The Rifter #19

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 hu-
mans. 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 inappropri-
ate 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 19
Your guide to the Palladium Megaverse®!
1
Palladium games are found in stores everywhere
First Printing - July, 2002
Copyright <0 2002 Palladium Books lnc. & Kevin Siembieda

A ll 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 char-
acters or persons Jiving or dead, is strictly coincidental.
Palladjurn Books®, Rifts®, The Rifter®, RECON®, Nightbane®, The Pa.lladiurn Fantasy Role-Playing Game®, The
Mechanoids®, The Mechanoid Invasion®, After the Bomb®, Phase World® and Megaverse® are registered trademarks
owned and licensed by Kevin Siembieda and Palladium Books lnc.
Chaos Earth, Mechanoid Space, Heroes Unlimited, HU2, Ninjas & Superspies, Aliens Unlimited, Mutant Underground,
The Nursery, Hardware Unlimited, Gadgets Unlimited, RECON Modem Combat, Beyond the Supernatural, BTS, Coalition
Wars, RiftsworkZ, Systems Failure, Gramercy Island, Skraypers, Atorian Empire, Wormwood, Land of the Damned, The
Citadel, Wolfen Wars, Wolfen, Cosmo-Knights, Cyber-Knight, Free Quebec, Xiticix Invasion, Splugorth, Fadetown, Ham-
mer of The Forge, Siege On Tolkeen, Psyscape, Dweomer, ARCHIE-3, Northern Gun, Coalition States, Erin Tam, Emperor
Prosek, Splugorth, Splynncryth, Mega-Damage, Skelebot, SAMAS, Glitter Boy, Dog Boys, Dog Pack, Techno-Wizard, Ley
Line Walker, Shifter, Bio-Wizardry, Psi-Stalker, Brodkil, Juicer, Crazy, ' Burbs, 'Borg, 'Bot, D-Bee, Chi-Town, Triax, NGR,
Shifter, The Anvil Galaxy, and other names, titles and likenesses of characters are trademarks owned by Kevin Siembieda
and PaJiadiurn Books Inc.
Palladium Online www.palladiumbooks.com
The Rifter® #19 RPG sourcebook series is published by Palladium Books Inc., 12455 Universal
Drive, Taylor, MI 48180. Printed in the USA.
2
Palladium Books® Presents:
THE
#19
Sourcebook and guide to the Palladium Megaverse®
Coordinator & Editor in Chief: Wayne Smith

Supervising Coordinator & Typesetting: Maryann Siembieda
Contributing Writers: Interior Artists:

James M.G. Cannon Apollo Okamura
Kevin Christensen Wayne Breaux Jr.
Jeremy Clements Kent Buries
Wayne Field Freddie Williams II
Shawn Merrow Michael Wilson
Nicholas Mueller Tyler Walpole
John C. Philpott and other Palladium Madmen
Michael Richardson Jr.
Cover Logo Design: Steve Edwards
Edward J. Sauerland
Credits Page Logo: Niklas Brandt
Kevin Siem bieda
Keylining: Kevin Siembieda
Rodney Stott
Richard Thomassen
Todd Toho
Proofreader: Julius Rosenstein

Cover Illustration: Mark Evans
Based on the RPG rules, characters,

concepts and Megaverse® created by Kevin Siembieda.
Special Thanks to all our contributors, writers and artists. Our apologies to anybody who got acci-
dentally left out or their name misspelled.
3
• $
Contents- The R1fter #19- July, 2002

Page 6-Art Page 25- The Palladium Fantasy RPG®
A fun illustration by Apollo "The Toronto Swallow" Wand Magic
Okamura. It depicts a wizard and friend exhausted from going
Kevin Christensen presents some cool ideas about how magic
through piles of writing submissions for The Rifter®, with
wands are created, their powers and design elements, along with
many more on the shelf behind them.
four Famous Wands of Lore. [t is fun and useful material to
Page 7 - From the Desk spruce up your game.
ofKevin Siembieda Hlustrated by Kent "Mr. Baseball" Buries.
Palladium's President, CEO and Chief Game Designer,
Kevin Siembieda, reminds people that The Rifler® is about Page 29 - The Palladium Fantasy RPG®
sharing ideas and showing off new talent. That's why a bunch o'
you readers should send in adventures and source material for The Magic of Ophid's Grasslands
possible publication. Especially material for Heroes Unlim- Nicholas Mueller offers a number of interesting and clever
itecf™, After the Bom/iJJ), Ninjas & Superspies™, Nightbane®, spells designed specifically for Ophid's Grasslands.
The Palladium Fantasy RPG®, Phase World®, and other game Art by that Kent Buries fella.
settings.
Hey, we need some new artists for The Rifler® too.
Page 33 - The Palladium Fantasy RPG®
By Lance and Speed of Wing
Page 8 - Palladium News Ever wonder if there are any special techniques, training and
Convention updates (hey, Pentacon will be the third or fourth bonuses to riding a winged mount like a Pegasus? Well, wonder
con that Kevin and Maryann Siembieda are attending this year! no longer. Richard Thomassen presents rules, bonuses, and the
Don't miss 'em), A+Plus comics, plus word on other news and Great Gryphon for your entertainment.
stuff.
Artwork by Michael Wilson.
Page 11 - Coming Attractions Page 37- For the Palladium Megaverse®

The latest and greatest out and coming soon from Palladium
Books, including the most recent book in the Palladium Weapon Go Mental
Series (Weapons and Assassins) and the next one in the series John Charles Philpott gives us some food for thought con-
(Weapons & Castles of the Orient), Land of the Damned Two, cerning " mental" skills like memorization, philosophy, puzzles
Mutant UndergrouncfT'M (for HU2), and the latest on RECON and others, as well as some new physical skills and Optional
Modern Combat (a book that is really shaping up into something Rules to Tame the Physical Skill Junkie. Outstanding and useful
exciting). Not to mention Palladium's Checklist of recent re- material suitable for most any Palladium role-playing game set-
leases and upcoming products (page 17) through the end of the ting.
year. Artwork by Kent Buries and Michael Wilson.
Page 18 - What would I do with Page 43 - Rifts®

2,000,000 CCG cards? We're Not All Mind Readers, You Know
Maryann ran an online essay contest on that premise. The Ed Sauerland creates a number of interesting new "Eruptor"
winner got a "case" of Rifts® CCG booster cards and runners up psionic character classes, including the Blaster, the Freezer (the
got a box or two. We thought you'd like to see the top five win- cold hard truth behind this variation on Hydrokinesis) and the
ners and enjoy some of the silly fun. Soaker (Hydrokinesis as a power in its own right). Each is ac-
Art by Scott Johnson. companied by a number of specific abilities, bonuses and penal-
ties. A nice addition to any Rifts® campaign.
Artwork by the always impressive Freddie Williams n.
Page 21- Questions and Answers
Another big, juicy section for questions and answers by
Rodney Stott, Shawn Merrow and Kevin Siembieda. This is- Page 54 - Rifts®
sue's Q&A covers a lot of different subjects, including Coalition Support Vehicles
Rahu-Men and Changelings in Rifts®, black powder weapons,
Wayne Field presents some of the workhorse vehicles behind
aging characters, aging superheroes, and Chaos Earth. Helpful
the scenes that keep the Coalition Army on its feet and in the
information and material officially endorsed by Palladium
trenches. Six new vehicles in all - completely described, statted
Books.
out and illustrated.
Artwork by Kevin Long and Mike Wilson. Oh, and yes, stats
for the NEMA body armor on page 24 will appear next issue. Art by Apollo "The City-Rat" Okamura.
4
Page 66 - Rifts® Phase World® The Cover
Hammer of the Forge The attractive but forceful (or at least "force field") young
Chapter 19: Everything New is Old Again. James M.G. Can- lady could be a psychic or one of the new practitioners of magic
non's gripping Phase Wor/df'M story continues with new drama to appear out of the ashes of Chaos Earth.
and intrigue and a hint of things to come. The artist is Mark Evans, and the artwork is actually taken
Artwork by Apollo "searching for a nickname" Okamura. from one of the cards in the Rifts® Collectable Card Game.
Art director, Kevin Siembieda, thought it fit the psionics and
magic theme of this issue very nicely.
Page 72 - Systems Failure™
Fort Folsom Optional and Unofficial Rules & Source Material
Todd Yoho gives us a small but important stronghold against Please note that most of the material presented in The
"the bugs" located in West Virginia. An overview, key leaders,
Rifter® is "unofficial" or "optional" rules and source material.
and adventure ideas are all there just beggin' to be used in a
They are alternative ideas, homespun adventures and material
Systems Failure adventure.
mostly created by fellow garners and fans like you, the reader.
Artwork by Tyler Walpole.
Things one can elect to include in one's own campaign or sim-
ply enjoy reading about. They are not "official" to the main
Page 81 - Nightbane® & Other Palladium RPGs games or world settings.
As for optional tables and adventures, if they sound cool or
Demon Hunters
fun, use them. If they sound funky, too high-powered or inap-
Rollicking Mike Richardson offers us a completely fleshed
propriate for your game, modify them or ignore them com-
out Demon Hunter O.C.C. with notes on bow the character can
pletely.
be easily used in Nightbane®, The Palladium Fantasy RPG®,
All the material in The Rifter® has been included for two
Rifts®, Heroes UnlimitedTM, Ninjas & Superspies™, and Be-
reasons: One, because we thought it was imaginative and fun,
yond the Supernatural™.
and two, we thought it would stimulate your imagination with
Mike also gives us a nifty villain called "The Dark Rider." fun ideas and concepts that the reader can use (if you want to),
Artwork by Wayne Breaux Jr. or which might inspire you to create your own wonders.
Page 91 -Chaos Earth™ RPG www.palladiumbooks.com - Palladium Online ( 12 pt)

Part Three: Magic & Magic O.C.C.s
Kevin Siembieda is back with another heart stopping instal-
lment for Chaos Earth™, a complete new role-playing game
Coming Next Issue
being developed and presented in the pages of The Rifler® be- The Rifter™ #20
fore the final version is released as a new game in 2003. • Chaos Eartll™, Part Four: The weapons and
Ever want to play in an apocalyptic setting? We mean as hu- equipment of NEMA and maybe some other
man civ ilization collapses all around you? You have? Good , O.C.C.s, some monsters and more setting
here's your chance. Enjoy.
information and ideas.
This installment opens with Excerpts from the Journal of
Lieutenant General Lindsey Sawyer (she was introduced last is-
• Material for Niglltbane®.
sue) to advance the story and set the stage for the current situa- • More material for Rifts®.
tion. We get a glimpse at life in Chicago and General Sawyer's • Material for Palladium Fantasy®.
personal experiences and fears. It is followed by a section about • The next chapter oftheHammeroftlle
the emergence of magic in Chaos Earth and a few new Magic Forge™.
O.C.C.s. Plus more hints about NEMA and is forces and a bit on • The latest news and developments at
psychics. Yep, the excitement for Chaos Earth just keeps build-
ing.
Palladium.
Artwork by Mike Wilson. Bulldog power armor by Wayne
• Source material for the entire Palladium
Breaux Jr. Megaverse®.
• New contributors and fun.
• So please join us.
The theme for issue 19
Magic and psionics seems to be the running theme of this is-
sue. Magic wands, new magic spells, the emergence of magic Palladium Books® role-playing
and spell casters in Chaos Earth, new psychic O.C.C.s and
glimpses of the future (see Coming Attractions) fill this pulse
games ... infinite possibilities, limited
pounding issue. Of course we had to throw in a little tech for only by your imagination™
you technopbiles so there is a little something for everyone. En-
joy.
5
From the Desk of Kevin Siembieda
What is The Rifter®?
Hmm, that might seem like a strange question to appear in As a fanzine, other garners get to read and play YOUR stuffi
The Rifter®, but based on some weird comments lately, I think Thousands ofthem.
people have forgotten what The Rifler® is supposed to be. It's cool.
Fanzine It's fun.
The Rifter® is supposed to be part fan-magazine, part And you get paid for your work.
sourcebook, par/talent show, and allfon for the reader. Pay ain't much, $10 dollars for a printed page of text, but you
It is supposed to be a place where you, the reader, cannot get published and read by other fans. Yeah Palladium owns the
only get a bunch of different ideas, fmd answers to questions, stuff we publish in The Rifter®, own it lock, stock and barrel,
enjoy optional sourcematerial, and get the latest news, but also a but you get cash and credit - yep, your name up in lights . . ..
place where you contribute your ideas. well, urn, ink anyway, and if we reprint it, you get paid again,
Okay, we have high standards even for The Rifler ® , so we plus you get six free copies of the publication, and maybe, if one
do NOT accept just any submission, but if it's good and bas of the Palladium staffers or I really like it, it might become an
some cool ideas, it is defmitely a candidate for publication in "official" part of the Palladium Megaverse. Hey, it has hap-
these pages. pened a few times now. And if we think you show real talent as
a writer, it might get you the opportunity to try your hand writ-
Rifter® Writers Wanted ing for Palladium Books on a freelance basis! Don't think so?
This is a p lace for fans to get published. That's right. This Guess again. We have three freelancers for The Rifter® work-
is YOUR opportunity one of your ideas for an adventure, or a ing on manuscripts right now! Cool, huh?
few new character classes, villains, monsters, magic, superpow- So what do you have to lose? Don' t be chicken, send in that
ers, weapons and gizmos to get published! short 4-8 computer pages article or that I 0-30 computer pages
Yes, I mean YOU the reader! of adventure or setting or even a short story (no multiple part
Yes, it does have to be written halfway decent, use our rules, stories, please).
fit into one of Palladium's game worlds and make sense, but If you build up the courage to write something, send us a
that's not much to ask. printout and the same material on disk - something we can read
It doesn' t have to be huge, either. Your submission could be on an ffiM computer. Word Perfect or MS Word being ideal for
as small as 4-8 computer pages, maybe nothing more than a vil- us. Or you can e-mail your stuff to Wayne Smith or Maryann
lain or two for Her oes Unlimited™, or two or three new mon- Siembieda.
sters for The Palladium Fantasy RPG® or dungeon style
ancient ruins or some such. What we need most
Or it could be bigger, maybe a whole "adventure" for Rifts® Adventures and settings for aJl of our games, ESPECIALLY
or Nightbane® or Beyond the Supernatur arr111 or Ninjas & - Heroes Un limited1"111, Ninjas & Superspies™, After the
Superspies™. Or a setting. You know, a place like a town or Bomb®, Palladium Fantasy®, Nigbtbane®, Wor mwood™,
city or cave network or haunted woods with some secret or trou- Pbase Wor ld®, and SkraypersTM, but you could also send stuff
ble brewing under the surface or which will threaten the " place" in for Beyond the Supernaturarr 111, Systems Failure™, The
unless some heroes do something soon. Mechanoids®, RECON® Modern Combat or any of our cur-
Note: We always need adventures and places to visit and ex- rent games or adventure settings - even different worlds or di-
plore. ALWAYS. Especially for Her oes Unlimited™, mensions. (Sorry, no Robotech® or Ninja Turtles®. Those were
Nightbane® and Palladium Fantasy® as weU as many of our " licensed" products owned by other people and we let them both
other RPGs. We don' t have much need for Rifts® material right go.)
now. Hey, Rifts® is probably one of the most popular Non-Rifts® submissions have the best chance of seeing
role-playing games of all time, but Palladium has a bunch of print soon, because we have a mountain of Rifts® submissions
other popular RPGs. Did you know Heroes Unlimited™ and already in the wings, but only a small number of submissions
The Palladium Fantasy Role-Playing Game® have both sold for our other games.
well over 100,000 copies? Well they have, and both are going Note: PLEASE make certain any written submissions are
strong. YOUR "original" work and do not use ideas or text from other
Hey, Erick Wujcik is slow to getting around to writing After fans, games, films or publications. You will be required to sign
the Born b® adventures and sourcematerial, so bow about some a contractual letter of agreement from Palladium. If you are not
of you guys and gals working up some cool stuff for A TB?! 18 years or older, a parent will have to sign it for you. Oh, and
we need you to sign our Unsolicited Manuscript Form before we
Don't be chicken, write something today! even look at it. The form can be found on the Palladium Website
The Rifter® is supposed to be YOUR forum. A chance to or can be requested by telephone or letter. If you just send us
share ideas and present some of your own adventures, villains, your submission with no Unsolicited Manuscript form, we will
monsters and ideas. mail it back to you and wait until it is returned to us.
7
So what are you waiting for? Likewise, expect us to edit, change, modify, delete and re-
Put your great viUains, monsters, gizmos, adventures and set- write or add things to written submissions, but even artwork
tings down on paper and send them into The Rifter®, today! may be cropped, modified or reduced to a smaller size. If you
can't handle us changing your creations, please don't even
Palladium Books, Inc.
bother sending them to us (really).
Rifter Article Submissions Dept.
That's it for now. I expect to see Palladium's mailbox over-
12455 Universal Drive flowing with writer and artist submissions for the Rifter® over
Taylor, MI 48180 the next several months, so get going.
-Kevin Siembieda, 2002
Hey, what about you semi-pro Artists
Where are you sissies? Afraid to send in some samples?
Can't cut the mustard?
Sure you can. Okay, maybe not. We do have high art stan-
dards, but if you are looking to break into the art business or you
are a talented amateur, send us some samples of your work.
Palladium
Please only send a photocopy/Xerox (not the original art) of
5- 10 different illustrations. If they are available for publication
let us know, 'cuz maybe we'll use 'em. If you think you have
the goods or show promise, send us those samples. And make
News
sure you indicate that they are samples for "The Rifter®.''
Rifter submissions will be given priority! By Kevin Siembieda (the guy who should know)
If you plan to do some specific samples with the hopes we
can use them in The Rifter®, we always need general
superhero, horror, fantasy and science fiction artwork, particu-
Convention alert!
larly for Heroes Unlimite<JTM, Palladium Fantasy®,
Nightbane® and Rifts®. Publication sizes are quarter page,
Kevin & Maryann at
half page and full page. Original art can be up to 50% larger
than the fmal printed size. Pay is $60 for a full page illustration,
Pentacon, November
Don' t ask me how, but somebody convinced Maryann that
$30 for a half page and $15 for a quarter page. she and I should attend Pentacon!
If we like what we see, we'll call, write or e-mail you about Seriously, we have beard great things about this game con-
your work. Like the writers, you will need to sign a contractual vention and plan to have a ton o' fun there. Palladium with have
letter of agreement. Ob, and make sure you send samples to: a table with our latest and greatest products, Maryann and I will
The Rifter® Art Dept be giving several talks, we'll be helping to judge the costume
c/o Palladium Books Inc. party and maybe, just maybe, I will run a game or two (no
12455 Universal Drive promises, though). Plus, Jolly Blackburn is one of the other
Taylor, MI 48180 guests of honor and he's always worth seeing.
The people at Pentacon have been super, so far, and we can
A note about payments hardly wait for the convention. So come on down to chat, get
Remember, you guys and gals are fans and hopeful newcom- autographs, buy stuff and have a ton of fun.
ers hoping to break into the role-playing business, so these pay Pentacon- November 1, 2 & 3, 2002
rates are NOT what professionals get for "official" sourcebooks Held at the Grand Wayne Center, Fort Wayne Indiana
and games. And getting printed in The Rifter® does NOT make For more info contact:
you a pro - it just means we liked your ideas or artwork and The Northeastern Indiana Gaming Association
thought they were worth sharing with us other fans. Don't get a P.O. Box 10427
big head, and don't assume we'll publish anything else you Fort Wayne, IN 46858
might send us. Besides, Wayne is supposed to spread out contri-
butions to give a lot of different folks a chance to see print.
What is the fate of the
Expect Rejection and don't bate us for it
Look, even the fan stuff that sees print in The Rifter® is
Rifts®Collectible
usually pretty good, and Palladium Books, in its sole discretion,
decides who gets published and who doesn't If you get rejected
Card Game?
'cuz we didn't like your submission for whatever reason, you Precedence Entertainment is out of business.
have to take it like a pro and go on with your life without bating Kevin Tewart and Mike Hummel, two good guys, landed
us forever. Maybe you should think of getting into The Rifter® jobs at Upper Deck in California. Congratulations fellas, you de-
as a "contest" rather than a career move or great achievement. serve it.
The lucky ones get in, the really lucky ones catch Wayne' s eye Palladium Books did NOT get all the remaining card stock
and get in more than once (maybe even every 3-4 issues). (which is a good thing). We got a few dozen cases of boosters
8
and a dozen or so cases of starter decks. The rest of the CCG in- keting of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles® (movies, TV
ventory was destroyed A sad fate for a truly fun (and quite pos- shows, toys, etc.). Maryann and I are also closely involved with
sibly great) Rifts® Card Game. Hey, maybe those of you who every step of the negotiations.
loved the Rifts® CCG should write to Upper Deck and tell Fan Note: Please do NOT send Palladium Books any movie
them to pick up the CCG rights!!! scripts or film suggestions, as such matters wiJI be left in the ca-
If you still need booster cards or want the game (you pable hands of the film producer. Besides, we don't have a film
know no Rifts® collection is complete without one), you can deal yet! We are still engaged in negotiations that could fall
still get 'em while supplies last from Palladium Books at through. Thanks.
blow-out prices. Check out Palladium's website for news about the CCG, up-
$1 US for a single Booster Pack. dates and other information: www.palladiumbooks.com
$5.00 for the Starter Deck.
$19.95 for a "box" of Booster Cards (that's a lot of cards).
Your only other hope is the few stores who may still have
RECON® Modern Combat
them in stock, and then it's Ebay, boys and girls, and you know is going to be awesome
how ugly that can get. I am pumped up about this book. Bill Coffin was taken off
the project and Maryann Siembieda, Bryan Garner and I (Kevin
Siembieda) have taken it over, and, man oh man, are we excited
about it. The energy level has been amazing, the ideas are flying
like crazy, and I think this new game is going to be fantastic!
Maryann and Bryan both have military experience which is
helping to keep the look and feel for the game realistic and on
point. Most of the research has been done, the art is being as-
signed and most of Maryann's and Bryan's writing is also done.
I will soon start weaving everybody's contributions together
with the final rules and text. Erick Wujcik may be chipping in a
bit too.
If you are looking for something different in role-playing - a
game set in our modem world that tackles today's fears with
heroes dedicated to fighting the war on terrorism, drugs, and
crime - then you have to give RECON® Modern Com bat a
look.
This game of modem, urban combat, homeland defense, es-
pionage, intelligence and crime fighting should have a hard
edge, a gritty realistic feel, and international appeal.
Coming, September, 2002.
Fun at Marcon
We had a great time at Marcon this past Memorial Day
weekend. We met some old pals, like Bryan, Kurt, Mark, Rich-
ard, Connie and Roger and Mark, among others, but the big sur-
prise was seeing Terry Williams, one of my old "Defilers"
Rifts® Movie Update players. I hadn't seen Terry in years! Plus, we made some cool
After a bit of a pause in the action, there has been a flurry of new friends (Hey Doug) who made the show that much more
activity and some impressive progress in movie negotiations. fun and memorable. Thanks guys.
That's all we are at liberty to saying right now. Keep your fm- We sold a bunch of books too, with the Heroes UnlimitedTM
gers crossed and as soon as we have something the report you'll RPG being our top seller (thanks to the excitement over the Spi-
get the news in the next issue of The Rifter®. der-Man movie), and the Chaos Earth™ issues of The Rifter®
For those of you who haven't heard, Palladium has been ne- coming in a close second place. Everybody seems pretty excited
gotiating for quite some time now with a major Hollywood about Chaos EarthTM which is inspiring me to keep up my level
movie studio that wants to do a big budget Rifts® movie! They of work and imagination. I hope everyone likes this latest in-
contacted us and we've been wheeling and dealing ever since. stallment.
Unfortunately, Hollywood deal making is a long and ponderous
process, but at least things continue to move forward. Origins
Surge Comic Properties is Palladium's New York City As I write this, Origins is quickly approaching (it's only two
agent handling the negotiations and all Rifts® licensing. Mark weeks away). However, by the time this issue comes out, Ori-
Freedman brought Surge into prominence with his astute mar- gins will be over. I sure hope we have good time, stay outta
9
trouble and get to goof around with our old pals, Jolly, Doug, Issue #l (the rarest of the rare) is available only in the five
and a few other folks. issue set. Sorry, but we only have something like 20 copies.
If we saw you there, thanks for coming by to chat. If you pur- Issues #2, 3, 4, & 5 are $6.00 each or $24.00 for the set. In-
chased a ton of books and showered us with compliments, you clude $1 per each comic for postage and handling.
were our favorite person. Issues #l-5 - $35.00 plus $5.00 for postage and handling.
Thank you, everyone. You must be 18 years old or older to purchase the complete set
as issue number one is violent and a bit racy (Hey, the guys
were college kids, what'd you expect).
AU issues are signed by Kevin Siembleda & Alex
Marciniszyn.
Available only while limited supplies last. Sold on a frrst
come, frrst served basis.
Note that the level of quality for each comic varies. Most are
good to very good condition, very few are mint. Remember,
these comics are 25 years old. Most are yellowed to some de-
gree and some may have a dent, ding, scuff or bent comer.
Note: Only 5000 copies of each were ever printed, we only have
a few dozen copies of each issue (maybe as many as 100 or so
of #5). So for you collectors of the obscure, this may be your
last chance at getting A+Pius at reasonable prices.
Send checks or money orders to:
Palladium Books Inc. 12455 Universal Drive
Dept. A+ Taylor, MI 48180
Glitter Boy at War

Limited Edition Print -
Available now
Wow, the frrst 250 limited edition prints flew out the door
and they continue to sell strong, so get them while they last. It
makes a great birthday or Christmas present, and just a nice gift
to someone special or even yourself.
What's that? You haven't heard about this big, dynamic Scott
A+Plus Comic Books Johnson limited edition print? Then you don't know what you're
missing!
Available from Palladium This is Palladium's first ever, poster-size limited edition
print! It is the pulse pounding cover to The Rifter® #18 (minus
A+Pius Comics was Detroit's First Comic Book and it was the Logo and type, and NEMA, of course) depicting a Glitter
published by yours truly, Kevin Siembieda, and long time pal Boy standing defiantly in flames, holding a tattered American
(and Palladium Editor) Alex Marciniszyn. It was a black and flag. It is an impressive piece, suitable for framing.
white, 64 page, alternative comic book that came out in 1976
• Image Size is a big, 20 x 28 inches.
and 1977 while Alex and I were still in college. There were only
five issues before we went broke (independent comics would • Hand signed by artist, Scott Johnson and Rifts® creator,
not hit it big until 9 or 10 years later). Kevin Siembieda.
Other contributors include Brian Siembieda (Kevin's • Limited to 700 signed and numbered copies (plus printer
brother), Terry Austin, Tom Orzechoski, Mike Nasser (cover proofs and some " unsigned" promotional prints).
#1), Alex Nino (cover of #2), Mike Kucharski, Jim Osten and • Printed on a high quality, 100 lb., Silk paper stock.
others. • Shipped rolled in a sturdy mailing tube.
We found a pile of these books cleaning out the basement • $20.00 US plus $6 for postage and handling in the USA.
and thought we would make a few dozen available online and Shipping is $10 for Canada and Foreign orders. Available
through the mail to those of you who might want them. Remem- while supply lasts.
ber, this is stuff we did when we were 19 or 20. Some of it is
Send your orders to:
kind a cool and fun, and some of it is . . . well, urn, not so good.
We' re told these issues are hard to find and sell for around Palladium Books Inc. 12455 Universal Drive
$8-15 bucks when you can find 'em. Dept. GB Taylor, MI 48180
10
Coming Attractions
For The Palladium Fantasy RPG®
Adventures in the
Northern Wilderness, 2nd Ed.
Summer 2002 - probably an August release.
Adventures in tbe Norther n W ilderness and Further Ad-
ventures in the Northern Wilderness "combined" into one big
sourcebook with additional notes, tables, maps and information.
• Information on Shadow/all the Wolfen capital.
• The 12 Wolfen tribes (updated).
• Expanded encounter table - offering I 0 I Adventures. Land of the Damned #2:
• Hook, Line & SinkerTM adventures. Eternal Torment
• More history and background. The seemingly endless forest region known as the Darkest
• The Northern Elfland, the ancient "Golden City." Heart. The desolate Land of Eternal Torment - domain of the
• Art by Buries, Wilson, Breaux, Johnson and others. undead and the cursed. Lost champions, the Fallen Palace of
Therendil, ancient artifacts of magic, and adventure aU wait for
• Maps, adventure ideas and hints about the Wolfen War.
you in this dynamic sourcebook.
• Written by Siembieda, Wujcik, Coffin and others.
• 15 Chaos Beasts, creations of the Old Ones.
• $21.95 - 192 or more pages.
• 14 new undead, cursed by the Gods of Light.
• Were-Beasts and evil Faerie Folk that plague the Darkest
Heart.
• A compendium of curses, including dozens of new ones.
• Rumors and lies for campaign hooks and adventures.
• Overviews of key places, history, quests and more.
• Cover by Larry Elmore. Art by Truman, Perez, Wilson, and
others.
• Written by Kevin Siembieda and Bill Coffm.
• $21.95 - 192 pages. Available now.
Land of the Damned #3:

The Bleakness,
Land of the Citadel
The Citadel, arguably "the" power in the Land of the
Damned and darkest evil
• The Minotaurs and their empire and war against the Harpies.
• The Citadel - Fortress of evil, magic and chaos.
• Key people, monsters, and more.
• Maps, adventure ideas and more.
• Cover by Zeleznik. Art by Buries, Wilson, Breaux, Johnson
and others.
• Written by Kevin Siembieda and Bill Coffm.
• $2 1.95- 192 pages. Fall 2002.
11
• Historically accurate.
• For use with any game system. Some adaptation required.
• Brief description on the types and styles of ancient body ar-
mor from around the world.
• Compiled by Matthew Balent.
• Color cover by Scott Johnson.
• $7.95 - 48 pages. Square bound, comic book-sized reference
book.
Weapons & Castles -Available now

• The bow and arrow, and crossbow weapons from around the
world.
• Castles and design features.
• 15 d ifferent, real world castles. Each illustrated and with a
basic floor plan.
• Section on siege weapons and layout for a castle under siege.
• Compiled by Matthew Balent.
• Color cover by Scott Johnson.
• $7.95 - 48 pages. Square bound, comic book-sized reference
The Palladium book.
Weapon Series Weapons & Assassins

For use with any role-playing game - Available now
• Assassin societies such as the Ninja and Thuggee.
A series of small, 48 page, sourcebooks that present histori-
cally accurate data and information about ancient weapons from • How deadly were they? What secrets did they bold?
around the world • Their weapons and tools.
For use with ANY game system. You beard right. The sta- • Special equipment, armor and techniques.
tistical information is designed and set up in such a way that it
can be applied to virtually any game system that uses dice.
Much of the information in the series has been compiled in
Palladium's Compendium of Weapons, Annor & Castles, but • Written and Compiled by Erick Wujcik.
garners continue to ask us for the "small weapon books." • Color cover by Scott Johnson.
One reason, I think, is that the books are small, but packed • $7.95-48 pages. Square bound, comic book-sized reference
with a ton of information. Thus, a player or G.M. needs only to book.
grab whichever book in the series he needs for reference, and be
is ready to go. Weapons & Castles of the Orient
Another reason is that there is simply something convenient
In stores August
and appealing about this size and format.
• The weapons & armor of Japan, China and the rest of the
Ideal for fantasy and historical games, as wel l as modem
Orient.
games that use ancient melee weapons (knives, swords, axes,
maces, ball and chain, picks, spears, pole arms, etc.). • Spears, swords, bow and arrow, and other weapons unique to
the Orient.
And the price is right at $7.95 each.
The bottom line is if our fans (and garners in general) want a • A look at the Samurai, his weapons and armor.
product, we' Ll try to give it to them. So you asked for it, you got • 15 different, real world castles. Each illustrated and with a
it. basic floor plan.
The Palladium Book of • For use with any game system. Some adaptation required.
Weapons & Armor- Available now • Compiled by Matthew Balent.
• Over 600 different weapons. Each illustrated. • Color cover by Scott Johnson.
• Over 30 different types of armor from different periods of • $7.95 - 48 pages. Square bound, comic book-sized reference
time. Each illustrated. book.
12
For Rifts® Guide to the Three Galaxies™
Rifts®AftermathTM Rifts®Dimension Book Six:
Available now Phase World®
The final siege on Tolkeen represents a new beginning. A This Phase World® adventure sourcebook will come out be-
chance to re-examine the world of Rifts® and to see what has fore Cosmo-Knights™ and presents a dynamic overview of the
happened during the War Years elsewhere, as well as ride the Three Galaxies, alien technologies, people and conflict.
shock waves that follow the aftennath of the Siege on Tolkeen. • Overview of the Three Galaxies.
• The fate of the Tolkeen refugees. • Hook, Line and Sinkers™ for each Galaxy.
• The Coalition occupation force and Tolkeen resistance fight- • Key people, leaders and villains for each.
ers. • New Magic O.C.C.s, Tattoo Magic and spells.
• Another Juicer Uprising led by Julian the First as he stares • New aliens and monsters.
down death.
• New technology, spacecraft and equipment.
• The appearance of Larsen's Brigade.
• Adventure ideas and more.
• The return of Archie-Three.
• Art by Perez, Breaux, Wilson, Williams and others.
• Splugorth colonies in Canada.
• Cover by John Zeleznik.
• Trouble brewing with the Federation of Magic.
• Written by Karl Gleba (some additional material by
• The latest on Lazlo, Psyscape and others. Siembieda).
• The latest with the New Gennan Republic and the Gargoyle • $17.95 or $21.95 depending on the final page count. Fall
Empire. 2002.
• England, Africa, and other places around the g lobe.
• Art by Perez, Williams, Wilson, Breaux and others. Cosmo-KnightsTM
• Cover by Dave Donnan.
• Written by Kevin Siembieda. Rifts®Dimension Book:
• $2 1.95 - 208 pages. In store Available now.
Phase World®- Rescheduled
A writing team will take a closer look at the mysterious space
sentinels known as the Cosmo-Knights. Their secrets, their
quest, and their connection to the Cosmic Forge.
• Overview of the Cosmo-Knights, their history and their pur-
pose.
• More legends of the Cosmic Forge.
• More about the Three Galaxies and adventure ideas.
New for Phase World® • New alien races and planets.
Rifts®Dimension • Art by Perez, Breaux, Wilson, Williams and others.
Book Five: Anvil Galaxy • Cover by John Zeleznik.

At last, an overview of the Anvil Galaxy and key people, civ- • Written by Kevin Siembieda
ilizations and worlds. More about the mysterious Cosmic Forge • $17.95 - 160 pages. 2003 release.
and the insanity and terror that surrounds its search.
• Overview of the galaxy.
• Legends of the Cosmic Forge.
More for Rifts®
We're sitting on a number of freelance manuscripts right now
• The search (and ensuing madness) for the Cosmic Forge. and plan a lot more for 2003.
• New alien races and planets.
• Art by Ramon Perez, Scott Johnson, Freddie Williams and
Rifts®Novel #3 is back
I almost forgot to mention that the third novel in the Rifts®
others.
Trilogy by Adam Chilson, Treacherous Awakenings, is back
• Cover by John Zelemik. in print. All three Chilson novels are available at stores every-
• Written by Bill Coffin. where as well as from Palladium Books.
• $17.95 - 160 pages. Available now. $8.95 - 506 pages.
13
For Heroes Unlimited™
What about mutants created by criminal organizations?
And when the mutant runs away in shame, in search for free-
dom, or to build a life away from the humans who hate it (and
whom it may hate right back), where do they go? How do they
survive? Who watches out for them? Anyone?
These and many other questions are addressed in Mutant
Underground, a sourcebook for Heroes Unlimited, Second
Edition.
The Palladium staff has jumped to add their contributions to
the setting and characters too, and many character are based on
Mike Wilson concepts. So watch out, this is something special.
• Dozens of mutants - villains, heroes, anti-heroes, and lost
souls.
• New ideas and variations for mutant humans and mutant ani-
mals (like animals with superpowers).
• The secret mutant underground society, home to mutants,
runaways, criminals and lost souls.
• The superhumans who protect them and the villains who
stalk them.
• Mercenary groups and government agencies, adventure and
more.
• Written by Kevin Siembieda and friends.
• Cover by Scott Johnson.
• Interior Art by Mike Wilson, Kent Buries and others. Sep-
tember24
• $13.95- 112 pages. Coming this September.
Beyond the Supernatural

2nd Edition - October, 2002
I, Kevin Siembieda, will do everything in my power to get
the Beyond the Supernatural Role-Playing Game out by Hal-
loween, 2002!
This new edition will expand and develop the world of BTS,
the supernatural and paranormal underground invisible to most
people - the "worlds within worlds" that Victor Lazlo talks
about. As well as more material on psychic investigation and
specific people and organizations involved in paranormal study,
including the Lazlo Agency. A new P.C.C. or two will also be
Mutant Underground™- added along with more on how to create and run a BTS cam-
paign.
Ships September 24 Oh, and all the other fun elements, magic, psionics, monsters
and aspects you've come to love and expect from Beyond the
Mutants. In the Heroes Unlimited setting they are starting to Supernatura iTM.
spring up all over the place causing people to ask: ''If they don't Probably 200+ pages for $21.95 to $24.95. Written by Kevin
look human, do they still have human rights?" Siembieda & Randy McCall.
What about the mutants created in the laboratory. They
started out as a lab rat or even a little pile of cells -do they have
any civil or human rights? Or are they "animals" - property -
Free 42 Page Catalog?
owned by the company that creates them? And when they run All you gotta do to get the latest catalog is ask! Call, e-mail
away, should they be hunted down, recaptured and returned to or send us a letter with your name and address asking for Palla-
their master/creator? Are mutant animals the beginning of a new dium's latest 42 page catalog and we will send it right out, abso-
slave race? lutely free.
14
Coming September 2002
rM
RECON®Modern Combat
A complete new RECON® Moder n CombatTM is a comprehensive, role-
playing game with an air of realism that will bring adventures to
role-playing game life, and may be the most requested Palladium role-playing
game in the last decade. This September, the wait is over.
Tom from today's headlines, RECON® Modern Combat is • Occupational Character Classes include Military Special Op-
a bold game of contemporary heroes, combat and counter- ter- eratives and fighting units like the Green Berets, Navy Seals,
rorism. Rangers, Delta Force, Snipers, EOD Specialists and others,
The face of the new enemy: Terrorism, drug kingpins, orga- as well as field agents of the FBI, CIA, NSA, MI-6, and oth-
nized crime organizations, brazen gangs, lone maniacs and other ers dedicated to stopping crime, murder and terror.
villains who have no regard for life or law. • Skills and areas of specialization are presented in detail.
The setting: The world. For in this new age, the enemy hides • Special "agency resources" is something new and powerfu l
and operates on many fronts, gathering the tools, resources and conceived by Kevin Siembieda specially for this game.
recruits for their private war campaign from around the globe,
• Procedures, methods and operations in counterterrorism, in-
and using subterfuge, lies and guerilla tactics to strike from the
telligence gathering, close combat and military operations are
shadows. A world of secrets, espionage, betrayal and danger.
all part of this book.
The player characters: Are the men and women in the mili-
• Weapons, body armor, vehicles and equipment.
tary Special Forces, the elite intelligence and law enforcement
agencies, and homeland defense who delve into this • Plenty of information about the enemy, how they operate,
shadow-world to hunt, find, and stop the enemy before he can plan and initiate their strategies, their weapons, goals and ob-
strike. And failing that, they are trained in countermeasures to jectives.
rescue the innocent, contain collateral damage, and destroy the • Adventure hooks, ideas, world information and more.
enemy in his lair and wherever he shows his face. • Uses Palladium's Megaversal game system.
The enemy, how he thinks, what he wants, and how and • Future sourcebooks will focus on specific nations, agencies
where he operates are also presented. The villains we focus on and Special Ops from around the world.
operate an international network which gives RECON® Modem
Combatn.c an international arena in which to play. • Over 200 pages. Final price yet to be determined. Probably in
the $21.95 to $24.95 price range. This one has it all.
15
• Written by Kevin Siembieda, Maryann Siembieda, Bryan And that's just to start with
Gamer & Erick Wujcik.
• Scheduled for a September, 2002 release (and right on track). Numerous other RECON® Modern Combat™ adventure
sourcebooks for the FBI, CIA, MI-6, Interpol and many other
organizations and places are under consideration.
Coming for RECON®
Modern Combat
Available now
Compendium of
Contemporary Weapons
For use with any game system.
• Over 400 real world weapons from around the globe.
• Machine-guns, submachlne-guns, pistols, revolvers, and
knives.
• Rifles, shotguns, and grenade launchers.
• Heavy weapons: bazookas, LAWS and mortars.
• EOD, pyrotechnics and riot control gear.
• Body armor, scopes and special ammo.
• Tanks, APCs and armored vehicles.
• Researched & Written by Maryann Siembieda.
• $19.95-176pages.
Coming for RECON®

Contemporary
Weapons "Two"
The latest in gun technology.
More weapons, more ammo, more armor, more of every-
thing.
• Researched & Written by Maryann Siembieda.
• Price and fmal size not yet determined, probably $17.95 to
$21.95 range.
• Coming early 2003.
Coming for RECON®

Modern Combat
The Global Underworld
An insightful look at the many different criminal organiza-
tions known to exist from around the world. The Mafia, Ameri-
can Street Gangs, the Russian Red Mafiya, Albanian Mobs, the
Chinese Triad, the Japanese Yakuza, Columbian Drug Cartels,
and more.
• Final size and price yet to be determined. Probably a Spring
2003 release.
One game system a Mega verse®of adventure

16
Palladium's Checklist of recent releases & product coming soon
After the Bomb® the Role-Playing Game. If you have not The Rifter #20, part four of Chaos Earth™ and other good
taken a look at this complete role-playing game, you don' t know stuff. In stores Oct. 2002.
what you are missing. Over 100 mutant animals, plus mutant The Rifter #21; part five of Chaos Ear th™ and other good
humans world information and adventures by game designing stuff. In stores Jan.. 2003
guru, Erlck Wujcik. $20.95, 224 pages; completely compatible
Chaos Ear th™ the RPG - the complete game Spring 2003!
with Heroes Unlimited. Available now.
Rifts® Conversion Book One; Revised Edition. Updated
Heroes Unlimited™: Mutant Underground™ is in pro- and revised with some new material, including more on the
duction and should be out soon. Dozens of mutants - villains,
Summoner, HU2 superpowers, After the Bomb conversions and
heroes, anti-heroes, and lost souls. New ideas and variations for
more! Available end ofJuly or mid-August, 2002.
mutant humans and mutant animals (like animals with super-
Rifts® Adventure Guide. A Game Master's sourcebook and
powers) and the secret underground. society of ~u~ts, ~
aways and criminals. Great stuff. Wntten by Kevm S1emb1eda reference guide with information, steps, tips and material for
and others. Available September 2002. creating and running Rift.s® adventures. Also rules and tables
for creating organizations and information about dimensional
Palladium Fantasy RPG®: Adventures in the Nor thern
Rifts, post apocalyptic Earth, Barbarian villages, the 'Burbs,
Wilderness, 2°d Edition. An updated and expanded edition of
towns, and more than 150 adventure ideas. Written by
this popular adventure sourcebook is back. Includes material by
Siembieda, Coffm and Wujcik. $2 1.95 for 192 pages. Available
Siembieda, Coffin, Wujcik and others. Available August or Sep-
now.
tember 2002.
Rifts® After math. Not only the aftermath of the Siege on
Palladium Fantasy RPG®: Land of the Dam ned One: Tolkeen, but more than 150 pages of a World Overview as of
Chaos Lands™. The Northern Mountains and the Great Rift in- J09 P.A. The latest on Archie-Three, the Coalition States, Lazlo,
side the Land of the Damned. Over 200 adventure ideas! 192 New Lazlo, Federation of Magic, Xiticix, Psyscape, Mexico,
pages of action, mystery, magic and demons. Available now! South America, England, Africa, Atlantis, the NGR!friax, and
Palladium Fantasy RPG®: Land of the Damned Two: other parts of the world. Adventure ideas on virtually every
Eternal TormentTM. New types of Undead, new monsters, page. $2 1.95 for 208 pages. Available now.
world information, an evil Faerie kingdom, the Darkest Heart, Rifts® Book of Magic. Hundreds of magic spells collected
the City of Bones, and adventure ideas. Cover by Larry Elmore.
from World Books 1-23, including Warlock Elemental Spells,
Interior art by Timothy Truman, Ramon Perez and others. 192 Ley Line Magic, Necromancy, Nazca Line Magic, Ocean
pages. In stores mid-June, 2002. Magic, Herbalism, Shamanistic Magic and Fetishes, and a
Palladium Fantasy RPG®: Land of the Damned T hree: whole Jot more. Plus, magic items and more. $24.95 for 352
The Bleakness™. The Citadel, a den of wickedness, slavery, pages. Available now.
dark magic and chaos. Warring hordes of Minotaurs, Harpies
Rifts® Game Master G uide. A collection of vital informa-
and other fearsome beasts. The fmal part in the Land of the
tion frequently referenced by the Game Master, including ALL
Damned trilogy. 192 pages. In stores Fall, 2002. skills, psionic powers, experience tables, and condensed stats on
RECON® Modern Combat- A "new" r ole-playing game. a ton of weapons, body armor, power armor, vehicles, and mis-
Play military and law enforcement "elite agents" (CIA, FBI, cellaneous equipment, plus index of O.C.C.s, R.C.C.s, some
DEA, etc.) and "Special Forces" to fight the war on drugs, ter- G.M. tips, a collection of maps and other useful data. $24.95 for
rorism, espionage, homeland security, etc. It has been a project 320 pages. Available now.
we've been kicking around for years and is now in final produc- Rifts® Coalition Wars™ series. A six book epic detailing
tion. The game uses Palladium's familiar game system set in our the Siege on Tolkeen. All are available now.
modem world. Compatible with Heroes Unlimited™, Ninjas &
Rifts® Dimension Book Five: Anvil Galaxy™. The quest
Superspies™ and other modem day settings. $21.95, 200 or so
for the "Cosmic Forge," an overview of the galaxy and a look at
pages, Cover by John Zeleznik, written by Siembieda, Gamer,
the key aliens and civilizations that play a key role. New civili-
Wujcik and Siembieda. Available mid-September, 2002.
zations and aliens, and more. $ 17.95 for 160 page book. Avail-
Rifts® "Limited Edition" Glitter Boy PrinL 20x28 inch im- able now.
age of the cover to Rifler #18, signed by artist Scott Johnson ~d
Rifts® Guide to t he Three Galaxies™. This Phase World®
Kevin Siembieda, limited to 700 signed and numbered cop1es.
adventure sourcebook presents a dynamic overview of the Three
$20.00 +$6.00 for postage and handing ($10 for Canada & For-
eign). Mailed rolled in a sturdy tube. Available now. Galaxies, a lien technologies, people, conflict, and a slew of new
aliens, monsters, magic, equipment and information. Final size
The Rifter #17 with all the usual good stuff and the start of
and price yet to be determined. Autumn, 2002.
Chaos Ear th™. Now get two of your buddies to start buying
Rifts® Dimension Book Six: The Cosmo-Knights™. A
The Rifler® and we'll be all set. $7.95 per issue. Available now.
sourcebook dedicated to the mysterious super-beings known as
The Rifter #18, part two of Chaos Earth™ and other good the Cosmo-Knights. More on the Cosmic Forge too. Delayed till
stuff. In stores now.
2003.
The Rifter #19, part three of Chaos Earth™ and other good
stuff. In stores, July, 2002.
17
Weapons and Ar mor: 48 pages presenting approximately
600 different weapons and 30+ suits of armor for use in ANY
role-playing game. Each and every item is illustrated and are
real historical weapons from around the world. Only $7.95 for What would I do with
this amazing reference. Available now.
Weapons and Castles: 48 pages presenting all sorts of bow
2,000,000 CCG Cards?
weapons, siege machines, and 15 castles, complete with basic
floor plans. All are real world castles. Suitable for use in ANY
role-playing game system. Everything is illustrated. Only $7.95
Well with the demise of the Rifts® CCG I decided to have a
and found in stores everywhere. Available now.
contest on our web site to see what you guys would do if you
Weapons and Assassins: 48 pages presenting the weapons, had 2,000,000 CCG cards. I received over 200 entries and it was
secrets and history behind some of the most famous assassins in not easy to come up with my winners, but here are the results. I
history, namely the Ninja of Japan and Thuggee Assassins of In- want to thank everyone who entered, you have great
dia Everything is illustrated. For use with ANY game system. immaginations!
Only $7.95 and found in stores everywhere. Available now.
- Maryann Siembieda, 2002
Weapons and Castles of tbe Orient: 48 pages presenting aU
sorts of weapons, armor, and castles of China, Japan and the
Orient, complete with basic floor plans. All are real world cas-
tles. As always, stats are such that they can be used in ANY
role-playing game. Everything is illustrated. Only $7.95 and Ferkelberger Clothing Line
found in stores everywhere. Available July or August, 2002.
Mark Stone
"Television Advertisement"
Also Coming in 2002 or 2003 " Percy Fer kleberger's Rifts Car d Clothing Collection"
- no definitive release date yet scheduled: (A camera shot opens on a young male, talking on the phone
and smiling, as the voice over announcer speaks.)
Rifts® Federation of MaglcTM Revised Edition (some new
material & updates) Its' Friday night ... and you've got the weekend planned. A
Rifts® Africa Two (all new) full-scale Palladium gaming weekend ...
Rifts® Australia Two & Tbree (all new, hopefully a 2002 re-
lease) [The camera shot then shows the same young male pulling vari-
runs® Antarctica (all new, probably a 2003 release) ous chips and cokes out of the refrigerator.)
runs® Dragons & Gods (all new, probably a 2003 release)
runs® Dimension Book: G uide to tbe Tbree Galaxies™ You've got your food.
(Phase World®, Fall2002)
Rifts® Dimension Book: Worlds of Warlock™ (Phase (The shot once again adjusts, this time to show a stack of Palla-
World®, 2003 release) dium books in a pile, with the Rifts Main Book leaning against
Palladium Fantasy RPG®: Mysteries of Magic™ the stack for the straight view of the earners.)
Palladium Fantasy RPG®: Wolfen War™ (with a little luck,
an early 2003 release) You've got the books, cards, dice, and pen and paper at the
Tbe Palladium Weapons Ser ies (returns due to popular de- ready.
mand).
Her oes Unlimited™: Hardware/Gadgets Unlimited™ [The young male then walks into his bedroom, and piles of
Heroes Unlimited™: Tbe Atorian Empire™ clothes are seen strewn all over the place ... )
Heroes UnlimitedTM: Tbe City of Cascade™
New After tbe Bomb® sourcebooks Ob No!!! You've forgotten your change of laundry!
Beyond the SupernaturaJTM RPG, 2nd Edition (I promise,
October 2002) (The infamous "Home Alone - McCulken hands to the face
Mecbanoid Space RPG® (a new epic series; December 2002) screen shot.)
Void RunnersTM RPG (something different, 2003)
And who knows what else? Young Male: AUGH!!
Available in stores everywhere
[The camera shot then changes to show the warehouse of Prece-
dence Rifts Card Game stacks.)
No problem! Percey Ferkelberger has you covered ... the all

new Rifts Card Collection Clothing Line!
18
[The camera zooms down the aisle in a very fast speed, coming
to a hard break, and hanging off a shelf is an entire suit, made of
nothing but RCCG cards.]
The newest thing for those gaming nights ...

The Rifts Card Clothing Collection!
[The young male then is reshown on the screen with a huge

smile on his face.]
That's right ... now you can be the hottest thing on the catwalk
of the Chi-Town Burbs ... with the Ferkelberger endorsed cloth-
ing line.
[The camera shot changes to show four garners, including our

young roaJe, who is now dressed in a RCCG suit, all playing the
RCCG. The other three members are dressed in the regular
clothing.]
And when you spill some of that dip.
[The young male spills some of his dip from his chip on his suit,
and his fellow garners just smile and snicker.]
No problem ... it's completely interchangeable!
[The kid pulls the now dip-stained card from his suit, and looks
at it, before pulling the top card from his deck and replacing the
" hole" in his suit.]
And if you fmd yourself stuck looking for a good card in your
game?
[The same screen plays, and the young RCCG dressed gamer
stares at the table with a worried look on his face, when his face
suddenly brightens, and be puJis a card off the shoulder of his
suit, and plays it on the table. The remaining players raise the
hands in frustration , obviously ready to cede the game.]
You'll always have the ace "up your sleeve."
[The camera shot changes back to the warehouse shot of the

original "RCCG" suit, and along side it is now a full length
dress, again, made ofRCCGs.]
Available for both the male and female garners of the Palladium
world! Just ask Wayne Smith!
[The camera shot shows Wayne dressed in a RCCG shirt and

shorts ...]
WS: Just the thing for when they need me to come in at late
hours!
[Wayne smiles for the camera.]
So order yours today! Supplies going fast!
19
57.4 Mile High House CCGSummer!
Barden A. Campbell Kurt Ellmauer
On the eve of the ftrst day of summer. Palladium fans across
For the purposes of this activity, it is fLrSt necessary to make the world shall descend upon towns, villages and cities. Armed
believe that the staff at Palladium Books can afford to take a both with masking tape and Rifts CCG cards, they will tape the
few months off. I say make believe, because said staff cards to the rear wheel of every bicycle in sight. Then, on the
consistantly work twelve to sixteen hours per day. Whether or fLrSt day of summer, when children and adults alike take to their
not they sleep is a matter of some debate. bicycles, they will all be greeted with the delightful sound of
However, let us assume that everyone there, from Kevin's fa- cards striking spokes, making that grand motorcycle sound that
ther to Wayne Smith can all take three months off at the same you loved when you were a child. Parents everywhere will smile
time. Lock the doors to the office, and put on the answering ma- when they hear that sound, remembering their childhood, know-
chine, because we're going on a road trip. Where are we going? ing their children and having fun being children, and being
Colfax. Illinois. happy that they will not have to replace their bridge deck.
As manager of this project I would first contact the Mayor of
Colfax, or better yet, their Congressman, Timothy V Johnson
(R). " Its's going to be one for the record books", I'd tell them. Collectible Army Cards
And it would be. Jeff Prentiss
I propose to build a house of cards using a 2,000,000 spare ln what some are calling a " return to our childhood", CAC
CCG cards. And not just any house, but a Rifts house, the ulti- (Collectible Army Cards) have taken garners back to their roots
mate Rifts house, Chi-Town. Thats correct, building on the ex- of yesteryear. At a recent convention we heard "This is more
act spot that the fortress city will occupy in about four hundred fun than miniatures!" and "Who needs gametext?" from players
years, the staff of Palladium Books and I will build a scale numbering in the hundreds. Rifts-CAC players take two or more
model of Chi-town. Now given that the average height of one of copies of the same card, bending them just below the pictures,
the CCG playing cards is about 2 inches, stacked end to end then glue and/or tape the picture backs together. They then cut
they would reach a vertical height of over 300,000 feet or just the bottom portion of the cards and reshape them to produce
over 60 miles. bases for their "soldiers" which included feet, cyber-legs, vehi-
The Chi-town house of cards could easily have a base diame- cles, animals and more on the ones we saw.
ter of 40 miles (208,000 CCG cards side by side). It's height Why is Rifts-CAC 's so popular? Maryann Siembieda, cred-
would then be a breathtaking 57.4 miles. This Chi-Town of ited with starting Rifts-CACs with a warehouse of former Prece-
Cards would be taller than Mount Everest, lighter than all the dence CCG cards, had this to say: "The players like it because
pyramids combined, and cheaper than both the Hubble Space not only do you use the cards to make your soldiers, but also for
Telescope and the International Space Station. It would be eas- their terrain! For example, actual card houses! While the rules
ily visible from orbit or the lunar surface. vary from player to player, including distances measured in
The benefits to the town of Colfax in terms of tourist dollars 'card lengths', flipping cards to inflict damage or knock down
is beyond estimation. The Chi-Town model would command the opposing "soldier", to the actual destruction of the "soldier"
spectacular views of the Macinaw River and would assure Palla- when they die or take damage. It si an amazingly fast game to
dium Books a place in the book of World Records for all time. learn and play! Retailers and distributors like Rifts - CACs be-
20
cause they are fmally doing soemthing with aU of their dusty old
inventory! And, the most important factor in our growth has
been the fact that most players ALREADY had thousands of
"soldier" material on hand, ready to start playing.!"
Remember, Rifts-CACs is I00% compatible with ANY for-
mer CCG game. And the use of Card Sleeves is optional. -
CCG Cluster Born bs!!

Jeremy Richard (Therumancer)
Donate them to the military. Suggest that they load them into
giant cardboard cluster-bombs and drop them from outrageously
high altitudes on enemy targets. I'm sure that a box of cards
dropped from sub-orbital distances would be quite lethal. This
would help cut expenses as the cards are free and obviously
won't cost as much as actual bombs. Making our tax dollars go
further is the perfect thing to do on income tax day!
Questions and Answers

By Rodney Stott, Shawn Merrow & Kevin Siembieda South America Two speaks of a city Rifted from
The future is what we make it, or at least that is what people WormwootPM, does this region have the same
say. After reading Rifts® Aftermath, which can bring our Rifts powers of Wormwood itself? If so, do the
games f orward in time, and Chaos Earth ™which takes us to symbiotes work upon leaving that region?
the beginning, our thoughts naturally gravitated along those The region right around the city does have the same ambi-
lines. ance as Wormwood and allows the symbiotes to work. How-
The past, present, and future are all one in our games, and ev- ever, such symbiotes that are away from the transplanted city by
ery moment begins something new. more than 50 miles (80 km) or away for more than 48 hours, be-
The column for this issue starts off with a couple of questions come dormant and the powers they provide disappear until they
dealing with the new inhabitants of the Rifts world, followed by return to Wormwood (instantly revive at full strength) or the
some early firearms, then into rules for aging, and super abili- trans-dimensional city (revives at full strength within 1D4 hours
ties. Enjoy. of returning home).
In the Coalition War Campaign™ book it says the Are Rahu-Men the only kind of D-Bee accepted by
CS wiped out the Naruni based arms dealerships. the New German Republic? It says in Conversion
Does this include the one in Los Alamo? And if so, Book One that a Rahu-Man Cyber Knight is a
what happened to Los Alamo in the Campaign of member of their government. And if so, what does
Unity? the CS think of this? I think his name is Rasheen.
The CS has been surprisingly patient with Los Alamo about Rasheen served in the NGR government during its early
their Naruni connections. Although this is primarily because of years when there was little contact between North America and
Los Alamo's overall outlook regarding humankind, it is also be- Europe. Since then, the Cyber-Knight has gone off to adventure
cause the CS is not ready to open up a war on a new front. They in Africa and has never been seen again. As for accepting
already had Tolkeen and Free Quebec to contend with, and now D-Bees, the NGR accepts most kinds (the more human-like the
the Xiticix danger in the north and the potential threat from the better), and even limited magic and psionics. They are not as
Federation of Magic and strange goings on with the prejudiced as the Coalition, but still all D-Bees are considered
Shemarrians in the east (see Rifts® Aftermath for details). So, "second-class" citizens.
for now, Los Alamo has been keeping a "low profile" and the
CS looks the other way. However, once the Coalition regroups How are Changelings regarded on Rifts Earth?
and feels secure with itself, the pressure will be on Los Alamo
Are they hated and feared (even by non-humans)
to "toe the line," or else. The fma l defeat ofTofke.en and reunifi-
cation with Free Quebec does make the CS feel rather cocky, like in Palladium Fantasy, or are they considered
and depending how things shake down in the months to come in normal D-Bees? Would a Changeling hide his true
109 P.A., more Coalition transgressions could be brewing. Re- nature even from other D-Bees?
member, you heard it here first.
21
It all depends on the individual character and the environ- What about gunpowder and its equivalents, how
ment he is operating or living in. A Changeling or any common are they?
shape-changer might feel comfortable revealing his true nature
Alchemists and select others may know the secrets of gun-
in a community of other D-Bees, especially if the character was
powder, and use their knowledge in the making of fireworks,
respected and loved in that community. On the other hand,
fl ash powder and smoke bombs. They do NOT have the knowl-
shape-changers are generally feared. They would have a hard
edge or inclination to make fireanns, or even grenade like ex-
time fitting in even in a place like New Lazlo and even a com-
plosives, and neither should the player characters. One of the
munity that once held them in high regard might shun or fear the
rare explosive devices in the Palladium World is based on a nat-
character if his true shape-shifting nature were revealed. Of
urally occurring substance called Fire Sand, and is only found in
course a shape-changer, especially one as gifted as a Change-
the Yin-Sloth Jungles. It is very rare and hard to acquire even in
ling, would be run out of town if not imprisoned or killed in a
and around the jungles.
paranoid town or one that fears magic and/or aliens!D-Bees. The
Coalition Anny makes a concerted effort to find and extenni-
nate Changelings and others with the power to change their ap- How far into the future is After the Bomb® set?
pearance. Note: Changelings are exceedingly rare on Rifts The post-holocaust, mutant setting for After the Bomb® is
Earth. about 120 years into the future. With "The Crash," as it is com-
monly called, occurring about 30-40 years from today. This
means that most mutant animals and their societies are about 4-6
generations old.
If a Temporal Mage casts Time Warp: Age on a

Juicer, will he turn into a 100 year old Juicer? If
so, would his aged body be able to handle the
strain of all the chemicals running through him?
Wouldn't he just keel over dead?
I am wondering are there any rules or statistics His body may magically age, but it is all happening in a short
span of time. Consequently, the bio-comp system is able to ad-
for Black Powder Weapons in any of the books?
just and compensate for the strange change the body is undergo-
Magically enhanced black powder weapons can be found in
ing, so the character does not "keel over dead" However, there
Rifts® Dimension Book One, and in Coalition Navy™, but
is strain and modifications due to age. All the penalties this spell
stats for non-magical versions only ever appeared in
inflicts on its victims also befall the aged Juicer - i.e. reduce all
Trans-Dimensional Ninja Turtles™.
physical attributes, melee actions and bonuses by half. However,
For those who do not have Trans-Dimensional TMNT, the the Juicer's S.D.C. is also only reduced by half (not zero) and
average Black Powder weapon inflicts 306 to 506 S.D.C. darn- Hit Points are -10. Also reduce all of the Juic·er's other abilities
age based on Caliber, with an effective range of 100 to 150 feet (leaping range, etc.) by half. The character is still tough for his
(30.5 to 45.7 m) for rifles, with pistols having an effective range age (heck, he can whip the soot out of any 80-100 year old), but
of 50 to 75 feet (15.2 to 23 m). he's still greatly diminished and on par with an ordinary Joe half
These weapons also have an effective rate of fire of one per his age.
melee round, and require the rest of the round (or three melee
actions) after ftring to reload before they can be fired again.
What about the same character's equipment?
The equipment and weapons of a character are NOT affected
Can a character who is affected by the 1ime Slip by the Time Warp: Age spell.
spell trigger wards, and if they can, when are they
triggered, when everyone else gets to act, or when What sort of penalties should be applied to elderly
they activate the ward? characters? A previous Q&A says to look in The
Yes, the character can set off wards while subjected to a
Palladium Fantasy RPG®, but I do not own that,
Time Slip spell, and the activated wards are triggered immedi-
ately.
or plan to purchase it.
Ok, here is a summary of the modification rules for old age
for humans. They have been modified here to more accurately
I noticed that there is a W.P. Modem Weapons reflect our modem world, and for Rifts® you might want to
skill in The Palladium Fantasy RPG®, and some of start the penalties 10 or 15 years later unless a peasant or indi-
the art in it shows modern weapons, how common vidual living under medieval conditions. In The Palladium Fan-
and available are firearms in Palladium Fantasy? tasy RPG, these penalties start at age 60.
They are "super-rare," and are present at all only as the result I.Q.: 01-50% chance of losing 1 point of I.Q. for every 5
of dimensional travel. As the book recommends, they should be years beyond 70.
treated as a special item much like a rare magic artifact.
22
For an established campaign world where super abilities have
existed for about two or more generations (50+ years), some
thought has to be g iven to the older generation.
First, as superhumans, it is fair to assume that they are at
peak physical and mental prowess longer than the average hu-
man. That means most can probably function as a superhero
without noticeable deterioration or slowing down till age 50 or
even 60, but after that. most are likely to feel old age come
slamming down on them hard.
If using the suggestions for Power Degradation (mentioned a
bit later on), then special retirement or medical facilities may
have to be set up for caring for these heroes of a bygone age. If
their super powers (or mind for that matter) go awry, they may
have to be restrained and contained in places like Gracemery Is-
land and other superhuman containment facilities.
If you want to make an Old Super Hero Character, you may
wish to refer to the Aging Rules just presented, as well as the
Heroes throughout the Ages article which saw print in The
Rifter® #5 which presents ways of changing Heroes Unlim-
M.E.: 0 1-60% chance of losing I point of M.E. for every 5 ited™ for creating characters from the entire historical tradition
years beyond 70. of the Super Character, from Pulp Age Heroes of the 1920's, to
M.A .: Not affected. the Golden Age of the 40's, right up to the modem age of
P.S.: Reduce by I point at 60, and I point every 5 years until Heroes Unlimited.
P.S. Is half the original score. Next Generation. Those who maintained successful secret
P.P.: Reduce by I point at 50, and I point for every 5 years identities may just decide to fade away, and retire gracefully,
until P.P. is half the original score. maybe with friends and family. However, they may have a
younger sibling, cousin, child or grandchild who chooses (with
P.E.: Reduce by I point at 50, and I point every 5 years un-
or without the super being's blessing) to carry on the legacy.
til P.E. is half the original score.
That is covered to some degree in the Heroes Unlimited™
P.B.: Reduce by 2 points at 60, and I point every I 0 years G.M.'s Guide.
untiJ P.B. is half the original score.
Spd.: Reduced by 100/o at age 40, 60, 80, 90, 100, 120 and
140 years (always round up). What happens to Super Abilities as a hero grows
Skills requiring prowess, agility and dexterity such as Pick old?
Locks, Prowl, etc. are reduced by 5% for every 5 years beyond It all depends on the particular character, what their powers
50. are, and what the Game Master decides should happen.
Carrying Weight is reduced at 60 by ID4xl0% and another In all there are a few obvious possibilities. Here are just some
10% at age 70, 80, 90, I 10, 120 and 130. ideas as to what could happen to Super Abilities over time. Pick
Number of Attacks are reduced by one at age 50, 70, 90 and one or make a random roll.
120 years. No Change. As amazing as it may seem, the character seems
S.D.C. is reduced by 20% (can be reduced down to zero) and as strong, virile and alert as ever. This is most likely to be true
Hit Points by 5% (reduce to half) at 60 years of age and for ev- of aliens and mutants who by their very nature defy the human
ery I 0 years beyond 60. norm. It may also apply to characters who are the product of an
experiment.
Fatigues 20% more quickly at age 50, 70, 90 and I I 0.
Power Loss: The ability just fades away, possibly entirely or
to a sliver of its former self. For Example: A character with a
What ever happens to Old Super Heroes? Flight ability can no longer fly, only hover, or only fly for a few
Great question, and one that is seldom addressed in comic ( I 06) minutes at a time. Energy Expulsion Powers may only be
books or RPGs. We think it a ll depends on the individual able to generate a spark or blast of I 06 at a range of only 50
heroes, circumstance and the environment they live and work in. feet (15.2 m). Healing powers may take 2-10 times longer to
Some may die in a blaze of glory (at any age), others retire, kick in, Invulnerability may be reduced to only 204xl0 extra
some tum to consulting or take a desk job with a superhero S.D.C. instead of hundreds, and things the character was once
group or law enforcement agency, while still others vanish from impervious to now do half their normal damage. And so on.
the public eye (retiring to live an ordinary life while working to Burnout. The burnout is a more severe case of Power Loss,
maintain their secret identity a secret). This is something Kevin because the character's body (and/or mind) is worn out. The
says he may address in the revised and updated Villains Unlim- character is unmotivated, weak, plagued by aches and pains, and
ited Second Edition sourcebook, but here are some logical he tires three times faster than normal. Skills are performed at
ideas here and now. -20%, all physical attributes are reduced by 50%, S.O.C. by
23
80%, Hit Points by 40%, and super abilities are reduced by 70%
and can only be used for 406 minutes per 24 hours! To push the
power longer causes the hero to lapse into a coma for 104 hours
and requires a roll to save vs Coma & Death (albeit with a bonus
of +15% to save). The character even looks old and tired. A
Super Speedster probably needs a wheelchair, walker or cane to
get around because their super speed powers have burnt out and
their leg muscles are weak or arthritis has set in something terri-
ble. Energy Expulsion characters and those with supervision are
likely to have eyes sensitive to light and require eyeglasses to
see near and far.
Diminished Capacity: Reduce the level of damage, dura-
tion, range, and other factors (S.D.C., bonuses, speed, etc.) by
half. Still has superhuman powers but they are not as potent as
they used to be.
Erratic: The ability works most or some of the time, but not
always. Every time the power is used or for every few hours the
player or G.M. should roll percentile dice on the following table.
0 1-20% Functions at full strength, good as gold.
2 1-40% Functions at a diminished capacity, reduce all bo-
nuses, damage and other aspects by -20%.
41-60% Functions at half normal levels. Reduce all aspects
of the ability accordingly.
61-80% Functions at a fraction of usual. Super ability is
barely noticeable. Reduce all aspects of it by -90%!
81-00% The super ability functions in overdrive and is, for
the moment, 50% more powerful than it is normally. Increase all
aspects of the power, including range, damage, duration, bo-
nuses, etc., by 50%!
No Control The power remains but the aging character can
no longer control it. That means the power always comes on at
full strength, speed, etc. whether the character wants it at a re-
duced level or not. This means he cannot pull punches, stop
when he wants to or hit only the desired target, causing collat-
eral damage, slipping and sliding into walls and other people,
etc. Full force is a constant and sometimes (01-50%) the power
comes on at a 50% greater power level. The character is a dan-
ger to himself and others around him. Worse, the power may
"turn on" all by itself at random and unexpected times or when
the old hero is angry, sad or otherwise upset, maybe even when
he dozes off. And can't tum it off for at least 206 minutes. In
the case of transformation/Alter Physical Structure, Intangibil-
ity, Invisibility, and similar abilities, the power may be "on" and
the character transformed half of the time to constantly, whether
the character wants to be or not. In the latter case, it takes a
forced effort on the part of the aging super being to transform
into a normal human state of being. This can be extremely dan-
gerous with characters who turn into fire or energy.
What sort of weapons and body armor are there
in Chaos Earth™?
Equipment like this will be covered in future issues of The
I love Chaos Earth! How many parts will appear Rifter (probably next issue), but if you want to start playing
in The Rifter®? now, you can use the "equivalent" of many of the tech weapons,
Kevin plans to present five installments in issues #17-21. armor and items used by the CS found in the Rifts® RPG - a
Then, after the fifth part in issue number 21 , he plans to collect lot of the Coalition's technology is pirated from or based on
it all up, clean it up, add a bunch of source material and artwork, NEMA Technology. Some of the weapons and gear of the Re-
and put it all together with the game rules, skills, etc., and republic of Japan and the New Navy also harken back to the
lease it as a complete game, probably in April or May 2003. "Golden Age of Science" and closely parallel technology as it
What you are seeing in The Rifter® is a work in progress and was before the Coming of the Rifts, so you can use them with
something of a sneak preview. Cool, huh? little to no modification required.
24
Wand Magic
Optional New Magic for will. When creating a wand, wood is the only material which
can be charged with magic energy, and the wand is generally no
The PaUadium Fantasy RPG®
larger than three feet (0.9 m) in length or two inches (5 em) in
By Kevin Christensen diameter.
Wand Magic is an ancient art that was discovered by men of Once created, the wand is permanently charged with its
magic during The Age of a Thousand Magicks. Since then it has magic and cannot be changed. Wands, however, are not inde-
been common knowledge passed down from teacher to appren- structible and are only as strong as the base material used in the
tice among Wizards. It is knowledge that is imparted along with construction. Which is to say that for the benefits of the creation
the knowledge for the creation of a spirit cauldron. However, of a wand, they have the tradeoff of being somewhat flim sy.
unlike the spirit cauldron, a Wizard cannot create a wand until Note that a wand can be partially covered in metal, but they can-
he has gained more experience and practice with his magic. not be charged or function if more than 50% of the wood is cov-
Only those Wizards who have the practice of years of channel- ered, regardless if that metal is gold, silver or steel. There are a
ing mystic energies (must be 8th level or higher) can fully un- few dangers inherent with wands as well. Breaking a wand will
derstand the principles of imparting magic into a piece of wood, result in all of the magic force stored in the wand exiting in an
which is the entire focus of this magic. The purpose is to in- explosion that does 306 damage to a 12 foot (3.7 m) area. ln ad-
crease a Wizard's ability to cast magic in situations where the dition, physically touching wands together is very bad. For some
mage would want to conserve his own natural reserves of magic reason the magic polarities of wands are different for each, and
or has spent those reserves and still needs some magic left. when brought into contact with each other mix into a volatile re-
Magic Wands are as common as other magic weapons, and action which does 306+10 damage to a 20 foot (6.1 m) area,
once created can be fully used by any other magic class or by a which incidentally destroys the two wands involved. Trying to
Psi-Mystic. A wand can also be used by non-men-of-magic or pump P.P.E. into a spell casting wand should never be done,
by psychics, but the spells will be cast at half the power; de- with the exception of the P.P.E. battery. If this happens a small
crease the range, damage, and duration of any spell by half, and backlash will occur, inflicting 206 damage to the person hold-
the person will have to figure out from trial and error the num- ing it, and it will permanently burn out one of the spells or a
ber and types of spells the wand has stored. A wand is simple to spell's focused ability. A typical wand will have around 5-10
use; all one has to do is concentrate on the spell desired and the S.O.C. points depending on the size. One that is wrapped or par-
target of that spell. The wand must be held and usually pointed tially covered in metal will have 10-20 S.O.C. points.
in order to cast its spell. The aim does not need to be precise,
but needs to be c lose. For example, trying to cast with the wand Rules for the Creation
vertically tied to a belt will result in the spell appearing in the
caster's face or toes, depending on the facing of the wand. of a Magic Wand
The wand created by a Wizard is very personalized and can Creation Cost: 200 P.P.E. plus the P.P.E. required to cast
be very diverse in its function. The Wizard could also choose to the spell(s) the Wizard desires to place in the wand.
increase the power of the wand for the sacrifice of diversity. Spell Storage: A wand has the ability to hold a maximum of
Sacrificing a range of spells to impart greater power to one par- four low level spells (1-4). A wand can also be enchanted with
ticular spell is called " focusing," and can greatly boost the stronger spells, but the higher the spell, the more room it takes
strength of a spell. up. A medium level spell (5-8) counts as two low level spells,
Some wands are very simple and look like a stick picked while a high level spell (9 and higher) counts as four low level
haphazardly off the ground. Others are intricately carved or spells. A Wizard can also choose to mix and match. For exam-
inlayed with various metals, or have bands wrapping around ple, a wand could have one medium level spell and two low
them to increase the aesthetic value or to strengthen the wood. level spells; but only one high level spell can be placed in a
Their beauty is only limited by the creator's imagination and wand.
25
Adventures on tbe High Seasnc, 2nd Edition: Ship to ship combat rules,
the Necromancer, Sailor and many other character classes, six adventures and
over 20 islands to explore. $20.95 - 224 pages.
Adventures in tbe Northern WUderoeunc, 2nd Edition: The society
and tribes of the Wolfen described. Ten adventures in Wolfen Territory.
$20.95 -224 pages.
The Western EmpireTM, 2nd E dition: An in-depth look at the "Empire of
Sin." 18 cities, 13 provinces, new herbs, magic items and adventure. $20.95 -
224 pages.
Baalgor WastelandsT", 2nd Edition: The hostile land mapped and de-
scribed, new monsters, new player races, adventure and adventure ideas.
$20.95-216 pages.
Mount NimroT"', 2nd Edition: The war between the Giants and the mon-
strous, winged Gromek. New player characters and monster races, history,
world information, and adventure. $16.95 - 160 pages.
Library of Bletherad, 2nd Edition: The fabled library described, 21 leg-
endary rune weapons, Shadowcasting and Fulmination magic, SO+ new spells,
a dozen exotic monsters, history and more. $16.95- 160 pages.
Eastern T erritory™, 2nd Edition: Explore the Domain of Man with its
many outposts, towns and cities mapped and described. The trouble with mon-
sters and loads of adventure ideas. $20.95 - 224 pages.
Tbe Nonhero Hinterlaod.s™ l od Edition: Explore the foothills of the
Land of the Damned, Ohpid's Grasslands, the northwestern woodlands and
discover the secrets they hold. By Kevin Sicmbieda & Bill Coffin. $20.95 -
192 pages.
T be Land of tbe Damned : Books 1·3. Described below.
Phi & Lopan. Tentatively planned for a Summer or Fall2002 release.
Yin-Sloth Junglesnt (1" edition rules): The Undead Hunter, Witch
Hunter, Beastmaster, jungle tribes, villages, and secrets. Still $15.95 - 160
pages.
Island at the Edge of tbe WorldT"' (1" edition rules): Crystal magic, the
Ghost Kings, the secret history of Changelings and the Circle of Elemental
Magic that threatens the world! Still $i5.95 - 160 pages.
Plus more great adventure-world books are on the drawing boards.
The Palladium Fantasy The Land of the Damned™

The three Land of tbe Damned books are the latest in the Fantasy series
Role-Playing Game®, 2nd Edition and explore this remote, never before revealed region of the Palladium World.
The basic game is everything one needs to play. The 336 page rule book
The Land of the Damned is said to be a prison where the Gods of Light have
locked away the unrepentant minions. worshipers and dark magicks of the Old
lays out the exotic fantasy world of Palladium with unique discipline~ of
Ones. A land where demons are said to roost and war among the mountains
magic, powers and races unlike those of most other RPGs. The Palladtum
and canyons of the forbidden land, and from where adventurers are said never
Fantasy RPG® includes:
to return.
• Step by step character creation that is easy and fun. Create fictional charac-
ters that will come to vivid life. The Land of the DamnedT"' One: C haos Lands. Over a dozen new mon-
sters, demons and demon lords, the Northern Mountains described, legends
• Fast, realistic combat, with initiative, parries, dodges, entanglement, paired
and rumors, the Great Rift canyon, and over 200 adventure ideas! $20.95 -
weapons and more. Warriors and men at arms with real power and distinct
192 pages. Available now!
skills.
• Over 20 character classes with in-depth skills and training. Wolfen, Tbe Land of the Da mne<JTM Two: Eternal T orment. A land of the
Changelings, Ogres, Orcs, Goblins, Kobolds, Dwarves, Elves and other in· undead and villainy, dark magic, new types of undead creatures and
human races available as player characters. werebeasts, an evil Faerie Kingdom, an enchanted forest known as the
• Over 300 magic spells for the Wizard character. 60 wards for the Diabolist. Darkest Heart, maps and adventure ideas. Cover by Larry Elmore. Interior art
by Timothy Truman, Scon Johnson, Ramon Perez and others. $21.95- 192
50 magic circles for the mystical Summoner. Druids, Healers, Priests and
pages. Spring 2002.
others too.
• 80 psionic powers for the Mind Mage. The Land of the DamnedT"' Tbree: The Bleakness. The Citadel, a den of
• Magic items, rune weapons, potions, poisons and herbs, armor and weap· wickedness, slavery, and Chaos Magic. Warring hordes of ancient Minotaurs,
ons. Harpies, and other fearsome beasts, plus adventure ideas and more. $21.95 -
• Demons, world information and more. 224 pages. Summer 2002.
• $24.95-336 pages, wrinen by Kevin Siembieda. Palladium Books Inc.
12455 Universal Drive
Fantasy Sourcebooks T aylor, MI 48180
Monsters & AJlimaJsTM, 2nd Edition: Over 100 monsters, nearly 200 ani- www.palladiumbooks.com
mals, more world information and maps. $20.95 - 240 pages!
Dragons & Godsn•, 2nd Edition: Over 40 god.s, 20 demonic lords and High fantasy and epic adventure
their powers, priests and magic. Plus 14 dragons, their habits and history, holy
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26
In the alternative the mage can choose to charge the wand to alignment restrictions or permanently writing the true names of
hold P.P.E. In this case if the Wizard wants to store 60 P.P.E. he the people who can safely handle the wand. In this manner a
must expend 260 P.P.E. for the creation of the wand, which Wizard can key a wand so that he's the only one that can use it
from that moment on will only be able to hold a maximum of 60 Anyone the wand is secured against will receive a shock when
P.P.E. The maximum amount ofP.P.E. a wand can hold is 100. they touch it. The shock does 206 S.D.C. damage and forc.es the
To recharge a P.P.E. battery, the person using it channels the de- person to drop the wand. This feature takes the place of one low
sired amount ofP.P.E. back into the wand up to its maximum. level spell.
Casting Limit: The wand will be able to cast any combina- Level Incr ease: Increases the strength of the spell by one ex-
tion of low level spells six times per 24 hours. Medium level perience level. So instead of a spell cast at a 4th level of experi-
spells can be cast up to four times per 24 hours, and high level ence, the spell will now be cast at a 5th level of experience. This
spells wiU be able to be cast once per 24 hours. Additional will take the place of one low level spell for every increase in
P.P.E. can never be pumped into a spell casting wand to cast experience level.
one of its spells. Each casting of a speiJ from a wand counts as
one of the character's hand to hand melee attacks for that round.
Power Levels: Any spell that has been placed into a wand is
cast as if by a fourth level Wizard regardless of the actual level Famous Wands of Lore
of the creator, and cannot be increased further unless the spell is
"focused." A character must roll a 12 or higher to save against a
spell cast from a wand.
Focusing: A side effect of this magic is that the wand, like a
lens focuses the sun, can be used to focus the power that is be-
ing placed into it. In this way the spell incorporated into the
wand can achieve greater power levels. Focusing a spell does
not require any additional P.P.E. or energy than explained in the
Creation Cost section, it only takes space that might otherwise
have been enchanted with a spell. When focusing, only one spell
in the wand can be affected by that added power. Which means
that if the casting limit of an Armor of Ithan spell were to be fo-
cused so as to double the casting limit, only the Armor of Ithan
spell could be cast twelve times per 24 hours. Any other spell
added on could only be cast six times per 24 hours. However,
you can have a focused Armor of Ithan spell and a focused En-
ergy Bolt that could both be cast twelve times per 24 hours, us-
ing all of the "space" in the wand.
Casting Limit: Low level spell casting limit can be increased
so as to double the number of times per 24 hours the spell can
be cast. This takes the place of one low level spell. In the alter- Gigante's Finger
native, the casting limit can be increased by one per 24 hours for
The Gigante's Finger appears as a simple, albeit large, carved
medium level spells. This takes the place of two low level
fmger. It was a gift to a Western Noble by a Cyclops. The noble
spells.
and Cyclops were long time rivals in the Western political
Increase the Damage: + 1 die to the damage of that spell. scene, both vying fiercely for the prestige of the emperor. The
This takes the place of one low level spell. wand was presented as a peace offering by the Cyclops, who de-
Increase the Range: +100 feet (30.5 m) to the range of the cided to concede defeat to the noble. The haughty noble, con-
spell. Takes the place of one low level spell. vinced be had triumphed over his large competitor, graciously
Increase the Duration: + 1 minute (4 melees) to the dura- accepted the gift. To the noble's m isfortune, the Cyclops had the
tion. This takes the place of one low level spell. curse, Dislike, placed on the wand. The cursed object drove the
Incr ease t he Damage, Range, Duration, etc.: Same as noble to ruin and eventually madness. The Cyclops made a
above except that it increases every aspect of the spell. Double quick recovery from his abdication.
the range, damage and duration of that spell. This takes the The wand disappeared for a while before surfacing in the
place of two low level spells. bands of a string of lone adventurers, the last of which was said
Strong Magic: The mage can increase the magic strength of to have been killed in the Old Kingdom by a cranky Troll.
the wand. For every low level spell that is taken up in this man- Any combination of the following spells can be cast for a to-
ner, the spell's strength is increased by one. So if the creating tal of six times, with the exception that the Behemoth spell can
Wizard sacrificed two low level spells to increase the strength only be cast for a maximum of four times out of the total six.
on a Cloud of Slumber spell, a character must roll a 14 or higher Behemoth
to save against it.
Superhuman Strength
Security: The creating Wizard can make it so that the wand Invisibility: Simple
can only be used by certain people. This can be done by placing
27
that have fought in Hoknar's battles. Unfortunately, the wand
has changed hands dozens of times due to Hoknar's capacity for
heavy losses of followers in his battles. Can cast any combina-
tion of the two following spells four times per 24 hours:
lnvu lnerability
CaiJ Lightning
Dragon Fang
And lo, did the Dwarven horde descend upon the Elves,
breathing the fire of dragons. So did they lay upon the earth the
gore and ichor ofthe Elves...
- The Tristine Chronicles
This excerpt from the Tristine Chronicles marks the mass use
of a wand created for a Dwarven army known as "the Claw."
They called the wand Dragon Fang after its power to cast an ex-
tremely powerful Firebolt spell. The Claw, an entire anny of
crazed Dwarves, were armed with Dragon Fangs, allowing them
to spread destruction where they roamed. They were infamous
for centuries of butchery perfonned on the Elves, which didn't
end until the army was consumed in the destruction of the
Golden City of Baalgor. This wand is now extremely rare and
few, if any, new ones have been made for fear of the wand's
power falling into the wrong hands, like an army of degenerates.
01' Bones
The wand has the following powers: Created by a Wizard who missed his calling as a true Necro-
mancer. The wand appears almost exactly like a human femur
Fire bolt
bone, down to the washed out white color. Only a close inspec-
Damage: In the hands of a magic user or Psi-Mystic the wand
tion and a successful roll on the Sculpting & Whittling skill will
will inmct 6D6x2 S.D.C. damage. reveal that the bone is actually made from wood Of course, a
Range: 240 feet (73.2 m). Sense Magic ability wilt also reveal the presence of magic. The
Casting Lim it: The spell can be cast a total of 12 times per 24 wand has the following abilities:
hours. Animate & Control Dead
Range: 800 feet (244 m).
Duration: 40 minutes.
Casting Limit: Can be cast a total of four times per 24 hours.
All other stats are exactly as the spell listed in the book.
Will ofHoknar
A wand carved in the shape of a jagged lightning bolt and
lacquered a deep blue color, with veins of silver tracing through
the surface. It was made famous by many of the warrior priests
28
The Magic
of Ophid's Grasslands
This odd spell creates any adventurer's best friend, a length
Optional New Spells for
of rope. Uses for this obscure spell abound, such as tying up
The Palladium Fantasy RPG® captured enemies, tying horses, hangings and others. Rope up to
three inches (7.5 em) in diameter can be created. It is normal
By Nicholas Mueller
rope.
For millennia, there have been people struggling to eke out a
life on the plains ofOphid's Grasslands. As with any other envi- Summon Grains
ronment, over time, people and creatures adapt to the unique Also available as an Elemental spell (Earth).
conditions found there. The same holds true for users of magic, Level: One.
who sometimes adapt to their environment by developing new Range: 10 feet (3m).
spells. Most of these invocations are found only in Ophid's Duration: Permanent.
Grasslands. Elsewhere, they will be considered rare magic from Saving Thr ow: None.
a forgotten land. Most were developed by Gnome mages and the P.P.E.: Four
local peoples during and after the Time of a Thousand Magicks.
This bizzare spell is commonly used on the plains to create
They could be sold for thousands of gold pieces in other locales,
the fresh, nourishing grains that can keep a horse going strong
but the remoteness ofOphid's Grasslands, and the small number
for weeks. It provides enough grain to feed four horses for one
of mages that know these spells, keep them from becoming
day per casting. Spell scrolls and magic rings of this invocation
widespread.
are commonly found around Ophid's Grasslands, but usually are
rare elsewhere.
Trough of Water
Also available as an Elemental spell (Water).
Level: One.
Range: 10 feet (3m).
Duration: Permanent, see below.
Saving Throw: None.
P.P.E.: Four
This companion spell to Summon Grains creates a trough of
water which appears up to ten feet (3 m) away from the spell
caster. lt cannot be dropped on a person. It holds enough water
for four horses to drink their fill. Humans can also drink from
the trough, it holds enough for up to twenty persons to drink.
The trough itself is not permanent, or even real, and is just a
construct of magic force simply to hold the water. When the wa-
ter is gone, or after thirty hours have passed (whichever comes
flfSt), the trough will disappear, dropping any remaining water
to the ground beneath it.
Frighten the Animals

Level: Three.
Range: A 50 foot {15.2 m) area up to 150 feet (45.7 m) away.
Duration: Two melees per level of the spell caster's experience.
Saving Thr ow: None, fl ight is the instinctive response.
Create Rope P.P.E.: Twelve
Level: One. This spell is tuned specifically to create the sense of super-
Range: Spell caster's hands. natural evil and great mystic power that so frightens horses, ca-
Duration: Permanent. nines and other animals that can sense such things. Wild animals
Amount: Up to 15 feet ( 4.6 m) per level of the spell caster, ap- will flee outright, typically in a direction opposite that in which
pears from his or her hands. they were headed. Trained animals have a 0 1-66% chance of
Saving Throw: None. fleeing. War horses and other domesticated riding animals have
P.P.E.: Two a 01-33% chance of throwing their riders and fleeing. Animal
29
Familiars will not flee, but will be quite jumpy. A great spell to Similar to Magic Pigeon, this spell creates a "parchment air-
use against cavalry or an enemy's horse(s), or to create a dis- plane." This magical construct will write down whatever the
traction in a town or viJJage (cast it on the stables). Note that spell caster says, up to 500 words per side of the sheet (up to
cats will not flee, but will raise the hair on their backs and hiss 1000 words per airplane). Any drawings will take up space ac-
incessantly. cording to their size {have the player character draw it on
loose-leaf). This magical airplane can then be thrown up to the
Lirojt of the character's range (see above). It will fly silently and
up or down according to need, always staying 10 feet (3 m)
above any surface. If the throwing character rolls a 12 or above
to strike (including targeting and P.P. bonuses), the magical
Parchment Airplane will reach its target successfully. A miss
will cast it off by 1D4x 10 feet (3-12 m) for every I000 feet (305
m) of distance traveled. A natural one sends it off into the strato-
sphere, never to land.
Parchment Airplane is quite a handy spell for sending long
distance messages. The airplane is mystically floated and guided
to its target after the initial toss. It can be knocked out of the sky
with arrows, fire bolts, or any other type of weapon, but it is
small and the attacker is -4 to strike. It can also be picked off in
flight by anyone who can reach it. It will not pass through magic
barriers, telekinetic force fields, force fie lds, or any other types
of shielding. If the target is inside such a barrier, then it will hit
it and fall to the ground. It will roll and slide through bars and
other such things, as long as it will fit (G.M.'s discretion), but
definitely not keyholes.
Run as a Horse
Level: Four.
Range: Self or others by touch.
Duration: One minute per level of the spell caster or one hour
per level of the spell caster.
Saving Throw: None.
P.P.E.: Ten or Two Hundred
The ftrst version of this incantation is similar to the spell Su-
perhuman Speed, and incidentally has the same cost. It instills
the target with a speed of 74 maximum (for the duration of the
spell), and the ability to carry large loads via a cart and harness
much like a work horse. The target can also jump an additional
Astral Horses 6 feet (1.8 m) high and 10 feet (3 m) long from a run. The sec-
Level: Four. ond version is the ritual of the Run as a Horse incantation. It
Range: 400 feet {122m). provides the same bonuses as the spell version, but requires a
Duration: I melee round. horse bone (which is the actual object of the incantation) to be
Saving Throw: Dodge with a 14 or higher for all melee attacks held for the duration. The horse bone may be passed from one
in that round. If a dodge is failed, standard save. person to another, thus transferring the incantation's effects. An
P.P.E.: Twenty-Five Alchemist can even produce a version of the horse bone that is
This odd spell creates a stampede of glowing blue-white combined with a permanence ward! This makes the incantation
horses that roar across the target area, trampling anything in work continuously and forever (obviously). However, additional
their path. The stampede has a Horror Factor of 16 if seen, and magicks are needed, so a Diabolist most likely couldn't replicate
being struck by a horse so overloads the nervous system that the the results without a real Alchemist to instruct him or her. Such
struck person collapses for I D4 melee rounds unless they save knowledge is not easy to come by, unfortunately. The penna-
versus magic. The AstraJ Horses move in a straight line at a nent Run as a Horse magical object isn't either.
speed of 30 miles per bour/48 km (660 feet/201.2 m per melee
round), and will go through solid objects but not magic barriers. Animate Grass
Also available as an Elemental spell (Earth).
Parchment Airplane Level: Five.
Level: Four. Range: 50 feet ( 15.2 m) + I 0 feet {3 m) per level of the spell
Range: 2000 feet {610 m) per level of spell caster's experience. caster.
Duration: Until read. Duration: 2 melees per level of experience.
Saving Throw: None. Saving Throw: None.
P.P.E.: Twenty-Five P.P.E.: Twenty-Five
30
This odd, forgotten spell animates the very grass of the land so hay is not required. Particularly devastating to unsuspecting
to do the spell caster's bidding. Though similar to the Animate targets (for it does not have all the attention grabbing potential
Plants spell of the Earth Warlock, this spell is more powerful, of a fireball or a lightning strike).
albeit more limited. It grows the grass of a 200 square foot {18.6
square meter) area (20 x 10 feet/6 x 3m) to a four foot (1.2 m) Phantom Stampede
length, and grants full control of it to the spell caster. The spell Level: Seven.
caster can command the grass to entangle small beings (any- Range: 400 feet ( 122 m).
thing under 7 feet/2. 1 m in height or length) or to slow larger Damage: Being trampled (failing to dodge) inflicts 3D6 dam-
beings down to I 00/o of their normal speed attribute (such as age. Objects in the stampede path take 4D 10 damage.
horses, buffalo, Ogres, or Giants). It can also be commanded to Duration: 1 melee round.
attack with a whip-like motion, inflicting 306 damage per at- Saving T h row: Dodge with a 14 or higher for aU melee attacks
tack action (up to three per melee). The spell can also grow a in that round.
much smaller area of grass, 3 feet x 3 feet {0.9 x 0.9 m), to a P.P.E.: Seventy
leng th of up to 20 feet (6.1 m) to attack airborne opponents, This spell, related to the level 4 spell Astral Horses, creates a
serve as an observation platform, entangle larger beings, or stampede of several hundred phantom horses that rush across
many other uses. It can entangle people or inflict 1D4x10 dam- the spell area (up to 800 feet/244m) in a stampede 50 feet ( 15.2
age per whipping attack, up to three times per melee round. m) wide traveling in a straight line. These phantom horses will
All grass attacks are rolled with a +2 to strike, and all suc- trample anything in their path and will go around any extremely
cessful attacks produce a multitude of tiny cuts aU over the body solid objects (castle walls, stone monoliths, etc.) in their path.
or armor (grass edges are sharp). Attacking the grass is easy, but However, they are perfect for trampling mass ive groups of sol-
it will grow back in one melee round. S.D.C. is 25 for every 10 diers, army camps and the occasional market square. They can-
foot (3 m) area, or 20 for the entire 3 x 3 foot patch of longer not be slain, but can be stopped (or at least diverted) by massive
grass. solid objects (wall of stone, etc.).
Additional Limbs
Hay-Maker Level: Eight.
Also available as an Elemental spell (Earth). Range: Touch.
Level: Six. Du r at ion: One melee round per level of spell caster's experi-
Range: 10 foot (3 m) roll + 50 feet (15.2 m) in the air. A 10 foot ence.
rolling distance is necessary. Saving T hrow: If not wanted, standard. Otherwise, none.
Dur ation: Instant P.P.E.: Fifty. Permanence can be achieved by permanently sub-
Damage: I D8 per level of spell caster. tracting 1000 P.P.E. from the spell caster's base.
Saving Throw: Dodge ( 14 or higher). This spell adds a pair of limbs (arms or legs) to any creature.
P.P.E.: Twenty-Five These extra limbs add 2 (3 if ambidextrous) attacks per melee
This spell amasses a dense ball of grass and other plant mat- and feel like natural extensions of the body. They will disappear
ter which rolls for a 10 foot (3 m) distance (to gain size like a after the spell's duration expires, dropping anything that may be
snowba ll), and then leaps from the ground to strike its target, up in them. Note that most suits of armor will not accommodate
to fifty feet ( 15.2 m) away. Typically most effective against these extra arms.
structures or massed enem ies because most single enemies can
see it coming. Does devastating damage, however. The ball
Ball of Grass
seemingly d isintegrates and turns back into fluffy grass after hit- Also available as an Elemental spell {Earth).
ting its target. Level: Eight.
Range: Up to 300 feet (9 1.4 m).
Shoot Hay Duration: One melee per leve l of the spell caster.
Also available as an Elemental spell (Earth and Air). Damage: 306 initially,+ ID6+ 1 per melee round it has been
rolling.
Level: Six.
Range: 20 feet (6. 1 m) plus 15 feet (4.6 m) per level ofthe spell Saving Throw: Dodge (14 or higher).
P.P.E.: Tbirty-Five
caster.
Dura tion: Instant Tbis spell, closely related to the Hay-Maker spell, amasses a
Damage: 204 per level of the spell caster. dense ball of grass and other plant matter which rolls for a 50
Saving Throw: Dodge or parry (same as arrows, spell caster foot (15.2 m) d istance (to gain size like a snowball), and then
rolls to strike). can roll over any targets in its range. It can magically roll in any
P.P. E.: Twenty direction with a speed of 12. It inflicts 3D6 damage after the ini-
tial roll, and gains size (about 2 feet/0.6 m in diameter) and
Upon the casting of this spell, 2 D4 shoots of hay per level of
weight (an additional ID6+ 1 damage) every melee round there-
the spell caster are flung with incredible speed (around 300
after. Tbis spell can be devastating to any slow moving enemies,
mph/480 krn) at the target. This is similar to what happens in-
large amassed forces (like cavalry) and structures. The ball itself
side a tornado, where hay shafts can go through trees! This
has 200 S.D.C. and is + I to strike when directed at a target. It
spell, of course, was developed specifically for the grasslands
environment, but has been modified to create the hay on the spot falls apart after its duration as the grass migrates back to its
orig inal position. It can also be set aflame! This inflicts an addi-
31
tional 506 damage, but the ball is burnt to a cinder two melee imagination, will tear up the ground, and will attack any sentient
rounds after being set on fire. When used en masse by multiple being that comes within ten feet (3 m). Clearly, this can be a
Wizards or Warlocks, this spell is particularly deadly. nasty curse to be used out in the wild, in a stable, or anywhere.
Wild horses are great for making a ruckus in cities and towns, as
Northern Hoarfrost well as in combat.
Also available as an Elemental spell (Water and Air).
Level: Eight.
Range: 100 foot (30.5 m) radius per level of experience.
Duration: Until it melts.
Damage: Initially 306 directly to Hit Points (air freezes in
lungs). Further damage of 204 S.D.C. per melee until it is
brushed off/melted. Characters in full clothing take only I 04,
but full metal armor causes its wearer to take 206 S.D.C.
This attack is particularly stunning to people and animals, re-
quiring a save against Horror Factor of 15, and if failed, the
player or animal is shocked out of action for 1 melee round.
Saving Throw: 01-20% chance of the freeze not taking place
outside of Ophid's Grasslands or the Northern Wilderness,
including Byzantium (no effect, try again). Otherwise, vic-
tims are -3 to save. A successful save prevents initial (Hit
Point) damage onJy, however.
P.P.E.: Fifty
This spell is particularly debilitating to both people and
crops. U freezes all of the atmospheric water within range,
which instantly drops out of the air to the ground. This, of
course, includes any air that may be in the character's lungs un-
less he or she saves. Otherwise, a thick crust of frost will fall
onto everything within the range. This is especially damaging to
crops, livestock and horses, as it is not easily wiped off while in
combat or travel (takes 104 melees to wipe off all the frost) .
The spell was developed to battle cavalry and large armies, and
to destroy enemy agricultural lands. Nasty.
Permafrost
Also available as an Elemental spell (Earth and Water).
Summon & Control Diatryma
Level: Eight. Level: Ten.
Range: 100 foot (30.5 m) radius per level of experience. Range: Varies.
Duration: Until it melts (3-12 days depending on temperature). Duration: Five hours per level of experience.
Saving Throw: 01-20% chance of the freeze not taking place Saving T hrow: Standard Animal, but only if said animal is part
(no effect, try again). of the player character's group.
P.P. E.: Fifty P.P.E.: Seventy
Another spell that is devastating to any agricultural area. This This spell requires the drawing of a pentacle and 108 min-
spell essentially freezes the ground just below the surface, kill- utes. Once cast, it calls 104 Diatryma, plus one per level of ex-
ing crops and creating a very cold surface. In warmer climates, perience, to the spell caster's side. Diatryma are large, flightless
it will create a low hanging steam/fog over the area of the spell carnivorous birds common to Ophid's Grasslands and the Land
as well, making it perfect for ambush. of the Damned. The caster can control these Diatryma for the
duration of the spell, and does not need to stay in the pentacle.
Horse Curse Similar to the Summon and Control Canines spell. Useless out-
Level: Nine.
side Ophid's Grasslands and the Land of the Damned (no
Range: Touch or twenty feet (6.1 m).
Diatryma to summon).
Duration: 24 hours per level of experience.
Saving Throw: Standard.
P.P.E.: Fifty Front
This spell can be cast either on a person or on a horse. When Also available as an Elemental spell (Air).
cast on a person, it causes all horses to see him or her as a threat. Level: Thirteen (Eight for Air Warlocks).
No horse, not even one familiar with the inflicted person, will Range: 3 miles (4.8 km).
allow itself to be ridden by the target. The horse(s) wiJI back Dur ation: Instant, covers the entire area in 10 seconds.
away, and throw the rider if mounted. Saving T h row: A natural twenty saves from being tossed, oth-
When cast on a horse, that horse (which saves at -4), will not erwise, grab something stable.
allow anyone to ride it or even lead it. It will be wild beyond all P.P.E.: Two Hundred
32
This powerful spell is reminiscent of Wind Rush, only sev- But how much more dangerous would such a warrior be
eral times more powerful. It creates a powerful front of air simi- mounted on the back of a flying beast?
lar to a tidal wave that is 500 feet (152 m) tall and 1000 feet
(305 m) wide that moves at a speed of 300 miles per hour (480 Horsemanship: Aerial (New Skill)
km)! It will knock down people, animals and buildings. It is ex- This skill represents training and talent in fighting from the
tremely damaging against primitive buildings, towns and large, back of a winged creature, such as Dragons, Great Gryphons
amassed forces (such as cavalry). It is capable of throwing entire (see below) and Pegasus. This presumes that the mount has been
armies into disarray and wiping small hamlets off the map. trained to accept the warrior's commands in the case of crea-
People who do not grab a stable object (such as trees, posts tures of animal intelligence, or is at least wiJling to work with
and extremely large wild animals) will be thrown 3Dl0xl0 feet him in the case of something like a Dragon.
(9-91 m) away and will take the following damage: 30-60 feet It is also presumed that the mount has a saddle that has been
(9.1- 18.3 m), 306; 61-100 feet (18.6-30.5 m), 5D6; 101-200 adjusted for the rider. Riding without a saddle negates all of the
feet (30.5-61 m), 106xl 0; 201-300 feet (61.3-91.4 m), listed bonuses. The warrior also has the choice of strapping him-
2D4x10+30. Rolling with the damage is possible, but the victim self to the mount's saddle, reducing movement but increasing
must get a twelve or higher, will end up three times farther away security. Doing so halves any dodge bonuses the rider has when
from his or her start position, and loses any possessions not in avoiding attacks aimed solely at him.
hand (scattered over a 400 foot/122 m area; it takes 4D I0 me- There are two sets of bonuses provided by this skill: those for
lees to recover all of them). Primitive buildings are destroyed by when fighting on the ground, and when "on the wing." Note that
the wind, wood structures take 4D4xl0 damage and have a these bonuses apply to the rider, and not the mount.
01-60% chance of collapsing. Poorly-made stone structures take Base Skill: 35% + 5% per level.
2D4x10 damage and have a 0 1-500/o chance of collapsing.
Requires Horsemanship: Exotic (Winged) and Horseman-
Well-made stone structures such as castles and forts take
ship: Knight or Palladin. Those with Horsmanship: General may
104xl0 damage from debris and have a 0 1-05% chance of col-
be allowed to take this skill for the cost of two skills from their
lapsing.
O.C.C. Related skill selection.
On the Ground
By Lance and These bonuses apply when the rider is fighting
"ground-based" creatures while the mount is not airborne. The
bonuses come from the fact that the rider bas a height advan-
Speed of Wing tage, and that the mount may make leaps and short glides when
required, giving the pair a huge advantage of mobility. If the
fight is in a confmed space, use Horsemanship: Exotic bonuses
instead
Optional Rules for Flying Mounts
Taking off from combat or confmed spaces requires a skill
For the Palladium Fantasy RPG® roll. Failure means the mount could not clear ground, and must
By Richard Thomassen retry next round.
Rochare hunched down in the saddle, trying to gain some Rider's Bonuses when Landed
warmth .from his mount's feathered back. He'd been searching +2 Parry and Dodge.
for two days for the Ogres that had raided the valley. Two days +I Initiative.
of.freezing cold and thin air. But the camp on the mountain pass + 106 Damage.
below meant only one thing: vengeance was about to be served +2D6 Damage on charge.
Wheeling the great Gryphon away from the pass, Rochare At 1st Level, the rider bas the option of attacking with a
stretched, loosening the lifesaving straps that normally bound weapon, or using the mount's natural attacks.
him tightly into the saddle. Routinely, he checked to make sure
At 3rd Level, the rider may have the mount make a bite attack
that his shield was tightly strapped to his arm, and his sabre
in addition to his normal attacks, or use the mount's natural at-
loose in its sheath. Finally ready, the knight guided the mon-
tacks.
strous mount into a shallow dive that saw it skimming across the
At 5th Level, the rider may have the mount make a bite attack
mountainside, mere yards above a hard. sudden death
and two front claw/stomp attacks in addition to his normal at-
A lone guard looked up a moment before the Gryphon's out-
tacks, or use the mount's natural attacks.
stretched claws raked him all but in two. A breath later,
At 8th Level, the rider may have the mount make a bite at-
Rochare and mount were in the midst ofthe camp...
tack, two front claw/stomp attacks and two rear claw/stomps to
Aerial Mounts rear opponents, in addition to his normal attacks, or use the
mount's natural attacks.
Knights and Palladins have always been favorite characters
- the image of the lone, mounted warrior charging towards a In the Air
dangerous foe is vividly portrayed over and over Gust take a Zarn the Cruicifier's guard lay dead around him. His
look a the covers of the 15 edition books). It is fitting that these Palladin opponent had even managed to dispaJch the Gargoyle
warriors are incredibly dangerous on horseback. he had bound to his will. Zarn cursed under his breath, and
33
Rider's Bonuses when Flying
+3 Parry
+4 Dodge
+4 Initiative
+ 1D6 Damage per 25 mpb/40 km speed, rounding up. This
damage bonus also applies to the mount's attacks.
Bonuses apply when fighting other flying opponents.
If the rider wishes to. swoop down and attack ground-based
targets, make a skill roll.
If the skill roll was successful, the rider may make one attack
on a number of opponents equal to his number of hand to hand
attacks. Opponents may strike back only once, and only if they
won initiative.
If the skill roll was failed by up to 30%, the attack was too
shallow, but the rider is under danger of missiles and long weap-
ons.
If the skill roll was failed by more than 30%, roll again to
avoid a crash (same as 50%+ failure).
If the roll was failed by 50% or more, the mount has crashed.
Crashing causes 2D6 damage to mount and rider per 25 mpb/40
km of speed. If the mount and rider survive, the rider must make
a further skill roll to stay mounted, unless he is strapped into the
saddle.
For example: Sir Vilheim, a Knight with three attacks,
wishes to attack a group of peasants who have strayed too close
to his keep. He makes his skill roll, and passes. His mount's
speed is 100 mph/ 160 km, so he can attack three separate peas-
ants, doing an additional 4D6 damage per strike due to his
speed. Had he crashed, Sir Vilheim and mount would have
taken 806 damage each.
If the mount is diving to gain speed and damage, the rider

must make a skill roll to pull out of the dive once all attacks
have been made. This is very dangerous if done against ground
based opponents. The skill roll is at a penalty of -10% for giant
opponents (over 10 feet/3 m tall), or -20% if the target is 10 feet
(3 m) tall or under.
Lance Charge Bonuses

+ 106 Damage per 15 mpb/24 km of approach speed, round-
ing up.
A mounted knight with a lance is incredibly dangerous due to
the massive speed and power of the mount being delivered at a
single, small, sharp point. Damage is calculated from resultant
combined speeds of combatants.
For example: two opponents face to face at 100 mph/160 km
have an effective speed of 200 mph/320 km, which gives the
lance wielder a bonus 14D6 damage! If a mounted knight was
diving at 150 mph/240 km at a target fleeing away from him at
mentally called his Air Elemental to him, to lift him up into the only 50 mph/80 krn the resultant speed is 100 mpb/ 160 km,
air and away from the carnage. which will give a bonus of 706 to damage.
Zarn 's curses became a continualto"ent ofabuse as he saw At such high speeds, it is very likely that the warrior will lose
the wounded Palla din haul himselfonto his Gryphon mount and his lance because it is imbedded too far into the victim and
launch into the air after him. The Summoner's hand curled wrenched from his hand. After making a successful lance attack,
around the handle ofhis black sword .. the warrior must make a skill roll at a penalty equal to the
amount of damage, minus his level. Failure means the lance is
lost or shattered, at the Games Master's discretion. For example,
34
a 5th level knight delivering 32 points of damage must make a
skill check at (32 minus five) minus 27 or lose his lance.
Saddle, harnesses & kit.
Attempting to fight from a flying mount' s back without a
If a target is struck but the lance fails to penetrate its armor
saddle would be suicide. It would be impossible for a rider to
rating, the lance must make a 020 save against the target's ar-
stay mounted, and at most any height, this would see the rider
mor rating number or break. A lance bouncing off an A.R. of 14
plummeting to his death. A saddle is a must.
must roll a 14 or higher to remain intact. A broken lance can
still be used as a club, or dropped. A roll of one on the save will As the mounted warrior must attempt to burden his mount as
completely shatter the lance, making it useless (except for kind- little as possible, the saddles of these warriors are typically
ling).
made from the best material and by the best craftsmen - they
do not rely on bulk and mass to hold together. A saddle will of-
Dodging ten cost five hundred gold pieces, more if the mount is particu-
larly unusual.
A fumbled dodge will unsaddle the rider unless he makes a
successful skill roll. Riders may tie themselves into the saddle, To randomly determine the cost of a saddle, harnesses and
but the rider's dodge bonuses are halved. Note that dodge bo- other trappings, roll 104+3. This is the number in hundreds of
nuses apply to the rider only, not the mount, unless otherwise gold pieces the saddle will cost.
noted. Finding an Aviary
Landing a flying carnivore with a wing-span of over forty
Aiming High feet, with talons as long as a man is tall, in the streets of Caer
Rochare didn't stop to watch Zarn 's body plummet to the Itom is likely to cause more than a little panic. Apart from the
ground, although it would have given him much satisfaction. His reactions from the populace and city guard, the natural instinct
reign ofterror and blood was at an end He forced himselftofo- of almost every animal nearby will be a frenzied attempt to es-
cus on the dark spirit ahead of him: It bore a message, spoken cape. So a rider must be very careful where he lands.
with Zarn 's dying breath, that would send his army crashing
Preferably, an aviary for such mounts must be found. Failing
down upon the valley if it reached the commander.
that, the rider must either fmd an accommodating stable, or pos-
But he was losing it. sibly an abandoned building. The rider must be sure to choose a
The Gryphon hadfought valiantly, but had lost a lot ofblood building which is capable of sustaining any uncontrolled move-
Rochare was sure it had suffered several broken ribs at the ment of the mount, and is a suitable environment for it. For in-
hands of Zarn 's guard It could not keep up the chase of the stance, while a Pegasus may fmd a regular stable much to its
messenger. Rochare sheathed his sabre, and reached for his liking, a Peryton is likely to rip the place (and its occupants)
curved bow... apart. The undead Vema can be stored almost anywhere, but its
great size and strength would suggest a requirement for a large
Mounted Archery (New Skill) stone building.
Normally, a mounted warrior trying to shoot a bow has aJI of Only trained mounts will seek shelter within a building. The
his bonuses negated and rate of fire halved. With this special- natural habitat of wild or untrained mounts is outside. A rider
ized skill, a rider keeps his usual Rate of Fire, and is at -4 to abandoning his mount to fmd its own roost risks the mount raid-
strike when on a "normal mount" (such as a horse). When on an ing local fields for fodder, livestock or even peasants - not
"exotic" mount, the archer is at -6 to strike. An archer's something most riders would wish to face the consequences of.
mounted archery penalties decrease by one at every 3rd level of ln the table below, I have estimated some costs of housing
experience (i.e., 3, 6, 9, 12, 15). Thus, by 12th level, a mounted various mounts overnight.
archer will have no penalty to strike while on a normal mount,
and only a -2 to strike while on an exotic mount. Note that at Feeding
level 15, the archer's penalty to strike while on a normal mount If a mount is housed, it will then probably need feeding. Due
remains at zero; it does not tum into a bonus. to the size of these creatures, this could be expensive (see be-
This skill costs two O.C.C. related skills. low). Taking care to feed the mount before it is taken to an avi-
ary is going to be a cheaper option, but will require time.
Purse The effects starvation will have on a mount are up to the
Game Master, but it is at least going to be harder to control
The Gryphon reared up to its full height and stretched, rak-
(- 10% on ride rolls), slower by one third of its speed, and its
ing its claws on the wooden wall. It had been kept on the wing
wounds will not heal.
for too long, and it screeched its pleasure at being able to rest.
A commotion nearby caught its attention, and it turned to see Grooming
horses tied to nearby posts scream and stamp, panicked by such Not only will a mount require feed, but it will also require
close proximity to the killer. feeding, and grooming. Knowing how to feed a starving Peryton
The Gryphon raked the earth and snapped its beak. It had is a skill known to few, and even fewer are willing to do it. Care
been kept on the wing for far too long... of flying mounts is something that can be undertaken by the
Flying mounts are not common. When one has been ac- rider, but is likely to take an hour of his or her time at least.
quired, the owner will have to invest time and effort to keep the Failing to see a mount groomed will risk the mount being un-
mount tame and ready to fly. fit to fly, ill, possibly even injured and a risk to the rider. For in-
35
stance, failing to clean blood and grime from a Gryphon's claws
and feathers could cause infection. Apart from endangering the
Flight: Master
The best flyers, masters of the air, have a high level of skill
Gryphon, the beast is likely to snap at anyone touching the in-
and maneuverability. E.g., Wing Tips, Gryphons and Drakin.
fected area, rider included.
Note that they are so skilled at flying that it is not an effort for
An ungroomed mount will suffer a penalty of -5% to control them to move out of the way of attacks and danger - it is sec-
per day that it is neglected, up to -30%. ond nature to them. This is represented by an auto-dodge. Alter-
Average costs per day, by mount: natively, the flyer may make an effort to evade, gaining greater
Horse: Stable: 5, Grooming: 2, Feed: 5 (oats), Total: 12 bonuses.
gold. 0 to 60 mph (96 km): + 1 auto dodge, +3 dodge, + 1 initiative.
Dragondactyl: Aviary: 20, Grooming: 10 , Feed: 10 (cheap 61 to 120 mph (192 km): +2 auto dodge, +4 dodge, +2 initia-
meat/oats), Total: 40 gold. tive.
Gryphon: Aviary: 10, Grooming: 10, Feed: 10 (leg of meat), Over 120 mph (192 km): +3 auto dodge, +6 dodge, +3 initia-
Total: 30 gold. tive.
Great Gryphon: Aviary: 20, Grooming: 20, Feed: 50 (side
of meat), Total: 90 gold.
Pegasus: Aviary: 10, Grooming: 5, Feed: 10 (high quality
oats), Total: 25 gold.
New Mount:
Peryton: Aviary: 10, Grooming: 15, Feed: 50 (side of meat),
Total: 75 gold.
The Great Gryphon
The Gryphon found all over the Palladium World is a fero-
Yema: Aviary: 10, Grooming: None, Feed: None, Total: 10
cious hunter much in demand throughout royal courts. Those
gold.
that can trap, rear and train them successfully can almost de-
mand any price for the magnificent creatures. But only being 4
And in the red corner... feet (1.2 m) tall at the shoulder, the "common" Gryphon is too
weak to fu lfil the dream of all but the smallest generals, warriors
Pegasus-mounted knights in their gleaming armor are not the and adventurers- to fly.
only things that can fly. The skies are full of creatures which are It is to this end that the Gryphon aviaries set about selectively
ready to face any aerial foes. breeding their pets, choosing size and strength over grace and
Monsters & Animals™ provides many potential flying dan- speed, until they arrived at the Great Gryphon, sometime called
gers, natural, monstrous and supernatural. the "War Gryphon."
Below, you will find three "forms" of flying: Basic, Expert Great Gryphons have nearly the same statistics as normal
and Master. These contain suggested bonuses that flying oppo- Gryphons found in Monsters and Animals, with the following
nents will have in addition to their normal combat bonuses. modifiers:
Amongst a race or culture where flying is common and natu- Weight : 350-450 lb (175-200 kg).
ral (such as the Gromek), the Game Master may even let charac- Size: Six feet (two meters) tall at the shoulder. 40 foot (12.2 m)
ters take these forms as skills, showing bow practiced and wing span.
skilled they are at aerial combat. Flight: Basic should cost one Attributes: Add ID6 to P.S. and P.E.
skill, Expert costs two skills, and Master costs three. S.D.C.: Double normal.
Dam age: Add I D6 to all attacks.
Flight: Basic Notes: Despite its size, a Great Gryphon can barely carry an
Basic flight is representative of things that are not expert fly- armored warrior (up to 350 lb/ 175 kg). Carrying up to half this
ers (e.g., Owl Things, Sphinx) are of limited I.Q. (Minor Air weight again will halve the speed of the Great Gryphon, and ex-
Elementals) or are powered by relatively weak magic (such as a ceeding this limit will restrict the Gryphon to the ground, some-
Fly spell). thing that will make it angry and irritable (-10% on ride checks).
0 to 60 mph (96 km): No bonus. Normal Gryphons can only carry one third of these weights.
61 to 120 mph (192 km): + 1 dodge. Value: An untrained Great Gryphon will fetch up to 30,000
gold. A trained Great Gryphon will fetch a minimum of
Over 120 mph (192 km): +2 dodge, +1 initiative.
100,000 gold, but often double or triple that amount.
Flight: Expert Zarn lay on the ground, his body shattered His one good eye
This level of flight indicates natural flyers that have great watched the cursed Pailadin give chase to his servants, destroy-
control and high skill in aerial fighting. E.g., Gromeks, Pegasus ing Zorn's carefully laid plans of the last four years. He had
and Walk the Wind spells. This also covers larger, slower, more only one thing to look forward to now- revenge. Zarnfocused
powerful creatures, such as Dragons. his mind, and pushed, severing his link to the crumpled body ly-
0 to 60 mph (96 km): +2 dodge. ing wrecked on the ground. His spirit soaredfree, then finally to
the West, lookingfor another carcass suitable for his needs ...
61 to 120 mph ( 192 km): +3 dodge, + 1 initiative.
Over 120 mph (192 km): +4 dodge, +2 initiative.
36
Go Mental!
New "Mental" Skills and Optional Rules for the Add +2 to P.B.
Entire Palladium Megaverse® Cosmetology: This skill represents methods for applying
cosmetics and other beauty care products, hair cutting and styl-
By John Charles Philpott
ing techniques, and other methods of enhancing physical looks.
As a veteran role-player of many gaming systems, one of the It is unique in that it gives no immediate and permanent bonuses
things that always impressed me about the Palladium Books sys- to the person who takes it. On the contrary, it allows a character
tem was its Physical skills. These allow not only for the acquisi- with the skill to temporarily enhance their P.B. (or that of an-
tion of abilities and bonuses that can prove helpful in physical other person of their choosing) on a successful skill roll. (This
combat, but allow for greater role-playing opportunities as well. skill may also be used in "reverse" to temporarily decrease P.B.
However, while these skills certainly are a major boost to physi- by the same marmer as dictated below.) On a successful roll be-
cally based combat oriented characters, I have often felt that low the character's percentile skill, the character receiving the
mind, magic, and skill based characters (that must rely on their "makeover" and/or "hairstyling" has his or her P.B. temporarily
brains rather than their muscles) are in some ways left out in the increased by one point (+ I P.B.). This effect lasts 206 hours,
cold. For this reason I have created new "Mental" skills de- with an additional I D6 hours added when the character reaches
signed to fill this apparent void. In addition I have added some 5th, I Oth, and 15th level. A successful roll of 01-1 00/o gives an
optional bonuses to existing skills which I feel they should pro- additional bonus of + I to the character's P.B. for a total bonus
vide. As a final added bonus, I've added some new Physical of+2. "Additional" applications ofthis skill to add to this bonus
skills that I feel may have been overlooked in the past. I cer- are not allowed. A missed roll means no bonus; however, a nat-
tainly hope you fmd these new optional skills and rules as help- ural roll of 00% means a truly botched job, reducing the charac-
ful as I have, and hope you have as much fun using them as I ter's P.B. by I (- 1 P.B.) until washed oft/combed out or
had creating them. "repaired" with a successful Cosmetology Roll. Note that a
character does not need "makeup" or cosmetics in order to bene-
fit from this bonus, benefitting instead from hairstyling or skin
Mental Skills care/tanning. This bonus is therefore available to anyone regard-
less of culture or gender. Typical time needed to perform the
for the Megaverse® skill is 206 minutes. This skill may also be taken as a Domestic
skill. Base Skill: 45% +5% per level of experience.
Recent studies have shown what many have suspected all Add +5% to the Disguise Skill, if known.
along: that the human brain, like a muscle, needs continual use
Etiquette: The knowledge of proper social manners and pro-
and exercise to "stay in shape." In addition to this, is has been
fessional bearing, this skill gives one a demeanor of grace and
shown that intelligence and creativity may actually increase
eloquence. In addition to the full understanding of the rules of
with proper stimulation! The following "Mental" skills represent
etiquette for the character's own culture, this skill gives them an
some methods of memorization, reasoning, mental relaxation,
overall aura of poise that is universal. The character is also
and other forms of mental conditioning that stimulate the brain
acutely aware of the demeanor of people in general, allowing for
and lead directly to greater mental discipline and awareness.
the quick realization and adoption of the local customs of other
The end results of these skills are bonuses to the mental attrib-
cultures. The character also gains invaluable patience with peo-
utes of the characters that take them. Note that many of these
ple.
new skills are "image enhancement" skills that increase the
character's P.B. attribute. While this is officially a Physical at- Add + 1 to M.E.
tribute, it seemed appropriate to include them here. Players may Add +I to M.A.
select Mental skills in the place of Communications/Performing Add +5% to the Impersonation skill, if known.
Arts skills or Scholarlyffechnical skills whenever such skills are Fashion: Clothing styles are various and unique, due to the
available to them. fact that not everyone looks good in the same styles. (To illus-
Beautification: This skill encompasses practices of skin trate my point, think about your local state Senator attempting to
care, tanning, anti-aging treatments, and others designed to wear an outfit that Jack Nicholson or Jennifer Lopez might wear
heighten looks and lessen the effects of aging. Some techniques to a Hollywood awards ceremony!) The old expression "lhe suit
are modem while some have been in use for centuries. These makes the man" might better be expressed as "the right suit
practices are quite popular with public figures that rely heavily makes the man." The Armani suit that makes one man look so-
on how they look, such as actors/actresses, newscasters, politi- phisticated and cultured might make another look uptight and
cians, etc. Note that this is typically a prolonged day-to-day pro- pompous. To this end, the character is knowledgeable not only
cess, often taking several minutes daily. with current fashions but with what to wear and how best to
37
wear it. Note that this skill extends beyond cultural lines or the ing and deciphering them. As a result, the character's logical
limits of the "high fashion" of Hollywood or Paris. An African and problem-solving capabilities are increased.
Prince or Arabian Sheik could use this skill to choose a fitting Add + I to I.Q.
outfit in his native garb, or a character (on a successful roll} can Add +5% to the Cryptography skill, if known.
make even common day-to-day clothing look exceptionally nice
on him. On a successful roll below the character's percentile
skill the character (or the person he/she is selecting an outfit for)
has his P.B. temporarily increased by one point (+ I P.B .) for the
duration he is wearing those clothes (assuming nothing happens
to damage, wrinkle, or soil the clothes). A successful roll or
01-10% gives an additional bonus of+l to the character's P.B.,
for a total bonus of +2. Like the Cosmetology skill above, "ad-
ditional" uses of this skill to further increase this bonus are not
allowed. Also like Cosmetology, a missed roll means no bonus;
however, a natural roll of 000/o means a truly botched job reduc-
ing the character's P.B. by 1 (-1 P.B.) until the offending outfit
is removed or "repaired" with a successful Fash ion Roll. Typi-
cal time needed to perform the skill is 206 minutes of selection
and dressing time. Base Skill: 35% +5% per level of experi-
ence.
Add +5% to the Disguise skill, if known.
Image Enhancement: This skill represents an active
multi-aspect attempt to improve one's overall presence and
" look" either through self-study or through the hiring of profes-
sional Image Consultants. This skill encompasses both appear-
ance (beauty and fashion) and bearing (etiquette and
socialization skills) in a " quick and dirty" overall method not on
par with specialized skills in the individual areas.
Add+ 1 to P.B.
Add + l to M.A.
Memorization/Study Skills: Represents techniques in mem-
orization and effective studying practices that help to maximize
the character's learning potential. In addition to the listed bonus,
the character has learned bow to effectively research and man-
age his time, thereby reducing research time by 25% (this in-
cludes spell memorization time and the research time necessary
Socialization: This character has spent a lot of time mingling
for learning new magic spells!). Note: Literacy is extremely
and socializing with people of various backgrounds and cul-
helpful but not required for this skill.
tures, learning bow to act around them and what to say (not to
Add+ I to l.Q. mention when to say it!}. As a result the character's confidence
Philosophy: This skill represents a working knowledge and and social skills around people are increased.
interest in the philosophies and metaphysics of many cultures, Add +2 to M.A.
as well as the ability to argue and/or find logical flaws in argu-
Add +5% to the Impersonation skill, if known.
ments. The end result is an enhanced sense of logic and insight
into the world. Note: Literacy is extremely helpful but not re- Speed Reading: This skill gives the character the ability to
quired for this skill. read at an exceptionally high pace that can reach up to several
pages per minute! While this does allow for a lot of information
Add + I to I.Q.
to be gathered in a short amount of time, it also makes it harder
Add + I to M.E.
for the character to logically analyze the material he is reading.
Reading/Literary Studies: Often described as doing "push- This can lead to the character not fully understanding the litera-
ups for the mind," reading is one of the oldest and most widely ture in question. The maximum number of pages that can be
accepted forms of increasing one's intelligence. This skill repre- read per minute is equal to the character's I.Q. attribute. If the
sents a large amount of time devoted to reading, both for studies character slows down to a reduced speed, the character receives
and for personal enjoyment. It also represents the ability to un- a +5% to the base skill for every four (4) pages-per-minute he
derstand and decipher what the author's "meaning" or "pur- slows the pace. To successfully understand the literature being
pose" was in writing any given work, fiction or nonfiction read, roll against the percentile skill level (after the reading has
poetry or prose. Requires: Literacy. been completed and the time accounted for). If the roll is 25% or
Add +2 to l.Q. more below the skill percentage (or a natural 01%) then the lit-
Riddles & Logic P uzzles: A fan of riddles, brain teasers, and erature is fu lly understood as if read at a normal pace. If the roll
other logic puzzles, this character has spent a lot of time study- is below the required skill roll necessary but not by 25%, the in-
38
formation is only partly understood (though the character may
''think" he understands it, roll an I.Q. check to realize this), and New Physical Skills
requires a successful "second reading" at any successful number As promised, here are a few new physical skills that I feel
for full understanding. Any failed roll means no quick under- can provide an added dimension to player characters'
standing of the literature is possible and it must be read at nor- self-improvement, as well as opportunities for role~playing.
mal reading pace. Note: Magical literature (either for
Ambidexterity: Special Skill Cost: Costs 2 Physical skill
memorization, spell research, etc.) requires a full understanding
slots for fu ll ambidexterity or 1 Physical skill slot for partial
of the material and it is therefore a risky proposition to attempt
ambidexterity.
speed-reading of it. Attempting to cast a partially understoo~
spell will result in an unstable reaction similar to that expen- This skill represents the ability to use both the left and right
hand equally (or at least semi-equally). Normally, a character
enced by an unsuccessful magical scroll conversion (see page
suffers penalties for attempting skills or combat actions with his
105 of the Palladium Fantasy Role-Playing Game® for de-
"off" hand (the left hand would be the "off'' hand for a
tails on unsuccessful scroll conversions). Base Skill: 25% +4%
right-handed person, and vice versa). This skill represents the
per level of experience. Req u ir es: Literacy.
character being "ambidextrous," or able to use both the left and
Strategy Games: This character is a fan and a regular player
right hand equally, either because of training/practice or nature
of intellectual strategy games such as Chess, Backgammon, Go,
(being born that way). Taking this skill once equates to "par-
etc., and may be an avid role-player as well. As a result, the
tial" ambidexterity; this reduces by half all penalties (to skills,
character's logical and problem-solving capabilities are in-
combat, etc.) the character would normally receive for using his
creased, as are his patience, creativity, and resolve.
"off'' hand. Taking this skill twice represents full ambidexterity,
Add + 1 to I.Q. meaning the character has no "off" hand and suffers no penal-
Add +I to M.E. ties regardless of the hand used.
Add + 1 to P.P. for Full Ambidexterity (i.e. taking this skill
twice).
New Bonuses for Ballet: Author's Note: This skill is indigenous to Earth, and
as such should onJy be available to characters that originate
Existing Skills there. Characters from other worlds or dimensions (such as Pal-
ladium or Phase World) may only take this skill with the G.M.'s
In addition to the above new Mental skills, fee l free to add permission (perhaps as a "local equivalent"). This skill may
the following bonuses to these existing skiiJs. also, at the G.M. 's discretion, be taken as a Communica-
tions/Performing Arts skill.
Art: + 1 M.E. from increased patience and personal "under-
standing." Applies only on selection of the ftrst Art skill, and As an ancient European form of dance, ballet has been prac-
not on latter ones (i.e. a character w ith the skills Art: Painting, ticed for centuries in varying forms. Noted for its grace and ath-
Art: Drawing, and Art: Sculpture, will still only receive a + 1 to- leticism, ballet features a combination of high jumps, splits,
tal bonus to M.E.). high kicks, and other difficult physical maneuvers performed in
such a way as to make the dancer appear graceful and weight-
Acting: + 1 M.A. from increased poise, confidence around
less. This requires the dancer to be in top physical condition.
people, and the ability to "act" confident and sophisticated
Training is difficult and time consuming but the benefits are im-
Dancin g: A temporary bonus of+ I M.A. is received during measurable. Not only does the performer become physically
and immediately following successful Dancing (i.e. a successful strong and flexible, but they also gain increased balance and
skill roll). This temporary bonus is increased to a +2 M.A. on a jumping distance. In addition, characters with this skill can bal-
natural roll of 0 1-1 0% but becomes a -1 M.A. penalty on a nat- ance their entire weight of their bodies on the very tips of their
ural roll of 00%. toes for extended periods of time without fatigue. In fact, the
Mathematics, Advanced: + 1 I.Q. from increased logic and benefits of this demanding art form are so great that many mar-
problem solving skills. tial artists and professional athletes have Looked past its sup-
Meditation: +I M.E. from increased relaxation and internal posed "girly" image and learned this art, including NFL Hall of
"understanding." Farner Lynn Swan of the Pittsburgh Steelers. Provides the fol-
P lay Musical I nstrument and Singing: +I M.E. from in- lowing abilities and bonuses:
creased patience and deeper personal " understanding." Applies 60% +5% per level Sense of Balance.
only on selection of the frrst of these skills and not on latter ones 70% +5% per level Back Flip.
(i.e. a character with the skills Play Musical Instrument: Guitar, 35% +5% per level Prowl (or adds a bonus of+ 15% to Prowl
Play Musical Instrument: Saxophone, and Singing will still only skill).
receive a+ I total bonus to M.E.). These skills may also offer a
+I to P.S.
temporary bonus to M.A. exactly as dictated above for the
+I to P.P.
Dancing skill.
Public Speaking: + 1 M.A. from increased confidence + 1 to P.E.
around people and the ability to appear confident and sophisti- + I to P.B. (tone, grace, and poise)
cated. + ID4 to S.D.C.
+ l to Dodge.
39
+ I to Strike with all kick attacks (including aU jump kicks Often used as a sideshow act, contoruorusts regularly stuff
and those that require spins). themselves into tiny boxes or other confming places. A contor-
Leap four feet {1.2 m) high and five feet (1.5 m) long plus 2 tionist can also perform "miracles" of flexibility, putting their
feet (0.6 m) per level of experience. (Note: characters with a elbows together behind their head or touching their lower backs
Leap attack can use these distances in a strike.) with their toes while their legs are over their shoulders. What
this means in game terms is increased Physical Prowess and un-
paralleled flexibility. ln addition to the physical attribute, skill,
and combat bonuses, the character is able to squeeze into a
space as small as four cubic feet (0. 11 3 cubic meters) or less and
squeeze through gaps as small as one square foot (0.093 square
meters)! Note that these figures apply only if the character is
less than 5 feet 6 inches {1.68 m) tall and weighs 120 lb (54 kg)
or less. Increase these sizes by one inch/2.5 em (square or cubic,
depending) for every 2 inches/5 em of height and 10 lb/4.5 kg of
weight beyond the aforementioned limits.
Add + 1 to P.P.
Add + 1 to Parry and Dodge.
Add + 1 to escape from holds or locks.
Add + 1 to Strike on Grappling attacks.
Add +15% to the Escape Artist skill, ifknown.
Free Diving: Free diving is an advanced diving technique

where the diver learns to hold his breath underwater for excep-
tionally long amounts of time. Experienced free divers have
been known to hold their breath for over five minutes! This is a
difficult and dangerous skill that requires years of practice and
the knowledge of advanced swimming techniques (i.e. the
Swimming: Advanced skill). For game purposes, the character
with the Free Diving skill is considered to be able to hold his
breath for one melee round (15 seconds) per each point of the
character's P.E. On top of that, the character gains an additional
melee round of"breath time" for each additional level of experi-
ence. Therefore, a 9th level character with a P.E. of 16 will be
able to hold his breath for a full six minutes! (Base four minutes
at ftrst level for P .E. 16, plus 15 seconds for every additional
level up to ninth; 15 seconds times eight, or two minutes). Note
that this time applies only under minimal exertion (i.e. swim-
ming at no more than half maximum swimming speed and with-
out performing any exerting tasks). The character's "breath
Body Sculpting: Similar to the Body Building/Weight time" is cut in half if the character is performing any stressful or
Lifting skill, but with an emphasis on the toning and condition- exerting tasks including, but not limited to, carrying a heavy
ing of the body to promote a fit and attractive physique instead load, swimming faster than half speed. fighting, etc. If the char-
ofjust building raw muscle power. This results in some strength acter has some "mechanical" assistance to help pull him along,
(P.S.) gain but is mostly intended to improve physical appear- either from underwater sleds/submersibles or even a passing
ance (P.B.). This skill may be taken in tandem with the original marine animal of sufficient size (such as a porpoise or shark), he
Body Building/Weight Lifting skill, but doing so eliminates any gains one full additional minute of "breathing time." Note that
P.S. bonus received from the Body Sculpting skill. "part time" assists (one half of the total time spent underwater or
Add + I to P.B. more) will provide only 30 seconds of additional time. Anything
Add + I to P.S. {applies only if the character does not also less than half time offers no additional "breath time." Remem-
take the original Body Building/Weight Lifting skill). ber also that the character's "breath time" is the maximum total
amount of air, not the time required before needing to tum back
Add +104 to S.D.C.
to the surface. If the character has not surfaced by this time, he
Contortionism: Special Skill Cost: Costs 2 Physical skills to will take one Hit Point of damage per melee round ( 15 seconds)
select. Optional: May be selected for the cost of 1 Physical skill until he surfaces, and has an ever growing chance of passing
if the character already possesses the Yoga Physical skill de- out. Each melee round beyond the maximum "breath time"
tailed in Ben Lucas' excellent article on non-oriental martial spent underwater will require the character to make a saving
arts, The Rifter #7, page 53. throw of 12 or higher (adding P.E. bonuses). Failure means un-
Contortionism is the ability to squeeze the human body into consciousness, and the character starts to drown, suffering I 06
unnaturally small places or bend in normally impossible ways. damage straight to Hit Points per melee round until brought to
40
the surface. This "saving throw" number increases in difficulty superceded). Each is taken as a separate skill. Again, these
by + 1 every round! Requires: Swimming, Advanced. skills, as with this entire article, are optional.
Add + I to P.E. C ross-Country Running: Not to be confused with the High
Marathon Dancing: Either a professional dancer or a fanati- School/Collegiate sport of the same name, Cross-Country Run-
cal dancing enthusiast, this character dances long enough and ning here represents running through wild, untamed natural ter-
often enough to have gained physical conditioning from doing rain most consider unsuited to walk, much less run. What this
so. Requires: Dancing. means in game tenns is the ability to travel (on foot) through
Add + I to P.P. rough terrain such as forest, jungle, large rocks, etc., at only half
of the nonnal speed penalty for the given terrain. In addition, the
Add +I to P.E.
character is assumed to have learned to avoid obstacles like
Add +5% to the Dancing skill. overhangs and branches, providing a bonus to Pany and Dodge.
Outdoorsmansbip: Being an avid outdoorsman and This skill may also, at the G.M.'s discretion, be taken as a Wil-
survivalist, this character has spent a significant portion of derness skill. Requires: Running/Jogging.
his/her life living off the land or in the wild. As a result, the Add + I to P.E.
character is hardened to the rigors of outdoor life. At the G.M.'s
Add + I to Pany and Dodge.
discretion, this skill may be taken as a Wilderness skill. Re-
quires: Wilderness Survival or any other ''true" Survival skill Running/Jogging: This is the equivalent of the current Run-
such as Desert Survival, Castaway/Shipwreck Survival, etc. ning skill listed in most Palladium games, and should replace
the original skill whenever it is gained from O.C.C. Skills or
Add + 1 to P.E.
Skill Programs. This skill represents regular "moderate dis-
Add 106 to S.D.C. tance" (3-10 miles/5-16 km or so) running practiced mainly as a
Add +5% to the Fasting skill and +3% to any Wilderness cardiovascular exercise.
skills, ifknown. Add + I to P.E.
Physical Labor: Not all strength and conditioning comes Add +I D4 to Speed.
from recreation and training; some comes from old-fashioned
Add + 106 to S.D.C.
hard work. This skill represents the strength and endurance
gained from hard physical labor either due to a physical occupa- Marathon Running: This famous distance race is often
tion (such as construction, ditch digging, etc.) or physically de- thought of as the ultimate in distance running, being a full 26+
manding chores at home (such as chopping wood, bailing hay, miles (42+ km) in distance (longer races do exist). For game
etc.). This skill is particularly applicable to characters from such purposes, the character is considered able to run one mile ( 1.6
backgrounds as vagabond/peasant/farmer, slave, or other such km) for every one point of P.E. without undue fatigue and two
"lowly" occupations. miles (3.2 km) for every one point of P.E. (minimum of 27
miles/43.5 km) before colJapsing. Requires: Running/Jogging.
Add + I to P.S.
Add +2 to P.E.
Add + I to P.E.
Add l D4 to S.D.C.
Add 106 to S.D.C.
Sprinting: A running skill based wholly on increasing maxi-
Poison Tolerance: This skill represents the slow process of
mum speed, typically over short distances. This skill, when
building up a natural resistance to a given poison, toxin, drug, or
combined with Running/Jogging, equates to the "old" Running
similar substance. Through the gradual consumption of increas-
skill. Requires: Running/Jogging.
ingly larger amounts of a poisonous substance, the character
with this skill gains a bonus to Saving Throws versus any one Add +304 to Speed.
specific poison, drug, or toxin, such as Mandrake or Hemlock. Track and Field: The character possessing this skill is as-
Bonuses to Saving Throws are for that substance and that sub- sumed to be experienced in all or several of the traditional
stance alone. This skill may be taken more than once for addi- "track and field" (Pentathlon/Decathlon) events featured in the
tional poisons/toxins/drugs (one substance per skill taken). Olympics. These include, but are not limited to, hurdles, high
Add +3 to all Saving Throws versus one particular toxic sub- jump, long jump, pole vaulting, discus, javelin tossing, etc. ln
stance, with an additional + I bonus to Saving Throws at levels addition to increased physical attributes, the character gains
3, 6, 9, 12 and 15. some useful abilities. Requires: Running/Jogging.
60% +5% per level Back Flip.
Optional Rules on the 50% +5% per level Pole Vault (8 feet/2 .4 m high plus two
feet/0.6 m per level of experience).
Add + I to P.S.
Running Skill Add + I to P.E.
I've never been completely satisfied with the Running Physi- Add + l to Speed.
cal skill as traditionally presented. It always seemed to me to Add +106 to S.D.C.
over-generalize the "sport" of running. An Olympic sprinter ob- Add +2 to RolJ with Punch/FaiVlmpact.
viously differs greatly in ability from a Marathon runner. There-
Add + I to Strike and +25% to distance w ith thrown weapons
fore I have devised the following "new" optional Running skills
and Targeting.
to represent the diversity of the sport. The following new Run-
ning skHls replace the traditional Running skill (with all bonuses Leap 4 feet ( 1.2 m) high and 5 feet (1.5 m) long, plus 2 feet
(0.6 m) per level of experience.
41
fast, or even smart it can get. This is where the optional Dimin-
Optional Rules to Tame ishing Returns rule comes in.
Player characters, like any person, are subject to diminishing
the Physical Skill Junkie returns in their workouts. After a certain point their strength
(P.S.) or other attributes are going to level off. What this means
in game terms is an attribute cap of sorts. For any attribute you
have three basic caps: the Half Returns level, the Quarter Re-
turns level, and the Eighth Returns level. How these caps work
is simple. When the bonuses to any attribute gained from skills,
martial arts, or O.C.C. bonus reaches the Half Returns level, all
subsequent bonuses are cut in half. After this point, it takes
twice as many bonus points to increase the attribute the same
level. In other words, if your total bonuses to P.S. have already
reached the Half Returns level and you then take the Bodybuild-
ing skill, the P.S. bonus you gain from the skill is cut in half (a
+ 1 P.S. bonus instead of the normal +2). The Quarter Returns
level and the Eighth Returns level work similarly, reducing the
bonuses to 1/4 and 1/8 their original level, respectively.
If the bonus is an odd number, keep track of the fractional re-
One of my personal pet peeves is when a player loads up on mainder. For example, if the character has already reached the
Half Returns level and receives a bonus of +I, this bonus be-
Physical Skills for their associated combat and physical attribute
bonuses without stopping to consider whether or not the skills comes a +Yl. If the character takes another skiH that gives them
another + 1, this too becomes a +Yl and adds to the previous+%
fit the character. You know the type, the muncbkin who fills ev-
bonus to become a full +I (assuming neither of these skills put
ery available O.C.C. Related and Secondary Skill slot their
the character in the Quarter Returns level). At the Quarter Re-
character has with physical skills until the character can bench
turns and Eighth Returns level these bonuses behave likewise,
press a school bus and run circles around Carl Lewis. This is the
but at a +1/4 and + 1/8 bonus respectively.
guy who, despite the fact that he wouldn't be caught dead in a
pair of tights, has the Gymnastics and Acrobatics skills only be-
cause of the attribute and combat bonuses they give. (They typi-
The Level Caps
cally don' t even make use of the associated sub-skills like Walk The following are the suggested Level Caps for the given at-
Tightrope or Back Flip!) I call these people Physical Skill tributes. The character can gain attribute bonuses up to and in-
Junkies. cluding equaling the numerical value of the Cap before
Don't get me wrong, I love Physical Skills! If I didn' t, I diminishing returns set in. This means that if the character has a
wouldn't have included the above new ones. Many of my physi- Half Returns level Cap of 5 then he or she can increase the at-
cally oriented characters (particularly Martial Artists) make tribute by 5 points (i.e. from a 12 up to a 17) before Half Re-
heavy use of them since it fits the characters to do so. This turns set in and bonuses are reduced by half.
brings up another difficulty in that I don't always want a charac- Physical and Mental attributes, including I.Q., M.E., M.A.,
ter that can bench press a bus! (Thief characters, for example, P.S., P.P., P.E., and P.B., have a Half Returns level Cap of 5, a
really need the Acrobatics, Gymnastics, and Climbing skills but Quarter Returns level Cap of 10 and an Eighth Returns level
don' t necessarily need a P.S. of 25.) With the creation of the Cap ofl5.
above new Mental skills, I foresee similar problems developing The Speed attribute is unique among the attributes in that it
with the Mental attributes. For these reasons, and for the sake of has have a Half Returns level Cap of I0, a Quarter Returns level
realism, which I will explain latter, I have created the following Cap of20 and an Eighth Returns level Cap of 30.
optional rule of Diminishing Returns. S.D. C. as far as I' m concerned, doesn't really need any level
Caps. A burst from an automatic weapon or a magical attack or
Diminishing Returns dragon's breath will whittle any character's S.D.C. and Hit
Any athlete or body builder can tell you about diminishing Points down in a .hurry! If you insist on having S.D.C. Caps,
returns. This is the stage of an exercise program where your however, I recommend the following: a Half Returns level Cap
physical gains reach a "plateau" of sorts and it requires added of 25, a Quarter Returns level Cap of 50 and an Eighth Returns
effort to get the same rate of growth. You may need to do extra level Cap of75.
sets of reps or different exercises to achieve the same results as Combat Bonuses should not be subject to level Caps under
before. Simply put, the human body is Limited in bow strong, any circumstances.
42
We're Not All
Mind Readers, You Know! .'
New Eruptors for Rifts®

Optional Source Material
By Ed Sauerland
In the world of Rifts®, there are many sources of power.
Mag ic, technology, and psionics all clash for supremacy. Of the
last group, Mind Melters and other powerful psychics are the
most feared . They have the ability to bend others to their will.
But a close second is the sub-class commonly referred to as
"lro. •
'-·· -...,
.,. ..
•
. ., .
...
' Eruptors.' These are psychics who manifest their abilities in the ••. , 'i
form of impressive, physical acts. The most famous of these is \'·
the Burster, followed by the Zapper. But recently, new types of
powerful physical psychics have emerged. Some are extremely .'/
J
rare, and tend to be found only within those specific habitats f
best suited to them. The following describes three new ' breeds'
I
of Eruptors, their powers, and hints at their true origins.
Notes: Remember, the range and duration of psionic powers ..
./'
increases by 50% when at or near (within one mile/ 1.6 km) a
ley line. Range, duration and damage of powers is doubled
when at or near (within one mile/ 1.6 k.m) a ley line nexus. All
r
..
i
Coalition psychics (including some contractors and mercenar-
ies) undergo Identification Coding (IC) and implantation.
The Blaster
' Blasters' are psychics with explosive (literally!) psionic
powers. A Burster can create flames with his mind, causing ma-
terials to ignite and burn. The Blaster takes this one step farther,
by seeming ly causing things to explode through sheer force of
will. How this occurs is unclear.
lt is theorized that the Blasters have developed a sort of super
telekinesis that, while limited, is very powerful. They
telekinetically command a few stray atoms or molecules and vi-
brate them at ultra high speed. The incredible fri ction creates en-
ergy that is released in the form of explosions. It's along the
43
lines of a mental microwave oven. Whereas a Burster causes J.S.P. Cost: Small explosions: 2, medium: 5, large
flames, a Blaster lacks the ' fmesse' to summon f1res. A Blaster Mega-Damage blasts: 10.
goes too far too fast, releasing a sudden pulse of explosive en- Bonus: + I to strike.
ergy.
Or maybe the microwave analogy is closer to the truth. Per-
haps the Blaster bathes his target in mental energy that results in
explosions. Blasters could be an anomalous strain of Burster,
with powers that have somehow mutated.
Research has proved inconclusive, but in any case, these psy-
chics are highly prized as warriors and as bomb disposal ex-
perts. indeed, many of the Blaster's skills and powers revolve
around containing explosions, not just creating them.
Powers of the Blaster

1. Spontaneous Detonation: The Blaster can focus his mind
to cause explosions in mid-air! There is no chem ical or device
of any sort involved, just concentrate and BANG! Scientists
studying this power of 'combustive-kinesis' do not fully under-
stand how it works. Still, it's quite impressive.
The Blaster has a great deal of control over the size of the
detonation, and because it occurs out of nowhere, he can easily
catch opponents off guard. Note: These explosions only occur in
mid-air. The psychic cannot cause objects or people to just blow
up like an overcooked burrito. However, the Blaster can direct
the explosive force like a shaped charge. In this manner, he can
attack a single, specific target, a part of that target (arm, leg,
etc.), or a group of targets. Additionally, the explosive force is
likely to knock people down and possibly set combustible mate-
rials ablaze. The psychic doesn 't blow up a computer, for exam-
ple, he directs the blast toward the computer. Each use counts as
one attack.
This power isn't like throwing a grenade or using some other
device. When the blast goes off, there's just a barely visible
shockwave and a loud booming like a thunderclap (takes most
people by surprise: Horror Factor of II). No flash, no flame,
nothing.
Range: Can create an explosion at a range of200 feet (6 1 m),
2. Shockwave Attack: Another interesting manifestation of
plus 20 feet (6. 1 m) per level of experience.
the Blaster's power is the ability to generate a pressure wave of
Duration: Instantaneous. force radiating outward, with the psychic at the center. The psy-
Damage: The Blaster can vary the damage inflicted with this chic concentrates, then a loud pop or bang rings through the air,
power by using more or less I.S.P. per strike. Small explosions, and a concussive wave of kinetic energy in the form of a ring or
about the size of a firecracker, do lD6 S.D.C. damage (stings, bubble shoots outward in all directions. This not only topples
but not deadly, useful for surprising someone, getting their at- most mortal foes, but also shoves them back and momentarily
tention, as a signal, etc.). Medium size bursts pack a wallop and stuns them, giving the Blaster much needed time and space with
inflict 4D6 S.D.C. damage, plus I D6 per level. The psychic can which to act. Counts as one attack.
regu late this damage in increments of ID6 in order to inflict less Radius of the Wave: Five feet (1.5 m) plus one foot (0.3 m)
damage if he so desires. Heavy explosions inflict per level of experience. The wave expands outward 360 degrees
Mega-Damage: 4D6 M.D., plus I per level. Again, this can be to strike all targets within range, effecting friend and foe alike.
regulated to inflict as Jjnle as I point of Mega-Damage if Duration: Instantaneous.
needed.
Damage: 2D6 S.D.C., plus knockdown effects. Defender
Blast Radius: This can also be varied to strike one target or must roll a 14 or higher to maintain balance or be knocked off
many depending on the size of the detonation. Small bursts af- their feet (loses initiative and one attack that melee). Not appli-
fect one target only, no radius. The medium power blasts can af- cable to heavy Borgs or Power Armor.
fect all targets within a two foot (0.6 m) radius, plus one foot
l.S.P. Cost: 8
(0.3 m) at every other level (levels 3, S, 7, etc.). The
Mega-Damage blasts have a radius of 5 feet (1.5 m), plus one 3. Sound Dampening: Tl1e Blaster has become immune to
foot (0.3 m) per every level. Of course, the Blaster can focus his loud noises, most notably his own mental detonations. As a re-
attack on just one target in any case, striking that one target flexive defense measure, the Blaster broadcasts a sort of ' white
alone and leaving all others untouched. noise' to counteract outside noises. TI10nder, rail gun fire, even
44
the Glitter Boy's Boom Gun do not deafen the character, not Basic Electronics (+ 15%)
even temporarily. No permanent damage is caused by loud Armorer (+ 15%)
noises, although Blasters do tend to shout a great deal. They can Demolitions (+ 15%)
hear just fine, but in combat situations, they assume others can't Demolitions Disposal (+25%)
hear quite so well. This just sort of carries over into everyday Detect Concealment(+ 15%)
life. Additionally, sonic attacks, even Mega-Damage ones, do Trap/Mine detection (+ 15%)
NO damage to the Blaster. Pilot: One of choice (+ I 0%).
Duration: Constant, always on. Body Building
l.S.P. Cost: None, automatic ability. W.P. Heavy Energy
W.P. Energy Pistol
4. Powers for Defense a nd EOD (Explosive Ordnance Dis-
W.P.: One of choice.
posal) Operations: Several of the Blaster's other psychic tal-
Hand to Hand: Bas ic (can be changed to Expert at the cost of
ents come in handy during disposal operations. These are
one R.C.C. Related Skill or Martial Arts for two).
powers 'common' to others psychics, but with a bit more refme-
ment to better serve the Blaster. R.C.C. Related Skills: Select 6 other skills at level one. Select
Gets Electrokinesis (invaluable for detecting and disarming two more skills at levels 3 and 6, and one skill at levels 9 and
devices), but under subsection 4: Sense Electricity, double the 12.
range and triple the duration, plus add I 0% to the base skill. Au- Communications: Any (+5%).
tomatically has Psychic Body Field (but reduce the l.S.P. cost to Cowboy: None.
20, and, all abilities start at third level proficiency. So a First Domestic: Any.
level Blaster can create a field with 30 M.D.C. that lasts 6 min- Electrical: Any (+5%).
utes). Also starts with Telekinetic Force Field (reduce I.S.P. cost Espionage: Any (+5%) except Disguise, Forgery, or Imper-
to 20) and Sense Time (no changes, but very helpful for keeping sonation.
track of timers) as well as Telemechanics (no changes). Mechanical: Any (+10%).
Medical: First Aid only.
S. Other Psionic Powers: At first level, the Blaster also has
Military: Any(+ 10%).
the following additional powers: Speed Reading, Total Recall,
Physical: Any except Acrobatics.
Telekinesis (regular, not super), Telekinetic Acceleration At-
Pilot: Any (+5%).
tack, plus any two powers from the physical category. Select
Pilot Related: Any(+ 10% to Weapon Systems).
one additional physical power at levels 3, 6 and 9.
Rogue: Any.
6. l.S.P.: Roll 3D4X I 0 and add the character's M.E. attribute
Science: Any (+5%).
number to determine base lnner Strength Points. Add JO l.S.P.
Technical: Any(+ 10% for Computer skills).
per level of experience. I.S.P. recovers at the rate of 2 per hour
W.P.: Any.
of activity or, or 12 per hour of sleep or meditation. Wilderness: Land Navigation only.
7. Saving Throw versus Psionic Atta ck: As a Master Psy-
chic, the Blaster needs only a 10 or higher to save. Secondary Skills: Select four Secondary Skills at level one,
plus one additional at levels 4 and 8.
8. P.P.E.: Very little. Most has been spent developing
Standard Equipm ent: A few sets of clot11es, uniform if part of
psionic abilities. Only 2D6 P.P.E. remains.
a military organization, work gloves, large tool kit, small
9. R.C.C. Bonuses and S kills: +2 on initiative, +I to strike, portable tool kit (includes a cordless drill, screwdrivers,
parry and dodge, +6 to roll with impact, +2 to save vs Horror clamps, wirecutters, pliers, duct tape, etc.), welding goggles,
Factor. Add 3D6 S.D.C. Also see skills for EOD training. air filter or gas mask, Wilk's laser scalpel, Wi1k's laser torch,
T he Blaster R.C .C., also known as Brain Bomb, Fire- pocket laser distancer, sunglasses or tinted goggles,
cracker, and Psi-Sapper. multi-optics band, utility belt, several pouches, backpack,
Alig nment Restrictions: None, but lean toward good or selfish. heavy duty flashlight with extra batteries, 100 feet (30.5 m)
Attribute Requirements: None, but a high M.E. and P.P. are of rope, 2D4 flares, a survival knife, and personal items.
helpful. Wears any type of body armor, usually heavy, but will have a
Race Restrictions: Must be of a race that can possess psionics. light set for mobility as a backup.
Most common among humans (75%), and human-like races, Weapons: Blasters love heavy weapons, especially kinetic
with Ogres (8%) and Dwarves (7%) comprising significant types like rail guns. Has a Triax TX-5 Pump pistol for a side-
numbers. About 80% of Blasters are male. arm with 20 rounds all loaded into speed loaders. Also has
R.C.C. Skills: Like other psychics, few skills are known, as one heavy weapon. Choose any one of the following: any rail
much time and energy has gone into the development of gun that can be us~d by a human, with enough ammo clips or
psionic powers. Many of these skills relate to EOD. If the belts to supply 50 bursts; RR-C40 rocket rifle with five I00
Game Master allows, this character can also possess the skills round magazines (see World Book 6: South America page
of modifying explosives known to the Coalition EOD spe- 24); Wl-23 missile launcher with 5 magazines; or a WI-GL4
cialist (See World Book II: Coalition War Campaign, grenade launcher with 48 total rounds (see Rifts® Merce-
pages 73-75). na r ies). Also has 2D6 hand grenades of choice and one light
Speaks native language (usually American) at 98%. fusion block.
Literacy: American (+ 12%) Vehicles: None to start unless the G.M. allows it, but
Basic Math (+20%) Blasters prefer trucks, A.P.C.s and hover vehicles.
45
Money: Very Iittle to start, just 306X 10 in cash and black mar-
ket items worth ID4X 1000 credits. Everything else has been
sp ent on equipment. Blasters are in high demand and can
earn big bucks.
Cybernetics: None to start, and tends to avoid them when pos-
sible (disrupts their powers). The only exceptions may be mi-
nor sensor implants, especially optical enhancements or lung
implants.
l
Blasters in the Coalition: Blasters are highly prized by most
nations, and the Coalition has recruited about 150 or so, most
operating in Special Forces or in Counter Terrorism units.
Blasters trained by the Coalition or other military state
t'
•(
will have one additional W.P., Radio: Basic (+ 10%), one ad-
ditional Military or Mechanical skill, and often Hand to /~.
Hand: Expert. They'll also have access to Coalition facilities ,
armor, weapons, vehicles, and equ ipment. Wages are excel-
lent, typically the same as Military Specialists or Special ;
0.
Forces.
Ex perience: Use the Headhunter experience table (see R ifts
RPG®, page 17).
The Freezer
' Freezers' as these psychics are known, possess the strange
talent of cryokinesis. That is, the ability to control temperatures
in such a way that they can literally freeze objects and oppo-
nents in their tracks. The Freezer can mentally condense mo is-
ture in the air into blocks of ice that can trap or hurt enemies.
Additionally, their tremendous resistance to cold makes them ...
excellent scouts for use in winter or arctic conditions.
As much as the powers of Bursters and Freezers are polar (no
pun intended) opposites, so too are their personalities. Whereas
Bursters are often vivacious, passionate people, Freezers are
calm and quiet, some would even say aloof. The average
Freezer has little desire to fight unless in self-defense and even
then they dislike killing. Freezers try hard to live harmoniously
with nature, taking only those plants and animals needed for sur-
vival and leaving a ll the rest. They tend to live wandering, iso-
lated lives in the bitter cold regions, only occasionally stopping
into a wilderness town for news or supplies. Mostly, Freezers
simply wish to be left alone. •
The first reliable accounts of Freezers occur o nly 40 years
ago. Before this time there existed rumors and a few sightings,
but little hard evidence. Did this new class of psychic just re-
cently come into being? Or have they always been there, hiding
in obscurity in distant comers of the g lobe? No one knows for
sure, but there are several theories.
,
The most widely held belief is that Freezers are descendants
of people who were forced to flee their homes during the Great
Cataclysm. These people sought sanctuary in the harshest cli-
mates and terrain, far to the north or into the mountains, away
from civilization were it would be unlikely that supernatural
menaces would fo llow. Over time, these refugees adapted to
their new environment, with the strongest o f them developing
special psychic abilities to help them survive.
A second theory is closely linked to the first. It suggests that
Freezers are descended from Native American tribes that lived
in North America for centuries. This idea has great merit, for
Native Americans were often forced to relocate, and some may
46
have been forced north. And many Freezers (40%) do in fact plus 1 foot (0.3 m) at levels 6, 9 and 12. llms, a small group of
have Native American ancestry. This, along with the Freezer's people can be hidden from infrared detection, but they must re-
close relationship with nature, has convinced many scientists main almost motionless, and the Freezer must concentrate the
and scholars. whole time, using one attack per melee round to maintain the
Other theories are little more than wild speculation. Some wider radius effect.
think that Freezers are the results of experimentation, by the Co- Duration: For self only, lO minutes per level of experience.
alition, aliens, or some D-Bee race. In truth, some combination For the wider area, 2 minutes per level, but still uses up one at-
of the first two theories is correct. tack each melee due to concentrating to maintain the aura.
Not surprisingly, Freezers make their homes in northern lati- I.S.P. Cost: Self, 4. For area effect, 10.
tudes, mostly in North America, but sometimes in northern Eu- 3. Generate Ice and Snow: The psychic has the unique g ift
rope, especially Scandinavia, Germany, and the even the to condense moisture in the air and freeze it into snow or ice.
harshest steppes and tundras of Russia. In the Americas, they While not as deadly or impressive as the Burster's fiery erup-
seldom travel farther south than Pennsylvania and West Vir- tion, it does have its uses. The snow and ice can be molded in a
ginia, usually sticking to the mountains. Even then, they will variety of ways to create protective walls, encase people, or
sometimes migrate northward during the warmer months. Still, blind sensors and cameras. To keep this description short, I'll
as with most psionics, there is a certain randomness to the just provide some quick basics. For more ideas on commanding
Freezer. Even the occasional c ity dweller may develop the snow and ice, check out Her oes Unlimited, specifically, the Al-
Freezer's abilities. ter Physical Structure: lee super ability.
Freezers respect nature, animals, and life. They hold Wilder- Creating Ice/Snow: The psychic can create snow or ice out
ness Scouts, Native Americans, Elves, Psi-Stalkers, and other of thin air by condensing moisture in the air and supercooling it
outdoorsy types in high regard. Freezers have earned the respect at an incredible rate. This power can be used to bar access to
of these individuals. Even most Simvan and Faerie Folk give rooms by walling off doors, freezing an enemy's weapon (en-
them grudging respect and keep their distance. cases the whole hand or arm, weighs about 50 pounds and ren-
ders the weapon useless), or coating the floor with a slick layer
Powers of the Freezer of ice that makes walking and balance di fficu lt (reduce speed by
I. Impervious to Cold: The Freezer has adapted to cold en- half, to move any faster risks falling and losing an attack, -I to
vironments to such an extent that he can survive in sub-zero strike, parry, and dodge). A single use of this power can encase
temperatures indefmitely. They can live out their whole lives a whole person. Only those with flame based powers, supernatu-
under arctic conditions with no ill effect. They suffer no effects ral strength or other incredible powers can escape the icy prison.
from exposure: no frostbite, no hypothermia, nothing! Nor do Alternatively, ice blocks or manacles can be formed to restrain a
they suffer from exposure to fr ig id waters. Even magic and captive (usually have 30 S.D.C.).
Mega-Damage cold, such as an lee Dragon's breath, do just Range: tOO feet (30 m), plus 20 feet (6. 1 m) per level.
one-tenth damage. This aura of protection extends to cover the Duration: Instantaneous creation, lasts until melted or de-
psychic's c lothing, armor, and equipment. Weapons never c log stroyed.
with ice or freeze up, visors never fog over, etc. Not only that, Amount created: About four cubic feet (0. 11 3 cu. m) per
but the character's breath cannot be seen. Unlike normal hu- leve l. Snow walls have 200 S.D.C. Per level, ice walls have 20
mans, no steam comes from the Freezer's mouth or nostrils M.D.C. per level.
when they breathe out in the cold. No I.S.P. cost, this power is
Damage: Dropping a heap of snow on someone will stagger
constantly in effect.
them and inflict 4D6 S.D.C. per every four foot block. Ice in-
2. Control Body Temperature: Even indoors sitting right flicts ID4X 10 S.D.C. per four foot block ands lands with a re-
next to a hot stove, a Freezer tends to be slightly cold to the
sounding ' thud.'
touch. But by concentrating, the Freezer can ' pull in' the excess
I.S.P . Cost: 10
body heat that normally escapes most other people. By slowing
and controlling respiration and heart rate, the Freezer can tem- Ice Armor : Another aspect of this power is that the Freezer
porarily lower his outside, surface body temperature by as much can coat himself with a thin layer of ice that acts like body ar-
as 50%! This has two benefits. First, when combined with the mor. The ice armor is unnaturally tough (M. D.C.) and freezing
psionic power of Death Trance, the character can very realisti- cold to the touch (does 206 S.D.C. per touch and tends to fog
cally feign death. Second, it enables him to blend into his sur- up or freeze anything touching it), and makes the Freezer slip-
roundings, making him invisible to infrared detection (very pery and difficult to grasp, plus physical blows glance off the
useful for avoiding trouble). At best, someone looking for the slick surface. Attackers are -2 to strike or parry, and -6 to entan-
Freezer will see a distorted cold spot on his sensors. Again, this gle or disarm the Freezer. Despite being made of ice and snow,
effect creates an aura which protects the items being worn or the armor does not hinder the movements of the psychic in any
carried. way. Creating the armor counts as one attack.
Example: A Freezer empties the E-Clip of an ion rifle, firing Range: Self only.
continually at the enemy. The weapon should be hot enough to Duration: 2 minutes per level of experience.
register easily on sensors, but is protected by the aura. Acti- l.S.P. Cost: 6
vating this power counts as one melee attack. M.D.C protection: The armor provides 25 M.D.C. plus 2 per
Range: Self only to start, but starting at third level, the level, and renews itself at a rate of 2D6 per melee round (more
Freezer can extend the aura to cover a five foot (1.5 m) radius, moisture freezing to the armor, patching any holes and restoring
47
its strength). Also, lasers inflict half damage to the reflective Sense Avalanches and Other Dangers: This is a limited
surfaces of the armor. form of Sixth Sense that warns the Freezer of natural hazards
Ice Weapons: The Freezer can form crude weapons out of such as slides, hidden crevices, or thin ice covering frozen lakes.
ice. These are little more than spears or clubs, but they can in- Like a psychic minesweeper, the character detects these dangers
flict limited Mega-Damage. Also, this power can be combined in time to avoid them and/or lead pursuers into them as a trap.
with the ice armor above to create fist spikes or a spike studded Range: 100 feet (30 m) plus 25 feet (7.6 m) per level. Will
set or armor. have advanced warning of avalanches or other landslides up to a
Range: Self or up to I0 feet (3 m) away. range of 2 miles (3.2 km) per level and will have at least
ID6XIO minutes warning. This only takes into account natu-
Duration: Instant creation, lasts until melted or destroyed.
rally occurring slides. The Freezer may predict an avalanche
Damage: Varies. A club or blade inflicts 3D6 S.D.C damage won't occur for another 20 minutes, but heavy weapon fire may
per strike. These weapons have 15 M.D.C. themselves, and can trigger it prematurely.
be used to parry Mega-Damage attacks. Or, the Freezer can cre-
Duration: I 0 minutes per level of experience.
ate hammers or spikes attached to his ice covered body. These
inflict 104 M.D. per punch or 106 M.D. with a kick. Body I.S.P. Cost: 8
slamming an opponent while covered in spikes inflicts 2D6 5. Super Psionic I nvisibility (friendly/non-threatening, a
M.D. Mega-Damage attacks such as these count as two attacks, limited form of Empathy): The Freezer has developed the ability
however, one to create the weapon and one to use it (this occurs to go unnoticed in the wilds. They give off a sort of
almost instantly, so the two actions take place during one attack, non-threatening vibe (a limited form of Empathy). When acti-
but it still counts as two). The M.D. blades shatter when they in- vated, this power allows the Freezer to just walk past animals
flict their greater damage, and must be remade each time. (even predators) without any sign of disturbance, similar to the
I.S.P. Cost: 4 for hand held clubs or blades, or to create fist, Psi-stalker's affinity with animals. Birds don't scatter, deer
knee, or foot blades. To cover the body in spikes costs 8 l.S.P. don ' t run away, etc. (Automatically succeeds against animals,
Hurl Ice and Snow: The Freezer can toss snow and ice great no saving throw.) Another example of how these psychics are
distances. 'one' with the environment.
Range: 100 feet (30m) plus 50 feet (15.2 m) per level.
Range: Snow, 80 feet (24.4 m), plus 5 feet (1.5 m) per level.
lee, I00 feet (30 m), plus I 0 feet (3 m) per level. Duration: Five minutes per level.
Duration: Instantaneous. l.S.P. Cost: 10
Bonus to strike: +I Limitations: Can only be used on the psychic himself, no one
else, and his intentions musl no/ be hostile. This power is used
Damage: Snow, only about one S.D.C per snowball (more
for camouflage, not hunting. Any aggressive act or intent to-
annoying than deadly). Ice balls hurt, doing 4D6 S.D.C.
wards an animal under this influence cancels the power and the
I.S. P. Cost: 2 for snow, 4 for ice balls.
Freezer will be revealed. Also, this power is meant to affect
Hurl Ice Shards: This is a much deadlier variation of the
mortal animals, not intelligent beings, monsters, etc. lt is possi-
power above. The Freezer attacks his target with a wall of jag- ble to use this power against such beings, but the chance of suc-
ged ice shards that cut like razors. They splinter like glass on cess is only 50% plus 3% per level, and the J.S.P. cost is tripled.
contact and can shred even Mega-Damage armor. This power is Again, the Freezer must not take any hostile action for the
sometimes called ' the ice storm,' for obvious reasons. power to work. Can also be used to hide from normal humans
Range: 50 feet (15.2 m), plus 10 feet (3m) per level. and D-Bees just like the power of Psionic Invisibility in
Duration: Instantaneous. Psyscape.
Bonus to strike: + I 6. Other Psionic Powers: The following, more common
Damage: 3D6 M.D. at level one, plus 106 every third level powers are available to the Freezer. Most are extremely helpful
(does 4D6 at level three, 5D6 at level six, etc.). for surviving the harsh climate or for avoiding trouble. Auto-
I.S.P. Cost: 6 matically starts at first level with Nightvision, See the Invisible,
Sense Evil, and any two pnysical powers of choice. Select one
4. Psionic Powers for Survival: additional physical power at levels 4, 6 and 8.
Sense Magnetic North: One I.S.P., lasts 10 minutes per 7. I.S.P: Roli3D4 XIO and add the character' s M.E. attribute
level, useful for navigation. number to determine base Inner Strength Points. Add I0 l.S.P.
Weather Sense: Can predict local temperatures for the next per level of experience. I.S.P. recovers at the rate of 2 per hour
12 hours, accurate to with in I D6 degrees. Can sense approach- of activity, or 12 per hour of sleep or meditation.
ing storms (not ley line storms) over the next 48 hours and can 8. Saving Throw versus Ps ionic Attack: As a Master Psy-
predict when they will start to within 4D6 minutes. Sense wind chic, the Freezer needs only a I 0 or higher to save.
direction and speed at 80% + I% per level accuracy. 9. P .P.E.: Very little. Most has been spent developing
Range: Limited to the local area, about 2 miles (3.2 km), ex- psionic abilities. Only 2D6 P.P.E. remains.
cept for sensing storms, the range for which is 100 miles ( 160 10. R.C.C. Bonuses and Skills: + I on initiative,+ 1 to strike,
km) plus 10 miles (16 km) per level.
+2 to parry, dodge, and disarm, +6 to save vs Horror Factor!
Duration: I 0 minutes per level of experience. (They are used to the wilderness dangers and solitude.) Also,
l.S.P. Cost: 6 living a rugged life adds +I to P.S., +2 to P.E., and add 2D6+10
48
S.D.C. Great sense of balance on ice and snow, 80% + I% per Construction only (+ 15%).
leve l, can walk, even run over snow and ice with little fear of Physical: Any except Acrobatics (+ 10%, Swimming is
falling. Reduce speed by just 10% over snow and 25% on ice. + 15%).
Skill note regarding Lore skills: The Freezer gains a +20% Pilot: Any except Jets and Helicopters.
bonus on these skills when dealing with ' native' animals, mon- Pilot Related: Any.
sters, and D-Bees. For example, if Monster Lore is taken by a Rogue: Any (+5%).
North American Freezer, add the bonus when dealing with Science: Any except Chemistry.
Xjticix. If D-Bee Lore is known, add the bonus when dealing Technical: Any (+ 10% for Languages, + 15% for Lore skills).
with races from Rifts® Canad a , and so forth . W.P.: Any.
Vulnerabilities: Heat and flame based attacks (plasma weap- Wilderness: Any (+20%).
ons, mag ic, etc.), either S.D.C. or M.D.C., inflict double damage Secondary Skills: Select two at levels one, four and seven.
to the Freezer. Standa rd Equipment: Wilderness clothing, extra pair of g loves
and boots, sung lasses or tinted goggles, plus a spare pair,
The Freezer R.C.C., also known as Coldhearts or
utility belt, several pouches, backpack, large backpack, extra
Coldbloods by those who scorn them. Friends and allies may
coat (to blend in or give to others), NG-S2 survival kit, fi rst
give them playful names like Fr idge, Chill, Snowman or even
aid kit, spare sleeping bag, heavy duty flashlight with extra
Frosty. Some Native Americans call them ' Keepers of the
batteries, large canteen, cooking gear, 100 feet (30 m) of
North.'
heavy rope, gas mask, spare compass, binoculars, fi shing
Alignment Restrictions: None, but lean toward good, or selfish pole and lures, 204 flares, a week's supply of food, and some
(especially Anarchist) if a loner. personal items. Body armor can be of any type, but lean to-
Attribute Requirements: None, but a high M.E., P.S., and P.E. ward light to medium suits for the best mobility and low
are very helpful. Prowl penalty.
Race Restrictions: Must be of a race that can possess psionics. Weapons include an ax or hatchet (for use on trees or ene-
Most common among humans (70%), but also among other mies), survival knife, set of quality skinning knives, silver
nature loving races such as Elves ( 15%) and Kankoran plated dagger, a Vibro-Blade, and one ancient weapon of
( 10%). About 70% of Freezers are male. choice. The Freezer's most prized weapon will be a high
R.C.C. Skills: Much time and energy has gone into developing powered hunting rifle, often a family heirloom. It may be old,
psionic powers. Like other psychics, few skills are known, but is in excellent condition, and has a 10-power magnifica-
and many of these skills emphasize survival. tion scope (possibly passive nightvision), and has been modi-
Speak native language (usually American) and one other at fied enough so that nothing jingles or shines on it to give
98%. away the Freezer's position. Has 100 conventional rounds
Another Language of choice(+ 15%).
( for hunting), a box of 24 explosive rounds (for larger, more
Climbing (+20%) dangerous game or self-defense), and 24 silver rounds for use
Horsemanship: Cowboy (+ 15%) against were-beasts or other menaces. The Freezer also has at
Land Navigation (+20%) least one Mega-Damage weapon that he keeps in reserve,
Lore: Any two of choice (+20%). typically a laser rifle with 3 clips.
Pilot: Skis, snowboards, and dogsleds: 75% +2% per level. Vehicles may vary, but they'll always have a set of skis
Pilot: Automobile or Truck (+ 10%) and poles for backup. Tend to go for real or robot horses (ro-
Prowl (+20%) bot horse not available to start), with a second horse or pack
T rack Animals (+20%) animal to carry equipment. Often, they'll own a jeep or other
Wilderness Survival (+20%) off-road vehicle, usually trucks and 4X4 's. Or, they may opt
W.P. Rifle (bolt-action). Bl:lnus.: + I to strike. for a light snowmobile or hovercycle. Professional scouts es-
W.P. Knife pecially prefer hover vehicles.
W.P. : One of choice. Mo ney: Almost none, just 2D6X I 0 in cash and trade goods
Hand to Hand: Basic (can be changed to Expert for one worth 1D4X I 000 credits. Everything else was spent on food
R.C.C. Related Skill or Martial Arts for two). and equipment. They don' t need much money in the wilder-
R.C.C. Related Skills: Select any two Physical skills, any three ness, but can earn a good living as scouts and trackers.
Wilderness skills, and four other skills at level one. Select Cybernetics: None to start, and hate them, not just because they
two more skills at levels 3 and 6, and one skill at levels 9 and disrupt their natural powers, but because implants are unnatu-
12. ral.
Communications: Any. Freezers in the Coalition: Only a few of these rare psychics
Cowboy: None. (fewer than 20) have been recruited into the CS, operating
Domestic: Any (+5%, + 10% to Cooking, Fishing, and mainly as scouts or hunting down fugitives. Still, the CS is
Sewing). impressed. Said one CS Ranger officer:
Electrical: Automotive or Bas ic only. "We dropped this guy named Pines off in a helicopter in
Espionage: Any except Disguise, Forgery or impersonation. the middle of nowhere. His assignment was to hunt down
Mechanical: Automotive and Basic only. some criminal that 'd escaped into an old National Park a
Medical: First Aid (+ 10%) or Holistic Medicine only (+20%, week earlier.
but counts as two skills). ''lr was insanely cold that day in the chopper! I asked
Military: Camouflage, Recognize Weapon Quality, and Trap Pines if was sure he wanted to do this alone. He told me he'd
be back in one week with our man, dead or alive.
49
''Well, that Freezer lied, or at/east he was too modest. We Secondary Skills: Select six at level one, plus 2 at levels four
got a radio message in just two days saying he'd captured and eight.
the fugitive. I was there at the pick up point. Yeah, Pines had Standa rd Equipment: More befitting a City Rat: Several sets
caught him all right. Froze him in a block ofice with nothing of clothing, set of ' working' colors (with emblems, gang af-
but his head showing. He wasn't going to escape this time. " filiations, etc.), some fashionable clothes, sunglasses, flash-
Freezers trained by the Coalition or some other military light, 50 feet ( 15.2 m) of rope, portable computer, mini-disc
state will have W.P. Energy Rifle, Radio: Basic (+5%), and recorder and player, Jock picks or other criminal gear, per-
often Hand to Hand: Expert. They'll also have access to Co- sonal items, and 2 fake sets of I.D., along with one true set.
alition facilities, armor, weapons, vehicles, and equipment. Wears any light M.D.C. body armor. Weapons include a few
Wages are usually good, typically the same as the Grunt, pos- knives, energy pistol of choice with 4 extra clips, a
sibly as high as Military Specialists or Special Forces, de- Vibro-Biade or neural mace and possible one other energy
pending on their missions. weapon. Vehicle will be a souped up car, motorcycle or
Optional S kill Selection: Not every Freezer hails from the cold hoverbike.
wilderness. Some come from the urban sprawl, and as such, Money: ID4X I 000 credits, plus black market items valued at
have different skills. If the player wishes to play a 'city 2D4X IOOO credits.
slicker' instead, just make the following adjustments and All other details are the same, though the city Freezer may
substitutions. have useful social contacts, friends, safe houses, and Black
Under #4, Powers for Su rvival: substitute the powers Market connections.
listed with Presence Sense, Radiate Horror Factor, and Mask Experience: Use the Headhunter experience table (see Rifts
I.S.P. and Psionics. Under # 10, Bon uses: change to +2 to ini- RPG®, page 17) for the standard Freezer, or use the Burster
tiative, +2 to strike, parry, pull punch, and roll with impact. experience table for the 'city' type Freezer.
+2 to save vs Horror Factor at level one, plus l at levels 4
and 7. Add 10 S.D.C.
Skill note regarding Lore skills: Similar to above, but is The Soaker
familiar with urban creatures like the Spiny Ravager and Bursters are masters of fire and Pyrokinesis. Zappers have
D-Bees like the Quick-Flex alien, etc. (many found in Coali- uncanny control over electricity. So it is with the Soaker as well,
tion War Campaign). only the Soaker's realm of expertise is Hydrokinesis, the ability
Under R.C.C. Skills instead has: to command water. The Soaker exercises such degree of control
Speak native language (usually American) and one other at over water, that the psychics can even summon it from the air
98%. around them.
Literacy: American (+10%) Not surprisingly, the Soaker is at home in, on, under, or even
Computer Operation(+ 15%) just around water. They often live near lakes, streams, or the
Land Navigation (+20%) ocean. Still, many are found in arid, dry regions. In these areas
Lore: Any two of choice (+20%). plagued by drought, or worse, vampires, a Soaker can be a
Pilot: Motorcycle (+15%) blessing. By locating fresh sources of water and helping to pre-
Pilot: One of choice (+I 0%). serve the water, a Soaker can give new life to a desert village.
Prowl (+ 10%) And their water-based powers are excellent weapons in the fight
Streetwise and Streetwise: Drugs ( + 15% each) against vampires and other fiends.
Find Contraband (+15%) Many nations, including the Coalition, are recruiting Soakers
W .P. Energy Pistol. .B.!ln.us: + I strike. as vampire slayers or as naval commandos. Here you have the
W.P. Knife perfect amphibious soldier, equally at home on land or at sea.
W.P. One of choice. Soakers make ideal scouts and saboteurs, sneaking on and off
Related Skills: Select 7, but with these bonuses and restrictions: hostile ships with minimal diving gear. They can earn plenty of
Communications: Any (+5%). money either as vampire hunters or as naval Special Forces op-
Cowboy: None. eratives. Soakers often make their living at sea: fi shing, piloting
Domestic: Any. ships, fighting pirates, or just seeking adventure. They are the
Electrical: Automotive or Basic only. most common of all the newer psychic classes, being found
Espionage: Any (+5%). about as often as Bursters.
Mechanical: Automotive and Basic only.
Medical: First Aid only. Powers of the Soaker
Military: Military Etiquette and Recognize Weapon Quality l. Water Senses: The Soaker has a natural affinity for water
only. and can sense the location of water sources over great distances
Physical: Any except Acrobatics. as well as discern the quality of the water (drinkable or pol-
Pilot: Any except Jets and Helicopters. luted).
Pilot Related: Any.
Sense Large, Open Sou rces of Water: Such as lakes, river,
Rogue: Any (+10%).
or streams, at 75% accuracy, plus 2% per level. Can sense the
Science: Any except Chemistry.
general direction and distance of the water source, as well as its
Technical: Any (+10% for Languages, Lore, and Computer
approximate size (a trickle or a vast supply).
skills).
W.P.: Any. Wilderness: None. Range: 100 miles (160 km), plus 10 miles (16 km) per level.
50
Duration: I 0 minutes per level.
I.S.P. Cost: 4
Sense Undergrou nd or Hidden Sources of Water: The
psychic can detect water, or liquids that are at least 50% water,
whether the sources are underground or sealed in a container.
Range: 1000 feet (305 m), plus 20 feet (6.1 m) per level for
underground water sources, half that distance for water sealed in
containers.
•
Duration: 5 minutes per level.
l.S.P. Cost: 4
Sense Depth of Water: The Soaker can accurately estimate
the depth of any body of water. The estimate will be within
about 2 feet (0.6 m) for rivers and streams or small lakes, and 20
feet (6. 1 m) for large bodies of water such as major lakes or the
world' s oceans. This is helpful for finding the safest crossing
point or for determining safe diving depths for vessels, etc.
Range: I 00 feet (30m), plus 20 feet (6.1 m) per level.
l.S.P. Cost: 2
Sense Impurities: The Soaker is able to sense impurities in
water, as well as determine the general nature of the contami-
nant.
Range: Up to 50 feet (15.2 m), plus five feet (1.5 m) per
level.
• Duration: 2 minutes per leve l.
G l.S.P. Cost: 2
C leansing Touch : Furthermore, the psychic can eliminate
any poisons or toxins in the water.
Range: Up to 50 feet ( 15.2 m), plus five feet ( 1.5 m) per
level.
Duration: Instantaneous.
Amount of Water Purified: Four gallons ( 15.1 liters) per
level.
I.S.P. Cost: 10
2. C reate Water: The Soaker is able to condense the mois-
ture in the a ir, soil, and even plant life into water. This water can
then be manipulated via any of the Soaker's other powers. The
water can be placed into a container or made to hover in place
via Telekinesis. Limitations: Using this power in very dry cli-
mates costs twice as much I.S.P.
Range: 10 feet (3 m) maximum.
Duration: Instant creation.
I.S.P. Cost: 2
Note: Horrible as it sounds, this power can be used to draw
water from a living person! Such an action would never be con-
sidered unless the Soaker was in mortal danger, or if the psychic
is a truly evil individual. In the latter case, this makes for a won-
derful assassination technique. The range is 30 feet (9.1 m),
maximum, and there must be exposed skin on the target. J.S.P.
- cost is 10, and it inflicts 3D6 damage direct to Hit Points. Fur-
51
thermore, if his Hit Points are depleted, the victim is -30% to
save versus coma and death. This attack does no damage to su-
pernatural beings or creatures of magic; only affects mortal foes.
Water Aura: This power can be used to surround the psy-
chic with an aura of water. The water is held in place via Teleki-
nesis and appears in the form of water rings or a tornado like
swirl of water surrounding the Soaker. While it does not afford
Mega-Damage protection, it is useful for fighting fires, and it
terrifies vampires (Horror Factor of 14!) The water makes the
Soaker difficult to fight. They are slippery to the touch and the
flowing water impairs an attacker's vision. Attackers are minus
2 to strike or parry, and -4 to entangle.
Range: Selfonly.
Duration: 2 minutes per level of experience.
I.S.P. Cost: 6
S.D.C protection: The aura provides 50 S.D.C., plus 10 per
leve l of experience, and regenerates at a rate of 10 per melee.
This is running water, and as such inflicts 4D6 to vampires per
strike (any time the vampire touches the aura or when the
Soaker hits a vampire).
3. Control W ater: This is essentially an improved form of
Hydrokinesis. The psychic can hurl water greater distances,
summon water spouts, and even lessen the effects of tidal
waves.
Boil Water : The psychic can increase the temperature of wa-
ter to its boiling point. From there, it can be tossed at opponents.
Range: 40 feet (12.2 m).
Duration: Instant boiling, and stays hot for four minutes.
Damage: Splashing hot water on the body is terribly painful, Hurl W ater: The psychic can shoot a stream of water from
especially if it hits the face or groin. Normally does 2D4 dam- his fingertips. This has a variety of uses, from damaging electri-
age, but tossing water in the face also causes the loss of a ll at- cal devices, to blinding an opponent, or damaging vampires.
tacks for I D6 melees, and temporary blindness for 3D6 melees
Range: 50 feet (15.2 m).
(-10 to strike, parry and dodge). Characters of a good alignment
Duration: Instant.
will never use this tactic unless it's a life or death situation.
Damage: Minima] to most people, just 106 S.D.C., plus may
I.S.P. Cost: 2 per gallon (3.8 liters) of water.
blind them temporarily. Inflicts 4D6 damage to vampires.
Bonus: + I to strike.
I.S.P. Cost: 4
Incr ease o r Diminish W aves: The Soaker can psionically
influence waves, either increasing their size to make water Bonus: +1 to strike.
travel more dangerous, or decreasing their size and calming the W a ter Stream : This is a much more powerful stream of wa-
nearby waters. Wave height can be controlled to add up to eight ter, like a fire hose. It's strong enough to knock most people
feet (2.4 m) to the average wave height, plus one foot (0.3 m) over and can literally melt vampires!
per every other level of experience). Alternatively, this power Range: 80 feet (24.4 m).
can diminish waves, decreasing their size and intensity by the Duration : Instant.
same amount.
Damage: 3D6 S.D.C., plus it's very likely that they' ll be
Range: Influences waters up to 1000 feet (305m) away, con- knocked down. Defenders must roll a 14 or higher to maintain
trolling a radius of 300 feet (9. 1 m), plus 20 feet (6.1 m) per their balance. Inflicts I D6X I 0 damage to vampires and is likely
level. to send them running for their unlives!
Duration: Effects of calming waters or increasing wave I.S.P. Cost: 6
height last for 20 minutes, plus two per level of experience. Bonus: + I to strike.
Damage: None for calm waters. Extreme waves of eight feet
or more will buffet large watercraft and can capsize smaller ves- 4. Water Walk: The Soaker can walk or run across the sur-
sels. At the very least, speed of any ship caught in rough seas is face of water with excellent speed and grace. Reduce running
reduced to about half, and crew members will be tossed about speed by just 25%.
(taking about 2D4 S.D.C. damage per hour) making for a miser- Range: Self only.
able voyage. Duration: 5 minutes per level.
I.S.P. Cost: 20 I.S.P. Cost: 25
52
5. Breathe Water: This is a form of psychic purification that Fishing (+20%)
enables the Soaker to absorb oxygen from water. This enables Undersea and Sea Survival (+20%)
them to remain submerged without the aid of bulky diving gear. Track and Hunt Sea Animals (+20%)
This power does not eliminate bubbles like a re-breather, Pilot: Water Skiing & Surfing(+ 15%)
though, so the Soaker may give away his position. Reduce Pilot: Water Scooters(+ I5%)
Prowl by 10%. Pilot: One watercraft of choice(+ 15%).
Range: Self only. Read Sensors (+5%)
Navigation (+ 12%)
W.P. Speargun (Bonus: + I to strike at first level).
I.S.P. Cost: 6
W.P. Trident (Bonus + I to strike, and + I to pin/disarm, all at
6. Water Abilities and Bonuses: The Soaker is an instinc- level one).
tive swimmer with a skill of 80% plus 2% per level. Add + 1 to W.P. One of choice.
initiative,+ I to parry, and +2 to dodge underwater. This is also Hand to Hand: Basic (can be changed to Expert for one
an automatic dodge that does not cost any melee attacks. Also, R.C.C. Related Skill or Martial Arts for two).
speed is doubled while swimming. Natural Prowl ability in wa- R.C.C. Rela ted Skills: Select s ix other skills at level one. Se-
ter, 70%, or add 20% to the Prowl skill if it's known. Retains lect two more skills at levels 3 and 6, and one skill at levels 9
full range of vision underwater. Can slip in and out of the water and 12.
with no sound and can hold their breath for up to five minutes. Communications: Any (+5%).
The Soaker can also survive depths of up to I 00 feet (30 m) Cowboy: None.
without the aid of any special gear. No l.S.P. cost; automatic Domestic: Any.
abilities. Electrical: Basic only.
7. Other Psionic Powers: At first level, the Soaker has the Espionage: Any except Disguise, Forgery or, Impersonation.
following additional psionic powers: impervious to Cold, Sense Mechanical: Automotive or Basic only, water or submersible
Evil, Suppress Fear, Telekinetic Leap (excellent for boarding vehicle mechanics are(+ I 0%).
ships), and any four total from the categories of Physical or Sen- Medical: First Aid or Holistic only.
sitive. Alternatively, the player may select Bio-Manipulation, Military: None. For those with military training/assignments,
Psychic Body Field, or Radiate Horror Factor, but each of these any (+ 15% to Underwater Demolitions).
counts as two lesser power selections. Select two additional Physical: Any except Acrobatics or Wrestling.
Physical or Sensitive powers at levels 3, 6, 9 and 12. Pilot: Any except Jets and Tanks (+5%, + 15% to watercraft
8. 1.S.P.: Roli3D4XIO and add the character's M.E. attribute of any type, including power armor).
number to determine base Inner Strength Points. Add 10 I.S.P. Pilot Related: Any.
per level of experience. I.S.P. recovers at the rate of 2 per hour Rogue: Any (+5%).
of activity, or 12 per hour of sleep or meditation. Science: Any(+ 10% to Biology and underwater skills).
9. Saving Throw versus Psionic Attack: As a Master Psy- Technical: Any (+ 10% for underwater skills).
chic, the Soaker needs only a 10 or higher to save. W.P.: Any.
Wilderness: Underwater skills (+ 10%) or Land Navigation
10. P.P.E.: Very little. Most has been spent developing
psionic abilities. Only 2D6 P.P.E. remains. only.
Secondary Skills: Select four secondary skills at level one, plus
II . R.C.C. Bon uses a nd Skills: + I on initiative, + 1 to strike,
two additional at levels 4 and 8.
+ I to parry and dodge, +2 to roll with impact, +2 to save vs
Standard Equipment: A few sets of clothes (including a few
Horror Factor. Add 2D6 S.D.C.
swim suits), uniform if part of a military organization, wet
12. Pena lties: The Soaker takes double damage from flame suit, swim goggles, fishing pole and lures, life preserver or
and heat based attacks. vest (for friends), sunglasses or tinted goggles, gas mask or
The Soaker R.C.C., also known as Water Warriors and air filter, silver or wooden cross, compass, two spare can-
Washouts, or sometimes a cute nickname like "Squirt." teens, one large canteen, utility belt, several pouches, back-
Alig nment Restrictions: None, but most (80%) are good or pack, heavy duty underwater type flashlight with extra
selfish. batteries, 50 feet ( 15.2 m) of rope, 2D6 flares (mix of regular
Attribute Requirements: None, but a high M.E. and P.E. are and underwater types), a survival knife, and personal items.
helpful. Will wear any light or medium body armor on land and has a
Race Restrictions: Must be of a race that can possess psionics. light to medium environmental wetsuit as well. See Rifts®
Most common among humans (70%), and human-like races, World Book 7, Underseas pages 137-139 for examples.
with True Atlanteans making up the second largest percent- W eapons: A blue-green spectrum laser rifle (typically 3D6
age (5%). About 65% of Soakers are female. M.D.C. or a pulse model, doing 2D6 damage per single shot,
R.C.C. Skills: Because of the time and effort expended in de- 6D6 per triple pulse; 2000 foot (610 m) range; 20 shots per
veloping psychic powers, few skills are available to the short E-Ciip, 30 for a long clip), spear or trident (either con-
Soaker. Most of these, naturally, relate to water. ventional, 2 D6 S.D.C., or Vibro-Biade, 2D6 M.D.C.),
Speaks native language (usually American) at 98%. speargun with 25 S.D.C. spears (2D6 damage), I 0 explosive
Speaks one additional language (+20%). tip spears (406 Mega-Damage), and 6 Vibro-tip spears (204
Swimming (80% +2% per level) damage, reusable, just retrieve them). Vampire hunters will
S.C.U.B.A. (+25%) also have a mallet and six wooden stakes, a Techno-Wizard
53
water gun (typically a rifle or shotgun), and I 04 storm flares Cybernetics: None to start, and tends to avoid them when pos-
or other anti-vampire weapons. sible (disrupts their powers).
Vehicles: Will have a set of skis, a surfboard, or a windboard Soakers in the Coa lition: Soakers are always in demand. Wil-
(surtboard with collapsible sail) for fun and as backup trans- derness towns hire them to locate water or fight vampires.
portation. Main mode of transportation is either a hovercycle, The Coalition has recruited about 70 to fight vampires and
motorcycle, or just hitching rides from friends on land. Will other menaces in their cities. An additional 200 belong to the
have a small motorboat or jet ski/water scooter, possibly a Coalition Navy. They operate as scouts, salvage experts, and
small hydrofoil for use on the water. If the Game Master al- naval commandos.
lows, the character can have two vehicles, especially if nei- Soakers trained by the Coalition or some other military state
ther is very powerful (often unarmed or gasoline powered), will have any one extra W.P., Radio: Basic (+ I 0%), one addi-
like a bike or jetpack for land use, and a jet ski for the water. tional Espionage or Military skill, and often Hand to Hand: Ex-
The character must have the necessary piloting skill in any pert. This means they'll also have access to Coalition faci lities,
case. armor, weapons, vehicles, and equipment. Wages are usually
Money: 406X I00 in cash, and black market items worth very good, roughly the same as Military Specialists.
404X I000 credits. Can eam lots of cash as vampire hunters Experience: Use the Burster experience table (see Rifts RPG®,
or in the military. page 17).
even decades, but have maintained a quiet presence in the back-

ground, doing the unassuming, but vital task of maintaining and
support.i ng large units when they are away from their bases.
Long ago, the well proven Mark V APC was chosen to be the
basic frame for a number of support vehicles that would be ca-
pable of following large units (Company size or larger) into the
field for extended deployments away from base. While some
semi-permanent bases are constructed during extended deploy-
ments (like the Tolkeen Campaign), it is neither effective nor
practical to build bases all over a theatre of operations.
The following are a few of the key support vehicles that the
Coalition uses when it deploys its armies into the field on a
large scale. Note that the Coalition has plans on the drawing
board for newer versions of most of these vehicles based mostly
around the Death Bringer APC. However, due to the success of
Coalition the existing vehicles, there is no rush to have them replaced.
Coalition Mark V Armored

Personnel Carrier Support Variants
Support Model Typ e: APC
C lass: Infantry Assau lt and Transport Vehicle.
Crew: Four: pilot, co-pilot, and two gunners. May vary by type;
see individual descriptions for details.
Vehicles
T r oop T r ansport Capabilities: None.
M.D.C. by Location:
*Top, Rear Turret- 100 (shielded)
•center Turret- 50
By Wayne Field *Lifting Crane -75
• Sensor Mast - 50
During the campaign against Tolkeen, the people of North Side Laser Turrets (4)- 20 each
America were given a full view of the Coalition's new army. Forward Headlights (2)- 2 each
Mighty new machines were revealed to the world, as the Coali- ••Main Body - 350
tion fought to eradicate the hated Tolkeeoites from the surface Reinforced Crew Compartment - 100
of the Earth. Wheels (8) - 50 each
One thing the campaign against Tolkeen did was bring to the
Note: The side turrets are small and difficult targets to hit.
public eye an array of support vehicles that few were aware
Thus, they can only be hit when a character makes a called shot
even existed These vehicles have been around for years, or
and even then, the attacker is -3 to strike.
*These locations are not present on every vehicle. See indi-
vidual descriptions for details.
54
••Depleting the M.D.C. of the main body will shut the APC technology, are the most well-stocked item in the Coalition's
down completely, rendering it useless. storerooms.
Speed: 90 mph (144 k:m) maximum on land. In water, speed is These two pound packets each contain one full meal that in-
about 30 mph (48 km). cludes a snack, entree, dessert, and a package of purification
Statistical Data powder (enough to purify up to 3 quarts/liters of water and co-
Height: 16 feet, 8 inches (5.1 m). mes in 1 of 4 "flavors": orange, grape, cherry, and watermelon).
Width: 9 feet (3.6 m). Various IRP meals are optimistically named "Steak and Po-
Length: 33 feet, 6 inches (10.2 m). tatoes," "Chicken and Rice," "Vegetable Medley," "Spaghetti
Weight: 12 tons fully loaded. and Meat Sauce," and other appetizing dishes.
Cargo: Minimal storage space; personal gear, weapons, and ar- Common belief among troops is that the IRP acronym was
mor for the vehicle's crew are stored in locked overhead com- chosen because it was reflective of the sound one made after
partments. first trying IRP's. Other's insist that the letters really stand for
Power System: Nuclear; average energy life is 15 years. "I' m Really gonna Puke!" Field rations have always had a
Weapon Systems well-earned reputation for not being the best cuisine, and even
the advanced technology of the Coalition hasn't made much dif-
The Mark V Support Vehicles are not intended for combat
ference.
duty. As such, almost all of their weapons and sensors have
been removed. With the exception of the side laser turrets, all The taste aside, one IRP per day is enough to provide the av-
other weapons were left out of the modified designs. The side erage person with all their nutritional needs; due to their high
turrets were left so that the APC had at least some basic activity levels, troops are given two per day. IRP's (or equiva-
self-defense capability. lent non-Coalition products) are available on the open and Black
1. C-2T Dual Laser Turrets (4): There are two light laser tur- Markets for 15 credits per IRP, with prices changing to reflect
availability and demand.
rets on either side of the APC. These are operated by the
co-pilot and gunner, primarily used against enemy troops. In order to provide hot meals to troops operating away from
Each has fu ll 360 degree rotation and a 90 degree arc of fire. established bases, the Coalition converted the chassis of the well
Primary Purpose: Defense. proven Mark V APC to that of a self-contained mobile kitchen.
Mega-Damage: 4D6 M.D. per dual blast. These Mark V/K vehlcles are sent out to accompany any large
Range: 4000 feet (1200 m). troop movements away from any of the Coalition's permanent
Rate of Fire: Can shoot up to six times per melee. bases. Use of tents and other lightweight mobile buildings is far
Payload: Effectively unlimited. more limited than it used to be, because too many kitchens were
lost to stray weapons frre or a rampaging monster.
Mark VIK Mobile Kitchen One Mark V/K, accompanied by food-carrying cargo vehi-
cles, is usually deployed per two companies of personnel (320
It has been said since long before the Great Cataclysm came
combat troops) whenever those troops will operate away from
that an army travels on its stomach. This is as true for the Coali-
tion as it was for Hannibal, Napoleon, and Schwarzkopf. base for more than 7 days.
While on active patrol, Coalition troops sustain themselves Crew: Ten; two cooks and eight others who act as cook's assis-
on CS field rations known as integrated Ration Packets (1RP's). tants, servers, and dishwashers. The crew are regular infantry
IRP's have a shelf life of about five years and, after combat and are combat trained in APC operation, filling the regular
55
Mark V stations. They just happen to know how to cook as 11. Voice Actuated Locking System
well. 12. Complete Environmental Pilot and Crew Compartment
Troop Transport Capabilities: None. A few passengers could
be crammed into the kitchen area, but would be very uncom-
fortable. Mark V/HM
Black Market Cost: Three or four million at most. Due to its
stripped down nature the Mark VIK is not a viable combat
Hazardous Materials Unit
vehicle, and few groups seem interested in a portable kitchen. One of the core advantages that the Coalition military holds
Features of Note: over the average kingdom in North America, is the fact that al-
most every single vehicle in service operates off of a nuclear
J. Kitchen Facilities: The rear 2/3 of the Mark V/K contains
power system. Most of the nuclear engines in use can run for
a full restaurant-grade cooking area with two large ovens/grills,
years, or even decades, before needing refueling.
several microwaves, prep area, one high capacity/high speed
dish-washer, and two cafeteria-style serving booths (one across This practice has two key advantages: First, military units are
the rear hatch, one through the center doors). The ovens in the capable of operating for much longer periods of time away from
Mark V1K use a combination of microwaves and infrared heat to established bases. This gives the CS a serious edge against
fast-cook food. With these ovens a 20 lb (9 kg) turkey can be mechanized opponents with a limited operating range. The sec-
cooked in less than 15 minutes, a roast in 10 minutes, and a ond advantage is the freedom of not having to maintain fuel
pizza in 2 minutes. When adequately supplied and operating at dumps or large portable generators. Both of these are especially
peak capacity, a single Mark VIK can supply 500 hot meals per vulnerable to attack, and liquid fuels must be restocked fre-
hour. quently. (A 1990's armored division consumed about 600,000
gallons offuel a day!)
2. Water Stor age and Purification: The two upper weapon
turrets of the Mark VIK have been gutted and sealed to act as There is one serious drawback to the widespread use of nu-
water tanks. Rather than have separate hot and cold water stor- clear engines in combat vehicles. When a nuclear powered vehi-
age, water is heated or cooled as it reaches each sink (there are cle is destroyed in combat, the unit's engine usuaJiy survives
four large dual basins total). The APC also has water pumping relatively intact. It is not uncommon, however, for the battered
and purification equipment with 2500 feet (762 m) of hose, so engine to leak dangerous levels of radiation. Despite the best ef-
that it may draw from available water sources. forts of Coalition, Northen Gun, and Manistique Imperium engi-
neers, no one has yet to design an engine housing that can take
3. Sensor System Note: The Mark V/K has the following ro-
the kind of damage dealt by modem military weapons. Best case
bot vehicle features:
scenarios often result in damaged systems leaking toxic cool-
l. Nuclear Powered ants, while the worst cases see a broken or shattered engine
3. Combat Computer housing with radioactive material scattered over valuable farm-
5. Laser Targeting System land or watersheds.
6. Radio Communication Early in its history, the Coalition realized the need for special
8. Spotlights cleanup crews that would enter an area once an incident was
56
over, and retrieve and clean up any contaminated material. This Super SAMAS can be seen with the HazMat teams. Keep in
resulted in the creation of the Coalition's Environmental Safety mind however, these suits carry no armament or flight systems,
Program. This program was tasked with the retrieval and and are intended for environmental protection and heavy lifting
cleanup of any nuclear materials that posed a hazard to Coali- only.
tion territory. In addition to preserving the environment, the pro- The rear 2/3 of the Mark VIHM is only accessible through
gram also allows for the recycling of nuclear materials the large rear hatch. Both side hatches are sealed (welded shut)
whenever possible. While the Coalition does have an impressive and there is no interior access to the containment area. Heavily
stockpile of both fuel and weapons-grade nuclear material, it is shielded and sealed to prevent fluid spills from leaking, the con-
not limitless. The safety program also allowed the Coalition to tainment area is large enough to hold two robot/large vehicle en-
deny others the use of any salvaged nuclear material. gines or l 0 power armor/small vehicle engines. ln the rare
The Environmental Safety Program needed a retrieval vehi- instance that the Mark VIHM has to retrieve material from
cle for its specialized work, and the Mark V APC was once something larger (such as a Death 's Head), just the fuel rods are
again called upon to fill a task that its designers had not origi- taken or special equipment is called in.
nally intended for it. The interior of the Mark V was gutted and The Mark VIHM also has a large plow attached to the front
fitted with extra layers of shielding to contain the lethal cargos it end for pushing contaminated soil and other materials into piles
would carry. Both upper turrets were removed, and a heavy lift- for disposal. The plow can be raised to clear the front hatch for
ing crane was mounted in place of the rear turret. crew access.
The interior of the Mark VIHM is divided into two areas. The Mark VIHM units are usuaJiy accompanjed by a Mark
front 1/3 of the APC is accessed from the forward hatch and V/NBC for decontamination. Otherwise, crews remam inside
contains the crew stations and six power armor units. In the past, the APC or their armors until they can access decontamination
these were stripped-down SAMAS units. The wings, thrusters, facilities back at base.
and weapon systems were removed and extra radiation shielding The crews of these vehicles are trained to deal with the espe-
added. cially dangerous job of nuclear salvage. They are trained in nu-
One common practice is to take power armor units that have clear safety, and are fully versed in nuclear engine repair and
been heavily damaged in combat and convert them for use by construction. The crews are also skilled in ordnance disposal.
the HazMat teams. When a power armor is too damaged to be This is required because they are often working on damaged ve-
effectively repaired back to combat status, but not damaged to hicles that still have live munitions in badly damaged weapon
the point where it is a total write-off, the suits are stripped of systems.
weapons, flight systems, and almost all sensors, and refitted One interesting side note on the use of nuclear engines: With
with extra radiation shielding. While it is most common to see the heavy losses suffered in the campaign against Tolkeen, nu-
modified SAMAS and Mauler power armors assigned to the merous members of the military have begun advocating the idea
Mark VIHM, Smiling Jack, Striker, and even the occasional of reducing the fuel store of many of the military's vehicles. The
57
thinking is, why put a 20 year engine in a vehicle that may not Mark V/NBC Decontamination Unit
last 20 weeks?
Developed in tandem with the Coalition's Environmental
Current suggestions have fuel stores being reduced to a Safety Program (see the Mark VIHM for details), the Mark
monthly rating. This would mean that a 20 year fuel reserve VINBC provides full decontamination facilities for nuclear, bio-
would be reduced to a 20 month fuel reserve. If accepted, this logical, and chemical exposure. While environmental body ar-
would mean more frequent engine overhauls, but this would be mor, power armor, and vehicles provide excellent protection
offset by less of a loss when an engine was irrecoverable (a very against a wide range of hazards, there is nothing to protect the
common occurrence). Also, if engines were retrofitted to take individual when he or she must leave that protection.
advantage of the more frequent rebuilds, there could be a l 0 to
With the development of the Coalition's nuclear weapons
25% reduction in the weight of the engines. While this line of
program, the dangers of fallout and radioactive contamination
thinking is gaining support, it remains to be seen if the policy
have become even more of a concern for the CS military. While
will be adopted.
the probability of nuclear weapons being deployed is slim, and
the chance of them being used on land is even less, it was real-
Crew: Eight; two are APC crew, six are collection specialized that safety measures would need to be expanded to counter
ists. All have the following skills in addition to their normal the risk of exposure to radioactive material.
training: Nuclear, Biological, & Chemical Warfare (+10%), De- The Mark VINBC is deployed under the same guidelines as
molitions Disposal (+100/o), Mechanical Engineer (+15%), and the MarkV/K, with one being deployed for every two companies
Robot Mechanics (+15%). A + 15% bonus is applied to Mechan- (320 troops). The appearance of the Mark VINBC is similar to
ical Engineer and Robot Mechanics when dealing specificaJly that of the Mark VIK, with the addition of a water cannon
with engine related issues. The crew are regular infantry and are mounted on a small crane used for decontamination of tall robot
combat trained in APC operation, tilling the regular Mark V sta- vehicles.
tions.
Under optimal conditions, the Mark V/NBC can decontami-
Troop Transport Capabilities: None. nate 24 troops per hour, plus two smaJl vehicles/power armor or
Black Market Cost: Three or four million at most. Due to its one robot or large vehicle. Vehicles such as the Death's Head
stripped down nature the Mark VIHM is not a viable combat Transport and Fire Stonn Mobile Fortress require at least two
vehicle, and few kingdoms have use for this type of vehicle. hours.
Features of Note:
In a rare case of lateral thinking, the design team for the
1. Heavy Lifting Crane: The Mark VIHM has a heavy crane Mark V/NBC also included toilets and laundry facilities. This
mounted where the rear turret used to be. The crane can be fitted has slightly increased the morale of the troops attached to these
with a variety of different hooks and lifting electro-magnets in units. No one likes digging latrines, and clean clothes and a hot
order to handle almost any lifting job. shower are always welcome.
The crane has a 75 ton lifting capacity and reaches a height Crew: Eight; all have the Military skill: Nuclear, Biological, &
of 60 feet ( 18.3 m) fully extended. Chemical Warfare (+25%). The crew are regular infantry and
2. Hazardous Material Storage: The rear 2/3 of the APC's are combat trained in APC operation, filling the regular Mark
cargo area is fully sealed. There is enough room to safely store V stations.
two robot vehicle engines, 10 power armor/small vehicle en- Troop Transport Capabilities: None. A few passengers could
gines, or one robot engine and five power armor engines. be crammed into various areas, but would be very uncomfort-
The area has its own separate environmental system that is able.
used to contain any dangerous gases within the storage area. Black Market Cost: Three or four million at most. Due to its
These controls also allow the crew to maintain atmospheric stripped-down nature the Mark V/NBC is not a viable com-
pressure, adjust temperature, and even create a complete vac- bat vehicle, and few kingdoms have use for this type of vehi-
uum in the rear compartment if desired cle.
3. Sensor System Note: The Mark VfHM has the following Features of Note:
robot vehicle features. 1. Decontamination Facilities: The Mark VINBC carries a
l. Nuclear Powered wide range of soaps and disinfectants. When deployed for de-
3. Combat Computer contamination, a large rear hatch (effectively the entire rear end
of the APC) is lowered and a rack of sprinkler heads deploys.
5. Laser Targeting System
Contaminated personnel are showered and scrubbed here flTSt to
6. Radio Communication wash away any contaminants. Once scrubbed down, the person-
8. Spotlights nel remove any armor and proceed inside to the individual
11. Voice Actuated Locking System shower stalls. There are 12 showers total with dividers to pro-
12. Complete Environmental Pilot and Crew Compartment vide basic privacy (similar to a bathroom stall). From there
troops pass through an interior door where they can dry off and
receive new fatigues, or simple jumpsuits for those re-donning
body armor. Clothed once more, the troops pass through another
door into a narrow hall that connects the two side hatches and
separates the decontamination area from the latrine and laundry
areas.
58
The APC also bas a stock of heavy hoses and scrubbers for 6. Radio Communication
use on vehicles. 8. Spotlights
2. Latrine and Laundry: The forward half of the APC con- 1 I. Voice Actuated Locking System
tains latrine and laundry facilities. There are six individual la- 12. Complete Environmental Pilot and Crew Compartment
trine stalls accessed primarily through the APC's front hatch.
Each stall is equipped with a mini-incinerator capable of break-
ing down solid and liquid waste. The resulting ash is removed Mark VIREP Mobile Repair Unit
daily and deposited in a designated spot just outside the camp The Mark V/REP is one of the more uncommon Mark V
perimeter. Despite its origin, the nutrient rich ash is sterile and variants. While every field unit has use of a maintenance and re-
offers no risk of transmitting disease. In fact, some fanners have pair facility, the Mark V!REP is insufficient to meet these needs.
taken to raiding camp ash piles once the unit has moved on. The REP Unit is fully capable of completing minor repairs, but
The laundry room sits between the latrines and waste corri- it falls short when trying to accomplish the level of maintenance
dor. The room contains two high capacity washer and dryer that field units usually require. Standard Coalition procedure is
units, along with storage for towels and spare fatigues. The door usually to cycle units in and out of the field or, if that proves im-
leading to the latrines is usually kept closed for obvious reasons. practical, simply resupply/reequip the unit in the field.
The side batches and door to the waste corridor are often open, The stores of the Mark V /REP are capable of basic small
weather permitting, when parked to allow better air circulation arms and body armor repair, and limited power armor repair. In
in the often humid room. Note, while not intended for such high general terms, the Mark VIREP can repair/rebuild 75 small arms
volume, the laundry room often gets pressed into service as a (pistols and rifles) and 25 suits of body armor, and conduct mi-
camp laundry. This bas lead Mark VINBC crews to carry sev- nor repairs on 5 small vehicles/power armor suits before need-
eral replacement drive motors and dryer heater coils to keep the ing to restock. (See below for details.)
overworked laundry functioning. The Mark V /REP was classified a failure shortly after enter-
3. Water Storage and Purification: The two upper weapon ing service and produced in very limited numbers. Those in ser-
turrets of the Mark V/NBC have been gutted and sealed to act as vice have seen little use due to current Coalition military
water tanks. Both tanks are fitted with heater coils that quick doctrine and the REP's inability to properly fulfill its mission.
heat the water to I 10° F (43° C). The APC also has water pump- When it is sent into the field, it is deployed on a three per
ing and purification equipment with 2500 feet (762 m) of bose, company basis and is often accompanied by several parts supply
so that it may draw from available water sources. vehicles.
4. Sensor System Note: The Mark VINBC has the following Crew: Six, all are standard Coalition Technical Officers. There
robot vehicle features: are two with the Technician MOS and four with the Engi-
I. Nuclear Powered neering MOS. They are also combat trained in APC opera-
3. Combat Computer tion, filling the regular Mark V stations.
Troop Transport Capabilities: None. A few passengers could
be crammed into the repair bay, but would be very uncom-
fortable.
59
Black Market Cost: Three or four million at most. Due to its fitted with a variety of different hooks and lifting elec-
stripped-down nature, the Mark V /REP is not a viable com- tro-magnets in order to handle almost any lifting job.
bat vehicle. Add one million if the APC still has its full stock The crane has a 75 ton Lifting capacity and reaches a height
of spare parts. of60 feet (18.3 m) fully extended.
Features of Note: 3. Sensor System Note: The Mark VIREP has the following
1. Repair Bay: The rear 3/4 of the APC has been converted robot vehicle features.
into a repair bay. The bay has a full stock of tools and parts for 1. Nuclear Powered
completing minor repairs to small arms, body armor, small vehi-
3. Combat Computer
cles, and power armor. Rather than provide a piece by piece list,
the following is a rough g uideline for what is contained in the 5. Laser Targeting System
stores: 6. Radio Communication
• I 000 M.D.C. of plate for body armor repairs; if used to repair 8. Spotlights
power armor the ratio is 5:1 (5 points of body armor repair 11. Voice Actuated Locking System
equals 1 point of power armor repair). 12. Complete Environmental Pilot and Crew Compartment
• Materials to repair/rebuild 75 smaJJ anns; energy pistols, en-
ergy rifles, frrearms, etc.; - 15% penalty if attempting to repair Mark V/EC Electronic
heavy weapons (W.P. Heavy, Heavy Energy, power armor
weapons, etc.). Intelligence and Command
• 5 each of any major non-weapon system for power ar- The Mark VIEC was created to fulfil the role of mobile sen-
mor/small vehicles; this covers sensors, thrusters, etc. No re- sor platform and command center for large scale operations.
placement weapons. One Mark VIEC can comfortably handle all the communications
traffic and command for one company (320 troops) and can
• Parts for repairs to miscellaneous electronics.
cope with up to three companies if necessary. The Mark VIEC is
• -30% penalty to work on any robot vehicle due to lack of usually assigned to act as a forward listening post or as a base of
proper tools, parts, etc. operations until permanent bases can be constructed.
• Full stock of tools, drills, lathes, and general repair equip- When used as the central command unit, standard procedure
ment. is for the Mark VIEC's sensors to cover the immediate area sur-
Note: These guidelines apply to what is available in the APC rounding its current base. Mobile air patrols, usually SAMAS or
itself. If an alternate supply of parts and materials is present then Sky Cycles, are used to run sensor sweeps of the surrounding
the APC can do almost any repair, without penalty, that does not area at ranges of 5 to 10 miles (8-16 km) and transmit the data
require a full maintenance bay. back to the Mark VIEC. In its Command and Control capacity, a
If properly supplied, the APC can function as a smaJJ, well single Mark VIEC can run coordinated operations involving al-
equipped garage. ln field operations the Mark V/REP is seldom most 1000 troops over a 150 mile (240 km) area.
properly supported, and is left lacking in its intended role. When larger groups are needed, multiple Mark VIEC's are
2. Heavy Lifting C rane: The Mark V/REP has a heavy grouped together with their electronics linked and one APC des-
crane mounted where the rear turret used to be. The crane can be ignated as a central control unit With proper setup and coordi-
60
nation, three Mark VIEC's can handle all the communications operators. During combat operations (e.g. the war against
and command for an entire division. Tolkeen) or when coordinating larger troop formations, four
With the introduction of the CTX-54 Command Fortress, the technicians man the plotting table or act as runners and the num-
Mark VIEC has been delegated to support roles for the larger ber of active stations is increased. When operating under these
command center. During the Tolkeen Campaign, over 35 Mark conditions, extra sensor crews are brought along in regular
VIEC's were supplementing the 8 CTX-54's controlling the transports in order to keep operators fresh and functioning at
army groups there. This does not include the numerous forward peak levels.
listening posts and semi-independent bases that surrounded
2. Sensor Mast: A radar and full sensor array are mounted
Tolkeen.
on a retractable mast. Fully extended, the mast raises the ra-
With the impressive range of Coalition sensor systems, it dar/sensor unit 100 feet (30.5 m) into the air to allow for maxi-
may seem a waste to have so many units covering the same area. mum sensor coverage. When fu lly operational, it is virtually
After all, the radar coverage provided by one CTX-54 is suffi- impossible for anything to be within one mile of the Mark VIEC
cient to cover the entire Tolkeen theater of operations. In reality, without them knowing about it. The sensor mast contains the
however, radar loses accuracy over distance. At one or two hun- following systems:
dred miles, a slow moving target traveling at treetop level may
not be detected. With multiple radar systems, the chances of Radar: Range: 200 miles (320 km). Can identify and track up
slipping through undetected are greatly reduced For most of the to 200 targets simultaneously.
war, it was virtually impossible for airborne traffic above Combat Computer: This computer collects, coordinates, and
tree-top level to go undetected anywhere south of Tolkeen (un- filters the large amount of data relayed by the various sensors
less aided by magic). This multiple coverage also made it almost and presents it at the appropriate sensor stations. While a single
impossible for Tolkeen to disrupt communications and sensor station can access all incoming data, the work is usually divided
coverage on any meaningful level. between several stations so as not to overload the operators. The
Crew: Two, driver and gunner for the APC, plus 20 communi- computer has a massive target database, and can identify over
cations offic.ers (+ 15% Read Sensory Equipment) and one 5,000 different targets ranging from unarmored humans to mon-
command officer. In this case, the command officer is not sters to vehicles.
just in charge of the APC, but also anywhere from a Com- Targeting Computer: This dedicated computer assists in the
pany to a Division of troops. Rank is determined by number identification and tracking of enemy targets. Under extreme
of troops commanded and the nature of the mission. Lowest conditions it is possible for a station at the Mark YIEC to vector
rank would be a Captain for a Company, up to a Colonel for a unit to a target to initiate an attack without the attacking unit
a Division or if a very important mission. Generals, as a rule, activating any of its own sensor systems. This ability is not used
no longer use the Mark VIEC, having switched to using the often, as Coalition doctrine does not lend itself to this type of re-
more capable and prestigious CTX-54. mote-control leadership. Also, field situations are often too fluid
Troop Transport Capabilities: None. A few passengers could and complex to wait for a decision from the rear echelons.
be crammed into the command area, but would be very un- RadioNideo Communications: Wide band and directional,
comfortable. radio and video telecast capabilities.
Black Mar ket Cost: 10 to 15 million credits approximately. A Short-range broadband: Range: 50 miles (80 km).
Mark VIEC has never been available on the Black Market. Video broadcast: Range: 100 miles ( 160 km).
To a small kingdom or mercenary army, the Mark VIEC
Long-range directional: Range: 1000 miles (1600 km).
would be extremely valuable as a command center. The
Black Market, Northern Gun, or Manistique Imperium might Loudspeaker: 80 decibels.
pay triple or more for access to the advanced sensors and External Audio Pickup: Range: 2500 feet (762 m). A sound
communications gear the Mark VIEC uses. amplification listening system that can pick up a quiet conversa-
Features of Note: tion 2500 feet away.
1. Command Center: The Mark V/EC has a fuU comple- Thermo-Imager: A special, optical, heat sensory unit that al-
ment of sensor and communications gear. The APC is designed lows the infrared radiation of warm objects to be converted into
to handle communications traffic and coordinate movement for a visible image. Enables the pilot to see in darkness, shadows,
hundreds of troops. The center has full radio capabilities, includ- and through smoke. Range: 4000 feet (1219. 1 m).
ing scramble/de-scramble, code-breaking, and jamming. The Night Vision Optics: An image intensifier which is passive,
Mark VIEC can also act as a relay station to extend the range of meaning it emits no light of its own, but relies on ambient light
less powerful transmitters. The command center also has a holo- which is electronically amplified to give a visible picture.
graphic plotting table for mapping and coordinating troop move- Range: 4000 feet ( 1219. 1 m).
ments. Infrared and Ultraviolet Optics: This optical system projects
There are 16 sensor stations in the command center. Under a beam of infrared or ultraviolet light that is invisible to the nor-
low threat conditions, two technicians man the holographic plot- mal eye. The infrared system enables the pilot to see in the dark
ting table and only two of the stations are active, with four stag- and to see other infrared beams. The ultraviolet system enables
gered, 12 hour shifts (Midnight to Noon, 6 am to 6 pm, Noon to the pilot to see into the ultraviolet spectrum of light and is
Midnight, and 6 pm to 6 am) of four operators each. With this mostly used to detect the light beams of ultraviolet detection
setup there are two shifts active at any given time with techs systems. Both can be seen by anyone who has the appropriate
trading off every 1.5 hours in order to maintain alertness in the optics system, and the line can therefore be traced back to its
61
source. Also, smoke impairs the vision/beam, rendering it tem-
porarily useless. Range: 5500 feet (1676.3 m).
Motion Detector & Collision Warning System: Close Range:
500 feet ( 152.4 m); sounds alarm and red light warns of impend-
ing collision and/or immediate target.
3. Sensor System Note: The Mark V!EC has the following
robot vehicle features.
I. Nuclear Powered
8. Spotlights
10. Self-Destruct
II. Voice Actuated Locking System
12. Complete Environmental Pilot and Crew Compartment
Coalition Death's
platform design. Some unappreciated research assistant deep in
Head Armored Gunship the bowels of the Coalition's R&D bureau stumbled across ref-
During the period of military research and development prior erences to pre-Cataclysm aerial gunships and realized that such
to, and during, the Coalition's recent military deployment, there a concept would offer an excellent, lower cost, less obvious al-
have been dozens of different weapon systems and concepts ex- ternative to the huge bomber. The idea would be to take an ex-
perimented with. While the core of the military's equipment ros- isting cargo vehicle (the Death's Head Transport was ideal) and
ter has been determined and placed into production (see mount an impressive array of conventional weaponry for use
equipment and vehicles detailed in Coalition War CampaignTM, against large targets.
Coalition Navy™, and other books) there were, and still are, a The idea of the aerial gunship developed during the
number of experimental weapons programs. These programs pre-Cataclysm conflict known as World War Two. ln that con-
range from testing camouflage patterns, to different alloys used flict, fighters and light bombers were mounted with large num-
as rail gun projectiles (attempting to fmd better penetration and bers of machine-guns facing forward (more than 20 in some
damage using existing weapons), to replacement weapons for cases) and were given strafing missions against ground targets.
existing vehicles, to the massive CAF- 1 Stratocarrier project The idea was to send as many bullets as possible towards a tar-
(see Siege on TolkeenTM Book Two for details). get at one time. The drawback of this design was that the pilot
While the CAF-1 project is, at best, a public relations tool, was forced to fly over the target and turn around if be wished to
the gunship program is a less ambitious, more practical weapon continue attacking.
62
During another pre-Cataclysm conflict the American Empire military offensive planning. There is no doubt that the gunship
developed what would become a far better gunship design. This is economical, but its limited combat applications may relegate
time medium sized cargo aircraft were used and machine-guns it to just being a military curiosity. The gunship, while powerful,
were replaced with Gatling-style rotary cannons. The first de- is not intended as a front line combat unit. The primary weapon
sign, the AC-47, mounted only three Gatling guns, while the array of eight rail guns has a limited arc of fire and is best suited
crowning achievement, the AC-130A, mounted six Gatling guns for attacks on stationary targets or mass formations . If placed in
and a 105mm artillery piece. The new configuration of the gun- front-line situations it would need to be heavily defended by
ship had all the weapons facing to the left side of the aircraft. In more agile units such as SAMAS or rocket cycles.
this setup, all the pilot had to do was simply circle the target
area, raining down weapon fire from a safe distance. Tolkeen Campaign Note: By the end of the war against
Tolkeen, the Coalition will have a total of eight Death's Head
With the advanced technology available to it, the Coalition
Gunships in its inventory. This is down from a total of 15 at the
has raised the effectiveness of the aerial gunship to new levels.
height of the war. Of the seven that were lost (completely de-
The Death' s Head transport, with its nuclear engine and ability
stroyed), four were sacrificed during the Sorcerer's Revenge,
to travel as slow as a hover, allows it to surpass the old propeller
using their massive firepower to cover elements of the retreating
driven designs (chosen for fuel efficiency and slow airspeed) in
army. It was the support of these gunships, in part, that allowed
range, endurance, and versatility.
for the few organized Coalition withdrawals during the Sor-
The weapons package of the Death's Head Gunship was cho- cerers' Revenge.
sen primarily for cost efficiency. The CAF-1, while mounting a
The other three were lost during the second push on Tolkeen.
very impressive amount of firepower, could cost over I 00 mil-
The gunships proved their worth during the assault through the
lion credits for the bomb and missile load for one mission alone.
layers of fortifications in The Barrens. Flying with heavy air
While Coalition technicians are still experimenting with differ-
support, the gunships were responsible for more than their share
ent weapon mixes, it appears that the main armament for the
of the destroyed fortifications and entrenched defenses.
gunship will consist of projectile weaponry only (even the shells
for the GR-155 howitzers are still less complicated and cheaper Ironically, the success of General Jericho Holmes' surprise
to manufacture than missiles). One other reason for the projec- attack left very few worthwhile targets for the gunships during
tile weaponry has stemmed from the recent loss of large quanti- the fmal siege on Tolkeen. As it was, while the gunships oper-
ties of missiles during the initial attack on Tolkeen and through ated with near impunity during Tolkeen's fmal days, they were
the first few months of the war. While there is currently no relegated to a relatively minor ftre support role.
shortage of missiles available, and production seems to be keep-
ing pace with demand, even Coalition commanders can see the Model Type: AFC-050A
benefits of destroying some targets with inexpensive rail gun Class: Air Armored Assault Gunship
rounds rather than missiles. C rew: 14: One pilot, one copilot, one navigator, one communi-
Currently the Death's Head Gunship project is classified ul- cation engineer, and ten loaders/gunners.
tra-top-secret The gunship concept seems to have been lost to Troop Transport Capabilities: None. The entire cargo area is
history for the moment and the Coalition would like to see it re- dedicated to weapons and ammunition storage.
main that way. ln order to protect the secrets of the gunship, Co- M.D.C. by Location:
alition designers have installed two additional self-destruct Forward Observation Windows (2, eye-shaped} - 80 each
systems (for a total of three) in the Death's Head Gunships. The Side Mounted Laser Turrets (6) - 50 each
self-destruct systems are activated in the normal manner and, as Weapon Barrels (10)- 75 each
an added security feature, the hard-wired links are severed with Tail Fin - 125
micro-explosive charges. This prevents psychics from using Lower Saucer- 400
Telemechanics or other machine controlling psionics to deacti- Rear Jets (3)- 200 each
vate the self-destruct. The only way to disable the self-destruct •Main Body- 1300
once started is to find all three detonator control boxes and deac- Reinforc.e d Crew Compartment - 200
tivate them separately. • Depleting the M.D.C. of the main body will destroy the
In tests, the Coalition scientists placed six convicted psy- transport. Destroying the saucer portion impairs the trans-
chics, with the appropriate powers, inside a mock-up of a port's mobility and hover capabilities.
Death's Head transport and told them exactly what was going Speed
on and what they were to look for. The detonator control boxes Driving on the ground: Not possible.
were even labeled so that psychics would know them when they Flying: The rocket propulsion system enables the Death's
found them. The agreement was that if the psychics could find Head to hover stationary up to 2000 feet (6 10 m) or fly. Maxi-
and disable the system they would receive a full pardon and be mum flying speed is Mach One, about 670 mph (1072 km), but
allowed to safely leave Coalition territory. The system was cruising speed is considered to be about 350 mph (560 km).
given the maximum 60 second countdown, and, well, the Coali- Maximum altitude is limited to about 40,000 feet (12, 192 m).
tion never had to renege on its promise to the prisoners. Flying Range: The nuclear power plant has years of life, but
Currently there are only three Death's Head Gunships in the the jet rockets get hot and need to cool after a maximum of
Coalition inventory. While pleased that the gunship is proving twenty hours of flight when travelling at speeds above cruising.
to be extremely successful at its assigned mission, Coalition They can operate indeftnitely with rest stops and/or at cruising
command is uncertain if they wish to integrate the gunship into speeds.
63
Statistical Data B. C-144 AutcrCannons (2): These are two of the massive
Height: 76 feet (23.2 m). auto-cannons mounted by the IAR-2 Abolisher.
Width: 104 feet (32.7 m). Primary Purpose: Assault.
Weight: 2 tons each.
~: 240 feet (73 m).
Mega-Damage: 2D4xl0 M.D. per single blast or 4D4xl0 M.D.
Weight: Approximately 1250 tons fully loaded.
per double blast.
Cargo: While there is a little within the gunship to carry pas- Range: 6000 feet (1828 m); maximum range is 10,000 feet
sengers and some cargo, the Death's Head Gunship is not in- (3048 m), but the gunship is - I to strike targets over 6000 feet
tended to do so, and space is limited (1828 m) to about 7000 feet (2286 m), and -3 to strike targets
Power System: Nuclear; average energy life is 20 years. beyond that point.
Black Market Cost: A Death's Head transport has never been Rate of Fire: 2 per cannon, per melee round.
available on the black market The current security surrounding Payload: 480 total; each cannon has a payload of240 shells.
the gunship project has mandated that the few gunships in ser- Note: Due to the cannon's slow rate of fire and difficulty tar-
vice be fitted with three separate self-destruct systems. When geting at longer ranges, it is being seriously considered whether
activated the bard-wiring between the systems is physically de- the C-144's should be replaced with two more C-200DH's.
stroyed by micro-explosive charges. The purpose behind this is C. C-200DH Rail G u ns (2): A second pair of the turret guns of
so that psychics using Telemechanics and other machine con- the original Death's Head transport.
trolling psionics cannot deactivate the system in the seconds be- Primary Purpose: Assault.
fore detonation. Weight: Rail Gun: 1.2 tons each.
Weapon Systems Mega-Damage: A Burst is 100 rounds and inflicts 1D4x 10
1. Primary Heavy Weapons Package: On the gunship variant M.D.; a dual burst inflicts 2D4x10 M.D. one round does 104
of the Death's Head Transport, only the CR-6T laser turrets M.D.
remain of the original weapons package. It is important to Rate of Fire: Equal to number of combined hand to hand attacks
note that the heavy weapons package mounted facing the left (usually 4-6).
of the craft is designed to fire on relatively slow moving Maximum Effective Range: 2.5 miles (4 km).
ground targets. Unless the target is large and s low, any at- Payload: 80,000 rounds per each gun, that's 800 bursts each.
tempt to frre on airborne targets results in the loss of all strike Reloading a rail gun requires special equipment and takes about
bonuses and a -3 penalty to strike. Fast moving ground tar- an hour.
gets are -1 to strike for each 10 mph (16 km) above 50 mph D. CPC-100 High-Powered Cannon (2): Borrowed from the
(80 km). AFC-151 Deathbringer APC, this cannon f1res a powerful
Note: Because of a unique combination of altitude, cus- plasma rocket shell.
tom weapon mounting, and advanced targeting software, Primary Purpose: Assault.
some of the weapons listed are able to f1re farther than their Mega-Damage: ID6x 10 M.D. per round or 2D6xl0 M.D. per
usual ranges. Also, the size of the target determines how double blast.
many weapons can be brought to bear on it; for each 20 Range: 8000 fe.e t (2438.4 m).
feet/6.1 m (or portion thereof) of target size, one pair of Rate of Fire: Equal to number of combined hand to hand attacks
weapons may be targeted on it. For example: a 20 foot (6.1 (usually 4-6).
m) tall robot could have both the C-200DH rail guns target- Payload: 400 total; each cannon has a payload of200 shells.
ing it, while a 35 foot (10.7 m) long bunker could have both E. GR-l SS E lectr omagnetic Howitzer (2): These artillery
C-200DH rail guns and both CPC-1 00 cannons targeting it. It pieces are among the heaviest weapons mounted on an air-
is important to note that aU of the primary weapons are con- craft.
figured to fJTe individually or in matched pairs (no mixing Primary Purpose: Assault.
and matching of weapon groups). Each pair of weapons has Shell Type: Armor piercing shells are used against fortifications
its own set of two gunners (one shooter, one spotter) but the and hardened targets and inflict 306xl0 M.D. to a 10 foot (3 m)
entire package can be controlled by two people in an emer- blast radius. Plasma and Fragmentation shells are used for area
gency. bombardment and inflict (respectfully) 106x50 M.D. to a 50
The primary heavy weapons package currently mounts the foot (15.2 m) blast radius and 2D4xl0 M.D. to a 70 foot (21.3
following (in order of front to rear): m) blast radius. IUumination shells will light up an area like
A. C-200DH Rail Guns (2): These are simply the re-mounted flares and smoke shells will create clouds of vision-obscuring
turret guns of the original Death's Head transport. smoke over a 300 foot (9 1 m) radius.
Primary Purpose: Assault. Mega-Damage: Varies with shell type as noted above.
Weight: Rail Gun: 1.2 tons each. Range: 18.7 miles (30 km).
Mega-Damage: A burst is 100 rounds and inflicts 1D4xl0 M.D.; Rate of Fire: Each howitzer can fire once per melee.
a dual burst inflicts 2D4xl0 M.D.; one round does 104 M.D. Payload: 200 total. A standard load includes 90 fragmentation,
Rate of Fire: Equal to number of combined hand to hand attacks 60 p lasma, 30 armor piercing, and 10 each of illumination and
(usually 4-6). smoke.
Maximum Effective Range: 2.5 miles (4 km). Strike Penalty: -3 to strike targets smaller than 20 feet (6.1 m).
Payload: 80,000 rounds per each gun, that's 800 bursts each. Note: In addition to the shells listed above, chemical shells
Reloading a rail gun requires special equipment and takes about (e.g. tear gas) are sometimes used. Newer shells (such as la-
an hour.
64
ser-guided and rocket assisted) are in the experimental stage but grid, any S.D.C. creature shocked by the grid has a 0 1-990/o
are not yet available for regular combat use. chance of being killed instantly (immediate medical attention
Special Attack: Rather than direct the weapons at individual may be able to save them). Even M.D.C. creatures up to the size
targets, the gunship has the ability to saturate an area with of a horse still stand a 01-50% chance of being killed instantly.
ftrepower. This attack is directed at a 100 X 100 foot (30.5 x Power armors/vehicles shocked by the grid have a 01-40%
30.5 m) area and all weapons are ftred into it. This attack re- chance of having all of their electrical systems fried and any oc-
places any attacks by the primary weapons package and can cupants suffer 2D4 S.D.C. damage. Note: During the Tolkeen
be done twice per melee round. The attack uses one Campaign, the Neural Grid proved to be ineffective against
burst/round per weapon (one howitzer is used per attack) and Elementals, animated dead/undead, and a number of mon-
inflicts 1D4x 10 M.D. to everything inside the attack area, can sters/0-Bees whose natural defenses made them immune to the
not be rolled with, and is impossible (or at least incredibly grid's effects.
difficult) to dodge. Range: Touch.
2. CR-6T Laser Turrets (6): 1bree heavy laser turrets are Rate of Fire: Once per melee round
mounted on each side of the transport. Each is capable of 180 Payload: Effectively unlimited.
degree rotation and a 90 degree arc of fire, up and down. 4. Hand to Hand Combat: None.
Primary Purpose: Anti-personnel. S. Sensor System Note: Has a ll the standard robot sensors and
Secondary Purpose: Defense. systems, as well as the following.
Mega-Damage: 1D4x10 M.D. per dual blast.
Range: 6000 feet (1829 m). I. Thenno-Imager: A special optical heat sensor that allows
Rate of Fire: The pilot can operate all weapon systems at a rate the infrared radiation of warm objects to be converted into a vis-
equal to the combined number of hand to hand attacks per melee ible image. Enables the pilot to see in the dark, in shadows, and
(usually 4 to 6). through smoke. Range: 2000 feet {610 m).
Payload: Effectively unlimited. 2. Infrared and Ultraviolet Optics: This optical system pro-
3. Neural Grid: After years of development, the Coalition R&D jects a beam of infrared light that is invisible to the nonnal eye.
groups may have finally come up with a way to counter The infrared system enables the pilot to see in the dark and to
dragon attacks against the Death's Head Transport. The most see other infrared beams. The ultraviolet system enables the pi-
popular dragon tactic is to teleport directly on top of the lot to see into the ultraviolet spectrum of light and is mostly
transport. This puts the beast inside of the arcs of ftre of all of used to detect the light beams of ultraviolet detection systems.
the transport's weapon systems and has resulted in many lost Note: The infrared light beam can be seen by anybody who also
transports over the years. To counter this, Coalition techs has infrared optics, and the beam can be traced back to its
have mounted a grid that covers the roof of the transport and source. Smoke impairs the infrared beam, making it impossible
has the effect of a Neural Mace against dragons (or any large to see.
supernatural creature). The grid covers the entire roof of the 3. Infrared Searchlights: Built into the face of the Death' s
transport, and requires direct contact to work on a target Head are a pair of headlights that also serve as infrared search-
{there was one incident during the testing phase where a lights. The lights can be used to scan an area at night using the
transport pilot intentionally rammed a dragon when it refused invisible light to avoid detection. Only somebody who can also
to make contact with the transport). see infrared light will see the beams. Range: 500 feet {152m).
Primary Purpose: Anti-Dragon. 4. Enhanced Radar: Can identify and simultaneously track up
Secondary Purpose: Defense. to 96 different targets. Range: 200 miles (320 km).
Mega-Damage: Save vs Neural Mace: 16 or higher, a failed save Special Bonuses: +I to dodge when flying at cruising speeds
means there is a 25% chance of rendering the target uncon- and +2 to dodge when flying over 300 mph (480 km). Trained
scious. Even if the save is made the target is -5 to strike, parry, CS pilots get an additiona l + 10% to pilot the Coalition transport.
and dodge for I D4 melees. The duration is increased 1D4 me- Note that city maneuvering/combat usually requires piloting
lees for each time the target is shocked by the grid. Note: Due to rolls.
the massive amounts of power channeled through the neural
65
The
Hammer
of the Forge
By James M.G. Cannon
Chapter Nineteen
Everything New is Old Again
The Naruni Repo-Bot is the deadliest soldier in the Three
Galaxies. Armed with the latest in Naruni designs, armored like
a tank, powered by a fist-sized cold fusion reactor, and piloted
by the cybernetic brain of a sentient wa"ior, amplified by all
the tricks and toys the Naruni could fit into the 'bot's combat
computer. A single Repo-Bot is capable of tearing apart an en-
tire platoon oflesser troops, and can hold its own against a sin-
gle Cosmo-Knight.
On the other hand. if you put two or three Cosmo-Knights
against a platoon of Repo-Bots, then the Naruni Corporation is
going to be spending a lot of money to replace their damaged
property. For that is the one weakness of the Repo-Bot: They
are essentially slaves, and their programming ensures that the
only freedom they will ever know is death.
Of course, the fact that Repo-Bots aren't afraid to die just
makes them more dangerous.
-from the trideo documentary Thraxus & Me by Morlan
Miks
Caleb Vulcan recognized the long, low-slung starsbip parked

in the midst of the tarmac. The crimson finish was unmistak-
able, as was the Acberean clan symbol painted on the nose.
What worried him was the six black and gold 'hots standing in a
semi-circle around the ship's access hatch.
"It's our ship, no doubt about it," Caleb told his friends. He
and his Cosmo-Knight allies were clad in their civvies, in an at-
66
tempt to remain inconspicuous. Caleb wore his blue jeans, red "What are the chances," the cyborg returned, "that I wilJ pull
grav boots, and silver shlrt. His goggles and communications this trigger?"
ring hung around his neck. "Eb, right." Vyking turned on his heel and began walking
Vyking, a tall and rangy human with a shock of raven hair back to the maintenance bay where Caleb waited. Ariel waited
and a neatly trimmed beard, gestured at the robots stationed for a moment. Caleb knew she was contemplating calling up her
around the craft. "Bad mojo, Caleb. Looks like your Promethean two handed sword and slicing the cyborg in two, but at last she
buddy was right; the Naruni Corporation has impounded your started back towards Caleb.
ship." Vyking looked extraordinarily comfortable in canvas "That was a wash," Caleb said when Vyking drew near.
shorts, sandals, and a blue t-sbirt with a palm design. Vyking "Mmmm," Vyking muttered. "Are they watching us?"
looked more ready for the beach, rather than a tour of Phase
"Of course. Still aiming her gun at your head, too."
World
"Good. Hate to think they won't remember us."
" I'm more concerned about my friends," Caleb answered,
running a hand through his red hair. He felt Ariel place a reas- "Why would you want them to?"
suring hand on his shoulder. Vyking grinned enigmatically. "I like my enemies to see my
"We'll fmd them," the Titan told him. Nearly ten feet tall, face,'' he said "When this is all over, I want them to be able to
Ariel had auburn hair and green eyes, and her statuesque frame look back and realize this point is when we arrived, when they
was wrapped in an elaborate white toga. could have just handed over your friends and your ship and
avoided all the pain and misery that's about to follow."
Vyking grinned, a mischievous light in his blue eyes. " Let's
see what the Repo-Bots have to say." His grin broadened, and Caleb couJd only stare at his fellow knight, but before he
the knight sauntered across the tarmac in the direction of the could fully process Vyking's words, Ariel appeared. "What
ship. Ariel exchanged a concerned look with Caleb, then fol- next? A trip to the Naruni sector to poke around?"
lowed. Vyking shook his head. "According to our Promethean infor-
Caleb took a moment to survey the scene. Docking bay six- mants, the customs agents Tor and Egis, a man matching Doctor
teen was a massive room the s ize of a warehouse. It contained Abbot's description was last observed in docking bay
docking space for six separate medium-sized starcraft, including ninety-four. I say we head up there to poke around, look for
maintenance bays, and umbilicals linking the ships to Center. clues."
Power, oxygen, coolants, and other chemicals were fed back and "Clues?" Caleb said absently, still shocked at Vyking's
forth between the city and the ships. The far end of the room speech.
was a doorway opening out into Phase World's cold, gray after- "You okay, Caleb?" Ariel asked.
noon sky. Half of the docking brackets were empty, while the "Yeah, I just, I don't - " Caleb stuttered. A shadow de-
remaining two were occupied by merchant craft. A crew of tached from the wall behind Caleb, interrupting him and draw-
Catyr swarmed over one of them, effecting repairs on its darn- ing the attention of all three Cosmo-Knights.
aged hull. The last ship, like the Comet, was dark. The onJy po- "Caleb Vulcan?'' the shadow asked. It roughly approximated
tential hostiles in sight were the six Repo-Bots around the the shape of a human, but the dark matter of its body was as
Comet. wispy and thin as its voice.
Which forced Caleb to focus on them once more. At Caleb brightened, though he sensed his companions bristling,
Vyking's approach, the six of them formed up in an impressive preparing to deflect an attack. Caleb put a hand up to block his
display, their heavy plasma ejectors braced against their chests. friends. "Yes?" he said to the shadow.
"Evening, gentlemen... and ladies." Vyking's voice carried "I have a message from Doctor Abbot," it said. "He is hiding
across the room. The Repo-Bots didn' t seem impressed by his on the lower levels with Siv Yurilak and Arwen. I must bring
casual tone. Vyking stopped about twelve feet from the frrst two you to him."
cyborgs, and Ariel halted right behind him, crossing her arms
Caleb frowned. "What about Kassy?" he asked. Instead of
and looming threateningly.
answering, the shadow merely repeated its previous statement.
The Repo-Bots remained unimpressed.
"Magic," Vyking muttered derisively.
"You know," Vyking continued in the same bored manner, "I
"It's only a construct," Ariel told Caleb. " It isn't intelligent.
used to have a friend who flew one of these rigs. Same bright
It can only answer questions it's programmed to understand.
red shade, too. I don't suppose you folks have seen the pilot?"
The trick is to think of the right questions."
One of the cyborgs stepped forward. Curiously, the robot
"Yeah, well, think of them quickly," Vyking said, looking
body was curved in a feminine shape. "Step away, citizen," she
over his shoulder. "The Repo-Bots are getting curious and some
said mechanically, levering the barrel of her gun at Vyking's
of them are beading this way."
bead.
Caleb risked a glance of his own. The lead cyborg was in-
Vyking held his hands up in surrender. "Hey, hey," he said.
deed marching across the tarmac, accompanied by two other
"There's no need for violence. I was just asking a question."
black and gold bots with weapons at the ready. "Shivok," Caleb
"I will not ask you a second time," the robot warned. swore under his breath. He turned back to the shadow. "Take us
"Oh, sure," Vyking said quickly, "I' m not one to press my to Abbot," he said.
luck. It just seems like too much of a coincidence, you know, Those seemed to be the right words. The shadow expanded
seeing my friend's ship here. I mean, what are the chances?" outward, stretching its thin body even thinner. Though it grew
67
outward, the shadow did not gain any mass, and in but a few "According to our sources," Vyking interrupted, "the Homed
heartbeats, it stretched itself to the breaking point. A sharp tear- Dragon you fought is one of Thraxus' personal bodyguards.
ing sound echoed across the chamber as the shadow split apart, How did you three manage to escape?''
ripping a bole through space. A window opened up within the "Kassy took charge," Abbot continued, "and it is entirely due
tear. On the other side was revea led a darkened room, contain- to her quick thinking that we three survived."
ing rough hewn furniture and three humanoid forms familiar to "Kassy?" Caleb asked sharply.
Caleb. "Remained behind to help Joriel, a Celestine who distracted
Doctor Abbot, Siv Yurilak, and Arwen. the dragon with the Vigilance's cannons long enough for us to
Caleb risked a glance at the advancing Naruni, and grabbed slip away. Kassy refused to leave Joriel behind, and before I
his friends by the hand. Without hesitation, and against could do anything, her Gryphon had carried us from the battle.
Vyking's protests, Caleb stepped through the window. He felt a "We've been in hiding ever since, here on Center's lower
chill wind pass through him, and the next moment the three of levels, where it is very difficult for the Naruni to locate us. I sent
them stood in the middle of the darkened room. Ariel had to servants out to watch for you and Kassy, however."
crouch. "And Kassy hasn't turned up yet," Caleb said needlessly.
Doctor Abbot surged to his feet. "Caleb, my boy! You made "How long have you been down here?"
it," he said energetically, his dry British tones unmistakable. "Four standard days," Yurilak explained.
Abbot was a humanoid shadow c lad in a weather-beaten trench
"That's a long time," Vyking pointed out. Caleb shot him an
coat and fedora. He possessed no distinguishable features save
twin orange lights that served as eyes, and they focused closely angry look.
on Vyking and Ariel now. "You brought reinforcements as well. "Indeed," Abbot agreed. "Every moment I grow more and
Good for you." more anxious for Kassy's safety."
" It's great to see you, Doc." Caleb said as he took the doc- "We' ll fmd her," Caleb said sharply. He had lost his mentor,
tor's proffered hand. Siv Yurilak, the lanky Noro hired to pilot the Wolfen Cosmo-Knight Lothar of Motherhome. He was not
the Comet, grinned uncertainly. Yurilak wore black leathers and about to lose Kassy as well.
armor plates, and two prominent grav pistols bung from his belt. "Yes," Abbot said. "Now that you're here, we can begin
Arwen Griffen, a slightly built alien girl with green skin and planning a course of action. I' ve been recharging my energy re-
blue hair, gave Caleb a quick bug. The young knight made quick serves thanks to a nearby ley line. The battle with Hazmat took a
introductions, and Abbot was visibly heartened to learn Ariel lot out of me, but I'm ready to rescue Kassy now."
and Vyking were servants of the Forge. "We' ll need intelligence," Vyking pointed out. "Your friend
" Abbot," Caleb said at last. "What happened? Where's may be captured, or she may be dead." The blue-eyed
Kassy? Why have the Naruni impounded our ship?" Cosmo-Knight appeared unfazed by Caleb's angry stare or Ab-
The doctor sighed, a strange noise coming from his bot's concerned look.
mouthless face, and gripped his cane tightly. "We've had a "She's not dead," Abbot said. "lf she were, Siv or I would be
rough few days, Caleb." Abbot dropped into a poorly designed able to locate her. The only possibilities that remain are incar-
chair with a thump. "As you know, we initially came to Phase ceration at the hands of the Naruni, or that she is lying low as
World to locate a possible kinsman of mine. I've sought clues as we are. If the latter were true, I believe by now she would have
to my origins for as long as I can remember, and this was the found a way to contact us, or activate the servant I left to wait
best opportunity I've had in centuries. We tracked the signal I for her."
detected to the Vigilance, a S'hree Vek vessel on one of the up- Vyking held up his hands in mock surrender, grinning easily.
per levels, and were invited aboard. There we met Hazmat, the "Fair enough. Either way, we'll have to find where she's being
other Shadowbeing." Abbot paused. held. Caleb, you think your Promethean buddies will be any
"It didn't go well," Arwen suppHed, offering Abbot a con- help?"
cerned look. "Wouldn't they have told us that already?" Ariel interjected.
"Indeed," Abbot said, finding his voice. "Hazmat proved to "She's right," Caleb agreed. He snapped his fingers, and
be a monster. Apparently, I am descended from some of the shifted his attention to Abbot. "What was the name of that
most evil entities in the Megaverse. Answers I found, but I al- Monro you and Kassy met with last time we were here?"
most wish I had remained ignorant." Abbot's orange eyes twinkled suddenly, his version of a
Caleb placed a hand on Abbot's shoulder and gave him a re- smile. "Of course. I should have thought of him myself.
assuring squeeze. "I'm sorry to hear that, Doc. I'm sorry I was- Squamato Kekkil Damathui, better known to his patrons as
n't there." Squiddy."
"Thank you, Caleb. But I' m sure your business for the Forge "Is he reliable?" Vyking asked.
was more pressing," Abbot said, gesturing at the other knights " I would never use that term to describe him," Abbot an-
with his cane. "Our encounter with Hazmat left us drained, my- swered. "But if anyone knows what's going on, I wager it will
self in particular," he continued, "and we were unprepared for be Squiddy. His tentacles extend very far."
the assault that followed. We were attacked by two platoons of "Fair enough," Vyking nodded "We should also plan on
Naruni Repo-Bots and a Great Homed Dragon. It appears that freeing the ship. Ariel, why don't you take Yurilak and Ms.
Thraxus may indeed have been involved in Harkonnen's assault Griffen here and take care of that." Ariel frowned, clearly disap-
on Dellian-4. At the very least, that is the only motive I can
pointed.
think of for the involvement of the Naruni."
68
"Actually," Arwen said brightly, "I can handle the Repo-Bots mies of the Naruni. We have larger responsibities, in other
on my own." words. We're the light that shines against the darkness, and that
Vyking looked at her, uncertain. "She can," Abbot and means hard choices."
Yurilak said simultaneously. With a grin, Vyking relented. "Hmm," Abbot interrupted. "I hate to end a philosophical
"How about you?" he asked Siv. "Will you be able to handle the discussion, but we've reached our destination."
ship? The Naruni will have installed some kind of control sys- The four of them stood outside a nondescript storefront with
tem in the ship's computer." darkened windows and a great deal of graffiti adorning its exte-
Siv scratched at his spiky mohawk. "There isn't a ship in ser- rior walls. "This is it?'' Caleb asked. Abbot nodded and pushed
vice or computer system online that I can't handle," he prom- open the front door with the tip of his cane.
ised. "I guess I'll wait out here," Ariel said, frowning at the hu-
Caleb was suddenly reminded of why be didn't care for the man-sized doorway.
arrogant Noro, and Vyking's cavalier attitude was beginning to "We will return momentarily, my dear," Abbot told her, eyes
rankle him as well. He reigned in his emotions quickly. What twinkling.
mattered now was not Caleb's ego, but Kassy's safety. Vyking Caleb followed Abbot into the dark interior of the pawnshop,
could take charge all he wanted, and Yurilak could boast until Vyking in tow. The young knight's fiJ'St impression was of clut-
his face turned blue and Caleb wouldn't care, so long as they ter. There appeared to be three aisles, but the visible shelves
were able to rescue Kassy from the Naruni. were covered in items, piled haphazardly and dangerously.
"Do you really think this is all the doing of Thraxus?'' Ariel Many of the piles expanded off the shelves and into the aisles,
asked. With a start, Caleb realized that he had lost the thread of creating difficult footing. Most of the items were unrecognizable
the conversation. to Caleb's eye; strange bits of technology that were beyond his
"It must be," Abbot admitted. "As far as we could tell, we experience. He did notice robotic and cybernetic limbs and
did nothing to provoke the Naruni Corporation itself. It is con- heads, helmets and bits of armor, flight suits and other bits of
ceivable that their real target may have been the S 'hree Vek ves- clothing, as well as less advanced bits and pieces like lengths of
sel and we were simply caught in the crossfiJ'e, but I do not string, wrenches, video screens, small figurines, and the like.
believe this to be the case. My instincts tell me that this was Caleb's heart skipped a beat when he saw a "Snoopy" poster,
done at the behest ofThraxus." tattered and draped across a mound of refuse.
"I've tried looking for c lues psionically," Yurilak offered,
"but Doctor Abbot was afraid we would alert the Naruni to our
whereabouts, so I've bad to be extra careful. I haven't learned
much."
"Then we' ll just have to depend on this Squiddy fellow,"
Vyking said.
• ••
Squiddy's pawnshop was located in a rundown neighborhood
on Center's fifth level. Abbot led the knights there, while
Yurilak and Arwen split from the group to head up and see what
they could do about the Comet. As Caleb picked his way down
the street, stepping around mounds of trash spilling out of door-
ways and alleyways, and over the bodies of beggars or
drug-addled humanoids, his mood darkened. The presence of
such squalor, such poverty, on a planet as rich and technologi-
cally advanced as Phase World angered him.
Abbot, perhaps sensing Caleb's growing anger, hurried them
along. Vyking appeared nonplused by the decay, but Ariel wore
a concerned look. "I wish there was something we could do for
these people," she said at last. Caleb echoed the sentiment.
"Unfortunately," Vyking pointed out, "we weren't empow-
ered by the Forge to look after the poor and disenfranchised -
nor the rich and powerful, either."
Caleb looked at him sharply. "What do you mean?"
"We're warriors, Caleb. We're designed and built to battle
cosmic threats, the hostile forces that seem to propagate
throughout the Megaverse." Vyking grinned suddenly. "No one
else could have saved Ninemous from the Dominator, and very
few others besides us could pose a danger to the mechanized ar-
69
He thought for a moment that his eyes were playing a trick Dellian-4 affair. Harkonnen kept his mouth shut, and we never
on him, but the instant his trembling hand touched the brightly had the proof nor the political leverage we needed to press the
colored paper, he knew it was real. A relic from Earth, a piece issue, but it is clear that Thraxus wants payback for the job we
of his home world. He turned to Abbot and Vyking to share the did foiling his genocidal scheme. I believe that means I still
discovery with them, but realized there would be Little point. have some credit here."
They had no frame of reference; they could not possibly be as The grin had disappeared. Squiddy's red eye jumped around,
delighted as he was to see a picture of Charles Schultz' little examining each of them closely. "That, uh, isn't how I do busi-
beagle. ness," he coughed.
The choice to travel to the Three Galaxies had been his own, Vyking placed his fists on the top of the glass case and
and he didn't regret that choice for a moment, but a crushing leaned forward dangerously. "Let me tell you how I do business.
wave of homesickness inundated him. He never expected to see I serve the Cosmic Forge. Monetary matters do not concern me,
Earth again, let alone something from Earth, and his knees but justice does. Those who obstruct justice feel my wrath."
threatened to buckle as visions of Sunday newspapers, hot cups Squiddy's eye blinked rapidly. He sucked on his cigar for a
of coffee and doughnuts, the smell of his father's cigarettes, the moment, sending puffs of smoke into the air. "Okay," he said fi-
warm Arizona mornings, and other reminders of home flashed nally, " I suppose I can extend you guys some credit. What is it
through his mind. that you want?"
"You like that? Two credits," a deep, croaking voice said. Caleb frowned, but Vyking wore an expression of triumph.
Caleb looked up, blinking back unshed tears. A heavy-set Abbot didn't seem to care. "Four days ago, docking bay
Monro regarded him, his wide, frog-like mouth split into a ninety-four was attacked by Saburo and two platoons of
friendly grin. One baleful red eye examined Caleb closely, while Repo-Bots. We believe that at least two individuals were cap-
the Monro's tentacles waved about, almost tasting the air. One tured by the attackers. We want to know where they are being
fluid limb brought a cigar to the Monro's lips, and he puffed held."
contentedly. The quadrupedal alien was the fattest Monro Caleb
Squiddy puffed his cigar, looking at Abbot. " Wait here," he
had ever seen, and though he was only five feet tall and about as
told them. He turned around and disappeared through a low
long, the Monro looked as corpulent as a hippopotamus.
doorway into a backroom.
" You must be Squiddy," Caleb said, suddenly and violently
Caleb nudged Vyking with his elbow. "You didn't have to
brought back to the present. He let the poster fall from his
threaten him," he said. "We have some money."
hands.
Vyking shrugged. "Creatures like him only understand one
The red eye narrowed in suspicion. " Who wants to know?"
language," he said.
" My name is Caleb Vulcan." The young knight grinned at the
Abbot and Caleb exchanged concerned looks, but it didn't
reaction his name elicited. Squiddy blanched, and tried to wad-
look like Abbot wished to press the issue, and Caleb wasn't sure
dle backwards, flashing his tentacles in a frenzied patterns be-
if this was the right place to argue with Vyking. He did know
tween himself and Caleb. Before he could get far, Squiddy
that some kind of confrontation with the other knight was com-
bumped up against Vyking, who had materialized from behind a
ing. The man's arrogance was grating, and be seemed to have
mound of refuse. Caleb didn't remember losing track of his
some strange ideas about how best to serve the wishes of the
friends, but then he hadn't noticed the approach of Squiddy ei-
Forge.
ther.
Or were Caleb's views the flawed ones? He didn' t want to
"What is this?" Squiddy croaked. His fat neck flexed as he
explore that venue, even within the privacy of his own thoughts.
looked back and forth between Caleb and Vyking. "I haven't
talked to Harkonnen since he left Center, and I seem to recall Ten minutes passed before Squiddy poked his head out the
helping your friends locate him in the frrst place." door once more. Seeing that the three of them were still there,
he heaved a great sigh, and waddled back into the room. "Ac-
" Indeed," Abbot agreed, appearing at Caleb's elbow. "And
cording to the records I have access to," he began, "Saburo and
we need your aid once again."
the Repo-Bots captured six individuals, including an Atlantean
Squiddy's face fell as he recognized Abbot. "The wizard," he
and a Celestine. Surprisingly, they weren't brought back to the
muttered around his cigar. Suddenly, he brightened. His red eye
Free Trade Zone. Instead, the prisoners were escorted to a ware-
widened hugely, and his wide, lipless mouth split into a hungry
house on 4-B, ostensibly owned by Kralizec Industries."
grin. " You' re here on business. That's different." Grunting and
" Isn't level4-B the UWW sector of Center?" Abbot asked.
puffmg, Squiddy maneuvered himself around Vyking and wad-
dled to the back of the store, where he took up a station behind a Squiddy nodded. " Yep." He paused " It' s also where
glass counter. Settling into a sitting position, the Monro used Harkonnen had his interview with Thraxus."
one tentacle to flick his cigar into a dark comer, while two other "Interesting," Vyking said softly.
limbs produced and lit a second one.
"What can I do for you? And how do you expect to pay?" •••
" I helped save your life," Abbot reminded Squiddy.
The Monro smile widened. "What have you done for me Ariel agreed with Vyking's assessment after they briefed her.
lately?" he chuckled. "That's something of a relief, actually," she said. " l was afraid
"Our friends were attacked by the Naruni," Abbot continued, we'd have to fight our way through the Naruni sector to find
orange eyes glinting dangerously. "This is fallout from the your friends."
70
"No," Abbot said, "we'll just have to worry about a Great Vyking's blue longsword appeared in his hand, and Ariel like-
Horned Dragon and a few dozen Repo-Bots, in addition to what- wise summoned her silver two-handed sword, as long as she
ever defenses Thraxus has secreted within the warehouse itself." was tall. In the same instant as their armor sheathed them, the
"Exactly," Ariel enthused "It should be a cakewalk." two knights leapt into the air to engage the enemy.
Abbot's eyes twinkled. "I admire your spirit, my dear, but A terrific crash thundered across the plaza as Cosmo-Knights
I..." He trailed off. "What is that?" be asked. met eggs of death in mid-air. Abbot pushed Caleb off of him-
The four of them were tracing their steps through the fifth self. "I'm fme, Caleb,'' he said hoarsely. "Help your friends."
level's clogged and dirty streets, heading toward the lifts that Caleb stood, and a crimson light brought his own centurion
would carry them up to the fourth level. Abbot and Vyking led themed armor to him. "What are those things?" he asked.
them, with Ariel and Caleb bringing up the rear. They had just "Naruni Ovoid combat 'hots,'' Abbot explained. He struggled
reached a plaza when a shimmering, black and red field ap- to his feet, brushing off dust and fragments of pavement. His hat
peared before them, eliciting Abbot's outburst. and coat looked unruffled, but his cane had disappeared.
The air before the foursome shimmered and shifted, like the ''Naruni,'' Caleb echoed. "Why am 1 not surprised? Find
haze over an Arizona road in the midst of summer. Brief flashes cover Doc, we'll take care of this." So saying, the young knight
of red and black flickered into view, forming vague geometric stepped into the air.
shapes that gradually achieved greater defmition. Something re- The Ovoids were the size of fighter jets, Caleb observed, but
sembling a face came into view at last. Abbot gasped, and raised they were obscenely maneuverable. They glided across the sky
a hand to fashion some kind of ward. with ease, stopping on a dime and rotating their guns to track
Caleb stepped forward and placed an arm across Abbot's their airborne targets. Plasma tracers lit up the sky, and rail gun
chest. "It's okay," he said. "I've seen this before. I don't think bullets screamed through the air. Buildings exploded in showers
it's an attack." of glass, stone, and fire as the Naruni cut loose without regard.
As soon as he finished speaking, the flickering face before Ariel and Vyking ducked and weaved, trying to evade the at-
them began to talk. But whatever force kept it from attaining tacks, looking for an opening to make a counterattack.
perfect resolution also interfered with the message it wished to
impart. Only garbled fragments reached the ears of Caleb and
his friends.
"Cal... Vulcan... bring... warn... you must be... Quaj ... has
the... watch. Utter... aster. Must... us. All ... lost unless-"
And then it disappeared, as quickly as it arrived.
"An omen." Ariel breathed.
Abbot looked closely at his young friend. "You've seen
something Like this before? Why didn't you mention it?"
Caleb shrugged. "It didn't seem important in all the excite-
ment"
"Someone is trying very hard to send you a message," Abbot
said sharply. "Someone incredibly powerful who, unless I miss
my guess, just mentioned the name ofQuajinn Huo."
Caleb gritted his teeth. He had assumed the same thing after
the apparition's fJrst appearance on Ninemous. But there wasn't
anything he could do about the message, not yet. On the other
hand, he could do something about Kassy. "We have more
pressing matters to attend right now,'' he told Abbot. He opened
his mouth to say more, but the sky suddenly split with a metallic
scream.
Caleb looked up, and to his surprise be saw two giant black
and gold eggs roaring through the air, each orb marred by
strange projections. The projections flickered, and Caleb real-
ized they were guns. The pavement beneath their feet exploded
as plasma beams and rail gun slugs tore across the ground. Ab-
bot cried out, and without thinking Caleb used his own body as
a shield to protect the wizard.
Silver and blue lights flashed, and within moments, Ariel and
Vyking stood in their cosmo-armor. Ariel towered in a form fit- Focused as they were on the other two knights, the Ovoids
ting suit that resembled Greek hoplite armor, the blackness of didn't appear to register Caleb's presence. Caleb's visor flashed
the void showing through the joints, and from the depths of her three times with crimson light, and one Ovoid's force field flick-
helmet. Vyking's armor looked more Like a medieval knight's, ered and died. The robot reoriented itself, seeking out the new
save for the two curling horns that erupted from his helm. threat. The guns on one s ide tracked Caleb, while on the other
71
side a panel opened and a volley of missiles frred in Ariel's di- A red bar appeared in Caleb's hands, resolving into his cho-
rection. With preternatural accuracy, the silver knight blasted sen weapon, a massive sledgehammer. At close to top speed as
the missiles out of the air with her own energy beams, then he could get in the amount of space he had available, he
flashed forward for the kill. Caleb distracted it with more energy slammed into the remaining Ovoid, leading with his hammer.
attacks, and Ariel slashed at the black and gold surface of the The robot's shields popped like a bubble. The hammer dented
Ovoid with her giant blade. Megasteel shredded like tissue pa- the side of the egg, and it listed sharply. Its surface was raked by
per. Vyking's energy beams, and while the Ovoid's guns tried des-
Meanwhile, Vyking was being knocked about by the other perately to track Caleb and frre, the crimson knight laid into the
Ovoid. The sudden attack had drawn the attention of civilians, machine again and again with his hammer.
and Vyking was forced to use his own body as a shield to keep In moments, it too was a smoking wreck lying in the street.
the innocents from being harmed by a stray bullet. The plasma While Ariel and Vyking wrenched the Ovoids open and ex-
ejectors couldn't harm the knight, protected as he was against all tracted the pilots, harmed but whole, Caleb and Abbot checked
forms of energy, but the rail gun bullets were cutting his armor on the civilians caught in the crossfire.
to ribbons. He took the punishment without complaint, answer- The plaza around them was a smoking ruin. Bodies lay in
ing with bolts of cerulean light launched from the tip of his smoking heaps all around. Shards of glass and chunks of con-
sword. The Ovoid's shields flickered under the onslaught, but crete littered the ground. Sirens echoed in the distance, promis-
held. ing the swift arrival of medcabs, but too many of the people
Ariel braced herself upon the first Ovoid's dorsal surface, Caleb and Abbot found were beyond help.
and stabbed repeatedly into the robot's body with her sword. With each death they discovered, Caleb's anger grew.
Smoke and flames erupted from the machine, and it began to Thraxus would pay, be vowed. He didn't know how he would
slowly descend to the ground in a spiral. Caleb blasted past with bring the wealthiest and most powerful being in the Three Gal-
a salute to the Titan. axies to justice, but he knew it had to be done.
SYSfiMS fAilcJtl™
Fort Folsom
the Old School House and decided to collect all of their stores
and form a tight knit community around it.
Over the next year, they moved many of the mobile homes in
the area around the Old School House, encompassing the frre
An Optional Locale for Systems Failure™
department. and a heavy equipment repair shop behind a wall of
By Todd Yoho homes. These mobile homes were then packed with dirt, and
buried under mounds of dirt, making a formidable castle wall.
They built homes within the compound from the numerous
A History nearby timber yards that provided much of the community's in-
Fort Folsom is a small but important community in the north- come, and they began to re-open the abandoned coal mines that
western part of West Virginia, just south of the northern "pan- permeate the surrounding countryside. They also repaired the lo-
handle." It is home to a militia group calling itself the cal junked steam locomotive and a few cars for use to travel the
"Mountaineers." It is also home to one of the best stocked trad- many rail lines that snake through the mountains, enabling them
ing posts this close to Bugland, USA: The Route I Exchange to trade and communicate with other communities in the area,
Post. From here, characters can stock up and refuel before head- and across the state if necessary. They have made use of the var-
ing out to combat the bugs on their own turf. NORAD is curious waterways and tributaries of the Ohio River by constructing
rently considering sending a detachment of troops to bolster the rafts and boats to travel them, giving them another avenue for
Fort's defenses since it will be a key staging ground for any as- trade. This resurgence of transportation enabled the community
saults into Bugland. to build and maintain The Route I Exchange Post. Over time,
Being a rural area, Folsom had few main hard lines for the they attracted friends and family from all over to come and live
Bugs to use for entry. After the Bug threat was determined to be at the newly christened Fort Folsom.
real, the citizens took to destroying the few land lines into the Refugees from nearby towns began to trickle in as word
area and went as far as disabling the railroad switch boxes that spread about the Fort and the Exchange Post. With these refu-
run through the mountainous countryside. This proved to be a gees came agents from the FBI Fingerprinting Bureau in
wise decision for the future. Being such a rural area, the citizens Clarksburg, and they had contacts in what was left of the gov-
were used to being isolated, especially during the harsh winters ernment. Through them, trade began to flourish and the sleepy
when they can be snow bound for months at a time. Realizing little town of Folsom became an important staging ground for
the dire straits they were in, the community of 500 gathered at militias in the surrounding areas. They also benefitted from hav-
72
ing a large portion of the female population being employed at Working Vehicle Breakdown: 2009
area hospitals and nursing centers, giving them access to better I Steam Locomotive with 8 cars
medical care than in other areas of the country. Being a rural 2 Fire Engines; One tanker has been modified to spray bug
community, they were also well versed in raising livestock, juice.
agriculture, and hunting, enabling them to have a steady, if not 5 Coal hauling dump trucks
exactly overabundant supply of food. Being rich in coal and tim- 8 log carrying tractor-trailers
ber allowed them to have a steady supply of fuel for warmth and 4 tractor-trailer cabs
to power the steam locomotive, and it did not hurt that the area I ambulance
had a small number of oil wells pumping away. Also to the ben- 4 log skidders
efit of the community, thue was a significant population of the 100 operational4 wheel drive trucks
elderly who grew up during the Great Depression and had lived 55 4 wheel ATV's
in near apocalyptic conditions. Their insight and experience en- 20 3 wheel ATV 's
abled the community to effectively use its resources and hold 20 canoes
strong as the rest of the world was collapsing in on itself. 5 flat-bottomed cargo rafts (made from telephone poles)
After spending the first few years learning how to survive, 7 fish ing boats
the community began to send exploratory raids into the sur- 2 Hummers
rounding counties where some of the la rger cities used to be. I P-5 1 Mustang (90% ready to fly)
They found them to be destroyed by the Bugs: Clarksburg, 35 Horses
Morgantown, New Martinsville, W heeling, Charleston and more 40 Pack Mu les
all fell victim to the Bugs' assault. Not content to simply sit 25 Tractors
around and wait to die, they began to organize into a fighting I00 Riding Lawn Mowers
force. Calling themselves the Mountaineers, they began hit and -300 o ld cars and trucks for spare parts
run tactics in Clarksburg in order to gain raw materials. Through
judicious use of the locomotive, they were able to carry large Topography
amounts of forces relatively long distances and recover large One of the advantages that Fort Folsom has is the local to-
amounts of materials while combating the Bugs. By the year pography. It is situated in a region fu ll of small bjJis and moun-
2009, they have developed these raids to a science and have tains with valleys, known as hollows, but locally defmed as
been quite successful in combating the Bugs. " hollers," where equipment and troops can be stored in relative
73
secrecy. Even from the air, these secretive coves are difficult to ting, were returned to fighting form. One was destroyed in a
view thanks to the tree cover. The region is also cut by streams bandit raid on the fort in 2007. As the FBI employees began to
and creeks that are part of the watershed of the Ohio River. trickle in to Fort Folsom from nearby Clarksburg, they brought
These streams and creeks wind their way throughout the low- with them protective equipment, supplementing what the ftre
lands providing water and transportation routes to almost any- station already had, and more military hardware. Through their
where in the region. Adding to the isolation is the fact that there government connections, they secured a few Organitech weap-
is only one main road, Route 1, which leads into and out of ons and a supply of Bug Juice. Not wanting an opportunity to go
town. By securing this road to both the north and south of town, to waste, one of the ftre engines was modified so that it would
the community has strict control of who gets in and out of their have a storage tank of Bug Juice, should the need for it arise.
locality. The crown jewel of the annory will be the P-5 1 Mustang they
Aside from the main road, the railroad tracks and the streams, looted from a privately owned airstrip near Buckannon. It was a
there is another route of transportation that enables the Moun- harrowing process, and the fighter was in bad shape, but after a
taineers to cover long distances in a short amount of time: Old year of scrounging and jury-rigging of parts, it is almost ready
State Route I and the logging roads. Before the blacktopped to fly. All they need now is a pilot.
Route I was built in the 1930's, Route l was a winding gravel
road that cut its way through the heavily forested hills, barely
suitable for automobile traffic. It was better suited for horseback
A Population Breakdown
or even better, on foot. However, with the advent of four-whee l Fort Folsom began as a quiet mountain town of 1,114. After
drive trucks, the old Route I is a perfect way to shave time off the Meltdown, family members who had since moved away be-
of a cross-country trip. It may be rugged, but there is no more gan to trickle back in, raising the number to near 1,800. Over
direct route to some of the other communities that have sprung time, with illness and limited medical facilities, the population
up in hollers around Fort Folsom like Hartzel, New Smithfield, dropped to 1,400 by 2005. After word began to spread about
and Wallace. These logging roads are heavily patrolled and they Fort Folsom, prospective militiamen began to arrive with fami-
are beginning to set up checkpoints as well. Augmenting the lies until it has reached the current 2009 population of 2, I00
suitability to wage a guerrilla war from here are the honeycombs men, women and children. About 3/4 of this number are actual
of old coal mines that permeate the mountains. There are vast fighting members of the community, the rest being termed "sup-
coal seams that run through the area, and there were uncounted port" personnel. However, should the need arise, everyone capa-
small coal mines dug in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. ble of handling a weapon will fight for Fort Folsom.
Most of these mines were closed in the 1950's in favor of me-
chanically mining the larger seams found across the river into Locations
Ohio, but the tunnels were never collapsed or sealed. They have
been rediscovered, thanks to the surviving miners and the num- Fort Folsom
bers of hunters who have stumbled across them in the past cen- Bui It around a large brick schoolhouse dating from the
tury. These old mines have been put to good use as cold storage 1920's, Fort Folsom is a complex that stands as an example of
for perishables, weapon caches, outposts and living quarters. All the spirit and determination of humanity. It rests at the head of a
of these factors combined have enabled Fort Folsom to develop large field that expands into one of the larger hollers in the area.
into the Militia staging ground that is has become. It rests on the banks of one of the smaller streams that run out of
the hills. The schoolhouse itself is square in design boasting 12
The Armory rather large classrooms, 2 former office rooms, and in the center
is a gym and cafeteria area with full kitchen facilities. Also irn-
Aside from the plethora of vehicles, some armored, some not, port.ant are the four 2 bedroom apartments built into the south-
Fort Folsom started out with an impressive arsenal of weapons. west face of the building. The size and compartmentalization
Culled from the community of gun collectors and war veterans allowed for centralized storage of goods for the community and
of the 20 1h century, the Armory was stockpiled with several the gym allowed them a meeting place for everyone. The belfry
thousand guns and the necessary ammunition. Aside from the was immediately turned into an observation post armed with a
obligatory hunting rifles, shotguns, and handguns, Fort Folsom .50 caliber machinegun. The roof was modified eventually to
boasted several automatic rifles, including well cared for Viet- mount one of the reclaimed cannons, providing the complex
nam "Souvenir" AK-47's, numerous M-16's, and two .50 caJj- with artillery support in the event of an attack of Bugs or ban-
ber machmeguns. The owner of those two beauties claimed he dits.
assembled them from parts purchased at gun shows over the Adjacent to the schoolhouse is the fire department building, a
past 20 years. Also included in this arsenal were the supplies, three-garage sheet metal structure with a large wood stove and
and skills, for reloading shell casings, providing a plentiful, but kitchen facilities. Both structures are old enough that they utilize
not inexhaustible, initial supply of ammunition. Many of these wood stoves and have wells for water supply, making them fully
weapons were used as trade items in the early days, augmenting operating kitchens capable of feeding several hundred people at
the wealth of the community. a time in rather primitive conditions. The perimeter also en-
Over time, as military personnel began to strike out on their closed a heavy equipment repair shop that placed the means of
own and National Guard Armories were looted, more military repairing vehicles within the confines of the compound. This
hardware came to Fort Folsom. Several WWII display cannons also included two large storage tanks of gasoline and diesel fuel
were removed from their pedestals in New Martinsville, Paden that was essential for these early projects to take form . The huge
City, and Pine Grove in the early days, and after months of refit- supply of fuel is gone, but it did enable the community to ac-
74
complish the work they needed to do with the heavy equipment for 6 miles (9.6 km). One of the wwn artillery pieces is posi-
in the time that they did it. As time went on, the large field be- tioned at the observation post providing artillery protection for
hind the schoolhouse was tilled for agriculture and the perimeter this side of Route I.
of mobile homes was put into place. Within the perimeter, per-
manent structures were built for housing from cannibalized New Smithfield
homes and local stores of lumber. Soon, everyone was living New Smithfield was the first of the satellite communities that
within an armed compound with crude facilities for food, water, grew after Fort Folsom was secured. An oil boomtown in the
warmth, sanitation, health care, protection, and most impor- early years of the 20th century, Smithfield fell into poverty as
tantly, a sense of community. As the word of Fort Folsom grew, the United States began to become more and more dependent on
and family that bad moved away began to return, the permanent foreign sources of crude oil. After Fort Folsom was established,
population increased to double its size. Along with the perma- one of the first actions taken was to garrison Smithfield. It was
nent population, drifters pass through frequently, and other com- well know n for still having intact oil derricks, and crude oil
munities send Freebooters to trade with the stable Fort Folsom. would prove to be a valuable trade commodity. New Smithfield
Because of this, the Terrison faro ily used their wealth and influ- is onJy 12 miles (19.2 km) north of Fort Folsom and boasts a
ence to establish T he Route 1 Exchange Post. Because of the population of 350, all involved in pumping crude oil and pro-
stability of Fort Folsom, other communities are beginning to tecting the site. It is set well off the main road and unless some-
take hold in the area, some at the insistence of Fort Folsom. one knows it is there, no one is going to go looking for it.
They hope to have a strong chain of human settlements in the Outsider ignorance is the main protection for New Smithfield.
region, which has attracted NORAD's attention about using it as
a staging ground for future attacks against Bugs in the region.
Notable Mountaineers
The Route 1 Exchange Post
Located in the field north of the complex, the Exchange Post
Junior Seigers
began as a humble collection of trade goods and vehicles owned Junior is a short, round retired railroad worker with a devilish
by the Terrisons. Over the years, the Post has evolved into a sense of humor. He is the senior Grease Monkey of Fort
well-stocked bazaar with several permanent structures and cov- Folsom. Passing on what he knows to some of the younger
ered tents. They deal only in trade goods and precious metals, Grease Monkeys before the Meltdown, he was a respected
including pre-meltdown coins. They are used in manufacturing member of the community and his voice carried a lot of weight
bullets for the Militia. The Post exists outside of the complex among the people. The strength and determination that helped
wall, and most visitors to the community are rarely allowed in- build Fort Folsom is due in no small part to his organization in
side the actual compound. This has kept out many of the the days after the Meltdown. He is nearly 80 years old, but ex-
undesirables that the Terrisons sometimes deal with, especially tremely strong in his old age, the result of 30 years of repairing
through Janie's connections. Items for trade include weapons, railroad tracks. His family is highly involved in the safety and
vehicles, surplus food, purified water, clothing, timber, coal, operations of Fort Folsom.
crude oil, and skills such as repairs, refits and medical attention. O.C.C: Grease Monkey.
Mechanical work is usually done inside the complex with the Back ground: Construction: Retired Railroad Worker.
vehicle brought out to the owner when the work is done. There Alig nmen t: Scrupulous.
is a clinic set up in the Post, but should the need arise the patient H.P.: 47, S.D.C.: 30.
can be taken in to the complex's infirmary inside the compound. Attributes: I.Q. 10, M.E. 17, M.A. I I., P.S. 16, P.P. 14, P.E. 13,
Usually only the patient is allowed in, unarmed, for security rea- P.B. 12, Spd. 9.
sons. The post does not openly trade out medical supplies, how- I.S.P.: None.
ever, under the table negotiations through Janie can be arranged, Age:77
for the right price. Height : 5 feet 3 inches (1.6 m), W eight: 165 Ibs (74.25 kg).
Experience Level: 9th
The Underpass Psio nics: None.
The Underpass is a concrete railroad bridge that crosses Com bat: No Hand to Hand skill, 2 attacks per melee round.
Route I about a mile (1.6 km) south of Fort Folsom. It has been Bonuses: +I vs Psionics, +I vs Insanity.
armored and fortified as a checkpoint in order to serve as a first Skills o f Note: Carpentry (65%), General Repair (75%), Jury
line of defense against attackers. It has 2 .50 caliber Rigging, Scrounging (90%), Ele.ctrical Engineer (90%), Me-
machineguns behind plate bunkers on both sides of the bridge chanical Engineer (85%), Automotive Mechanics (85%), Air-
and 5 people routinely man the post at any given time. Also craft Mechanics: (85%), Locksmith (90%), W.P. Revolver,
within earshot is the Hartzel Run Logging Road Checkpoint. W.P. Shotgun, W.P. Bolt-Action Rifle.
Weapons a nd Equipment: Junior has a well-kept Datsun
The Tracks pickup truck with a camper top where he keeps his tools and
The Tracks is a checkpoint where the railroad tracks cross scrap pile. He usually has a .44 revolver "hanging low" at his
Route 1 on a small rise, located about a mile (1.6 km) north of side and a 12-gauge shotgun on his truck gun rack.
Fort Folsom. 8 people man the checkpoint at all times and it has
a .50 caliber machinegun in a bunker cut into the hillside. There "Big" David Seigers
is also an observation post at the top of the hill at The Tracks Big David Seigers, the son of Junior, is a tall, thin, wiry man
that allows for a clear view of everything coming down the road who spent years working in the coal mines. Before the Melt-
75
down he had little to do with the law, however after the Melt- "Little" David Seigers
down, he has fallen into the shoes of Fort Folsom's Senior Little David is the son of Big David, though anyone who has
Peacekeeper. He is the brother in law of the Terrisons, but he met them would believe that the titles should be switched.
gives them no leeway in any dangerous or "illegal" dealings at Where Big David is tall and thin, Little David is taller, broader
the Exchange Post. and much more densely packed, making his father look like a
O.C.C : Peacekeeper. beanpole in comparison. Little David before the Meltdown was
Background : Production: Coal M iner. a heavy equipment operator for the Terrisons' lumber company.
Alignment: Scrupulous. He has now taken up the role of an Exterminator hunting down
H.P.: 27, S.D.C.: 43. Bugs in his 1977 "Green Machine" Ford pick up truck. He is
Attr ibu tes: I.Q. 9, M.E. II, M.A. 14, P.S. 15, P.P. 14, P.E. 13, constantly scrounging for supplies to trade for fuel for his truck.
P.B. 13, Spd. 22. O.C.C: Exterminator.
I.S.P.: 37 Background: Transportation: Heavy Equipment Operator.
Age: 55 Align men t: Unprincipled.
Height: 6 feet I inch tl.85 m), W eigh t: 140 lbs (63 kg). H.P.: 28, S.D.C.: 76.
Experience Level: 5th Attr ibutes: I.Q. 14, M.E. 15, M.A. 14, P.S. 21, P.P. 15, P.£. 21,
Psionics: Minor Psionics: Object Read, See lnvisible, See Aura. P.B. 12, Spd. 10.
Com bat: Hand to Hand: Expert, Boxing, 6 Attacks per melee l.S.P.: 33
round. Age: 32
Bonuses: +3 initiative, +2 disarm, +5 pull punch, +2 strike, +5 Height: 6 feet 4 inch~1.93 m), Weight: 210 lbs (94.5 kg).
parry, +5 dodge, +3 roll with impact. Exp er ience Level: 3
Skills or Note: Law (45%), Streetwise (36%), Intelligence Psionics: Minor Psionics, Resist Fatigue, Resist Hunger, Resist
(48%), C limbing (60%), Prowl (45%), Pilot: Motorcycle Thirst.
(76%), W.P. Automatic Pistol, W.P. Shotgun. W.P. Auto- Com bat: Hand to Hand: Martial Arts, Boxing, 5 attacks per me-
matic Rifle, W.P. Bolt-Action Rifle, W.P. Blunt. lee round.
Weapons and Equi pment: " Big" David rides a Honda 4-wheel Bonuses: +2 initiative, +2 strike, +5 parry, +5 dodge, +2 dis-
ATV loaded down with a 12-gauge automatic shotgun, 2 .50 arm, +5 roll with impact, +3 pull punch, +6 damage, +3 vs
Desert Eagle pistols at his side, and an M-16 for emergen- mag ic and poison, + 12% vs coma/death.
cies. He is also fond of his oilskin duster and black derby hat. Skills or Note: Body Building, Climbing (60%), Wrestling, Ba-
sic Radio (75%), Camouflage (50%), Find Contraband
(54%), W.P. All Modem, Paired Weapons-Modem.
76
Weapons and Equipment: " Little" David drives a 1977 tricked
out green Ford truck outfitted with annor plating and a dual
20mm machinegun mounted in the bed. He carries in his
truck within easy reach a .357 magnum revolver, a .45
automatic pistol, two 9mm Berettas, an M-16 with a 20mm
grenade launcher, 2 Mosin Nagat 7.62mm bolt-action rifles, a
semiautomatic Browning 30-06 hunting rifle and a drum fed
Thompson sub-machinegun. He bas an even larger collection
of weapons in a bunker beneath his house within the walls of
the fort. You could say he's fond offireanns.
Mike Seigers
A former lumberjack, and son of Junior, Mike began to
stockpile supplies when he fJ.rSt heard about the Y2K scare. He
was determined for his family to survive the collapse of civiliza-
tion and he was one of the best prepared when the crash did
come. Mike is built like his older brother, "Big" David; tall and
thin, causing some to confuse them for one another at a distance.
He has served well as a MiJjtiaman for the Mountaineers.
O.C.C: Survivalist.
Background: Production: Lumberjack.
Alignment: Scrupulous.
H.P.: 32, S.D.C.: 35.
Attributes: I.Q. 9, M.E. 13, M.A. 12, P.S. 14, P.P. 15, P.E. 17,
P.B. II, Spd. 15.
I.S.P.: None.
Age: 50
Height: 6 feet I inch ( 1.85 m), Weight: 140 lbs (63 kg).
Experience .Level: 5th
Psionics: None. l.S.P.: None.
Com bat: Hand to Hand: Basic, 5 attacks per melee round. Age: 19
Bonuses: + I initiative, + I strike, +2 parry, +2 dodge, +2 roll Height: 5 feet 3 inches (1.6 m), Weight: 1851bs (83.25 kg).
with impact, +2 pull punch, + I vs magic and poison, +5% vs Experience Level: 4th
coma/death. (With a fireann: + I initiative, + I strike, +2 Psionics: None.
strike with an aimed shot, + 1 attack per melee round.) Com bat: Hand to Hand: Martial Arts, Boxing, 6 attacks per me-
Skills of Note: Sense Bugs (70%), Wilderness Survival (75%), lee round.
Hunting, Land Navigation (72%), Skin and Prepare Hides Bonuses: +2 initiative, +2 strike, + 5 parry, +5 dodge, +7 dam-
(75%), Preserve Food (65%), Sniper, W.P. Knife, W.P. Tar- age, +2 disann, +6 roll with impact, +3 pull punch, 30%
geting, W.P. Bolt-Action Rifle. charm/impress.
Weapons and Equipment: Mike is a perfectionist and disdains Skills of Note: Body Building, Prowl (45%), Gymnastics, Run-
the use of automatic weaponry. He takes great pride in his ning, Demolitions (89%), Demolitions Disposal (89%),
marksmanship abilities and uses only bolt-action rifles. He Horsemanship, Pilot: Motorcycle (82%), W.P. All Modern,
owns a wide variety of them in various common hunting cali- W.P. Battle Axe, W.P. Blunt, W.P. Chain, Paired
bers. Weapons-Modem.
Weapons a nd Equipment: Garrett is fond of explosions and
Garrett "Thor" Seigers consequently he uses a lot of explosives. He carries an M-40
Only 10 at the time of the Meltdown, Garret was already fol- breech loading grenade launcher with explosive and frag-
lowing in his father, Mike's footsteps of being an outdoorsman. mentation grenades. He also carries a dozen explosive gre-
After the Meltdown, Garrett found a particular joy in hunting nades, a score of sticks of dynamite, and 5 pounds of C-4
down the Bugs with his family and has grown into a powerful explosive with detonators. He will also wield a sledgeham-
Exterminator for Fort Folsom. His record of 45 kills stands as mer when in close quarters, playing up to his nickname
something that all of the Mountaineers aspire to break. Garrett is "Thor."
short and stocky, muscled, and has short blonde hair with a
blonde beard giving him a Nordic, Viking like appearance. Dick Terrison
O.C.C: Exterminator. Dick Terrison owned the largest lumber company in the
Background: Kid. northern half of the state before the Meltdown. He had mercan-
Alignment: Anarchist. tile contacts across the state, and after the Meltdown happened,
H.P.: 28, S.D.C.: 63. his becoming a Freebooter was a natural extension of his
Attributes: I.Q. 9, M.E. 15, M.A. 9, P.S. 22, P.P. 13, P.E. 15, pre-Meltdown Life. He used his wealth and contacts to build the
P.B. 16, Spd. 22.
77
Exchange Post and run it in such a manner as to make the most Weapons a nd Equipment: Neil drives a beat up red '57 Chevy
profit for him while benefitting Fort Folsom. He is a huge, pow- with a welding rig on the back and a bed fu ll of scrap metal
erful man who looks like a Hell's Angel crossed with Santa for repairs. He has an M-16 and a .300 Savage pump action
Claus. Dick rarely engages in combat, his huge size usually rifle for when things turn nasty.
stops trouble before it starts.
O.C.C: Freebooter.
Background : Administrative: Owned a logging business.
Alignment: Unprincipled.
H.P.: 35, S.D.C.: 30.
P.B. 12, Spd. 10.
I.S.P.: None.
Age: 61
Height: 6 feet 6 inches ( 1.92 m), Weight: 223 lbs ( 100.35 kg).
Psionics: None.
Com bat: Hand to Hand: Basic, 5 attacks per melee.
Bonuses: + I initiative, + l strike, +2 parry, +2 dodge, +2 roll
with impact, +2 pull punch, critical strike on natural 19 or 20,
+4 damage, 75% trust/intimidate.
Skills of Note: Basic Math (85%), Busin ess and Finance (80%),
Law (70%), Fast Talker, Appreciate True Value (76%), Find
Contraband (66%), Palming, Brewing (50o/o/55%), W.P.
Blunt, W.P. Chain, W.P. Heavy, W.P. Sub-Machinegun.
Weapons a nd Equipment: Dick usually carries an Uzi and a
crowbar, but when he knows that he is going into a rough sit-
uation, he brings along " Blue Ribbon," his souped up chain-
saw. Blue Ribbon does 5D6 S.D.C. damage per hit.
Neil Miles
A native to Folsom, Neil moved his fami ly to North Carolina
after he lost his job in the early 1980's in the coal mines. He
worked as a welder before the Meltdown, and after civilization
collapsed, he and his family fought their way to the safety of
Folsom. He has become an important Grease Monkey in the
community, as he is an extraordinary welder. His skill and atten-
tion to detail make his work much sought after at Fort Folsom. Janie Terrison
Neil has most of his black hair left and wears a goatee sprinkled
Janie is the wife of Dick Terrison and before the Meltdown,
with gray.
was involved in some of the more shady aspects of the lumber
O.C.C: Grease Monkey. company. She was in charge of bribes to environmental offi-
Background: Construction: Welder. cials, creative shipping paperwork and other less than legal op-
Alignment: Scrupulous. erations. After the Meltdown, she saw the collapse of civiliza-
H.P.: 49, S.D.C.: 32.
tion as just another situation to use to her advantage. She is the
crime kingpin of Fort Folsom, dealing with smuggling and trad-
P.B. 12, Spd. 13. ing of illegal goods such as medical supplies, drugs and other
I.S.P.: None. hard to get items. Janie has gray hair with a few strands of
Age: 58 blonde remaining, but has retained the stunning good looks of
Height: 5 feet 8 inches {1.72 m), Weight: 150 1bs (67.5 kg). her youth.
Psionics: None. O.C.C: Freebooter.
Com bat: Hand to Hand: Basic, 5 attacks per melee round. Background: Criminal.
Bonuses: + 1 initiative, +1 strike, +3 parry, +3 dodge, +5 dam- Alig nment: Miscreant.
H.P.: 37, S.D.C.: 30.
age, + l disarm, Critical Strike on natural 19 or 20, + 3 to roll
with impact, +2 pull punch, Body Throw/Flip, +2 vs magic Attributes: l.Q. 22, M.E. 14, M.A. 13, P.S. II , P.P. 19, P.E. 13,
and poison, +6% vs coma/death. P.B. 22, Spd. 11.
Skills of Note: Athletics, Carpentry (60%), General Repair I.S. P.: None.
(70%), Jury Rigging, Scrounging (85%), Electrical Engineer Age: 52
(85%), Mechanical Engineer (80%), Automotive Mechanics Height: 5 feet 2 inches ( 1.57 m), Weight: 120 lbs (54 kg).
(80%), Pilot Truck (78%), W.P. Automatic Rifle, W.P.
Psionics: None.
Bolt-Action Rifle.
78
Com bat: No Hand to Hand skill, 2 attacks per melee round. Age: 34
Bonuses: +8% to all skills (already added), +2 strike, +2 parry, Height: 5 feet l 0 inches ( I. 77 m), Weight: 175 lbs (78.75 kg).
+2 dodge, 60% charm/impress. Experience Level: 4th
Skills of Note: Basic Math (98%), Business and Finance (93%), Psionics: None.
Law (83%), Fast Talker, Appreciate True Value (88%), Find Combat : Hand to Hand: Expert, 5 attacks per melee round.
Contraband (78%), Pick Locks (88%), Streetwise (92%), Se- Bonuses: +5% to all skills (already added), +2 parry, +2 dodge,
duction (60%), W.P. Knife, W.P. Revolver. +2 roll with impact, +2 pu ll punch, +6 vs magic and poison,
Weapons and Equipment: Janie carries a snub nosed .38 spe- +22% vs coma/death. (With a firearm: + I initiative, + I
cial in a belt holster at all times. She usually finds a safe strike, +2 strike with an aimed shot, + I attack per melee
place to bide when things get rough. round.)
Skills of Note: Geology (50%), Sense Bugs (70%), Wilderness
Colleen Miles Survival (75%), Carpentry (45%), Hunting, Running,
Climbing (70%), Demolitions (84%), Camouflage (60%),
The oldest daughter of Junior Seigers, Colleen ran a daycare
W.P. Automatic Rifle, W.P. Shotgun, W.P. Automatic Pistol,
in North Carolina. She has become the leading Sawbones pedia-
W.P. Revolver.
trician in Fort Folsom, despite her only having a high school ed-
Weapons a nd Equ ipment: Fox carries a Mossberg 500 Mili-
ucation. Colleen wears her hair died brown and reddish at
tary Spec 12-gauge shotgun and a .45 automatic pistol as part
shoulder length and is the spitting image of her father, Junior
of his regular attire. When he knows that he is going into
Seigers. She is quiet and shy, hating to be the center of attention.
trouble, he carries an AK-47, 2 .45 automatic pistols, a .357
Her psychic powers to heal make her a powerful, yet reluctant,
magnum revolver and 3 pounds of C-4 explosive with deto-
voice in the community.
nators just in case a situation presents itself.
O.C.C: Sawbones.
Background: Personal Services: Ran a Daycare.
Alignment: Principled.
Julia Miles
The wife of Fox, Julia was employed at a blood bank before
H.P.: 43, S.D.C.: 20.
the Meltdown and naturally gravitated into becoming a
Attributes: I.Q. 15, M.E. 14, M.A. I I , P.S. I I , P.P. 18, P.E. 21,
Sawbones after reaching Fort Folsom. She has become the rock
P.B. 12, Spd. 12.
of the mediaJ services at Fort Folsom, organizing and leading
I.S.P.: 34
them into being one of the best places, comparatively, to receive
Age: 57
Height: 5 feet 3 inches (1.6 m), Weig ht: 135 lbs (60.75 kg). healtbcare in the shattered country. Julia has long, curly blonde
Experience Level: 8th hair with elfm features that cause those who don' t know her to
Psionics: Minor Psionics: Increased Healing, Psychic Diagno- misjudge her age as much younger.
sis, Psychic Surgery. O.C.C: Sawbones.
Combat: No Hand to Hand skill, 2 attacks per melee round. Background: Medical: Medical Technologist.
Bonuses: +2 strike, +2 parry, +2 dodge, +3 vs magic and poi- Alig nment: Unprincipled.
son, + 12% vs coma/death. H.P. : 25, S.D.C.: 20.
SkiJis of Note: Medical Doctor (98%/98%), Chemistry (85%), Attribu tes: I.Q. 13, M.E. 12, M .A. 20, P.S. 10, P.P. 12, P.E. 12,
Biology (85%), Identify Plants and Fruits (60%), Holistic P.B. 14, Spd: 15.
Medicine (70%). I.S.P.: None.
Weapons a nd Eq uipm en t: Colleen carries no weapons, only Age: 34
her medical kit. She does not object to violence, she just does Height: 5 feet 4 inches (1.62 m), Weight: 120 lbs (54 kg).
not wish to take part in it. Experience Level: 4th
Psionics: None.
Fox Miles Com bat: No Hand to Hand skill, 2 attacks per melee round.
Bonuses: 60% trust/intimidate.
The only child of Neil and Colleen, Fox was a college stu-
Skills of Note: Biology (65%), Pathology (75%), Chemistry
dent studying geology when the Y2K bug hit. He and his wife
(65%), Chemistry: Analytical (50%), Medical Doctor
were reasonably prepared thanks to his paranoia, and went with
(95%/85%), Basic Math (70%), Advanced Math (700/o), W.P.
Neil and Colleen when they decided to try and fight their way to
Automatic Pistol.
Folsom after the Bug invasion. Over the course of the years at
Weapons a nd Equipment: Julia carries a 9mm Beretta and her
Fort Folsom, Fox has developed into an important Militiaman
medical bag.
for the Mountaineers, leading daring hit and run attacks on the
Bugs whenever he can. He bas black hair, wears a scraggly,
short black beard and can usually be seen in fatigues. The Bottom Line
O.C.C: Survivalist. Fort Folsom is only one of many settlements that have devel-
Backgro und: College Student: Geologist. oped in the devastated world that is Systems FailureTM. It is
Alignment: Scrupulous. one of the more established and powerful, having had the advan-
H.P.: 36, S.D.C.: 41. tages of isolation, independent peoples, and determination not to
Attributes: I.Q. 19, M.E. 12, M.A. 12, P.S. 12, P.P. 13, P.E. 26, give up and surrender to the Bugs. They are hardy fighters, and
P.B. 13, Spd. 18. wary of strangers, but accept anyone after they have proven
l.S.P.: None. their merit. They are not going to go down without a fight, and
79
Between the Shadows™
Nightbane™ World Book One
Nightbane™ World Book One: B etween the Shadows™ is an outstand-
ing first addition to the Nightbane™ line. It expands the NightbaneTM setting
by exploring the unique and mysterious realms of the Dreamstream™ and As·
rral Plane, as well as providing insight to the Nighrbane™, Nightlands™ and
Spook Squad™.
H ighlights Include:
• More information about the shadowy world of the Nightba neTM, Night-
lordsTM and Nightlands™.
• New Nightbane™ Talents, Morphus shapes and data.
• C haracters can exp lore the world of dreams, but the DreamstreamTM is
not a safe haven. Living Nightmares, Dream Ghouls, Guilt Eaters and
id-like personas ca n all threaten visitors a nd even the dreamer himself.
The Astral Plane is a place that seems to hover invisibly between two or
more realities. Astral travelers, mages and NightbaneTM can travel to
the mist filled dimension and even mold entire kingdoms out of thin air.
But if too is plagued with monsters a nd da ngers like th e Necrophim,
Torturia ns, As tral Undead, Rage Storms and e ntities.
• The Nightlords™ ha ve extended their ca mpaign of conquest to the As-
tral Pla ne a nd the Dreamstream™. More data and insight about these
evil in vaders helps to round out this exciting world book.
Palladium Books®Presents • Then there is th e Spook Squad, the remna nts of the FBI, C IA and se-
cret government agencies united to create a under grou nd organi7.ation
Nightbane™RPG to fight the Nightlords™ and destroy all nonhuma ns.

• Over 20 new characters classes like the Astral Mage, Dream Maker,
Mind Master, Arcan e Detecti ve, and others.
To many, ihe Nightbane are supernatural protectors; fantastic creatures bo th • New psion ic abilities, equipment and ca mpaign ideas.
human and inhuman at the same time. To the Night lords and their supernatural • Written by C.J. Carella, with art by Post, Martin & Breaux.
minions, they are des troyers -the bane of their existence - and the one • $16.95
power that may be able to destroy them.
The Nightbane are belie ved to be the progeny of supernatural forces (hor-
rors?) from a place known as theNightlandsTM.
Each possesses a comparatively frail, human ··racade" and a supernatural,
Nightlands™
superhuman "inorphus." NightbaneTM World Book Two
The morphus is said to reflect the character's personality or subconscious
Nightlands™ takes the players into the strange and wondrous Nightlands
fears. desires and self-image. Thus, some are exotic and beautiful, while others
dimension, a twisted mirror image of our reality and home of the Nightlords!
(most) are misshapen monsters. No two appear exac tly alike and even the most
Discover the true power behind the Ba'al and their plans for Earth and the
hideous can have the spirit of a saim. while the handsome and beautiful may
Nightbane.
be evil incarnate. The Nightbane possess incredible magic and supernatural
powers but must transfonn into monsters to use those powers. This power and Highlights Include:
their s upernatural nature set them even farther apart from the human race. • The world and people of the Night lands™ revealed!
• The true power behind the Ba'al and their da rk secrets.
The Nightbane are pulled in all directions by passion, hatred, loneliness and
• New character classes, demonic minions, & strange powers.
fear. Some become corrupted and tum from the light into the beckoning dark-
• New Nightbane™ Talents, Morphus sha pes and da ta.
ness of lost souls and evil intent. Those who cannot be turned (and there are
• Campaign and adventure ideas.
many) fight to protect the innocent and are hunted and destroyed by the Night-
• Cover by J ohn Zeleznik
lords and their minions. Others are slaughtered by fearful humans. vampires
• Interior art by Marlin, Post, Petersen, a nd Carson.
and "other" dark forces.
• Written by C.J . Ca rella
• A complete role-playing ga me! Compatible w.ith the entire Palladium • 160 pages- $16.95
Mega verse®.
• The Nightbane™ R.C.C. e nables garners to play s upernatural shape-
changers. Beings who can appear completely human, but a re really s u-
perhuman creatures from the twilight dimension known as
Niglltlands™.
• Nightba ne " talents" a re supernatural and magic abilities of incredible
power and range. The only catch, they mus t shed their human disguise
and become a monster to use them.
• Over a dozen other O.C.C.s a nd R.C.C.s, includi ng th e Sorcerer, Mys-
tic, Vamp ire, Doppleganger a nd others.
• New magic, psionic ab ilities a nd s upernatural powers.
• Nightlords™ a nd their minio ns, like the Hunters and Hounds.
• Written by C.J . Carella. Cover by Br om.
• 240 pages; $20.95
Available at stores everywhere!
80
are ready to take as many down with them as they can. Fort
Folsom is definitely the powerhouse of its region.
New Skill
Geology (Science): The study and understanding Qf the com-
position of the Earth. Characters will be able to identify rocks
and minerals, have an understanding of ground water locations
and contamination, and be able to fmd weaknesses in rock faces.
This ski ll allows characters to locate and retrieve gems, precious
metals and other economically valuable resources. It adds a
+5% situation bonus to appraisal skills when they are used for
detennining worth of gems and precious metals. Base Skill:
30% +5% per level of experience.
e ®
I ane
Demon Hunters
An Optional R.C.C. for Nightbane®, Palladium
Fantasy®, Rifts® and Other Games
By Mike Richardson
After a long day of unanswered questions, 17-year-o/d Brian He approached the hand warily, ready to run if needed His
Mack found himself weary of surprises and chaos. His day had eyes shifted uncertainly from the lips of its fingers to the base of
been spent running from what he called "nightmare stuff," its wrist, contemplating what could be hidden by the ebony mists
while he ran from shadows that moved of their own free will. ofemptiness.
Now all he wanted was a chance to get some sleep. His bed had And then there was sound ...
been calling him since he arrived home to his mother's rundown It was the simple sound of the murmuring of voices, like the
apartment, and now he gave in to his body's needfor slumber. din of a distant crowd all trying to be heard as individuals.
He drifted off into a land of dreams and mysteries, as Slowly he approached the hand despite the fear he felt deep
thoughts of scantily clad girls danced through his mind He within his heart, for he knew that somehow the hand would lead
slipped effortlessly from the world of the conscious to the world him to the truth behind the frightful occurrences of the day.
of the unconscious. where he found his desires fulfilled. Things Would his instincts betray him now, though? Or would his feel-
changed for him though as time wore on, it seemed He found ings be proven correct?
himself falling through that unconscious reality to a different The voices meanwhile seemed to slowly change in tone -
world altogether. From a world of sunshine and happiness, the more of a unified chant now than a mass of mumbling tones.
young man found himself somehow transported to a dark and And in unison they seemed to call out to him, "Brian... Brian...
shadowy hallway. Brian. .. " Fear clenched his heart like icy daggers through his
One by one, spotlights turned on to light a path down the ee- very soul as he heard the name called out by the hollow, echo-
rie corridor. He could see no walls in the inky blackness as he ing voices in the distance. But onward still he followed the dimly
felt himself being drawn farther into the occult realm within. lit pathway toward the extended hand
Deeper into the darkness Brian slowly crept, unsure of what to Suddenly everything went bright, with a flash like lightning,
expect in his journey into the unknown, the silence broken only and young Brian was blinded by the abrupt spark of illumina-
by his breathing andfootfalls. tion. When his eyes adjusted. he was standing before a large
"What the am 1 getting into here?" he wondered aloud He gathering of some kind. Dimly lit was the great hall, and he
was answered simply by a hand that extendedfrom the shadowy could see little ofthose surrounding him in this incorporeal par-
void at the end ofthe hallway. liament.
81
A single, booming voice rose above the bustling chaos ofthe now that you will /;ve apart from humanity, yet as its guardian.
others, "And so I bring this session of the Council of Elders to Know that the path is not one of convenience, but one of righ-
order. Brian Mack has reached the Awakening. " teousness. Know this and know more." These were the booming
Brian simply asked, "The Awakening? What are you talking words ofthe spectral leader ofthe council.
about?" He was confused and more than a lillie scared by what Brian reluctantly found himself complying with man's words
he saw before him. He was ignored, as though he wasn't even and was relieved to find that the pain subsided, as he had been
there. The Council continued to talk about him, seemingly obliv- told. "Who are you?" he weakly asked the smiling stranger in
ious to his existence. his living room.
Afler what seemed an eternity, all eyes were turned to the "I'm here to give you the answers to all the questions you've
young man once more. had the last few days. I know what you've been through, more
Finally the speaker could be seen, with his flowing robes hid- or less. It's pretty much the same for any ofus at first, I guess."
ing what appeared to be a gargantuan stature. His ephemeral Extending a hand, he finally introduced himself, "By the way...
state gave him a somewhat hollow appearance, yet did nothing name's Rick. Rick Barr."
to diminish the majestic aura that somehow surrounded him. He It took a minute for Brian to reply. "Uh. .. Brian. Brian Mack.
had the look ofroyalty somehow, but with the haunting features Look man, I don't know what happened, but 1... "
of a man who had known death many times over. Most striking "Take it easy, " Rick cut in. "I'm here to teach you what you
was his lack ofeyes, each replaced by seemingly unending dark- need to know. I'll get you through this." And so the training be-
ness. It was an unearthly vision, and one that shook Brian to the gan as it had hundreds oftimes before.
core ofhis soul.
The same lack of eyes seemed to dominate the features of the
others as well, with few exceptions, as the young Hunter sur- The Demon
veyed his surroundings. He looked back to the head of the
Council to see the same hand that had lured him to the hall
reaching out to him, surrounded in an unusual yellow glow.
Hunter R.C.C.
Throughout the centuries, mankind has told tales of mytho-
Brian tried to move but found himself paralyzed, whether by logical heroes, men and women who stood against gods, de-
fright or by some unseen force he couldn't know. mons, and monsters without fear. Gilgamesh of the
The hand touched his forehead and a rush overwhelmed him. Babylonians. Perseus of the Greeks. Ivan Tsarevich of the Rus-
Everything went blurry and hefeltfaint. He staggered as nausea sians. Sir Lance lot from Camelot. Bellerophon of the Corinthi-
swept through his system and dizziness clouded his thoughts. ans. The list of legends goes on. But were they simply myths?
And then he fell. ln each generation, there come a rare few individuals who are
When Brian regained consciousness he was in his bed once born different from the rest of humanity. These few are given
more, covered in a cold sweat and breathing heavily. His heart both power and responsibility in the battle with the forces of
was pounding like a jackhammer and his skin felt consumed by darkness. Their destiny is the eternal struggle between good and
flames. For a moment and no more, he took to his feet before evil.
crashing down as the dizziness overcame his senses. Most times a young Demon Hunter will find that strange
"I've gotla be sick," he coughed as his body convulsed from things seem to happen around them, with a great deal of super-
dry heaves on the floor of his bedroom. When he was finally natural activity and unexplained phenomena. They often, but not
able to stand he felt an uncomfortable buzzing in his head that always, take an interest in the unknown, with independent stud-
drove him to one knee once more. The buzzing grew stronger ies into the supernatural or the unexplained.
and stronger until it felt like a knife being driven through his Sometime after their first head-to-head encounter with the
skull. unknown, they will find themselves dreaming of a darkened
There was a knock at the apartment door and Brian strug- room where they stand in front of a great council, not unlike the
gled across the floor to answer it, hoping it was someone he Parliament or Congress. And then is when they learn their des-
knew. He opened the door to find a man dressed all in black, tiny.
with an Australian duster and a wide-brimmed cowboy hat. This is no simple dream, you see. It is an Astral Projection,
Brian had no clue who this long-haired man was. usually their first. They have been called to the Council of El-
"Brother, I'm here to help to you," said the mystery man ders, a collection of Hunters from the past who lived their lives
with a smile. His dark hair and coat blew in the breeze as he in service against evil. Here they learn what they are, and why
stepped in the door past the young man. His east coast accent they exist. Here they learn their purpose in life. Here their eyes
betrayed his would-be western appearance and made Brian are opened to the complete picture of the world, and they are
even more confused. And the pain in his skull seemed to get shown the darkness they must oppose.
worse and worse. "First let me help you with the worst head- At this point their life is changed forever. They may try to
ache ofyour life," said the stranger as he placed his hands on pass it off as just another dream, perhaps born of too many
either side of Brian's head and stared deep into his eyes. "Open drinks or a late-night snack that didn't agree with them, but deep
your mind to me... let your pain flow freely out ofyou," he spoke down tbey know that something is djfferent. They suddenly
softly to the younger man. seem to be able to see the darkness in what once seemed so in-
"So the learning shall begin. Know what you are and know nocent. Their perceptions of the world are seemingly altered,
what you do. Know that your life is changed forevermore. Know with nothing being so simple anymore. They have been awak-
82
\
83
ened to the unnatural dangers that exist in the world. Their ties, but the !.S.P. cost to use the others is doubled. Demon
world will never be the same. Hunters begin with 4D6 P.P.E. and 6D6 I.S.P. They gain an ad-
It is at this point that their powers begin to take shape, be- ditional 2D6 I.S.P. per additional level of experience, and one
coming more obvious. And it is at this point that they usually new power at every third level.
meet their mentor. Available abilities: Alter Aura, Deaden Pain, Death Trance,
The young Demon Hunter will fmd himself drawn to another Empathy, Healing Touch, Increased Healing, Mind Block, Ob-
Hunter, someone who will teach him what he needs to survive ject Read, Resist Fatigue, Resist Hunger, Resist Thirst, See
the war against the unknown. The teacher may not even be liv- Aura, Sense Evil, Sixth Sense, Telepathy, Summon Inner
ing, as some Demon Hunters may find themselves being taught Strength.
by the spirit of a Hunter who has passed into the beyond, having 6. P.P.E. Channeling: When a Demon Hunter kills a super-
died at the hands of a greater evil before he could impart his natural creature, he drains its P.P.E. into himself, absorbing its
knowledge to his pre-destined student. This makes it more diffi- power. This additional energy can be discharged later in physi-
cult for the young Demon Hunter to learn his role in the struggle cal combat (including hand-to-hand weapons), with additional
with darkness, and makes him more vulnerable to attacks of all P.P.E. being spent for additional damage. For every five P.P.E.
kinds from the forces of evil. But after they learn their purpose expended in this way, 1 additional point of damage is done, with
and what they need to do, they are among the greatest champi- a maximum of 2 additional points added per level of experience.
ons mankind bas ever known. For example, a 2nd level Demon Hunter can spend up to 20
Being a Demon Hunter is a way of life, not just a frame of P.P.E. to add 4 points of damage. P.P.E. spent in this manner is
mind or a set of skills, and should be role-played as such. The recovered normally.
Demon Hunters are not as organized as the existence of the Alignment Requirements: A Demon Hunter must be of Princi-
Council may imply. Most times Demon Hunters are simply ex- pled, Scrupulous, or Unprincipled alignment. Other alignments
pected to protect their own area. On rare occasions the Council are allowed only at the G.M.'s discretion, but will usua lly call
will, however, assign Hunters to deal with specific situations. for the character in question to be taken under the control of the
Rarely wiiJ you see more than one Demon Hunter dealing with G.M. as a Dark Rider NPC.
one particular problem. It is more than just a rarity to see an- Hit Points: P.E. attribute +3D6; add ld6 per additional level of
other Demon Hunter as your partner. It can be considered a sign experience.
of great danger. S.D.C.: 2D6x10+20 plus any gained from skills.
R.C.C. Skills: Skill packages are selected same as Nightbane
Demon Hunter Powers: R.C.C.; may select a martial art form as per the rules outlined
I. Sense S upernatural: Demon Hunters automatically sense in The Rifler® #3; will always be proficient with one ancient
all supernatural creatures, including magic users, psychics, and weapon; rarely use modem weapons because of preference
other Demon Hunters, within 100 feet (30.5 m). This sensation for physical combat against supernatural creatures.
is like a slight buzzing in the skull. Until level three, the Demon Secondary Skills: Demon Hunters select eight Secondary
Hunter feels slightly disoriented by the sensation (-I initiative, Skills, with an additional skill selected at levels three, six,
parry, and dodge for the first round). Demon Hunters can recog- nine, twelve and fifteen .
nize familiar individual presences (40% +5% per level) if ex- Weapons a nd Equipment: Demon Hunters will have one an-
posed to the same individual creature/person repeatedly. cient weapon of choice; will also have the following as their
2. Extraordinary Healing: Demon Hunters regenerate 2D6 money and equipment:
S.D.C. or I D6 Hit Points per minute (four melee rounds). They Automobile: Roll on the following table - may be ex-
also have a bonus of+ l 0% to save vs coma/death, and a +4 to changed for a motorcycle instead.
save vs all toxins/poisons. For this reason, they have a remark- 01-33 Brand new, cost: $20,000, player's choice.
able tolerance for alcohol and drugs, including prescription 34-70 Classic, slightly worn, valued at $1 0,000.
medicines. They also receive a +2 to save vs disease. They can-
71-85 Classic, completely restored, valued at $50,000.
not regenerate lost limbs.
86-00 New, cost $200,000, player's choice.
3. Combat Skills: Demon Hunters are gifted with heightened
reflexes and agility that allow them to deal more efficiently with Set of clothing and personal belongi11gs; equipment will
the supernatural when physical combat is required. Add + I to complement skill package selection - gang members will
dodge, parry, and roll with punch fall or impact. Their damage have knives, gang colors, etc.
is treated as supernatural damage. They also deal full damage in Personal Savings: 2D6x$1 00
hand-to-hand combat with all supernatural creatures, such as Experience: Same as the Nightbane (See the Nightbane RPG).
Vampires, Werebeasts, and Grave Ghouls.
4. Longevity: Demon Hunters age more slowly than normal
humans once they reach physical maturity, aging one year for Dark Riders
every five past their twentieth birthday. For this reason they do
not suffer the normal effects of aging on the brain and nervous
system.
- NPC Villains
Steadily into the shadows Johnny Hamilton stalked The back
5. Psychic Abilities: All Demon Hunters have psychic pow- alleys ofthe Bronx were not a place he enjoyed to hunt in. Com-
ers. The Demon Hunter will have Meditation, Astral Projection, ing from a small town, he considered himself more suited to
See the Invisible, and Exorcism, plus two of the following abili- dealing with monsters that inhabited cornfields or barns. Now
84
with his ax in his hands, he uneasily made his way after the With another laugh, the mystery man puffed on his cigar and
rogue Hunter he had been searching for. "How many others then worked his way casually into Johnrry 's view and extended a
have come after this guy?" he thought to himself "And how do hand to the fallen Hunter. ''Name's Parker- Alan Parker."
they expect me to find him?" Seeing that his younger opponent was in no condition to shake,
Suddenly he was overcome by a familiar buzzing in his skull. he pulled his hand back and chuckled slightly again. With an air
Someone - or something - was nearby. All he had to do was ofdisdain. he added "I, little man, am what the almighty Coun-
stay calm. A cool breeze blew through his short blond hair as he cil of Elders call a traitor. I am a Dark Rider, or so I 'm told.
tightened his grip. Now getting back to what I was saying... "
A flash of light. Then the sickening sound of bone snapping Johnny lay there in absolute disbelief his clothes spattered
repeatedly. with his own blood. And he still couldn't feel his legs. "You're a
The young Hunter never knew what hit him. traitor? What do you mean?" Johnrry had thought himself un-
beatable - invulnerable - but suddenly he knew just how
On a cold damp floor, Johnny's eyes opened in a haze ofred
wrong that thinking was. And he knew he needed to keep this
and his body was overcome with pain. He tried to get up and
guy talking so his recuperative powers could save him.
shake off the grogginess but found no feeling in his legs. Slowly
- painfully - he pushed himself up with his hands. And then "Hey, hey, hey... let's get somethin' straight here, kid,"
came crashing down again. Parker said, suddenly agitated. "This is my show, not yours.
You're gonna listen. And you're gonna like it. Deal?" Hot ashes
Then a voice like sandpaper came from the darkness. "Hurts,
from the burning cigar flicked at Johnrry as Parker grew more
doesn't it kid?" The sound of a striking match was followed by
animated during his outburst. Now seemed like the time for the
the scent of a cigar. With a chuckle the mystery man added, "I
young man to keep quiet.
just love how a bunch of dead guys think they know what's best
for the living. Ever wonder how they got on the Council?" "Now... you know how those guys got onto their precious
Council?" he asked with a great deal of sarcasm. Johnrry had
Johnrry softly cried out, "Who are you?"
no answer for his dark long-haired assailant.
85
Parker's tone changed to a deadly serious one. "Simple. 3. Combat Skills: Dark Riders are gifted with heightened re-
They didn't cut it in the field They're all dead Who do you flexes and agility that allow them to deal more efficiently with
think killed them, kid? The demons. Now /look at it this way - the supernatural when physical combat is required. Add + I to
the demons are willing to cut us a piece of their action, and all dodge, parry, and roll with punch faJI or impact. Their damage
we have to do is a little dirty work. How little, you ask?" And he is treated as supernatural damage. They also deal full damage in
laughed again. hand-to-hand combat with all supernatural creatures, such as
"Okay, more than a little, but who cares? Let me be the first Vampires, Werebeasts, and Grave Ghouls.
to tell you the perks are the best. You think we have power? I 4. Longevity: Dark Riders age more s lowly than normal hu-
think I proved to you that what Demon Hunters do have isn't mans once they reach physical maturity, aging one year for ev-
much compared to what we can have, right? Right. Now I know ery three past their twentieth birthday. Their resistance to aging
you wanna keep that pretty-boy face ofyours lookin ' like it does is reduced by the corruption of their souls and bodies by the de-
now, so I'm gonna give you a chance to do the right thing and monic entities that have given them their enhanced powers.
keep your sorry little do-gooder butt alive, boy." S. Psychic Abilit ies: All Dark Riders have psychic powers.
Chills and pain were joined by uneasiness in Johnny. He The Dark Rider will have Meditation, Astral Projection, and See
could only imagine what was in store for him. "What do you the Invisible, plus two of the following abilities, but the I.S.P.
want?" the young Demon Hunter cried out. cost to use the others is doubled. Dark Riders begin with 306
Parker laughed and said simply, "You're gonnajoin the win- P.P.E. and 606 I.S.P. They gain an additional 3D6 J.S.P. per ad-
ning team. " He paused to puff on his cigar once more. "Or you ditional level of experience, and one new power every other
can die." level of experience.
Johnny tried to hide his fear with bravado. "You don't have Available abilities: Alter Aura, Bio-Manipulation, Deaden
the power to win it all. You rely on the darkness, and the dark- Pain, Death Trance, Electrokinesis, Empathy, Empathic Trans-
ness will be washed away by the light of our brothers and sis- mission, Induce Pain, Mind Block, Object Read, Pyrokinesis,
ters. You and your unholy allies... " Resist Fatigue, Resist Hunger, Resist Thirst, See Aura, Sixth
Sense, Sense Magic, Summon Lnner Strength, Suggestion (Hyp-
"Let 's get somethin' straight, boy," Parker growled, his eyes
nosis), Telekinesis, Telepathy.
now glowing red "Hunters have power. I am power!" Another
puff on his cigar and his tone calmed again. "/ thought you 6. P.P.E. C hanneling: When a Dark Rider kills a supernatu-
could cut it. I guess we 'II have to cut you instead, " he said as ral creature in physical combat (hand to hand or melee weap-
demons crept from the shadows toward the young Demon ons), he drains its P.P.E. into himself, absorbing its power. This
Hunter. additional energy can be discharged later in physical combat (in-
cluding hand-to-hand weapons), with additional P.P.E. being
Those were the last words Johnny Hamilton heard
spent for additional damage. For every seven P.P.E. expended in
Those who rebel against the Council and their fellow Hunters this way, I additional point of damage is done, with a maximum
often are preyed upon by the evils they are meant to battle. With of 2 additional points added per level of experience. For exam-
their souls in confusion and their hearts feeling betrayed by the ple, a 2nd level Dark Rider can spend up to 28 P.P.E. to add 4
Council or by their fellow champions of light, some Hunters are points of damage. P.P.E. spent in this manner is recovered nor-
persuaded to join the demons they were born to destroy. With mally.
the power of a Demon Hunter turned to the side of the demons, 7. Power of Dar kness: When in darkness and/or shadow,
the loss for the forces of good is two-fold. They lose a powerful Dark Riders are revealed to have the equivalent of the
weapon, and they see their sworn enemies gain one at the same Nightstalking minor super power from the Her oes Unlim itedTM
time. RPG.
These traitors are yet another enemy for the Demon Hunters 8. I nsanities: Dark Riders become increasingly insane as
in this world of constant conflict. They are known as Dark their life continues. It begins with Megalomania, and progresses
Riders, and their powers, combined with the dark forces be- with the following insanities added at every other level: Obses-
stowed upon them, make them a living terror for Demon sion: Destruction of the Council of Elders; Manic Depressive;
Hunters and all forces of good. Mindless Aggression - Semi-functional; Obsession: Crime
Lord. Roll for Random Insanities every other level thereafter.
Dar k Rider Powers: 9. M inions: A typical Dark Rider will have a host of min-
1. Sense Supernatur a l: Dark Riders automatically sense aJI ions, whose number will reflect the power and experience of the
supernatural creatures, including magic users, psychics, and Dark Rider. Dark Riders gain 2d6+4 minions per level of expe-
other Demon Hunters, within 100 feet (30.5 m). Dark Riders can rience, including (but not limited to) Dopplegangers, Gargoyles,
recognize familiar individual presences (40% +5% per level) if Gurgoyles, Hell Hounds, Werebeasts, Witches, and magic users
exposed to the same individual creature/person repeatedly. of various disciplines. Any race or creature can be decided by
2. Extr aor d inary Healing: Dark Riders regenerate 3D6 the G.M. to be a minion for the Dark Rider.
S.D.C. or 2D6 Hit Points per minute (four melee rounds). They 10. Answering the Call: Dark Riders must answer to their
also have a bonus of+ 15% to save vs coma/death, and a +4 to demonic masters, doing whatever tasks they require. Rebelling
save vs all toxins/poisons. For this reason, they have a remark- against their dark benefactors causes the evil entities to strip
able tolerance for alcohol and drugs, including prescription Dark Riders of ALL powers and make them fugitives from both
medicines. They also receive a +2 to save vs disease. They can- the Council and the demonic hordes they once served. Once
not regenerate lost limbs.
86
they join the forces of darkness, it is for life. When their alliance on, progress reports of known actions of Hunters are given, and
is ended, their life is, as well. any information about the movements of the demon hordes is
Hit Points: P.E. attribute +3D6; add ld6 per additional level of announced.
experience.
S.D.C.: 2D6x I 0+50 plus any gained from skills. For the GM. 's Eyes Only
Ar mor Rating: Dark Riders are granted a limited r~sistance to
physical harm by their pact with the darkness, resulting in a A Warning to Players!
Natural Ann or Rating of I 0. Players should probably not read the following information
Experience: Same as the Hound Master (See the Nightbane because it may ruin some surprises the G.M. has planned for
RPG). you. It involves some of the background and inner workings of
Skills, Weapons, and Equipment are the same as the Demon the Demon Hunters and could make it difficult to role-play
Hunter R.C.C. some aspects of Demon Hunters if freely known by all.
Unknown to all is the role that the demonic hordes they op-
The Council of Elders pose play in the affairs of the Council of Elders. Several of the
members of the Inner Circle are actually Dark Riders, trading
The Council of Elders is made up of Demon Hunters from some of their influence over the Demon Hunters to a Demon
days gone by. Some of the greatest warriors of history live on in Lord for power in the Astral Plane and spirit realm. That Demon
the war against demons. Their strategy and guidance remains Lord is none other than The Great One himselfl
one of the greatest assets to hunters across the globe. They often
The Great One was the first Demon Hunter, and his name has
appear detached from the needs of their earthly charges, how-
been lost to the ages, but unknown to most, he was also the first
ever, and many Hunters have cursed the Council for their appar-
Dark Rider! While doing battle against supernatural evils in the
ent lack of concern for their well-being.
days following the Fall of Atlantis, the Great One was defeated
A Hunter may lose his entire fam ily, and the next day he by the Demon Lord X'orath'yn after single-handedly destroying
could be sent off to another battle by order of the Council. Some his minions. X'orath'yn turned the Great One to the path of
would say that this is the price that Hunters must pay for their Darkness, seducing him with power. The Demon Lord used the
incredible powers and abilities, but others would argue that this Great One to destroy other demons and therefore increase his in-
pressure from the Council could be the reason that the path of fluence over the world.
the Dark Riders is often so enticing.
This arrangement worked for centuries, with no one seeing
Every member of the Council of Elders has made sacrifices the darkness that influenced areas "saved" by the Great One.
against demons, in most cases giving their Jives in battle against X'orath'yn's influence was more subtle than his fellow Demon
the darkness. Not much is known specifically about the majority Lords and as such he was able to hide his efforts more easily
of the members, though. Most seem to have gone insane over than most. Eventually the Great One rebelled against him, how-
time, becoming obsessed with the destruction of the evil entities ever, and they engaged in battle once more, this time with the
that destroyed their lives, and in some cases, their families. Great One empowered by X'orath'yn's own magicks!
The Council of Elders is divided into two groups. All mem- Hours became days, days became weeks, and weeks became
bers of the Counci I of Elders are members of the Council Elec- months as the epic struggle between the two continued to build.
torate. At any time, however, there are twelve to fourteen The outbursts of their powers opened Rifts in time and space
members of the Inner Circle. They are also members of the that sent them hurtling through the Mega verse as the fight raged
Electorate, just as members of the various committees in the on one world after another. Finally the Great One was able to
United States Congress are members of the House of Represen- fmd an opening in the defenses of X'orath'yn as they entered
tatives or Senate. There is just a different level of responsibility yet another realm and exploited it to defeat the Demon Lord.
given to each. Knowing that no prison could hold the evil creature and that his
No Demon Hunter is required to join the Council once they soul could not be destroyed forever, the Great One decided to
have passed to the realm of the spirit world, but most do enter use his own body and soul as the prison for the Demon Lord,
the Electorate. It can take decades or even centuries for a mem- absorbing its essence into himself.
ber of the Electorate to gain enough notoriety to be considered And so the epic war was ended, but at a great price. The
for membership in the Inner Circle. Great One would eventually succumb to the grievous injuries in-
The Inner Circle makes most of the policies and decisions for flicted in the battle and pass from the plane of mortals to the
the Council. They make their decisions in secret, apart from the spirit world. Finding the souls of other Demon Hunters, the
Council Electorate. They are headed by the being known simply Great One founded the Council of Elders to help provide guid-
as "The Great One," and he chooses the membership of the In- ance to the Demon Hunters that still lived. For centuries, he was
ner Circle. The Inner Circle decides upon such things as assign- able to maintain complete control over the dark energies at the
ments for Hunters, priority of actions, investigations, and core of his immortal soul, and led the Demon Hunters into an
research into the backgrounds of various demon lords. age of prosperity and success that was without precedent. The
Unless the utmost secrecy is needed to secure the success of other members of the Council knew nothing of his darker half
a plan or action, The Great One will call to order a meeting of and cheered his ascendance to the leadership of them all. During
the Council of Elders and then inform the Electorate of the hap- this Golden Age for the Hunters, some of their greatest triumphs
penings that have led to that gathering. In meetings of the gen- were made, as they reached new heights of power and glory in
eral Electorate, initiatives put forth by the Inner Circle are voted the war against evil.
87
But then, for simply a fraction of a second, less time than it Hunters' next prey of choice. Individual Hunters will usually as-
takes to blink, the Great One's reserves lessened and he weak- sist the Resistance only if it will help the Hunter achieve his
ened ever-so-slightly. In that moment of seemingly insignificant specific goals.
weakness, his control faltered and he fell victim to the darkness Demon Hunters can be given membership into the ranks of
in his soul. X'orath 'yn gained subtle influence over his thoughts the Nocturnes, because of their powers against the supernatural,
and actions. The Great One never knew it happened, and never and their common goal of the destruction of supernatural evils.
would. Demon Hunters are looked upon with suspicion, however, and
Over the centuries, X'orath'yn would increasingly take con- are never completely trusted by the Nocturnes. Most Hunters
trol of the Great One's actions, until he was in complete com- will stay away from the Nocturnes anyway, because of the fac-
mand of every s ing le thought. Slowly he put into action a plan tion 's Vampire members. On some occasions, Demon Hunters
to eradicate the other Demon Lords and take over their domin- have engaged the Nocturnes in battle or have worked behind the
ions. The Demon Hunters were the perfect weapon in the war scenes to bring about their downfall.
for supremacy with his fellow demons. The Underground Railroad is seen by most Demon Hunters
In the 873 years since X' orath'yn took charge of the Great as a danger that is potentially worse than the Resistance. With
One and the Council, roughly half of the Dark Riders were se- the Underground Railroad's ability to hide its members and
duced to corruption by his power. These Dark Riders are com- other young Nightbane, the Hunters know that they could be dif-
pletely unaware as to the actual identity of their evil benefactor, ficult to deal with when the war with the Nightlords is ended.
however, knowing only the glowing red eyes and skeletal ap- The Warlords never accept Demon Hunters into their fold,
pearance presented to them in their meetings with him. but some Dark Riders have joined the Nightbane-dominated
Two of the Dark Riders of the Inner C ircle know the truth gangs of the Warlords. Dark Riders see the Warlords as cannon
about X'orath'yn and are his servants. Two other Dark Riders fodder that can be manipulated to serve their demonic masters.
are members of the Lnner Circle, as well, but believe that their Demon Hunters are likely to oppose them in an attempt to free
hidden alliances with demons are unknown to the rest. Neither the communities that have fallen under their influence.
of them knows of the other's deception, either. The rest of the The Seekers are looked upon as being somewhat misguided,
Inner Circle is under the subtle mental control of X'orath'yn, because of their willingness to befriend the Nightbane, but are
who disguises this by allowing them to disagree with the Great considered a valuable asset in the war against evil. There are
One on lesser matters. few Demon Hunters within the ranks of the Seekers, but it is not
Anyone e lse who has ever gotten close to the truth about the impossible. Seekers are probably the Demon Hunters' greatest
Great One and X'orath ' yn has mysteriously disappeared.
Demon Hunters, living and dead, are not safe until X'orath'yn
can either be exorcized from the Great One, or he can be de-
stroyed.
Using the Demon Hunters
in Specific Palladium Settings
Demon Hunters can be run in any world, including one fea-
turing just their battle with the evils of the unknown. That's for
the G.M. to decide if it is appropriate for his or her campaign.
The following notes have been compiled to g ive players and
G.M.s a guide for using the Demon Hunters in their favorite Pal-
ladium Books settings, as well as some adventure ideas.
Nightbane®
Using Demon Hunters in the world of Nightbane is pretty
straightforward. With the abundance of supernatural creatures
that exist there, such as Vampires, the Nightlords,
Dopplegangers, and others, there is plenty for the Demon
Hunters to go after. Because of the magic-rich environment, in-
crease P.P. E., I.S.P., and S.D.C. by half. Double the range of
their ability to sense the supernatural, as well as the speed of
their rapid healing.
Demon Hunters do not operate in large groups together, but
may be found within the different factions of the Nightbane
world. Demon Hunters in this setting w ill likely pe tolerant of
the Nightbane themselves, but will not be overly friendly toward
them, as they are seen as another supernatural creature that may
have to be destroyed at some point.
The Resistance never allows Demon Hunters in their ranks,
knowing that if and when the Nightlords fall, they could be the
88
allies in the Nightbane world, giving them the knowledge they cumstances. Considering the exaggerated personalities of most
may need to fmd answers to their questions. Seekers also have Mystic China characters, using the more serious Demon hunters
an interest in the existence of Demon Hunters and fmd them fas- and Dark Riders as the occasional "straight man" could lead
cinating. Some of them even specialize in knowledge about your campaign to new heights of lunacy. Mix with caution,
Hunters. please.
The Lightbringers are also viewed as misguided because of Skills and equipment can, at the G.M. 's discretion, be chosen
their Nightbane membership. They do however share the com- by selecting a Mystic China O.C.C. from Demon Hunter (think
mon belief in acting on faith, and this as led to occasional aJii- of a Demon Hunter R.C.C. as a Crazy Hero and you' ll get the
ances between Hunters and Lightbringers. Some have idea) or Jian Shih. Triad Assassin training is not available. Re-
hypothesized that the Guardians are somehow responsible for duce the number of Secondary Skills and O.C.C. Related Skills
the creation of the Demon Hunters millennia ago, but no evi- by half.
dence can be found to support that.
Despite the Spook Squad's prejudice against supernatural
Heroes U nlimited™
creatures, Demon Hunters are frequently allowed into their Demon Hunters also fit in the world of Heroes Unlimited.
ranks. Their ability to sense the supernatural is seen as a great Their population would lessen, of course, because of the lack
asset, along with their natural combat skills. Hunters are also of magical energy, but make a fine addition to any crime fight-
seen as equals by all but the most prejudiced "Spooks." ing team. Make one a vigilante who has a knack for dealing with
demons and such and you have the basis for an NPC or perhaps
Beyond the Supernatural® a hero for your campaign.
Beyond the Supernatural is also an excellent setting for Demon Hunters are also an interesting change-up to add to a
Demon Hunters. A Demon Hunter working with a group of psy- Heroes Unlimited campaign when things have sunk into a rut.
chics, Parapsychologists, and Arcanists can be very effective in Introduce some of the occult elements that might otherwise be
combating the supernatural. The Demon Hunter may be looked missing from your game, and make your players question what
to as the "big gun" of such a party, ready to deliver the final is real and what isn ' t in your campaign world.
strike against a supernatural foe. Keep in mind that a Demon Skills and equipment are assigned as written in the R.C.C.
Hunter is powerless against noncorporeal opponents, so those description above.
would be used to best negate the Demon Hunter's advantages.
Dark Riders make an excellent adversary for Beyond the Su- PaUadium Fantasy RPG®
pernatural characters, as well. An entire campaign could be cen- Demon Hunters are easily justified in this world of magic and
tered around trying to stop a vicious crime Lord who has monsters. They could serve as some of the greatest knights of
mystical minions to do his bidding. the land. With their abilities against the supernatural, they make
Skills and equipment would be assigned as listed in the uncommonly efficient monster slayers as knights-errant, as well.
R.C.C. description. Dark Riders could secure their own little fiefdoms, using their
mysterious powers and villainous followers to do away with any
Ninjas & Superspies™ locals who would stand against them.
Ninjas & Superspies is an excellent source of adventure for Skills and equipment are chosen differently because of the
Demon Hunter characters. With the combination of Martial Arts setting, however. Demon Hunters must choose an O.C.C., most
Powers and secret agencies, the sky is the limit. Demon Hunters likely from the Men of Arms. Demon Hunters are most likely to
added to the intrigue of things could become important agents be Knights, Palladins, Rangers, or, as a rarity, Gladiators or
for some of the superspy agencies involved in the game, while Sailors. It is also possible to select the Squire, Vagabond/Peas-
Dark Riders could provide some very different muscle than ant/Farmer, Acrobat & Tumbler, Bard, Actor, or Minstrel.
players are used to seeing, with their supernatural minions and Dark Riders may also be Pirates, Assassins, Mercenary War-
underlings. Besides, how many superspies are really trained to riors, or Thieves.
combat the occult? It's a great way to make the player charac-
O.C.C. Related and Secondary Skill selections are reduced
ters more than a little edgy and will keep them on their toes.
by half.
Characters could, at the G.M.'s discretion, choose any of the
non-cybernetic O.C.C.s. Demon Hunters would most likely be Rifts®
drawn to the Worldly Martial Artist, Private Eye, or Veteran
Demon Hunters in Rifts are not only a natural mix, but also a
Grunt O.C.C.s. Those would allow characters the freedom to
very simple one. Double existing l.S.P. and P.P.E. and convert
pursue their destiny with few people to answer to. Reduce the
the combined total of S.D.C. and Hit Points to M.D.C. Often-
number of skill programs available to these characters by one to
times, Demon Hunters will work alongside Psi-Warriors,
account for time spent learning to develop their senses and pow-
Undead Slayers, and Cyber-Knights in traveling parties of mon-
ers, as well as knowledge needed to combat the demons.
ster slayers. Dark Riders gain an additional 50 M.D.C.
Mystic ChinaTM Skills and equipment can be chosen as above, or the Demon
Mystic China Demon Hunters could take offense at anyone Hunter may opt for an O.C.C. Demon Hunters may elect to be-
else calling themselves Demon Hunters, which could lead to come Headhunters, City Rats, Rogue Scholars, Wilderness
some interesting (and humorous) attempts at one-upmanship in Scouts, Vagabonds, Bounty Hunters, Specia l Forces (non-CS),
a campaign. Dark Riders could also be used to inspire some of or a Super-Spy. O.C.C. Related and Secondary Skill selections
the bizarre antics that would undoubtedly occur under the cir- are reduced by half.
89
Mutant UndergroundT.. - New
Heroes Unlimited™ adventure sourcebook
It is an age of mutants and superhumans.
Mutant are on the rise. Many are the creation of genetics laboratories. oth-
ers are accidents of nature - all are freaks with no place in the world to call
their own.
Frightened, often alone, and often hunted by the organizations the created
them, villains looking to n:cruit them and zealots who want to the destroy
them, many mutants go into hiding. Creating a sort of Mutant Underground
A subculture of superhuman beings living on the streets and in the shadows,
stealing and doing worse to survive. Some evil. Some good.
Recently, rogue super heroes, vigilantes and other mutants have begun to
try to create a mon: formal Mutant Underground. A secn:t network that tries
to protect, help and n:scue mutants from those who would cage or destroy.
This is their story.
• The Mutant Underground described in detail with key leaders.
• Over 20 mutants - good and evil - and their role in the Underground.
• Life in the underground. How to survive in a human world.
• The dark forces out to get and destroy mutant kind.
• Adventures and adventure ideas.
• Probably $13.95- 112 pages. Final price and size not yet determined.
• August 2002 release. Written by Kevin Siembieda.
After the Bomb®

Giant sourcebook for Heroes Unlimitea
& a stand alone Role-Playing Game
After the Bomb® is the "big book of mutant animals" with over I 00 mu-
tant animals completely staned out and ready to go.
It is designed as a ready to use sourcebook for the H eroes UnlimitedTM
RPG and as a stand alone game in a post-apocalyptic setting. Play it as a sep-
arate game or use it with HU2, or both.
Heroes U nlimitedTM RPG • Over 100 mutant animals - more if you include the many additional
Make every superhuman imaginable " breeds" tables.
• Over 40 mutant animal powers - many more if you include the weird abili-
That's right, Heroes UnlimitedT"' enables role-players to create every type ties exclusive to certain animal species. breeds and genetic "chimeras."
of super-being one can imagine. • Mutant animal psionics and "human" mutations.
Mega-Heroes with phenomenal super abilities even above and beyond the • Six adventures for the world After t.he Bomb®. World history and back-
conventional super being, to aliens and mutants! ground.
If teclulology is more to your taste, then create robot characters, • $20.95-224 pages. A complete game. Available now.
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Afte r the Bomb® Sourcebooks: Six sourcebook$ and more mutant ani-
chine.
mals. Available now!
Prefer a character who uses his wits and cunning more than brute strength
or raw power, then whip up a super-sleuth, spy. genius inventor. martial arts
master or gun-toting vigilante. Other adventure sourcebooks
Have a hankering for magic or mind powers, then create a spell casting
hero, or a hero empowered by an enchanted object or a psionic superman. for Heroes U nlimited™
And that'sjustthc tip of the iceberg!
Heroes UnlimitecJT101 Game Masten' G uid e, $20.95-224 pages.
Virtually any type of hero can be created using the rules in Heroes Unlim-
Villains Unlimited™, over 80 villains. $20.95-224 pages.
ited.TM All you need is the basic game, some dice, a few friends and a little
imagination to create your own unique world of super-beings, heroes, villains, Aliens Unlimited™, over 80 aliens. $20.95-224 pages.
and madmen. Aliens Unlimited: Galaxy Guide, spacecraft construction. $20.95 -224
• Comic book adventure with endless possibilities, limited only by your pages.
imagination. Century Station™, city sourcebook, 40 villains. $20.95 - 224 pages.
• Over I00 super abilities, plus dozens and dozens of additional sub-powers. Gramercy Island™, over 90 villains. $20.95-224 pages.
• Over 40 psionic powers. Ninjas & SupenpiesT"' RPG. A complete gam.c in itself, over 40 types of
• Over I00 magic spells, plus enchanted weapons and objects. different martial arts, mystic powers, spies, gimmick weapons, and more.
• Robot, power armor, cyborg, super-vehicle and gimmick weapon creation S 16.95- 176 pages.
rules. Coming! Gizmos Unlimited™, a giant compendium of weapons and giz-
• Everything you need to play in one, big rule book: dice and players not in- mos. $21.95 - 200+ pages. Fall 2002.
cluded. Coming! The Nursery™, a rogue cell of the government in the business of
• $24.95 for the complete, 352 page game. Available at stores eve.rywhere. "making" super beings. Then something goes wrong. $21.95 - 200+ pages.
Copyrighl () 2002 Kevin Sic:mbiedL All righcs reserved. worldwide. Early 2003.
Plllllldium Books~. Ri ~. The Riner®, Nighcban~. The Palladium F'~nwy Rolc-Piayina
Gamc«i, RECON®, Aller Ole Bomb®. The Mechanoid~. The Mce.h~noids lnvuion®, Phuc Palladium Books® Inc.
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Palladium Books. www.palladiumbooks.com
90
Chaos EarthTM
Part Three many believing this is the end of the world. people have done
crazy, brutal, insane th.ings to one another. The carnage is just
everywhere and ongoing. It seems like only one in every ten cit-
ies have survived, and of those that have survived, they are shat-
By Kevin Siembieda
tered communities at war with fear, the elements and
themselves. Most have fractured into a thousand different war-
Excerpts from the Journal ring factions. Mobs of rioters, bands of looters, gangs of rapists,
and madmen fill the streets looking for victims. Others wander
Of Lieutenant around like zombies, oblivious to the horrors around them or
searching through the wreckage of civilization for missing loved
General Lindsey Sawyer ones. It tears at your heart. No amount of training can prepare
anyone for this.
December 31, 2098, day nine since the world began to
crumble. Pandemonium still reigns, and there's no sign of it let- We came across a number of places where the entire commu-
ting up. nity has decided this is the final reckoning foretold in the bible.
Most of the people at these places have accepted their fate, so
Left Atlanta, Georgia in flames on Christmas Day. There
they gather in and around the churches and city hall where they
wasn't anything we could do. The situation was out of hand and
wait and pray for the angels to come for them. We offered toes-
if we stayed, my troops and I would simply be part of the grow-
cort them to Chicago, or to help set up some guidelines for sur-
ing death toll. I have never witnessed such destruction in my en-
vival and come back as soon as we can. but they refused. They
tire Life. By now the entire city must be reduced to smoldering
are so sure this is "The" end that they refuse to lift a fmger to
ruins. I can't imagine more than 20-300/o of the civilian popula-
help themselves, protect their children or even feed themselves.
tion surviving, and those may be optimistic numbers.
They just wait. Wait in prayer for the end to come. ln some
It took us six days to get to Chicago. I lost I 00/o of the ways, this . . . this acceptance of doom was more painful to
NEMA troops under my command doing it, but we picked up watch than riots and carnage. I lost a dozen or so of my own
350 more along the way. Saved a few thousand civilian lives, men who decided to join them and wait for the angels of death
too. Bunches of which should be making their way to Chicago to claim them.
as r write this.
I wish I could say they were right, so we could all be em-
I decided to start this journal so I can keep everything braced by the warmth of God and let this nightmare end, but if
straight in my own mind. Probably doesn't matter, but I thought this is the end of the world. it's not the one in the bible. I don't
I should memorialize at least some of this before I forget or ... think there will be any angels coming to carry the good folk to
It is painfully clear that the entire infrastructure of our nation their heavenly reward. And I don' t think God would want us to
has been shattered and the government is gone. Communica- just give up the ghost. It's not His way, and it sure isn't mine.
tions are gone too. It's like the damn Dark Ages. From what I When I go down, I' ll go down fighting, so it never ceases to
can tell, two thirds of the North American continent has been amaze me how many people are willing to give up. I realize they
destroyed, maybe more. It bums or is under siege by elements are in shock, but still
that defy description. Where cities remain reasonably whole One town around Nashville committed mass suicide to speed
many are besieged by riots as a prevailing dog-eat-dog, along their trip to heaven. We'd seen our share of suicides al-
free-for-all, end of the world attitude engulfs the population. ready. Here and there, we would fmd an entire church or civic
And that's where absolute mania, terror, and chaos have notal- center, a few hundred people who ended it all - but never an en-
ready won out completely. tire town. A quick reconnaissance showed no survivors and no
On our trek from Atlanta to Chicago we found carnage and sign of combat or looting. Spray painted on the wall of the larg-
destruction of biblical proportions. Entire cities and towns top- est church were the words, "Gone to meet the Lord." The wel-
pled by quakes or burnt to the ground from one disaster or an- come sign indicated there were 8,572 people in that town. I fmd
other. Many have been devastated by the elements - the freak myself wanting to write the word, saci, after that sentence, ex-
storms, earthquakes and volcanic eruptions - but nearly as many cept maybe the road they've chosen~ the easier path.
suffer self-inflicted devastation. There is an incredible amount Of course, we have seen our share of evil done in the name of
of damage from panic and paranoia, often laying waste to an en- God. Seems a good number of people have decided this is the
tire community. It' s unbelievable. "wrath of God" punishing them for allowing any number of
The things we have been witness to have been more terrible transgressions in the eyes of God. To purge themselves and stop
than I can fmd words to describe them. How quickly the dark the Almighty's wrath they've gone on killing sprees. We've
side of humanity rises to the surface. Without a prevailing gov- seen whites gunning down blacks, blacks attacking whites, Mus-
ernment or law enforcement, people have gone crazy. With so lims and Christians at each other's throats, homosexuals hung
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from church steeples - you name it, we've seen it. I was just and believable for them. And in so doing, we can all come to
surprised by how many of the old prejudices I thought had van- trust that our unity, strength, courage and sacrifice will tow the
ished fifty years ago resurfaced w ith a killing vengeance. line and save the day. Then I come home and confide my real
As I look over the words I have written, I realize bow woe- feelings to you, Dear Journal, and lock them away for no one
fully inadequate they are to describe the horrors, the carnage and else to see.
the magnitude of it all. It~ bedlam. Yet though the word con- I'm supposed to be getting three hours of sleep before the
veys the notion, it falls terribly, terribly short. Bedlam. Horror. next shift, but I'm too tired to sleep. Its New Years Eve and the
Armageddon. None of them capture the reality of it all. There brass is concerned the coming of the new year might trigger
bas just never been anything like this. The things we have seen more lunacy, rioting and god only knows what. My forces go on
and experienced simply defy words and logic. shift in another twenty minutes, and I want to be with them.
Maybe I need pictures to accompany this journal. But even January First, 2099. No New Year's celebrations, just an-
images only convey so much. They can't capture the entirety of other day in Hell. Any celebrating among the civilians was kept
it all. Nothing could. I mean our senses are assailed by so much to quiet bugs and softly spoken prayers. For me and my crew, it
all at once. was snuffing out fires, taking down some I-don't-know-wbat,
The tastes. Death mixed with chalky ash falling from the sky and helping two thousand and some people fmd shelter and food
like snow. Charcoal and the sweet tinge of burning flesh filling for the night. They just keep coming, the disenfranchised and
your mouth and nostrils with every gulp of acrid air. homeless. Sergeant Nelson calls them the "walking wounded,"
The smells. The scents of burning brick and wood, bone and like we're any better off.
flesh, oil and rubber, sweat and blood, death and tears mixed in The good news is nothing outside of the usual happened. We
with the stench of sulfur, ozone and a thousand other odors that stood on duty from midnight to 1800 hours, and now me and my
hammer the senses to make your head swim and your stomach troops are going get some much needed rest. We' re off for the
wretch. NEMA troops in environmental body armor don't have next 24 hours. I feel like I could sleep for a week.
it so bad, but the civilians, or if your suit is ruptured, oh god, the Janua ry Second, 2099. I slept like I was dead for the last 14
ash and grit is suffocating. Burns the eyes and fills your nose hours straight. Woke up with a pounding headache and feel like
and mouth as if you're sucking in sand, and the smell ...When I could sleep for another 14 hours. Exhaustion and stress can do
it snows, there still isn't any relief, just wet guck to choke down. that to a body. I'm still alive, and now that I've had my cup of
The civvies try to protect themselves with goggles and scarves coffee I'm starting to feel like I'm back among the living. J
or air filters, but it only helps to a point. guess that's a start. I have to shower for a briefmg and run.
The noise. The cacophony of sounds: Screams, shouts, cry- Jan ua ry Fourth, 2099. Coming to Chicago was the r ight
ing, laughing, gunfrre, explosions, sirens, the crackling of frre, tbing to do. Been here a whole five days, but I already know
the tumbling of buildings, the scream of steel, the sounds of dig- this was a good decision.
ging, running footsteps, the pleas for help, the prayers to god, Chicago is a central location in the heart of the country. From
the bellows of bate, the moans of agony, the whimpers of fear here our NEMA forces can reach most parts of the US, Canada
and cry of ... things not of this Earth. and Mexico with relative speed, or so the theory goes. For now,
The sensations. The constant rush of light and motion. The we are doing all we can to secure the Chicago metropolitan area.
sting of bot ash carried by icy winds, the smorgasbord of odors, Casualties are only at about 1.5 million and less than 30% o.fthe
the fist in your stomach, the ache of your muscles, the throb- city and surrounding suburbs have been destroyed. Rioting has
bing of your temples, the dryness of your mouth (like a desert) been kept at a minimum and the local government and civilian
and the annoying moistness of your perspiring bands. Some- population have rallied behind NEMA. Compared to Atlanta
times you can't even feel your body and you barely notice your and the trip here, it's like a peaceful paradise, if you can call 18
surroundings because you seem to be walking through a dream hour shifts calm or paradise.
-a nightmare - and you are detached from everything around The weird blue lines of energy that slice through the city are
you, including yourself. elsewhere too. It's unknown whether they are some weird side
All of it crashing into one another. Never stopping and you effect of the worldwide catastrophe or whether they caused it.
can't escape. It's unbelievable. Like nothing I have ever seen. Some places, like Chicago, have several of these lines of blue
light, other places none at all. Half the time the light doesn't
I keep saying that,don't I? But it is. It is unlike anything any- seem to do anything except radiate from the earth. The other
one bas ever seen or could imagine. I wish to god I wasn't living half of the time freak lightning storms, tornadoes and weird
through it, though the alternative is an unmarked grave, and I'm rainstorms gestate and roll out from them. When I say weird
not ready for that. rainstorms, I mean storms that shower hail the size of grape-
I realize now, that I confide my thoughts and emotions to this fruits, or rain things like rocks, frogs, fish, insects, slime and
journal to deal with it all. To give release to my thoughts and small animals not of this Earth. The most dramatic amounts of
fears and innermost secrets. I can't show my fear or voice my destruction to property is along these Blue Lines, forcing people
feelings. I' m a General. My troops need to see a strong, deter- to flee or die. And when I say lines of blue light or energy, I
mined and confident face. A leader who listens to their fears and mean lines that are a half mile to one mile wide and several
replaces them with hope. I must smother my own uncertainties miles long. Been told bigger and longer ones exist in Minnesota
and give my troops a shoulder to lean on. So I try to convince and elsewhere. I believe it. We saw some big S.O.S.'s on our
myself that we are doing all we can and that we will bring an way through the Ohio valley, and I'm told that part of the coun-
end to the nightmare. I must convince myself so I can be strong try is covered with Blue Lines.
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The trouble with Blue Lines doesn't end with freakish stonns ln addition to the fires and chaos, there were these hordes of
and illuminated nights. They seem like some kind of magnet or demonic creatures. Not demonic, I mean demons, the genuine
conduit for supernatural phenomena and bot tempers. God, I articles. Technically, I guess we don't know what they were for
can't believe I'm writing this, but ghosts or some kind of sure, but we called them demons. Thousands of them. Each with
ghostly things haunt the Blue Lines. This is not hysteria, I've the strength and power of a Chromium Guardsman and as fast
seen them myself. Ghostly wrute vapors, balfhuman, half mists, and mobile as the Silver Eagles. Took an entire squad to take
as well as glowing lights and specters that look rather like bolo- down just one of the most powerful ones, and if that squad did-
graphic projections. This has led a frightful number of people to n't include a pair of Silver Eagles and a Bulldog we would not
believe the glowing Blue Lines are portals to Heaven and Hell, have won the conflict. Some of these ..creatures" used melee
and that's why they attract the dead. Somehow I doubt it, even weapons like swords and clubs. Most didn't have a taste for
though I can make ftrst hand reports about ghosts, walking dead technology. Some seemed outright baffled by tech, not that it
and a hell of a lot worse. Aliens and monsters for one, other helped us much, because these demons had hides like titanium
things that are best described as demons, for another. And I alloys and some could shoot ftre or energy bolts from their eyes
mean real demons. Fire and brimstone monstrosities that seem or bands. Others could call down lightning from a cloudless sky,
driven to torment, torture and kill humans out of instinct or open up fissures in the earth and some - some seemed to call
sheer evil. It sounds impossible, I know, but I'm living it. upon what I can only caJI magic. I'm telling you some could fly,
So far, the Chicago Blue Lines haven't coughed up anything tum invisible, create clouds of gas out of thin air and ensorcel
we can't handle, but I'm afraid it's only a matter of time before my men with swirling lights or verbal commands.
they do. Word from Detroit, Windsor, Cincinnati, Louisville and We got out of there by the skin of our teeth. Lost 23 out of
other places is that they are overrun with monsters and demons. 160 troops. Never did fmd the people who sent the distress call.
I haven't seen any of those locales, but if they're anything like The signal was dead by the time we arrived. My guess is so
St. Louis, then heaven help us. were the poor souls who sent it. We md rescue about 120 peo-
Three days after we arrived at Chicago, I was asked to coor- ple, and stragglers and refugees show up in Cbicagoland every
mnate and lead a D3R operation into St. Louis. The Chicago day.
NEMA Command Center had picked up a &stress call from Half of the places to the south and to the east are just as bad
Missouri and being in such close proximity, we responded. as St. Louis. It is my recommendation to cordon off lower Illi-
The inferno of St. Louis, on both sides of the river, made At- nois, Indiana, Southern M icrugan, Oruo and Missouri and make
lanta seem like a little picnic barbeque. Reconnaissance Teams them a no-man's zone. It's not so bad right now with the horrific
Three and Four estimated 200+ square miles around St. Louis winter we've been having, but come summertime, I shudder to
were ablaze, another 100 miles had already been reduced to think. The best NEMA forces can do is contain the demons and
smoldering rubble and the St. Louis Arch was crackling with en- keep them out of the northern Midwest. God help the people
ergy and lightning around the clock. If Annageddon had come, I trapped down there, but our forces are stretched too thin to do
imagined it was starting in St. Louis. anything else, at least for the foreseeable future. To launch any
93
kind of offensive would be suicide, pure and simple. As much as mounting problems. The winter is unusually cold and fierce.
it hurts, we have to pick our battles, and St. Louis is a losing Snow levels have already exceeded what's normal and there are
proposition. We'll try to get as many people out in small groups still 10 weeks of winter yet to go. This is presumably the result
as we can and build our defenses here in northern Illinois, Iowa, of the ash cloud from the super-volcano that covers the globe,
Wisconsin, Upper Michigan, and Ontario. and may be helped along by the fallout from the launch of a
Truth be told, ifl had access to nukes, I' d turn St. Louis and number of nuclear missiles. In short, we are suffering the effects
half of Ohio and Michigan into the surface of the moon. I of a nuclear winter.
wouldn't hesitate, either. I don't know what that says about me On other fronts, storms over Lake Michigan are off the
or our situation, other than we're as desperate and lost as the charts, strange lights over the lake are constantly being reported
next person. and a number of civilian and military aircraft and vessels have
An interesting note, according to Intelligence, a number of vanished without a trace. The Minneapolis and St. Paul region
nuclear missiles, maybe as many as a hundred, were launched in of Minnesota is another Blue Line center that has reduced those
the ftrst two days of the disaster, peppering a number of cities cities to ruin and has unleashed all manner of alien and super-
and sites in the western half of the US, Texas and Mexico. I natural life forms. Reconnaissance reports warn that the state of
wonder if it was an executive order from NORAD before it went Kentucky has vanished, and is replaced by an alien jungle even
silent or whether it was some twitcher with a nervous fmger on in the dead of winter.
the button. We' ll probably never know. It's hard to believe we There have also been an increasing number of paranormal in-
nuked ourselves to save ourselves. I wonder if it did any good. cidents that can only be described as " psychic phenomena." In-
Like I said, life since 12-22 is unreal. All of it. cidents of Extra-Sensory Perception among the civilian
J a nuary 11, 2099. I feel like NEMA is quickly getting a population and NEMA operatives. Things like prophetic dreams
handle on the situation. Chicagoland is quickly becoming a well and sensing imminent danger.
organized military compound. The civilians have been amaz- January 22, 2099. Things just keep going from bad to
ingly supportive and the growing sense of camaraderie has worse. 1) Demons are penetrating our defensive perimeter and
boosted morale considerably. I still don't agree with the wisdom we don't know how.
of basing our operations in a city with so many Blue Lines, but 2) It has been confirmed, aliens have invaded the Earth. Seri-
my concerns have been overridden by the majority. I must agree ously, alien humanoids like something out of a sci-fi movie have
that it would be a logistical nightmare to reorganize and relocate been appearing, mostly outside Chicagoland, but within our de-
now, especially in this weather. The snow has not let up and ac- fenses too. Most are scavengers and scared out of their wits, so
cumulations are already reaching three feet, more in the north- they aren't an honest to god "invasion force," that's for sure. We
ern suburbs and Wisconsin. I just hate those lines. They're an thought they might have been responsible for the cataclysm but
X-factor we know too little about and I just get a feeling they'll most of them seem as confused and terrified as we are, so that
be the source of trouble later on. seems an unlikely scenario. I swear I fee l like I'm living an epi-
At any rate, I have been placed in charge of internal defense, sode out of the Twilight Zone. Where these "aliens" are coming
intelligence and security for Chicagoland- that's the megalopo- from or how this can happen is anyone's guess. Personally, I
lis of Chicago, its surviving 3.7 million people and the sur- have stopped asking how and why and simply respond to each
rounding 14 cities, townships and suburbs accounting for an new crisis. The damned aliens are no help. They don't speak our
additional three million. From what I can tell, we may be one of language (obviously) and run from us at ftrst glance. Intelli-
the largest surviving communities in the country. Of course, gence has identified three different species and a dozen
we've lost contact with 95% of the country and only get inter- so-called demons.
mittent reports from Canada. Mexico is a black hole. It's any- 3) The storms and snow are unrelenting. Between the snow,
one's guess what's happening in Mexico and the rest of the the ash, and unstable atmospheric conditions the use of any kind
world, but I doubt it's good news. of 'chopper or aircraft is out of the question. Even the Silver Ea-
It's weird, but there are pockets of civilization, entire cities gles have a difficult time of it. That means we're snowed in till
and towns that have survived the initial holocaust virtually un- spring unless the snow lets up. We' re limited to ground forces
touched, particularly here in the Midwest. On the other hand, and have mobilized the Chromium Guardsmen, Bulldogs,
there are places, sometime only 50-100 miles away from one of Mastiffs, and Gunbusters, as well as grounded Silver Eagles.
those unscathed, that are completely obliterated, become war However, the deep snow is hampering their movement as well. I
zones or have been replaced by an alien landscape. That having only hope if we're socked in for the winter, so are the demons
been said, the general level of destruction remains beyond mea- and monsters out there. Of course, that also means NEMA can
sure. We have effectively written off everyone and everyplace not mount an effective rescue and recovery effort. Those not al-
west of Iowa and east of the Allegheny Mountains. Meanwhile, ready here are on their own. I fear the death toll from this winter
the state of everyplace in between is pandemonium and destruc- is going to be horrific.
tion. Our allies in Mexico might as well have fallen off the January 30, 2099. Its been confirmed, where two or more
planet for us, while parts of Canada are showing great promise. Blue Lines meet, an energy flare or surge can occur at random
Quebec, Ottawa and much of southeastern Canada has fared and rip open a portal in space and time. At least that's what the
much better than the United States and they anticipate launching eggheads say. Saw one first hand this morning, and that's sure
a reinvigorated rescue and recovery campaign this spring. as hell what it looked like to me. Some sort of wonnhole to
While optimism is running high at the moment, and NEMA someplace beyond the veil - to demonic Hells and alien worlds.
is undoubtedly North North America's best hope, there are So now we know where the aliens are coming from and how the
94
demons are managing to circumvent our defenses. It also means ing for our own massacre. It's only a matter of time before one
we now have to worry about alien beings as well as monsters of the squads runs up against something they can't handle. Just
and demons popping right into the heart of Chicagoland. In my hope it's not another Valentine's Day massacre.
estimation, this is an insurmountable obstacle. It is impossible to The entire Midwest is being clobbered by a succession of the
contain or monitor the Blue Lines around the clock, though we worst snowstorms in over two hundred years.
are establishing posts at each junction point. Still, we don't Snow removal is impossible except in the heart of Chkago,
know if the enemy can appear on other points on the Blue Lines so most of Chicagoland is immobilized and people are dying
or how long these portals stay open or how many things can from the sub-zero temperatures and lack of adequate food and
come crawling out at a time. I have never felt more naked and shelter.
vulnerable than today. After all our hard work, we fmd out that
monsters and aliens can just appear out of nowhere at a mo- Meanwhile ...
ment's notice. We are completely vulnerable to enemy invasion. No resurgent government. We're on our own.
I think only a handful of us in command realize the fu ll ramifi- No mass rallying of NEMA troops to our side. I think most
cations of this revelation, which is the way we want it. If word are dead. Those that survive in places like Manitoba and Quebec
leaked out to the public, there would be widespread panic. For are in the same boat we're in and doing a ll they can to stay alive
the moment, it remains a secret. We're stuck here for the dura- themselves.
tion of winter, so we have to make the best of it. I only hope
No break from the snow or sub-zero temps.
nothing comes out of one of these wormholes that NEMA can't
handle. Security and defense is, at best, flimsy and stretched.
- From the Journals ofLieutenant General Lindsey Sawyer Civilian population is increasingly frightened and desperate. I
don't blame them.
Greater number of "unexplained" phenomena, especially
around the Blue Lines.
Even the air is fi lled with grit and grime, forcing civilians
who go out-of-doors to cover their mouth and nose with scarves,
air masks or some kind of wrapping.
There's been some radioactive fallout too, but nothing
deadly.
I pray I can shake this depression, because right now, I feel
like there is little hope and no future. That's why I've m issed the
last six days' worth of journal entries. I just haven't had the en-
ergy, and Valentine's Day only makes matters worse. Makes us
all sad and depressed thinking about all the loved ones we've
lost. Makes us miss the world that vanished overnight last
Christmas (seems like a million years ago), and makes us all
lonely and so, so sad.
We've been taking it a "day at a time." It's the only effective
strategy, but here I am, one of the leaders of our sorry com-
pound and I can't stop wondering if there really is a future, or if
we are doomed to just another day of uncertainty, death and the
bizarre, one after another.
The bad thing is, it's not just me. The squads in my battalion
have investigated 63 suicides and 114 homicides over the last
six days. That's nearly quadruple the number of suicides and
double the homicides. And that doesn't even include the 172
people dug out of the snow frozen to death. Those kinds of sta-
tistics don't help morale which is at low ebb, for certain.
So much for NEMA leading by example and reestablishing
Love Lost, security and prosperity in our tiny part of the world, let alone
functioning as a rallying point for the rest of the nation. We can
No Future barely make ends meet, and I still contend there isn't any "rest
February 14, 2099. It's Valentine's Day. Funny, I keep of the nation." Only small pockets of civilization and lucky cells
thinking about the massacre, not love. Whatever enthusiasm I of survivors scratching and scrounging to survive the best they
had for our situation and rebuilding has been squashed and bur- can. And we lose a couple of them every week. Lost what was
ied under the snow and ice of the worst winter in Midwest his- left of the cities of Springfield and South Bend this week,
tory. Danville, Kewanee, Fort Wayne and Des Moines last week. Be-
It's been about eight weeks since the cataclysm struck and tween the snow, volcanic clouds and the damn Blue Lines, com-
there's no sign of anything getting any better. We're starting to munications are limited to under 200 miles, sometimes less, and
see more of our share of monsters and weirdness, and I'm wait- the three feet of snow that has fallen in the last week paralyzed
95
travel even here within the heart of Chicago, and we're socked thoughts. I don't know, and I don't much care. All it means for
in by a blizzard right now. At this rate we'll be snowed in till NEMA is another set of X-factors and problems to deaJ with.
spring, and won't know how bad off the country really is until Problems that defy logic and aren't covered in the rule books.
spring thaw. We're alone here in Chicago. Alone and isolated, Not all people can use this energy to power their thought, but
with no sign of relief. some can (an estimated 10-15%), and some are learning to do so
Us leaders of the Chicago NEMA Recovery Force insist with alarming speed and proficiency. What's worse, everybody
we're being too hard on ourselves. That the task before us is im- seems to be trying in it. That's what I mean about ideas being
possible. That we're all doing everything we can and must find like viruses. One person realized the Blue Lines can breathe life
solace in every tiny accomplishment. Good words, I second the into our thoughts, and the next thing you know, everybody is
sentiment, but it's garbage. Yeah, we're working around the trying it.
clock, but we feel like were accomplishing squat. We' re so frus- What amazes me even more, is how quickly people just ac-
trated and pent up inside. Seems like we' re just spinning our cept the idea of magic and mind powers. Everybody, and I mean
wheels stalling the inevitable slide into oblivion. Now we find EVERYBODY is talking about " magic and ESP." Not just talk-
out the food supply is probably insufficient to last the winter, es- ing about it, but trying to discover if they have special powers
pecially if it goes long. We' re initiating food rationing starting too. I realize it's human nature, but overnight magic and ESP
tomorrow. That's it for today. are accepted as parts of our lives! A lot of people seem to think
- From the Journals ofLieutenant General Lindsey Sawyer magic is their new salvation, but I thinks its grasping at straws.
We want to be rescued and see our past life style returned, so we
blindly accept powers and abilities we know nothing about.
The New Plague: Under different circumstances this might be fun and exciting,
Magic and Mind Powers but it worries me. Worries me a lot. Magic and psychic abilities
change the environment. Create a whole new reality and a new
February 21 , 2099. I understand now, the power of an idea. set of problems and potential abuse. Like we didn't have enough
An idea is like a virulent virus that sweeps throughout a commu- trouble already.
nity infecting the whole damn population in a matter of days. Yesterday, I headed up an investigation to examine a ten foot
The new virus that plagues us now is magic and psychic abil- diameter circle of springtime. Here we've been getting ham-
ities. There had been "incidents" of magic and psychic mered with one storm after another, over seven feet of accumu-
phenomena since the cataclysm and the appearance of the Blue lation since the cataclysm. Yet, in the suburb of Carol Stream is
Lines. At first, the ideas of magic and the paranormal were ig- a circle of green grass, flowers and 70 degree temperatures
nored, buried under the sorrow and immensity of the crisis. We (Fahrenheit). It turns out the cutest little girl is responsible for it.
were all too busy staying alive to give any time to these fanciful A nine year old. She said mommy was sad and wanted the snow
notions, yet almost from the beginning the signs were there. to go away, so she went out and thought real hard and wished it
Stories about people having prophetic visions and dreams. Ordi- away. The little darling said she w ished she could make it all go
nary people knowing, just "knowing," a loved one was alive, away, but this little patch was a ll she could do. She guessed
and in some cases, where they were trapped beneath the rubble. that's why mommy cries even more, because there's only one
I witnessed that a few times myself. I know I tended to ignore little circle of grass and flowers. Truth is, mom is on the brink of
the ones who mixed their psychic vision with frre and brimstone losing it completely. She's not sure if her little girl, Emilia, is an
or spiritualism, but r had to give them their due when the de- angel or a monster. She told me she wants to hug and kiss
mons appeared. There was no scientific explanation for demons, Emilia, but is afraid what else the girl can do with her "wishes"
especially not demons who could cast magic spells and com- and is afraid to be alone with her own daughter. The father and
mand the weather. half the family are gone - missing and presumed dead. Emilia is
I've seen my share of ghosts too. Some just walk the earth being taken care of by her Aunt Lisa, Uncle Scott and their three
like lost souls, some weep, some animate wood and rocks and boys. Thankfully, these relatives see Emilia's ability to create a
even skeletons. Let me tell you, it is something the first time tiny piece of springtime as a miracle and a blessing. Good for
you see a walking skeleton or a humanoid shape form out of them. Good for Emilia.
rubble into some kind of roving soulless thing out for blood. I Wigged-out mother is right to ask, what else can Emilia do
mean, how do you fight that? How do you explain it? I'm sure just by wishing it? The Aunt and Uncle say they haven't seen
there is some scientific and logical answer, but there is a simple her do anything else, and certainly she has tried to wish up ice
and rather obvious answer: Magic. Blue Lines of magic. Why cream and candy by the gallons, not to mention a new pink
not? dress, but a ll without success. However, while were we walking,
I've probably said it a thousand times now, but there has hand in hand, from her house to the green in the backyard, we
never been anything like this. Even the wonderful stuff is too bi- were hit by a blast of icy wind. The bone chilling kind. Emilia
zarre to really enjoy- for me anyway. It makes me feel like a frowned and said, "Oh my, that just won't do," and I swear, the
fish out of water stuck on a roller coaster that just won't stop. wind stopped. At least around us it did. Then the little darling
Up and down and sideways I go. Always in motion. Never able looked up at me with her angelic face beaming with pride, and
to completely catch my breath. she said, " I don't like cold winds. Do you?"
A lot of theories have been flying around. Most of them in- Personally, I think there are different- I don't know - differ-
volve the Blue Lines and talk about a previously undiscovered ent aptitudes or disciplines of magic. That's what I put in my re-
(or alien) form of energy that gives substance to people's port. For example, 1 don't think little Emilia can actually make
96
or wish for things to appear or happen. I think she's like a druid In fairness to the people of the modem world, the mystic en-
or something that can manipulate nature or the elements. That's ergy of Earth had been used up by the lost civilization of
different than the ones who can draw upon the Blue Lines and Atlantis long before the first Pharaoh took the throne. What en-
use them to create and hurl bolts of energy, or the ones who are ergy remained was but a scant trickle that only the most sensi-
figuring out how make and cast magic spells. Little Emilia is tive psychic or skilled mystic could sense or draw upon. The
definitely not like the lunatics who try to summon and command ancient secrets of the supernatural and magic were forgotten. As
the demons. One of my squads had to take down a Demon a result, "magic" was relegated to the stuff of fantasy and super-
Caller today. When the dust cleared we had two men down, one stition. Those few who claimed it was real were ridiculed and
in critical condition, the rest were banged up but okay. At least shunned as liars, lunatics or charlatans. Science became the new
they neutralized the Demon Caller and slew the two monsters high art, and in its pursuit, science obscured the spiritual and
under his thrall. That's what I mean about magic causing more mystical realities of the past and buried it under technology.
trouble. Pretty soon those who can control magic to some degree For all intents and purposes, magic did not exist. Science said
are going to use it. While some will use it to help people, we're so. Claims regarding demonic entities, ESP, things that go bump
going to see plenty of lowlifes who will use it to rob, manipu- in the night, and inexplicable phenomena to which science had
late, enslave or hurt others. It's like giving a loaded gun to a no answer were disregarded and ignored.
bully. God only knows what he's going to do with it. Thus, on that fateful day when the planets were aligned and a
As for psychic abilities, that's a whole other ball of wax I' d few million lives were snuffed out in a blinding nuclear flash,
rather not get into right now. Still trying to wrap my mind humankind could never have anticipated the chain reaction of
around magic. I can say with complete confidence, however, "change" it sparked. In that instant, the magnified P.P.E. of mil-
that psychic abilities are real. I know, because it was getting too lions of lives flooded the neighboring ley lines already powered
dark in here and I just hit the wall switch to tum on the lights by the string of planets. The result, the explosive return of magic
without leaving my chair. I flipped that switch using telekinesis. surging across the globe, creating disaster and transforming the
I didn't want telekinesis. Didn't try to make it happen. Just one entire planet as it went.
day about a week ago, it started happening. The tech boys call As the dinosaurs learned before us, change is often cata-
people like me who have only one or two minor ESP abilities strophic, and so it has been for the people of Earth. The world
" Latent Psychics," I think. Haven't told anybody about it yet. I they once knew is gone. The laws of science they still cling to,
don' t relish the idea of becoming a lab rat or looked at differ- shattered. The impossible is a daily occurrence and magic and
ently by the troops. Besides, I don't have any great power. All I psycltic powers are a reality.
can do is unbutton my blouse without using my hands and move
around small things like a cup of coffee, a pen, or knife. I can The vanguard of a new age
flick switches from across the room, open doors and make my The unreal is suddenly real. Demons, ghosts and dragons
sidearm fly into my hand, but that's about it. Nothing to write walk the streets and wield a power that is unmistakably magic.
home about. I sure don't get visions or speak to dead people, all For humankind, it defies everything they have ever been taught
I can do is move knickknacks with my mind. Nothing anybody or believed in, and turns catastrophic disaster into a living night-
needs to know about, except you, Dear Journal. mare.
For many, it is more than they can accept. Some klll them-
-From the Journals ofLieutenant General Lindsey Sawyer
selves rather than endure it. Others go mad. Some hide and pray
for salvation that never comes. For NEMA and others who re-
fuse to give up, they try to adjust and deal with the new realities
The Emergence as best they can.

Only a tiny percentage of people don't feel overwhelmed by
dread and, instead, bear the caJI to a new destiny. Even among
of Magic these special few, half deny and reject the new sensations and
power coursing through their veins. Many are psychics who
suddenly have their awareness expanded beyond the five senses,
but there is also another group. Those individuals who feel the
Like the rea l world, today, magic was considered
ripple of mystic energy around and through them, and dare to
make-believe. Fantasy. Pure fiction. The stuff of fairy tales,
embrace it, hold it and direct it through their own force of will.
role-playing games and Hollywood movies. Nobody knew
These are the vanguards of a new age. The first people of a shat-
magic or Psychic Potential Energy (P.P.E.) existed. Conse-
tered world to accept magic, consider the possibilities, and seize
quently, when it exploded back onto the scene and caused the
the moment. They are the new breed in Chaos Earth.
cataclysm that reshaped planet Earth, it was completely beyond
human comprehension. The appearance of the ley lines throb- Magic rediscovered
bing with energy seemed a bizarre enigma. Most survivors of Inevitably, the frrst and most profound exposure to magic on
the g lobal disaster had never heard of " ley lines" or the meta- Chaos Earth was, and continues to be, the ley lines - or what
physical theories of "Geomancy" - that lines of mystia energy people are calling the " Blue Lines." Wide, towering bands of
radiated from the Earth. Energy that ancient seers, wizards, al- blue light that light up the night sky and roU with waves of
chemists, shamans, druids, Oriental mystics and secret brother- seething power and often crackle with lightning and streaks of
hoods of magic have drawn upon (or tried to) for thousands of energy. The Blue Lines are also the cause of freak rain and
years. lightning storms, energy flares that shoot a mile into the sky,
97
balls of energy, random levitation and a host of other weird phe- will be okay." Accidents of magic, all of them. Enchantment
nomena. However, the most terrifying of them all is to watch the given life by powerful emotions and a chance aptitude for magic
energy coalesce and then spread apart, tearing a hole in the sky or a keen mind or crisis to channel the energy and make some-
as if some invisible hand were pushing open a curtain. The hole thing magical happen. That's how it all began.
is a portal to other worlds and realities. Some beautiful and After a while, when word spread about these many "mira-
wondrous, most nightmarish or alien. It is through these portals cles," especially along the Blue Lines, people began to experi-
from which the demons, monsters and aliens arrive. A byprod- ment. They would brave the curfew and the dangers of the
uct of magic gone awry and seething unchecked like an angry burbling lines, waiting for a momentary calm in the turbulence,
volcano. and then try to work magic or "wish" for something. Most fail,
The next encounter with magic for the people of Chaos Earth but some are able to tap into some inner potential and make
comes from the flood of supernatural beings, from ghostly enti- things happen. To draw on the Blue Lines and weave a bit of
ties to demons, dragons and other mythic creatures. Many of magic. The more practice, the easier it gets.
whom know the secrets of magic and use them freely to cast Of course, none of these tech based people know anything
spells, weave enchantments and attack humans. As terrifying about magic. They have no formal training and know nothing
and mind-boggling as all of this is, it has also illustrated to hu- about spells and mantras to focus their thoughts. Nor do they
mans the power and potential of magic. know the limits of their powers or what the Blue Lines provide
Lastly, ordinary people began to accidentally draw upon and or how best to use them, but they are learning. Making it up as
use the ambient P.P.E. of the Blue Lines to do the impossible. they go along. Experimenting. Trying things they saw in horror
For example: A frantic, desperate individual struggling to lift a and fantasy movies, or read in books, or remember from fairy
half ton slab of concrete off a loved one or pry open the jammed tales. It will be decades before any true masters of magic will
door to a burning wreck suddenly found the superhuman emerge. These survivors of the cataclysm are crude and clumsy
strength to do so, or, even more miraculously, made the debris amateurs who lack any true understanding, knowledge or fi-
to rise up in the air or the door to magically melt away. Imagine nesse. Desperate people grasping at anything that might save
seeing your family about to be slaughtered by some hellish thing their lives. Magic is just one, unbelievable alternative.
and you scream, " no, get away from them," and it does. Or a
bolt of energy hurls from your hand to strike the creature and
The indomitable spirit of youth,
send it running. Imagine a group of frightened people huddled in the power of imagination unleashed
the comer of a half toppled building wishing for a fire, and one The suspension of belief and the power of conviction (true,
magically appears. Or a mother sobbing over the death of her heartfelt conviction) are easier for youngsters than adults, so
child, wishing with all her heart she could heal her child's they are most profoundly affected by magic. Approximately
wounds and bring him back to life - a moment later a little hand 50% of all fledgling practitioners of magic are teenagers, 20%
squeezes her's and a weak voice says, " don't cry mommy, it are between the ages of 20-25, and 10% are only 10-12 year
98
olds! Those under the age of ten find it to difficult to focus bands or destroyed and looted entirely. Magic, therefore, is the
enough to draw on their own P.P.E. or the Blue Lines to ade- great equalizer. The means by which a small group may over-
quately direct the energy to create a magical effect. Meanwhile, come a larger one. A force that can compensate against a well
those over the age of 25 have trouble freeing their minds and armed challenger and an asset when it comes to fighting super-
spirits from what they thought they knew, to accept the impossi- natural foes and creatures of magic.
ble and embrace the reality of magic in order to channel mystic Of course, a good number of magic users are benevolent,
energy even on a Blue Line. Thus, fueled by a sense of wonder, well intentioned and kind, while others are just wild and reck-
discovery and empowennent, teens are the inheritors of magic less souls with a new toy. Most are playing with a source of
among the survivors. They are the ones most willing to let go of power they have no genuine knowledge or control over, and, as
the past and embrace things they do not understand. Conse- noted earlier, more than two thirds are wild-eyed "kids" dealing
quently, they are the first to wield magic. Unfortunately, many with raging honnones and finding a place in the world for
lack the maturity to use magic well, and instead use it as a themselves to begin with. Magic just adds an additional compo-
means to power and revenge. The ability to use magic makes nent to an already uncertain and volatile mixture. More than a
them special, and while many use their newfound power for few mages have unleashed monsters or wholesale destruction by
good, others use it carelessly as a new toy, or to extract retribu- accident, destroying themselves or those around them, or have
tion or make themselves important and powerful. tried to tackle opponents and forces far beyond their current ca-
pabilities and paid the ultimate price.
A new problem
For all the talk of power-hungry maniacs, bullies and street
Magic is as much a problem as it is a godsend. Individuals punks, the overwhelming majority of would-be wizards are
who can use magic, even a little bit, have a distinct advantage well-meaning, idealistic teens and young people with surprising
over those who don't, especially among the civilian population. courage and commitment to help others. Most see themselves as
Gangs Jed by spell casters are starting to crop up, as well as heroes and saviors with the power to save the world -or at least
small bands made up entirely of practitioners of magic. Truth be their little part of the world - after they figure out how to use
told, with everything else they must deal with, NEMA has no their powers, that is. It's tough, dangerous, hard work learning
idea how many psychics and mages may be on the loose, but al- and wielding magic, but it's a lso an exciting challenge. A
ready spell casting leaders and cults are starting to emerge. For chance to be "somebody." To be a "super-hero." For many of
those who are so inclined, they can use magic to carve out their them, the chaos and carnage and magic gives them a chance to
own little power base (it's too soon to talk about empires) and prove themselves and make a mark on the world. It is the nature
subjugate others. Some of these practitioners of magic have be- of youth and high ideals. For many, it will also spell their doom.
gun worshiping dark forces (alien intelligences, dark gods and But these are times where death is a common daily occurrence,
demons), others are independent powers unto themselves. Still
and at least this way, their candle will bum brightly at least for a
others gamer support from ordinary people by using their devel-
little while before it is snuffed out.
oping mystical powers to protect all who accept them as their
leaders (or god). Desperate and terrorized, many people are ac-
cepting these new masters of magic to help them survive the Magic O.C.C.s on Chaos Earth
chaos. Most are tiny operations, little more than a neighborhood All of the following magic O.C.C.s are crude, unrefined, un-
gang that controls a few city blocks or a particular resource, but developed and limited. In some cases the magic is unpredict-
they are growing in numbers and in their boldness. The most able. Why? Because this is aU new to these would-be
ambitious are already dreaming of magic being their means to practitioners of magic. They have only begun to study and learn
carve themselves their own kingdom and to become a new the secrets of magic, and it will take generations before they de-
power in a bizarre world of chaos, even if it's only for a little velop any real methodology and domination of the mystic arts.
while. In many ways, regardless of their level of experience, Chaos
Most cities that have survived the initial cataclysm are splint- Earth sorcerers are self-taught amateurs wielding power beyond
ered into hundreds of smaller rival factions. Chicago and its sub- their comprehension. The different types of magic reflect the
urbs are one of the exceptions, due in large part to the presence approach by which people have chosen to acquire magic, not
ofNEMA forces and pure luck. At places divided by strife, each any actual method or desired outcome.
faction vies for supremacy over resources, territory and chal- Human beings are incredibly curious and adaptable. A couple
lengers. Many are concerned only about their own survival and of facts illustrated by how quickly humans began to dabble with
welfare, often at the expense of those weaker than they. Thus, magic. Six or seven short weeks after the cataclysm struck, inci-
most cities and towns are places of war and constant violence as dents of people using magic began to appear all around Chicago
one group is pitted against another in their battle to survive. and the Ohio Valley. Of course, the use of magic by humans
Rather than destroy their enemies, they often absorb rival varies dramatically from place to place and depends largely on
groups and territorial holdings into their own, which makes how strong magic energy via the ley lines is at any given place.
them larger and stronger with each conquest. While this can Those with one or more ley lines, or "Blue Lines" as the people
make for a strong group, continuing vendettas and intense, of Chaos Earth call them, are among the very ftrst to recognize,
bloody rivalry with other factions quickly burns up what re- accept and use magic. This is not the result of brilliant deduc-
sources and gains they may have acquired, leading to their de- tion, but the simple fact that it is hard to ignore the presence of
struction. The larger and stronger a group is, the bigger a target magic at these locations. Here in the ftrst few years of the cata-
they become. Few large groups can maintain their power base clysm the ley lines rage with energy. Uncontrolled, weird
and most are inevitably shattered, broken into several smaller phenomena and feats of random magic are a constant daily oc-
99
currence. Add to this the appearance of supernatural beings and without warning 106 times a day! Areas along the lines fade in
aliens who emerge from the Blue Lines and the "magic" many and out (like Fadetowns) or are replaced with alien landscapes
of these beings command, and it is pretty much impossible to ig- (and often alien flora, fauna and intelligent or demonic life
nore or deny the existence of magic. On top of that, with so forms). They attract Haunting Entities and other supernatural
much, largely untapped Potential Psychic Energy (P.P.E.) un- beings and spit out monsters that appear at random out of thin
leashed in and around the lines, even untrained and unimagina- air.
tive people are able to inadvertently tap into the energy and Those humans who dare try to tap or command the power of
focus it with their own raw emotions. Though the outcome is the Blue Lines are often ravaged or destroyed by the very forces
wonderful and often saves lives, for most it is a terrifying expe- they seek to control- struck down by a Ley Line Storm, atom-
rience and only one more reason to shun the Blue Lines. For ized by a bolt of energy out of the blue, turned into a phantom
others, however, it opens up a whole new world of possibilities. who straddles two or more realities, tom from Earth against
A world of magic. their will and hurled to some world a million realities away, and
Remember, the citizens of Chaos Earth come from an age of a hundred other less pleasant ways to meet one's end. Still there
science and technology. Their only knowledge of magic comes are those who try. They are the Line Wizards. In another two
from ancient myths, fairy tales and other works of fantasy. They hundred years they will be known as Ley Line Walkers, masters
can scarcely believe it is real, and it is a completely alien and of ley lines and the most adept spell casters on the planet.
mysterious "thing." Thus, in their ignorance, the ftrSt of a new
Design Note
generation of practitioners of magic see the Blue Lines as the
obvious and tangible source of magic. They assume the blue The abilities of the Chaos Earth practitioners of magic may
light radiating from the earth is some sort of energy supply that, be similar to Rifts® or other Palladium RPGs, while other times
believe it or not, can be channeled by the human mind and used they are extremely different. That's because the setting for
to rearrange molecules into ... anything. While some look for a Chaos Earth and the level of mystic energy is vastly different
"scientific" explanation, others don' t care. They simply accept than those in other settings. Remember too, that while some of
that the Blue Lines are "the" source of magic and the coura- these Chaos Earth O.C.C.s will eventually be developed into the
geous ones set out to learn how to use that energy. This is a disciplines of magic found on Rifts Earth (i.e. the Line Wizard
dangerous prospect during the first decade or two after the cata- becomes the Ley Line Walker and so on), during the days of
clysm, because the magic energy levels rage out of control with Chaos Earth, these are all fledgling magicks being discovered
an intensity that not only reshapes the planet Earth, but sends and developed for the very ftrSt time. Consequently, some of the
shock waves throughout the Mega verse. abilities and spells change over the decades, and some are com-
pletely forgotten or lost with the passage of time.
Humans are only beginning to get a glimpse at the
Presented in the pages that follow are the various types of
Megaverse - the thousands (some say infinite number) of
magic as they manifested during the early days of Chaos Earth.
worlds that contain life, both human-like and alien and demonic.
Most remain this way for the first 50-75 years of the ensuing
Worlds that are disrupted by the tears in space and time that ap-
Dark Age before they start to take on the more familiar mystic
pear at ley line nexuses, junctions where two or more ley
arts presented in R ifts®. Furthermore, some special abilities
lines/Blue Lines cross. Call these tears dimensional portals, real-
disappear after the Ley Lines stop seething and settle down to a
ity bridges, gates, doorways, wormholes, or " Rifts," the bottom
more consistent level of power. At the onset of the Great Cata-
line is they create a two-way opening or doorway to an alien
clysm, the ley lines/Blue Lines are overflowing and bursting
world. Worlds that may exist hundreds, thousands or millions of
with energy. That is what causes the magical chain reaction of
light years away, or an alien dimension that does not even exist
the cataclysm to begin with, and conti nues to seethe and cause
on the same plane of reality. It is from such fantastic realms or
considerable atmospheric and trans-dimensional disturbances.
dimensions that demons, entities, so-called gods and other su-
All of which serves to reconfigure the planet Earth, link it to
pernatural beings originate from. Beings who see themselves as
thousands of different worlds, open doorways through which su-
beyond humans, beyond any mortal being, and who often wield
pernatural beings can enter our realm of existence and pluck in-
powers of psionics, magic and abilities that defY the laws of sci-
nocent aliens from their home worlds and bring them to Chaos
ence. Beings who often operate on base emotions and instincts
Earth. Not to mention restore magic to Earth, amplify psychic
and who regard mortals as playthings, victims to torment and
abilities and become a dimensional nexus point for much of the
prey to devour. The people of Chaos Earth are only beginning to
Megaverse.
realize that these "things" are the demons, vampires, monsters
and bogeymen of ancient myths, legends and superstitions.
Weird and terrible beings who thrive on torment, murder, blood
and chaos. Thus, in a world gone mad and lost to chaos, these
Line Wizard O.C.C.
Individuals possessing a strong will, determination and a nat-
creatures of anarchy arrive like harbingers of a new age of
ural aptitude for magic can draw upon the mystic energy of the
change, chaos and magic.
boiling ley lines without a true understanding of magic or how
Attempts to "tap" the Blue Lines are dangerous on a more they are able to do what they do. Those who manage to success-
immediate and person level, for they are more powerful at this fully draw on the Blue Lines repeatedly, and tum the energy
point in time than at any time in Earth's history, even the period into spells or physical manifestations, are called Line Wizards.
that comes after the ensuing Dark Age and the period of com- Line Wizards, like most Chaos Earth practitioners of magic,
parative calm on what is to become known as Rifts Earth. The are undisciplined, wild and dangerous wielders of a force they
ebb and flow of energy is such that Ley Line Storms appear neither understand nor control. They have, through observation,
100
figured out that the Blue Lines are an energy conduit that can be others do so, those who work in secrecy shun all others. The
tapped by the human mind and used, for lack of a better word, to only reason there seems to be a cohesiveness to them as a
perform magic. They don't know where the lines come from, "group" is because they all dress similarly. This is not intended
how they work or exactly what they can do. Any spells or magic to be a uniform or gang colors, but a simple act of necessity.
abilities are the result of trial and error. Ln these initial months of The out of doors of Chaos Earth is a hostile environment. The
experimentation, knowledge is shared between the fledgling air is filled with ash, grit, sulfur and particles. A lot of it was
Line Wizards. There is no formal group nor organization, but a launched into the atmosphere by the super volcano and count-
number of individuals trying to learn about and use the energy less smaller, conventional volcanos, as well as the widespread
of the ley lines. Those willing to share their knowledge with fires of burning cities and wild lands. The constant storms (both
natural and unnatural) perpetually stir and whip the debris on
the ground into the air, while other grit, acid rain and pollution
falls from the sky. Clouds of noxious fumes and low level radia-
tion also pass across the land. Without access to satellites, accu-
rate weather forecasting is impossible. Besides, the grime in the
air makes it, in effect, a constant sandstorm of varying intensity.
Being wintertime and off of Lake Michigan, the icy wind is cut-
ting and temperatures (thanks to the weather altering ley lines,
ongoing cataclysm and fallout of the volcanoes and nuclear mis-
siles) have been well below freezing and often sub-zero. To
brave the e lements and breathe the polluted air, one must take
precautions and wear some type of gas mask, air filter or face
covering like a scarf or bandages over the nose and mouth.
Just going outdoors can be a painful, if not deadly, adventure.
As a result, the Line Wizards literally bundle up, wearing layers
of clothes and covering their mouths with air filters (gas masks
when they can get them) and wrapping their face and heads with
scarves or additional cloth wrappings. The hands, feet and other
extremities are also frequently wrapped in cloth under or over
conventional g loves and boots for warmth and protection. Most
have also taken to wearing hooded cloaks, ponchos, rain slicks,
and even a canvas tarp or blankets fashioned into a hood and
cloak for additional protection for the head and upper body.
Whenever possible, goggles or some sort of protective eye cov-
erings are also worn, although the hood of the cloak provides
reasonable protection for the eyes. This garb has, inadvertently,
created a rather distinctive " look" for Line Wizards that has be-
come something of an instant icon identifying those trying to
tame the ley lines for what they are. It is a distinctive look be-
cause NEMA forces use environmental body armor, power ar-
mor, and standard uniforms, while most ordinary folk avoid
going outside for long periods of time, so they make do with
conventional articles of clothing and run back to shelter as quick
as possible. The Line Wizards need to stay outdoors in the haz-
ardous elements for hours at a time studying the Blue Lines and
experimenting with magic, thus they need the hooded cloaks,
face coverings and other protective wrappings to do the ir work.
Some rather resemble hooded mummies. All in all, it adds to
their impressive and rather menacing visage.
Ironically, the self-styled Line Wizards' focus of study and
experimentation is based on the false assumption that magic
only comes from the Blue Lines and that one must be on or near
the Blue Lines in order to draw on that energy to cast magic.
They don't yet realize that a ll living creatures have a certain
amount of Potential Psychic Energy (P.P.E.) and that humans
with a natural aptitude for magic can learn to build and use their
inner potential for magic (or psionics). They don't know that
practitioners of magic can become living batteries of P.P.E. and
cast spells anywhere. ln that regard, their ignorance is working
against them. On the other hand, it works in their favor, leading
101
Line Wizards to study (and with time understand) ley lines and have a clear understanding of magic, how P.P.E. works, or that
how best to use them in ways other sorcerers will never master. one spell may require a small amount of P.P.E. and another
For now, Line Wizards can only cast spells and work magic might require a great deal more. The Line Walker and other
when on or near a Blue Line. They do not even consider trying magic practitioners of Chaos Earth use a scattershot approach to
to cast magic away from a line, because from their point of view magic, and either it works or it doesn't. However, the character
it is not possible. While this limits the scope and range of their does realize that a certain range of magic (i.e. spells that are the
abilities (i.e. must be in close proximity to a Blue Line), it equivalent to 1-4 level) can usually be cast on a Blue Line with-
makes them among the most powerful of the new breed of sor- out failure.
cerers. For one thing, they are unwittingly building and drawing 4. Another limit is the fact that the Line Wizards are not
on their own personal P.P.E. reserve which supplements their used to "channeling" magic energy through their bodies. Heck,
Blue Line spell casting. For another, the fulminating Blue Lines they don' t even realize that's what they are doing! And even
offer greater available P.P.E. (and will for the next twenty or so Blue Line energy must be drawn upon and "channeled" through
years), providing ID6x l 0 P.P.E. at any given moment, double the spell caster to perform magic. Consequently, the Line Wiz-
(2D6x I 0) at key times of increased energy flow like noon and ard can NOT cast more than a total of 12 spells (that are actually
midnight- xlOO at Summer and Winter Solstice, the Equinox, successful) per 12 hours without feeling incredibly fatigued and
and eclipses. weak. After 12 spells have been cast, the Line Wizard can try to
Rifts® Historical Note: The Line Wizard is the predecessor cast additional spells for several minutes (see "e" below), but
of the Ley Line Walker. The Wizard's functional garb born from does so with the following penalties:
the harsh conditions of Chaos Earth would, over the generations, a) Each spell costs double the usual P.P.E. to cast.
become something of a uniform and badge of honor. Thus, the b) The duration, damage and range of the spell are reduced
air mask and wrappings would be kept long after they were nec- by half.
essary, while the goggles were abandoned and the hooded cloak c) The character's Speed attribute, attacks per melee round
is sometimes substituted with elaborate forms of bead gear. Also and all bonuses are reduced by half. Can still cast one spell per
with time and experience, the mastery of magic would increase melee round.
beyond the Blue Lines/ley lines, though they would forever re- d) The Line Wizard's M.D.C. (available whenever on a Blue
main the masters of the Blue Lines and Ley Line Magic. Line) is reduced by half and the character's S.D.C. is reduced to
Ironically, some of the earliest and intuitive abilities of the Line zero.
Wizard would be forgotten or developed into something com-
e) Danger of collapse. The Line Wizard can only continue to
pletely different during the Dark Ages. Thus, the powers of the
cast magic beyond 12 spells for one minute per each Physical
Line Wizard are often crude and basic, while the Ley Line
Endurance (P.E.) attribute point. Thus, a character with a P.E. of
Walkers who come later, are true "masters" of spell casting and
8 can only cast spells for another eight minutes. A P.E. of 15
the ley lines.
means he can continue to try to cast spells for another 15 min-
Limitations: utes and so on. However, if the Line Wizard pushes himself like
this, he is in danger of collapsing and falling into a coma. Roll
Despite the high amount of available P.P.E. from the Blue
to save vs coma and death (+ 10% to save). Worse, if the charac-
Line, the Line Wizard (and any Chaos Earth practitioner of
ter is not found and taken to get medical attention as soon as
magic) is unable to take advantage of it, so the character's abili-
possible, the Wizard will suffer from the elements (frostbite and
ties are limited and rooted to the lines themselves.
hypothermia during the winter) and is vulnerable to attack from
1. Can only cast spells when on a Blue Line or within 100 demons, monsters, and predatory animals as well as bandits.
feet (30.5 m) of one (+20 feet/6. 1 m per each additional level of
5. The inherent danger of the Blue Lines. In addition to the
experience, i.e. 120 feet/36.6 m at 2nd level, 140 feet/42.7 m at
obvious limitation of only being able to perform magic from the
3rd level, etc.). The Line Wizard doesn't even try casting spells
Blue Lines, the Line Wizard is vulnerable to attack from the en-
when not near a Blue Line.
tities, monsters and supernatural beings that are also attracted to
2. Can only cast one spell, or work one magical effect, per the I ines of magic energy. Demons and creatures of magic regu-
melee round (15 seconds). Note: Many of the Line Wizard's larly stalk the Blue Lines or come to them to enhance the cast-
abil ities are not actual spells so much as they are magical ef- ing of their own magic. Meanwhile, Entities are attracted to
fects, often worked on themselves (see abilities). Blue Lines like moths to a flame, and then there is the danger of
3. Available P.P.E. from a Blue Line is unpredictable and the Blue Lines themselves. The ley lines of Chaos Earth are
inconsistent. I D6x 10 P.P.E. points can be tapped every melee much less stable than those on most other worlds and even Rifts
round (15 seconds), which means sometimes a spell wiiJ work Earth 200+ years later. Right now and for decades to come, they
because there is sufficient available P.P.E. and sometimes it surge and seethe with unpredictable amounts of energy which is
won't due to insufficient available P.P.E. The wide swing of the cause for numerous storms of many varieties, as well as the
available energy reflects both the unstable and constant ebb and opening of dimensional portals, dimensional anomalies, random
flow of the Blue Lines and the Line Wizards' own lack of un- feats of magic, strange phenomena and explosive reactions. Any
derstanding and experience in using magic. Consequently, a of which may occur at least once every hour of the day and
Line Wizard can always cast a spell that requires l -10 P.P.E. which will affect anybody on the line at the time it happens. The
points, but those requiring 11-60 P.P.E. is the luck of the draw. nature of Line Wizards makes them living "lightning rods" for
Furthermore, the Line Wizard does not know how much is these events and many practitioners of magic are injured and
necessary to cast a magic spell, because the mage does not yet killed by them on a regular basic. Note: See the Random Table
a page or two down for details.
102
Special Line Wizard Abilities: can also tell approximately where, how far away it is and how
1. Becomes a Mega-Damage being whenever on or within long the portal is open. He cannot tell if anything enters or exits
I00 feet (30.5 m) of a Blue Line. This is actually a sort of invisi- the portal.
ble force field reminiscent to Armor of lthan. Total M.D.C. is 22 Sense Power Surge (automatic). Knows to run or teleport out
points +4 per level of the Wizard's experience. Best of all, dam- of a Blue Line when a power surge happens.
age to the force field regenerates at a rate of one M.D.C. per me- Sense supernatural beings and demons. Effective only when
lee round (four points per minute). So as long as the character on or within I00 feet (30.5 m) of a Blue Line, but requires con-
can avoid taking significant amount of damage, he has a renew- centration and the expenditure of four P.P .E. points.
able means of defense. Note: The Line Wizard does have to See and communicate with entities (all types).
concentrate for one melee round ( 15 seconds) to activate this de-
Teleport out of Blue Line. Costs 30 P.P.E. and pops the Line
fense mechanism, but once it is engaged it remains "on" as long
Wizard just outside ofthe Blue Line. This is especially effective
as the Line Wizard remains on or close to a Blue Line.
in escaping Ley Line Storms, Power Surges, the opening of di-
2. Fire E ner gy Bolts. Line Wizards can focus their minds to mensional portals and other sudden or freak events on a Blue
draw upon the ley line energy to hurl bolts of energy. Damage & Line.
P.P.E. Cost: 3D6 S.D.C. points of damage costs 2 P.P.E., 4D6
S.D.C. damage blast costs 3 P.P.E., 6D6 S.D.C. costs 4 P.P.E., 9. Limited Teleportation! The Line Wizard can teleport out
ID6 M.D. costs 6 P.P.E., 2D6 M.D. costs 8 P.P.E. and 3D6 of a Blue Line at will. This is not to a specific location on or
M.D. costs 10 P.P.E. Duration: lostant. Each blast counts as one near the Blue Line but to the nearest point outside the line. It is
melee action (does not count as a "spell"). Range: 300 feet (91.5 used to escape sudden storms, weird phenomena, attacks and
m on a ley line) +40 feet ( 12.2 m) per level of experience. Bo- other danger while on the Blue Line. This is a one way tele-
nus: +2 to strike (target must be within the character's line of portation that can be performed with but a thought, but does
sight). Note: These energy bolts can be ftred at wi IJ as long as count as casting a spell.
the Line Wizard is on a Blue Line. 10. Initial S pell Knowledge: In addition to the special abili-
3. Energy Fist. The Line Wizard's hands crackle with blue ties described above, the Line Wizard also knows 12 spells: Pick
energy and tiny lightning bolts. A punch does 2D6 M.D. P.P.E. three from Spell Levels I, 2, 3, and 4, or four from levels I, 2,
Cost: 6. Duration: One melee round per level of experience, but and 3.
its activation counts as a spell.
II. Learning New spells: The Line Wizard has no formal
4. Calm Storms, including Ley Line Storms. P.P.E. Cost: means of finding or learning new spells in a scholarly capacity
60. Duration: 10 minutes per level of experience for Ley Line (they are making this up as they go along), but can successfully
Storms and 20 minutes per level for natural storms and strange develop/learn one new Wizard Invocation for each new level of
rains. The magical influence reduces the intensity of the storm experience. The speiJ can be selected from any level up to two
by half as well as shortens the duration of the storm by half. levels higher than the spell caster (i.e. a second level Line Wiz-
Counts as a spell. Note: Affects storms that are over a Blue ard can select one spell from any of the levels 1-4, while a third
Line, but affects the entire storm system including the portions level character can select one spell from levels 1-5. That's one
that are away from the Blue Line for a one mile ( 1.6 km) radius spell period, not one from each spell level).
per level of the spell caster. Of course, Ley Line Storms and
ln the alternative, the Line Wizard may select TWO spells
strange rains only occur along a Blue Line.
from the special category of Dimension & Ley Line Magic. This
5. Float on Blue Lines. The Line Wizard can float or walk choice should be left entirely to the player and is a direct result
through the air along the length of a Blue Line at a maximum of the Line Wizard's study of Blue Lines and the dimensional
Speed of I 0. To do so, the Wizard must open himself to the aspects of the lines. Thus, Dimension & Ley Line Magic is avail-
line's energy and concentrate for one melee round (IS seconds). able exclusively to the Line Wizard only! Note: Descriptions for
Does not count as a spell nor does it require the expenditure of all spells/invocations are found in the Rifts® Book of Magic
any P.P.E. (along with a ton of other M.D.C. based types of magic). Some
6. Blue Line Regeneration. The Line Wizard can absorb the would argue Line Wizards are the most fluent and powerful of
mystic energy of the line to triple (due to the great amount of the new breed of primitive sorcerers, and they do wield consid-
energy) the natural rate of healing. This means the character can erable power. However, because they are convinced their power
recover 106+4 Hit Points or S.D.C. per 24 hours he is on or comes exclusively from the Blue Lines, they are powerless
near the line. The Wizard can also perform an instant rejuvena- away from the lines and do not even try to cast magic away
tion once every 24 hours in which any toxin is purged from the from them.
body and 3D6 Hit Points and 4D6 S.D.C. are instantly restored. 12. Secret P.P.E. Reserve. Unknown to the Line Wizard,
7. Sense the coming of a Ley Line Storm (automatic). The the character has a personal P.P.E. base or reserve of energy
Line Wizard can "sense" or feel a disturbance on the Blue Line equal to the character's P.E. attribute number plus 1D6 per level
and tell if it is a Ley Line Storm, what direction it is coming of experience (starting at level one). This extra P.P.E. is often
from and approximately when it will reach his current location drawn upon when the Wizard needs it most - in other words, it
(accurate to within 1D4 minutes). is tapped by desire and intense emotion and added to the P.P.E.
8. Sense the opening of a dimensional portal (automatic). available from the Blue Line to cast spells that require more
The Line Wizard can "sense" or feel a disturbance on the Blue than 10-60 P.P.E. points or to compensate for when the Blue
Line and tell if it is a dimensional portal opening up. The mage Line P.P.E. is low.
103
13. O.C.C. Bonuses: + I to save vs magic, +2 to save vs Hor- knowledge that do not get the advantage of the bonus listed
ror Factor and possession. Spell strength does NOT increase, so in parenthesis. All start at the base skill level and normal re-
for spells in which an opponent gets a "saving throw," the char- strictions apply.
acter need only roll a 12 or higher to save. Ritual magic does not Sta nda rd Equipment: Most survivors of the initial cataclysm
yet exist on Chaos Earth. have only the clothes on their backs and a few items they sal-
vaged or scavenged. Line Wizard gear includes an air filter
Line Wizard Chaos Earth O.C.C.
or gas mask, scarf or wrapping cloth for the face and head,
Attr ibute Requirements: I.Q. and P.E. of 9 or higher, other
wrappings for the hands and feet, a hooded cape or cloak
than that, a desire to learn magic. A high M.E. is also helpful but
(may be water resistant), a pair of warm boots or combat
not required.
boots, several pairs of socks, a pair of gloves, sunglasses or
O.C.C. Skills: Mainly common skills known to most people of
tinted goggles, I D4+2 sets of clothing, a heavy jacket, belt,
Chaos Earth.
satchel or duffie bag, backpack, survival knife (does lD6
Speak, Read and Write Native Language at 98% (typically
S.D.C. damage) or pocket knife (1 D4 S.D.C. damage),
English or Spanish in the US, English or French in Canada
pocket computer, notebook, I D6 markers and one mechani-
and Spanish or English in Mexico)
cal pencil, flashlight, disposable cigarette lighter, utility belt
Bas ic Math (+30%)
or 20 feet (6 m) of rope, canteen, and may have an S.D.C.
Climbing (+5%)
f~rearm but only if a W.P. was selected for it.
Land Navigation (+5%)
Money: Has ID6xl000 in credits (which may have no value)
Lore: Demons & Monsters (+ 10%)
and ID6x I 00 credits worth of tradeable goods. May or may
Pilot Automobile(+ 10%)
not have a job that continues to pay any kind of salary or
One Domestic Skill of Choice (+ 10%)
goods (like food, room and board) for trade of services. Most
Hand to Hand: Basic can be selected as one of the O.C.C.
survivors of Chaos Earth pool their resources and work to-
Related Skills or Martial Arts for the cost of two skills.
gether with NEMA (or some other leader), sharing in what-
O .C.C. Related Skills: The people of Chaos Earth were mem-
ever the community has to dole out. Many Line Wizards
bers of an advanced civilization and culture before the ley
become obsessed with magic and Blue Lines and only do
lines erupted and Armageddon ensued. Consequently, most
enough work or perform magic to get food and equipment to
are highly educated, with a high school education and some
survive.
college or trade school type training.
Cybernetics: None and avoids them like the plague (cybernet-
As a result, pick one Skill Category in which the character
ics interferes with magic).
is a "skilled professional" and choose THREE skills from it.
Each gets a +20% skill bonus. Available Spell Invocations
Then select an additional eight skills from any of the Only the following spell invocations are available to the Line
available categories listed below. Wiz~d . The ~ge of spells is limited due to the fledgling
Communications: Any Mag1c O.C.C. s lack of knowledge and understanding about
Domestic: Any (+5%) magic and spell casting. Most also reflect the logical needs and
Electrical: None. Only available for selection as a "skilled desires for magic under the apocalyptic circumstances (i.e. a
professional." good number of combat, hiding and healing related magic) and
Espionage: None. ~e Line Wi~d's s~udy of the Blue Lines. The spell descrip-
Mechanical: Automotive and Basic Mechanics only. Other tions for all mvocatwns can be found in the Rifts® Book of
skills in this category are available only for selection as a Magic. Otherwise most are found in the Rifts® RPG, and the
"skilled professional." rest in Federation of Magic™ and Coalition WarsTM One.
Medical: First Aid only. Other skills in this category are
available only for selection as a "skilled professional." Level One
Military: None. Only available for selection as a "skilled pro- Blinding Flash (1)
fessional" (soldier or law enforcement occupations). Cloud of Smoke (2)
Physical: Any, except acrobatics, gymnastics, wrestling and Death Trance (I)
boxing are available only for selection as a "skilled profes- Globe of Daylight (2)
sional" athlete. See Aura (6)
Pilot: Any (+5%), except military vehicles and power armor. See the Invisible (4)
Pilot Related: Any (+5%) Sense Evil (2)
Rogue: None. Sense Magic (4)
Science: Advanced Math (+15%) and Astronomy (+10%)
only . Others are only available for selection as a "skilled pro- Level T wo
fessional" (scientist, lab technician, etc.). Chameleon (6)
Technical: Any Cleanse (6) Levitation (5)
W.P.: Any Ancient or S.D.C. firearms; no energy weapons to Clirnb (3) Manipulate Objects (2+)
Cloak of Darkness (6) Mystic Alarm (5)
start.
Wilderness: None. Extinguish Fire (4) Throwing Stones (5)
Secondary Skills: The character gets one secondary skill at lev- Fear (5) Turn the Dead (6)
els one, four, eight, and twelve. These are additional areas of
104
Level Three Level Six Level Eigh t
Breathe Without Air (5) Apparition (20) Commune with Spirits (25)
Create Wood (10-20) Call Lightning (15) Dessicate the Supernatural (50)
Float in Air (5) Create Water (I 5) Exorcism (30)
Fuel Flame (5) Cure Illness ( 15) Expel Demons (35)
Ignite Fire (6) Fire Ball ( l 0) Forcebonds (25)
Impervious to Fire (5) Fire Blossom (20) Greater Healing (30)
Impervious to Poison (5) Fortify Against Disease (15) Lightning Arc (30)
Invisibility: Simple (6) Frostblade (I5) Locate (30)
Light Healing (6) Impervious to Energy (20) Minor Curse (35)
Magic Shield (6) Magic Pigeon (20) Negate Magic (30)
Mystic Fulcrum (5) Mask of Deceit (I 5) Power Weapons (35)
Negate Poisonffoxin (5) Sheltering Force (20) Protection Circle: Simple (45)
Telekinesis (8) Tongues (12) Spoil (Water/Food; 30)
Wave of Frost (6) Water to Wine (40)
Level Seven Wisps of Confusion (40)
Level Four
Animate & Control Dead (20)
Charismatic Aura (I 0)
Constrain Being (20) Dimension & Ley Line Magic
Cure Minor Disorders (I 0)
Dispel Magic Barrier (20) Exclusive to the Line Wizard
Defle.c t (I 0)
Fire Gout (20) Anti-Magic Cloud (140)
Electric Arc (8)
Fly as the Eagle (25) *Close Rift/Dimensional Portal (200+)
Energy Field (10)
Heal Self (20) D-Step (50)
Fireblast (8)
Negate Mechanics (20) Ley Line Fade (20)
Fire Bolt (7)
Purification of Food/Water (20) Ley Line Ghost (80)
Magic Net (7)
Wind Rush (20) Ley Line Phantom (40)
Multiple Image (7)
*Ley Line Restoration (800)
Reflection (7)
Repel Animals (7) *Ley Line Resurrection (2000)
Swim as a Fish (8) *Ley Line Shut Down (3000)
Watchguard (1 0) Ley Line Storm Defense ( 180)
Ley Line Tendril Bolts (26)
Level Five Ley Line Time Capsule ( 15)
Calling (8) Ley Line Time Flux (80)
Charm (12) Ley Line Transmission (30)
Circle of Flame (I 0) Mystic Portal (60)
Distant Voice (10) Reality Flux (75)
Energy Disruption (12) Re-Open (Dimensional) Gateway (ISO)
Escape (8) Rift to Limbo ( I60)
Featherlight (I 0) See in Magic Darkness (125)
Fly (15) *Summon Ley Line Storm (500)
Heal Wounds (10) *Time Hole (21 0)
Implosion Neutralizer ( 12) Time Slip (20)
Influence the Beast (12) Warped Space (90)
Instill Knowledge ( 15)
Mend the Broken (I 0+) • An asterisk indicates a spell that can only be performed at mo-
Superhuman Endurance ( 12) ments when a Blue Line is at an increased energy level, like dur-
Superhuman Speed (10) ing an eclipse or solstice, or with a boost or help from some
Superhuman Strength ( I 0) other creature of magic.
Sustain ( 12)
Random Blue Line

Dangers & Phenomena
In addition to learning how to cast spells, the Line Wizard
also learns about the many habits, random events, ebbs and
flows, dangers and powers of the Blue Lines.
One of the following occurs every hour on a Blue Line. Roll
percentile dice for random determination or the G.M. can pick
one. Sometimes these events happen more frequently than even
one per hour, but that is up to the G.M. (No more than one effect
105
every 20 minutes, and only when the Blue Line is in some mo- 21-25% Energy Drain. All of a sudden the Line Wizard can
mentary state of disruption or agitation, like when a dimensional feel the Blue Line energy ebb away, as if drained by some mys-
portal opens up, a demon lord or god appears, or there is some terious force or a circuit has been flipped to reduce the energy
stellar event that causes the line to fulminate with increased en- flow. Only 2D6 points of P.P.E. is available to the Line Wizard
ergy.) while the drain is in effect. Furthermore, his normal M.D.C.
01-05% Anti-Gravity Anomaly. A strange, dull buzzing force field is reduced by half. Duration: lD6x I 0 minutes.
fills the air and everybody in the affected area (typically a quar- 26-30% The Fleeing. There is a time when all Entities and
ter of the Blue line with the character in the middle of the ghostly spirits suddenly rush shrieking out of the Blue Line.
length) floats up into the air 10-20 feet (3-6 m) and hang there. How or why this happens is beyond human perception, because
One can move by using a swimming motion, but maximum there is no apparent change in the Blue Line that humans can
speed is a factor of 1D4. Shooting a gun will push the shooter in see, not even practitioners of magic or psychics. Duration:
the opposite direction at a speed of 1Ox3D6 yards/meters. While ID6x I 0 minutes.
hovering suspended in the air the characters are fairly helpless 31-35% Halo Effect. When this happens the aura of all liv-
and cannot air swim higher or lower, just side to side. Duration: ing things shine forth with a luminescence for all to see. The
lD6+ 1 minutes. overall effect is impressive and attractive, but those who can
06-1 0% Bright Sun. Despite its name, the magical effect "read" auras are able to see everything the psionic power of See
can occur day or night. When it does, the entire Blue Line is Aura provides. Furthermore, illusions are shown up for what
filled with near-blinding light that radiates from everywhere they really are (those previously fooled by the illusion get to roll
(within the line itself). Those without protective tinted glasses or to save vs illusion/magic with a bonus of +5 to save). This
goggles must shield their eyes with their hands and arms or phenomenon is also likely to reveal the true nature of supernatu-
hood and squint. ral beings, dragons, and other shapechangers, for their aura is
Penalties: Without sunglasses the character can only see most defmitely not human. Duration: 2D6 minutes.
about six feet ( 1.8 m) in front of them and suffers a -2 penalty to 36-40% Howling Wind. A strong, howling wind appears
initiative and -2 to strike, parry and dodge and Land Navigation without warning. The wind (about 30 mph/48 km) kicks up dirt
is -30%. In addition, the light is so blinding that it makes read- and grit into the air and the noise of the wind is such that talking
ing anything from a sheet of paper, book or computer screen im- is difficult. One must shield one's eyes and shout to communi-
possible (washed out). Those with a pair of quality sunglasses or cate; can be heard no more than I 0 feet (3 m) away when shout-
tinted goggles can see for 30 feet (9.1 m) and are only -1 on ini- ing loudly. Duration: 3D6 minutes. Note: Wind will blow away
tiative, strike, parry and dodge, Land Navigation is -1 0%, and sheets of paper and other light materials.
the character can read books and see computer screens. 41-45% Hypnotic Lights. These mesmerizing lights may
Duration of the Bright Sun Effect: 5D6 minutes. appear as swirling balls of energy or the rainbow-like display of
11-15% Cascading Energy Field. Sparklets of white and an Aurora Borealis. Ln either case the display is beautiful and
green energy rains down in a wall that resembles a waterfall of worth watching, except that it has a hypnotic effect on all view-
energy. The cascading energy field slowly rolls along the Blue ers. Characters must roll a 16 or higher to save vs magic in order
Line and is fairly easy to avoid, though a short sprint is probably to have the willpower NOT to look at the lights. A failed save
required. If the shower of sparks should strike a practitioner of means the individual is transfixed by the lights and loses aJI
magic the character feels warm and at peace, however, he can- sense of time, urgency and purpose, and just stands there trans-
not cast a spell or work any type of magic for 106 minutes. Psy- fixed for the duration of the light show. Penalties: Any attacker
chics are similarly affected. Ordinary people without magic or that comes along gets the ftrSt attack (those transfixed do not get
psionic abilities suffer no ill effects and, in fact, see any injuries to roll initiative, their attacker has it), and though the transfixed
healed for 106 points of damage (a cold or flu-like illness van- characters can fight back they do so as if in a mental fog; reduce
ishes completely). Running through the shower of energy does the number of attacks and all combat bonuses by half. Likewise,
NOT have multiple magical effects. Duration: As noted. Note: skill performance takes twice as long and is done at -20%. Oth-
The Cascading Energy Field usually straddles 90% of the width erwise, there is no adverse effect. Duration: 3D6 minutes.
of the line and runs from one end to the other. Once it bas done 46-50% Lightning Bolt. A single lightning bolt appears out
so, it vanishes. of nowhere and zeros in on any practitioner of magic presently
16-20% Dance of the Dead. A gruesome magical effect in casting a spell, otherwise any practitioner of magic or supernat-
which all the dead within the Blue Line (the recently deceased ural being is next and psychics are targeted after that if no magic
and the long-time dead) rise up, clawing their way out of the user is present. Damage: The bolt does 4D6 M.D. and knocks its
rubble (or shaking their fists and clawing at the air as if stuck). victim off his feet (loses initiative and two melee actions). Dura-
The animated dead mindlessly roam the length of the Blue Line, tion: Instant; one blast. A practitioner of magic or psychic can
lashing out at any living creature (human and animal) they en- sense it coming a heartbeat before it strikes and can try to dodge
counter. It is easy to hide from these walking dead, plus a holy without benefit of bonuses (a natural, unmodified die roll).
symbol will cause them to shy away in search of easier prey, Needs 15 or higher to dodge. Ordinary folk never see it coming
and the Turn Dead magic spell can send as many as I D4x I00 until they are struck. Note: Only one individual is struck by a
away! Duration: 1D6xl0 minutes. Note: See the Animate and single bolt of lightning.
Control Dead spell for basic stars on these animated skeletons 51-55% Lightning Storm. This is bad, real bad, as bolts of
and corpses. lightning (not rain) rain down from the sky as the storm rolls
106
across the ley line. Damage: Every humanoid caught in the ever, much more time has passed. Duration: Roll on the
storm takes 2D6 points of damage (S.D. C. damage to Hit Point following table to see how long the character has been gone.
beings and M.D. to Mega-Damage beings and Line Wizards) 01-20: 106 minutes
per melee round. Duration: The shower of lightning lasts 1D6 21-40: ID6xl0 minutes
melee rounds. Note: Line Wizards often try to teleport out of
41-60:206 hours
harm 's way when these storms appear.
61-80:406 hours
56-60% Phantom World: The ghost image of an alien
world appears along one third of the Blue Line with the Line 81-00: I 06 days
Wizard smack-dab in the middle of it. Can be fascinating and 91-95% Ley Line Storm appears with all its dangerous ram-
dazzling but also a bit disorienting as the ghost image is super- ifications.
imposed on reality, blurring images and confusing the actual sit- 96-00% Dimensional Portal Opens! And who knows what
uation in the real world. Penalties: -I on injtiative, -2 to strike, may crawl out of it (actually there is a 01-50% chance that noth-
parry and dodge. Also can NOT sense or see Entities or the in- ing comes out). This is a two-way portal so the character may
visible when this happens. Duration: ID6x l 0 minutes. step through it to another place and time.
61-65% Power Surge: A wave of magic energy rolls
through the Blue Line. Any practitioner caught in a power surge
convulses as energy crackles around him, and is then swept up
Chaos Wizard O.C.C.
and carried away I D6x 100 yards/meters, before dropping to the Chaos Wizards do NOT have genume control over the magic
ground. The mage is rendered unconscious for 204 minutes and energies they wield and have absolutely no understandrng of
can NOT cast a spell or use any of his special abilities for 506 magic. They are mostly teenagers and young people (ages
minutes even when on a Blue Line. 13-25) who exhibit a natural ability to perform magic. Unlike
the Line Wizards, they do not rely on the Blue Lines. Chaos
66-70% Rain of Creatures. Squishy, icky, slimy, foul
Wizards have developed and draw upon their own inner P.P.E.
smelling alien . . . things ... fall from the sky in a light rain.
to work their magic, not that they know it. Most Chaos Wizards
They could be worms, larvae, slugs, fish-like creatures and god
have no idea how or why their magic works, only that it does.
only knows what. They are no larger than a man's hand and are
Sadly, fueled by the impetuousness, powerful emotions and de-
often as small as a thumb. Most are still alive, squiggling
sires and a sense that anything is possible, at least two thirds of
around. The slimy things do no physical damage, die within an
these mages unleash their magic for personal fame, glory, power
hour, but stink up the place for I 06 days. Duration of the rain:
and revenge. This is not just because they are young (many
3D6 minutes.
teens are thoughtful, intelligent, reasonably mature and good).
71-75% Rain of Slime. Some kind of non-toxic s lime pours
These practitioners of magic seem to willingly embrace the
down from the gathering clouds. The cold, wet goop is disgust- chaos and become wild, reckless, devil-may-care maniacs. The
ing and clings to everything. Even after the rain is over, the reason for this is unknown, but even Chaos Wizards who are of
slime covered ground is treacherous to navigate until the slime good alignment and have hearts of gold are swashbuckljng dare-
dries up- which takes 606 minutes. Movement Penalties: Trav-
devils who often act on a whim, take foolish (often death defy-
elers moving at more than 20% their speed attribute slip and
ing) chances, are quick to accept a challenge or respond to an
fall, taking I06 S.D.C. points of damage and lose initiative and
insult, and generally act silly or like crazy people. Not blithering
two melee actions every time they fall down. Ground vehicles
lunatics or obnoxious louts, but wild-eyed adventurers who
traveling faster than 10 mph (16 km) will slip, slide and crash.
think they are indestructible.
Duration of the Slime Rain: 206 minutes.
As a result, Chaos Wizards are emerging as a powerful and
76-80% Rain of Stones. Stones ranging from pea to mar-
dangerous new brigand for NEMA and law abiding people to
ble-sized fall from the gathering clouds overhead. Damage: 3D6
reckon with. In fact, they and the Chaos Witch are among the
S.D.C./Hit Point damage every minute unless one can fmd suit-
most aggressive, self-serving and savage magic users to emerge
able shelter (a vehicle, a slab of overhanging cement, etc.). In
from the carnage. Both use their mystic might to grab power,
addition to the damage, the sound from the thunking and clatter- steal and dominate others. The worst become gang leaders,
ing stones is deafening, making it difficult to even bear shouting bushwhackers, criminal kingpins, elite assassins, and tyrant
over the din. Duration: 206 minutes. It is also interesting to note
lords who would be kings. The best try to use their powers for
that the stones vanish 1D4xl0 minutes after the storm ends.
good but often do as much harm as they do good. While this
81-85% Time Warp: 106 more hours pass while on the harm can be the result of rash behavior, more often than not, it is
Blue Line than the character reaJizes. the result of their unpredictable spell casting.
86-90% Va nish. The individual (practitioner of magic or or-
dinary Joe) caught in this effect vanishes, as if he or she has Magical Mayhem
popped out of existence. Line Wizards can sense a dimensional For whatever reason, whenever a Chaos Wizard casts a spell
distortion or anomaly coming and may attempt to teleport out of there is usually some problem, side effect or collateral damage.
harm's way before it hits (roll initiative at +2 to succeed; re- Roll on the following table every time a spell is cast. Regard-
quires a 16 or higher to pop out in time). The victims of vanish- less of the outcome, the P.P.E. spent is the amount of the desired
ing fee l momentarily disoriented as if floating and not knowing spell whether it works or not. The negative results cannot be al-
which way is up. The sensation seems to last only for a minute tered, stopped or cancelled by the Chaos Wizard who caused it.
or two before the character returns to normal. In reality, how- They must go through the duration indicated.
107
01-10% Miracle! The spell went off without a hitch! Works 96-00% Spell works perfectly at full power, but the spell
exactly as intended. caster is transformed into a harmless (ideally cute) animal (same
11-30% The spell is twice as powerful as it should be. Dou- as the Metamorphosis: Animal spell). Duration: One minute per
ble the range and damage. level of the spell caster.
31-50% The spell is half as potent as it should be. Reduce
range, duration, damage, etc. by half. Special Chaos Wizard Abilities:
51-55% Spell does not work, instead the mage and every- 1. Becomes a Mega-Damage being whenever on or within
body within a 30 foot (9.1 m) radius of him are engulfed in a 100 feet (30.5 m) of a Blue Line. This is automatic and provides
Cloud of Smoke (same as the spell). Duration: Two minutes. a total of 12 M.D.C. +2 per level of the Chaos Wizard's experi-
ence. Best of all, damage to the character regenerates at a rate of
56-60% Spell does not work, instead the target of the spell is
one M.D.C. per melee round (four points per minute). So as
struck by a burst of energy that does 3D6 M.D., maximum
long as the character can avoid taking significant amount of
range: 500 feet (!52 m), duration: Instant.
damage, he has a renewable means of defense. Note: The Chaos
61-65% Spell does not work, instead the target of the spell is Wizard does NOT have to concentrate to activate this defense
turned invisible (same as the spell: Invisibility: Simple)! Dura- mechanism, it automatically engages a minute after entering a
tion: Three minutes per level of the spell caster. Blue Line.
66-70% Spell does not work, instead the target of the spell is 2. Initial Spell Knowledge: Armor Bizarre (only costs 7
made invulnerable. Duration: One minute. P.P.E. for the Chaos Wizard), Aura of Power (4), Charismatic
71-75% Spell does not work, instead the target of the spell is Aura (10), Shatter (5), and Blinding Flash (!). ln addition to
instantly made spotlessly clean (same as the Cleanse spell). Du- these five spells, the Chaos Wizard can select 9 others spells:
ration: Instant. Pick three from Spell Levels I, 2, and 3.
76-80% The spell works fme but the Chaos Wizard is blind 3. Learning New spells: The Chaos Wizard has no formal
(same as the spell). Duration: One minute per level of the spell means of finding or learning new spells in a scholarly capacity,
caster and it cannot be cancelled early. but they somehow intuitively gain one new spel l ever new level
81-85% The spell works at half power, but there is also an of experience. Spells can be selected from those listed under the
explosion that inflicts 2D6 M.D. to everything within a 20 foot Line Wizards (or if the G .M. allows it, may select any of the In-
(6.1 m) diameter of the spell caster! vocations found in the Rifts® Book of Magic, pages 88-114)
86-90% The spell works at half power, and every living Levels 1-6. That's it.
creature within a 20 foot (6.1 m) diameter of the spell caster 4. Secret P.P.E. Reserve. Unknown to the Chaos Wizard,
(friends and foes) are instantly healed 406 points of damage the character has a personal P.P.E. base or reserve of energy, of
(Hit Points or S.D.C., M.D.C. if a Mega-Damage creature). 1D4x10 +P.E. attribute number and 2D6 P.P.E. per level of ex-
91-95% Spell doesn't work at all, instead a flock of I D4+4 perience (starting at level one). The Chaos Wizard unknowingly
Magic Pigeons appear. All function as per the spell. If it' s not a draws on this P.P.E. reserve to cast his spells. Expended P.P.E.
life and death situation, this may be the time to write home. 108
recover at a rate of ID6+4 per hour of sleep/rest or meditation Standard Equipment: Most survivors of the initial cataclysm
(2D6+4 P.P.E. when on a Blue Line). The Chaos Wizard can have only the clothes on their backs and a few items they sal-
NOT draw upon P.P.E. from Blue Lines to cast spells. vage or scavenge. Chaos Wizard gear includes an air filter,
5. O.C.C. Bonuses: + 1 to save vs magic, +3 to save vs Hor- leather jacket or something fash ionable, a pair of gloves, a
ror Factor, + I to save vs possession. Spell strength does NOT pair of combat boots, several pairs of socks, sunglasses,
increase, so for spells in which an opponent gets a "saving 104+4 sets of clothing, a winter coat, belt, backpack, sur-
throw," the character needs only to roll a 12 or higher to save. vival knife (does 106 S.D .C. damage) or pocket knife (1D4
Ritual magic does not yet exist on Chaos Earth. S.D.C. damage), pocket computer, note book, I D6 markers
and one mechanical pencil, flashlight, disposable cigarette
Chaos Wizard O.C.C. Jjghter, utility belt, canteen, and may have an S.D.C. firearm
Attribute Requirements: None. A high I.Q. and P.E. are rec-
but only if a W.P. was selected for it.
ommended (12 or better), but not required. Money: Starts with I D6x 100 credits worth of tradeable goods.
Typica l Alignment: Can be any, but most are Anarchist (43%) Probably does not have a job and relies on scavenging, gam-
Miscreant (30%) or Unprincipled ( 12%). bling and trade of goods (like food, clothing, room and
O.C.C. Skills: Mainly common skills known to most people of board) for their services. Anarchist and evil characters may
Chaos Earth. actively engage in robbery, mugging and raids. Good charac-
Speak, Read and Write Native Language at 85% (typically
ters pull their resources and work together with NEMA and
English or Spanish in the US, English or French in Canada
small groups, sharing in whatever the community has to dole
and Spanish or English in Mexico). out. Many Chaos Wizards see themselves as "Robin Hood"
Basic Math (+10%)
types who steal from bad guys (bandits, etc.) and/or monsters
Climbing (+10%)
to give to themselves and to share with others.
Land Navigation ( +5%)
Cybernetics: None and avoids them because cybernetics in-
Lore Demons & Monsters (+ 10%)
terferes with magic.
Pilot Automobile (+ 10%)
One Domestic Skill of Choice (+15%).
Automatically gets Hand to Hand: Basic (can be upgraded to
Martial Arts for the cost of three O.C.C. Related Skills or As-
Chaos Witch
sassin for two, but the latter applies only if Anarchist or evil).
O .C.C. Related Skills: The people of Chaos Earth were mem- NPC Villain
bers of an advanced civilization and culture before the ley The Chaos Witch can be male or female who derives their
lines erupted and Armageddon ensued. However, since most power from an outside, evil supernatural power. They have
Chaos Wizards are teenagers, most have only a grade school more control over their specific powers - "gifts" from an evil
education and some high school. Older ones may have high master and may even know spells that the other Chaos Earth
school and some college education. Magic O.C.C.s do not know. However, s ince the source of their
Select an additional eight skills ( I 0 if over 18 years old) power is an evil and corrupting force so alien that it is beyond
from any of the available categories listed below. most humans' power to imagine, these witches are agents of
Communications: Any, except Surveillance Systems, Scram- evil. Malignant creatures who are either self-serving or pawns in
blers, Laser and Cryptography. the willing service of supernatural evil.
Domestic: Any (+10%). Witches are often born from vengeance, forsaking their soul
Electrical: None. for power to extract revenge and inflict suffering. Witches tend
Espionage: Basic Electronics only. to thrive on the fear and chaos, and enjoy enslaving, dominating
Mechanical: Automotive (+5%), Basic Mechanics (+5%) and and harming others. They are w icked creatures who forsake
Computer Repair, only. their humanity to become something to enjoy a brief moment of
Medical: First Aid only. power and g lory before the individual brings about its own vio-
Military: None. lent end .
Physical: Any, except Acrobatics and Boxing. Witches are the least common of the Chaos Earth practitio-
Pilot: Automobile, Motorcycle, SaH Boats, and Motor Boats ners of magic, but among the most powerful, especially initially,
only. and cruel.
Pilot Related: Any.
Rogue: Any.
Special Chaos Witch Abilities:
Science: Advanced Math (+5%) and Astronomy (+10%) 1. Becomes a Mega-Damage being as soon as the Witch
only. cuts the deal with its evil supernatural master. Has I D4x I 0
Technical: Any (+ 10% to computer skills only). M.D.C. +36. Gets an extra 20 M.D.C. when on a Blue L ine and
W.P.: Any Ancient or S.D.C. firearms; no energy weapons to recovers lost M.D.C. at a rate of2D6+6 every hour.
start. 2. Supernatural P.S. Add I D6 to the Witch's P.S. and
Wilderness: None. make it supernatural.
Secondary Skills: The character gets one secondary skill at lev- 3. Initial Spell Knowledge: Cloak of Darkness (6), Death
els one, four, eight, and twelve. These are additional areas of Trance (1), Aura of Death (1 2), Escape (8), Fly (15), Tongues
knowledge that do not get the advantage of the bonus listed (12), and Metamorphosis: Animal (25) plus 104+4 spells of
in parenthesis. All start at the base skill level and normal re- choice selected from Invocations Levels 1-7. (See the Rifts®
strictions apply.
109
Computer Repair, only.
Medical: First Aid (+5%) and Brewing (+10%) only.
Military: None.
Physical: Any, except Acrobatics.
Pilot: Automobile, Motorcycle, Sail Boats, and Motor Boats
only.
Pilot Related: Any.
Rogue: Any (+ I 0%)
Science: Any.
Technical: Any (+5%).
W.P.: Any Ancient or Modem (may have a stolen energy
weapon).
Wilderness: Any.
Secondary Skills: The character gets one secondary skill at lev-
els one, four, eight, and twelve. These are additional areas of
knowledge that do not get the advantage of the bonus listed
in parenthesis. All start at the base skill level and normal re-
strictions apply.
Standard Equipment: Most survivors of the initial cataclysm
have only the clothes on their backs and a few items they sal-
vage, scavenge or steal. Chaos Witch gear includes an air fil-
ter, 104+6 sets of clothing (many are fashion plates), a pair
of gloves, a pair of shoes or boots, sunglasses, a winter coat,
belt, backpack or satchel, large sack or purse, survival knife
(does 106 S.D.C. damage) or pocket knife ( I 04 S.D.C. dam-
age), note book, I 06 markers and one mechanical pencil,
flashlight, disposable cigarette lighter, utility belt, canteen,
one ancient weapon and one S.D.C. or energy firearm but
only if a W.P. was selected for it
Money: Has ID6x1000 in credits (which may have no value)
and I D6xl 00 credits worth of tradeable goods. May or may
not have a job that continues to pay any kind of salary or
goods (like food, room and board) for trade of services.Chaos
Witches are generally power-mad tyrants, carving out terri-
tory and abusing others. Their self-serving behavior is only
interrupted by the demands of their evil benefactors.
Cybernetics: None and avoids them because cybernetics inter-
feres with magic.
Other Magic O.C.C.s

There are few other Magic O.C.C.s on Chaos Earth including
the Technophite and Death Mage, as well as a few Psionic
O.C.C.s. However, I leave them for development at a later time.
(Hey, I have to leave something for the fmished role-playing
game so there are at least a few surprises).
Next Issue
I think Chaos Earth™ Part Four will focus on some of
NEMA's weapons, equipment, power armor and vehicles. Until
education and some high school. Older ones may have high
then, keep those imaginations burning and have a pleasant sum-
school and some college education.
mer.
Select an additional 10 skills from any of the available cate-
gories listed below. -Kevin Siembieda, June, 2002
Communications: Any, except Scramblers and Laser.
Domestic: Any (+10%).
Electrical: None.
Espionage: Any (+5%).
Mechanical: Automotive (+5%), Bas ic Mechanics (+5%) and
11 0
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112
9
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Warning!

Violence and the Supernatural

First Printing - July, 2002

Copyright <0 2002 Palladium Books lnc. & Kevin Siembieda

Palladium Online www.palladiumbooks.com

Coordinator & Editor in Chief: Wayne Smith

Contributing Writers: Interior Artists:

Proofreader: Julius Rosenstein

Based on the RPG rules, characters,

Contents- The R1fter #19- July, 2002

Page 11 - Coming Attractions Page 37- For the Palladium Megaverse®

Page 18 - What would I do with Page 43 - Rifts®

Page 91 -Chaos Earth™ RPG www.palladiumbooks.com - Palladium Online ( 12 pt)

Glitter Boy at War

Land of the Damned #3:

Weapons & Castles -Available now

Weapon Series Weapons & Assassins

Book Five: Anvil Galaxy • Cover by John Zeleznik.

Beyond the Supernatural

Coming for RECON®

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Questions and Answers

If a Temporal Mage casts Time Warp: Age on a

The Palladium Fantasy The Land of the Damned™

Frighten the Animals

If the mount is diving to gain speed and damage, the rider

Lance Charge Bonuses

Free Diving: Free diving is an advanced diving technique

New Eruptors for Rifts®

Powers of the Blaster

even decades, but have maintained a quiet presence in the back-

Coalition the existing vehicles, there is no rush to have them replaced.

Coalition Mark V Armored

Caleb Vulcan recognized the long, low-slung starsbip parked

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After the Bomb®

The Emergence as best they can.

Random Blue Line

Other Magic O.C.C.s

Beyond the Supernatural®2nd Ed.

' For use with ANY game system

Beyond the Supernaturar" RPG

A complete new role-playing game Mechanoid SpaceT" RPG

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