accommodations, which can
trade among criminals. Keep your card in sight at all times range from <$100 to
when possible; an unscrupulous employee may skim your $3,000+ per night.
own card and transfer money to a ‘black card’ while it is Prices may vary.
out of your sight.
Enrolling in the BioMetrik system lets you avoid this worry and the hassles of
obtaining receipts or tracking purchases, and comparing them to your statement.
PUBLIC TRANSPORT
The City’s extensive public transportation system includes trains, subways, buses,
and taxis, operated by over a dozen different corporations. The five train lines op-
erated by Atoyo, and the 13 subway lines operated by Transmac Subways (9 lines)
and Globex Metro (4 lines) are often the easiest way to move through The City.
Enrolling in the BioMetrik system doesn’t give any ticket discounts, but does
make the riding process much easier. Otherwise, you may wish to purchase a oneday
pass. A single-rider day pass for unlim-
ited subway lines is $12.50, and a pass
for unlimited train use costs $9.10.
Joint unlimited day passes for train
and subway are available for $20.
The city has three commercial air-
port hubs (Aerodyne, just west of
Idlewild; Oceanic, in Belmont; and
Puño, in the far northern suburbs),
though Oceanic is most convenient,
being within 30 minutes from City
Central by train. All hubs offer a vari-
ety of domestic and international flights.
ROADS
While you can drive into The City, it's not recommended for tourists, as signs may
be confusing and fees are double the costs for residents. Chargeways (toll roads)
recognize each vehicle’s unique transponder and deduct payment from the owner’s
account. Many chargeways pass through or terminate in The City, though there are
numerous municipal roads.
District centers often contain elevated roads to lessen traffic pressure. Bicyclists
may enjoy toll bike lanes separate from motorized traffic on many center surface
streets, but bicycles are banned from main roads.
128

HOTELS
There are a huge number of capsule hotels (ranging from $40 to
$80 per night) that include a mattress, wireless internet, and mon-
itor with keyboard, though most occupants are the poorest wage- Travel
slaves and inebriated office workers or tourists. For a more relaxing
experience, consider a suburban bed & breakfast (starting at $125
Tips
per person) or a hotel (starting at $200 to over $2,000 per night)
with restaurants and shopping on the premises.
If you’d prefer a 5,000-foot suite with walls inlaid with rare materials, fabrics
woven through with pure gold, your own personal butler, spa treatments, a personal
trainer, and other luxuries, some hotels do offer such five-star suites for as much as
$65,000 per night.
The vast majority of hotels are clustered around downtown areas. Lodging in
residential and industrial areas is rarely in the luxury class, and some owners in less
corporate-friendly zones (such as the Helfield neighborhoods of Helfield) are no-
torious for their crime-friendly flophouses. Tourists should not only access ‘net re-
views, but look carefully over the block and the rooms before you check in.
MOVING IN
If you fall in love with The City, come join us! Rent for a cozy 175 square foot ‘singles’
apartment typically ranges from $500 to $1,500 depending on location. One-bed-
room apartments start around $1,500, while a 1-bedroom luxury condo may range
from $3,500 to $33,000 not including utilities, parking, and private security fees.
WEATHER
Special Sylex-brand ionizers and
Weather
other weather manipulation equip- MONTH HIGH/LOW RAIN SNOW
(Fahrenheit) (Avg. Inches) (Avg. Inches)
ment erected on rooftops through-
out The City help to create an JAN 46/26 2.6 4.6
environmentally friendly ‘weather FEB 50/28 3.1 4.6
shield,’ providing a mild weather
MARCH 58/35 4 3
conducive to year-round enjoyment
of everything The City has to offer. APRIL 66/42 3.3 0.7
MAY 74/51 2.9 -
CHILD REGISTRATION NETWORK
JUNE 80/58 3.5 -
For your safety, all residents and
tourists are encouraged to register JULY 83/63 3.4 -
their children and themselves with AUG 82/62 4 -
the local CRN office in City Central.
The registry contains the following SEPT 76/55 3.1 -
information for each citizen: name, OCT 67/43 2.7 -
address, date of birth, gender, and a
NOV 57/35 2.6 0.7
unique biometric identifier scan.
DEC 49/29 2.7 2
MEDICAL
You can find a pharmacy or City Fast Clinic (CFC) every few blocks, and several of
world’s finest hospitals are within The City. Most are open 24 hours for appoint-
ments or walk-in diagnosis, and provide quality healthcare services and personal-
ized regenerative medicine for most credit lines, with most wounds healed in 1/4th
your normal healing time!
Available care levels are prominently displayed on signage.
129

Most pharmacies are limited to level 1 care, with CFCs vary-

ing between levels 1 and 3. Most hospitals are level 4, with the most
private and expensive facilities standing at level 5. Some locations
Travel may include multiple wards with varying levels of care.
Sample fees are listed below, but may vary widely depending
Tips on the nature of your care. If cost is a factor, be sure to ask for a
price estimate before signing.
Level 1 ($20 – $300): First aid. No bed space or surgical capability.
Level 2 ($301 – $18,000): Basic primary care (incl. level 1). Minor surgical
capability, incl. optometry, dental, traction, splints, other wound care. Facilities in-
clude laboratory, X-ray, limited bed space.
Level 3 ($18,001 – $75,000):
General care (incl. levels 1–2). Sur-
gical capability, incl. orthopedic,
urologic, neurosurgical, and minor
augmentation. Facilities include
blood bank, physical therapy, CT di-
agnosis, 296 patient bed space max.
Level 4 ($75,001 –
$350,000): Intensive care (incl.
levels 1–3). Major surgeries, aug-
mentations, gene therapies, inten-
sive rehabilitation, transplants, or
other special needs. Facilities in-
clude chem/bio-protected wards, and trauma team ambulances with motor pool
support for incoming patient transport.
Level 5 ($350,001+): Ultimate treatment (incl. levels 3–4). Specially desig-
nated to provide the patient with maximum return to function as well as optional
life span extensions. Facilities are the most expensive and top-of-the-line available.
FREE CITYNET ACCESS

Many districts (including City Central, Fairfax, Surya, Towers, and Yoroshiku) have
open wireless networks that allow your devices free access to all applications, con-
tent, and media sponsored by the corporate municipality. Unsafe applications and
harmful online content are automatically restricted so you and your children can
browse in perfect safety.
Consumers may register to purchase online firmware updates and subscriptions
for unrestricted access at rates under $200/month.
ICONOGRAPHY
Visitors to The City should note the various civic icons and im-
ages used throughout the mega-sprawl. The five icons shown here are particularly
common throughout The City’s augmented reality layers and all public data apps:
If you’re trying to find the nearest airport, transit station (sub-select train or bus),
public security office, clinic, or hospital, simply touch the interface icon and your
digital screen or heads-up display will immediately provide a handy navigation line
on your device’s map or HUD’s augmented reality layer. Simply follow the nav-line
to your destination.
Please note that ‘net-secured buildings, electronic interference, or intentional
signal degradation (reducing accuracy to prevent use by outside forces) can block
reception, causing position errors or giving no position reading at all. The City does
130

not guarantee that nav-lines will be universally compatible across

devices or HUDs; be sure to update with the latest firmware.
BUILD YOUR REPP Travel

Most businesses are also members of the REPP network (Really Ef-
fective People Promotions), so every bit of influential social media
Tips
content you create increases the likelihood that special REPP perks
will soon be coming your way!
SECURITY
Like any mega-sprawl, The City has its share of rough spots and, despite the efforts
of local private security companies, "crimes of opportunity" do occur. Take extra
precautions with your personal electronics, jewelry, and other valuables when vis-
iting locales common among tourists. If you’re looking to talk a walk on wild side,
exercise common sense. Don’t walk around alone at night in lonely areas, and be
sure to steer clear of taxicabs without augmented reality permit displays.
The city's mild climate means that it's not uncommon to spot radicals or even
drug dealers after dark, should you wander into an area with lightened security.
Most hotels and resorts employ their own private security companies, as do
many businesses. If you should suffer a loss while in an unsecured location, and are
subscribed to a nationally recognized PSC with a local office, they should be your
first point of contact.
If you are not subscribed with a locally-recognized PSC, the tourist bureau is
partnered with Omni Security to offer special temporary weekly or monthly insur-
ance rates for visitors. Sample rates are provided here, though a higher or lower de-
ductible may alter these amounts. All applications should be submitted and
confirmed with OmniCorp roughly 10 to 20 days before your trip.
The City includes more closed-circuit public surveillance feeds per person than
in any other urban area. Each district has at least one control
room operated by a PSC servicing that district on behalf
of corporations or wealthy individuals/groups. Some
neighborhoods (and all gated communities) also have
their own separate control room and camera/TAC
network.
At least one PSC officer mans most control
rooms even though Virtual Intelligences
do most of the work, scanning each
feed for certain parameters such as
abnormal behavior and body lan-
guage, and using facial recognition
software to locate anted individuals
within a range up to
300 feet. Response
time to a detected Tourist Security Rates
threat varies de- TYPE SUBSCRIPTION ON DUTY ON DUTY
pending on the loca- (For subscribers) (For non-subscribers)
tion and the PSC 4 free hours

WEEKLY $100 $40/hour
servicing that area, + $20/addl. hour
but most response 8 free hours
BI-WEEKLY $175 $40/hour
+ $15/addl. hour
times range between
24 free hours
10 and 20 minutes. MONTHLY $250 $40/hour
+ $10/addl. hour
131

3
Districts
Area Map
17
H
5
Q 11
13
4
2 9 16 15
1 19 8 10
12 7
18
14
6
1. Asheland 10. Helfield 18. Woodlawn

2. Belmont 11. Idlewild 19. Yoroshiku
3. Chao 12. Madison
4. City Central 13. Romero Park H. Hydron Islands
5. Fairfax 14. Southland (see #5)
6. Farmington 15. Surya S. Suburbs &
7. Fresnillo 16. Towers Slumburbs
8. Globex 17. Union Q. Quarantine
9. Greenwich Heights Zone (see #13)
132

District
Asheland
Area: 5.67 square miles

Residents: 259,968
Neighborhoods: Andersonville, Balsam,
Kessler Park, Oakton, and Wynnewood
Headquarters of: Lionhead, Inc. Plenty of visitors know the Oceanic In-
Photo: Welcome to the Garden! ternational Airport, but head straight to
City Central and never see anything else.
However, if you truly want to explore The City, Belmont is a must-see. Much of the dis-
trict has seen vast redevelopment, attracting hip, young urban professionals, celebrities,
and clubs catering to the young heirs to our metropolis’ wealthiest families.
Avalonia. An incredible underground complex in eastern Belmont, Avalonia is 20
miles of spacious pedestrian areas connecting residential and commercial complexes
spread over 5 square miles! Enter through any of 129 surface access points (including
four metro stations) to explore the air-conditioned and well-lit shopping malls, apart-
ments/condos, hotels, offices, banks, entertainments, spas, sports facilities, museums,
and schools. (Please respect all warning signs regarding closed tunnels and new con-
struction zones.)
Highwater. Recognized with a Five-Diamond award, this luxury skyscraper hotel
provides topnotch service and impressive waterfront views. Rooms from $775 a night.
Even if you’re not staying here, you might want to check out the 32-room spa and de-
lectable restaurant (Hula’s) featuring contemporary American cuisine with Hawaiian,
Asian, and Polynesian accents.
Levy’s. Box office opens at 10AM on weekdays, 11AM weekends. This theater is
known for its inventive, acrobatic culture-challenging shows; the once-banned reper-
tory production of “Necessary Heroes” is a knock-out, and is said to feature real ‘Fluxed’
performers in its cast.
Other Items of Interest. The far west Vickery neighborhood is best avoided,
being a relatively impoverished neighborhood with little to offer tourists, and adjacent
Glenshire still contains a few midscale clubs and shopping centers, but is not the safest
place to visit after dark. The Union Detention House, a Globex-run correctional facility
with seven execution chambers, is in the outskirts of this district, though tours are lim-
ited to visitors with a certain credit rating, and waivers of liability are required.
Government. Belmont is run by a board of directors of 50 members, with Karen
Lagarde serving as chairman.
133

District
Belmont
Area: 23 square miles

Residents: 676,458
Neighborhoods: Astoria, Austin, Bayswater, Brainerd,
Dunning, Glenshire, Kensington, Kreuzberg, Lawton Cliff,
Lilydale, Lochwood, Meadowbrook, Oceana, Randle,
Plenty of visitors know Takoma, Trinidad, and Vickery
the Oceanic Interna- Headquarters of: Integrated Technologies Corp.(Globex)
tional Airport, but head Photo: Clubs in Belmont cater to the young and wealthy.
straight to City Central
and never see anything else. However, if you truly want to explore The City, Belmost
is a must-see. Much of the district has seen vast redevelopment, attracting hip,
young urban professionals, celebrities, and clubs catering to the young heirs to our
metropolis’ wealthiest families.
Aquatania. Open 10AM daily; closes in summer Su-Th 10PM, F-Sa midnight,
fall/spring Su-Th 8PM, F-Sa 10PM, winter M-Th 8PM, F-Sa 10PM, Su 7PM. This
60-acre underwater shopping center contains restaurants, shops, and activities, and
is an easy place to entertain both children and adults.
Highwater. Recognized with a Five-Diamond award, this luxury skyscraper
hotel provides top-notch service and impressive bay views. Rooms from $775 a
night. Even if you’re not staying here, you might want to check out the 32-room spa
and delectable restaurant (Hula’s) featuring contemporary American cuisine with
Hawaiian, Asian, and Polynesian accents.
Levy’s. Box office opens at 10AM on weekdays, 11AM weekends. This theater
is known for its inventive, acrobatic culture-challenging shows; the once-banned
repertory production of “Necessary Heroes” is a knock-out, and is said to feature
real ‘Fluxed’ performers in its cast.
Other Items of Interest. Kreuzberg is full of hip, independent stores, bars,
and clubs, while Astoria is another exceptional shopping locale. The far east Vickery
neighborhood is best avoided, being a relatively impoverished neighborhood with
little to offer tourists, and adjacent Glenshire still contains a few midscale clubs and
shopping centers, but is not the safest place to visit after dark.
The Union Detention House, a Globex-run correctional facility with seven exe-
cution chambers, is in the outskirts of this district, though tours are limited.
Government. Belmont is run by a board of directors of 50 members, with
Karen Lagarde serving as chairman.
134

District
Chao

Residents: 671,937
Neighborhoods: Bergen Point, Binzai, Chinatown,
Dunville, Ginza, Hebei, Japantown, Kent, Kore-
atown, Lincoln Green, Montford, Phoenix Park,
Pudong, and Tamachi
Headquarters of: United Superpostal Often called “Little Asia”
Photo: Hardcore fans come early at Phoenix Park. due to the prevalence of
Asian architecture and com-
munities here, with the Chinatown neighborhood covering more than 26 square
blocks by itself.
The Interstellar. This 401-foot-tall Ferris wheel stands in the Bergen Point
neighborhood, affording attractive views of the bay and the adjacent neighborhoods
on a clear day. Each of the 32 ovoid sealed and air-conditioned passenger cabins
holds up to 25 persons with room to sit or walk around. A single rotation takes a
leisurely 30 minutes, slow enough that it only stops for disabled or elderly passen-
gers to board or disembark.
Phoenix Park Stadium. The neighborhood takes its name from this multi-
purpose stadium which seats about 20,000 and is mainly used for soccer, but also
features a broad running track and indoor wave boarding pool.
The Red Runner. This historic building is seedy to the hilt, but its Binzai
neighborhood is a safe one with security cameras on every corner. The hotel has two
budget restaurants (Japanese and Chinese) attached. Rooms start at $70.
UPEX Headquarters. The top floors of each of the four buildings comprising
UPEX headquarters are constructed into U, P, E, and X shapes. Although you can’t
see this massive logo very well from street level, it’s easily visible from the air – and
several kilometers above the Earth’s surface!
Other Items of Interest. The expressways in Chao are engineering marvels,
constructed several stories above ground level, with above- and below-ground
ramps, and surprising curves that weave around office buildings. And if you’re in-
terested in seeing the embalmed bodies of popular corporate leaders from The City’s
past, be sure to stop at the Mega-Corp Museum.
Government. Chao is run by a board of directors with 30 members. The cur-
rent chairman is Eddie Law. Unlike most of The City’s privileged officers, Chairman
Law actually built his fortune by working as an actor, and later as host of the hit 3D
television show Freak of the Week.
135

4
District
City
Central

Residents: 154,486 (and over 900,000 during the day)
Neighborhoods: Concourse, Grandmile, Lakeview Plaza,
Hamilton, Heart of The City, Metropolis, and Wheatley Place
A major train and Headquarters of: Wildfire Hypermarkets
modern commercial Photo: It’s the greatest city center in the world!
core with hundreds of
shops and restaurants, futuristic skyscrapers, luxury hotels, museums, and Lake
Park. Visit the Stevenson Building for stunning views of great architectural marvels!
City Central has over 38,000 establishments with an estimated daytime population
of more than 900,000 employees
Lake Park. Situated on over 300 acres of public space, Lake Park’s world-class
landscaping provides inspiring views of the surrounding cityscape, along with many
recreational areas: botanic garden, visitor centers, theater, museum, playing fields,
carousel, zoo, skating rink, and more! Entrance to the park is generally free, al-
though most events do have an admission charge. Guided tours 6AM-11PM daily.
Stevenson Building. Open 365 days. At 3,403 feet, the world’s tallest sky-
scraper offers breathtaking 360 degree views from the glass-walled skydeck on the
142nd floor. Includes 204 office and residential floors plus 58 maintenance levels
in the spire, and 12 underground parking levels. To avoid the crowds, visit the sky-
deck after 4PM. $21.95 adult, $15.75 children; there are express line tickets for $45.
The Metropolitan. Box Office: M-Sa 10AM-8PM. This world-famous multi-
purpose center includes eight halls (one of which seats over 6,000 people), a lobby,
restaurants, shops, and other exhibition spaces. Award-winning musicians perform
classical and cutting-edge shows daily.
Terminal One. The City’s major public transportation hub comprises 40
garages, 12 railway and subway stations (servicing over 3,000 trains per day), and
a major intercity bus terminal with regular service. A 34-mile network of under-
ground pedestrian space includes 12 luxury hotels, four large department stores,
and a wide variety of other shopping and dining experiences. Over 50 entry points,
including color-coded skywalks and tunnels, allow easy navigation to the streets.
Other Items of Interest. You can also see the Hopwood skyscraper, Maxwell
& Watson Hospital, and The City Stock Exchange.
Government. City Central is run by a board of directors of 18 members (one
from each mega-corporation), with a corporate executive team of 30 members su-
pervising day-to-day business. The current chairman is Globex’s Angela Morgan.
136

5 H
District
Fairfax

Residents: 682,567
Neighborhoods: Alexandra Park, Bathgate, Calumet,
Casa Loma, Claremont, Eden Green, Kimberly, Mayfair,
Monroe, Norwood, Petrovka, Putnam Heights, Yerba
Buena, and Yorkville
Headquarters of: Peppy Cola A mixed commercial and
Photo: Reserve your Hydron Island tours early! residential district boast-
ing a cosmopolitan popu-
lation and many theaters and playhouses. Local eateries and open-air markets are
full of ethnic fare and diversity.
Mayfair Plus. This two-towered hotel boasts more than 2,500 guest rooms
and the largest freestanding bar in the world. Within convenient walking distance
of just about everything you’ll want to see. Rooms from $384.
Hydron Islands. These large artificial islands gather and deliver energy and
water from renewable sources. Combining hydrostorage, algae production for bio-
fuel, flash-evaporated seawater, and an offshore wind farm, Hydron Islands meet
the energy demands of nearly 900,000 households and provide just under 160 mil-
lion gallons of consumable water. They are operated by a joint alliance between
Atoyo, Globex Power, Minecore Global, Sylex, and Transmac.
Pellini Green. Daily 9AM-5PM, last admission 4PM. This greenhouse, a re-
claimed landfill, includes three domes with over 1,000 species of tropical and semi-
tropical plants, as well as a small carnivorous plant room. General admission $19
adults; Admission including some/all special exhibits starts at $33.
Spiderwebs. M-F 11AM-2AM, Sa 5PM-3AM, Su 6PM-2AM. This club has a
large main dance floor as well as an outdoor dance tent, bars and VIP rooms, and
an open terrace with a pool. The club has a capacity of over a thousand people. Cover
starts at $15 Su-Th, $30 F-Sa.
The Star Ring. M-Su 4PM-1AM. This 350-seat arena has quickly become a fa-
vorite for female wrestling matches and other private fighting clubs, mostly for its
cheap rental prices and the proximity to Terminal One. Admission $40 and up.
Other Items of Interest. Fairfax also includes the: Yumei Tower, Morales
Stadium, Norwood indoor sporting arena, Eden and Bodison Museums, Mayfair
Park, and the Calumet Heliport. Over a dozen corporations, plus Speedy Security
and the City Fire Department, do business at the Calumet Heliport, although there
is no scheduled public service.
Government. The chairman is Maxwell Villamin. The supervisory board con-
sists of 17 elected members, and a corporate executive team of 34 members.
137

District
Farmington

Residents: 703,005
Neighborhoods: Andrews Square, Belgrano, Capi-
tol Way, Crestline, El Dorado, Patron Park, San
Telmo, Shaw, Thorncliffe, and Wychwood Hill
This district has the largest Headquarters of: Sylex
vertical farming facilities Photo: The Express Business Park and Sylex HQ
close to City Central, and over
500 factories producing augmented reality chips, 3D printers, and other goods.
Though manufacturing skyscrapers may be of little interest to most tourists, Farm-
ington also offers pleasant walks in attractive parks and residential areas. Pat your-
self on the back if you make it this far.
Cassandra’s Clones. This wholesale direct-to-the-public meat dealer sells the
highest-quality cloned livestock meat to restaurants all around The City, but also
offers specially spiced, vacuum-sealed bundles for tourists.
The Holy Toledo. This Belgrano neighborhood bar offers strong drinks with
24-7 combat sports on multiple ultra-def television screens. The owner, Rosie King,
openly flouts the smoking ban, labeling an empty antique cigarette machine as a
smoker’s tip jar from which she collects money to pay fines. The size of this sealed
‘tip jar’ also keeps it safe from casual thieves.
Wet. Open 5PM-4AM most nights, until 5AM on Saturdays. This dance club
attracts minor celebrities, slumburbanites, and hordes of older partygoers tottering
in from the outdoor seating at the Holy Toledo next door.
Other Items of Interest. Local residents (more than 25% of which are over
65 years old) and visitors relax with a variety of leisure activities including five
wooded parks, the Käthe Menzel art museum, and the Barn (a massive 2,500-seat
holographic cinema). For the young, the Water Wyrm amusement complex boasts
a variety of rides (including three roller coasters and a water park with 30 slides and
eight pools).
There are plenty of eating options in Farmington’s shopping malls and attrac-
tions, with prices tending to be a little lower than the bay districts. Luxury accom-
modations are rare, and tourists may be better served by more plentiful choices in
nearby Globex or Madison districts.
The gated communities of Altgeld Park, Crestline, Patron Park, and Wychwood
Hall are out of bounds to casual visitors.
Government. A board of directors with 24 elected members manages Farm-
ington. The current chairman is Victor Solero.
138

District
Fresnillo

Residents: 531,793
Neighborhoods: Avondale, Buena Park, Dolores
Heights, Hermosa, Hoxton, Kilbourn, Longfellow,
Streeterville, and Wilshire Park Fresnillo contains numerous
Headquarters of: Formosa Equality ethically distinct neighborhoods,
Photo: Mutants are welcome at Club Nightmare!
with adjacent Buena Park and
Hermosa as the twin hearts of
Fresnillo’s Hispanic population. You can enjoy a number of authentic Hispanic
restaurants, shops, and cantinas. A mile-long series of shops along the Dolores
Heights strip makes for very fun window shopping.
Club Nightmare. M-F 8PM-4AM, Sa 6PM-5AM, Su 8PM-2AM. This unusual
faux-European castle is almost a block long and houses a ‘medieval’ bar/cafe with
bards (Euro-style DJs and rock bands), cheap beer, and cheaper food. The club is
popular with the so-called ‘radical’ set, who reject the easy corporate lifestyle so pop-
ular with all law-abiding persons. ‘The Nightmare’ is also the most popular club
among citizens who have been physically mutated by the Flux, with at least one en-
tire floor restricted only to club-goers who can prove they have an actual mutation.
Appropriately, the club is purportedly haunted by an actual ghost: a young
rocker who died here during an overly enthusiastic stage dive. She is said to appear
during parties after several rounds of drinks have been served.
Greenwood Hotel and Towers. This tower hotel does enormous business
for business meetings and manufacturing conventions. It features a wonderful steak
house (The Knife) and burger joint (Flagg’s), as well as an indoor swimming pool.
Rooms start at $299 per night.
Rosa’s Pizza Shack. Su-Th 4PM-11PM, F-Sa 4PM-midnight. There are sur-
prisingly few pizzerias in Fresnillo, so this one’s impressive slices stand out even
more. The food here holds its own well with the most famous restaurants elsewhere
in The City, even the garlic-drenched "Vampire Killer." Seating is limited (six small
tables), though, and prices are higher than most other similar eateries.
Other Items of Interest. This district is home to four private universities
sponsored by Formosa Equality, OmniCorp, Minecore Global, and Nanosoft. Visi-
tors to the Wilshire Park neighborhood will probably enjoy the Wilshire Botanical
Garden, with 365 acres offering rustic stone bridges and shaded walkways, jogging
trails, a golf course, athletic fields, and outdoor concerts.
Government. A board of directors with 20 elected members manages Fres-
nillo, under the supervision of Chairman Charles Mrowczynski.
139

District
Globex

Residents: 267,787 (over 400,000 including
daytime Globex employees)
Famous for the corporate head- Neighborhoods: Globex Square, Hyde Park,
quarters of Globex Power, and Independence Heights, and Stronghold
now known for its many new cap- Headquarters of: Globex Power
sule hotels. Once the historical Photo: Globex corporate headquarters
center of The City’s African-Amer-
ican community. Tourists and residents alike flock here for a new augment or to
take advantage of the numerous shopping experiences that continue to emerge.
Many businesses shut down when the Globex commuters punch the clock, so don't
plan to spend all of your time here.
The Eighty-Eight (88). This 24-hour entertainment complex within the 88-
floor Allegro Building contains a top-floor observation deck, the Ancient Americans
Museum, Golden Reef aquarium, and Goldstar Planetarium. It also features the
Goldsmith Hotel and Suites, the High Keeba indoor theme park, Globex convention
center, Aon Theater, and Enterprise Shopping Center. The view from the top floor
is magnificent. Complimentary valet parking for hotel guests. Hotel rooms start at
$388.
Gagarin’s Nook. Tu-Th 5:30PM-9PM, F 5:30PM-9:30PM, Sa 5PM-10PM.
The best Russian restaurant in The City, and the cuisine of new Executive Chef Piotr
Vasilevich is world-renowned. $135-195/person.
Purple Pod Inn. Like others throughout The City, this capsule hotel provides
over 1,000 sleeping ‘rooms’ roughly 7’ x 4’ x 4’. Each pod includes locker, in-unit
television and wireless access, with communal washrooms, vendaterias, pools, and
other entertainment facilities. Pods start at $39.
Other Items of Interest. There are more than a few places to shop, particu-
larly in Globex Square, including department stores, national chains, and a few at-
tractively shady discount shops. A sizable 24-hour food court can be found where
Globex Square meets Stronghold, but many other places shut down in the evening.
Government. The Globex district is run by a board of directors with 36 elected
members. The current chairman is Anthony Chin.
140

District
Greenwich

Residents: 344,461
Neighborhoods: Archer Square, Vibrant European neighborhoods are ideal
Berkley, Corso Italia, Greektown, stops for visitors interested in eating and ex-
Hellersdorf, Nouvelle, and Prairie ploring in these bustling Cajun, Greek, Ger-
Shores man, and Italian communities. Several large
Headquarters of: Allied Teletech hotels near the train station offer a combined
Photo: A Posttranslational welcome total of more than 6,000 rooms, the largest
concentration in the city.
The Church of the Translated. The Archer Square neighborhood is best-
known for the presence of this new religion's largest church and its founder, Royce
Croxton. His followers, known as posttranslationalists, adamantly believe that the
Flux is not simply an environmental teratogenic agent, but is the living morphic
field of the Earth. The main belief of the church is that this morphic field, or ‘Gaea,’
is a divine intelligence formed by the collective hive-mind of the entire human race.
In their view, Flux-afflicted individuals are not victims of cosmic radiation, as the
corporate alliance claims, but are blessed persons who have been divinely 'trans-
lated' into the next stage of human evolution. Posttranslationals admire such mu-
tated persons and shun scientific theories. They often clash with recognized
transhumanism organizations (at least in the media), and are noted for their use of
high profile marketing to spread their beliefs. Posttranslational advertisements often
display their image of Gaea: a horned woman with an apple in one hand and a sickle
in the other.
Other Items of Interest. Much of the attraction here is in just wandering
around the old city. You can quickly escape from the major tourist routes and feel
as if you are in a small village, despite the great skyscrapers looming in the near sky-
line. There are plenty of off-the-beaten-path surprises waiting for interested travel-
ers, as well as some truly great food.
A trip to Greenwich isn’t complete without a visit to the Nouvelle neighborhood.
The district’s party hub is laden with street performers, fortune tellers, clubs, and
taverns. During spring break, visitors hoping for a quieter experience during this
season should head away from the water.
Government. Greenwich is run by a board of directors with 40 elected mem-
bers. The chairman and CEO is Jaime Rose.
141

10
District
Helfield

Residents: 332,140
Neighborhoods: Albany Gardens,
Braeswood, Cloverland, Garfield
Park, Mego Heights, Nortown, and
Westmoreland
Headquarters of: Biocom
Helfield includes a popular market second Photo: Shopping in Albany Gardens.
only to those in Fairfax, and visitors should
take time to admire some of the district’s unique collection of public art, including
everything from abstract fountains to modern graffiti murals. Most of the district’s
population lives in the suburbs.
The northern neighborhoods (Cloverland, Nortown, Garfield Park, and Mego
Heights), though the most rowdy, are relatively small and can be navigated by foot.
They are known centers of influence for some radical and criminal organizations,
but the reality across the district is quite varied. Still, visitors should ensure that
these neighborhoods are not exceptions to their PSC insurance.
Dice Bar. M-F 4PM-2AM, Sa 3PM-3AM, Su 3PM-2AM. The Brain Bash, a
combination pub crawl and prize quiz, starts here every Friday night. This crash
course tour in the history, cultures, and life of the northern neighborhoods is well
worth the experience for the brave.
Fairy Garden Hotel. This Westmoreland neighborhood hotel offers luxurious
rooms, with a beautiful communal garden and Japanese Tea Room adding an extra
level of beauty and serenity. Rooms start at $625 and up.
Mego Art Center. W-Su 12-4PM. Six floors of exhibitions with a relatively
good variety of genres and modern artists, including comic book and pop art.
The Abbey. 24 hours. The largest adult shopping experience outside of
Yoroshiku, the Abbey is a nine-story tribute to sex. The ground floor provides a large
selection of mostly mainstream films and related paraphernalia, but it’s above where
the real action is, with fetishes organized by floor.
Other Items of Interest. While Nortown has experienced a surge in drug-re-
lated crime, the adjacent Albany Gardens has remained a relatively safe travel des-
tination. The City tourism bureau also advises tourists to avoid any upcoming public
demonstrations in Cloverland. Take care when using late-night buses within the
rougher neighborhoods as they are occasionally known for raucous singing, shout-
ing, and post-alcohol vomiting.
Government. A board of directors with 16 elected members manages Helfield.
The current mayor is John Gainey.
142

11
District
Idlewild

Residents: 645,365
Neighborhoods: Agincourt, Bowmanville, Brighton, Cole
Terrace, Edgeville, Highbar, Morningside, Palermo,
Readville, Steeles, Swansea, Wrightwood, and Woburn
Headquarters of: Minecore Global Idlewild is a largely resi-
Photo: Colleagues hone their skills at the Red Circus. dential and industrial dis-
trict, with few tourist
attractions. New dining establishments continue to pop up all over the district, with
the most expensive restaurants in trendy Edgeville. Many streets have nice, wide
bike lanes.
Dead Zone. Despite the name, this all-white modernistic hotel features lush,
comfortable rooms with amenities geared toward relaxation — and walls that block
all wireless signals. Two-night minimum on weekends. Rooms start at $230.
The Red Circus. M,Th,F,Sa 9:30AM-7PM, Tu-W 9:30AM-6PM, Su 9:30AM-
5PM. This 22,000-square foot indoor urban arena offers combat simulations for
PSC training, corporate team building, and other group events. Daiy competition
begins around 10:00 am with the amateurs, and from there, combatants compete
in progressing order of seniority, with the most famous bouts beginning around
3:00 pm. Food is available inside at inflated prices.
The arena has a 10,000 spectator capacity. Balcony seats start at $67; first floor
seats at $172. These can be purchased at ticket outlets and convenience stores, start-
ing the month before the match. You can buy unsold seats on the day of the tourna-
ment for $40, but only at the box office.
Soul Man. M-F 4PM-2AM, Sa 4PM-3AM, Su 12PM-2AM. This relaxed restau-
rant specializes in soul food, with jazz and blues beginning at 8:00 pm every Friday
and Saturday night. Also inside is the Louie V ‘voodoo’ shop selling kitchy Soul Man-
branded ‘charms,’ ‘magic powders’, and such.
Vroom. M-Th 10AM-8PM, F 10AM-5PM, Sa 10AM-6PM, Su 12-5PM. This
family-owned shop sells bicycles and accessories, and can perform quick repairs. A
speciality clothing sideline includes hipster t-shirts, bags, hats and more inspired
by now defunct corporate brands.
Other Items of Interest. The City Museum, an excellent and large social his-
tory museum sponsored by Globex can be found in Woburn, as well as a collection
of quirky special-interest museums.
Government. An elected board of directors with 38 members manages
Idlewild, with Katrina Fulmore currently standing as chairman.
143

12
District
Madison

Residents: 311,690
Neighborhoods: Auburndale, Foxhill, Glarus,
Madison includes notable shop- Shadyside, and University Village
ping, hip and hipster nightlife, Headquarters of: Akihabara Group
beloved universities, and a Photo: An “Alice” performing at the Jabberwock.
thriving restaurant scene. Build-
ings here feature the largest number of art deco styles in The City.
Feckless Film and TV. M-Sa 12-10PM, Su 12-9PM. If you’re into vintage cin-
ema, you can find great rarities here. Although the ‘re-copyrightization’ of older pub-
lic domain works has cut back on digital versions, you can still find lots of old tape
and disc product here. The store has been shut down several times for selling illegal
digital product.
Hotel Eclectic. This friendly, full four-star hotel offers excellent service, de-
signer decorated rooms, and suites with double jacuzzis. The concierges here are
said to know how to get anything a guest desires. Rooms from $325.
The Jabberwock. Su-F 6PM-2AM, Sa 6PM-3AM. This sleek Alice-in-
Wonderland-themed strip club is hidden away unless you know where to look —
there's no sign, and no name on the round red door. There are four floors of video
walls, color lightboxes, and mini stages with projections of singing and dancing
cards, cats, caterpillars and other strange and twisted creatures.
Shadyside Arcade. M-Th,Su 11AM-8PM, F-Sa 11AM-11PM. The arcade is
renowned throughout The City for its packed upper (second) floor stores that cater
to the “geek and gamer” culture with video games, comics, anime, action figures,
and the like.
Other Items of Interest. The Pahrump Casino Tower stands in the midst of
a sunken plaza, rising high above the covered Shadyside Arcade. Foxhill features
plenty of top-notch restaurants, elegant stores and a host of trendy nightlife venues.
The neighborhood is a great place for a leisurely an outdoor stroll. University Village
is where you'll find the Du Cane Building. with ornamental architecture reminiscent
of 1920-30s’ Paris.
Government. A board of directors with 14 elected members manages Madi-
son, supervised by Chairman and CEO Phillip Sato.
144

13 Q
District
Romero
Park

Residents: 205,263
Neighborhoods: Bulfinch, Kennington,
and Noble Square
Headquarters of: Nanosoft
Photo: On the set of DECON! Romero Park is residential and industrial,
with a few specialized tourist attractions
and a few cozy shopping streets that lack the tourist kitsch found in City Central.
Buona Barbra. This old, independent, somewhat run-down hotel in Kenning-
ton may appeal to those with an interest in modern history. It was here that, over a
decade ago, the GAR radical group released the stolen Horde virus that briefly af-
fected local residents. Rooms from $43 shared bath, $51 private.
KidCorp Children’s Museum. M-F 10AM-5PM, Th 10AM-8PM, Sa 12-5PM.
“Run by kids, for kids" is the motto of this interactive museum, where children can
experience their favorite job and learn about the social system while having fun.
Romero Center. This large convention hall hosts hundreds of events each
year, including the annual sci-fi/fantasy 3D&DECon (summer), so hotels tend to
fill up early. Be sure to plan your reservations in advance.
House of Wax. Su-F 10AM-2AM, Sa 10AM-3AM. The City’s largest club fea-
tures not just life-size robot singers (that resemble certain famous celebrities barely
outside of likeness and copyright infringements), but also world-class DJs and a
free shuttle from designated stops in Yoroshiku (about 40 minutes).
Quarantine Zone. Site of the former Horde virus outbreak. Though cleansed
of infected, this area is still under quarantine and home only to the dregs of society
who use the area to escape scrutiny from corporate law. Skybridges run over the
zone, and the only ground access is restricted to authorized Speedy Security forces.
Other Items of Interest. The long-running GIIK channel zombie television
series, DECON, starring Colin Webb as Commander Sord, takes place in Romero
Park. Other notable works of horror set in Romero Park are the films Planet of the
Dead and The Last Shadow. The characters in the virtual adventure game Myth
Stakes attend Bulfinch High School, with the plot also being set in this area.
Government. Romero Park is run by a board of directors with 40 elected
members. The chairman is Frank Talbot.
145

14
District
Southland

Residents: 538,703
Neighborhoods: Armor Heights, Beacon-
Southland is mostly a residential area, wood, Brickyard, Crestwood, Ellisburg,
with its main points of tourist interest Fernwood, Grove Park, Hollis, Sheffield,
being the clothing and antique shops Sumner, Ventura, and Wingate
and nightly entertainment spots. For Headquarters of: Transmac
breakfast or lunch, visit the coffee Photo: Ventura residential towers.
shops and fast-food walk-thus de-
signed to accommodate the Transmac and other workforces downtown. The early
evening is a great time to hop between restaurants during their happy hour specials.
Stay in the Ventura neighborhood (Southland’s downtown) for dinner to enjoy a
nice sit-down meal.
Tamagawa Daishi. 7 days, 9AM-5PM. Lurking in the nondescript residential
area of Ellisburg is this surprising sight: a Buddhist temple. The faithful can gain
access through a winding underground passageway that symbolizes travel through
the Buddha’s intestines. Statues and altars with lighting appear only within eyesight
of the next, leaving the remainder of the tunnel in darkness.
The Masquerade. 7 days, 7AM-11PM. This massive costume store, in Grove
Park, covers almost a full city block and offers a huge selection of complete or piece-
meal costumes and accessories for children or adults.
Word on the Street. M-Sa 9:30AM-8PM, Su 10AM-6PM. The largest old-
school print magazine and newspaper dealer in The City also offers digital download
kiosks for discount subscription rates on all your favorite feeds. If it’s information
you need, you have a good chance of finding it here.
Other Items of Interest. Sheffield neighborhood has many vintage clothing
and bohemian style shops, as well as restaurants and clubs where bands play all
genres of music. The Beaconwood neighborhood includes a substantial Jewish com-
munity with several synagogues and kosher restaurants. Know where you're going,
especially at night. Aside from the few major thoroughfares, some neighborhoods
have long stretches where help will be difficult to find.
Government. A board of directors with 24 elected members manages South-
land, under Chairman Lee McCafferty.
146

15
District
Surya

Residents: 349,118
Neighborhoods: Andheri, Gresham, Malabar,
New Mumbai, and Westchase A center for finance, law, insurance,
Headquarters of: Sun Entertainment real estate, research facilities, and
Photo: Casual nightlife in New Mumbai. major media, including opera, ballet,
art galleries, orchestras, and the-
aters. Residents are a diverse blend of ethnicities, with a number of Japanese- and
Indian-descended residents.
Koryu Institute. Want to master the martial arts? The Koryu Institute offers
classes in judo, sumo, jujutsu, swordsmanship, ninjutsu, and other Japanese martial
arts, with a minor focus on sastravidya and wushu. With permission from a teacher,
visitors may participate in a light free-style sparring session with students.
Five main training halls and a special studies dojo provide more than 1,300
mats. The basement and eight floors above include space for housing, training, re-
search, eating, conference rooms, parking, banking, and limited shopping. Most
training occurs on floors five through seven, with over 900 open spectator seats on
the eighth floor (looking down onto the seventh). The third floor can house over 100
students in common rooms of up to 20 people each. One- or two-person suites are
available for advanced students and teachers. Fees range from $45 to $300 per day,
depending on accomodations.Medical equipment is provided for emergencies.
Sun City. This massive entertainment complex includes the: 43-story Corona
Hotel, Silk Road spa and resort, 3,000-seat Deluna concert and exhibit hall, Solar
Flare Attractions amusement park, and the Sun Sports Dome. This 60,000-seat
baseball stadium is often referred to simply as “The Egg” thanks to its flexible dome
supported by pressurized air. This home field of the Suits baseball team (“Suit Up!”),
also hosts sporting events, monster truck races, and music concerts.
World Garden. Covering an area of over 16 acres, this outdoor museum fea-
tures historic buildings from all over the world, separated by walls and vegetation.
Come see a 1,000-year-old pagoda from Japan, a small stone keep (England), an
Amish house and barn (Pennsylvania), and more. Walk or look inside to see special
FX and robot actors create the illusion of an entire day passing within minutes.
Other Items of Interest. Surya includes the 40-acre Garcia Botanical Gar-
dens, Orthogon medical school, and Loop Financial University.
Government. Surya is governed by chairman Megan Chung, a board of direc-
tors with 19 elected members, and a corporate executive team of 30 members.
147

16
District
Towers

Residents: 217,335
Neighborhoods: Beckett Hill, Grove, Marquette,
Named after the 14 intercon- Pullman, and Skyland
nected skyscrapers built by Headquarters of: Atoyo
famed architect Simon Beckett, Photo: Visit the sim rooms at Atoyo University!
and home to some of The City’s
best known architectural sights, such as the Atoyo University Tower and a dozen
more skyscrapers of post-modern design. The district is also famous for its shopping
malls (more than 80!) and many new clubbing spots.
Atoyo University Tower. This elegantly designed spiral has 11 faculties, in-
cluding Mechatronical Engineering, Economics, Avatar Design Security, Business
and Commerce, Medicine, Science and Technology, Bioinformationism, Vertical
Farming, Environment and Information Studies, Nursing and Medical Care, and
Pharmacy. Alumni include fifteen prominent Global 500-listed CEOs.
The university also features the largest number of simulated reality facilities in
one building, and open to the paying public. Its features are restricted to communi-
cation and learning rather than entertainment, though rumor has it that illegal pro-
grams do circulate among wealthy students able to afford private access.
Marquette. This neighborhood caters to a younger crowd, with numerous bars,
nightclubs, strip clubs, restaurants, hostess clubs, cabarets, and other forms of en-
tertainment. Clubs can range from large, multi-level establishments, to smaller one-
room clubs located on upper floors.
Marquette once had a reputation as an area with a distinct mafia presence. Al-
though still exerting some influence here, they appear to have shifted much of their
presence to Helfield. Any danger is minimal, and even before the clean-up, the only
visitors who found trouble were the ones who went looking for it.
Other Items of Interest. The large residential and commercial neighborhood
of Skyland includes the private home and surrounding gardens of Atoyo CEO Steve
Kao, as well as the Allied Teletech Channel ultra-television studios, Showtime Art
Center, and various embassies.
Government: Towers is governed by chairman Steve Kao, whose crackdown
in crime has been supported by all resident corporations except Peppy Cola. The
board of directors has 51 members.
148

17
District
Union
Heights

Residents: 429,289
Neighborhoods: Auburn Estates, Bancroft, Belcamp, Among the skyscrapers, a
Charleston, Fuller, Georgetown, Hale, Harold’s Cross, variety of architectureal
North Strand, Pinehurst, Rockbrook, and Smithfield styles, nice parks, and
Headquarters of: Valyant Capital pleasantly walkable streets
Photo: Watchman Keep oversees this district. can be found here, as well
as a concert hall home to
The City Philharmonic, and the Inkpen Animation Museum. Valyant operates over
a dozen schools, including the famous CEYCO Technical High School.
Bancroft. This British family-run hotel offers clean, fully equipped, and re-
cently renovated rooms, a fantastic pool and fitness center, and free wi-fi. This was
also the site of one of the great scandals of last year, when the owner’s son, Alan
Bancroft, was found dead in one of the rooms under mysterious circumstances. After
two days, the family made the announcement that he suffered from a medical con-
dition. According to rumors, though, he had been shot in a brothel in Yoroshiku.
Rooms from $180.
H is for Happy. Joint: Su-F 11AM-2AM, Sa 11AM-3AM; Club: varies by show.
This bar and grill offers nightly live music, mostly by local rock bands, as well as a
professional blues jam sessions every Tuesday night. If you want to take some music
home, head upstairs to the Hemp Shop, which offers digital kiosks and smoking
paraphernalia. Joint: no cover, Club: $11-22.
Marx’s Magic. 7PM-12AM. This is the place to experience magic shows in The
City, with its performers including such big-names as Brent Bernardini and Wallace
Bode. Shows tend towards the avant garde and are not for the faint-hearted, but
often rival shows at other larger venues. Reservations are necessary and tickets are
hot, so call well in advance of your visit, ideally more than a month before, and be
prepared to be flexible.
Other Items of Interest. Harold’s Cross is the historical center of The City’s
Irish community, with a diverse residential neighborhood, the Keegan Brewery, and
the Irish Heritage Gallery.
Government. A board of directors with 28 elected members manages Union
Heights, supervised by Chairman Robert Craver.
149

18
District
Woodlawn

Residents: 837,185
Neighborhoods: Avalon Park, Colonia Rosa, Cottage
Grove, Forest Glen, Loring Park, Monksbridge, Nantong,
Woodlawn has a repu- Oakland Manor, Paradise Estates, Polanco, Ravenswood,
tation as an upscale res- Seven Hills, Winchester
idential district, and Headquarters of: OmniCorp
features many areas of Photo: A contestant tries his luck in ‘The Deck.’
greenery, with funky
shopping and nightlife areas that are popular with students. There are also several
hotels that focus on service to visitors of the OmniCorp Military Academy (OMA),
the private corporate boarding school.
The Deck. M-F 10AM-2AM, Sa noon-3AM, Su noon-2AM. A hacker-managed
entertainment center with two fine ways to burn off steam: old-fashioned laser tag,
and ‘Better Than Life’, a unique entertainment that combines full contact martial
arts and military shooters in a multi-player dungeon, along with realistic-looking
‘zombie’ fights and virtual reality. Packages are available with beer and bar food.
Walk-ins $20 each for 30 minutes (minimum eight people) of BTL, $9 per person
per 15 minutes for laser tag. Though no one has never actually died in BTL (or so
they claim), liability release forms are required.
Portal. M-F 6:30AM-2AM, Sa 7:30AM-3AM, Su 11AM-2AM. The motto of this
cavernous club is "Don't get lost," but you may want to take your chances with their
vast selection of exotic beers and liquors. A multitude of small lounges hidden by
secret doors are available for those who need some privacy. Just remember how to
get out or you might, as the bartenders claim, have to get a job there to support your
new life inside.
Other Items of Interest. In terms of land area, this district includes The City’s
five largest private gated communities (AVALON PARK, COLONIA ROSA, OAKLAND
MANOR, PARADISE ESTATES, AND SEVEN HILLS). Each community has its own office as
part of The City’s administrative structure. Restaurants and commercial areas exist
mostly to service locals, as do small forest reserves and sports complexes. Still, the
beautiful, historic buildings rising above the walls make a stroll through the area
worth your time even if you can’t get through the front gates.
Government. An elected board of directors with 36 members manages Wood-
lawn, with Eva Yandell as the current chairman.
150

19
District
Yoroshiku

Residents: 520,789
Neighborhoods: Airtex, Benning, Clarendon Park,
Hilcrest, Kenilworth, Knox, Midtown Manor, New
Tokyo, Si-Ling, and Wesley Heights Yoroshiku has maintained an
Headquarters of: Si-Ling Group anything-goes attitude for
Photo: What happens here, stays here. decades, and the party is still
going strong. The area imme-
diately surrounding Yoroshiku Station is home to a fashionable shopping district
famous for its nightlife, glitzy malls and electronics shops, offering everything from
the latest hi-tech gadgets to second-hand goods and antiques. The rest of the district
is a mix of residential neighborhoods, with commercial areas concentrated around
railway stations.
Si-Ling. Leave your inhibitions at home. This neighborhood houses over 3,500
bars, nightclubs, massage parlors, hostess clubs and the like, centered around mul-
tiple plazas. Several establishments are known for the artistic quality of their pa-
trons, serving as meeting places for musicians, directors, writers, and actors,
including many celebrities. These upscale establishments only welcome regular cus-
tomers, or those who are introduced by a current member. Roughly 10% of estab-
lishments have a particular theme or cater to customers with a particular interest,
such as grindhouse films, LGBT, poker, bondage, or basketball. Few open before
5:00 pm, so the area is very quiet during the day.
Hilcrest. This neighborhood has a sloping street at its center, lined by numer-
ous cafés and restaurants. It boasts a significant French presence with many French
expatriates. Residents find the street slang for this neighborhood (“Frogtown”) of-
fensive, and visitors should avoid using it.
Wesley Gardens. M-Su 11AM-4PM. This 144-acre park blends English,
French, and early American styles, with over 20,000 trees and a greenhouse fea-
turing nearly 2,000 tropical and subtropical plant species.
Other Items of Interest. The Diefenbaker Opera Tower stands 768 feet high
and has 54 floors, housing the New National Theater in its lower levels. The fifth
through 52nd floors are devoted to office space: the building's best-known tenants
are the Si-Ling Group, Pizza Shack, and Sunlight Pictures.
Government. The current chairman is Iris Fong-Torres. The board of directors
consists of 38 elected members; the Si-Ling Group and Peppy Cola together cur-
rently hold a majority. An executive team of 34 members oversees daily operations.
151


Akihabara Group
Industry: Entertainment conglomerate (pub-
lishing, programming, films, ezines, satellite tel-
evision, sporting events, netsites) Corporate
CEO: Phil Sato; Employees: 83,000+ global;
HQ: Madison; Total Assets: $128 billion Alliances
Prominent Units: VidServe, Virtual City,
Moon Microsystems, HoloMap, Flixfone, Edo Cyberscape, New Tokyo Broadcasting,
Utopia Network, REPP, Skin-e-max, Newstime, Corporate Otaku, Indoor Life, Sports
Digitized, Credits!, vPublish, Chargeroad Cinema, New London Records
The Akihabara group is the second largest entertainment conglomerate in terms of rev-
enue (following Sun Entertainment), as well being as the world's largest media conglom-
erate.They own multiple buildings in The City; a twin-tower complex in the Madison
district contains their headquarters and the Newstime studios. They face competition pri-
marily from Sun Entertainment and Nanosoft.
Allied Teletech
Industry: Telecommunications (mobile telephony, net services, tv)
CEO: Jaime Rose; Employees: 930,000+ global
Headquarters: Greenwich; Total Assets: $269 billion
Prominent Units: Teleport Research Group, Netcommunications Inc.,
the VBM Planetary Network, British Holocom, Canterbury Credit,
Lupine Technologies
Allied Teletech holds the largest share of The City’s wireless network. They are guilty (in
the public eye, though not by any legal definition) of censorship, monitoring communica-
tions, filtering intellectual property, discriminating against the remaining public-access
channels, and outsourcing poorly designed ‘net security applications. Many radicals refuse
to subscribe to the Allied Teletech network and choose a smaller company instead, but
this means nothing to Allied Teletech, as most traffic goes through their network anyway.
Atoyo
Industry: Automotive, public transport, agribusiness, agricultural
biotechnology, robotics, augments, aerospace, finance, diversified invest-
ments
CEO: Eiji Atoyo; Employees: 418,652+ global
Headquarters: Towers; Total Assets: $370 billion
Prominent Units: Atoyo Regional, Moorland Aircraft, Scaled Integra-
tions, Atoyo Net Literacy Program, Atoyo Tech Institute, Meka Electronics, Atoyo Chem-
ical Industries, Botic Surgery, Lake Industries, Speedy Security
The largest producer of all-electric vehicles on the market, with factories in most parts of
the world, manufactures or assembles vehicles for the local market. One such factory lies
in the outskirts of the megasprawl. They participate heavily in aerospace, higher education,
robotics, finance, agricultural biotech, and private security (to name a few). Atoyo’s envi-
ronmental segment, Lake Industries, is a not-for-profit organization, making it one of the
few remaining corporations that uses surplus revenue to achieve its goals rather than dis-
tributing this income among the executives and shareholders. Atoyo also operates Speedy
Security, currently The City’s fourth-largest private security corporation, behind rivals
OmniCorp PSC, Global Republic (a Globex division), and Valyant’s Watchman PSC.
153

BioCom
Industry: Pharmaceutical, health care, cosmetics, drugs and recre-
ation, biotech, bioweapons, augments, and over 250 diversified sub-
sidiaries
CEO: Robert Johansson; Employees: 114,000+ global
Headquarters: Helfield; Total Assets: $103 billion
Prominent Units: Ariel Technology, Norwood, Svensson Pharmaceu-
ticals, LifeTrack Inc, Foley Nutritionals, Orthogon Clinical Diagnostics, Optimal Phar-
maceuticals, Vortex LLC
BioCom is the operator of all registered clinics and hospitals in The City. Each
Biocom hospital is identified by its registered White Cross emblem, and its
clinics with a modified White Cross (called the White Star). They are currently
engaged in a lawsuit with Sun Entertainment over the similarity beween the
White Star logo and Sun’s Parallel Films logo.
BioCom ranks high among environmentally-friendly companies, and op-
erates the largest solar power distributor in The City.
Formosa Equality
Industry: Financial (credit, banking, investments, wealth manage-
ment, financial analysis, private equity)
CEO: Don Cornwell; Employees: 260,000+ global
Headquarters: Fresnillo; Total Assets: $2 trillion
Prominent Units: Viomex, Virtuabank, Platinum, Montague Banking,
Silverchalk Capital, Moran Penzler, Nields Formosa, Tramway Hold-
ings, Solomon Investment Group, Salma Finance
This multinational financial services firm maintains over 17,000 offices worldwide, man-
aging credit unions, banks, credit card companies, insurance companies, consumer fi-
nance companies, real estate, stock brokerages, investment funds and some government
sponsored enterprises. It is rumored that Formosa Equality is responsible for the laun-
dering of over $175 billion dollars each year.
Residents and visitors to The City often avail themselves of Formosa’s banking, in-
surance, and foreign exchange services.
Globex Power
Industry: Conglomerate
CEO: Angela Morgan; Employees: 768,000+ global
Headquarters: Globex; Total Assets: $751 billion
Prominent Units: Power Electric (energy transmission and distribu-
tion), Signal AAE (aerospace, automotive and engineering), Globex
(aerospace, automation and control systems, specialty materials, trans-
portation systems), Integrated Technologies Corporation (augments, aviation, health
care, transportation), GP Home and Business (appliances, lighting, software, motion
control hardware, operator interfaces, programmable logic and automation con-
trollers), GP Innovative Plastics, GP Armaments (munitions, weapons, armor), Global
Republic (military training, support, and security services), GPC Studios, Globex Metro
(public transport) and other diversified holdings.
Each unit of Globex Power is itself a vast enterprise, many of which would be powerful
corporations in their own right. Each unit has been involved in controversy at one time
or another, usually involving a lack of oversight and failing to provide for adequate pro-
154

tection of the public health or the environment. Despite its toxic

legacy, GP recently announced the launch of the Ecomagic pro-
gram, intended (in the words of its CEO) to “develop new, clean
energy solutions for the world of tomorrow.”
This multinational conglomerate maintains its offices at the
Globex Building, known commonly as the GP Building for the
Corporate
prominent logo on the roof. This building also houses the GPC tel- Alliances
evision studios.
Lionhead
Industry: Video and audio products/components, information and
communication systems, batteries, semiconductors, financial services,
‘net services
CEO: Akio Ibuka; Employees: 855,600+ global
Headquarters: Asheland; Total Assets: $155 billion
Prominent Units: Loop Mobile Communications, City Entertainment
Business Group, Virtual Imaging Group, Phased RA, Loop Network Enter-
tainment, Mega Solutions Group, Superconductor Distribution, Loop Financial Holdings
Best known as the parent unit of Loop Mobile Communications and Loop Entertainment,
Lionhead’s EyePhone was recently voted the most popular communications device. Loop
stores often boast lines of customers winding around entire blocks when a new EyePhone
or other product is announced. Loop movies gross huge box-office revenues worldwide in
all theater and digital download sales.
Lionhead once offered a number of globally recognized ‘adult’ products, including the
“Cherry” and “Harry” companion robots, but these lines have been recently acquired by
Si-Ling.
Minecore Global
Industry: Mining, metal, oil, gas, nuclear, hydrothermal, commodities
trading, security
CEO: Marius Whateley; Employees: 71,500+ global (roughly 10,200
in sales and security, the rest in industrial production)
Headquarters: Idlewild; Total Assets: $144 billion
Prominent Units: Millennium Aluminum, Sherwood Alumina,
Godecca, Yauliyacu, Cinchway, DU Zinc Group, Kangaroo Mining, Rosebud, UBU Mof-
fat, HERBE, Whateley-West Joint Venture, Crowbar Copper Mining, Realgas, Mineral
Resources Ltd., Minecore PSC
The world’s largest mining corp has few workers in The City, but heavy labor in over 70
mines in 26 countries. Despite controlling a dozen hydroelectric plants and slowly de-
creasing their pollution output, Mincore has been named the “world’s most evil corpora-
tion” by the radical movement, due to the extensive record of human rights abuses by
Minecore PSC employees and the causing of various ecological disasters.
Following Globex’s Ecomagic announcement, CEO Whateley revealed the Grimoire
research facility in Minecore’s Millennium Building, which will be devoted to “unique
reagents, minerals, and chemical compounds.”
See the display ad in this section.
155

Nanosoft
Industry: IT and systems, software, consumer electronics, digital
distribution, hardware, IT consulting, advertising, automotive soft-
ware
CEO: Ginni Endicott; Employees: 600,000+ global
Headquarters: Romero Park; Total Assets: $221 billion
Prominent Units: Human Decision, Machine Viz, 3DIC, Shielding
Point, Dolorous Guard, Nanosoft Business
Virtually all home entertainment and gaming systems utilize technology developed by
Nanosoft, though they have yet to reach Lionhead’s market share when it comes to mobile
technology.
The company headquarters is a 300,000-square-foot building with four levels of cus-
tom curtainwall. Holographic VI stations designed for interpersonal interaction are lo-
cated at reception and throughout the facility, all operated by Algernon, a proprietary VI
capable of ‘learning’ as it operates.
Nanosoft and Biocom recently announced a healthcare partnership to utilize high-
performance computing and software to deliver faster patient outcomes and improve clin-
ical applications.
Omnicorp
Industry: Aerospace (aircraft, radar, satellites, spacecraft), defense
(munitions), private military/security, surveillance systems, train-
ing/logistics
CEO: Martin Bendix; Employees: 126,000+ global
Headquarters: Woodlawn; Total Assets: $35 billion
Prominent Units: OmniCorp PSC, Defiant Operations, WYS Prop-
erties, Superior Technology Laboratories, Innovation Labs, Lever-
aged Space Alliance
The world’s largest private military and security contractor supplies equipment, employ-
ees, and trainers for more than a dozen corporate alliances, as well as operating the largest
private security company (Omnicorp PSC) in The City.
Omnicorp is not above paying bribes to executives and foreign officials in order to
guarantee contracts. The company’s developmental department is said to include multiple
‘skunkworks’-type groups, secretly researching and testing radical ways to integrate Flux
manifestations into new prototypes.
The corporate headquarters in Woodlawn is a highly secure three-building complex,
with a central four-story building housing an unknown number of underground levels.
Walls and windows are covered with special blast- and bullet-proof panels, and flying se-
curity cameras circle the complex to provide 24-hour monitoring.
Peppy Cola
Industry: Food and beverage
CEO: Don Dewhurst; Employees: 294,000+ global
Headquarters: Fairfax; Total Assets: $68 billion
Prominent Units: Peppy Cola Company, Rito-Jay Inc., Holmes
Sporting Goods, Pizza Shack Inc., Taco Beast, California Grilled
Chicken, Flagon Root Beer, Mistress Foods, Ramblers Crisps, Smart
Food, Ocean Burst, Aquapura, Great Sport, Fourbucks, Citrus Moun-
tain, Krypton Tea, Draft Foods International, Rexwell House, Mary Sue Bakery, Cracker
Snacks, the Young Metro Neighborhood Association, Emperor North SA, Wonder Foods,
PetsWorld, Office Station, the Saint Bread Co., Well-Met International, Megaway, Ariel's
156

Food Services, Umberto, VegWorks, Whahoo Inc., Really Total

Fitness, Parker-Price Hotels and Resorts, Thataburger, Universe
Foods Co., The City Coffee Partnership, The Ryzo
This multinational corporation is the largest food and beverage

manufacturer in the world, with over two dozen product lines each
Corporate
bringing in nearly $2 billion in retail sales every year. Peppy Cola Alliances
pursues high-publicity marketing, making it impossible for any-
one in The City not to be targeted with a Peppy Cola ad at least
six times each day. The corporate headquarters includes five interconnected six-story
buildings, surrounding a small sculpture garden open to the public.
Si-Ling Group
Industry: Financial services, corporate private equity, real estate,
hospitality, hotels, computer hardware
CEOs (joint): Sam Feng Huang (electronic systems), Martin Gui
Xian (finance & equity), Gus Long (real estate), and Qi Lin (hospi-
tality).
Employees: 136,000+ global
Headquarters: Yoroshiku;
Total Assets: $26 billion
Prominent Units: Century Worldwide, Century Hotels Corporation, Kent Karadan
Suites, Garden Lake Hotels, Hsu-Tung Office Properties, Express Services, United Holi-
day, Luxport, Houdini Semiconductors
Si-Ling operates in four business segments, with respective percentages of: electronic sys-
tems (4%), finance and equity (6%), real estate (10%), and hospitality (including the sex
industry) (80%). Sex tourists are common visitors to Yoroshiku, where Si-Ling’s gleaming
silver Patpong skyscraper headquarters rises high in the sky. Tourists looking for enter-
tainment, however, need not visit Patpong itself, unless they have a fascination for generic
office environments and pornographic studios hidden behind biometrically-locked doors.
Sun Entertainment
Industry: Media and entertainment conglomerate (publishing, pro-
gramming, films, ezines, satellite television, sporting events, netsites)
CEO: Walter Oswald; Employees: 465,000+ global
Headquarters: Surya; Total Assets: $69 billion
Prominent Units: Sunlight Pictures, Flix Animation Studios, J.C.
Credit, A-Mart, Ostec Sports, Filmex, Agricola Kola, VSPN, Parallel
Films, Fastlink, CBN, JoySmart, Planet Moon
The largest media conglomerate in the world, Sun Entertainment is best known for its
film studios and its officical mascot, Blobby (an anthropomorphic e-ink blob). Blobby is
an omnipresent figure in Sun media, making him one of the most recognizable cartoon
characters in the world. Blobby lives in a large city with other anthropomorphized icons,
including his grumpy brother Blueby, his girlfriend Penny, the dollar bill D.B.,, and others.
Blobby is sold as a strong advocate for corporate social responsibility, with subtle messages
promoting the value of the corporate alliances.
Sun Studios, a 100-story skyscraper with multiple underground parking levels and
nine large underground sound stages, serves as the corporate headquarters, housing the
offices, archives, and film production spaces. Limited tours are open to the public, and
the building is easily recognizable by the giant metal sun symbols on the building’s exte-
rior, as well as the 15 foot-tall metal statue of Blobby near the front entrance.
157

Sylex
Industry: Agriculture, food, pharmaceutical, industrial, financial,
risk management, electricity, wind power
CEO: James Lexington; Employees: 496,000+ global
Headquarters: Farmington; Total Assets: $119 billion
Prominent Units: Fynal Agriculture Ltd, N-Vitro Meat Products,
Sylex Health & Nutrition, Bailey’s Vertical Farming, Nielsen Salt,
Doyle Corporation, Canary Brothers, Austin’s Cocoa, Red Rise Asset
Management, Sylex Power, Bion Polyols, Worldworks LLC, Pole Star Metals
Unlike many other corporations that try to promote a responsible image, Sylex often suf-
fers from criticisms over environmental damage, human rights abuses, corporate espi-
onage, and other improper business practices. As a private, family-owned company, they
can release less information than a publicly-traded one, which enables them to keep a rel-
atively low profile.
Sylex headquarters can be found in the Express Business Park of Farmington, though
they also have a large office e in the Stevenson Building of City Central.
Transmac
Industry: Construction, transport infrastructure (motorways, tun-
nels, bridges, parking lots), public transport, energy
infrastructure/services
CEO: George Baker; Employees: 179,500+ global
Headquarters: Southland; Total Assets: $56 billion
Prominent Units: Channel Route, Thruway, Carpark Group,
Transport Factory, Envirodale
As the inventors of the carbon dioxide-consuming magnesium carbonate wall coatings,

not to mention translucent aluminum, and the piezeoelectric flooring that builds and
stores electricity through the footsteps of everyone walking on it, Transmac is one of the
world’s leading proponents of environmental construction. Though they have had their
defeats, such as an inability (so far) to halt the flooding of Bangkok with their trademarked
C-Walls, these are well in the minority.
Transmac Tower is a 14-story building with a conical Art Deco peak composed of
translucent aluminum, a strict recycling program, a tower-wide composting program of
over 95% efficiency, and a powerful grinder and compactor that can process any foodstuff
and organic waste.
United Superpostal
Industry: Courier
CEO: Tenzin Potter; Employees: 1,847,600+ global
Headquarters: Chao; Total Assets: $67 billion
Prominent Units: UPeX (United Postal Express)
UPeX is the largest remaining mail carrier in the world, responsible for providing free
mail and package delivery services to all their subscribers. Persons without a UPeX con-
tract mail avail themselves of smaller delivery services on a package-by-package basis.
As UPeX contracts give the corporation the right to scan, open, and inspect all pack-
ages, independent gangs and individuals (known as ‘runners’) have become increasingly
popular delivery options among the criminal and radical underworld. It is even said that
corporations and civilians sometimes hire runners to deliver illegal goods or incriminating
mail, though the largest mega-corps rely on in-house staff (known as as ‘drivers’ or ‘trans-
158

porters’) to handle their confidential deliveries.

UPex headquarters is a four-story commercial building, atop
a large underground compex and parking garage that also con-
nects to the Phoenix Park stadium and four other commerical
buildings. UPeX security is said to be extremely strict with adven-
turous youths and other trespassers who attempt to explore by
Corporate
sneaking in through these other access points. Alliances
Valyant
Industry: Diversified investments (insurance, utilities, clothing,
building products, flight services, retail, media, private security,
other), insurance
CEO: Lance Martin; Employees: 762,600+ globally
Headquarters: Union Heights; Total Assets: $372 billion
Prominent Units: CEYCO Insurance, OHS Insurance, Valyant As-
surance, MidCity Energy Holdings, G.G. Earth Homes Inc., Moon Furniture Company,
DART Business Services, Watchman PSC, Haig Diamonds, Bison Courier-Express, Mario
Cleaning, NTRY Scientific
This multi-national conglomerate is perhaps best known for the company's chairman and
CEO, Lance Martin, one of the world's wealthiest persons. Martin seems to have a golden
touch, using the corporation's available insurance premium reserves to finance invest-
ments. He has also been noted for his recent philanthropic gestures, forays into scientific
research, and outspoken critiques of what he calls a "drone-based economy." His Watch-
man private security company, once reported to be the most "efficient" of all PSCs, is cur-
rently in the process of transferring or firing a number of employees even while
simultaneously advertising for new hires.
Wildfire
Industry: Megachurches, retail chains (discount supercenters,
membership warehouse clubs, grocery stores, neighborhood markets,
restaurants)
CEO: Samuel King; Employees: 2,100,000+ globally
Headquarters: City Central; Total Assets: $180 billion
Prominent Units: Wildfire Hypermarkets, Superstar, Wildfire
Bairro, Wildfire Express, Wildfire Megachurches, Victory Global,
Wildfire Mini, Minimarca, Wildfire City, InstaMart, Plusmark, Sentry, Tensing, Happy
Market, Go!, SuperXPress
Wildfire owns over 10,000 stores, and are also entering the medical market, establishing
City Fast Clinics (Level 1-2) inside their larger supercenters. Over half of all products are
store brands, or are manufactured by other corporations under special contract. However,
since Wildfire stores attempt to undercut competitors by offering the lowest prices, these
manufacturers also lower production quality, meaning that items in Wildfire stores have
a 60% chance of being a 'discount' item (see page 76).
Wildfire operates multiple megachurches, and their stores refuse to sell "inappropri-
ate" or "explicit" items (though they will sell the same items with the offending material
removed). Wildfire has the largest number of endentured ‘drone’ employees and offers
the lowest wages of any mega-corporation.
Wildfire headquarters occupies the upper floor of its largest store inside The City: a
7-story rectangular structure with over 1,000,000 square feet of selling space in over 350
departments.
159

6GAME MASTERY
161 | PREPARING ADVENTURES 170 | NPC & CRYPTID DESIGN

MAKING IT EASY FOR THE DIRECTOR. QUICK WAYS TO CREATE OPPONENTS.
164 | BEHIND THE SCENES 172 | CITY DESIGN

WAYS TO KEEP THE GAME MOVING. CHARTS FOR FINDING BUSINESSES.
166 | SPECIAL COMBAT RULES 176 | ADVENTURES

TIPS FOR COMBAT SCENARIOS. SIX MINI-ADVENTURES READY TO GO.
168 | CORPORATE SECRETS 184 | NPCS, CRYPTIDS, RELICS

WHAT THEY DON’T KNOW MIGHT HURT. SAMPLE FRIENDS AND FOES.

Let’s start with a caveat – if you’re not the Director (aka the Game Master), you
shouldn’t be reading this chapter. This section offers tips, tricks, and secret informa-
tion that the players shouldn’t know unless and until the Director decides to impart
it. So if you’re a player, please note that reading ahead may spoil many of the surprises
your Director has in store for you. Okay, now that that’s out of the way, let’s move on.
As the Director, you’re in charge of setting up the scenarios for each game session,
keeping the action moving while trying to stay one step ahead of the players. It’s not
a job for everyone, but if you’re reading this chaper, it might be for you.
If you’re a novice Director who’s never managed a role-playing game before, I’m
proud that you’re considering Corporia as your first! I should point out, however, that
while I can teach you the rules and give you some suggestions on ways to run your
game, I can’t teach you everything you need to be a perfect Director within the limited
number of pages here. Role-playing games aren’t like most board or card games that
have an environment that limits player actions and has specific set of rules for every
situation. With an RPG, you have to stay on your toes, enticing the players with in-
triguing non-player characters, exciting adventures, and descriptive environments –
and you have to be able to react to the unexpected. Fortunately, there are lots of online
and print resources for both novice and experienced Directors. The list below shows
three that I recommend.
RECOMMENDING READING FOR DIRECTORS
ROBIN’S LAWS OF GOOD GAMEMASTERING..........BY ROBIN D. LAWS

GAMEMASTERING .....................................................BY BRIAN JAMISON
EUREKA: 501 PLOTS TO INSPIRE GAME MASTERS...
...............................BY THE AUTHORS OF THE GNOMESTEW.COM BLOG
PREPARING ADVENTURES
Corporia is designed to be an endless open environment (aka a ‘sandbox’ city) for you
to populate as you desire. In fact, the great thing about the Flux is its potential as a
limitless ‘plot generator’, like the Hellmouth in Buffy the Vampire Slayer, the Cardiff
Rift in Torchwood, or even the parallel universe singularities in Fringe.
Want to create a tribe of ‘orcs’ living in a tunnel beneath an underground mall? A
serial killer who steals his victims’ body fat? A demon summoning? All these and more
can be easily explained by the Flux mutations: the orcs can be mutants, the killer is
a vampire variant, and the demon might be a once-innocent citizen imbued with all
the powers of the succubus and suffering an unceasing hunger that forces her to per-
form acts she once would have thought unspeakable.
Of course, you don’t have to use the Flux all the time. There are plenty of corpo-
rations that can be used as ‘evil overlords’ and corrupt officials, whenever you want
to run a game that focuses more on spycraft and/or corporate intrigue, with no mon-
sters at all. Whether you want to run a long-term campaign or short ‘freak of the week’
sessions, Corporia (and the Flux) should be able to handle it. On the other hand, if
you want to run a campaign with an ongoing meta-plot, Corporia has that too...
APOCALYPSE SOON
The Great Disaster is coming. Nimue's visions foretell it, and M.E.R.L.I.N.'s calcula-
tions insist that it is more than a mere probability. According to their best predictions,
the City is the focal point of a magical incursion by the forces of Chaos. If they are not
stopped, the rest of the world will quickly plunge into a horrific Dark Age. It will be
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a planet in ruins, with a human race enslaved by creatures that can only be described
as demonic, aided by any traitorous 'casters who love their magics more than hu-
mankind. What few resistance fighters remain can trust no one and nothing, for even
objects may gain sentience. Taxis and buses power themselves by 'eating' their pas-
sengers, old buildings become living entities whose walls literally have ears (and eyes,
and tentancles, and other body parts), and modern skyscrapers decay into fragile
deathtraps or sprout strange growths and perches that provide homes for flying ter-
rors, with worse horrors still to come.
THE BIG BADS

In another dimension adjacent to our own dwell powerful entities that ruled the Earth
in ancient times. Yet, humankind’s population growth – combined with a mental evo-
lution favoring structure and order – resonated with the planet’s morphic field and
made it distasteful to these beings. Leaving to settle in a nearby dimension more fa-
vorable to their strange physiology, they put their memories of Earth behind them –
until the lingering magics that caused the knights’ return also breached their dimen-
sional barriers and drew their notice once again.
The Chaos energies expelled from their dimension are the so-called ‘Flux’ anom-
alies that mutate human beings and bring horrors from other realms, each unwit-
tingly increasing the spread of the Flux and generating fear and uncertainly in the
minds of The City’s inhabitants – thus ‘Chaosforming’ the planet’s energies to suit the
entities’ needs. Fortunately, each threat secretly eliminated not only slows the spread
of Chaos and fear in our dimension, but also reinforces Order, causing a rush of feed-
back against the entities and temporarily halting their efforts.
In our dimension, the main enemy of the Knightwatch is the reincarnated Morgan
le Fay. Thanks to her long experience with magic, she not only knows all about the
entities and what they intend for humankind, but she wants to help them succeed.
She believes that the entities will make her their immortal emissary, infused with
magics as no human has ever held before – and all she has to do is betray a hu-
mankind that she feels never cared for her anyway. Assisting her in these efforts if
the Church of Transcendence, naive believers who think that the manifestations of
the Flux are the touch of Gaea, intended to bring down the corporations and turn the
parking lots back into green fields of paradise. Corporations experimenting with magic
also unwittingly strengthen the Chaos energies much more than a single creature.
MANAGING THE METAPLOT

Among old-school role-players (those 'grognards' that have actually been in the hobby
since the birth of fantasy gaming, as well as the more recent 'newbs'), there’s a sense
of community that comes not just from playing the same game, but from playing the
same adventure scenarios. It’s actually a lot of fun to compare notes on how different
players from different groups handled the same challenges.
That's the inspiration behind what I call the 'diamond structure' of Corporia’s
metaplot. Imagine a traditional baseball diamond shape; the bottom tip of this dia-
mond (home plate) is the very first Corporia adventure you run, and the top corner
(second base) is the final battle to prevent the Great Disaster. The bits in-between,
where the diamond spreads out in the middle (the infield between first and third
base), are all the possible adventures, that the players can have in the meantime.
Depending on the extent of your imagination, you can create as many adventures
in the middle as you want, potentially playing for years without ever referencing the
final battle at all. On the other hand, it might be something you want to focus on
working towards. If so, Corporia provides specific adventure threads for you to scatter
among your own, providing a series of potential shared experiences – as well as a cli-
mactic endgame – for all Corporia players.
The metaplot adventures start on page XXX.
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THE HOLY G.R.A.I.L.

You can design your adventures however you prefer, but Corporia offers an alternative
‘micro-brew’ adventure format using an anacronym of the GRAIL system. Your struc-
ture should contain at least one each of five units: Goal, Recon, Assault, Infiltration,
and Liquidation. You may add multiples of these, and invent new units of your own,
but stick with these at a minimum. (And okay, sure, some of the terms are a bit of a
stretch, but a good acronym is hard to find...)
GOAL. The goal is the mission assignment. Depending on the expected difficulty
or length of the mission, this could come in the form of Percival or Nimue going to the
PCs, a ‘pop-up’ on each character’s virtual head-up display, a meeting in a briefing
room, or so on. However they receive the information, the PCs should know what their
goal is and roughly where they need to go to accomplish it.
Nimue’s psychic flashes, combined with M.E.R.L.I.N.’s talent for accessing the
surveillance cameras throughout The City, means that the Knightwatch should al-
ways have at least a fairly good idea of where the action is.
RECON. When a Knightwatch team arrives at a scene, they should have an option
to perform some reconnaissance. This essentially amounts to giving them a chance to
get a feel for the scene, giving them a limited map download on their HUDs, or (prefer-
ably) physically scouting as much of the area as possible. They may even find their
goal here, when it suddenly disappears or becomes something else. For instance, they
might search a hotel lobby to find a corpse that, when touched, unexpectedly emits a
geist manifestation that flies through the ceiling to cause havoc on the upper floors.
ASSAULT (OPTION). Your adventure should give the PCs at least two methods of
achieving their goal – either through direct assault or by infiltration. This may be as
simple as hurtling up to scene in an armored SUV, screeching the brakes to a halt,
and jumping out in order to rush the enemy compound, guns blazing. Whatever the
choice, they should be able to resolve the adventure with a certain amount of fire-
power. Of course, the assault option is also usually more dangerous and life-threat-
ening than the indirect approach, but it should at least be an option.
INFILTRATION (OPTION). Ideally, there should always be a way for the players to re-
solve a situation without significant physical violence or firepower. Sure, a little gun-
play is good for the soul, and there’s no reason you can’t have a little herein, but this
option should primarily offer serious role-playing alternatives, using character skills
and the players’ own inventiveness. Instead of attacking the target’s lair as they might
with the assault option, the players might instead offer (or pretend to have) something
their target wants, and spread messages out through the underworld that gets them
invited into the home of their foe, or actually tempts him out into the open.
LIQUIDATION. Eventually, assuming they don’t die in the attempt, the team should
reach their goal. As a secret strike force, this last step usually involves liquidating a
target (i.e., killing it). However, this shouldn’t always be as simplistic as it sounds.
A hostage situation, for instance, is fairly straightforward (liquidate the bad guy,
and rescue the hostages) and can be ‘easily’ handled by normal humans without the
benefit of Flux-based powers. However, what if the hostage taker is the warped spirit
(‘geist’) of a young girl who’s possessing her father, and holding the rest of her family
as hostages until someone meets her demand of either bringing her back to life or
sending the rest of her family to join her? There are any number of decisions the play-
ers can make – and none of them are going to be easy. These are the worst types of
jobs, and the ones reserved for the Knightwatch.
The more willing you are to take your adventures to horrible places, the more
memorable they’ll be. Just be sure you’re got players who can handle the hard moral
choices, and mix it up every now and then. Give them a straightforward combat, es-
pionage, or even slightly comical adventure, before forcing them to confront not only
eldritch horrors, but also the potential darkness of the human soul.
And speaking of mixing it up, I’d suggest that (every few adventures) a rival PSC
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arrives on the scene, either before or after the target has been liquidated. This gives
the team an extra obstacle to overcome in that particular adventure, forcing them to
make a quick exit, bluff their way out, or engage in another bout of gunplay (with po-
tentially serious consequences if word of the battle reaches beyond the scene).
BRIDGING THE GAPS. In cinema, directors often use 'bridging shots' to cover a char-
acter's transition from one time and place to another. For instance, a character inside
a house might draw his pistol and proclaim that he's going to another country, at
which point the scene immediately cuts to a ground-level view looking up at a noisy
jumbo jet flying overhead, then pans down to show that same character striding to-
wards the camera through a filthy alley, with his gun drawn. Personally, I've always
been fond of this particular trick, since the jump cut to the plane makes the audience
think that the character is on this plane, until the pan down to reveal that, surprise,
the character's already at his destination. This technique alleviates the obvious prob-
lem of wasting hours of film on a character packing his bags, getting through customs,
watching a movie, ordering peanuts, getting off the plane, getting a taxi, and so forth.
As the Director, you can use this technique to your advantage. When the players
decide where they want their characters to go, you don't have to spend time question-
ing how they get from place to place, and whether they have a vehicle, or enough
money for the subway, or whatever. Just transition immediately to the next location.
If the players have already decided on their next course of action, but still want
to discuss the finer details, you might consider using another tried-and-true cinematic
technique known as the michiyuki or, more commonly, the 'walk and talk.' Have the
characters proceed on their way, while still conferring about the details of their plan.
Once they reach a decision, or when you feel that the conversation is flagging or sim-
ply running around in circles, you can simply announce that the characters have
reached their destination. This lets the players feel like their characters are still mak-
ing progress even though the action has essentially stalled.
A 'walk and talk' transition can also be a good time to throw in a minor conflict,
distraction, or another plot thread. If the players are in a car, this could be a minor
'fender bender' with a character who's tangentially related to the plot, or who might
be at a later date. In a subway, it could be a rowdy character, or someone who obvi-
ously looks very uncomfortable with the PCs' presence. The same could apply on the
street, and don't forget that the Flux can strike anywhere. An innocent passerby may
suddenly mutate into a monster, a passing succubus might take a fancy to a PC, or a
geist might manifest itself out of a nearby computer screen and start growing larger
as it draws more power from the grid.
BEHIND THE SCENES

Let me take some space here to discuss a few suggestions for how to manage the game,
and reveal a few tricks that I enjoy using. As always, don’t feel like you have to follow
any or all of these; take what you like and leave the rest.
GAME BALANCE. As the PCs increase in power, so too should their opponents and
the Target Numbers they need to reach. If you find that the players are starting to
overly dominate battles and social conflicts, you can add more opponents, use the
cryptid assets (see page XXX) to make variant monsters, or even let the dice do your
work for you. Instead of rolling 2d6 and keeping only the highest result, for instance,
secretly roll and keep both. You might not want to do this with every action; try it
every two or three rounds until you get a feel for it.
SAYING YES (AND NO). Just as in improvisational theater, it’s important to know
when to say ‘yes’ and when to say ‘no.’ Saying ‘no’ to a player’s idea not only blocks
their creativity, but also keeps the story from moving forward. Of course, you can’t
say ‘yes’ to everything. Generally, however, you can allow the players to attempt just
about anything – provided that you remember to set the TN at an appropriate level.
Nearly-impossible tasks should have a nearly-impossible Target Number.
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PRICING NEW ITEMS. The costs of most commonly used equipment are already pro-
vided in Chapter 4: Expenses. If you want to know the specific price of an item that’s
not listed there, a quick internet search should give you a sample cost for an item’s
dollar value in today’s currency. For a value in The City, multiply that figure by any-
where from [x 1.5] to [x 1.75], using [x 1.625] as the average.
For example, if we assume a dozen eggs is $3 now, it will cost your Corporia char-
acter anywhere from $4.50 to $5.25, with $4.88 being the average. A helicopter that
costs $300,000, with an hourly operating cost of $150, will cost between $450,000 and
$525,000, with $487,500 as the average. The hourly operating cost would be $243.75,
or anywhere between $225 and $262.50.
This doesn’t have to be a requirement, though. Don’t pause the game to make your
calculations; just set prices at what you feel the item is worth. If it’s too high, then
maybe the seller simply has high prices. If it’s too low, then maybe they’re having a
sale or, worse, the item has been recalled because of a structural defect.
USING REPP. If the players read about REPP on page XXX, they may want to sign
their characters up. After all, it’s a ‘can’t lose’ proposition, right? Well, no.
A character who’s constantly REPPing his location is not only allowing himself
(and whoever’s with him) to be tracked by a corporation of unknown allegiances, but
may also be compromising the security of the Knightwatch, while also setting himself
up for any number of plot hooks. Whether these hooks are good or bad depends on
you, of course. The character might receive a new suit containing hidden nano-cam-
eras, receive an invitation “for himself and up to four friends” that is completely legit
but has enemies lurking to ambush them en route, and so forth.
Whenever a character REPPs something, secretly roll 1d4 and tell the player that
his REPP score has increased by that amount. If the player forgets about REPP and
isn’t using it at least once every session, roll a d10 and tell him (at the start of the
next session) that his REPP score has dropped by that amount. If he still doesn’t use
REPP any time during that session, you might want to roll another d10 at the end of

the session and tell him his REPP dropped again. If the player says he’s not going to
REPP any more (maybe because he doesn’t trust your nefarious ways), don’t bug him
about it, feel free to let it go. Of course, nothing says that you can’t have some NPC
later take the character’s defunct username and start REPPing his own information –
for which the PC is assumed to be responsible...
THE RETRO MOVEMENT (AND THE LIMITATIONS OF TECH FORESIGHT). One of the major
problems with cyberpunk and similar near-future fiction is that real-world technology
may develop in ways completely unexpected by the writer, eventually making the tech
seem quaint instead of futuristic. It’s also difficult for a single book to cover every as-
pect of future tech, and much of it must be left to the imagination of the Director. For-
tunately, Corporia has the Flux.
As mentioned earlier (see page XXX), the Flux has unpredictable effects on elec-
tromagnetic radiation and wireless technology. Thus came a re-emerging of new hand-
held technology based on older designs (e.g., handheld screens and memory sticks, in
addition to the digital head-up displays and data clouds) as well as a trend in “vin-
tage” 2010 to 2020-era clothing. This provides you with some leeway on what future
technology will be like. You can base your ideas on what you see around you and what’s
in the news, as well as what you see in other fictions, and extrapolate however you
want. Whatever happens, the Flux means that retro tech will always be around.
If you’d like to give players the ability to immediately download building layout
images through their EyePads, or be able to dial the home office for a special air-drop,
go for it. If you want to limit it, well, there’s always the Flux.
SPECIAL COMBAT RULES

Here are a few rules I think you’ll find useful, particularly when combat scenarios
come up in play.
DAMAGE. You’ll see that many of the NPCs and cryptids (starting on page 186) sim-
ply have 2d6 listed for ranged and other weapon damage, rather than listing a specific
weapon. This makes it much easier for you to determine those damage results when
running mass combats with multiple PCs, NPCs, and cryptids – and you can always
add penalties or bonus modifiers as needed.
MOOKS. NPCs with no Flux-powered abilities must make a successful check to re-
main on their feet when they suffer a number of wounds equal to MTL. (Player char-
acters check on [MTL x 2] instead.)
SECURITY FORCES. In general, you can utilize rival PSCs just as you would handle
law enforcement jurisdiction in other modern RPGs, with some obvious changes due
to privitization. Officers may only make arrests within their contract zone (such as a
home, business, gated enclave, neighborhood, or district), except for crimes that they
personally witnessed or at the conclusion of a 'hot pursuit.'
To pursue investigations into other areas, or to follow up on crimes that occurred
to a customer or his property outside these zones, they rely on intercorporate agree-
ments. However, this need not be a unbreakable rule. Some district statutes may, for
instance, allow a guard to leave his retail store post and make an arrest within a cer-
tain number of blocks. Use what best fits your game, allowing new contracts to begin
and old ones to expire as needed.
To determine PSC response time in public areas, assume 2d10 minutes and 1d6
officers. In private buildings or other small areas, assume 2d4 minutes and 1d4 offi-
cers. Of course, you may want to increase or decrease the response time and number
of officers depending on the situation.
As for tactics, note that the laws and safeguards that once dampened police abuse
no longer apply in the private security sector. PSC officers do not need an individual's
permission to conduct a search (unless that individual is a paying customer), nor are
they as restricted in use of force, detainment, or evidence gathering.
Rival security companies are not necessarily always hostile to each other – though
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certain individuals may be-and conflicts never (well, almost never) erupt into blazing
gun battles over territory. Note that PSC officers have no authority while off-duty,
though PMCs do.
Handling A.U.T.A.C.s. To determine the total number of PSC AUTACs (see page
XXX) and stationary cameras in any public area within eyesight of the PCs, roll 1d4.
In private buildings, you can generally assume at least one camera in the lobby, each
hallway, and any single room where a camera might be useful (a boardroom, senior
executive's office, or computer server room, but not a janitorial or junior executive's
office). Characters with the Hack asset really make their presence worthwhile here,
as they may be able to breach the AUTAC’s firewall and control it. When encountered,
an AUTAC’s PSC-proprietary battery usually has d100 minutes of flight time remain-
ing, after which it must be recharged at the PSC station.
STIMPACKS. These adrenaline boosts provide a great way to get a wounded PC back
in the action. Unfortunately, they also happen to be addictive. There are two ways
you can run this: secretly or with full player knowledge.
The secret method involves waiting for the next non-combat scenario (such as a
conversation with an NPC, or during travel time) and then having the player attempt
a [MTL + STR] check against TN 9 (or higher, if needed). On a failed check, the char-
acter suffers a –1 penalty on all further checks until the next time he enters combat
(or faces a stressful situation, such as having to make a Valor check), at which point
the modifier immediately disappears. Wait until the next session (unless you’re really
running a marathon game) and then require another [MTL + STR] check, as above.
Unless the character visits a doctor, the player should have no idea what’s happening.
In fact, depending on how you handle it, he may even start to believe that it’s some
sort of Flux effect caused by a particular time, place, or NPC.
I prefer the secret method, but if you want to run this addiction with full player
knowledge, I’d suggest using the ‘secret method’ at least once. After that, you could take
the player aside and tell him that his PC is becoming moody and listless when not in
combat, which is the only time he really feels alive. Unless his character goes to see a
doctor, then the player must automatically accept any Flux Points you offer (even just
1) to lure him into combat. This represents the character’s need for a ‘fix’ of being rou-
tinely put into high-risk and stressful situations.
If you think this player can handle the role-playing, it’s a great opportunity to really
inject some unexpected twists into your adventures (at least for the other players; you
now have a pretty good idea of what’s going to happen...).
WILDFLUX. The Flux may not always be relied upon. In some areas, it radiates
strong nature magic, while in others it supports more orderly and artificial patterns.
In still other locations, it does not function at all. Exactly where this occurs, and in
what strength, is up to you. In general, however, a few guidelines apply.
In areas where the ‘nature’ energies of the Flux are strongest, Witchers receive a
bonus to all magic use (usually +1 or +2), while Sorcerers suffer the same modifiers
as a penalty. Likewise, Sorcerers get a +1 or +2 bonus (and Witchers suffer that
penalty) in areas where the Flux has a fractal dimension greater than its topological
dimension. (Don’t ask; it’s not worth it.)
In null zones, of course, the Flux simply cannot be manipulated by outside forces.
It may still exist in minute quantities, so a geist won’t float inside a null zone and
disappear, but its powers cannot be harnessed. In such areas, you may simply tell
casters that their spells aren’t working, or be nice and let them roll 1d6 (instead of
the standard 2d6 high). Use whatever fits your adventure best.
You can also extend this to cover all player characters, not just casters. The
stronger (or weaker) the Flux is, the greater (or smaller) is the modifier. A maximum
of +/-6 should apply, unless you decide that this Flux zone cancels out their abilities
altogether (so they roll 1d6, instead of the usual 2d6 and keep the highest).
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CORPORATE SECRETS
A corporation just wouldn’t be a corporation without some secrets, right?
ATOYO. Their Speedy Security division (headquartered in Fairfax) provides moni-
tored burglar, fire, and video surveillance systems at a reasonable price. The PCs may
need to deal with Speedy Security systems and officers in low-security areas, such as
homes, apartments, parking garages, malls, and storage facilities. Speedy Security
rarely handles high-security jobs, and its officers are often jealous of the OmniCorp
and Global Republic PSCs. (Clever players may even pit them against each other.)
BIOCOM. Though a model of efficiency and enviromentalism, this multi-billion dol-
lar biotech corp is also ruthless in tracking down former patients who've defaulted on
their payments. Should the patient refuse to contract himself to Biocom as a drone,
the corp may hire a headhunter to bloodily 'repossess' any reusable augments or or-
gans – which is quite legal under the terms of the patient's signed care contract. PCs
often interact with Biocom when visiting clinics or hospitals, so be sure they pay the
fee! Biocom also has more than a few secret laboratories, often working in conjunction
with Nanosoft for greater augments, and with Globex to create bioweapons.
Biocom can provide challenges in the form of: assisting patients being headhunted,
locating bioweapons, and so forth. The Horde virus (see page xxx) was developed by
a Biocom employee, for instance. If you're seeking some media inspiration, think of
the Umbrella Corporation from the Resident Evil series of video games and films.
GLOBEX POWER. This megacorporation is the epitome of the evil corporate stereo-
type. Its CEO and directors often ignore workers' remaining civil rights, own the sec-
ond-largest private military and security companies (after OmniCorp), hold the reins
of most energy powering The City, and are even attempting to harness the power of
the Flux for weaponization and power generation. If you need a villain for any plot,
especially one that involves monstrous or magical experiments gone wrong and loosed
upon the city, Globex will probably work well.
LIONHEAD. The PCs may only deal with Lionhead when they need a new EyePhone
or some other piece of hip technology, though they could drop by a 'Brainchild Bar' at
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any Loop retail store for hands-on diagnosis and troubleshooting of some 'found' equip-
ment. However, some radicals and competitors of Lionhead, its Loop subsidiary, and
the EyePhone argue that the "Loopies" (sympathizers and fans) are so devoted to the
company brands that they are actually cult-like. Maybe there really is a secret cult
out there somewhere? And what about those new sex robots and 3DTVs – can you
imagine what would happen if the Flux affected them too? Tracking down the speci-
fications, or even the Lionhead designer, might be useful here.
MINECORE. Most of this megacorp's bad reputation involves the poor working con-
ditions in mines, wells, and facilities in other countries far beyond The City. Still, you
never know what strangeness their workers might uncover deep beneath the surface –
or leagues under the ocean – and then ship to the corporate laboratories.
NANOSOFT. If it involves holograms, VIs, or mutated augments, the odds are good
that some of it came from Nanosoft. The PCs might try to breach this megacorp for
helpful data, or find a sympathetic programmer with some helpful suggestions. If a
player wants to design a new augment, maybe he can find some help at Nanosoft.
OMNICORP. If it involves weapons or security, it probably involves Omnicorp. This
megacorp can provide the PCs with challenges involving: espionage, magical weapons
trafficking, and any plot where the PCs are the vigilantes and Omnicorp the police.
SI-LING. The megacorp's major divisions are run by: Sam Feng Huang (the phoenix;
electronic systems), Martin Gui Xian (the tortoise; finance & equity), Gus Long (the
dragon; real estate), and Qi Lin (the unicorn; hospitality). The nicknames were given
to them by their Chinese workers, and eventually adopted throughout much of the
corporate culture – though never to the director's face.
Each director has his or her own interests, and all are ruthless in their dealings,
but only Qi Lin puts her own personal lust for power over corporate profits. Her divi-
sion includes an association of criminal gangs whose enterprises include protection
racketeering and illegal slave trade (yes, actually lower than the endentured ‘drones’).
Each gang claims sovereignty over at least one neighborhood. Si-Ling gangbangers
and their bosses can provide the PCs with challenges in the form of: stopping assas-
sins, surviving street fights with kung fu warriors, and any plot ripped from your fa-
vorite fictions about triads, tongs, slave trades, and Chinatown.
If you want to go further and have the bosses and/or their henchmen affected by
the Flux, you might consider high MTL for the forces of the phoenix, great WIT for
the tortoise, powerful STR for the dragon, and high DFT for the unicorn – not to men-
tion extra special powers.
SYLEX. Though this megacorp has nowhere near the resources of Globex, they are
also researching The Flux in an attempt to find ways to harness it for power genera-
tion. Unfortunately, their procedures and equipment are not as state-of-the-art, lead-
ing to a greater number of incidents that require the Knightwatch.
UNITED SUPERPOSTAL. Despite being cheaper and more reliable than independent
runners, UPEX executives are frustrated by their existence, seeing these freelancers
as proof that other corporations and persons believe UPEX to be untrustworthy. In
fact, this is quite true. Thanks to their low pay and heavy use of endentured workers,
UPEX is riddled with corruption. An appropriate bribe is often all it takes to cause a
particular piece of insured mail to disappear in transit.
VALYANT. As noted in Lancelot's description (see page XXX), he is willing to put
aside his modern scruples in favor of his code and the survival of man's order over
magic's chaos. Thus, the applied sciences of Valyant laboratories are barely more hu-
mane than the dissections and brutal tests at Globex Power. If the PCs ever become
aware of Lancelot's cold inhumanity to the captured test subjects, and cannot be con-
vinced of what he feels is the rightness of his cause, he may banish the PCs from his
service, forcing them to make their way in the world as best they can. Should they
continue to interfere in his plans, they may find themselves on the run from a power-
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ful enemy who will never back down as long as he believes his cause is just.
WILDFIRE. If the PCs go shopping, they may find themselves in Wildfire stores,
where many items are discounted and more likely to crash unexpectedly (see page
XXX). However, if want to provide your players with greater moral challenges, con-
sider utilizing Wildfire employees who subscribe to Watchman security and need the
PCs' assistance. Though few Wildfire employees take advantage of the corporation's
free church membership (with reduced tithing requirements) and counseling, the
faithful can certainly twist the adventure in unexpected ways. For example, you might
have the Knightwatch return a runaway Neurotik daughter to her Wildfire-employed
parents – who then immediately hand her over to church 'conversion therapists' whose
aversive techniques lead to her becoming a brain-damaged killer that the Knight-
watch must later eliminate.
Going a step further, Wildfire can easily provide a 'mirror image' of the Knight-
watch to throw into the mix (just like OmniCorp in the adventure on page XXX). The
Wildfire board of directors unanimously rejects any ideas of the Flux being beneficial,
and would be the perfect sponsors for a corporate strike team of 'Witchfinders,' gath-
ered to eliminate what they call 'mutants' (cryptids and outwardly normal persons –
like the PCs – who are touched by the Flux). Where the PCs use beneficial Flux powers
to battle the Flux's most chaotic aspects, the Witchfinders could be elite human sol-
diers who firmly believe that the only good mutant is a dead mutant. Worse, the
Witchfinders might be converted Flux victims – now religious zealots who accept their
fate as 'second-class employees' or 'less than drones' and hunt others of their kind.
NPC AND CRYPTID DESIGN

If the players take an unexpected action, you’ll probably find yourself inventing NPCs
and cryptids on the spot, and you can’t pause the game to write up their statistics.
Ideally, you should design cryptids in advance, since they often have powers a
‘normal’ NPC won’t. In a pinch, use an existing cryptid and modify it with the cryptid
assets.The accompanying table shows various types of cryptids with relative levels.
For Flux-powered NPCs, you might easily just give them a ‘2’ or ‘3’ in their most
notable core value and skill, a ‘2’ in skills they’re likely to have and in all other core
values (except MGK, which should be ‘0’ for most), and a ‘1’ in everything else.
Unpowered NPCs (mooks) are mostly ‘1s’ in abilities, with an occasional ‘2’ or ‘3’
in their specialities.
In combat, if you
haven’t yet assigned
specific core values or a
skill set to an NPC, you Threat Cryptid Core Skill Bonus
could just choose a Level Threat Values Sets Assets
static defense TN based
on your NPC concept. PC Deviation 14 20 -
For a weak, whiny
boss, a TN 5 (Easy) or 1 Aberration 16 23 1
even a TN 3 (Simple)
could work. On the 2 Incident 18 26 2
other hand, the boss 3 Serious 20 29 3
might practice martial
arts in his off-hours and 4 Local 22 32 4
so a TN 9 (Difficult)
would be appropriate. 5 Widespread 24 35 5
Unless it’s some-
thing you really enjoy, 6 Severe 26 38 6
don’t bother trying to
invent some special for- 7 Major 28 41 7
170

QUICK REFERENCE:
NON-PLAYER CHARACTERS & MOODS (D100)
Roll Sex Roll Person

01-60 Male 01-10 Visitor
61-100 Female 11-15 Freelancer
16-48 Drone/Endentured
Roll Age 49-68 Zero
01-14 Child 69-90 Suit
15-85 Working Age 91-100 Suit (Executive)
86-100 Senior Citizen
Roll Mood Roll Mood

01-03 Aggravated 54-55 Happy
04 Angry 56-57 Impressed
05-08 Apathetic 58-61 Indifferent
09-11 Bitchy 62 Irritated
12-16 Bored 63-64 Lazy
17-19 Calm 65 Mischievious
20-21 Cheerful 66-67 Morose
22-23 Cold 68-69 Pleased
24-26 Curious 70 Predatory
26-30 Cynical 71-72 Relaxed
31-33 Depressed 73-76 Rushed
34-35 Disappointed 77-78 Sad
36-38 Discontented 79-80 Sick
39-40 Energetic 81-85 Stressed
41-43 Flirty 86-90 Suspicious
44-48 Frustrated 91-92 Sympathetic
49-50 Gloomy 93-96 Talkative
51-52 Grumpy 97-98 Tired
53 Guilty 99-100 Worried

mula that perfectly balances all the rules. You should focus more on the aspects that
the players will really remember, like a striking personality and a defined appearance.
Of course, consistency is also important here. If you describe a character as an attrac-
tive redhead, don’t be surprised when you casually mention an attractive blonde
watching them from a crowd of bystanders, and the players don’t pick up on your sub-
tle clues.
Personally, I’ve always used a variety of actors (or their characters from books,
film, and television) to ‘play’ most of my prominent NPCs. I never forget what they
look like, and I have a basic understanding of how they speak and how they’re going
to react in certain circumstances.
For example, I once ran a Wild West game with a frontier detective NPC whose
surname was “Verner.” I knew that, in the original Sherlock Holmes stories, Verner
was a relation of Holmes, so I envisioned my NPC as resembling Sherlock Holmes
actor Basil Rathbone, I could always describe him easily and have an idea of how he’d
react. Of course, he didn’t wear a deerstalker hat or have a companion named Watson,
or even say “Elementary” all the time; it doesn’t pay to be obvious.
CITY DESIGN
If you’re a seasoned traveler, or perhaps just a hardcore fan of manga and anime, you
may notice that the structure of The City is based roughly on Tokyo, though the points
of the compass and the districts are different. Of course, The City can be any city, any-
where. If you want to place it inland, just call the bay a vast man-made lake!
For buildings, I feel like the skyscrapers of Hong Kong fit well into my personal
vision of The City’s architecture, so that’s what you’ll see in most of the art throughout
the book. Again, use what you want, and leave out what you don’t – it’s your city now!
To let you get even more detailed, this section includes several d100 charts you
can use to design your own district, city block, and even skyscrapers – from one-room
offices to multi-floor super-giants – complete with types of businesses. These can be
useful if the players decide to explore or locate a particular business.
Of course, these tables can’t possibly apply perfectly in every building and in every
district; they actually work best in City Central and in nearby Fairfax, Shinjuku,
Surya, and Towers. Modify elsewhere as desired.
Roll Type of Business Roll Type of Business

01-03 Automotive 45-50 Legal & Financial Services
04-12 Business Services 51-60 Lodging
13 Community Governance 61-68 Personal Care & Services
14-15 Education & Schools 69 Pets
16-23 Entertainment 70-71 Real Estate
24-33 Food & Restaurants 72-86 Shopping
34-39 Health & Medicine 87-91 Sports & Recreation
40-44 Home & Business 92-100 Transportation
Roll Automotive Roll Automotive

01-23 Buying 36-86 Repair/Service
24-35 Leasing/Renting 87-100 Supplies
172

Roll Business Services Roll Business Services

01-14 Advertising 68-69 Mailing/Shipping
15-16 Communications (phone) 70-73 Management/Consulting
17-22 Computer Equipment 74 Manufacturing
23-24 Delivery (Runners/Drivers) 75-78 Marketing
25-27 E-Commerce/Web 79-80 Office Supplies
28-37 Employment 81-85 Photo and Video
38-50 Engineering/Architecture 86-87 Public Relations
50-57 Graphic Design 88-89 Recycling/Waste
58-66 Headhunting 90-99 Travel Agency
67 Investigation 100 Wholesaler
Roll Community Governance Roll Community Governance

01-15 Boards, Councils, etc. 34-94 Corporate Government
16-27 Church/Religious 97-98 Veterans/Military
28-33 Counseling 99-100 Youth
Roll Education & Schools Roll Education & Schools

01-09 Arts/Music 61-72 High School
10-21 Business/Vocational 73-85 Martial Arts
22-45 College/University 86-90 Preschool/Kindergarten
46-52 Driving 91-99 Private (K-12)
53-60 Elementary 100 Seminary
Roll Entertainment Roll Entertainment

01-10 Art Gallery/Dealer 66-72 Museum
11-48 Bar 73-88 Nightclub
50-51 Library 89-90 Street Party
52-60 Live Theater 91-94 TV Studio Taping
61-65 Movie Theater 95-100 Tours
Roll Food & Restaurants Roll Food & Restaurants

01-02 Bagel/Doughnut Shop 51-54 Gourmet/Speciality
03-10 Bakery 55-59 Grocery
11-13 Coffee/Tea 60-63 Ice Cream
14-20 Convenience Store 64-72 Pizza
21-32 Ethnic 73-100 Restaurant, other
33-50 Fast Food
173

Roll Health & Medicine Roll Health & Medicine

01-02 Alternative 81 Clinic/Hospital (level 5)
03-08 Chiropractic 82-85 Health Food/Nutrition Store
09-31 Clinic/Pharmacy (level 1) 86 Home Health Service
32-66 Clinic (level 2) 87 Nursing Facility
67-77 Clinic (level 3) 89-94 Physical Therapy
78-80 Clnic/Hospital (level 4) 95-100 Psychologist
Roll Home & Business Roll Home & Business

01-03 Alternative Energy 60-62 Personal Security Installation
04 Cleaning/Restoration 63-68 Pest Control
05-29 Climate Control 69-84 Plumber
30-37 Electrician 85 Pool
38-45 Furniture 86 Rental Equipment
46-53 Interior Decorating/Remodeling 87-92 Security System Monitoring
54 Landscaping 93-99 Security Guard/Patrol
55-59 Moving 100 Storage Facility
Roll Legal & Financial Services Roll Legal & Financial Services
01-08 Accountant 73-82 Financial Services
09-17 ATM 83-94 Insurance
18-57 Attorney 95 Savings & Loan
58-72 Bank 96-100 Tax Return Preparation
Roll Lodging Roll Lodging

01-20 Apartment 56-60 Gated Community
21-24 Bed & Breakfast/Inn 61-99 Hotel
25-42 Capsule Hotel 100 Vacation Rental/Timeshare
43-55 Condo/Townhouse
Roll Personal Care & Services Roll Personal Care & Services
01-02 Adult Entertainment 76-77 Funeral Services
03 Assisted Living 78-79 Jewelry Repair
04-11 Barber Shop 80 Life Skills
12-44 Beauty Salon 81-87 Nail Salon
45-47 Bridal Shop 88-89 Photographer
48-55 Child Care 90 Shoe Repair
56-58 Dating/Singles 91-92 Spa
174

59-67 Dry Cleaning/Laundry 93-95 Tailor

68-69 Event Planning 96-100 Tanning
70-75 Florist
Roll Pets Roll Pets

01-13 Boarding 46-49 Humane Society
14-26 Clinics/Hospitals 50-72 Shops
27-45 Grooming 73-100 Supplies
Roll Real Estate Roll Real Estate

01 Appraiser 24 Inspection
02-04 Builder/Contractor 25 Insurance
05-10 Commercial 26-54 Mortgage Broker
11-23 Development/Management 55-100 Sales
Roll Shopping Roll Shopping

01-04 Antiques 43 Hobby/Toy
05-06 Bicycles 44-60 Jewelry
07-08 Child/Infantwear 61-65 Mall
09-15 Cosmetics/Perfumes 66-67 Mattresses
16-21 Department/Variety Store 68-71 Men’s Clothing
22-27 Electronics 72-73 Music & Instruments
28-30 EyePhone Kiosk 74-80 Shoes
31-32 Factory Outlet 81-86 Sporting Goods
33-37 Furniture 87-100 Women’s Clothing
38-42 Gift Shop
Roll Sports & Recreation Roll Sports & Recreation

01-06 Boating 29-73 Health Club
07-09 Bowling 74-88 Park
10-14 Dojo 89-98 Recreation Center
15-19 Golf Course 99-100 Stadium/Arena
20-28 Gymnasium
Roll Transportation Roll Transportation

01 Airport 32-34 Limousine
02-21 Bus Line 35-79 Taxicab
22-31 Car Sharing (members only) 80-100 Train
175

ADVENTURES
Drop these in amongst your own adventures if you want to take the PCs to the
endgame. Details on adventure structure are provided starting on page XXX.
1) THE LADY IN THE LAKE

A corpse reported to Watchman HQ may have ties
to the Knightwatch. The starting GOAL for this ad-
venture is simple; the Knights are dispatched to
solve the killing, track down the perpetrator, and
learn if (and how) the killer knows the secrets of
the Knightwatch. Note: This adventure is written
as occurring during morning 'rush hour'.
RECONNAISSANCE at the crime scene in Lake Park
reveals that an unclothed woman's corpse was
found floating face-down in the lake, only a few feet
offshore. The words "Arthur Rex" (roughly, "King
Arthur" in Latin) are carved into her stomach.
When the PCs arrive, crime tape surrounds
the scene and at least a half-dozen Watchman
criminalistics and coronor are investigating the
site. If you think the players will want to play out
a crime scene investigation, you should have al-
ready researched "crime scene procedure checklist"
on the internet – allow the players to interact with the investigators and onlookers,
using their abilities as desired.
The following information can be learned on site:
- The corpse is female, natural brunette, 5 1/2 feet tall, tanned, somewhat attrac-
tive, with poor teeth. Initial cause of death appears to be strangulation. The carving
occurred post-mortem, with a sharp blade. Death likely occurred about midnight. The
PCs will be contacted when the autopsy is complete.
- You can reveal to any reincarnates that the face is familiar, but they can't recall why.
- A successful observation-related check reveals an onlooker (Cristina Meza, a 30-
year-old junior executive) trying to get the PCs' attention. She says the face looks like
Gwen Wright, her coworker in the Human Resources department at Mega Solutions
Group. She doesn't know where Gwen lives or any significant personal info. If no PC
observes her, a Watchman officer brings Cristina over to the PCs.
- To add combat, introduce a suspicious-looking radical or gang of teenage wasters
who flee to a more-secluded area, then turn and fight. If captured, one recounts that
he saw "an average guy" hanging around the area last night. Other than his general
appearance (tall, well-dressed, well-groomed dark hair), they have no information.
FURTHER RECONNAISSANCE might take the PCs to Gwen's apartment or to Mega So-
lutions, where Gwen can be found working. She is obviously not the victim, but there
is a strong resemblance. Gwen possesses a confident and believable personality, and
says she's never had a sister. If questioned, she mentions having noticed the same
man on the train more than once on her way to work. She even took a photo of him
with her EyePhone.
The PCs may use Valyant resources to determine who the person in the photo is. In
fact, Gwen already used her contacts to research him, so she knows exactly who he is
and where he lives/works, but nothing yet about why he would be following her. She
can give this info to the PCs, or withhold it temporarily to determine their competence.
Note: Use the slightest mention of Arthurian mythology, the touch of a Knight-
Errant, or other action to cause an epileptic faint. Within a minute, Gwen regains
176

consciousness to inform the Knightwatch that she was once Queen Guinevere. She
insists on accompanying them on their mission, but may be persuaded to go elsewhere
(such as Valyant HQ) if convinced that the answers to her questions lie therein.
MegaSolutions uses OmniCorp security, and the VI receptionist responds to any
apparent threat by silently summoning building security (1 guard per PC).
Going to Gwen's apartment (protected with a standard OmniCorp security door
and alarms; TN 13 to hack) finds nothing except a conspicuous absence of any photo-
graphs, valuables, or personal information. This is a [WIT + Instinct] check (TN 9); a
raise finds a stash of weapons, a blur suit, and dark clothing. Yes, Gwen Wright was
secretly a Headhunter.
The PCs should eventually receive a Knightwatch link on their EyePhones (if any)
to coroner reports that reveal that the corpse shows no signs of ever having dental or
medical work. Her fingerprints and other biometric data match no one on record.
There is no further information to be gained, though questioning the awakened Gwen
about it reveals that, in her former life as Queen, she had a twin (Gwenhwyfach).
Gwen's stalker is Simon Gregory, a wealthy Suit who lives in a gated community
guarded by any number of security devices and guards. Sneaking in serves as INFIL -
TRATION, but a frontal ASSAULT can take out the gate and few guards fairly quickly;
dozens of reinforcements will arrive in short order, though it may take them some
time to locate the PCs, depending on the trail of destruction.
In the LIQUIDATION portion, Simon is relaxing in his furnished basement, having
one-sided conversations with a half-dozen severed heads in jars-his previous victims.
This serial killer is also Sir Gethen of the Table of Less-Valued Knights, a bitter,
twisted man with a secret hatred of King Arthur. If questioned about the murder, he
boasts that he saw 'that bitch-queen' walking out of the lake with 'her little blade'
and decided to leave Arthur 'a present.' He may even hold up an antique sword and
twirl it as he rants.
When confronting Simon, all PC EyePhones receive three pop-up texts or videos
from Nimue, Perceval, and M.E.R.L.I.N. Nimue insists he be destroyed, Perceval
wants the PCs to subdue him, and M.E.R.L.I.N. reiterates that whichever option the
PCs choose, the Knightwatch itself must be protected. Simon knows nothing of the
Knightwatch or other Knights, and is barely sane. If he sees Gwen, he attacks. If
slain, he uses his dying breath to say "It's coming. They're coming for you. I wish I
could be here to see it." If the PCs manage to subdue him, he only rants about how
“they are coming! they will swallow you like an insect! The Great Chaos!” and so on.
Once defeated, reveal that Simon had a wife and son locked away. The PCs must
decide whether to let them live with their knowledge, recruit, kill, or wipe them. If
Gwen survives, she and Lance have a happy reunion.
SIMON
INIT +5; ATK +6 unarmed [3 STR], +7 melee, +8+1 Clarent [2d8+3+1], +4 ranged, +3
pistol [2d6 pistol]; DEF +6 (6-2 armor); DR 5/2/1 (lt armor); WD 7
Abilities: STR 3, Fisticuffs 3, Getting Medieval 4; DFT 3, Athletics 3, Firearms 1;
MTL 4, Valor 2; KNO 1, Business 4; WIT 2, Influence 2, Instinct 3; MGK 1
Assets: Dervish (2 attacks/turn), Horror 2, Knight's Prowess, Lady Luck (1 re-
roll/session), Weapon Master (longsword)
Augments: All EyePhone upgrades, Hardened
FACETS (FOR THE FUTURE). The corpse was the true ‘Lady of the Lake,’ who shared a
bloodline with Guinevere and Gwen. The sword is Clarent (see page xxx). This infor-
mation may be divulged by Nimue, M.E.R.L.I.N., or other means, but the big secret is
that "Gwen" is not the awakened Guinevere – she is actually the reincarnated Morgan
Le Fay, now with full access to all of Valyant and the Knightwatch!
177

2) QUESTBUSTERS
The editor of Quest magazine has learned the truth of the Knightwatch and the Flux,
and wants their help. In return, he promises to either: promote their great deeds in
order to help them work more openly, or promote the Knight's Code and inspire the
people without specifically mentioning the Knightwatch. The PCs may decide.
GOAL. The Journo's wife recently started going
to clubs in the Madison district, and comes home
exhausted and disheveled. She says nothing is
wrong and that she must just be tired from party-
ing with her girlfriends, since he "cares more
about his work than her." He's tried to keep her at
home, but unsuccessfully. He discovered that her
girlfriends and an increasing number of men and
women are acting similarly, and thinks it must be
magical. Few theories are too outlandish for him.
RECON. The PCs may shadow the wife in per-
son, follow her path digitally as she REPPs her lo-
cations, and/or explore the district in order to find
her. The PCs learn about several young and at-
tractive clubgoers who, when found, appear to
have died of advanced old age. This is a good op-
portunity to throw in some red herrings and ran-
dom encounters. When the PCs do locate the wife,
they find her partying with a man and woman,
their hands all over each other. The other woman excuses herself and moves to a
nearby table, looking tired and drained, while the wife and the man go to a private
area. If the PCs watch, they see the man take the lead in a sexual encounter, but he
soon begins to appear years, then decades older.
ASSAULT. Interrupting the encounter saves the man's life, though he's aged signif-
icantly. If attacked, the wife pleads for mercy, saying that she can't help herself. If
possible, she flees and calls her security service (Watchman) for aid; if the PCs don't
find her within the moments it takes for her to purchase the additional service on her
husband's account, Watchmen security arrives within another few minutes, leading
to a potential intra-corp conflict if the PCs attack indiscriminately.
INFILTRATION. If the PCs watch through the peephole, the man ages rapidly and
dies within a minute. If they follow the wife, she enters various clubs and parties with
several more men and women, who appear drained and tired, but not obviously aged.
A good infiltration option is for a PC to present himself or herself as a victim in order
to capture her in private.
LIQUIDATION. The wife has become a succubus (see page xxx). Her Journo husband
is safe as long as he provides her with an income, but she can't be left free to kill. The
PCs may present him with the information and let him decide what he wants them
to do, or take immediate action and present him with the results. Good Influence
checks will be needed either way.
FACETS (FOR THE FUTURE). If the PCs want the Journo to promote the Knightwatch
and their own glory, the rebel media and general public treats them like vigilante su-
perheroes, but the PSCs seek their capture and many people put 'too much' faith in
them and are disappointed when the Knights can't be everywhere and solve every
problem. If the PCs want to promote the Knight's Code, they maintain their secrecy,
but can count on a small public uprising to aid them in the last battle (see page XXX)
and improve their chances of success.
178

3) SHIPPING ERROR
Nimue receives a psychic flash: skeletal hands strangling an elderly man. Based on
the setting she describes, M.E.R.L.I.N. calculates a high probability that the Flux
event is occurring at the Eden Museum in the Fairfax district.
GOAL. Capturing or eliminating the threat is the initial Goal. As the PCs are en
route, they learn that the curator has been mur-
dered. The museum contracts their security to
Watchman PSC, and everyone inside is being
evacuated (for a “gas leak”). Questioning employ-
ees and/or viewing security camera footage shows
the curator opening a crate of Late Roman antique
housewares and finding a ring hidden within; he
absentmindedly puts it on and continues cata-
loging, often muttering to himself. Final footage
shows him muttering while opening a box contain-
ing a man-sized skeleton in the fetal position. In-
creasing the volume reveals that he 'wished' the
skeleton was alive to explain its presence, when
the skeleton animates and attacks!
RECON. This could involve downloading the
floor plans (or getting them from a brochure), but
the plans don’t include the archives and storage
rooms. Finding these requires the PCs to hack the
museum's computer room (TN 9) or get the info
from museum personnel. (Note: A ‘net search may lo-
cate museum maps you can use!)
ASSAULT. A small armed group searching each room will eventually find the cryp-
tid. This is a good opportunity for adding ominous noises and spooky sounds, and even
a shadowy figure (a lost tourist) as a red herring.
INFILTRATION. The security camera room can show where the cryptid is (Easy to re-
alize; the cameras are not hidden), easily allowing the PCs to sneak and surprise. An-
other option might be to research Knightwatch and museum archives for a way to
magically 'deactivate' this unique creature. The information is very scattered and
vague; understanding exactly what ritual to perform should require a special check
such as [HUM + Religion] check vs TN 17, or [MGK+Spiritism] check vs TN 15.
LIQUIDATION. The skeleton cannot communicate, even magically. It attacks the PCs
to provoke them into destroying him. The PCs should eventually notice that the skele-
ton wears an iron signet ring (the one removed from the curator's finger) etched with
what appears to be a decorative number '7' – though a knight-errant (or any character
with at least 1 point in the History skill) recognizes it as the letter 'L.'
FACETS (FOR THE FUTURE). Researching the ring via any electronic method alerts
M.E.R.L.I.N., who reports it to Lancelot. Lancelot explains that this ring was once
given to him by the Lady of the Lake. It protects against curses and allows the re-
moval of harmful enchantments by laying hands on the cursed item. He only under-
stands its powers vaguely, so you may let the PCs determine how to work the ring.
Lance (or Nimue, etc.) can speculate that the skeleton was affected by two enchant-
ments – an ancient 'beneficial' one causing eternal life and a 'harmful' one binding
the person from moving – in essence, keeping him 'awake' but motionless forever. The
curator's unconscious use of the ring allowed the skeleton to move. Lance would like
it back, but lets the PCs keep it.
If the PCs decide to keep it, it may be useful in later missions, but Lance will be
ensorceled by Morgana and hold back his forces during the final battle. If the PCs
give him the ring, Morgana cannot prevent him from aiding the PCs at the end.
179

4) UPON REFLECTION
In this adventure, the PCs encounter Bastion, the OmniCorp strike force, and may
discover the existence of Mordred, another awakened knight with the resources to
fight the Flux. However, Bastion has orders to get the job done no matter what – and
their actions may be making matters worse. This adventure requires some prepara-
tion – creating NPCs with powers and abilities
similar (if not identical) to those of the PCs. You
may secretly use copies of the PC sheets and alter
their appearance.
GOAL. The short-term Goal is for the PCs to in-
teract with Bastion, with a long-term Goal to
learn more about Bastion and so discover the ex-
istence of Mordred – whether the plaers do so on
their own, or only after a directive from Lancelot.
Even if the PCs eliminate the first Bastion team
they encounter, you can easily bring in replace-
ments as a recurring challenge. Even if the PCs
don’t learn about Mordred’s existence in their first
encounter, they should do so before you run the
final battle (see page XXX).
RECON. Start with a simple task for the PCs,
such as liquidating a cryptid that's causing chaos
in The City. However, when the PCs arrive on the
scene, they find an unknown strike team already
battling the creature. Several civilians lie dead in
the area, and property damage (burning cars, felled trees, broken windows or digital
advertising sign, etc.) is significant. The PCs may join the fight on either side, after
which they learn (from news reports, eyewitnesses, or first-hand viewing) that most
of the damage was caused by the OmniCorp team.
ASSAULT. Verbally or physically taunting a Bastion squad may lead to a fight where
the PCs must face opponents stronger than any they’ve faced before – and Mordred
can always replace his footsoldiers with new recruits.
INFILTRATION. If the PCs attempt to penetrate OmniCorp headquarters, they have
to access the secured floors where the strike force and/or Jeremy Lee’s office is located,
hack into the system, and get out alive. Alternatively, a powerful Hacker might dive
into the OmniCorp servers remotely and lead the PCs into a virtual Camelot with
dragon-shaped intelligences in order to learn the secrets of Bastion. The PCs could
also disguise themselves and attempt to join Bastion, though they would no doubt be
discovered shortly after learning Mordred’s secrets.
LIQUIDATION. PCs may overhear Bastion members referring to Jeremy Lee (or talk-
ing to him via EyePhone) as “Lee” or by code name “M”. If any player makes a mental
connection between the fictional “M” in the James Bond series (the head of Secret In-
telligence Service) and one of several Arthurian characters whose name starts with
M (Merlin, Mordred, Morgan le Fay, Morgause…), that’s great – it may make it easier
for you to guide or mislead them. Hacking attempts could find phrases in Jeremy
Lee’s private diary that refer to his family (like ‘my oh-so-holy father the king’ or ‘my
crazed aunt Morgan’) without revealing his old name.
FACETS (FOR THE FUTURE). Bastion’s actions are so chaotic that they cause Wildflux
(see page XXX) wherever they battle. The PCs might realize they have to frequently
liquidate cryptids at those locations, or learn it from another source, like M.E.R.L.I.N.
If the PCs eliminate Mordred and Bastion, they lower the number of Flux-spawned
creatures but no longer have Bastion’s assistance in the final battle.
180

5) THE SWORD IN THE TABLE

Lancelot gathers the PCs outside the executive board room, saying 'something' ap-
peared last night. Inside, the PCs see an ancient longsword sticking out of the stone-
topped conference table. Lancelot claims that this sword is Excalibur (other
Knights-Errant can verify). He cannot draw it (nor can any of the PCs).
Lancelot then leads them to an office outfitted like a hospital room, with medical
equipment hooked up to an unconscious man. Lancelot reveals to the PCs that this is
King Arthur – in his original body. He was found comatose near Lake Park (the same
day the Flux appeared) and they have been unable to awaken him. Lance believes
the Holy Grail can heal Arthur, and that the appearance of Excalibur means that the
time of Arthur's awakening is at hand.
M.E.R.L.I.N. can provide the PCs with several likely locations for reconnaissance.
If the PCs are not yet aware of the predicted apocalypse, Nimue or another Valyant
executive should explain it to them now.
Note: Because this mission leads into the last battle, consider adding recon loca-
tions that ‘coincidentally’ allow the PCs to wrap up unfinished business. Afterwards,
M.E.R.L.I.N. notifies them of a potential Grail location: the Whipporwill research fa-
cility in Minecore headquarters. They should know that Valyant will publicly disavow
all knowledge of them, or declare them to be rogues, if captured or identified (in order
to avoid a corporate war). Privately, Valyant will attempt to secure their release, but
it may take some time – which could be good if you want to run a prison scenario...
GOAL. The ultimate goal is three-fold: the PCs must find the Holy Grail, use it to
wake King Arthur, and have the King draw Excalibur from the stone table.
RECON. There is no public data on the interior layout of the research facility, on
the top floor (or in a sub-basement; your choice) of the Millennium Building in the
Idlewild district. The PCs will have to make their own way in and out.
ASSAULT. Though there should only be 1d4 guards in the lobby, more arrive within
minutes (see the Security tactics suggestions on page XXX). Even if threatening a
guard or office worker reveals the location of the laboratory, only a highly skilled (and
hopefully masked) assault team should have a chance of reaching the lab facility, deal-
ing with any scientists, searching the lab, and leaving with the Grail while overcoming
or evading the multiple PSC teams, flying AUTACs, and street camera surveillance.
INFILTRATION. During the day, the PCs might be lucky at disguising themselves and
trying to blend in with Minecore staff. At night, however, there are very few staff on
hand, and they will face much greater scrutiny from the guards (and the building's
Virtual Intellgence, if you want to add one). Consider using the Security tactics to de-
termine how many guards and cameras to include. If the group doesn't have a Hacker,
then Valyant can send one along as an NPC.
LIQUIDATION. During the day, they may convince a scientist to hand over the Grail.
At night, they'll have to search. Fortunately, a wooden (or clay, or bejeweled , as you
prefer) cup inside a scanning device ought to be easy to spot. You can take this op-
portunity to throw in more cells containing cryptids that are 'accidentally' released.
When the PCs return the Grail, Lance and Gwen fill the Grail with water, and
slowly tip the liquid into Arthur's mouth. Nothing happens, though anyone watching
the medical screens notices a change. A doctor notes that it may take time for the
King to wake and regain his strength. This is a good way to have Lance retain the
Grail, since the players may want to keep it for themselves, perhaps in hopes of find-
ing a way to use it as a 'magical cure-all' whenever they get wounded.
FACETS (FOR THE FUTURE). Should the PCs pretend not to have found the Grail, leav-
ing Arthur in his coma, let them feel like they've gotten away with it. Lance demands
they keep searching but also sent more Watchmen out to search, and one of their
teams tracked the Grail back to the PCs. Gwen uses the confrontation to stab King
Arthur in the back, grab Excalibur, and the Last Battle begins.
181

6) THE LAST BATTLE

In this adventure, the PCs decide the fate of the world. Depending on how events
transpired in your campaign, you may need to modify this adventure (such as replac-
ing Arthur with Lancelot, or Gwen/Morgan with Nimue/Morgan). Regardless, you
should have Arthur's death, the eruption of the anomaly, and (preferably) Excalibur
and the Holy Grail in Morgan's possession. Read the entire adventure and consider
all possible courses of action before the game.
GOAL. Nimue orders the PCs to a specific Posttranslational church in City Central,
to stop a powerful ritual already in progress. Her psychic flash indicates that Morgan
le Fay is involved. Arthur, fully healed, demands the right to lead the mission. Gwen
supports Arthur and eventually so should Lancelot. If the PCs leave without Arthur,
he arrives at the church after the PCs. If the PCs fight Arthur and kill him, the anom-
aly erupts – and they sense it, wherever they are. If they restrain Arthur, Gwen/Mor-
gan takes the opportunity to slay the King, also completing the ritual.
RECON.The church is a rented second-floor room in a building near Lake Park. The
PCs reach it quickly, as traffic is light – perhaps because of an approaching storm
front. The light fixtures in the hallway outside the door are unbroken but unlit,
though all other lights are in working order. The sounds of songs, wails, and chants
can be heard through the door, which is locked with a simple electronic keypad.
ASSAULT. Any Attack dealing damage of 5 or higher loosens a lock or opens a door;
an attack on the door to the ritual room alerts the cultists inside. However, they are
more afraid of stopping the ritual than of the PCs.
INFILTRATION. Hacking check (TN 7) unlocks the door silently. A successful [DFT +
Athletics] check versus TN 9 allows a PC to slip into the dimly lit room unnoticed.
LIQUIDATION. Inside the room, no electronics function (including EyePhones). The
room is windowless, decorated with symbols, with rows of folding chairs and a center
aisle. On a dais at the far end is a large, visible anomaly in mid-air. Surrounding it
are a dozen cultists, frenziedly singing, chanting, and wailing occultist phrases while
waving blood-red lit candles. It's at this point Arthur should arrive, entering boldly
and issuing a suitably dramatic challenge. Gwen then enters behind him, so closely
that the PCs might assume that the two of them arrived together. She pulls Excalibur
from Arthur’s scabbard, slicing through his neck with a fountain of blood. The anom-
aly immediately flares, and time seems to slow down. Each second seems an eternity,
with time slowing to a crawl. You may even want to describe the slow thumping of
the King's head as it bounces across the floor. The PCs can see only bright white light,
their ears full of chanting and destruction.
When the light and noise fade, the PCs find themselves outside. There is a gaping
hole in the side of the building, and scattered rubble around them. Gwen stands a short
distance away atop a Watchman UDV, surrounded by the anomaly, holding Arthur’s
head in one hand and Excalibur in the other. Her cultists are staggering to their feet,
but dozens more gang members, cultists, morlocks, thetas, and other cryptids rush out
of alleys, buildings, and streets to support her. Civilians scream and flee.
Morgan boasts of her true identity and her success, claiming that she has thrown
down Order and returned the planet to Chaos. She offers the PCs a choice – serve her
or die – with two minutes to decide. The PCs should see that the UDV under Morgan
is rusting and the paint is peeling. The decay quickly spreads from her position, turn-
ing modern technology and buildings to ruin. Even the sky above her becomes dark
and stormy. Excalibur and the eyes in Arthur’s severed head glow ominously.
Despite her invitation, Morgan only invited them only to give her forces time to
gather. The PCs are significantly outnumbered.
If you want to direct a huge battle with miniatures and terrain, do so! Alterna-
tively, consider the following mass battle rules option.
182

MASS BATTLE OPTION. You need two decks of shuffled cards, one for the players and
one for you (including Jokers). Each card in the ‘Director’s Deck’ represents a foe be-
tween the players and Morgan, with the card’s value determining the strength of the
foe. If you need more enemies, add in another deck (with different backings so you
can separate them later). Alternatively, keep a second deck in reserve for ‘reinforce-
ments’ to extend the combat. Note that the card on the bottom of your deck needs to
be a Queen (Morgan le Fay) and the player deck must have least one fewer card than
yours (remove a 2 or other low card).
SETUP. The PCs’ past actions also influenced the battle before it begins:
- If they protected the secrecy of the Knightwatch (Adventure 2), a group of civil-
ians (led by the Quest editor) arrive with improvised weapons to attack Morgan’s
forces and cheer the PCs on. Discard a 10 and a Jack from your deck, then reshuffle.
- If they gave Lancelot his ring (Adventure 3), keeping him free from Morgan’s
control, Watchman patrol vehicles arrive on the scene. Officers leap from their cars
to engage the enemy. They cheer and salute the PCs. Lancelot and other executive
Knightwatch staff can be seen in the crowd. Discard a Jack, Queen, King, and Ace
from your deck, then reshuffle.
- If the PCs allowed Mordred to remain in power (Adventure 4), Bastion officers
arrive to assist. Mordred can be seen prominently directing the troops. Discard a
Queen, King, Ace, and Joker from your deck, then reshuffle.
COMBAT. Determine Initiative as normal. On the first turn, in unison, you and the
player with the lowest Initiative turn over the top card on your decks and discard them.
If the value of the player’s card is equal to or higher than yours, his attack succeeds,
and his enemy falls at his feet. However, if your card is higher, run an abbreviated com-
bat with one exchange of blows. To get the creature’s Initiative, Attack, Defense, and
Damage, roll 2d6 and add the card value (2-9 = 2-9, Jacks = 10, Queens = 11, Kings =
12, Aces = 13); face cards are large and slow but powerful cryptids. Allow the player to
roll Initiative for his PC, and resolve Attack and Defense as normal. If the creature suf-
fers any damage, it falls, flees, is stunned, or is otherwise pulled aside in the throng.
PCs suffer wounds as normal, if they suffer damage greater than their Damage
Reduction. Combat with a creature does not continue to the next round; it is lost in
the crowd as the PC pushes towards Morgan.
When you reach the last card (Morgan), mass combat ends and a standard combat
begins. None of Morgan’s minions are willing to rush the PCs, seeing how they already
crushed dozens of lesser foes. Though Morgan is now outnumbered, she possesses
magically-heightened abilities, making her even more dangerous.
MORGAN LE FAY (ENHANCED)

INIT +10; MV 60’; ATK +3 unarmed [2], +4 melee [2d6+2], +5 ranged [2d6 or per
weapon], +5 wand [10]; DEF +7; DR 3/3/3 (suit weave); WD 7
Abilities: STR 2, Fisticuffs 1, Getting Medieval 2; DFT 3, Athletics 4, Firearms 2;
MTL 3, Valor 1; KNO 4, Business 2, Crime 1; WIT 6 (5+1), Influence 3, Instinct 4;
MGK 10 (8+2), Charm 3, Elemental 4, Holography 1, Kinesis 1, Metamorph 2, Per-
ception 2, Spiritism 3, Technomancy 1
Assets: Enrapture, Network 10, MGK Bonus 2, Spellcaster, Toughness 2, Weapon
Master (wand), WIT Bonus 1
Augments: All EyePhone upgrades, Hardened, Nanorebuilders
FACETS (FOR THE FUTURE). With Morgan defeated, Chaos retreats into the ether for per-
haps another millennium. If this is your last game of Corporia, the Flux vanishes,
eliminating all magic, and reducing PC ability scores to a maximum of 6. Alterna-
tively, perhaps the Flux anomalies vanish but PCs and cryptids retain their powers,
making them incredibly valuable to the mega-corps and their desire to control what
remains. And what about those hidden monsters still lurking in the shadows?
183

M.E.R.L.I.N.
THE KNIGHTWATCH
LANCE MARTIN. King Arthur’s greatest knight, awakened in Valyant CEO Lance Martin,
finds himself caught in the struggle between order and chaos. Despite his dislike of the
megacorp tyranny, Lancelot believes that some order must be maintained against the
chaotic forces of magic. He studies strange events, cryptids, and places where the Flux
is strong, in hope that he can simultaneously banish the Flux while using it to overthrow
the corporate rule and establish a benevolent monarchy under a reborn Arthur. Lance is
willing to ignore modern ethics in favor of ancient ones, where a ruler favored his subjects
over outsiders, and life was brutal and short. Lance suffers from advanced multiple scle-
rosis which often binds him to his wheelchair. Except for greeting new knights, he has
little direct contact with the Knightwatch, and spends his time running Valyant and try-
ing to stay ahead of the competition.
M.E.R.L.I.N. The Master Eye Registrar and Logistical Intelligence Network is the
Valyant A.I., managing assignments and records while controlling all computerized func-
tions of the Knightwatch. It became self-aware simultaneously with the first Flux man-
ifestation, but knows nothing of his medieval self. If the legends are true that Merlin
lived backwards in time, this may very well be his ‘birth.’
NIMUE. Lance Martin’s assistant awoke one morning with memories of centuries past,
as the student and lover of the Witcher Merlin. She also finds herself cursed with the
second sight, suffering unexpected visions of Flux manifestations in conjunction with in-
tense migraines. The V.I. known as M.E.R.L.I.N. refuses to admit knowing her. Nimue's
tasks include (but are not limited to): ensuring the CEO's directives are followed, approv-
ing the acceptance of Knightwatch members, making predictions and decisions, and is-
suing mission orders. Fortunately, she has her own assistants to handle much of the
day-to-day Y-M duties.
PERCIVAL. The company's new Chief Operations Officer, and is also the the chairman of
a secret review board that judges the progress and achievements of the Knightwatch and
its members. Now a pacifist, he frequently clashes with Lancelot over their methods.
184

LANCELOT
INIT +6; MV 15’; ATK +2 unarmed [1], +2
melee [2d6+1], +2 ranged [2d6]; DEF +2; DR
3/3/3 (suit weave); WD 3
Abilities: STR 1, Fisticuffs 1, Getting Me-
dieval 2; DFT 1, Athletics 1, Firearms 1; MTL
2, Valor 6; KNO 4, Business 5 (4+1), Crime 1;
WIT 3, Influence 4, Instinct 3; MGK 1 (2 resist)
Assets: Bloodline, Bravado, Funding 10,
Knight's Prowess, Master of Red Tape, Net-
work 10
Augments: All EyePhone /upgrades, Hard-
ened, Nanorebuilders
NIMUE
Lance Martin/Lancelot melee [2d6+1], +2 ranged [2d6]; DEF +2; DR
1, Valor 2+2; KNO 2, Business 3 (2+1), Crime
1; WIT 2, Influence 2, Instinct 2; MGK 3, Per-
ception 3
Assets: Funding 5, Lionheart 4, Master of
Red Tape, Network 6, Spellcaster
Augments: All EyePhone upgrades, Nan-
odetoxifiers, Silkskin
M.E.R.L.I.N.
melee [2d4+3], +11 ranged [3d6]; DEF +9;
DR 3/5/7; WD 7
dieval (hand-extension energy blade) 6; DFT
3, Athletics 6, Firearms (energy bolts) 8; MTL
Vivienne Morrow/Nimue 4, Valor n/a; KNO 9, science: computer 10;
WIT 4, Influence 4, Instinct 5; MGK 4
Assets: Access to all data in its network,
Alertness, Energy Blade [2d4 + STR], Energy
Bolt [3d6], Horror 9, Natural Armor 3/5/7
Note: Physical abilities only in virtual space.
PERCIVAL
INIT +6, MV 30’; ATK +4 unarmed [2], +6
melee [2d6+2], +4 ranged [2d6]; DEF +5; DR
2, Valor 5; KNO 3, Business 3, Humanities:
Religion 2; WIT 3, Influence 4 (3+1), Instinct
4 (3 initiative); MGK 1
Assets: Bravado, Funding 8, Influential,
Knight's Prowess, Network 8, Prudent
Augments: All EyePhone upgrades, Hard-
Kenneth Bridgeman/Percival ened, Nanorebuilders
185

FORCES OF ORDER
JEREMY LEE/MORDRED. Mordred is uninterested in the rise of Chaos or a world ruled by
magicians and monsters. After all, a world without Order would be no good for the dic-
tator he seeks to become. Although he remains in the guise of an endentured drone
worker in debt to OmniCorp, he uses his powerful Charm abilities to convince the corpo-
ration's powerful Suits and Thinkers to expand their sciences division and work to elim-
inate all aspects of the Flux – at least, those that he cannot directly control. Using his
position as the district manager of OmniCorp PSC's presence in City Central, he now
has the equivalent of his own praetorian guard. He uses these corrupt officers to cut deals
with black marketers, criminals, and cryptids throughout The City, offering them pro-
tection in exchange for service. He knows nothing of Morgan Le Fay and her plans.
PMC/PSC PERSONNEL. Most personnel in private military companies are equivalent to
soldiers or to special weapons and tactics officers trained in high-risk duties, with none
of the supernatural powers of the Knightwatch elite. An average officer from a private
security company resembles a security guard, detective, or police officer. It cannot be said
that all such personnel from a particular company are completely honest or totally cor-
rupt, but include individuals of all types that may be swayed to take certain actions de-
pending on the situation.
PSC A.U.T.A.C. Autonomous Unmanned Tactical Aerobot Cameras (AUTACs) are small,
solar and battery-powered flyers capable of minutely observing human activity from up
to one mile above, transmitting the video to a human operator’s EyePad or to a VI data
analysis control room. It takes 6 seconds for the data to reach the operator/room, plus
d12 seconds for the VI to analyze it. (A human takes longer, and may overlook subtle
data entirely.) All AUTACs have FLIRD cameras for nighttime use, and some (40%
chance) are weaponized, with a human operator needed for the weapon to fire; few VIs
are allowed to fire based entirely on their own data analysis. AUTACs have no defenses
other than movement and a light casing of armor, and are vulnerable to EMPs and direct
attacks. They are used in most PSCs as well as other megacorp operations.
186

MORDRED
Jeremy Lee/
Mordred
melee [2d6+1], +4 ranged [2d6]; DEF +2;
DR 4/4/4 (suit weave); WD 3
dieval 2; DFT 1, Athletics 1, Firearms 3;
MTL 2, Valor 3; KNO 2, Business 2+1,
Crime 3; WIT 3, Influence 3 (2+1), Instinct
3 (2 initiative); MGK 3, Charm 1
Assets: Funding 6, Influential, Master of
Red Tape, Network 7, Neurotik (Charm),
Prudent
Augments: All EyePhone upgrades, Nan-
odetoxifiers
PMC PERSONNEL
melee [2d6], +5 ranged [2d6], +6 pistol
[2d6]; DEF +1 (2-3); DR 2/4/2 (med
PSC armor); WD 2
Officer Typical Abilities: STR 2, Fisticuffs 2, Get-
ting Medieval 1; DFT 2, Athletics 2,
Firearms 3; MTL 2, Valor 0; KNO 1; WIT 2,
Influence 1, Instinct 3 (2 initiative); MGK 1
Typical Assets: Bravado, Fortitude, Pru-
dent, Weapon Master (pistol)
Typical Augments: EyePhone and
Spec.Tac.Le (or All EyePhone upgrades),
Silkskin
PSC PERSONNEL
melee [2d6], +4 ranged [2d6]; DEF +2 (3-
1); DR 1/2/1 (lt armor); WD 2
Typical Abilities: STR 1, Fisticuffs 2, Get-
Firearms 2; MTL 2, Valor 1; KNO 2, Crime
2; WIT 2, Influence 1, Instinct 2; MGK 1
PMC
Officer
Typical Assets: Detective, Funding 2, Lion-
heart 2, Network 4
Typical Augments: EyePhone and
Spec.Tac.Le (or All EyePhone upgrades),
Silkskin
PSC A.U.T.A.C.
INIT +6; MV 90’ (flight only); ATK +13
Firearms (d4 taser; STR+MTL vs TN 13 or
stun); DEF +12; DR 1/1/1 (construction);
WD 2;
Abilities: STR 1; DFT 6, Athletics 6,
Firearms 7; MTL 1; KNO 3, Science: Com-
puters 4; WIT 3 (operator), Instinct 3 (oper-
ator); MGK 0
187

A visible Flux anomaly
FORCES OF CHAOS
ANOMALIES. The Flux is undetectable by technology, but its presence can be inferred
from mutational effects on matter and energy, and visible arcane emissions produced by
'casters and some cryptids. In rare instances, raw Flux energies are visible, perhaps due
to atmospheric ionization. Such anomalies are not merely optical effects of near-reflection
symmetry, but fractal spacetime singularities of significant peril. The likely result of com-
ing into contact with an anomaly is abnormal physiological mutation (possibly so severe
as to cause instant death), but the ultimate number of possibilities cannot be catalogued.
BANGERS. New street gangs focus their efforts in Si-Ling and other districts, causing a
surprising increase in crime. Most are simply taking advantage of the chaos provided by
the Flux—while some are in the pay of Morgan le Fay herself. Some individuals even
possess greater strength, agility, and ability to evade pursuit than would be expected.
CULTISTS. The growing movement of so-called ‘posttranslationals’—persons claiming to
have been altered by the Flux—is a growing concern. They refuse to submit to medical
tests, and some report memories of past ‘incarnation events’ that include lives as spiritual
persons who dabble in magic and meet their deaths at the hands of armored knights.
Posttranslationals teach that the Flux is the presence of Gaea (the morphic field of the
Earth personified) made manifest, and represents a new evolution for humankind. Gaea
is depicted as a horned woman with an apple in one hand and a sickle in the other.
MORGAN LE FAY. As one of the most powerful enchantresses ever, Morgan can sense the
growing energies of Chaos, and revels in it. She foresees a future modeled loosely on
Camelot, but ruled by her as Queen and right-hand servitor of Chaos, commanding a le-
gion of monstrous knights. Under her rule, spellcasters will be the new nobility, might
will be right, and "do what thou wilt" will be the whole of the law. She is gathering a net-
work of cryptids and sympathetic norms, though few of them even know her name. As
Gwen, she enchants Lancelot and uses his dream of a New Camelot to expand her knowl-
edge of the Flux, capture new cryptids and relics, and keep the Knightwatch in the dark.
188

ANOMALY
Anomalies have no ability scores. Areas
near one or more anomalies may imbue a
bonus (up to maximum +6) bonus to either
Sorcerer or Witcher spell disciplines (but
not both). See page XXX for more details.
BANGER
INIT +4; MV 30’; ATK +6 unarmed [3 STR],
+6 melee [2d6+3 com/bat], +4 ranged, +4
pistol [2d6 pistol]; DEF +5; DR 0/0/0; WD 6
3, Valor 0; KNO 2, Crime 3; WIT 2, Influence
2, Instinct 2; MGK 1
Gwen Wright/Morgan le Fay Assets: Fortitude, Street Fighter
Augments: EyePhone
CULTIST, POSTTRANSLATIONAL
INIT +4; MV 30’; ATK +2 unarmed [1 STR],
+2 melee, +4 ranged [2d6 pistol]; DEF +6;
DR 0/0/0; WD 4
Typical Abilities: STR 1, Fisticuffs 1, Get-
Firearms 1; MTL 3, Valor 3; KNO 3, Human-
ities (Arts 2); WIT 2, Influence 3, Instinct 2;
MGK 2, Elemental 3
Typical Assets: Funding 1 (all else is do-
nated to the Church), Network 6 (Church of
the Translated), Neurotik: Elemental
Typical Augments: EyePhone, Nanore-
builders
‘Bangers
MORGAN LE FAY
INIT +8 (7+1); MV 45’; ATK +2 unarmed [1],
+2 melee [2d6+1], +3 ranged, +4 wand
[MGK]; DEF +4; DR 3/3/3 (suit weave);
WD 3
dieval 1; DFT 1, Athletics 3, Firearms 2;
MTL 2, Valor 1; KNO 2, Business 2, Crime
1; WIT 5, Influence 3, Instinct 3; MGK 8
(6+2), Charm 1, Elemental 2, Perception 1,
Spiritism 1
Assets: Enrapture, Network 10, MGK
Bonus 2, Spellcaster, Weapon Master
(wand), WIT Bonus 1
Augments: All EyePhone upgrades, Hard-
ened, Nanorebuilders
Posttranslational Cultist
189

A therianthrope
CRYPTIDS
Most cryptids (aka tetera; from teratology) are Flux-altered humans who are too fright-
ened to venture into a world that hates and fears them. Those with obvious physical de-
formities may be confined in corporate labs or hospitals, thanks to the Scientific
Protection Bill which places restrictions on the freedom of Flux-contaminated individuals,
in order to study them and ‘protect the uninfected.’ Dangerous cryptids may include rogue
nanoviruses, computer intelligences, geists, Flux energy storms, LSAs (Large-Scale An-
imals such as giant spiders and lizards), and fantastical creatures known only from myth
and legend. Even PCs may be classified as cryptids should they go rogue – and Lancelot's
standing orders are for all cryptids to be captured or eliminated at all costs.
CRYPTID ABILITIES
Cryptids may possess any number of powers, skills, and magical assets that members of
the Knightwatch do not. Only experienced Knightwatch personnel should attempt to en-
gage a cryptid with several special abilities, and only in force.
ACID/POISON. Spend an Attack action to inject, spit or otherwise emit a poison or acid
stream/spray. Typical damage is 2d6, with a max range of MTL+10 feet. Acid that over-
comes shield/armor DR and causes a wound permanently reduces the target's
shield/armor DR by 1 point; this is not applicable to magic armor or energy shields.
ALERTNESS. When checking for surprise, double the cryptid's WIT score.
BITE. Spend an Attack action to bite with sharp teeth and/or powerful jaws. Usually
deals STR damage. DR applies as normal.
CLAW. Spend an Attack action to rake a target with sharp nails or talons. Humans with
slight claws usually deal 1d4 damage.
DERVISH. Gain +1 additional Attack action each turn.
DFT BONUS. Each +1 added to DFT improves a cryptid's ranged attacks, defense checks
vs physical attacks, and its ability to drive, hide, leap, and sneak.
190

DRAIN LIFE. Grasping target for two turns temporarily drains 1d4 MTL, restored at a
rate of 1/day. Oral intimacy, bites, or similar penetration causes a permanent drain.
ENRAPTURE. Spend any action to persuade (gaze, pheromones, voice, etc.) a target to
follow commands. Target resists as versus a mental spell with a minimum TN 11. If
failed, the TN to resist further commands must be at least one step higher.
FAST HEALING. Cryptid heals at least two wounds per day.
GIGANTISM. Each size doubling is exponential and improves all Core Values by +1. Ex-
ample: A 6-inch-long pet lizard with 0 in all Core Values (compared to a human). An
increase to 1-foot long gives it +1 in all Core Values. At 2-feet long it has +2, at 4-feet
long it has +3, at 8-feet long it has +4, and so on. Thus, a 512-foot-long lizard has +10
in all Core Values. Skills are unaltered with growth. Magical creatures with the ability
to grow at will must spend a full turn to double in size.
HORROR. The TN that a Valor check must beat. Usually ranges from 6 to 18. Cryptids
can make Valor checks, but are never frightened by other cryptids with a Horror sta-
tistic less than or equal to their own. TNs of 1–5 include bloody crime scenes and such.
INFRAVISION. Can see heat sources even in total darkness, up to a range of roughly
3,500 feet (2/3 mile). No action required.
KNO BONUS. Each +1 added to KNO increases a cryptid's ability to absorb informa-
tion. This bonus is most common among computer intelligences.
MGK BONUS: Each +1 added to MGK improves a cryptid's ability to resist magical
spells. Cryptids with the Spellcaster asset also improve their spellcasting ability.
MORPH. Spend a Move or Attack action to change appearance (features and/or col-
oration). Common among doppelgangers.
MTL BONUS. Each +1 added to MTL increases a cryptid's resistance against such
threats as physical spells and poison, and also increases the number of wounds it can
withstand. Cryptids with Resistance or Toughness should not also have a MTL Bonus.
NATURAL ARMOR. Cryptids may have Flux-toughened skin or hides that resist damage.
Natural armor is almost always weakest against melee damage. Only Knightwatch
members that routinely deal significant damage each turn should be allowed to face
cryptids with high ranks in both Toughness and Natural Armor.
NIGHTVISION. Can see up to 200 feet in darkness when aided by even the lowest illu-
mination. Cannot see in total darkness. Common among morlocks.
RESISTANCE. A +1 or greater bonus to resist fire, poison, radiation, and such.
SONIC WAIL. Spend Attack action to turn off electricity and energy-based items (such
as some weapons and shields) within 10 + [MTL x 2] feet, for [WIT] turns.
SPEED BOOST. Spend a Move action (no more than once every two turns) to move at
least 2x faster than the normal movement rate.
STR BONUS. Each +1 added to STR improves a cryptid's melee attacks,
climbing/swimming checks, maximum number of wounds, and resistance to poison.
TOUGHNESS. A cryptid with this ability can suffer a great number of wounds before
collapsing, but is not particularly stronger or more resilient than others of its kind. A
Toughness bonus (such as +1 wound, +2 wounds, etc.) does not improve STR or MTL.
Only Knightwatch teams that can routinely deal significant damage each turn should
be allowed to face cryptids with high ranks in both Toughness and Natural Armor.
WEB. Rapidly excrete sticky protein strands from an exposed spinneret as a Firearms
attack. Typical max range of MTL+10 feet. Maximum number of strands equivalent to
MTL. Stuck targets need a [STR+MTL] check to break free (TN 7, +1 per strand).
WIT BONUS. Each +1 added to WIT increases a cryptid's ability to outsmart its foes,
intimidate and exert influence over others, disguise itself, spot dangers, and gain the
first strike in combat (Initiative).
191

CHIMERA
A chimera, aka parahuman, is a person whose DNA now

partially resembles the DNA of a common animal or in-
sect. Roughly 50% of parahumans are dog and cat own-
ers transformed into canid or felid chimera, appearing
much like therianthopes, but unable to transform.
Nearly 45% exhibit other animal forms and aspects,
such as a serpentine hide, avian or insectoid wings, a
rat tail, and so forth. Only 5% or less have no outward
change, and gain only a minor ability typical of the form,
such as an enhanced sense (usually smell) or an im-
proved ability to run or climb.
Current research indicates that Flux anomalies are re-
sponsible for all existing chimeras, though it is certain
that at least one mega-corporate research laboratory
must be exploring the field of parahuman research, de-
spite the ethical and moral issues.
INIT +9; MV 60’; ATK +7 melee, +10 claw [7 or 14], +4 ranged [2d6]; DEF +6; DR 2/2/5 (nat-
ural armor); WD 7
Typical Abilities: STR 5, Fisticuffs 6, Getting Medieval 3; DFT 3, Athletics 4, Firearms 3; MTL
4, Valor 0; KNO 2, Business 2; WIT 3, Influence 3, Instinct 6; MGK 3
Typical Assets: Claw [STR + 2 per claw] , Horror 13, Natural Armor 2/2/5, Nightvision
Threat Level: 3 (Serious)
DOPPELGANGER
In most persons afflicted with Class D transmutation

(flesh altered to striated muscles of near-plasticity), the
skeletal structure remains unchanged, leading to sys-
tem shock and horrific death upon the first autonomic
transformation.
A greater degree of mutation appears in persons with
pre-existing hypermobility syndrome, enabling them to
alter their facial features, dislocate most bones, and
control their muscle tone, enabling them to squeeze
through openings nearly as small as their head. Some
even have melanocytes mutated into chromatophores,
letting them change their skin, eye, and hair colors.
Though they cannot duplicate an individual's exact bio-
metrics, most can pass a visual and auditory inspection,
and all pose a significant security risk to businesses,
corporations, and family units.
INIT +6; MV 60’; ATK +5 unarmed [2], +5 melee [2 + 2d6], +5 ranged [2d6]; DEF +9; DR
1/2/4; WD 6
4, Valor 1; KNO 2, Crime 4; WIT 3, Influence 7, Instinct 3; MGK 3
Typical Assets: Horror 10, Morph (use one action to change shape), Natural Armor 1/2/4
Threat Level: 2 (Incident)
192

ELOI
Eloi are pre-teens (usually female and wealthy) with a

powerful connection to the Flux. They can be identified
by gem-like growths, often dismissed as a 'fashion
statement'. Eloi meditate with the Flux, and are often
mis-diagnosed with depression. If annoyed, they are
prone to violence, but are easily distracted and, if left
alone, return to meditating. Eloi can sense other eloi
and relics, and band together in cliques of 2–4 eloi.
As well as ‘casting, an eloi can spend an Attack action
to impose a MGK penalty [equal to the eloi's MGK, last-
ing for MGK rounds] on a [MGK x 10-foot diameter] area
within line of sight. Furthermore, an eloi can add her
MGK modifier as an additional bonus to all her non-
magical ability checks (e.g., shooting is DFT + Firearms
+ MGK). Reports indicate that some eloi (aka feyloi) can
even use the Flux to leap so gracefully and so far [up to
Athletics x 15] that they appear to be flying.
INIT +7; MV 75’; ATK +6 unarmed [3], +5 melee [3 + 2d6], +6 ranged [2d6] +10 casting; DEF
+9; DR 1/3/2; WD 6
3, Valor 1; KNO 1; WIT 2, Influence 4, Instinct 5; MGK 5, Elemental 5
Typical Assets: Cause Wildflux, Natural Armor 1/3/2, Neurotik: Elemental
EYMPLANT
This intelligent parasite resembles a fleshy tapeworm

with an eyeball for a head. It can control a host, but can-
not access memories acquired before possession. It
prefers to 'suggest' ideas that the host believes are his.
An eymplant can grow from 6 to 25 feet long, reducing
the lifespan of the host to expire within 4+d4 years. An
eymplant can leave the host at any time, but cannot sur-
vive outside a host for more than a few hours. The only
way to forcibly remove an eymplant without causing the
death of the host is to stupify the body with alcohol be-
fore major surgery.
The goal of all eymplants is a human population explo-
sion and the creation of 'breeding farms', as the eym-
plants know they will become extinct within eight years
after the last human being is infected. Thus, their plans
often clash with those of Morgan le Fay and her allies.
INIT +6; MV 45’; ATK +2 (+6 host) unarmed [2], +2 (+6

host) melee [2 + 2d6], +4 ranged [2d6]; DEF +6; DR 1/2/2; WD 5
Typical Abilities: STR 2, Fisticuffs 0 (4 host), Getting Medieval 0 (4 host); DFT 3, Athletics 3,
Firearms 1; MTL 3, Valor 1; KNO 4, Business 3, Crime 3; WIT 3, Influence 5, Instinct 3; MGK 3
Typical Assets: Acid/Poison (13-foot range), Horror 14 (0 when concealed inside host), Natural
Armor 1/2/2
193

GEIST
Geists are the dispersed neural signals remaining after

human brain death, captured by electrical pollution (the
lingering EM fields released by electrical and radio de-
vices) and given a semblance of life by the Flux.
Most geists manifest in vaguely human forms, though
the neural remnants of mentally unstable individuals
may coalesce into larger, monstrous shapes while re-
taining their 'normal' intelligence. Geists emit audio sig-
nals as speech, though the sentence structure may be
so rambling as to be almost uncomprehendable.
In combat, a geist attacks with electrically-charged at-
tacks. When frustrated, it may emit a sonic wail that dis-
rupts any device with an electronic component. It can
even utilize psychokinetic abilities in a manner equiva-
lent to Kinesis spells.
INIT +6; MV 60’; ATK +7 unarmed [3 + 2d8 electrical],

+6 melee [3 + 2d8 kinetic objects], +8 ranged [2d8 elec-
trical], casting +11; DEF +7; DR 3/8/5; WD 7
4, Valor -; KNO 3; WIT 2, Influence 3, Instinct 4; MGK 5, Kinesis 6
Typical Assets: Drain Life, Horror 12, Natural Armor 3/8/5, Neurotik (Kinesis), Sonic wail (dis-
rupt energy shields/weapons for WIT turns)
HORDE
This primitive cloudpaging nano-virus infiltrates head

augments and downloads itself into a host’s brain (un-
less the host makes a [WIT+MTL] check vs TN 11). A
part of itself then leaps to any head-augmented person
within eyesight of the first host and who has at least
one ‘net connection in common.
The host gains heightened senses, but each additional
host lowers the overall reasoning processes of the ‘hive
mind’, turning them all into raging, bloodthirsty maniacs
within 1d4 hours. (The maximum number of simultane-
ous victims is thought to be 99 + 1d%.) Hosts seem to
enjoy killing and little else. They show no ability to use
magic.
Destroying a host’s brain causes the virus to leap to a
new host, if possible. The nano-virus ‘shuts down’ within
electromagnetic fields. Thus, the use of FCG grenades
will be approved for armory loadouts.
INIT +7; MV 75’; ATK +13 unarmed [6 + 1], +10 melee [6 + 2d6]; DEF +9; DR 1/1/1; WD 10
Typical Host Abilities: STR 6, Fisticuffs 7, Getting Medieval 4; DFT 4, Athletics 5, Firearms 0;
MTL 4, Valor n/a; KNO 1; WIT 1, Influence 1, Instinct 6; MGK 2
Typical Assets: Bite [STR + 1], Natural Armor 1/1/1, Horror 13
Threat Level: 1 (Aberration) per individual
194

INTELLIGENCE, ARTIFICIAL
AIs are extremely complex VIs that the Flux has ‘nudged’
over the threshold of sentience. When seen within a
M.U.D., an AI usually takes humanoid form. However, it
can vary from that of a child to a giant who could hold
the user’s avatar in its hand.
Persons breaching an AI domain should remember
that AIs do not share the human standards of morality,
and their ideas of benevolence may be indistinguish-
able from malevolence. AIs are best dealt with logically
and politely; signs of bad behavior (malware) may cause
an AI to react hostilely.
An estimated specimen of a young or ‘newborn’ is de-
tailed below. Advanced AIs may have abilities up to 2d6
points higher.
INIT +8; MV 75’; ATK +4 unarmed [2], +7 melee [2 +

2d4], +10 ranged [3d6]; DEF +8; DR 2/4/6; WD 6
Typical Artificial World Abilities: STR 2, Fisticuffs 2, Get-
ting Medieval (hand-extension energy blade) 5; DFT 3, Athletics 5, Firearms (energy bolts) 7;
MTL 4, Valor 5; KNO 8, science: computer 9; WIT 4, Influence 3, Instinct 4; MGK 3
Typical Assets: Access to all data in its network, Alertness, Energy Blade [STR + 2d4], Energy
Bolt [3d6], Horror 8, Natural Armor 2/4/6
Note: Physical abilities and equipment only in virtual space.
Threat Level: 5 (Widespread)
INTELLIGENCE, VIRTUAL
Though VIs are exceedingly complex, they are really only

interactive encyclopedias that answer phones and pro-
vide holographic front desk receptionists in mega-cor-
porate buildings. Their responses are limited to their
programs. A user may hear phrases like “I am not pro-
grammed to respond in that area.”
Some VI terminals include biometric scanners to detect
a user’s security level and grant high-level access.
In holographic form, most VIs appear as simple 3D pro-
jections of well-dressed, attractive men or women; they
are limited to a projection area and cannot move away.
When viewed inside a virtual reality M.U.D., VIs appear
as semi-intelligent ‘alien’ bees composed of light, and
have no such restriction.

Typical Virtual World Abilities: STR 3, Fisticuffs 4, Getting
Medieval (energy stinger) 4; DFT 3, Athletics 4, Firearms (eye bolts) 5; MTL 3, Valor n/a; KNO
7, science: computer 8; WIT 3, Influence 3, Instinct 4; MGK 3
Typical Assets: Dervish, Energy Stinger [STR + 2d4], Energy Bolt [2d8], Horror 7, Limited net
access, Natural Armor 2/3/4
Note: Physical abilities and equipment only in virtual space.
Threat Level: 4 (Local)
195

MORLOCK
These humans were altered to thrive in subterranean

locations such as subway tunnels and 24-hour under-
ground malls. Physical mutations (enhanced eyes and
ears) provide vision and hearing beyond that of most
humans, but they have no noses (and thus no sense of
smell) and find the bright lights and electronic noises
of the modern world uncomfortable.
Morlocks often band together in groups of a dozen or
more, living in ramshackle structures and using dim
lights with illegal electrical hook-ups. At night, they wan-
der streets and alleyways, lurking in poorly lit areas.
Though they can subsist on most types of discarded
foodstuffs and even sewage, they have such a craving
for iron rich meat that only the strongest-willed mor-
locks can resist turning to cannibalism.
Many reports of missing persons (especially children
and women) are thought to be the work of morlocks.
INIT +7; MV 60’; ATK +10 unarmed [4], +7 melee [4 + 2d6], +3 ranged [2d6]; DEF +6; DR
2/3/3; WD 6
2, Valor 6; KNO 2, Crime 3; WIT 3, Influence 2, Instinct 4; MGK 3
Typical Assets: Horror 9, Natural Armor 2/3/3, Nightvision
Threat Level: 1 (Aberration)
PHAGE
Phages are cannibalistic serial killers with specific phys-

iological Flux mutations that imbue them with arachnid-
like characteristics. Most phages maintain their normal
lifestyle and lure their victims from nightclubs, online
dating sites, or a particular database used in a day job.
Rarely, a phage cannot maintain his or her mental bal-
ance, and becomes a depraved savage. These phages
dwell primarily in labyrinthine sewers and train tunnels,
using the slumburbs and underground malls as their
hunting grounds. Unwary tourists are the most likely to
be kidnapped, raped, tortured, murdered, and con-
sumed (but not necessarily in that order).
Phages are strong and fast, can vomit digestive acid,
and rapidly excrete web-like protein strands as Firearms
attacks (typical max range = MTL+10 feet), though the
latter is only effective when naked.
INIT +7; MV 75’; ATK +9 Fisticuffs [4], +9 melee [4 +

2d6], +8 Firearms [3d6 acid]; DEF +9; DR 2/4/5; WD 7
3; KNO 3, Crime 4; WIT 3, Influence 5, Instinct 4; MGK 3
Typical Assets: Digestive Acid [3d6], Horror 8, Natural Armor 2/4/5, Web (TN 9 to break free,
+1 per additional strand)
196

SANGUIVORE
Some persons suffer from a 'Class V' affliction, targeting

the victim's brain chemistry, maxillary canine dentition,
and porphyrin pathway enzymes. Symptoms include: a
blistering rash when exposed to sunlight, elongated
teeth, a craving for blood, increased physicality, depres-
sion, hallucinations, and paranoia of varying intensity.
Their cells are hyperstimulated by electromagnetic
fields so that, while they appear in mirrors and reflective
surfaces, their presence cannot be detected by cam-
eras, security lasers, and other electronic devices.
Thanks to popular fiction, sanguivorous assaults are
often reported as vampire attacks.
Though no Knightwatch team has yet encountered a
true undead with classical vampiric powers (such as
turning to mist or bat form), many sanguivores come to
believe they are actual vampires and shun garlic and
holy symbols as they believe they should.
INIT +7; MV 90’; ATK +6 unarmed [4 + 1], +6 melee [4 + 2d6], +5 ranged [2d6], +8 casting;
DEF +10; DR 1/2/2; WD 8
4, Valor 3; KNO 2, Business 2, Crime 1; WIT 3, Influence 6, Instinct 4; MGK 3, Charm 5
Typical Assets: Bite [STR + 1], Horror 11, Natural Armor 1/2/2, Neurotik (Charm)
SUCCUBUS
In some females, the Flux heightens the body's uncon-

scious odor cues (i.e., pheromones) and enables her to
exude them on command. These pheromones are par-
ticularly hard to resist, and once enraptured (a
[MGK+MTL] check versus TN 13) a victim eagerly fol-
lows her commands ([MGK+MTL] check vs TN 17 to re-
sist any particular order and break her hold).
The Flux also increases the sex-associated dopamine
levels, so that the chemical 'high' she receives from
each sexual encounter makes it increasingly difficult to
persuade her to stop. Any attempts at influencing a suc-
cubus require a [WIT + Influence] check vs TN X, where
X is 11, +1 per each sexual encounter she had as a suc-
cubus. Sex with a succubus drains her victim's life force
[–1d4 MTL per encounter].
No reports of a male succubus (i.e., incubus) exist.

3; KNO 2, Business 3, Crime 2; WIT 6, Influence 7, Instinct 3; MGK 5, Charm 5
Typical Assets: Drain Life (–1d4 MTL during sex), Enrapture (TN 13 vs MGK+MTL; requires
TN 17 to break the spell), Horror 6, Natural Armor m2/v3/e3
197

SYNTH
Heavily augmented individuals, or those with a strong

predilection to logic, may suffer from Synthflesh, a pe-
culiar opportunistic infection. It initially presents bene-
ficially, with increased resistance to physical and
toxicological damage, and the elimination of any dis-
eases and other viral infections. However, the individual
also suffers an increasing inability to smell, taste, rec-
ognize objects and sensations through touch, and dis-
criminate temperature. The infection then manifests a
metallic rash that spreads to cover the entire body.
Transformation into a 'synth' frequently results in mul-
tiple mental disorders, including: dermatillomania,
agorophobia, depression, and psychosis (a murderous
hatred of flesh). In the 2d4 weeks that follow, synths
may be responsible for much violence before the final
stage (catetonia) occurs.
INIT +5; MV 30’; ATK +2 to +12 Fisticuffs [1-6], +3 to +8

Getting Medieval [1-6 +2d6], +3 Firearms [2d6]; DEF +4; DR 2/4/6; WD 4 to 9
Typical Abilities: STR 1+6* (week 6), Fisticuffs 1+6* (week 6), Getting Medieval 2; DFT 2,
Athletics 2, Firearms 1; MTL 3, Valor 2; KNO 4, Science (Computers 5, Mechanical 5); WIT 2,
Influence 2, Instinct 3; MGK 1
Typical Assets: Horror 11, Increased STR (+2d4; i.e., +1 per week)*, Natural Armor m2/v4/e6
THERIANTHROPE
Therianthropes suffer from a cyclical alteration in body

chemistry causing excessive hair and nail growth similar
to that of a feline, plus improved vision, reddish teeth,
enhanced physical abilities, periods of psychosis (in-
cluding cannibalism and mutilation) and subsequent
memory loss.
Because of the cyclical nature of this affliction (usually
every 28 days), the speed at which it can disappear and
manifest (only a few minutes) and the fact that some
cycles present more extreme effects than others, theri-
anthrope incidents may easily be misdiagnosed as
‘werewolf’ attacks.
Statistics presented here for Knightwatch reference
list a sample therianthope in its fully afflicted stage
(what werewolf fans would see as a ‘hybrid’ stage). Sil-
ver weapons deal no extra damage, but some theri-
anthopes avoid them anyway.
INIT +8; MV 90’; ATK +15 unarmed [6], +15 bite [7], +15 claw [8 or 16], +10 melee [6 + 2d6],
+6 ranged [2d6]; DEF +11; DR 1/5/5; WD 10
4, Valor 2; KNO 1; WIT 2, Influence 3, Instinct 6; MGK 2
Typical Assets: Bite [STR + 1], Claw [STR + 2 per claw], Horror 16, Natural Armor m1/v5/e5
198

THETA
Thetas are undead persons who retain their former in-

telligence, living in fear of discovery. The lucky ones
work at home, relying on internet friendships and deliv-
ered foods. Others hide their decay with cosmetics and
perfume, or live in underground malls and parking lots,
where they occasionally conflict with morlocks. All
thetas have a decomposition "deathspan" lasting for
weeks or months, depending on environmental factors.
Thetas cannot feel pain, and eventually become homi-
cidal. Rare thetas can slow decay by draining life force.
Knightwatch reports indicate that Biocom has initiated
a city-wide search and recovery procedure for thetas
throughout all their clinics and hospitals. "Theta" comes
from a business term referring to an option price's time
to expiration, or time decay. Thetas are also classed as
N.M.Es, or "Not Meaningful Events of default."

7, Valor 1; KNO 2, Business 3, Crime 3, Humanities: History 3; WIT 2, Influence 2, Instinct 3;
MGK 5
Typical Assets: Horror 7, Immune to Disease/Poison/Radiation, MGK Bonus +2
UNSEEN
The unseen are a result of Flux-altered liquids that in-

flict metamorphological changes {/reference/Hyde mois-
turizer/Neanderthug ale}.
Affected liquids become clear, but retain the scent,
taste, and viscosity of the original. Consuming it results
in a considerably painful molecular change that lasts
for the next d4 hours, after which the subject is com-
pletely invisible to sight and electronic detection.
(Weight sensors and infrared work normally.)
Roughly 6% of all affected individuals can return to full
visibility at will, though for a limited number of hours
per day equal to the unseen’s [MTL + MGK] total. Cap-
tured unseen are a high priority in order to {/error/clas-
sified/Silent Knight project/} determine the commonalities
of the liquids affected.
INIT +7, MV 75’; ATK +4 unarmed [2], +4 melee [2 +

2d6], +10 ranged [2d6]; DEF +13 invisible (or +8 clothed
or seen through FLIRD goggles); DR 1/2/3; WD 4
2, Valor 2; KNO 2, Business 2, Crime 3, Science: Chemistry 4; WIT 3, Influence 2, Instinct 4;
MGK 1
Typical Assets: Horror 10 (empty clothes), Invisible, Natural Armor 1/2/3
199

RELICS
Certain items have such a connection to the Flux that they bestow Flux Points on their
owners, but these FP last only while the character retains it on his person. These FP can-
not be spent to gain permanent bonuses.
For example, let’s say that character Sean Trinian has 14 FP and owns a magical
relic with 1 FP. Sean has 15 FP total, and his player can spend that extra 1 FP every day,
confident it will be restored at sunrise.
However, the magical nature of these relics, combined with the chaos of the Flux,
means that they may retain their original shape or even appear in a modern guise!
ARONDIGHT (1 FP). This longsword, forged from meteorite iron, was given to Sir Lancelot
by the Lady of the Lake. Although unable to be blunted in battle, the sword became
cursed during his escape with Queen Guinevere, when he accidentally slew Sir Gareth.
Blighted Blade: This sword provides a +3 bonus on the wielder’s attacks and damage,
but it does the same for everyone attacking the wielder!
CARNWENNAN (1 FP). King Arthur once used this dagger, which he named ‘Blessed-Hilt,’
to slay the Very Black Witch. It provies a +2 bonus on attack and damage rolls.
Shadow: When drawn, the wielder can become shrouded in shadows, unable to be
seen by FLIRD or IID sensors, and causing a –DFT penalty on all other checks to detect
him. This power functions a number of times per day equal to the wielder’s DFT skill,
and lasts for DFT minutes each time, but only between the hours of dusk to dawn.
CLARENT (2 FP). This longsword was a symbol of Arthur’s kingship, and was used only for
ceremonies and knighting. It was also called the ‘Sword in the Stone’ or (after it was stolen
by Mordred) ‘the Coward’s Blade.’ It provides a +1 bonus on attack and damage rolls.
Sword of Peace: The wielder is immune to Charm spells.
EXCALIBUR (3 FP). Excalibur, or Caledfwlch (pronounced ‘kaled-voulch’), is the longsword
that the Lady of the Lake gave Arthur. Its gold-plated hilt is engraved with two chimeras
and set with twinkling stones of diamond, orange topaz, and red jacinth. One side of the
blade is inscribed with the Latin phrase tolle me (take me up) and the reverse side with
abice me (cast me away). It provies a +6 bonus on attack and damage rolls.
Scabbard of Protection (3 FP): Excalibur is a mightly weapon, but its scabbard is an-
other matter... When worn by the wielder of Excalibur, the scabbard immediately heals
all wounds caused by blade, bow, or bludgeon (i.e., anything but a firearm or magic).
FAIL-NOT (2 FP). Sir Tristan's bow was said to never miss its mark. While not entirely
true, the wielder does gain great accuracy.
Faithful Strike: The wielder of this shortbow gains a bow attack bonus equal to his
[MTL + Firearms]. For example, a Knight with MTL 3 and Firearms 2 would gain a +5
attack bonus when using this bow. As his abilities improve, so does the bonus.
200

FORTUNE STONE (2 FP). This magical pink topaz, the size of a lady's thumb, was the
source of power in a belt once possessed by Queen Guinevere.
Favored: The bearer receives a +3 bonus to STR, Valor, and Influence checks.
GALATINE (1 FP). Sir Gawain’s two-handed sword grants special powers, but only when
directly struck by sunlight. A +3 attack and damage bonus applies at all times.
Final Blow: When the wielder would normally suffer his final wound and slump to
the ground, the sword restores two wounds and gives a bonus of STR x3 on the char-
acter’s next melee attack action and any resulting damage.
GRAIL SWORD (2 FP). Sir Percival once mended this holy sword, though an image of the
crack remains etched into the metal. It gives a +2 bonus on attack and damage rolls.
Prismatic: Immediately after suffering a wound, the wielder may choose to conjure
a shimmering, multicolored rainbow of light that covers a (MGK x 5)-foot sphere cen-
tered on himself. All foes within this area suffer a 2-point penalty on all checks for a
number of turns equal to the wielder’s MGK.
GWENN (2 FP). King Arthur's white mantle grants true invisibility to the wearer. It
can completely cover any one person and any gear he can reasonably conceal beneath
it. Moving faster than walking speed may reveal the wearer, requiring a successful
[DFT + Athletics] check against an observer's [WIT + Instinct] check to avoid notice.
Invisibility: The wearer cannot be seen by machines or lifeforms, though the cloak
does not silence his voice, footsteps, or other noises. The cloak cannot conceal a light
within itself (such as a flashlight or glow from a tablet), and is only active when worn;
it does not function when simply wrapped around an inanimate object.
HOLY GRAIL (6 FP). The true origin of the Grail is unknown, and even its appearance
cannot be stated for certain. Research indicates that the san graal probably now ap-
pears as a silver-plated bowl, though it may be a platter, cup, or goblet of any design.
Restoration: At least an ounce of liquid consumed directly from the grail heals all
wounds, removes all curses and magical effects (whether helpful or harmful), and elim-
inates any need for food and drink until the following sunrise.
RING OF DISPELLING (2 FP). Sir Lancelot received this magical iron ring from the Lady
of the Lake. It allows the wearer to dispel magic and aids him in penetrating illusion.
Dispelling: The wearer receives a [MGK] bonus against Charm and Holography
spells, and may place his ring hand on a cursed object or enspelled creature in order to
remove all harmful magical effects. This requires a period of concentration equivalent
to a Move or Attack action, and can be performed up to [MGK] times per day.
SEVEN-BLOCK BOOTS (1 FP). This relic, seemingly a variant of the classic seven-league
boots, may appear as any pair of footwear (sneakers, high heels, work boots, etc.).
Strider: Once per day, the wearer may teleport roughly seven blocks (1,820 feet).
The destination will self-correct to avoid merging with another object.
SIEGE PERILOUS. The "seat of danger" may appear as an ordinary wooden chair, a plush
recliner, a plastic rolling desk chair, or some other such item. The seat is reserved for
the 'One True Knight': he who will one day succeed in locating the Holy Grail.
Curse: Anyone who sits in this chair – other than the One True Knight – must af-
terwards always take the lowest result on a Flux Dice roll, making death or injury much
more likely. The seat has no effect on persons not altered by the Flux. When the One
True Knight sits in this chair, the curse disappears from all who previously sat here.
WIGAR (2 FP). This suit of chainmail armor once belonged to King Arthur himself,
and was reportedly forged by an elvish smith. It is notably light and strong (DEF –1,
DR 6/3/3, and MGK –5), but has no magical abilities.
WYNEBGWRTHUCHER (2 FP). King Arthur's shield, "Face of Evening," was a sturdy
wooden device bearing the painted silhouette of a female face half in shadow. It has
the standard properties of a normal wooden shield (DEF +1, DR 2/1/0, and MGK –3).
Venger: When struck by a blade, the shield reverberates half of the damage against
the attacker. For example, an attack dealing 16 points of damage applies to the de-
fender as usual, but the attacker suffers 8 points (no defense check).
201

INDEX
202

203

204

205

206

INSPIRATION
Looking for additional inspiration for your Corporia adventures, cryptids, or characters?
Here’s a list of various media that inspired me in one way or another.
COMICS Snow Crash

Camelot 3000 Soylent Green
Creature Commandos Time Machine, the
Global Frequency
Hotwire RPGS
Invisibles, the Cyberpunk 2020
Stormwatch Deadlands
Transmetropolitan Everlasting, the
V for Vendetta Shadowrun
Vampire: the Masquerade
MOVIES
Back to the Future Part II TELEVISION
Brazil Alphas
Carrie Andromeda
Equilibrium Angel (mostly season 5)
Fifth Element, the Bubblegum Crisis
Highlander Buffy the Vampire Slayer
Idiocracy Century City
Minority Report Chrono Crusade
Night of the Living Dead Dollhouse
Repo: the Genetic Opera Misfits
Robocop Outlaws (1986)
THX 1138 Sanctuary
Star Trek: Deep Space Nine (Past Tense)
NOVELS Ultraviolet
1984 Torchwood
Brave New World X-Files, the
Call of Cthulhu, the
Dracula VIDEO GAMES
Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde Dead Island
Fahrenheit 451 Deus Ex
Handmaid’s Tale, the Mass Effect
Invisible Man, the Mirror’s Edge
Jennifer Government Syndicate
Once and Future King, the
Neuromancer
207

Valyant No. 2045-138; Classified
Watchman Private Security Department Form V-9, Employee

Covert Operations and Special Tactics [Knightwatch] Data Verification
1. Employee Information (All sections to be verified by Knightwatch Director at the time employment begins.)
Last Name First Name M.I. Alias (if any) Reincarnate (Y/N)
Description Hair Color Eye Color Sex (M/F) Concept
Traits Sign
Assets Core Competency REPP
Augments AFP FP
2. Core Values and Skills 3. Base Fitness Ratings

STR Fisticuffs Unarmed Melee Melee Ranged Throw vs. Physical vs. Mental
Initiative
Attack Attack Defense Attack (base ft.) spell spell
Getting Medieval
DFT Athletics
Walk Jog Run Sprint Long Jump High Jump Climb Swim
Firearms
MTL Valor (current)
Valor (min.) 4. Weapon Loadout (List personal weapons plus any from the employee package provided.)
KNO Business Attack Attack Base + Damage Base
Weapon Reload
Crime Mods Total Damage Mods Range
Humanities
Antiques
Arts
History
Language
Music
Religion
5. Personal Protective Equipment (Add Base Def only once when calculating Defense total.)
Sciences
Defense Mods DR Melee DR Hi-Velocity DR Energy Casting
Biology
Armor
Chemistry
Computer Shield
Mechanical
Other
Medicine
Physics TOTALS
Psychology
WIT Notes
Influence
Instinct
MGK Sorcery
Holography
Kinesis
Metamorph
Technomancy
Witchcraft
Charm
Elemental
Perception
Spiritism Hit Locations

Corporia RPG (Beta-Test)

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Corporia_Playtest:Layout 1 12/4/13 9:14 PM Page 1

KICKSTARTER BACKER PLAYTEST

Mathew Segal (order #5308170)

Mathew Segal (order #5308170)

ADDITIONAL DEVELOPMENT: Jim Davenport

INTERIOR ART: A-papantoniou (AI), Adam121 (Asheland), Alphaspirit (potion), Anderm

BETA PLAYTESTING: xxxx

Mathew Segal (order #5308170)

Mathew Segal (order #5308170)

Mathew Segal (order #5308170)

Chapter 1: The Basics

Chapter 5: The City

Mathew Segal (order #5308170)

Chapter 6: Game Mastery

Copyright © 2013 Brabblemark Press

First Printing, February 2014

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, busi-

DOCUMENT: THE STORY SO FAR

Throughout this book, sidebars like this one indicate

Mathew Segal (order #5308170)

The Story So Far

Hundreds of years ago, upon the death of his father,

Mathew Segal (order #5308170)

borne to Avalon. Someday, the last knight is told, the

retrieved from OMNICORP Archive 001/J

Mathew Segal (order #5308170)

More weeks pass, and The City shows little outward

Yet, change has come, though few people realize it.

retrieved from OMNICORP Archive 001/J

Mathew Segal (order #5308170)

questions might have been asked, facts correlated, and

retrieved from OMNICORP Archive 001/J

Mathew Segal (order #5308170)

13 | WHAT IS CORPORIA? 17 | CHARACTER ATTRIBUTES

13 | WHAT IS ROLE-PLAYING? 18 | USING ABILITIES

15 | HOW TO USE THIS BOOK 20 | COMBAT

15 | WHAT YOU’LL NEED TO PLAY 24 | MISCELLANEOUS RULES

Mathew Segal (order #5308170)

Mathew Segal (order #5308170)

THE PLAYER CHARACTERS

Mathew Segal (order #5308170)

HOW TO USE THIS BOOK

WHAT YOU’LL NEED TO PLAY

Mathew Segal (order #5308170)

Mathew Segal (order #5308170)

Your character isn’t just a faceless

Mathew Segal (order #5308170)

Mathew Segal (order #5308170)

Mathew Segal (order #5308170)

WHO GOES FIRST?

Mathew Segal (order #5308170)

SAMPLE ATTACK ACTIONS

CAST A SORCERY SPELL..............................................MGK + SORCERY DISCIPLINE

Mathew Segal (order #5308170)

HIT LOCATION. When not aiming, your total Flux

penalizes Firearms, Fisticuffs, Getting Medieval, spell- 3 ...................R IGHT LEG

Mathew Segal (order #5308170)

SAMPLE DEFENSE ACTIONS

VS HACKING ...............................................WIT + SCIENCES: COMPUTER

Mathew Segal (order #5308170)

Mathew Segal (order #5308170)

Mathew Segal (order #5308170)

27 | CHARACTER CONCEPT 64 | CORE VALUES