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QUICKSTART GUIDE

QUICKSTART GUIDE
CREDITS CONTENTS
System Design CREDITS, 1
Richard Baker, David Noonan, Stephen Schubert
INTRODUCTION, 2
Adventure Design HOW TO GET STARTED, 2
Richard Baker
YOUR Alternity CHARACTER, 2
Editing and Layout
SKILLS, 5
David Noonan
GEAR DESCRIPTIONS, 8
Cover Illustration
HAND-TO-HAND AND MELEE WEAPON STATS, 9
Roberto Gatto
THE CORE MECHANIC, 10
Cover Design
Corey Macourek COMBAT, 12

WRECK OF THE MAGELLAN, 17


Interior Illustrators
Ayan Nag, Roberto Gatto JETTISONED CARGO: THE CAVE, 24

THE SINGING DOME, 26


Art Direction
Richard Baker CONCLUSION, 27

ADVERSARIES, 28
Production Specialist
Nissa McCormack PREGEN HEROES, 30

Sasquatch Game Studio, LLC | Auburn, WA 98092 | sasquatchgamestudio.com

Alternity is a registered trademark of Sasquatch Game Studio LLC. Sasquatch Game Studio and the Sasquatch logo are trademarks of Sasquatch
Game Studio, LLC. All characters and the distinctive likenesses thereof are property of Sasquatch Game Studio LLC. This material is protected
under the copyright laws of the United States of America. Any reproduction or unauthorized use of the material or artwork contained herein is
prohibited without the express written permission of Sasquatch Game Studio LLC. © 2018 Sasquatch Game Studio, LLC.
QUICKSTART GUIDE
INTRODUCTION If you’ve got the time, it wouldn’t hurt for
the players to become familiar with the Core
Welcome to Alternity, the science fiction
Mechanic and Combat sections too. But
roleplaying game where you choose your own
things should work okay if players just pick up
future! This playtest packet provides the core
the mechanics and combat rules by playing
elements you need to run a quick RPG session:
through the adventure.

• About Your Character


• Skill Descriptions YOUR ALTERNITY
• Gear Descriptions
• The Core Mechanic CHARACTER
• Combat Rules This section explains how to read the informa-
• Wreck of the Magellan, a tion provided on each of the pregen character
short adventure sheets included in this guide. Choose one of
• Adversaries for the adventure the characters and refer to the sheet as you
• 6 pregen PCs read this section—it’ll help you make sense of
this part of the packet.
We aren’t including any character creation
information in this guide, since we just want
to provide a demonstration of how the system
NAME, ARCHETYPE, STORY
plays. Character creation is described in the The basic introduction of your character. Feel
Alternity Core Rules. free to change the name if you like, or come up
with a different story. Archetype describes your
heroic role in the party: Are you the muscle,
ABOUT THIS GUIDE the brains, or the everyman who steps in to
If you have questions—
ones we can answer This guide is intended to serve as a bare- make a difference? You probably don’t think of
briefly— during your bones rulebook and sample adventure for the yourself by your archetype name, since it’s not
game, send us a Alternity Demonstration Pack. If you’re just your career or profession. It’s more of a way of
message on facebook/ getting started, we suggest beginning with The describing the role you’re going to play in the
twitter: facebook.com/ Institute introductory adventure (the other PDF action movie you’re starring in.
SasquatchGameStudio in this pack). All the characters are Level 1, but that
or @Sasquatch_Games
We think you are an experienced RPG doesn’t mean they’re barely heroes. We
player. In this guide we’re not going to try to assume that any Alternity PC is already a
explain how you have a talky encounter with a hero capable of handling a mook (or three)
NPC or fully define skills and special abilities— in a brawl or a shootout. Higher levels mean
we’re providing the bare minimum for a sharp moderately better skill scores, more training to
player like you to infer the details. For example, spread around, and some new talents. You’re
our Athletics skill description notes that you not going to be ten times tougher at 10th level.
use that skill for climbing things, but we’re not
going to tell you much more than that because
it’s not important for trying out the system. So,
ABILITIES
don’t be alarmed if some things like detailed Your character’s natural strengths and weak-
skill definitions have been left for later. nesses are described by six Ability ratings.
These are: Strength, Agility, Vitality, Intelli-
gence, Focus, and Personality. Scores range
HOW TO GET STARTED from 0 to 10, with a typical human having a
Pick out someone in your group to be the score of 2 to 4 in each Ability.
Gamemaster (GM). The GM should read Strength measures raw physical power and
through the rules and the sample adventure basic athleticism. It’s good for hand-to-hand
ahead of the game session. combat as well as climbing, running, jumping,
Other players should pick out one pregen- and other physical challenges.
erated character each. Each player should read Agility represents hand-eye coordination,
through the “Your Alternity Character” section balance, and flexibility. A good Agility is help-
of this guide, and then review their charac- ful in ranged combat, initiative checks, and
ter sheet and the skill and gear descriptions for getting out of the way of blasts or simi-
as needed. lar threats.

2
Your Alternity Character

Pictured: Sasquatch game designers launching a new game.

Vitality represents your health, endurance, SPECIES


and physical resilience. It contributes to your Alternity characters might belong to any Your ability ratings
character’s overall durability (the ability to number of unusual species—denizens of are a lot like playing
absorb damage and keep going), and your a d20 game using
alien worlds, cyborgs, androids, mutants,
ability to fight off or resist the effects of poison, your ability modifier
vampires, and so on. The choices available without a score
radiation, partial vacuum, and other hazards to you depend greatly on what sort of setting attached. A ‘3’ is
you’re exposed to. your Gamemaster has created for your game. about the same as a
Intelligence is a combination of your rea- For right now, we’re keeping it simple: Your 10–11 in a d20 game.
soning ability and your education. It’s good for Alternity character is human.
invention, mechanics, sciences, and skills of
that sort. It doesn’t often come up in combat
situations, but a good Intelligence score might HERO POINTS
be handy for improvising defensive measures Your hero points represent extraordinary luck,
or disabling foes by making good use of the resilience, or perseverance. You can spend
environment around you. a hero point to improve the success of a skill
(In case you’re curious, most animals have check you make by one level (see the Core Intelligence
an Intelligence of 0. Animals with significant Mechanic). For example, you can change a scores for game
“language” ability or sophisticated group Failure to an Average success. designers are left
behaviors have an Intelligence of 1. Any human You can also use a hero point to reduce as an exercise for
child older than four or five has an Intelligence the severity of a wound you receive. You can the reader.
of at least 2. This is not a linear scale.) change a mortal or critical wound to a serious
Focus is a measure of awareness, resolve, wound, or a serious, moderate, or light wound
determination, and the ability to “zero in” to a graze.
and concentrate on tasks that demand your You can use 1 hero point during the sample
full attention. A good Focus rating helps with adventure.
marksmanship, initiative, noticing concealed
danger, and resisting efforts to distract you.
Personality describes your natural persua-
INITIATIVE
siveness, charisma, likeability, and talent for At the beginning of an action scene, you make
leadership. It’s the key ability for interacting an initiative check to determine when you get
with NPCs or exercising effective command. to take your first turn. To make an initiative

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QUICKSTART GUIDE
check, roll d20 and compare it to your initiative TALENTS
score. Some characters also gain a difficulty Your talents are special abilities, weapon tricks,
die bonus when they make an initiative check. or advanced tactics that give you an edge in
If your initiative says “+1 die step,” you’ll nor- an action scene. Your archetype provides a
mally roll d20+d4 when you roll for initiative. variety of talent choices, but for this playtest
We’ll cover difficulty die steps in the Core document we’ve picked out a few for the
Mechanic section. pregen characters. The descriptions of your
talents are simply concise summaries provid-
WEAPONS ing just enough information to use them in
This section of the sheet notes the weapons play—we describe them more carefully in the
or attack forms you’re likely to have available Core Rules.
and your attack bonus with each. The numbers
also tell you how much damage you inflict CHARACTER SKILLS
with each weapon on an Average or Excel- The right-hand column of your character
lent hit (so a light pistol deals 1d6+1 damage sheet lists all of the skills in the core module
on an Average hit, or 1d6+5 damage on an of the Alternity game. Each skill has a
Excellent hit). If you get a Stellar hit, you deal key ability, which tells you which ability (or
Excellent damage twice. The type of damage two abilities) serve as the basis for checks
a weapon inflicts is usually physical or energy. against that skill. The Points column lists the
We’ll cover grades of success in the Core number of skill points your character has
Mechanic section. assigned to each skill. If you don’t have any
points assigned to a skill, you’re untrained
DURABILITY in it, which means you’re no better or worse
Your character’s durability describes how much than any average person in trying to use that
We’ll explain
physical punishment you can take and keep skill. The skill score shows the target number
average, excellent,
and stellar in more on going. When an enemy successfully attacks for your skill check when you use that skill:
detail later, but for you, its weapon deals a single box of damage for example, 12/17/22. The first result is an
now, suffice it to say ranging from 1 to 16 (or more) in severity. Average success; the second is an Excellent
that the better your You subtract your armor’s resistance value success; and the highest number is your
attack roll, the more threshold for a Stellar success.
from the damage dealt by the enemy attack;
damage you’ll do.
armor is rated for its effectiveness against
physical or energy damage. GEAR
After reducing the damage of the attack for Special protective gear, weaponry, or handy
your armor, you mark off 1 box in the corre- items your character typically carries are listed
sponding injury band. If you have no boxes here. You can assume that you also have what-
available for a wound of that severity (usually ever might be typical for the average person
because of previous injuries you sustained), in the street—a shirt or blouse, pants or skirt,
mark off a box in the next highest severity with belt, shoes, light jacket or coat, wallet, key ring,
an open wound box. and a personal communication device (what-
The description for the wound categories ever the future version of a smart phone turns
notes the amount of penalty you take for out to be).
having a wound of that kind. For example, if
you have a serious wound, you take a –2 die
step penalty on all skill checks you make. Just
use the worst one that applies—these penal-
ties don’t stack.
If you have to mark off your last (highest)
wound box, you’re incapacitated: unconscious,
dying, or dead. See the Combat section for
more information on taking damage.

4
Skills
SKILLS At rank 1, 3, and 7, reduce your armor’s pen-
alty to movement skills by 1 step.
Whether you’re
trained or untrained,
Since the Alternity game is a skill-based a good rule of thumb
At rank 2, 5, and 8, reduce your movement
game system (mostly), your skills are your pri- is to ask for a skill
penalty by 2 meters.
mary tool for interacting with the world around check only when
Athletics (Strength): Your skill at climbing, success and failure
you and overcoming dangers. In the complete
jumping, throwing, swimming, and general are both a) possible;
rules, each of these skills has a better descrip-
feats of strength. Throwing grenades is an and b) interesting.
tion with notes about what’s an easy or hard
Athletics skill check. If you need to make a If that isn’t true,
skill check. For purposes of this packet, we’re don’t roll.
check for something that seems to be a test
just providing a minimal description. Use your
of physical strength or power and you don’t
best judgment about what a skill entails, and
know what other skill to use, it’s probably an
move on with the sample adventure.
Athletics check.
Key Ability: Each skill is tied to one or two
Awareness (Focus): Your ability to notice
key abilities. Your skill score is equal to d20 –
that something’s wrong or out of place in your
your skill bonus (your skill ranks + the key abil-
environment. Usually, the GM asks you to
ity), plus or minus a difficulty die. If a skill lists
make this check.
two key abilities, you can choose whichever is
Coercion (Personality): You know how to
best for you when you figure your skill score.
get other people to do what you want through
(We did this already for the pregen characters.)
bullying, threats, or sheer weight of authority.
Untrained: If you don’t have any skill points
Use this skill to intimidate a thug, interrogate a
in a skill, you’re effectively untrained in it. You
prisoner, or insist on priority service.
know as much about it as any typical person
Computers (Intelligence): Your training in
on the street would know (so, if you have no
advanced computer use. Anybody can run
skill points in Computers, you can still turn on a
ordinary software or do a basic online search,
computer and use a word processor program
but if you have skill points in Computers, you’re
or do a basic web search). Likewise, you can
good for programming, customizing hardware,
drive a car even if you don’t have any specific
hacking, and fixing the Blue Screen of Death.
training in Driving because most people can.
Culture (Personality): You’re familiar with
But you can’t fly a helicopter without points in
the language, customs, history, and popu-
Piloting, because most people can’t.
lar culture of a particular species or country
If you need to make a check with an
(depending on the scope of your campaign).
untrained skill, your skill bonus is your key
ability (you have no skill points to add, but you
may have some natural aptitude).
ABILITIES AND CHECKS
SKILL DESCRIPTIONS In the Alternity game, most checks you make are based on
your skills, not your raw ability ratings. If you’re not sure
The skills that appear on the pregenerated
what kind of check to make, here’s a quick guide.
character sheets are described below.
Academics (Intelligence): You have studied
• Use Athletics for general Strength tests such as
a “soft” science such as archeology, anthro-
attempts to break something, pick up something, or
pology, history, linguistics, political science, or
resist someone else pushing you.
sociology. Choose one field as your specialty;
• Use Dodge for general Agility-based tests, such as
you gain a +1 die step bonus when you make
getting out of the way of something dangerous (a
checks related to your special field.
“save vs. explosion,” basically).
Acrobatics (Agility): This skill covers
• Use Endurance for general Vitality tests, such as
balance, tumbling, tightrope walking, tests of
resisting poisons or the effects of serious injuries.
contortion or flexibility, and moving in zero-G
• Use Science for broad Intelligence tests such as
environments.
decoding alien symbols or solving a tough math prob-
Armor Training (Strength or Intelligence):
lem in your head.
Your training in the use, maintenance, and
• Make an Awareness check for general Focus tests,
repair of heavy armor. Powered or unpow-
such as noticing a hidden danger or ignoring a
ered, heavy armor generally impedes your
distraction.
movement and fighting ability, but you can
• Use Influence for Personality tests such as an
overcome these penalties with Armor Training.
attempt to persuade someone to do something you
And using advanced powered armor definitely
ask them to or believe something you say.
requires some specialized training.

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QUICKSTART GUIDE
Each time you spend a skill point in Culture, die step bonus on attacks when you use your
you can pick another species or country. Make specialty energy weapon.
a Culture check to identify useful contacts or Engineering (Intelligence): Your knowl-
as part of an interaction challenge scene. edge of applied technology such as systems,
Deception (Personality): If you’re trying to installations, power plants, construction, dem-
convince someone of something that’s funda- olitions, and starships. In general, Engineering
mentally untrue, it’s a Deception skill check. lets you operate and maintain systems, while
Lies, bluffs, impersonations—they’re all cov- Mechanics lets you do hands-on work or jury-
ered by this skill. rig improvised repairs.
Dodge (Agility): Your ability to get out of the Extreme Sports (Agility or Vitality): Your
way of things. Usually you don’t make a Dodge skill with sports or activities that most people
check on your turn—you attempt a Dodge consider to be daredevil or stunt work:
check when the GM tells you that something is ­double-diamond skiing, hang gliding, big-wave
exploding near you, falling on you, or speeding surfing, extreme mountain biking and dirt jump-
in your direction. ing, that kind of stuff.
Characters who are highly trained in the Firearm (Agility or Focus): Firearms
Dodge skill gain more benefit from the evade covers any repeating projectile weapon
action modifier. If you have at least 5 skill with cartridge-type ammunition—anything
points in this skill, enemies attacking you while from a Colt .45 revolver up to a 21st-century
you’re dodging take a –2 step penalty instead bullpup-­design assault rifle. When you assign
of a –1 step penalty; if you have 10 points in a skill point to Combat: Firearms, choose a
this skill, the penalty is –3 steps. specialty: pistols, rifles, or assault weapons
Driving (Agility): Your training for challeng- (SMGs and shotguns). You gain a +1 die step
ing driving such as high-speed chases, street bonus on attacks when you use your spe-
races, or serious off-roading. Most people can cialty weapon.
drive in routine conditions without any particu- Hand to Hand (Strength or Agility): Your
lar skill in Driving. ability to attack effectively at very close quar-
Empathy (Focus or Personality): Your ters. This covers unarmed styles like brawling
ability to draw out information from people or martial arts, as well as small weapons that
you’re interacting with or pick up subtle social basically serve as extensions of your hands
cues. This might cover broad efforts to gather (knives, brass knuckles, etc.). When you assign
information by talking to lots of people in an a skill point to Combat: Hand to Hand, choose
area, interrogating a hostile prisoner, or help- a specialty: brawling, martial arts, knives, wres-
ing a confused witness to recall a potentially tling. You gain a +1 die step bonus on attacks
vital clue. when you use your specialty style.
Endurance (Vitality): This skill represents Heavy Weapons (Strength or Intelli-
your physical conditioning and acclimatization gence): Your training in heavy weaponry such
to challenging environments. You can’t breathe as mortars, rocket launchers, crew-served
vacuum, but a great Endurance check means machine guns, flamethrowers, or other such
you might survive exposure a few seconds implements of mayhem. As with other combat
longer than most people and perhaps give skills, choose your specialty: heavy energy,
yourself a chance to shut the airlock or repair heavy firearm, or indirect fire weapons. You
a damaged suit. Like Dodge, this is a skill you gain a +1 die step bonus on attacks with your
usually make when the GM asks you to make a specialty.
check against it. Influence (Personality): Your ability to
Energy Weapon (Agility or Focus): Your convince someone to do something you want
You flipped straight training in the use and maintenance of per- them to do, or adopt a particular attitude
to the combat
sonal energy weapons ranging from laser toward some person or situation. You might
skills, didn’t you?
DIDN’T YOU?!? pistols to plasma rifles. They’re a little different influence people through persuasion, flattery,
from firearms because they generally don’t sincerity, or seduction—all that matters is that
have much recoil, don’t require you to lead the you can influence their actions or attitudes.
target or account for a drop over distance, and Mechanics (Intelligence): Your knowledge
operate on completely different mechanisms of motors, vehicles, small machinery, basic
if you need to repair them. When you assign chemistry, and mechanical repair and fabrica-
a skill point to this skill, choose a specialty: tion. You know how to use most machine-shop
pistols, rifles, or assault weapons. You gain a +1 tools, including various types of cutting torches

6
Skills
or welding kits. This skill covers jury-rigging some other type of primitive ranged weapon.
and improvisation, such as sabotaging a power When you assign a skill point to Combat:
conduit to electrocute bad guys nearby or Primitive, choose a specialty: bow, sling, bola,
triggering the fire suppression system to cover javelin. You gain a +1 die step bonus on attacks
your escape. when you use your specialty weapon.
Medicine (Intelligence): Your medical Profession (any): Your education and prac- This is a game
training. If you only have a skill point or two in tical experience in a specific trade or profes- without a dedicated
Medicine, you probably have some good first sion not otherwise covered by this selection magic healer,
aid training. Using Medicine to help someone of skills. For example, if you want to be a so the Medicine
in an action scene is a complex skill check— highly skilled lawyer, assign some skill points skill matters.
you must accumulate a number of successes to Profession (lawyer). Other professions Even a point or
over the course of several skill checks to might include interstellar trader, criminal, or two can make all
the difference in
accomplish your task. Choose the Use a Skill businessperson.
the world.
action when your turn comes up and make Resilience (Vitality): Your ability to fight
a Medicine check; you accumulate 1, 2, or 3 through or minimize injuries with sheer will-
successes for an Average, Excellent, or Stellar power and a high pain tolerance. As an action
success. The total number of successes you in a combat scene, you can attempt a Resil-
need to treat a wound depends on its severity. ience check to reduce the skill check penalty
If you have a med pack, you can treat for a wound you’ve suffered by 1/2/3 steps
(uncheck) a light wound with 1 success, a for an Average/Excellent/Stellar success. You
moderate wound with 2 successes, a seri- suffer the normal penalty for being wounded
ous wound with 3 successes, or a critical when you make the check. When you reduce a
wound with 6 successes. If you don’t have a wound penalty, you don’t un-check the wound
med pack, you can treat a light wound with box; you just ignore some of the penalty. You
1 success. can only attempt a Resilience check once per
Melee (Strength or Agility): Your skill action scene.
with handheld striking or stabbing weapons Science (Intelligence): You’re trained in a Science works best
like clubs, swords, spears, or axes. When science such as astronomy, biology, chemistry, when you exclaim it
you assign a skill point to Melee, choose a genetics, physics, or planetology (a combina- loudly as you roll the
specialty: light blade, heavy blade, striking tion of geology, meteorology, and environmen- dice: “Science!”
weapon, or energized weapon (sci-fi powered tal science). Choose a field to specialize in; you
melee weapons like laser swords or energy gain a +1 step bonus on checks related to that
maces). You gain a +1 die step bonus on specific field of study.
attacks when you use your specialty weapon. Security (Agility or Intelligence): Knowl-
Misdirection (Personality): Your ability edge of alarms, detectors, locks, and moni-
to deceive, distract, or misinform another toring systems, both physical and electronic.
person. You can also use Misdirection to “fit Burglars and safecrackers take this skill to be
in” with your surroundings and look like you good at opening things, while security profes-
belong where you are. In combat, a success- sionals and law enforcers take this skill to set
ful Misdirection check can make your enemy up systems criminals can’t get through.
Distracted. Stealth (Agility or Focus): The ability to not
Performance (Personality): Your ability be noticed. In a natural setting, this involves
to entertain others with some kind of perfor- making good use of cover and camouflage,
mance—acting, dancing, juggling, singing, or staying downwind of one’s target, and avoid-
maybe even a really blue stand-up routine. ing noisy twigs on the ground. Trying to not
Your check result is a good indication of the be noticed by “fitting in” with an urban set-
quality of your act. ting should be a Misdirection check, not a
Piloting (Agility or Intelligence): Your Stealth check.
ability to fly or pilot craft such as helicopters, Survival (Vitality or Focus): Knowledge of
light planes, multiengine planes, orbiters, or survival techniques and training for difficult
starships. The Piloting skill includes navigation, environments. Freezing cold or days without
comm procedures, and the use of weaponry or water might call for Endurance checks, but a
special systems you’d normally expect the pilot successful Survival check means you avoid
to handle from the cockpit. that risk of exposure from freezing cold or
Primitive Weapon (Agility or Focus): You’ve find a way to get water before you’re actually
studied bows, slings, throwing weapons, or threatened with harm.

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QUICKSTART GUIDE
Willpower (Focus): The ability to concen- WEAPONS
trate or maintain one’s determination in the Weapons range from simple melee knives to
face of distractions, as well as resist unusual high-powered energy rifles. The tables below
influences or mental attacks (in settings where list the following attributes for each weapon:
that sort of thing can happen). Like Dodge Skill: Which combat skill you use to attack
or Endurance, your GM will tell you when a with the weapon.
Willpower skill check is called for. Type: When you choose a weapon skill,
you can choose a weapon type to specialize
GEAR DESCRIPTIONS in. This indicates what specialty the weapon
falls under.
Every character must be properly outfitted for Range: The maximum effective range is
adventure. This playtest provides a selection indicated for each weapon. From nearest
of weapons, armor, and other gear for PCs. to furthest, the ranges are Adjacent, Close
(20m), Medium (50m), Long (200m), and Very
ARMOR Long range (500m). Some weapons might
Armor ranges from 20th-century Kevlar vests have special properties that make Very Long
to various advanced-material garments and range longer.
suits of powered or unpowered plate armor. Mag: Indicates how many shots the
Physical and Energy: The amount of weapon can typically take before requiring a
damage reduction the armor provides against reload action.
this type of damage. Speed: The number of impulses it takes
Move: The reduction in the wearer’s you to make an attack with this weapon (see
movement speed. Armor Training reduces Initiative in the Combat section for more
this penalty. information).
Armor Penalty: Some physical skills are Damage: There are two levels of weapon
harder to perform in heavy or bulky armor (for damage that correspond to the varying degree
example, Initiative checks, Acrobatics, Athlet- of success of an attack, separated by slashes
ics, Dodge, Extreme Sports, or Stealth). Armor in the damage expression. For example,
Training reduces this penalty. 1d6+1/5 indicates that the weapon’s damage is
1d6+1 for an Average success or 1d6+5 for an
Excellent success. A Stellar success deals two
SPECIAL ARMOR DESCRIPTIONS wound boxes using the Excellent damage roll.
Carbon Fiber Plate: This armor offers Weapon damage has a “type” such as physical
excellent physical protection, but degrades or energy, which may result in the damage
in effectiveness with repeated hits. Each being reduced by the target’s armor rating.
time the wearer is hit for 10+ damage before
the armor’s resistance is applied, reduce the SPECIAL WEAPON DESCRIPTIONS
armor’s resistance values by 1.
Exoskeleton: Actuators in the suit boost Diskos: It’s a hyper-sharp circular saw
the wearer’s Strength to an effective 9 for on a 1-meter handle. (Hat tip to William
purposes of lifting and carrying things. The Hope Hodgson.)
wearer’s unarmed damage increases to Flechette Gun: The flechette gun shoots
1d8+0/3 physical. a pattern of small but lethal darts. It has the
Brutal property: When you hit a target at Close
range, roll damage normally but mark off one
extra wound box.

ARMOR STATS
Armor Physical Energy Move Penalty Special
DuraWeb Coat 1 3
Hardmesh Uniform 2 2
Polymer Mail 4 2 –4 meters –2 steps
Carbon Fiber Plate 6 3 –4 meters –2 steps Degrades 1 after reducing hit of 10 or more
Exoskeleton 5 4 –2 meters –3 steps +2 steps on Strength checks

8
Gear Descriptions
HAND-TO-HAND AND MELEE WEAPON STATS
Weapon Skill Type Speed Damage Special
Unarmed Hand Brawl 3 1d4 + 0/2 physical
Combat Knife Hand Knife 3 1d6 + 1/5 physical
Shock Glove Hand Brawl 4 1d6 + 2/3 energy Endurance check or stun
Tactical Baton Melee Striking 3 1d4 + 0/4 physical
Diskos Melee Powered 4 1d8 + 3/9 physical

RANGED AND HEAVY WEAPON STATS


Weapon Skill Type Rng Mag Speed Damage Special
Light Pistol Firearms Pistol M 10 3 1d6 + 1/5 physical
Heavy Pistol Firearms Pistol M 10 4 1d8 +1/6 physical
Shotgun Firearms Assault M 5 4 1d8 + 0/5 physical Brutal
Assault Rifle Firearms Rifle VL 20 3 1d8 + 2/8 physical
Sniper Rifle Firearms Rifle VL 5 4 1d8 + 2/9 physical +1 step accuracy
Laser Pistol Energy Pistol L 10 3 1d6 + 0/6 energy +1 step accuracy
Laser Rifle Energy Rifle VL 15 4 1d6 + 1/8 energy +1 step accuracy
Sonic Bore Energy Assault C 10 4 1d8 + 0/5 energy 2 adjacent targets
Flechette Gun Firearms Assault M 10 3 1d6 + 1/5 physical +1 step accuracy, Brutal
Plasma Pistol Energy Pistol M 5 3 2d4/2d8 energy
Plasma Rifle Energy Rifle L 10 4 2d6/2d12 energy
Rail Rifle Heavy Direct VL 20 5 1d8+4/8 physical Armor Piercing 3
Grenade, Blast Athletics * 4 1d8 + 4(0) energy Blast 3(6) m
Grenade, Thermal Athletics * 4 1d8 + 6(2) energy Blast 3 (6) m, Ignite

Grenade: You can throw a grenade up to success on your attack, the target’s Endur- This is just an
20 meters. ance check is at +0 steps. If you got a Stellar appetizer for all
Blast Grenade: A simple high-­ success on your attack, the target’s Endur- the weapons that
you’ll find in the full-
explosive bomb. ance check is at –2 die steps.
fledged Alternity
Thermal Grenade: A target hit by a ther- Shotgun: The shotgun has the Brutal game. We love our
mal grenade begins taking damage over property. When you hit a target at Close fictional guns, power
time (fire). At the end of the action round, range with a shotgun, roll damage normally armor, and power-
the target makes a Dodge check as a free but mark off one extra wound box. tools-repurposed-
action. On a success, the fire goes out. On Sonic Bore: You can attack two targets at for-combat
a failure, the target suffers 1 wound in the the same time with this weapon, provided around here.
least severe open box and must check again the two targets are adjacent to each other.
next round. Make separate attack and damage rolls. The sonic bore is
hideously LOUD.
Lasers: Lasers are very accurate. When
you attack with a laser, you gain a +1 die step
bonus on your attack roll.
OTHER GEAR
Rail Rifle: The rail rifle is armor-piercing. We’ll cover more tools and special items in
Reduce the target’s physical armor value the Core Rules. Here are a couple of sample
by 3 when you roll damage for your rail items mentioned on the pregen charac-
rifle attack ter sheets.
Shock Glove: When you hit a target with a Com Set: A light hands-free headset that
shock glove, the target must make an Endur- gives you radio comms with a range of 50 km
ance check with a +2 die step bonus or be or phone comms if there’s any local communi-
stunned for 1 round. If you got an Excellent cation net.

9
QUICKSTART GUIDE
Datapad: A portable handheld computer
with a touch-screen interface and a number of
THE CORE MECHANIC
In the Alternity Roleplaying Game, your
useful apps. It’s got satellite-datalink capabil-
Gamemaster presents a narrative that features
ity so it can draw on the ship’s computer from
a variety of mysterious, challenging, or danger-
anywhere in the same hemisphere (and the
ous situations. You decide how your character
ship’s computer has a local clone of the world
interacts with the story the GM presents: Do
internet).
you follow the drug lord’s courier, or do you
Geoscanner: A handheld ground-­
stay hidden and continue your stakeout? Do
penetrating radar. You can see up to 10
Depending on your you try to sneak past the sentry ‘bot, con-
meters into or through a surface such as
campaign setting vince it that you have the proper authorization
earth, rock, dirt, or even water to find buried
and tech level, to pass, or simply blow it to bits with your
or sunken objects. You can detect open
characters might not plasma pistol?
spaces inside the surface (a cave or cavity)
benefit from a med Sometimes the GM simply incorporates your
pack if a med pack but you can’t see what’s in them.
decision into the narrative, and then describes
was recently applied Med Pack: You can treat a wounded char-
what happens next. But in situations where fail-
to that character. acter as a 3-impulse action. When you do, roll
ure is a real possibility and comes with serious
Effective frequency a Medicine skill check (see the Medicine skill
may be limited to consequences—for example, failing to stop an
description for details). A med pack can treat
once per combat, orbiter from crashing or losing a gunfight—the
10 wounds before it’s expended.
once per hour, or narrative can’t go forward until you find out
Repair Kit: An assortment of tools needed
even once per day. whether your character succeeds or fails in the
For this playtest,
to repair broken gear: wrench, pliers, hammer,
scene at hand.
there is no such screwdriver, fasteners like nails, bolts, and
Checks: To determine whether your char-
restriction. screws, power meters, replacement wiring,
acter’s action succeeds or not, you’ll make a
and so on. Also includes a laser cutting torch.
check of some kind. Usually this will be a skill
Survival Pack: A light backpack containing
check. To make a check, roll a d20 and com-
two 1-liter water bottles, a water purifier, a
pare it to your character’s skill score. If your
2-person tent, a highly compressed sleeping
die roll equals or exceeds your check score,
bag, 5 kg of rations (sufficient for 7 days),
you succeed on the check.
To put it another a firestarter, 30 meters of light nylon cord
way, the target DC (strong enough to support 200 kg), a com-
for any skill check pass, a small knife, and a roll of duct tape. FIGURING YOUR SKILL SCORE
is 20. Roll d20 and Thruster Belt: You can jump or fly up to Your skill score is equal to 20 – (your key
add your ability 60 meters in a short burst. This requires 2
score and your skill ability + your skill training). For example, if you
impulses (see The Action Round), so you can’t have Strength 5 and 4 skill points in Athletics,
points. It’s the exact
same math, it’s just jet and attack at the same time. If you don’t your Athletics skill score is (20 –9) 11. When-
a matter of whether alight on a solid surface within 60 meters, ever you make an Athletics check, you’re
you want to figure you’ll fall from whatever height you’re at when trying to roll an 11 or better to get an Aver-
out your target die the jets cut out. age success.
rolls ahead of time Wound Gel: This tube contains goo filled
as skill scores or with healing nanobots. Applying the gel heals
record your check a graze, light wound, or moderate wound; THE DIFFICULTY DIE
bonus instead.
reduces a serious wound to moderate; or Your check scores are the same each time
reduces a critical wound to serious. You don’t you test them—if your Strength is 4, your
need any medical training to use wound gel. untrained Strength skill score is 16 whether
A tube contains a single dose. you’re trying to break down a wooden panel
door, bust through a steel fire door, or kick
open an armored hatch in a spaceship. Clearly
some Strength checks are easier than others.
To represent the difficulty of the specific check
you’re attempting, the GM assigns a difficulty
die to your check.
Tests that are easier than normal allow you
to add a difficulty die to the result of the d20
you roll when you make a check.

10
The Core Mechanic
Tests that are harder than normal require for the circumstances of the check, you effec-
you to subtract a difficulty die from the result tively move up or down the “scale.”
of the d20 you roll when you make a check.
The sum (or difference) of the d20 and your Example: Martin Ramirez finds himself in
difficulty die is your check result. Compare this a gunfight in the middle of a nightclub that’s
to the check score you’re testing to see if you on fire. He draws his pistol and targets the
succeed or fail. nearest thug, who’s half-concealed in the
doorway to the kitchen. The GM decides
Difficulty Die Modifier that the thug’s cover is worth a 1-step pen-
alty to the attack, and the thin smoke filling
Piece of cake +d20 the room is worth another 1-step penalty.
Extremely easy +d12 The attack goes from Ordinary difficulty
Very easy +d8 (no bonus or penalty) to Hard (a –d6 diffi-
culty die).
Easy +d6
The next time Martin gets to shoot, that
Moderately easy +d4 thug is suddenly badly distracted by the fact
Ordinary — that his clothes just caught on fire. When
you attack a distracted target you gain a
Moderately hard –d4
+1 die step bonus to your roll. This offsets
Hard –d6 some of the previous penalty, making this
Very hard –d8 next attack only Moderately Hard (a –d4
Extremely hard –d12 difficulty die).
Brutal –d20 In general, assigning the difficulty die and If it’s a key check
deciding which factors merit increasing or you’re making, talk
Design Note: A trained character has about decreasing the size of the die are up to the with the GM and
a 50–50 shot of succeeding on a check of briefly “negotiate”
GM. Some common penalties or bonuses
Ordinary difficulty. If you think the test is some- for positive steps
in combat situations are summarized in the depending on the
thing a trained character should have about a next section. environment, the
75% or 80% success rate on, make it Very Easy tools at hand, and
or Extremely Easy. If you think the trained char- other circumstances
acter shouldn’t really fail the check, don’t make SUCCESS LEVELS that may be in
a check at all. The GM can stipulate success in When your check result exceeds your your favor. That
routine tasks. check score by a wide margin, you not only conversation is the
Untrained characters only have about a succeed—you succeed with better than heart of the game,
normal results. and it sets you up for
20% chance to succeed on an Ordinary check.
If your check result is equal to or better a dramatic die roll.
They’ll probably fail unless they can find a way
to make the check easier. than your skill score, you achieve an Aver-
age success.
If your check result is at least 5 more
THE DIFFICULTY SCALE than your skill score, you achieve an Excel-
Not every advantage or disadvantage is lent success.
created the same. The difference between a If your check result is at least 10 more than
specific difficulty level and the next is referred your skill score, you achieve a Stellar success
to as a die step. A minor complication might on this check.
be worth only a 1-step penalty, but a major The exact effects of Excellent and Stellar One of the great
impediment to your intended action might success vary with the skill you’re using. If things about success
deserve a 2- or 3-step penalty. You might also you’re attacking, a better grade of success levels is that you
find that multiple small complications “add usually results in more damage. If you’re work- can improvise
up” to make an otherwise straightforward skill a bit and model
ing your way through some kind of challenge
degrees of success,
check extremely hard, or that the advantages scene, a high success grade might mean that depending on the
and disadvantages offset (a +1 die step bonus you make better progress in climbing the wall, Average/Excellent/
winds up being canceled out by a –1 die step solving the puzzle, completing the surgery, or Stellar result.
penalty). whatever it is you’re trying to do.
You normally begin at an Ordinary level of
difficulty (no bonus or penalty with a difficulty
die). As the GM applies a bonus or a penalty

11
QUICKSTART GUIDE
COMBAT INITIATIVE
Characters in the Alternity game aren’t rou- At the beginning of a combat scene, the
tinely wading into the science-fiction equiva- GM asks all players in the scene to make an
lent of dungeons and chopping up hordes of Initiative check. (The GM makes one check for
aliens with laser swords (although sometimes each separate group of enemies in the scene.)
that sort of thing can happen). Combat scenes A character or creature’s initiative score works
are intended to serve as important obstacles just like a skill score—the character rolls a
and challenges in the typical Alternity adven- d20 and adds or subtracts the appropriate
ture. They’re situations in which the characters difficulty die. This provides a Stellar, Excellent,
are in real danger of getting hurt or killed as Average, or Failure result for the character’s
the story unfolds. Most Alternity adventures initiative roll.
feature at least a few combat scenes as the Combatants that succeed on their initiative
heroes encounter dangerous aliens, fight their check can take their first action in Impulse 1.
way through a crime boss’s thugs, or resort to Combatants act in order of initiative success
force to stop a master villain from doing some- on the first impulse of a combat scene (so a
thing terrible. Stellar result goes first, then an Excellent result,
then Average results). In subsequent rounds,
combatants act as described below.
THE ACTION ROUND Combatants that fail on their initiative check
When you find yourself in a combat situation, can take their first action in Impulse 2.
it’s important to figure out which charac- It’s not unusual for multiple characters from
ter—hero, villain, or alien—acts in what order. either side in the combat to have an action
Combat is therefore organized into action available in the same impulse. When this hap-
rounds. An action round is in turn broken into pens, combatants act as follows:
eight impulses. The best way to think of the When two combatants have the same level
As you play, plan action round and the impulses is like a clock. of success on their initiative checks and both
ahead! Know when
After you complete impulse 8 of one round, are taking their first action in the scene, the
you’ll act next on
the wheel — and you begin impulse 1 of the next round—and highest actual total serves as the tiebreaker.
what can go characters that act late in the round might In later impulses, use a “First-In First-Out”
wrong between not act again until impulse 2 or 3 of the priority. In other words, the first character
now and then. new round. whose prior action places him in Impulse 5 (for
instance) gets to act in Impulse 5 before the
second character whose prior action placed
her in Impulse 5, who acts before the third
character with an action to take in Impulse 5,
and so on.
Combatants who have not acted yet in the
scene are considered “First-In” and act before
combatants who took 1-impulse actions in
Impulse 1.
If there are any environmental effects or
timed effects in play (for example, a radiation
field slowly killing everything in the compart-
ment), those effects are resolved at the end of
Impulse 8, after all heroes and adversaries who
act in that impulse have resolved their actions.

THE NEXT ACTION


When a creature acts in an impulse, the action
usually requires 1 to 5 impulses. That means
that a character who takes a 3-impulse action
in Impulse 2 gets to take his or her next
action in Impulse 5. The “next action” wraps
around the end of the round, so a creature
that takes a 3-impulse action in Impulse 7 acts

12
Combat

Terrain can be your best ally in combat — or your worst enemy. Get to the good ground first!

again in Impulse 2 of the next round. We sug- In addition, there are three special actions One of the ways
gest using markers or tokens to keep track of that modify other actions you’re taking—aim, SF settings like
when each character or adversary gets his or charge, and evade (sorry, you can only use Alternity differ from
their dungeonbound
her next action in the combat scene. one of these at a time).
counterparts is that
Aim: You take careful aim when you make there’s a lot more to
an attack. You gain a +1 die step bonus on your
ACTIONS AND IMPULSES attack roll if you aim, but you increase the time
interact with. Most
encounters have
Actions in combat (or other time-sensitive it takes to make the attack by 1 impulse. computers to hack,
scenes) require some number of impulses. A Charge: You move up to half your speed buttons to press,
list of common actions appears below. and make an attack with a hand-to-hand or and death rays
melee weapon. Charging requires 1 impulse to activate.
• Attack (3–5 impulses): Use a combat more than making a normal attack.
skill to make an attack, and move up Evade: You concentrate on not getting hit
to 2 meters. Requires a number of while you’re performing any other action. Ene-
impulses equal to the weapon’s speed. mies attacking you suffer a –1 die step penalty
• Use a Skill (3 impulses): Use a non-com- on their attack roll, but you increase the time
bat skill suitable for an action scene. it takes to complete the action by 1 impulse. Two meters? That’s
You can also move up to 2 meters. For example, if you evade while moving, it’s a inside the room!
• Move (2 impulses): Move up to 3-impulse action. If you are highly trained in
20 meters. the Dodge skill, the penalty to attack you could
• Interact (1 impulse): Interact with an be 2, 3, or even 4 steps; see the Dodge skill
object. For example, draw a weapon, for details.
open a door, enter something
on a keypad.
• Stand or Fall Prone (1 impulse): Get
up from the ground, or throw your-
self prone.

13
QUICKSTART GUIDE
The aim, charge, MOVEMENT AND POSITION +2 steps Stunned or unaware target
and evade add-
ons really make
Creatures that are within 2 meters of each +2 steps Very big target (elephant, car)
tactical combat other are adjacent. In general, you need to be
+1 step Big target (horse and rider)
come alive. Whether adjacent to a target to attack it in hand to hand
you’re a player or combat or melee combat. +1 step Attacker aimed
a GM, remember Facing isn’t important in an Alternity game +1 step Target is dazed or distracted
to use them! combat scene—we assume that most crea-
+1 step Target prone (vs. melee attacks)
tures can quickly turn to meet any approach-
ing threat, even when it isn’t their turn to act. –1 step Target prone (vs. ranged attacks)
However, there are two times when position is –1 step Target is at Medium range
important: –1 step Target has some cover
–1 step Target is evading
• If two or more allies are adjacent to the
same enemy, the allied creatures gain a –1 step Small target (drone, raccoon)
+1 step bonus on their attacks. –2 steps Very small target (rat, soda can)
• Cover is often directional—just because
–2 steps Target has good cover
you can turn to face the mutant sneak-
ing up behind you, it doesn’t mean –2 steps Target is at Long range
the wall you’re hiding behind moves –3 steps Target is at Very Long range
too. Moving to a spot where you can
attack around your enemy’s cover is Cover and Evading: If a target is both
Tactics 101. evading and behind cover, don’t stack the
attack penalties. Just use the best one that
If you decide to use miniatures and a grid, applies. Either you’re trying to hide as much
hex map, or other such surface to represent of your body as possible behind the cover, or
tactical positioning, we recommend a scale of you’re trying to keep moving to avoid being
2 meters to a square (or hex). Most people take an easy target. You can’t really do both at the
up a lot less space than that, but in a fight an same time.
average human can control about a meter of
space all around her.
RANGE
In the Alternity game, your heroes might
ATTACKS mix it up in a knife-fight against an opponent
When you try to punch, stab, or shoot an within arm’s reach or try to pick off enemies
adversary, you’re making an attack. An attack with 500-meter rifle shots—it all depends on
is basically a skill check using the skill appro- the situation. There are five range categories
GMs: At the point priate for your weapon. (The weapons table in the game:
where Alternity in the Equipment chapter lists the relevant
has a GM screen, skill for each weapon.) Making a weapon • Adjacent (2 meters or less)
you can bet skill check is often referred to as “making an • Close (2 to 20 meters)
these modifiers attack roll.” • Medium (21 to 50 meters)
will be front and Your target’s defensive ability or situation • Long (51 to 200 meters)
center on it.
is measured by modifying the difficulty die • Very Long (201 to 500 meters)
of your attack check. A target that’s small,
well-covered, or dodging effectively is a tough Some weapons have special characteris-
shot, and might subtract 3 or 4 die steps from tics that extend range—a powerful sniper rifle
your attack roll. A target that you’ve had a might allow a shot of 1,500 meters or more,
chance to zero in on or that you catch com- while a shotgun firing a rifled slug could attack
pletely off-guard is easier to hit than normal, at Long range.
so you might add a die step or two to your
attack roll. Here’s a list of common attack
modifiers:
BLASTS
If you have a grenade, you’re not trying to
hit the bad guy with it. You just need to get
it near him. The attack roll of a blast weapon
measures how close you got. Usually this is a

14
Combat
Heavy Weapons skill check for something like Severity Result The effects of losing
a mortar, or an Athletics skill check for a thrown your last wound box
weapon such as a grenade. 0 or less No damage might actually vary
1 to 3 Graze with genre. In a gritty
post-apocalyptic
• On an Excellent or Stellar success, you 4 to 6 Light wound game, your
hit the point you aimed for. That is now character might be
7 to 9 Moderate wound
the center of the blast. On an Average dead, no questions
success, you hit 2 meters from your 10 to 12 Serious wound asked. In a far-future
aim point. 13 to 15 Critical wound post-Singularity
• On a failure, you miss your aiming point game, your
16+ Mortal Wound consciousness might
by 2d4 meters in a random direction.
instantly download
You might still be close enough to injure Armor Resistance: A target’s armor reduces to a clone or artificial
your intended target. incoming damage. Subtract the armor resis- body. A “middle of
• Creatures in the blast radius can tance value from the damage severity to the road” genre
attempt Dodge checks to escape or determine the actual severity of the wound might give your
hit the deck. the target suffers. For example, if the target is character a chance
• Any creatures remaining in the area wearing a ballistic vest that has a resistance of
to pull through with
take damage from the blast. medical attention or
3 and you hit him with a rifle shot for damage a great Resilience
8, the target’s armor reduces the injury to a roll and a chance
Blasts simply deal a set amount of damage light wound of 5. to die without that
in a radius. For example, a blast grenade deals Damage Type: Damage is described as sort of help.
1d8 + 4 damage to targets within 3 meters, or physical (bullets, blades, impact, etc.) or energy
1d8 + 0 damage to targets within 6 meters. (lasers, radiation, plasma, electricity, and so
Creatures threatened by a blast are allowed on). Some types of armor are more effective
to make a Dodge skill check to get out of the against one kind of damage than others—a
blast radius. A successful check increases the knight’s plate armor does okay with physi-
creature’s distance from the blast center by cal damage but doesn’t help much against
2, 4, or 6 meters for an Average, Excellent, energy weapons.
or Stellar success. If the threatened creature
is now out of the area of the blast, he or she
takes no damage. If you successfully dodge SKILLS IN COMBAT
out of the area or take damage from the blast, Here’s a quick summary of the skills you may need in combat:
you’re now prone. If you’re in the blast but take
no damage, you’re still on your feet. • Use a weapon skill to make an attack.
Hard cover also protects against blasts. • A high Dodge skill makes your evade actions better.
A character with cover between him and the • Dodge also serves as a “saving throw” against
center of the blast gains a +1, +2, or +3 die area attacks.
step bonus on the Dodge check (for half, • Endurance is your “saving throw” against poison,
three-quarters, or nine-tenths cover). Success radiation, disease, or similar deleterious conditions.
increases the effective distance as described • Resilience allows you to minimize the effect of a
above, but you don’t actually need to move— wound you receive.
you just duck in place and let your cover take • Medicine can allow you to treat the injuries of others.
some or all of the blast.

DAMAGE AND DURABILITY THE DURABILITY TRACK


A successful attack deals damage based upon Your hero has a number of wound boxes that
its success level. Each weapon or ability indi- correspond to the severity of damage results.
cates the base damage for Average, Excellent, These boxes are grouped into damage bands.
or Stellar attacks. A typical character has two wound boxes in
Damage Severity: The effect of a successful each band except the top band, where all char-
hit is a single wound or injury with a severity acters have just one. Some characters might
of 0 to 16 or more. A laser pistol that hits for 8 have more or fewer wound boxes based upon
damage does NOT deal 8 points of damage—it their archetype, attributes, and gear.
deals one wound with a severity of 8. These
aren’t hit points!

15
QUICKSTART GUIDE
When your character takes damage, mark STATUS EFFECTS
off a wound box that corresponds to the In general, you can attempt to end a condition
severity of the damage. If you have no wound affecting you by making an appropriate skill
boxes remaining in that damage band, then check as a 1-impulse action.
you instead mark off an open box in the next Distracted: You’re not able to pay full atten-
The distracted highest damage band. tion to your foes for some reason. Enemies
condition is a pretty attacking you get a +1 die step bonus. Usually
good catch-all TYPICAL HERO DURABILITY TRACK you aren’t distracted for more than one action,
for mild physical
Band Wds. Effects but if the effect is persistent, you can attempt a
distress, like sudden
zero-G or temporary 1–3 qq No ill effects Willpower check to shake it off.
extremes of Grappled: If you’re grappled, you can’t
4–6 qq No ill effects
heat or cold. move, and you take a –1 die step penalty on
7–9 qq 1-step penalty to all checks all skill checks except hand-to-hand attacks
10–12 qq 2-step penalty to all checks against your grappler or escape attempts.
To escape, make an opposed Hand to Hand
13–15 qq 3-step penalty to all checks
check against your grappler—if you equal or
16+ q Incapacitated beat your opponent’s level of success, you
pull free.
Example: A laser blast hits Martin
Insane: You are not in control of your
Ramirez for damage 8. His carbon fiber
actions. The next time you take an action, roll a
armor provides 3 resistance, so the actual
d10 to determine what you do:
wound severity is 5. Martin’s player marks
off a wound box in the 4–6 tier. If Martin had
no wound boxes remaining in the 4–6 tier, 1–3 Flee, moving away from all other creatures
his player would instead mark off the first 4–6 Do nothing for 3 impulses
available box in the 7–9 tier. 7–8 Attack the last creature that attacked you
9 Attack the closest creature, friend or foe

EFFECTS OF DAMAGE 10 Act normally


A character suffers negative effects from
After you take the action dictated by your
taking too much damage, determined by the
insanity, you can attempt to shake off the con-
highest band in which the character has a
dition by making a Willpower check (0 addi-
marked wound box (in other words, multiple
tional impulses). If you fail, you’re still insane at
wounds don’t produce stacking penalties—you
the start of your next action.
just suffer the worst penalty you have). A hero
Prone: Prone characters have a speed of
can usually shrug off a few small hits, but too
2 meters. Standing up from prone takes a
many small hits—or one solid shot from an
1-impulse action.
enemy—can seriously affect the hero’s actions.
Stunned: Delay your next action by
Incapacitated: When a character checks
3 impulses. If you were evading, you
off the highest wound box, he or she is inca-
stop evading.
pacitated. An incapacitated character falls
unconscious and can take no actions. Instead,
he or she immediately attempts a Resilience
skill check (do not include the step penalty for
injuries). If the character fails the Resilience
check, he or she is unconscious and mortally
wounded and will not survive the injury without
urgent medical intervention. If the character
succeeds on the check, he or she is uncon-
scious but stable, and might pull through.
For purposes of this Quickstart Guide, you
can assume that an incapacitated character
cannot be revived without at least an hour of
urgent medical treatment in a trauma center.
More detailed death and dying rules appear in
the Alternity SFRPG Core Rules.

16
Wreck of the Magellan
WRECK OF THE MAGELLAN
Welcome to the 26th Century. Human government is in the power of an overbearing Stellar
Union bureaucracy and dozens of powerful megacorps, but a few forward-thinkers are dedicated
to expanding the frontiers of human space. A leading light in this effort is the Icarus Foundation
. . . but now one of the Foundation’s survey ships, the Magellan, is missing.

SETUP INTRODUCTORY NARRATION


The Icarus Foundation has received a “destruc-
The Icarus Foundation is at the forefront of humanity’s
tion beacon” signal from Magellan, a scout
efforts to explore the stars—an expensive effort that Stellar
cruiser returning from an exploration of H’naal
Union bureaucrats are all too happy to outsource to licensed
ruins in the Scorpius Sector. Interestingly
exploration organizations. Icarus operates a dozen survey
enough, Magellan reported the discovery of
driveships, but two weeks ago one of them—the Magellan—
an important artifact just before its destruction.
reported its destruction via its automated beacon.
Dr. Tharsi and Captain Carr of the drivescout
Magellan had previously reported the discovery of an
Simon Fraser have been ordered to find the
important H’naal artifact at Xi Scorpii, a multistar system
cruiser’s wreckage, determine what happened,
about 90 light-years from Earth. (The H’naal are a long-van-
and recover its cargo.
ished alien civilization; humans have found no H’naal sites less
Hand out one pregenerated character to
than a million years old.) Strangely, the last message Magel-
each player. Encourage your players to share
lan sent was almost incomprehensible: “G’nah . . . it calls, it
who their characters are and why they’re
calls, hishnaga zor g’nah . . . help us, for the love of God . . . free
on board Fraser—the party’s been traveling
us, G’nah!”
together for days and they’ve had plenty of
Most of you are Icarus employees, the crew and science
time to make each other’s acquaintance.
team of the drivescout Simon Fraser. Your mission: Inves-
When you’re ready to begin, read the boxed
tigate the disappearance or destruction of Magellan, and
“Introductory Narration” text.
recover the artifact if possible.

CHARACTERS
• Dr. Grace Tharsi, Senior Scientist species yet, but we’ve run across evidence of In the absence
• Captain Vance Carr, commander of older starfaring races that explored this part of of actual Greeks,
the Fraser the galaxy in the distant past. Human outlaws pronounce it
or corporate conflicts are a possibility closer to “scorpie-eye.”
• Engineer Omari Temu of Fraser
It sounds more
• Specialist Dieter Frank of Fraser inhabited worlds, but Xi Scorpii is a long way
SF that way.
• Archeologist Miles Montero, the antiqui- from any populated areas. It’s very unlikely that
ties dealer other humans are out this far.
• Agent Masako Wade, Stellar Union Do we have a warp drive? How fast can
Investigative Service our ship go? The ship has a FTL drive that can
cover about a light-year per day. For in-system
Some additional guidance, if needed: maneuvering ships use a reactionless EM drive If you have a smaller
Who’s in charge? Captain Vance and Dr. that can generate about 5G of thrust at full group, encourage at
Tharsi share command. They have about as power. (That’ll get you from the Earth to the least one player to
much authority as any mid-tier managers do, Moon in about 2 hours.) be either Vance or
so they can’t legally shoot subordinates for Grace, and run any
unchosen characters
refusing commands (for example). FOR THE GM: THE REAL STORY as NPCs. They’re
What do we know about Magellan? Do still present, even
Magellan found a H’naal artifact on a barren
we have a crew list or manifest? Magellan is if the PCs aren’t
world orbiting Xi Scorpii A (a different part
another drivescout, a little bigger than Simon running them.
of this large and complex star system). The
Fraser. It had orders to explore H’naal sites
artifact was a stasis chamber of some kind; the
around Xi Scorpii A, a week’s travel from Xi
crew brought their find on board and headed
Scorpii D. Its crew consisted of Captain Brock;
back to civilization to begin the process of
Dr. Ayers, science team leader; scientists
carefully salvaging its contents—several similar
Falco, Perez, and Wirt; and crewhands Kemal,
chambers have been recovered in recent
Morales, Rogers, and Zhang.
years and usually contain interesting artifacts.
Is there anything dangerous out here?
Unfortunately, Magellan’s chief scientist inad-
Humans haven’t met any other starfaring
vertently opened the chamber and released

17
QUICKSTART GUIDE
Xi Scorpii D Sites When the heroes arrive aboard their own
ship, Magellan is wrecked on the surface of Xi
Scorpii D–1. Two survivors are hiding out near
the hard-to-spot remains of the cargo pod two
hundred kilometers away. And the H’naal and
its captive are at a long-lost H’naal site hidden
in a mountain valley about fifty kilometers from
the wreck.

DS SIMON FRASER
singing dome
The heroes’ ship is a drivescout named Simon
Fraser, after the Old Earth explorer. The ship is
about 80 meters long and 15 meters in diame-
th ter. Most of its hull volume is taken up by drives
pa
c ted and power plants; the actual living space is a
oje
pr module at the forward end, about the size of
decent 3-bedroom apartment. There are ten
wreck site small private cubicles for personal quarters,
plus a cramped captain’s cabin and a mission
commander’s cabin. It carries sufficient food
th supplies to support a crew of 6 for about 60
pa
gh
t days; the journey from the nearest Icarus base
fli to Xi Scorpii takes about 10 days in drivespace.
Simon Fraser has no weapons, but it’s tough
enough to stand up to just about any amount
of small arms fire or even light anti-vehicular
jettisoned cargo weaponry. The ship is equipped with aerofoils
and heavy landing struts for entering atmo-
sphere and landing on any reasonably clear
patch of ground. The ship carries no separate
landing vehicles or shuttles.
0km 50 100 150 Fraser has a simple onboard computer
system (nicknamed Simon, of course) that is
about as sophisticated as your typical iPhone.
Without chewing a dangerous alien—a living H’naal anxious to
Simon can open and close hatches or safely
the scenery too return to its homeworld at Xi Scorpii D.
much, give Simon a “button up” the ship when the heroes are
The H’naal are powerful telepaths. The
personality of “his” absent, but it can’t fly Fraser on its own.
creature compelled Magellan’s crew to set
own. The PCs will Finally, Fraser does have a drivecomm
course for Xi Scorpii D while clouding their
likely interact with system that allows contact across interstellar
Simon more than minds to keep them from realizing it had
distances. But drivecomms have very limited
any other NPC. escaped stasis. But controlling the whole crew
bandwidth (not much more than an early
at once proved too difficult, and in the end
20th-century telegram), and it takes several
the H’naal’s control slipped. Two of Magel-
days of “real time” for the message to reach its
lan’s crew managed to escape by jettisoning
destination.
themselves in the ship’s cargo pod. Magellan’s
pilot, struggling to resist the alien compul-
sion, lost control of the ship during planetary XI SCORPII D–1
approach and wound up crashing hard on Xi All of the action in this adventure takes place
Scorpii D–1, resulting in the deaths of most of on one planet of this system: Xi Scorpii D–1.
the crew. However, the H’naal and Dr. Ayers The Xi Scorpii star system is actually a five-star
survived the crash. The alien salvaged some system with three stars in one group, and two
materials from the crash site, and set out stars in a second group about 8000 AU dis-
on foot for the ancient H’naal station it was tant. Xi Scorpii A is home to a Mars-like world
trying to reach with Dr. Ayers under its tele- with H’naal ruins (this is the planet Magellan
pathic control. was sent to explore).

18
Wreck of the Magellan
D and E are a pair of orange dwarfs. Each
has several barren rocky planets, but D is also SCENE 1: ARRIVAL NARRATION
home to a terran-type world with a nitrogen-­ You cut your drivespace generator and arrive in the Xi Scor-
oxygen atmosphere and a thriving biosphere. pii star system as predicted by your nav systems. You’re in a
This is Xi Scorpii D–1, the scene of the action solar orbit around Xi Scorpii D, the fourth of the five stars in
in this adventure. this complex system. It’s a K-type orange dwarf with three
D–1 is a little smaller than Earth, with rocky planets in the inner system, an asteroid belt, and two
about three-quarters Earth’s gravity and medium-sized gas giants.
prominent highlands. If you have to reduce Magellan’s automated distress beacon is continuing to
it to one quick description, call it a “moun- transmit. Now that you’re in the same star system, you can
tain-jungle world” like the Andes Mountains. localize the signal. It’s coming from the surface of Xi Scorpii
There are a number of H’naal sites hidden in D–1, the first of the planets. It’s a terran-type world that
its rugged terrain, but it will take months of looks like it supports a rich biosphere. It’s a couple of million
careful survey to discover them all. It would kilometers from your position, a few hours’ travel at sub-
be a good candidate for human settlement, light speeds.
although its native lifeforms are pretty dan-
gerous (as the heroes may learn).

SCENE 1: ARRIVAL SCENE 2: ORBIT NARRATION


The adventure begins when the heroes arrive Xi Scorpii D–1 is covered in rich green and gold hues, with
near Magellan’s last reported position. small burgundy-colored seas. It’s a Mars-sized world with
Proceeding to D–1 is routine—no skill striking ten-kilometer mountains and a surprisingly dense
checks are needed for just moving around the nitrogen-oxygen atmosphere. From orbit there are no signs
system. Some other things your players might of civilization or obvious wreck sites, but you can tell the
want to try at this point include: distress beacon is transmitting from somewhere in the
Scan for wreckage: There’s nothing in foothills of a mountain range a little north of the equator.
space here. If there’s wreckage down on the
planet, you’ll have to get closer and establish
orbit to make a good search and localize the SCENE 2: ORBIT
exact source of Magellan’s distress beacon. When the heroes approach Xi Scorpii D–1,
Look for aliens: Using the ship’s sensors to read the scene narration.
scan the nearby area is a skill check: Science To localize the automated beacon, the
or Piloting are most appropriate. However, heroes must make a careful search with
there isn’t anything to see here, so even if the orbital cams and radar. They might also
PCs succeed they don’t find anything. There decide to study the planet for other reasons
are no signs of habitation on any nearby while they’re at it.
planet, no structures in space, and no other Ask each player what he or she wants to
ships in sight. do while Fraser is in orbit: search for Magel-
Can we explore the system? Sure, but it’s lan, study the planet’s conditions and life-
big and empty. Xi Scorpii is enormous, and forms, scan for anomalies (basically, looking
moving around the system at sub-light speeds for anything else), or helping other characters.
takes weeks and weeks. Even searching the Helping: Characters who aren’t good at
asteroid belt or other planets in the vicinity of Success in the skill
operating ship systems can still help. If a challenge to search
D will take several days. If there are any survi- character has at least 1 skill point in the rele- for the Magellan is
vors from Magellan, they might not be able to vant skill, he or she can provide a +2 die step automatic. It’s just a
wait that long. bonus to the character he or she is helping. matter of how long
If not, the bonus is only +1 die step (even an it takes the PCs to
untrained character can help by providing a conduct the search.
second set of eyes).

19
QUICKSTART GUIDE
Find Magellan: Locating the wreck requires 0: It’s a Mars-sized planet with a nitro-
a successful skill check with Science or Piloting gen-oxygen atmosphere, densely covered
at a +3 die step bonus (there’s a beacon, after with grasslands and forests.
all). The heroes need 3 successes to locate the 1: The atmosphere is safe for humans to
beacon. An Excellent skill check counts as 2 breathe. It’s a little warmer than Earth. Bio-
successes, and a Stellar skill check counts as chemistry appears similar—the plants use
3. Each character participating in the search photosynthesis, and might be edible.
can make 1 check per hour of searching. When 2: Large animals are fairly common. You
the heroes succeed, they find the Wreck can spot herds of big grazers in the high-lat-
Site and can proceed to Scene 3 whenever itude steppes and a variety of flying animals
they like. above the forests.
When the heroes find the wreck site, read: 3: The animal life is comparable to Ice
Age Earth in size and prevalence.
You find a wreck site scattered across 4: Biodiversity is surprisingly low—there
the foothills of one of the big mountain are a lot of animals, but a smaller number of
ranges. From orbit you can make out a species than you would expect.
long, plowed impact scar across grassy 5: The low biodiversity appears artifi-
highlands leading to broken wreckage cial. Either the planet’s natural variety was
around a small crater. The ship’s in a deliberately engineered at some point in
number of pieces, but it looks like Magel- the past, or the remaining species represent
lan, and it’s clear that the wreck happened survivors from a mass extinction caused by
recently—not much more than a month ago intelligent action (or carelessness).
based on the burned patches of grass and 6+: The mass extinction took place about
freshly turned-up dirt. a million years ago. Many animals and
plants were clearly bioengineered before
Multiple successes If the heroes accumulate 5 or more suc-
that time.
are another way cesses in the search (most likely because
to model success multiple characters succeeded, or because If the heroes have the information of
above and beyond the players decided to take a little extra time
the norm. In this at least 3 successes when they land, they
to be extremely thorough), they also spot the gain a +1 die step bonus to initiative checks
case it represents
thoroughness rather
Jettisoned Cargo site (see Scene 4) and can and non-combat skill checks (for example,
than expertise. go there when they like. Awareness or Survival) when dealing with the
Read the text below if the heroes spot the lifeforms of D–1 in Scene 3 and Scene 4.
Jettisoned Cargo site: Search for Anomalies: The heroes may
study D–1 just to see if anything unusual or
You discover a large piece of wreckage
out of the ordinary turns up. Academics, Sci-
located in dense jungle 200 kilometers from
ence, or Survival are the primary skills for this
the primary wreck site, back along Magel-
Landing the Simon kind of search, although a character can also
Fraser is pretty
lan’s plotted impact course. It’s about the
use Computers to refine search algorithms
routine—the heroes size of a standard cargo module, and must
and make the best use of Simon’s ability to
don’t have to make have detached quite a distance before
collect and sort data. As before, each search
any skill checks to Magellan would have broken up on its own.
requires 1 hour, and characters earn 1, 2, or 3
put Fraser on the A quick comparison of the pieces you can
ground. It’s just a successes for an Average, Excellent, or Stellar
observe at the primary wreck site suggests
matter of choosing skill check.
that the secondary site is indeed Magellan’s
where to land. The If the heroes collect 3 or more successes,
cargo module.
heroes can land as they spot the Singing Dome site from orbit
close to a site as Study Lifeforms or Conditions: Characters (Scene 5). Read the following:
they like, although
who spend time studying D–1’s planetology or
they probably
should land at least biosphere from orbit can attempt 1 Science skill
100–200 meters check per hour. Since there isn’t any real end
away to make sure point to this effort, the amount of information
they don’t crush any the heroes collect is based on the number of
evidence under their successes they accumulate in this effort before
landing struts. they move on to something else. (An Excellent
skill check counts as 2 successes, and a Stellar
result counts as 3.)

20
Wreck of the Magellan
At first you don’t find much out of the Removing it requires 1 success in Mechanics
ordinary, but with the help of the ship’s com- (a repair kit is useful here). The black box can
puter and some pattern-recognition filters, be linked to Fraser’s computer to access the
you spot something interesting—a slightly Flight Record clue (see the sidebar).
too symmetrical site in a high altitude pla-
teau near the planet’s equator. It lies about
a hundred kilometers further along Magel- SCENE 3A: WRECK SITE NARRATION
lan’s final course if you were to extrapolate Magellan’s wreck is scattered over a path roughly 1500
the ship’s intended course from the wreck meters long and 300 meters wide, scarring a grassy ridge
site. The site consists of a domelike struc- that rises above dense forest-covered valleys. It looks like
ture about 40 meters in diameter, partially the ship nosed in pretty hard at the beginning of the debris
buried by the surrounding soil and scrubby field and cartwheeled, breaking up into half a dozen big hull
vegetation. pieces in the process and flinging smaller debris all over the
place. The bridge and crew module are near the lower end
Characters trained in Academics recog-
of the debris field, while the drive, power plant, and stores
nize the site’s plan as generally consistent
carried farther up the hillside.
with H’naal ruins that have been found on
Tattered scraps of mist blow across the site; it’s warm
other worlds.
and humid out there. Nothing big seems to be moving near the
Next: The heroes can’t do much more from
wreck, but your audio pickups relay animal calls and chat-
orbit. They’ll need to set down at the Wreck
ter from the forest edge a few hundred meters away. The
Site (Scene 3), or—if they happened to spot it
distress beacon is still transmitting from the sensor and nav
and choose to go there first—the Jettisoned
module, a short distance from what’s left of the bridge.
Cargo (Scene 4) or Singing Dome (Scene 5).

SCENE 3A: THE WRECK SITE Wreck of the Magellan


The obvious place to start looking for answers
is the main wreck site. Unfortunately, the local
wildlife is interested in the site, too.
Begin this scene by asking the players what
their characters are doing. If they’re investigat-
ing the wreck, ask them what they’re specifi-
cally looking for. Each hour, each character can
make a skill check to see whether he or she’s
found the evidence available.
After 1 hour of searching, interrupt with the
Local Denizens encounter (Scene 3b). engines
Standing Watch: No dangerous creatures
x Zhang
are in sight when the heroes reach the wreck-
age. Characters may choose to not participate
in the investigation, and instead keep watch for
anything dangerous. When you begin the Local
Denizens encounter (Scene 3b), characters
power plant
standing watch have a better chance to spot crew module
the mist hunters before they attack. x campsite
Investigate the Wreck: If your players aren’t bridge x Perez
sure what else they ought to be doing, you can
remind them that they’re supposed to be look-
ing for survivors and that ships carry “black
box”-style flight recorders.
Find the Black Box: The black box is usually
located near the pilot’s station on the bridge,
but the bridge sustained a lot of damage in
the crash and it’s going to take some effort
to retrieve the flight recorder. Finding the
black box requires 1 success in Awareness, 0m 100 200 300
Engineering, or Piloting (+2 die step bonus).

21
QUICKSTART GUIDE
he or she is checking survival stores, they auto-
CLUES AT MAGELLAN’S WRECK matically succeed on this check).
The heroes may turn up several valuable clues in their inves- Find the Beacon: Any character trained
tigation of the wreck site. in Engineering or Piloting can find the dis-
Flight Record: Analysis of the black box date reveals that tress beacon with a little time and effort. It’s
Magellan attempted to land, but was piloted with an extreme located in the ship’s avionics and nav system
lack of skill that probably caused the crash. The record also bay, just behind the crew module. It triggered
indicates the cargo module was jettisoned shortly before automatically on the ship’s destruction, and
the crash. hasn’t been tampered with since. It’s got its
The Campsite: A short distance from the wreck someone own power supply and runs for another month
set up a temporary camp. Survival supplies are stockpiled by unless shut off.
the remains of a campfire, along with the discarded wrap- Scout the Area: A character who searches
pers of rations. Small pieces of hull debris have been dragged around the site automatically finds one of
to the campsite and show signs of cutting and welding with the missing bodies (Perez) and can attempt
a laser torch. Drag marks leading away from the campsite an Awareness or Survival skill check at a +3
suggest that somebody hauled away a simple sled, heading die step bonus. With 1 success, the character
east (the trail is impossible to follow for more than a few finds the Campsite clue. With 3 successes, the
hundred meters). outside search turns up another missing body
Security Footage: A review of internal security cam footage (Zhang) that was thrown completely clear of
shows Magellan’s crew loading a big golden egg-shaped object the wreckage.
in the cargo hold about 4 weeks ago. Recording cubes are Check the Engines: Sorry, but Magellan is
then missing for the next 6 days, but a few minutes of foot- never going to fly again. A successful Com-
age immediately before the crash are still on hand. They show puters or Engineering check reveals that the
Captain Brock staggering up onto the bridge and initiating the ship appeared to be in fine working order until
landing procedure, only to stop and start again several times. it crashed.
Check the Computer: Magellan’s computer
This is likely the first Look for Bodies: Two bodies are on the system was damaged in the wreck, but a char-
battle. Take your bridge; they’re easy to find, but they’re in bad acter who jury-rigs a power supply (1 success-
time, but don’t sweat shape with extensive burns and gruesome crash ful Computers or Engineering skill check) and
the details too much. then searches for something out of the ordi-
injuries. Searching the rest of the crew module
If the players end nary (3 successes with Computers or Security)
this fight with an
requires 1 hour, but no skill check is needed to
find two more bodies here. Five bodies are not can find the Security Footage clue.
understanding of
in the wreckage (although characters who scout Next: The heroes should be able to deter-
the die step system
and how damage the area may find two of those). mine that several of Magellan’s personnel are
works, you’ve Identifying the bodies requires careful not accounted for. They may also learn the
done your job. comparison to medical records provided to cargo module was jettisoned, and that some-
Fraser’s computer back at base. Any character one at the site left on foot heading up toward
trained in Medicine can identify all the bodies the highlands. If the heroes did not find the
recovered with 1 hour of work (no check Jettisoned Cargo or Singing Dome sites in their
needed). The two on the bridge are Brock (the planetary survey in Scene 2, they may need to
captain) and Kemal (a crewhand). The two in return to Fraser and conduct a more thorough
the module are Wirt (scientist) and Morales search (they gain a +3 die step bonus on
(crewhand). And, if the heroes find them, the checks to locate those two sites if they find the
two bodies thrown clear from the wreckage Flight Record or Campsite clues, respectively).
are Perez (scientist) and Zhang (crewhand).
Falco, Rogers, and Ayers are not at this site. SCENE 3B: LOCAL DENIZENS
Examine the Debris: A character who stud- The wreck site is not as abandoned as it looks.
ies the debris field can attempt an Engineering A pack of mist hunters—dangerous local pred-
check at a +2 die step bonus to discover that the ators with claws, fangs, and chimpanzee-level
ship’s cargo module is missing. (If the player tells intelligence—regard the wreck site as their ter-
you he or she is specifically checking to see if all ritory. Initially scared off by the arrival or over-
the wreckage is accounted for, success is auto- flight of Simon Fraser, they return in an hour
matic.) The character can also attempt a Survival and attack any characters who are engaged in
check to observe that debris has already been searching the site.
moved aside and survival supply lockers are
empty (again, if the player specifically tells you • 4 mist hunters (see Adversaries)

22
Wreck of the Magellan
You can assume the party is generally SCENE 4: JETTISONED CARGO
concentrated around the wreckage of the Before Magellan crashed, two of her crew—
bridge when the pack appears, and that the scientist Jim Falco and engineer Toshira
characters are all within about 40 meters of Rogers— jettisoned themselves in the ship’s
each other. cargo module to escape from the H’naal. The
Beginning the Encounter: Allow any char- module’s maneuvering thrusters couldn’t quite
acter standing watch to make an Awareness handle the landing, creating a second crash
check with a +3 die step bonus. On a success, site about 200 kilometers west of Magellan’s
the character on watch spots the pack 90 final resting place.
meters distant. Otherwise, the mist hunters are When the heroes locate the cargo module
only 50 meters distant when the character on and investigate, read:
watch spots them. If no one is on watch, the
mist hunters get within 30 meters when the You find the jettisoned cargo module in
encounter begins. a dense forest a couple of hundred kilome-
When the heroes see the mist hunters, read: ters from Magellan’s wreckage. The module
is equipped with maneuvering thrusters,
A sudden movement in the drifting mists but it looks like they couldn’t stand up to
catches your eye. Something is picking its the impact—the module is badly damaged,
way through the debris field—a large alien lying half-crumpled in a steep-sided stream-
quadruped with taloned feet, powerful jaws, bed surrounded by broken tree trunks. It’s
and a leathery crest atop its bullet-shaped a little tight, but there’s enough room to set
head. It looks a bit like a blue-scaled lion . . down Fraser in the forest clearing provided
. and you realize there’s a small pack of the by the stream.
creatures trotting toward you, fangs gleaming.
No one is at the crashed module, but if the
Have everyone roll initiative. Make one roll heroes land and investigate, add:
for the mist hunters. The hunters are hungry
and hostile, and they really can’t be rea- Inside the cargo module you find a large
soned with. all-terrain groundcar, still chained down to
Tactics: The mist hunters use their actions the deck. The groundcar is pinned in place
to move as fast as they can toward the heroes, by the crumpled hull of the cargo module,
relying on their scattering hide to protect them and can’t be extricated now. You also find
on the way in. a strange block of golden metal inscribed
Mist hunters use their claw attack to rake with weird hieroglyphs chained in place
their prey and grab it; if a mist hunter begins beside it. The block is about 1 meter by 1
its turn with a grabbed target in its claws, it meter, and is about 20 centimeters tall.
can use its rend attack to maul the target with
its fearsome jaws. The hunters are eager to The groundcar’s survival kits are missing.
make their own kills and avoid ganging up on (Falco and Rogers removed them after giving
the same prey. They split up to attack different up on trying to get the groundcar out of the
heroes if possible. wreckage.)
If three of the mist hunters are incapaci- The golden metal block is a H’naal artifact; Like Anton Chekhov
tated, the last one flees. any character trained in Academics recognizes once said, if you put
Retreat: If the heroes are close to Simon the hieroglyphs and the general appearance. a golden artifact in
A trained character can attempt a skill check the first chapter, it
Fraser, they might be tempted to run back to
to guess at the block’s function; on a success, has to summon a
their ship. The mist hunters are about twice as transdimensional
fast as the heroes are, so it depends on where he or she recognizes it as the mechanism of a
gate by the second
the ship landed. You can assume it’s about now non-functioning H’naal stasis chamber. or third...
100 meters from the wreckage of Magellan’s The Missing Crew: No one is around the
bridge if the players didn’t tell you anything cargo module site, but heroes searching the
else. However, if the heroes get to their ship, area may attempt Awareness or Survival skill
it’s simple to close the door. The mist hunters checks with a +3 step bonus. On a success, the
wander off after a few minutes of prowling searching character discovers a rough footpath
around Fraser. marked by tree blazes—small squares of bark
Next: Return to the Wreck Site investi- cut out of trees alongside the path to mark the
gation—the heroes probably have more way. The path leads about 300 meters up the
clues to find. hillside to a cave (see below).

23
QUICKSTART GUIDE
If the heroes miss the blazes, they might The Cave: The two Magellan crewhands
also find the path or the cave by searching the found a cave to serve as a temporary shelter
area. An area search requires 1 hour per check, and set up camp to await rescue. However,
and the heroes must accumulate 3 successes they’ve got a big problem: A voracious forest
to locate the cave. Each group of heroes predator is trying to dig them out of their hole
searching together makes one check, using when the heroes arrive. If the heroes find the
the best skill check of any character in the cave in time, read:
group. If the heroes don’t find the cave within 1
hour, they’re too late to save Falco and Rogers. You find a rough new footpath leading
about 300 meters from the streambed up
to a cave in the forested hillside. A crude
Jettisoned Cargo: The Cave barrier of logs and sharpened stakes blocks
the mouth of the cave, but between you
and the cave mouth stands a big, wormlike
creature the size of a small car. The crea-
ture is digging steadily at one side of the
barrier; you hear human voices shouting
R from inside the cave.
F If the heroes don’t find the cave in
fire
time, read:

You find a rough new footpath leading


about 300 meters from the streambed up
to a cave in the forested hillside. A crude
worm barrier of logs and sharpened stakes lies on
emergence
the ground in front of the cave.
point
Assuming the heroes are in time, they’ll
need to deal with the forest worm before
they can get to the cave. It’s a dumb, hungry
brute, and it’s more than happy to try to make
a meal out of would-be rescuers that present
themselves.
rough footpath

• 1 forest worm (see Adversaries)

THE CAVE
Thick foliage limits line of sight near the cave,
so the heroes don’t spot the forest worm until
they’re 30 meters away from the creature. It’s
possible to lure the forest worm away by entic-
ing it with another meal (say, a PC serving as
0m 2 4 6 bait) or to startle it into fleeing with a very loud
300m to cargo module
noise, such as an explosion. Otherwise, the
heroes can solve the problem with firepower.
FOUND SECURITY FOOTAGE Make an initiative check; the worm moves
If the heroes review the data cubes from Falco and Roger’s toward the closest character and tries to eat it.
cave, they’re in for a shock. The cubes clearly show a tall Survivors: Two injured Magellan survivors
alien creature with three tentacle-like arms moving about are in the cave: Jim Falco and Toshira Rogers.
Magellan. It’s often seen in the same room as one or more of They are delighted to see rescuers and thank
Magellan’s crew, but the humans seem to just not notice it. the heroes profusely. They explain that they
A character trained in Academics recognizes the tentacled set up camp inside the cave to await rescue
creature as a H’naal from what little is known of the aliens’ after failing to get the groundcar out of the
hieroglyphic language. module, only to find themselves under siege
from local predators.

24
Wreck of the Magellan
When the heroes question Falco and
Rogers about Magellan, read: SCENE 5: SINGING DOME SITE
“We spent our mission exploring H’naal
NARRATION
ruins on Xi Scorpii A–3,” Falco explains. “It This plateau is high and arid, a desolate spot nearly 6000
was pretty routine stuff, but on our last day meters above sea level. Now that you are closer, you can
there we found a big stasis unit that was make out faint hints that some larger complex might have
still running. Well, opening those is a real once stood in the middle of this plain—there are fragments
challenge, so we loaded it on board to take of stone walls, odd well-like depressions, and black columns
back to base for full analysis and lifted off. of volcanic glass that clearly don’t belong here. At the center
But the next day when I went to check on it of the site stands a domelike structure about 40 meters in
I found that the stasis field had cut off, and diameter, half- buried in the earth. A crude sledge heaped
there was nothing inside.” with supplies stands just outside a round door in the side of
“That’s when things started getting weird,” the dome. Two more doors lead inside, spaced equally around
Rogers says. “Neither of us can remember the perimeter. However, one of the other doorways is almost
much of anything about the trip from A–3. completely buried in the ground.
You’d find yourself standing in the room Your audio feed provides an eerie sighing sound from out-
with no idea why you were there or what side—the wind blowing through odd perforations in the dome.
you were doing. Sometimes you’d get this
sense that you were being watched, but How did you wake up? “I think I was just far
there was nothing there.” enough away for long enough that I came out
“I finally woke up enough to realize that of it. I was working back in a core-sampling lab
someone had changed our course for this a good ways from the crew area.”
planet,” Falco continues. “And I knew that A thorough medical checkup of Falco and
as soon as whatever it was noticed that Rogers requires at least 1 hour in Fraser’s sick bay.
I was awake that it was going to put me The examining character can attempt a Medicine
under again. So I decided to get off the check with a –2 die step penalty; if the check suc-
ship before we set down. I pulled the ship’s ceeds, the character finds subtle changes in brain
security records so that it wouldn’t be able chemistry consistent with dreaming or hypnosis,
to tell what we’d done, then I got Rogers which are now wearing off.
to jettison the cargo module with us in the No Survivors: If the heroes don’t find Falco
groundcar. Didn’t work as well as I would and Rogers in time, the forest worm kills them,
have hoped, though.” then leaves. Their partially devoured bodies
remain in the cave, along with the data cubes.
Both Falco and Rogers are very distressed The data cubes hold the six days of miss-
to learn that Magellan crashed and that most ing security footage removed from Magel-
of their shipmates were killed. Falco still has lan’s computer.
the data cubes from Magellan’s computer, with Next: If the heroes missed the Campsite
the six days of missing footage (see the Found clue at Magellan’s wreck and didn’t spot the
Security Footage sidebar). He has not watched Singing Dome from orbit, they may believe
them yet, because he doesn’t have anything they’re done. Falco and Rogers can fill them
that can play them. in on most of what happened, and Dr. Ayers’s
If the heroes encourage them to keep fate simply remains a mystery. However, if the
going or try to draw out details, an Empathy heroes realize they need to keep searching,
skill check is appropriate—Falco and Rogers they can return to orbit and search until they
want to cooperate but it’s difficult to sort find the Singing Dome.
out for them. The H’naal’s ability
Who opened the stasis chamber? “Maybe ot erase itself from
Dr. Ayers? You shouldn’t tamper with them until
SCENE 5: SINGING DOME SITE perception entirely
you get them to a lab, but she spent a lot of The H’naal and Dr. Ayers survived Magellan’s can be played up for
crash by strapping down in the most secure horror, if your table
time looking at the device. Maybe she opened
is up for it. There’s
it by accident.” part of the crew module just before impact.
a particular fright
Was there an alien on board? “I don’t know. Both were injured, but not severely. The H’naal when the boogey-
I remember feeling a presence, something that realized that its commandeered ship had man is something
didn’t like us, but I can’t remember seeing any- crashed just a short distance from its objec- others can see, but
thing. There was something there, though!” tive—the Singing Dome, a spatial gate in the you cannot.
highlands of D–1.

25
QUICKSTART GUIDE
The Singing Dome The H’naal is working inside the dome. It’s
attempting to repair the ancient machinery,
while Dr. Ayers stands mutely by in a hypnotic
column
trance. The creature is arrogant and believes
humans are no match for it—and it might be
right. Its telepathic powers allow the H’naal to
H simply erase awareness of itself from any mind
within 100 meters. When one or more heroes
enters the dome, have each player whose
character is looking inside attempt a Willpower
buried door A skill check. If the check fails, read:
crystal column
The perforated dome covers a strange
collection of dull-colored crystals embedded
in a column of fluted rock. Most of the floor
is sand that seems to have drifted in over
the years, and a strange sighing sound—the
wind moaning through the dome’s open-
column
ings—rises and falls as the wind shifts.
sledge Dozens of fist-sized crystals lay scattered on
column the floor around the column in the middle of
the chamber, along with a collection of tools
from a typical ship’s repair kit.
A single human figure stands silently
track against the wall: Dr. Regina Ayers. She
looks gaunt and her clothing is torn and
ruined wall tattered. She doesn’t acknowledge you at
all, simply staring blankly ahead.

If any character viewing the scene succeeds


0m 4 8 12
on the Willpower skill check, add:

A strange-looking alien creature stands


What better way The H’naal kept Dr. Ayers under its control, by the rock column, regarding you with
to test Alternity’s and with her assistance fabricated a sledge some interest. It’s tall, easily two meters or
combat than to pit from the ship’s debris and set out to reach the
the PCs against more, and it has three tentacle-like arms
Singing Dome. They’ve been here for about a and three sturdy, compact legs. It holds
each other?
week now; the H’naal is trying to reactivate the a human plasma pistol in one arm. But a
ancient mechanisms so that it can find more moment later it seems to simply vanish, and
of its kind. you realize that there isn’t anything here.
When the heroes visit the site, read the
opening narration above. Roll initiative. The H’naal has no interest in
more slaves and wants to deal with this inter-
ruption as swiftly and ruthlessly as possible.
LEVEL UP! • 1 H’naal (see Adversaries)
At the end of the adventure, the heroes gain a level. When • Dr. Ayers (see Adversaries)
you gain a level, you gain 5 skill points to assign. A 2nd-level
hero can have a maximum of 6 skill points in any one skill.
You gain 1 hero point. THE SINGING DOME
You can pick a new talent. Here are a couple of sample tal- Dr. Ayers takes no part in this encounter unless
ents to choose from: the H’naal makes her, and doesn’t even defend
Alertness: You gain a +2 step bonus on initiative checks. herself if attacked. She is virtually catatonic
Melee Expert: You gain a +1 step attack bonus when you use after a week of constant control by the H’naal.
the charge action modifier to attack with a melee weapon. H’naal Invisibility: Each time that a player
Rugged: Gain bonus wound boxes on the graze and light character begins his or her turn, the charac-
wound rows of your durability table. ter must attempt a Willpower skill check. On
a success, the character sees the H’naal and

26
Conclusion

The roar of the liftoff thrusters... sounds like “victory.”

remembers what is going on in this scene. On skulk around the site and hide nearby, using
a failure, the character does not see the H’naal the fragmentary walls and old stone columns
and has no memory of the creature at all. for cover. It knows that if it moves too far away
Characters whose minds are clouded in from the dome it would easily be spotted on
this way can’t attack the H’naal directly, but the open plain.
they can do other things like tend to wounded Dr. Ayers: If a hero tries to bring Ayers
characters, study the surroundings, or possibly out of her stupor, make a Medicine check to
even return fire if shot at—although all they see diagnose her condition. On a success, the
is that plasma bolts appear to be hitting around character examining Ayers realizes she can be
them, without any clear idea of where they’re brought around with a stimulant shot. Admin-
coming from or who’s shooting at them. istering the shot requires a med pack and a
Tactics: The H’naal begins by using its 3-impulse action. Ayers is confused at first, but
Mental Command ability to dominate the first soon comes to her senses and tries to help the
hero it sees. It intends to use a hero to kill as heroes against the H’naal.
many of its enemies as possible without giving
itself away. However, if the H’naal is directly
attacked, it returns fire with its borrowed CONCLUSION
plasma pistol. Naturally, it focuses its fire on The adventure ends when the heroes save
characters who seem to be better able to Dr. Ayers from the H’naal, rescue Falco and
perceive it. If an enemy corners the creature in Rogers, and recover the black box from the
melee, it attacks with its tentacles instead. wreck of the Magellan. That solves the mystery
If the H’naal decides it needs a distraction, to the satisfaction of the Stellar Union Inves-
it uses its Mental Command on Dr. Ayers and tigative Service and the Icarus Foundation.
directs her to attack the heroes. Dr. Ayers is While the chance to communicate with a living
not much of a combatant, but she grabs a H’naal is a lost opportunity, the H’naal in this
heavy wrench from a toolbox and may catch case cannot be reasoned with—in its time it
the heroes off-guard. was a monstrous criminal to its own people,
If the H’naal marks off 5 wound boxes or and it sees nothing in humankind that entices
at least 2 boxes in the 13–15 band, it attempts it to go along with any effort to establish some
to flee through the open door. It attempts to sort of friendly relations.

27
QUICKSTART GUIDE
ADVERSARIES FOREST WORM
Adversaries have ability checks, not abil- Nearly 6 meters in length and as thickly built
ity scores. For example, an adversary has as a horse, this multi-eyed, multi-legged crea-
Strength 15+ instead of 5. If you need to make ture looks like a gigantic centipede with a gold
a check for an adversary’s Strength-based skill, and green carapace and jaws like bolt-cutters.
your skill score is 15/20/25. The forest worm is a natural predator of Xi
Adversaries aren’t incapacitated until they Scorpii D–1. It’s hungry and ferocious, if not
lose the last wound box in their highest row. particularly bright.

Senses low-light, infrared


MIST HUNTER Awareness 15/20/25
This powerful predator is a meter tall at the Initiative 13/18/23
shoulder and resembles a scaly, saurian lion Speed 16 meters
with a leathery crest instead of a mane. Its Str 12+, Agi 18+, Vit 15+,
scales are a mottled dark and light blue. Int 20+, Foc 15+, Per 19+
Mist hunters are clever pack predators. ATTACK ACTIONS
They are aggressive and highly territorial. They Thrash (Speed 3): Melee, one or two adjacent
were engineered as guard-beasts long ago, targets, 16/21/26 (+1 step bonus); 1d8+1/5
and their hides have a natural ability to dissi- physical, and the target is knocked prone.
pate laser fire. Crushing Bite (Speed 3): Grappled
target; 16/21/26 attack (+2 step bonus);
Senses low-light vision, scent 1d8+4/8 physical.
Awareness 14/19/24 Tongue Barb (Speed 1): Close range, one
Initiative 11/16/21 target, 16/21/26 (+1 step bonus); 1d6+0/3 phys-
Speed 40 meters ical, and the target is grappled.
Str 14+, Agi 15+, Vit 16+, SPECIAL ACTIONS
Int 18+, Foc 16+, Per 17+ Drag: As a 1-impulse action, the worm can
ATTACK ACTIONS pull a grappled target 6 meters closer. The
Claws (Speed 3): Melee; 15/20/25; 1d6+1/3 dragged target can attempt an Athletics
physical. A target hit by a claw attack must check to resist being dragged.
make a Hand to Hand check or become DURABILITY
grappled until the end of the hunter’s next Armor 4 physical, 2 energy
turn (or until the target breaks free). (10+ dmg) qqqq incapacitated
Rend (Speed 3): Grappled target; 15/20/25 (+2 (7 to 9 dmg) qqqq –1 step on checks
step attack bonus); 1d6+2/6 physical. (4 to 6 dmg) qqqq –4 meters Speed
DURABILITY (1 to 3 dmg) qqqq
Armor 2 physical, 2 energy (5 vs. laser) Dodge 18/23/28
(10+ dmg) q incapacitated Endurance 15/20/25
(7 to 9 dmg) q –2 steps on checks Willpower 15/20/25
(4 to 6 dmg) q –1 step on checks TRAITS
(1 to 3 dmg) q Infrared Sight Forest worms can “see”
Dodge: 15/20/25 heat, and can easily find their prey even in
Endurance: 16/21/26 total darkness.
Willpower: 16/21/26 OTHER
TRAITS Skills none
Scattering Hide Mist hunters have improved
armor against laser weapons and similar
effects (shown above).
OTHER
Skills Awareness 14/19/24, Survival 13/18/23

28
Adversaries
H’NAAL Telepathy The H’naal can communicate tele-
Dark and rubbery in appearance, this tripedal pathically with any creature it can see within
creature has three stubby legs, a long torso, Long range. If they do not share a language,
and three strong tentacles just below its it can only convey feelings and images.
OTHER
bullet-shaped head. Its three eyes are a
Skills Awareness 12/17/22, Coercion 12/17/22,
baleful red.
Engineering 11/16/21, Science 11/16/21, Stealth
The H’naal were a starfaring species that
13/18/23.
colonized many worlds in this part of the
galaxy more than a million years ago. They
were aggressive conquerors with a powerful DR. AYERS
telepathic ability to cloud or control weaker Regina Ayers is a confident, assertive sci-
minds. Only a few remain alive today, mostly entist who has studied H’naal artifacts her
hidden in deep refuges or trapped in temporal entire career. She is currently so deeply under
stasis chambers. the H’naal’s mental domination that she can
take no action unless it thinks to compel
Senses low-light, infrared her to move.
Awareness 13/18/23
Initiative 12/17/22 Senses normal
Speed 20 meters Awareness 14/19/24
Str 13+, Agi 17+, Vit 13+, Initiative 13/18/23, –1 step
Int 14+, Foc 15+, Per 15+ Speed 20 meters
ATTACK ACTIONS Str 17+, Agi 16+, Vit 16+,
Tentacles (Speed 3, make 3 attacks): Melee; Int 15+, Foc 17+, Per 16+
13/18/23; 1d6+1/4 physical. ATTACK ACTIONS
Plasma Pistol (Speed 4): Medium range; Heavy Wrench (Speed 4): 15/20/25; 1d6+0/3
15/20/25; 2d4/2d8 energy. physical.
Compulsion (Speed 3): Close range, one DURABILITY
target. The target must make a Willpower Armor 2 physical, 2 energy
check; on failure, it becomes temporar-
(10+ dmg) q incapacitated
ily insane.
(7 to 9 dmg) q –2 steps on checks
SPECIAL ACTIONS
(4 to 6 dmg) q –1 step on checks
Mental Command (1 impulse): Close range,
(1 to 3 dmg) q no effect
one target affected by compulsion. The
H’naal chooses which insanity effect applies Dodge 16/21/26
to the target’s next action. If the H’naal uses Endurance 16/21/26
this power on a second target while another Willpower 17/22/27
creature is already affected, the effect ends OTHER
on the first target. Skills Academics 10/15/20, Computers
DURABILITY 12/17/22, Culture 13/18/23, Science 12/17/22,
Armor 3 physical, 3 energy Piloting 12/17/22
Gear hardmesh uniform, heavy wrench
(12+ dmg) qqqq incapacitated
(9 to 11 dmg) qqqq –2 steps on checks
(6 to 8 dmg) qqqq –1 step on checks
(1 to 5 dmg) qqqq no effect
Dodge 15/20/25
Endurance 11/16/21
Willpower 15/20/25
TRAITS
Cloud the Mind Living creatures that begin
their turn within 50 meters of the H’naal
must make Willpower checks. On a failure,
the creature does not see the H’naal and is
temporarily unaware of its existence.

29
DR. GRACE THARSI
LEVEL 1 HUMAN LEADER
A Senior Scientist of the Icarus Foundation, Dr. Tharsi shares command of the Magellan Recovery Mission with
Captain Carr of the Fraser. She is a native of Mars with specialties in life science and medicine. Smart, ambitious,
and determined, she worked tirelessly at Icarus to gain her Exploration and Command ratings, eager to make her
mark in the annals of discovery.

STRENGTH 3 INTELLIGENCE 6 SKILLS


AGILITY 5 FOCUS 4 Name Ability Pts Skill Score
VITALITY 4 PERSONALITY 4 Academics Int 3 11/16/21
+1 step with psychology
Move 20 m Hero Points 1 Acrobatics Agi 4 11/16/21
Initiative 11/16/21, +3 steps Armor Training St/In
Athletics Str
Laser Pistol 3 impulses; attack 11/16/21 (+2 steps); Awareness Foc 1 15/20/25
1d6+0/6 energy Coercion Per
Unarmed 3 impulses; attack 13/18/23 (+1 step); Computer Int
1d4+0/2 physical Culture Per
Deception Per
DURABILITY Dodge Agi 5 10/15/20
Dmg Description Wounds Driving Agi
16+ Mortal Wound (incapacitated) q Empathy Fo/Pe
13–15 Critical Wound (–3 steps) q Endurance Vit
10–12 Serious Wound (–2 steps) qq Energy Weapon Ag/Fo 4 11/16/21
7–9 Moderate Wound (–1 step) qq +1 step with pistols (included to left)
4–6 Light Wound (no effect) qq Engineering Int
1–3 Graze (no effect) qq Extreme Sport Agi
Firearm Ag/Fo
When you evade: Attacker takes –2 step penalty Hand to Hand St/Ag 2 13/18/23
Armor: Resist 2 physical, 2 energy +1 step with grappling (included to left)
Heavy Weapon St/In
TALENTS Influence Per 4 12/17/22
Dr. Tharsi is at her best with a good team around her. +1 step with all checks
She’s a skilled medic and quick-thinking leader. Mechanics Int
Alertness: You gain a +2 step bonus on initiative checks Medicine Int 5 9/14/19
(included above). +1 step with treatment
Medic: You gain a +1 step bonus on Medicine checks Melee St/Ag
during an action scene. Misdirection Per
Prepared Action: Your first action in an encounter takes Performance Per
1 fewer impulse. If that reduces it to zero impulses, per- Piloting Ag/In
form that action and act again immediately. Primitive Weapon Ag/Fo
Profession In/Pe
GEAR Resilience Vit
Hardmesh Uniform (2 physical, 2 energy) Science Int 5 9/14/19
Laser Pistol (Long Range, 1d6+0/6 energy, accurate) +1 step with biology
Med Pack (treat wounds; 1 success for Light, 2 for Moder- Security Ag/In
ate, 3 for Serious, or 6 for Critical) Stealth Ag/Fo
Com Set, Flashlight, Datapad, Survival Pack Survival Vi/Fo
Willpower Foc 2 14/19/24

QUICKSTART GUIDE CHARACTERS


CAPTAIN VANCE CARR
LEVEL 1 HUMAN LEADER
Assertive and confident, Captain Carr is the commander of the drivescout Fraser, an exploration vessel in the ser-
vice of the Icarus Foundation. The Foundation believes in a shared-command philosophy under which the leader
of the embarked scientific contingent is responsible for the overall mission while the ship commander is respon-
sible for the safety of the ship. As a result, Captain Carr has a new co-commander for the Magellan Recovery
Mission: Senior Scientist Grace Tharsi.

STRENGTH 5 INTELLIGENCE 4 SKILLS


AGILITY 5 FOCUS 4 Name Ability Pts Skill Score
VITALITY 4 PERSONALITY 5 Academics Int
Acrobatics Agi
Move 20 m Hero Points 1 Armor Training St/In
Initiative 11/16/21, +1 step Athletics Str 3 12/17/22
Awareness Foc
Plasma Pistol 3 impulses; attack 10/15/20 (+1 step); Coercion Per 3 12/17/22
2d4/2d8 energy +1 step on all checks (+2 steps in combat)
Unarmed 3 impulses; attack 12/17/22 (+1 step); Computer Int
1d4+0/2 physical Culture Per
Deception Per
DURABILITY Dodge Agi
Dmg Description Wounds Driving Agi
16+ Mortal Wound (incapacitated) q Empathy Fo/Pe
13–15 Critical Wound (–3 steps) q Endurance Vit 4 12/17/22
10–12 Serious Wound (–2 steps) qq Energy Weapon Ag/Fo 5 10/15/20
7–9 Moderate Wound (–1 step) qq +1 step with pistols (included to left)
4–6 Light Wound (no effect) qq Engineering Int 4 12/17/22
1–3 Graze (no effect) qq +1 step with life support or propulsion
Extreme Sport Agi
Armor: Resist 2 physical, 2 energy Firearm Ag/Fo
Hand to Hand St/Ag 3 12/17/22
TALENTS +1 step with brawling (included to left)
Vance Carr has an uncanny knack for taking charge in Heavy Weapon St/In
dangerous situations and inspiring the crew. He’s also Influence Per 4 11/16/21
lightning-quick on the draw. +1 step with all checks (+2 steps in combat)
Commander: You gain a +1 step bonus on Coercion and Mechanics Int 1 15/20/25
Influence checks made during combat. Medicine Int
Combat Leader: As a 3-impulse action, make an Influ- Melee St/Ag
ence check to spur your allies on to greater effective- Misdirection Per 3 12/17/22
ness. If you succeed, designate an enemy. Your allies Performance Per
each gain a +1 step bonus on their next attack against Piloting Ag/In 5 10/15/20
that enemy in this scene. Primitive Weapon Ag/Fo
Gunslinger: You can draw a pistol as a free action when Profession In/Pe
you attack with a pistol. Resilience Vit
Science Int
GEAR Security Ag/In
Hardmesh Uniform (2 physical, 2 energy) Stealth Ag/Fo
Plasma Pistol (Medium Range, 2d4/2d8 energy) Survival Vi/Fo
3 blast grenades (Athletics check, can throw up to Willpower Foc
32 meters; 1d8+4(0) energy damage in a 3 m (6 m)
blast radius)
Com Set, Binoculars, Survival Pack

QUICKSTART GUIDE CHARACTERS


ENGINEER OMARI TEMU
LEVEL 1 HUMAN SURVIVOR
A former merchant spacer with a checkered past, Omari Temu won a job with the Icarus Foundation when she
traded repair work on a drivescout’s balky nav system for passage out of a station where she was in trouble with
the authorities. One mission led to another, and then another, until the Foundation HR team decided to make
the position permanent. She’s been assigned to the drivescout Fraser for six months now, working for Captain
Vance Carr.

STRENGTH 5 INTELLIGENCE 5 SKILLS


AGILITY 3 FOCUS 5 Name Ability Pts Skill Score
VITALITY 5 PERSONALITY 3 Academics Int
Acrobatics Agi
Move 20 m Hero Points 1 Armor Training St/In
Initiative 12/17/22, +1 step Athletics Str
Awareness Foc 3 12/17/22
Flechette Gun 3 impulses; attack 10/15/20 (+2 steps); +1 step bonus on all checks
1d6+1/5 physical (deals +1 wound at Close range) Coercion Per
Combat Knife 3 impulses; attack 12/17/22 (+1 step); Compute Int 3 12/17/22
1d6+1/5 physical Culture Per
Unarmed 3 impulses; attack 12/17/22; 1d4+0/2 physical Deception Per
Dodge Agi
DURABILITY Driving Agi
Dmg Description Wounds Empathy Fo/Pe
16+ Mortal Wound (incapacitated) q Endurance Vit
13–15 Critical Wound (–3 steps) qq Energy Weapon Ag/Fo
10–12 Serious Wound (–2 steps) qq Engineering Int 4 11/16/21
7–9 Moderate Wound (–1 step) qq +1 step with power systems
4–6 Light Wound (no effect) qq Extreme Sport Agi
1–3 Graze (no effect) qq Firearm Ag/Fo 5 10/15/20
+1 step with assault weapons (included to left)
Armor: Resist 1 physical, 3 energy Hand to Hand St/Ag 3 12/17/22
+1 step with knives (included to left)
TALENTS Heavy Weapon St/In
Omari is a scrapper. She’s tough, determined, and surpris- Influence Per
ingly sneaky when she needs to be. Mechanics Int 5 10/15/20
Commando: You gain an additional +1 step bonus to +1 step with repair, salvage, or vehicles
attacks and skill checks against enemies who are Medicine Int
unaware of you. Melee St/Ag
Dirty Fighting: Gain +3 damage when you successfully Misdirection Per 3 14/19/24
attack a distracted or surprised target. Performance Per
Gearhead: You gain a +1 step bonus on any technical skill Piloting Ag/In
check you make to maintain or repair a machine, vehi- Primitive Weapon Ag/Fo
cle, ship or installation you’ve worked on before. Profession In/Pe
Resilience Vit 4 11/16/21
GEAR Science Int
DuraWeb Coat (1 physical, 3 energy) Security Ag/In
Flechette Gun (Medium, 1d6+1/5 physical, deals +1 wound Stealth Ag/Fo 5 10/15/20
at Close range, accurate) +1 step bonus on all checks
Datapad Survival Vi/Fo
Repair Kit (+2 step bonus with Mechanics) Willpower Foc
Wound Gel (1 dose)
Com Set, Flashlight, Survival Pack

QUICKSTART GUIDE CHARACTERS


SPEC. DIETER FRANK
LEVEL 1 HUMAN BATTLER
Something of a jack-of-all-trades on board Fraser, Specialist Frank is a cargo handler, mess steward, maintenance
technician, and janitor . . . and he’s also the ship’s resident expert in heavy weapons and combat armor. He’s used
to providing security for all kinds of scientific expeditions, standing watch with a rail rifle while happy scientists dig,
sample, catalog, or observe strange things on planets all over the galaxy. Someone’s got to watch their backs.

STRENGTH 6 INTELLIGENCE 3 SKILLS


AGILITY 4 FOCUS 5 Name Ability Pts Skill Score
VITALITY 4 PERSONALITY 4 Academics Int
Acrobatics Agi
Move 20 m Hero Points 1 Armor Training St/In 4 10/15/20
Initiative 11/16/21 +1 step with all checks
Athletics Str
Rail Rifle 5 impulses; attack 10/15/20 (+1 step); 1d8+4/8 Awareness Foc
physical (armor piercing 3) Coercion Per 4 12/17/22
Diskos 4 impulses; attack 10/15/20 (+1 step); 1d8+3/9 Computer Int
physical (armor piercing 3) Culture Per
Unarmed 3 impulses; attack 11/16/21 (+1 step); Deception Per
1d4+0/2 physical Dodge Agi 1 15/20/25
+1 step with all checks
DURABILITY Driving Agi
Dmg Description Wounds Empathy Fo/Pe
16+ Mortal Wound (incapacitated) q Endurance Vit 3 13/18/23
13–15 Critical Wound (–3 steps) qq +1 step with all checks
10–12 Serious Wound (–2 steps) qq Energy Weapon Ag/Fo
7–9 Moderate Wound (–1 step) qq Engineering Int
4–6 Light Wound (no effect) qqq Extreme Sport Agi
1–3 Graze (no effect) qqq Firearm Ag/Fo
Hand to Hand St/Ag 3 11/16/21
Armor: Resist 4 physical, 2 energy +1 step with brawling (included to left)
Heavy Weapon St/In 4 10/15/20
TALENTS +1 step with direct fire (included to left)
Dieter can protect his allies and stand up to a great deal Influence Per
of punishment. Mechanics Int 4 13/18/23
Gunner: When you use the aim action modifier with a +1 step with environmental systems, repair
heavy weapon, you do not add a 1-impulse delay to your Medicine Int
next action. Melee St/Ag 4 10/15/20
Rugged: Gain bonus wound boxes on the graze and light +1 step with energized weapons (included to left)
wound rows of your durability table (included above). Misdirection Per
Shake It Off: You can make Resilience checks to reduce Performance Per
a wound’s penalty as a 1-impulse action instead of a Piloting Ag/In 1 15/20/25
3-impulse action. Primitive Weapon Ag/Fo
Profession In/Pe
GEAR Resilience Vit 3 13/18/23
Polymer Mail (4 physical, 2 energy) +1 step with all checks
Rail Rifle (Very Long, 1d8+4/8 energy, armor piercing 3) Science Int
Diskos (Melee, 1d8+3/9 physical, armor piercing) Security Ag/In 4 12/17/22
Survival Pack, Flashlight Stealth Ag/Fo
Survival Vi/Fo
Willpower Foc

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ARCHEOLOGIST MILES MONTERO
LEVEL 1 HUMAN STRIKER
Scientists of the Icarus Foundation represent the best of the best—experts in their fields who are fearless, physi-
cally fit, and morally upstanding. Miles Montero is not that kind of scientist. He’s a wildcat hunter of alien artifacts,
comfortable with black market deals and collectors who don’t ask questions. But he happens to be one of the few
humans familiar with H’naal relics, which is why Icarus paid him well to join Fraser’s mission to find the Magellan.

STRENGTH 4 INTELLIGENCE 5 SKILLS


AGILITY 6 FOCUS 4 Name Ability Pts Skill Score
VITALITY 3 PERSONALITY 4 Academics Int 4 11/16/21
+1 step with archeology, history
Move 20 m Hero Points 1 Acrobatics Agi 2 12/17/22
Initiative 10/15/20 (+2 die step bonus) Armor Training St/In
Athletics Str 2 14/19/24
Laser Pistol 3 impulses; attack 10/15/20 (+2 steps); Awareness Foc 2 14/19/24
1d6+1/7 energy Coercion Per
Unarmed 3 impulses; attack 14/19/24; 1d4+1/3 physical Computer Int
Culture Per
DURABILITY Deception Per 4 12/17/22
Dmg Description Wounds Dodge Agi 5 9/14/19
16+ Mortal Wound (incapacitated) q Driving Agi
13–15 Critical Wound (–3 steps) q Empathy Fo/Pe 3 13/18/23
10–12 Serious Wound (–2 steps) q Endurance Vit
7–9 Moderate Wound (–1 step) qq Energy Weapon Ag/Fo 5 9/14/19
4–6 Light Wound (no effect) qq +1 step with pistols (included to left)
1–3 Graze (no effect) qq Engineering Int
Extreme Sport Agi 3 11/16/21
Elusive: Medium-range attacks against you take a –1 Firearm Ag/Fo
step penalty Hand to Hand St/Ag
When you evade: Attacker takes –2 step penalty Heavy Weapon St/In
Armor: Resist 1 physical, 3 energy Influence Per
Mechanics Int
TALENTS Medicine Int 2 13/18/23
Miles wins fights by shooting first and shooting often. +1 step with first aid
Dual Pistols: If you are armed with two pistols, you can Melee St/Ag
fire them both together at the same target as one action Misdirection Per
when you attack. Your attack has a –2 step penalty. If Performance Per
you hit, both weapons hit. Roll damage separately. Piloting Ag/In 2 12/17/22
Elusive: Ranged attacks against you that originate at Primitive Weapon Ag/Fo
Medium range (20 m) or longer suffer an additional –1 Profession In/Pe
step penalty. Resilience Vit
Gunslinger: You can draw one or more pistols as a free Science Int
action when you attack with a pistol. Security Ag/In 1 13/18/23
Stealth Ag/Fo
GEAR Survival Vi/Fo
DuraWeb Coat (1 physical, 3 energy) Willpower Foc
2 Laser Pistols (Long Range, 1d6+0/6 energy, accurate)
Geoscanner (Close Range, find buried objects)
Thruster Belt (jump 60 meters as a 2-impulse action, must
land at end of move)
Com Unit, Survival Pack, Flashlight

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AGENT MASAKO WADE
LEVEL 1 HUMAN SURVIVOR
Agent Wade is the only person on board Fraser not directly employed by the Icarus Foundation. She serves in the
National Investigative Service of the Stellar Union. She’s been assigned to investigate the presumed destruction
of the driveship Magellan and determine whether some race or entity hostile to humanity may have been respon-
sible. Agent Wade has broad authority to require cooperation from Icarus Foundation employees . . . but Fraser
isn’t her ship, and she isn’t in charge.

STRENGTH 5 INTELLIGENCE 4 SKILLS


AGILITY 4 FOCUS 6 Name Ability Pts Skill Score
VITALITY 4 PERSONALITY 3 Academics Int
Acrobatics Agi
Move 20 m Hero Points 1 Armor Training St/In
Initiative 10/15/20, +3 steps Athletics Str 3 12/17/22
+1 step on all checks
Heavy Pistol 4 impulses; attack 10/15/20 (+1 step); Awareness Foc 4 10/15/20
1d8+1/6 physical +1 step on all checks
Shock Glove 3 impulses; attack 10/15/20 (+1 step); Coercion Per
1d6+2/3 energy and stun (compare your attack success Computer Int
to target Endurance check; if your success is higher, Culture Per
target is stunned 3 impulses) Deception Per
Unarmed 2 impulses; attack 10/15/20 (+1 step); Dodge Agi
1d6+0/4 physical Driving Agi
Empathy Fo/Pe 4 10/15/20
DURABILITY Endurance Vit
Dmg Description Wounds Energy Weapon Ag/Fo
16+ Mortal Wound (incapacitated) q Engineering Int
13–15 Critical Wound (–3 steps) q Extreme Sport Agi
10–12 Serious Wound (–2 steps) qq Firearm Ag/Fo 4 10/15/20
7–9 Moderate Wound (–1 step) qq +1 step with pistols (included to left)
4–6 Light Wound (no effect) qq Hand to Hand St/Ag 5 10/15/20
1–3 Graze (no effect) qq +1 step with brawling (included to left)
Heavy Weapon St/In
Defensive Stance: Enemies attacking you with unarmed Influence Per
or melee attacks take a –2 step penalty Mechanics Int
Armor: Resist 2 physical, 2 energy Medicine Int
Melee St/Ag
TALENTS Misdirection Per
Masako is skilled with small arms and martial arts tech- Performance Per
niques for taking down dangerous criminals fast. Piloting Ag/In
Alertness: You gain a +2 step bonus on initiative checks Primitive Weapon Ag/Fo
(included above). Profession In/Pe 4 12/17/22
Defensive Stance: Enemies attacking you with unarmed Law enforcement investigations and procedures
or melee attacks suffer a –1 step penalty, or –2 steps if Resilience Vit 4 12/17/22
you have at least one hand free. Science Int
Martial Arts, Striking: Your unarmed damage improves to Security Ag/In 1 15/20/25
1d6+0/4 physical (included above). +1 step on all checks
Stealth Ag/Fo
GEAR Survival Vi/Fo 3 11/16/21
Hardmesh Uniform (2 physical, 2 energy) +1 step on all checks
Heavy Pistol (Medium Range, 1d8+1/6 physical) Willpower Foc 3 11/16/21
Shock Glove (Melee, 1d6+2/3 energy, stun)
2 sets of restraints
Datapad with chemical analysis probe
Com Unit, Survival Pack, Flashlight

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