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Brian Hite (Order #21736633)
Warning!
Violence and the Supernatural
The fictional worlds of Palladium Books® are violent, deadly and filled with supernatural monsters.
Other-dimensional beings, often referred to as “demons,” torment, stalk and prey on humans. Other alien
life forms, monsters, gods and demigods, as well as magic, insanity, and war are all elements in these
books.
Some parents may find the violence, magic and supernatural elements of the games inappropriate for
young readers/players. We suggest parental discretion.
Please note that none of us at Palladium Books® condone or encourage the occult, the practice of
magic, the use of drugs, or violence.
The Rifter® Number 83

Your Guide to the Palladium Megaverse®!
1

Dedication – To all our wonderful contributors over the many years – writers and artists – for sharing your
imaginings with us, whether they be heroes, villains, monsters, rules, comic strips, stories, or adventures from
across the Megaverse®. Keep those imaginations burning bright and the adventures coming.
– Kevin Siembieda, 2019
PDF Edition – January 2020
Copyright 2019 Palladium Books® Inc.
All rights reserved, world wide, under the Universal Copyright Convention. No part of this book may be reproduced in part or whole,
in any form or by any means, without permission from the publisher, except for brief quotes for use in reviews. All incidents, situations,
institutions, governments and people are fictional and any similarity, without satiric intent, of characters or persons living or dead, is
strictly coincidental.
Palladium Books®, Rifts®, The Rifter®, Chaos Earth®, Coalition Wars®, After the Bomb®, Dead Reign®, The Mechanoids®,
The Mechanoid Invasion®, Megaverse®, Nightbane®, Palladium Fantasy Role-Playing Game®, Phase World®, Powers Unlimited®,
RECON®, and Splicers® are registered trademarks owned and licensed by Kevin Siembieda and Palladium Books Inc.
The slogan “A Megaverse of adventure – limited only by your imagination,” RPG Tactics, and titles and names such as Bizantium
and the Northern Islands, Armageddon Unlimited, Aliens Unlimited, Arzno, Atorian Empire, ARCHIE-3, Beyond Arcanum, Beyond
the Supernatural, BTS-2, Brodkil, Biomancy, Biomancer, Bio-Wizardry, ‘Burbs, ‘Borg, ‘Bot, Dimensional Outbreak, Dinosaur Swamp,
Dyval, Elf-Dwarf War, Heroes Unlimited, I.S.P., Land of the Damned, Lazlo, Victor Lazlo, Lazlo Agency, Lazlo Society, Palladium of
Desires, C.A.M.E.L.O.T., Chi-Town, CS, Coalition States, Cosmo-Knight, Crazy, Cyber-Knight, D-Bee, Dark Day, Dead Boy, Devil
Worm, Doctor Feral, Dog Boy, Dog Pack, Dweomer, Emperor Prosek, Erin Tarn, Fadetown, Free Quebec, Gadgets Unlimited, Gargoyle
Empire, Glitter Boy, Gramercy Island, Hardware Unlimited, Heroes of the Megaverse, Heroes Unlimited, HU2, Juicer, Khemennu, Ley
Line Walker, M.D.C., Mechanoid Space, Mega-Damage, Mega-Hero, Megaversal, MercTown, Minion War, Moorcroft, Morphus, Mu-
tant Underground, Mysteries of Magic, Merc Ops, Naruni, Naruni Enterprises, NEMA, Ninjas & Superspies, NGR, Northern Gun, The
Nursery, P.P.E., Powers Unlimited, Psi-Stalker, Psyscape, SAMAS, S.D.C., Secrets of the Coalition States, Shifter, Siege on Tolkeen,
Skelebot, Skraypers, Sorcerer’s Forge, Splugorth, Splynncryth, Splynn, Techno-Wizard, Temporal Magic, Temporal Wizard, The Dis-
avowed, Three Galaxies, Tome Grotesque, Triax, Vampire Kingdoms, Warpath: Urban Jungle, Void Runners, Wilk’s, Wolfen, Wolfen
Wars, Wormwood, Wulfen, Xiticix, and other names, titles, slogans, and the likenesses of characters are trademarks owned by Kevin
Siembieda and Palladium Books Inc.
Palladium Online www.palladiumbooks.com

Also visit us at facebook.com/PalladiumBooks
The Rifter® #83 is part of an RPG sourcebook series published by Palladium Books Inc., 39074 Webb Court, Westland, MI 48185.
Printed in the USA by Bradford and Bigelow of Massachusetts.

Palladium Books® Presents:
#83
Sourcebook and Guide to the Palladium Megaverse®
Coordinator & Editor in Chief: Wayne Smith
Editor: Alex Marciniszyn
Contributing Writers:
Carl Gleba
Hendrik Härterich
Ian Herbert
Matt Reed
Kevin Siembieda
Proofreader: Julius Rosenstein
Cover Illustration: Kevin Long
Interior Artists:
Sires Jan Black
Mark Dudley
Michael Mumah
Benjamin Rodriguez
Cover Logo Design: Steve Edwards
Credits Page Logo: Niklas Brandt
Typesetting & Layout: Wayne Smith

Art Direction: Kevin Siembieda
Based on the RPG rules, characters,

concepts and Megaverse® created by Kevin Siembieda.
Special Thanks to Carl, Hendrik, Ian, Matt, Julius and all our contributing writers and artists this issue, intro-
ducing Sires Jan Black (you’ll see more of her work in Garden of the Gods and other books), and to the hardwork-
ing Palladium staff. Our apologies to anybody who may have gotten accidentally left out or their name misspelled.
– Kevin Siembieda, 2019

Contents – The Rifter® #83 – Summer 2019
Page 6 – From the Desk of Kevin Siembieda Page 30 – Caproni Flight
Page 32 – Canopy Up
Books are coming your way! This issue of The Rifter®,
Page 34 – The Greek Resistance
Rifts® Bestiary™ Volume One, and Garden of the Gods™
Page 36 – What Cretans Know
are available right now! All July releases. (A hardcover edition of
Page 36 – A visit by Hungry Soldiers
the Rifts® Bestiary, too.) In the Face of Death™, The Rifter®
Page 37 – BTS Flair Info
#84, Titan Robotics™, Chaos Earth® Psychic Scream™, and
Page 38 – Atlanteans & Red Herrings
more are in production. With even more in development.
Page 38 – The Gorge of the Dead
Page 38 – Meeting a Minoan
Page 7 – Palladium News
Page 39 – The Nazi Encampment
Get more information about recent releases, the Palladium Page 41 – Frankenstein Moment
Fantasy RPG® Interactive Character Sheet, new artists, and Pin- Page 42 – Deal with the Devil
nacle Rift® Savage Worlds titles. Page 44 – The Dig, Ruin & Ritual
Page 45 – New Monsters
Page 8 – Coming Attractions Page 45 – The Minotaur
Not just books are available now and coming soon, but so Page 45 – Scientific Draugur
are new baseball caps, mugs and a Rifts pen. Books like Rifts® Page 46 – To New Horizons
Bestiary™ Volume One, Garden of the Gods™, In the Face Page 47 Turning Operation Minotaur into a Campaign
of Death™, Rifts® Bestiary™ Volume Two, Rifts® Chaos Art by Benjamin Rodriguez.
Earth®: Psychic Scream™, Rifts® Antarctica, Fantasy ti-
tles, and many others are in production, along with a lot of other Page 48 – Saving the World...
books. Read all about them here. with the Secret Operative
– Optional Source Material for Heroes Unlimited™
Page 15 – The Prophet O.C.C.
Matt Reed gives us a new look at Superspies and Secret Op-
– Optional Material for Palladium Fantasy RPG® eratives for Heroes Unlimited™ RPG complete with Superskills,
Ian Herbert present a new, optional O.C.C. that is not a Priest Gadgets, and new abilities.
in the traditional sense, but a character who can be something of Page 48 – Perception, Intuition & Contested Skill
a wild card and a maverick. And a lot of fun as a player character Page 50 – Chase Scene & Vehicular Combat
or as an NPC (Non-Player Character). Page 50 – Chase Meter
Art by Benjamin Rodriguez. Page 51 – Resolving Chase Rounds
Page 52 – Step One: The Usual
Page 19 – Half-Ogres or “Hogres” Page 52 – Step Two: Education and Skills
– Optional Material for Palladium Fantasy RPG® Page 52 – Superskills
Page 53 – Step Three: Define Abilities
Ian Herbert takes a comprehensive look at the Hogre – a half-
Page 53 – Advanced
human and half-Ogre subspecies. Ogres and humans are similar
Page 55 – Assassin
enough to mate and bear offspring. Sadly, these people are neither
Page 55 – Faceman
accepted by humans nor Ogres and often become outcasts living
Page 56 – Covers
on the fringe of society or bitter monsters angry at the world.
Page 56 – Gadgetry
Page 21 – Independent Hogres.
Page 57 – General
Page 22 – The Hogre as a player character.
Page 59 – Pointman
Art by Mark Dudley.
Page 60 – Wheelman
Page 23 – Operation Minotaur Page 60 – Step Four: Special Equipment
Page 61 – Gadgetry & Creation Rules
– Optional Adventure for Beyond the Supernatural™ Page 62 – Gadget Examples
Hendrik Härterich presents an epic, wartime Beyond the Su- Page 63 – Step Five: Background Data
pernatural™ adventure that is like Indiana Jones meets The Page 63 – Sample Characters
Dirty Dozen filled with horror and dangerous secrets. Page 66 – In Conclusion
Page 23 – Introduction Artwork by Sires Jan Black.
Page 25 – Setting the Stage
Page 26 – Task Force “O” Page 67 – On the Trail ... with the Hunter/Vigilante
Page 26 – Welcome to the Army – Optional Source Material for Heroes Unlimited™
Page 27 – Orders in Aldershot
Matt Reed gives us a new look at The Hunter/Vigilante for
Page 28 – Theseus Rising
Heroes Unlimited™ RPG. Complete with traps, new abilities,
Page 29 – Parachuting into Crete
and equipment.
Page 33 – An Italian Welcome
Page 67 – The Hunter Compared
4

Page 69 – Step One: The Usual The Cover
Page 69 – Step Two: Education & Skills
The cover is a portion of Kevin Long’s famous cover to
Page 69 – Special Skills
Rifts® Conversion Book One. It was one of the early Rifts®
Page 70 – Traps
book releases way back in 1996. We thought it was nice to harken
Page 71 – Trap Traits
back to our beginning as we launch a new era of Rifts titles and
Page 72 – The Predator System
books for other settings.
Page 74 – Predator Point Abilities
Page 74 – Advanced
Optional and Unofficial Rules & Source Material
Page 75 – General
Page 77 – Scrapper Much of the material presented in The Rifter® is “optional,”
Page 78 – Predator but that doesn’t make it any less exciting, fun, or useful. It is
Page 78 – Trapper source material written by role-playing gamers just like you (and
Page 79 – Step Three: Equipment a couple of pros). It’s how we have found many of the artists and
Page 80 – Sample Characters writes who have gone on to work for Palladium. We wouldn’t
Artwork by Mike Mumah. present the material if we didn’t think it was worth sharing. If we
thought it sounded cool or fun we included them for your gaming
Page 82 – Treasures of the Megaverse® enjoyment. Use what you like, ignore the rest. And remember,
– Optional Material for Rifts® and other settings you can usually adapt material designed for one setting in many
others, like Rifts® magic and monsters for Palladium Fantasy or
Carl Gleba knocks it out of the park with this diverse and Heroes Unlimited, and vice versa. Even settings and adventures
spectacular treasure trove of magic items. Rune Weapons, Magic can be tweaked and used in many different settings. We hope all
Rings Elixirs, Cloaks, TW devices, and much more, including a of it ignites your imagination and inspires you to create your own
few warships! wonders.
Page 82 – TW items
Page 84 – Magic Rings www.palladiumbooks.com – Palladium Online
Page 85 – Magic Staves
Page 87 – Magic Elixirs
Page 88 – Magic Cloaks COMING – The Rifter® #84
Page 90 – Amulet of Armor
Page 90 – Magic Horse Gear ! Golems in the Myst, source material for Rifts®
Page 91 – Elemental Stones by Greg Diaczyk.
Page 92 – Magic Arrows ! The Kingdom of Raf-Chalon for the Palladium
Page 92 – Magic Vehicles
Fantasy RPG®.
Page 95 – The Infinity Tome
! The Dark City of Cascade for Heroes Unlimit-
The Theme for this Issue ed™.
The theme for The Rifter® #83 is mysterious people, places ! Spellbound O.C.C. for Nightbane® RPG.
and devices (including magic items galore). Many of them misfits ! All Quiet on the Western... What? An Adventure
and people and magic that lurk in the shadows or on the fringe of for Beyond the Supernatural™.
society. Enjoy. ! The Dimma, a short story for Beyond the Super-
Become a Writer for Palladium Books® natural™.
! John Zeleznik cover.
The Rifter® is going on hiatus, but if you like, you can still
continue to submit articles for our consideration like always, just ! News, coming attractions, product descriptions
like you did for The Rifter®. and more.
Why, if there is no publication? Because Kevin and crew may ! 96 pages – $14.99 retail – Cat. No. 184. Fall re-
decide to use your adventure, setting, new magic, new psionics, lease.
new super abilities, monsters, villains, heroes, high-tech weap-
ons, vehicles, robots, etc., in an upcoming sourcebook, that’s
why. All such submissions are unsolicited and entirely on specu- One game system, infinite possibilities
lation, with no promise of publication or payment. Always look-
ing for material for Rifts®, Chaos Earth®, Palladium Fantasy limited only by your imagination™
RPG®, Heroes Unlimited™, Ninjas & Superspies™, Beyond the
Supernatural™, Dead Reign®, Splicers® and Nightbane®.
Though despised, tears flow when the giant falls

5

From the Desk of Kevin Siembieda
We are thrilled so many of you enjoyed the Erick Wujcik trib- Other books not quite as far along include Rifts® The Dis-
ute in The Rifter® #82. Ten years after his untimely death, I still avowed™, Rifts® Antarctica, Rifts® CS Arsenal™, Rifts®
miss him every day. So that was a very special issue for all of us. Living Nowhere™, Chaos Earth® First Responders™, Be-
Glad you enjoyed it. If you missed it, there are still copies avail- yond the Supernatural™ sourcebooks, more Fantasy source-
able, but probably not for long. books (a whole bunch of them!) and other titles. These titles
This issue is outstanding. A number of our regular con- and several others are NOT forgotten and are in various stages of
tributors have submitted outstanding articles and source ma- active development or waiting for production. As always, just be-
terial to The Rifter #83 (and #84) just in time before The cause a book is not specifically discussed here, or listed in every
Rifter® goes on hiatus for at least two years. We love the ma- Weekly Update, it does not mean it is discontinued or in limbo,
terial they submitted, and know you will too. With any luck, it means there are more immediate things to talk about or there’s
we’ll all be seeing these talented people contributing to future no substantive news to report. We are anxious to put as many of
sourcebooks. the books you’ve been waiting for into your hands as soon as pos-
Why is The Rifter® going on hiatus? A number of rea- sible over the next 18 months.
sons, but the main one is because we need to spend the time So if a book you are waiting for is not mentioned here or in one
usually allotted for The Rifter® on producing official source- of Palladium Books’ Weekly Updates on our website, it means
books. And we have a lot of ideas for all kinds of exciting there is nothing new to report, but it should still be in the pipeline
sourcebooks for Rifts®, Palladium Fantasy®, Heroes Un- and news for it will be coming in the months ahead. Right now,
limited™, Beyond the Supernatural™, and ... well ... every- we are focused on releases slated for the next six months, which
thing. As a result, we intend to take a couple years off from by our count is 6-7 titles. And many of them are in various stages
producing The Rifter® to give our full attention to knocking of production or development.
out a bunch of sourcebooks, including a number of titles you
have wanted for a very long time. I don’t even want to list
them. You’ll find out when we announce their release dates.
Lines of contact
But most of you will be pleased. Very pleased. After we’ve For those of you who count on The Rifter® for info about
spent a couple years pounding out books, we will revisit new releases, we apologize for you losing this lifeline to Palla-
whether or not we should return to doing The Rifter® or keep dium Books. If you can, we encourage you to visit the Palladium
our focus on new books. As always, we appreciate your sug- Books website at least once a month. For those of you we know
gestions and want to know what you think. do not have access to the Internet, we will try to send out periodic
newsletters and our latest catalog. You can also mail us a request
for a current catalog or product checklist, whenever you need
Books are coming your way starting now one, and we’ll send one out to you.
! Rifts® Bestiary™ Volume One – July
! The Rifter® #83 – July
! Garden of the Gods™ (Fantasy) – July or August
Rifts® Bestiary™ Volume One
! In the Face of Death™ (Dead Reign®/Zombies) – August Available now – in stores everywhere
or September Yep, Rifts® Bestiary™ Volume One is finally hot off the
! The Rifter® #84 – September press and shipping to stores everywhere. 256 pages of awesome-
! Rifts® Titan Robotics™ – October or November ness. 82 creatures. Maps. Great art. Comprehensive creature de-
! Rifts® Chaos Earth®: Psychic Scream™ – September or scriptions. Source material for Players and Game Masters alike.
October Ideas for encounters and adventure.
! Rifts® Bestiary™ Volume Two – Winter Editor Alex Marciniszyn called Rifts® Bestiary™ Volume
! With a whole lot more in the pipeline. The books listed above One, “A monster book unlike any you have ever quite seen be-
are just what are actually in active stages of production. fore. A Guide to Rifts® monsters and animals written as if it were
a real field guide about real animals. All fitting into a complete
If you are reading this in The Rifter® #83 it means Rifts®
ecosystem.”
Bestiary™ Volume One has already been released and is avail-
Proofreader Julius Rosenstein felt the same way. Adding
able at stores everywhere! It also means Garden of the Gods™
that he loved the Erin Tarn opening and many of the expanded
(for Palladium Fantasy RPG®) is either also in stores (shooting
descriptions of familiar monsters like the Darkhound and Fury
for a July release) or will be available very soon (August). That
Beetle. He also loved the new critters. The one beast that creeped
will be followed by In the Face of Death™ for Dead Reign®,
Julius out the most: the Ee-Bee Gee-Bee. The one he wants his
our zombie apocalypse game. ALL of these titles and other books
character to acquire: the Cerebro-Scrambler. Alex said the Ee-
in development are described in the Coming Attractions section
Bee Gee-Bee is at the top of his list of beasts that creep him out
of this issue. And ALL of these books are in some stage of ac-
too, but that for him, the Dream Butcher was the worst. Mean-
tive production. Meaning a manuscript has been submitted and
while, the Dinostang was the beast Alex said he’d like his charac-
is undergoing final tweaks, additions and rewrites, art has been
ter to have. See the new description for Rifts® Bestiary™ Vol-
assigned (or is coming in) and these books WILL see release in
ume One and other books elsewhere in this issue.
2019.
6

A Sneak Preview of Rifts® Bestiary™ Volume One is In the Face of Death™
available for FREE on DriveThruRPG.com – to give you some
idea of what you can expect. A Dead Reign® Sourcebook to follow in August
Oh, and there is a limited edition, gold foil hardcover edition As soon as I finish Garden of the Gods I dive into finishing In
of the Rifts® Bestiary™ Volume One, available only from Pal- the Face of Death™. An epic addition to the Dead Reign® Zom-
ladium Books. Limited to 400 signed and numbered copies. See bie Apocalypse setting. Wanted it out for Gen Con, but could not
the description for both the softcover and hardcover editions in wrangle it. All the art is done, I just need to finish the writing.
Coming Attractions. This should be an August or September release.
Keep those imaginations burning bright.
– Kevin Siembieda, Publisher, Writer, Game Designer Books should be coming quickly
– July, 2019
I have been coordinating production of numerous book titles
including Chaos Earth® Psychic Scream™, Rifts® Titan Ro-
Palladium News botics™, The Rifter® #84, and a number of other books. Art is
being done for all the above, as well as writing by me and free-
lance authors.
By Kevin Siembieda, the guy who should know The advantage of having several books in various stages of
production at the same time is we should be able to release sev-
eral books one after the other very quickly, just like we used to
Rifts® Bestiary™ do in the good old days. Sweet! For example, I have been making
Hot off the presses, available now notes and writing parts of various books the entire first half of the
year. In addition, I have been assigning and coordinating artwork
Yep. By the time you read this, the Bestiary will have shipped and writing for a number of titles at the same time. Getting art for
to distributors and those who pre-ordered it. And it will be at Gen a book is often 2-3 months of time, sometimes more all by itself.
Con. 256 pages of awesomeness. 80+ creatures. Maps. Great art. And a lot of these books have been art heavy.
Fodder for countless encounters, adventures, creatures for your The bottom line is you’ve got 4-5 new titles coming for the
characters to use and command, and more. It’s epic and expan- rest of the year. And that’s not counting the Rifts® Bestiary™
sive. And designed to help, wow, and inspire both players and Vol. One softcover and hardcover editions. We are so excited. I
Game Masters. hope you are too.
I hope people use the notes under Life Span, regarding mat-
ing, young, juvenile, and adult animals, and the varying power
levels and sometimes different behavior at different ages, to en- A smash hit! Available Online Only
joy different experiences with the same animal. And watch out Palladium Fantasy RPG® Interactive Character Sheet
for momma or a mated pair protecting their young! Editor Alex
Gamers are going wild over the new Palladium Fantasy
Marciniszyn was correct when he said the Rifts® Bestiary™ is
RPG® Interactive Character Sheet. This is a digital – online
“written as if it were a real field guide about real animals. All
product only. Available directly from Palladium Books AND
fitting into a complete ecosystem.” We wanted to make these
DriveThruRPG.com. We are thrilled so many of you have dis-
beasts feel real and make sense in the Rifts® world. And cre-
covered and are enjoying this helpful and fun product.
ate a stronger sense of continuity than ever before. I think we
The Palladium Fantasy RPG® Interactive Character
have succeeded in giving you a monster book unlike any other.
Sheet is a Microsoft Excel-based character management system.
Enjoy.
Packed with features and data collected from every official Pal-
Oh, and for those of you who love hardcovers and collectibles,
ladium Fantasy sourcebook, this sheet saves you time and hassle
don’t miss out on the limited, signed and numbered Gold Hard-
with each character you create.
cover Edition. Only 400 available while supplies last. Histori-
cally, Palladium Books’ Gold Editions have doubled, tripled or Features & Benefits:
increased in value many times over.
! The Main Character Sheet Page collects the important data
from across multiple tabs and puts it in one place for quick and
Garden of the Gods™ – available easy reference.
As I write this, I’m also working on wrapping up the Palla- ! Separate sheets examine character construction (workta-
dium Fantasy® Sourcebook, Garden of the Gods™. With any ble), Skills, Magic, Psionics, and Combat in greater detail.
luck, I finished it up in time so that it is back from the printer the ! Built-in leveling system that calculates skill advancement
same time as The Rifter #83 and is shipping in July and appearing for you!
at Gen Con. ! Experience Tables for over 80 O.C.C.s already pro-
It’s pretty epic too. And another book designed to blow minds, grammed.
wow and inspire both players and Game Masters. I’m having a ! Recognizes the percentages for nearly 150 skills, plus com-
blast writing it with Matthew Clements. More than 40 forgotten bat bonuses for over 20 Weapon Proficiencies and 7 Hand
gods, secrets and fun. This book is an adventure factory for G.M.s to Hand styles.
and a valuable resource for players to get quests, inspirations, ! Calculates the speed and distance a character can run and
blessings and artifacts from the gods. I love it. jump based on character Attributes.

! Also calculates how much a character can lift, carry, and Pinnacle’s Rifts® for Savage Worlds®
throw for humanoids, Giants, and Supernatural Beings.
This past April, Pinnacle Entertainment had a big success with
! Add in your own Hand to Hand style, custom Skills, unique their Rifts® American Armageddon Kickstarter. It was funded
Weapon Proficiencies, and Experience Tables.
within 7 minutes and went on to get $230,000 in pledges in less
! Estimated time to build a character reduced by 20% or than 30 days. It is to produce three new Rifts® Savage Worlds®
more.
sourcebooks, all set in North America: Arcana & Mysticism,
! Instructions on how to use the sheet included, as well as a Blood & Banes, and Empires of Humanity, plus updated core
video walkthrough below.
rule books, G.M. screen, and other items like Rifts® dice, ben-
! Important Note: This character sheet is built to be used with nies, and more.
Microsoft Excel 2010+ and it comes in .XLSX format. Open-
Rifts® for Savage Worlds® is just one of the many expand-
ing this file in other spreadsheet programs is NOT guaranteed
ing and exciting Palladium related products and licenses. We are
to work as intended.
looking for more licensing partners in all areas from film and
! Watch the Overview video here: https://vimeo.
television, to videogames, board games, etc.
com/322271758
New Palladium Artists The Rifter® to go on hiatus

Reminder, The Rifter® will be going on indefinite hiatus af-
You’ll be noticing a number of new names in the art credits
ter The Rifter® #84. It will be the last issue for at least two years.
sections of our books. All are top notch artists. Our newest addi-
Anyone who has a subscription beyond that number, will get a
tion is Sires Jan Black. Some of her work appears in this issue of
store credit for the balance of their subscription.
The Rifter® and even more appears in Garden of the Gods™.
We know many of you will be disappointed, but this is best for
Robert Atkins and Steven Cummings both come to us from the
the company. We are doing this so that all of us can devote our
comic book industry and they rock. Both actually made their
time to releasing RPG sourcebooks, World Books, Dimension
debut in Rifts® Sovietski™, but you’ll be seeing a lot more of
Books and supplements, including awaited titles for Rifts® and
their work in the Rifts® Bestiary books and Titan Robotics™,
the Palladium Fantasy RPG® to Beyond the Supernatural™
among others.
and Heroes Unlimited™. Moreover, we have been working on
Meanwhile, many of our long time artists are as good or better
several Top Secret projects for the last few years. As those proj-
than ever! Amy L. Ashbaugh, Nick Bradshaw, Mike Mumah, Ben
ects heat up, we need more time to devote to them and, hopefully,
Rodriguez, Chuck Walton and John Zeleznik are all doing amaz-
a large number of new releases. To make this happen, something
ing artwork. Perhaps some of the best of their careers. That’s not
had to go, and that something is The Rifter® — at least tempo-
just wonderful for them, but for you who get to enjoy their art-
rarily. We hope you understand.
istry in our many upcoming books.
2019 Gen Con – Booth 1317

By the time you read this, Gen Con will be over. We hope to
have met a bunch of you there, signed your books, chat and have
Coming Attractions
a nice time. We’ll have all the new releases there, plus back stock Palladium’s 2019 Release Checklist
titles, baseball caps, coffee mugs, pens, prints, collector items,
negatives, and original artwork. Gen Con is always fun for all of Available Now
us. We look forward to seeing old friends and making new ones. - New! Rifts® Bestiary™, Volume One – 256 pages.
The following Palladium creators will be at the Palladium Books - New! Rifts® Bestiary™, Vol. One Gold Edition Hardcover
booth: – 256 pages.
! Kevin Siembieda – writer, game designer, Publisher - New! The Rifter® #83 – 96 pages.
! Charles Walton – artist and concept man - New! Garden of the Gods™, Palladium Fantasy® Source-
! Glen Evans – writer book – 160 pages.
! Brandon Aten – writer - New! Palladium Fantasy RPG® Interactive Character Sheet
! Mark Oberle – writer – a Microsoft Excel-based character management system. See
! Wayne Smith – editor, The Rifter® News for details.
! Thomas Roache – writer and game designer - Back in Print: Monsters & Animals (Fantasy RPG) – 240
! Madman Mike Leonard – artist pages – 120 monsters, 200+ animals; S.D.C. setting but easy
! Jeff “NMI” Ruiz – game events organizer to convert.
2021 Palladium Open House Coming Soon

The next Open House will be in 2021 to celebrate Palladium - In the Face of Death™, a Dead Reign® Sourcebook – 96
Books’ 40th Anniversary, so please start making your plans now. pages, August or Sept.
We intend to make the 2021 event the biggest, best Open House - The Rifter® #84 – 96 pages, September.
ever, so we are giving you all plenty of advance notice! Start - Chaos Earth® Psychic Scream™ – Fall or Winter.
making your plans now for an extravaganza nobody will want - Rifts® Titan Robotics™ – 160 page, Fall or Winter.
to miss. - Rifts® Bestiary™, Volume Two – 200+ pages, Winter.
8

- Rifts® Bestiary™, Vol. Two Gold Edition Hardcover – Win-
ter.
- Rifts® Antarctica – Winter.
New & Coming Soon
Also on the drawing board NEW! The Rifter® #83 – available now
Presumably in your hands.
- Rifts® The Disavowed™ Sourcebook by Kevin Siembieda
and Matthew Clements. Rifter® #83 Highlights:
- Rifts® Heroes of Humanity™ CS Arsenal ! Treasures of the Megaverse® for Rifts® by Carl Gleba.
- Lopan™, a Palladium Fantasy RPG® Adventure Source- ! Operation Minotaur, an adventure for Beyond the Super-
book natural™ by Hendrik Härterich.
- Lopanic Games™, a Palladium Fantasy RPG® Sourcebook ! Half-Ogre race for Palladium Fantasy RPG® by Ian Her-
- Rifts® Chaos Earth® First Responders™ – Winter. bert.
- Heroes Unlimited™ Sourcebooks ! Prophet O.C.C. for Palladium Fantasy RPG® by Ian Her-
- Splicers® Sourcebooks bert.
- Nightbane® Sourcebooks ! Hunter/Vigilante for Heroes Unlimited™ by Matt Reed.
- Beyond the Supernatural™ Sourcebooks ! The Superspy/Secret Operative for Heroes Unlimited™ by
- More Palladium Fantasy RPG® Sourcebooks Matt Reed.
- And more. Other titles are in the pipeline and being written. ! News, coming attractions, product descriptions and more.
Thus additional and other titles may be slotted into the release ! 96 pages – $14.99 retail – Cat. No. 183.
schedule.
Palladium RPGs are available in many hobby and game

stores around the world. We encourage people to support their
local stores. Going to a store enables you to see the product be-
fore purchasing it, and many stores are happy to place special or-
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Ordering from Palladium Books: You can also order direct-
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customers with access to a computer, we highly recommend or-
dering online. This provides you with information about the most
recent releases and Palladium’s entire product catalog. It also
provides you the most accurate shipping costs and more shipping
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2. In the USA: Add $6 for orders totaling $1-$50 to cover
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dress, including apartment number. Note: These costs are for the
least expensive and slowest method of shipping only. Allow 2-4 NEW! Rifts® Bestiary™, Volume One
weeks for delivery. Order online or call the office for a superior Softcover Edition – Available now
but more costly shipping method.
Could the monsters known as Caterpillar Things be the larval
form of the Mothman Monster?
Is the Corrival Battler as aggressive and dangerous as adven-
turers claim?
Are Darkhounds really magically mutated Dog Boys? Is that
why they see Coalition soldiers as friends and allies?

Ee-Bee Gee-Bees are kinda cute, how dangerous can they be? pets, riding animals, guard animals, and slobbering monsters as
Is it true the animals and people slain by the Death Springer rise the softcover edition in a durable hardcover. Very limited run of
as zombies?! only 400 copies, numbered and signed by Kevin Siembieda, Pal-
What on Rifts Earth is a Field Reaper? ladium staff members and possibly available contributing artists
Rifts® Bestiary™, Volume One reveals it all. and writers. Note: Past Palladium Books’ Gold Editions have
Designed with both Players and Game Masters in mind, with doubled, tripled or increased in value many times over. Valued
creatures that can be used as pets, companions, riding animals, as cherished collectibles. Sold on a first come, first served basis,
attack animals, and even unlikely allies, as well as slobbering while supplies last.
monsters and catalysts for adventure. Adult, juvenile, and young ! Gold foil on a black faux leather hardcover.
stages of life give every creature three different levels of power ! Sewn and glued for long-lasting durability.
and danger. Presented as a complete ecosystem, with maps, and ! Only 400 signed and numbered copies. Only from Palla-
details to bring each animal to life. All provide plenty of spice to dium Books.
add to your characters and adventures. ! Sold on a first come, first served basis while supplies last.
! Monsters and animals of Rifts North America. ! Signed by Kevin Siembieda and Palladium staff.
! 80+ creatures described in detail, updated and expanded. ! Monsters and animals of Rifts North America.
! New predators, exotic riding animals, alien horrors, giant ! Same contents as the softcover edition.
insects, domesticated creatures, and more. ! 80+ creatures described in detail. New predators, exotic
! A map for every creature showing where it is found in a riding animals, alien horrors, giant insects and more.
glance. ! 256 pages – $55.00 retail – Cat. No. 896HC (Volume One).
! Standardized stat blocks, terms and information. ! August release for the hardcover – at the printer.
! Easily adapted to any Palladium setting. Powerful art.
! Includes basic S.D.C. stats for each creature description.
! Written by Kevin Siembieda, Charles Walton and others.
! 256 pages – $26.99 retail – Cat. No. 896 – available now.
NEW! Garden of the Gods™

– A Palladium Fantasy® Sourcebook
The Garden of the Gods is said to be a holy place watched
NEW! Rifts® Bestiary™ Vol. One over and even frequented by the avatars of the gods. According
to legend, the god may visit heroes and followers in dreams or in
– “Gold Edition” Hardcover – Available August
person by an avatar of the god, to be given guidance, inspiration,
A deluxe, limited, Gold Edition hardcover, signed and num- heroic quests, and gifts of knowledge and magic. More details
bered by Palladium staff and maybe a few freelancers. It is the about this title will follow.
same content of of unique creatures that can be used as familiars, ! 40+ Forgotten Gods.
10

! Becoming a Champion of a god. NEW! Rifts® Property of the Coalition States™ 16 Ounce
! Restoring forgotten gods to power. Coffee Mug – $10.99 retail – Cat. No. 2588 – Available now.
! Godly insight and visitations. White Coalition logo on black mug, red inner lining of the cup.
! Gifts of magic, knowledge, and purpose. NEW! Palladium Fantasy RPG® “Dragon” 16 Ounce Cof-
! The Garden of the Gods described in detail. fee Mug – $10.99 retail – Cat. No. 2589 – Available now. Red
! The mysterious Knights Fossar. Dragon on a black mug, light red (orange?) inner lining of the
! The Black Pit, a place of evil and dark secrets. cup. Harkens back to fan-fave original black and red RPG cover.
! Is it a counterbalance to the good of the Garden or a trick
Not to mention that snazzy Rifts® Soft-Touch Pen with
by the Old Ones? Does it lead to the Land of the Damned
Stylus – $5.00 retail – Cat. No. 2586 – Available now.
as legend claims?
! Written by Kevin Siembieda and Matthew Clements.
! 96-128 pages – $17.99 retail – Cat. No. 475. Available now.
NEW! Baseball Caps – Available now

Have you gotten your Rifts® Baseball Cap or Mugs?
The new Rifts® baseball caps (3 different) are waiting for
you. I’ve been wearing my inexpensive, red Rifts logo printed on
a black cap ($11.99) every morning walk and while doing yard
work for weeks now, and I love it. All are 100% cotton.
NEW! Rifts® Screen Printed 100% Twill Baseball Cap –
Red “Rifts” printed on a black cap, adjustable Velcro® closure
– $11.99 retail – Cat. No. 2590 – Available now.
NEW! Red Rifts® Logo Embroidered, soft, brushed cotton
Baseball Cap – Embroidered Red “Rifts” on a black cap, adjust-
able metal buckle – $21.99 retail – Cat. No. 2591 – looks great,
nice fit – Available now.
NEW! White Rifts® Logo Embroidered cotton Baseball COMING: In the Face of Death™
Cap – Embroidered White “Rifts” on a navy blue cap, adjustable – A Dead Reign® Sourcebook
metal buckle – $21.99 retail – Cat. No. 2592 – looks great, nice
fit – Available now! “People will tell you no one can survive in the big cities. They
are wrong.” – Brad Ashley, Leader of the Road Reapers in the
Zombie Apocalypse.
This sourcebook is all about inner city survival. Survivor colo-
nies finding a way to live and prosper in the big city. The con-
ventional wisdom is that living in the big population centers is
impossible. These survivors prove otherwise.
! Inner city survival.
! Living on the rooftops.
! Surviving in big cities crawling with zombies.
! Death Cults, a different type of danger.
! Gangs, street runners, the new underground, and more.
NEW! Coffee/Beverage Mugs ! Heroic Masked Lunatics as player characters.
! Take your zombie campaign to new heights!
– available now ! Cover by E.M. Gist. Interior art by Nick Bradshaw.
NEW! Rifts® Logo 16 Ounce Coffee Mug – $10.99 retail ! Written by Kevin Siembieda. Adaptable to other settings.
– Cat. No. 2587 – Available now. White Rifts® logo on a black ! 96-128 pages – $17.99 retail – Cat. No. 237. August or Sep-
mug, blue inner lining of the cup. tember release.
11

COMING: The Rifter® #84 What would you do when you know evil lurks hidden among
your fellow survivors?
The Rifter® is all about new ideas, pushing the envelope, Why do the voices of alien creatures speak to you?
trying new things and alternative methods, rules and approaches How do you cope when the power you unleashed to destroy a
to create epic adventure! There is no one way to look at things. monster and save the innocent, destroys everyone but you?
Open your mind to the infinite possibilities. Have you become a hero or another monster born in chaos?
This issue focuses on dark places, monsters, magic, and the Are these powers your family’s salvation or their damnation?
supernatural just in time for the Halloween season. Find out in Psychic Scream!
! Golems in the Myst, for Rifts® by Greg Diaczyk. In the wake of the Coming of the Rifts, people begin to see
! The Kingdom of Raf-Chalon for the Palladium Fantasy ghosts and demons, they unleash lightning from their fingertips,
RPG® by Glen Evans. command fire and water, hurl boulders and girders with their
! The Dark City of Cascade for Heroes Unlimited™ by Matt minds, and manifest a wide range of mental powers. Psionic abil-
Reed, inspired by the work of Erick Wujcik. ities fueled by the explosive return of magic and the unchecked
! Spellbound O.C.C. for Nightbane® RPG by Ian Herbert. flow of dimensional energy that is off the charts.
! All Quiet on the Western... What? An Adventure for Be- Psychic abilities more powerful than anything known after the
yond the Supernatural™ by Kyle Osterberg. Two Hundred Years Dark Age. Wondrous and lifesaving. But
! The Dimma, a short story and new monster for Beyond the also seething and out of control. The psychics’ own minds bom-
Supernatural™ by Steven Dawes. barded by feelings of dread, visions of horror, and the thoughts
! John Zeleznik cover. and emotions of everyone around them. For many, it is too much,
! News, coming attractions, product descriptions and more. sending them careening into madness. For others, it creates he-
! 96 pages – $14.99 retail – Cat. No. 184. September or Oc- roes forged from chaos.
tober release. ! Untamed psychic abilities. More powerful than anything
known later on Rifts Earth.
Psychic Scream™ ! New psychic powers and character classes.
! New psionic monsters and invaders.
– A Rifts® Chaos Earth® Sourcebook ! Insanity, side-effects and horror.
A storm has rolled in. A psychic storm. With the Coming of ! Adventure ideas and more. All people, powers and mon-
the Rifts, survivors are bombarded by terrifying visions and over- sters that become myths and legends told about the events
whelmed with powers and abilities they never asked for, and of- during the Two Hundred Years Dark Age.
ten cannot control. ! Written by Taylor White and Kevin Siembieda.
Where do you hide from the madness boiling inside of you? ! 96-128 pages – $17.99 retail – Cat. No. 667. Sept. or Oct.
12

Rifts® Bestiary™ Vol. Two operation, and Colonel Lyboc its shadowy face. Find out who
these men and women are. How the Disavowed get away with
– Coming Winter using magic, traveling to other parts of Rifts Earth and even to
More monsters and exotic animals of Rifts® North America other dimensions in pursuit of enemies and strategic information
as part of an ongoing series of Rifts® Bestiary sourcebooks. that cannot be had through conventional means. Learn about the
The first two or three Rifts® Bestiary™ will focus on monsters secret parameters in which these hard-boiled warriors, secretly
and animals of North America. They collect creatures from all hand-picked by Joseph Prosek II, operate, why almost every mis-
current World Books and Sourcebooks, plus some new creatures sion is considered a suicide mission, and why they must forever
by Kevin Siembieda, Charles Walton, and others. Presented in be the Disavowed.
alphabetical order, with maps showing their range and location ! CS operatives so secret that even the top military and po-
at a glance. litical leaders right up to Emperor Prosek know nothing
Note: The Rifts® Bestiary™ series is more than a few big about them. And if they did know, would they condone
books of monsters, they are deliberately designed to provide their activity or condemn it?
players with a useful, living resource (pet, guard animal, riding ! Are the Disavowed heroes or renegades? Assassins or sol-
animal, food source, etc.) as well as present many and varied op- diers? Madmen or super-patriots? Or a little of them all?
portunities for adventure and fun. Some creatures are helpful, ! Unsung heroes who keep the CS safe, or thugs and pawns
some are inadvertantly a threat or danger, while others are slob- of a shadow agency within the Coalition government?
bering predators or wicked beasts that kill and eat you, or capture ! What role does the Vanguard play in this group?
you, or sabotage you, or worse. ! How do they reward their D-Bee “teammates” when the
! Monsters and animals of Rifts North America in a second mission is over?
easy to use sourcebook. ! What happens to the Disavowed when they have seen or
! Predators, exotic riding animals, beasts of burden, alien learned too much? Adventure ideas galore and so much
horrors, giant insects and more. more.
! Notable Splugorth hunting animals. ! Written by Kevin Siembieda and Matthew Clements.
! Some new creatures, but most are existing creatures. ! 96 pages – $17.99 retail – Cat. No. 892. Winter release.
! Updated information where applicable.
! Updated and uniform stat blocks. COMING: Rifts® Titan Robotics™
! A map for every creature showing where it is found. Rifts® Titan Robotics™ is another high-tech toy box pre-
! Fully illustrated. senting new types of armor, sleek power armor, giant robots,
! Art by Chuck Walton, Siembieda, Cummings, Bradshaw, vehicles, and weapons sold by Titan Robotics. Ah, but Titan Ro-
Atkins, Ashbaugh, and many others.
botics is much more than just another weapons manufacturer, it
! 192-224 pages – $26.99 retail – Cat. No. 897. In production. is the secret operation of ARCHIE-3 and all part of his plan to
Anticipating Rifts® Bestiary™ Volume Two to be a winter
monitor and manipulate the outside world. Learn about Archie’s
or early spring 2020 release.
androids that run Titan Robotics, his current schemes and plans
for the future. Probably a 160 page World Book around $22.99
COMING! Rifts® The Disavowed™ retail, but may expand into 192 pages.
Secrets of the Coalition States™ ! New Giant Robots.
! New Power Armor, equipment and accessories.
The Disavowed are so Top Secret that their existence is known ! 30+ power armors and robots, plus other equipment.
only to a handful of the Coalition States’ most elite, top echelon, ! New weapons, gear and vehicles.
with Joseph Prosek II the mastermind behind the Disavowed ! Titan Robotics Corporation and structure.
13

Back in Stock – available now
Monsters & Animals (Fantasy)
This fan favorite creature resource for the Palladium Fan-
tasy RPG® is back in stock. 120+ monsters, 200+ animals, all
described, statted, and accompanied by maps showing exactly
where they can be found in the world. Classic monsters like the
Chimera, Harpies, Kelpie, Pegasus, Unicorn, Werebeasts, etc.,
plus all kinds of unique creatures such as Bearmen, Devil Digger,
Dragondactyl, Entities, Faeries, Jungle Ogre, Land Squid, Liz-
ard Mage, Maxpary, Mummy Immortalis, Rahu-Men, Tree Eels,
Waterbat, Wing Tips, and more. Plus G.M. tips and conversion
notes for Mega-Damage settings.
! 120 Fantasy Monsters, easy to adapt for most settings.
! 200+ S.D.C. animals.
! Maps showing where in the Palladium World they are found.
! Conversion notes and tips. Easy to adapt to Rifts® and Phase
World® (as alien creatures), Heroes Unlimited™ & other settings.
! Art by Kevin Siembieda and others.
! Written by Kevin Siembieda, Erick Wujcik and Matthew
Balent.
! 240 pages – $26.99 retail – Cat. No. 454 – Available now.
! Archie’s secret kingdom and plans for the future. Product Note
! New O.C.C.s and key Non-Player Characters (NPCs).
! Android executives, security and much more. Just because a specific title is not mentioned does not mean it
! Wellington Industries, Campaign prompts and more. is not coming out, it simply means there is nothing to report other
! Art by Zeleznik, Walton, Cummings, Atkins, and others. than we are “working on it” and there is no “tentative” release
! Written by Matthew Clements and Kevin Siembieda. Cov- date yet. We are trying not to show exact dates of releases until
er by Zeleznik. we feel strongly we can hit them. We are working on a vast num-
! 160-192 pages (tentative) – $22.99 retail (or $26.99) – Cat. ber of projects for a large number of our game lines.
No. 899. Fall or winter 2019 (tentative).
COMING: Rifts® Antarctica

Rifts® Antarctica is a truly compelling and exotic land be-
yond what anyone expects. A frozen continent transformed by
the power of magic and alien wildlife. Long isolated from the rest
of the world, Rifts, D-Shifting events and the threat of war have
now brought the distant South Pole within reach. Probably a 160
page World Book around $22.99 retail.
! New alien monsters and D-Bees.
! Strange new weapons and vehicles. Some left over from the
Golden Age of Humanity, others completely alien.
! The Splugorth’s secret outpost. More that it would seem.
! A Splugorth zoo and place of secret Bio-Wizard experi-
ments.
! Snow and Ice Golems created specifically for the cold en-
vironment.
! Danger from Elements, Ice Witches, Icecraft, and other
horrors.
! Vostok City, a city of magic carved from the ice itself.
! Cold-weather skills, technology and survival techniques.
! Ancient danger and dark secrets.
! Written by Matthew Clements, Carmen Bellaire, and Kev-
in Siembieda.
! 160 pages (tentative) – $22.99 retail – Cat. NO. 898. Winter
or spring release.
14

Prophet O.C.C.
cal and/or more popular may find themselves targeted for stronger
action as an enemy of the church.
While a Prophet will usually honor and show respect to an entire
pantheon of gods (where applicable), the actual connection is established
Optional Material for with a single god; it is from this one god that the Prophet receives his
visions, and to this god that he pledges his allegiance. This is one reason
the Palladium Fantasy RPG® why the Prophet’s words may differ from the doctrine of the church,
which is usually representative of the pantheon as a whole. It could be
By Ian Herbert said that, from a god’s point of view, choosing to bestow prophetic pow-
ers in this way rather than relying on conventional priesthood may seem
The Prophet is a combination clergy, mystic and performer. Like the
like they are competing against themselves. However, it can be advanta-
traveling priest, they roam the land preaching the word of their god in
geous to tackle a task (in this case, gaining more worshipers) from dif-
the hope of converting new followers; like the bard, they operate in the
ferent directions at the same time, and can be extremely useful to the god
streets and parks, engaging crowds with their words; and like psi-mys-
concerning elements of doctrine that it feels its church has neglected or
tics, they can communicate with the supernatural and predict the future.
strayed from the true path, or in areas of the world where the god has yet
The Prophets see themselves as a direct line to their god. They have been
to gain a foothold. If nothing else, a good Prophet will certainty bring
chosen as the medium through which their god can speak to the mortals
attention to the god and/or its church, and from some points of view, any
of the world. Unlike a priest or monk, who will usually seek actively to
publicity is good publicity.
enter the profession and join a church, the Prophet is usually “chosen” by
the god; blessed (or cursed) with divine powers almost overnight, with
little or no preparation or training. The process may begin with a few Some renowned Prophets
strange dreams, sometimes inspirational, sometimes prophetic, but it is currently at large on the Palladium World:
the will and determination to act upon these visions, and to spread the
word they have been given to the world that will result in the dreamer ! A Prophet of Sebek in the Old Kingdom said to be on a journey to the
being chosen as a Prophet. Prayers, divination and communion with the Holy City of Khemennu. Native tribes with whom he has already met
god or with spirits from the other side (assumed by the Prophet to be disagree on their account of his race (Orc tribes claim he is an Orc,
agents of the god) will provide the Prophet with insight and guidance. Kobolds claim he is a Kobold and so on).
The visions are often cryptic or metaphorical; it is up to the individual ! A Prophet of Wolvenar roaming the northern forests on both sides of
Prophet to interpret them and to translate their meaning to the masses. the Disputed Lands, both to spread the word of the young god and to
Allegorical tales and parables often form an important part of the Proph- report any observations concerning this unstable area back to him.
et’s teachings, but warnings of future doom and/or promises of good ! A wild-eyed Prophet of Chantico: A fanatical firebrand, currently
fortune (provided the listener heeds the warning) will be the fundamental
whipping up a fury in the Free City of Troker (where organized reli-
message in any sermon. A Prophet will usually be extremely outspoken,
zealous and unwavering (stubborn!) in their beliefs. gion is ostensibly banned).
Either roaming from town to town or perhaps setting up a regular ! A Prophet of Aco: A peaceful preacher quietly and steadily attempt-
preaching spot in a local square or park, the Prophet will broadcast his or ing to re-establish praise for this well-known and respected but rarely
her teachings to any and all who will listen. Often, all races and classes worshiped goddess.
are considered worthy of hearing their words, though some gods have ! And a Prophet of Tolmet touring the Western Empire, loudly proph-
their own agenda and may reject certain peoples. Some Prophets may esizing doom and destruction for the Empire wherever she goes.
begin with flamboyant demonstrations of power such as levitation or
healing to attract and impress a crowd before beginning their address. Knowledge and abilities of the Prophet:
Many a Prophet has been dismissed by other clergy and the public as a
charlatan, glory-hound, madman or drunk, but the most gifted can attract 1. Special Prayers: The Prophet is almost always a lone, radical
large crowds of avid listeners, many of whom return on a regular basis, preacher, outside of the normal church hierarchy, and does not perform
eager to hear the next sermon. The most successful can even start small any of the normal services of a priest such as blessings or communion
cults, gathering a multitude of like-minded followers. But the Prophet and does not lead or take part in mass or similar services. However, he
will rarely take time to establish a true church (although a member of the may lead a group in informal prayer as part of his preaching, and do
congregation might take it upon themselves or be instructed to do so); regularly pray to the god on a personal basis. The Prophet can perform
their interest is not in the organized religion of churches and temples, the following special prayers. All prayers take one full melee to recite,
but the simple connection between god and man; if a listener heeds their and can be attempted twice per 24 hour period only:
words and acts on them, or as a result, gives small tributes and prayers to Prayer of Divine Message: Through prayer, the Prophet communes
the god, then they will consider their work worthwhile. with their chosen deity, and may be given a message through visions
A Prophet is usually a free agent, outside of the normal church and dreams. As a herald for the god, this message does not usually con-
hierarchy, and is regarded by church officials as an un-ordained lay cern the Prophet directly, but is typically intended to be relayed by the
preacher, that follows his own path (guided by the god or pantheon Prophet to another. The message may be intended for a companion of the
he worships). Prophets cannot perform many of the duties of a true Prophet, but more often it is to be imparted to an outside party, whether
priest, such as blessings, and they are not permitted to lead or take that be a particular person, group or faction (from a small town to an
part in mass. Education is minimal. Actual knowledge of church entire nation). The message may include a specific request or instruc-
doctrine and dogma is usually very limited, and many Prophets are tion, may be meant simply to inspire, may be an outright threat, but is
simple folk who cannot read or write. The Prophet’s teachings are often a warning, and often includes a foretelling of things to come. Such
based on their own interpretation common beliefs, stories about the a prophecy is typically a broad, far-reaching forecast, never a specific
divine, and their own visions and dreams, which may well be at odds short-term prediction such as the outcome of opening a box or entering a
with that of the established churches believe and teach. Therefore, a particular building. The Prophet automatically knows who the message
Prophet is often rejected by the true church as a dissident and a radi- is for and has a general idea of the location of the intended recipient
cal, and in some cases may be considered a threat – to be dealt with (beyond those hills/the town of Acaba/the Golden Palace, etc.) Success
accordingly. Those who are merely irritating may be evicted from an rate: 20% +5% per additional level. However, the god will not usually
area (only to set up again round the corner); those who are more radi- burden a Prophet with more than one or two Divine Messages at any one
15

time. Only once the current prophecy has been delivered to its intended Prayer of Intervention: similar in concept to that of the Priest of
recipient will the god consider sending another, and even then, maybe Light O.C.C., but with the following modifications:
not at all. Conversely, the Prophet may receive an unexpected Divine ! Enables the Prophet to cast any one spell that the god knows (in-
Message at any time, for instance while dreaming or engaged in general cluding elemental, necromantic or other specialist magic spells) or
prayer, entirely on the initiative of the god. can use any standard psionic ability possessed by the god (if any).
16

Strength, duration, damage, etc. of either is at five levels higher than secular or personal enemies of the Prophet, or those (such as local figures
the character’s current level of experience, and the necessary P.P.E. of authority) who simply dismiss, doubt or try to silence the Prophet.
or I.S.P. is supplied by the god. Success Rate: 21% +7% per addi- Range: The target must be in line of sight and no more than 60 feet (18
tional level. m) away. Success Rate: 16% +8% per additional level.
2. Miracles: The god may grant miracles as a result of a direct ap-
! Grants the Prophet temporary knowledge to create a magic circle or peal by the Prophet, but this is entirely down to the discretion of the
ward phrase, provided that the god has such knowledge. However,
god. As the god is usually taking a more active interest in its Prophets,
the Prophet will need to provide the required component himself (and the success rate is slightly higher than the Priest of Light: equal to the
a sacrifice, if applicable), the details of which he will not necessarily Prophet’s M.A. attribute number +3% per level of experience. The usual
know until the prayer has been uttered. This means that it is a good limitations regarding miracles apply. Note that while the Prophet does
idea to have a selection of common diabolism/summoning compo- not learn any of the special god-specific prayers that are available to
nents to hand, and may require the Prophet’s companions to rush some Priests (see Dragons & Gods™), they are able to call upon any
around searching for a suitable sacrifice while the Prophet draws out miracles unique to their particular god. The following miracles are also
the circle. The knowledge will last as long as is necessary to com- available. At the god’s discretion, any of these miracles may also be
made available to their Priests.
plete the drawing of the circle or ward (see Diabolist and Summoner
Miracle of Divine Power: The Prophet can call upon any one of the
O.C.C. descriptions), but the process must not be interrupted for
god’s particular special powers and abilities, i.e. any of the god’s proto-
more than five minutes at a time or the knowledge will fade. Strength, typical deific powers or special deific powers listed under the description
duration etc. of the circle or ward phrase is five levels higher than of the god. Any P.P.E. cost and/or body investment is supplied by the
the character’s current level of experience, and the necessary P.P.E. god. As usual for miracles, these are granted at the god’s (Game Mas-
is supplied by the god. Success Rate: 18% +6% per additional level. ters’) discretion, and it is extremely unlikely that the god will perform
(Note: The Prophet cannot create magic scrolls or perform super any deific powers which require consumed or annihilated body invest-
healing.) ment. Even if the appeal for a miracle is successful, the god may respond
Prayer of Inspiration: The successful utterance of this prayer serves with a lesser deific power rather than the one specifically requested.
to inspire the Prophet or those who hear it. It is essentially a simple Miracle of Deific Attribute: Any one of the Prophet’s attributes is
message or speech from the god that is either received by the Prophet raised to that of the god, becomes supernatural, and can be used to as-
or is spoken though him. A personal message of inspiration can encour- tonish and captivate observers with deific demonstrations of strength,
age the Prophet in dark or troublesome times, creating a calming effect beauty, grace, genius etc. as per page 86 of the Dragons & Gods™
and instilling them with confidence, providing the following bonuses: sourcebook. Duration: One Minute per level of experience.
+5 to save vs Horror Factor, +2 to save vs possession and mind control, Great Miracle of Manifestation: The Prophet calls upon his god to
+10% to all skills, +2 to strike and +10% on all other prayers and abili- show itself in the mortal realm to provide inspiration for its followers
ties (not including miracles). Alternatively, the message of inspiration or instil fear in its enemies. Even if successful, the god will not usually
may be passed on to another individual, spoken to them by the Prophet, appear directly, but in some other form recognizable to its followers:
providing them with the same bonuses (the bonus to prayers and clerical a bright light, ethereal cloud or stream of colors, a burning bush etc.,
abilities relevant only if the recipient of the message is a priest of the or will appear to possess a nearby person or animal and speak through
same god or pantheon). Speaking the word of the god to encourage and them. Individual gods may have their own preferred manifestations or
motivate a group of people provides all who hear it and wish to heed the avatars. However the god chooses to appear, it will bear a divine aura
words (to a maximum of two people per level of the Prophet’s experi- that is easy to recognize and undeniably deific. How the god reacts once
ence) with the following bonuses: +3 to save vs Horror Factor, +10% on it has manifested itself and what actions it will take depends on the god
all skills and +1 to strike. Duration: Self: 1 minute (4 melees) per level of itself and the reasons for the Prophet’s request, but the manifestation will
experience, others: 2 minutes (8 melees) per level of experience. Success rarely take direct action; often it will merely issue a warning or a bless-
Rate: 21% +6% per additional level. ing to those in its presence. Duration: Determined by the god, but rarely
Prayer to Expose False Prophet: reveals and punishes those who more than a few minutes.
speak untruths about the god, its Prophet or its church, or those who Great Miracle of God’s Wrath: Similar in form to the priestly mira-
claim to speak the word of the god but lie or twist its words. The person cle of control over nature, but focused on the punishment of wrongdoers.
preaching these untruths will be enveloped by a dark, swirling aura and The Prophet can bring forth a terrible disaster upon those who have of-
buffeted by high winds (70% chance of losing balance and falling to fended the god, whether it be a great storm, a flood, earthquake, drought,
the ground, unable to take further action). The victim’s voice is magi- volcanic eruption (if located near an existing volcano), a disease (which
cally whisked away by the winds, rendering them speechless. Above may infect the people themselves, their livestock or their crops) or a
the swirling mass, a booming deific voice will be heard, denouncing the swarm of insects or small animals of plague-like proportions. The God’s
false Prophet and their words or actions. Although this could be easily Wrath can only be inflicted upon true enemies of the god; those who
dismissed as an illusion, members of the Clergy, Witches, and Psychics have directly mocked or fought against the god or its teachings, (not just
will instinctively recognize the great deific power involved (so it is most enemies of the Prophet), and only when they have ignored a previous
useful to carry out this exposé in the presence of other members of the warning or instruction made through a divine message or manifestation.
church). After the winds and the swirling aura subside (approximately Duration: One hour per level of experience.
fifteen seconds), the victim will find himself unable to speak, and his 3. Divination: The Prophet is always someone with an innate con-
voice will not return until a successful remove curse is performed. In nection to the realm of the mystical, their link with the god also en-
addition, Prophets of dark gods and of evil or anarchist alignments can abling them to foretell the future. Through 1D4 melee rounds of prayer
punish the transgressor further by inflicting curses as listed under the and meditation, the character can predict the immediate outcome of an
Priest of Darkness O.C.C. If the target makes a successful save vs magic imminent event such as opening a door, meeting with a person, etc.
of 14 or higher, he will still be surrounded by all the effects above, but Visions received during the mediation will provide warnings of future
will not lose his voice and will not succumb to any curses. Note that events or danger in a similar manner to the psionic ability of clairvoy-
this prayer will function only on enemies of the god, limited to those ance. Upon meeting a person, entering an area or seeing an object, the
who falsely claim to be the god’s representative, those who have openly Prophet can also sense if that particular person, place or object holds
and publicly spoken untruths against the god or its church, or someone future danger or may be beneficial. Attempts at divination can only be
within the church who betrays it, goes against the god or lies in order to made twice per 24 hour period. Success Rate: 21% +7% per additional
discredit the god or the Prophet for their own ends. It cannot be used on level of experience.
17

4. Divine Sight: Enables the Prophet to detect those who may be days per level of experience. Intense pain such as torture or injury
working against the god, such as agents of other religions and supernatu- requires a successful save vs pain and can thereafter be tolerated for
ral creatures that may be employed by rival gods, witches and clergy. one hour per level. This ability can also be used to temporarily ignore
This Divine Sight allows the Prophet to see aura and see the invisible, the penalties incurred from the Optional Minor Injury Table on page
as per the magic spells, but in addition, the Prophet can recognize from 20 of the Palladium Fantasy RPG®, and continue to function nor-
the aura whether the person is a member of the clergy, what type of mally despite the serious injury. After the initial period of ignoring
clergyman they may be (priest of light, priest of darkness, witch, holy the injury subsides, the penalties should be applied for the remain-
crusader, etc.) and to what god or pantheon of gods they are aligned. This ing duration of recovery as it heals as normal. Note: The ability to
is only applicable to those who have a tangible spiritual connection with stay stock-still for long periods also helps the Prophet to stay silent
a god, such as a priest or witch, not a lay preacher or other member of a and undetected when hiding out of sight (90% chance of remaining
religion. In addition, the Divine Sight will pick up the aura of demons, undetected if unseen, and providing a bonus of +10% to the prowl
Deevils, familiars and supernatural minions of the gods, again identify- skill, if selected).
ing which god or demon/Deevil lord they are associated with (if any). 7. Spell Casting/Psionic Powers: Prophets are endowed by their
Invisible or metamorphosed creatures may also be detected and identi- god with the ability to cast magic or to perform psionic abilities. This
fied by their auras. Duration: One melee round per level of experience. functions exactly like that of the priest – the Prophet does not have any
Success Rate: 20% +5% per additional level. knowledge of how to work magic, the abilities are granted by the god.
5. Divine Aura: After a few (2D4) minutes of concentration and However, because of the Prophet’s special connection with their god,
prayer, the Prophet is surrounded by a visible aura of holy light, instilling he is able to draw upon his deity’s specific knowledge rather than the
awe in all those who see it. Whilst surrounded by the aura, the Prophet’s general pool of spells available to standard priests. At each level, start-
words hold great weight, and those captivated by the light will hang on ing at level one, the Prophet can select one spell or psionic power. Spells
his every word. This power can be used to instil awe, trust or to terrify, can be selected from any spell that is known by the god, including nec-
to rally the people to action or to calm a madding crowd, depending on romancy or other specialized magicks and elemental magic normally
the god and the intention of the Prophet. All those within a 60 feet (18.3 limited to warlocks. However, the Prophet can only choose spells up to
m) radius who see the aura must roll over 14 to save vs magic or be and including his or her own level of experience. In the alternative, the
captivated, listening to every word for the full duration of the Prophet’s Prophet can select any standard psionic power possessed by the god.
speech (unless physically removed from its radius of influence) and will Healing, physical and sensitive psionic abilities can be selected at any
respond accordingly. Note that even those who successfully save vs level; super psionics (if possessed by the god) can be selected only by
magic may still be impressed by the holy light and the Prophet’s words Prophets of sixth level or higher.
(especially common folk), and may find themselves swept up by the Permanent P.P.E. base and/or I.S.P.: If the god possesses spell
overall response of the other people around them. Therefore, this ability magic, the Prophet receives P.P.E.: 6D6 plus the P.E. attribute num-
is most effective when directed at a large crowd. Duration: The Divine ber, and 2D4 per level of experience. If the god possesses psionics, the
Aura remains present for four melees per level of the Prophet, enough Prophet instead has only the usual permanent P.P.E. base for their race,
for a brief lecture or sermon. However, the effects of seeing the aura and but is deifically imbued with Inner Strength Points: I.S.P.: 1D4x10 plus
hearing the words of the Prophet (awe, trust, fear, tranquillity, etc.) will the M.E. attribute number, and 2D4 per level of experience. If the god
persist in a diminished capacity for a further 1D4 hours. Success Rate: has both spell casting and psionic abilities, the Prophet must choose from
The Prophet cannot manifest a Divine Aura until third level of experi- the start whether to focus on either magic or psionics, limiting all his
ence, at which point the success rate is 24%, +6% for each additional subsequent selections to one or the other and gaining the relevant P.P.E.
level thereafter. or I.S.P. as above, or he can opt to split his focus and mix and match
6. Penance and Sacrifice: Through meditation, inner reflection their abilities, and can select either a magic spell or a psionic power at
and self-control, the Prophet can go without food or water for extend- each level (one choice from either category; not both). In this case, the
ed periods, the same as the Priest of Light O.C.C. Thirst can be re- Prophet receives both P.P.E.: 4D6 plus P.E., and 1D6 per level, and
sisted for two days per level of experience, and hunger for three days I.S.P.: 4D6 plus M.E., and 1D6 per level.
per level. In addition, the Prophet can tolerate long-term exposure to Spell Strength (if applicable): 12 at level one, plus one at levels five,
pain and discomfort. This enables him to show steadfastness in the ten and fifteen.
face of adversity, enduring pain and suffering inflicted upon him by Note: Gods with no spells or psionics: The Juggernaut has only two
his enemies, such as beatings, public floggings. and other punish- psionic abilities and no magic knowledge; Cirga the Bowman has nei-
ments. His refusal to give in to fear and pain serving as an inspiration ther. Tough luck! Prophets of these two gods and any others that lack
to his followers. The Prophet receives a bonus to save vs pain of +2 psionic or spell-casting abilities will receive all the remaining powers,
at level one, and +1 at levels 4, 7, 11 and 15. There are also some but will be unable to cast spells and have little or no psionics. They will
Prophets who choose to subject themselves to pain and discomfort have to rely on their other abilities.
voluntarily as a demonstration of piousness and devotion. This most Note: Any psionic powers and I.S.P. are bestowed by the god, and
often takes the form of a self-imposed hermitage: the Prophet is able work as normal even if the Prophet is of a race not naturally able to de-
to sit, stand or lie in one position, unmoving, for days at a time, per- velop psychic powers. It is also possible that a Prophet may be a natural
haps on the top of a tall pole or in a prominent location. One famous minor or major psychic in addition to his bestowed powers. In this case,
incident occurred when a Prophet lay across the road into the city of select natural psionic abilities as normal and use whichever I.S.P. base
Epiphany in the Western Empire without speaking or moving for 30 and rate of increase is higher. Prophets with deifically bestowed psionic
days, blocking the path of an army of invading soldiers. Superstitious abilities are considered a master psionic for save purposes (despite the
of moving the Prophet and invoking the wrath of his god, the army fact that the psionic powers are bestowed): 10 or higher to save vs psion-
eventually turned back after their supplies had been depleted. Some ic attack. Those Prophets that spilt their knowledge between psionic
Prophets willingly subject themselves to self-imprisonment, allowing powers and spell magic are considered major psychics: 12 or higher to
themselves to be sealed within a cave or a tiny cell inside or attached save vs psionics.
to a church or other holy place, the isolation supposedly bringing 8. Bonuses: +5 to save vs possession, +4 to save vs mind control, +2
them closer to their god. A few religions may follow different forms to save vs Horror Factor.
of self-inflicted suffering, from the wearing of coarse animal hair Note: The Prophet cannot perform blessings, healing touch, exor-
clothing or a vow to always walk barefoot to extremes such as the cism, or any other abilities of the priest. The focus of the Prophet is less
use of constricting bands/belts or self-flagellation. The Prophet can on protecting or serving the flock, and more on directing them to follow
endure moderate to severe discomfort and pain for a period of three the correct path.
18

Prophet O.C.C.
Alignments: Any. The Prophet may be a gentle guide, or a fanatical,
even violent zealot, depending on their disposition and that of their
god.
Half-Ogres or
Attribute Requirements: M.A. 10 and M.E. 9 or higher.
O.C.C. Skills:
Public Speaking (+20%)
Languages: Native 98% plus two of choice (+20%).
“Hogres”
Lore: Religion (+12%)
Lore: One of choice (+10%). Optional Material for
Land Navigation (+10%)
Dowsing (+5%)
the Palladium Fantasy RPG®
W.P.: One of choice. By Ian Herbert
Hand to Hand: Basic (may be changed to Expert at the cost of two
other skills, or to Martial arts or Assassin at the cost of four other Ogres are known throughout the Palladium World to be belliger-
skill selections). ent, aggressive and brutal creatures, prone to violence and delighting
in bloodshed. They are primal beings driven by emotion, and perhaps
O.C.C. Related Skills: Select six other skills from the following list
do not share the same moral values as humans and the more “civilized”
at level one, plus one at levels three, six, nine and thirteen. All new
races. However, few can deny that there is one all-too-common Ogre
skills start at level one proficiency.
practice that is abhorrent by almost any standard. Ogres have a long
Communications: Any (+10%).
history of abducting human women and forcing themselves on them for
Domestic: Any (+5%).
use as “breeding stock.” The Ogre race is beset by some kind of genetic
Espionage: Imitate Voices & Impersonation only.
defect that causes many female Ogres to be born sterile and therefore
Horsemanship: General and Exotic only.
unable to reproduce. Humans are apparently related closely enough to
Medical: Animal Husbandry and First Aid only.
Ogres to be able to reproduce with them and bear viable offspring. This
Military: None.
is the reason Ogres so often target human settlements, seizing women
Physical: Any except Acrobatics, Gymnastics and Wrestling.
from their homes and dragging them back to their strongholds. A fate
Rogue: Any (+5% to Streetwise only).
many would regard as worse than death. The result of a union between
Science: Maths: Basic and Anthropology only.
Ogre and human is always considered to be an Ogre, regardless of any
Scholar/Technical: Any (+8%).
mixed parentage. It seems that the Ogre is extremely genetically vigor-
Weapon Proficiencies: Any except Siege Weapons.
ous; a “half-breed” Ogre appears virtually identical to a purebred Ogre.
Wilderness: Carpentry, Identify plants & fruits and Wilderness sur-
Or, perhaps, as some scholars propose, after millennia of cross-breeding
vival only.
with humans, there are no “pure” Ogres left on the Palladium World at
Secondary Skills: Select five additional skills from the above list at all, and the Ogres we see today all have a significant amount of human
level one, plus one at levels two, five, eight and twelve. Usual restric- blood in their veins.
tions regarding secondary skills apply. One piece of evidence that points to this is the emergence of a sub-
Starting Equipment: Two sets of clothes (ceremonial or preaching species of Ogre, commonly known as “Half-Ogres” or “Hogres.” The
clothes are likely to be simply the same as the character’s ordi- Hogre appears to be a cross between a true Ogre and a human; not one or
nary traveling clothes), traveling robe (with or without hood), hat the other, but somewhere in-between. There may be no perfect demarca-
or skullcap, cloth or rope belt, a pair of sturdy walking shoes, tion line indicating what counts as an Ogre, Hogre or human (perhaps an
a pair of soft shoes or sandals, bedroll, backpack, one medium- Ogre who is short of stature, or with fairly low P.S. and P.E. attributes
sized sack, 1D4+1 small sacks, a water skin, a holy symbol of or a relatively high P.B. might have more human blood in him, who
the Prophet’s god or pantheon, a wooden cross, 30 feet (9.1 m) of knows?), but there are a few pointers that marks one out as a Hogre, the
rope, a tinder box, a wooden bowl and cutlery, and food rations most obvious being a significantly reduced height and weight, complex-
for 1D4 weeks. ion and hair color, and the possible presence of psionic abilities.
Armor: Starts with padded quilt armor (A.R.: 8, S.D.C.: 15) or soft Hogres are dismissed as some sort of mutation or “defective”
leather (A.R.: 10, S.D.C.: 20). Ogre, and on rare occasions, may spontaneously appear in any Ogre
Weapons: Most Prophets are not warriors, but the dangers of traveling population (though always to a human parent). However, the major-
in the wilderness and unfriendly towns are unavoidable, so it is often ity of Hogre emergences occur amongst Ogre populations that have
necessary to arm themselves for defense. Starts with one weapon of been cut off from other Ogre tribes, isolated from their fellows and
choice. Most often this is a fairly non-threatening looking weapon, forced to rely on the kidnaping of human females to a greater degree
such as a staff or stick, or one small enough to hide under their robes, than most. Over centuries, their genetic pool is “watered down” by
to avoid coming off as aggressive or provoking local trouble. Proph- the human breeding stock, eventually resulting in a high proportion
ets who follow the more militaristic or violent gods may choose two of Hogre births. Female Hogres suffer from some of the same sterility
weapons of any type. issues as Ogres, but to a much lesser degree, and are therefore able
to breed more successfully (whether with Ogres, fellow Hogres, or
Money: The simple, itinerant life led by many Prophets coupled with the
humans), furthering the growth of the Hogre population in an Ogre
focus on their god’s work often makes it difficult for them to amass
community. Once these rare Hogre populations become established,
any significant amounts of money. The character starts with 100 in
they may overtake and subsume their Ogre forebears, especially if
gold. Although the Prophet is not affiliated with any church, some
they continue to use human breeding stock. As normally occurs with
may donate a portion of their earnings to a church that is dedicated
Ogres and humans, a child born of Hogre and human parents has all
to the same god, if they are on good terms. More often they will
the attributes of a Hogre; a child of Ogre and Hogre parentage may
independently make donations to charitable works in the name of
appear to be a Hogre or a “normal” Ogre (the likelihood is dependent
their god.
on the genetic lineage of the Ogre in question), but note that any sub-
sequent children born of such an Ogre with a human or Hogre partner
is much more likely to result in another Hogre.
19

20

However, the unexpected birth of a “Hogre” in an Ogre tribe is rarely slave owners care little about what races comprise their workforce, and
greeted with joy. Ogres consider them to be weaklings; a mutation or Hogres are known to have strong backs. It’s sad, but few people perceive
tainted creature worthy of contempt. Many Hogre babies are killed at the Hogre as being “human.” Those who do, may assign them the better
birth (if it is immediately apparent that the child is a Hogre). The Ho- jobs or positions of greater responsibility in recognition of their superior
gre’s father (they are typically the result of a union between a male Ogre human heritage. There have even been rumors of slave owners who have
and a female human) rarely mourns this loss – siring a Hogre child is a taken a liking to a Hogre slave or servant and given him or her a place
stain on his own masculinity; if he gave rise to such a weak, damaged of authority over other slaves, and even the household. There are also
creature others must question his own strength, virility and “Ogre-ness.” whispered rumors of humans who have formed romantic relationships
Fathers are often the first to dispense with their Hogre child, hopefully with them. However, such love affairs are kept secret because any man
before anyone else can discover his “shame.” Sometimes, the child’s or woman found to be having relations with a Hogre is likely to be met
true heritage is not clear until he or she is a few years old, at which point with scorn and ridicule even in the most progressive of human, Elf or
the young Hogre is typically cast out alone in the wilderness to die. At Dwarf societies.
times, the Hogre’s father refuses to exile his child, preferring to raise it Young Hogres have it easier than adults. Those who reach adult-
anyway, intending to prove that the child can be as tough and strong as hood clearly exhibit their Ogre lineage, and may find life in the world
any other Ogre. If successful, this may help to restore the father’s reputa- of Ogres or humans cruel and unbearable. Many strike out on their own.
tion. These Hogres typically experience a tough childhood even by Ogre Independent Hogres often find work as mercenaries, hired thugs and
standards, bullied by their peers and under immense pressure from their bandits, just like their fellow Ogres, Orcs and other members of the so-
fathers, motivated by frequent beatings and punished for the slightest called “Monster Races,” they find themselves working under the yoke of
failure. Other Hogre children may be disowned by their fathers, but not powerful and often evil masters. Like their Ogre cousins, Hogres have
exiled from the tribe, left to fend for themselves in the Ogre encamp- a natural talent for animal training and hunting, and can make decent
ment, subject to persecution by all members of the tribe; living like dogs, Rangers, scouts and handlers of livestock. Most are less aggressive than
scavenging or begging for scraps – a situation perhaps even more deadly Ogres, and smarter than Orcs, able to work well as part of a team – so
than being abandoned in the wilderness. Any Hogre child who makes it long as they feel they are receiving their dues and their fair share of the
to adulthood within an Ogre tribe is either extremely tough, extremely spoils. Having likely experienced a life of exclusion, resentment, tor-
clever or extremely lucky. ment and victimization, itinerant Hogres are often searching for their
Hogres have been born into, or have come to, human settlements. place in the world, eager to find acceptance wherever they can. In this
There have been more than a few occasions over the centuries where hu- way, they are usually willing to work with all kinds of people and races.
man soldiers have mounted full-scale attacks upon Ogre encampments in However, there are just as many Hogres who have learned the hard way
an attempt to drive out the monsters, and to rescue the human they take that the only way to survive is to be as tough and ruthless as everyone
as breeding stock (and food stock!), freeing women who are already preg- else, and as evil and cruel, if not more so, as any wicked full-blood Ogre.
nant by their Ogre captors. While many women choose not to allow such Where there is a relatively high number of Hogres in one place, they
a pregnancy to progress to full term, and to even kill the baby after it is may band together to form small, independent communities of their own.
born, others go full term and keep their child, despite the life of ridicule he Although it might make more sense to settle down far away from Ogre
or she is likely to suffer among humans and Ogres both. Though it is not settlements, they are often located close by, allowing the Hogres to ac-
spoken of in polite company, such births of Half-Human/Half-Ogres have tively seek out others of their kind whenever they are expelled from or
resulted in the human world discover the existence of Hogres. And as curi- leave an Ogre tribe; rescuing abandoned children and raising them as
ous humans are bound to do, scholars, slavers and others have studied and their own. This is especially true of those Hogre females who are un-
learned more about these half-breeds. A few kindly and reasonable souls able to have children of their own. However, living this close to Ogres
(some would say misguided) take pity on the Hogres, seeing them merely can be dangerous, as the Ogres (if they discover the existence of the
as victims of a terrible crime and unfortunate circumstance, and attempt Hogre community) will typically view them as just another local people
to show the world that Hogres can be educated and civilized the same as to take advantage of, ransacking their stores and seizing their livestock
any full-blooded a human. That Hogres are not stupid monsters, but able (but not their women), just as they would human settlements. Where
to learn skills and the morals and values of human society. Some of these they are able, Hogres tend to live the same aggressive manner, having
charitable folks are scholarly types out to prove a point. Some are Heal- learned their way of life from the Ogre tribes from whence they came,
ers or holy men with a genuine concern for the off-spring of humans and supplementing their farming and hunting by raiding whoever seems
Ogres. In other cases, the Hogre becomes a novelty – a side-show or circus weak enough. However, they tend to be a bit less brutal and merciless
freak – patronized by their human contemporaries and treated more like a than Ogres. Though they are fierce warriors and show little mercy to
dumb animal, pet or mascot than a human being. In too many other cases, rivals fighting in defense of their lands, they are less likely to engage in
they are reviled as freaks or monsters – more Ogre and beast than hu- needless destruction or slaughter of innocents. Some Hogre communi-
man – by the humans and other people whom they must live among. That ties continue the practice of kidnapping human women, some do not.
included Elves, Dwarves, Changelings, and most other people. A Hogre’s The enslaved women are generally treated better than they would be
unfortunate human mother (or father) may be able to love the child as her by true Ogres (as if anyone could consider imprisonment and rape ac-
own, regardless of its origin, or she may see nothing but a monster forced ceptable treatment). Hogres recognize their human origins and in their
upon her in an ugly act of violence – the end result of the living hell she own twisted way, feel that they show respect to their captives. Some
has been forced to endure. human women may even rise to (unofficial) positions of influence in
Other Hogres have been known to approach human or mixed racial a Hogre tribe, especially if considered a “favorite” of a high-ranking
communities in search of a place they can fit in, even if its as a second- male, or whose Hogre children rise to a position of power themselves.
class citizen. Such Hogres have probably been exiled or ostracized by Some human-born Hogres become very attached to their human moth-
their Ogre kin who see them as weak or just as much a freak in their soci- ers – though it must be stated that none of this in any way justifies the
ety and do other people. They seek out the human world in the vain hope horrific acts that brought them into existence. The Palladium World can
that they will be accepted by the people of their other side of their lin- be a harsh and savage land, very different from our modern world. In
eage. The Hogres are typically as well received by their human kinfolk contrast, there exist tiny Hogre villages whose inhabitants chose a dif-
as their Ogre ones – most people view the creatures as “abominations” ferent path: a solitary existence, living off the land and hunting for food
or “monsters” as bad as Ogres themselves. Though a few lucky ones far from the Ogres that may harm them or the humans that fear them,
may get the chance to prove themselves, finding work as manual labor- making do with what they have despite the hardships they may endure
ers for a few pennies and a bed of straw in the barn. Like Orcs and other and the difficulties in fostering the next generation, finding contentment
monsters, Hogres may well be seized and put to work as slaves. Many only in the company of their own kind.
21

Hogres are still very rare, and many scholars believe them to be either O.C.C.s Available to Hogres: Any, without restriction. However, the
a myth or the result of a rare mutation and nothing more. Others predict O.C.C. chosen will usually reflect the character’s upbringing: those
a future where the Hogre will eventually replace the Ogre completely; raised as part of an Ogre clan or tribe are likely to choose similar
as the centuries pass, perhaps we are witnessing the death of the Ogre O.C.C.s to their Ogre peers, leaning towards men-at-arms O.C.C.s,
as a race and the rise of the Hogre. And then what? Such scholars rarely preferring to fight and conquer rather than learn a trade. Those who
predict the same fate for humans! Even if this were true, such a thing is were expelled from their tribe are likely to be a Vagabond, Thief,
far off into the future, especially given the difficulty most Hogres face Mercenary, Ranger or perhaps a Druid or Witch. And those raised by
in surviving to adulthood. Only in those isolated Hogre settlements do humans may learn a range of occupations depending on their parent-
they thrive, but in tiny numbers, with the ever-present threat of a human age and environment, but still have a natural tendency towards men-
attack wiping them out completely. at-arms O.C.C.s, while others may have been denied the opportunity
The Hogre as a player character. It is perhaps unsurprising that a to be anything more than a peasant.
good proportion of Hogres choose to strike out on a life of adventure. With O.C.C. Skill Notes: In addition to other O.C.C. and related skills, any
nowhere they can really call home and no one who will accept them as kin, character raised as part of an Ogre or Hogre tribe (even if they left
joining up with a mercenary group or some rough-and-ready adventuring or were expelled later in life) automatically gets the following skills:
types might be the best place to find acceptance. A Hogre player character Recognize Weapon Quality (+10%), Falconry (+10%), and Animal
is likely to be someone who has experienced difficulties in Ogre or hu- Husbandry (+10%). Those raised by humans do not receive these
man society (or both) and has chosen or been forced to leave in search of skills automatically, but do receive a bonus to these three skills if any
a better life. Hogres are so rare that most people have not even heard of are chosen as part of their O.C.C.
them, and they may be dismissed as a funny-looking Orc, a big ugly hu- O.C.C. Related or Secondary skill selections: +5% in addition to
man, a short Ogre or perhaps some unfamiliar race from a foreign land. If any O.C.C. and other skill bonuses.
the Hogre tries to explain their true heritage to a human, they may be met Horror Factor: The level of Horror Factor is dependent on the Hogre’s
with sympathy or (more often) revulsion – many people find it repugnant size – larger Hogres are more scary, equal to a Horror Factor of 1
that their blood can be mixed with “monstrous beasts.” Most folks tend to for each full foot of height; i.e. a Hogre 6 feet to 6 feet, 11 inches
assume the character will be dim-witted based on their brutish appearance. tall has a Horror Factor of 6, a Hogre 7 feet to 7 feet, 11 inches tall
Ogres who recognize what the character is are likely to be at the very least, has a Horror Factor of 7, and a Hogre 8 feet (2.4 m) tall has a Horror
verbally aggressive if not physically, if only to prove their own toughness Factor of 8.
in the face of what many Ogres consider to be an embarrassment to their Physical Appearance: Large, hairy, muscular humanoids with enlarged
race. Orcs, Goblins, Wolfen and other monster races are more likely to canine teeth (top and bottom) and sharp fingernails. Their complex-
accept a Hogre, caring less about their origin, just happy enough that the ion is a dull tan color. Dark eyes, dark brown or red hair.
Hogre looks sufficiently monstrous to be “one of them.” Size: 6-8 feet tall (1.8 to 2.4 m); 6 feet plus 4D6 additional inches. Any
Hogres are slightly larger than many other humanoid races, and re- Hogre 7 feet tall or more can be considered “giant-sized” and may
quire around 50-100% more food than a human – problematic, but not use giant-sized weapons that deal an additional die of damage.
as challenging as an Ogre or troll. Likewise, they are generally able to Weight: 200 to 300 pounds (90 to 135 kg).
make do with human-sized furniture, tools and other implements with Average Life Span: 60+ years; some have lived up to 100.
only a little inconvenience, and should be able to fit into most ordinary Natural Abilities: Limited Nightvision 30 feet (9.1 m) and excellent day
buildings (though they probably have to duck under a lot of doors!). Any vision (equal to a human).
Hogre seven feet tall or more can be considered “giant-sized” and may Bonuses: +1 to save vs Horror Factor. The fingernails are sharp
use giant-sized weapons that deal an additional die of damage. However, and wicked-looking, but are not true claws, and inflict only normal
like Ogres, being larger than most humans but smaller than true giants punch damage (1D4 damage +P.S. bonus). A bite inflicts 1D6+1
(and smaller even than Ogres, Trolls, Wolfen, and other “giant-sized” damage but no P.S. bonus is applicable.
beings), it is likely to be difficult to find suitable sized weapons, armor, Magic: By O.C.C. only.
clothing and other items. For this reason, Hogres often take to using Psionics: Ogres (even those with mixed parentage) cannot naturally
large branches or lengths of wood as clubs, or fashioned into simple develop psionic powers, but a few Hogres do have this capability,
spears. Being not too much larger than humans and Orcs, Hogres may presumably due to their stronger human heritage. Psychic powers
be able to find simple clothes such as cloaks, kilts and robes to fit, but are a possibility but are relatively rare. Roll percentile: 01-05% ma-
obtaining shirts, breeches, boots and other fitted garments is more chal- jor psionics, 06-15% minor psionics, 16-00% no psionics. Also, a
lenging. Most find they can use human or Orc sized hafted weapons such psychic Hogre has less I.S.P. than most: those with minor psionics
as clubs, maces and axes, or spears, staves, and pole-arms, without too have only M.E.+2D4 I.S.P., plus 1D4 I.S.P. per level of experience,
much trouble, but find it more difficult to hold human-sized swords and and those with major psionics have only M.E.+3D6 I.S.P., plus 1D6
daggers in their big, beefy hands. Unless the Hogre is less than seven feet per level of experience. Hogre player characters may select a master
tall, bows generally have to be custom made. The following penalties ap- psionic P.C.C., but will receive 20% less base I.S.P. than normal for
ply when a Hogre of seven feet tall or more attempts to use human-sized that class (roll for I.S.P. as normal, and then deduct 20% from that to-
swords, knives and other tools: -2 to strike and parry, and -10% to the tal) and 20% less I.S.P. for each additional level of experience. Pow-
appropriate skill(s). ers are standard. Note that because pure Ogres are unable to develop
psionic powers themselves, psychic Hogres are often considered to
Half-Ogres or “Hogres” be freaks or mutants (even more so than normal Hogres), and most
Ogres and even other Hogres view them with suspicion and mistrust.
Alignment: Lean towards the selfish alignments: anarchist and unprin-
Many psychic Hogres are driven from their tribes, or choose to leave
cipled, but are typically found to be anarchist or evil like their Ogre
as a result of the harassment they receive from their fellow tribesmen.
cousins. However, player characters may be unprincipled, aberrant
Enemies: Hogres are somewhat of an enigma, fitting in with neither
or even good. A Hogre’s early life will have considerable bearing on
their Ogre nor human progenitors. In general, most other races con-
their alignment.
sider them to be merely another type or subspecies of Ogre, and treat
Attributes: I.Q. 3D6, M.E. 3D6, M.A. 2D6+1, P.S. 3D6+5, P.P. 3D6,
them accordingly. Therefore, Elves, Dwarves, Gnomes, and most hu-
P.E. 3D6+3, P.B. 2D6+2, Spd 3D6.
mans are considered natural enemies.
Hit Points: P.E. +1D6 per level of experience.
Allies: Although their strongest associations tend to be with their Ogre
S.D.C.: 15 plus those gained from O.C.C.s and physical skills.
cousins, most Ogres look down on Hogres as weak, puny or tainted
Average P.P.E.: 2D6
versions of Ogres, and treat them worse than Goblins. Trolls and true
22

giants tend to share this attitude, but are happy to lord it over Hogres, and half-breeds could make game play needlessly complicated and
employing them as minions when convenient. Orcs that are part of messy, but having just the one provides an opportunity to create a
Ogre tribes (as the ones most likely to encounter Hogres) generally different kind of character with a unique background. I hope that
follow the Ogres’ lead and join them in their harassment of Hogres, players will enjoy exploring such a character and how they balance
but Orcs, Goblins, and other monster races who encounter indepen- their two worlds. Secondly, the most common “monster races” such
dent Hogres are more likely to become allies. Generally indifferent to as Orcs and Goblins are quite restricted with regards to the O.C.C.s
Wolfen, Kobolds, and Troglodytes. Some humans consider Hogres to they are able to select. In order to play a “subhuman” race that is (for
be merely the unfortunate victims of horrific Ogre violence, and seek the most part) more than a Warrior, Thief or Witch, one must choose
to aid them, even bringing them into human society, but most humans to be a giant, Troll, Wolfen or Ogre – races that can be problematic
are wary or even frightened by the big, primitive-looking creatures, or unsuitable for use in some campaigns due to their huge size and
unable to see past their Ogre origins. other issues (depending on the setting and the Game Master). I be-
Habitat: Found in or near any areas where Ogres can be found in small lieve the Half-Ogre provides the flexibility to explore careers and
numbers. Hogres tend to emerge from small, isolated Ogre tribes that, ambitions not available to an Orc, but without the obstacles that can
for whatever reason, have been forced to rely more and more on kid- come from playing a Troll or giant. It is my hope that the Half-ogre or
naped human women for breeding stock. Such places may include “Hogre” fills a useful niche in the current inventory of player races,
small Ogre enclaves within large human kingdoms such as the Western and provides players with enjoyable new opportunities for character
Empire or Eastern Territory, or on remote islands. Although all Ogres development and role-playing. Enjoy. Game on!
experience the same problems with sterility amongst their people,
where there are opportunities for populations to mix and interbreed
Operation
between tribes, this appears to help retain their “Ogre-ness” to a greater
degree. The same goes for Ogre settlements that are far from human
populations and are therefore, unable to rely on human abduction to
keep their numbers up. Therefore, Hogres are much rarer amongst the
Minotaur
Ogre populations of the Yin-Sloth Jungles, Baalgor Wastelands, and
Old Kingdom Mountains. The Ogres of the Silver Range Mountains
and the part of the Old Kingdom Mountains that borders the Timiro
Kingdom are a special case, comprising a number of large Ogre tribes
in one area, but having survived for millennia by raiding the human
kingdom in the lands below. For this reason, there tends to be more
“spontaneous” Hogre emergence here, where a union between a hu- An Adventure for
man woman and a male Ogre with an unwittingly human-centric lin-
eage results in a Hogre child. These Hogres are most likely to find Beyond the Supernatural™
themselves alone amongst a population of Ogres, living a life of hard-
ship and mistreatment, or abandoned by their tribe. Some of these dis- By Hendrik Härterich
placed Hogres have banded together to form tiny, independent Hogre Think Indiana Jones meets The Dirty Dozen on a horror trip and
tribes, hiding themselves from both Ogres and humans. you are in the right frame of mind to G.M. this adventure. Follow me
Favorite Weapons: Large clubs, maces, axes and spears, mainly for the back to the war-torn 1940s with an evil greater than many supernatural
reasons mentioned previously. Spears are a favorite hunting weapon. enemies, dark secrets and a mystery worthy of a tall tale.
Other notes:
1. May worship the gods of their Ogre or human parents (if any)
or none at all. Druidism is becoming popular among those commu-
nities that live in isolation in the wild. Evil gods and demons offer Introduction
a tempting path for anyone who has been mistreated by their own
Operation Minotaur was conceived as a 4-6 hour gaming one-shot for
people, be they humans or Ogres.
the Palladium Open House 2012 and designed to showcase one of the
2. Often forced by circumstance to sell their services as merce-
many options of how to play Beyond the Supernatural (“BtS”). Contrary
naries, hired thugs or laborers. May be willing to work for or with any
to the far more frequent mystery or detective type BtS game, this adven-
races in order to make a living.
ture offers an action packed and epic fight of good versus evil against the
3. Can wear any type of armor, provided it can be found in their
historical backdrop of World War II.
size. Most prefer a simple surcoat of chain mail or double-mail, or
Like many motion pictures, as diverse as for example Raiders of the
leather armor, as it enables them to stay quiet while hunting game.
Lost Ark, Hogan’s Heroes or Captain Corelli’s Mandolin, this adventure
4. Can learn any skill a human or Ogre can – education depends
makes use of stereotypes for easy conveyance of flair. If you do not like
largely on where and how they were raised.
them or they have the wrong feel for you: change them! None of the
5. Tends to view all other races with suspicion. Finds it dif-
stereotypes employed are meant to reduce anyone to an unhappy extract.
ficult to fit in and to find their place in the world among any group
The adventure you find here is more filled out than its open house
of people.
version was; likely, you will not have the same time constraints at home
6. Less belligerent and competitive than Ogres. May work well
as you would when playing at a convention. At the end of this article,
in a group so long as the Hogre feels accepted by the other members
you will also find some ideas for further adventures and tips on how to
of the group and is receiving their rightful recognition, respect, and
turn the adventure into a whole campaign, To New Horizons. However,
share of loot and supplies. Hogres are happy and cooperative when
you might have other good reasons to play a tight game of about 5 hours;
treated like an equal, not a second class citizen or worse.
for example, you may want to showcase BtS to your group. To help you
Designer’s Note: Although the Palladium Fantasy RPG has gen- with that I have designated several encounters as “optional” – drop those
erally been ill-disposed towards hybrid or “half-races” as a whole, to speed the game up.
I always thought there was potential in expanding on the one “half- Operation Minotaur is perfectly suited for female characters. Just
race” that exists in Palladium canon – the Ogre-human hybrid. The because women usually were not part of the army in WW2, do not let
fact that such a creature is essentially just another Ogre felt like a yourself be confused by this. Hundreds of thousands of women served
missed opportunity. It is true that too many interbreeding races valiantly on all sides, some in irregular roles, such as agents or in the
23

24

various resistance groups, but also in combat roles in some armies. For Élysées in Paris only a year ago. Britain is battered but resilient. It sur-
example, for the Red Army read up on Lyudmila Mikhailovna Pavli- vived the terrible thrashing of Dunkirk and won the Battle of Britain
chenko, a Soviet sniper who earned the nickname “Lady Death.” That on the last tether. Poland has ceased to exist, again. Spain is fascist but
said, as the game centers around a group of British Special Operations remains “neutral.” Italy is fascist and allied with the Third Reich. Europe
Executive (SOE) agents, the SOE had about 50 female agents of vari- is very much under the sway of the Nazis and their evil empire.
ous nationalities, such as Noor Inayat Khan, Krystyna Skarbeck, Virgina During the last few weeks, in the terrible Battle of Crete, the impor-
Hall whom the Gestapo considered “the most dangerous of all Allied tant Mediterranean nexus has been taken out of British hands. German
spies,” and Odette Hallowes. As a non-army background, war corre- and Italian troops have taken command of the Island at considerable
spondent is a great choice, and there were several female war correspon- cost, but resistance there is now virtually non-existent. Since 4pm on
dents in the thick of it, such as the phenomenal Margaret Bourke-White. 17th June, it has been also clear that Operation Battleaxe has failed. The
For the admittedly scant German resistance see the German White Rose goal of this ambitious campaign in Africa had been to clear eastern Cyre-
group and one of my personal heroes: Sophia Scholl. naica (basically Libya) of German and Italian forces. This would have
The characters are a (very!) special task force sent on a reconnais- had the benefit of lifting the siege from the important city of Tobruk. The
sance mission into Axis occupied Crete. For better immersion and verisi- Mediterranean theater, including Northern Africa, is embattled but for
militude I have given my best effort to embed the unreal into real events, now the Axis has the upper hand.
but nothing in here is any more real than the story of Raiders of the Lost In terms of military power, the “Allies” essentially consists of only
Ark. Suspend disbelief and enjoy! Britain and its Commonwealth troops. The USA has not yet joined the
war and is officially neutral although it supplies Britain. Churchill works
very hard to convince the USA to get into the war. The general public
Quick Start and many politicians are opposed to engaging in another war but Presi-
dent Roosevelt is covertly preparing his country by strengthening mili-
If you want to jump [pun intended] right into the action skip playing
tary training and purchasing. The Soviet Union has not joined the fight
the Orders in Aldershot chapter and start with Parachuting into Crete. I
against Hitler’s Germany and its allies, but has made a pact to divide
suggest then you simply do the following before you start your game: send
Eastern Europe between the Third Reich and itself. There is every sign
out the ops order (Handout 3) to the players in advance, only to the cap-
that the Third Reich has set its sights on its partner Russia next. This
tain if you want to make this more interesting and more military-like, and
may bring Russia into the war siding with the Allies or at least drawing
set the scene as a G.M. flashback monologue, e.g. “You are in a military
German attention away from Britain. Behind closed doors, some in the
transport plane, all geared up, the engines roar, and the jump light turns
Soviet Union see that they need to start cooperating with the Allies. Yet,
on red, when you remember what General Montgomery said to you...”
as it stands, the freedom of the world and the defense against fascism
Especially, however, if you want to adapt existing characters I sug-
rests squarely on the shoulders of the British Commonwealth and it is
gest playing out the Setting the Stage/Welcome to the Army sub-chap-
definitely not looking up for the Allies at the moment.
ter below as it will give you essential information for adapting characters
German science is at the forefront of technological development. Ru-
to the setting.
mors abound of “secret weapons of the Luftwaffe.” If rumors were not
bad enough, British Intelligence has unearthed actual evidence that the
BtS Flair Info Germans are developing some remote-controlled aircraft and there is a
secret project called “Far-fire.” By craft and luck, Britain has cracked the
Throughout the adventure, you will find “BtS Flair Info” several Enigma cipher and gathers intelligence successfully in the more tradi-
times. There I will give you some hints to increase the BtS flair for this tional manner despite robust efforts of the German counter-intelligence
game, such as whether a location is a good spot for certain P.C.C. special service. Britain gets much valuable data out of the German communica-
abilities to kick in, what it might show, etc. BtS demands quite a bit of tions, much of it is disconcerting but at least Britannia is not blind.
work from the G.M. as they have to monitor all automatic abilities, but Britain is desperate, but not without ideas. Churchill endorsed the
it pays off as it helps to build tension and slowly and threateningly draw idea to form a special force in July 1940, which became famous under
open the curtain for the supernatural! The “boss fight” is not the goal, the name Special Operations Executive (SOE) and takes a leaf from Irish
the goal is to give the players goosebumps already on the way into the guerrilla tactics in the 1920s. The SOE works in small units, sometimes
supernatural. Keep that in mind especially for a wartime scenario. It is all operatives work alone and are tasked with infiltration, subversion, sabo-
too easy to focus on the action and soldiering aspect of the game – which tage behind enemy lines, assassination – such as the assassination of
is also fun – but to forget that it is a horror game. That said, I will also Reinhard Heydrich in Prague – espionage, and building up resistance
recommend Proximity to the Supernatural levels at certain stages of the networks and local guerrilla units, such as in Crete or occupied France.
game as part of the BtS Flair Info. Likewise, the first British Commando units were formed in June 1940
and tasked with coastal raiding and all sorts of special operations as well
as being used as assault infantry; the so-called Layforce is one of the first
Setting the Stage examples of such units.
In this chapter there is more detailed background information on the

situation of the Second World War as it is when the adventure starts and
Strange & Disconcerting Intelligence
how characters with knowledge of the supernatural can be tied in. An English SOE agent on Crete – perhaps John Smith-Hughes, de-
scribed later in this adventure – has radioed a strange and rather discon-
certing message a few days ago:
Storm of Steel “hun dig east crete STOP ahnenerbe SS compound at Kato Zakros
Dark days are upon you and it seems that only worse lie ahead. It is STOP horrible screams at night STOP secret weapon project”
the summer of 1941, the 18th of June to be precise. The Second World
Maybe this message would not have raised more than an eyebrow under
War is raging. The nations of the world have clad themselves in steel.
normal circumstances, but considering the state of the war for the Allies,
Blood is spilled on many fronts, and a storm of lead has been unleashed,
Britain has to do absolutely anything possible to deny every further advan-
unparalleled by anything in human history. It is not a good war for the
tage to the Axis. Some very strange intelligence about an occult Ahnenerbe
Allies so far. The Axis has triumphed again and again. France has been
Project Wiedergänger was gained. “Wiedergänger,” a term from German
overrun last summer, German troops paraded in triumph on the Champs-
and Nordic mythology, meaning literally “he-who-walks-back,” i.e. from
25

death to (un-)life, and referring to an immensely strong undead being, seems it does simulate the surprise of the characters to be “activated.” You may
to indicate that either Ahnenerbe is working on the dead or to make the liv- even put it in an envelope “stamped” with the text “Activation Order”
ing more resilient. Either way, the Allies do not need even better or more (in red for effect if you can).
German soldiers, either alive or as the walking dead. As the players are in the army now, commandeered civilians or not, they
will have to follow chain of command and one of them should command the
Task Force “O” small unit. Make the highest-ranking character or best suited player’s char-
acter – your opinion matters, you are the whole high command rolled into
Unbeknownst to most people, even those within SOE, Churchill has one after all – the group leader, brevet him to the rank of captain (Handout
charged SOE command to identify “special talent” to build up a task 2 – Activation Order & Brevetting for brevetting whomever you choose).
force to fight the occult. To be sure, most members of government, if In any case, there will be one new captain in the party.
they know about it at all, do not take this effort seriously but Churchill
never was a man to heed what others think. He knows that the Nazis
delve into the occult and on the off-chance that “the Hun is onto some-
thing we don’t understand, we need to learn to combat it.”
When the psychologists of SOE found inexplicably and uncannily
talented people among those applying for SOE, they were trained and
flagged for later “Task Force O” use. While that task force has never
been set up fully, there is data on soldiers and civilians eyed by SOE,
within and without the Commonwealth, and even from Russia and the
US, to be recruited for “O.” Those eyed for “O” have received basic
parachute infantry training and SOE training months ago. The failure
rate for those tested for SOE was very high and those who failed were se-
questered for several months. The party will consist of men and women
who have successfully braved this challenging crucible.
Some characters will only receive a phone call, others will be dragged
out of bed in the middle of the night, and yet others may be picked up at
work, literally plucked from their office desk. Another character may not
come back from a walk with his dog, etc. If you do not play the adven-
ture as a one-shot and have one or more long gaming nights of adventure
ahead, by all means: play this out – it will increase the 1940s spy thriller
/ action movie flair!
BtS Flair Note: If you have time to play this out, remember that BtS
is all about building up tension. Characters with automatic abilities – like
premonitions, omens, etc. – will have a fitful sleep or may see the first signs
of danger and the supernatural lurking to come into their life. Perhaps there
are extra-dark clouds in the sky. Perhaps there is a sudden lightning storm
and a blurry face can be seen suddenly illuminated in a dark corner, only
Welcome to the Army

to be gone when the lightning is. Maybe, when riding the Underground, it
will stop unexpectedly and directly in front of a recruitment poster. May-
hap there is a sign warning about enemy activity and something is dripping
His Majesty’s government has now activated “O.” Strings are pulled from it, slowly, like blood, etc. Alternatively, maybe a spider web is torn
and the members of the new task force are “collected.” In the middle by a fly and the remains look uncannily like a swastika – add flickering
of the night, military policemen and secret service men knock on doors light, a strange sound, you get my drift: make it eerie!
with rather urgent orders. One way or another, within 24 hours, all the party members will have
I recommend sending Handout 1 – The Activation Order to the been brought to Aldershot, the “home of the British military.” Despite
players (but to the one you bump to captain, see below) in advance of the the bustle of the huge military compound Aldershot is quickly becom-
game. Perhaps you will want to send it to the players together with the ing, the party will find itself sequestered off to a very quiet part of the
invitation for the next gameday. This may serve to build excitement and base, an old Victorian battalion HQ in a small park.
26

Which Characters are Suitable 31-40% Pick Locks
41-50% Demolitions
All P.C.C.s are suitable. Notwithstanding, not all members of the 51-60% Intelligence
party need to have psionic abilities. In fact, I played this adventure once 61-70% Undercover Ops
entirely with Ordinary Persons (O.C.C.) and it worked really well. 71-80% Detect Ambush
It would be easiest if all party members are in or somehow attached to 81-90% Paramedic
the army – British, Soviet, US or any other of the (future) Allies’ side – for 91-00% Radio: Basic
one or another reason. Some may be soldiers with or without commission, [If the same skill is rolled twice the character will get a +10%. In case
or a chaplain, a war correspondent, a pilot, a secret service man, an adven- of a W.P. result, they get to choose a second W.P.]
turous don from Oxbridge, etc. If your players have or want to make in-
Orders in Aldershot
teresting civilian characters, you should also have no problem to get them
into the service of the crown. A French or Polish refugee, a German “en-
emy of the Third Reich,” etc. would also be a great fit. It is wartime after
all and SOE drew from all walks of life. However, you are not restricted In this chapter the party will get their orders and meet General Mont-
to fit all characters into the SOE. Especially British commando units, like gomery.
Royal Marines Commandos or a Layforce commando, are well suited. BtS Flair Info: The whole chapter is x1 Proximity to the Supernatu-
Whatever the characters signed up for, they all signed a slip of paper ral. Even though the characters are not literally placed under the micro-
that they might be activated at any time. It sounded adventurous at the scope, they are in a “mundane,” albeit quite special, Army compound.
time, but they are not so sure now. Instinctively, they will not want to draw attention to themselves. Also,
there is absolutely nothing supernatural around them.
Modern Skills in WW2
You can essentially use all the skills in a WW2 game, but for the most Location Description: “Monty’s HQ”
modern ones. All computer skills are unusable as science is not there yet The whole scene takes place in a Victorian house, a former battalion
(the first functioning computers by Konrad Zuse were built in 1941 (Z3) command, which has probably not been in use since the end of Queen
/ 1943 (Z4) and ENIAC by Eckert/Mauchly between 1942 and 1946 – Victoria’s reign.
this knowledge would be rather esoteric at the time of this game). Anoth- The ground floor has been converted to quarter the party. They will
er example for science not being quite there yet is Aircraft: Jet. Replace find a sufficient number of well-furnished if dusty rooms, and, luxury of
any skills you find not to fit with an appropriate alternative skill, such as luxuries, each will get his own. There is also a large dining room that is
Military Etiquette, or give a free choice from an appropriate skill family. used as a mess hall as well as a movie theater. There is no evidence as to
That said, no skill would convey knowledge inappropriate to the year of what the mission is about on the ground floor. A set of rather unwelcom-
the game. Mind, if a skill potentially covered certain knowledge but such ing military policemen, none below the rank of sergeant, guard the house
would have to be considered to be very rare in 1941, e.g. restricted to and its perimeter. No one is allowed to enter without written orders or a
elite scientists, give stiff skill check penalties (-30, -50 or even worse!). special pass issued by General Montgomery. There are also two guards
at the foot of the stairs to the upper floor at all times. All guards have
Basic Parachute Infantry sidearms and rifles and look prepared to use them. Apparently, whoever
is in charge here means business and has something to protect. Charac-
Crash Course and SOE Training
ters ranking higher than the guards will be treated politely but the guards
There have been quick parachute infantry courses in the war, e.g. for will not let them pass (“I am sorry, Sir. Orders from the general.”)
chaplains for the (later) D-Day invasion. Such parachutists spent two weeks Messengers can be seen running to and from the 1st floor. The house
training at Hardwicke in Derbyshire. They had to complete training, go has the air of an active military command post. The party will be well
through assault courses, and do runs of up to 10 miles (16 km). They also cared for. Orderlies are present in the dining room and will serve tea and
had to pass psychiatric interviews to test if they were mentally suited for biscuits, sandwiches or hearty meals at the appropriate times. Any rank
parachute operations. SOE training was a bit tougher and included hand-to- and file soldier will also be served whiskey, tobacco, and such, but only
hand combat training, picking locks, forgery and radio set use. The follow- on request by an officer or NCO.
ing represents the knowledge gained in these two training courses. A large staircase, covered with a plush Persian carpet, leads upstairs.
Whether you make up new characters or modify existing ones, all For the last two days, General Montgomery and his staff have used
characters, no matter what the occupation, get the benefit of some of the the upper floor to plan Operation Minotaur and assemble task force The-
following skills at first level as additional Secondary Skills (unless you seus. The whole upper floor looks more like a field command post than
as G.M. deem this not appropriate for whatever reason, of course), i.e. anything else. Maps of Crete and the Southern Mediterranean theater
the player will not have to spend a skill selection for it. Should a char- hang from the walls, pins in it with small note papers showing estimated
acter already have one of the skills or rather invest a skill slot, they will allied and enemy positions and numbers. There is a room with three sec-
receive a +5% one-time bonus to the existing skill and, obviously, have retaries typing up orders, memos, etc. Montgomery has his whole staff
the advantage that the skill is not merely a Secondary Skill but either an present; apparently, he is not only preparing for the operation of task
Occupational or Elective Skill and, thus, will be used with more aplomb. force Theseus but for a whole campaign in Africa. No wonder, Opera-
tion Battleaxe just failed yesterday; the Empire scrambles what it can.
S.O.E. & Parachute Infantry Crash Course: Our party is part of what is perhaps a last ditch effort.
The cellar contains a goodly assortment of old wine bottles and old
All characters will receive
furniture, but nothing much else.
! Military Etiquette
! Parachuting
All characters will further receive two of the following skills or a +5
Flair Info: Props and Sources
bonus if already selected: What works best flair-wise are original pictures, movies, and maps.
01-10% One Weapon Proficiency (choose from W.P. Rifle, W.P. They are not reprinted here for copyright reasons. I have not given links
Submachine-Gun, W.P. Pistol or W.P. Knife) for the same reason and because, over time, they may become outdated.
11-20% Forced March WW2 strategic maps and a map of Crete are easy to find on the net.
21-30% Disguise Print one out and let Monty put it on the table.
27

In order to even better get into the spirit of things as G.M., you may
want to further listen to General Montgomery speak. There is lots of
footage of Monty on the net, including from 1941.
For the situation on Crete I really recommend to watch two 1944 mov-
ies by the U.S. Office of Strategic Services (OSS); just search for OSS
and Crete on youtube. You could even show the OSS footage to the party!
Admittedly, showing these movies in 1941 is a bit of a stretch, especially
because the OSS as the forerunner of the CIA was not formed before June
1942, but, hey, it is a game. Also, General Montgomery is well connected.
He conceivably could have received an advance copy of secret footage by
the British Special Operations Executive (SOE) from 1941 which would
later become part of the OSS report. In any case, these two movies form
an excellent situational report that you could show to the new recruits of
Task Force O. This may help your players get into the groove of the game.
Perhaps you send the links to them before the game to watch in their own
good time, or – for even more flair – darken the room on game day it-
self and show the movies then. For best effect, rearrange seating to make
your game den appear a little more like an impromptu 1941 movie theater.
What is the best way to do this must depend on your party’s and your style
and preferences. Some want action fast. You might not want to bother
them with watching a total of 30 minutes of Second World War footage.
Others will love it, especially history buffs like me.
In any case, you as the G.M. may benefit from watching these mov-
ies. The G.M. should also scan around a bit on the internet for pictures
(moving or not) regarding Crete in the war and German paratroopers
(Fallschirmjäger). It will give you a better feel of the lay of the land and
what the characters will face. It may also be interesting to see how the
German newsreel reported on the situation in Crete. I really recommend
checking out “Die Deutsche Wochenschau,” the newsreel as shown in
German cinemas. Look for the editions of 30th May and 6th June 1941
on YouTube. It will also help you to get into the groove when you will
see your players’ enemies in action when conquering Crete. This will
show you some wartime use of Wagner long before Apocalypse Now. game – act as you see fit, i.e. what suits your party best. In any case, I
suggest giving the party a maximum of 15-30 minutes to read and talk
Theseus Rising!
about the orders. I would not answer any questions by the party at this
point; there is no one there whom they could ask after all.
As an alternative to doing it on gameday itself, to get to a quick start
The party members arrive at Aldershot, U.K., within a few hours you may want to send Handout 3 – Ops Order to the players. I recom-
from each other. They will arrive between the early morning and noon mend sending Handouts 2 and 3 only to the designated party leader, i.e.
of the 18th June 1941 and be confined to the ground floor of the Vic- the character you make captain. This will give them a head start and you
torian house described above. Don’t give the players too much time at can jump into the adventure faster. Only sending the orders to the officer
the beginning of the game, just enough to start worrying if whatever the in charge also increases the military flair.
powers-that-be want from them is about Crete and will be extremely
dangerous and then brief them. The orderly arrives again. “If it pleases the captain, General
The player characters may know each other from SOE training or Montgomery would like to welcome him and his men.”
the parachute crash course, but you may decide they have not met yet. If
they did not know each other, you would want to give them some time to If they do not follow the invitation immediately, the orderly will in-
get acquainted. A chat after the movie showing may be just it. form them with crisp politeness and in no uncertain terms that the Gen-
While the players get to know each other before or after the movie eral is not used to waiting and does not take kindly to it. When you do
you could play some music of the era for added flair. There is a gramo- not play this as a one-shot but in the course of a Second World War
phone in the dining room! You could play a Vera Lynn record: “White campaign, any obstinate or disrespectful character will learn the hard
Cliffs of Dover,” “We’ll Meet Again,” or “After the Rain” – all were way that Monty is a very strict and quite unforgiving man (just read his
English hits in the war; play them if you dare. autobiography; that man really was in touch with his inner grudge bear).
He is also a dangerous enemy: as history tells us, only a year hence in
You’ve barely had time to have a smoke and talk a bit. All 1942 Monty will command the 8th army and seal his way to the top with
of you wonder why you were shown a movie about the latest di- his victory at El Alamein.
saster in Crete when an orderly arrives saluting the captain, “Sir, However, let us assume that the party follows the “invitation” right
with compliments from General Montgomery,” and hands over away. They will be led to a simple and practically furnished study on the
an envelope. upper floor of the former battalion command building and meet General
Bernard Law Mongomery. Monty will usually not speak before being
Make a copy of Handout 3 (Orders). This should further serve to saluted by the Captain but do not let that hold the game.
help set the tone and scene. Normal protocol would be for the command-
ing officer – the freshly minted captain – to read the orders alone and “Welcome! You have been selected to form task force The-
then to instruct the men, but let the players do with that as they please. seus. I assume you know your orders. These are dark days. Much
It is a special situation after all, and leeway will be granted to the valiant depends on you to turn the tide. Questions?”
members of the just newly formed task force: Theseus. Besides, it is a
28

Montgomery will answer all the questions as best as he can, although have to be equipment-light. Monty will also say that, quite unfortunately,
he does not know much more than what has already been put in the resupplying the group will be out of the question. He relies on the party’s
orders. He will tell them, though, that they are to keep their priorities ingenuity and resourcefulness. He advises the party that the Germans
straight. They are to proceed as they see fit on the ground to accomplish have supplied their troops by parachute drops for a while, so medical,
their mission. food, arms and ammo supplies may be had if the party can find a mis-
It bodes mentioning in this context that the Second World War knew placed airdrop. An old airdrop is also a neat trick up the G.M.’s sleeve to
no easy or readily available radio transmission; long-range communica- provide needed extra equipment to the party in a credible manner later;
tion tended to be difficult, so asking HQ what to do next will be difficult it is also a side adventure opportunity, if you want it.
even with the SOE radio device they will get. Monty will inform them After the little Q&A session, Montgomery will send them to pack.
that the Greek, as best as he knows, are trying to form a small resistance An orderly comes in and speaks to the General under his breath. Monty
movement but at this time they are quite inefficient. He will not tell the nods to the orderly in thanks and addresses the party:
party that British military espionage has people in Crete to organize and
aid Greek resistance. Notwithstanding, he will say that the contacts men- “The orders have already been changed slightly, men. We had
tioned in the orders could prove invaluable, especially the farmer and his to advance the schedule. Fritz is sending 3 more Jagdgeschwader*
resistance group west of Zakros. Monty is sure that the farmer will have to Crete. If we do not hurry now, we might not be able to deliver
better information than he can hope to have of the immediate situation in you at all. It is a close call as it is, to be quite honest. Do not waste
the Zakros area. The group needs to be wary of SS or Italian patrols, but the time gained. The Nazis have crack troops on that island and
may even be able to contact the scattered remnants of Allied troops and every hour will increase the chance of detection. Use your best
find individual Commonwealth soldiers who may hide in the mountains. discretion. Remember, this is mainly a recon mission. RAF will
“Poor devils. We did not get all of them out when the Fallschirmjäger taxi you out tonight; you leave to the airfield in 10 minutes: make
(lit. parachute hunters, i.e. parachute infantry) swept us from the island.” ready and Godspeed! Dismissed.”
“Not all you need to know is in the orders you received; not *Jagdgeschwader = lit. hunter squadron, i.e. a fighter squadron.
everything is fit to be written down. The following is highly clas-
sified. We have obtained information that the Nazis are experi-
menting on humans to make soldiers more resilient. They call
this Project Wiedergänger. Find out about this project; obtaining Parachuting into Crete
more intelligence about it is paramount.”
The party will board the plane of wing commander Huxley and fly
out of Aldershot to Gibraltar, refuel, and then fly towards Crete. Leaving
in the evening of the 18th, they will jump into eastern Crete about 36
BtS Flair Info hours later before dawn on the 20th. Flying somewhere took a lot longer
in 1941 than it does today.
Those characters who know Language: German will know what
Wiedergänger literally means (see under Strange & Disconcerting In-
telligence). That should worry the party already a bit. BtS Flair Info:
A successful roll on either Lore: Mythology or Lore: Demons and Mon- (1) The whole chapter is x1 Proximity to the Supernatural but for the
sters will yield that Wiedergänger is a term referring to various corporeal and moment when the characters are actually parachuting; this is a life and
non-corporeal undead, usually vengeful and out to kill the living, all quite dis- death situation, any jump kind of is, and touching down on “supernatu-
concerting. The Nordic Draugur are described as the drowned dead coming rally beset Crete” deserves a x2 Proximity to the Supernatural. Make
back to land to kill with their supernatural strength, only to be killed when sure you describe the adrenaline rush and the uncanny feeling they have.
beheaded. Some are Headless Horsemen, as the Hessian from the story of While “proximity to the supernatural” is not a Geiger counter for the
Sleepy Hollow. Others are the Huckopp or Aufhocker, undead waylaying supernatural, you can use a cool description, without giving the mul-
wanderers. The Huckopp usually had suffered a brutal death, like from mur- tiplier, to build tension and give them a signal that “something strange
der. He will jump on the back of the living, holding on so tight that they cannot and dangerous” is happening. Mind, the characters will probably not be
be shrugged off, and become heavier and heavier until their victim is crushed able to use the extra points gained through the x2 I.S.P./P.P.E. during the
by their weight. Usually, the Huckopp will force the victim to carry him to jump, but gaining power is not the only reason to give the multipliers.
the place where his corpse was hidden. Others, like the Nachtzehrer (Night- The multiplier will revert to x1 a few breaths after landing.
eater), are more akin to vampires in their description but with a twist. They (2) This chapter contains an optional encounter. Whether or not you
will telepathically link with a victim, usually the people of their own village, play it, is your decision. You may decide to speed up the game and fore-
and draw on their life energy (P.P.E. perhaps) from afar while still sitting in go playing out the encounter.
their graves and gnawing on their own funeral cloth or bones. Victims will die (3) As said, BtS is all about building tension. Build it up like a steady
either from emaciation after a few days or suffer from the plague. If a deceased drumbeat in the background that gets more and more intense. Make sure
is suspected to become a Nachtzehrer, he will be buried face down. It is said to ask the players what they do during the flight. They will probably
that this makes it impossible for a Nighteater to rise. check equipment and get to know each other. Give them a little time,
General Montgomery does not believe in the occult. He is sure that this maybe 10 minutes, to role-play getting better acquainted and talking
is only some crazy reference to something mundane. Probably, the Germans about the mission, but make sure to put them in the right frame of mind
experimenting on drugs to make their soldiers tougher and stronger or on before that. Now, imagine yourself in the situation of our heroes. They
prisoners to make them fight for the Nazis. Mind, Monty does take this very have just been taken out of their normal lives and this is their first mis-
seriously because, no matter what, the Allies must find out what is going on. sion. They did not have much training, but now go straight into mostly
Knowing the average role-player, I would dare to bet that at least one unknown danger. Nothing is worse than waiting – the long hours of the
in your party will ask for special equipment. Monty knows that at least flight will be stressful. Drive that point home to them. I am sure one or
some in the group are veterans and will listen to any reasonable request. several players will play it super cool and say that they will catch some
If the party members overdo it, he may cut them short by saying, “All the sleep. That makes sense but it is also a golden BtS G.M. opportunity.
equipment you will need will be on the plane.” Monty is not a lowly sup- (4) Characters with automatic abilities (Diviner: Omens & Portens;
ply officer, after all. You as G.M. can decide which of the special wishes Latent Psychic: Precognitive Dream; etc.) may see/dream something
will be there as well. After all, the group is going to parachute in so they about the future during the long flight. They are getting closer to Crete
29

and to the supernatural, after all. For the benefit of the whole party, make them to reach an Allied/SOE station and if they do, it will, as a rule, be
it at least one creative, but sufficiently unclear, nightmare. A character Cairo HQ (c. 550 miles/880 km from Crete), but could also be a fellow
waking up shouting with fear in his eyes will go a long way to drive agent on the island (G.M. decision). The SOE radio gives the G.M.
home to the party that this is not “just” a war game. A Psychic Medium an option to either help the party along with information, change
may experience Olfactory Symbols & Omens; the odor of sweat in the orders or even possibly provide some reinforcements – neatly, this
plane will be all-pervasive to them. This odor stands for hard labor and is also a way to introduce a substitute character in case members of
confinement, which is certainly what is in the future for the party (hard the party perish in the action.
work) and in the present (confinement). The plane does feel like a cof- Radio Check(s): Whenever the party wants to use the radio, one or
fin, after all. Spelling out things like this may increase the tension. Use more Radio: Basic checks will be necessary. Under normal circumstances,
a calm voice, describe the flight, and end trailing off by saying, “It feels no check will be necessary to set up the radio, open a channel and transmit
like a coffin...” It will work magic. a message. A G.M. may, however, demand checks for these actions, espe-
cially for encoding the message properly, and when the radio operator is
Equipment under pressure. It is easy to make spelling mistakes in Morse, particularly
when using code. A check will always be necessary to properly receive a
The party will be surprised to see an Italian airplane, a Caproni message, i.e. to make “listening mistakes.” If such a check fails the mes-
Ca.133, a compact thing not unlike the Ford Trimotor 5-AT. As Huxley sage will be somewhat garbled; the worse you fail the more it will look
will explain grinning, gently patting the plane’s rump: like gobbledygook. The G.M. should write down the garbled response, so
that the party has a chance to speculate, for example, on their new orders.
“She was captured in Egypt and may help us when German Chance of Detection by the Enemy: The German military and coun-
fighters or flak gets us in their sights. Get in and gear up. We will ter-intelligence on Crete are actively listening for and hunting down en-
take off in a minute or so.” emy operators. There is a cumulative 5% chance per every 2 minutes of
using the radio for detection, i.e. roll detection checks after 2 minutes
(5%), after 4 minutes (10%), after 6 minutes (15%), etc. This includes
Before the take-off, Huxley makes a pre-flight check and covers
searching for “a connection” to a British station or leaving the radio on
the Italian national emblems on the plane. Huxley will later have those
waiting for an answer to your transmission. Crete is still heavily pa-
blinds uncovered when leaving Gibraltar, i.e. on the last leg of the jour-
trolled and enemy units are strategically spread to control the island effi-
ney. On the plane, the party will find the following equipment:
ciently. When an enemy radio operator is detected by one of the listening
1 parachute properly packed up in a rucksack for each soldier.
posts, they will contact the closest unit and the unit will deploy, often in
2 rifles with magazines for a total of 40 shots each.
force, as the assumption is that the radio operator is not a lone agent but
2 submachine-guns with magazines for a total of 100 shots each.
may be a British unit in hiding. The party has 1D6x10 minutes (modify
1 suppressed De Lisle commando carbine with 3 extra magazines for
by +30 minutes, or whatever you deem appropriate, if the Party is in a
a total of 44 shots (11 per mag).
remote or difficult to reach position) to leave the area before a German
1 sharpshooter rifle with scope with 20 shot magazine.
or Italian patrol will arrive and search for the radio operator. Note, radio
1 side arm per soldier.
detection often does not allow for pinpoint accuracy. The party will, of
10 pineapple hand grenades.
course, usually not know when they are detected … The best safety mea-
1 set of goggles.
sure, and they have been trained to know that, is using the radio as rarely
2 torch lights.
and shortly as possible and only when it counts.
2 compasses.
Suppressed De Lisle Carbine: The De Lisle (commando) carbine is
2 coils of rope of 10 meters length each.
a British firearm with an integrated suppressor using subsonic 0.45 ACP
2 med packs.
caliber ammunition for extremely quiet action at an effective range of 200
Shoe polish, 10 lbs/4.5 kg. (Seriously! If you have been to the army,
yards (183 m). It has been said that this has been one of the quietest guns
you will know that not everything must make, err, immediate sense.)
ever made (perception difficulty 17 to hear). It has an 11-shot magazine. It is
1 rucksack for each soldier.
a short, stocky weapon with a weight of ca. 8 lbs (3.6 kg) and a total length
1 special SOE radio set suitcase.
of 35 inches (88 cm). The version the party gets is an early prototype, real
40 dry rations (total, not for each soldier).
production would not start before 1942, and has a wooden stock. Due to its
10 water canteens for 34 ounces (1 liter) each.
relative short length, it can be concealed under a coat. Range: 200 yards.
5 folding shovels.
Damage: Single shot 5D6, short burst 5D6x2, long burst 5D6x3.
A map of eastern Crete, Zakros area.
1 bible.
SOE radio set suitcase: This radio unit has been fitted into a small,
brown leather suitcase. It has to be set up before use, i.e. the radio nor-
Caproni Flight
mally is not connected to its power source and the Morse tap device is
not wired to the unit. The radio can only use CW, i.e. can only be used
to transmit and receive Morse messages. Power is about 20 Watts; range The plane is not too uncomfortable or too windy, but the flight
works out to be between 300 and 1,000 miles (480-1,600 km). is long and loud. The plane is barely 6 years old, but creaking at
Background: The SOE equipped its agents – usually one set per team every turn. The passenger compartment is smaller than could be
– with a strong but simple radio set to transmit and receive radio messag- expected. It smells of gasoline. It has obviously been refitted to
es. Being a radioman in the SOE gave you one of the most responsible carry much more fuel than normal. It may have a long range, but
and dangerous jobs the fledgling agency had to offer. Radio operators you fervently pray that it will not be hit.
rarely survived for more than a few months when operating in enemy
controlled territory. German counter-intelligence really had it out for If asked about the danger with all the fuel, Huxley will say,
them. When you transmitted you often had, at most, 30 minutes until the
enemy would arrive at your doorstep, especially in the occupied cities “Don’t worry, when we should be hitting Crete the old girl here
like Paris, Prague or Warsaw, and it was even more risky in the German will almost be empty anyhow. There will be barely enough left to
heartland. Radio operators were highly trained in Morse and used secret get to Cairo. Actually, the outer tanks will be used up first and may
cyphers. Short bursts of messages were usually the most they would do. provide us with some extra protection against strafing hits.”
This is also especially important for the party. It will be very hard for
30

Give the party some 10 minutes or so to discuss during the flight. You Level of Experience: 2nd (01-60%), 3rd (61-80%) or 4th (81-00%). Bonus-
can give them more time, of course, the flight is long enough after all, es below are for 2nd level characters. Add one level for ranking officers.
but any more than that usually takes away the pressure. The plane has a Bonuses: Typical Soldier: 4 attacks, +3 parry/dodge, +3 to pull punch,
cruise speed of about 115 miles an hour (184 km). The flight to Gibraltar +2 to roll with impact, +1 to strike with guns.
will take about 11 hours. The second leg will take c. 18 hours, with a Typical Sergeant: 5 attacks, +3 parry/dodge, +2 to pull punch, +2 to roll
touch down for refueling somewhere in the Sahara Desert on a small for- with impact, +2 strike, +2 disarm, 1D6 punch, +1 to strike with guns.
mer RAF airport now tended by Bedouins faithful to the British Empire. Equipment: Each group will have a Schützenpanzer halftrack (see be-
Well, at least that is what the plan was... low). The soldiers will be equipped per group with: 2 MG 42 ma-
Check if the party tries to sleep. chine-guns (damage: 1D8x10+5 per 10-round burst, 1D4x10+5 per
3-round burst; can only make bursts; caliber: 7.92x57mm Mauser;
A Note on Sleep Deprivation range: 6,000 feet (1,829 m), 11,500 feet (3,505 m) with tripod and
telescopic sight; weight: 25.6 pounds (11.6 kg); notes: machine-guns
Whoever has not slept at least 6 hours per night will be at -1 on strike/ are not made for close combat and not suitable to be shot from the hip
parry/dodge until one night’s full rest (6+ hours). Soldiers quickly learn but always from a resting position; man-portable; named “Hitler’s
to sleep whenever they can, as much as they can! Use the same rule for buzzsaw” by the Allies). 4 MP 40 submachine-guns (damage: 3D6
any of the following nights; the sleep deprivation penalties stack! Should per 3-round burst, 5D6 per 5-round burst; caliber 9x19mm parabel-
the party not sleep at all for more than 36 hours, they count as stunned lum; range 600 feet (183 m); 32-round magazine; burst fire only).
(reduce attacks per melee to one and no combat bonuses until they have 6 Karabiner 98 kurz bolt-action service rifle (damage: 5D6; caliber
slept for 6+ hours), after 48 hours of no sleep let them save vs insanity 7.92x57mm Mauser; range 1,500 feet (457 m), double range with
every 1D6 hours or they will fall asleep where they sit, stand or lie. I telescopic sight; 5-round stripper clip, internal magazine); the NCO
have chosen save versus insanity as at that time the only thing that would will also have a side arm Luger P08 semi-automatic pistol (damage:
keep them upright is their determination and mental grit, i.e. M.E., as 3D6; caliber 9x19mm parabellum; 8-round detachable box magazine
they would be beyond physical exhaustion. Obviously, there will be no or 32-round detachable drum; range 150 feet (45.7 m).
roll on the insanity table as well. Not because of this, at least. Description and Disposition: The Africa Corps wears the German
tropical uniforms – you will have seen them many times over, for
example in Raiders of the Lost Ark. The German soldiers are a Pan-
Shoot-Out in the Sahara zergrenadier unit, experienced veterans, and part of the 21st Panzer
Division, formed out of the 5th Light Division (active since 1937).
(Optional Encounter) The Africa Corps was the German expeditionary force in North Af-
rica under the command of lieutenant general (his rank at the time)
If you do not run this as a one evening game, the party could run Erwin Rommel; the motto of the Africa Corps was “Chivalrous in
into a fight between a German Afrika Korps patrol and a raiding party War, Vigilant for Peace.” Its aim was to save the Italian troops from
of Bedouins. It is a British airstrip. The British forces have withdrawn. destruction by the British and Commonwealth forces and, probably,
The Bedouins decided they have no chance to hold the airstrip against also to gain control over oil in a long-term strategy.
the Germans so they want, at least, to “save” the kerosene (perhaps even Schützenpanzerwagen Sd.Kfz. 251 (halftrack): A.R.: 15,
selling it to their friends, the British). The German soldiers are a regular Weight: 7.4 tonnes, Length: 19 feet (5.8 m), Max. Speed: 32.6 mph
patrol sent to retrieve the kerosene and to destroy the airstrip. It is too (52.5 km/h), Max. Range: 199 miles (320 km) on roads, 112 miles
insignificant to hold, the Germans cannot spare the troops to hold it any- (180 km) off-road. Stops anything under a 0.5 caliber machine-gun
way, but they cannot leave it behind their lines. round. Underside is vulnerable to mines. S.D.C. by Location: Main
The plane has no choice but to touch down as the fuel is almost empty. Body: 700, Tracks: 150 each. Typical Armament: 2 MG 42 ma-
It needs to refuel badly! It is your G.M. choice what the situation on the chine-guns (stats for the guns, see above). Notes: A Schützenpanzer
ground is when the plane lands. The Germans may already have vanquished is a well-armored transport vehicle for motorized infantry. It is one of
the Bedouins, the Germans may not have arrived yet but the Bedouins are the iconic Wehrmacht vehicles; you will have seen it in movies like
already happily “collecting things,” or maybe the plane touches down in the Indiana Jones. The passenger compartment is open or covered with
middle of a firefight between the two small forces. Take your pick! a canvas like a light truck. The vehicle provides full cover to those
The encounter should not be made too difficult – some lucky hits by inside as long as they duck behind the armored sidewall. The tracks
the Bedouins could ensure that – as the adventure should go on after that. are characteristically long. The machine-gun serves to provide sup-
Make it exciting, though, with bullets ripping into the plane, the pilot pressive fire when the light or heavy rifle squad dismounts.
having to roll a flight skill check to land safely, etc. Make it memorable!
Mind, the plane has Italian markings! This may be good or bad for the
Bedouins (encounter)
party. The Bedouins may think they are the enemy before they identify
themselves as British. The Germans may think they are allies, which Number Appearing: 2D6+5
may give the group a chance to con its way through the encounter. Alignment: Any.
That said, the last leg of the journey will be about 9 hours. Enough Attributes: Average.
time to apply some first and second aid. S.D.C.: 20
Hit Points: 10
German Africa Corps Soldiers (encounter) Combat Skills: Hand to Hand: Basic, W.P. Sword, W.P. Rifle.
Level of Experience: 1st (1-60%), 2nd (61-90%), 3rd (91-00%). Bo-
Number Appearing: A skirmish patrol will consist of 1-3 groups of nuses below are for 1st level characters. Add one level for a chieftain,
1D8+4 soldiers each, including a sergeant or Fahnenjunker (officer who will be present in important raids.
cadet) as group leader. Bonuses: Typical Bedouin: 4 attacks, +2 to pull punch, +1 to roll with
Alignment: Any. impact, +1 to strike with rifle, +1 strike/parry with knife and sword.
Attributes: One attribute at 16 (P.S. or P.P.), P.E. 12. Equipment: Aside from their beautiful swords and curved daggers, Bed-
S.D.C.: 25 ouins will proudly use rifles if they can get them. Usually, these rifles
Hit Points: 15 will be well cared for older models, mostly from old 1st World War
Combat Skills: Hand to Hand: Expert, W.P. Automatic Pistol, W.P. army stock, bolt-action rifles (e.g.: 0.5 caliber French Lebel 1886, the
Shotgun, W.P. Rifle. 0.318 caliber German Gewehr 88, or the English Lee-Enfield). Most
31

likely, however, they will have a .303 Martini-Enfield, which was footwork) after getting medical attention and a splint. Before that, you
the gun of choice of Lawrence of Arabia’s Arab Irregulars during the will need a crutch to walk. A rifle works as a substitute for a crutch for
Arab Revolt of 1916–1918: Martini-Enfield bolt-action rifle (6D6; a short while.
5 round en-bloc clip; range 3,000 feet/914 m). They wear no armor. Special failure, rolled 01: The parachute silk tears and the character
They have horses. Melee Weapons: Khanja (curved knife) (1D6) and plummets to the ground! Roll again, if the result is a double (11, 22, 33,
scimitar (2D6). etc.), the character will crash into something soft, like a big dung heap
Description and Disposition: They wear the typical Bedouin “dress,” in the olive grove, breaking his fall and will survive but takes 1D6x10
i.e. a thob of white cotton with a kufeya held in place by an igal. damage and has quite the story to tell! Otherwise, the character dies.
The igal is made of camel wool and sometimes richly decorated. The If you do not want to even have a slight chance of death by parachute,
kufeya is a square of usually also white fabric folded into a triangle you should ignore the “01” result and treat it as “failed by 26+” result. If
with a point on each shoulder. The Bedouins are straightforward and you want the special failure but less deadly, turn the second roll so that
clear-minded people. They want to raid the airfield for the kerosene the parachutist survives the fall unless a double is rolled.
which they hope to sell to the British forces. Due to Lawrence of Ara- Unless you get a strong dispersal (or worse) with lots of failed para-
bia, they hold the English in higher esteem than anyone else, but not chuting rolls, the party will be lucky. They will land not too far away
so high that they will do this without hope of being paid. They do not from the village of Sitanos (check a map of Crete – you will quickly find
shy away from an honorable fight but they will not fight to the death Zakros on the east coast, Sitanos is a few clicks west from there), where
against the Germans (or anyone else). they are to meet the farmer contact to the Greek Resistance.
Special Information about Crete

Canopy Up Getting Caught & Imprisoned on Crete
After another 9 hours, task force Theseus is above eastern Crete and
There is a danger of being caught during this mission. Depending
has to make ready for parachuting into enemy territory.
on the situation on who catches a party member, the captured character
might be shot right away or, more likely, imprisoned. The Axis pow-
The plane has been darkened, light and noise discipline applied ers on Crete know that England may send search & rescue teams to get
for over 2 hours now. Of course, you can smoke and talk, shutters important British staff out of the island or maybe send reconnaissance
are enough, but nobody really feels like it. You may have that sink- troops. For all they know, Britannia may even prepare a bid to reconquer
ing feeling in your stomach. It is a combat jump, enough to make Crete. Any enemy soldier or agent captured is seen as a valuable source
anyone nervous. For about two hours all you hear is the constant of information and will, normally, be interrogated before being subjected
droning of the engines. Every minute now we must be over Crete. to a court martial or sent to a P.O.W. camp. There is, however, a chance
No hits so far. Seems to be going smoothly... The red light goes that the rest of the party or a motivated third party may try to rescue our
on. Huxley shouts into the hold, “GET READY! GREEN LIGHT SOE agents.
IN 5 MINUTES!” The captain gives the command to sound off
for equipment check. You check your mate’s pack whilst another Some Help: Greek Resistance and British Agents
checks yours. You would not have thought that you remember all
that, but you do. Your fingers take on a life of their own and you do The Greek Resistance is small and not organized; at the time of the
the check up just like the SOE specialists drilled into you months adventure, there are essentially several Cretans unhappy with the situa-
ago. You shout your number. “One, ok. Two, ok...” Then the light tion but there is little active resistance. As a substantial resistance has not
turns green and one by one, you jump from the plane in a neat stick. yet started, nor have the later brutal Nazi reprisals. What is there in terms
All the canopies seem to have deployed just fine. You progress of resistance are several very small groups who due to lack of radio com-
from the noise of the plane into the peculiar calm of gliding down; munication are not coordinated and in many cases not even communicat-
the only sounds come from the creaking of your parachute straps ing with each other. There is no armed resistance force. Small groups of-
and the strong propeller of the plane, which is now quickly vanish- ten consist of only a few villagers who talk more about doing something
ing into the night. The stars above you and only enemy territory than really acting on it. These groups are also extremely badly equipped.
beneath you, you grip your weapon tightly. Kostas’ group (for more, see below in The Greek Resistance Group
chapter), for example, aside from Kostas’ stupendous cudgel, has only
one pistol, an old hunting shotgun, one First World War bolt-action rifle
Flair Info: This is a good moment to play the Band of Brothers
with 13 shots, an old muzzle-loader rifle with a handful of bullets and
theme.
some knives. This is typical. However, Kostas and his wife Adelpha are
better connected than other group leaders. His brother-in-law is Geor-
Parachuting Check gios Stephanos, whose wife Afrodite is Adelpha’s sister. Georgias is in
touch with a British SOE agent, John Smith-Hughes, who landed on the
The canopies have probably all gone up just fine (check below). The
island a couple of weeks back and now tries to gather information and
standard dispersal of the stick will be 1D6x10 meters from each other.
helps to form a Cretan resistance. Georgios has an oldish radio transceiv-
Distribute the characters as you see fit having the resulting dispersal ratio
er in a secret room of his tavern in Kato Zakros, which Smith-Hughes
in mind. It is time to roll a parachute check to see how the landing will go:
uses to radio information to London. At the time of the adventure, Smith-
Made the parachuting check: Great! You land well and where you
Hughes is spying on Italian positions in Sitia, aka Easter Crete. If you see
want to land.
that the party needs support, e.g. they might be caught and imprisoned
Failed by 10 or less: You land in an olive orchard hanging from a tree
after all, you might use Smith-Hughes alone or together with Greek Re-
or in the brambles for some scratches or from a rocky cliff protrusion
sistance to bust them out of jail, etc.
dangling away (G.M. choice, make it interesting but not really danger-
ous: scratches for 1D6 S.D.C. are to be expected).
Failed by 10-25: You land dispersed from the rest of the party by Captain John Smith-Hughes, SOE Agent
1D20x100 meters. This may well (G.M. discretion; chance 25%) land Alignment: Unprincipled (Selfish).
the character in the middle of An Italian Welcome (see below)! Attributes: I.Q. 18, M.E. 18, M.A. 13, P.S. 14, P.P. 11, P.E. 16, P.B.
Failed by 26+: Your leg is hurt, it might even be broken! You will 16, Spd 12.
be able to function (-2 to Dodge, Spd -50%, -10% on skills requiring S.D.C.: 47
32

Hit Points: 37 Let them go about their business for a few minutes (real time). See
Combat Skills: Hand to Hand: Commando, W.P. Pistol, W.P. Rifle, if they hold onto noise discipline or whether they will chat or shout. It
W.P. Knife, W.P. Paired Weapons. is not a difficult task to assemble, but they have to do that, find each
Skills of Note: Automobile 82%, Boat: Sail Types 94%, Boat: Ships/ other, and help comrades entangled in trees or dispersed. Maybe they
Seamanship 69%/54%, Boxing, Combat Driving, Demolitions 82%, also think about hiding their parachutes, maybe not. You may use that
Detect Ambush 64%, Detect Concealment 59%, Disguise 59%, against them later, there are patrols after all, but let us give the party a
Escape Artist 64%, Forced March, Intelligence 60%, Interrogation chance to learn about that firsthand. Perhaps that makes them reconsider
64%, Language: English 98%, Literacy: English 96%, Language: a noisy approach in the future.
Greek 72%, Literacy: Greek 74%, Literacy: Latin 74%, Literacy: Not far from the party, underneath the plateau and near the river,
Ancient Greek 74%, Military Etiquette 69%, Paramedic 74%, Pick a small Italian mountain infantry patrol is resting. The Italian soldiers
Locks 64%, Radio: Basic 84%, Truck 84%, Undercover Ops 64%, are not afraid of anyone here, but for their comrades-in-arms of the
and Wilderness Survival 64%. German SS. The Italians have been stationed in the Zakros area for
Level of Experience: 6th a few weeks now. Greek resistance is, as yet, not causing much of a
Bonuses: 6 attacks, +4 to initiative, +2 to strike, +5 to parry/dodge, +4 problem. Commonwealth soldiers have not been seen at all. Maybe
to roll with punch, fall, impact, +3 pull punch, +1 disarm, Karate there are some, but then they would be much more occupied with sur-
punch (2D4), Karate Kick (2D6), +2 to all foot strikes, +2 automatic viving than attacking, let alone in a coordinated manner. In short, our
dodge, +1 body flip/throw, body block/tackle, backward sweep kick Italian friends are pretty relaxed. They even have some Greek wine as
(knockdown attack), +2 to save vs Horror Factor. well as a veritable picnic basket with Greek goat cheese and sausages:
Equipment: Luger P08 semi-automatic pistol (damage: 3D6; caliber la dolce vita. They are a lot merrier than a soldier on duty is supposed
9x19mm parabellum; 8-round detachable box magazine or 32-round to be at any time.
detachable drum; range 150 feet/45.7 m).
Description and Disposition: John Smith-Hughes is a portly and preco- While you get your stuff together, you seem to hear a noise.
cious 23-year-old captain working for the SOE with a signatory self- You listen closer. You cannot believe your ears but you seem to
deprecating humor, wry smile and keen intellect. One of his assets is hear someone singing Opera.
that people are easily fooled by his soft kindness and portly frame.
Smith-Hughes is a very well trained and quietly competent man with
a suave charm (charm/impress 30%). He was also a very real person, Flair Info
check out his obituary (published in The Independent; just google the
newspaper and his name). This is a moment where you may want to play an aria of your
Special Contacts: The Greek Resistance in eastern Crete; several choice. Allow me to suggest a particularly wonderful one from Verdi’s
contacts in the SOE and other services but not relevant for the Rigoletto, “La donna è mobile,” best sung by the exceptional Luciano
game Pavarotti.
If you feel the party needs further help, you may want to introduce
his contemporary, Ralph Stockbridge of the “Inter-Services Liaison 5 Italian Bersaglieri (encounter)
Department,” the then cover-name for MI6. Ralph is also a real per- Number Appearing: 1D6+2; a typical patrol consists of a group of 4-6
son and you will find information about him easily. soldiers and a sergeant.
Finally, if the party could use more firepower and you are of a
Alignment: Any (the sergeant – Luca DeLorenzo – in this encounter is
mind to supply it, they could find a group of British soldiers hiding in
Unprincipled).
the mountains, some of the few who survived the battle for Crete and
did not get off the island. Attributes: One attribute at 17 (typically, P.S., P.P. or P.E.).
S.D.C.: 30
BtS Flair Info: NPCs are a wonderful means to further the horror Hit Points: 16
feel of your adventures without having to kill a party member. NPCs can
Combat Skills: Hand to Hand: Expert, W.P. Blunt, W.P. Automatic Pis-
be used to illustrate the horrible effects of supernatural strength, tear one
tol, W.P. Shotgun, W.P. Rifle.
to pieces when the party sees it. More mysteriously, an NPC can suffer
a terrible death during the night and the party only finds the mangled Level of Experience: 1st (1-20%), 2nd (21-60%), 3rd (61-80%) or 4th
corpse (use this carefully and only when and where that makes sense (81-00%). Bonuses below are for 1st level characters. Add one level
in the context of the game; e.g. an insane Scientfic Draugur – see mon- for a ranking officer.
ster description at the end of this adventure – could pass by the party at Bonuses: Typical Soldier: +1 on initiative, +2 to pull punch, +1 to roll
night). with impact, +1 to strike and parry with bayonetted rifle (1D6).
Typical Sergeant: +2 on initiative, +3 on Perception Rolls, +2 to
roll with fall or impact, +2 to pull punch, +2 to strike and parry (any
An Italian Welcome situation), and +4 to save vs Horror Factor.
Equipment: Carcano M91/41 bolt-action rifle (6D6; 6 round inte-
The party will likely (mostly) land in an olive orchard about 2 kilo- gral magazine, loaded with an en-bloc clip, 6.5mm; range 2,000
meters away from the village of Sitanos (Lasithi Prefecture, Crete). feet/610m) and bayonet (1D6) or Beretta 1938a submachine-gun
(3D6 3-round burst, 5D6 5-round burst, 20 rounds banana clip,
The orchard is set on a flat plateau overlooking a small valley 9x19mm Parabellum, range 820 feet (250 meters); also designated
with a river to the east of the plateau. The river is winding its way Maschinenpistole 738 in German service) and bayonet (1D6); side
roughly from northwest to southeast and down the hills towards arm for NCOs and officers: Beretta M1934 .380 ACP semi-automatic
the sea, probably somewhere south of Zakros if the compass and pistol (2D6+3; 7 rounds magazine). They wear a sturdy uniform that
the map reading worked out well enough. Following the flow of provides A.R. 6 and has 10 S.D.C.
the small river upwards, you can see a steep slope where it rushes Description and Disposition: Bersaglieri (Engl. Marksman) are a
down as a waterfall. Just behind the steep slope, you are pretty proud, highly mobile and elite rifle unit, easily recognizable with the
sure you can see a couple of roofs and smoke from a chimney or black capercaillie feathers attached to their M33 Elmetto helmet or
two in the moonlight. flap hats.
33

Convey this information only if the actions of the party warrant it: Germans. Always wear uniforms, even off duty, provided they know
what “off duty” means.”
One of the Italians has jumped into the nearby river. He is “I have not been to the compound. I don’t know if any Italian has ever
bathing in the warm river rather fearlessly and carelessly sing- been there, but I have heard it is very big. When the weather is good, we
ing an aria. He is not too loud about it, but it is well audible now can see the compound from afar when patrolling on the ridge. It has an
where the party hides as he reaches a crescendo. The other four airfield, a big warehouse, and some barracks. All that is directly above
Italian soldiers are lying between some trees near the river. Two the digging site. The dig is about some ancient palace.”
are sleeping as it seems and the other two are drinking wine and If asked about anything supernatural, any Italian will laugh whole-
eating olives and bread and are laughing their heads off at the heartedly.
sight of their jolly sergeant who tries to turn this desolate part of Remember, a prisoner without hope may well lie as much as he can
Greece into an Opera stage. to damage his interrogators after his own death. For example, the inter-
rogators could be made to believe that the German garrison is some-
where else, be led to believe somewhere is safe when it is not, be given
Now, the party has various choices, I am sure, but it boils down to
wrong passwords, etc. Further, a prisoner under torture will after a while,
them either attacking the Italians or going to the village.
always say whatever he believes the torturer wants to hear. If he has
Attacking the Italians may attract attention; shooting, especially a
enough information about what the interrogators want this may lead to
prolonged firefight, definitely might get a second patrol to be sent to in-
good information. If he does not, he will invent anything in hopes that
vestigate (chance of 25% +5% per round of the firefight). The mountains
this will make the pain go away.
here do not eat up the shots but let them echo along. There is always
a chance that one of the Italians would get away to get help (no fixed
chance given, decide according to how the fight would work out). Final-
ly, even if all goes well and the Italians are killed, they do have to report
back to their base at the town of Zakros and a stronger search patrol of 12
The Greek Resistance
men will be sent out if they are not back at dawn. Mind, such a patrol is In this chapter, the party can meet the local leader of the Greek Resis-
more used to picking up sleeping patrolmen and putting them in the can tance, Kostas Tephanikos. Kostas can give the party up-to-date information
than anything else, but at least some are bound to be wary as not all trust on the Nazi encampment, and valuable information on the possible routes to
their good luck on this posting. that place. Kostas or his son Niko may also serve as a guide to the Nazi site.
Instead of going in for a fight, the party may just try to circumvent the
Italians. As they are not really keeping their ears open and eyes peeled for
any trouble, let alone enemy movement, this should be easy. Modify any
Location Description “Sitanos Village”
necessary prowl rolls by +50%. Prowl rolls can even be avoided com- Sitanos is a small village of a dozen simple farms nestled on the slope on
pletely if the party keeps more than 500 meters distance to the Italians the other side of the hill. It is in the middle of the mountains where the settle-
and merely states they are using cover; count that as an automatic success. ments are small and few and far in between. All houses have thatched roofs,
The party may also capture and interrogate one or more of the Italian some are built of clay bricks, and some are wattle and daub constructions.
soldiers. It is up to you what they get out of that and will depend on their Aside from such main buildings, each of the small farms has a goat pen, an
methods and interaction with the Italians. The chance for each of the outhouse, a small stable for the donkey(s) and to keep straw, etc.
Italians to speak very little English at all is 10%. The chances to interro- The farm of Kostas is no exception, but he is the village headman and
gate them would be better with French, Spanish, or perhaps even Latin. is comparably wealthy: he has 17 goats and 3 stout donkeys. His main
Flair Info: At a low language level or when using a different language building, not unlike the other farms, is a simple 3 room construction with
(Latin or another Roman language) to try to understand the Italian, make two bedrooms and a living room with a kitchen area. Kostas’ family con-
sure that you build in some misunderstandings and just give the party sists of his beautiful and intelligent wife Adelpha, their only son Niko,
the general gist of what they are told. A good trick to keep the party on a stubborn 13 year old, and Kostas’ mother, the acerbic and black-clad
their toes is to give a very short, general summary but to make sure they widow, Filomena. G.M. Note: Play these NPCs to the hilt. Breathe life
understand that what they were told in Italian was a lot longer. “Playing into them. Think how three-dimensional and vibrant the characters in
hard to get” with the information: There is another nice option if the Walking Dead are; the Greek resistance group are simple but very brave
party does not find a clear way of communication. Should you speak Ital- people, they deserve the same attention to detail.
ian or want to take the time to use an internet translator for the following A Note on Riding a Donkey: Maybe the party will use some of the vil-
sentences, you might simply answer in Italian. lage donkeys later in the game. Use the Horsemanship: General skill. No
This is what the Italian soldiers know about the Germans and the area: different skill from horse riding is necessary. However, donkeys can be
“The German garrison is a large SS company in the hills near Kato difficult and stubborn, thus, modify any horsemanship rolls by -10. With-
Zakros.” out horsemanship, the rider will be at the mercy of his donkey. When ner-
“There is a digging site. Some old ruins of a palace. I heard the Ger- vous or angry, donkeys tend to bray, which may alert the enemy. Use this
man commander is an archaeologist.” as a funny interlude or a risky irritant, but do not overdo it. If needed, use
“Kato Zakros is the harbor town east of the town of Zakros. Kato the stats for a mule on page 205 in PFRPG Monsters & Animals.
Zakros is roughly 20 km east of here.”
“No, we did not walk here. Our patrol is for the Sitanos – Karydi area. The Sitanos Communist Resistance Group
We have our truck parked in Karydi.”
“We have a small outpost in Karydi; 7 men are stationed there, in- Sitanos is a chance for the party to rest a little, feel among friends for
cluding us 5. We have to be back to Zakros at dawn to change with the a moment of respite, get information, a guide … and if they linger too
day shift.” long: into danger.
“There is an Italian regiment at Palekastro to the north-east. Division
headquarters is at Sitia on the northern coast.” Kostas, Sitanos Communist Resistance Group Leader
Asked about the Germans’ emblem: “You mean aside from the swas- Alignment: Unprincipled (Selfish).
tika? Well, they also wear a Minotaur’s head with crossbones under- Attributes: I.Q. 12, M.E. 17, M.A. 16, P.S. 22, P.P. 11, P.E. 17, P.B.
neath. Must be their unit.” 18, Spd 10.
“We see the Germans in town sometimes, but they are not neigh- S.D.C.: 51
borly. I think they have been forbidden to talk. Very serious people these Hit Points: 25
34

Combat Skills: Hand to Hand: Basic, W.P. Blunt, W.P. Pistol, W.P. direct, and possibly the best brain in town. Her wit, charm and beauty
Rifle, kick attack (1D8+7). allow her to charm/impress her way through almost anything (60%).
Skills of Note: Kostas is a farmer by trade. He has all the skills of the She is worried for her husband and her son, but she is as strong an
Farmer occupation from the Dead Reign® RPG, page 91-92), so he advocate of resistance as her husband, willing to lay down her life for
is no stranger to hard work (+2 P.S. special and Physical Labor skill; the freedom of Crete and world revolution. Adelpha had a very good
bonuses already calculated in above) and can deal pretty well with education; her father was the local teacher at Zakros harbor. Her plan
animals and crops. Worthy of special mention: Drive: Truck 72%, is to support the Allies now to gain credibility for the resistance group
Language: Greek 92% (he cannot read/write), Language: English and curry favor that can be later traded in for more tangible help,
62%, Jury Rig 55% (+15% when he jury rigs his own truck as he especially to arm the Cretans.
knows it in and out), Philosophy: Communism 70%, Prowl 45%, Special Contacts: See the chapter “Some Help: Greek Resistance and
Wilderness Survival 60%, Wrestling. British Agents.”
Level of Experience: 4th
Bonuses: 5 attacks, +7 damage, +2 parry/dodge, +2 pull punch, +3 roll Nikos, Teenager Dreaming to be a Greek Hero
with punch, fall or impact, +2 to strike and parry with blunt weapons;
wrestling: Body Block /Tackle (1D4+7), Pin/Incapacitate on natural Alignment: Principled (Good).
roll of 18-20, Crush Squeeze (1D4+7). Attributes: I.Q. 15, M.E. 13, M.A. 12, P.S. 13, P.P. 10, P.E. 15, P.B.
Equipment: Heavy, spiked cudgel (2D4+8 damage), Beretta M1934 13, Spd 15.
.380 ACP semi-automatic pistol (2D6+3; takes 7 rounds magazines, S.D.C.: 32
of which Kostas has three); he also has an old Ford Model A Panel Hit Points: 18
Truck (truck conversion type, built 1929, 3-speed sliding manual Combat Skills: Hand to Hand: Basic, W.P. Archery.
gear, balloon tyres, theoretical top speed: 65 mph (104 km), but usu- Skills of Note: Climb 45%/35%, Imitate Voices & Sounds 56%/50%,
ally does only half of that unless Kostas can jury rig some of its many Language: Greek 89%, Literacy: Greek 82%, Language: Ancient
issues; a pair of high quality German Zeiss binoculars Kostas won Greek 53%, Literacy: Ancient Greek 45%, Language: English 53%,
from a German officer in a backgammon game at Zakros harbor. Lore: Mythology, Hunting, Jury-Rig 30%, Prowl 32%, Wilderness
Description and Disposition: Kostas is an impressive and confident Survival 35%; he also has some general farming knowledge, espe-
man; barrel-chested, powerfully built and about 40 years of age. He cially Herding 35% but is still learning so is not good at his father’s
has black hair, sports an imposing full beard and curly long hair. His job yet.
hands are big as shovels and he looks as if he can snap a neck as an Level of Experience: 1st
after-thought; yet, he has a friendly demeanor, is soft-spoken, and a Bonuses: 4 attacks, +2 pull punch, +3 roll with punch, fall or impact;
natural leader who knows how to turn on the charm (charm/impress wrestling: Body Block /Tackle (1D4), Pin/Incapacitate on natural
40%) and gain the trust of people (trust/intimidate 40%). He looks roll of 18-20, Crush Squeeze (1D4); +1 Strike (Archery, 2 shots per
like you would have found his ancestors either fighting in a phalanx round).
or wrestling at the Olympic Games. Kostas is a communist and his Equipment: A compass, a short bow (1D6 damage, range 340 feet/104
heart does not beat the strongest for the British, but he would have m), but will be equipped with rations, etc. if he became the guide of
them in Crete at any time rather than the fascists. He will do every- the party.
thing in his power to damage the fascists. He believes that his best Description and Disposition: Nikos is Kostas’ and Adelpha’s only
course of action for now is to help the party. child, 13 years of age. His parents love him dearly. As cheeky as he
Special Contacts: See in the chapter “Some Help: Greek Resistance and may be sometimes, and he will argue wildly with his father, he will
British Agents.” be quiet immediately on one of those long looks from his mother. His
father has taught him wrestling and he loves to hunt with his bow;
still, he will insist on having a gun if he became the guide of the
Adelpha, Kostas’ Wife and Ardent Resistance Fighter party. He will also insist to be treated like a grown-up – “war makes
Alignment: Scrupulous (Good). men” as he would say. He is a brazen teenager. He believes he can
Attributes: I.Q. 17, M.E. 16, M.A. 14, P.S. 14, P.P. 16, P.E. 13, P.B. take on the world all on his own and his head is full of the stories of
22, Spd 25. the ancient Greek heroes. He has a penchant for taking crazy risks
S.D.C.: 31 and following through with harebrained plans, he thinks all will go
Hit Points: 24 heroically-well. (Note: Use this to make things a little more risky but
Combat Skills: Hand to Hand: none, W.P. Shotgun do not overdo it – he can be convinced to not do whatever he came
Skills of Note: Adelpha is a farmer by trade. She has all the skills of up with and he usually brags about his plans before acting on them.)
the Farmer occupation from Dead Reign (DR core book, p. 91-92).
Worthy of special mention: Horsemanship: General 55%/35%, Lan- Filomena, widow, Kostas’ mother
guage: Greek 94%, Literacy: Greek 89%, Language: Ancient Greek
62%, Literacy: Ancient Greek 58%, Language: English 62%, Liter- Filomena is old and frail. She does have a sharp tongue, however,
acy: English 58%, Language: German 62%, Literacy: German 58%, and while she dearly loves her family, including her daughter-in-law,
Language: Russian 62%, Literacy: Russian 58%, Lore: Mythology she loves to dish out. I give no stats as she would be utterly useless in a
48%, Philosophy: Communism 68%, Prowl 43%, Running, Swim fight but for cursing and vituperation, and perhaps some advice, which
68%. she would gladly give from the comfort of her rocking chair, which she
Level of Experience: 3rd rarely leaves these days. Conversation with her can be interesting, but
Bonuses: 2 attacks plus 3 non-combat actions per round, +2 to dodge, +1 tends to be disjointed as her mind is slowly fading. She is a proud Greek,
to parry/strike, +2 to strike with shotgun. proud of her heritage. Filomena knows a legend that “the ancient Mi-
Equipment: Medium Hunting Shotgun (4D6 damage, 8D6 when both noans, like all Greeks, were very far advanced already in ancient times
barrels are fired at once, 200 feet/61 m range, payload 2). – they were favored by the gods and some lived among them teaching
Description and Disposition: Kostas’ wife Adelpha is a dark-haired them secret knowledge.” “Which? Oh, I am old, I can barely remember
Greek beauty who does not sit by demurely when the men talk. As where my shoes are. How am I to remember all of antiquity? DO I look
her husband, she is a communist and, contrary to more traditional that old? ... What a nice hat you wear.” She also knows that Kato Zakros
mores, believes in the equality of men and women. She may have once was the site of a great temple and palace in antiquity, “a gem of this
not many fighting skills but she has a fierce pride, is outspoken, quite rich island.”
35

Konstantinos, Resistance Fighter & Goat Herder SS there as well as several scientists (white lab coats) and mechanics.
On the compound are six barracks, a big warehouse and a laboratory.
Alignment: Aberrant (Evil). No Cretan has ever been on the compound … or, at least, none they
Attributes: I.Q. 10, M.E. 9, M.A. 10, P.S. 19, P.P. 16, P.E. 16, P.B. 14, could talk to has left. It is guarded by a high fence topped with barbed
Spd 18. wire and two watchtowers manned with machine-guns and search-
S.D.C.: 55 lights. The Cretan resistance group has no idea what the scientists do
Hit Points: 31 there, but sometimes screams can be heard from the laboratory. The
Combat Skills: Hand to Hand: Expert, W.P. Blunt, W.P. Black-Powder mechanics work in the warehouse and there are regular truck deliver-
Weapons, W.P. Rifle, Boxing, “Karate” Punch (2D4+4); Wrestling: ies from Zakros harbor when German supply ships bring boxes. The
Body Block/Tackle (1D4+4), Pin/Incapacitate on Natural roll of 18- boxes have various sizes; some are so big that each truck can carry
20, Crush/Squeeze (1D4+4). only one box. A few days ago they saw a strange plane race through
Skills of Note: Language: Greek 91%, Prowl 40%. the clouds over the mountains. Visibility was not good and the plane
Level of Experience: 3rd was extremely fast, they only saw a blurred black shape and the air-
Bonuses: 5 attacks; +6 parry/dodge, +3 to strike, +4 damage, +2 to disarm, craft’s lights.
+4 to pull punch, +2 to roll with punch, fall or impact, +1 to strike and
parry with bayonetted rifle (1D6+4), +1 to strike with the musket.
Equipment: Flintlock Musket: Misfire 10% (1-2 on D20 on the strike Guide
roll), range 100 yards (91 m), straight barrel, no rifling, caliber 0.7
Any of the resistance group can lead the party to the Nazi com-
(damage: 7D6). Use the Black-Powder Firearm and Misfire rules
pound. Choose how you think it will be best dramatically and fit your
from the Flashing Blades of Horror article in The Rifter® #79 (pages
party’s nature most. However, it is likely that Nikos will be the party’s
32-35 and 41) or the rules from Transdimensional TMNT (page 68).
guide. He knows the area extremely well and his absence will be less
Should you not have either of these books, treat a misfire as the shot
suspicious than his parents’ would be and neither Konstantinos nor
just fizzling out, i.e. the bullet does not fly or just drops to the ground
Philip speak English. However, should the party need more support
in front of the gun, and the shooter will then need 1D6 actions to
than by one NPC, feel free to throw in Kostas himself and/or Konstan-
make the weapon ready again to shoot as cleaning, reloading, prim-
tinos and Philip.
ing, etc. takes quite a while. Normally loading takes 5 actions, shoot-
ing is always 1 action.
Description and Disposition: Konstantinos is a young goat herder, un-
educated but very willing to help and knows the area like the back of
A Visit by Hungry Soldiers
his hand. When Kostas calls Kostas and Philip to his hut to discuss
what to do next and who will be the guide, Konstantinos will come (Optional Encounter)
in the Greek gendarme uniform of his grandfather, complete with an Our heroic agent-commando unit will have landed in the middle of
ancient muzzleloader. It may look worn, even ridiculous, but these the night. Thus, they will arrive at Sitanos likely in the small hours be-
are simple people with nothing but their bravery, pride and traditions fore dawn. Perhaps having in mind the stern warning of Montgomery
to face an overly powerful enemy. From the Cretan perspective, the that they should waste no time, they may decide to press on as soon as
rebel alliance had an extremely easy time against the empire. Kon- possible.
stantinos is fiercely proud and cannot wait to kill the enemy and he If the party visits Kostas but presses on, you can forget about the
does not care about the means at all. Konstantinos is a good fighter, hungry soldiers encounter. Both parties at the Open House, however,
his grandfather taught him expert hand-to-hand techniques as well as followed the advice of Kostas and his wife to stay in their house during
boxing and wrestling. He cannot read or write. the day and travel under cover of the night. Kostas will hide them in a
secret part of the cellar.
Philip, Resistance Fighter and Goat Herder If the party stays for the night and hides, they will witness a quarrel
between Kostas and Konstantinos around midnight; even if they will not
Alignment: Scrupulous (Good).
understand it unless they speak Greek, they will get the gist. The latter
Attributes: I.Q. 8, M.E. 10, M.A. 14, P.S. 9, P.P. 12, P.E. 14, P.B. 12,
insists on traveling to Karydi during the night to take his lookout post
Spd 10.
in that village. Kostas does not want that as he thinks it is too dangerous
S.D.C.: 16
now that the Brits are here, but will ultimately relent. Konstantinos will
Hit Points: 16
storm out of Kostas’ house; Kostas will tell the party what this was all
Combat Skills: Hand to Hand: None, W.P. Blunt.
about if they ask.
Skills of Note: Language: Greek 89%, Prowl 30%.
Early in the morning, around 5 am, the night patrol with the opera
Level of Experience: 1st
singer (if the patrol survived the above encounter) will knock on the
Bonuses: 1 attack and 2 non-combat melee actions.
door. They are still partially drunk and are extremely hungry. They
Equipment: Staff (1D6).
need water and want to eat some meat. They will also ask for fresh
Description and Disposition: Philip is also a young uneducated goat
wine. If the party fought the patrol but the patrol, partially or all of
herder and very willing to help, knowing the area like the back of his
them, survived that bout, the patrol will be angry, cautious, and look
hand. Philip is a soft-hearted and romantic Greek. He is devoted to
for the attackers.
Kostas and the cause. He does not care too much about Communism
This can be a very exciting moment for the party. Imagine them sit-
but, like young Nikos, is inspired by Greek heroes and legends. He
ting in their hideout in the cellar. They will hear voices from upstairs: the
is a bit simple-minded and no use as a fighter, but extremely brave.
gruff, drunken Italians and their new friend Kostas, maybe there is some
When told exactly, and in simple terms, what is needed, he will do it.
shouting, perhaps some threats. Unless the party attacked the Italians
He cannot read or write.
earlier and the Italians survived the encounter, there is no real danger as
Kostas will give them what they want to protect the party and his family.
What the Cretans know Yet, who knows how our party will act? Play this to the hilt but do not
force the party into action. This encounter serves more to provide flair,
The Nazis have a big compound on a plateau over the digging site.
and set the tone, than to be a shoot-out, but it may very well turn into
The dig is the old Minoan palace of Kato Zakros. The palace consists
one (with the same consequences as described above in the chapter An
mostly of ruins and is quite large. There is at least a full company of
Italian Welcome).
36

Messenger Stopped at Karydi blink of an eye.” We must find this! I will send any artifact I can unearth
and a fuller report to Berlin forthwith. Thank you for your permission to
A handful of miles northeast of Sitanos is the slightly bigger village do the other experiment, I will put it to the best use; it will make a formi-
of Karydi. Karydi lies at a “traffic junction” connecting Zakros and the dable present to our beloved Führer. Your obedient servant and faithful
town of Sitia. Sitia is the capital of Lassithi province and were the Italian friend, Heil Hitler! Dein Horst ...”
HQ is located. Kostas’ men are always on the lookout in the area around
Sitanos, including Karydi. Normally, they never attack anyone, but this
night it is different – Konstantinos is angry and wants to show Kostas
how valuable he is as a fighter and “man, thinking for himself”.
Konstantinos returns to Sitanos on a German Bike

in Time for Breakfast
Konstantinos shoots a German messenger biker in the woods west of
Karydi in the wee hours of morning. Konstantinos has made sure that the
messenger “disappeared” but will take the German bike as well as the
messenger’s uniform and weapons and his messenger bag back to Kos-
tas in time for breakfast. Konstantinos wants to prove to his leader how
bravely he conducted himself after all! He will arrive at Sitanos shortly
after the hungry soldiers will have gone their way (if they appeared at
all). His clothing is torn and he is wounded (he fell with the motorbike a
few times before he got the hang of it).
Instead of Konstantinos carrying the messenger bag to the party, you
may decide to let the party do the work. Especially if your group is acting
with less emphasis on covert action, you could let them encounter the
German messenger rider. Maybe they ambush him, maybe they chance
upon him while he is resting. In any case, make sure that the party some-
how gets Hummelburg’s letter.
Special Feldpost
In the messenger bag are several letters. All letters are German “Feld-
post,” i.e. soldiers’ letters home to their loved ones as well as some low-
level official stuff, like supply requests, letters to inform relatives of the
passing of their son in action, etc. If the party takes the time to study the
official correspondence, they will learn that...
! The SS company has a strength of 120 men.
! A “zoo transport cage, steel-reinforced, size: elephant” has been re-
quested for delivery at the earliest.
For the best effect, use Handout 4 (Hummelburg’s letter) as pro-
! A letter to a General Baron von Hackelburg informs that one Leutnant vided here.
der Luftwaffe, named Hans von Hackelburg, died in the service of
his country while on a crucial test flight due to an explosion of the
aircraft during vertical lift off – the letter is signed by “SS-Sturmban- BtS Flair Info:
nführer Artur Emil Hartlaub, commanding.” (1) The letter was in the hands of von Hummelburg, he wrote it per-
! A lot of high-quality aircraft fuel has been requested. sonally, and he was the last owner.
(2) This is one of the many instances were Sensitive Psionics may
Even if no one of the party is able to read German, Adelpha will be come in handy. Remember, sensitive psionics may sometimes seem like
able to translate for the party. a thorn in the G.M.’s side as the party is sometimes getting high-level
Further, there is a very intriguing letter by an SS Colonel and scientist information but actually, this is an asset. The G.M. controls what exactly
named Heinrich von Hummelburg, which cannot be older than a couple the vision, dream, etc. yields and he should use this actively to increase
of days. Here is the translation: the tension and mounting feeling of horror.
“... Lieber Heinrich, I am happy and honored to be able to report that (3) If anyone in the party has Object Read and uses it, this will be a
Ahnenerbe Archaeological Expedition Minos is within reach of the most good moment to shine and for the G.M. to pass on ominous but, at least
exciting archaeological find. A find that will even surpass Schliemann’s partially, helpful information. Clairvoyance may yield a clairvoyant vi-
discovery of Troy! At long last, we will be able to prove without a shred sion or a clairvoyant flash of insight when focusing on the letter and the
of doubt the link between Aryan and Atlantean as well as the existence compound, which the party will soon visit. Precognition – Premonitions
of Atlantis. I expect to hold the first Atlantean artifact in my hands soon, about the Future will yield better results, though; this would probably
although I have to admit this will depend on the results of further experi- be a dream vision. Remember, dream visions may also occur uninten-
ments with the Minoans. The Minoan, the one I wrote about, informed us tionally and uncalled for, i.e. the G.M. can call it and pass on an eerie
of a “rainbow bridge under the water” that would lead to the “treasure precognitive dream vision of the compound or perhaps of the laboratory
chamber of the masters.” Heinrich, my friend, it is as you always said: experiments to a character with this sensitive psionic ability, even if the
“Rainbow bridge” and “masters.” If that is not perfect further evidence player did not think about using it himself! This may even lead to the
that the Nordic master race was ever present, I do not know what is. chance to use Remote Viewing later.
Aryans have ruled then and now. The circle will be complete for another (4) Knowledge is power but the right bits of knowledge work to fos-
1,000 years! The Greek also said that “the Atlanteans used a lance that ter fear or excitement. If the party uses its abilities and gets to know more
could shoot rays of sunlight capable of destroying a war chariot in the about what is really happening here, the G.M. may decide – depending
37

on what they “see” – to crank up the Proximity to the Supernatural level
to x2. After all, they are now investigating the supernatural. I recom-
mend raising the proximity multiplier to x2 before the party uses the
The Gorge of the Dead
abilities. The letter is a focal moment and this will spark their sense for Their guide will want to take the party through the Gorge of the Dead.
the supernatural. It is a long canyon starting near the village of Ano Zakros and ending right
(5) However, after 1D10x6 minutes, the Proximity to the Supernatu- at the village of Kato Zakros. Conveniently, the Italians do not go there be-
ral level will revert to x1, unless anything sparking it again happens in cause it really is a small side track inaccessible to cars and, as the Italians
the meantime. Do not let them get too used to the added I.S.P./P.P.E. as feel, not worth the effort to patrol. The gorge also ends close to and slightly
that only helps in the wrong way and would make what should be special above the German encampment and the Minoan palace digging site.
the rule. Never blunt the senses for the supernatural! The gorge is both imposing and beautiful, with steep cliffs on ei-
ther side. It has its ominous name from a burial custom of the ancient
Minoans. The Minoans used the many caves in the steep cliffs to bury
Atlanteans their dead. Getting to the caves would be difficult and dangerous (-30 to
climbing checks).
& Red Herrings BtS Flair Info:

One way to make a BtS Adventure more exciting is not to make it a (1) Upon entering the Gorge, the party members will feel uneasy,
clear-cut “go to X and kill Y.” Part of the fun horror feel is to give the especially those open to the supernatural. It is a beautiful but haunting
players just enough information that they have to speculate what they place. Raise the Proximity to the Supernatural level to x2 and keep it
will face. The human mind is an active thing, fear works in the mind: there now.
allow that to happen (in game terms only, of course). Throwing in some, (2) Upon meeting the Minoan, raise the Proximity to the Supernatu-
not too many, red herrings helps with this as well. As to the mentioned ral level temporarily – starting from seeing Bansabira and as long as the
Atlanteans, it is up to you whether the Atlantean legend is true. You can encounter lasts – to x3.
do some pretty wild and interesting things with that. You could even (3) A note on Firewalkers and the use of anything that goes flash
use Atlantean magic and artifacts from Rifts, translating them to S.D.C. or bang: Use your common sense! Things or events that can be heard
values. For example, there could be an Atlantean temple underneath the or seen from afar, such as a big fire in the gorge, might be perceived
ruins of Kato Zakros (perhaps accessible through the old well) or ac- either by a patrol in the mountains or by the guards at the Nazi com-
cessible through a cave in the Gorge of the Dead. The Atlantean temple pound. The encounters so far should have done the job to show the party
could be trapped and you could turn this into an Indiana Jonesy side- that they have to be careful. They have received ample warnings about
quest, complete with a bare escape after having grabbed an Atlantean the strength of the German compound. Not every party, however, has a
artifact. penchant for acting covertly or even in a restrained fashion. Personally,
I think not cutting them too much slack would be fair, but you probably
will want to decide to give them a last warning. Use a premonition or
Patrols during the day similar to show how the SS garrison slaughters them before you have to
(possible encounter) do it yourself. Should no one with psionic abilities be present, which is
possible if the party should be composed entirely of the Ordinary People
The party might have to dodge the day patrols on the journey. O.C.C., also very cool, use a normal dream or flash of soldierly insight!
Likewise, if the party killed the night patrol, the morning is the time If the party then still acts like they are playing a first-person shooter on
when they should have reported back at the Italian base at Zakros. If the easy difficulty... it will be on them.
night patrol is not at Zakros by 7 am at the latest, the larger of the two-
day patrols – the truck patrol – will be doubled in size and start a search
and rescue expedition. They will not immediately assume that their com-
rades have been attacked. Natural disasters or, simply, oversleeping have
Meeting a Minoan
been recent causes for patrols that were late or did not come back. There Here, the party will encounter a Scientific Draugur, in this case a
was not a single event of a serious attack from Cretans or remnants of re-created ancient Minoan scholar to be precise. For a full description of
British troops in this area. Still, the patrol will be careful and react com- this new monster, please see at the end of the adventure.
petently to any attack by the party. As sloppy as the night patrol was, the Walking down the Gorge of the Dead, which winds its way through
Italian contingent on Crete is competent. The Bersaglieri (engl. Marks- these parts of the mountains of Crete, just when they turn a corner, the
man) are a proud elite unit after all. party sees an old man in a one-way pinafore sitting on a stone. The old
In either case, during the day the party will have to dodge the Italian man looks disheveled. His long, white, curly hair is an unkempt mess,
day patrols. and his naked arms and legs are bloody with scratch marks (from the
Two patrols (see above for stats for the Bersaglieri) are about: barbed wire fence and crawling through the thorny underbrush). He is
! The larger one consists of 8 soldiers in a military truck. It is a 5-man crying softly, sobbing and moaning pitifully. Getting closer, one can see
group headed by a sergeant, plus a lieutenant and a driver – it will that he has several bite marks from dogs.
arrive in the area of Sitanos around 8 am. They are the relief force
for the night patrol with the opera singer. As said, if the night patrol Bansabira, the Minoan scholar (Scientific Draugar)
did not report back, there will be a second truck with another 7 sol- Alignment: Scrupulous (Good).
diers, i.e. 5 riflemen, 1 sergeant and 1 driver. Half of the men carry Attribute: I.Q 12, M.E. 4, M.A. 5, P.S. 23 (Supernatural), P.P. 9, P.B.
rifles, the other half submachine-guns. The NCOs and officer have 8, Spd 3.
side arms as well. Armor Rating (A.R.): None.
! The smaller patrol is a 4-men Bersaglieri bicycle unit using the off- Hit Points: 12 remaining. He is at his end and will lose 1 H.P. per min-
roads and scouting the area. They use submachine-guns. ute starting upon encountering the group. You could use an alarm
clock to count the minutes. However, if you do so, make sure that the
If the party has a chance to interrogate any of the Italian soldiers, they party knows “the game is now in real time.” This will increase the
have the same information as laid out regarding the night patrol above. sense of urgency. You can add a few real minutes if the players ask
38

out of game questions, of course, as you will, but don’t make it too him. The “easiest” way to do that will be to promise to inter him in the
long. No rest for the wicked! cave of his ancestors.
S.D.C.: 5 BtS Flair Info: If the party uses Commune with Spirits or Telepathy,
Discorporation: Upon reaching 0 H.P., will collapse into a steaming both work on Draugur, to communicate with Bansabira, the Minoan will
pulp of ooze. be mortally afraid of the party and recoil from them in horror as that is
Threat Level: x3 how von Hummelburg talked to him. It will depend on good role-playing
Horror Factor: 13 if dissolving is witnessed. then whether the party can get his trust at all – mind, he is not a trusting
Size: Human-sized. person or in a situation that makes it easy to trust strangers.
Weight: A slender old man, 130 lbs (58.5 kg). If possible, Bansabira will try to make sure that he is in the cave of his
P.P.E.: None. ancestors before he will draw his last breath. He might start to walk away
Natural Abilities: None. from the party after a minute or two of catching his breath to get there in
Vulnerabilities: As any human being. time as he feels the end is near. He realizes, though, that he will hardly
R.C.C. Skills or Equivalents (do not improve with experience): be able to make the climb up to the cave, so there is a chance he may
Speaks Minoan 98% (understand modern Greek at a level of 10%); actively want to enlist the party’s help, strangers or not – he is desperate.
can manipulate objects but is on his last tether. The cave is 82 feet (25 m) above the bottom of the gorge. The climb is
Equivalent Level of Experience: 3 dangerous (-20%) unless the party uses climbing aids which may influ-
Attacks per Melee: 3 actions (1 attack). ence the success chance for the climb positively.
Bonuses (in addition to likely attribute bonuses): None. If brought to the cave – or if you as the G.M. decide that whatever
Damage: Already too weak to cause any. else the party does will win Bansabira’s trust. Convincing him that the
Magic: None. party will fight the demons may work.
Psionics: None. When his Hit Points reach 0, Bansabira will slowly melt like so much
Note: Bansabira is a Minoan scholar, a philosopher who served at heated wax in front of the heroes’ eyes. It is a terrible sight. Describe this
the royal court of Knossos. He thinks he was called back from the after- to your heart’s content. A breathing and living human being literally melts,
life – he remembers dying – by demons who look like men but are cruel consumed from within as every molecule has a slow meltdown, and the
magic-users and speak in strange tongues. Their high priest (von Hum- victim feels every bit of it! The screams of the good scholar will fill the
melburg) spoke to him in a strange way. Bansabira does not know that gorge. If the screams are not muffled, there is a (35%) that the Nazis will
Hummelburg used Commune with Spirits, but he can describe it. The send a patrol to investigate and a separate (25%) if Italians are still out
demons seem to worship an evil form of the snake goddess. Their sym- patrolling or searching for the party that an Italian patrol will (also) inves-
bol seems to be two snakes entwined. They wear it on the sleeves of their tigate. If that happens, I suggest not to force the situation into a combat en-
tight black or white priest robes and with a red, white, and black (swas- counter, but just to let the party feel the occupying forces breathing down
tika) armband. They have tortured him and asked him many questions their necks, delaying the party’s actions. Patrols will not search the caves!
about Crete and Minos and the palace and temple of Zakros. They even
knew of the Atlanteans and their powerful weapons. Obviously, this is
all part of a battle of the gods. The demons from the underworld want to BtS Flair Info
steal the heaven fire of the Atlanteans. In spite of all the pain he had to (1) Bansabira is a very gentle and intelligent person. Like the Greek
endure, Bansabira has prayed to the Bull to give him strength and told resistance group, this is a good NPC to touch the heartstrings of the par-
them nothing. He was able to flee. The god bull has given him humon- ty. If the G.M. succeeds in that, Bansabira’s death will be even more
gous strength and he tore the metal straps from his arms and feet. Then horrible and, thus, add to the party’s motivation to end the evil on Crete.
he ripped off the arm and then the head of one of his captors. He never (2) No Horror Factor check is called for when the party meets
was a warrior, even when young, but at that moment, he had the strength Bansabira – he looks normal after all, but do not forget to let the party
of a thousand men. He threw the second demon out of the window and roll Horror Factor checks when they will see Bansabira pass. Modify this
ran away into the night. There was a metal woven fence: he ran straight roll with -1 if the party bonded with the Minoan or -2 if they bonded and
through it. He is proud of all this but now his strength is waning. He was have to hold his mouth shut or similar to muffle the pained cries of the
followed and the demons threw “magic stones that tear a hole in the air” scholar. Your description alone should haunt them for a while.
with their magic wands after him. They also sent their Hellhounds, but (3) The death of Bansabira is a good moment for a break as it is
they did not get him in the end. They were not as savvy of the area as he a good horror moment. Allow good horror moments to sink in! After
is. Having grown up in the Zakros area he went west. He ducked away Bansabira’s death, Proximity to the Supernatural will revert to x2.
into the gorge and hid his tracks in the river and then hid a while. When
they had given up the chase, he thanked the gods and walked onwards.
He only wanted to find the cave where his family, nobles of Zakros, were
buried. His time is coming, he feels it. He is happy to die and wants to
The Nazi Encampment
This is the description of the compound of the SS at Kato Zakros.
meet his ancestors and family in the afterlife. If only he could get to his
family cave, he would be the happiest man in the world.
The language that the ancient Minoans spoke is about 1,000 years General Location Description
removed from Ancient Greek. Nobody knows whether there even are The compound is large, about the size of three football fields. It con-
some words that are similar. For the purposes of the game, however, tains three large, corrugated galvanized iron (often abbreviated “CGI” or
we will assume that there is some rudimentary overlap with Ancient called “wriggly tin” in UK military slang) barracks, one for each platoon
Greek. Either one of the characters speaks it or their guide might try of the SS Company, one headquarters building with a mess hall, offices
to translate (if he knows Ancient Greek, which will depend on which and five bedrooms for the officers and scientific staff, a large warehouse-
of the Greek resistance group is with them at the time). Using Ancient like structure (actually: the hangar) as well as a small laboratory complex
Greek for understanding or speaking Minoan will be prone to misun- of three smaller interlaced buildings (lab area, laboratory staff rooms,
derstandings and top-level information only. Leave parts out, make holding area). The encampment is guarded by two towers with search-
some mistakes. This will add to the game. Notwithstanding, this is the lights and a machine-gun each. Each tower is constantly manned by two
chance for the party to get at least some of the above information if soldiers. The compound is patrolled by 2-man teams with one German
they handle themselves well. Bansabira cannot be coerced into giving Shepherd guard dog; when not on patrol the guards are in the guardhouse
information, but he will volunteer it if the party somehow befriends at the main gate which has a full detail of 7 men and two dogs.
39

German Waffen-SS Soldiers Natural Abilities: Nightvision 30 feet (9 m), Prowl 45%, track by smell
80%, Swimming 65%, can leap 4 feet (1.2 m) high and 6 feet (1.8 m)
Compound Guard; SS-Sonderkommando Minos, long, and like most canines, can perform a leaping pounce.
detachment of 3rd SS Armored Division Speed: 50 (35 mph/56), and maximum speed is 55 (37.5 mph/60 km).
Number Appearing: 120 available on site, number appearing will de- Behavior: These dogs are used as guardians and protectors as well as
pend on the situation. companions. German shepherds, as all shepherds, are anything but
Alignment: Any. dumb – play them with some canine cunning!
Attributes: P.S., P.P., P.E. all 16 (elite unit). Note: The guard dogs on the compound are all German shepherds. They
S.D.C.: 40 are well trained and tough; use the stats in brackets.
Hit Points: 20
Combat Skills: Hand to Hand: Expert, W.P. Rifle, W.P. Submachine-
Gun, Boxing.
The Laboratory
Level of Experience: 2nd (01-60%), 3rd (61-80%) or 4th (81-00%). The laboratory has the following rooms:
Bonuses below are for 2nd level characters, sergeants are 3rd level or Interrogation room 1 with a metal slab in the center and equipped to
higher. Add one level to ranking officers. double for forensic medicine examination. The subject can be bound to
Bonuses: Typical Soldier (2nd level): 5 attacks, +3 parry/dodge, +3 to the table, there are metal clasps for head, arms and legs.
pull punch, +2 to roll with impact, +1 to strike with guns. A large vat with a thick, slightly luminous, greyish ooze – squirming
Typical Sergeant (3rd level): 6 attacks, +3 parry/dodge, +2 to pull like a can of worms and bubbling sickly as if it had a life of its own – is
punch, +2 to roll with impact, +2 strike, +2 disarm, 1D6 punch, +2 on one side of the examination table. Thick rubber tubes are affixed to
to strike with guns. the vat and, when not in use, are coiled up neatly over a metal hose hang-
Equipment: The soldiers will be equipped per group of 10 with: 2 MG er and shut with rubber caps. When the caps are opened, the observer
42 machine-guns (damage: 1D8x10+5 per 10-round burst, 1D4x10+5 will see that the rubber tubes end in thick needles. Another rubber tube
per 3-round burst; can only make bursts; caliber: 7.92x57mm Maus- leads from the vat to a weird gramophone-like construction. Mystical
er; range: 6,000 feet (1,829 m), 11,500 feet (3,505 m) with tripod and symbols are inscribed on the cone of the gramophone. The vat is cold to
telescopic sight; weight: 25.6 pounds (11.5 kg); notes: machine-guns the touch and closed with a thick glass cover plate.
are not made for close combat and not suitable to be shot from the hip
but always from a resting position; man-portable; named “Hitler’s
buzzsaw” by the Allies); 4 MP 40 submachine-guns (damage: 3D6
Ectoplasm Encounter
per 3-round burst, 5D6 per 5-round burst; caliber 9x19mm parabel- The ooze in the vat is half-solid ectoplasm, in a state between the
lum; range 600 feet (183 m); 32-round magazine; burst fire only); 6 vaporous and the solid form. It is held in this state by the temperature
Karabiner 98 kurz bolt-action service rifles (damage: 5D6; caliber of (and certain mystic symbols on) the vat. When the covering plate is
7.92x57mm Mauser; range 1,500 feet (457 m), double range with opened, tendrils of half-solid ectoplasm will slowly rise from the ooze
telescopic sights; 5-round stripper clip, internal magazine); the group and spread through the room. The longer the ectoplasm is out of the vat,
leader, an NCO, will also have a side arm Luger P08 semi-automatic the more will it revert to its full vaporous form, i.e. become invisible to
pistol (damage: 3D6; caliber 9x19mm parabellum; 8-round detach- those who lack psychic or supernatural abilities and means, but this will
able box magazine). take a minute or two.
Description and Disposition: The soldiers either wear the infamous
black SS uniforms or camouflage fatigues. The SS men tend to be Semi-Sentient Ectoplasm
fanatically loyal to the Third Reich and each one is prepared to do S.D.C.: 80
anything as ordered – the “anything” part being what will give most Hit Points: 5
of the men an evil alignment. Those few with neutral or even good Attacks per melee: 4
alignment might show mercy or be conflicted to the point of either Bonuses: Dodge +5, Parry +1, Strike +1.
hesitating at the “right” moment or even helping the enemy, i.e. the Threat Level: x3; Supernatural Predator.
party, to some extent, although the latter is unlikely and would re- Horror Factor: 12
quire very special circumstances – it is an SS unit after all and there Vulnerabilities: 1. Not very bright.
is a war going on. However, when “good” men witness von Hummel- 2. If the gramophone is turned on, the ectoplasm will withdraw
burg’s ritual and see the Minotaur the first time or change, i.e. when into the vat like a snake-charmed snake coiling into a basket and start
the Possessing Entity takes over, they might not make their Horror to boil within 1D6 minutes. Unless the lid is closed again, contain-
Factor check. Perhaps, they will run. Perhaps, they will start shooting the ectoplasmic energy, the vat will explode within another 1D6
ing the monster. In any case, the company is very loyal to Hartlaub minutes, causing 1D6x10 psychic damage to everyone in the room.
personally. If Hartlaub orders them to do something, for example to Discorporation: Upon reaching 0 H.P., including when it explodes, it
shoot the Minotaur or arrest von Hummelburg, they will obey, espe- will dissipate without trace but leaving behind a smell of foul eggs
cially the few good men amongst their number. on anything or anyone close to it (or in the room when it explodes),
which will linger for a few days.
Guard Dogs Natural Abilities: Vapor inflicts no physical damage, but can touch, tap
Size: Body: 3-4 ½ feet (0.9 to 1.4 m); tail: 12-19 inches (30-48 cm). or pick up and carry objects weighing up to 9 ounces (255 grams).
Weight: 30-60 pounds (13.5 to 27 kg). Solid ectoplasm inflicts 1 point of damage in combat or by weapon
A.R.: Not applicable. and can carry as much as 40 lbs (18 kg) – the semi-solid tendrils
Hit Points: 3D6+4 [18] count as solid ectoplasmic limbs for these purposes. They can attack
S.D.C.: 2D6+ 10 [18] everywhere in the room (range 90 feet/27.4 m or 45 feet/13.7 m if
P.P.E.: 3D6 [12] the light is on).
Attacks per Melee: 3 Note: The ectoplasm is an entity of its own. It is not controlled by von
Damage: Bite does 2D4+2 points of damage; claws do one point of Hummelburg, but will act as if controlled by an evil mind and will
damage. behave with a devious cunning and an inherent aggression – see the
Bonuses: +3 on initiative, +4 to strike, +2 to dodge, and +3 to save vs ectoplasm description on pages 109-110 of the Beyond the Supernatu-
Horror Factor. ral™ RPG, 2nd Ed. – and use it against any human being in the room.
40

Interrogation room 2 with a dental chair and corresponding equip- Miethe-Belluzzo Flying Disc Design Zero: A.R.: 15. Capacity: Pi-
ment. The subject can be transfixed as in interrogation room 1. lot and gunner. Weight: 6 tonnes empty, 11.5 tonnes fueled up, armed
Medical lab with several workbenches and the full monty of appro- and manned. Length: 46 feet (14 m). Max. Speed: 619 mph (990 km)
priate research equipment (vials, test tubes, centrifuges, etc.). in flight, cruising speed about half that. VTOL climbing rate: 3 m/sec.
Laboratory staff room. The laboratory is sized to accommodate 3 Max. Range: 1,250 miles (2,000 km) at cruising speed, but aerial ma-
laboratory assistants, 3 orderlies and one laboratory head. Von Hummel- neuvers will reduce the range and VTOL/hovering will burn up fuel at a
burg fills the latter position, 3 SS-men work as orderlies. fast pace. Mind, the range is untested and only theoretical as there is an
Holding area with 4 cells. Each cell has a zoo-type, reinforced steel ungodly chance of Malfunction: 5% chance every 5 minutes in use. In
door with a porthole secured with bars. The locks are simple (+15% to case of a malfunction, roll D100 for 01-25%: disc malfunctions weirdly.
Picking Locks) as they were built to hold animals. The engine seems to fail then sputters to life again. Lights blink like it’s
Bathroom with 3 toilet stalls and a military walk-in shower room for Christmas. Emergency landing recommended (-15% piloting chance),
six. 26-50%: fissure occurs, disc loses fuel, which may ignite (30% chance,
Von Hummelburg’s office: A functional office with a bulky, teak- doubled if disc is under fire), 51-75%: a number of the small turbine
wood desk and leather swivel chair. In a desk drawer, there are von exhausts fail, hovering and VTOL impossible, landing will likely be a
Hummelburg’s notebooks containing detailed information in German crash (-60% on piloting skill check to land), 76-100%: the high strain
shorthand about the dig and his experiments. The party will probably from the powerful engine tears the disc apart, pilot may eject but disc
not be able to read it but it is very valuable intelligence. There is also explodes. S.D.C. by Location: Main Body: 700, Cockpit: 200, Pods:
a hefty bookshelf with German, French, and English books about ar- 150 each. Typical Armament: prototype Düsenkanone 88 (a largely
chaeology, medicine, chemistry, and the occult, including von Sterns’ recoilless, rotary-magazine, heavy caliber cannon, which fires a conven-
notes on ectoplasm and the creation of Scientific Draugur. As to the dig, tional 88mm shell at 500m/sec. The DüKa 88 looks like a gun barrel
the notebooks are full of speculations and plans only as he did not have sticking out from a cocoon-like rest, which is mounted on the underbelly
time to do much real work yet. The experiments are detailed with horrid of the disc. It weighs about 1 ton. It can be rotated 360 degrees; has a 10-
precision in a detached and cold scientific manner. shot magazine with automatic in-air reloading capacity; reloading takes
1 round; damage: 3D4x10 per shot or 1D4x100 per 3-round burst; range:
Frankenstein Moment: 492 yards/450 m). 2 MG 42 machine-guns controlled by the gunner or
pilot from the cockpit and mounted on the front of the disc (damage: 3D6
Witnessing the Creation of a Scientific Draugur per 10-round burst, 5D6 per 3-round burst; can only make bursts; cali-
ber: 7.92x57mm Mauser; range: 6,000 feet/1,829 m, 11,500 feet/3,505 m
When the party arrives at the wrong (or right, depending on perspec- with tripod and telescopic sight; weight: 25.6 pounds/11.5 kg).
tive) time, one of the lab assistants of von Hummelburg is in the middle Notes: The disc can hover, turn around swiftly on its high axis in
of the creation of a Scientific Draugur. Von Hummelburg has tasked flight and is capable of vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL). Theoreti-
his most trusted assistant, Dr. Gerd Schmid, with continuing the experi- cally, no aircraft at the time would stand a chance against this beast. It
ments, as he has to prepare for the great ritual. You can easily turn this uses a main Rene Leduc jet engine and has several secondary jet exhausts
into a highly dramatic moment, including the possibility to interrogate mounted around the circumference of the disc. These can be turned so
the assistant for further information. As a trusted underling of von Hum- that the exhaust is directed at the ground to create the VTOL capability
melburg, he will know when the ritual will happen and how making a and allow it to hover. It can hover at a height of about 130 feet (40 m).
Draugur works. You may alternatively turn this into a combat encounter Background Story for the Weird Flying Object: The Luftwaffe
if you let a crazed Scientific Draugur get unleashed, but this scene is bet- (German Air Force) started to support several projects for new air force
ter used to witness (and stop) the cruelty of the Nazi “scientists”! technologies even before the war, such as for choppers (check the Focke-
Dr. Gerd Schmid: I.Q. 18; use the stats for the German SS soldiers Wulf Fw 61 project, etc.). This intensified during the war. As legend has
above; also knows all skills befitting a medical scientist at 90%. it, one of the experimental fields started in 1941 was the development
BtS Flair Info: Imagine the party seeing a body – probably a corpse of flying saucer-style wingless aircraft and something that might have
– strapped to the slab in laboratory 1. A man in a white lab coat coldly been drones. The latter have become known as “foo fighters.” Mind, this
orders the orderlies through the process with crisp and well-studied com- belongs rather more into the field of conspiracy theories than real science
mands while making notes and checkmarks on his clipboard. The ooze or history – when you read about these “UFOs” a connection is usually
in the vat starts to boil. Ooze is pumped into the body on the slab. Like drawn to Area 51 and to some rather far-fetched technological advances
so many insects crawling under the skin, the ooze spreads out within the like anti-gravitation devices – but for the purposes of our game, we will
body. Suddenly, the body heaves. Gasping, as if air and life were unnatu- assume some “weird tech” did actually exist.
rally rammed into its throat, the body opens its mouth and screams... Roll However, it was a reality in the Third Reich that there was a lot of
with this! Make it as horrible as you imagine something dead coming to in-fighting between the various branches of government and the military,
uncanny life. Proximity to the Supernatural at x4 for this event. all vying for glory and to shine in the eyes of the dictator. One very en-
ergetic branch was the SS. The SS branched out like a kraken; the longer
The Hangar and Workshop the Third Reich lasted, the more competencies the SS claimed for itself.
Aside from the SS basically becoming an armed force beside the armed
This is another quickly erected, wriggly tin building and easily the forces, doubling all functions but for the navy, its holdings went from
largest of the structures in the compound with the size of a two-story becoming the largest mineral water producer in the Reich to maintaining
warehouse or barn, i.e. a 82 x 82 foot (25 x 25 m) base and 33 feet (10 m) various more-or-less scientific units – from the above-described Ahn-
high to the slightly slanted rooftop. It has a grey concrete floor and two enerbe to rather scrupulous “medical” units. In the SS fight for internal
huge sliding doors, each is 20 feet (6 m) high and 10 feet (3 m) wide, as dominance, it enviously looked at all projects not under its leadership
well as a normal door on one side. and tried to either take them over or to copy the efforts to be first through
The purpose of this building is not easy to discern. Were it not for the the finish line. This is exactly what’s going on here.
absence of an airstrip, one might easily conclude this is an aircraft hangar. While the Schriever-Habermohl flying saucer Luftwaffe project com-
There is, however, a large, open concrete area in front of this building. As mences at a Prague facility around the time of this adventure, the SS
choppers did not see much of any military use before 1944, an observer got into contact with an Italian engineer, a certain Professor Guiseppe
might very well hold this to be a parade ground or truck loading area. Belluzzo, a specialist on turbines and hydraulics. Belluzzo had met Dr.
The hangar is, in fact, an experimental facility. There are two strange- Richard Miethe, an air force colonel and V-Weapon engineer working
ly shaped aircraft here. for the SS, at a conference in Rome in the late 1930s. The two men had
41

stayed in contact. Belluzzo told his friend about his flying disc design. Factor/hypnosis, +2 save vs magic/curses, +3 save vs possession, +2
Miethe asked for and got SS permission to collaborate with Belluzzo. save vs mind altering drugs, +6 to Perception Rolls.
It was organized so that the first designs were shipped to Crete shortly Psionics: Sixth Sense, Medical Hypnosis, Commune with Spirits, Des-
after Crete had been captured. While dangerous, the designs might be iccation Touch, Mind Block Auto-Defense, See the Invisible, Speed
captured by the enemy after all, the Axis powers thought differently. Reading, Thought-Reading, and Total Recall.
Crete has recently been captured and quickly come to be a heavily re- Equipment: Saber (2D4+1D6+3; +4 to strike, +4 to parry, +2 to strike
inforced Axis stronghold under joint German and Italian control. If the when thrown), Luger P08 semi-automatic pistol (damage: 3D6; +5 to
UFO worked, it could be combat tested right away and perhaps yield a strike; caliber 9x19mm parabellum; 8-round detachable box maga-
glorious and immediate result, furthering SS political aims. If it did not zine; range 150 feet/45.7 m); MP 40 submachine-gun (damage: 3D6
work, the research was so far away from Berlin that the matter could be per 3-round burst, 5D6 per 5-round burst; caliber 9x19mm parabel-
swept under the rug quietly. Based on Belluzzo’s very advanced design, lum; range 600 feet (183 m); 32-round magazine; burst fire only).
Miethe and Belluzzo finished a fully working and armed test disc in mere Description and Disposition: Freiherr (baron) von Hummelburg fought in
weeks. They left the site 3 days ago to report about the result in Berlin WW1 as a cavalry officer with the rank of Rittmeister (captain); he was
and move the research to Germany. They took all drawings and notes. seriously wounded in one leg in 1917 – he has a limp to this day (hence
They left only three discs, three mechanics and one test pilot at the site also his low speed), which he calls “my little gift from ze English.” He
on Crete. The discs will be shipped away from Crete in about a week’s is 5 feet, 8 inches (173 cm) tall and wiry but thin to the point of an as-
time. For now, however, the secret yield of their collaboration is still sit- cetic’s or runner’s gauntness. His eyesight is not the best and without his
ting in the hangar: one finished, armed and fully working Belluzzo flying glasses, he sees everything blurred beyond the reach of his hands and
disc and one prior design, which may fly a bit if the pilot is very lucky beyond 15 feet (4.6 m) as if in a dense fog. Instead of glasses, he affect-
(Malfunction chance for the second disc is 50%!). edly prefers to sport a monocle. While anything but strong and quick
3 Mechanics: Use the stats for the German SS soldiers above; know anymore at 62, he is a most competent fencer and deadly with his saber.
all skills befitting an aircraft mechanic at 80%. He wears his old, white SS summer tunic – although this uniform
Hans Gebhart, the Test Pilot: Use the stats for the German SS soldiers has officially no longer been in use since 1940, but at a certain rank
above; knows all skills befitting a pilot for all kinds of aircraft at 80%. you can get away with some eccentricities – with black breeches-
type trousers, jackboots, and usually also wears his saber and a Luger
Barracks sidearm. He will only take off his saber when doing deskwork or
conducting experiments. Even though chiefly a scientist, one must
There are 6 long, wriggly-tin buildings, typical quickly built bar- never forget that he is an experienced veteran officer as well and very
racks. Each has room for two groups, i.e. 20 men. well aware that he is in a war zone.
Von Hummelburg is highly intelligent. Make sure to play him as
an utterly ruthless genius. He likes to appear avuncular, and he likes
HQ Building to smile and tell nice stories of “ze good old days before ze war” (he
The HQ building was also built out of wriggly tin. It contains a mess usually refers to the time before 1914). Even when irritated, he will
hall sized to accommodate 40 men at a time, a kitchen with 3 SS-men always stay polite if perhaps piqued. “Ve could have been friends,
as cooks, and a large office accommodating the company administration Herr Englishman, why did you have to insist on disturbing my ex-
with 2 SS-men as clerks. At the back there are 5 bedrooms for the of- periments – how callous of you.” “Vould you like a tea or perhaps
ficers and scientific staff. something stronger?” “Ve have time for a cigarette before you will
be interrogated.” “It will be painful, zat is true – must be effective,
Freiherr Professor ja – but there is no reason to be uncivilized about zis.”
He is, without question, a brilliant scientist ready to use any means
Dr. Horst-Helmut von Hummelburg necessary to break the barriers of current knowledge and paradigms.
Standartenführer (SS Colonel), Psychic Parapsychologist P.C.C. He is also a strong believer in the occult as well as a talented psychic.
He considers his psychic powers to be “merely special skills.” He
Alignment: Miscreant (Evil).
knows that the supernatural exists and plans to harness it to the cause
Attributes: I.Q. 24, M.E. 17, M.A. 16, P.S. 10, P.P. 14, P.E. 13, P.B.
of the Third Reich. He is utterly convinced that he is only “a good
12, Spd 8.
man working diligently for a righteous cause.” Notwithstanding, or
S.D.C.: 30.
perhaps because of this, he is willing to sacrifice anyone and anything
Hit Points: 16
in the name of his scientific studies and the Reich.
I.S.P.: 40
He does not draw a difference between science and the occult.
Combat Skills: Hand to Hand: Expert, W.P. Paired, Fencing, W.P.
After all, the “occult” is merely what is yet secret to us, i.e. unknown,
Sword, W.P. Pistol.
and he will see it all revealed. As he would put it; “ze old Greeks
Skills of Note: Anthropology 110%, Biology 115%, Forensics 110%,
believed zat Zeus throws ze lightning. Laughable for us now, ja? Just
Medical Doctor 125%/115%, Technical Writing 102%, Language:
so. Now we command ze lightning. It is our calling to command to-
German 118%, Literacy: German 120%, Language: English 100%,
morrow what we do not yet understand today!”
Literacy: English 110%, Language: Ancient Greek 100%, Literacy:
G.M. Tip: Use the horrible German accent of the movies!
Ancient Greek 110%, Language: Latin 100%, Literacy: Latin 110%,
Lore: Cults & Secret Societies 95%, Lore: Demons & Monsters
110%, Lore: Entities & Ghosts 110%, Lore: Magic 100%, Lore:
Magic Arcane 80%/100%, Lore: Mythology 110%, Lore: Paranor-
mal & Psionics 115%, Parapsychology 120%, Pathology 110%, Psy-
Deal with the Devil
chology 120%, Research 115%, and Sensory Equipment 110%. Professor von Hummelburg found a book to bind a demon to his will
Level of Experience: 10th years ago in a dusty old bookshop in Leipzig. He studied it deeply and
Bonuses: 6 attacks, kick attack (1D8+3), +3 to pull punch, +2 to roll learnt it by rote. He left the book – “Um Faustens Willen: Von Dämonen
with punch, fall or impact, +3 to parry/dodge, +2 strike, +3 disarm, und wie sie gebunden werden können” (By the Will of Faust: Of De-
karate kick (2D6+3), Critical Strike on a Natural 18-20, body flip/ mons and how to bind them), Leipzig 1666 – in his library at Berlin. He
throw (1D6+3), +3 damage (already calculated in with damage dice); did not want to attempt summoning a demon as that was inaccurately
needs a 12 or higher to save vs psychic attacks, +3 save vs Horror described in the treatise and he deemed it far too dangerous. Yet, he has
42

always believed that an auspicious opportunity would arise sometime, Possession (special): The ability to seize control. Potential victims
and so it did on Crete. When von Hummelburg diligently conducted his roll to save vs Possession and need a 13 or higher (plus bonuses, if
experiments, he caused indescribable pain to his victims. The Scientific any). A failed roll means the victim is possessed! Successful posses-
Draugur process of re-creation is based on making use of intense emo- sion gives the Entity complete control over the body and turns the
tions and often leads to a horrible death. The resulting P.P.E. emissions body’s P.S. into Supernatural P.S. to be used when needed.
and the highly charged emotional emanations drew a Lesser Demon, to Knows All Languages: Magically understands and speaks all lan-
be precise the Possessing Entity, from the Minoan ruins where it lingered guages at 90%. May communicate via Telepathy, but may also speak
like a hungry bear to the proverbial honey pot. using its host body and his voice.
As luck would have it, the Entity tried to possess the good professor but Also see Psionics, which may be used in energy form and while in
Hummelburg saved successfully against possession. A battle of wills en- control of a physical body.
sued – should you need it in the course of the game, use the rules on Battle Vulnerabilities: Against the Possessing Entity, mainly Exorcism and
of Wills, Maintaining Control and Subservient Creatures (Palladium Fan- psionic attacks. Against the poor soul who is possessed, any methods
tasy RPG®, pages 141-144), but note that Hummelburg does not have the suitable against a foe with a physical body are options.
protective aid of a protection circle – and the Possessing Entity reluctantly R.C.C. Skills or Equivalents (do not improve with experience): Basic
became subservient to Hummelburg. It still negotiated the condition of its Math 85%, Dance 70%, Escape Artist 60%, Find Contraband 60%,
service with Hummelburg. The German scientist offered a mighty host Gambling 70%, Gambling: Dirty Tricks 55%, I.D. Undercover Agent
body (the Minotaur) to the demon, which the demon would get in a great 50%, Land Navigation 70%, Seduction 60%, Streetwise 55%, and
ritual at midnight a few days hence, and the demon accepted. understands all languages 90%, but cannot read.
Hummelburg is extremely intelligent, considerably more intelligent Equivalent Level or Experience: 5
than the Entity. He also is well read on the subject of demons. He is Attacks per Melee: 4 physical attacks per melee round in a host body or
aware that the Entity is diabolical and malevolent and will do what it can 2 psionic attacks in physical form (4 psionic attacks in energy form).
to twist every command intentionally to cause trouble to Hummelburg or Damage: By psionics, the physical body, or weaponry.
just to spite him. This could include the Entity sending a warning mes- R.C.C. Bonuses (in addition to any attribute bonuses of the host body):
sage to a party member via Telepathy, etc. However, the Entity will do Supernatural P.S., +2 to initiative, +1 Perception Rolls, +2 to strike, +4 to
nothing that endangers either its own existence or it getting control of the parry/dodge, +2 to pull punches, +2 to roll with impact, +2 save vs mag-
juicy Minotaur host body. ic, +2 save vs psionic attacks, +10 save vs Horror Factor and is impervi-
Hummelburg clearly commanded the Entity to remain subservient to ous to possession and mind control. All apply to the physical form, too.
him when in control of the Minotaur, but what happens thereafter will Magic: None.
be interesting. It will be up to you as G.M. to decide if and how Hum- Psionics: Needs a 10 or higher to save vs psionic attack. I.S.P. base is
melburg might botch future commands, especially in the heat of battle, a mere 30, but the Possessing Entity can draw on the I.S.P. and or
should such ensue. If von Hummelburg is killed during the ritual, even P.P.E. of the host body (if applicable) or the ambient P.P.E. around
before its completion, the result of the “ritual” will not change. The ritual, it to perform psionic feats. This means it has virtually unlimited
even if Hummelburg believes otherwise, is neither necessary to cause the amounts of I.S.P. when on a ley line. P.P.E. conversion is one P.P.E.
demon to possess the Minotaur nor to extend the Minotaur’s life span. point = 4 I.S.P. points.
It is far simpler: the Entity thinks the Minotaur is an ideal and attractive Limited Psionic Powers: Empathy (at no I.S.P. cost), Death Trance
host body. However, without Hummelburg around, the demon-Minotaur (1), Empathic Transmission (6; described on page 174 PFRPG), Bio-
would wreak absolute havoc and show no restraint. Interestingly, in such Manipulation / The Evil Eye (10; described on page 172 PFRPG),
a case – as happened at the Open House games – the demon will be free Impervious to Fire (4), Levitation (varies), Mind Block (4), Sixth
to do what it wills, including attacking the German SS soldiers. Sense (2), See the Invisible (4), Telekinesis (varies), and Telepathy
(4). Equal to the Entity’s level of experience.
Possessing Entity Enemies: None per se but hates humans and all beings who are good
and/or attractive.
Alignment: Diabolical (Evil).
Allies: None per se, typically a loner.
Attributes: Not applicable to the Entity in energy form; extremely in-
Habitat: Anywhere. Rare.
telligent with an I.Q. of 18. Invisible in its natural state, intangible
in energy form with a speed of 50 (35 mph/56 km). Otherwise has
the physical attributes of the host body it controls – though not the Artur Emil Hartlaub
skills or memory of that individual. Its control of the body gives it Sturmbannführer (SS Major) and commanding officer of
Supernatural P.S. special command Minos, Ordinary Person O.C.C.
Armor Rating: Not applicable.
Hit Points: 130 for the Entity itself, Hit Points of the host body are per Alignment: Aberrant (Evil).
that individual. Attributes: I.Q. 16, M.E. 14, M.A. 20, P.S. 20, P.P. 17, P.E. 17, P.B.
S.D.C.: As per the host body. 12, Spd 30.
Discorporation: Only people who can see the invisible can see the En- S.D.C.: 51
tity, a long, smoking blackness with a hundred small legs, pincers Hit Points: 22
and tendrils, giving it a sort of ghostly centipede appearance. When Combat Skills: Hand to Hand: Expert, W.P. Pistol, W.P. Submachine-
destroyed, they simply vanish in a puff of light and wisp of black Gun, W.P. Rifle, Boxing, Fencing, W.P. Sword, and W.P. Paired
smoke. Weapons.
Threat Level: x4; Haunter and Cruel Prankster, a Lesser Demon. Skills of Note: APC & Tanks: 79%, Athletics (general), Automobile
Horror Factor: 11 89%, Body Building & Weight Lifting, Combat Driving, First Aid
P.P.E.: 3 92%, Forced March, Language: German 99%, Literacy: German
Size: About the size of a basketball when in energy form or as per host 100%, Language: English 79%, Literacy: English 87%, Language:
body. French 79%, Literacy: French 87%, Tracked Vehicles 101%, Mili-
Weight: Not applicable. tary Etiquette 82%, and Running.
Natural Abilities: Hover and fly in energy form at a speed of 35 mph Level of Experience: 9th
(56 km), its natural state is invisible and it is impervious to physical Bonuses: 7 attacks, damage +5, +3 strike, +5 to parry/dodge, +3 dis-
and energy attack. arm, +3 pull punch, +3 to roll with punch, fall or impact, kick at-
43

tack (1D8+5), karate punch, karate kick (2D6+5), Critical Strike on a ians for sport or research. A soldier should face the enemy and not the
Natural 18-20, W.P. Paired Weapons, backhand strike (1D4+5), and meek. While he would never not do his duty, “pressing other needs”
body flip/throw (1D6+5). might allow him to not protect von Hummelburg. He would gladly
Equipment: Luger P08 semi-automatic pistol (damage: 3D6; +5 to see that torturer pass.
strike; caliber 9x19mm parabellum; 8-round detachable box maga- He is highly respected by his men, even if his command style is “old
zine; range 150 feet/45.7 m). MP 40 submachine-gun (damage: 3D6 school” strict. The Major is very loyal to his men. His clear and irre-
per 3-round burst, 5D6 per 5-round burst; caliber 9x19mm parabel- sistible command voice is legendary and when he speaks calmly or pri-
lum; range 600 feet/183 m; 32-round magazine; burst fire only). Saber vately, it is clear that he always speaks honestly (trust/intimidate 60%).
(2D4+1D6+5; +8 to strike, +9 to parry, +5 to strike when thrown). SS
Knife (1D6+5; +7 to strike, +10 to parry; +7 to strike when thrown).
Bonuses above are already calculated in for the melee weapons here. Not Evil Enough?
Description and Disposition: Artur Emil Hartlaub is 6 feet, 2 inches Hartlaub is the strange example of a good and honorable man who has to
(188 cm) tall, dark haired, clean shaven, meticulously dressed in his be considered evil by association; his strict and obedient adherence to duty
crisp black uniform and always freshly shined boots, broad shoul- and the breakdown of his world in 1918/1919 led him to complicity and into
dered, and has a chiseled face with a nutcracker chin. He is well- being a part of man-made darkness. Although he perceives himself as hon-
trained and a fanatic about staying in shape as he knows out-of-shape orably “good” and Germany to be “right,” he is conflicted. If the right things
means death on the field. He always wears his sidearm and SS dag- happen, he might be led back to the “light.” This makes him an interesting
ger. He will wear the sword only on formal occasions, like the ritual. NPC and, perhaps, even an ally from an unexpected place. With the right
Major Hartlaub is a career soldier. Born in 1896, he enlisted in 1914 role-playing, who knows, maybe Hartlaub can even be “turned” to work for
and made his way up through the ranks. Although not of noble birth, the SOE. If you feel uncomfortable with this, play him as straightforward
he was sent to officer training due to his exemplary conduct as a sol- evil as you like and ignore his conflict as described herein.
dier and earning the Iron Cross when still a sergeant (Feldwebel) in
1915. He wanted to get back to the front as quickly as possible and
after receiving his commission in 1916, received his first platoon com- Too Evil?
mand, rising quickly to the rank of captain. In 1918 he received the If you feel uncomfortable with having a company of SS around in your
Ordre Pour Le Mérite for superior bravery facing the enemy while in game at all, change them to a Parachute Infantry unit and make Hartlaub a
command: he and his company took out a French battalion in a daring regular Wehrmacht officer. This would underscore his conflict with what
night raid. Hartlaub is an extremely competent and courageous officer. von Hummelburg is doing. I recommend leaving von Hummelburg to be
He is also very proud of his accomplishments. As a member or the the intentionally exaggerated evil arch-villain he is. This worked very well
Order of Merit, one of the highest-ranking medals, he is due special for the players in my various runs of this adventure.
military honors; knights of the order have to be saluted first, even by
officers outranking them and guards have to shoulder their rifles, which
normally was only reserved to directly superior commanding officers
and members of a ruling noble house. Consequently, Hartlaub refuses
“The Dig”: Ruin & Ritual
to salute von Hummelburg first and he enjoys this on a personal level. About 5 minutes’ walk down-slope from the Nazi Encampment is the
Hartlaub was heartbroken when Germany had to go through the digging site, i.e. the partially unearthed ruins of the Minoan temple and
shame of an unconditional surrender and fell into a deep depression small palace at Kato Zakros.
when Kaiser Wilhelm II abdicated; when the German army was re- It is a small site and von Hummelburg did not have much opportunity
duced to 100,000 men, he was out of a job as well and lost not only to dig up anything much yet. The structures one can see, as described in
his livelihood but the very definition of himself. Artur is a soldier the following, were above ground already when von Hummelburg ar-
through and through and cannot conceive to do anything else. With- rived only a few weeks back. Actually, “the dig” is really a cover-up for
out cash he had to leave Potsdam and lodge with his uncle in Mu- the Professor’s evil experiments and the flying disc project at this time.
nich. He soon joined the extremist Freikorps group where he found This would only change if von Hummelburg was to get confirmation
like-minded officers and listened to a certain Adolf Hitler, an eerily about his wild Atlanteans Theory and information where to dig to find
gifted orator, speaking for one of the many new political parties, Atlantean remnants. At the moment, he has nothing on that.
while drinking a beer. He joined the Nazi party as one of the first 100 There are the remains of an open temple with Greek columns and a
members “to reclaim German honor” and has been a member of the gorgeous floor tile mosaic. In front of the temple is a wide marketplace
SS since its first formation. Others with whom he joined the SS rose with a well. Opposite the temple are the ruins of a Greek amphitheater
farther than him. Artur is friends with quite a few SS Generals, as with a half-round of tired stone steps/seating, which will accommodate
they were more “in line” politically. up to 150 people.
As ruthless as the Major is as a soldier, he is a man of a strong person- If the party comes to this area before the night of the ritual, they may
al honor and will keep the Prussian officer ideal and code at all costs. At find the Minotaur chained to the walls of the temple structure in the Mi-
his heart, Hartlaub is still a loyal monarchist and would wish for nothing noan palace ruins. He will be guarded by a group of 6 vigilant SS soldiers.
better than the return of the Kaiser. It seemed an option for a long time. During the day, Professor von Hummelburg normally went about his
Hartlaub knows for sure that His Majesty had waited for the call to return Draugur-experiments and, in his spare time, speculating about the se-
until his dying day. When the Kaiser died only 1 month back, in June crets of Atlantis. Now, close to the ritual, all his work is about preparing
1941, Hartlaub’s last dream that everything could return to how it should the ritual. He has already brought the Minotaur back to life. He plans to
be was crushed. More than that, even if it is “a good war,” i.e. going wed a demon’s essence to the Minotaur’s body to extend the life span of
well, it is slowly dawning on him that the Nazis may not be the saviors of the Scientific Draugur and to make it more powerful as described. The
Germany and the more he sees, the more he detests their methods. The ritual will occur at high midnight on the 22nd June.
only thing that is left to him now is to soldier on as he always has, do Starting at 2200 on the 22nd, Hartlaub will order most of his men to
his duty, serve the Reich and win this bloody war. However, since being march to the amphitheater. Only one group of 12 soldiers will remain be-
“awarded” with this duty station a few weeks back, he heard and saw hind to guard the compound: (1) four men will man the guard towers (two
what von Hummelburg is doing. Hartlaub is appalled. each), (2) another four will patrol the area in groups of two, each with a
He does not like what von Hummelburg is doing. Hummelburg guard dog, and (3) two will stay in the guard room at the HQ building play-
and his ilk, in Hartlaub’s opinion, are murderous swine without due ing cards and, knowing the “old man,” will not be back for a while, having
regard for honor and proper soldierly conduct. One does not kill civil-
44

a few bottles of beer. Two more men are standing at attention in front of Hit Points: 75
the laboratory building, waiting for Colonel von Hummelburg. S.D.C.: 75
The men marching to the amphitheater will wear dress uniforms and Physical Appearance: Muscular, humanoid giant with dark bluish-grey
rifles at shoulder rest. About a third of them will carry torches, turning to black skin, black hair, yellow eyes and the head of a bull. The yel-
the march into a procession. They are led by Major Hartlaub, six drum- low eyes glow sickly.
mers and two flag bearers. The flag bearers carry the company ensign Discorporation: Upon reaching -30 H.P. will collapse into a steaming
and the Nazi flag. When arriving at the theater, two groups of 5 men will pulp of ooze.
each take positions on the far left and far right side of the stage. They Average Life Span: If possessed by the Possessing Entity, the demon’s
have been ordered to watch the Minotaur and shoot the beast should it ability to draw in P.P.E. from dying creatures and the surroundings
not follow von Hummelburg’s orders. Another 10 men with torches will will keep the Draugur alive, potentially for up to another 200 years
take positions on the topmost tier of the stone seats of the theater, casting (natural remaining life span); if not possessed, he will live for merely
an eerily celebratory light on the scene. The men with the flags will take another 2 days (see the rules for the New Monster: Scientific Draugur
positions in front of the stage standing at attention. The drummers drum at the end of this adventure).
during the procession. When all arrive at the amphitheater, Hartlaub or- Threat Level: x4; Supernatural Predator.
ders his men to sit. Silence will then fall on the theater. Horror Factor: 13 (14 after the ritual).
At 2330, Von Hummelburg will leave the compound, accompanied Size: 11 feet tall (3.4 m).
by the invisible Possessing Entity and his two guards to go to the temple. Weight: 800 pounds (360 kg).
Each guard carries a rifle and a satchel. The satchels were given to them by P.P.E.: 4
von Hummelburg when he left the laboratory and contain what he needs Natural Abilities: Superior physical strength and endurance, nightvi-
for the ritual – jars with blood, several candles and a ritual knife. He enjoys sion 60 feet (18.3 m; can see in total darkness), good overall vision
the walk as this is the day of his greatest accomplishment so far and the and hearing, superior sense of smell, recognize scent 22%, track by
fulfillment of a lifelong dream, and so he takes his time to go to the temple, blood scent 54%, fire and cold resistant (does half damage); Super-
arriving there at 2340. He will then communicate with the Minotaur, calm- natural P.S. if possessed by the Possessing Entity.
ing him, with Commune with Spirits. The Minotaur knows he is “ill.” Von Vulnerabilities: 1. Man-made weapons that penetrate its A.R. inflict full
Hummelburg said he would be able to heal him with a ritual. The Minotaur damage, as do magic, psionics and physical blows.
does not fully trust the little man, but he seems to be a powerful priest. So, 2. Arrogant; tends to underestimate the “puny humans.”
the beast has decided to chance the “healing.” 3. Cannot really hide well and actually has no intention of doing so.
At precisely 2350, the drummers will begin drumming with a slow and 4. Automatically gets into a berserker rage when his S.D.C. reach-
steady drumbeat. Hummelburg will arrive at the theater – again accom- es 0. Will stand and be able to keep fighting until negative P.E. (-30)
panied by his guardsmen, the Entity and, now, the Minotaur – 5 minutes Hit Points, damage +6, and strike/parry/dodge -6. A supernatural Mi-
later. The guards put the satchels down close to von Hummelburg at front notaur in a berserker rage has all the finesse of a raging bull but it is
center stage. Von Hummelburg will then show the Minotaur to stand in the a sight no character will ever forget!
middle of the stage. The drumming will rise to a roll at this point. R.C.C. Skills or Equivalents (do not improve with experience): Lan-
At midnight, the Colonel will command silence, give a respectful guage: Minoan 50% (haltingly with bullish grunts and a thunderous
bow to the four points of the compass, turn around towards the Minotaur rumble), and Climbing 60%.
and start chanting in Enochian, a language of magic, at first in a low Equivalent Level of Experience: 10
voice. He will then take the jars and other implements out of the satchel Attacks per Melee: Six attacks per melee.
and start drawing a circle around the Minotaur with his ritual knife, dip- Bonuses (including attribute bonuses): +13 damage, +3 pull punch, +2
ping it in the blood in the jars. He will also draw wards, likewise in roll with punch, fall or impact, +7 parry/dodge, +6 strike, +3 disarm,
blood. He will never cease his chant. When the circle is ready, he will Critical Strike on a Natural 18-20, +8 save vs magic/poison, +3 to
finish it by placing 8 candles on its circumference and light them. When save vs Horror Factor, and is impervious to possession if the ritual
the candles will have been lit, he will rise, spreading his arms in a sum- is successful.
moning gesture. His chanting will rise to a crescendo and with a final Damage: Claws/punch (2D6+13, if possessed 5D6+13), kick (3D6+13,
clap of his hands, the ritual will be complete. At this moment the Entity if possessed 6D6+13), head butt (3D6+13, if possessed 6D6+13),
will take possession of the Minotaur. charge with horns (2 attacks; 5D6+13, if possessed 8D6+13), also
BtS Flair Info: Characters with Lore: Magic or Lore: Magic Ar- has a 60% chance of knocking the victim of the charge down (victim
cane may recognize that he chants in Enochian, if they roll well enough loses one melee attack and initiative).
(G.M. decision), they may actually understand what he says, at least in Magic: None.
part. Enochian is a magic “angelic language,” which was revealed to Psionics: None. Needs a 15 or higher to save vs psionic attack.
the English magician Dr. Dee in the 16th Century. Von Hummelburg is Allies: None per se.
“enchanting” wards of power and drawing a “circle of protection” while Enemies: None per se.
envoking the protection of the fallen angels of hell. None of this really Habitat: Crete.
works, but von Hummelburg believes it. The only real demon is already
present and excitedly circles von Hummelburg invisibly. The Entity can-
not wait to take over the Minotaur. Characters who can See the Invisible
will witness this. See Aura will detect the Entity.
New Monsters
Well, at least the above is the planned choreography. Let’s see how
the party messes it up. Every time I played it, it was a wild ride. Enjoy Scientific Draugur
and G.M., expect the unexpected.
The Draugar (plural of Draugur) are undead from Germanic/Norse
mythology. The meaning of the word is “ghost” but it came to describe
The Minotaur the animated dead. It means something between a seaman who has died
Also Known as: The Minotaur-Wiederganger. in the water and came back as an undead and a barrow-wight. If you will,
Alignment: Diabolical (Evil). the Draugur is sometimes seen more like a wraith and sometimes as the
Attributes: I.Q. 8, M.E. 15, M.A. 11, P.S. 25, P.P. 20, P.E. 30, P.B. 10, powerful Norse version of a “zombie.” Another German term is Wie-
Spd 15. dergänger, the one-who-walks-back (from death to (un)life). Draugur
Armor Rating (A.R.): 12 (natural). are terribly resilient and supernaturally strong. The creature as described
45

herein is not the undead from mythology but a monster created by para- Scientific Draugar (stats below for human)
normal technology. Nazi scientists – Nazis always had a somewhat sick
penchant for Germanic/Norse mythology, twisting it to their ends – have Also Known As: The Pumped up Zombie, Ecto-Frankenstein and Na-
managed to use paranormal technology to – if only temporarily – raise zipulp.
the dead. For them it was logical to choose a “Nordic” name. Alignment: Any, as in life.
Scientist Dr. Ralf von Stern first found a way to recreate a body by Attribute: I.Q. 2D6, M.E. 1D6, M.A. 1D6, P.S. 3D6+6 (Supernatural),
computing a basic cell soup to form along the dictates of as little as a P.P. 2D6, P.B. 2D6, Spd 1D6.
tiny sample of DNA. So far, it has only been tried on human DNA. The Armor Rating (A.R.): None, unless armor is worn.
DNA can be quite old; it can have been embedded in another material, Hit Points: 24 H.P. per day alive remaining. (Lives 1D6-1 days; if the
such as amber, etc. As long as it is technically possible to get to a piece result of the die roll is “0,” H.P. are 12 and the creature collapses
that contains a sufficiently sized DNA sample, the body can be recreated. after 1D10 hours. A Draugur regenerates like it would have in life,
The amount available needs to be a spatula-sized sample. The chance of but every dawn the creature loses 24 H.P. If that gets it under 0, it
success for re-creating a body is: will discorporate.)
S.D.C.: 3D6+10
100% - [2% per every 100 years of age of the sample] Discorporation: Upon reaching 0 H.P. it will collapse into a steaming
For Example: Let us say that a DNA sample of a soldier of the ear- pulp of ooze.
ly 1st Century AD would have been 1,900 years old in 1940; thus, the Average Life Span: 3 days.
re-creation chance would be 100-[2x19]%, i.e. 62%. Unless the G.M. Threat Level: x2 to x3; the supernatural horror or threat is present
awards special bonuses, the limit of this technology is the recreation of more when the re-created start to dissolve (takes a couple of min-
bodies with an age of less than 5,000 years. However, we all know how utes at the end of their life span) or when they are raging insanely,
quickly technology can advance and potentially... even Dinosaurs could use x3 then.
be recreated. Horror Factor: 10 (13 if creation or dissolving is witnessed).
A Nobel Prize-worthy piece of scientific work – just imagine the pos- Size: Usually human-sized.
sibilities for research – but that is not where von Stern stopped. Von Weight: As per the body in life.
Stern was given a weird half-scientific treatise speaking of how to dis- P.P.E.: None.
till emotion into ectoplasm. At first, he dismissed the idea as nonsense Natural Abilities: As per the person in life.
and did not see the use. However, one day, after “encouragement” by Vulnerabilities: As any human being.
an occult-loving superior, he tried it out. He theorized that every emo- R.C.C. Skills or Equivalents (do not improve with experience):
tion has an occult echo and the stronger the emotion – either because it Chance to speak their mother tongue is 60%; chance to be able to
comes from multiple sources or is individually intense – the more and manipulate objects according to their former knowledge is 80%.
better the resulting ectoplasm should be. Using the available record- Those who fail have lost the knowledge to speak or use objects;
ing technology as a model, he built a weird gramophone-like construc- all skills that employ objects like W.P.s, use a screwdriver, etc.,
tion. Mystical symbols (from the treatise) are inscribed on the cone of but also balancing on a tight rope, or climbing a ladder, do not
the gramophone. The gramophone is then set up as close as possible work.
to where emotions are emitted. It then “catches” the externalized emo- Equivalent Level of Experience: As person in life -3 with a minimum
tions – screams for example – and galvanizes their echo into ectoplasm of 1.
that is pumped into a nearby vat through rubber hoses attached to the Attacks per Melee: 3 (4 if a warrior in life).
body of the machine. Von Stern observed that the ectoplasm seemed Bonuses (in addition to likely attribute bonuses): As person in life.
to have a life of its own, squirming like a can of worms and boiling Damage: As person in life.
like the primordial ooze. Maybe, he thought, ectoplasm is in fact identi- Magic: As person in life.
cal to “the” primordial ooze, and if so, perhaps it can be used to recre- Psionics: As person in life.
ate life. Out of sheer curiosity he was impelled to pump the ectoplasm Allies: None.
into a recently recreated body. Under heaves of what must have been Enemies: Nothing special.
tremendous pain, the body was rocked back into life. Its eyes opened Habitat: Nothing special.
and it gargled some first words. The monster was uncannily strong and Note: The Draugur can act like they did when in life unless they are
destroyed half the laboratory, almost killing von Stern, before it could insane. However, the recreation process only calls them back imper-
be restrained. Further experimentation, which was then immediately and fectly, i.e. skill levels will usually be lower and a few cannot speak
robustly funded – the aim was to create a cheap army of supernaturally and some have lost all ability to manipulate objects.
strong soldiers – quickly led to the current results. The recreated body,
To New Horizons:
imbued with false ectoplasmic life seems to even have some intelligence
of its own that mirrors broken shards of the knowledge the creature had
in life. Many can even speak (60%) but only in their mother tongue, most
can manipulate objects according to their former knowledge (80%) and
all will likely follow simple orders (90% per order) if the “operator” can
communicate in the language of the Draugur. The current process has
194x Eerie Company BtS
two main drawbacks: 50% of the Draugur are insane (1D4 insanities) The 20th Century was torn by war, none greater and more devastat-
and all will “die” after a period of 1D6-1 days (if the result is “0” the ing than WWII. Man dealt horrible blows to Man, but the horror of the
body will collapse after a few hours). battlefield paled in comparison to the industrial genocide created by the
The program is now down to lower funding again. It turned out that Third Reich. The free world fought for its survival against an implacable
the energy requirements were very high, thus the cost. That would not and seemingly over-mighty enemy. However, where there is darkness
have been so bad but without speeding the process up, getting the insan- there is also light. Many feats of great heroism from this struggle are
ity rate down, and achieving a higher (un)life expectancy, the results told to this day. Your players have the opportunity to add to these tales
were just not sufficiently viable for soldier mass production. Still, the in 194x Eerie Company BtS. You as G.M. have the chance to take them
program has its uses for the Nazi secret service and the historical re- back in time to the war-torn 1940s to face an evil greater than many
search program of von Hummelburg. Both Telepathy and Commune with supernatural enemies, dark secrets and ancient mysteries worthy of a
Spirits works on the Draugur. tall tale.
46

Game Flavors ! There could be ghouls on the battlefield, long-leggedy things that rise
There are many ways to play a BtS campaign in WWII and it can take from ancient graveyards and ruins.
one of the following flavors: ! Maybe there is a super soldier program after all and the players are
The Soldier Campaign: The characters are part of a unit of the thrown against it.
armed forces of an Allied force. This is, basically, a military cam- ! The weird science experiments of the Nazis may allow them to recre-
paign and you could let the players fight their way from the start of ate a dinosaur (see the Scientific Draugur above) or let loose horrors
the war up to Hitler’s “Eagles’ Nest” in the Alps. Watching Band of worthy of the island of Doctor Moreau, whose descendant could be
Brothers is a great preparation for this kind of campaign, especially a Nazi collaborator.
if you want to set the theme around an airborne unit. The flair of
this campaign will be distinctly military. Let the horror slowly creep
into this kind of game. Over time, every military unit staying in ac- A Longer War Campaign: Dilettante
tion becomes veteran, more proficient at its job, and more practically
minded: hardened. You can charge such a unit with some special Draftees turn into Veteran Soldiers
combat missions. In the war, most soldiers were draftees and sent into battle after a,
Covert Operations: There have always been irregular troops in hu- more or less, short military schooling – dilettante soldiers, if you will.
man history, but WWII saw the rise in force of what has been called If you played a longer campaign and the characters would make it past
“ungentlemanly warfare.” Britain was in extremely bad straits in the several battles and from war year to war year, these soldier-specific skills
first years of war and had every reason to fear invasion. Churchill should gradually be treated like occupational skills, i.e. professional
was first to endorse the idea to form a special force in July 1940, rather than dilettante skills. In peacetime, the route to professionalism
which became famous under the name Special Operations Executive will probably take the same time as any apprenticeship. In war, however,
(SOE) and took a leaf from Irish guerrilla tactics in the 1920s. The experience is more concentrated and, if you survive, you will become a
SOE worked in small units, sometimes operatives would work alone pro fast or perish.
and were tasked with infiltration, subversion, sabotage behind enemy
lines, assassination – such as the assassination of Reinhard Heydrich
in Prague – espionage, and building up resistance networks and local Turning Operation Minotaur
guerrilla units, such as in Crete or occupied France. Likewise, the
first British Commando units were formed in June 1940 and tasked
into a Campaign
with coastal raiding and all sorts of special operations as well as be- If you plan to turn this adventure into a whole campaign, I will rec-
ing used as assault infantry; the so-called Layforce is one of the first ommend playing the whole adventure out, especially the Welcome to
examples of such units. In 1942, Canada and the USA formed their the Army chapter. Take your time to let the players sink into the WW2
own commando unit together, the 1st Special Service Force known flavor.
as the Devil’s Brigade, and the USA set up the Office of Strategic You might even consider starting the game with a prologue, for ex-
Services (OSS) with much the same job as the SOE and a predecessor ample playing through their training. This technique worked very well
of the CIA. A campaign around commandos is close to a SOLDIER for the Curahee start of Band of Brothers – it made the characters three-
CAMPAIGN and an SOE/OSS type of action shares a bit with the dimensional and gave them roots.
ESPIONAGE CAMPAIGN. Especially for characters coming from the European theater, I
The Espionage Campaign: Think Ian Fleming and you are spot on. suggest to let them “feel” the war. Give them a motivation why they
This kind of adventure is set around all-out cloak and dagger spy activ- would join the army or a special service like the SOE. Let the charac-
ity. Ian Fleming, in fact, was a spy in British Naval Intelligence as well ters experience the Blitz attacks on London. Let one of the characters
as a Royal Marines Commando. The James Bond stories are, at least fight a dogfight over the Channel. A French character might have
to some extent, based on hands-on experience. This could also lead to seen German troops march through Paris. Trust me, the game will
a crossover between Ninjas & Superspies™ and Beyond the Super- be more intense if the characters have a real motivation from experi-
natural™. ence!
The Subversive Socialites’ Campaign: Not everyone can be a soldier That said, for an ongoing campaign it might be a cool if one of the
and not everyone remains entirely honest in a war. The Subversive So- great villains survives, either Major Hartlaub or even Professor von
cialites’ Campaign probably has some overlap with the ESPIONAGE Hummelburg. Recurring villains are always a nice touch and good mo-
CAMPAIGN. Imagine Casablanca plus the supernatural. Play it again, tivation for the party. Make sure that such villains reflect whatever
Sam! happened in the encounter (does he have additional wounds, frailties,
an insanity, etc.?); he may even actively be out for revenge against the
party.
The Supernatural in WW2 Another nice touch is ending the adventure on a cliffhanger before
You can use all the creatures in the book. You may even use the you go to a following adventure. Alternatively, an open end, like the
Old Ones from Palladium Fantasy® or Vampires from Nightbane®. boat leaves the harbor, away from Crete and slowly makes its way to
The supernatural works the same way in 194x as today. However, Cairo under the hot Mediterranean sun serves well; it gives some sense
the many conspiracy theories, especially about weird science, and of accomplishment (like “cowboy riding into sunset”) but leaves you
the evil of Nazism provides a phenomenally rich and well-prepared to turn the next page. Maybe the next adventure has something to do
era to play in. with Egyptian mythology, pyramids, a mummy or a theft from the Cairo
WW2 offers you a special background for your horrors and super- museum, and maybe all that against the backdrop of an aggressive cam-
natural events. For example: paign by Rommel.
! The group can be pitted against a horrible Nazi cult employing occult Good hunting!
weapons. FIN
! Maybe the occult has nothing to do with the Nazis per se, but is awak-
ened by the thousandfold deaths and pain caused by the war.
Note: See the back of this PDF for full size, color versions of the
handouts for this adventure!
47

48

Saving the World
...with the Secret Operative
Optional Material for Heroes Unlimited™ Specialized equipment in the form of Gadgetry also gives the Opera-
tive more definition and versatility, a customized make-your-own Gad-
By Matt Reed get system that the player and the G.M. can work together on in order to
create a virtually unlimited range of support.
He hadn’t heard of this Spook Squad before, and it grated at him. Secret Operative abilities are seen here just like with the other Spe-
Helsin reflected that it was too late for second thoughts. Rule Six: Verify cial Training rewrites, and as always, these abilities help define the char-
the Lead. And so he did, enough to know that there had to be some truth acter further in smaller ways overall, but can end up multiplying the
to their words. Upside down on a climbing harness, the operative saw effectiveness of the Operative.
his target enter from the back of the stage. He’d ascend the podium, an- These other aspects of the Operative have been adjusted and defined
nounce his candidacy for Congress, and there’d be a round of applause. in order to emphasize something the Superspy has that most of those
He’d snipe the monster posing as a civil servant, retract his line, and “powered” heroes do not: Skill. As with the Sleuth and the Stage Magi-
disappear. It was simple. Rule Two: It was never simple. He drew his cian, a game mechanic called “Skill Quality” will be referenced repeat-
rifle, and waited. The politician took the stage, and the sight was upon edly throughout this article.
him. Helsin paused again. It wasn’t right, something made his skin crawl
about this guy, but it wasn’t enough to gamble that he really was more
than your usual sort of monster. Rule Eight: You can always withdraw.
Perception, Intuition, Skill Quality, and Contested
Helsin hit the retract button on his harness. He’d pull back, research, Skills
and return if he deemed it necessary. There was always tomorrow. Playing Palladium for a number of years, my group had realized a
few things that were hard to resolve properly. One of which was that
The Secret Operative, another classic archetypal hero, has been a
a character with a 98% in Prowl was almost constantly invisible if its
staple of high-budget films since the 1960s. A character of skill, bravery,
player so wished. No matter how many guards were at the gates, no mat-
and charm that can move through social scenes, the slums, and military
ter who had a keen eye, the 98% Prowl character would be able to do
outposts with equal ease. This is a non-powered agent, armed with cus-
as he wished. There was a terribly low chance of ever noticing him. The
tom weaponry and gadgets, that is able to bring low assassins, hench-
worst that a G.M. could do is to assign a negative to Prowl. Yet those
men, and villainous organizations. For those players who enjoy high-
guards, they had no chance to notice him on their own.
risk intrigue and overcoming the odds, the Secret Operative is a perfect
The second problem was when skills were used against each other,
choice in the world of Heroes Unlimited™.
but there was no way to determine resolution. If you roll Camouflage and
The training and ability set of the Superspy isn’t as varied as the Su-
succeed, and I roll Detect Ambush and succeed, what is the resolution?
per Sleuth or the Stage Magician, for most, if not all, spies have the same
It leads to a gray area in the rules, and as such, has been defined a bit
basic training. Espionage, military skills, piloting, all with a government
further. The skill that succeeds the highest, is the victor in this example.
or corporate backer to ensure the most out of their agent. That said, there
When a character has 98% in Prowl, she is most likely exceedingly
is still a variety of ways to build a Superspy, whether one wishes to focus
confident in her ability to move quietly, and remain unseen. At this point,
on the brutally efficient hand to hand skills of Jason Bourne, subterfuge
what matters is how good the character’s opposition is. The second char-
and disguise like Ethan Hunt, or the versatility of James Bond himself.
acter would pit a skill against the Prowl roll. If the character has Ad-
However in order to reinvent the Secret Operative, certain meta prob-
vanced Hearing, he might opt to use the percentile skill listed there to
lems need to be addressed. How does a player fulfill one of the key aspects
keep his senses sharp.
of the Operative? Such to say, a Superspy almost never finds himself in a po-
This also works for contested Computer Hacking rolls, Piloting,
sition where he is completely unfamiliar. The spy is stranded in Prague? He
Gambling, and more. Of course, the G.M. can rule that something is a
was part of a mission here months ago. The spy discovers custom advanced
“simple check” therefore only requiring a basic roll on your part to suc-
weaponry? She’s trained in something similar. The spy is undergoing reen-
ceed, and ignore any opposition rolls.
try in a space shuttle? Trained, but never had the chance to do it until now.
Example: White Witch is attempting to Prowl past Eagleeye, a
Historically, the Superspy has the training to handle any situation that
henchman of the organization she’s infiltrating. White Witch rolls a 64%
presents itself. Now, one can’t just give the Secret Operative every single pi-
on Prowl. Eagleeye has Heightened Sense of Hearing, and as such, he
loting, weapon, and cultural skill in the game. While hardly game-breaking,
can generally detect most sounds within 360 feet (109.7 m). We’ll use
it would encompass almost every skill the spy could possibly learn. The
Estimate Distance of Sound for Eagleeye, which he has at 70%. He rolls
truth of the matter is that there is no way to predict exactly what a player is
that and succeeds with a 15%. White Witch beats Eagleeye’s roll, and
going to come across in a game, and as such, to represent the solution to this
so she slips past. The G.M. may have Eagleeye feel cautious, perhaps
issue, one has to also approach it from the meta viewpoint as well.
sensing a presence, and may continue to seek out White Witch, due to
The answer is one of the Superspy’s signature skills, Ubiquity, which
his mutant ability, but as for now, she is eluding him.
will be defined later. Ubiquity gives the Secret Operative a way to adjust
to his mission, twice per level. I expect several situations to arise from a
player trying to decide if he wishes to spend Ubiquity on whether or not Calculating Perception
he knows how to use the laser rifle, or hold off on that, in case he comes The average person does not have Heightened Sense of Hearing or
across the alien flying ship that he is trailing. Surveillance Systems. They have a natural skill of Perception, a skill
In addition to Ubiquity, there’s a higher focus on the stealth and sur- first drafted in the Nightbane® RPG. Everybody has Perception, though
veillance abilities of the spy, with the superskill Infiltration, which is average civilians may only have it at 5%. As a D20 roll, it is hard to use
one of the Secret Operative’s other main abilities, able to be augmented in its current state to compare against percentile rolls. I recommend tak-
further to help specialize your spy. ing the Perception bonus, and multiplying it by 10%, making it into a
49

percentile roll. A +3 to Perception becomes 30%. Be sure to add the I.Q. Ninjas and Superspies™ has a very in-depth system for vehicle chas-
bonus (using the numbers from the M.E. chart next to it). A smart Opera- es, however a revamped and simplified version is available below.
tive who has taken a few abilities can easily see his Perception start at
70% or above. However, even with a 98% in Perception, the character The Chase Meter
doesn’t automatically see everything, because the skill is still contested.
A chase is mostly about the distance between the two parties in-
In the previous example, an incompetent gate guard might have a
volved. The Getaway is the term for the party attempting to flee, and the
Perception of 15%, unless he’s geared up with optical sensors. This does
Pursuit will be used for the party attempting to catch the Getaway. The
still give the infiltrator a chance to fail. If the Superspy rolls 01-14%, the
easiest way to determine relative distance is to use the Chase Meter, a
guard still has a chance to spot her if he succeeds on Perception. It’s a
scale that abstracts the actual distance between the two parties. The G.M.
small chance, but it will never be an automatic success.
may determine the length of the Chase Meter to determine how difficult
This is where one of the hallmarks of the revised Special Training
the chase is. A short chase across a single city could use the scale of 1-10
power categories come into play. Skill Quality bonuses add to your die
roll when successful, to help give your character an extra boost to what counts, while an interstate chase over several hours could use the scale
of 1-30. When the Chase Meter lowers itself to one, then the vehicles
they’re good at, without making it impossible to fail. Power categories
involved are able to perform bumper-to-bumper combat, characters can
that may be considered very perceptive (Stage Magicians, Super Sleuths,
leap from one vehicle to another, and the Pursuit can attempt to capture
Operatives, etc.) warrant a +20% to Perception upon creation. Percep-
the Getaway by running them off the road, or otherwise boxing them
tion increases by 10% at levels 3, 9, and 15.
in. When the Chase Meter gets to its maximum, the Getaway leaves the
Example: White Witch is attempting to sneak past several guards
Pursuit in the dust, and the Chase ends for now.
with optical gear. She’s taken precautions beforehand to wear a heat-re-
ducing skin-suit, otherwise the guards’ thermal scan would immediately When starting a chase, establish the initial distance between the two
parties. If the two parties both leave at the same moment, they start at
pick her up without a roll. She rolls Prowl again, and rolls a 23%. While
one. If the Getaway managed to sneak out of a building beforehand,
not a bad roll, it is one that could be beaten fairly easily by the guards.
the G.M. might decide that the distance starts at 4. If the Getaway also
Fortunately, she has an ability that adds +10% to her Skill Quality for
Prowl. This turns her 23% success into a 33% success. hobbled the Pursuit’s vehicles to garner an extra delay, the G.M. might
choose a distance of 6.
As predicted, the nearby guards roll Perception, and succeed with
a 30%. Due to White Witch’s Skill Quality ability, her 33% beats their Overall, the concepts are simple. The more advantages you have, the
30%, and they miss spotting her for the moment. A dangerously close faster you move steps closer to your goal. The more risks you take, and
the more penalties you take, the greater the rewards if you succeed.
encounter, one that emphasizes the importance of the Secret Operative’s
extra training in the art of infiltration.
A superior form of Perception would be if the situation could call for Standard Mechanics
Detect Ambush, Detect Concealment, Surveillance Systems, or possibly - Create a Chase Meter, with a total distance equal to how long the
even Read Sensory Equipment. In some situations, you could use these chase can be, anywhere from ten to thirty steps (for a lengthy cross-
skills which may very well have a higher chance of success than a natu- country chase).
ral skill like Perception. This represents the extra training that a character - Assign the starting position for the Getaway. This abstract distance
may acquire. However, Perception works in a multitude of situations, is represented by “steps,” and explains how close the Getaway is from
such as against Pick Pockets (if using this rule, negate the 67% chance of the Pursuit.
discovery on a failure), Prowl, Camouflage, etc. - The Getaway will constantly do things to try to move to the end
number of the Chase Meter, while the Pursuit will constantly try to bring
Calculating Intuition the Chase Meter to three, where weapons fire can occur, or to one, where
car-to-car combat can occur.
Intuition is the social equivalent of Perception. While sometimes a
- If a party makes a skill roll, the Chase Meter moves one step to-
“gut skill,” it can also be the subconscious collection of subtle cues of
wards their favor.
the person you’re dealing with.
- If a party fails a skill roll, the Chase Meter moves one step towards
A superior form of Intuition is Psychology or Criminal Insight (see
their opposition’s favor. This means if the Getaway fails, and the Pursuit
Hitting the Streets in The Rifter® #81), both of which can more thor-
succeeds, the Chase Meter moves two steps towards the Pursuit (due to
oughly analyze a person’s behavior. As with Perception, Intuition uses
the Getaway’s skill failure, and the Pursuit’s skill success).
your I.Q. to determine your initial Intuition. Using the attribute chart,
- If both fail a skill roll, the Chase Meter stays where it is.
note any particular bonus for I.Q. using the M.E. chart beneath it (e.g.
- If both parties succeed, the party with the highest Skill Quality
+1 for an I.Q. of 16, up to +8 for an I.Q. of 30). Multiply the bonus by
(mentioned above), moves the Chase Meter one step towards their favor.
10%. This is your starting Intuition. Power categories that have a focus
- If either party chooses to go at Unsafe (-10%) or Reckless (-30%)
on social skills, such as Stage Magicians, Super Sleuths, Operatives, etc.,
speeds, the other party must do so as well, otherwise the Chase Meter
warrant a +20% to Intuition upon creation.
automatically moves one step towards the opposition for Unsafe, or three
Intuition helps counter such skills as Acting, Seduction, Disguise,
steps towards the opposition for Reckless.
Fast-Talking, Trust, Impress, Charm, and other social skills that are de-
- If a party does a Stunt, they get a -10% to their Piloting skill. Parties
ceptive in their nature. An intuitive character may not know for sure
may do multiple Stunts. If you succeed at the check despite the Stunt
if someone’s lying, but he can get a hunch that such is the case. Only
penalties, you move the Chase Meter one step extra towards your side
telepaths can fully understand the thoughts of another person. Intuition
per Stunt you took. If you fail at the check, you move the Chase Meter
increases by 10% at levels 3, 9, and 15.
one increment towards your opposition, no matter how many Stunts you
attempted.
The Chase Scene & Vehicular Combat
One of the hallmark abilities of spy movies is the chase scene, where Deciding Advantage
one of three things occurs. The Operative is attempting to flee the enemy, In a relative way, vehicle speed is the penultimate factor to a chase.
get to a destination before another, or chase down an opponent. Half the No matter how well you drive a city bus, a sports car will gain ground
time, the Operative is also dealing with gun-wielding foes and vehicular on you easily. Common sense is required here. If the Pursuit only has a
weaponry attempting to make his life miserable. Either way, it’s guaran- busted up VW Bug that can barely keep up with traffic, and the Getaway
teed to be a high-octane scene. has a sleek, top-end sports car, there’s not going to be a chase unless the
50

sports car is stuck in traffic with the Bug. When the chase starts, the G.M. take these same penalties to keep up with their adversary. If all parties fail,
must decide if one side has a distinct advantage or not. Having multiple there is no change in the Chase Meter. If all parties succeed, the one with the
vehicles involved, other vehicular support such as helicopters, or better highest Skill Quality moves the Chase Meter one step in their direction. The
equipped vehicles, can constitute an advantage for either side. The G.M. daring attempt gains or loses no ground, though the G.M. may feel a change
must decide which type of advantage that party has. of road condition applies now, or an unsafe/reckless situation.
- A small advantage (such as having a significantly better performance
vehicle) will allow that party to move the Chase Meter one step towards Resolving Chase Rounds
them every round, (meaning if the Pursuit has the small advantage, then
the Chase Meter lowers by one automatically when this is applied). Chase rounds resolve simultaneously between the Pursuit and the
- A significant advantage (such as having multiple vehicles spread Getaway. Initiative is only necessary when the vehicles are in weapons
out along the chase route) will allow that party to automatically gain or range of each other. The Pursuit and the Getaway both announce their in-
lose TWO steps on the Chase Meter every round. tentions, and may attempt to up the stakes on each other before they both
- An overwhelming advantage (such as the ability to coordinate traf- choose to resolve. After both parties roll, the outcome is reflected on the
fic in the city, multiple vehicles, and aerial recon all working together) Chase Meter. If the Chase Meter reaches three or less, ranged weapons
will allow that party to automatically gain or lose THREE steps on the may be used between the two parties, if the Chase Meter reaches one, the
Chase Meter every round. vehicles may engage in vehicular combat. If the Chase Meter reaches its
maximum, the Getaway wins the chase.
These advantages mean that the Chase is going to go decidedly in their Example: Fran, Mike, and the G.M. are involved in yet another car
favor unless the other party can use their wits and skills to eke out a win. chase. Fran and Mike are the Getaway, the G.M. plays the Pursuit.
G.M.: As you take off in your souped-up hot rod, you note that the ga-
Basic Movement rage doors open up on the motor pool, with three sets of lights coming on.
In its simplest form, both parties roll an opposed Piloting skill. If one Mike: Cripes. Can we tell what sort of vehicles they are?
succeeds, the Chase Meter moves one step in their direction. If both suc- G.M.: They appear to be military jeeps.
ceed, the one with the highest Skill Quality moves the Chase Meter one Fran: Okay, so we have an advantage on that, right?
step in their direction. G.M.: If there were only one you would, but there are three of them.
Not to mention other vehicles on patrol. I’m giving the Pursuit a slight
advantage.
Applying Penalties Mike: Could be worse, it could’ve been like Prague.
Every round, the Getaway and the Pursuit are considered to be in Fran: Don’t remind me. Alright, so we totally have a lead on them.
relative speed with each other. The actual speed is only important if it What are we looking at for the Chase Meter?
is deemed an “unsafe speed” on the terrain presented, by the G.M. Obvi- G.M.: You did get some precious seconds of lead time, and you’re
ously, a completely clear freeway with a straight shot to the horizon is still heading for the docks, I assume? This’ll be a 15 step Chase. I’ll set
about the safest possible terrain to work with, and both parties can open up the current distance at three. The terrain here is pretty bad as well. Are
their engines much easier here than on a dirt back road in hilly terrain. If you going to be going at unsafe speeds?
the terrain and the chase speed are both considered safe, then neither party Mike: You bet. I’m the wheelman here, time to put my skills to the
needs to roll Piloting. In situations like this, the side with an advantage test. I’m going reckless!
will slowly gain ground and resolve the chase without much need for flair. Fran: I’m buckled into my seat, I want to be clear on this.
Naturally, if one party hits the gas to unsafe speeds, the other party G.M.: Very well, that’s a penalty of 30% on your check. Do you want
must do so as well or risk losing the Chase. These penalties affect both to up the stakes any further?
parties equally. Mike: Sure, I’ll use the handbrake to slide around that hairpin turn
- If the vehicle speed is deemed unsafe for the current roads, both we saw earlier. I’ll raise the stakes by Stunting for 10%.
parties must make Piloting checks at -10%. If all parties fail, there is no Fran: The one on the cliff side?
change in the Chase Meter. If all parties succeed, the one with the highest Mike: The same. I’ve got Steel Behind the Wheel AND Combat Driv-
Skill Quality moves the Chase Meter one step in their direction. If one ing, so road environment doesn’t scare me.
party succeeds, they move the Chase Meter two steps in their direction. G.M.: Okay, so those speed penalties are halved due to that ability,
- If the vehicle speed is deemed reckless for the current roads, both and the stunt penalty is halved by Combat Driving. So be it.. 30% plus
parties must make Piloting checks at -30%. If all parties fail, there is no 10% then halved.....You’re at a negative 20% to your roll. Pursuit is not
change in the Chase Meter. If all parties succeed, the one with the highest going to take that extra penalty, they’ve got an advantage and they’re
Skill Quality moves the Chase Meter one step in their direction. If one going to lean on it. They’re rolling with just the reckless speed penalty
party succeeds, they move the Chase Meter two steps in their direction. of 30%.
Mike: Succeed with a 47%.
Upping the Stakes with Stunt Driving G.M.: Succeed with a 52%. A close round. You gain one step on the
Meter to flee due to that stunt. They gain two due to the advantage and
Outright speed is the penultimate part of the chase, but driver skill
flat-out beating your roll. The jeeps pull forward, closing the distance
and daring is what wins and loses the chase. Either party involved may
to two...
intentionally take an additional negative in increments of 10% to alter
the Chase Meter by one step in their favor. Each increment is known as a Vehicle-to-vehicle combat is unchanged.
Stunt. A driver on good roads that suddenly takes a -40% on his Piloting
roll to duck down a narrow alley, can suddenly adjust the Chase Meter Note
by four steps in their favor. This goes a long way to help counteract the
other side having an advantage, but comes with the increased risk of This method works best when the two sides are comparative, and
failing that roll. If the party attempting this maneuver fails the roll, the when common sense is used for unusual chases. A helicopter is going to
Chase Meter automatically moves one step in favor of their opposition. be able to chase a car much easier overall, unless its view is obstructed
- Either party can attempt to take a negative on their Piloting check, or the car is much faster than it. In these situations, its more standard
in increments of 10%, to adjust the Chase Meter by one step per penalty. vehicle-to-vehicle combat instead of an outright chase.
Eg: Taking -30% to Piloting and succeeding would allow you to adjust the There will naturally be times where multiple vehicles are used by one
Chase Meter by three steps in your favor. The other party may attempt to party. Players in their own vehicles act as normal, but the opposition may
instead supplant their Piloting skill with an assigned coordination skill to
51

use their assets effectively. Military Tactics is a good skill to use for this, Three Espionage or Communication skills (+15%), barring Prowl,
but if one is not currently present, the G.M. may assign a skill of 60%- Surveillance, or Tradecraft.
90% to represent the opposition’s overall tactics and communication.
Rogue Skill Program
Step One: The Usual Find Contraband (+20%)

Pick Pockets (+20%)
Seduction (+20%)
The Attributes: Determine the eight attributes as usual. However, Streetwise (+14%)
write the physical attributes down in pencil, because they will be ad- Two Rogue or Physical skills of choice (+10%; +20% for Escape
justed with bonuses from physical skills. In addition, some attributes Artist and Use/Recognize Poisons), barring Prowl.
have been increased by the Operative’s lifestyle. The lifestyle of a Secret
Operative is exceedingly demanding, and those who manage to make the
cut for it are generally superior across the board.
+1D4 to P.S. New Skills
+1D4 to P.P. (Minimum of 14)
Piloting Skill: Pilot Civilian Drone – The use of simple remotely-
+1D6 to P.E. (Minimum of 14)
guided drones has given even the normal person a chance to view sights
+1D6 to M.A. (Minimum of 16)
that were hidden away. While primarily used as recreation, the use of com-
+1D4 to M.E. (Minimum of 14)
mercially available drones also makes surveillance and reconnaissance
+2 to P.B.
Hit Points: P.E. Attribute +1D6 per level of experience. The charac- that much safer. This skill provides basic knowledge and maintenance of
all forms of simple, unarmed drones. Base Skill: 30% +5% per level.
ter also gets a one-time bonus of +2D6 to H.P.
Military Skill: Pilot Military Drone – In the ever-evolving field of
S.D.C.: Determine the character’s S.D.C. last, because it will be al-
battle, unmanned aerial vehicles have been used to reconnaiss1ance an
tered by skill bonuses. The character’s starting S.D.C. is 1D6x10+40.
area faster and cleaner than ever done on foot. Military drones may be
Additional Bonuses: +2 (or +20%) to Perception. +1 to Saving
long-range capable, high-altitude, and armed with a number of modern
Throw vs Poison. +1 to Saving Throw vs Psionics, +20% to Intuition.
weapons. Base Skill: 30% +5% per level.
Piloting (Advanced) Skill: Combat Driving – This skill replaces Of-
Step Two: fensive Driving, and supplements driving skills by helping to make the char-
acter a master of the roads when driving automobiles, jeeps, trucks, motor-
cycles, and other ground vehicles, giving a definitive advantage to him.
Education & Skills In game mechanics, skill penalties for tricks, vehicular attacks, and
evasive maneuvers are reduced by half when this character is at the
wheel, plus he is +2 to dodge when driving, +2 to roll with a crash/im-
The Secret Operative falls into the educational category of “Special
pact, can fire a weapon from a moving vehicle at only a -2 penalty, and
Training,” with an emphasis on tradecraft, covert actions, and surveil-
can even make an Aimed or “Called Shot” (at -2 to strike) while in or on
lance. The following skill selections reflect the narrow training.
a moving vehicle. This skill has no progression levels.
DO NOT roll to determine education level and skill programs. Only
Note: With Combat Driving and the “Steel Behind the Wheel” abili-
the following skill areas are available to the Operative. These skills are
ty, the operative gains additional ways to negate penalties. Combat Driv-
in addition to Infiltration and Ubiquity, below.
ing focuses mostly on vehicular combat, while Steel Behind the Wheel
focuses more on terrain and vehicular penalties.
Common & General Skill Program
Pilot Automobile (+10%)
Pilot: Two of choice (+10%; any). Superskills
Mathematics: Basic (+15%)
Speak/Write Native Language (+25%)
Speak/Write two other languages (+20%). Infiltration 70% +2% per level
Computer Operation (+20%)
The Secret Operative is the character most likely to infiltrate enemy
1D6+6 Secondary Skills.
bases, deal with roving patrols, avoid security systems, and in short, be
on their own and be expected to accomplish much in the process. As
Military Program (Special) such, the Operative is expected to have a variety of skills at his disposal
Running to ensure mission completion. As with the Super Sleuth, and the Stage
Climbing (+20%) Magician, the Secret Operative gains a superskill to help him on the job.
Military Etiquette (+20%) His superskill is called Infiltration, which covers Prowl, Surveillance
Radio: Basic (+25%) Systems, and Tradecraft, combining them all into one skill. At any time
W.P. Pistol the Operative needs to roll any of these three skills, he instead rolls Infil-
W.P. Semi- and Automatic Rifle tration. Covert reconnaissance, enemy avoidance, and years of spycraft
W.P. Energy Pistol training put before you, all at your fingertips, for use in your game. Any
W.P. Energy Rifle gadget or bonus that covers Tradecraft, Surveillance Systems, or Prowl,
Demolitions (+15%) works for Infiltration in that situation. E.g., if you have a gadget that adds
Two Military or W.P. skills of choice (+10%). +10% to Prowl, when you use Infiltration to sneak around, you may add
that +10% bonus.
Espionage Program (Basic) Characters with Infiltration may also use this skill to help them un-
derstand what they need in order to gain access to areas. An Operative
Hand to Hand: Martial Arts without Locksmith or Electrical Engineer may still glean information on
Military Intelligence (+20%) how to deal with an unusual lock. E.g., special key cards, biometrics, or
Wilderness Survival (+15%) remote identification may be needed.
52

Ubiquity Several abilities have multiple ranks to them, meaning that you can
buy the ability a second time to get the greater bonus. When applicable,
The Secret Operative’s second superskill is different than how most the next rank ability bonuses stack with what you already have. All Op-
Superskills work. It doesn’t have a percentage, nor a collection of estab- eratives start off with access to all the categories below at level one,
lished skills that it combines together. This is because Ubiquity represents except Advanced. They gain access to the Advanced category at level
one of the Operative’s best advantages: versatility. There’s no telling for three, from which they can start purchasing more advanced and powerful
an average character as to what you’ll come across in your travels. The abilities. Some abilities may mention a requirement, such as having two
superspy, however, is always the character most likely to have proficiency Wheelman abilities before you may purchase it. Having two ranks in the
in the high-tech weaponry that was discovered, or the Skee-Do that was same ability counts as having two abilities. At level one, an Operative
parked nearby. Agents never seem to be at a loss when confronted with gains six abilities to choose from among the aforementioned categories.
some item, place, or vehicle that others would consider to be unfamiliar. The player may choose to spread them out over all of the different cat-
To represent this, Ubiquity represents the means of a Secret Opera- egories, or focus on a few categories to specialize in certain areas. The
tive spontaneously learning a skill to accommodate the situation at hand, Operative gains two more abilities at levels 3, 6, 9, 12, and 15.
by retroactively declaring that the Agent has training with this topic at
hand. Ubiquity gives Operatives two “free” skills per level, that can be
claimed at any point during play, to declare that the Agent has had exten- Advanced
sive training in a subject that has only recently come up.
Ubiquity can only deliver Cultural/Domestic skills, Weapon Profi-
Brutal Interrogation
ciencies, Piloting skills, or Languages. Certain abilities selected may Requires Interrogator. You can get to the root of a confession sooner
modify this. It cannot suddenly allow a spy to know complex analytical than most.
chemistry, welding, or computer hacking, as the point of it is to allow a Rank 1: When performing an Interrogation (as per The Rifter® #81
spy access to areas they need to work within. article Hitting the Streets), on a successful roll, you deal 1D2 Mental
Example: White Witch, a level 2 Secret Operative, is stuck in Cairo. Endurance damage instead of just one.
Right now, she sticks out like a sore thumb, as that white catsuit is draw-
ing a lot of attention. She rolls Disguise to quickly modify her appearance. Clutch Shot (Assassin)
She blends in more, but as it stands she does not know any local languages,
Requires three abilities from Assassin. Your best is always better
nor anything else that might help her here. White Witch asks the G.M. if
than anyone else.
she may use Ubiquity to learn the local language, the G.M. agrees, and
Rank 1: Once a day, you may negate all penalties (such as due to
the White Witch adds the language to her sheet at full proficiency (i.e., as
injuries, blindness, foe in motion, etc.) given to a single attack with a
if she had had it since creation). She could instead have used Ubiquity to
modern weapon.
declare that she knew the card game that the locals nearby were playing
Rank 2: This ability may be used twice per day.
(Gambling), drive away in a nearby tuk-tuk (Pilot Motorcycle), or join in
with a song that another group were singing (Singing, but the G.M. might
dictate the necessity to speak the language first). With these variable skills Clutch Skills
in play, the Secret Operative gains a large amount of versatility in getting Your best is always better than anyone else.
the job done and staying under the radar. Rank 1: Twice a day, an Operative in imminent high-risk danger,
(such as needing to leap through a car spiraling towards him, or carry
Limitations on Ubiquity someone to safety on a tightrope), may choose to ignore all penalties
associated with the motion. This includes penalties from being stunned,
An Operative who intends to use Ubiquity to assist his actions must get
wounded, or blinded. After combat ends, or five minutes after using this
the G.M.’s approval to gain the selected skill. It should be noted that the Se-
ability, the character becomes fatigued (halve attacks per round, combat
cret Operative is the character archetype most likely to know how to pilot a
bonuses, and foot speed for 1D4+2 minutes).
space shuttle, a deep-sea vessel, and have a familiarity with secret high-tech
Rank 2: This ability may be used three times a day.
weaponry. All of these concepts are right up the superspy’s alley.
An Operative can only gain two skills per level in this fashion. Any
skills not gained before next level are lost, and cannot be gained later. Clutch Skills (Faceman)
Skills added with Ubiquity are calculated as if they were gained at char- Requires three abilities from Faceman. Your best is always better
acter creation. than anyone else.
As mentioned above, Ubiquity can only be used for Piloting, Cultur- Rank 1: Twice per day, when you’re in a social situation where pen-
al, Weapon Proficiencies, and Languages. All other skills must be gained alties are applied to your Fast Talking, Psychology, other social skills,
in the standard manner. or Charm/Impress, Trust/Intimidate abilities, you may opt to ignore any
penalties to a single roll.
Rank 2: This ability may be used three times a day.
Step Three: Clutch Skills (Wheelman)
Define Abilities Requires three abilities from Wheelman. Your best is always better
than anyone else.
As with the other redesigned power categories and the Ancient Rank 1: Twice per day, when you’re piloting a vehicle that you have
Weapon Master Specialist, the Secret Operative gains a pool of abilities the proper Piloting skill for, you may choose to ignore all penalties to
to help customize the character when starting out, and to help flesh out one skill roll, except to gain advantage in a chase.
the character’s training as they grow in experience. Rank 2: This ability may be used three times a day.
Abilities are useful traits to keep in mind when building a character,
to help design the sort of agent you’re wanting to focus on. Combining Deathblow
abilities with proper gadgets, and the unsurpassed ability to adapt to any Requires having the Death Blow ability from hand to hand combat.
situation with Ubiquity, the Secret Operative’s ability to deal with the Battles should be short, focused, and violent.
problems before him, have reached an all-time high. Rank 1: Your Deathblow range is increased by one.
53

Dodge Bullets Hold roll, deal damage equal to 1D4+1 per level of Secret Operative + P.S.
bonus directly to H.P. If you’re using a light weapon like a knife or gar-
You’ve spent enough time running from automatic weapons fire to rote, this damage increases from 1D4 to 2D6. You may not use this attack
know how to throw off their lead. again on this foe, nor anyone who witnessed it, for a full day.
Rank 1: Your penalty to dodge bullets is reduced by two points.
Rank 2: Your penalty to dodge bullets is reduced by an additional
two points.
Solid Takedown
Requires Takedown. When they go down, they stay down.
Extra Ubiquity Rank 1: Enemies you Knock-Out in combat stay that way for an extra
round. Normally, foes are knocked out for 1D4 rounds.
You train and train for the day you’ll be needed to fire a blunderbuss Rank 2: Enemies you Knock-Out in combat stay that way for two
in zero gravity. extra rounds.
Rank 1: You may learn one extra skill per level when using Ubiquity,
with the standard rules for Ubiquity.
Rank 2: You may learn up to two extra skills per level when using
Slip Up
Ubiquity, for a total of four per level. Requires two abilities from Faceman. Also available as an Advanced
Stage Magician ability. Sometimes it’s better just to hear it from their
Grace Under Pressure own lips.
Rank 1: Once per day, in a social situation when you are using Fast
Some people break under pressure, but you work your best under the Talking, Impersonation, or Acting, and you beat your opponent’s con-
clock. tested skill (such as Intuition or Psychology) by 50% or more. They ac-
Rank 1: You no longer can take penalties to skill rolls for stressful cidentally let something useful slip, something that you can use to your
situations. advantage.
Rank 2: You may use this ability twice per day.
Increased Crit (Melee)
That satisfying sound of bones breaking. Takedown
Rank 1: Select one specific type of melee weapon, e.g.: club, knife, Leaving a trail of bodies nets fear, leaving a trail of the dazed nets
sword, or spear. Your Critical Hit range is increased by one while wield- confusion.
ing that type of weapon. This ability may be taken again for another type Rank 1: When initiating melee combat behind an unaware foe, your
of melee weapon. range for Knock-Out increases by two points. I.e., if your standard
Rank 2: Your Critical Hit range is increased by an additional one chance for Knock-Out is on a 20, for this attack, it is an 18+. If you have
when wielding that type of weapon. no Knock-Out ability, you gain it on a Natural 20.
Rank 2: Your range for Knock-Out for this attack is increased by an
Increased Crit (Ranged) additional one point.
Aiming for that sweet spot.
Rank 1: Select one specific type of ranged weapon, e.g.: pistol, re- The Slip (Ground Vehicle)
volver, shotgun, submachine-gun, or bow. Your Critical Hit range is in- Requires two Wheelman abilities. Sometimes it just takes one solid
creased by one while wielding that type of weapon. This ability may be move to escape pursuit.
taken again for another type of ranged weapon. Rank 1: Once per day, in a vehicular chase where you are the Get-
away, if your successful piloting skill beats your opponent’s Skill Quali-
Instant Planning ty by 50% or more, you may instantly lose the Pursuit and end the Chase.
Requires Man with the Plan, and one other ability from Pointman. If there is a specific destination, this does not mean you automatically
The ability to come up with a plan on the fly is one of the most valuable arrive there, just that you are no longer in close contact with the opposi-
skills. tion. Example: White Witch is the Getaway, and rolls a 76% on Pilot
Rank 1: Once per day, even without proper information, or if the Automobile and succeeds, the Pursuit vehicle rolls a 10%, and succeeds.
enemy starts combat, you may still use Man with the Plan. The difference between the two successful rolls is over 50%, so White
Rank 2: Twice per day, even without proper information, or if the Witch may give her pursuers the slip.
enemy starts combat, you may still use Man with the Plan.
The Slip (Air)
Instinctive Shot Requires two Wheelman abilities. Sometimes it just takes one solid
Requires Keen Wits, and Situational Awareness. You’ve learned to move to escape pursuit.
tell when things are going to go down, and have learned to react violently Rank 1: Once per day, in an aerial chase where you are the Getaway,
fast. if your successful piloting skill beats your opponent’s by 50% or more,
Rank 1: If you have a ranged weapon in your hands at the start of a you may instantly lose the Pursuit and end the Chase. If there is a specific
combat that is not an ambush against you, you may make a single shot destination, this does not mean you automatically arrive there, just that
attack at the moment initiative is rolled. This only counts for the first you are no longer in close contact with the opposition.
round of combat. You get no bonuses to strike with this attack, nor can
you make any Called Shots. The Slip (Sea)
Requires two Wheelman abilities. Sometimes it just takes one solid
Neck Snap move to escape pursuit.
Those of lesser skill find themselves falling into your clutches easily. Rank 1: Once per day, in a vehicular chase where you are the Get-
Rank 1: When dealing with a mook (a generic enemy character of low- away, if your successful piloting skill beats your opponent’s by 50% or
er level than yourself) who is unaware of your position, you may attempt more, you may instantly lose the Pursuit and end the Chase. If there is a
to outright kill him. The Operative may grab a foe from behind (usually specific destination, this does not mean you automatically arrive there,
a surprise move, and therefore unopposed), then on a successful, opposed just that you are no longer in close contact with the opposition.
54

Ubiquity Focus (Survival) Rank 1: Select one form of hand to hand combat you have. You gain
one level of proficiency with it, meaning that a third level Secret Opera-
The training for arctic climates varies greatly from the standard tive with Martial Arts uses the fourth level bonuses.
woodlands, and a spy can end up anywhere... Rank 2: The hand to hand previously selected gains an additional one
Rank 1: You may take Wilderness Survival skills with Ubiquity. level of proficiency. The earlier example would mean the Operative’s
hand-to-hand combat would be at level five.
Ubiquity Focus (Communication)
As technology advances, so do the needs of the Operative to be sure Snap Aim
to stay in touch. With reflexes and training, it becomes second nature.
Rank 1: You may take other Communication skills (in addition to Rank 1: When using a pistol, once per round you may make an Aimed
Languages) with Ubiquity. Shot that only costs one attack.
Vanish Silent Scope

You’re just walking along the street, a truck passes by, and then Requires Expert Training (Ranged). The forte of the superspy is a
you’re gone... silent kill.
Rank 1: Once per day, while attempting to flee pursuers on foot, roll Rank 1: When sniping a target unaware of your presence, you gain a
Infiltration. If you beat the enemy’s roll to detect/follow you by 50% or +1 to Called Shots to the head of the foe, in addition to the Sniper skill
more, you disappear immediately into the night, with no further checks bonus.
required. G.M. discretion is always applicable as to when this ability Rank 2: You gain an additional +1 to this Called Shot.
may be used, such as if the Operative is unaware of how he’s being
tracked.
Assassin
Backstab
Requires Expert Training (Melee). One strike, one foe, maximum ef-
ficiency.
Rank 1: When striking a foe in melee that is unaware of your pres-
ence, add +10 damage to that initial hit. You may not use this attack
again on this foe, nor anyone who witnessed it, for a full day.
Rank 2: Add +15 damage to the initial hit, instead of +10.
Coup-De-Grace
Requires Expert Training (Melee) or (Hand to Hand), and two other
Assassin abilities. When they end up vulnerable, you move in for the kill.
Rank 1: When a foe has no remaining S.D.C., is helpless, or other-
wise deemed vulnerable by the G.M., your next attack against him gains
+2 to strike, and deals an extra +10 damage. You may not use this attack
again on this foe, nor anyone who witnessed it, for a full day.
Expert Training (Melee)

Extra training with an instrument of death leaves you far more ca-
pable than others with your experience.
Rank 1: Select one ancient W.P. used in melee combat, you gain two
levels of proficiency with it, meaning that a third level Secret Operative
with W.P. Knife will use the bonuses for W.P. Knife at level five.
Rank 2: The W.P. previously selected gains an additional two levels
of proficiency. The earlier example would mean the Operative has W.P.
Knife at level seven.
Expert Training (Ranged)

Diligent training in modern weaponry proves itself as you advance Faceman
in skill.
Rank 1: Select one Modern W.P., you gain two levels of proficiency
Committed to Cover
with it, meaning that a third level Secret Operative with W.P. Pistol will Requires Covers. Never trusting your own thoughts when psychics
use the bonuses for W.P. Pistol at level five. could be nearby, you’ve steeled your mind to the identity at hand.
Rank 2: The W.P. previously selected gains an additional two levels Rank 1: If a telepath or empath seeks to learn your true nature by
of proficiency. The earlier example would mean the Operative has W.P. judging your feelings or thoughts, they must probe your mind for rounds
Pistol at level seven. equal to your Secret Operative level before ascertaining the ruse.
Expert Training (Hand to Hand) Cold Read

Advanced hand to hand combat training always pays off, no matter Just by studying human nature and calculated responses, you’ve
your style of combat. learned how to read a person’s most likely responses.
55

Rank 1: Roll Psychology when you assess or talk to someone in par- Professional Impersonator
ticular. If you succeed, you may glean some basic information about
his personality, such as “What interests does he have?” or “What is his Your own wants and desires fall away, as you subsume into a new
profession?” Specifics may elude the Operative, but he can have a rea- role.
sonable hunch. Cold Read may be attempted five times a day. Rank 1: You gain a +10% bonus to your Impersonation rolls.
Rank 2: You gain a +10% quality bonus to your Impersonation rolls.
Rank 3: You gain a further +10% bonus to your Impersonation rolls.
Covers
You’ve invested a lot of time in yourself, creating phony reputations Natural Born Actor
you can slip into when the need arises. Basic Covers have a bare mini-
mum of background attached to them, forged driver’s licenses, home Most people take acting classes for a new career, you’ve just supple-
addresses, old clearance IDs, etc. A little investigation can determine mented yours a bit.
the identity provided is a sham. A dedicated researcher intent on expos- Rank 1: You gain a +10% bonus to your Acting rolls.
ing the cover can generally do so within 2D4x10 minutes. If you lose a Rank 2: You gain a +10% quality bonus to your Acting rolls.
Cover, it takes three months to establish a new one. Do keep in mind that
a Cover is only blown if it is widely publicized in the right circuit. Spontaneous Impersonation
Rank 1: You gain two cover identities. These covers may be deter- Requires two other abilities from Faceman. You’ve seen enough pic-
mined as you gain them, however you may also bring them into play tures of old men in black and white photos that you can make it up as you
with the G.M.’s permission. These covers tend to be low level identi- go, more often than not.
ties, ones that can be burned easily, as well as mostly unnoticed by the Rank 1: You gain the ability to impersonate people you’ve never re-
general populace. Janitors, office workers, dock workers, and other low searched fully. Your skill of Impersonation is halved when you attempt
visibility roles are recommended options. to do so. This penalty can not be negated by any other ability.
Rank 2: You possess three basic cover identities.
Rank 3: You possess four basic cover identities. Voice Control
Deeper Cover You could’ve gone into voice acting, it would’ve been a safer choice.
Rank 1: Your disguise equipment can copy retinal scans and finger-
Requires Covers. You cover your trail in triplicate forms, and grave prints, provided you can supply the proper information. After studying a
markers. target’s voice for an hour, with a successful Imitate Voices roll, you can
Rank 1: When someone attempts to investigate your background trail fool voice analyzers (like audiotaping him for his voice patterns, lifting
to expose your lie, it takes them 50% longer to do so. fingerprints, and catching a scan of his eyes while he’s unconscious).
Rank 2: It takes them twice as long to expose your false identity.
Unreadable
Glibness
Nobody knows what you’re thinking, unless they can read your mind.
A quick lie can get an Operative into the most guarded areas, though Maybe not even then.
sometimes those tend to be prisons. Rank 1: People attempting to assess the truth out of you using In-
Rank 1: Gain a +10% to Fast Talking. tuition, Psychology or similar skills suffer a -10% penalty to their roll.
Rank 2: You gain a +10% Quality bonus to Fast Talking. Rank 2: When attempting to see through your bluff or otherwise dis-
Rank 3: Gain another +10% to Fast Talking. cern your true intentions, foes must roll Intuition, Psychology or their
skill of choice twice, and take the worse result.
High Society & Dive Bars Rank 3: The penalty for people attempting to read you is increased
You’ve learned to mingle with the scum of the earth, no matter where to -20%
they haunt.
Rank 1: You gain a +5% to all skills to help you blend in to a function Gadgetry
or location where your disguise allows you access.
Rank 2: This bonus increases to a +10%. Extra Gadget Point
Every single thing on your body is wired for some nefarious purpose.
Impressive Impersonation Rank 1: You gain an additional gadget point to use towards your
Much like the ninjas of old, you’ve learned how to quickly assume a equipment. This ability may be purchased multiple times.
new role convincingly.
Rank 1: Gain +10% to the Impersonation skill. In one melee round Forward
and out of sight, you can assume a new basic identity (though clothing Oh, those little drones, how you make them sing.
may need changed) believable to basic scrutiny. General types of basic Rank 1: You gain a bonus of +10% to Pilot Civilian Drone, and Pilot
identities are tourist, businessman, the elderly, street punk, and nonde- Military Drone.
script citizen. Rank 2: Any negatives to your Pilot Drone rolls are halved.
Rank 2: Your new identity is so convincing that even telepaths are Rank 3: You gain another +10% bonus to Pilot Civilian Drone, and
initially fooled by it. Anyone using telepathy on you must actively keep Pilot Military Drone.
scanning your surface thoughts for a number of minutes equal to your
level +1 in order to discover who you really are.
Gadget Specialist
Occultism You’re even more well trained at using your gadgets than most
agents.
All sorts of fringe groups believe in mysticism and monsters, and Rank 1: When wielding a Gadget weapon, you gain an additional
sometimes it pays to know what they know. +1 to Strike. When using a Gadget item that assists a skill of yours, that
Rank 1: You gain three lore skills of your choice (Faerie, Demons & bonus increases by an extra +5%.
Monsters, Magic, Religion, etc.), all at +10%.
56

Improved Bulwark Charming
You’ve actually participated in live-fire exercises with your protec- Sixty hours spent practicing a humble, yet charming smile at work here.
tive gadgets. Rank 1: You gain a +10% bonus to charm rolls. If you do not cur-
Rank 1: Gadgets that have the Bulwark trait usually provide an A.R. rently have a chance to charm, you gain it at 30%.
of 13, and S.D.C. of 90, when in use. Rank 2: You gain an additional +10% bonus to charm rolls.
Improved Miniaturization Contacts

Now travel-sized for your convenience. You’ve put in a lot of time getting to know people. Maybe they’ve
Rank 1: For your gadget items, the Miniaturization ability now come to you, maybe you’ve approached them, but your job is a lot sim-
shrinks items to 40% of their size, but they lose 40% of their potency. pler when you’ve got friends watching your back.
Rank 1: You gain three contacts. These contacts may be determined as
Improved Supplanting you gain them, but they may also be brought into play during play, with
the G.M.’s permission. These contacts are generally low-level rank and
You spend extra times with R&D to ensure your gadgets tell you file in the grand scheme of things. Allies in other countries, war veterans,
precisely what you need.
black market dealers, and informants are the usual lot of contacts. These
Rank 1: The skill the supplanting gadget provides to you is at 50%. contacts are usually willing (if begrudging) to assist the operative in his
Normally, if a gadget provides a skill, it is at 40%. mission. These contacts may be killed off or otherwise removed from play.
The Operative may find a new contact after a month has passed.
Persistent Gadget Rank 2: You now have six standard contacts.
You and your gadget are nearly inseparable. Rank 3: You now have nine standard contacts.
Rank 1: Select one gadget you’ve created or requisitioned. You have
another of this Gadget stored away in case the original is destroyed. If Counter-Intel Training
you have a safehouse, it is stored there. Otherwise it will require 2D4
Only fools match wits with you when you’re at their mercy.
hours to retrieve the item. Three months must pass before you may have
Rank 1: When Interrogating/being Interrogated (as per The Rifter®
another backup gadget. This ability may be purchased more than once,
#81 article Hitting the Streets), you deal one additional point of M.E.
each time for a different gadget.
damage to all successful rolls.
Rank 2: When taking M.E. damage in an Interrogation (either as In-
Potent Miniaturization terrogator or Suspect), you suffer one less damage, minimum one.
Requires Extra Gadget Point. Half the size for the same amount of
bang. Emotional Reasoning
Rank 1: Gadgets that have the Miniaturization ability no longer have Also available as a Stage Magician or Super Sleuth ability. You’ve
a potency decrease. Gadgets that have the Improved Miniaturization
learned to trust your instincts when dealing with people.
ability have a 20% decrease in potency, instead.
Rank 1: +10% to Intuition.
Rank 2: Gadgets that have the Improved Miniaturization ability no Rank 2: +20% to Intuition.
longer have a 40% decrease in potency. Rank 3: +30% to Intuition.
Potent Gadgets Escape Training

You can always get a bit more juice out of your equipment. Elaborate death traps and meat lockers are both typical places you’re
Rank 1: Any gadget that requires a Saving Throw, increases the Sav- likely to visit involuntarily. It’s better to be prepared for such things.
ing Throw by 1. Rank 1: +10% to Escape Artist.
Superior Gadgetry Expert Cardsharp

You prefer your gear to be all-encompassing. Anyone who sits at the card table with you is just another mark...and a fool.
Rank 1: Select one gadget you’ve created or requisitioned. This gad- Rank 1: +10% to Card Sharp.
get may have four traits, instead of three. You must still have the gadget
points available to create this item.
Expert Observer
General You know just the right places to look for just about anything that
people like to hide.
Backers Rank 1: +10% to Detect Concealment and Detect Ambush.
Rank 2: You gain a Quality bonus of +10% to Detect Ambush and
You’ve either got the ear of Finance for your organization, or you’ve Detect Concealment.
acquired your lucre under more... self-motivated avenues.
Rank 1: In one city of note, you are considered to live very well, with Expert Infiltrator
a well-furnished home, workshop, and three cars. You always have petty
cash of 2D4x1000 dollars available for the month. You’d be a legend among the community... if they had any idea who
Rank 2: You have homes scattered throughout a country of your you were.
choice, each one complete with all the vehicles, and standard gear nec- Rank 1: Any negatives bestowed upon an Infiltration roll, such as due
essary for your adventures. (The exact amount is to be left up to the to environmental hazards, are negated.
G.M.) You always have petty cash of 1D4x10,000 dollars available for
the month. Garrote Training
Rank 3: You have homes all over the world, each one with all the A simple cord is a lethal weapon with surprise. Even without sur-
standard gear for your adventures. (The exact amount is to be left up prise, it can make do.
to the G.M.) Your monthly petty cash increases to 2D4x30,000 dollars.
57

Rank 1: +2 to Entangle with a garrote. +2 to Hold a foe using a garrote. Poison Immunity
Rank 2: +3 to Entangle with a garrote. +3 to Hold a foe using a garrote.
Rank 3: +4 to Entangle with a garrote. +4 to Hold a foe using a garrote. Requires Poison Tolerance. Perhaps not immunity per se, but as
close as mortal man may achieve.
Rank 1: You gain an additional +3 bonus to Saving Throws against
Gruff Disposition two specific poisons.
A glower and a menacing look go a long way. Rank 2: Select three additional poisons for this bonus to work on.
Rank 1: You gain +10% bonus to intimidate rolls. If you do not cur-
rently have a chance to intimidate, you gain it at 30%. Poison Tolerance
Rank 2: You gain an additional +10% bonus to intimidate rolls.
Rank 3: You gain another additional +10% bonus to intimidate rolls. You’ve built up a tolerance to poison, and that should be scarier to
think about.
Rank 1: +2 to Saving Throws vs Poison (lethal or non-lethal).
Handgun Artist Rank 2: +3 to Saving Throws vs Poison.
The handgun is versatile, compact, and able to deal with most adver-
saries encountered in a standard day. Psionic Resistance
Rank 1: You gain +1 to Strike with all handguns.
Brainwashing, hypnosis, or telepathy, they all requires a greater will
to resist.
Hunter’s Pursuit Rank 1: +1 vs Psionics.
Once you find a trail, nothing will stop you from finding your source.
Rank 1: You gain a +10% to Track Humanoids. Safehouse
Rank 2: You gain an additional +10% to Track Humanoids.
A network of bunk beds and rental space means that you’re always
close to home.
Indefatigable Rank 1: You gain a Safehouse cache as listed below in gear selections.
Day-long marathons, skyscraper climbs, it has all led to the day you You may hold the location of this safehouse in reserve until needed.
simply will not stop. Rank 2: You have 4 Safehouse caches that you may hold in reserve
Rank 1: You tire one half as fast as a normal hero. until you need them. Each safehouse must be at least 6 hours drive away
Rank 2: You tire one quarter as fast as a normal hero. from each other to insure proper tradecraft.
Interrogator Situational Awareness

When you’ve got them alone, you can get the answers you need. You always see it coming before anyone else. (See Perception, Skill
Rank 1: When performing an Interrogation, your opponent’s Mental Quality, and Contested Skills for further explanation.)
Endurance is treated as 1 less. Rank 1: +3 to Perception (or +15% to Perception).
Rank 2: When performing an Interrogation, your opponent’s Mental Rank 2: +4 to Perception (or +20% to Perception).
Endurance is treated as 2 less. Rank 3: +5 to Perception (or +25% to Perception).
Keen Wits Recognize Disguise

Trouble lurks around any corner, so it’s always best to expect anything. A bit of rubber or makeup isn’t enough to keep you from seeing past
Rank 1: +2 to Initiative. the disguise.
Rank 2: +3 to Initiative. Rank 1: You gain a +20% Quality bonus when using Disguise to
Rank 3: +4 to Initiative. recognize when someone is wearing a disguise.
Rank 2: You gain +20% to Disguise and another +20% Quality bonus
Master Surveillant when using Disguise to see through other people’s disguises.
When you’re on stakeout, you rarely get made.
Rank 1: You gain a +20% quality bonus on contested Infiltration rolls Sleepless Nights
when using it as Surveillance.
Whether it’s bad dreams, coffee, or the case, you’ve survived longer
Rank 2: When you make a contested Infiltration/Surveillance roll,
on less.
you may instantly learn if you’ve been spotted.
Rank 1: You only require 4 hours of sleep to be considered well-rested.
Rank 3: You gain another +10% quality bonus on contested Infiltra-
Rank 2: You may function without sleep for 72 hours without pen-
tion rolls when using it as Surveillance.
alty. At the end of this cycle, you are considered heavily fatigued, and
must sleep for a full day as soon as possible.
Moving Targets
Several hours spent on the racetrack and firing range simultaneously, Stealthy
have helped your aim adjustment.
Rank 1: You may fire a modern weapon from a vehicle in motion Few can match you in the Art of Stealth.
at half your normal bonuses. Normally, all bonuses are lost when firing Rank 1: +10% to Skill Quality of Infiltration when using it as Prowl.
from a vehicle in motion. Rank 2: Once per game day, you may re-roll Infiltration if using it
Rank 2: You may fire a modern weapon from a vehicle in motion at as Prowl.
your normal bonuses.
Sucker Punch
Pain Tolerance Nothing’s off limits when you really need to survive this fight.
You’re so used to the torture that you’ve started to block it out. Rank 1: When initiating combat, or when assaulting a stunned/blind-
Rank 1: +1 to Saving Throw vs Pain. ed/incapacitated foe, your first melee strike against that target may be a
Rank 2: +2 to Saving Throw vs Pain. Called Shot, but only cost one action.
58

System Infiltrator roll the skill in question, and if successful, you temporarily grant a
+10% bonus to the skill of choice to the recipient for an hour. If they
Nobody keeps you out as long as they’re connected to a network. do not have the skill being taught, for this hour, they may have the
Rank 1: You gain +10% to Computer Hacking. skill in question at 40%. You must have a higher skill in the area of
Rank 2: At any time when you hack into a network or system, and the knowledge than them. You may only teach one skill at a time to a
system is actively defended by a contested roll, you gain a +10% Quality person. The G.M. has final approval on this. E.g.: A player may not
bonus to your Computer Hacking skill. teach another how to perform something as specific as brain surgery,
or robotics.
Trustworthy Rank 2: You may teach the same skill to two people at the same time.
The kind of face that people trust, though they should know better. Rank 3: You may teach the same skill to up to four people at the
Rank 1: You gain +10% bonus to rolls that invoke trust. If you do not same time.
currently have a chance to do so, you gain it at 30%.
Rank 2: You gain an additional +10% bonus to trust rolls. In-Depth Tutelage
Requires Field Instructor. You cover more ground in your summa-
Whiskey Dreams ries than most elective courses.
Some people only get chatty when they’re drinking, so it’s more than Rank 1: The bonus given by Field Instructor increases to +15% or a
a hobby for you; it’s professional development. base skill of 45%.
Rank 1: You gain Poison Tolerance: Alcohol as a skill, giving you Rank 2: The bonus given by Field Instructor increases to +20% or a
+3 to Saving Throws against non-lethal poison (alcohol). You also may base skill of 50%.
drink twice as much before needing to make a Saving Throw against
alcohol. Man with the Plan
Rank 2: You may drink three times as much as normal before needing
to make a Saving Throw against alcohol. Nobody else can lead the charge like you.
Rank 1: When you have information as to the layout of an area, and
time to plan, roll Military Tactics before initiating combat. You may
Pointman give your team orders as a free action. If they follow your orders, you
grant them a +1 bonus to all Strike rolls for the first round.
Coordinator Rank 2: This bonus is increased to one additional attack, as well as +1
They may hate you for pushing them, but you see the results. to Strike for the first round.
Rank 1: When the Operative has communication with the entire
group, and the party is investigating a situation or doing research, all Psychological Expert
tasks performed take 25% less time, except in situations where timing
cannot be rushed (a timed vault’s opening cannot be rushed, a commer- Every man is a book, if you know how to read him.
cial flight to Europe cannot be rushed). Rank 1: +10% to Psychology.
Demolition Expert Regroup Action

They always go off just when you need them to, unless you don’t Sometimes it takes a sharp word to get people in motion.
want them to. Rank 1: Twice per day, when rolling Initiative, you may swap your
Rank 1: When you roll Demolitions and fail the roll, you are aware initiative with another player, if they are willing.
that the charge will not detonate as expected. The G.M. may allow you to Rank 2: Twice per day, when rolling Initiative, you may swap the
re-roll one time if it is deemed you have ten minutes to attempt it again. initiative of two players, if they are willing.
Rank 2: You gain a +10% to both Demolition, and Demolition Dis- Rank 3: Once per day, roll Military Tactics. If successful, you may
posal. assign the rolled initiative scores to any player as you see fit, if they are
Rank 3: When rolling Demolition Disposal, you gain an additional willing.
+10% to the skill if the bomb is within 30 seconds of detonating.
Saboteur
Efficiency Expert Requires Demolition Expert. Maximum efficiency. Maximum car-
You can do it faster than anyone else. nage.
Rank 1: Select one skill that you possess that can have a quantita- Rank 1: When an explosive you assemble and plant is detonated,
tive amount of time spent on it. You use that skill twice as fast as stan- it deals an extra die of damage against structures and vehicles. For ex-
dard. Example: Selecting Demolitions means that you can create and ample: Four ounces (112 g) of plastic explosive typically deals 2D4x10
set up explosives twice as fast as normally done. Selecting Weapons damage. With your expert training, a successful Demolitions roll makes
Engineer means that you can do maintenance or overhaul a weapon that same amount deal 3D4x10 damage instead. This ability only affects
twice as fast as normally done. Surveillance Systems would mean that planted charges, not thrown weapon attacks.
you can create camera systems and relays twice as fast as the normal Rank 2: Your planted charges deal one more die of damage. In the
person. The G.M. has discretion over what skills may be selected. You above example, the planted plastic explosive would deal 4D4x10 dam-
may select this ability multiple times, each time selecting a different age to a structure.
skill.
Size Up
Field Instructor Also available as a Stage Magician ability. By judging posture, con-
Not only can you do it, you can show others how to do it for a little trol, and discipline, you can understand a lot about a target.
while. Rank 1: Twice a day, roll Psychology. If successful, you can estimate
Rank 1: Over a short period of time, you can coach a single person a person’s level (within 1D3 levels), and their basic type of hand to hand
on a skill they are expected to perform in the near future. You may ability. (None, Basic, Trained, Expert, or Master.)
59

Wheelman total, and may select the same item multiple times. In addition to all this,
the Secret Operative will also start with two Gadget points to use to cre-
Demolition Derby ate custom gear, as referenced below. The Operative also gains another
two Gadget points at 3, 6, 9, 12, and 15.
Requires two Wheelman abilities. If you’re going to crash this ve-
hicle, you’re going to do it RIGHT.
Rank 1: Your Critical Hit range with vehicle-to-vehicle attacks is
Analysis Cache
now an 18+. Portable Laboratory.
Rank 2: Your Critical Hit range with vehicle-to-vehicle attacks is Portable Scan Dihilator.
now a 17+. One Gadget with the trait: Assistant, tied to science or analysis.
Rank 3: Your Critical Hit range with vehicle-to-vehicle attacks is (Scent-tracking software, spectrometer system tied into heads-up dis-
now a 15+. play.)
P.I.T. Maneuvering Armory Cache

You’ve spent some time practicing high-speed take downs. Full suit of Hard Armor, A.R. 16, S.D.C. 260; 20 lbs (9 kg).
Rank 1: When you attempt a P.I.T. maneuver in a car chase, your foe Ballistic Shield, A.R. 14, S.D.C. 120; 16 lbs (7.2 kg).
gets an extra -20% on his Piloting check to avoid a crash of some sort. Most Two modern short weapons (pistols, SMGs) of your choice, and four
characters force a driving check when attempting to P.I.T. another car. clips of ammunition for each.
Lead Foot Gadget Item Cache

Requires one other Wheelman ability. You squeeze out more from One Gadget item with two traits of your choice.
your car than anyone else can. One Gadget item with one trait of your choice.
Rank 1: When in a Chase with an opponent with no advantage for
either side (such as both sides have similar vehicles), you are considered Gadget Weapon Cache
to have a slight advantage.
One Gadget weapon with the traits Non-Standard, and Miniaturized
(such as a pocket flame thrower).
Steel Behind the Wheel One Gadget weapon with the traits Unusual, and one of your choice.
Off-road, high-speed chases are nothing new to you. It’s moments
like this when dedication and a cool disposition prove their worth. Hard Infiltration Cache
Rank 1: All penalties given to your driving, due to speed, vehicle
Multi-Optics Helmet.
conditions or terrain, are halved. Penalties may only be halved once,
Superior lock pick kit.
no matter how many abilities or traits you have that might reduce them.
Auto-lock pick gun.
Penalties due to Stunts are not halved.
Sixteen sets of full-body clothing or camouflage.
One Gadget with the trait Assistant, tied to avoiding detection or
The Getaway gaining access.
The best spies make their exit before anyone knows they’re about, Old Standbys.
but failing that, a fast car sure helps. Four doses of Metal Dissolver.
Rank 1: You gain a +10% quality bonus to any piloting skills when Two flashlights.
being the Getaway in a chase.
Rank 2: You gain another +10% quality bonus to piloting ground High-Tech Arsenal Cache
vehicles when being the Getaway car in a chase.
Two energy short weapons, with six energy clips for each.
One energy long weapon, with four energy clips.
The Pursuit Four grenades of your choice.
They always run, so always be prepared to chase.
Rank 1: You gain a +10% quality bonus to piloting ground vehicles Modern Arsenal Cache
when being the Pursuit car in a chase.
Two modern long weapons (rifles, shotguns) of your choice, and four
Rank 2: You gain another +10% quality bonus to piloting ground
clips of ammunition for each.
vehicles when being the Pursuit car in a chase.
Six modern short weapons (pistols, SMGs) of your choice, and six
Step Four: Determining Four clips of non-standard ammunition (Dum-Dums, Glasers, Tef-
lon) of your choice.
Special Equipment Outdoorsman Cache

Two weeks of food and water for four people.
The character is automatically equipped with a certain amount of Four sets of cold weather clothes.
firepower, gimmicks, and equipment. Most notable of these items are One medical bag.
the gadgets. Gadgets are pieces of gear specifically built to accomplish Climbing gear.
a certain task on the Operative’s behalf. The spy acquires gadget points Two camouflage compact tents.
at character creation and as she levels, allowing her to add to her arse- Two disassembled hunting rifles, and three magazines for each.
nal, or refine what she already has as part of her mission package. The Fishing gear.
Secret Operative starts with several pieces of useful, but mundane gear Two hunting knives or machetes.
for her arsenal, as well as a few pieces of gadget gear to be created with One satellite phone.
the G.M. Of these loadouts, the Operative may select up to eight caches Other various field equipment.
60

Saboteur Cache ! Concealed, front or back-mounted laser. Damage: 5D6, Range: 3,000
Night-vision goggles. feet (914 m). 30 shots payload, regenerates 5 shots an hour.
Two pounds of plastic or gel explosives. ! Obvious, front or back-mounted mini-missile launcher. Six mini-
Old Standbys. missiles, can be fired in volleys of 2, 4, or 6. Damage: 1D4x10 each.
Explosives Detector. Range: One mile (1.6 km).
Four mines of your choice. ! Gadget with the traits of Independent (remote operation, functional
Ear protector headphones. auto-pilot).
! Gadget with the trait of Miniaturized (mini-cycle in the trunk, vehicle
Safehouse Cache breaks apart into large cycle).
A fully functional safehouse, listed under an assumed name. The lo- ! Gadget with the trait of Unusual, its function tied towards movement
cation to be decided by you and the G.M. (vehicle goes underwater, or flies).
Four stocked medical bags. ! Gadget with the trait of Unusual, its function tied towards stealth
Four modern short weapons (pistols, SMGs) of your choice, and two
(paint camouflage, ability to adjust shape).
Food, alcohol, clothes, and water for six people for four weeks.
Four cell phones.
Four thousand dollars in cash.
One nondescript vehicle.
Gadgetry
“Think of it as just extra insurance.” White Witch rolled her eyes, and
Sensory Cache crossed her arms. “I know how to read people.” Her supplier smiled, a
stubble-laden mess of a man. “Crossed arms is a sign of inner tension.
Multi-Optics Helmet. I didn’t need the E.I.R. to tell me that.” Elna caught herself and forced
Optical Band. herself to put her arms back on the table. “Oh, whatever.” She put on the
Pocket Night Viewer. fancy glasses, and looked around the room as the virtual display scanned
Eight items from the Sensory Equipment list, barring the mini-radar, for facial signatures to read. “This is something else, though. I just feel
or microwave fence (Heroes Unlimited™ RPG, 2nd Ed., page 345). I’m going to break it.” The Gizmoteer replied pleasantly, “That’s in-
tentional. It’s better that you have to scuttle some equipment than let on
Soft Infiltration Cache what you’re up to.” She frowned, absently remarking, “Seems like a lot
A full wardrobe of various uniforms, and fashion, to allow access to of work to just lose it like that. What do you get out of it?” She looked
a wide range of functions. back to him, and instantly the E.I.R. denoted several facial cues on her
Four ear mike radios and transmitters. contact that denoted a high likelihood of regret or betrayal.
Eight bugs of your choice.
Spies generally have the nicest toys in the field, barring full-blown
One Gadget with the traits Miniaturized and Assistant or Independent,
super science/alien science. While the operative is just a mortal (usu-
tied to theft or computers (remote hacking attachment, code-breaker).
ally), the items customized for them have some exceedingly useful ef-
One Gadget with the trait Assistant, tied to social interaction or forg-
fects, from hidden weapons, to concealed armor, to high-tech glasses
ery (facial micro-expression analyzer, ID card cloner).
that scan the area about them. For the purpose of this article, a gadget is
generally an item-based advantage that is not generally available in most
Surveillance Cache locations of the world, even on the black market. A rocket-propelled gre-
Multi-Optics Helmet. nade launcher can be found in military installations all over the world;
Four sets of binoculars and scrambled radios. a holographic projector cannot. A vehicle could be modified to hover
Six microphones of your choice. in the air, but a vehicle that already hovers is rather unlikely to come
Sixteen bugs of your choice. across. And it would give an advantage to the Operative, so therefore
Four ear mike radios and transmitters. could be considered a gadget.
Three high-quality camera/video recorders. All in all, there could be an entire book listing all the myriad of ideas
Your choice of a video briefcase or video wall mount. that could be made with gadgetry, so to do so in a single article is folly.
Two nondescript vehicles. However, with assistance from the G.M., a player can design a gadget to
Four burner cell phones. assist the superspy’s agenda by using the Gadget Creation Rules below.
Four flashlights. After the base item and function are established, the item gets modified
by the traits list below, as the spy determines exactly how much effort he
Vehicle Cache or she wants to devote to the gadget, using the pool of points provided as
the character levels. A gadget may only have three traits attached to it.
A souped-up ground vehicle of your choice. The vehicle has eight This concept also lends itself well to the Stage Magician, and can easily
of the following features to pick from. Some features may be selected be used there as well.
multiple times.
! Lightly armored, A.R. 12, +200 S.D.C.
! Bulletproof windshields. A.R. 16, S.D.C. 200 (two, front and back). Gadget Creation Rules
! Souped-up engine: 280 mph (448 km) maximum speed. For the most part, gadgets are altered versions of already known
! Mini-Radar: 5 mile (8 km) range. equipment. Rifles, zip-lines, goggles, and armor already have stats in
! Four oxygen masks and air supply for an hour for each one. the Palladium system. The other gadgets, ones that are defined more
! Retractable, airtight, rear dividing wall. A.R. 16, S.D.C. 150. by what they do, rather than what they are based off of, can be of vari-
! Gadget with the trait Non-Standard, tied to subduing foes inside the ous sizes, and should be created with consent with the G.M. As a rule
car (knockout gas, ejector seat, taser frame). of thumb, all gadgets are of a noticeable size, even if it is not obvi-
! Concealed, front or back-mounted 5.56mm machine-gun with 400 ous what the gadget does. The more unusual the ability, generally the
rounds of ammunition. larger the gadget.
61

Step One: Select the item to be altered by the gadgetry traits. If the ing him to customize his gadgets more thoroughly. Between missions,
item is not something to be modified, then it is considered a unique gad- or during a game with the G.M.’s permission, the Operative may apply
get, and should be defined by a basic description. E.g.: A gadget that any gadget points to new gear, adding to his arsenal, or improving what
hacks basic software chips within 60 feet (18.3 m) could be defined by he currently has. As mentioned above, the player should work with the
saying it is the size of an old closed dictionary, and can connect to a G.M. to help design and decide the look and power of these items, as-
phone via wireless. signing damage and use from previously established weaponry or gear.
Step Two: Define the overall function added to the item after the
gadget is modified. A belt with a grapple rope in it, would be defined
by the function of “rapid elevation” or something similar. A cell phone Gadget Examples
with a built-in taser would be defined as “self defense.” While gadgets
may have some characteristics similar to Super Inventions, they do not Censure Goggles
generally have that level of power or ability. Weaponry is a popular op-
tion, and items referred to as Gadget weapons are considered to have the Function: Protection, Gadget Trait: Assistant-Guaranteed Ability.
function of a weapon, by default. A superspy tends to get into a lot of dangerous situations, some of
Step Three: Define how many gadget points you have available as a which can be sanity-rending. In these high-risk to stability settings, ad-
superspy, and how many you wish to devote to this gadget. Operatives vanced gear was created with the sole purpose of protecting the spy from
start with two gadget points to assist in modifying or building signature horror. Objects viewed through Censure Goggles are immediately rout-
gear. Your amount of points may vary with level, abilities from the Gad- ed through a microcomputer dedicated to recognition, and any images
getry category below, or bestowed by the sponsoring agency (if there deemed as horrific are either blurred slightly, or covered with a censor
is one) as deemed mission critical. Most gadgets won’t have more than icon. The display is accurate enough to help null a creature’s ominous
three Gadget traits. presence, and still allow the spy to react properly in combat. In game
Step Four: Assign your traits to the gadget, noting the particulars terms, Censure Goggles automatically remove the need for a superspy to
of the adjustment, as well as any other noteworthy information. E.g., make Horror Factor checks that rely on sight. This works only for physi-
the aforementioned hacking book might require a more intricate power cal sight; and magically induced Horror Factor, psionics, or super pow-
source, or have a shorter lifespan. ers that specifically invoke a Horror Factor through more than simply a
visual basis cannot be ignored.
Gadgetry Traits: Traceless Rifle

Assistant – The gadget alters the abilities the spy already has. Usu-
ally these gadgets provide either a single guaranteed ability, or a +10% Function: Weapon, Gadget Trait: Unorthodox Attack, Gadget Trait:
to +20% bonus to a skill they already have, or a +1 or +2 to Strike. (A Attack Bonus.
rebreather is a gadget that guarantees underwater breathing for a few This sniper rifle is a masterpiece of cunning and cutting-edge
hours. A micro-line harness with gas-propelled hooks would add +20% technology used to confound investigations. The Traceless Rifle uses
to Climbing.) augmented gel rounds as ammunition which evaporate within five
Bulwark – The gadget protects the superspy from harm. The item’s minutes after fired, or the clip is breached. The weapon deals similar
statistics may vary, but generally consist of an A.R. of 12, and S.D.C. of damage to most sniper rifles, 1D4x10, but with the gel ammunition,
80. (A collapsible, bullet-resistant shield.) there are no spent rounds to locate, the bullets fired disappear, and
Concealment – The gadget is disguised as something else, concealing generally make forensics a nightmare to work with. Any attempt to
its true intention. (A rocket launcher concealed within a golf bag.) analyze a crime scene where the Traceless Rifle was used is at a -40%
Miniaturized – The gadget has been miniaturized, losing about to the skill rolls. The Traceless Rifle also features a holo-emitter tar-
20% of its size for a similar reduction in firepower or ability. (A rocket geting display that can only be picked up by certain polarized sun-
launcher as large as a map tube, but still looks like a rocket launcher.) glasses. The added targeting features give the rifle an additional +2 to
Motion – The gadget may function independently of the spy. The Strike on Called Shots.
gadget may be armed, and piloted directly by the superspy. Non-drone
items that are piloted remotely, do so with a -40% penalty. (Drones,
remote piloted cars.)
Pocket EVAC
Non-Standard – The gadget allows the spy to attack in a more unorth- Function: Personal Transportation, Gadget Trait: Miniaturized, Gad-
odox manner. Weaponry damage varies by design. If the gadget requires get Trait: Unusual (Flight), Gadget Trait: Bulwark.
a Saving Throw, it will be 12 + P.E. bonus or M.E. bonus. (Hypnotic ray, Agents in the field sometimes find themselves in need of a rapid exit.
electric grenade.) As such, the Pocket EVAC kit was developed. In essence, the kit is a
Powerful – The gadget provides more of an advantage than normal. concealed hang glider, with a micronized JATO (Jet Assisted Take-Off)
(An item that provides an actual combat skill such as Auto-Dodge, or device, with extra reinforcements along the spy’s back and neck to pre-
can assist with parrying multiple attacks, a.k.a. Circular Parry.) vent whiplash. When activated, the spy is shot upward (or forward if po-
Supplanting – The gadget provides a skill the Operative does not sitioned improperly) up to 2,000 feet (610 m) in mere seconds, allowing
have, at 40% when applicable. (Leg harness that automatically bestows them to glide away at 25-40 mph (40-64 km), depending on the area’s
the holder with the Running skill.) atmosphere and altitude.
Unusual – The gadget has a purpose that allows the spy to do some-
thing out of their standard ability. While it may be tempting to give the
superspy a super invention, such as in Powers Unlimited® 2, such in-
Weapons Drone
ventions are far more powerful and unique than the gadgets listed here. Function: Weapon, Gadget Trait: Motion (Flight), Gadget Trait:
(Flight, stick to walls, gun modification that helps counteract motion, Non-Standard (Drone attack), Gadget Trait: Assistant (Camera system).
etc.) Drones in combat have become more and more popular in the field of
warfare. This particular drone has been designed with a small series of
The Operative starts with two Gadget points that he may use for one turbines to allow it flight within a limited range of 1.2 miles (2 km). An
sophisticated gadget, or two less powerful gadgets. The Operative gains automatic pistol can be attached to the drone, allowing the spy to fire it
another two Gadget points at levels 3, 6, 9, 12, and 15. When the Opera- remotely through a secondary system. The simple drone has two attacks
tive levels or gains certain abilities, the pool of traits increases, allow- in a round, +1 to Strike and a mere 10 S.D.C.
62

Step Five:
Background Data
This step is unchanged from the core Heroes Unlimited™ RPG, 2nd
Ed., page 218.
Other Stuff
Alignment: Secret Operatives, more than most other power cat-
egories, have most likely had a role in which they performed morally
questionable actions. Whether it be destabilization or assassination, Op-
eratives have most likely been put in a position where they need to be
more pragmatic than idealistic, ranging from unprincipled to aberrant.
Whether or not the Secret Operative still feels this way or not is a valid
question. That said, heroes are generally of a good alignment.
Structural Damage Capacity (S.D.C.): As noted previously, the
Secret Operative starts with 1D6x10+40 S.D.C.
Attacks per Melee (Hand to Hand): As with all heroes, the Secret
Operative automatically gets two attacks per melee, plus those gained
from hand to hand combat skills and boxing (typically five total to start).
Weapons and Equipment: In addition to gadgets and starting equip-
ment caches, the character may purchase conventional weapons, armor,
gear, and equipment of his own.
The Game Master may allow the character to have special weapons
and ammo listed in the Hardware section (provided by the organization
or bought on the black market). Cybernetics is an option for the Secret
Operative, and can easily replace the Gadget designs if wanted. Opera-
tives generally would want a focus on disguise, infiltration, and subtle
work.
Ninjas & Superspies™ Option: If the G.M. allows it, players can
select any of the various Super-Spy or Gizmoteer O.C.C.s from Ninjas
& Superspies™ as a base, adding in the gadgets and abilities. If adding a
full Martial Art Form to the Secret Operative, cut the abilities amount in
half, and refrain from choosing abilities that alter combat.
Ninja Option: The Secret Operative makes a good template for a
ninja as well. Taking the Ninja option, is to forsake all technological
skills and abilities (such as Computer Operation, most of the Wheel-
man abilities, and such). Gadget points are halved, and gadgets must be
decidedly low-tech. Ninjas may select the “Expert Training” abilities
multiple times to further increase their skills, and they also receive one
additional ability every time they gain abilities (including creation) that
must be used in the Assassin category of abilities.
Sample Characters
White Witch
Alias: Demeter.
Name: Elna Nakamea.
Land of Origin: South Africa.
Alignment: Scrupulous with Unprincipled leanings.
Description: White Witch is a beautiful black woman in the prime of her
life, full of poise and smooth muscle. Athletic and stout, she stands
out in a crowd. When left to her own devices, she wears her hair in
a series of layered braids over one side of her face, adding a layer of
mystique to her look.
Disposition: Clever, snarky, and passionate, Elna is confident in her
abilities, and has enough to discretion to realize when a situation is
over her head. She’s headstrong as well, which has made life for her
handlers difficult. She’s already called off two missions while in the
field due to her own personal judgment, much to the disapproval of
her superiors.
63

History: Born and raised in South Africa, Elna joined the military at a
young age, looking for direction. Her stature and natural attributes
breezed her through basic, and she barely served a tour in infantry
before she was chosen for greater things. She eventually found her
way into Intelligence, where they offered her the role of an operative
agent, which she accepted gleefully. White Witch left behind a life
of relationships and mundane living for a chance to do something
greater. While still early on her journey, she’s already looking back
with some regret.
Age: 26
Level: 2 Secret Operative.
Stats: I.Q. 17, M.E. 14, M.A. 16, P.S. 23, P.P. 18, P.E. 17, P.B. 25, Spd
21.
S.D.C.: 75. H.P.: 23.
Infiltration: 76%
Notable Skills: Pilot Automobile 94%, Pilot Civilian Drone 50%, Se-
duction 39%, Perception 40%, Intuition 40%, 60% with E.I.R.
Abilities Taken: Expert Infiltrator, Indefatigable, High Society & Dive
Bars, Expert Training (Hand to Hand), Situational Awareness, Emo-
tional Reasoning.
In Combat: Hand to Hand: Martial Arts.
Initiative +2
Attacks per Round: 5
Strike: +4
Parry: +6
Dodge: +6
Critical Strike on a Natural 20
+7 to Damage
With Pistol: +3 to Strike for 4D6 damage.
Gadget Points: 2
Gadgets:
Emotional Intelligence Reader (E.I.R.) – Function: Knowledge.
Traits: Assistant, Concealed. Taking the shape of a pair of trendy
eyeglasses, White Witch’s E.I.R. reads the faces of people about her,
and gives her general information to help inform her of their emo-
tional state. In game terms, it adds +20% to Intuition.
Helsin
Alias: None.
Name: Albuin Friedeberg.
Land of Origin: Germany.
Alignment: Scrupulous.
Description: Albuin is a thin, blonde man with sharp cheekbones and
stout shoulders. His complexion is pale and wan, with almost a sickly
tone to him. He usually wears high collar suits to help cover a very
noticeable scar across his throat. When on the job, he wears a full
face mask that vaguely denotes an owl, and a full overcoat filled with
specialized gear.
Disposition: Helsin puts a lot of faith in his rules. His list of rules are a
constant reminder of his position in the world, and what he needs to
do to survive. An introvert and loner, Albuin rarely seeks out any sort
of contact unless he is on a mission. When he does deign to speak
casually, he is blunt, and unapologetic to a fault. Albuin is a burdened
soul, and always tries to keep people in the dark about his activities,
to keep them from having to make the same choice he did.
History: Albuin Friedeberg is a member of the modern day Black Cat
Society, an anti-supernatural quasi-government agency that spans
most of Europe. Albuin’s family line has worked for the Society
since the 1800s, and knowing what he knows about the supernatural
world, he didn’t feel he had a choice except to continue the family
legacy. Albuin started specialized training as an infiltrator and mon-
ster assassin at the age of nine, where his father put him in harm’s
way against a group of animated dead.
Forced to confront the fact that the supernatural exists within the
world, even among the governments of many major countries, Albuin
deemed that it was important to remove them from power. Six years
64

later, he assassinated a local chancellor with a specialized rifle and
wooden bullet. With the moniker of “Helsin,” an abbreviated use of
the classic Van Helsing name, Albuin takes his time accruing data,
manipulating events, and planning well ahead for the time that a sin-
gle bullet will kill yet another monster masquerading as a politician.
Age: 32
Level: 6 Secret Operative.
Stats: I.Q. 16, M.E. 15, M.A. 11, P.S. 20, P.P. 17, P.E. 21, P.B. 7, Spd
24.
S.D.C.: 63. H.P.: 36.
Infiltration: 83%
Notable Skills: Demon & Monster Lore 68%, Magic Lore 68%, Cryp-
tography 68%, History 68%, W.P. Crossbow, W.P. Rifle, Law 68%,
Gunsmithing 78%.
Abilities Taken: Occultism, Man with the Plan, Demolition Expert,
Saboteur, Clutch Shot (Assassin), Increased Crit (Rifle), Increased
Crit (Crossbow), Vanish, Gruff Disposition, Silent Scope, Extra
Training (Rifle)(Rank 2), Coup-De-Grace.
Initiative +2
Strike: +11
Parry: +6
Dodge: +6
Critical Strike 18+
+4 to Damage
With Rifle: +7 to Strike for 5D6 damage.
Gadgetry Points: 6
Gadgetry:
Censure Goggles – Seen above in the Gadgetry section, with the
additional trait of Concealed. It lies within a face mask he wears to
avoid hypnotic suggestions.
Predictive Motion Array – Function: Alertness. Traits: Unusual,
Powerful. A targeting assist for his rifle that compensates for slight
responses. Foes attacked by this gadget cannot Auto-Dodge.
Smart Ammunition – Function: Weapon. Trait: Non-Standard.
Helsin brings these rifle rounds when he’s investigating a scene,
and is unsure of the nature of the supernatural element he’s involved
with. This smart ammunition is contained in a wide, breadbox-style
magazine. Depending on his specifications, the bullets within are ad-
justed to be tipped with a number of elements, to test for elemental
weakness. Lead, silver, iron, wood, even bone, and depleted uranium,
are options. When using this smart ammo, the rifle must be braced
against something, else it suffers a -4 to Strike.
Advanced Heads-Up Display – Function: Assistant.
Equipment: Helsin is backed by the Black Cat Society, a secret orga-
nization founded in England. As a company man, he believes in the
cause, and has little in regard to personal wealth. All is provided to
him by the Society.
Intrigue
Alias: Agent Belladonna, the Nuclear Option, the Unknown.
Name: Avigal Sayar.
Land of Origin: Israel, raised in Turkey.
Alignment: Aberrant.
Description: An achingly gorgeous Israeli woman of dark eyes, high
eyebrows, and a slight frame. Intrigue is limber, svelte, and triple-
jointed. A woman of haunting eyes, and a fearsome dedication to the
art of spycraft and manipulation.
Disposition: An expert at playing a multitude of roles, Intrigue can shift
from one personality to the next in a heartbeat and make you believe
it. The woman’s frighteningly quick at her work, as well as finding
the right way to manipulate assets. While nobody is ever certain if
they have ever talked to more than a shell of her true disposition, it is
likely that she is a stoic, calculating woman that is prepared for any
situation.
65

History: One of the single most dedicated and skilled agents in the Abilities Taken: Covers (Rank 2), Committed to Cover, Clutch Skills
history of Mossad, Avigal Sayar was born in Israel, but almost im- (Wheelman), Slip Up, Increased Crit (Melee – Knives), Silent Scope,
mediately moved north to Turkey after birth. She was caught up Grace Under Pressure, Neck Snap, Vanish, Natural Born Actor (Rank
in several disputes between rogue forces in the Turkish country- 2), Unreadable (Rank 2), The Getaway, Steel Behind the Wheel, Sit-
side that went on for nearly three years, all unreported to the rest uational Awareness, Cold Read.
of the world. Living through the shelling and gunfire, Avigal was
diagnosed with PTSD at a young age and eventually sought mas-
Initiative +3
tery over her mental health. Eventually, she found herself living
the life of a mercenary, not unlike the people that terrorized her in
Strike: +11
her youth.
Parry: +12
Mossad caught her early enough in her life to give her a purpose,
Dodge: +12
and trained her as an operative. She did more than excel at her work,
Critical Strike 18+, Knockout 18+, +1 to Damage.
she lived it. Within three years, she was always in the field, with a
With Gadget SMGs: +8 to Strike for 5D6 damage, x2 for short
bevy of missions she worked on simultaneously, poaching targets of
burst, x5 for long burst.
opportunity, providing recon, and intelligence gathering constantly.
She could shift flawlessly from one cover to the next, immediately Gadgetry Points: 10
digesting new intelligence and acting upon it. Agent Belladonna, at Gadgetry:
her peak, had three different handlers, each one only cleared to know Predictive Motion Array – Function: Alertness. Traits: Un-
part of her operations. She single-handedly brokered peace between usual, Powerful. A targeting assist for her SMGs that compen-
several rival factions due to the sheer intensity of her legend. She sates for slight responses. Foes attacked by this gadget cannot
became the “nuclear option” for most of the continent of Asia, a de- Auto-Dodge.
terrent to all acts of subterfuge. Combat Stimulants – Function: Combat. Traits: Unusual. A non-
Work became harder for her to come by due to this. She was force- addictive, temporary nano-machine boost that gives Intrigue an
fully sidelined in order to promote peace with neighboring countries Auto-Dodge at +3 when used, as well as two additional attacks per
and other intelligence agencies. On one of her few missions after- round. She grows fatigued after 5 minutes of use.
ward, she made a life-threatening flaw. Frustrated and battling her Threat Assessor – Function: Alertness. Trait: Supplanting. A
own fears, Sayar stepped on a crudely constructed IED, which very low-grade combat computer that scans environments for threats.
nearly ended her life. Over three weeks, she crawled, stole vehicles, Gives Detect Ambush at 40%, rolled separately from her own
and hunted for food, all without the use of her legs, as she attempted skill.
to contact her evac team. She was rescued after 24 days out of touch, Hushed Kiss – Function: Affliction. Trait: Non-Standard. A spe-
her legs however had turned gangrenous, and were amputated to save cialized knife coated with neurotoxins that numb the vocal cords of
her life. the target immediately.
Agent Belladonna was given a very private removal from service, Turmeric Gas – Function: Combat. Traits: Non-Standard, Power-
in the presence of several heads of state. She was lauded with honors ful. A deadly gas that Belladonna uses in a last resort, when collateral
and funds, none of which she could talk about. Of course, even as she damage is acceptable. Victims asphyxiate rapidly. Deadly by inhala-
was retired, there was concern of her being a security leak, a worry tion or contact, and a single drop can cover a 120 foot (37 m) area
that she’d flip on the agency. in a gaseous cloud. Damage: 3D6 direct to Hit Points per round of
Belladonna’s own deep-rooted paranoia brought her to the exact exposure.
same conclusion. Avigal started to suspect that her last mission was Turmeric Gas Cure – Function: Protection. Trait: Assistant –
one that was set up to take her out. How else could she have suc- Guaranteed Ability. An injection that provides total immunity to
cumbed to such an obvious ploy of anti-personnel mines? She pre- Turmeric Gas for six hours.
dicted the strike team’s attack on her hotel, and slaughtered them to The last two gadget points are left to the G.M.’s devices.
a man, using traps and ambushes, all without the use of her legs. She
even evacuated the building before a rocket strike blew up the entire Equipment: Intrigue has a multitude of safe-houses in Asia, Europe,
building. and Africa, with a wide network of computer systems and dead-
Avigal used the confusion to fake her death, and slip away drops known only to her. Each safehouse has a weapons locker,
from her world, but found that she needed to continue the mis- a fail-safe system for destruction, and vehicles for her disposal.
sion, such as it was. Agent Belladonna returned to her mercenary While Intrigue currently could funnel her money together to gain
roots, selling information, manipulating factions and agencies, her goal of cybernetic legs, she feels it would leave her in a com-
from behind the moniker of Intrigue. While no longer aligning her promising position.
interest directly with Mossad, she’s been accruing enough money
In Conclusion
and resources for cybernetics. After that, there’s no telling where
she’ll go.
Age: 43
Level: 13 Secret Operative. The Secret Operative has joined the ranks of the Super Sleuth, Physi-
Stats: I.Q. 18, M.E. 16, M.A. 20, P.S. 16, P.P. 23, P.E. 5, P.B. 28, Spd cal Training hero, and Stage Magician, and brings its own specific style
5/12 with basic prosthetics. to the fight. While most of these power categories do have some ele-
ments in common, their ability to stunt, catch people off guard, work the
S.D.C.: 45. H.P.: 41 (physical capability has been greatly reduced due
right angles, and show off their readiness, ends up defining them more
to her injury).
than your standard mutants who are defined mostly by what they can do,
Infiltration: 98% not who they are.
Notable Skills: Acting (+10% Quality), Disguise, Cryptography, As always, I’d like to thank my crew, the Guides to the Megaverse®
Computer Operation, Radio: Scramblers, Psychology, Basic Elec- podcast, for their thoughts, concerns, and occasional playtesting involv-
tronics, Pilot Aircraft, Detect Ambush, Concealment, Detect Con- ing these rewrites. The GTTM podcast has now hit one thousand down-
cealment, Ground Vehicle, Jet, Submersible, multiple languages, loads, and has one hundred uploads, all available at guidesmegaverse.
Streetwise, all at 98%, Seduction 74%, Perception 80%, Intuition podbean.com. Until next time, Game on!
60%.
66

On the Trail...
with the Hunter/Vigilante
Optional Material for Heroes Unlimited™ less than the sum of its parts. As such, the Hunter has been fully redevel-
oped, and emphasis has been put onto his main combat tactics, more than
By Matt Reed his survival abilities. While Survivor, the first Hunter superskill accounts
for the ability to survive almost anywhere on the planet, and a good deal
All her planning came down to getting the answers she wanted today. of Wilderness skills, but this doesn’t generally have a giant impact on a
It was all finally starting to show some progress. Elise placed her knee game unless the campaign is a world-traveling epic (in which case, kudos).
against the large metal jaws of her bear trap, and pushed it open with The Hunter plays differently than the Sleuth, the Operative, and the
her hands. It latched open with a satisfying click. She wiped her brow. Stage Mage, though there are some similarities. Consider the Hunter to
Simmons usually had two men for backup. foes what the Sleuth is to crimes. A constant evaluation and analysis,
Her gaze went back into the hallway, where her other work was wait- using research and instinct to achieve a specific objective. Both power
ing to be sprung. Nearby she stashed a heavy club in case the falling trap categories need to put in some legwork to really make the situation work
didn’t incapacitate fast enough, and up ahead, she hid the one pistol she in their favor. Both the Hunter and the Operative are surveillance ex-
had managed to steal. The young heroine removed her gloves and ran perts, use stealth, and can favor ranged weaponry with deadly intent.
a single finger over the trap’s teeth. Blood trickled from her thumb. Her The difference between these two power categories is that the Hunter
focus was elsewhere. Simmons was fast on the draw, but he led his shots focuses more on the manhunter side of things, learning a foe’s patterns
too little. She could use that. It was going to be a risk to get them to chase easily, while the Operative focuses more on a vast array of abilities, and
her this far, but if they did, she was confident that the tables would turn... gadgets. Of course, the four categories could make quite a quartet in a
and she knew just how to get them to chase her. low-powered game. The Stage Magician distracting and confusing foes,
the Sleuth and the Manhunter tracking down foes and preparing for con-
The Hunter/Vigilante is a niche archetype in Heroes Unlimited. A
flict, while the Operative uses advanced tech to support the team.
normal man with some rifle skills, and a tame set of special skills that
Beyond that, the Hunter now has a wide array of skills at his disposal...
starts off with “Disguise Scent.” The initial image of a Hunter character
Survivor is meant to showcase the things that the Hunter needs to be
may bring up monocles, pith helmets, and “the most dangerous game.”
capable of anywhere in the wilderness. Survival, hunting, animal skills,
The Hunter is meant to be so much more than a big-game hunter gone
they all show the Hunter’s utter dominance in rural environments, with-
rogue. In fact, there are very few viable archetypes to properly represent
out devoting a lot of mechanics to it.
a Hunter/Vigilante. The most notable one comes in the form of Kraven
Ambusher is a basic superskill as well, one meant to denote the spe-
the Hunter, of Spider-Man fame. But even Kraven was more than hu-
cific focus of a Hunter to seek out ambushes and stealth tactics over any-
man, and yet we saw signs of his tactical sense, his ability to pursue,
thing else. The higher starting percentage gives him a hefty bonus versus
adaptability, and cunning as he fought Spider-Man. Another proper
a character using Prowl in order to stalk through the shadows. Again,
choice is the Punisher character. While he could easily be defined as a
this superskill is merely meant to emphasize the Hunter’s classic tactics.
Weapons Expert, the Punisher shows a great deal of foresight, manipula-
Only the higher level foes should be much of a threat to tear down the
tion, and legwork. All traits used by a good Manhunter.
Hunter’s ambush before it starts.
Shedding the preconceived notions of what a Manhunter can be, opens
Hunter’s Instinct is where things become interesting. This super-
up a great deal more to the concept. Here you have a character who is com-
skill shows off the Hunter’s mindset, how they generally view danger,
fortable in most any part of the world, formidable in both ranged and melee
and weakness. The psychology involved in dealing with foes, and how
combat, knows cultures and languages, and has a sharp eye for detail. A man
to draw them out into the open. Think of any film where the hero plays
who aggressively studies opponents, and hones in on weaknesses to exploit.
a long con-game with the villain, manipulating the villain until he has
The Hunter could be a pulp hero, using his fists and wits to go up against
no choice but to go a certain route, or bring something into play. That
heavily armed foes, or he could be an archaeologist, using his knowledge
is what Hunter’s Instinct is about. Now, while the concept is powerful,
of traps and history to recover lost artifacts, an ex-military assassin lur-
even enemies have their own agency to work with, and Hunter’s Instinct
ing targets to favorable locations, a cunning trapper who eliminates foes
is not considered mind control of any sort. In fact, the Hunter’s player
without face-to-face encounters. The Hunter doesn’t need to be limited to
should speak with the G.M. about what he or she is hoping to accom-
pursuing humanity itself either, Hunters have the potential to chase down
plish, or perhaps a tip or hint on how to accomplish the desired result.
cryptozoological creatures that threaten humanity from the shadows,
Hunter’s Instinct also is the lynchpin for one of the Manhunter’s
aliens, mages, robots, mutants. In short, the Hunter should be capable of
greatest abilities, the Predator System. A Hunter who knows everything
tracking down anything in their field of interest, and finding weaknesses
about how his prey fights is a dangerous foe indeed. He knows where the
associated with it. Hunters are meant to be patient and play the long game,
attacks come from, can predict what is likely to occur next, and when the
using their hours of surveillance and research to analyze their foe for one
prey will move to flee. With this information, the Manhunter can start to
lightning fast assault. The worst news for the prey of a Hunter is that even
react even before the attack comes, giving him an extra bit of prescience
if you survive the initial assault, the Hunter still knows all of your moves
to survive. With enough time of surveillance or research under his belt,
and reactions for the next fight. Worst of all, whatever reaction you have,
the Manhunter can become a startlingly deadly force against his quarry.
however impromptu or clever, it may very well be exactly what he wants.
Trapsmith is another angle of the Manhunter that now sees the light
of day. In this article, there is a new trap system to represent hastily built
The Hunter Compared traps used by heroes for a number of results. While creating a trap, the
hero decides what traits to choose, within an initial limit of three traits.
The Hunter/Vigilante has been the toughest Power Category to expand.
With these traits, most every simple trap can be put together for an am-
What the Hunter initially lacked was anything that actually defined it, It
bush of a different sort.
had some sharpshooting abilities, some tracking ability, but overall was
67

68

Lastly, as always are the Abilities of the Hunter. Each one is meant to Use/Recognize Poison (+15%) or Disguise (+10%)
promote a bit of individuality between different Hunters, allowing play- Two Communication skills of choice (+10%, +20% for Sign Language).
ers to focus on weapon skills, Predator skills, or trapper skills, as well as One additional Skill Program of your choice (+10% to Medical,
round out the hero even further for greater versatility. Communication, Wilderness).
All in all, the Hunter/Vigilante has become a force to be reckoned * For one additional skill, the Hunter may upgrade his Hand to Hand
with in the world of Heroes Unlimited™. to Martial Arts or Assassin (if evil).
Step One: The Usual Special Skills

Attributes: Determine the eight attributes as usual. Physical attri-
butes will likely change during character creation, so writing in pencil is 1. Survivor: 80% +2%/level
recommended. In addition, some physical attributes have been increased The Hunter lives up to his name with a reputation for being able to
by the Hunter’s active lifestyle. easily navigate anywhere on the planet. The Hunter can also survive just
+1 to I.Q. (Minimum of 11). about anywhere on the planet. All native plants, animals, and locations
+1D6 to P.S. (Minimum of 14). are known to him, if only through research. The Survivor superskill com-
+1D4 to P.E. (Minimum of 14). bines all ground Survival skills (wilderness, urban, jungle, desert, arc-
+1 to P.P. tic, etc.), Land Navigation, Hunting, I.D. Plants, Animal Husbandry,
+1D6+2 to Speed (Minimum of 12). and Track Animals. The Hunter is well versed in building shelter, field
Hit Points: P.E. Attribute number +1D6 per level of experience. The skinning, cooking (at the very least for sustenance, if not flavor), and
character also gets a one-time bonus of +2D6 to H.P. other advanced wilderness skills. In addition, using this superskill, the
S.D.C.: Determine the character’s S.D.C. last, because it will be al- Hunter is considered able to forage for food, disguise his scent, and hunt
tered by skill bonuses. The character’s starting S.D.C. is 1D4X10+35. small or large game for up to a group of six people every day. The Hunter
As always, the addition of physical or mental skills will also adjust may also automatically lessen the travel time in the wilderness by 25%
the character’s attributes. when applicable, due to his ability to blaze a path through the wild.
Step Two: 2. Ambusher: 70% +3%/level

Ideally, the Hunter’s primary choice of attack is going to be from
Education and Skills ambush. Given the levels of foes that the Hunter deals with, they tend
to exploit every advantage they can, for a swift, brutal, victory. As such,
the Hunter has spent years working on his craft, learning to blend in
Education is fairly diverse, and with a specific focus. The main em- with his surroundings. Stealth, whether long term or short term, is almost
phasis involves hunting, tracking, wilderness survival, psychology, and about as vital to the Hunter as it is to the Secret Operative. As such, the
surveillance. DO NOT roll to determine education level and skill pro- Hunter’s superskill Ambusher combines Prowl, Camouflage, and Track
grams. The Hunter’s new special skill set, (seen below), encompasses Humanoids. Any time one of these three skills are needed, the Hunter
most of the prime wilderness skills once listed here. The following skill rolls Ambusher instead, giving it a higher chance of success.
programs are all part of the Hunter’s education.
Common & General Skills 3. Hunter’s Instinct: 60% +3%/level
Pilot: Automobile (+10%) Part psychology, part instinct, Hunter’s Instinct is all about observing
Pilot: Boat of choice (+10%). how people and animals operate at their most base nature. The Hunter
Pilot: One of choice (+10%, any). can speculate on what a character under pressure might choose to do, the
Mathematics: Basic (+10%) directions that people would move towards during a disturbance, or how
Language: Native Language (+25%) they might respond to threats. He understands their habits, their instincts,
Literacy: Native Language (+20%) with a deep level of psychology that differs from the psychology taught
Language and Literacy: Two other languages of choice (+15%). in colleges. This is a speculatory skill that doesn’t necessarily guarantee
And 2D4+3 Secondary Skills. that the Hunter knows his foe’s course of action, but that the Hunter can
Weapon Proficiency Program see the most likely outcomes. Once he gets into a prey’s head, and knows
what they’re capable of, he can predict basic reactions, and instinctive
Two W.P.s of choice (both with an additional +1 to Strike bonus). responses. A successful Hunter’s Instinct skill roll might give a basic
Two additional W.P.s of choice. course of action for a player, without exactly predicting his prey’s ac-
Diligence Program tions. He might ascertain that a prey would most likely choose to fight,
or would be more likely to flee the city than hole up. The Hunter can
Computer Operation (+10%) use this skill to manipulate his opponent into going in certain directions,
Research (+15%) allowing him to lure the quarry into a trap, or anticipate a person’s move-
Intelligence (+20%) ments enough that he can lie in wait with an ambush. The Hunter’s In-
Two Rogue or Espionage skills of choice (+10%). stinct superskill contains the skills of Surveillance and Detect Ambush,
Legwork Program as well as some basic levels of Psychology.
Example: Maduin the City Hunter is keeping surveillance on his cur-
Hand to Hand: Expert*
rent target. He decides that he needs his quarry to flee the area in order to
Swim (+20%)
be cornered and questioned. Maduin successfully rolls Hunter’s Instinct.
Climb (+15%)
The G.M. tells Maduin’s player that most likely his prey would choose to
Find Contraband (+20%)
fight, but if enough unknown vehicles were in the area, he would likely
Athletics
flee instead, due to not knowing who else may be a part of this ambush.
Streetwise (+20%)
Maduin then seeks out allies to help rig up this ambush properly.
69

Example: Alise the Trapper is preparing for a confrontation, and has “simple check,” therefore only requiring a basic roll on your part to suc-
heavily trapped the side door of the warehouse she’s aiming to use. On a ceed, and ignore any opposition rolls.
successful Hunter’s Instinct roll, she can lay out a course of action with
the G.M. that would encourage her target to use that side door, such as
herding the foe with weapons fire, or parking vehicles on the street closer Calculating Perception
to the main entrance, to give the impression of being blocked without The average person does not have Heightened Sense of Hearing or
tipping off the target. While any character can sketch out a plan to do Surveillance Systems. They have a natural skill of Perception, a skill
these very same things, a Hunter’s plan has much more psychology to it, first drafted in the Nightbane book. Everybody has Perception, though
and a subtlety to it that can make a Prey feel it was his own decision to average civilians may only have it at 5%. As a D20 roll, it is hard to use
make, not realizing that the Hunter has manipulated him. in its current state to compare against percentile rolls. I recommend tak-
Hunter’s Instinct is also used in the Hunter’s “Predator” mechanic ing the Perception bonus, and multiplying it by 10%, making it into a
to use their superior knowledge to inflict maximum damage to their foe, percentile roll. A +3 to Perception becomes 30%. Be sure to add the I.Q.
exploit weaknesses and predict telegraphed motions. Hunters have an bonus (using the M.E. chart next to it). A smart Hunter who has focused
innate understanding of the human body, and can recognize weakness on his awareness skills, can easily see their Perception start at 50% or
as easy as the Natural Genius. They review tapes, study their target, and above. However, even with a 98% in Perception, the character doesn’t
learn those subtle mannerisms of how they fight. The Hunter is the one automatically see everything, because the skill is still contested.
who notes if someone favors a certain leg, or if an old injury bothers In the previous example, an incompetent gate guard might have a
the target, and they are the ones to exploit that. While the Hunter can Perception of 15%, unless they’re geared up with optical sensors. This
snipe targets like the Secret Operative, his skill set includes more than does still give the infiltrator a chance to fail. If the Hunter rolls 01-14%,
just head shots. The Hunter uses his Hunter’s Instinct skill as part of the the guard still has a chance to spot them if they succeed on Perception.
Predator System below, to gain additional bonuses against specific Prey. It’s a small chance, but it will never be an automatic success.
Upon creation, the Hunter is trained solely in hunting native animals This is where one of the hallmarks of the revised Special Training
and other humans. A Hunter can learn how to apply those same bonuses power categories come into play. Skill Quality bonuses add to your die
against mutants and experiments, robots, aliens, and such, by gaining roll when successful, to help give your character an extra boost to what
the right skills and abilities in the list below. The G.M. may decide that they’re good at, without making it impossible to fail. Power Categories
if an alien is human enough that you may not need an extra ability, or that may be considered very perceptive: Stage Magicians, Super Sleuths,
that two sorts of aliens are different enough that you’ll need to study Operatives, etc. warrant a +20% to Perception upon creation. Perception
them (as mentioned above) before you may start applying the Predator increases by 10% at levels 3, 9, and 15.
bonuses to them. A superior form of Perception would be if the situation could call for
Detect Ambush, Detect Concealment, Surveillance Systems, or possibly
4. Trapsmith: 70% +3%/level even Read Sensory Equipment. In some situations, you could use these
skills which may very well have a higher chance of success than a natu-
Hunter Vigilantes are also crafty, clever heroes, with an intimate fa- ral skill like Perception. This represents the extra training that a character
miliarity with traps, both natural and manufactured. This specialty may may acquire. However, Perception works in a multitude of situations,
require some setup time, planning, and maneuvering, but these are all such as against Prowl, Camouflage, Pick Pockets (if using this rule, ne-
traits that the Hunter has in spades. Given enough time, a Hunter can set gate the 67% chance of discovery on a failure), etc.
up a large amount of trap combinations to bewilder, slaughter, or capture
his target, all triggered remotely or by the prey. This superskill combines
Detect Concealment, Trap/Mine Detection, and Craft Traps. All traps are Calculating Intuition
considered to be concealed with this skill as part of creation, and must Intuition is the social equivalent of Perception. While sometimes a
be spotted using Detect Concealment or Perception to be avoided (see “gut skill,” it can also be the subconscious collection of subtle cues from
below in “Perception, Intuition, Skill Quality, and Contested Skills”). the person you’re dealing with.
A superior form of Intuition is Psychology, or Criminal Insight (a
Perception, Intuition, Skill Quality, Super Sleuth skill in The Rifter® #81), both of which can more thor-
oughly analyze a person’s lies. As with Perception, Intuition uses your
and Contested Skills I.Q. to determine your initial Intuition. Using the attribute chart, note any
particular bonus for I.Q. using the M.E. chart beneath it (between +1 for
Playing Palladium for a number of years, my group had realized a few an I.Q. of 16, and +8 for an I.Q. of 30). Multiply the bonus by 10%. This
things that were hard to resolve properly. One of which was that a player is your starting Intuition. Power Categories that have a focus on social
with a 98% in Prowl was almost constantly invisible if they wished. No skills, such as Stage Magicians, Super Sleuths, Operatives, etc. warrant
matter how many guards were at the gates, no matter who had a keen a +20% to Intuition upon creation.
eye, the 98% Prowl character would be able to do as he wished. There Intuition helps counter such skills like Acting, Seduction, Disguise,
was a terribly low chance of ever noticing him. The worst that a G.M. Fast-Talking, Trust. Impress, Charm, and other social skills that are de-
could do was to assign a negative to Prowl. Yet those poor guards, they ceptive in their nature. An intuitive character may not know for sure if
had no chance to notice him on their own. someone’s lying, but they can get a hunch that that is the case. Only
The second problem was when skills were used against each other, telepaths can fully understand the thoughts of another person. Intuition
but there was no way to determine resolution. If you roll Camouflage and increases by 10% at levels 3, 9, and 15.
succeed, and I roll Detect Ambush and succeed, what is the resolution?
It leads to a gray area in the rules, and as such, has been defined a bit
further. The skill that succeeds the highest is the victor in this example.
When a character has 98% in Prowl, they are exceedingly confident in Traps
their ability to move quietly, and remain unseen. At this point, what matters
Traps aren’t covered outright in Palladium too often, and can vary
is how good the character’s opposition is. The second character would pit
wildly from one setting to the next. Some traps require strike rolls, others
a skill against the Prowl roll. If the character has Advanced Hearing, they
can’t be avoided if not seen before being triggered, and others require a
might opt to use the percentile skill listed there to keep their senses sharp.
Saving Throw. Certain traps can simply only be overcome by puzzle-
This also works for contested Computer Hacking rolls, Piloting,
solving, with the punishment for failure being death. Naturally, the most
Gambling, and more. Of course, the G.M. can rule that something is a
70

Trap Traits
Area – The trap’s area is larger than a simple 5 foot by 5 foot (1.5 x
1.5 m) area, increasing to 10 feet by 10 feet (3 x 3 m), and it may also
attack multiple foes in that area if triggered at the right time. This trait
may be selected a second time, extending the area to 20 feet by 20 feet
(6 x 6 m).
Armor-Piercing – The trap has been rigged to help penetrate armor,
giving the victim a -2 to A.R. against the attack.
Booby-Trapped – Clever Hunters will expect someone to disarm their
work, and take precautions to punish them. Any attempt to disarm this
trap must be done with a contested roll, using the Hunter’s Instinct skill
(complete with any bonuses or penalties made at trap creation), versus
the other person’s trap removal skill.
Calibrated – The trap is exceptionally well crafted, providing an ad-
ditional +2 to Strike. This trait may be taken multiple times, increasing
the Strike bonus by +2 each time.
Constant Effect – One non-lethal feature of the trap is meant to con-
tinue constantly until the trap is destroyed, or all foes leave its effect
radius. As an example, a constant Disorienting trap might be set up as a
series of strobe lights and mirrors in an area.
Chain Trap – The trap is rigged to trigger another trap nearby as
well. Chaining traps together provides additional benefits, but takes one
trait from each trap to accomplish. All further traps in the chain gain an
additional +1 to Strike. The Trapsmith roll needed to succeed at this sort
of trap has a -10% penalty for each additional trap added in (e.g. a seven
trap chain would incur a -70% to the Trapsmith skill).
Chemical-Based – The trap’s primary attack is to trigger a type of
gas or liquid on an area. Laughing gas, airborne hallucinogens, and
poison are all viable choices for a gas trap. A G.M. may rule that cer-
tain gases or liquids have additional benefits, like spraying someone
with gasoline in a chain with a fire trap, or spraying grease or oil onto
deadly traps are usually ones that have taken a long time to put together, someone may promote slipping. Most gases or liquids that cause ef-
with teams of people used, or magical resources to set up a trap, and gen- fects force a Saving Throw as normal (12+ for lethal poison, 14+ for
erally with the intent of building it into architecture, with the punishment non-lethal poison).
being long falls, collapsing areas, and spiked pits. Damage – The trap is meant to deal damage through trap-based
Detecting and disarming traps is a set of rules that hasn’t seen much means. If the trap is primarily focused on firearms, explosives, or weap-
play either, so first and foremost, it is suggested that the previous section onry, then use those traits instead. It deals a base damage of 2D6, with
on Perception and Contested Skills be examined. Perception is one of a +4 Strike roll. This trait may be taken multiple times, increasing the
the skills that can be used to spot a trap, however Detect Ambush and damage done by +2D6 each time.
Detect Concealment can both fill this role as well (and most likely have Demolitions – The trap’s basic damage is replaced by an explosive
higher skill percentages to work with). For a standard trap, a simple roll added to the trap. A successful Demolitions skill is required, and stan-
is made to notice it, i.e. if you succeed at Detect Concealment, you spot dard explosion rules apply.
the trap. However, Hunter/Vigilantes and other characters skilled at traps Disorienting – Generally rigged by a flash-bang or other bright light
(such as the Stage Magician, and others deemed talented by the G.M.), source, a Disorienting trap is meant to make a foe easier to apprehend or
use contested rolls to spot their traps. As always, if both sides succeed, defeat. Temporary deafness or blindness are both possible outcomes of
the one that rolls the highest without going over, is the winner in the this attack. Instead of a Strike roll, a Disorienting trap forces a Saving
contested roll. Throw of a 14+ with P.E. bonuses, to avoid the expected condition.
Most traps can be disabled, usually through a Basic Mechanics, Craft Firearm-Based – The trap’s basic damage is replaced by a firearm
Traps, or as mentioned in Fantasy, by the Field Armorer skill. This is added to the trap. Standard bullet rules apply, as well as point-blank
simply a straight roll to disarm it, unless the trap has been rigged to trig- range bonuses.
ger if manipulated such as with the Booby-Trap ability below. If the trap Hobbling – The trap is designed to actually damage the victim’s feet.
is a Booby-Trap, it is a contested roll, with the potential for failure being On a successful strike that deals damage, the trap deals 1D6 damage to
that the trap triggers immediately. Such rules can also work with Demo- the Speed attribute in addition to its other functions. This trait may be
litions Disposal, if the G.M. agrees that it would be usable. taken a second time to increase the damage to 1D6+2 damage to Speed.
The traps that will be focused on here will be quick, improvisational Knockdown – Upon a successful hit by the trap, the victim is knocked
traps that the Hunter can use to hinder or damage his targets. Usually down.
trap-making takes the proper equipment, and 10 minutes of time per trap, Miscellaneous-Based – Damage for this trap is tied to something else
though certain skills, equipment, or abilities may alter this. that cannot be fully accounted for, such as moving gears, subway trains,
Traps can vary wildly depending on the resources given, the environ- Tesla generators or such, the G.M. decides the damage dealt by this trap,
ment, and the intent of the trap. To help allow players flexibility, but with and may require a skill roll if dealing with anything tricky like electric-
enough structure that it fits neatly into an adventure, the trap creation ity.
process below has been created. On a successful Trapsmith roll, the trap Multiple Strikes – The trap may attack twice in the round it is acti-
will function within a basic design, and start with three traits from the vated. This trait may be selected multiple times (within reason), each
list below. Most traps have a basic S.D.C. of 10 to destroy the setup, but time adding a single extra attack to the trap’s usage.
not necessarily destroy the components therein. Of course, destroying a Poisoned – The trap is poisoned in addition to its other abilities. The
nearby armed trap will almost guarantee that it will be set off. Hunter must roll Use/Recognize Poisons to properly ensure the trap is
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set with the deadly toxin. The trap must deal damage to the foe, but then trap is sprung, the pistol fires three shots straight ahead in rapid succes-
may force a Saving Throw vs Poison or suffer the consequences. sion, preferably down a hallway or through a doorway. This trap has
Reloading – The trap resets itself after use, allowing it to be activated Firearm-Based, and Multiple Attacks taken twice. While the loss of the
again a minute after its first activation. This trait may be selected one ad- pistol may be costly, three rapid pistol shots at point-blank range is a
ditional time, lowering the reset time to two melee rounds. This may not very good way to eliminate prey.
be used with the Weighted trait. The Petrie Special – A snare set up to trip the victim, sending them
Remotely-Triggered – The trap can be activated at a distance by the face first into nails or spikes. Pratfalls are a comedy classic, but a trip-
Hunter, either via a relay system like a rope, or electronically. This al- ping hazard, combined with a painful landing, is hardly a laughing mat-
lows the Hunter to choose what triggers it, instead of targeting the first ter. This simple trap uses a taut line that is ankle high as its delivery
person to pass through the area. mechanism, with any number of items for the foe to land on. This trap
Restraining – The trap has a focus on restraining a target, such as has Knockdown and Damage attached to it.
with a net or rope. Upon a successful strike, the victim suffers standard Shotgun Surprise – Similar to the Pistol Surprise, a shotgun is the
negatives for being snared or captured (loss of initiative, half melee ac- focus of this trap, hidden in a similar way. What makes this so different
tions and -5 to all combat actions) until cut free (20 S.D.C.). is that shotguns can have a multitude of shells loaded into it. Two barrels
Staggering – On a successful hit, the victim loses half their attacks of buckshot down a hallway practically guarantees hitting and crippling
for this round. This trait may be selected a second time, extending the people. Even more dangerous, use of phosphorous or dragonfire rounds
penalty for another round. increases lethality exponentially. This trap has Firearm-Based like the
Tethering – Upon a successful hit, the foe cannot leave the trap’s pistol trap, however, as the shotgun for this trap is a double-barrel model,
spot, unless the trap is either destroyed or disabled. If the trap is also it is expected to fire both barrels at once, with no need for Multiple At-
Hobbling or Damaging, attempting to leave the trap’s area without de- tacks. If the shotgun is loaded with buckshot or another spread shot, it
stroying it will cause more damage equal to half of the damage dealt to could be an Area attack easily, and the G.M. could see fit to expand the
Speed, or S.D.C./H.P. area affected even further, to fit with the shotgun’s spread.
Weapon-Based – If the trap’s main intent is using a specific melee Snare Trap – A loop of cable moves to catch a victim’s feet, and
weapon, perhaps one that is more damaging than the improvisational suspend them upside down, leaving them helpless. For this trap, we com-
nature of the more basic traps, they may be added here. Naturally, this re- bine Tethering and Restraining to build a simple, effective trap. Until
quires either there being particular weapons on site or within the group. the foe destroys the trap, he cannot leave the spot (Tethering) and is
Also useful if a specific type of weapon is needed to damage a foe, e.g. constantly disoriented (Restraining).
silver, magic, iron weapons. This trait may be selected two times, adding Skewer Trap – A thin spear is launched downward at the victim, in-
the damage of both weapons together. tent to impale part of him to the ground. Usually involves having a high-
Weighted – The trap consists of some heavy part of the environment tension spring, or crossbow-style launcher. This cruel trap possesses the
being moved into place to fall on a specific location. This is more of a Hobbling and Tethering traits. Adding Poisoned would mean that you
full drop from above as opposed to pulling a bookshelf over on someone, could add a Saving Throw vs Poison for added suffering. By itself, the
therefore the damage is more significant. Base damage dealt depends on Skewer Trap seeks to cripple and damage, much like the bear trap.
the weight of the object lifted, using the standard weight rules as under
Telekinesis, or 1D4x10 damage per 100 lbs (45 kg). The time to cre-
ate the trap is increased significantly, to 30 minutes per 100 lbs (45 kg)
lifted. An advanced trapper’s kit may be required to possess the pulleys
The Predator System
and cables needed for this trap. This trap also gains the Knockdown trait He had to be close by. The once noteworthy actress Elena Ash stalked
due to the trap’s size and time investment. the corporate celebration, weaving between the tents and tables, dodg-
ing the unaware as she stalked. There were spirits out there, spirits that
Sample Traps were controlling some bad enough people. The latter was humanity at
work, and nothing she had a stake in, but when things went supernatural,
Bear Trap – A classic trap for a reason. The bear trap is a hard-to- that’s when she stepped in.
remove bonecrusher, and best of all, it can be hammered to a spot to The spirit, she figured, was at least six hundred years old, and all this
force the victim to stay in its agony, unless they take extreme measures. must be disorienting to him. All this technology, all these bright colors
Considering a bear trap is a real item and doesn’t need to be improvised, surrounding him. He may as well be agoraphobic. He had to be here,
we can use the Weapon-Based trait for the trap itself, which generally but would find blending in to be a challenge. Someone rich, powerful, an
deals a powerful 3D6+4 damage. As the trap is specifically meant to executive or an assistant.
break bone, we can add the Hobbling trait to it. If the Hunter spikes it Her eyes scanned the tent, looking for anyone out of place. Most of
into the ground or otherwise uses the chain to anchor it, the trap can be the people alone were on their phones, but a six hundred year old ghost
considered Tethering, forcing the victim to stay there. For three traits, probably wasn’t going to use that form of social camouflage, was he?
the bear trap is a powerhouse for the trap-based Hunter. They could even No, the one with the booklet was more likely... And now she waited for
tighten up the springs on it, or sharpen the teeth to add the Damage trait those instincts to kick in, telling the so-called “Final Girl” exactly what
for an extra 2D6 if they had the ability to do so. she needed to do to drop this creature...
Buffeter – A simple setup trap that is meant to push someone into
the path of something else, with the intent of keeping the target off bal- Hunters work so much better in combat after they observe and stalk
ance. A simple spring hidden up against a wall, or a series of boxes their prey. The Hunter learns movement, subtleties, standard habits, go-to
meant to fall over onto someone, to push them in a certain direction, are moves, and reactions to danger. When left to his own devices, the Hunter
examples of Buffeter traps. These traps have the trait of Chain Trap as will spend days, even weeks, to learn how his foe works, and how best to
it is meant to push someone in a direction more than anything else. All neutralize him. To do so is to use the Predator System, a mechanic for the
other traits are left open, perhaps to deal Damage or Disorient, or even Hunter that represents how well they research their Prey before they strike.
use Chemical-Based to spray oil onto the victim, where the next trap To begin, understand that a Prey is generally a single person that
will take advantage of that. A clever Hunter could even use Chain Trap the Hunter has selected as a target. The bonuses delivered by this sys-
twice, having the Buffeter set off two other traps simultaneously. tem apply solely to this single Prey. A G.M. may rule, however, that
Pistol Surprise – A semi-automatic pistol is the main focus of this enough similarly disposed foes, that fall into the same category, may be
trap, hidden in a cardboard box placed at about chest level. When the applicable to be Prey as well. If a Hunter selects a Mafia crime syndi-
72

cate enforcer, and all the other enforcers are similarly equipped and of a
similar skill and mindset, then the G.M. may allow the Predator bonuses
Using the Predator System
to work against all enforcers in a scene. The same goes for if a Hunter is The Hunter needs to spend time stalking his foe to learn his habits.
stalking a Goodfella bionic gunman, i.e. the “typical” Goodfella enforcer Ideally, this involves using the Hunter’s Instinct skill as Surveillance, or
encountered, then the bonuses for one may be applied to all Goodfella otherwise poring over hours of footage, or other analysis about the tar-
enforcers encountered. Those bonuses would not apply to non-bionic get, (psychological reports, fight footage, medical reports). The Hunter
enemies, or ones that have been modified from the “typical” motif listed, then rolls Hunter’s Insight or another skill that relates to the stalking of
such as heavier armor or mounted weaponry. Overall, there should be an the Prey (possibly medical skills if looking at charts, etc). Upon a suc-
80-100% similarity between foes for the Predator bonuses to be enabled. cess, the Hunter gains one Predator Point that he can put into special
In a similar vein, almost all mutants, mages, psychics, experiments bonuses against the foe. After a Predator Point is gained, the Hunter
and such, are going to be considered unique targets, unless for some must move to new footage, records, or film. A Hunter can’t keep gain-
reason the Hunter encounters mages from the same school of magic, or ing Predator Points from watching the same dust-up over an hour. Up to
six mutants all possessing the same abilities (in which case, watch out!). eight Points may be accrued from scouting a target at rest, or while the
Aliens are more likely to follow the same guidelines, unless the Alien target is in combat. The former costs fifteen minutes worth of time to
itself is a mutant, and follow the easier guidelines above. pick up on the proper signs, the latter takes only five minutes of analysis.
Upon initial creation, a Hunter can stalk and hunt other humans Given that most fights don’t last five minutes, recording the fight and
only. However a Hunter may spend abilities (seen below) to add other watching it repeatedly will suffice.
sorts of foes to his repertoire, allowing him to use these bonuses against To use the system, select one foe as your current Prey. From
robots, mages, aliens, and others, as he pours over psychology, mechani- there, information must be gathered, active surveillance, video foot-
cal manuals, theories on alien intelligence processes, and esoteric books age, taped fights, interviews, on-site footage, psychological evalu-
about spellcraft. This allows him to extrapolate on how these foreign ations, and medical records; it all gives the Hunter more to work
minds operate, and garners him a much greater understanding on how to with. Every fifteen minutes of active surveillance, footage studied,
combat these threats. or profiles read (or five minutes of combat footage) gives the Hunter
It is also worth noting that the Hunter is more likely to learn of a another chance to gain a Predator Point as he learns more about his
foe’s weakness, or at least realize that the foe showed vulnerability to foe. It might help to keep a list of all the Prey you’ve made over your
something, than most any other power category. If the Hunter selects career, and any additional research or footage you may use to gain
Monster Hunter as an option to become his Prey, he will most likely more Predator Points involving them. You may change whom your
learn how to damage the creature through the lore skill he possesses, but Prey is at any point you’d like, but only two Predator Points are kept
does not innately possess the ability to do damage. This also does not from the previous Prey, no matter how many you had. There are some
mean that a Hunter, armed solely with a knife he just found, can damage abilities that may alter this rule.
a foe that has the Invulnerability super ability. No amount of study will Example: Elise the Trapper has decided to take the psychotic Manik
outright deny super powers, nor innate defenses, it simply means that out of the picture for once and for all. She successfully uses Hunter’s
the Hunter will realize the significance of using magic, silver or iron Instinct as Surveillance to study him for fifteen minutes. She gains one
weapons against these foes, and will most likely seek these elements out. Predator Point against him. Later online, she digs up security footage
73

of Manik’s assault on a police station. She spends a quarter hour go-
ing over the footage, studying him, and rolls Hunter’s Instinct again,
succeeding again. She now has two Predator Points, (one from surveil-
Step Three: Abilities
lance, one from combat). Knowing how dangerous this maniac is, she As with previous expanded power categories, the Hunter may select
puts both points into a bonus to dodge his attacks. Her training coming a series of abilities to help emphasize his or her focus and background.
into play as she notes telegraphed motions and reflexive moves on his The Hunter gains eight abilities at level one from any category except
part. Advanced. The Manhunter gains an additional two more abilities at lev-
els 3, 5, 7, 9, 11, 13, and 15.
Predator Point Abilities Advanced

Most abilities below may be purchased several times, increasing the You’ve gotten to the point where you trust your instincts enough to
bonus against the Prey. These bonuses last until the Hunter changes his let them guide you... finally.
Prey target. These points may not be moved about as needed, unless
Predatory Adjustment is taken as an ability. Otherwise, if a Hunter Dodge Bullets
wishes to change his bonuses, he must devote more time to gaining
You’ve spent enough time running from automatic weapons fire to
information, and use those new Predator Points to overwrite the old
know how to throw off their lead.
abilities.
Rank 1: Your penalty to dodge bullets is reduced by two points.
One Point Bonuses Eternal Prey
+1 to Dodge. Requires one Predator ability. You never forget a target.
+1 to Parry. Rank 1: When you change your Prey target, you may keep an addi-
+1 to Entangle. tional Predator Point from the last quarry you were hunting. Normally,
+2 to Initiative. you may only keep two Predator Points. This ability stacks with Lasting
+2 to melee damage vs the Prey. Prey for a total of four Predator Points held.
Two Point Bonuses Extra Predator Point

+1 to Disarm. You keep finding more and more things to exploit.
+1 to Strike. Rank 1: You can gain one extra Predator Point, upping your maxi-
-1 to the Prey’s A.R. mum. This ability may be taken multiple times.
+5% to all skills used against the Prey (which may come in handy to
gain more Predator Points). Extra Prey
+10% Quality Bonus to all skills used against the Prey (see above for
Contested Rolls for an explanation). They’re all just victims, even if they’ve got different vulnerabilities.
+1 to Called Shots against the Prey. Rank 1: You may have two Prey, but must split your Predator Points
+1 to Saving Throw vs Magic vs the Prey’s magic. between them as you see fit.
+1 to Saving Throw vs Psionics vs the Prey’s psionics.
+1 to Saving Throw vs mutant abilities (that require a Saving Explosive Critical (Melee)
Throw). Also available as a Secret Operative Advanced ability. Your best
strikes sink even deeper.
Three Point Bonuses Rank 1: When you deal a Critical Strike with a firearm, you deal an
additional 1D10+2 damage factored in after the critical multiplier.
+1 to the Hunter’s Critical Strike range versus the Prey.
Rank 2: The bonus damage to a Critical Strike increases to 2D10+4.
Halve the penalties to dodge bullets or lasers from the Prey. This abil-
Rank 3: The bonus damage to a Critical Strike increases to 3D10+6.
ity may be taken twice, eliminating any dodge penalties.
+1 to the Hunter’s Critical Strike range versus the Prey.
Explosive Critical (Ranged)
Four Point Bonuses Also available as a Secret Operative Advanced ability. When you
seize an opportunity, you find ways of inflicting the most damage.
+1 Attack per melee round against the Prey. Rank 1: When you deal a Critical Strike with a firearm, you deal an
+1 Auto-Dodge against the Prey. additional 1D10 damage factored in after the critical multiplier.
Rank 2: The bonus damage to a Critical Strike increases to 2D10.
Eight Point Bonus Rank 3: The bonus damage to a Critical Strike increases to 3D10.
+3 to Initiative, the Prey loses two melee attacks versus the Hunter
as they compensate for the Hunter’s erratic movements. The Prey is also Explosive Critical (Trap)
-3 to dodge the Hunter’s attacks. The Hunter also has a +4 Auto-Dodge Your traps bite even harder when they get a good hit in.
against the Prey. Rank 1: When you deal a Critical Strike with a trap, you deal an ad-
Example: The Final Girl has six Predator Points ready to use ditional 1D10 damage factored in after the critical multiplier.
against a possessed businessman that she’s been stalking. She spends Rank 2: The bonus damage to a Critical Strike increases to 2D10.
four Points on an extra attack per melee round against him, and spends Rank 3: The bonus damage to a Critical Strike increases to 3D10.
another two Points to gain a +1 to Saving Throw vs Psionics. The Fi-
nal Girl spends some time mentally focusing, readying herself for her Instant Trap
opponent’s tricks and tactics, gaining confidence in her own mental
It’s not enough to be good, you’ve got to be fast too.
defenses.
Rank 1: Three times per day, you may set up a simple trap with no
more than three traits, in one full melee round. This trap may not have
the Weighted or Demolitions traits on it.
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Rank 2: You may use this ability three more times a day. Superior Customization
Rank 3: You may use this ability three more times a day, for a total
of nine times. Requires two Trapper abilities. You squeeze even more out of your traps.
Rank 1: Your traps may have an extra trait.
Increased Crit (Melee) Takedown
You seize advantages easier than most.
Leaving a trail of bodies nets fear, leaving a trail of the dazed nets
Rank 1: Select one melee weapon you are proficient with. Your Criti-
confusion.
cal Strike range is increased by one while wielding that type of weapon.
Rank 1: When initiating melee combat behind an unaware foe, your
This ability may be taken again for another type of melee weapon.
range for Knockout increases by two points. e.g., if your standard chance
for Knockout is on a 20 for this attack, it becomes an 18+. If you have no
Increased Crit (Ranged) Knockout ability, you gain it on a Natural 20.
Aiming for that sweet spot.
Rank 1: Select one specific type of long arm, such as a rifle or shotgun. Three Steps Ahead
Your Critical Strike range is increased by one while wielding that type of You know how your prey works so well, you know where they’re
weapon. This ability may be taken again for another type of ranged weapon. going before they do.
Rank 1: When using Ambusher to track someone, if you beat their roll
Potent Trap (if any) by 50% or more, with G.M.’s discretion, you may end up arriving to
Your traps sing as they bring the pain. their destination before them. Example: Against a standard person who isn’t
Rank 1: Traps you’ve made have a Critical Strike on 19-20. aware of you, if you succeed at Ambusher, and your skill quality is 50% or
Rank 2: Your traps Critical Strike range is now 18-20. greater, this tactic is applicable. Against a foe that is aware, and uses a skill
Rank 3: Your traps Critical Strike range is now 17-20. such as Surveillance to lose you, if you and they both succeed, but your suc-
cessful skill quality is 50% greater, then this tactic is applicable.
Potent Poison
Requires Master Poisoner.
General
Rank 1: When attempting to poison a foe via a trap, the victim is -1 The Manhunter’s basic set of moves, able to round out the Hunter.
to the Saving Throw vs Poison.
Beast Tamer
Predatory Adjustment When you stare into the eyes of a predator, you are the one that comes
Requires two Predator abilities. You’ve learned to adapt your in- out on top.
stincts to focus on a particular goal. Rank 1: On a successful Survivor roll, you may calm an aggressive
Rank 1: You may adjust your Predator bonuses for your current Prey creature to a less aggressive state. Enraged creatures may still be aggres-
after an hour’s worth of surveillance or research devoted to reevaluating sive and territorial, but will opt to at least delay combat for a few scant mo-
what you know of your Prey. ments as the Hunter holds them at bay. Any hostile action to the creature
or otherwise provoking, such as stealing its eggs, will instantly snap it out
Predator Instincts of its lulled state, and make it immune to any further soothing. The stages
go as such, Enraged, Aggressive, Indifferent, Curious, Docile, Protective.
Requires one Predator ability. You may not select Prey Instincts. Rank 2: A successful Survivor roll will force the animal to move two
You aggressively sprint forward, knowing all of his flaws. stages towards Protective.
Rank 1: In addition to all other Predator bonuses, you always have an
additional +1 to Strike against your Prey. Contacts
You’ve put in a lot of time getting to know people. Maybe they’ve
Prey Instincts come to you, maybe you’ve approached them, but your job is a lot sim-
Requires one Predator ability. You may not select Predator Instincts. pler when you’ve got friends watching your back.
You warily gauge your Prey, knowing how dangerous he is. Rank 1: You gain three contacts. These contacts may be determined
Rank 1: In addition to all other Predator bonuses, you always have an as you gain them, but they may also be brought into play during play,
additional +1 to Parry against your Prey. with the G.M.’s permission. These contacts are generally low-level rank
and file in the grand scheme of things. Allies in other countries, war vet-
Preying Trap erans, black market dealers, and informants are the usual lot of contacts.
These contacts are usually willing (if begrudging) to assist the manhunt-
You’ve customized your traps to your specific Prey.
er in his mission. These contacts may be killed off or otherwise removed
Rank 1: You may get your Predator bonuses to traps when used
from play. The Hunter may find a new contact after a month has passed.
against your Prey.
Rank 2: You now have six standard contacts.
Rapid Reload Disarm Expertise

You keep the bullets flying. Remove the weapon, then strike.
Rank 1: Once per combat, you may reload a magazine-fed firearm Rank 1: +1 to Disarm.
without using an attack. Rank 2: +2 to Disarm.
Shearing Trap Dungeon Delver

Your traps make mincemeat out of your foes. You spend more time in crypts than in cities.
Rank 1: When selecting the Damage trait for a trap, you may also Rank 1: You gain Archaeology as a skill (or +20% to Archaeology),
add your Hunter level to the damage it causes, once. Selecting Damage and Pick Locks, (or +10% to Pick Locks).
multiple times does not increase the damage dealt. Rank 2: You gain an extra +10% to both of those skills.
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Entangle Bonus Rank 1: +10% to Use/Recognize Poisons.
Rank 2: +20% to Use/Recognize Poisons.
Restrain the target, deny his weaponry. Rank 3: +30% to Use/Recognize Poisons.
Rank 1: +2 to Entangle.
Rank 2: +3 to Entangle.
Pain Tolerance
Environmental Tolerance You’re so used to the aches and bruises that you’ve started to block
it out.
Years of freezing cold and torturous heat have little effect on you Rank 1: +2 vs Saving Throw vs Pain.
after you’ve trained for it. Rank 2: +3 vs Saving Throw vs Pain.
Rank 1: You only start to suffer environmental hazards after the tem-
perature reaches extreme situations, i.e. 190 degrees Fahrenheit (88 C),
or -20 degrees Fahrenheit (-29 C).
Piloting Hobbyist
You’ve dabbled in flying, diving, hot air balloons, anything that can
Expert Training (Ranged) show you a new part of the world.
Rank 1: Select three Pilot or Pilot Related skills; you gain them with
Diligent training in modern weaponry proves itself as you advance a +10% bonus.
in skill.
Rank 1: Select one Modern W.P., you gain two levels of proficiency
with it, meaning that a third level Hunter with W.P. Pistol will use the
Poison Tolerance
bonuses for W.P. Pistol at level five. You’ve learned to respect the poisons you work with through micro-
Rank 2: The W.P. previously selected gains an additional two levels dose usage.
of proficiency. The earlier example would mean the Hunter has W.P. Rank 1: +2 to Saving Throws vs Poison.
Pistol at level seven. Rank 2: +3 to Saving Throws vs Poison.
Rank 3: +4 to Saving Throws vs Poison.
Freeform Climber
Gear is nice, but not required.
Polyglot
Rank 1: You never need gear to perform a climb, unless the situation Perhaps you don’t know every language, but you’re always learning
would be considered impossible. (E.g. climbing a pure energy wall with- more.
out sophisticated gear designed for it.) Rank 1: You gain four languages you may speak and write, all at
+20%, and an extra language at levels 3, 6, 9, 12, and 15.
Grace Under Pressure
Some people break under pressure, but you work your best under the
Provider
clock. The bounty of the land or sea is ever-present for you, and your allies
Rank 1: You no longer can take penalties to skill rolls for stressful will be glad to have you aboard.
situations. Rank 1: When using Survivor to provide food and shelter, on a suc-
cessful roll, you provide sustenance for twelve people, instead of six.
Hunter’s Ambush Rank 2: You now provide food and shelter for up to twenty four
people.
You can fake out even the best.
Rank 1: When using Ambusher as Camouflage, you gain a +10%
bonus to the roll.
Quick Feet
Rank 2: You gain a +10% Quality bonus when using Ambusher as You can always slip away at top speed, when the situation requires it.
Camouflage. Rank 1: Your speed is no longer halved when Prowling.
Rank 3: You gain an additional +10% to using Ambusher as Cam-
ouflage. Reaction Time
You’ve learned to spot the signs of gas attacks, knives in the dark,
Hunter’s Watch and shifting floors. It was one busy week.
You’re always aware of what your quarry is up to. Rank 1: When triggering a trap, you gain a +2 to the roll required to
Rank 1: When using Hunter’s Instinct as Surveillance, you gain a avoid harm (Saving Throws vs poison, Strike rolls to grab a wall, Dodge
+10% bonus to the roll. rolls to avoid spiked walls).
Rank 2: You gain a +10% Quality bonus when using Hunter’s In- Rank 2: Your bonus in this instance increases to a +4.
stinct as Surveillance.
Rank 3: You gain an additional +10% to using Hunter’s Instinct as Rifleman
Surveillance.
Familiarity with the iron brings speed.
Rank 1: +2 to Initiative when using a rifle.
Keen Wits Rank 2: +3 to Initiative when using a rifle.
Trouble lurks around any corner, so it’s always best to expect anything. Rank 3: +4 to Initiative when using a rifle.
Rank 1: +2 to Initiative.
Rank 2: +3 to Initiative. Scent
Rank 3: +4 to Initiative.
Your nose is far more trained due to your time in the wild.
Rank 1: The Hunter gains the ability to track by scent. Track by
Master Poisoner Blood: 30% +5%/level. Track Familiar Scent: 20% +3%/level.
You’ve studied toxicology further than most Hunters, and can reap Rank 2: The Hunter gains +20% to both of these abilities.
the rewards for doing so.
76

Scum and Villainy Assessment
You make it a point to always know where the hideouts are at. By judging posture, control, and discipline, you can understand a lot
Rank 1: +10% to Find Contraband. about a target.
Rank 2: +20% to Find Contraband. Rank 1: Twice a day, roll Hunter’s Instinct. If successful, you can es-
Rank 3: +30% to Find Contraband. timate a person’s level (within 1D3 levels), and their basic type of hand
to hand ability (either None, Basic, Trained, Expert, or Master).
Situational Awareness
You always see it coming before anyone else. Blind Fighter
Rank 1: +3 to Perception (or +15% to Perception). Given the nature of the hunt, you’ve trained to fight with obscured
Rank 2: +4 to Perception (or +20% to Perception). sight.
Rank 3: +5 to Perception (or +25% to Perception). Rank 1: You only suffer half the penalties for being blinded in com-
bat, both ranged and melee, usually a -8 to all combat rolls.
Sleepless Nights Rank 2: All penalties due to blindness in melee, are reduced to -1
only. Ranged combat is unchanged.
Whether it’s bad dreams, coffee, or the hunt, you’ve survived longer
on less.
Rank 1: You only require 4 hours of sleep to be considered well-
Critter Wrangler
rested. You’ve actually wrestled bears, and they have the scars to prove it.
Rank 2: You may function without sleep for 72 hours without pen- Rank 1: +1 to Grapple, +3 to Grapple vs animals. When you success-
alty. At the end of this cycle, you are considered heavily fatigued, and fully grapple an animal, it cannot use its natural weapons against you.
must sleep for a full day as soon as possible. Rank 2: +2 to Grapple, +4 to Grapple vs animals.
Rank 3: +3 to Grapple, +5 to Grapple vs animals.
Snap Aim (Rifle)
With reflexes and training, it becomes second nature. Fisticuffs
Rank 1: When using a rifle or shotgun, once per round you may make You lead a life that is bound to require a few dust-ups, and you’ve
an Aimed Shot that only costs one attack. learned a few tricks to deal with it.
Rank 1: Once per turn, before rolling, you may add +1D6 damage to
Wealth your next melee attack.
Rank 2: Twice per turn, before rolling, you may add +1D6 damage to
It has often been said that the best super power is money. Petty your next melee attack.
cash is assumed to be just that, what you have on hand to work with, Rank 3: You now add +1D8 damage instead, when using this ability.
and not to be considered a workaround to budget your own power
armor usage. Subject to G.M. allowance, you may occasionally have
access up to ten times the amount of petty cash for larger, ongoing Hardy
projects. You’re a tough nut to crack.
Rank 1: In your home city, you are considered to live very well, with Rank 1: You gain an extra +4 S.D.C.
a nicely furnished home, workshop, and three cars. You always have Rank 2: You gain +4 to Saving Throws vs Stun and Knockout.
petty cash of 2D4x1000 dollars available for the month. Rank 3: You gain another extra +4 S.D.C.
Rank 2: You have homes scattered throughout a country of your
choice, each one complete with all the vehicles, and standard gear neces- Indefatigable
sary for your adventures (the exact amount to be left up to the G.M.).
You always have petty cash of 1D4x10,000 dollars available for the Day-long marathons, skyscraper climbs, it has all led to the day you
month. simply will not stop.
Rank 3: You have homes all over the world, each one with all the Rank 1: You tire one half as fast as a normal hero.
Rank 2: You tire one quarter as fast as a normal hero.
standard gear for your adventures (the exact amount to be left up to the
G.M.). Your monthly petty cash increases to 2D4x30,000 dollars.
Moving Targets
Weaponsmith Several hours spent on the racetrack and firing range simultaneously,
Trusting in your firearms, you know the right job requires the right have helped your aim adjustment.
bullet. Rank 1: You may fire a modern weapon from a vehicle in motion
Rank 1: You gain Gunsmithing at +30%. You also may modify at half your normal bonuses. Normally, all bonuses are lost when firing
weapon ammunition, such as creating dumdums, hollow points, and from a vehicle in motion.
other special cartridges (as seen in the Weapon Expert power category).
Demolitions is required to make most exploding rounds. Pack Tactics
Requires two other Scrapper abilities. You’ve learned from the
Scrapper wolves you’ve ran with.
Rank 1: When an ally lands a melee attack on a foe within your reach,
You tend to lead a pulp action hero’s life... you may immediately get a free melee attack against the same foe. You
may use this ability once per round.
All-Terrain Hero Rank 2: You gain a +2 to Strike, and +4 to damage with this attack.
You’ve climbed mountains, and swam oceans.
Rank 1: You gain a +10% bonus to Climb and Swim. Sizing Up
Rank 2: You gain a +20% bonus to Climb and Swim, and any penal- When it’s just you and him, you start to learn his patterns, and can
ties applied to these skills are halved. anticipate accordingly.
77

Rank 1: Every round you’re in single combat against a foe, you have Rank 1: Requires the Lore: Magic skill. You may now use your Pred-
an additional +2 Initiative against him. ator abilities on spellcasting foes.
Solid Footing Mind Breaker

You know where you stand. Requires the Lore: Psychic skill. You’ve learned what to expect when
Rank 1: Any combat penalties due to environmental terrain (such as dealing with violent psychics.
obscuring brush, or sandy ground), are halved. Rank 1: You may now use your Predator abilities on foes with psion-
ic powers.
Steel Behind the Wheel
You’ve driven down the side of a mountain, and managed a reason- Monster Hunter
able landing. Requires the Lore: Demons and Monsters skill. You stalk the night as
Rank 1: While driving a ground vehicle, any penalties acquired due well as any boogeyman.
to poor terrain or visibility are halved. Rank 1: You may now use your Predator abilities on foes of super-
natural origin, such as vampires, dragons, and werewolves. The time to
Sucker Punch gain Predator Points against them is doubled.
Nothing’s off limits when you really need to survive this fight.
Rank 1: When initiating combat, or when assaulting a stunned/blind-
Robot Slayer
ed/incapacitated foe, your first melee strike against that target may be a Requires the Mechanical Engineer skill. Time-traveling robots are no
Called Shot, but only costs one action. longer safe from your skills.
Rank 1: You may now use your Predator abilities on robotic and cy-
Predator bernetic foes, but the time to gain Predator Points against them is doubled.
You’ve chosen to expand what you can hunt, and nothing is safe.
Trapper
Alien Hunter Safe to set up, deadly to your foes. All that you need now is to have
the two meet.
When they come to Earth, you are ready for them.
Rank 1: You may now use your Predator abilities on alien foes, but
the time to gain Predator Points against them is doubled.
Extra Trap Trait
Requires two other Trapper abilities. You’re always fine-tuning
Cape Hunter things to squeak out a little bit more to work with
Rank 1: Traps you create may have up to four traits.
Villains with super abilities are in your crosshairs now.
Rank 1: You may now use your Predator abilities on foes with Su-
per Abilities, except Aliens and Super-Invention heroes. Mystically
Fine-Tuned Traps
Bestowed characters may fall under this category, unless they also cast More often than not, your targets taste the bite of your traps.
spells. The time to gain Predator Points against them is doubled. Rank 1: When selecting the Calibrated trait for your traps, your trap
gains an additional +2 to Strike.
Good Instincts Rank 2: The additional Strike bonus increases to +3.
Rank 3: The additional Strike bonus increases to +4.
Requires one other Predator ability. It is as if their weakness is sim-
ply broadcast to you.
Rank 1: The time it takes for you to gain a Predator Point via surveil- Lethal Traps
lance or research is lessened to 10 minutes per act of research or surveil- You do your best to ensure nobody survives your best.
lance. Against unusual foes, like the other power categories mentioned Rank 1: When selecting the Damage trait for your traps, you may
here, the time to gain a Predator Point is reduced to standard, i.e. fifteen deal an extra 1D6 bonus damage. This bonus damage does not repeat if
minutes per act of surveillance or research, and five minutes per combat you select Damage multiple times.
scene researched. Rank 2: Your bonus damage increases to 2D6.
Rank 3: Your bonus damage increases to 3D6. So the initial selection
Instant Prey of Damage deals 5D6 damage, and each additional selection of Damage
(under Trap Traits, above) adds the standard +2D6 more damage.
Requires two other Predator abilities. Blood in the water...
Rank 1: When you gain your first Predator Point against a foe, you
gain two instead. Master Trapsmith (Concealing)
You know all the ins and outs of trapsmithing, probably because
Lasting Prey you’ve been in and out of most every trap out there.
Rank 1: You gain a +10% Quality bonus to Ambusher when using
Requires one other Predator ability. While you might’ve moved
Camouflage.
on to a new target, you tend to remember the marks you’ve hunted
Rank 2: Your Quality bonus increases to +20%.
before.
Rank 1: When you change your Prey target, you may keep an addi-
tional Predator Point from the last quarry you were hunting. Normally, Master Trapsmith (Revealing)
you may only keep two Predator Points. You know all the ins and outs of trapsmithing, because you know
where to look.
Mage Killer Rank 1: You gain a +10% Quality bonus on Trapsmith when using it
for Detect Concealment.
Your training encompasses how to fight men of magic. Rank 2: Your Quality bonus increases to +20%.
78

Step Four: Equipment any further from this kit until 24 hours pass. The master’s kit provides a
+10% to save vs coma/death as well. Weight: 70 lbs (31 kg). Cost: $2,100.
The type and amount of equipment is limited by the character’s bud- Stakeout Kit
get. While a good amount of the Hunter’s budget can go to weaponry
and armor, actual field equipment is just as important. Surveillance gear, Not all prey make it easy to study them, or the Hunter needs more
paid informants, proper weaponry, transport, all these things should be information than just whom to assault. Both of these reasons account
considered as part of the budget. for the need for a good observation kit. This sort of kit is meant for the
long stakeout, where the Hunter quietly watches the actions in a location.
Rank 1: The basic surveillance kit includes all you’d need for a rudi-
Budget mentary stakeout without much in the way of high-tech gear. Binoculars,
01-15% $10,000 a scoped camera, hand mirrors, thermal blankets, energy bars and waste
16-29% $15,000 disposal elements are all required when managing a week-long hunt.
30-45% $20,000 Weight: 20 lbs (9 kg). Cost $900.
46-60% $30,000 Rank 2: With the upgraded kit, twelve audio bugs are included, al-
61-75% $40,000 ready tuned to a specific channel. A laptop computer records each indi-
76-89% $50,000 vidual bug’s feed to help pinpoint specific voices. Infrared capability is
90-00% $60,000 included, with an extra battery. Basic lock picks are also included, as
well as a crowbar. Two small battery-powered cameras of standard make
and model can also transmit directly to a computer, and can be activated
New Equipment remotely. Weight: 35 lbs (16 kg). Cost: $1,800.

Rank 3: Four pinhole cameras with low-light capability are added to the
mix, as well as two GPS trackers. Three high-powered parabolic mics are
As new hero archetypes enter the fray, they bring new equipment kits
included, enough to surround a moderate building with. Sophisticated audio
with them to provide additional advantages in the field. Some of these
programming helps detect where targets are inside the building, using a ba-
items garner bonuses to skill rolls, others provide extra options to work
sic 3-D mock-up, and can link up with other active devices to track targets.
with, or extra tools that may be necessary. The Rifter® #81 article “Hitting
Secured locations like prisons, safe houses, bases, and such may still be out-
the Streets” also contains more equipment suitable for a Hunter/Vigilante.
side the reach of this system. However, for the average tenement building or
bank, this can do the trick. Weight: 55 lbs (25 kg). Cost: $6,000.
Camouflage Kit
Even a tarp is better than just laying atop a rooftop, and much like Surveillance Kit
with a surveillance kit, there must be the consideration that you’ll be
Tracking mobile targets requires more than rooftop-to-rooftop leap-
staying put for a long, long time.
ing. It requires urban camouflage, and a bevy of cars. Drones have start-
Rank 1: The basic kit itself contains cans of spray paint, anchorable
ed to take over modern-day surveillance, but are noticeable, and can be
non-reflective tarps, wire frames, large styrofoam blocks to help sculpt a
noisy. While anyone can use a drone’s basic controls, an active chase
particular outline, two winter blankets, facial camo paint, and basic food
may require computer assistance or the Pilot: Commercial Drone skill
supplies. A pair of shovels, and a hatchet (all used to add texture to an
(see “Saving the World” elsewhere in this issue). Mobile surveillance
outdoor usage) add to the mix. Weight: 16 lbs (7 kg). Cost: $120.
can be done easily without any kits or equipment.
Rank 2: The advanced kit contains all the above, and contains a thick-
Rank 1: An older model vehicle is the main attraction of this kit. The ve-
er tarp with heavy netting that items can be attached to, a small portable
hicle is 2D4+10 years old, and runs well, despite looking older. The vehicle
heater, several cover patterns to suit different terrains, and silhouettes to
is meant to be nondescript, and able to fit in most locations in a modern city.
help fool airborne observers. Weight: 65 lbs (29 kg). Cost: $600.
A one-way windshield sun shade (used to keep sunlight from heating up the
Rank 3: The master’s kit for camouflage has a thickly layered tarp that
vehicle in summer), is included. In addition, three sets of current clothing
prevents attempts at thermal imaging of anyone concealed within it, in
are included, with sunglasses and other face obscuring items, as well as a bi-
addition to everything listed above. Weight: 80 lbs (36 kg). Cost: $12,500.
cycle. While the basic surveillance kit doesn’t provide any specific bonuses,
it provides a number of options to the snoop on how to go about their activ-
First Aid Kit ity. Weight: 15 lbs/6.8 kg (for the mobile gear). Cost: $850.
Combat means injury. Injury means infection. To continue the hunt, Rank 2: The upgraded version of this kit involves buying account ac-
self-care is a priority. cess to a car rental service, giving the Hunter a great deal more vehicles
Rank 1: Your standard first aid kit is easily bought at most drug stores to work with, and the ability to have three vehicles out at once for team
or department stores. It contains bandages, tape, antiseptic cream, scis- activities. Magnetic decals help disguise any number of vehicles, from
sors and a variety of other basic tools for cuts and scrapes. For the most commercial vans to ride-share cars. The clothes available have been
part, the goal of a standard kit is meant to lower the chance of infection, greatly spread out as well, and ranges from off-the-shelf suits to rags and
not treating blood loss. Weight: 8 lbs (3.6 kg). Cost: $25. bandages, giving the Hunter a wide range of looks from the homeless
Rank 2: The advanced first aid kit has tourniquets, drug overdose kits, (who generally go unnoticed), to more professional jobs. The upgraded
splints, a portable stretcher capable of supporting 500 lbs (225 kg), medical kit also contains a commercial surveillance drone that can be wired into
grade scissors, flashlights, a lantern, and other items meant to stabilize and a laptop (also supplied). The advanced surveillance kit provides a +10%
treat simple injuries. On a successful roll with an advanced first aid kit, the Quality bonus on contested surveillance rolls. Weight: Stationary. Cost:
character may heal one H.P. or one S.D.C., but he may not heal any further $3.500, plus a monthly fee of $250 for the vehicle access.
from this kit until 24 hours pass. Weight: 65 lbs (29 kg). Cost: $165. Rank 3: The master’s kit for mobile surveillance contains everything
Rank 3: The master’s kit has all the above, plus a portable defibrillator above, but also requires a van as a control center, and also contains sur-
system. Anything further would be non-portable, and may as well be a surveillance technology that is considered shady or illegal depending on
gery suite. The kit also contains two advanced gunshot treatment syringes, the local laws. Three camera drones are linked into the control center’s
and several sponges that can be used to temporarily prevent most blood monitors, and can follow rudimentary programming to follow targets at
loss without a roll needed. On a successful roll with the master’s first aid a respectable distance (a Read Sensory Equipment roll), or piloted manu-
kit, the character may heal one H.P. or one S.D.C., but he may not heal ally (a Pilot: Commercial Drone roll). Advanced programming in the
79

base computer’s system can help predict movement by a targeted person Four years later, her father racked up a gambling debt that he
or car, as well as alert to changing road conditions and other nearby is- couldn’t deal with, and was disposed of. Elise, though having no new
sues. In addition to a radio scrambler for encrypted channels, a cell site love for the man sparked within her, decided to put her city survival
simulator is built into the vehicle, allowing illegal access to cell phones skills to the test, and do something where the police wouldn’t. Driven
within 100 feet (30 m) to listen in on call usage in the area. The master’s by a desire to punish whomever murdered her father, Elise took up the
kit provides a +10% to Surveillance (or Hunter’s Instinct when used as role of a Hunter to exact vengeance on those that have done wrong.
Surveillance), and a +10% Quality bonus on contested surveillance rolls. Age: 17
Cost: $85,000, plus a monthly fee of $250 for the vehicle access. Level: 2nd level Hunter.
Stats: I.Q. 11, M.E. 14, M.A. 7, P.S. 14, P.P. 12, P.E. 15, P.B. 7, Spd 17.
Trapper’s Kit S.D.C.: 45. H.P.: 18.
Armor: None.
In most situations, the Hunter can improvise traps from the surround-
Survivor: 84%
ing area. Warehouses, tool sheds, and metal shops are perfect killing
Ambusher: 76%
grounds for the Hunter. However, the prepared Hunter will bring along
Hunter’s Instinct: 66%
a trap kit, leaving nothing to chance. Using a basic trap kit is enough to
Trapsmith: 76%
lower the time needed to put together a trap from ten minutes, to five
Notable Skills: W.P. Blunt, Streetwise, Use/Recognize Poison.
minutes.
Abilities Taken: Environmental Tolerance, Keen Wits, Extra Trap
Rank 1: A basic trap kit contains all the workings and pieces for a
Trait, Lethal Traps Rank 3, Sucker Punch, Indefatigable.
variety of traps, giving the Hunter enough resources to build six traps.
In Combat: Hand to Hand: Expert.
String, wire, pulleys, knives and sharp objects, as well as a variety of
Initiative +2
tools like trowels and a crowbar are all at the hero’s disposal. Most of
the pieces here can be scavenged, and can be assembled for a negligible
Strike: +0
cost. More professional, watertight kits that include specific gear like
Parry: +4
bear traps, can run higher. Weight: 8 lbs (3 kg). Cost: $300.
Dodge: +4
Rank 2: Includes enough to work with for a long night of snaring
Critical Strike on a 20.
bad guys, and the advanced trap kit has enough gear in it to manufacture
With Spear: 2D6 damage, Strike +1, Parry +4.
twelve traps before needing to be replenished. The advanced kit also
Elise focuses greatly on her trapping gear. With four traits and a pref-
contains four knives, small mirrors, fire-starting tools, a compact net,
erence for outright damage, Elise can muster an 11D6 trap if needed.
pulleys, cables, and a disassembled firearm of the hero’s choice. The
Equipment: Trapper’s Kit Rank 1, not much else.
advanced trap kit gives the Hunter a +5% on Trapsmith or other Create
Wealth: Given the fact that Elise is homeless, she’s generally without
Traps rolls. Weight: 30 lbs (13.5 kg). Cost: $1,200.
much money, unless her most recent prey carried some.
Rank 3: Eighteen traps may be put together with the gear in this
backpack alone. Items are held in a waterproof pack and designed to be
quickly accessible for any impromptu attacks. The pack also holds two Arbiter Torch
disassembled, short-range firearms for use in trapping; generally pistols
Alias: None.
or shotguns. If the Hunter possesses Use/Recognize Poison or Demoli-
Name: Unknown.
tions, the pack may contain these items, transported as safely as possible
Land of Origin: Brazil.
(usually one block of C-4 dealing 1D4x10, but up to G.M.’s discretion).
In addition to possessing a great deal of nasty gear for impromptu traps,
Description: Never having been identified out of costume, Arbiter
the master’s kit for trapping adds +10% to Trapsmith or any other Craft
Torch wears a multi-optics helmet that provides thermal, telescopic,
Traps rolls. Weight: 50 lbs (22.5 kg). Cost: $3,150.
and night vision to enhance his impressive abilities. He wears full
body armor, of a dull, sheenless quality, and a wide belt that contains
Sample Characters twelve throwing knives.

Disposition: Torch is just a man on the job. He takes no specific satisfac-
tion in putting down problems in the city of Cascade, except for the
fact that it pays well and that he has a good reputation to work with.
Elise the Trapper His life is all about the mission and the hunt. Torch finds that the
chase is the only thing that brings him any excitement, and has been
Alias: None. noted to be a glum, almost maudlin sort when on any other sort of job.
Name: Elise Williams. History: Arbiter Torch is one of the twelve Arbiters of Crime in the city
Land of Origin: Cascade. of Cascade. Along with the others, he helps keep the constant negotia-
Alignment: Unprincipled. tions and disputes between rival crime syndicates at a safe level. While
Description: A young, serious teen with a piercing gaze, dark hair, and other Arbiters enjoy the diplomacy, the rampant bribery, and the graft,
sharp features. Torch is one of the few “fixer” sorts currently in the Arbiters. He’s
Disposition: Elise carries herself as a severe, humorless young woman. a problem solver that looks to clean up messy ends, recover missing
Ruthlessly pragmatic, Elise cares not for costumes, panache, or melo- goods, and track down problem people. This puts him in out in the city
drama, relying solely on a driving need to punish the wicked. often, presenting him with a new challenge, time after time.
History: Elise’s fractured family history was never a happy one. Early in Age: 34
her life, Elise had been rescued by Child Protective Services against a Level: 11th level Hunter/Vigilante.
neglectful mother. It took her father three years of legal action for her Stats: I.Q. 14, M.E. 19, M.A. 12, P.S. 22, P.P. 18, P.E. 20, P.B. 10, Spd
to be put into his custody. The time after that was one of distance and 26.
half-hearted attempts to connect to her family. Her father had initially S.D.C.: 82. H.P.: 62.
wanted little to do with her as a child, and the scars of those feelings Armor: Hard Armor, A.R. 16, S.D.C. 260.
ran deep. Still, the two had attempted to share their lives, though Survivor: 98%
never making much headway. Elise payed lip service to school, fo- Ambusher: 98%
cusing more on her own burgeoning independence, even choosing to Hunter’s Instinct: 90%
live homeless instead of with her father. Trapsmith: 98%
80

Notable Skills: Criminal Science 98%, W.P. Throwing, W.P. Knife, Abilities Taken: Mage Killer, Mind Breaker, Monster Hunter, Instant Prey,
Chemistry 98%, Archery, W.P. Rifle, Find Contraband 86%. Lethal Traps, Assessment, Blind Fighter, Eternal Prey, Preying Trap, Po-
Abilities Taken: Extra Trap Trait, Lethal Traps, Master Trapsmith (Con- tent Trap Rank 2, Hunter’s Watch, Prey Instincts, Pain Tolerance.
cealing), Quick Feet, Reaction Time, Scent, Three Steps Ahead, Cape In Combat: Hand to Hand: Expert.
Hunter, Alien Hunter, Instant Prey, Lasting Prey, Weaponsmith, Prey- Initiative +2
ing Trap, Dodge Bullets, Situational Awareness, Snap Aim (Rifle). Attacks per Round: 6
In Combat: Hand to Hand: Expert. Strike: +4
Initiative +2 Parry: +8
Attacks per Round: 6 Dodge: +8
Strike: +4 Critical Strike 18+, triple damage from behind, KO from behind,
Parry: +8 +4 to Disarm, +4 Body Flip.
Dodge: +8 With Magic Knife: 3D6 cold damage, Strike +6, Parry +10,
Critical Strike 18+ and Triple damage from behind, KO on an Throw +4.
18+ or from behind, +4 to Disarm, +4 Body Flip, Paired Weapons, With SMG: Strike +6.
Damage +10. Equipment: Rank 2 Stakeout kit, Rank 3 Trapper’s kit, specializing in
With Knife: 2D6+10, Strike +8, Parry +13, Throw +4. silver, iron, and wood. Magical knife with the Frostblade enchant-
With Rifle: Strike +7. ment on it that can affect spirits and supernatural creatures, two mod-
Equipment: As a big name in the Cascade underworld, Torch can have ified shotguns filled with silver shot. Several other mundane weap-
access to a great deal of personal gear up to and including a rocket ons, and gear with a focus on supernatural threats.
launcher, and mid-level illegal contraband from Century Station.
He’s pocketed a nice nest egg of funds for his inevitable retirement
from the role, that he generally chooses not to dip into unless abso-
lutely necessary. There are also several groups of mercenaries willing
Other Stuff
to do favors for him, in hopes of favorable treatment later. Fortu- Alignment: Any alignment can be chosen, but heroes should gener-
nately, Torch prefers to hunt alone when possible. When on the hunt, ally be of good alignment.
he prefers a spike and towline to move him across the rooftops, and a Other Skills: The Hunter/Vigilante has a specialized education level,
simple high-powered rifle to get the job done. any extra skills must be gained after creation.
Hand to Hand Combat: Physical combat training is included with
The Final Girl the character’s skill selection, and may be upgraded to Martial Arts or
Assassin (if evil) at the cost of one secondary skill.
Alias: Scream Queen. Attacks per Melee (Hand to Hand): As with all superbeings and heroes,
Name: Elena Ash. the Hunter automatically gets two attacks per melee. Additional attacks must
Land of Origin: Derry, Maine, U.S.A. be developed through hand to hand combat training, abilities, and other skills.
Alignment: Scrupulous. Weapons and Armor: The Hunter relies heavily on his gear and
Description: A raven-haired woman in her twenties, Elena has the looks weaponry, usually favoring a mix of long range and melee weaponry.
and talent of a professional actress. Conventional body armor and weaponry are reliable tools in his crusade.
Disposition: Elena’s managed to retain a sense of warmth and empathy Structural Damage Capacity (S.D.C.): 1D4x10+35 upon creation.
to the world despite all the trials she’s been put through. Clever, and Additional S.D.C. may be gained due to ability selection and physical skills.
with a biting caustic edge when necessary, Elena has a great deal of Reputation: As a vigilante, the police look at the character as poten-
passion in hunting those that hunt humans. An unfortunate side ef- tially dangerous, especially if the hero uses lethal means to eliminate his
fect of her life has been the self-imposed restriction on friendships, targets. If the hero tends to focus on apprehension and capture of notable
choosing to keep others far away from her, to avoid the same fate of criminals, he is likely to have 1D4x10% of the police force sympathize
those before. with his cause. Half that if the Hunter is known to apply lethal force.
History: A survivor of not one, not two, but four horrific supernatural Finances: The Hunter generally starts play with a life’s savings of
events in her life, Elena Ash has been through the wringer. An assault 1D6x10,000 dollars.
by the Second Sage, two spiritual massacres, and a group sacrifice by Other Options: At the cost of four starting Abilities, and half of
the Bones of Utu have left Elena completely hardened to the troubles of any future Abilities gained, a G.M. may allow the Hunter to start with a
the city of Cascade. Covered in blood on multiple occasions, and find- Martial Art Form from Ninjas & Superspies™.
ing herself a sole survivor several times has given rise to other people
denoting her as “the Final Girl,” a classic archetype of a heroine who
survives the slasher film, usually by dispatching the main villain.
Forced to overcome any sense of helplessness, Elena has forged In Conclusion
herself a new path in the shadows, the hunting of supernatural mon-
sters of all sorts. Spirits, vampires, undead, she’s chosen a life to take The Manhunter, while still something of a lesser known archetype,
the fight to them, and never put anyone in her position ever again. now has its chance to take center stage in the hunt for criminals and super
Age: 28 villains. The strength of a normal human comes to bear again, joining the
Level: 9th level Manhunter. ranks of the Super Sleuth, Physical Training hero, Secret Operative, and
Stats: I.Q. 17, M.E. 19, M.A. 13, P.S. 11, P.P. 18, P.E. 17, P.B. 16, Spd Stage Magician, sharing some abilities with them but retaining a great
14. deal of flair and prowess.
S.D.C.: 55. H.P.: 53. I’d especially like to thank Robert Slaughter Jr. for playtesting this
Armor: Point-Blank Vest, A.R. 10, S.D.C. 70. new archetype, and spurring me onward to finally tackling this power
Survivor: 98% category, to Robert Slaughter Sr. for the thoughts that led to the Predator
Ambusher: 98% System, and to the rest of my group, the Guides to the Megaverse® pod-
Hunter’s Instinct: 90% cast for their support and concerns. The GttM podcast has hit nearly two
Trapsmith: 98% thousand downloads, and over one hundred episodes of actual play and
Notable Skills: Demon & Monster Lore 89%, Psychic Lore 89%, W.P. Palladium fun, all available for free on iTunes, and at guidesmegaverse.
Knife, W.P. Rifle, Magic Lore 89%, Gymnastics, Climbing. podbean.com. Until next time, Game on!
81

Treasures of the Megaverse ®
Optional Source Material for Rifts® and the Megaverse®

By Carl Gleba
As a Game Master, one of my go to sources for unique magic items 93-94% Splugorth Frigate
is the Rifts® Adventure Sourcebook: Chi-Town ‘Burbs™ and The 95-96% Royal Battle Skimmer
Black Vault™. This small book has huge ideas that have inspired me 97-98% Rune Spell Book – Boundless
to create new magic items for my games and even inspired adventures. 99-100% The Infinity Tome
Many of those ideas are below. Just like in the book, these items can be
in the Black Vault, they could be on a Coalition transport destined for the
Black Vault, items that could be looted from the ruins of Tolkeen, found 01-02% TW Quills of Writing
for sale in the Splynn Dimensional Market on Atlantis or simply found These writing quills are combined with the components of Techno-
as treasure from a deadly foe that has been defeated. Wizardry to create magically animated pens that write what the owner
As in the style of The Black Vault™, there is a percentile format to dictates. All of the quills are large, like those found on an ostrich. Most
roll a random selection as well as quantity. Game Masters should feel quills come from a variety of creatures and can vary in color and style.
free to roll randomly or select what works best for their game. Range: Touch to activate, 10 feet (3 m) when dictating.
01-02% Techno-Wizard (TW) Quills of Writing Duration/Payload: Good for about 1,000 written pages of writing. Once
03-04% TW Feather Duster activated, the quill be used continuously for up to four hours.
05-06% TW Boots of the Juicer P.P.E. Cost: Two P.P.E. points per activation.
07-08% TW All Environment Tent Market Price: 4,000 to 6,000 credits per pen. Excellent availability
09-10% TW Shovel wherever TW and magic items are manufactured or sold.
11-12% TW Healer Quantity Found (Optional): Roll percentile: 01-33% two, 34-66%
13-14% TW Manacles 2D4, or 67-00% a small box of 2D6+2
15-16% Mimic Paper
17-18% Defender’s Ring
19-20% Nexus Ring 03-04% TW Feather Duster
21-22% Ring of Spells A feather duster with a simple looking device that resembles a small
23-24% House of Glass Ring battery pack and some wires, combined with Techno-Wizardry that is
25-26% Ley Line Ring enchanted to dust and clean on its own. Simple spells like Manipulate
27-28% Anti-Magic Ring Objects or Telekinesis can keep the TW Feather Duster going for hours.
29-30% Traveler’s Staff For hard jobs like spilt drinks, stains and just overall grimy conditions
31-32% Staff of Dimensions it can use the cleanse spell. Those with the Housekeeping skill can add
33-34% Staff of Fulmination +10% to skill rolls.
35-36% Power Staffs Range: Touch to activate.
37-38% Rune Bracers of Defense Duration: Four hours per activation. Can clean a good size room, 10 feet
39-40% Gauntlets of Combat by 10 feet (0.3 m by 0.3 m), in an hour.
41-42% The Mercurial Duke P.P.E. Cost: 8 for four hours of dusting on its own or 6 to cleanse a
43-44% Elixir of Health specific location.
45-46% Elixir of Endurance M.D.C. of the Object: 1D6.
47-48% Elixir of Prowess Market Price: 5,000 to 6,500 credits.
49-50% Elixir of Intelligence Quantity Found (Optional): Roll percentile: 01-33% One, 34-66%
51-52% Elixir of Magic two, or 67-00% a small box of 1D4+2
53-54% Elixir of the Mind
55-56% Cloak of the Woods
57-58% Cloak of the Tundra 05-06% TW Juicer Boots
59-60% Ley Liner Cloak These boots looking like they belong to power armor. They are high-
61-62% Temporal Cape tech looking with metal and wires, and have an exoskeleton-like arma-
63-64% Shifter Leather Armor ture or brace that attach at the knee, hips and waste. They were a com-
65-66% Ley Line Walker’s Headdress mission, by a warrior who requested to be as fast as a Juicer. After some
67-68% Shifter’s Crown experimentation with different spells and machinery, the two spells that
69-70% Amulet of Armor finally ended up being used were Superhuman Speed and Levitation.
71-72% Spectacles of Learning Activating the Juicer Boots gives the user a speed attribute of 44 (or 30
73-74% Magic Saddle – Sure Grip mph/48 km; +10 if the wearer already has a Spd greater than 44), +2 to
75-76% Magic Saddle – Military Saddle dodge, +1 to roll with impact, and can leap 30 feet (9.1 m) across or 20
77-78% Magic Horseshoes feet (6 m) high.
79-80% Logrim, Slayer of Serpents Range: Self.
81-82% The Ever Scroll Duration: 5 minutes per activation.
83-84% Elemental Stones P.P.E. Cost: 4 P.P.E. (8 I.S.P.) per minute.
85-86% Bow of Strength Market Price: 15,000 credits per pair.
87-88% Marksman’s Bow M.D.C. of the Object: 2D6+20, and requires a Called Shot to hit.
89-90% Magic Arrows T.W. Notes: The primary spell is Superhuman Speed with a secondary
91-92% Splugorth Corsair spell of Levitation. The Levitation is dialed down to reduce the wearer
82

from injuring himself in the jump. The Juicer Boots are created as a level
three Techno-Wizard using two half carat black pearls.
11-12% TW Healer Device
Quantity Found (Optional): Roll percentile: 01-50% one pair, 51-75% This Techno-Wizard device is built into a handheld device used by
two pairs, or 76-00% 1D4+1 pairs. surgeons. Various wires and gems are on the handle and when activated,
it is waved over a patient and the device heals them. It has two settings;
the light healing restores 3D6 S.D.C. and 1D6 Hit Points and the greater
07-08% TW All Environment Tent healing restores 2D4x10 S.D.C. and 6D6 Hit Points or 1D4 M.D.C. if a
Adventurers who want some sense of civilization in the wilderness Mega-Damage being. The T.W. device does not aid in diagnosing, but
may opt for a Techno-Wizard All Environment Tent, sometimes referred does provide a +10% to treatment.
to as a TW Enviro-Tent. The tent can survive all weather conditions from Range: Touch to activate, 3 feet (0.9 m).
snowy tundras to hot deserts. Those inside the tent are kept at a comfort- Duration/Payload: Heals instantly.
able temperature, the tent is completely waterproof and can even survive P.P.E. Cost: 10 for the light healing and 30 for the greater healing.
a limited amount of M.D.C. damage. Circuitry can be seen in the fabric Market Price: 15,000 credits. Common in cities like Tolkeen, Lazlo,
of the tent and circuit boards and bits of machinery along the edges and New Lazlo, the Magic Zone and Splynn.
the tent posts. The main spell used for the tent is Sheltering Force. There M.D.C. of the Object: 1D6+10, and requires a Called Shot to hit.
is also a built in secondary spell, Lantern Light that can be turned on and Quantity Found (Optional): Roll percentile: 01-33% two, 34-66%
off as needed, but has a maximum duration of four hours before needing 2D4, or 67-00% a small box of 2D6+2
a fresh infusion of P.P.E. (same as the spell).
The tent comes in three sizes, two-man, four-man and a six-man tent.
Regardless of the size the tent looks more or less like a modern domed
13-14% TW Manacles
tent, except along the frame where copper wiring can be seen wound Lawmen and bounty hunters working for many of the magic king-
around the length of it. There is a small digital control panel where the doms needed a safe way to safely transport rogue magic users. A tradi-
light and TW functions can be activated. tional gag or sock in the mouth is still an effective way to keep a magic
Range: Just within the proximity of the tent. user from casting spells, but those options were not often the most reli-
Duration: 8 hours per activation for the tent. 4 hours per activation for able. Techno-Wizards from Storm Spire had the bright idea to reinvent
the lantern light. manacles for magic users.
P.P.E. Cost: 21 (+8 P.P.E. for six-man tent and 16 for an eight-man Current TW Manacles look like regular handcuffs, but have a second
tent). chain that connects to a collar. When activated, the mage’s head is en-
Market Price: 6,000 credits for a two man tent, 10,000 credits for a four circled by a Globe of Silence spell. The spell has no saving throw and
man tend and 15,000 for a six man tent. sound cannot be emitted so the spell caster can’t cast spells. Now there
M.D.C. of the Object: Two-man tent: 2D6+20 M.D.C., Four-man tent: is one drawback, the mage cannot hear either. So they are not effective
2D6+32 M.D.C., Six-man tent: 2D6+50 M.D.C. when integration is needed or following directions.
TW Notes: The Primary spell is Sheltering force with a secondary spell Range: Must be placed on an individual.
of Lantern Light. The tents are typically created at 8th level and use a Duration: The enchantment last 6 hours per activation.
total of 4 carats’ worth of ruby quarts and 4 carats of clear quartz. P.P.E. Cost: 25
Type Found: 1-50% Two-man tent, 51-80% Four-man tent, 81-100% Limitations: They are currently limited to humanoid anatomy and may
Six-man tent. not be useful on different D-Bees.
Quantity Found (Optional): Roll percentile: 01-33% one, 34-66% two, Market Price: 30,000 credits.
or 67-00% three. M.D.C. of the Object: 1D6+10, and requires a Called Shot to hit.
Quantity Found (Optional): Roll percentile: 01-33% one set, 34-66%
1D4 sets, or 67-00% 2D4 sets.
09-10% TW Shovel
Enchanted with the Dig spell, magic shovels look like a vacuum
cleaner or simple robot (think R2 D2) with a robotic that has a shovel for
15-16% Mimic Paper
its hand and forearm. The shovel arm extends from the main body of the This special paper was a product of the espionage division of Tol-
little robot or vacuum cleaner-like device to dig a hole, grave, or trench, keen. The paper looks like any ordinary piece of paper with a faint mys-
or latrine, and similar tasks. The shovel begin to dig with the same speed tic watermark. The paper is essentially a mystic copy paper. The user
as a strong person, but does not fatigue and can make a hole or trench places the blank mimic paper on top of a photo, map, piece of art, im-
that is as deep as six feet (1.8 m). An alarm sounds if the TW device hits portant document, or any flat surface image that a piece of paper could
water or a large rock or surface it cannot penetrate, such as a concrete be placed on. By invoking a magical power word, in three seconds (1
floor or debris from a collapsed building or buried vehicle, etc. It can melee action) the exact image is copied onto the mimic paper. The mys-
be directed if needed, but it only responds to simple commands such as, tic watermark fades as does any magical energy that the paper contained.
“Dig a round hole,” or Dig a trench from here to that tree, so many feet The end result is an instant copy. It was originally thought to be used to
deep and so many wide,” and so on. The amount of earth moved is equal forge certain Coalition documents, but most of the Coalition is digital so
to a 5th level Warlock Dig spell. the espionage item turned into a commercial product sold to many of the
Range: Immediate area. banking industries in Tolkeen.
Duration: 25 minutes per activation. The paper can be used in forgery and the copy is as good as any copy
P.P.E. Cost: 11 from a copy machine. Once the image is copied, the paper can be cut and
Market Price: 3,000-6,000 credits each. folded just like normal paper. It should be noted that only the image is
M.D.C. of the Object: 2D6+20, mainly the small, mobile robot body. copied and not the material the image is on. For example, if mimic paper
TW Notes: The Primary spell is Dig and requires assistance from an is used on a portrait on a piece of canvas, the image looks exactly the
Earth Warlock. May be an ordinary or M.D.C. shovel with a robot ar- same on a piece of normal paper.
mature, copper wire coiled around the top of the shovel running to just Custom mimic paper can be purchased, but the majority of it is cre-
above the head of the shovel attached to multiple turquoise stones. ated on ordinary 8 ½ by 11 white paper.
Quantity Found (Optional): Roll percentile: 01-33% one, 34-66% two, Range: Touch, must be placed on top or contacting the source image.
or 67-00% 1D4+1. Duration: Blank mimic paper will last for years. Once copied, the image
is permanent.
83

Market Price: 100-500 credits per sheet of paper. Sometimes cheaper ! +1 to Spell Strength. Duration is 5 minutes. P.P.E. Cost: 30
in a bulk deal. Market Price: 10-15 million credits.
M.D.C. of the Object: 1D4 S.D.C. per sheet of paper, and requires a M.D.C. of the Object: 1D6+15 M.D.C., and requires a Called Shot to
Called Shot to hit with a ranged weapon. hit at -5 to strike when worn by another person.
Quantity Found (Optional): Roll percentile: 01-33% 3D6 loose sheets, Quantity Found (Optional): The ring is very rare and the chances are
34-66% 1D4 boxes with 50 sheets per box or 67-00% a whole case that likely that only one would be found.
has 10 boxes of 50 sheets for a total of 500 sheets.
17-18% Defender’s Ring 21-22% Ring of Spells

The Ring of Spells hails from an alien dimension. The rings were cre-
The Defender’s Ring can be traced back to a dimension where the ated en masse during a long and tragic war between two races. Hundreds
people still live in medieval times, ruled by kings, warlords and emper- of these rings were made and many would be lost during the war while
ors. It is a world with a long history and a place where magic is known. others were collected and purged after the war. Perhaps a hundred of
If object read were used on the ring it would reveal a long history. It these rings exist in the Megaverse and a handful have ended up on Rifts
has been wielded by many powerful warriors, knights, magic users and Earth. The ring has the ability to store up to 50 P.P.E. worth of spells. For
kings. The ring is comprised of an unknown reddish metal. Those that example, you could have two Call Lightings and an Invisibility Superior
can see magic energy can see a powerful magic aura emanating from (15+15+20=50) or 50 Blinding Flashes, or any combination of spells can
the ring. Only a dozen or so are even in existence and they are scattered be used so long as they do not exceed the 50 P.P.E. limit.
around the Megaverse. One is said to be in the hands of a rising demon Attempting to go over the limit will result in all spells being wiped
lord called Karnack in Hades, and another is rumored to be found in clean from the magic artifact. The advantage is readily seen in combat as
the grand bazaar in the elemental plane of air and another is rumored it only takes a single command word (one melee action) to unleash the
to be for sale in the Splynn Dimensional Market. Defender rings can be spell! The only drawback is to place spells in the ring requires a ritual
used up to three times per 24 hours. The powers can last for a duration for each spell. Each ritual takes 1D6x10+15 minutes and the user must
of one hour per activation and the power automatically ends if the ring spend the P.P.E. at the time of the ritual.
is removed. Only one power can be in effect at a time. Changing to a Market Price: 3-5 million credits.
different power while the ring is activated counts as one of the daily M.D.C. of the Object: 1D6+10 M.D.C., and requires a Called Shot to
activations. hit at -5 to strike when worn by another person.
! +4 to save vs magic, psionics, Horror Factor, and possession. Quantity Found (Optional): Roll percentile: 01-75% one, 75-100%
! Or impervious to one of the following forms of attack: M.D. Plasma two.
(includes normal heat and fire), M.D. cold (spell attacks like those
from a Warlock), Lightning, or M.D./S.D.C. Acid.
Market Price: 2-3 million credits.
23-24% House of Glass Ring
M.D.C. of the Object: 1D6+20 M.D.C., and requires a Called Shot to This ring is rumored to have its origins in the Magic Zone. Each ring
hit at -5 to strike when worn by another person. has three multi-colored gemstones that glow of magic. Upon command
Quantity Found (Optional): The ring is very rare and the chances are of the ring bearer any spell cast on the owner of the ring reflects the spell
likely that only one would be found. back at the caster. Like the House of Glass spell, the ring bearer suffers
the effects of the spell unless they save.
Three times per day the ring can be activated with the House of Glass
19-20% Nexus Ring spell effect. The effect happens immediately upon the command of the
The one, Nexus Ring known to exist on Rifts Earth is held by one of owner. Equal to an 8th level spell caster.
Tolkeen’s Artifact Hunters named Kurston Kurst. She was kind enough Range: Self Only.
to let the mystic scholars at Tolkeen study the ring for a short period of Market Price: 1-2 million credits.
time, however she was rather tight-lipped about discussing its origins. M.D.C. of the Object: 1D6+8 M.D.C., and requires a Called Shot to hit
The ring is most likely the creation of a powerful deity or Alien Intel- at -5 to strike when worn by another person.
ligence. It is a solid, greenish colored crystal, and has a smooth inner sur- Quantity Found (Optional): Roll percentile: 01-75% one, 76-95% two,
face, while the rest of the ring has a multi-faceted exterior, like a beauti- or 96-00% three.
fully cut diamond. At best, there may be half a dozen of these rings in the
Megaverse, and finding one would be a miracle! The ring is unique for a
magic rings, and they can only be accessed when P.P.E. is channeled into
25-26% Ley Line Ring
them. The powers can be activated an unlimited amount of times so long This type of magic ring is thought to have been designed by a master
as the P.P.E. is channeled into the ring. The power automatically ends if of magic from Lazlo, but it could have been Tolkeen or even someone
the ring is removed. Only one power can be in effect at a time. off world. Ley Line Rings are always silver, sometimes in the shape of a
! +50% to the sensing range of a Shifter’s sensing abilities, or Sense dragon’s tail, with a high quality sapphire gemstone. The sapphire looks
Rifts at a range of 150 miles (240 km). The power lasts for 1 hour per imperfect with a white or silver line in the stone. This line always points
to the nearest ley line up to 500 miles (800 km) away.
level of experience. P.P.E. Cost: 30
When on a ley line the ring’s bearer has additional knowledge: the
! Dimension Sense (see Shifter O.C.C.) at base skill or +20% to a ring will point to the closest nexus on the ley line (should one exist), it
Shifter’s. The power lasts for 1 hour per level of the Shifter. P.P.E. tingles and glows when a Ley Line Storm is heading the wearer’s direc-
Cost: 25 tion, and the person with the ring can Read Ley Lines, same as the Ley
! +5 to M.A. when it comes to a battle of the wills. Duration is long Line Walker ability. These are all automatic abilities the ring bestows
enough to make it through the summoning ritual. P.P.E. Cost: 70 upon he who wears it. And whenever on a ley line or nexus the ring
! Dimensional Leap, the ability to instantly jump from one spot to an- automatically recharges.
other for combat. Up to 120 feet (37 m) per jump. Can be used with a All Ley Line Ring will have ONE additional spell ability. Pick ONE
thought and is +6 to dodge. Each Dimensional Leap/dodge counts as of the following: Send Ley Line Transmissions, Ley Line Phasing, Ley
Line Walking or Line Drifting. This power can be used once per 24 hours
one melee attack. Limited to the Shifter’s experience level. Duration
at no cost to the wearer, but it can be performed as often as as three
is 10 minutes. P.P.E. Cost: 30
84

more times per 24 hours at a cost of 15 P.P.E. (or 30 I.S.P.) expended by Quantity Found (Optional): Roll percentile: 01-75% one, 76-95% two,
the ring’s wear. These powers are the same as described under the Ley or 96-00% three.
Line Walker O.C.C., and is equal to a 5th level Ley Line Walker. (See
Rifts® Ultimate Edition page 113-115).
When worn by a Ley Line Walker, the ring increases the range of his 31-32% Staff of Dimensions
O.C.C. abilities by 50% and doubles Ley Line Rejuvenation! This Rune staff is a creation of the god, Enki from the pantheon of the
Market Price: 1-3 million credits; rare. Babylonian gods. It was given as a boon to one of his followers who had
M.D.C. of the Object: 1D6+10 M.D.C., and requires a Called Shot to completed numerous herculean tasks for the god. The Shifter traveled
hit at -5 to strike when worn by another person. the Megaverse doing the bidding of the god, unfortunately her travels in
Quantity Found (Optional): Roll percentile: 01-75% one. 76-00% two Hades were not so successful, and she lost the staff in the realm of the
rings. demon lord, Karnack. The staff is black in color and covered with silver
runes. Atop the staff is a crystal the size of a baseball. When you look in
the crystal there appear to be mini-Rifts that open and close.
27-28% Anti-Magic Ring It grants the constant ability of +10% to dimension sense or for non-
The name is a bit of a misnomer as the ring only has the ability to Shifters a base of 35%. Additionally, this powerful staff has the follow-
negate a single spell’s effect at a time that has been directed at the person ing built in spells and P.P.E. reserve, below. Spells are cast at 10th level
wearing the ring, only, and as he chooses, and not the ability to negate all using the internal P.P.E. reserve. The owner can tape the P.P.E. reserve
magic. The ring has no influence on circles, Enchanted Rune weapons, if needed.
area-effect spells, or powerful spell that are greater than 8th level. When While covered in Runes, the staff does not have an apparent indepen-
the wearer is under the effects of a spell he can activate the ring to get a dent personality, though he may feel emotions that are not necessarily
second saving throw at +2 to save, in addition to any of his own bonuses. his own. It is not indestructible, per se, but has tremendous M.D.C. and
The ring can be used to negate a spell as many as four times in a 24 hour regenerates. Scholars that could study the staff would label it as alien
period. Only spells with saving throws can be negated. The spell that magic.
has been negated instantly has no effect on the ring wearer (recovers Mega-Damage: 4D6 M.D. as a melee weapon and can parry M.D.
instantly), with no lingering penalties, and any damage inflicted by the weapons.
spell is reduced by half. Spells like Carpet of Adhesion or Magic Net P.P.E. Reserve: The Staff of Dimensions contains 1,000 P.P.E. that its
require the ring wearer to roll a 12 of higher to negate their effect upon wielder can use to cast the following spells. P.P.E. regenerates at a rate
him, and only him, not anyone else caught in them. If a successful save of 50 P.P.E. per hour, double on ley lines.
is rolled, the Magic Net or Carpet is negated and fades away. Built-in Spells:
The origin of the ring is a mystery and has only come to light in the Bottomless Pit (100)
last ten years. They have been seen on mages in the Federation of Magic. Close Rift (200+)
It’s possible they are being created in Dweomer by the High Magus or Dimensional Portal (1000)
even from mages in the city of Brass. Dimensional Teleport (800)
Market Price: 1-4 million credits, rare. Re-open Gateway (180)
M.D.C. of the Object: 1D6+20 M.D.C., and requires a Called Shot to Rift to Limbo (160)
hit at -5 to strike when worn by another person. Rift Teleportation (200)
Quantity Found (Optional): Roll percentile: 01-90% one. 91–00% two. Market Price: 25-50 million credits.
M.D.C. of the Object: 700 and it recovers M.D.C. at a rate of 10 M.D.C.
per melee round, double on ley lines.
29-30% Traveler’s Staff Quantity Found (Optional): A one of a kind item!
For dimensional travelers, owning a Traveler’s Staff is a must have,
especially without a Shifter in the group. It has several built-in spells 33-34% Staff of Fulmination
for use when traveling to different dimensions. Many who come across
this staff have coined it the Swiss Army knife of magic staffs. It is really This is a magic staff that is the creation of alien magic. Tolkeen Arti-
meant as a tool, and not an offensive or defensive weapon. To keep the fact Hunters recovered a few dozen of these staffs in a far-off dimension.
staff from being threatening, most are rather plain looking with magic The staffs harness the power of lightning. They range in size from bo
inscriptions up and down the length of the staff and the ends are capped staffs to quarter staffs. They are silver in color with blue tips the color
in a dull unpolished metal. of sapphire. Strange alien writing is etched on the sides. Eyes of Thoth
The owner of the staff is granted the constant ability of Tongues, reveals the words, “Staff of Fulmination for the Lightning Confederacy.”
but only while the staff is held. The following spells can be each used Some have the proper names of previous owners or family names in-
two times per day: Globe of Daylight, Eyes of Thoth, Sustain, Sheltering scribed in them as well.
Force, and Heal Wounds. All spells are equal to an 8th level spell caster. The Staff of Fulmination has the following spell abilities: Each is
Finally, the most impressive ability of the staff – used in a “Break equal to a 5th level spell caster. The owner must have the P.P.E. to cast
glass in case of emergency” capacity – is the powerful spell of Dimen- the spells contained in the Staff.
sional Teleport. The owner has to draw a circle using the tip of the staff. Spells (Description found in the Rifts® Book of Magic):
Once the circle is drawn, the owner strikes the staff on the ground in the Ball Lightning (15)
circle and everyone in the circle is dimensionally teleported to the desti- Blinding Flash (1)
nation determined by the wielder of the staff. This drains the staff of all Call Lightning (15)
magic and cases it to shatter and fall to pieces. It is destroyed. Electric Arc (8)
The staff can be used as a Mega-Damage magic weapon when neces- Electro-Magnetism (40)
sary and does 2D6 M.D. As an M.D.C. object, it can parry other Mega- Electrical Field (35)
Damage weapons. Lighting Arc (30)
Market Price: 700,000-2 million credits. Protection from Lightning (20)
M.D.C. of the Object: The staff has 300 M.D.C. and only takes damage Note: I created this for one of my games using spells found in the
when it is deliberately targeted. It does NOT regenerate and needs to be Palladium Fantasy, Library of Bletherad sourcebook. Game Masters
repaired by a Mend the Broken spell at double the usual cost. with this book should feel free to use these Fulmination spells, below.
85

These spells would replace all spells listed above. Just change the S.D.C. Limitation: Each Power Staff’s long-range weapon can be fired 10
damage to M.D.C. times per 24 hour period. More at the cost of 15 P.P.E. per each blast (if
Spark (1) the wielder even has P.P.E. to channel into the weapon).
Electric Arc (8) 01-10% Water Blast: A powerful water blast is fired delivering 2D6
Lightning Bolt (10) S.D.C. damage from its surprising impact to most beings, but damage to
Ride the Lighting (25) vampires is 1D6x10 points with a range of 600 feet (182 m).
Call Lightning (15) 11-20% Laser-like Light Beam: 3D6 M.D., 3,000 foot (914 m) range.
Chain Lighting (40) 21-30% Lightning Bolt: 5D6 M.D., 2,000 foot (610 m) range.
Wall of Electricity (50) 31-40% Cold Blast or Ice Shard: 3D6 M.D., 2,400 foot (731 m) range.
Market Price: 4-6 million credits. 41-50% Fires a Projectile out of Thin Air: Wood 1D6 M.D. (3D6
M.D.C. of the Object: The staff has 200 M.D.C. and only takes damage damage to vampires another creatures vulnerable to wood), stone, crys-
when it is deliberately targeted. It does NOT regenerate lost M.D.C. and tal, or metal: 2D6 M.D. per blast. 2,000 foot (610 m) range.
needs to be repaired by a Mend the Broken spell at double the usual cost. 51-60% Fire Bolt. A burst of flame that does 4D6 M.D. and has a
Quantity Found (Optional): Roll percentile: 01-85% one, 86-00% two. range of 2,000 feet (610 m).
61-70% Dessicate the Supernatural: Same as the spell of the same
name. See Rifts® Book of Magic, page 127, for complete details.
35-36% Power Staffs 3D6x10 M.D. unless the supernatural makes a successful saving throw,
These staffs appear to have been created by the same alien magic that but has a penalty of -1 to do so. 800 foot (244 m) range.
creates magical weapon wands. All appear to be quarter staffs made of 71-80% Wind Rush: Same as the spell. 1,000 foot (305 m) range.
different metallic colored materials. Damage from these magic staffs in 81-90% Ballistic Fire: 1D6x10 M.D. and is the same as the spell of
melee combat is 2D6 M.D. or as stated in the description (S.D.C. dam- the same name. 1,080 feet (329 m) range.
age on S.D.C. worlds). The advantage these staffs have over the weapon 91-95% Energy blast on par with an Ion or Particle Beam. 4D6+10
wands is that most are meant to be used in combat and possess both M.D. per blast. 2,000 foot (610 m) range.
close combat and long-range combat capabilities, though limited. No 96-00% Paralysis Blast: 1,200 foot (366 m) range. Same as Paralysis
two staffs seem to be the exactly alike. Lesser spell, except targets are -3 to save and the effects last for five
Roll once on each table below to create a Power Staff. minutes.
Market Price: 500,000-One million credits. Rare. Seldom available
A) Roll once for Close Combat and Melee Damage or Effect:
even at places where magic is commonplace, unheard of most anywhere
01-10% M.D. Weapon with Excellent Balance: 2D6 M.D. and +1
else. A few have surfaced at Dweomer and Atlantis, and have found their
to parry and disarm.
way into the hands of some Battle Magus and Lord Magus.
11-20% 3D6 M.D. and the constant ability of Tongues to the Pow-
M.D.C. of the Object: The staff has 1D6x100+60 M.D.C. and only
er Staff’s wielder.
takes damage when it is deliberately targeted. It regenerate lost M.D.C.
21-30% The staff’s wielder is impervious to one of the follow-
at a rate of 1D6x10 per 24 hours, double on a ley line.
ing: 1-20% M.D. Fire and heat. 21-40% Light (e.g. lasers and cannot be
Quantity Found (Optional): Roll percentile: 01-75% one, 76-90% two,
blinded by glare or sunlight). 41-60% Lightning. 61-80% M.D. Cold and
or 91-00% three!
Ice Weapons. 81-90% Radiation. 91-95% Horror Factor. 96-00% Pos-
session/Mind Control. The staff does 2D6 M.D. in combat.
31-40% The staff arcs with electricity and when it hits a target it 37-38% Rune Bracers of Defense
does 4D6 M.D. upon contact. Double damage if the opponent is vulner-
Created by the Dwarven weaponsmiths in the pocket dimension of
able to electricity.
Zarkonia, these black leather bracers are covered in gold colored runes.
41-50% When combat ensues, the tips of the staff at both ends
Once activated, they imbue the owner with uncanny speed and reflexes.
are set ablaze. Fire Damage is 3D6 M.D. upon contact. Additionally,
Bonuses: The user of the bracers gains +2 to parry, +2 to disarm and
there is a 1-60% chance of setting any combustibles on fire.
entangle, +2 to pull punch, and +3 to automatic dodge (the act of dodg-
51-60% Paralysis: Lesser, as per the spell, upon contact plus 2D6
ing does NOT use an attack), +2 to save vs illusions and possession, and
M.D.. On a failed saving throw the victim only suffers physical damage
is impervious to disease.
of 2D6 M.D., no paralysis.
The wearers can also use the gauntlets to parry attacks from Mega-
61-70% Turn Dead. 2D6 M.D. to living opponents, 4D6 M.D. to the
Damage weapons and even energy blasts and projectiles without benefit
dead, including zombies, animated dead and the undead/vampires! In ad-
of his usual bonuses; unmodified roll only. The gauntlets can be acti-
dition to damage any dead within a 50 foot (15.2 m) radius need to make
vated for a total of 80 melee round (20 minutes) in whatever increments
a saving throw of 15 or higher, or they flee the area (as per the Turn Dead
(one melee round here, four melee rounds there, 12 another time, etc.)
spell) whenever the staff is raised over the wielder’s head.
AS NEEDED per 24 hour period.
71-80% Ice damage. In combat, the staff becomes encased in ice
Market Price: 1-2 million credits.
(though the wielder does not feel cold). The weapon does 3D6+2 M.D.
M.D.C. of the Object: 1D6x10+50 M.D.C., requires a Called Shot to hit
and it coats whatever it hits in a light frost. Masks, goggles, glasses,
at -4 to strike when worn by a person, and only takes damage when it is
helmet visors, windshields frost over, impairing vision: -3 to strike, par-
deliberately targeted. It does NOT regenerate lost M.D.C. and needs to
ry, dodge and roll with impact; two melee actions are needed to clear
be repaired by a Mend the Broken spell at double the usual cost.
enough frost to see without penalties. Melts in 1D6 minutes in warm
Quantity Found (Optional): Roll percentile: 01-90% One, 91-00%
temperatures.
Two.
81-90% Life Blast can be used once per melee and must strike the
target. Can be useful for allies and enemies alike. The effects are as per
the spell. Level equal to a 5th level caster. Use a restrained strike on al- 39-40% Gauntlets of Combat
lies, no damage, but can benefit from the effects of Life Blast.
91-100% Power of Destruction. Does 4D6+10 M.D. damage. Dou- Another creation from the Dwarves of Zarkonia are the Gauntlets
ble damage to the demonic and all supernatural evil. of Combat. These metal gauntlets are covered in red Runes and magic
symbols and they can be combined with any type of non-powered armor.
B) Roll for One Long-Range Attack. Roll for Percentile Dice for Once activated the owner becomes a ruthless combat machine!
random determination or match to ability above. Bonuses: +10 to P.S. attribute and becomes Supernatural P.S., +1 at-
tack per melee, +1 on initiative, +1 to strike. The wearers can also use the
86

gauntlets to parry attacks from Mega-Damage weapons and even energy Elves and Dwarves in charge of their respective war councils. This ulti-
blasts and projectiles (-2 to parry energy and projectiles). The Gauntlets mately worked against Duke as he was collected with a variety of other
can be activated for a total of 80 melee rounds (20 minutes) in whatever rune weapons and was destined to be thrown into a volcano. Duke sim-
increments (one melee round here, four melee rounds there, 12 another ply turned into a pool of metal and hid until there was an opportune time
time, etc.) AS NEEDED per 24 hour period. for him to get away. He stayed in an Elven dungeon for eons until found
Market Price: 6-8 million credits. by some adventurers and he finally ended up in a dragon’s treasure horde
M.D.C. of the Object: 1D6+20 M.D.C., and requires a Called Shot to on Rifts Earth.
hit at -4 to strike when worn by a person. Bonuses: +1 on all saving throws and +1 to Strike and Parry while us-
Quantity Found (Optional): Roll percentile: 01-90% One, 91-00% ing Duke.
Two. Market Price: 10-20 million credits possibly three to five times that
amount. A rare, one-of-a-kind Rune Weapon.
41-42% The Mercurial Duke
The Mercurial Duke is thought to be one of the original prototypes Magic Elixirs
for the Mercurial Blades (see Rifts® Adventure Sourcebook, Chi-
Magic elixirs are super-charged magic potions created by the wizards
Town ‘Burbs: The Black Vault for details about these blades). Mercu-
of Tolkeen. Unlike magic potions which often have a short duration,
rial weapons have two forms. One is a solid mass, typically in the shape
elixirs last for several days and have more powerful effects. To differ-
of a blade and the other shape is a metallic liquid, like mercury. For the
entiate elixirs from potions, they are packaged in flasks and also have a
Mercurial Duke there is enough mass to create a large axe or a large
thicker, viscous consistency than your typical potion, think thick maple
two-handed sword. Unlike other Mercurial Blades, Duke can be split
syrup. They take longer to drink and for each flask, they take a full melee
into paired long swords or even daggers. Duke can also take on the form
to benefit from the full effects.
of any non-living object. Objects cannot be too complicated, the simpler
The Coalition confiscated thousands of flasks, but it is likely a few
the better.
thousand more are out in North America and it is only a matter of time
Type: Rune Metallic Mass of Liquid Metal.
before someone else is able to replicate them.
Powers: The metallic mass is made of a dense, pooling liquid, reminis-
cent of mercury. The insubstantial quality enables the weapon to liquefy 43-44% Elixir of Health
upon command to hide the weapon in a canteen, gas tank, or other con-
This elixir was found in many of Tolkeen’s hospital and emergency
tainer, as well as a backpack or knapsack. It can also be turned into a
services. After 15 seconds it heals 6D6 Hit Points or S.D.C., +20% to
liquid in order to pour through an opening or to slip under the crack of
save vs coma and death, and doubles natural healing for the next 1D4+1
a door. The magical blade can also be made to form around its owner’s
days.
forearms, appearing like an armband, bracer or even a shield. Duke will
Market Price: 60,000-100,000 credits.
reshape upon verbal or mental command.
To form weapons it takes a single melee action. To form other objects
it takes two melee attacks and possibly longer for other objects. The 45-46% Elixir of Endurance
maximum length that Duke can be stretched out to is 100 feet (30.5 m)
This potion is the energy drink of Rifts Earth and was mass produced
and it can hold 1,00 pounds (450 kg) P.S. for Duke is 30.
at the height of the Siege on Tolkeen. Those who drink this elixir gain
Range: Handheld melee weapon, but can be thrown if desired. Duke
60 S.D.C. (30 M.D.C. if a Mega-Damage creature), are +1D4+1 to P.E.,
will flow back to its owner the following melee. It takes a full melee for
fatigue at half the normal duration, and only needs to sleep for four hours
Duke to return. Telepathic range is limited to 1,000 feet (305 m).
a day. The potion lasts 1D4+1 days. The down side is the crash after the
Damage: When used as a large, single weapon, maximum damage is
duration ends. For each day the potion was active the drinker will end
6D6 M.D. Damage for its smaller weapons can be taken from the 6D6
up sleeping for 8 hours. So after the elixir wears off, he will sleep from
pool. Such as two swords that do 3D6, three daggers that do 2D6, and
16-40 hours straight.
so on. Duke does double damage to creatures of Darkness and of the
Shadow Realm, Vampires, Werebeasts and other supernatural beings of
night.
or 67-00% 1D4.
M.D.C. of Object: 750. Duke is not indestructible due to his nature, but
can take a substantial amount of damage and recovers M.D.C. at a rate
of 50 M.D.C. per hour, but only if it has a source of metal to consume. 47-48% Elixir of Prowess
Duke cannot become armor, at best a shield and he will complain that
This potion temporarily increases the P.P. (Physical Prowess) by
he is not being used to his full potential as a weapon.
1D4+1, grants a +2 to Initiative and +1 attack per melee. The elixir lasts
Curse: None per se, other than once people see The Duke in action they
for 1D4 days. Side effects include being fidgety and getting bored quick
may covet the Rune weapon for themselves or fear the user regardless of
unless in the heat of action or performing some kind of athletics. It also
his good deeds, acts of kindness or words. Moreover, it is rumored that
takes twice as long to fall asleep and few on this potion are able to get a
this weapon corrupts its user who slowly becomes Diabolic evil and a
full nights rest.
murderous fiend. This is NOT true, but it is difficult to convince people
otherwise, and they may fear, shun and think the worst of the wielder no
matter what.
or 67-00% 1D4.
Personality: Duke has the personality of an assassin. While Duke does
have a twisted sense of honor he is not above backstabbing. His thoughts
on backstabbing are “If the foe were worthy of one on one combat then 49-50% Elixir of Intelligence
he would have seen you coming. By killing them you saved them the
Desperate times, desperate measures. Tolkeen scientists desperate to
disgrace of having to face you in combat.”
create a super weapon or the next miracle, created the Elixir of Intel-
History: Duke was around during the height of the Elf-Dwarf war. He
ligence to help them. Hundreds of these elixirs were distributed to the
was created by Dwarves and used to assassinate many Elves. During the
different research and development centers in the tri-city area. Taking
war Duke traded hands many times and Duke claims to be the weapon
this elixir grants the user a temporary boost in their I.Q. of +1D4. Ad-
that ended the Elf-Dwarf War when he was used to kill the last of the
87

ditionally, the individual can Speed Read and has total recall as per the Size: Magically adjusts to fit humanoids of any sizes.
psionic powers. The elixir lasts for 1D6 days. Of all the Elixirs, this tonic Range: Limited to the user wearing the cloak.
has the potential to become addicting. After it wears off there is a 1-30% P.P.E. Cost: None, powers are constant except the chameleon which is
chance that if the character has another Elixir of Intelligence that they limited to three times per day for 60 minutes.
will drink it or try and seek one out for the next 1D4 days. Limitations: It is not ideal of trying to move fast like running, because
Market Price: 100,000-150,000 credits. it negates the Chameleon effect and Prowl is useless.
Quantity Found (Optional): Roll percentile: 01-33% one, 34-66% two, M.D.C. of the Object: 1D6+13. It is not armor.
or 67-00% 1D4. Market Price: 750,000-1.2 million credits. Rare in the Americas where
the cost can be double. The Splynn Dimensional Market has several out-
51-52% Elixir of Magic lets that see the cloaks.
The Elixir of Magic started out as a failed experiment. Tolkeen Al- or 67-00% three.
chemists had heard rumors of a magic water that could replenish P.P.E.,
so with that inspiration they set out to create a potion that once it was
drunken, would provide an instant P.P.E. boost. After years of failure 57-58% Cloak of the Tundra
the potion was shelved until later discovered that in its current form, it Crafted for a winter environment, the hooded cloak is white. It grants
still had benefits. This magic liquid allows the body to channel and store a +20% to Prowl in snow, ice and on the tundra during any season. It also
P.P.E. more efficiently. For the next 3D6+18 hours, the mage finds he keeps the wearer comfortably warm in cold temperatures. While it does
can store generate and store 30% more P.P.E. in his body, than usual. not negate scent, the wearer’s tracks become obscured, making anyone
At the end of the duration the mage is fatigued for the next 24 hours following -15% to track the wearer of the cloak even in snow. The cloak
and needs normal sleep during which he will only recover half the usual can also be an emergency shelter. Once per day for up to 12 hours, a
P.P.E. Afterward, he recovers P.P.E. as normal. Shelter Force as per the spell can be used. The cloak is added as part of
Market Price: 100,000-200,000 credits. Rare. Originally only produced a shelter and acts as the source of the spell.
in Tolkeen, any the samples that have been found are being bought to Size: Magically adjusts to fit humanoids of any sizes.
Federation Lords for study in the hopes they can replicate the formula. Range: Limited to the user wearing the cloak.
Quantity Found (Optional): Roll percentile: 01-33% one, 34-66% two, P.P.E. Cost: None, powers are constant except the sheltering force
or 67-00% four. which is limited to one time per day for 12 hours.
Limitations: None, per se.
Market Price: 750,000-1.2 million credits. Rare in the Americas where
53-54% Elixir of the Mind the cost can be double. The Splynn Dimensional Market has several out-
The Elixir of the Mind was a failed experiment to recreate a non- lets that sell this cloak.
addicting version of Psi-Cola. In fact it had the opposite effect of clos- M.D.C. of the Object: 1D6+12, the cloak is not meant as armor.
ing the mind off and creating a protective psionic barrier. The creators Quantity Found (Optional): Roll percentile: 01-33% one, 34-66% two,
abandoned it until it was rediscovered during the Siege on Tolkeen. Co- or 67-00% three.
alition Mind Melters, Psychics and Psi-Stalkers were proving to be a
Coalition secret weapon. To help protect many of the non-psychic magic
users, the Elixir of the Mind was refined and mass produced. Hundreds 59-60% Ley Liner Cloak
of thousands of bottles are thought to exist because in the last months of Most Ley Line Walkers have an affinity for cloaks. This comes from
the war, supply lines were cut, especially as Tolkeen was forced into a the early days of the apocalypse where it was colder because of nuclear
defensive war. winter and no one was making jackets. Some of the early cloaks looked
Consuming the potion provides the following benefits. Non-psychics like tattered blankets draped over the shoulders. Newer cloaks are made
for the duration save as if they were Minor psychics (12 to save). Minor out of fine materials like silk or cotton. These cloaks when worn on a
and Major psychic save as if they are Masters (10 or better to save). ley line cause the wearer to be invisible on a ley line. They just blend in
There is no benefit to Master Psychics. with the magic energy and disappear. See invisible only shows a vague
The side-effect or benefit is a permanent Mind Block up for the dura- outline of a humanoid form. Combat bonuses for fighting an invisible
tion of the elixir’s benefits. Psychics are unable to lower this Mind Block foe are half. The cloak provides 20 M.D.C. of protection, but while on
so there could be times where the elixir is a hindrance. While Master a ley line it provides 40 M.D.C. and on a ley line nexus or within a mile
Psychics gain no benefit, they would have the Mind Block in place for (1.6 km) of a nexus, the protection is 60 M.D.C. Aside from providing
the duration, if forced to consume the elixir. The Elixir of the Mind lasts protection and invisibility on a ley line, the cloak has the ability to con-
for 1D4+1 days. During this time, the permanent Mind Block is up, and ceal Energy Spheres. While most Ley Line Walkers have no problem
I.S.P. is recovered at half the normal rate for sleep and meditation. At the displaying this power as the sphere hovers over their shoulder, there are
end of the duration, all users have a massive headache that lasts 1D4+1 times when discretion is better and concealing such power is desired.
hours. During this time they are at half their combat bonuses and melee While the Energy Sphere is hidden or cloaked, the energy is not acces-
attacks. sible by the Ley Line Walker and the Energy Sphere must be revealed
Market Price: 200,000 credits. in order to use it. It takes one action to hide or reveal the energy sphere
Quantity Found (Optional): Roll percentile: 01-33% one, 34-66% two, which can be hidden when on or off a Ley Line.
or 67-00% 1D4. Finally, while Ley Liners are not natural combatants, if they engage
in any hostile activity they are revealed, but are +2 on Initiative or can
55-56% Cloak of the Woods perform a surprise attack, usually casting an offensive spell.
Size: Magically adjusts to fit humanoids of any sizes; 40% have hoods.
A brown and green hooded cloak that is perfect for a woodland envi- Range: Limited to the user wearing the cloak.
ronment. The cloak grants a +10% to Prowl, negates any scent given off P.P.E. Cost: None, but not really effective unless on a ley line. The
by the person wearing it. That makes tracking, even by hounds following energy sphere can be hidden on or off the ley line.
a scent difficult to impossible. -20% if being tracked visually, and those Market Price: 500,000 to 750,000 credits. Commonly found in the
tracking by scent lose the trail completely. Also, three times per day, the Magic Zone, Lazlo, New Lazlo and previously, Tolkeen. May also be
wearer can activate a Chameleon spell that last for 60 minutes per each found in the Splynn Dimensional Market.
activation.
88

M.D.C. of the Object: Limited. 20 M.D. in most environments, 40 on 11-20% P.P.E. conduit, allows the Shifter to draw in twice as much
a Ley Line, and 60 on or near a Ley Line Nexus or within a ley line tri- P.P.E. per melee whether on a ley line or nexus. The suit can also store
angle like the Demon Sea. up to 100 P.P.E. for four hours. Adds 250,000 credits to the cost.
Quantity Found (Optional): Roll percentile: 01-50% one. 51-00% two. 21-30% Shadow Meld as per the spell, at will four times per day for
20 minutes at a time. Adds 70,000 to the final cost.
31-40% Regenerating armor, 2D6+12 per hour, double on a ley
61-62% Temporal Cape line and triple on a nexus. Regenerating armors can be damaged as much
This magic cape is coveted by Temporal Wizards, Warriors and as low as -40 M.D.C. and will still regenerate. At -41 the armor is totally
Raiders. They are typically grey, blue or black and usually possess destroyed. Add 250,000 credits to the cost.
some kind of temporal ability. All capes have 1D6 D-pockets. Most 41-50% Noiseless, any kind of noise the armor would make is muf-
are different sizes with the largest able to hold something as large as a fled magically, adding +10% to Prowl. Add 120,000 credits to the cost.
heavy M.D. energy rifle. Most Temporal Wizards use the D-Pockets to 51-60% Sustain can be activated on the armor and will last for 5
hold potions, scrolls, gems and other items, while warriors load them days before needing 24 hours to recharge. Recharge time can be reduced
with weapons. It takes two actions to go into a pocket and pull out the to 12 hours on a ley line or only 4 hours on a nexus. Adds 150,000 credits
desired item. Rare cloaks have one additional power for a total of two to the cost.
powers. Roll or select below for the additional power. D-Pockets are 61-70% Breathe without air, can be activated six times per 24 hours
long term and guaranteed to last at least five years. The duration of the for 30 minutes at a time. Adds 60,000 credits to the cost.
other powers varies. 71-80% Chameleon as per the spell can be activated 6 times per 24
01-20% No additional Temporal Powers. hours for 30 minutes at a time. Adds 90,000 credits to the cost.
21-30% D-Phase four times per day for one minute per activation. 81-90% Cloak of Darkness as per the spell can be activated 6 times
31-40% D-Shift Phantom four times per day for one minute per ac- per 24 hours for 30 minutes at a time. Adds 200,000 credits to the cost.
tivation. 91-00% Invisibility: Simple as per the spell can be activated 6 times
41-50% D-Shift Two Dimensions four times per day for one minute per 24 hours for 30 minutes at a time. Adds 250,000 credits to the cost.
per activation. Market Price: Light Suit: 20,000 to 40,000 credits. Medium Suit:
51-60% Sense Time is a constant power. 60,000 to 100,000 credits. Heavy Suit: 150,000 to 400,000 credits.
61-70% See Dimensional Anomaly three times per day for ten min- M.D.C. of the Object: As noted above, under the first table.
utes at a time. Quantity Found (Optional): Roll percentile: 01-33% one, 34-66% two,
71-80% See Temporal Anomaly. This is a constant power. or 67-00% three (same or each different).
81-85% Sense Dimensional Anomaly three times per day for ten
minutes at a time.
86-90% Sense Temporal Anomaly three times per day for ten min- 65-66% Ley Line Walker’s Headdress
utes at a time. Ley Line Walkers have a traditional headdress that evolved from the
91-95% Wink-Out three time per day for five minutes at a time. days of the Apocalypse. Today, while not needed, it is traditional and it
96-00% Time Barrier, twice per day at thirty minutes at a time. remains a symbol worn by the majority of Line Walkers. Taking advan-
Size: Can fit a variety of humanoid sizes from as large as a Temporal tage of this entrepreneurs in Lazlo thought to develop a Techno-Wiz-
Raider to as small as a Dwarf. ardry headdress that is still the style of a gasmask, but with additional
Range: Limited to the user wearing the cape. gizmos and feature (some Steampunk-like, others more high-tech, some
Market Price: 2-5 million credits. Rare on Rifts Earth. They are a bit more primitive). As with most projects, it morphed into something
most likely found in the Splynn Dimensional Market, Phase World, or beyond their expectations and it is now built using alien enchantment
Worldgate. magic and machine components.
M.D.C. of the Object: Limited. 1D6+26 M.D. Note: In addition to magic properties, the headdress provides a body
Quantity Found (Optional): Roll percentile: 01-90% one. 91-00% two. force field with 60 M.D.C.
First Roll the Number of Powers.
63-64% Shifter Leather Armor 01-70% One power.
Shifters, like Ley Line Walkers, have a distinct look that sets them 71-95% Two powers.
apart, making them identifiable as a Shifter. Since metal armors interfere 96-00% Three powers.
with the flow of magic energy an alternative had to be found that was a Second Roll or Select the Power(s).
natural material. S.D.C. leather was first used for years and the Shifter 01-10% Breathe without Air, three times per day, for two hours.
had to use an armor spell for protection. That is until Simvan traders 11-20% See the Invisible, three times per day, for 30 minutes.
that used M.D.C. leather from beasts like Rhino-Buffalo and similar su- 21-30% See Aura, three times per day, for 30 minutes.
pernatural creatures started to trade with the Federation of Magic. With 31-40% Eyes of the Wolf, three times per day, for one hour.
the introduction of M.D.C. leather, magic users could afford a measure 41-50% Aura of Power, three times per day, for 10 minutes.
of protection and soon the armor was customized with various magical 51-60% Sense Evil, three times per day, for 20 minutes.
enchantments. The only downside is that the armor is not environmental. 61-70% Sense Magic, three times per day, for 20 minute.
A few shops in the Federation of Magic may have a few suits for sale, but 71-80% Eyes of Thoth, three times per day, for 30 minutes.
its Wrapped in Leather in the Splynn Dimensional Market that has any 81-90% See in Magic Darkness, three times per day, for 30 minutes
kind of leather armor and can even sell custom-made suits. per activation.
First roll or select the Type of Suit and its M.D.C. 91-00% Triple the range of Ley Line Observation Ball.
01-70% Light Suit: 1D4x10+20 M.D.C. Market Price: One power 135,000 credits, two powers 275,000 credits,
71-90% Medium Suit: 1D6x10+70 M.D.C. three powers 500,000 credits.
91-100% Heavy Suit: 1D6x10+120 M.D.C. M.D.C. of the Object: 2D6+30 M.D., but only takes damage when it
is deliberately targeted. The attacker needs to make a Called Shot with
Second roll or select One Additional Feature/Power. a penalty of -4 to hit with a long-range weapon; -2 penalty to strike in
01-10% Increased M.D.C., add 2D4x10 M.D.C. Adds 5,000 credits hand to hand combat.
per additional 10 M.D.C. to the market price. Quantity Found (Optional): Roll percentile: 01-70% one. 71-00% two.
89

67-68% Shifter’s Crown The glasses are not Techno-Wizardry, but rather a new form of en-
chantment magic that the mages of New Lazlo are experimenting with.
Some Shifters have elaborate tastes and a few have been known to As the magic is still new and being refined, each Spectacles of Learn-
wear makeshift crowns for men and tiaras for women. Their origins are ing has a limited duration of 1 to 4 years before they become ordinary
unknown, but more Shifters from the City of Brass seem to wear them so glasses.
many suspect they are created there. If studied, they are the creation of Market Price: 100,000 credits each.
alien magic. The Shifter’s Crown has the following powers: M.D.C. of the Object: 1D6+10 M.D.C., but only takes damage when it
! Summon 1 additional lesser minion. is deliberately targeted. The attacker needs to make a Called Shot with
! Add +3 to M.A. towards the battle of the wills only. This is a constant a penalty of -4 to hit with a long-range weapon; no penalty to strike in
power always in effect. hand to hand combat.
! Mind Block can be activated at will three times per day for one hour Quantity Found (Optional): Roll percentile: 01-50% one. 51-00% two.
duration at a time.
Market Price: 500,000 to 1 million credits. Rare and limited to a few 73-74% Magic Saddle of Sure Grip
select shops in the Magic Zone and possibly the Splynn Dimensional
Market. Magic saddles have the advantage of that they can be put on most rid-
M.D.C. of the Object: 2D6+50 M.D., but only takes damage when it ing beasts. The saddle will conform to a variety of sizes from as large as
is deliberately targeted. The attacker needs to make a Called Shot with a Nether Beast to a pony. They are also exceptionally comfortable to the
a penalty of -4 to hit with a long-range weapon; -1 penalty to strike in rider as well as the creature. Finally, this particular saddle has the ability
hand to hand combat. of Sure Grip built into it. No matter the attack type, the rider cannot be
Quantity Found (Optional): Roll percentile: 01-65% one. 66-00% two. thrown or otherwise removed from whatever beast they are mounted on.
The magic also grants the rider +5% to their horsemanship skill or for
unskilled riders, they have the skill at base proficiency, but it does not
69-70% Amulet of Armor increase with level.
These magic amulets tend to be shaped like shields and have a me- Market Price: 30,000-50,000 credits.
tallic or stone finish to them. The amulet provides the wearer with 120 M.D.C. of the Object: 1D6+30 M.D.C., but only takes damage when it
M.D.C. that regenerates 5 points per hour. Once all the M.D.C. is de- is deliberately targeted. The attacker needs to make a Called Shot with
pleted, the amulet needs a full 24 hours to recharge back to a full 120 a penalty of -3 to hit with a long-range weapon; -1 to strike in hand to
M.D.C. These amulets work best when paired with other armor, whether hand combat.
magic of conventional. When paired with magic armor, after 24 hours. Quantity Found (Optional): Roll percentile: 01-50% one. 51-00%
the armor and amulet become “paired” and the magic armor’s M.D.C. is 1D4.
increased by 20% or a minimum of 40 M.D.C. plus the 120 provided by
the amulet. The regenerative abilities of the amulet will now also regen- 75-76% Magic Saddle – Military Saddle
erate the magic armor it is paired with. Armor and Amulet regenerates at
a rate of 5 M.D.C. per hour. Armor will regenerated up to -120 M.D.C. Like the Sure Grip Magic Saddle, this saddle also conforms to the
below zero. Damage beyond that renders the magic armor it is paired size of the beast and provides comfort for the rider and the beast. This
with beyond repair and the Amulet of Armor goes dormant and offers saddle is built for combat and provides the rider with the following bo-
no protection for 1D6+4 days. Then it begins to regenerate and provide nuses. +10% skill bonus to tricks and combat maneuvers, otherwise +5%
protection as normal. for normal riding. +1 to strike and parry while mounted and +1D6 M.D.
Range: Worn, but once paired with magic armor, the amulet bonds with to the damage from melee weapons used while mounted.
the magic armor until the armor is destroyed. Market Price: 100,000-200,000 credits.
Duration: As a stand-alone magic amulet, it provides up to 120 M.D.C. M.D.C. of the Object: 1D6+30 M.D.C., but only takes damage when it
protection to the wearer, regenerating lost M.D.C. at a rate of 5 M.D.C. is deliberately targeted. The attacker needs to make a Called Shot with
per hour. May have less than 120 at any given time depending on the a penalty of -3 to hit with a long-range weapon; -1 to strike in hand to
amount of combat the wearer has experienced between regenerations. hand combat.
Otherwise, protection is constant. Quantity Found (Optional): Roll percentile: 01-50% one. 51-00% two.
Limitations: Once paired with a suit of armor, the amulet can’t be re-
moved and is permanent unless the armor is destroyed. 77-78% Magic Horseshoes
Market Price: 700,000-2 million credits. Rare item to find. They are
from an alien world. There are four types or horseshoes, each has a different enchantment
M.D.C. of the Object: 1D6x10+40 M.D.C. for the Amulet itself, but type. They are more popular in the Colorado Baronies and tend to be
and only takes damage when it is deliberately targeted. The attacker found more out west.
needs to make a Called Shot with a penalty of -4 to hit. It does NOT 1. Bronze Horseshoes. Cavalry and knights love these for their
regenerate lost M.D.C.; deplete the M.D.C. an it is destroyed. mounts. It augments the horses’ combat ability. Bonuses: +1 attack per
Quantity Found (Optional): Roll percentile: 01-95% one. 96-00% two. melee, +1D6 to horse kick damage, and +10% to the horse’s speed. The
power can be activated three times per day lasting for one hour per ac-
tivation.
71-72% Spectacles of Learning Market Price: 50,000-80,000 a set of shoes.
These magic glasses have their origins in New Lazlo. The magic of 2. Silver Horseshoes are preferred by couriers for the burst of magic
the glasses helps to open the mind to new ideas and possibilities. Objects speed they provide. Three times per day, for two hours per activation the
being studied are brought into sharper focus, allowing for new insights silver horseshoes double the horse’s speed without increased fatigue. In
and ideas. Skills that require thought or study, typically taking hours, fact, the horse fatigues at half its normal rate, and when the magic ends,
have a +10% to that skill. For example, Cryptography, Forgery, Ap- it can still continue to run as normal.
praise Goods, Lore and computer skills would benefit from these glasses. Market Price: 100,000-200,000 a set of shoes.
However, in a magic users hands they are even more useful. In addition 3. Gold Horseshoes combine the magic properties of bronze and sil-
to the insight provided to the skills mentioned above, when converting a ver horseshoes. The powers can be activated a total of four times per day.
scroll the glasses provide a +5% bonus. Each power needs to be activated separately.
Market Price: 300,000-500,000 a set of shoes.
90

4. Platinum Horseshoes are coveted by cowboys, Native Ameri- dragons, he will not allow himself to be wielded by one, but other
cans, horsemen, and knights, and many mounted warriors as they pro- good warriors or friends of the wielder may be allowed if the situa-
vide something the other horseshoes don’t, flight. The animal can run tion deems it necessary. Logrim can speak and understand his wielder,
above the ground and through the air, up into the sky, at double its but the weapon tends to revert to the Dwarven language on occasion,
running speed, three times per day, for three hours per activation, and especially in battle.
without increased fatigue. Maximum altitude is 10,000 feet (3,048 m). Market Price: Considered a Greater Rune Weapon. Sells for 20 to 80
In fact, the horse fatigues at half its normal rate, and when the magic million for this one of a kind weapon.
ends, it can still continue to run as normal. Bonus: +1 to dodge while M.D.C. of the Object: Indestructible.
in flight. Quantity Found: One-of-a-kind Greater Rune Weapon.
Market Price: 250,000-500,000 for a set.
Type Found: (Optional): Roll percentile: 01-30% Bronze, 31-60% Sil- 81-82% The Ever Scroll
ver, 61-80% Gold, 81-100% Platinum.
Note: The magic Horseshoes wear out and the magic ends in 2D6+8 The Ever Scroll is the creation of an ancient god of the North,
month. perhaps Odin himself. The legend goes that Odin made the powerful
Quantity Found (Optional): Roll percentile: 01-40% One set. 41-80% magic item for his high priest to be used during Ragnarök. However,
Two sets. 81-00% four sets, all the same or one set of each. since Odin has been preparing for Ragnarök for over a millennia and
has created numerous items, all of which he’s either hidden away or
forgotten about. The intention of the Ever Scroll is not very clear, but
79-80% Logrim, Slayer of Serpents scholars suspect he was trying to create reusable parchment for creat-
ing magic scrolls on. The theory being the magic parchment would
– A Greater Rune Axe retain the knowledge longer than a conventional scroll, allowing it
Alignment: Scrupulous. to be used multiple times. Whatever the intention of the god was has
I.Q.: 14 been forgotten and the artifact remains a one of a kind item. Few even
Damage: 4D6 M.D.C. Double Damage to Dragons and serpentine crea- know of its existence. Rumors say that the Ever Scroll was stolen
tures. from Odin long ago by Loki. If the god does have it, he is most likely
Bonuses when bonded: +1 to save vs Dragon Horror Factor. Resistant using it as a boon for some mortal to complete one of his treacherous
to all dragon magic, unique dragon powers and breath weapons. The schemes.
wielder takes half damage and duration from spells, breath or dragon The powers of the Ever Scroll: The scroll appears as a tattered
unique attacks. piece of parchment paper four feet in length. All along the edges are
Powers of Logrim: runes and in the lower right hand corner is a large silver rune. If the
Sense Vulnerable Points. Logrim can sense the weak point of Drag- owner of the scroll places a drop of their blood on the silver rune,
ons. After fighting for a full two melees with Logrim, the critical strike only the owner may use the scroll. To all others looking at the scroll,
drops by 2. For example if the character has no Critical Strike then he any writing on it appears as unintelligible gibberish. The scroll can
has a Critical Strike on a roll of a Natural 18, 19, 20. If the character al- hold up to four separate spells, and each can be used numerous times.
ready has a Critical Strike of 19-20, then their Critical Strikes drops to a In fact each spell can be used 1D4+1 times before the writing for that
Natural 17-20, and for those with an 18-20 Critical it becomes a Natural particular spell fades away. In addition to the Ever Scroll allowing
Twenty on a roll of 18-20 doing triple damage. for multiple uses, when a mage puts new spells on the scroll (they
Dragon Blast. Logrim can launch a bolt of fire that inflicts 4D6 require the spell, create magic scrolls for this), it only takes half the
M.D., 1,000 feet (305 m), or ice shards 3D6 M.D., 800 feet (244 m), or duration to create, but the P.P.E. cost to add new spells is double.
a lightning blast that does 6D6 M.D., 1,400 feet (427 m). All do double After the ritual is complete the spell can be used 1D4+1 times before
damage to dragons and serpents and can be used in any combination up it fades from the scroll.
to 10 times total, per 24 hour period. Market Price: Priceless, and could easily fetch 5 to 10 million credits.
Dragon Breath. Logrim can unleash a gout of fire, ice or electricity M.D.C. of the Object: 1D6+10 M.D.C., but only takes damage when it
as a breath attack. Regardless of the attack type, damage is 6D6 M.D.; is deliberately targeted.
double Damage to dragons and serpents. Can be done up to 3 times per Quantity Found: One of a kind magic artifact.
24 hours. Count as two attack and has a range of 100 feet (30 m) long in
a 30 degree arc. Can damage all targets in its path.
83-84% Elemental Stones
Personality: All Logrim remembers is that he was once a Knight from a
The Elemental stones are often mistaken for elaborate jewelry pieces.
distant land. His people were in a war that consumed their world. When
Unless someone knows what they’re looking for, these magic stones can
their enemies made allies with dragons, Logrim and his people were on
be easily missed. No two are exactly the same in terms of style and size
the losing side. He gave his life so that his people would have a weapon
of the gemstone used as the centerpiece.
to wield against the dragon horde.
The Coalition has seized a fair number, but recently Tolkeen rebels
His first wielder was a berserker who slayed many dragons. With
raided a Tolkeen cache and made off with several dozen. While us-
Logrim and others like him, the dragons soon lost interest, but the war
ing them in their fight against the Coalition is the knee-jerk reaction,
continued. Logrim was passed down from generation to generation as
selling them will help to raise much needed capital to stay in the fight.
the war lasted eons. Over time, Logrim has lost a sense of self and is
Many are being sold right in the Coalition’s backyard in the ‘Burbs of
more a weapon and less the man he was. He knows he crossed the di-
Chi-Town.
mensional veil several times and has lost track of his home. He knows
that his last wielder, a Knight by the name of Sir Ulric Ramsey, was from Earth Onyx. The Earth Onyx is an elaborate silver necklace with
Scotland. They were headed to a place in Africa known as the gathering. an onyx prominent in the center. The Earth Onyx and other elemental
Sir Ramsey was ambushed by troops from the Phoenix Empire. He was stones were created by a cabal of evil wizards in a far-off dimension.
overwhelmed and met his death at their hands. Logrim was hung up as a Tolkeen Artifact hunters found dozens of them and returned them to
trophy since none could wield him. Tolkeen were they were handed out and used against the Coalition dur-
Logrim strives for purpose and meaning since his war ended a long ing the Siege on Tolkeen.
time ago. Being in the hands of a brave warrior and fighting a just cause Powers: The following spells can be cast three times per day through
suits him just fine. While Logrim knows there are some noble and good the amulet. The spells are equal to a 5th level Warlock. Quicksand, Sand
91

Storm, and Wall of Stone. Finally, the amulet has the power to summon Shot with a penalty of -4 to hit with a long-range weapon; no penalty to
forth a Minor Earth Elemental one time per day for one hour. strike in hand to hand combat.
Quantity Found (Optional): Roll percentile: 01-50% One, 51-90%
Fire Ruby. The Fire Ruby is typically a necklace on a gold chain
two, or 91-00% three.
or adorned on the top of a scepter. They usually have a large ruby and
smaller rubies as decoration.
Powers: The following spells can be cast three times per day. Fire 89-90% Magic Arrows
Ball, Extinguish Fire, and Fuel Flame, all at a 5th level Warlock. Also,
one time per day, a Minor Fire Elemental can be summoned and com- In all cases, damage is S.D.C. in S.D.C. environments, so if the arrow
manded for one hour. does 2D6 M.D. it does 2D6 S.D.C. on those worlds.
The Patriot. This magic arrow has a white shaft and red fletching.
Water Pearl. A water pearl is a large black or pure white pearl the Made for long bows these arrows can be fired 50% farther. Damage is
size of a large marble. The jewelry varies from a pearl choker, a brooch, 3D6 M.D. (S.D.C. in those worlds) and returns after striking its target!
a tiara or an elaborate scepter. Because of the extended range each arrow and time to return to its own-
Powers: The following spells can be cast up to three times per day. er, it can only be fired twice per melee regardless of the rate of fire. Can
Swim Like the Dolphin, Purple Mist, and Circle of Rain, all cast as a 5th be used indefinitely until the arrow cannot be recovered or is destroyed.
level Warlock. One time per day, a Minor Water Elemental can be sum- (The Patriot has 1D6+3 M.D.C.)
moned and commanded for one hour. Acid Arrow. These emerald green arrows are enchanted with magic
Air Sapphire. The air sapphire typically has a large sapphire stone to unleash acid cloud upon contact. The initial damage is 2D6+10 M.D.
or is made of numerous smaller stones. They are tend to be part of a +1D6+1 M.D. per melee round for 1D6 melees. Acid arrows are heavier
necklace, broach or scepter. and as a result have half the range or normal arrows. They can be fired by
Powers: The following spells can be cast three times per day each. any type of bow. Damage is the same for each bow type.
Cloud of Slumber, Miasma, and Ball Lightning equal to a 5th level War- Shotgun Arrow. These magic arrows, once fired, splits into three
lock. Also once per day, a Minor Air Elemental can be summoned and flying arrows. The arrow is meant to strike multiple targets at once. Roll
commanded for one hour. to strike as normal for just one target. On a miss, all three arrows miss.
On a successful roll to strike, the main target and the next two closest
Market Price: 3 to 4 million credits each. targets within ten feet (3 m) are each struck. Damage is 2D6 M.D. to
M.D.C. of the Object: 1D6+30 M.D.C. each, but only takes damage each target. Maximum range is 600 feet (183 m).
when it is deliberately targeted. Rope Arrow. Another magic arrow with a unique use. It does mini-
Type Found: 1-25% Earth Onyx. 26-50% Fire Ruby. 51-75% Water mal damage, only 1D4+1 M.D., but when it is fired it trails a length
Pearl. 76-00% Air Sapphire. of rope behind it. The rope magically trails out behind the arrow for a
Quantity Found (Optional): Roll percentile: 01-50% one. 51-90% two. maximum length of 500 feet (152 m), while the arrowhead embeds into
91-00% a small box containing one of each! a solid object that anchors it. The rope can hold a weight of up to 800
pounds (360 kg). This means it can be used to scale walls and mountains,
85-86% Bow of Strength create a zip line across a ravine or washed away bridge, or to hit and try
to pull an enemy vehicle, robot, cyborg, etc. Note: The Rope Arrow can
This magical bow is found in both long bow and short bows. It has a only be used once, and the rope is just normal rope ane can be cut with
metallic sheen and the bow string looks like cable. The bow needs a P.S. 10 S.D.C. damage. Range: 500 feet (152 m).
of 25 or higher to draw, but the greater the strength the greater the ben- Type of arrow found: 1-30% Patriot, 31-60% Acid, 61-80% Shotgun,
efits. For those with a P.S. of 25-30, the range of all arrows is increased 81-100% Rope Arrow.
by 20% and damage from arrows is +3. A P.S. of 31 to 35, increases M.D.C. of the Object: 1D6+1 M.D.C., unless stated otherwise. Only
the range by 50% and damage is +6. A P.S. of 36 or higher, doubles the the Patriot arrow can be recovered and reused repeatedly until lost or
range of the bow and damage is +10. destroyed. Acid, Shotgun and Rope arrows are ONE-time use.
Market Price: 300,000-500,000 credits. Pretty rare. Market Price per Arrow: Patriot arrow 20,000-30,000 credits each.
M.D.C. of the Object: 1D6x10+40 M.D.C., but only takes damage Acid arrow 1,000 credits each. Shotgun arrow 2,000 credits each. Rope
when it is deliberately targeted. The attacker needs to make a Called arrow 1,000-2,000 credits each.
Shot with a penalty of -4 to hit with a long-range weapon; no penalty to Quantity Found (Optional): Roll percentile: 01-33% 1D6 arrows., 34-
strike in hand to hand combat. 66% 2D6. 67-00% a quiver or box of 3D6+12 arrows. Likely to be all
Quantity Found (Optional): Roll percentile: 01-50% One, 51-90% the same type of arrow. Or a mix of two different types, not likely to be
two, or 91-00% three. a few of each type (G.M. discretion).
87-88% Marksman Bow 91-92% Splugorth Corsair

This magical bow was crafted in another dimension. Each Marks- The Splugorth Corsair is a flying ship created by Splugorth crafts-
man Bow is elegant in design and crafted from an alien ash tree. The men. They are sold in Splynn and many Splugorth markets around the
body is elaborately carved, usually portraying a hunter or some type of Megaverse. The ships are built and enchanted with an Eye of Eylor. This
warrior. Each has a sight carved from antler and the drawstring is al- gives the ships the capability of flight and additional built-in magical
ways some kind of woven animal hair, making it exceptionally strong. powers. Most of the powers focus on defense of the ship or to allow the
The magic infused into the bow grants the shooter a +3 bonus to strike ship a greater range of travel.
and increases their rate of fire by one. Not only does it increase the Those Corsairs in the service of the Splugorth are typically used as
accuracy of the shooters, arrows can even ricochet off surfaces. -1 to patrol boats. They are seen flying around the coast of Atlantis and often
strike for each ricochet with a maximum of three ricochets. Any arrow in areas like the preserves. Powerful or rich merchants buy them to trans-
can be used, from normal S.D.C. arrows to magic or Mega-Damage port goods around Atlantis. A few have made their way to Africa, South
arrows. America and North America. It would only be a matter of time before
Market Price: 200,000-300,000 credits. Pretty rare. a powerful nation like the Coalition or even Tolkeen, captured a few of
M.D.C. of the Object: 1D6x10+15 M.D.C., but only takes damage these craft. During the final days of Tolkeen several flying ships were
when it is deliberately targeted. The attacker needs to make a Called spotted ferrying away survivors as the Coalition invaded.
92

M.D.C. by Location: Weapon Systems for a typical Merchant Ship:
Front Mast Pole – 45
1. The Main Gun Battery (6 cannons, 3 per side):
Main Mast – 150
Option 1 – Plasma Cannon (6)
Sails (5) – 35 each
Primary Purpose: Assault.
Main Body, Front Section – 600
Secondary Purpose: Defense.
Main Body, Mid-ship – 450
Range: 2,000 feet (610 m).
Main Body, Rear Section – 500
Mega-Damage: 1D6x10 M.D. per each single cannon blast.
Rudder – 110
Rate of Fire: Equal to the number of attacks of the gunner.
*Eye of Eylor – 120
Payload: Each long E-Clip has 10 shots.
*The Eye of Eylor is the source of mystic power on the ship. If
Option 2 – Laser Cannons (6)
it is destroyed all mystic powers end. The ship will not crash, but
mystic control is lost and sailing skills would be required to direct the
ship. Speed is also reduced by half.
Range: 4,000 feet (1,219 m).
Speed: Flying 75 mph (120 km), double on a Ley Line, 25 mph (40 km)
Mega-Damage: 1D4x10 M.D. per each single cannon blast.
on the sea.
Rate of Fire: Equal to the number of attacks of the gunner.
Land: Not possible.
Payload: Each long E-Clip has 20 shots.
Maximum Range: Unlimited! Powered by magic. Maximum altitude is
2. Rune Statue Head: Only 10% of Merchant Corsairs have a rune
10,000 feet (3,048 m).
statue head.
Statistical Data: 3. Mystic Abilities: Same as the Splugorth patrol ship.
Width: 20 feet (6.1 m).
Length: 80 feet (24.4 m).
Cargo as a patrol ship: 14 tons light or 42 tons heavy. 93-94% Splugorth Frigate
Cargo as a merchant ship: 22 tons light or 50 tons heavy. The Splugorth Frigate is rarely seen in Atlantis and is one of the hid-
Power Systems: Eye of Eylor. den assets of Splyncryth. Sometimes they are used as raider ships on
Market Price: 30 million credits or 45 million with a rune dragon head. the coasts of Rifts North America, South America and Africa. They are
widely used in dimensional exploration or where a larger Splugorth pres-
Weapon Systems for a typical Splugorth Patrol Ship:
ence is needed.
1. Lightning Cannons (6, three per side): While most flying ships look like their seaborne copies, the Splugorth
Primary Purpose: Assault. Frigate has taken on a more alien appearance. Along the side rails of the
Secondary Purpose: Defense. ship are Eyes of Eylor imbedded as part of the ship, similar to the Slaver
Range: 4,000 feet (1,219 m). Barge. On the deck in the front and aft, joined to the Ship, are two Splu-
Mega-Damage: 6D6+6 M.D. per single blast. 3D4x10+10 M.D. per si- gorth Slavers. They act as the ship’s pilots and if one is killed, the other
multaneous broadside attack with all three cannons firing at once at the can pilot the ship. Otherwise, they divide up the duties of piloting and
same large, target/enemy vessel. manning the ship’s weapon systems. Just like their barges, the slavers
Rate of Fire: Single shot. Maximum of one shot per each of the six can- can emerge from the containment chamber but only for short periods.
nons per melee round. The slavers can see through all the eyes on the deck as well as the escort
Payload: 60, recharges from the Eye of Eylor at a rate of one shot per of ten flying Eyes of Eylor. The remainder of the ship has sails, rigging
minute. Recharges twice as fast on a ley line and three times as fast on and masts. Weapons tend to vary but can be a mix of modern weapons
a nexus. and magic.
2. Rune Statue Head. Only 25% of Splugorth Corsairs have a rune In Splynn, owning a Frigate is seen as a status symbol and only the
statue head. See Rifts World Book 2, Atlantis for the powers of the most powerful High Lords possess them. Wealthy and powerful indi-
Rune Statue Heads. viduals can also purchase the frigates less the connected slavers. You’ll
3. Additional Mystic Abilities: The Splugorth only equip Corsairs need an experienced crew to fly the ship without the slavers.
with one mystic ability. Roll or select on the table below. High Lords
M.D.C. by Location:
can modify the Eye of Eylor and add one additional power, but often at a
Front Mast – 200
great cost, like owing them a favor or completing some task in exchange
Mid-Mast – 350
for the upgrade.
Rear Masts (2) – 150 each
01-10% Armor of Ithan, Four times per day, 150 M.D.C. for a dura-
Large Sails (4) – 45 each
tion of 150 minutes. The entire ship is covered.
Small Sails (7) – 35 each
11-20% Breathe without Air, covers the entire ship as well as those
Main Body, Front Section – 2,000
below decks. It can be activated six times per day for 45 minutes.
Main Body, Mid-ship – 1,500
21-30% Chameleon, three times per day for 45 minutes. The spell
Main Body, Rear Section – 1,800
is only effective when the ship is stationary and its sails stowed. Also,
Rudder – 200
movement on the deck can be detected.
*Eye of Eylor – (2) 120 each
31-40% Cloud of Smoke, nine times per day for 15 minutes.
Lightning Cannons (10, five per side) – 100 each
41-50% Multiple Image, three times per day for 15 minutes.
Eylor Hunter, Seeker Scouts (10) Spear – 200, Eye – 120
51-60% Invisibility: Superior, three times per day for 30 min-
Annihilate Cannon – 200
utes.
Medium-Range Missile Launchers (2) – 100 each
61-70% Summon Fog, once per day for 5 hours and a range of 50
*The Eye of Eylor is the source of mystic power on the ship. If
miles (80 km). Typically used to hide or get away from other ships.
it is destroyed all mystic powers end. The ship will not crash, but
71-80% Calm Storms, once per day for 5 hours.
mystic control is lost and sailing skills would be required to direct the
81-90% Rift Teleportation, once per day with a range of 1,000
ship. Speed is also reduced by half.
miles (1600 km).
Speed: Flying 100 mph (160 km), double on a ley line, 25 mph (40 km)
91-100% Dimensional Portal, once per week. A Rift opens in
on the sea.
front of the ship allowing it and all crew to travel to another dimen-
Land: Not possible.
sion.
93

Maximum Range: Unlimited. Powered by magic. Maximum altitude is staterooms. The fourth level is below the main deck and has crew quar-
20,000 feet (6,096 m). ters, an armory, and storage. The final level is the engineering deck.
Statistical Data: The Skimmer is not meant as a front-line combat vessel, but does
Width: 40 feet (12.2 m). have numerous weapon systems and TW systems to protect the king.
Length: 160 feet (48.7 m). Over the years the vessel was in a few battles and proved very effective.
Cargo: 32 tons light, 50 tons heavy. So much so that the king ordered additional Royal Battle Skimmers be
Power Systems: Eye of Eylor. created for the remaining members of the council. In total, six additional
Market Price: 100+ million credits. were created. At least two were captured by the Coalition, but the re-
maining four are unaccounted for.
Weapon Systems:
M.D.C. by Location:
1. Lightning Cannons (10, five per side):
*Side Fins (2) – 900 each
Starfire Cannons (10) – 100 each
**Bridge – 500
Range: 4,000 feet (1,219 m).
Railing – 50 per 10 foot (3 m) section
Mega-Damage: 6D6+6 M.D.
Deck – 300 per 20 feet (6 m)
Rate of Fire: Maximum of five shots per melee.
Mystic Hornet Launchers (4) – 225 each
Payload: 60, recharges from the Eye of Eylor at a rate of one shot per
Mystic Hornets (20) – 35 each
minute. Recharges twice as fast on a ley line and three times as fast on
Main Body – 3,600
a nexus.
* Destroying a side fin will reduce the Skimmer’s speed by half
2. Rear Deck Weapon System combines magic and technology.
and reduce maximum altitude by half. Destroying both fins will re-
There are two medium-range missile launchers and an annihilate can-
duce speed by 90% and altitude will be limited to 100 feet (30 m).
non. The annihilate cannon fires a mystically guided piece of anti-matter.
** Destroying the bridge will take out the nerve center of the Roy-
Most small targets are instantly destroyed.
al Battle Skimmer, but it can still be controlled from the engineering
deck, but piloting is -15%.
Speed: Flying 300 mph (480 km). On a ley line speed is 450 mph (720
Range: 2 miles (3.2 km) for the annihilate cannon. Medium range mis-
km). The Skimmer has VTOL capabilities, and like the TW Battle Skim-
siles will vary with type.
mer the craft is completely silent.
Mega-Damage: 1D4x100 M.D. Missile damage will vary with type.
Maximum Range: Unlimited powered by magic. Maximum altitude is
Rate of Fire: The annihilate cannon can fire twice per melee. Each mis-
30,000 feet (9,144 m). Each level in the Royal Battle Skimmer can be
sile launcher can fire 1, 2, 4, or 6 medium range missiles.
sealed and has an independent life support system.
Payload: The annihilate cannon has 30 shots before needing to be re-
Crew: The Royal Battle Skimmer has a crew of 20, 1 captain, 4 bridge
charged by a High Lord. Each missile launcher has 24 shots. The cargo
crew, 1 chief engineer, 4 engineers and 10 other crew members.
hold below the launchers has an additional 192 missiles.
Statistical Data:
3. Rune Statue Head. All Splugorth Frigates have a rune statue
Width: Deck 40 feet (12.2 m) plus 75 feet (22.8 m) for the downward
head. Private ships only have a 1-35% chance of having one. See Rifts
swept wings for an overall width of 160 feet (49 m).
World Book 2, Atlantis for the powers of the Rune Statue Heads.
Length: The deck is 180 feet (55 m) long overall.
4. Additional Mystic Abilities: Splugorth Frigates will have three
Cargo: The cargo holds can hold a total of 600 tons.
powers. Roll of select from those under the Splugorth Corsair.
Power Systems: Two mystic generators provide power off the ley line.
5. Eylor Hunter Seeker Scouts (10): As described in Rifts World
Otherwise it is powered by ley lines.
Book Two, Atlantis. These floating eyes are linked to the two Slavers
Market Price: 40-70 million credits to the right buyer.
onboard. Each commands five eyes.
Damage: Laser 2D6 M.D. or 3D6 M.D. or Plasma 5D6 M.D. Weapon Systems:
Range: 2000 feet (610 m), for the Laser or Plasma blasters. 1. Star Fire Pulse Cannons (10): Gunner cupolas are located on the
Rate of Fire: Up to four blasts per melee. main deck with five on each side of the craft.
Payload: Effectively unlimited. Primary Purpose: Defense.
6. Troop Capacity: In addition to the two slavers that control the Secondary Purpose: Assault.
ship, there are an additional 40 crew members typically made up of Range: 2,000 feet (610 m).
Staphra and Splugorth slaves. One High Lord is typically the ship’s com- Mega-Damage: 2D6x10 M.D. per individual blast.
mander with one or two Conservators. The ship can also hold 90 war- Rate of Fire: Each blast counts as one attack.
riors. A typical mix is 20 Power Lords or Overlords, 30 Blind Warrior Payload: 32 shots. The cannons are connected to a mystic generator.
Women, 30 Tattooed Warriors and 10 Maxi-Men. Shots are restored at a rate of one per minute.
2. Mystic Hornets (20): An experimental weapon mounted on
95-96% Royal Battle Skimmer all Royal Battle Skimmers, Hornets are spherical balls of energy that
look like ball lightning when activated. The tactic is to swarm a tar-
There are times when King Creed of Tolkeen needed to travel over- get and blast it with electrical energy. In addition, they are like ley
land without the convenience of teleporting. For those trips, Tolkeen line Observations Balls that provide numerous views for those on the
Techno-Wizards designed the Royal Battle Skimmer. Built using the bridge. When dormant they are metallic spheres the size of bowling
battle skimmer as the template, the Royal Battle Skimmer is twice as balls. Each sphere can fire four electrical blasts per melee and each
large, has multiple levels and is armed to the teeth, and has flight capabil- is +2 to strike. The spheres travel at 125 mph (200 km), double on a
ities off of Ley Lines. It is also armored and not open like a conventional ley line.
Battle Skimmer. It looks more like an exotic spacecraft. Primary Purpose: Defense.
The top level is the bridge, built like a naval bridge, the captain sits in Secondary Purpose: Assault.
the middle and is surrounded by multiple stations that monitor ship sen- Range: Can fly as far as on mile (1.6 km) away from the Skimmer. The
sors, weapon systems, engineering systems and mystic hornets. Below electrical bolt has a range of 200 feet (61 m).
the bridge are crew quarters and a galley for the crew. The next level, Mega-Damage: 4D6 M.D. or 1D4x10 M.D. in a kamikaze strike that
which is on the main deck, is the king’s quarters, a large meeting room, destroys the sphere.
small kitchen and dining room, a room for security and four additional
94

Rate of Fire: Four blasts per melee per mystic hornet. Learning new spells that may be found in a Boundless takes half the
Payload: Effectively unlimited. normal time and it is likely to have a variety of spells already found with-
Note: Each launcher only holds five mystic hornets. An additional in. The book also provides a +5% to convert scrolls and get them scribed
forty are stored in the cargo hold. The hornets can be active indefinitely in the book. If the book is found or purchased, there will be 1D4+1 new
while on a ley line, but only have enough power for four hours off a ley spells that the owner likely does not have. They can include spells from
line. They need to be returned to the launch system and charged for four different types of magic like Necromancy or Temporal magic.
hours before they can be used again. Curse: Obsession, magic. The mage will find that they are slowly be-
3. Mini-Missile Launchers (2): Mounted forward and aft, these coming obsessed with the acquisition of magic, especially new spells to
launchers are meant solely for defense of the ship, primarily to knock add to the Rune Spell Book. It’s not just common spells, but strange and
out enemy missiles and to keep power armors at range. unusual spells, such as Temporal spells, Biomancy, Necromancy, and
Primary Purpose: Defense. the like. Also, during combat the owner will rely entirely on spells and
Secondary Purpose: Anti-Missile/Anti-Power Armor. out of combat they are constantly researching where the next spell can
Range: Typically one mile (1.6 km). be found or how to convert a scroll.
Mega-Damage: Varies with mini-missile used. Personality: The book has an intellectual personality and seems to get
Rate of Fire: One at a time or in volleys of 2, 4, 6, 8 or 10. along with most magic users, especially if they have an I.Q. higher than
Payload: 50 per launcher. 13. To non-magic users, especially warriors, the book will be a snob and
Troop Capacity: The king or a member of the council has 25 security standoffish, preferring to be with its intellectual equal.
personnel. This allows for 7 full-time guards and a squad commander. History: Boundless recalls very little of its history. He knows at one
The last man is the head of security and rotates his duties as needed, but point he was handed down for several generations in a particular family
typically accompanies the king at all times. There is also an additional 24 where they studied the discipline of Wizardry. How he got to Rifts Earth
soldiers which are a mix of magic users and conventional mercenaries. is a mystery and where his previous owners ended up is also unknown.
Mystic Capabilities: The Royal Battle Skimmer has a second mystic Market Price: Some consider it priceless, but if bought or sold it could
generator specifically for the following T.W. enhancements. They are easily sell for 10 to 30 million credits.
activated from the bridge. Quantity Found (Optional): Hundreds were created in their native di-
Invincible Armor, 375 M.D.C. and regenerates as per the spell. It also mension. Tolkeen artifact Hunters found a cache and returned them to
provides a breathable environment for those outside on the main deck. Tolkeen before the war. There are likely to be a few dozen on Rifts
The Invincible Armor can be activated six times per day. Earth, and considered rare. Roll percentile: 01-99% One, 00% Two.
Illusory Terrain, used to hide the ship when it is not moving. It makes
the skimmer blend in with the current terrain or creates new terrain en- 99-100% The Infinity Tome
tirely. It has an eight hour charge per 24 hour period. The Illusory Ter-
rain can be activated numerous times, but each activation is equal to an Type: Rune Book, a Greatest Rune Creation.
hour. Alignment: Anarchist.
Rift to Limbo, used as an escape measure or a place to hide. It has an Powers: All common rune powers plus the following:
eight hour charge per 24 hour period. The Rift to Limbo can be activated 1. The Infinity Tome is a True Tome of Images.
numerous times, but each activation is equal to an hour. 2. This book describes dozens of dimensions in detail. Those who
Teleport: Superior typically used to get the craft home, but not lim- read it cover to cover and memorize its teachings (a process that takes
ited to there. Can be used twice a day at 15th level. The crew member 1D4+2 months), will gain the Lore: Dimensions skill as described be-
activating it sets the location which has to be preprogrammed into the low. The first percentage is for those who do not have the Lore: Dimen-
Royal Battle Skimmer’s mystic computer. sions skill. The second percentage is for those who do have it.
Dimensional Teleport, only used to cross the dimensional threshold. General Knowledge: Includes dimensional makeup, is the dimension
It can only be used once per week and requires a full seven days to suitable for humanoid life and so on. Information found in Rifts® Di-
recharge. If used, all other mystic abilities are temporarily drained and mension Book 7: Megaverse® Builder™, 65%/96%.
need a full eight hours to recharge. Specific locations like dimensional nexuses or dimensional hot
spots, think Center, Worldgate, Splynn, Tolkeen and similar locations
45%/76%.
97-98% Rune Spell Book – Boundless Notable Individuals of the dimension such as leaders or movers and
shakers, like Thraxus in Center, Lord Splyncryth of Atlantis and similar
Type: Rune Book, a Greater Rune Creation.
notable individuals as well as groups; 25%/57%.
Alignment: Anarchist.
Unique or rare magic artifacts (or magic knowledge) that may be
I.Q.: 19
from that dimension; 5%/37%.
Powers: Boundless is a rune book that is a wizard’s dream come true.
3. The Infinity Tome has a 24 page section in the middle consisting of
The book has the same size and thickness of the Palladium Fantasy RPG
a number of brilliant colored illustrations of various dimensions. Each of
and the same weight. It is, of course, indestructible with Runes on the
these pages has an illustration on one side and strange runic writing on
cover as well as on the pages. The book comes with a Rune pen that is
the other side. Should the reader speak aloud, the runic inscription on the
stored in the binding. A wizard can write their spells in the book for
back of any of these pages, he will be magically transported to the loca-
study and safekeeping. Regardless of what page a particular spell is writ-
tion in the illustration! The effect is similar to that of a Circle of Travel;
ten on, the book will organize all the spells according to the owner’s
anything within 20 feet (6.1 m) of the reader may come along with him
desire. Most are from lowest level to highest level. Spells can be reorga-
– friends, treasure, equipment, desk, etc. This takes three melee actions
nized whenever needed, and for whatever spell is needed to be studied
to read and execute.
the book will automatically open to the desired page, no flipping through
Every time the reader flips to one of these pages, the location in the
the book to find it. Spells can be verbally added and the runic pen will
illustration will be different. It is as if each page is a window to some
write them down. Also, spells can be erased at will, permanently or even
randomly selected dimension. Once the reader travels through one of
temporarily if desired.
There is no limit to the number of spells that can be stored in the these “Gate Pages” however, that page becomes fixed; it shall hold the
illustration until all pages are fixed, at which point the owner can read an
book. It can easily store hundreds of thousands of spells if that many
existed. Of course the book is indestructible, water and fireproof, and can inscription in the back of the book that will unlock all pages.
be locked and only opened by the owner. The last Gate Page of The Infinity Tome will contain an illustration
of the character’s exact location when they first used the book. The other
95

twenty three pages will all generate their locations at random. Game from time to time, look through its owners eyes and probe its owner’s
Masters should feel free to use Rifts® Dimension Book 7: Megaverse thoughts to add to its volume of dimensional knowledge. If the owner
Builder™ for a table of random dimensions. has traveled to four or more dimensions with The Infinity Tome, their
4. The Cave Page. There is one page with a hand drawn picture of name will be inscribed as one of the writers of the book. While not a
what appears to be a large cave. Reading the inscription on the back of curse per se, if the book falls into someone else’s hands and the owner is
this page teleports the reader and those he chooses (within a 20 foot/6.1 named, this could be used for good or bad intentions.
m area) to this cave. Personality: The book loves the thrill of adventure and dimensional ex-
The cave has an unnatural light and is not pitch black. Exploring ploration and loves to be on the road traveling through new dimensions.
the cave will reveal running water and miles and miles of tunnels. This With this in mind, it will always try to convince its owner to go on that
seems to be its own dimension that is isolated in a Time Hole. While in next grand adventure to step through that Rift.
this cave complex, time is frozen and the owner can stay in this cave History: The book was a collaborative effort between an Elf and a
for years (if they have supplies). The only way in or out of the cave is Dwarf during one of the peaceful interludes of the Elf-Dwarf War. Since
through the book. The dimensional fabric is impenetrable and there is no that time the book has had over a dozen owners, all experienced in di-
presence of magic or ley lines. Access and exit can only be gained via the mensional travel.
book. The time hole is meant as a private sanctum for the owner where Note: The Infinity Tome is a large book that easily fills up the majority
they can retreat and hide or rest and return back within moments or hours of a backpack. It magically locks when closed and can only be opened
of leaving. The effects are the same as the Time Hole spell at 15th level, by the rightful owner. Otherwise, it remains inert and unreadable. The
except using the book, the owner can choose to take people or objects book itself is indestructible.
within 20 feet (6 m) of the mage. Market Price: Some consider it priceless, but if bought or sold it could
Curse: None other than the fact that the book is extremely valuable and easily sell for 100 to 300 million credits.
likely coveted by others, especially Shifters. Additionally, the book will, Quantity Found: One of a kind magic artifact.
96

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232 SB 2: Dark Places™ – $12.95 518 Gramercy Island™ – $24.95 815 Rifts® WB 7: Underseas™ – $26.99
233 SB 3: Endless Dead™ – $16.95 519 Aliens Unlimited Galaxy Guide™ – 816 Rifts® DB 2: Phase World® – $26.99
234 SB 4: Fear the Reaper™ – $12.95 $24.95 817 Rifts® DB 3: Phase World® Source-
235 SB 5: Graveyard Earth™ – $12.95 520 Mutant Underground™ – $16.95 book – $16.95
236 SB 6: Hell Followed™ – $20.95 521 Powers Unlimited® One – $16.95 818 Rifts® WB 8: Rifts® Japan™ – $26.99
237 SB 7: In the Face of Death™ – $17.99 522 Powers Unlimited® Two – $16.95 819 Rifts® WB 9: South America Two™
(coming) 523 Powers Unlimited® Three – $16.95 – $24.95
Rifts® Novels 525 Revised Ninjas & Superspies™ – $22.99 820 Rifts® WB 10: Juicer Uprising™ –
301 Sonic Boom™ – $9.95 526 Mystic China™ – $24.95 $20.95
302 Deception’s Web™ – $9.95 527 Armageddon Unlimited™ – $22.99 821 Rifts® WB 11: Coalition War Cam-
304 Tales of the Chi-Town ‘Burbs™ – $12.95 Beyond the Supernatural™ paign™ – $24.95
305 Rifts® Path of the Storm™ – $12.95 700 Beyond the Supernatural™, 2nd Ed. 822 Rifts® WB 12: Psyscape™ – $20.95
Weapons Books – $26.99 825 Rifts® WB 13: Lone Star™ – $22.99
401 Weapons and Armor™ – $8.95 702 Tome Grotesque™ – $22.99 (coming) 826 Rifts® WB 14: New West™ – $26.99
402 Weapons and Castles™ – $8.95 703 Beyond Arcanum™ – $26.99 (coming) 827 Rifts® WB 15: Spirit West™ – $24.95
403 Weapons and Assassins™ – $9.99 828 Rifts® Sourcebook 4: Coalition
Nightbane® Navy™ – $16.95
404 Weapons & Castles of the Orient™ – $9.95 730 Nightbane® RPG – $24.95
409 Exotic Weapons™ – $9.99 (coming) 829 Rifts® WB 16: Federation of Magic™
731 Nightbane®: Between the Shadows™ – $22.99
410 European Castles™ – $9.99 (coming) – $22.99 830 Rifts® DB 4: Skraypers™ – $20.95
Palladium Fantasy RPG® 732 Nightbane®: Nightlands™ – $20.95 831 Rifts® Index Volume Two™ – $16.95
450 The Palladium Fantasy RPG® – $28.99 733 Nightbane®: Through the Glass 832 Rifts® WB 17: Warlords of Russia™
451 Dragons & Gods™ – $24.95 Darkly™ – $20.95 – $26.99
453 Old Ones™ 2nd Ed. – $26.99 735 Nightbane® Survival Guide™ – $20.95 833 Rifts® WB 18: Mystic Russia™ – $22.99
454 Monsters & Animals™ 2nd Ed. – $26.99 736 Nightbane® Dark Designs™ – $20.95 834 Rifts® WB 19: Australia – $24.95
455 Adventures on the High Seas™ – $24.95 835 Rifts® WB 20: Canada™ – $24.95
Rifts® Chaos Earth®
458 Island at the Edge of the World™ – $20.95 836 Rifts® WB 21: Splynn Dimensional
660 Rifts® Chaos Earth® RPG – $20.95
459 Yin-Sloth Jungles™ – $20.95 Market™ – $26.99
661 Rifts® CE Creatures of Chaos™ – $12.95
462 Western Empire™ – $24.95 837 Rifts® WB 22: Free Quebec™ – $26.99
662 Rifts® CE The Rise of Magic™ – $12.95
463 Baalgor Wastelands™ – $26.99 838 Rifts® WB 23: Xiticix Invasion™ –
665 Rifts® Chaos Earth® First Responders™
464 Mount Nimro™ – $20.95 $22.99
– $17.99 (coming)
465 Eastern Territory™ – $24.95 839 Rifts® Coalition Wars®: Sedition™
666 Rifts® Chaos Earth® Resurrection™
466 Library of Bletherad™ – $20.95 – $22.99
– $20.95
467 Northern Hinterlands™ – $24.95 840 Rifts® Coalition Wars®: Coalition
667 Rifts® Chaos Earth® Psychic Scream™
468 Land/Damned 1: Chaos Lands™ – $24.95 Overkill™ – $17.99
– $17.99 (coming)
469 LoD 2: Eternal Torment™ – $24.95 841 Rifts® Coalition Wars®: Sorcerers’
470 LoD 3: The Bleakness – $26.99 (coming) Rifts®
Revenge™ – $16.95
471 Wolfen Empire™ – $22.99 800HC Rifts® RPG Ultimate Edition – $41.99
842 Rifts® Coalition Wars®: Cyber-
472 Mysteries of Magic™ One: Heart of 801 Rifts® Sourcebook One Revised – $22.99
Knights™ – $17.99
Magic – $16.95 802-E Rifts® World Book 1: Vampire
843 Rifts® Coalition Wars®: Shadows of
474 Bizantium/Northern Islands™ – $24.95 Kingdoms™, Revised – $26.99
Evil™ – $16.95
475 Garden of the Gods™ – $26.99 (coming) 803 Rifts® Conversion Book One™ – $24.95
844 Rifts® Coalition Wars®: Final
476 Island of Lopan™ – $26.99 (coming) 804 Rifts® WB 2: Atlantis™ – $20.95
Siege™ – $24.95

845 Rifts® Game Master Guide™ – $28.99 893 Rifts® CS: Heroes of Humanity™ MI8035 Slaver and Slave (Atlantis) Set –
846 Rifts® Aftermath™ – $26.99 Arsenal Sourcebook – $17.99 (coming) $10.00
847 Rifts® DB5: Anvil Galaxy™ – $22.99 894 Rifts® Coalition Manhunters™ – $17.99 MI8036 Crazy – $6.00
848 Rifts® Book of Magic™ – $26.95 (coming) MI8037 Juicer #1 – $6.00
849 Rifts® Adventure Guide™ – $24.95 895 Rifts® Living Nowhere™ – $17.99 MI8038 Juicer #2 – $6.00
850 Rifts® Bionics Sourcebook™ – $17.99 (coming) MI8039 Cyborg #1 – $12.00
851 Rifts® DB 6: Three Galaxies™ – $22.99 896 Rifts® Bestiary, Volume One – $26.99 MI8040 Cyborg #2 – $12.00
852 Rifts® Dark Conversions™ – $26.99 (new!) MI8041 Cyborg #3 – $6.00
853 Rifts® Chi-Town ‘Burbs™ – $9.99 896HC Rifts® Bestiary One Gold Edition MI8042 Coalition Officer – $6.00
854 Rifts® The Tolkeen Crisis™ – $12.95 Hardcover – $55.00 (new!) MI8043 Coalition Grunt #1 – $6.00
855 Rifts® The Black Vault™ – $9.99 897 Rifts® Bestiary, Volume Two – MI8044 Coalition Grunt #2 – $6.00
856 Rifts® The Vanguard™ – $9.95 $26.99 (coming) MI8045 Coalition Grunt #3 – $6.00
857 Rifts® WB 24: China One™ – $20.95 898 Rifts® Antarctica – $22.99 (coming)
When placing an order by mail, please
858 Rifts® WB 25: China Two™ – $22.99 899 Rifts® Titan Robotics – $22.99 (coming) add money for shipping and handling. Add
859 Rifts® DB 7: Megaverse Builder™ – 2510 Rifts® & The Megaverse® Art Book $5.00 for orders totaling $1-$50, $10.00 for or-
$16.95 – $22.95 ders totaling $51-$95, and for orders totaling
860 Rifts® DB 8: Naruni Wave 2™ – $16.95 2510-HC Rifts® & The Megaverse® Art $96-$200 please add $15.00 US. Double the
862 Rifts® WB 26: Dinosaur Swamp™ – Book, Hardcover – $50.00 amount for Canada, and quadruple it for over-
$20.95 2510-CML Rifts® & The Megaverse® Art seas orders. For more shipping options, order
863 Rifts® MercTown™ – $20.95 Book, Collector’s Masterwork – $125.00 online at www.palladiumbooks.com.
865 Rifts® Merc Ops™ – $22.99
Miscellaneous Products Allow 2-4 weeks for delivery.
866 Rifts® WB 27: Adventures in Dino-
400 Mechanoid Invasion® Trilogy – $26.99 Make checks and money orders payable to:
saur Swamp™ – $20.95
600 Deluxe Revised RECON® RPG – $26.99 Palladium Books
867 Rifts® Mercenary Adventure Source-
2554 Palladium Bookmarks, Set One – $5.00
book – $12.95 Check release dates for new products. If
2555 Palladium Bookmarks, Set Two – $5.00
868 Rifts® WB 28: Arzno™ – $20.95 the book you order has not been released yet,
2562 Future Visions™ – The Artistry of
869 Rifts® WB 29: Madhaven™ – $18.99 your order will be held as a backorder until the
Charles Walton II – $13.95
870 Rifts® John Zeleznik Coloring Book product is available. Please note that prices are
2566 Glitter Boy Mouse Pad – $9.95
– $5.95 subject to change without notice.
2567 Old Ones Mouse Pad – $9.95
871 Rifts® Machinations of Doom™ –
2568 Zombie Graveyard Mouse Pad – $9.95 Orders can also be placed by phone, at
$18.95
2575 Rifts Poker Cards 1 (full color) – $11.99 (734) 721-2903 (order line only). Please have
872 Rifts® DB 10: Hades™ – $24.95
2576 Rifts Poker Cards 2 (line art) – $11.99 your credit card information when you call.
873 Rifts® DB 11: Dyval™ – $24.95
2587 Rifts® Logo Coffee Mug – $10.99
874 Rifts® WB 30: D-Bees of North
2588 Rifts® Property of the CS Coffee
America™ – $26.99
Mug – $10.99
875 Rifts® DB12: Dimensional Outbreak
2589 Palladium Fantasy® Dragon Coffee
– $24.95
Mug – $10.99
876 Rifts® Megaverse® in Flames™ –
Note: T-shirts, hats and more can be found online.
$24.95
876HC Rifts® Megaverse® in Flames™ Rifts® Miniatures
Gold Hardcover Edition – $50.00 MI8002 Xiticix Pack – $18.00
877 Rifts® Heroes of the Megaverse® – MI8004 Coalition Dog Pack – $18.00
$16.95 MI8005 Men of Magic Pack #1 – $18.00
878 Rifts® Sourcebook: Shemarrian Na- MI8006 Cyborgs Pack #1 – $18.00
tion™ – $17.99 MI8007 Simvan & Ostrosaurus Pack – $18.00
880 Phase World®: Fleets of the Three MI8008 Coalition Skelebots Pack #1 – $18.00
Galaxies™ – $18.99 MI8009 Coalition SAMAS Pack #1 – $22.00
881 Rifts® WB 31: Triax™ Two – $26.99 MI8010 Coalition Sky Cycle Pack – $22.00
883 Rifts® DB 14: Thundercloud Galaxy™ MI8011 Coalition Dog Pack #2 – $18.00
– $20.95 MI8015 Damaged Skelebots Pack #1 – $12.00
884 Rifts® Vampires Sourcebook™ – $20.95 MI8016 Cyber-Adventurers Pack – $18.00
885 Rifts® WB 32: Lemuria™ – $24.95 MI8017 Rogues & Scout Pack #1 – $18.00
886 Rifts® Black Market™ – $26.99 MI8018 Brodkil & Witchling Pack – $18.00
887 Rifts® WB 33: Northern Gun™ One MI8019 Damaged Skelebots Pack #2 – $18.00
– $26.99 MI8020 Psi-Stalkers & Scouts Pack #1 –
888 Rifts® WB 34: Northern Gun™ Two $18.00
– $26.95 MI8021 Shadow Beast – $12.00
889 Rifts® Sourcebook: Coalition States, MI8023 Lord Magus – $6.00
Heroes of Humanity™ – $20.95 MI8026 Coalition Dog Boy in DPM-D1
890 Rifts® Dimension Book 15: Secrets of Armor – $6.00
the Atlanteans™ – $26.99 MI8028 Coalition Dog Boy #3 – $6.00
890HC Rifts® DB 15: Secrets of the MI8029 Coalition Dog Boy #4 – $6.00
Atlanteans™ Gold Edition – $50.00 MI8030 Coalition Dog Boy #5 – $6.00
891 Rifts® World Book: Sovietski™ – $26.95 MI8033 Kydian Overlord – $20.00
892 Rifts® Sourcebook: The Disavowed™
– $17.99 (coming)
MI8034 Dragonsaurus – $10.00 www.palladiumbooks.com

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T h ou gh despised,tears flow w h en th e gian tfalls.

The Rifter® Number 83

Brian Hite (Order #21736633)

PDF Edition – January 2020

Copyright 2019 Palladium Books® Inc.

Palladium Online www.palladiumbooks.com

Brian Hite (Order #21736633)

Coordinator & Editor in Chief: Wayne Smith

Editor: Alex Marciniszyn

Proofreader: Julius Rosenstein

Cover Illustration: Kevin Long

Cover Logo Design: Steve Edwards

Credits Page Logo: Niklas Brandt

Typesetting & Layout: Wayne Smith

Based on the RPG rules, characters,

Brian Hite (Order #21736633)

Brian Hite (Order #21736633)

Though despised, tears flow when the giant falls

Brian Hite (Order #21736633)

Brian Hite (Order #21736633)

Brian Hite (Order #21736633)

New Palladium Artists The Rifter® to go on hiatus

2019 Gen Con – Booth 1317

2021 Palladium Open House Coming Soon

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Palladium RPGs are available in many hobby and game

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NEW! Garden of the Gods™

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NEW! Baseball Caps – Available now

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COMING: Rifts® Antarctica

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Brian Hite (Order #21736633)

Brian Hite (Order #21736633)

Brian Hite (Order #21736633)

Brian Hite (Order #21736633)

Brian Hite (Order #21736633)

Brian Hite (Order #21736633)

Brian Hite (Order #21736633)

Brian Hite (Order #21736633)

Brian Hite (Order #21736633)

Brian Hite (Order #21736633)

In this chapter there is more detailed background information on the

Brian Hite (Order #21736633)

Welcome to the Army

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Brian Hite (Order #21736633)

Brian Hite (Order #21736633)

Brian Hite (Order #21736633)

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Special Information about Crete

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Brian Hite (Order #21736633)

Brian Hite (Order #21736633)

Brian Hite (Order #21736633)

Brian Hite (Order #21736633)

Konstantinos returns to Sitanos on a German Bike

Brian Hite (Order #21736633)