Warning!

Violence and the Supernatural

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

The Rifter® Number 46

Your guide to the Palladium Megaverse®!
1
 First Printing – April 2009

Copyright 2009 Palladium Books® Inc.

All rights reserved, world wide, under the Universal Copyright Convention. No part of this book may be reproduced in part or
whole, in any form or by any means, without permission from the publisher, except for brief quotes for use in reviews. All incidents,
situations, institutions, governments and people are fictional and any similarity, without satiric intent, of characters or persons living
or dead, is strictly coincidental.

Robotech® and Robotech® The Shadow Chronicles® are Registered Trademarks of Harmony Gold USA, Inc.

Palladium Books®, Rifts®, The Rifter®, Coalition Wars®, After the Bomb®, RECON®, Nightbane®, Phase World®, Palladium
Fantasy Role-Playing Game®, The Mechanoids®, The Mechanoid Invasion®, Splicers®, and Megaverse® are registered trademarks
owned and licensed by Kevin Siembieda and Palladium Books Inc.
The slogan “A Megaverse of adventure – limited only by your imagination,” and titles and names such as Dead Reign, Dyval, War-
path: Urban Jungle, Heroes of the Megaverse, Dimensional Outbreak, Armageddon Unlimited, Wormwood, Worldgate, Minion War,
Mysteries of Magic, Hammer of the Forge, Beyond the Supernatural, BTS-2, HU2, Chaos Earth, NEMA, MercTown, Merc Ops,
Tome Grotesque, Beyond Arcanum, Benford Group, Naruni, Mechanoid Space, Dinosaur Swamp, Arzno, Lazlo, Victor Lazlo, Lazlo
Agency, Lazlo Society, Heroes Unlimited, Powers Unlimited, Ninjas & Superspies, Aliens Unlimited, Mutant Underground, The
Nursery, Hardware Unlimited, Gadgets Unlimited, The Three Galaxies, Void Runners, Gramercy Island, Skraypers, Atorian Empire,
Land of the Damned, The Citadel, The Palladium of Desires, Wolfen Wars, Wolfen, Wulfen, Cosmo-Knight, Cyber-Knight, Eylor,
Eylor Imp, Gargoyle Empire, Free Quebec, Xiticix, Xiticix Invasion, Fadetown, Siege on Tolkeen, Psyscape, Dweomer, ARCHIE-3,
Morphus, Northern Gun, Coalition States, Erin Tarn, Emperor Prosek, Splugorth, Splynncryth, Splynn, Mega-Damage, Mega-Hero,
Skelebot, SAMAS, Glitter Boy, Dog Boy, Dog Pack, Techno-Wizard, Ley Line Walker, Shifter, Bio-Wizardry, Psi-Stalker, Brodkil,
Juicer, Crazy, ‘Burbs, ‘Borg, ‘Bot, D-Bee, Chi-Town, Triax, NGR, and other names, titles, slogans, and the likenesses of characters
are trademarks owned by Kevin Siembieda and Palladium Books Inc.

Palladium Online [Link]

The Rifter® #46 RPG sourcebook series is published by Palladium Books Inc., 39074 Webb Court, Westland, MI 48185. Printed
in the USA.

2
Palladium Books® Presents:

#46
Sourcebook and Guide to the Palladium Megaverse®

Coordinator & Editor in Chief: Wayne Smith

Editor: Alex Marciniszyn

Contributing Writers: Interior Artists:

Russ Brin Nick Bradshaw
Braden Campbell Kent Burles
James M.G. Cannon Mark Dudley
Aaron Corley Allen Manning
Steven Dawes Brian Manning
Aaron Deskins Michael Mumah
Carl Gleba Apollo Okamura
B. Caleb Goodson Paula Porter
Mark Hall Ka Xiong
Christopher Perrin
Kevin Siembieda Cover Logo Design: Steve Edwards
Mark Vernon Credits Page Logo: Niklas Brandt
J. Woodman
Typesetting: Wayne Smith
Proofreader: Julius Rosenstein
Keylining: Kevin Siembieda
Cover Illustration: Mike “Madman” Leonard

Based on the RPG rules, characters,

concepts and Megaverse® created by Kevin Siembieda.

Special Thanks to all our contributors, writers and artists – and a special welcome on board to the artists and
writers making their debut in this issue. Our apologies to anybody who got accidentally left out or their name
misspelled.
– Kevin Siembieda, 2009
3
 Contents – The Rifter® #46 – April, 2009
Page 6 – Art Page 24 – The Wormwood™ Addenda
We loved this page of artwork penciled by Mark Dudley and Part Three: The Free City of Worldgate™
inked by Ka Xiong for the Rifts® Shemarrian Nation™ Braden Campbell continues his excursion into the dark and
sourcebook so much, we just had to use it again here. Actually, dangerous realm of Wormwood™. This issue explores the City
all of our artists seem to be doing their best artwork ever for us. of Worldgate, its army, their flintlock weapons, various O.C.C.s,
We don’t know if it’s just the general excitement of all the new and places of note.
releases coming out or whether everyone just keeps improving Artwork by Allen and Brian Manning.
at their craft, but you, our fans, benefit from it all.
Page 37 – Dragons in Society
Page 7 – From the Desk of Kevin Siembieda
Optional source material for Rifts®
Kevin talks about a variety of things: our skipping conven-
Newcomer J. Woodman examines how dragons adapt and be-
tions this year to focus on releasing new RPG product, all the
have together in large numbers in general and at key location on
dynamic new books coming out, Palladium releasing PDF prod-
Rifts Earth, including Lazlo, Dragcona, Lagarto, and Freehold.
ucts, the passing of Dave Arneson, and following your dreams.
Artwork by Nick Bradshaw.
Page 8 – News Page 39 – Rebel Waltz – Brodkil™ Society
New sourcebooks for Palladium’s many role-playing game
lines are starting to pour out from Palladium Books. Not only
Optional source material for Rifts®
that, but we are making out of print books available again, we’re Mark Hall present a comprehensive, funny and insightful
offering select out of print titles online as PDFs, and we have a look at how the bionics loving Brodkil Sub-Demons live, func-
bunch of cool, new non-book products coming your way (coffee tion and get along (or don’t). Read about Brodkil society, battle
cups, Rifts® dice bags, new T-shirts and even color T-shirts). for dominance, what creates a Brodkil leader, how new Brodkil
Read all about it here. are created, bionics: the great equalizer, career opportunities,
and the Gearhead Brodkil R.C.C. Plus, uses of Brodkil in Nec-
Page 9 – Coming Attractions romancy.
Artwork by Mark Dudley.
Kevin cuts right to the chase by describing the many recent
and upcoming releases of NEW products coming your way. Page 43 – Weird Mutants
These pages bring you up to speed on all the goodies currently
available and being released in April, May and June. Optional source material for After the Bomb®,
There are books for Rifts®, Robotech®, Palladium Fan- and suitable for Heroes Unlimited™
tasy RPG®, Dead Reign™, Minion War™ series, B. Caleb Goodson offers an array of distrubing (and fun to
Nightbane®, and much more on the schedule. Get all the juicy play) mutants for your After the Bomb® and Heroes Unlim-
details. ited™ campaigns.
Human Mutants start on page 43 and include the Brute,
Page 16 – Rifts® Dyval™ & The Minion War™ Lightwielders, and Revenants.
Official Source Material Fungal Genetic Chimeras start on page 45 and include the
Rifts® Dyval™ is the most recent release in the Minion Twisteds and Sporons.
War™ limited series. People are raving about it, so we thought Plant Genetic Chimeras start on page 46 and include the
we would give fans a little more “official” source material for Deciduons and Mossians.
Dyval while they wait for Dimensional Outbreak™ coming this Rules for Creating Genetic Chimeras start on page 48.
June. Artwork by Michael Mumah.
Carl Gleba is the mastermind behind the smash hit – a
unique dimension of Hell and the second chapter in the Minion Page 49 – The Scurry Scree & Scurry Talus
War™ series. Here he presents Quick Roll NPC Villains for Optional material for Beyond the Supernatural™
Dyval™ in a series of Random Tables that includes Race
(Deevil or not), Rank, Powers and Abilities, Alignment, Motiva- Steven Dawes presents two new demonic servants for BTS,
tion, Minions and Wealth. 2nd Edition.
The Quick Roll NPC Villains tables are followed by a couple Scurry Scree starts on page 50. It is a demonic servant that
of groups of shady Deevil henchmen known as the Double appears as a small stone carving of any animal. It watches his
Dealers™ and Chaos Legion™. They are sure to give any master’s possessions and alerts him to intruders and thieves.
player group plenty of headaches. Scurry Talus starts on page 51. It is a larger stone carving of
Artwork by Nick Bradshaw. any animal or garden object that guards the outside of a struc-
ture and can alert its master or attack intruders.
Artwork by Brian Manning.
4
Page 53 – Why Magic is Still Alive Fledgling writers and long-time gamers who think they are
decent writers should think about sending in your own ideas for
Optional source material for Heroes Unlimited™ articles, adventures and source material for The Rifter®.
Russ Brin takes a look at magic and mages in the modern
world of Heroes Unlimited.™ It includes Methods of acquiring The Cover
new spells, success or failure table, Heightened Perception and The cover is by Michael Leonard, fledgling digital artist, and
Familiar Link, Skill Knowledge, and Special Equipment. well known Palladium “Madman.” It depicts a battle between
The New Age Oracle starts on page 58 and includes many dark forces which seemed especially appropriate for this issue.
methods of divination, including Tarot, Numerology, Cystal
Balls and many others, Magic Abilities of the New Age Oracle, Optional and Unofficial Rules & Source Material
and more. Please note that most of the material presented in The
The Digital Sorcerer starts on page 63 and includes computer Rifter® is “unofficial” or “optional” rules and source material.
based spell casting, new magic spells, and other data. They are alternative ideas, homespun adventures and material
The Real Time Caster starts on page 65. mostly created by fellow gamers and fans like you, the reader.
Artwork by Nick Bradshaw. 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 68 – The Hawaiian Supernatural games or world settings.
Optional material for many Palladium games As for optional tables and adventures, if they sound cool or
fun, use them. If they sound funky, too high-powered or inap-
Chris Perrin presents the magic and spirit world of Hawaii,
propriate for your game, modify them or ignore them com-
inlcluding lore, Talking with Aumakua, Life After Death, Uhane
pletely.
and Kahunas as NPCs, and much more.
All the material in The Rifter® has been included for two
The Kahuna O.C.C. starts on page 72.
reasons: One, because we thought it was imaginative and fun,
A Typical Uhane starts on page 74 and two, we thought it would stimulate your imagination with
Artwork by Paula Porter and Mark Dudley. fun ideas and concepts that you can use (if you want to), or
which might inspire you to create your own wonders.
Page 75 – The Dark Realm of Netosa
A short story set in Palladium Fantasy® [Link] – Palladium Online
Aaron Corley and Aaron Deskins offer up a fantasy short
story full of excitement and betrayal.
The Rifter® #47
Artwork by Paula Porter and Mark Dudley. More great source material, adventures and ideas
for Palladium role-playing games of many different
Page 87 – The Way Station settings. Fun and excitement for every taste. Due to
Optional material for Rifts® Chaos Earth™ fan requests, this will not be a swimsuit issue.
Mark Vernon presents a wealth of information about Chaos · Material for Rifts®.
Wizards and Zone Wizards, and the struggle to learn magic and
create a safe haven in Blue Zones. · Material for Palladium Fantasy RPG®
· Material for Heroes Unlimited™ (tentative).
Hammer of the Forge™
Chapter 46: “And Two” – the latest installment of James
· Additional source material not yet determined.
M.G. Cannon’s epic tale set in the Three Galaxies. Things heat · The next, epic chapter of Hammer of the Forge™.
up and our heroes find themselves scattered across the · Latest news, coming attractions and fun.
Megaverse and put in in life and death situations. Can any of
them survive?
Rifter® Articles Wanted!
Art by Apollo Okamura.
We are looking for new material from newcomers and regu-
The Theme for Issue 46 lar contributors. We need source material and adventures for all
of our game lines, especially Rifts®, Chaos Earth™, Palladium
This issue the theme is magic, monsters and the dark se-
Fantasy RPG®, Heroes Unlimited™, Ninjas and Superspies™,
crets across the Megaverse®. A secondary theme might be
Beyond the Supernatural™, Dead Reign™, Splicers® and
dark civilizations. You have the society and secrets of the
Nightbane®.
Brodkil™, Hawaiian mythos, Worldgate of Wormwood™,
modern mages and magic, the Blue Zones and mages of Chaos Pay is lousy, fame is dubious, but you get to share your ideas
Earth™, weird mutants, familiars, BTS guardians, Deevils and and adventures with fellow gamers. First time contributors are
other monsters and mysteries. welcomed.
We think this is another concept packed issue to provoke Palladium Books® role-playing games … infinite
your imagination and inspire you to try new ideas and expand
your gaming Megaverse®.
possibilities, limited only by your imagination™

5
Illustrtion by Mark Dudley. Inks by Ka Xiong.
6
From the Desk of Kevin Siembieda
Odds & Ends wait to receive fan input on what they’d like to see us make
available as PDF products. Right now, we are offering First Edi-
Seems like a great many things have been going these past tion rules of various lines and out of print titles, including The
several months. Certainly we have been busy at Palladium. Rifter® #1-40, many of which have been out of print for years.
Please let us know what you think and what else you’d like to
! In case you had not heard, Palladium Books will NOT
see us offer as PDFs. Meanwhile, we hope it brings many new
be attending any conventions this year. Not even Gen Con.
gamers who have never tried our RPGs in the past into the Pal-
Since that announcement a few people have approached us
ladium family. Spread the word, enjoy these books, and keep
about letting them take at least our newest books to conventions
those imaginations burning bright!
for us. We haven’t decided yet, but we might let them do so.
Why not go ourselves? ! Sad news: David Arneson, co-creator of Dungeons and
Simple, conventions are very, very time consuming and dis- Dragons, passed away. It was reported on Wednesday, April 8,
tracting, and we want to put ALL of our focus on releasing new 2009 that Dave Arneson passed away after a long illness. I met
product. Dave Arneson a few times over the years. He was a nice fellow,
very witty and always made time for his fans. I never had the
It seems like a lot of game companies have given up on
privelege of gaming with the man, but heard he was an out-
role-playing, producing only 2-6 products for the year. At Palla-
standing Game Master.
dium Books, we think that’s crazy. We love RPGs. They are our
livelihood and we plan on continuing to support all our game I had the singular honor and privilege of accepting Erick
lines and the RPG hobby. We also realize we are luckier than Wujcik’s Lifetime Achievement award at the 2008 ENnies last
many companies and that we have a wonderful fan base and summer just after Dave Arneson gave his acceptance speech for
continue to sell strong numbers of books. his own Lifetime Acheivement award. (Gary Gygax, David
Arneson and Erick Wujcik were the three recipients.) Even pale,
That having been said, Palladium’s sales have been up and
weak and in a wheelchair, Mr. Arneson was friendly, witty and
down and rather unpredictable. We will have a few excellent
warm. He made the entire room roar with laughter and engaged
sales days or weeks, and even some spectacular ones, and then
us with lighthearted words of appreciation and encouragement
we will have poor sales, even awful sales, so it rather balances
for people to follow their dreams. It was a wonderful speech and
out. New book releases have helped a great deal, and there is a
Mr. Arneson received a standing ovation as he came up to the
lot of excitement and anticipation for new Palladium product.
podium and as he left. I felt honored to have been there for that
! New product from Palladium Books. As I write this the moment and to be the person to follow this legendary figure on
morning of April 14th (we always wait till just before the book Erick Wujcik’s behalf. I will never forget it.
goes to the printer to make this page, news and coming attrac-
! Follow your dreams. All the important people in my life,
tions as up to date as possible), we are in production frenzy.
starting with my Mom and Dad to Erick and Dave, gave me
Robotech® The Masters Saga™ shipped about four weeks
those words of encouragement. I have. I have followed my
ago, Rifts® Dimension Book™ 11: Dyval™ only shipped two
dream for decades now. I’ve enjoyed tremendous success and
weeks ago, Rifts® Shemarrian Nation™ is at the printer, this
faced many challenges and disappointments. It can be scary, at
issue of The Rifter® you hold in your hands goes to the printer
times, when you follow your dreams, but let me assure you,
tomorrow and the Dead Reign™ Sourcebook goes in on Thurs-
there is nothing like it. When Gygax and Arneson followed their
day or Friday. We plan to get the Nightbane® Survival
dream, they not only gave us a great game that brought joy to
Guide™ to the printer in the next two weeks before the Palla-
hundreds of millions of people, but they gave birth to the entire
dium Open House. A busy month to say the least. And we want
role-playing game industry.
to get 3-4 additional titles in your hands by the end of June!
Nothing rushed either, these are all quality books, so I think I encourage each and every one of you to follow your
you’ll find Palladium skipping conventions this year to be well dreams. Your endeavors, whether a success or failure, large or
worthwhile. small, will bring you fond memories and shape your life in ways
you cannot imagine. Do not let the naysayers, hardships and
! Palladium RPG products now available as PDFs from worries of these trying economic times scare you into paralysis
[Link]!!! Yep, it is news that seems to have sur- or to hide under your covers. These are times to be proactive
prised a lot of people. I’m not quite sure why, as I’ve stated and bold! Maybe the time is right for you to start that business
many times that Palladium was looking into the medium and ex- you’ve been thinking about for years. Or maybe your dream
ploring the possibilities. As always, I never feel compelled or starts with a smaller step, like submitting an article, adventure or
pressured to rush into anything. I do my homework and wait un- 20 pages of source material to The Rifter®. Whatever it is, be-
til the time feels right. Then we proceed in a way we think is lieve in yourself and take that first frightening step. Walk in the
best for the company and our fans. footsteps of the legends before you and live your dream. You’ll
We are all excited about working with the good people at never regret it.
[Link] and have high hopes for PDF sales and
the future of this dynamic, budding market. As always, we will – Kevin Siembieda, April 14, 2009
7
News
These are PDF downloads of popular but out of print titles at
affordable prices.
The initial selections will include 80 titles:
By Kevin Siembieda, the guy who should know The “original” Rifts® RPG (out of print)
The “original” Rifts® Sourcebook One (out of print)
New Palladium products The Rifts® Index #1 & #2.
and lots and lots of them The Rifts® Game Shield & Adventure Book (out of print)
The Rifts® Coalition Wars® (Siege on Tolkeen™) series.
The Palladium staff is working hard to release a lot of high
quality, NEW role-playing game products in 2009. There should The Mechanoid Invasion® Trilogy (1981-1982)
be 8-10 out by the end of June with another 6-8 released by The Mechanoids® (1985; a complete RPG)
year’s end. The “original” Beyond the Supernatural™ 1st Ed.
That’s 14-18 new role-playing games and sourcebooks for Boxed Nightmares™ for BTS First Edition rules
the year. More RPG releases than any other game company that Palladium Fantasy RPG® First Edition rules and the first six
we are aware of! sourcebooks (including Island at the Edge of the World).
Palladium is also making long time out of print titles avail- Heroes Unlimited™, First Edition rules (revised).
able in its online store (and eventually, back in book and game Aliens Unlimited™ (HU2)
stores), such as, Rifts® Vampire Kingdoms™, Rifts® Merce-
Shadows of Light™ (Nightbane®)
naries, Rifts® Japan, Rifts® Lone Star, Rifts® Canada,
Rifts® Free Quebec, Megaverse® Builder, Rifts® Triax and After the Bomb® RPG and related sourcebooks.
others. The Rifter® #1-40 and more.
The initial offering includes approximately 80 titles. A few
More new Palladium product additional titles will be added every month. There are currenly
Palladium is releasing 8-15 new RPG related non-book prod- no plans to offer perennial sellers or new titles, but that may
ucts starting this May. All are available ot the Palladium online change depending on sales and fan demand.
store ([Link]) and will include:
· 15 ounce Rifts® coffee cup (white logo on black cup). 2009 Palladium Open House
· 15 ounce Gamer coffee cup (white logo on black cup).
As I write this for The Rifter®, the Palladium Open House is
· Rifts® Dice Bags – velvet type of material with a pull string;
only 17 days away (April 30, May 1, 2, 3).
Rifts® logo – gold imprint on Navy Blue or Black bag; 7 x 9
inches. In some ways we are excited and ready.
· “Gamer” T-Shirt line starting with a white “Gamer Logo” In other ways we are excited and not ready. Wish we had an
on black shirt and “Gamer Zombie” (white and red on a extra week or two, but that is always the case.
black shirt). What is the Palladium Open House? A mini-con held at the
· FULL COLOR Rifts® Glitter Boy in Flames T-shirt Palladium warehouse and offices. Three days of non-stop gam-
(color printing on black shirt with the words: “Palladium ing with the very ladies and gentlemen who create the games.
Books ... ignite your imagination”). Plus those who attend get to meet 40+ Palladium creators (art-
ists, writers, contributors, staff, playtesters and others). Plus VIP
· FULL COLOR Hades T-Shirt (color printing on black shirt
night on Thursday.
with the words “Hell was full so I came back”).
Palladium fans are coming from coast to coast, plus Canada
· FULL COLOR magnets (business card size): Rifts®, Palla-
and from as far away as Australia! This year we have a couple
dium Fantasy®, Dead Reign™, and Dyval™ (with the
of people coming in from Germany and Spain. Its small and in-
words, Hell was full so I came back). Every gamer’s refriger-
timate too, under 300 people.
ator needs them! They look awesome!! $1.75 each or all four
for $6.00 plus shipping and handling. Its all grand fun. This year we are including real awards and
prizes for the costume contest, a live auction (hosted by me), an
And this is just the beginning. If fans like these items and Erick Wujcik memorial, panel talks and lots and lots of gaming
want more, we will do more coffee cups, “Gamer” and color events.
T-shirts, and other specialty items. Can’t you just picture a Dead
Reign full color T-shirt?
Other news
Palladium RPG titles available Hmmm. There is probably other news, but with everything
as PDFs from [Link] going on, I am probably forgetting to mention somthing. The
big news is all the new and upcoming RPG and product re-
On April 13, 2009, the first 20 books became available for leases, so I’ll just get on to new book descriptions in the Coming
PDF digital downloads from [Link]. Two addi- Attractions.
tional products will be made available ever day for the next 30
days!
8
Coming
· The Army of the Southern Cross™ – all 15 branches.
· The Veritech Hover Tank, Myrmidon, AJAX, Logan and
more.

Attractions ·
·
·
4 ASC battloids plus the Golem robot.
6 suits of ASC power armor – never before seen.
Other ASC vehicles, body armor, jump packs, weapons &
By Kevin Siembieda, the guy who should know equipment.
Let’s cut to the chase: We hope to make the 2009 Palladium · The Robotech Masters, Tirolians, and their spaceships
Books’ time to shine, with an array of new role-playing game and weapons.
products that we think will knock your socks off.
· Seven different Bioroids, Bioroid Hover Sled, weapons
and more.
A Lot of New Product ·
·
Tirolian villains and player characters.
History, background and world information.
Palladium is trying hard to live up to its promise to release a
lot of high quality, new products. Including many books and
· Quick Roll ASC Character Creation Tables.
items our fans have been asking for. · Infinite possibilities for adventure.
· Manga size for easy portability (5x7½ inches).

Robotech® RPG Series · Written by Jason Marker. Additional text by Kevin

Siembieda.
· Cover by Apollo Okamura.
· Art by the Mannings, Majestic, Maradin and Okamura.
· 256 pages – $16.95 retail – Cat. No. 552. Available now!

Robotech®:
The Masters Saga™ Sourcebook
The Masters Saga™ captures the era of the Second
Robotech War and brings the mecha and heroes of the Army of
the Southern Cross (ASC) to life. Adventures can start in the Robotech®:
jungles of South America, where the fledgling ASC and the
UEDF battled Zentraedi Malcontents, UEG separatists, rebels
The Macross® Saga Sourcebook
and terrorists before the UEEF blasted into outer space. Or play The Macross® sourcebook is a toy chest packed with the
during the years of global Reconstruction. Or start your game mecha, vehicles, weapons and characters that made Robotech®
the day the Masters appeared and the Second Robotech War be- famous. Valkyries, Destroids, ground vehicles, aircraft, space-
gan. Or play the days between the Masters’ defeat and the ar- craft, weapons, Zentraedi soldiers, Zentraedi mecha, alien in-
rival of the Invid. Or role-play the battle against the invading vaders, heroes, villains and more. There are no plans to reprint
Invid swarm when they first appeared, as well as the days that this title in a larger format.
followed as your ASC heroes try to rescue survivors and estab- · Veritech Fighters & Destroids.
lish resistance groups to battle the Invid until help can arrive · 14 aircraft and aerospace vehicles.
from the UEEF! · 13 ground vehicles, plus weapons and equipment.

9
· Zentraedi mecha, warriors, & select spacecraft and much Or Robotech®: The Shadow Chronicles® RPG Collector’s
more. “Gold” Edition Hardcover (8½ x 11 inches) – 224 pages – $70
· Written by Jason Marker & Kevin Siembieda. Cover by retail – Cat. No. 5500HC – limited to 500 signed and num-
Apollo Okamura. bered copies. Makes an awesome gift.
· 256 pages (64 more pages than originally advertised!).
· $15.95 retail – Cat. No. 551. Available now.

Dead Reign™ RPG

The Zombie Apocalypse
Dead Reign™ is a role-playing game where the dead have
Robotech®: risen, civilization has crumbled, and brave human survivors re-
The Shadow Chronicles® RPG fuse to lie down and die! They battle the walking dead on all
fronts, watch each other’s backs, struggle to forge safe havens
– “Core Rules” Manga Edition away from the zombie infested cities, rescue other survivors,
The Manga Edition is the Robotech® The Shadow Chron- and fight without respite.
icles® RPG “core rule book” as a 336 page, portable, · Everything you wanted to know about zombies but were
manga-sized book. It has all the information a player needs to afraid to ask.
start a Robotech® game and it is necessary to play the · Seven types of zombies plus the Half-Living.
Robotech® Macross® Saga and Masters Saga Sourcebooks. · Six Apocalyptic character classes including “ordinary
· Everything you need to start your Robotech campaign. people.”
· Veritech Fighters: Alphas and Beta. · Tips on fighting zombies and point-blank zombie combat
· Ground Veritechs: Cyclones and Silverback. rules.
· Bioroid Interceptor, the Condor and more! · Death cults, adventure ideas and a powerful setting.
· The Enemy: Invid and Haydonites. · 101 Random Scenarios, Encounter Tables, and much
· Quick roll character creation rules. more.
· Core rules. Fast playing. Mega-Damage setting. ‘Nuff · Written by Kevin Siembieda, with Josh Hilden & Joshua
said. Sanford.
· Manga size for easy portability (5x7½ inches). · 224 pages – $22.95 retail – Cat. No. 230. Available now.
· 336 pages – only $16.95 retail – Cat. No. 550. Available
now. Dead Reign™ Sourcebook:
· Available at Barnes & Noble and hobby and game shops ev- Civilization Gone™
erywhere!
Hot off the press! This sourcebook explores what happens
Or Robotech®: The Shadow Chronicles® RPG – 8½ x 11 when civilization is literally gone overnight, how people cope,
Deluxe Hardcover Edition – 224 pages – $30.95 retail – Cat. where to find resources, ways to survive, and other menaces in
No. 550HC – additional art and text, including space combat addition to a few billion zombies!
rules. · More resources and survival advice from Brad Ashley.

10
 who seek to exterminate the Nightbane wherever they are found.
This is a guide to help the Nightbane survive in a world of con-
spiracy, dark forces and monstrous invaders from the
Nightlands. Invaders who have secretly taken over the govern-
ments of the world.
· Surviving the Hidden War; strategies and tactics.
· More insight to the life of a Nightbane.
· Creating Contacts, Creating Factions & Faction Re-
cruiting.
· New factions and secret societies.
· New Nightbane Morphus Tables and new Talents.
· New Nightbane Creation Guideline Tables by education
& background.
· New Nightbane history, psychology and more.
· Adventure ideas and world information.
· Cover by Mark Evans. Interior Art by Fox, Ashbaugh &
others.

· More information on the world and zombies.

· Written by Mark Oberle and Irvin Jackson.
· Street gangs and protectors.
· 160 pages – $20.95 retail – Cat. No. 735. May release. At
the printer.
· Madmen & Psychopaths – new dangers and trouble.
·
New for Rifts®
A few new zombie variants.
· Many random tables, including Random Building
Searches, Available Resources, Building a Survivors’
Camp, and more.
· Adventure ideas galore.
· E.M. Gist cover. Interior art by Nick Bradshaw and oth-
ers.
· Written by Kevin Siembieda, additional text by Hilden
and Sanford.
· 64 pages – $12.95 retail – Cat. No. 231. Available now.

Rifts® Sourcebook:
The Shemarrian Nation™
Shemarrian Nation™ is done and at the printer. It has great
artwork, is a fun read, and is packed with a lot of new informa-
tion and ideas.
Nightbane® Survival Guide The Shemarrians are the phantom right arm of A.R.C.H.I.E.
Three and a force to be reckoned with in the Eastern Wildlands.
This is the first sourcebook for the ever popular Nightbane® An in-depth look at the fabricated warrior women, their false so-
series in five years and it is epic. ciety, and the schemes and dreams that Archie and Hagan have
The Nightbane® setting features heroes who must trans- in store for them and the world.
form into monsters to use their supernatural powers. They are
the “bane of night” and the natural enemies of the Nightlords,

11
· 7 types of Shemarrians, including the Shemarrian War- · 5 Host races, inhuman minions, plus Ice and Magma
rior, Berserker, War Chief, War Goddess, Pariah, Spin- Golems.
ster, and Male Shemarrian Hunter. · Deevil Lords and their plans for war.

· New Shemarrian war mounts. · Magic weapons, Soul Gems, ancient magic and more.
· Key locations, weird phenomena and citadels of Hell.
· New weapons, from energy rifles to Vibro-Blades (all · Encounter tables galore and countless adventure ideas.
Archie tech).
· The hellish dimension of Dyval™ mapped and described.
· Shemarrian history, society, culture and rumors. · Companion to Hades and the next chapter in the Minion
· Shemarrian Secrets: Androids fabricated by Archie. War™.
· Artwork by Nick Bradshaw, Mike Wilson, Mike Mumah,
· Other Archie robots. and others.
· Random Encounter Tables and many adventure ideas. · Cover painting by John Zeleznik.
· The Shemarrians’ declaration of the “Shemarrian Na- · Written by Carl Gleba and Kevin Siembieda.
tion” and their place in the Eastern Wildlands. How the re- · 224 pages – $24.95 retail – Cat. No. 873. Available now.
gional factions and power blocs view the warrior women,
rumors and lies. Hades & Dyval™ Map Pack
· Cover by Apollo Okamura. Interior art by Mike Mumah, – 19 Color Maps – available online only
Mark Dudley and Brian and Allen Manning. The color versions of the maps of Hell are available only as
· Written by Josh Sinsapaugh. Additional text by Kevin downloadable files directly from Palladium Books. The order
Siembieda and Jason Marker. process works the same as it did for The Rifter® Zero: you or-
der it like you would a book, using a credit card. It may take up
· 96 pages – $16.95 retail – Cat. No. 878. Available now. to 48 hours for the order to be processed and made available to
you for download, though most orders will be processed within
24 hours or sooner.
· 19 maps total.
· 8 color maps of Dyval™.
· 9 color maps/floor plans of Hades.
· 2 grayscale Hades maps/floor plans.
· Created by the author of Hades and Dyval, Carl Gleba.
· $6.00 – Cat. No. E001 – 19 pages total. Available only as
color PDF files for digital download exclusively from Palla-
dium Books® ([Link]).

Rifts® Dimension Book™ 12:

Dimensional Outbreak™
We want to be realistic with this release date, and with prepa-
rations for the Palladium Open House coming up, we can’t see
Outbreak coming out until June.
Another exciting and surprise filled book in the Minion
War™ series as war spills into Phase World®, the city of Cen-
Rifts® Dimension Book™ 11: ter and the Three Galaxies™. The epic scale of the Minion
War just got bigger and even the Worlds of Warlock, the
Dyval™, Hell Unleashed Splugorth and Naruni are involved.
Dyval™ is a dimension of Hell that is completely unique and · Phase World’s Center described and mapped. Four new
different from Hades. The Deevil Host, evil monsters and min- levels, including the Gateland, Central Station, the Spaceport,
ions, Deevil society, monstrous War Steeds, magic, adventure Repo-Yards, Free Trade Zone, Warlock Market, notable mer-
settings and more make this another welcomed addition to the chants and places of business, and much more.
Palladium Megaverse®. Moreover, it advances the Minion · Demon Knights, Star Slayers, demonic legions and more.
War™ and offers endless hours of potential adventure. Suitable · Demonic spaceships, magic weapons and new horrors.
for use with The Palladium Fantasy RPG®, HU2™, · Deevil fortifications and defenses.
Nightbane®, BTS-2™, Phase World® and Rifts®. · Space spell magic (new).
· 18 Deevils and 5 of them new. · Spaceships, power armor and other gear.
· 7 Infernal War Steeds and other monsters. · The plot for conquering the Three Galaxies.
12
 As circumstance would have it, the List of Heroes has fallen
into the possession of the Player Characters. The question is,
can they keep it safe from the forces of two Hells until it can be
returned to the safekeeping of the Cosmo-Knights? Or will they
misuse it for their own, personal gain? How will this scenario
unfold? Who is on that list? Buy a copy, play out the scenario
and find out.
· Minion War™ tie-in adventure sourcebook.
· Written by Kevin Siembieda.
· Illustrated by various Palladium heroes.
· 96 pages – Cat. No. 877 – $14.95 retail.
· July or August release.

Coming this Summer & Fall

· More Rifts® World Books.
· More Minion War™ books.
· More Robotech® sourcebooks.
· A stand-alone Dimension Book that is also the third step · More Dead Reign™ sourcebooks.
in an epic, five book crossover that spills across the Palla- · Mysteries of Magic™ Series. The Palladium Fantasy RPG®
dium Megaverse®. line has been ignored far too long. That ends with Mysteries
· Artwork by Apollo Okamura, Mike Mumah, and others. of Magic. The series is inspired by the work of freelance
writer Mark Hall.
· John Zeleznik cover painting.
The Palladium World has eons of history involving magic,
· Written by Carl Gleba.
both good and evil. It reached its pinnacle during the Time of
· 192-224 pages – $24.95 retail – Cat. No. 875. June release. a Thousand Magicks. This series will reveal some of those
half-forgotten and rare mystic arts – at least the ones still
Rifts®/Phase World® Sourcebook: practiced in secret and among strange cults. The series will
Heroes of the Megaverse® also offer new bits of history, forbidden and secret cults,
magic artifacts, the occasional living horror, and adventure
War factions from the Hells, Hades and Dyval, have discov- ideas for your fantasy campaigns. Size and price yet to be de-
ered the existence of a great mystic artifact that has been hidden termined.
and protected by the Cosmo-Knights of the Three Galaxies. And This is just the beginning, as there are plans to breathe
both sides want it. new life into the Palladium Fantasy RPG® line throughout
The artifact is an ancient Rune Book that contains the names 2009 and 2010.
of the 2000 greatest heroes the Megaverse® has ever known. · Warpath™: Urban Jungle™ RPG is Palladium’s new
But it is more than a historical document, it is a magic item of game of modern combat inspired by Jeffry Scott Hansen’s
unparalleled power. novel and additional ideas. It is in the early stages of devel-
According to legend, the tome has many great powers. opment and coming along nicely. Shooting for a June or July,
One such power is that reading the name of any one person in- Summer release.
scribed, while evoking the proper magic, will give the reader the · More Robotech® – Many more Robotech® sourcebooks are
knowledge and power of that great hero. And many are the pow- coming. What are they? All we are willing to tell you at this
ers of the 2000. time is Robotech® New Generation™ and Robotech®
The artifact also has its dangers. It is said if the List of Spacecraft sourcebooks are only two we have on the draw-
Heroes™ is wrested from the Cosmo-Knights and kept locked ing board.
in the pits of Hell, then the Knights and all heroes of the Three
Galaxies will lose hope and flounder. If the book is destroyed, it Note: Other titles may be added or substituted.
is said, the Cosmo-Knights will cease to exist within a genera-
tion and the forces of Chaos shall reign. Needless to say, the
Lords of Hell, the Splugorth and many others who serve Chaos Back in stock
would do anything to get their hands on the List of Heroes.
Rumor also suggests that the artifact may hold clues to the Rifts® World Book 8: Rifts® Japan
location of the Cosmic Forge, perhaps in some sort of code or – Back in Stock – Available Now
the memories of the heroes who can be evoked. And there are
This fan favorite title is absolutely brimming with high-tech
many other tales of cosmic power, healing and knowledge all
weapons, power armor, and giant robots, magic weapons and
associated with the book and the ghosts of the heroes named on
items, TW weapons, Glitter Boys, Ninja, Samurai, Japanese de-
its pages. mons, history, world information and everything you would ex-

13
pect from Rifts® Japan. No wonder fans have been screaming · The Lone Star Complex, notable characters & Xiticix
for us to bring it back in print! Killer.
· 20+ unique O.C.C.s including the Demon Queller, Ronin, · The Pecos Empire and Pecos Bandits.
Mystic Ninja, Tech-Ninja, Ninja Juicer, Ninja Cyborg, · Many notable places in and people of Lone Star.
Traditional Samurai & more.
· Monsters, bandits, Psi-Stalkers, world information and
· 50+ types of weapons, including tech, TW and magic more!
items.
· Written by Kevin Siembieda. Art by Perez, Breaux and
· 23 types of power armor and robots! others.
· Five Martial Arts types of Hand to Hand Combat. · 176 pages – $20.95 retail – Cat. No. 825. Available now.
· 19 Mystic Martial Arts Powers!
· Dragon Cyborgs and other cyborgs and bionics of Japan.
· ArmaTech Industries and H-Brand high-tech manufac-
turers.
· Monsters, world information and MORE! Written by
Kevin Siembieda.
· 216 pages – $24.95 retail – Cat. No. 818. Available now.

Rifts® Mercenaries™
– Back in Stock – Available Now
An all-time favorite, Rifts® Mercenaries™ is back as a
short-run printing available online. This book is crammed with
details about mercenaries, mercenary companies and the weap-
ons manufacturers that provide them with combat vehicles,
tanks, aircraft, watercraft, weapons, explosives, armor, force
fields, special ammunition and more! This book has it all.
· 9 Mercenary O.C.C.s including Assassin, Bounty Hunter,
Professional Thief, Smuggler, Super-Spy, and others.
· Notable mercenary groups, including Larsen’s Brigade.
· Rules for creating your own Mercenary Company.
· Golden Age Weaponsmiths’ weapons and vehicles sold to
mercs.
· Wellington Industries’ weapons they sell on the open
Rifts® World Book 13: Lone Star market.
· Iron Heart Armaments’ weapons and combat vehicles.
– Back in Stock – Available Now
· Naruni Enterprises and their weapons, armor, vehicles &
Source material on Dog Boys and the Coalition State of Lone gear.
Star, Dog Boy variants, Dog Boy training, and other CS mutant
· Overview of mercenaries in North America.
animals. Plus, the CS Death Wing, hovercycles, weapons and
equipment, Doctor Desmond Bradford, Pecos Bandits and more. · Ancient gods, demons, monsters, freaks, D-Bees and
more.
· 22+ O.C.C.s and R.C.C.s.
· Everything you wanted to know about Dog Boys, their · Written by C.J. Carella. Cover by Kevin Long.
creation and training. · Art by John Livesay, Wayne Breaux, Vince Martin and
others.
· Other mutant animals, including Kill Hounds and Rats
and Bears. · 160 pages – $20.95 retail – Cat. No. 813. Available now.

14
Rifts® Megaverse® Builder Rifts® Dimension Book™ 5:
– Back in Stock – Available Now Anvil Galaxy™
Rifts® Megaverse® Builder helps explain how the An entire galaxy is put at your fingertips, offering additional
Megaverse works. Create your own worlds and dimensions, alien races and countless adventure ideas.
travel across the Megaverse. A perfect companion for the Min-
· Nearly 20 alien races, including the Ratanoid and Star
ion War™ series and Phase World® campaigns.
Elves.
· Dimension creation rules, Dimensional Storms & anoma- · Key planets, races & civilizations (scores of them).
lies.
· Planet creation rules and much more.
· Tolkeen Artifact Hunter and Scavenger O.C.C.s, plus
more on the Shifters, Dimension Riders, & dangerous di- · 160 pages – $20.95 retail – Cat. No. 847. Available now.
mensional monsters.
· New Summoning Tables and exotic new Familiars.
· The Great Machine dimensional setting.
· The Dimension of Spires and the Garbage Pit dimension.
· Written by Carl Gleba.
· 96 pages – $16.95 retail – Cat. No. 859. Available now.

Rifts® World Book One:

Wolfen Empire™
It is truly an adventure sourcebook with monsters, adven-
Vampire Kingdoms™ tures, adventure ideas, history and info about the Wolfen and
more.
One of Palladium’s most popular and famous Rifts World
Books ever is back in stock. · Wolfen history, government, military, rank, religion and
· Vampires, Vampire Intelligences and their Kingdoms. more.
· Vampire Hunters, Dragon Slayers and weird characters. · 13 notable animals/monsters common to the north.
· Creation rules for Traveling Shows. · Six fully fleshed out adventures plus 101 Adventures Ta-
ble & more.
· The Yucatan Peninsula and much more.
· Written by Erick Wujcik, Kevin Siembieda, Bill Coffin &
· Written by Kevin Siembieda. Cover by Kevin Long. others.
· 176 pages – $20.95 retail – Cat. No. 802. Available now. · 160 pages – $20.95 retail – Cat. No. 471. Available now.

15
Rifts Dyval and the
Russia, Rifts® China One, Mindwerks, and a host of other
® ™ sourcebooks across the Palladium Megaverse®, all offer a large
number of evil supernatural beings, alien life forms, slave races
Minion War™ Series and people who could become embroiled in the Minion War.
Remember, mercenaries, cultists, and opportunists of every race

Official Source Material and world may join the forces of infernal darkness, demonic evil
or the champions of light in this unfolding free-for-all across the
Megaverse. Have fun with the possibilities.
By Carl Gleba
Additional Text & Ideas by Kevin Siembieda Step 1: Determine Type
of Deevil or Non-Deevil
The Minion War is going to produce all kinds of scoundrels
who stand out. For some reason, they’ve received the favor of
one of the Deevil Lords. The possibilities are endless and could
even cause a lone evil individual to rise up as high as a Deevil
Lord.
01-10% Non-Deevil Worshiper or Henchman: Any Deevil
Worshiper or willing henchman of any race, from humans to
D-Bees. This may include Witches, Shifters, Necromancers,
Bio-Wizards, and other evil practitioners of magic, priests of
darkness or any of the monster races that tend to find the selfish-
ness, treachery and power-mongering that Deevils promote to be
appealing.
11-30% Other Non-Deevils, but evil beings who may join
in the service of dark forces (Deevil, demon or other), because
the supernatural beings offer them a way to exact bloody re-
venge or because they accept, even encourage, their wicked or
depraved ways. Deevils and demons often embrace madmen and
encourage their aberrant, destructive, and antisocial behavior,
provided it serves the infernals’ purpose. Likewise, they encour-
age selfishness and fan the flames of jealousy and hate in order
to win obsessed and angry agents to serve them or their cause.
The selfish, hate-filled and power-hungry can often find allies
among the demonic and infernal.
Quick Roll The list below is just some of the possibilities:
01-05% Vampire (see Rifts® Vampire Kingdoms).
NPC Villains for Dyval 05-10% Other Undead (Rifts® Dark Conversions).
11-15% Giant (Rifts® Conversion Book One).
For Game Masters who want to roll a quick Non-Player 16-20% Melech (Rifts® Conversion Book One).
Character (NPC) villain, or need ideas for a reoccurring villain,
21-25% Gromek (Rifts® Conversion Book One).
roll on the tables below or select from the choices presented on
those tables. Reoccurring villains make memorable experiences, 26-30% Minotaur (Rifts® Conversion Book One).
and Game Masters should consider coming up with a nemesis 31-35% Ratling (Rifts® Conversion Book One).
for their group of characters. It can be fun, exciting, motivating 36-40% Goblin (Rifts® Conversion Book One).
and galvanizing when a reoccurring villain makes an appear- 41-45% Ogre (Rifts® Conversion Book One).
ance, especially when the player characters least expect it or 46-50% Mucker (Rifts® Conversion Book One).
thought they had seen the last of this fiend in the past.
51-55% Loogaroo (Rifts® Conversion Book One).
Note: The Rifts® Conversion Book One contains many
56-60% Troll (Rifts® Conversion Book One).
mortal creatures originating from the Palladium Fantasy
RPG® who make willing servants and worshipers of demons 61-65% Lizard Mage (Rifts® Conversion Book One).
and Deevils. See Rifts® D-Bees of North America for a host of 66-70% Orc (Rifts® Conversion Book One).
potential D-Bee races who could become embroiled in the Min- 71-75% Za (Rifts® Conversion Book One).
ion War. Meanwhile, Rifts® Dark Conversions contains a 76-80% Beast Dragon (Rifts® Conversion Book One).
multitude of supernatural beings who may fight on one side or 81-85% Boogie-Man (Rifts® Conversion Book One).
the other in the Minion War as friend, alley, worshiper, slave or
86-90% Sphinx (Rifts® Conversion Book One).
opportunist. Phase World®, Aliens Unlimited, Aliens Unlim-
ited Galaxy Guide, both Rifts® Atlantis books, Rifts® Mystic 91-95% Gosai (Rifts® Conversion Book One).

16
 96-00% Angel-Demon Serpent (Rifts® Conversion Book 41-50% Master Minion
One). 51-75% Sovereign
31-70% Deevils and their Host: Roll on or make selections 76-90% Sub-Regent
from the Lesser Deevil Table below. 91-99% Regent
01-04% Tiger Beast 100% Deevil Lord
05-08% Boneling
09-14% Cryxon Step 3: Powers and Abilities
15-18% Naga Deevil Aside from the powers and natural abilities of each of the be-
19-22% Shock Dragon ings listed above, when a creature attains a certain rank they
23-26% Ice Wraith gain a measure of power. This power can be bestowed by hav-
27-30% Stalker ing a select group of worshipers, or it can be granted from a
Deevil Lord. This step should only be rolled for those who have
31-35% Deevil
attained the rank of Sub-Regent or higher. Typically, a
36-40% Devilkin Sub-Regent will have one ability, and a Regent can have two or
41-44% Dire Harpy three powers. At the discretion of the Game Master a Deevil of
45-48% Fenry, Demon Wolf lower rank could have one of the powers below, perhaps be-
49-53% Fiend stowed as a boon. Select from the table below or roll randomly
54-59% Gorgon to determine.
60-65% Imp 01-15% Arcane Power
66-70% Nexus Deevil 16-25% Psionic Power Increase:
71-75% Arch Fiend 01-20% Healing
76-80% Beast 21-40% Sensitive
81-85% Deevil Dragon 41-60% Physical
86-87% Deevil Wraith 61-80% Mind Bleeder
88-92% Horror 81-100% Mind Melter. Select 8 Super and 3D6 Minor.
93-96% Pandemonium 26-35% Combat Prowess
97-00% Serpent 36-45% Invulnerability:
71-80% Other Supernatural Beings who have chosen to 01-20% Fire
fight on the side of the Deevils (or demons, unless stated other- 21-40% Cold
wise). 41-60% Electricity
81-90% Renegade Gargoyle: 01-20% Gargoyle Mage, 61-75% Magic
21-40% Gurgoyle, 41-60% Gargoyle, 61-80% Gargoylite, 76-90% Psionics
81-00% Gargoyle Lord. An enemy of demons. 91-100% Physical S.D.C. attacks.
91-92% Thornhead Demon (Rifts® Sourcebook One). 46-55% Metamorphosis:
93-95% Brodkil (Rifts® Sourcebook One). 01-60% Humanoid
96% Witchling (Rifts® Sourcebook One). 61-100% Animal
97-00% Daemonix (Rifts® Coalition Wars®: Siege on 56-65% Deific Power:
Tolkeen™ Book Three); An enemy of demons.
01-13% Bio-Regeneration: Deific

Step 2: Determine Rank 14-25% Create Deific Portal

26-38% Deific Curse: Pox
Game Masters may wish to select a rank or roll randomly.
39-50% Deific Curse: Pestilence
Keep in mind that even Greater Deevils can, for some reason, be
demoted. Most of the time it’s for insubordination, or even fail- 51-62% Mobile Sphere of Destruction
ure. Perhaps they are disgruntled and trying to get their rank 63-74% Manifestation
back. Or, a Lesser Deevil or even a Minion has done outstand- 75-87% Agonize Followers
ing work and is on the fast track and has attained a high rank 88-100% Corrupt Holy Water
such as Sovereign or higher. The Rank table is just to spice 66-85% Power Boost:
things up and if you’re not pleased with random results, select
01-20% P.P.E. increased by 1D6x100.
the rank that best fits your campaign. At the very least, Game
Masters can assign the default rank as discussed under the 21-40% I.S.P. increased by 1D6x100.
Deevil Hierarchy. 41-60% Two attributes increased by 1D6+4.
01-10% Slave, Worshiper or Willing Ally. 61-80% M.D.C. increased by 2D4x100. (In S.D.C. envi-
11-20% Abomination ronments add 2D6x10 Hit Points, and S.D.C. Base Armor
Rating of 14 or increased by 2 if 14 or higher.)
21-40% Minion

17
 81-100% Knowledge Boost: Add 10% to 4 skills, and add 56-65% Devotion – This particular Deevil has some type of
four additional skills. underlying devotion. It could be to fulfilling the wishes of its
86-95% Summon Lesser Deevils or Minions: master or even a particular Deevil Lord. This devotion is the rul-
ing factor and the Deevil is a willing devotee, not some blind
01-50% Can summon 2D6 Minions.
follower.
51-90% Can summon 2D4 Lesser Deevils.
66-75% Destruction – All this Deevil cares about is how
91-100% Can summon 1D6 Greater Deevils. much it can destroy. From civilizations to small communities,
96-100% Mutation - Varies; see the examples in this book, its driving force will be to wipe its enemies from existence. This
create your own or even use powers from the Heroes Unlim- Deevil is also likely to have grand schemes to produce the maxi-
ited™ RPG. mum amount of destruction. Most will be doomsday style sce-
narios that are all or nothing. Depending on the Deevil’s
Step 4: Alignment appetite, these could be long-term plans or quick and dirty
While these beings are all evil, the alignment may become schemes.
relevant during game play. An aberrant Deevil may make a deal 76-85% Chaos – Anarchy and chaos are all this type of
with characters, while a Diabolic one is liable to kill them out- Deevil cares about. It will do anything in its power to cause as
right, and a Miscreant is likely to use them to his advantage. much chaos and mayhem as possible. The larger the chaos the
Game Masters should feel free to choose an alignment that they better. At the very least it will try and cause fear and panic in
feel is appropriate, or roll randomly. cities and small communities, however if it can entangle whole
01-15% Anarchist. nations or worlds, all the better. Large scale chaos often entails a
grand scheme or design, and if they aren’t careful their well laid
16-50% Miscreant.
plans will come falling down.
51-85% Diabolic.
86-00% Puppet/Controlled – This Deevil is actually the
86-00% Aberrant. puppet of a more powerful being. It could be another Deevil, or
even an Alien Intelligence. This Deevil pretty much has no will
Step 5: Motivations of its own and does as it is instructed.
What are the Deevil’s motivations? What drives it? Most
Deevils, like humans, desire a purpose in life, and most fit many Step 6: Minions
of the personalities below. This will be their driving motivator When a Deevil or similar being achieves a rank of Sovereign
and they will even pursue it when under the orders of a superior. or higher, he will have a small following of loyal minions. First
Game Masters, feel free to determine your own motivations or roll to determine the number of followers/minions and then the
roll on the table below. type. Keep in mind that this is only for those who are Sover-
01-15% None – The Deevil could have been thrust into eigns or higher in rank. It’s very unlikely that anyone of lower
power unknowingly, or got lucky. Whatever the case, it has not rank will have any true minions, just those vying for more
yet determined its own motivations and is feeling its way around power themselves and who are perhaps trying to ride the coat-
like a blind man. It could take years to discover what it desires tails of a higher ranked Deevil.
or even never develop a true motivation. 01-10% No Minions – This Deevil has not amassed any fol-
16-25% Power Hungry – Power is the motivating factor. lowers at all. No one has heard of this Deevil nor his deeds, or
The more, the better. As power comes in many forms, this perhaps he is too paranoid to work with anyone else and turns
Deevil will try and amass powerful magic items, spells, scrolls, all would-be followers away.
or other arcane knowledge. It may even go as far as to try and 11-30% Local Celebrity – The Deevil has managed to win
make a deal with a powerful Alien Intelligence, or even try to over a group of 4D6 various beings.
wake the Old Ones!
31-60% Medium Notoriety – 2D4x10 beings have sworn
26-35% Greed – All this Deevil cares about is amassing fealty to this particular Deevil.
wealth. It can be in any form, but gold, silver, and gems are pre-
61-85% Major Notoriety – This particular Deevil is moder-
ferred, especially in expensive jewelry like crowns, tiaras, and
ately popular and has amassed a small following of 1D4x100
necklaces. Other items include powerful magic items, or rare ar-
members. They are likely to be beings that served with this par-
tifacts, and even expensive art. This Deevil is likely to have al-
ticular Deevil in the Minion War or can be a small cult.
ready amassed 1D4 million in various treasure.
86-95% Well Known – Popular and well known, this Deevil
36-45% Vengeance – The Deevil has a score to settle. It’s
has a group that is 2D4x100 strong! Many more flock to his
likely against a demon who wronged it in the past or possibly a
banner each week.
mortal who, at some point, banished it. This Deevil will do any-
thing in its power to have its vengeance. 96-00% Infamous! – This Deevil has dominion over
1D6x1000 beings. Many have rallied to his cause and are all
46-55% Fame – That’s right! This Deevil loves the limelight
faithful followers. If the Deevil has any additional powers, it’s
and is a showboat who likes to hear his praises sung. This type
possible that they could be bestowed from this particular group.
of Deevil often takes risks that are uncharacteristic of these be-
ings so that in the end it shines like a hero, at least among its
own kind.

18
Step 6A: Breakdown of Minions Mephisto has formed an elite squad composed of demons who
now serve him. This squad is known as the Double Dealers.
This is a rough breakdown of the beings following the Even the most desperate of demons would seldom agree to ac-
Deevil. Mortals are non-supernatural beings like Orcs, Ogres tively work against their own people, especially in a time of
and Trolls. Minor/Lesser Beings can be any of the lesser super- all-out war, consequently, most of the Double Dealers are those
natural minions that are not Deevils, such as Brodkil, Sowki, or whose “true names” are known. Dangerous knowledge that
legions of undead. Or they can be Lesser Deevils. Greater Be- forces them to serve a hated enemy and compels them to obey
ings/Deevils are likely to be Greater Deevils, or can be Dragons, their despicable Deevil master.
Lizard Mages, C’ro Demon Mages, and beings of similar power.
The Double Dealers have proven their worth to Lord
01-30% 100% Mortals. Mephisto and Supreme Lord Sahtalus a dozen times in the Min-
31-40% 90% Mortals, 10% Minor/Lesser Beings. ion War. The squad is used to infiltrate and attack their fellow
41-50% 70% Mortals 20% Minor/Lesser Beings, 10% demons, cause confusion among their ranks, and otherwise as-
Greater Beings/Deevils. sist the Deevils in gathering intelligence, acts of sabotage, assas-
51-60% 50% Mortals, 30% Minor/Lesser Beings, 20% sination of demon leaders, and wholesale slaughter of demon
Greater Beings/Deevils. troops.
61-70% 20% Mortals, 50% Minor/Lesser Beings, 30% What other plans the Deevil Lords have for the Double
Greater Being/Deevils. Dealers remains shrouded in secrecy for now. However, rumors
71-80% 10% Mortals 50% Minor /Lesser Beings, 40% around Dyval suggest a hit directly on Hades, possibly against
Greater Beings/Deevils. one of the Demon Lords themselves, or to cause internal chaos
and strife and force the Demon Lords to recall some of their
81-90% 50% Minor/Lesser Beings, 50% Greater Be-
troops and deplete the front lines all the more.
ings/Deevils.
91-96% 60% Greater Beings/Deevils, 40% Minor Be-
ings/Deevils.
Regent Dread Gore
97-00% 70% Greater Beings/Deevils, 30% Minor Be- Leader of the Double Dealers
ings/Deevils. The Deevil in charge of the Double Dealers is Regent Dread
Gore, a Deevil Horror. For years he served Mephisto, helping to
Step 7: Wealth and Magic Items
Most notable beings have amassed a small fortune. It was ei-
ther stolen, inherited from a predecessor, or given as tribute.
This treasure may not be on the individual in question, but
rather safely stored away in a treasure chest in a particular dun-
geon, or secured in a vault in some hidden lair or even at a
shrine/temple dedicated to this Deevil. While a value in cred-
its/gold is given as an indicator of the Deevil’s wealth, Game
Masters should feel free to substitute magic items such as weap-
ons, scrolls, or Techno-Wizard weapons as they see fit.
01-20% None!
21-30% 1D4x10,000
31-40% 2D6x10,000
41-50% 1D4x100,000
51-60% 2D6x100,000
61-70% 1D4x1 million.
71-80% 2D6x1 million.
81-90% Roll again and double the results.
91-00% Roll again and triple the results.

Deevil NPC Groups

The Double Dealers
Deevils have always delighted in capturing demons. Over the
centuries, many demons have ended up in Mephisto’s prison.
Most are tortured endlessly and kept on the brink of death for
many years. While demons most certainly have supernatural
stamina, eventually even their wills can be broken. As a result,

19
torture prisoners, extract information, and perform many mun- normal Metamorphosis: Humanoid, Dread Gore can assume
dane functions that a prison warden would be needed for. It was the shape of supernatural humanoids, typically other demons
actually his idea to use the demons in this capacity. It was some- and similar creatures. It should be noted that he only appears
thing he contemplated for the longest time, but there was noth- like them, and does not get any special powers or abilities.
ing that could benefit him directly. Then the Taut Offensive He commonly assumes the shape of a Baal-Rog or Raksasha
forever changed the Deevil Lords’ outlook on their longtime en- when having to infiltrate demon camps. The duration of the
emies. Dread Gore saw advancement in his future and quickly metamorphosis is unlimited; however, it requires a measure
rose from a simple Sovereign to a Regent seemingly overnight. of concentration and control. As a result, he is unable to hold
He chose his timing perfectly, right when Sahtalus was demand- the shape while in combat. He can ambush but after the first
ing more from the other Deevil Lords. Each had little to offer, melee, he reverts back to a Deevil Horror. Finally, when
including Mephisto. Initially, Sahtalus was opposed to the idea transformed, he loses the sight of his many eyes and must
and commanded Mephisto to destroy all demon prisoners who rely on those from the shape that he has assumed.
had yielded all the information they knew. Not seeing eye to eye Skills of Note: Streetwise 72%, Intelligence 85%, Land Naviga-
in this suggestion, Mephisto went ahead with his plans anyway. tion 94%, Track Humans 98%, Recognize Weapon Quality
If caught he would write it off as a failed experiment. As it 86%, Military Etiquette 91%, Demon and Monster Lore
turned out, he was not, and Dread Gore was commanded to take 91%, Basic Math 98%, Climb 98/96%, Swim 98%, Literate
a force behind enemy lines and destroy the demon in charge of in Elven, American, and Dwarven 96%.
attacking Dyval from the Great Rift. The attack went off without Vulnerabilities/Penalties: Those common to Deevils and su-
a hitch, and when the Deevils once again held their own in the pernatural beings. Also, his confidence in his having absolute
Great Rift Mephisto once again made his pitch for the Double control over his team could also be a weakness. If he is not
Dealers. Finally, Sahtalus agreed and with that, Dread Gore was careful a minor slip-up could spell his doom and his team
granted the power of a Regent, despite having hardly any fol- wouldn’t hesitate to tear him to shreds.
lowers.
Experience Level: 9th level Horror.
Dread Gore is a harsh taskmaster and constantly berates and
Psionic Powers: None.
belittles the demons under his command. He treats them as the
lowest of the low and never gives them a moment’s peace. The Magic Knowledge: All level one and two Air Elemental Magic,
only time the demons are left alone is in the field, and then only plus Electric Arc (8), Lightning Arc (30), Call Lightning
if they are on a mission that involves thwarting the demons. Any (15), Turn Dead (6), Exorcism (30), Banishment (65), and
other time they are being tortured and broken to remind them Heal Wounds (10).
who their true masters are, and this is something that Dread Attacks per Melee: Six.
Gore takes great pleasure in. The demons are helpless to make a Bonuses: +5 on initiative, strike, parry, and dodge, +6 to pull
move against their master and Dread Gore knows it. punch, +2 to roll with impact/fall, +7 to save vs magic, +3 on
True Name: Bezial. all other saving throws, and +12 to save vs Horror Factor.
Alignment: Miscreant. Weapon Proficiencies: Chain.
Disposition: A very cruel taskmaster who delights in the pain Alliances and Allies: He has earned an honored spot as one of
and suffering of others. He is often sarcastic and very blunt in Mephisto’s Regents. This makes him privy to all kinds of
his reports, and on more than one occasion has crossed the perks that the Deevil Lord might dish out.
line with Mephisto. His sudden increase in power has made Enemies: Dread Gore has made numerous enemies from the de-
him very arrogant and sure of himself, lowering his inhibi- mons still kept in captivity within Mephisto’s prison-like for-
tions and increasing his appetite for even more power! tress in Inferno. Any one of these demons would love
Attributes: I.Q. 20, M.E. 22, M.A. 9, P.S. 34, P.P. 18, P.E. 22, nothing more than to skin him alive. If ever these demons
P.B. 2, Spd 35. were released it goes without saying that a few would gun for
M.D.C.: 800 (On S.D.C. worlds, Regent Dread Gore has 72 Hit him, especially members of his own team.
Points, 25 S.D.C. and an A.R. of 16.) Weapons and Armor: The only notable item Dread Gore owns
Horror Factor: 17 is a Splugorth Talisman of Armor. He wears it all the time
and never takes it off. He has it on a special demon-size
Height: 20 feet (6 m).
chain that goes around his neck.
Weight: 2000 pounds (900 kg).
Money: None! He has little desire for wealth as that comes with
Age: Unknown, at least several hundred thousand years old. power.
P.P.E.: 198. I.S.P.: None. Description: A large, hideous monstrosity with a gapping maw
Natural Abilities: Nightvision 120 feet (36.6 m), see the invisi- with pools of saliva and spittle oozing out of his mouth. He
ble, turn invisible at will, impossible to blind or sneak attack has iridescent blue veins bulging all over his body and his
due to his many eyes, can leap 100 feet (30.5 m), dimen- eyes glow a light blue color like that of a ley line.
sional teleport 90%, impervious to poison, impervious to nor-
mal fire and cold, resistant to magic fire and cold (half Krin’Jor, Raksasha, Quickstats
damage), bio-regeneration 4D6 per melee, regenerate eyes Krin’Jor was a faithful follower of Abdul-Ra. That was many
within 24 hours, and magically knows all languages. His years ago. When he learned that his liege had been taken pris-
granted Regent powers are Metamorphosis: Superior Human- oner by the Deevils, he made it his personal mission to seek out
oid and a Power Boost. See M.D.C. (Hit Points). Unlike the
20
his master and free him. He and a select group of demons man- Attributes: I.Q. 11, M.E. 18, M.A. 14, P.S. 34, P.P. 15, P.E. 18,
aged to infiltrate Dyval and made it as far as Tundra. However, P.B. 7, Spd 40.
their timing was terrible. It took them years of careful planning M.D.C.: 1100 (On S.D.C. worlds Neemin has 68 Hit Points, 60
to get as deep as they did, but by the time they got there Rhada S.D.C., with an A.R. of 14.)
had freed Abdul-Ra, and the Deevil Lords were on to her. Her
Effective Level: 6th level Fire Jinn.
realm was effectively sealed off and Krin’Jor and his team were
surrounded, and most of them killed. Only Krin’Jor and a few Note: Neemin is the group procurement specialist. He is good at
others remained alive, only to be brought to Mephisto’s prison, sneaking into locations and robbing people blind. His thiev-
were they spent the next two hundred years being tortured on a ing has gotten him into trouble on more than one occasion,
daily basis and brought to the brink of death often. Krin’Jor was and it’s the reason that he is stuck serving the Deevils.
beaten until he was forced to reveal his true name. While he Disposition: Natural provocateur and loves to push people’s
welcomed the cold embrace of death, the Deevils never let him buttons. Even after all these years he still likes to infuriate the
have it. And so for a moment of peace he sold his deepest secret. Deevils, especially Dread Gore. It is often worth the beating
Krin’Jor feels all but abandoned by Abdul-Ra. Surely when that soon follows.
he was freed he learned of Krin’Jor’s efforts. For many years Description: Looks like your typical Fire Jinn.
Krin’Jor held on to hope, but even that faded away. Now he is Skills of Note: Prowl 60%, Streetwise 65%, Land Navigation
forced to do the Deevils’ bidding. At one point he would have 85%, Locksmith 80%, and Pick Locks 90%.
tried to do everything in his power to warn his fellow demons, Weapons and Equipment: None, although his thieving abili-
but now he could care less. These days, all he cares about is ties often allow him to procure a weapon, or even armor
avoiding the next beating, which comes all too often from Re- when needed.
gent Dread Gore.
Alignment: Was Aberrant, however years of abuse have made Gulag, Baal-Rog, Quickstats
him lose any thread of honor he had and he is now Miscreant. Gulag was a promising demon who had earned a position
Attributes: I.Q. 15, M.E. 12 (was 18 prior to having been within the Brass Guard II. He received the full training that
beaten for so many years.), M.A. 15, P.S. 40, P.P. 18, P.E. those demons normally receive and then decided to set out on
17, P.B. 12, Spd 10. his own, despite the nature of the Brass Guard to work as a unit.
M.D.C.: 1000 (On S.D.C. worlds Krin’Jor has 77 Hit Points, 60 While he was trained in such tactics, he saw himself as a solo
S.D.C., with an A.R. of 10.) savior for the demons and once the Taut Offensive commenced,
Effective Level: 10th level Raksasha. he found a way to sneak into the battle. His intent was to cause a
little destruction, and gather some intelligence while in Dyval.
Note: In most missions against demons, Krin’Jor is supposed to
He had hoped that by doing so he would be given a chance to
play the role of the advisor to Gulag.
lead and take the Brass Guard II directly to the Deevil Lords’
Disposition: He used to be gung-ho, guts and glory. However, citadels. His plans were cut short and like numerous other de-
now he is more cynical and cares very little about anything mons, he was rounded up and captured.
except himself.
It’s fortunate that he was so new to the Brass Guard II that he
Description: He used to be a regal looking Raksasha, but now knew very little about the unit, especially concerning their fu-
he looks pretty mangy, with matted and dirty fur. ture plans. He was seen as someone important and he received
Skills of Note: Intelligence 98%, Land Navigation 60%, and an especially harsh hand from his captors. His true name as well
Demon and Monster Lore 92%. as his training and the existence of the unit were divulged to the
Weapons and Equipment: None, he only has whatever Regent Deevil Lords, and that’s because those were the limits to his
Dread Gore assigns to him for a particular mission. knowledge. However, it was because of his training and knowl-
edge of small group tactics that he was selected to be a member
Neemin, Fire Jinn, Quickstats of the Double Dealers. He is also used as the group’s leader
Neemin was a prisoner long before the Taut Offensive. He when they are on solo missions, or there is no Deevil handler
was captured by Deevils in the Land of the Damned in the Palla- around. It’s a position he always coveted, but not under these
dium World. During one engagement he noticed that the Deevils circumstances. He longs for the day that he can rip Dread Gore
were using some new type of weapon. As it was in his nature to to pieces and has told him that on many occasions. Of course,
steal things, he was ordered to sneak into the Deevil encamp- each time he still receives a beating.
ment and take a weapon so the demons could study it. His mis- Alignment: Diabolic.
sion was going well and all he had to do was leave the Deevil Attributes: I.Q. 14, M.E. 15, M.A. 18, P.S. 38, P.P. 20, P.E. 26,
camp. However, he had the opportunity for a little mischief and P.B. 8, Spd 40, 100 flying.
he let that get the better of him. His plan was to release a few of M.D.C.: 600 (On S.D.C. worlds Gulag has 126 Hit Points, 40
the Deevil Infernal Sprites. Unfortunately for him, the Sprites, S.D.C., with an A.R. of 14.)
being trained to attack demons, immediately turned on him,
Effective Level: Fifth.
alerting nearby Deevils. He was quickly captured and brought
back to Dyval, where he has been in Mephisto’s prison-like for- Note: Gulag was trained under a Senior Brass Guard member
tress ever since. (see E’Ell in Rifts Dimension Book 10, Hades for details)
back in Hades. His specialty is espionage.
Alignment: Anarchist.

21
Disposition: At one time he was very cocky and arrogant, full Gurgoyles, 6 Alu, 8 Shedim, 2 Demon Flies, and 4 Taursis. Re-
of spit and vinegar, ready to take on the Megaverse. Now he gent Dread Gore knows all of the demons’ true names and has
is broken and only does his best so he can avoid a beating, complete control over them.
which comes often. Given the chance, he would kill the
wretched Deevil, however with his shame of being captured,
he would be an outcast in Hades. So now he feels all is lost.
The Chaos Legion
Description: He used to look like any other Baal-Rog. How- The Chaos Legion is the personal retribution squad of
ever, Mephisto and his jailers used certain magical torture de- Mephisto. They are his elite team of problem solvers. He rarely
vices that despite the Baal-Rog’s impressive regenerative uses them in the Minion War, although with recent events he
abilities, have left him covered in ugly scars. has had little choice lately. Originally the legion was used to
Skills of Note: Intelligence 58%, Pick Locks 60%, Prowl 55%, gather information about the other Deevil Lords, and it was their
and Locate Secret Compartments/Doors 45%. handiwork that ultimately revealed Rhada’s betrayal. The team
is actually much larger than Mephisto lets on, and they have
Weapons and Equipment: None. He is forced to find weapons
agents nestled in each of the Deevil Lords’ courts. They excel at
on the battlefield, otherwise he is stuck using his own natural
espionage and infiltration, not at brute strength and power. Each
abilities.
member is fairly intelligent and capable of working on his or her
Rhal Blood Gore, Gallu Demon Bull, Quickstats own. As a team, they are quite effective and no doubt their skills
will be in high demand with the Minion War spreading every-
Rhal had the misfortune of being summoned by a human where.
wizard. This wizard and his group of fellow adventurers roamed
the Megaverse, going from one adventure to the next. Despite Regent Stassus, Serpent, Quickstats
not liking the fact that he was summoned and controlled by a
Regent Stassus has long been a favorite minion of Mephisto
human, he was actually treated with an amount of dignity and
and it was one of the reasons he was given command of the
respect. This group of adventures eventually came across a
Chaos Legion. The Serpent befriended Rhada long ago and even
group of Deevils who wiped them all out, except for Rhal. Rhal
today he still visits the Deevil Lord and the two have long con-
was taken as a prisoner and turned over to the local Regent.
versations. Stassus has been able to learn much, even from Levi-
Eventually Rhal ended up in Mephisto’s prison with the other
athan, who often comes to vent and berate Rhada. Stassus is
demons of Hades.
very smooth and his style is usually to become your friend, and
Alignment: Diabolic. this allows him to not only learn a lot about a potential enemy,
Attributes: I.Q. 11, M.E. 12, M.A. 11, P.S. 33, P.P. 15, P.E. 23, he even gets them to volunteer information about themselves
P.B. 9, Spd 160. without them even knowing it.
M.D.C.: 450 (On S.D.C. worlds Rhal Blood Gore has 28 Hit Alignment: Miscreant.
Points, 50 S.D.C., with an A.R. of 15.) Attributes: I.Q. 25, M.E. 23, M.A. 25, P.S. 23, P.P. 18, P.E. 21,
Effective Level: 4th level Gallu Demon Bull. P.B. 24, Spd 15.
Note: Rhal is the group’s weapon specialist, and he can pick up M.D.C.: 745 (On S.D.C. worlds Regent Stassus has 161 Hit
just about any weapon and use it with some proficiency. Points, 172 S.D.C., with an A.R. of 14.)
Disposition: Tends to be a lone wolf and doesn’t talk much. He Effective Level: 10th level Serpent.
seems to hate his role in this and hates the Deevils even Note: When not on assignment for Mephisto, Regent Stassus of-
more. This causes Rhal to hold a lot in, giving him a really ten spends his time in the company of Rhada. He knows she
short fuse. All too often he must vent it on his fellow demons has more information that has yet to be revealed to Mephisto,
in service to the Deevils. and the Regent is determined to get it from her. His Regent
Description: A large, ebony skinned humanoid with the head Powers are Power Boost: M.D.C. and Psionic Powers. He has
and legs of a bull. His horns are often covered in demon 300 I.S.P. and has the following powers: Empathic Transmis-
blood and he always appears to have just been in a fight with sion (6), Group Trance (15), Hypnotic Suggestion (6), Men-
someone. tally Possess Others (30), Mind Wipe (special), Telekinesis
Skills of Note: Land Navigation 85%, Intelligence 88%, W.P. (super) (10+), Alter Aura (2), Induce Sleep (4), Empathy (4),
Energy Rifle, W.P. Heavy M.D. Weapons, W.P. Pole Arm, See Aura (6), Telepathy (4), and Total Recall (2).
W.P. Sword, W.P. Battle Ax, W.P. Blunt, W.P. Knives, W.P. Disposition: Suave and smooth as ice. He always has a sympa-
Archery, W.P. Targeting, and W.P. Spear. thetic ear for the ladies, and is a great drinking buddy for the
Weapons and Equipment: None. He is forced to find equip- guys.
ment in the field and make do with that, otherwise he must Description: A large, golden serpent with brown eyes. When
rely on his own natural abilities. taking a human form he assumes a variety of guises, but all
are handsome human males.
Other Members of the Double Dealers Skills of Note: Prowl 91%, Intelligence 89%, Surveillance 96%,
Of the Double Dealers, among the demons, Krin’Jor, Interrogation Techniques 98%, and Escape Artist 96%.
Neemin, Gulag, and Rhal are seen as the defacto demons in Weapons and Equipment: Nothing! If he requires something
charge. There are 26 other members of the Double Dealers, in- the Regent can usually get his hands on it if needed.
cluding a Gargoyle Lord, a Gargoyle Mage, 2 Gargoyles, 2

22
Sub-Regent Rul’la, Beast, Quickstats He also saw action during the Siege on Tolkeen, and instead
of joining in the chaos, helped several prominent individuals,
Rul’la, at one time, was a loyal follower of Sahtalus. Time
exactly who he’s not saying, although one of them is rumored to
and again he served his lord for centuries. However, numerous
be someone in the Circle of Twelve. Because of his work in
times he was passed over for choice assignments and finally,
Tolkeen, he has several contacts who now reside in either the
when several Beasts (those to whom he considered himself to be
Magic Zone or New Lazlo.
superior) were selected over him for duty to “guard” the other
Deevil Lords, he left Sahtalus, feeling betrayed. Regent Stassus Alignment: Aberrant.
happened to witness Rul’la’s departure and followed him, even Attributes: I.Q. 22, M.E. 19, M.A. 24, P.S. 19, P.P. 20, P.E. 24,
offering some friendly advice. Over time, Stassus was able to P.B. 14, Spd 22.
win Rul’la’s loyalty and gratitude. While he could not promise M.D.C.: 150 (On S.D.C. worlds Sovereign Fullen has 59 Hit
much, he did give the Beast the rank of Sub-Regent and re- Points, 47 S.D.C. with an A.R. of 14.)
cruited him into the Chaos Legion. All Rul’la had to do was re- Effective Level: 6th level Arch Fiend.
veal small tidbits of information. Most information was stuff Note: Sovereign Fullen has assumed his human identity so often
already known by both Mephisto and Stassus, however he did over the last few years that it is the form he is most often
confirm the Beasts’ intentions, which were to spy on each of the seen in.
Deevil Lords. That alone was enough, and ever since, he has
Disposition: Silent and observant, and always seems to be prob-
been a member of the Chaos Legion. His affiliation was initially
ing for weakness.
a secret, but over time he received additional notoriety and it
eventually became known that he was working for Mephisto. Description: Sovereign is indistinguishable from any other
Whether Sahtalus knew this all along or didn’t care is unknown. Arch Fiend. In his human form, however, he favors a moder-
However, Rul’la’s days of learning information about Sahtalus ately built human male with brown hair, beard, and red robes.
are over, as now even his fellow Beasts won’t allow him entry Skills of Note: Streetwise 64%, Intelligence 75%, and Locate
into Sahtalus’s citadel. Secret Compartments/Doors 53%.
Alignment: Diabolic. Weapons and Equipment: He caries a corrupted Millennium
Attributes: I.Q. 12, M.E. 15, M.A. 19, P.S. 39, P.P. 20, P.E. 26, Tree Staff. It has the following spells: Words of Truth, World
P.B. 7, Spd 29. Bizarre, Power Bolt, Domination, and Trance. A total of 8
spells can be cast per 24 hours. The Staff does 4D6 M.D.
M.D.C.: 190 (On S.D.C. worlds Rul’la has 56 Hit Points, 59
S.D.C., with an A.R. of 15.)
Chaos Legion - Other Members
Effective Level: 7th level Beast.
Regent Stassus is in command of the whole squad. However,
Note: Rul’la may lack some of the more subtle skills needed for he will often use his lieutenants (those mentioned above) to take
the Chaos Legion, but that’s alright. Muscle is needed now on various tasks, or lead various smaller missions. The Chaos
and then, and that’s right wear he fits in. Also, Mephisto has Legion also has 6 Deevils, 4 Fiends, 3 Imps, 3 Devilkins, 2 Gor-
not granted Rul’la any powers, nor has he amassed any fol- gons, 2 Serpents, and 1 Deevil Wraith. From time to time, other
lowers from which power could be gained. He may well Deevils are selected for various tasks as needed. Only those who
prove himself during the Minion War, at which point he will show a fair amount of initiative and support for Mephisto are
receive his just reward. asked to join the squad. Regent Stassus always has the final say
Disposition: A dedicated gung-ho attitude which would have on new recruits, and Deevils often try to bribe and coerce their
served Sahtalus well, but now it serves Mephisto. way on to the squad. It never works, because Regent Stassus
Description: Rul’la has a thing for piercings. He has loops of wouldn’t be where he is if not for his own cunning and intelli-
chain piercing the bottoms of his wings that swing around gence.
and connect to two large piercings on his chest. He also has a
small length of chain between his horns that connects to two
large bolts that seem to be screwed into his horns.
Skills of Note: Land Navigation 96%, W.P. Sword, W.P. Pole
Arm, W.P. Heavy M.D. Weapons, W.P. Energy Rifle, and
Lore: Demons and Monsters 75%.
Weapons and Equipment: He wears about 4000 credits worth
of magical gold chain. (The chain is M.D.C. instead of
S.D.C. and takes a lot more to break.) He also has a T.W.
Plasma Rifle, and a newly acquired Techno-Wizard chain
saw which he is endeavoring to learn to use.

Sovereign Fullen, Arch Fiend, Quickstats

Sovereign Fullen was recruited because of his numerous con-
tacts throughout the Megaverse. It is rumored that he even has
contacts in Hades! He is able to get juicy pieces of information
that always help with their current assignment and he seems to
have a contact just about everywhere.
23
 City Overview
The Home to a quarter of a million people, Worldgate is the third
largest Human city on Wormwood. It lies in the midst of a large,
™
Wormwood circular valley. High walls surround it on all sides, and the
Northern Mountains form a natural barrier between it and the
Dark Domains. Worldgate is most famous for the Suq al

Addenda Dimeteri, the dimensional market, but there is far more to it than
just an open-air shopping mall.
Worldgate is commonly called the Free City, because for as
long as anyone can remember, it has remained politically neu-
Part Three tral. It has never, in all of the recorded history of Wormwood,
been a part of any Kingdom, nor has it ever been attacked or oc-
The Free City of Worldgate™ cupied by any invading force. Even in the days of the Unified
Realm, Worldgate was its own, small, independent city-state.
Ostensibly, it is ruled over by King Luke Shrombek and his
By Braden Campbell Ruling Council, but any who come to stay in the Free City for
“I’ve been here for five weeks, and no matter how much I ex- long soon learn that the true power lies with the mysterious
plore Worldgate, I know that it will always be a city of secrets. Lords of the Exchequer. In fact, the creation of the city itself is
How could it not, with all its winding alleys, cavernous shop in- credited to these nine beings whose faces no one has ever seen.
teriors, and easily missed doors hiding who knows what and According to legend, the city of Worldgate was founded
leading who knows where?” when the Unified Realm was in its infancy and the Northern
Mountains didn’t even exist. The earliest recorded mention of
- Erin Tarn, “Wormwood, a Distant World” the city comes from the memoirs of Cirtalcrus the Younger, an
explorer and cartographer who lived over two thousand years
ago. In his book he describes a vast and empty land far to the

24
south of Charun, notable for three things; an area where the skin sand warriors, made their first appearance in the years following
of the Living Planet seemed purple and bruised, a crater in the the secret meetings. Again, even though there is no direct proof,
center of this area which measured nearly a mile (one and a half many believe that these incredible weapons were forged and of-
kilometers) in diameter, and a strange spiraled pattern of clouds fered to the Emperor by the nine Lords.
that overhung everything. Cirtalcrus also wrote that there were From that day forward, the business of Worldgate was trade.
“strange flashes of lightning all about the ground,” and that Twice a year, the Realm sent massive caravans loaded with
“thrice we did witness the opening of small dimensional door- food, water, crystals, and stones to the Free City. Now, one
ways.” These random Rifts caused the explorer to turn back im- might wonder why the Lords needed to import such basic neces-
mediately for Charun. sities when the Living Planet would provide them all for free.
Another two hundred years would pass before anyone from The answer lies in the uniqueness of Worldgate’s location.
the Realm would again venture into these lands. This time it was When Cirtalcrus the Younger recorded that the land here was
a group of resiners wandering the land in search of new depos- bruised, he was exactly right. Worldgate sits in the midst of
its. When they came upon the lands where Worldgate now lies, three hundred square miles (768 square km) of damaged Worm-
they discovered that Cirtalcrus had been correct, at least about a wood. It is almost as if a giant fist once pummeled the land,
few things. The land here looked dark and bruised in sharp con- leaving it bruised but not destroyed. Whatever may have caused
trast to the usual pink, tan, and brown colors of Wormwood. this is yet another of the city’s mysteries, but the end result is
The spiral pattern of clouds remained as well. As for the crater, certain; Wormwood tries to provide for the people living here,
there was no sign, but a massive castle of some kind now domi- but cannot quite succeed. The food in Worldgate’s caves is
nated the landscape, surrounded by walls thirty feet high (9 m). bland and colorless. The water that bubbles up from the city’s
Outside the walls, a number of other buildings had apparently many wells and faucets is alright for bathing, but is otherwise
sprung up, but none of these, the castle included, had been made brackish and unfit to drink. Magical stones and crystals simply
from Wormwood. These were rough and unnatural stone, wood, cannot be created or summoned forth here, nor can Battle
and metal. Truly, this was a strange and alien land, best to be Saints, Orbs, or the Spirits of Wormwood. Any buildings con-
avoided. jured up from the Living Planet are small, stunted, and like the
When the Unified Realm was at the height of its expansion- surrounding countryside, are varying shades of blue, purple, and
ary period, an envoy of one thousand knights led by Emperor black. Things are not nearly as bad as are found in parts of the
Jhagus II, marched into the purple lands surrounding the city Reorith Province, but to say that the Wormwood beneath the
(which by this time had swelled to a population in the tens of city is broken or poisoned would be very apt.
thousands). Approaching the gates of the massive castle, the Whatever caused this huge injury to Wormwood left yet an-
Emperor demanded palaver with whoever claimed authority other side effect behind; one that, in a strange way, made up for
over this region. He was met by nine beings that the world the lack of local resources. The entire area is magically power-
would later come to know as the Lords of the Exchequer. ful. Any priest or man of magic who enters the confines of the
The Lords are just one of many enigmas in the Free City. In Old City will gain all the bonuses of being in close proximity to
the two thousand years that they have called Wormwood their a ley line (range and duration of spells and prayers is increased
home, no one has ever seen their faces. Each and every time that by 50%). It is also dimensionally weak. Tiny Rifts constantly
the Lords make a public appearance, they are covered head to flare up within the Suq al Dimeteri, spewing out strange items
toe in long robes. They wear black leather gloves and boots that and confused travelers. In fact, Worldgate seems to be an
cover their hands and feet, and their faces are hidden behind a interdimensional magnet of some kind, pulling in a full half of
mask of black porcelain. All that can be said about them with any and all random Rift activity on Wormwood. (So, if one co-
certainty is that they are not human. Each of the Lords stands mes to this world by pure chance, the odds are that person will
eight feet tall (2.4 m), with long arms and clawed fingers. Al- arrive in Worldgate.) Combined, these factors have made the
though they look thin and gangly, each of them must weigh sev- Free City a natural transdimensional hub just as surely as a shel-
eral hundred pounds. When they move, there is a slight tered harbor would make for a thriving sea port.
distortion in the air, almost like an afterimage that trails along It would seem that Aeon Keep, the personal abode for the
behind them. In general, even when being honest and friendly, Lords of the Exchequer, was the first building to be constructed
they make everyone quite uncomfortable just by their presence. here. Over time, the random Rifting brought in enough
The Lords of the Exchequer invited the visitors into their off-world travelers to found a small town. From there, mer-
keep, and shut the gates once more. Exactly what then took chants, tradesmen, and mercenaries, some drawn here by acci-
place is an utter and total mystery, but within a few days time dent and others by design, came to call this strange place their
the Emperor and his knights were on their way back to Charun. home. However, Worldgate attracted another type of person in
Obviously, some kind of deal had been struck between the two large numbers: those who did not wish to be found. Because it
parties, for the expansion of the Unified Realm went right exists in a “cosmic blind spot,” once a dimensional traveler ar-
around Worldgate, leaving it independent and free from the au- rives on Wormwood they are all but impossible to track down.
thority of the Emperor. As well, the order of the Sentinel They have literally dropped off the Megaversal map. This made
Knights came into existence shortly afterwards; was it coinci- Worldgate a natural refuge for escaped slaves, criminals, fugi-
dence that Jhagus II had taken one thousand knights into the tives, persecuted refugees, religious fanatics, assassins, and
Lords’ keep, and that there were only ever an equal number of smugglers from an infinite number of realities. Simply put,
Sentinels afterwards? Many think not. Lastly, the fantastic Worldgate was (and remains) a great place to get lost in.
Soulstuff Blades, wielded exclusively by those same one thou-
25
 When Lord Reorith invited all the powers of Wormwood to to places with a relatively low technology level. This somewhat
meet and discuss a plan to destroy the Unholy, the overseers of lessened the shock for the impressed people, who were simply
Worldgate were included. Surprisingly, the nine Lords accepted, going from one medieval fantasy world to another. Sometimes
leaving Aeon Keep in a machine like an armored locomotive this was done with subtlety; the Impressment Officers might dis-
and arriving in Watchtower within a few days of travel. As guise themselves as police, walk into a tavern, and haul out all
usual, their true natures were disguised behinds layers of robes, the drunks. Only, instead of putting them in the stocks, they
cloaks, leathers, and masks. They sat without saying so much as would toss them through a Rift. When the poor beggars awoke,
a single word, listening intently to everything that was said. they were not only hung over, but they were hung over on
Then, when Ezud, the Cathedral, and the Sentinel Knights Wormwood. Other times, the Impress Service acted far more
clasped each other’s hands in agreement, the Lords rose, bowed boldly. On one occasion, over three thousand soldiers, Impress-
deeply, and left. Worldgate chose not to partake in the Congre- ment Officers, and Zacchaean operatives surrounded the town of
gation. It could be that since Worldgate was a den of thieves, Cersam (Land of the South Winds, Palladium World). They
merchants, and refugees, that the Lords had no armed force to stormed though every street, home, pub, and place of business,
donate to the cause. It is also possible that through some kind of gathering up eligible men between the ages of fifteen and
oracular means they knew the Battle of Khulam Plains would be fifty-five. At sword point they marched them through a dimen-
lost. Regardless, the Congregation carried on without them, and sional portal while the women screamed and begged for mercy.
did indeed lose the fight before the gates of Charun. The Unified Finally, perhaps to hide the fact that they had ever been there,
Realm vanished entirely, and as they retreated southwards to- they set fire to the town.
ward Nanuz, the Cathedral survivors cursed the Free City for its Once in Worldgate, the conscripts were told that they were
abstention. now in the service of their new King, and that there was no way
Even though they had sent no soldiers into the fray, the Con- for them to get back home. As incredible as it might sound, al-
gregation’s loss dealt the Lords of the Exchequer a harsh blow most everyone accepted their fate. Again, this is because of the
regardless. With the extinction of both the Unified Realm and worlds the Impress Service chose to raid; low-tech, fantasy
the Sentinel Order, and having earned the Cathedral’s eternal realms whose people were well used to being taken advantage
enmity, Worldgate now found itself high and dry. Literally. The of by powers greater than themselves. They were put through a
caravans that brought food and water into the city were no more, basic program which originally included training with a sword
and by the fifth year of the Great Tribulation, anarchy reigned in and shield, and long-distance formational marching. Finally,
the streets. The Lords refused to simply let a thousand years they were outfitted with a few simple weapons and a suit of
worth of work self-destruct so easily. So, they came up with a resin armor. They were not soldiers in the least. They were little
two-fold solution. Firstly, they announced to the throngs of riot- more than fodder. Its military force in place, Worldgate then en-
ers outside the walls of their keep that they would hand control tered into talks with the other kingdoms, which by that time
of the city over to an appointed King and a civilian Ruling were hunkering down in the Reorith Province. In exchange for
Council. Secondly, Worldgate had to reestablish trade with the water, food, crystals, and stones, the Free City would rent out its
other Wormwood powers. But with what could it do business? army. Desperate to fill the gaps in their crumbling front lines,
What indispensable product was it that only the Free City could the nations of Men agreed. Tens of thousands, never born on
provide? Depending on one’s point of view, the solution was ei- Wormwood, were sacrificed to preserve it. Thus, for the next
ther diabolically clever, or simply diabolic. eight hundred years, Worldgate prospered so long as the Im-
press Service kept up the good work.

The New Model Army Even with a myriad of dimensions at their disposal however,
the Lords of the Exchequer eventually discovered that their kid-
The first appointed King of Worldgate was a man named Mi- naping schemes simply could not keep up with the slaughter to
cah Labord. Originally an interdimensional merchant trader, he defend against the Host, especially when many of their con-
had managed to become as wealthy as any Wormwood citizen scripts ended up coming back from the dead as Worm Zombies!
could hope to be. He was familiar with many other dimensions, Moreover, the Impress Service was coming back with fewer and
including Earth and the Palladium World, and it was his experi- fewer suitable fighting men. It requires a certain level of
ence and greed that brought him to the attention of the Lords. strength and agility to use a sword and shield after all, and after
Labord had gone as far as he could go in life without receiving eight centuries, Worldgate had burned through many of the
some kind of boon, and was thus only too happy to accept con- Megaverse’s most eligible candidates. The Worldgate army, as
trol of the Free City. Whether it was King Labord who came up it was, would not be able to continue for much longer, and when
with idea, or whether it was the will of the Lords may never be it could no longer provide for the forces of the Light, the Free
known, but in the fifth year of the Great Tribulation, the City would once again starve and ultimately self-destruct. The
Worldgate Impress Service was founded. nine Lords realized that what was needed was a modernization,
and they looked to one of Wormwood’s closest neighbors for in-
Headed up by experienced members of the Zacchaeans (see
spiration. At once, they dispatched spies to Earth through their
The Rifter® #39), the Impress Service had a simple mandate: to
permanent dimensional portal in Romania. Not long afterwards,
find suitable volunteers and to bring them back to Worldgate so
Worldgate copied the tactics, weapons, and even the uniforms of
that they could be folded into a massive army. What this really
what, from their perspective, was a very high-tech feudal soci-
meant was that agents from the Free City, under the direct au-
ety: continental Europe as observed during the Napoleonic
thority of the Lords of the Exchequer, would travel throughout
the Megaverse and kidnap people. For the most part, they went
26
Wars. The old ways of thinking and training were left behind, Animal Husbandry (+5%)
and the New Model Army was created in their place. Cook (+5%)
Physical Labor
Conscript O.C.C. Wilderness Survival (+5%)
When they first began to build the New Model Army, the ru- W.P. two ancient of choice
ing powers of Worldgate saw that, on Earth, the need for pike-
men had disappeared. In medieval-era warfare, these armored
foot soldiers were indispensable. Using extremely long spears,
pikemen were an army’s front line, protecting it from enemy
cavalry charges and leading any push into the opposing ranks.
However, in Napoleonic Europe, soldiers with a musket and
bayonet could take on both offensive and defensive roles. More-
over, they were far more mobile because their weapons were
less unwieldy and they could get by with lighter suits of armor.
In short, an army of musketmen required less training, less
physical stamina, and less materiel, all of which made it very at-
tractive to the efficiency-minded Lords.
Instead of kidnaping only the strong and the agile, the Im-
press Service could now take almost anyone. Within a few
weeks, they could be trained to march in formation, load and
fire a flintlock musket, and fight in close combat if needed. The
numbers of the New Model Army swelled with cheap, dispos-
able soldiers, as they continue to do this very day. First time
travelers to Worldgate had best be on their toes, as fresh recruits
are often swept up from the Bab el Fna and find themselves in
training before they know what happened to them.
In battle, Conscripts are deployed in large formations to com-
pensate for their slow reload times and long-range inaccuracy.
Each consists of a platoon (80 men) arranged in three ranks. The
men in the front rank kneel down so that every man can fire.
Depending on the situation, the guns may be ordered to fire in a
single, devastating volley, or their shots may be staggered in
what is called “platoon fire.” This tactic was directly stolen from
the British Army, and has the men firing one after the other
from right to left. By the time the soldiers on the left flank have
squeezed off their round, the men on the right should have suc-
cessfully reloaded, resulting in one continuous hail of bullets.
When on the march, the New Model Army uses the French
“attack column”: a tightly-packed line of up to 2000 men, ten
abreast. Often the sight of this is enough to make the demon ar-
mies scatter and run. However, if the column falls under attack
its forward progress can be blocked by its own dead, and as-
saults on its flank can be especially devastating.
O.C.C. Skills
Speaks Barter (+15%) or Wormwoodian Anglish (+5%)
Forced March
W.P. Wormwood Flintlocks
Military Etiquette (+10%)
Lore: Demons and Monsters (+10%)
Background Skills
Most Conscripts were simple peasant folks from medi-
eval/fantasy worlds before they were brought to Worldgate and
forced into the army. The following skills reflect their past life.
They are frozen at 1D4th level (the level that the character was
when they were impressed) and will not increase until their
Conscript level surpasses their background level.
Speaks Native Language at 98%.
27
 General Repair (+10%) OR Horsemanship: General (+5%) soon underway, by the end of which the city of Worldgate had
Hand to Hand: Basic in its possession nearly 9000 Harley-Davidson motorcycles. At
Hand to Hand: Basic may be upgraded to Expert at the cost last, the New Model Army had a cavalry unit which could be
of two other Background Skills, or to Martial Arts at the cost powered by magic alone. All it needed were men to ride them.
of three. The Army’s bizarre combination of 20th-Century motorcy-
O.C.C. Related Skills: None! Everything that the Conscript cles and 18th-Century military doctrine gave birth to the
needs to know about his new role in life has already been Hussarleys. Like their Napoleonic namesakes, these men are
covered by his basic training. So long as he can walk, follow trained to engage in missions ranging from reconnaissance to
orders, and shoot a musket somewhat straight, then he re- supply raids. In battle, their job is to attack enemy skirmishers,
quires no further related skills. At 5th level, if he is still alive, charge weak positions in the enemy line, and run down anyone
the Conscript may take the skill W.P. Siege Weapons. He who flees. Unlike the Conscripts, these riders are almost always
will then carry a rank of sergeant and will be eligible to com- native Wormwoodians. Moreover, because they have a tradition
mand a gunnery crew in the use of cannons. as being Special Forces, the Hussarleys often feel superior to the
common soldier, including knights and freelancers from other
Secondary Skills: Conscripts tend to pick up an odd collection
lands. They have a reputation for being the dashing, if unruly,
of skills as they fight in battles, travel across Wormwood,
adventurers of the New Model Army. Their image abroad is that
and encounter a myriad of new people. Select six skills at
of a reckless, hard-drinking, hard-swearing, womanizing,
first level, plus one additional skill at levels 3, 5, 7, 9, 11, and
moustachioed swashbuckler. Less romantically, the Hussarleys
13. All new skills begin at the base level and may be found
are also known (and feared) for their poor treatment of local ci-
on page 300 of Rifts® Ultimate Edition.
vilians in whatever community they might be passing through or
Standard Equipment: The standard uniform of the New Model fighting in. In addition to commandeering local food-stocks for
Army is a dark blue suit; forage hat, pants, jacket, and over- the Army, they are also known to use the opportunity for per-
coat. It’s made of heavy angel hair and it itches like hell. sonal looting and pillaging.
Other equipment includes a blanket, a haversack (worn on
the hip, it contains things like hardtack, salt, coffee, dried O.C.C. Special Abilities
bugs, and scraps), a resin cup, and some kind of canteen or
1. Ride to Live. The Hussarleys are intensively trained com-
water skin.
pared to many other Wormwood men-at-arms. As scouts and
Each conscript carries a smooth-bore musket, and enough flank attackers, speed is both their ally and their armor. This
paper cartridges to provide him with twenty shots. also means that, above all else, they must maintain control over
Money: Not applicable on Wormwood, where valuables, weap- their machines else they will surely die. The motto for the
ons, food, and services are given in exchange for other goods Harley-Davidson Company, “Live to ride, ride to live,” has been
and services. taken quite literally by these men. Their focus and passion for
Cybernetics and Bionics: None to start. combat while mounted atop their bikes translates itself into the
Symbiotes: None to start, but might become available as the following bonuses and abilities. Note that this skill is separate
game progresses. from their regular Pilot: Motorcycle percentage. Ride to Live is
best thought of as special “maintain balance” or “roll with
Hussarley O.C.C. punch/fall/impact” skill. The Hussarleys can also use it to re-
cover from a failed Pilot Motorcycle roll.
The Lords of the Exchequer had known for some time that · Gain +1 to their initiative when on a bike, and receive an-
the New Model Army was terribly slow. All of its soldiers were other +1 at levels 4, 8, 12, and 15.
on foot, and because of this it could not reposition itself very
easily. What it needed was some kind of military unit that could
· Are +2 to roll with fall/impact when thrown from their bike.
dash from place to place on the battlefield, deliver a quick but · Are +2 to parry and dodge when on their bike (in addition to
powerful blow to exposed targets such as an enemy’s flank or hand to hand and P.P. bonuses).
supply trains, and act as forward scouts. Of course, what they · Base Skill is 50% + 5% per level.
were looking for was cavalry. For years, the Lords had been en- 2. Charge Attack. Despite having motorcycles instead of
viously eyeing up the armies of both the Palladium World and horses, these men are cavalry, and are best used in a flat-out
European Earth, and had seriously considered stealing vast num- charge against an enemy. They will ride in a very tight forma-
bers of horses. The problem was that horses required water and tion (“knee to knee,” as it is called), and with swords drawn,
imported food (Wormwood produces nothing that horses can will crash into the enemy’s ranks, lopping off heads and hewing
eat), two things that Worldgate had in short supply. So, the idea limbs. Any charge attack requires a Pilot Motorcycle skill roll at
of making a cavalry unit was put on the back burner in favor of -10% (because they are driving with only one hand). The charge
importing flintlock weapons. will add 1D4 points of damage to the weapon being used and is
Then, a little over a century ago, Zacchaean operatives dis- considered to be a critical strike, but takes up the equivalent of 2
covered that because of some all-encompassing war, Earth’s melee actions. Don’t forget to add in any damage bonuses
technology was taking another leap forward. One of their king- gained from the motorcycle’s speed as well. Once the strike roll
doms was in the midst of producing a “mechanical horse,” for a charge has been made, whether it was successful or not,
which would soon be shipped in vast numbers to yet another the rider must then roll under his Ride to Live skill to remain in
kingdom. An elaborate scheme of forgery and misdirection was the seat.

28
O.C.C. Skills
Speak: Native Language at 80%
Speak: Barter or Wormwoodian Anglish (+20%)
Pilot: Motorcycle (+20%)
Land Navigation (+20)
Automotive Mechanics (+15%)
Recognize Weapon Quality (+15%)
Wilderness Survival (+10%)
Boxing
Athletics General
W.P. Sword
W.P. Wormwood Flintlocks
Hand to Hand: Expert, which can be upgraded to Martial
Arts or Assassin at the cost of two O.C.C. Related Skills.
O.C.C. Related Skills
Cowboy: None.
Communication: Any.
Domestic: Any +5%.
Electrical: None.
Espionage: Intelligence and Escape Artist only.
Mechanical: Basic only (+10%).
Medical: First Aid only.
Military: Any (+5%).
Physical: Any.
Pilot: Horsemanship, Horsemanship: Exotic, and Hover Cy-
cle only (+10%).
Pilot Related: Any.
Rogue: Any except Computer Hacking (+5%).
Science: Math and Astronomy only (+5%).
Technical: Any (+10%).
W.P.: Any.
Wilderness: Any (+5%).
Secondary Skills: The character may also take two Secondary
skills at first level, plus one more at levels 4, 8, 12, and 14.
All new skills begin at the base level, and may be found on
page 300 of Rifts® Ultimate Edition.
Standard Equipment: Two Wormwood flintlock pistols, 1D6
reload wads for each pistol, one enchanted resin saber (in-
flicts 2D6 points of damage, and is +2 to initiative, +1 to
strike, and +2 to parry), one additional bladed weapon of
choice, leather boots and gloves, riding goggles, sleeping
bag, blanket, tin of moustache wax, and 2D4 weeks of food
rations. Armor is kept light; usually a half suit of plate (60
M.D.C. and -10% to Prowl) or enchanted leather (40 M.D.C.,
but no Prowl penalty).
The uniform of the Hussarleys is directly copied from the
Hungarians, circa 1790. It has a short cloak, dark blue in
color, adorned with braids and buttons, worn on top of a
chest plate. The pants are reinforced breeches with leather
sewn to the insides of the legs, tucked into a pair of
knee-high leather boots. Hussarleys also tend to sport long
moustaches, but never beards. Their hair may be worn long
and braided, but younger riders often cut their hair ragged
and short.
29
Vehicle: Traditionally, the Hussarleys ride a Harley-Davidson City, to the point where not drinking three small glasses when a
model 42WLA. The majority are magically powered, with host or business contact offers it is nearly a declaration of hostil-
gasoline engines usually reserved for use in off-world ities. Incidentally, it is recommended in both cold weather and
raids/missions. Recently, the fashion among younger mem- blistering heat as a refresher, tonic, and digestive.
bers has been towards more modern bikes stolen from places The weather on Wormwood is generally stable and clear,
like Center and Rifts Earth. However, these are still relatively with temperatures remaining around the 80 degree Fahrenheit
few in number. (26.6 Celsius) mark. Typically, the breeze is gentle and blows
Money: Not applicable on Wormwood, where valuables, weap- under ten miles per hour (16 km). However, Worldgate’s prox-
ons, food, and services are given in exchange for other goods imity to the Northern Mountains changes things a bit. When the
and services. However, as sometime dimensional bandits, sun sets, a chill wind comes sweeping down, and everyone sud-
and given their penchant for thieving raids, a Hussarley will denly wraps themselves in additional layers or dons heavier
start out with 1D4x1000 credits worth of additional items cloaks. Worldgate is not immune to the Misting, and roughly
from across the Megaverse. once a week the humidity rises sharply as a thick fog envelops
Cybernetics and Bionics: None to start. the entire valley. A few times a year, an especially strong wind
will become channeled between the Northern Mountains and the
Symbiotes: None to start, but might become available as the
large hills that lie north of Stone Haven. Blowing in from the
game progresses.
battlefields of the Reorith Province, and crashing headlong into
Worldgate, the end result is what can only be called a dust
Places of Note in Worldgate storm.
1. The Hall of Ages. Fancy name aside, this large building is
Worldgate is a paradoxical city. Those in the Megaverse who
the official museum of the Free City. It is run by a group of
even know of its existence see it as a scummy, backwater di-
thirty-two men and women who diligently record the history of
mensional port; a remote and desolate place in the middle of no-
Worldgate, and preserve important artifacts. Each of the cura-
where. When they compare it against more cosmopolitan cities
tors are fully literate (a rarity on Wormwood), and will gladly
like Splynn, Center, and Cibola, Worldgate is, quite simply, a
offer their services as a reader for those who cannot. They can
dump. However, those with an open mind and an adventurous
also, for the right price, assist treasure hunters and scholars in
spirit will soon find that Worldgate does have its own unique,
the deciphering of ancient maps and texts. Deep beneath the mu-
and oddly alluring, culture.
seum is a monastery which helps develop the Inner Spirit. Six-
The first thing one must take note of is the local language. teen monks call this place home and secretly operate from out of
The majority of people here do not speak Wormwoodian it.
Anglish primarily, and so first time visitors can be at a great dis-
2. The Bab el Fna. Translated into Anglish, the name of this
advantage. Worldgate’s common tongue is called Barter. It is a
huge, open area literally means “the Place of the Doors.” It’s fit-
rapid, consonant-heavy dialect that is actually derived from Ber-
ting, since the square is filled with periodic Rifts and dimen-
ber (a group of languages native to northern Africa). Other lan-
sional portals. Not only are strangers deposited here on a regular
guages of note include Demongogian, Gobblely, and on
basis, but some powerful local Shifters have actually mapped
occasion, Ezudesh and Galactic Trade Tongue One.
out the cycles of the various portals (this is how Erin Tarn’s
Because of its withered food caves and bland-tasting bugs, benefactor knew that his next available Rift would lead to Eng-
Worldgate cuisine has copious amounts of spices added to it. land, on Earth). Over the centuries it has become surrounded by
For example, haleela is a thick, hummus-like paste served with bazaars, temples, and terraced cafes, all catering to the newly ar-
almost every meal. It is made of ground bugs, garlic, oil, and rived and the dimensionally outgoing. During the day the square
lemon juice. It tastes much like a mild curry and is traditionally is filled with acrobats, wormcharmers, henna tattoo artists, for-
served with large pieces of flatbread for dipping. On the other tune-tellers, apothecaries, and musicians. One can also buy a
end of the scale is fiquah, a lamb which is slow-roasted for ten shot of cool, fresh water from one of the roving water sellers,
hours in a covered pit. Every hour, the meat is slathered with a dressed in bright colors and adorned with water skins and pol-
thick sauce that itself is a cross between horseradish and hot ished brass drinking bowls. At night, when the food stalls set out
mustard. The end result is a very tender dish that makes the eyes tables and chairs, it becomes the largest outdoor grill on Worm-
water just to smell it. In fact, many Worldgate chefs make it a wood. Meats, bugs, fungi, and vegetable fronds cook through
point of pride to see just how much they can make their diners the night while torches blaze and entertainers dance.
cry.
For all its fun and frivolity, the Bab el Fna can also be a dan-
Another item newcomers must become familiar with is mint gerous place. Press gangs and thieves prowl here at all hours of
tea. This sweet and aromatic brew is offered for, with, and after the day, and not all of Worldgate’s dimensional visitors are
breakfast, lunch, and dinner. It’s served as an icebreaker for ev- friendly when they first arrive. Not only is it feasible that mon-
erything from rug selling in the souk to matchmaking. Some- sters and supernatural horrors might suddenly appear in the
times called “Worldgate whiskey,” the tea is brewed using a square, but attacks from extradimensional raiders, while not an
stubby plant that grows in the local food caves and which tastes everyday occurrence, do happen frequently enough to warrant a
strongly of peppermint (in fact, it’s one of the only things in the posting of guards. About once every five years or so, the square
caves that has any distinct flavor at all). Once ready, it is loaded will be ravaged by a ley line storm that lasts for 2D6 hours.
up with sugar, and poured from on high to aerate it and release
3. Suq al Dimeteri. This is the Dimensional Market of
the aromas. Mint tea is the symbol of hospitality in the Free
Worldgate, a convoluted labyrinth of stalls and buildings selling
30
all manner of local and imported goods. Rugs, clothing, weap- their parents cannot bear the thought of simply dumping them
ons, and spices are all available here, as are magical components out onto the streets. These children are always taken in, but
and enchanted items. Certain services can also be hired in the rarely seen again. The most able of them will undergo years of
Suq, from the mundane (porters to carry one’s newly purchased training and schooling to join the ranks of Zacchaeans. Others
goods) to the clandestine (the place is crawling with spies, are taught Temporal Magic and trained to be private guards.
thugs, and assassins). The Suq is described in more detail below. Aeon Keep contains one of the four permanent Rifts connecting
4. The Grand Hammam. Connected to a series of water Wormwood to Earth: in this case, it leads to Eastern Europe, in
pools, this large building is a unique kind of steam bath. It will the ruins of Brasov, Romania.
surprise many to learn, especially given its reputation as a filthy 8. Tanneries. People will smell this particular neighborhood
den of iniquity, that the people of Worldgate have one of the long before they actually see it. A rancid mixture of chemicals
highest standards of hygiene in all of Wormwood. Because the fills the air every daylight hour, as well as the scent of blood and
local water tables are not fit for much more than washing charcoal. There are thirteen tanneries operating in the area. Each
clothes and bathing, an entire ritual has evolved around these can have up to six hundred skins sitting in its vats at any one
two things. There are separate facilities for men and women, al- time, resting there for as long as two months amid constant
though it is much the same for both. In brief, water is heated soaping and scrubbing. Clothing and leather armors can be pur-
from underneath the building and released as steam. Bathers sit chased here, but none of them will be enchanted. Magical leath-
for a while until their pores open up, then douse themselves with ers are only found in the Suq, where Alchemists and Wizards
very hot water. They shave if necessary, and then scrub them- put additional spells on them. Mages and men of letters should
selves vigorously with a dried, sponge-like plant that grows in take note as well that it is only in the tanneries that one can find
the foothills of the Northern Mountains. Finally, they rinse with vellum, the animal skin parchment most often used for scrolls
cold water, and apply lotions and oils to their skin. If one is so and tomes.
inclined, they may hire a tayeba; a personal assistant who will 9. City Ramparts. Worldgate is completely enclosed by a
not only scrub them down, but for the men, will help with series of walls that would make any Ezudite proud. Each one is
stretching of limbs and cracking of joints. 33 feet (10 m) tall, and 7 feet (2.1 m) thick. A ten foot (3 m)
5. Church of Light. Directly north of the Suq al Dimeteri is area of the wall has 50 M.D.C., but one would have to inflict
a large, dilapidated building adorned with crosses. This is a 700 Mega-Damage in order to cut clean through from one side
Church of the Light whose foundations date back to the last to the other. All told, the walls around Worldgate are 9 miles
days of the Unified Realm. Over the centuries, the church has (14 km) in diameter. Fourteen large gates, called babs in Barter,
been destroyed and rebuilt several times. Currently, twenty allow for entry into the city. The gates are made of enchanted
priests calling themselves the Order of Saint Pelki live there. pillar wood (impervious to fire) and have 400 M.D.C. each.
Every morning, they can be seen carrying large pots of soup to Each bab is guarded by a small garrison of Conscripts (2D6 +14
the unfortunates who gather in the slave market. Of particular men). 16-pound cannons are built into defensive positions here
note, the building acts as a genuine sanctuary. Demons may not as well (5D6x10 per shot, 4500 foot/1371 m range maximum
step on its hallowed ground, nor may they come within three but really only effective up to a half a mile). The gates are
hundred feet (91 m) of the building itself. This is a most unusual closed at sunset and reopened at dawn.
power that many attribute to the particular piety of the Order 10. Council House. Built like a large hotel, this is the build-
(normally, there is nothing stopping the dark forces of the Un- ing where the Worldgate Ruling Council meets to discuss all of
holy from ransacking a church of any denomination). Also, any- its business. There are several suites within reserved for visiting
one who enters here is legally safe from Impressment for as long dignitaries, and each of the Council members maintains a per-
as they remain in the building. manent residence here as well.
6. Magi Medersa. One of the largest institutes of magic in 11. Palace of Worldgate. King Shrombek lives here along
all of Wormwood, this impressive building teaches as many as with his wife, Rahela and her personal guard. (see The Rifter
900 students annually. Arranged around the central courtyard #43 for more details about the Free City’s new Queen).
are their sleeping quarters, which are really little more than 12. Lost Tombs. Built 500 years ago during Worldgate’s
small cells cut into the second story wall. Only “standard” magi- first (and so far, only) civil war, when the royal family divided
cal incantations are taught at the Medersa. Those wishing to into two camps, each backing a different successor to the late
learn the secrets of Temporal Magic must plead their case be- King Harick III. Every time one of the nobles was killed in the
fore the gates of Aeon Keep, and one can only become a fighting, they were lavishly entombed here, in this family plot.
Techno-Wizard through years of apprenticeship in the market- Finally, after seven years of conflict, Clarence of Cobey became
place. King (mostly because all the other royals had been killed). A
7. Aeon Keep. Home of the nine Lords of the Exchequer, meek and fearful man, King Clarence sealed off the tombs for
this imposing edifice dominates the city. In fact, there is a fear that the ghosts of his dead ancestors would try to murder
long-standing decree that no other buildings in Worldgate may him. It has only been during the reign of King Shrombek that
be taller than the Keep’s spires. Very, very few people have ever the crypts have been unearthed. They remain off limits to the
been inside it. It is heavily enchanted and the solitary entrance, a public while the 166 separate underground catacombs are
massive arched gate twenty feet (6 m) high, is under constant mapped and explored. Rumors abound that the wealth of kings
guard (usually by a combination of Temporal and Symbiotic lies hidden within them.
Warriors). Unwanted children may be left on the entry steps if

31
The Suq al Dimeteri appealing, the down and out of Worldgate can gather here every
day where they contract themselves out as some of the cheapest
Wormwood is unique for being a world without any kind of labor around. Many will simply work for food. Need a guide to
monetary system. None of its dominions or kingdoms mint their the city or a porter to carry all your new purchases through the
own money because the Living Planet has no precious metals, Suq? Stop by the slave market and point someone out. Keep in
such as gold or silver. Having no money makes it difficult to en- mind though, that if these poor souls were fit and healthy, they
gage in interdimensional commerce. Crystals, stones, and would have been impressed into the New Model Army long ago,
symbiotes cease to function and will turn to dust shortly after so the infirm, the elderly, the crippled, and the diseased are the
leaving Wormwood, making them unsuitable for trade, and no norm here.
one in the larger Megaverse sees any value in resin. Unable to
4. Spice Souk. Pushier and more mass-market than many
buy what they want from other worlds, Wormwoodians usually
parts of the Suq, this is the main spice center in Worldgate. As
have to resort to trickery or theft. This has given rise to several
mentioned previously, even though Wormwood provides per-
powerful organizations (the Zacchaeans being the biggest)
fectly nutritious meals for its inhabitants, those produced in
whose specialty is the acquisition and sale of off-world imports.
Worldgate are bland and flavorless. Thus, the demand for cook-
Worldgate, with its multitude of Rifts, alien races, and crimi- ing additives is great. There are also lots of woven baskets and
nal entrepreneurs, naturally has far more of these guilds than hats for sale here. One of the more popular stopping points in
anywhere else. Over time, each has come to specialize in one or this part of town is Peppercorn Black, a three-story café special-
two particular areas of expertise. For example, one guild might izing in kahwa; a gritty, thick, north-African style coffee. It is
be very good at identifying fruits and vegetables to bring back to also interesting to note that coffee is a forbidden substance in
the Free City, while another group might focus solely on the both Ezud and the lands of the Cathedral because it is associated
traffic of machinery or energy weapons. Regardless, because with revolutionaries.
they are stealing whatever they can get their hands on, and not
5. The Weapon Bazaar. The Lords of the Exchequer and the
buying wholesale from a manufacturer, their stockpile of items
Ruling Council of Worldgate try their best to keep all the
is typically very small and limited.
weapon merchants in one place, where it’s easier to observe
In order to prevent these groups from wiping each other out them. At least, that’s the theory. In reality, this building, three
in hostile takeovers and destroying the city in the process, the blocks long, is often so busy that it’s impossible to record who
Lords of the Exchequer established a special kind of bank, is buying what from whom. The bazaar sells all manner of new
called a Trade Exchange. Each guild and business buys each and refurbished weapons from swords and maces, to energy ri-
other’s (ill-gotten) goods through the Exchange using an inter- fles and rail guns. However, those looking to have something
nal currency called a seleh. These trade credits can be used to newly crafted or made to order will have to look elsewhere in
buy what they want with no obligation to purchase from whom the Suq. The merchants here are under no obligation to inform a
they sold to and vice versa. Transaction fees apply and this is customer as to exactly whence their wares came from, but it
how the Exchange (and the Lords of the Exchequer) makes a widely known that several gangs of thieves and scavengers
profit. Businesses and guilds are required by Worldgate law to pawn whatever they steal or find here. Buyers must beware.
deal with each other through the Exchange. If they do not, then Stolen, broken, and cursed items have been known to find their
they are engaged in a black market that will eventually see them way through here more often than people would like.
tracked down and dealt with by the minions of the Lords.
One large portion of the bazaar deals specifically with the
Smaller transactions, such as one person buying something sale of Wormwood flintlocks, and is the only place in the build-
from another, or a customer buying an item or service from a ing where a customer can purchase a never-before-used firearm.
business or guild do not deal with the Exchange. They will have One of the most common, and more interesting patrons here is a
to haggle with each other in the millennia-old traditional way. Sowki who goes by the name of “Old West.” It’s as fitting a
1. Fruit and Spice Kissaria. A large covered market con- handle as any, because he dresses like an extra from a Roy Rog-
taining off-world imports like dried fruit, herbs, spices, essential ers movie and speaks with a heavily affected American drawl.
oils, and kohls in differing colors. (Kohl, pronounced “ko-haul,” Old West buys flintlock weapons in lots of twenty, and then dis-
is a kind of makeup worn on the eyes. The majority of users are appears for months at a time. What he does with all of those pis-
women, but men sometimes also wear it to decrease the glare of tols and rifles is anyone’s guess.
the sun. In fact, the Confessor is wearing some in his portrait on 6. Souk el Attarine. Traditionally, this is the market street
page 58 of Wormwood.) for oils and perfumes. Many magical powders and potions can
2. Restaurant District. North of the Bab el Fna and east of also be obtained here. So can talom.
another, smaller square, is a tightly packed collection of eater- 7. Carpet Souk. Surrounded by boutiques, this open area is
ies. The atmosphere is loud, smoky, and crowded, but for fresh- notable for a floor of shiny resin tiles upon which the merchants
ness the food cannot be beat. The numerous outdoor patios and lay out rugs of every size and shape. Angel hair carpets are a
cafés also make this a perfect spot for people watching or for a specialty in this part of the Living Planet, and buyers will come
secret rendezvous. from as far away as Cenyaw to find them.
3. Slave Market. This open square is a bit of a misnomer. 8. Jewelry Souk. Three long blocks filled with jewelry
Many people arrive in Worldgate absolutely destitute, and since stores. This is the part of town to go for those in search of rings,
the welfare state isn’t even a concept on Wormwood, they can charms, earrings, and necklaces, both the magical and mundane.
either turn to thievery in order to survive or they can starve to It is also not uncommon to find trinkets and accessories from
death in the streets. However, if neither of those options seems across all of time and space, such as chain belts, spiked wrist-
32
bands, silver crosses, demonic jawbones, and campaign buttons the British Empire, it was the most commonly available of all
from Richard Nixon’s second Presidential term. models. These weapons were then studied and re-cast using na-
9. Apothecaries. Tucked into cloistered shops, several mer- tive Wormwood materials such as resin and pillar wood.
chants in this area specialize in healing powders and potions. Flintlock weapons were set to revolutionize Wormwoodian
Bloodletting and dentistry are also available here. warfare except for one continuing setback: the powder. Tradi-
10. Dyers Souk. Also called the souk sebbaghine, this is the tional gunpowder is composed of three ingredients (charcoal,
main square for selling fabrics made mostly of angel hair. Here sulphur, and saltpeter) which are abundant on Earth, but are un-
one can watch men dipping bolts of cloth into vats of hot dye, heard of on the Living Planet. Unwilling to make constant di-
while overhead a tangle of scarves and trains of wool hang from mensional raids in order to obtain what they needed, the Lords
clotheslines in so great a number that they block out the sun. of the Exchequer posted a handsome reward for the Alchemist
11. Souk Haddadine. This the resiners’ market, where one who could devise a native substitute. This prize was eventually
can purchase any and all things resin. Each month, huge ship- claimed by a coalition of wizards. Using burned pillar wood,
ments of resin blocks are brought by caravan into the city. With acidic chemicals, and select elemental spells, they found they
massive ovens and forges, the resiners melt the hardened chunks could synthesize a kind of magical black powder that was not
back down into a soft, malleable material and then make from it only an explosive compound, but which was ignited by Potential
what they wish. This is the place to come for custom work or to Psychic Energy (P.P.E.). The secret of the powder remains al-
commission a sword to be forged. Hard armor is readily for sale most exclusively in the hands of Worldgate to this very day.
here from single breastplates up to and including full suits of Wormwood flintlocks are commonly available throughout
plate and chain. The Haddadine is also a great place to purchase the Free City, and may either be new or refurbished (i.e. taken
more common items like tables, chairs, lanterns, beds and other off a corpse and cleaned up a bit). The enchanted powder how-
furniture. Also nestled within this area is Heavy Metal, a fam- ever is available only from a handful of merchants whose every
ily-owned garage and one of the few places where off-world action is closely watched by the agents and spies of the Lords of
machines and vehicles can be repaired and upgraded. the Exchequer. The powers that rule Worldgate fear that, should
Techno-Wizard engine systems can also be installed here and the other nations of Wormwood learn how to produce the stuff
take an average of 3D4x10 hours. for themselves, they will no longer have a need to hire the New
12. Leather Souk. When raw leather articles leave the tan- Model Army. Thus, while the guns are freely traded and sold,
nery district, they end up here, where they are polished up, em- the powder supply is tightly controlled. Still, despite their best
broidered, and quite often, magically enchanted. Belts, gloves, efforts, small quantities are sometimes available on the under-
masks, scabbards, jackets, pants, and armor can all be found ground market and are sold to Freelancers, assassins, rogue
here. As an interesting historic note, this entire souk went up in knights, and any others who wish to avoid the eyes of Aeon
flames thirty years ago when an irate fire dragon discovered that Keep.
suits of dragon hide armor were being sold here. More than a
hundred people died before the beast was felled. Since that time,
Loading and Firing Wormwood Flintlocks
no dragon related articles have been openly sold in Worldgate On Earth, flintlock weapons operated quite simply: gunpow-
(although rumors persist that it can be done on the sly). der was poured down the barrel, and a lead ball was packed in
13. The Trade Exchange. This monolithic building, the only on top of it. Then a small amount of gunpowder was sprinkled
one in the entire city to have 90-degree angled corners, is the into a tiny “flash pan”. A hammer-like switch, called a “cock,”
central banking institution for Worldgate. It is here, in vast, can- held a sliver of flint, and when it was pulled back into position,
dle-lit scriptoria that the recognized guilds and large businesses the weapon was then “cocked and loaded.” When the trigger
of the Free City trade for each other’s goods and services. Ev- was pulled, the cock snapped down, the flint striking the surface
eryday citizens, who personally barter for what they want in the of the flash pan. Sparks were generated, which ignited the gun-
marketplace, have no reason to visit the Exchange. powder in the barrel, and the gun went off.
Wormwood flintlocks, even though they are magical cre-
ations, operate in almost the exact same way. The piece of flint
Weapons and Equipment is instead replaced by a carefully cut shard of Wormwoodian
crystal. Enchanted powder is then poured down the barrel. The
of the New Model Army New Model Army makes this easy by issuing small paper pack-
ets, called a wad, to its conscripts. Each packet contains a
pre-measured amount of powder as well as the ball. The wielder
Wormwood tears the wad open with his teeth (this is where the phase “bite
the bullet” comes from), pours in the whole works, and packs it
Flintlock Weapons in with a long resin stick called a ramrod. The cock is pulled
back to ready position. Take aim, and fire!
When the first flintlock weapons were brought to Worldgate But this reloading process takes time. In fact, the rate of fire
from Earth, the Zacchaeans simply grabbed whatever they could for all Wormwood flintlocks is once per melee round (about
from wherever they happened to be, resulting in a wild collec- four times a minute). This means that a character with a loaded
tion of guns from all across Europe, China, and the Ottoman
flintlock can fire off one shot in a melee, but will spend the en-
Empire. Eventually though, they started collecting the .75 Land tire remainder of the round reloading his gun. Many Freelancers
Pattern Musket in droves because as the standard-issue rifle of

33
and Apoks carry a pair of pistols so that they can get at least two Damage: 5D6 per shot.
shots off before their guns become improvised bludgeons. Payload: Single shot only.
Chance of Misfire: 10%.
W.P. Wormwood Flintlocks
This skill is available as a Weapon Proficiency to any and all Misfire Table
Wormwood O.C.C.s. It allows characters to reload, disassemble,
Because they are direct copies of actual black powder weap-
unjam, clean, and otherwise maintain Techno-Wizard converted
ons, all Wormwood flintlocks have a chance of misfiring when
flintlock-style weapons. Characters will also be able to recog-
they are used. Roll for a mishap before rolling a roll to strike.
nize the weapon quality of such guns at 30%+5% per level.
Even though the powder is magical in nature, it still reacts badly
W.P. Wormwood Flintlocks instills the following bonuses:
to moisture. High humidity, like being in a swamp or on Worm-
+2 to strike (aimed) at first level, and an additional +1 to strike
wood during the Mist (Wormwood, page 43), adds +5% to mis-
(aimed) at levels 4, 7, 10, and 13.
fires. Any kind of rain, from a drizzle to a light shower, adds
Bursts and sprays are not possible with these types of guns, +15% to the chance of a misfire. A real downpour, or dunking
although shooting Wild certainly is. Called shots are also possi- the weapon in water will up the odds to +35%.
ble with Wormwood flintlocks, and this skill could be combined
The following should be rolled by the Game Master. That’s
with W.P. Sharpshooting if the G.M. allows it. The reloading
because the character holding the weapon has no way of know-
time will remain the same however: one shot per melee. Also
ing exactly what went wrong when his weapon fails to fire.
note that this single W.P. covers the use of both pistols and ri-
fles as described below. 01-25% Misfire. Character has another chance to fire, with a
normal chance of a mishap the next time around. The hammer
Flintlock Pistol must be pulled back again.
26-40% Bad Load. Either the powder has gone bad, or
The most common style of Wormwood pistol is based on the there’s something blocking the powder from the primer. Either
.50 London Pistola. The original weapon was used widely dur- way, the gun must be cleaned out and reloaded, taking 1D4 me-
ing the Age of Sail, especially by pirates who tended to carry a lee rounds.
brace (pair) of the guns when boarding enemy ships.
41-45% Jammed. The firing mechanism has become dam-
Weight: 3 pounds (1.35 kg) loaded. aged and the gun must be taken apart and put back together.
Range: 200 feet (61 m). Takes 2D6 melee rounds. Even then, there’s a 25% chance that
Damage: 4D6 per shot. it’s still broken and will need a few hours with an Alchemist or
Payload: Single shot only. Resiner.
Chance of Misfire: 10%. 46-75% Fizzle. Instead of exploding properly, the powder
kind of fizzles, sending the shot rolling out of the barrel at slow
Wormwood “Shotgun” speed. Noisy, with lots of bright sparkles, but harmless to every-
one. Bullet may even hit target, but without doing any damage.
This is not a true rifle as we might think of. Nor is it a mus- Reload and try again.
ket. What Wormwoodians call a shotgun is really a kind of
76-80% Handfire or Slow Burn. Like a firecracker that
large, double-barreled, flintlock pistol. Instead of a single large
seems to fizzle out and then suddenly pops, this gun is just paus-
ball, this weapon is filled with several smaller ones. It has two
ing before firing. It will discharge at the beginning of the next
triggers which can be fired one after the other, or concurrently.
melee round. If the character has been patient, waiting and con-
Its design is based heavily on the .68 Charleville Model 1777,
tinuing to aim, then there is a normal chance to strike, other-
originally made in France.
wise, it will go off wildly. Note that to the character, a Slow
Weight: 6 pounds (2.7 kg) loaded. Burn seems the same as a simple misfire, a jam, or a bad load.
Range: 200 feet (61 m). Reloading too quickly could be a real mistake.
Damage: 3D6 per single shot, or 6D6 for a double blast. 81-90% Overloaded! Either too much powder, or powder
Payload: Two shots total. that packs too much of a punch. Target takes double damage,
Chance of Misfire: 10%. but the weapon is destroyed. The character also takes 1D6 dam-
age.
Wormwood Smooth-Bore Musket 91-00% Explosion! Weapon blows up in the character’s
face. Does 2D6 damage to the operator and destroys the
Were it not for the fact that the hammer holds a shard of
weapon. The target is unhurt.
Wormwood crystal instead of a piece of flint, this weapon could
easily be mistaken for a .75 Brown Bess Land Pattern Musket. A Note on Deliberate Overloading
The barrel on this weapon is 42 inches (1.06 m) in length. A
Any character with W.P. Wormwood Flintlocks can inten-
bayonet can also be added onto it for use in melee combat (re-
tionally dump more powder down the mouth of the gun than it
quires W.P. Spear).
can safely hold. This adds another 2D6 worth of damage to pis-
Weight: 10 pounds (4.5 kg) loaded. tols and shotguns, and 3D6 to the damage of muskets. Over-
Range: 600 feet (183 m). loads will however increase the chance of a misfire by +25%.

34
Being Hit by Massed Musket Fire Cannon
The time may come when a Game Master has to figure out
how much damage a unit of eighty or more Conscripts can dish The New Model Army also employs light field artillery di-
out in a single melee round. The enemy is likely to be a horde of rectly copied from the armies of 18th Century continental Eu-
demons, though it might just as easily be a party of Player Char- rope. They can be difficult to transport and require substantial
acters on the receiving end. Regardless, a few things will be cer- amounts of enchanted powder in order to fire, but their destruc-
tain. tive power has been key to holding the line in the Reorith Prov-
ince. Although the general theory behind these weapons is
Firstly, there is going to be a lot of blood. A musket fires a known throughout the Kingdom of Light, Ezud, and even the
round ball of resin and not a pointed, rifled bullet. When it hits Far Sovereignties, only Worldgate, with its ability to make en-
flesh, it will not leave a neat, clean hole, but rather a large, chanted powder, is currently able to craft them.
messy wound (blood loss damage is doubled from all mus-
ket-inflicted wounds). Cannons may be made in many different sizes, but for ease of
portability, the New Model Army typically employs
Secondly, with almost no penetrating power to speak of, if “6-Pounders”; a sixty-inch resin gun mounted on a carriage of
the enemy is attacking in anything deeper than one rank, then pillar wood. The entire assembly weighs in at nearly a ton, and
only the guys in front are going to be affected (although, once includes approximately 200 pounds (90 kg) of enchanted pow-
they fall down, the second ranks no longer have a meat shield to der. They are most often pulled along behind a Battle Wagon
protect them and are going to be fired on in the next round). parasite or a team of men with some kind of augmented
Finally, the attack as a whole is going to be fairly random. strength. In battle, the cannon’s crew consists of five conscripts.
Even at close range, Wormwood flintlocks can be very inaccu- The “gun commander” holds the rank of sergeant and it is his
rate. Which is fine. The idea is not to take out specific soldiers, job to aim. His second-in-command, called a “spongeman,”
but to inflict such mass carnage that the enemy loses its will to must the swap out the bore of the cannon with a sponge damp-
fight and breaks. When determining who does and does not get ened with water between shots. There are also two dedicated
hit from a volley of fire, use the following guidelines. loaders who insert a pre-measured bag of powder and then the
· Roll a single strike for the entire volley. This is the number projectile. After this, the spongeman uses a rammer, or the
that the enemy will have to best in order to dodge or parry. sponge reversed, to pack the whole works together inside the
Note that the entire volley might miss or fall short just as eas- cannon. Once the charge is loaded, the fifth man pricks the
ily as it might score a critical hit. bagged charge through the vent hole, and fires the cannon.
· For every ten to twenty rounds fired, 1D4 will end up hitting Although a wide variety of shots can be fired (including car-
a specific target. cass rounds, which explode into a large pool of flame and chok-
ing gas), the New Model Army’s cannons almost always fire
· Roll at least once for each available target until most of the simple “round shot” - a six pound (2.7 kg) ball of resin.
shots are accounted for. There are bound to be some that
stray off, so don’t worry about any remainders. Weight: The cannon is 800 pounds (360 kg), and the carriage is
half a ton.
· If there is only a single target, 50% of the volley hits.
M.D.C.: 300 for the cannon. The carriage has an M.D.C. value
Example: Six Rathos Rumblers charge headlong towards a of 150.
platoon of Worldgate Conscripts. The platoon fires a total of 80 Range: 4500 feet (1.3 km) at maximum, but really only effective
shots at them, so the Game Master begins rolling to see how up to 2500 feet (762 m).
many actually hit their targets by rolling 4D4 for each Rathos.
Damage: 2D6 x 10 per shot.
The first monster is hit with 13 bullets (ouch), and the rest get 8,
5, 16 (poor guy), 8, and 6 respectively. That adds up to a total of Payload: Single shot only. A fully supplied gunnery crew will
56 rounds. The remainder simply fly off into the thick of battle have about 100 cannonballs in tow.
and are lost. Rate of Fire: Once per minute with a full crew.
Damage is then rolled, and if the G.M. deems it appropriate, Side Effects: Every time the cannon is fired, it uses up a large
saving throws may need to be taken against Shock and Trauma quantity of enchanted powder. In its wake, it creates a magical
(18 or higher plus P.E. bonuses, failure means the character cloud of smoke exactly like the spell of the same name. The
loses ALL of their attacks for the next two melees, and has a cloud will generally dissipate within a minute, but until it does,
50% chance of dropping whatever they might have been carry- the gunnery crew will not be able to see more than 3 feet (0.9 m)
ing. A successful save halves the duration.). In the above exam- in front of them, and will be at -5 to strike, parry, and dodge. On
ple, the first Rumbler takes 234 points, drops his sword, and the flip side, the smoke will obscure the men from enemy at-
having failed his saving throw, lies on the ground in agony for tacks for a few melee rounds.
the next thirty seconds while the fight continues around him.

35
Wormwood
Optional Leg Protectors (2) – 10 each
Optional Sidecar – 50

Converted Harleys * Shooting out the tires on a moving bike is actually quite
a difficult feat. Attacks must be a Called Shot, and even then
During Earth’s Second World War, Harley-Davidson pro- are -3 to strike.
duced a line of motorcycles for the United States military. They ** Depleting the Main Body of the bike destroys it utterly.
became known as the 42WLA series. Over 90,000 of them were Cryin’ shame.
built, a third of which ended up being sent to the Soviet Union Speed: 65 mph (104 km).
as part of President Roosevelt’s Lend-Lease program. What is Range (original gasoline engine): Bikes used by dimensional
not commonly known is that 9000 of those bikes were inter- raiders are often not given a magic energy conversion, so that
cepted in Romania by the Zacchaeans, and brought back to they can continue to run for long periods of time while away
Worldgate. from the Living Planet. One tank of gas is good for about 200
For those on Wormwood, the first Techno-Wizard converted miles of travel (320 km).
motorcycle appeared 113 years ago (time moves four times Range (Techno-Wizard conversion): Bikes converted to run
faster on Earth than it does on the Living Planet). Most of the off magic are fitted with a baseball or grapefruit-sized Worm-
bikes’ original S.D.C. components had been recast in resin wood energy crystal. This gives it the equivalent of one or two
molds, and many had a P.P.E. crystal where the gas tank should tanks of gasoline. The Wormwood crystals will regenerate their
be. They were soon being fielded as cavalry units; their speed P.P.E. supply completely within 24 hours (half of that within 12
made them a fantastic asset for scouting missions, flanking ma- hours). A mage or other man of magic can also recharge the
neuvers, and devastating head-on charges. The Knights of the crystal power cell with a mere thought and a laying of hands. 25
Hospital began trading for the bikes as well, impressed by the P.P.E. equals out to one full tank of gasoline, or about 200 miles
usefulness of this “new-fangled machine.” The Knights of the (320 km) worth of travel.
Temple, in their staunch adherence to tradition, refused to do
Statistical Data:
any such thing.
Weight: 570 pounds (135 kg) unloaded.
The WLAs originally came with several military options, all
of which can be applied to the Wormwood conversions. These Cargo: Maximum is 300 pounds/135 kg (which includes the
included a heavy-duty luggage rack mounted behind the driver rider).
(for hauling a field radio, but can support anything up to fifty Availability: Found mainly within the Worldgate New Model
pounds/22.5 kg or so), a right-hand mounted leather scabbard Army, and to about one third of the Knights of the Hospital. A
for the Thompson submachine-gun (or any Wormwood flintlock very few are in the hands of independent owners. No longer in
weapon), an ammo box (good for storing talismans and supplies production, although the TW conversion can be made to just
in), a set of leather saddlebags, a small tool kit, a skid plate, and about any kind of motor or hover cycle. Conversion available
armored leg protectors. The windshield option is never used on only in Worldgate.
Wormwood because the inhabitants think it looks dumb. The Weapons: None built-in. The driver may use a flintlock weapon
Russians added a sidecar attachment, and sometimes so too do or short sword, but must drive one-handed to do so (control roll
the riders of Wormwood. It can carry additional supplies, or a -10%).
passenger/gunner - most often a man of magic who can recharge Combat and Piloting Notes: There are no roads on Worm-
the P.P.E. batteries on the bike. wood, and although the land is relatively flat and smooth, care
Production of the 42WLA ceased in 1945, so new versions of and consideration should be taken using any kind of motorcycle
the bike haven’t been available on Wormwood for about a cen- there. In general, anyone traveling at speeds over 45 mph (72
tury. That means that although Worldgate can replace certain km) must make a control roll at -5% every melee round just to
parts like fenders, tires, and leg guards, they can no longer build remain upright. Traveling over 60 mph (96 km) increases this
a motorcycle from scratch. When one of these heirlooms is de- penalty to -10%. Every turn or swerve at speeds of 45 mph (72
stroyed, it is gone for good. km) or greater requires a control roll with a -12% penalty. Per-
forming special stunts, like popping a wheelie or jumping
Harley-Davidson 42WLA through the air, are done at -15%. Roll against the character’s
(Wormwood Conversion) Pilot Motorcycle skill. All penalties are cumulative. A failed roll
means the character crashes, unless they also have the Ride to
Model Type: Originally, the bikes were all given serial num-
Live special skill which allows them to attempt a recovery.
bers indicating a production year of 1942, the year after Pearl
Harbor was attacked. Driving headlong into melee combat can produce gruesome,
if effective attacks. Everyone mounted on a motor or hover cy-
Class: Motorcycle.
cle adds 1D6 points of damage for every ten miles per hour (16
Crew: One, or one driver and one passenger with a sidecar at- km) they are traveling. So for example, a strike from a short
tachment.
sword moving at 40 mph (64 km) would add 4D6 to the sword’s
M.D.C. by Location: regular damage, and so forth.
* Tires (2) – 1 each
** Main Body – 75

36
 ons or soldiers for defense. Beyond that, many types of dragons
have other abilities; natural weapons like fire breath, natural de-
fenses like metamorphosis and invisibility, and fast means of
travel like flight and teleportation. Dragons even instinctively
know language and math skills, and have a fundamental under-
standing of magic right from hatching. Beyond a parent or
mated pair to defend the helpless egg, dragons need little sup-
port from others of their kind at any stage of their lives.
For all of these reasons, dragon society is a rare and strange
thing. Left to their own devices, most dragons will avoid one an-
other, and when they do come into contact, are often hostile and
suspicious of each other, even between those of good align-
ments. Mature dragons will sometimes kill hatchlings & young
dragons that wander into their territory, and all dragons are ex-
tremely protective of their chosen lair. Young dragons still crave
socialization, and most spend the multiple centuries of their
childhood and adolescence getting it where they can by living
among other intelligent species. It is this socialization period
that determines the moral development of a dragon; most dragon
hatchlings will start out quite selfish (Anarchist alignment), but
dragons can be of any alignment, good, selfish or evil.
Despite all this, there are several places on Rifts Earth where
dragons have come to gather in large numbers; the city of
Dragcona in Atlantis, the Kingdom of Lagarto in South Amer-
ica, the Free State of Lazlo, and the City of Freehold in de-
stroyed Tolkeen are some of the best known examples.
Thousands of dragons are likely to be found in Dragcona at any
one time, while hundreds consider Lazlo (and considered Free-
hold) their home. This may sound contradictory, but just as hu-

Dragons in Society
mans are capable of overcoming our baser instincts, so are
dragons – when it suits them. Though their instincts are much
stronger than those of humanity, they are also generally stron-
ger-willed, and better able to restrain themselves.
Optional Setting Information for Rifts® This does not mean that dragons living in these (compara-
tively) close quarters suddenly enjoy each other’s company.
By J. Woodman
You still won’t find dragons sharing an apartment or living in
Human society provides many things that individuals could the same building (excepting the occasional mated pair), but
not achieve for themselves, or could, but with much greater dif- they can manage to walk by each other in the street without tear-
ficulty. In Rifts Earth, the Coalition States provide their citizens ing into one another. Their instinctive tendency to dominate ter-
with food, shelter, medicine, defense and safety. Vast sections ritory can be problematic for a city with a population of a few
of the Coalition States are dedicated to farming, and the genetic hundred dragons and only 50 to 100 square miles of territory,
advances from science help make that food more nutritious and but there are solutions. To better accommodate each other’s de-
faster-growing. The state of Lone Star also provides the genetic sire for space, the lairs of the dragon population of any city are
insight to help combat human disease, while manufacturing and usually widely distributed, and for most, a home in Lazlo or
research throughout the Coalition States provide the weapons Dragcona is not their only home. The wilderness of Atlantis and
and armor needed to combat threats to its citizens. The fortress the wilds of Ontario are both littered with the hidden lairs of city
cities provide shelter for CS citizens to live and raise children in dragons, used when they need a break from the bustle of urban
safety, and all of the Coalition States are defended by a vast and living, and the same was true of Freehold before its abandon-
well-equipped army. The preceding is true, to one degree or an- ment and destruction. Most adult dragons also maintain a pocket
other, outside of the Coalition; the concerns of other humans dimension that is their most secure place to rest and store trea-
and most D-Bees are going to be quite similar, and society of sures (for more information on this ability, see Palladium Fan-
some form is a way to meet needs that would be difficult or im- tasy®: Dragons & Gods™).
possible for an individual to provide on his or her own.
Even the best-intentioned and most morally-upright of drag-
Dragons, however, are creatures of magic with few material ons tend to have magpie minds, and one living in a city resi-
or social needs. They require neither food nor drink, eliminating dence, whether an estate or a bachelor apartment, is likely to
a need to hunt or farm. They regenerate physical damage incred- have replaced all the furniture with a heap of gold, gems and
ibly quickly, eliminating the need for medicine and healers. other valuables to lie on. Because of this hoarding tendency, few
They have physical strength and M.D.C. hides equal to a suit of dragons living in society will knowingly approach another
power armor even as a hatchling, eliminating the need for weap- dragon’s lair; it is too easily interpreted as an attempt at thiev-
37
ery, and inevitably leads to violence. Most also invest heavily in adult dragons unaffiliated with the Dragon Kings, then the
defensive measures for their homes, including spells, technolog- Dragon Heirs – hatchlings and adolescent dragons. Within those
ical or Techno-Wizard security systems, and guards (particu- groupings the main determining factors of rank were wealth,
larly lesser supernatural creatures) at every entrance. possession of magic artifacts, and magical and physical might.
Rivalry and competition between dragons don’t stop simply Elsewhere however, the Dragon Kings and Princes are viewed
because they agree to play nicely with each other while living in a with something like shame or disgust by most dragons. For one
city, however. Instead, those impulses are subsumed into a fierce thing, the evil nature of the Shadow Dragons they create is ab-
competition with every other dragon in the city over social status. horrent to most dragons of good alignment, and their banish-
This intense competition is rarely noticeable when dragons are ment from their home dimension is an embarrassment to most
working among other species (which is their preference), but the dragons of evil alignments. For those reasons, any of the Dragon
dragon community keeps a careful watch over every individual’s Kings and Princes that survived the fall of Freehold and Tolkeen
accomplishments, and a definite pecking order is maintained. and made their way to a new, dragon-friendly society are lower
Dragons with greater prestige in the community take precedence in the social ranking than would be expected.
over those with less, with every adult automatically placed above In all of these societies, dragons lower in the social ranking
all but the most accomplished hatchlings. Newcomers to a city are expected to defer to those above them whenever dragons are
are placed at the bottom of the social ranking unless particularly forced to interact, whether that is simply making way for a
noteworthy (or infamous), though adult dragon newcomers are higher ranked dragon while walking the city streets, giving
still placed above almost all hatchlings. To progress in the social higher-ranked dragons the chance to purchase something unique
hierarchy, the newcomer dragon will either have to demonstrate or valuable that becomes available, or otherwise letting
his or her commitment to the values of that society (and the other higher-ranked dragons get their way.
dragons in it) over time, or challenge the next dragon above him If there is a dispute between individual dragons about some
in the rankings. Most dragons, especially adult dragons, go with question of social precedence, it is usually “taken outside,” so to
the former; time means little to adult dragons, and few want to speak. The dragons will meet at some pre-determined location
risk combat with a potential equal or superior. outside the city, and physically resolve the matter. In Lazlo these
In Lazlo, the determination of a dragon’s social ranking can combats are never to the death – the government of Lazlo would
involve his role in government, his position in the Lazlo De- construe any form of dueling to the death as manslaughter at best!
fense Force or the Volunteer Militia, his magical research at the – but continue only until the fight is obviously in one or the
universities, his wealth or possession of valuable magic arti- other’s favor. Even in Dragcona and Lagarto, fights to the death
facts, as well as his physical and magical might. Scrupulous and are rare, and will only continue to that point if the insult or
Principled dragons may even compete over who can do more wounded pride was severe. The natural recuperative powers of
charitable work for the city! The only dragon exempted from the dragons prevent any lasting injuries, and the social order will be
constant rise and fall of prestige is Plato, who holds the top po- adjusted depending on the outcome; either the challenger is re-
sition in perpetuity due to his extreme age, magical power and buked and his existing status confirmed, or it is adjusted to place
personal accomplishments. The dragons who would be his the challenger above his defeated opponent. Adult dragons duel
near-rivals have resolved to simply wait for the old beast to re- very rarely; most are too cautious to take the risk unless ex-
tire from public service or die of old age before trying to deter- tremely angered or insulted. Hatchling and adolescent dragons
mine who should replace him at the top of the heap. When that duel much more frequently, both due to their impatient nature and
day comes, competition among his near-equals will be intense. as a way of measuring themselves against their peers and rivals.
In Dragcona and Lagarto, dragon social rank can involve If a challenged dragon refuses to fight, it is either taken as a
having the favor of Lord Splynncryth, holding an important po- snub (only if the challenged dragon vastly outclasses the chal-
sition within the Church of Dragonwright, owning a winning lenger, such as an adult challenged by a hatchling), and consid-
arena champion (or successfully competing oneself), owning the ered extremely humiliating, or as acceptance of defeat in which
most slaves or one that is particularly unique, possessing the case the social pecking order is adjusted without any actual vio-
most wealth or unique magic artifacts, as well as the dragon’s lence. If anyone interferes in a duel – whether they are another
magical and physical might. The dragon at the top of the social dragon, human or D-Bee – the result is contested, and the issue
ranking in Dragcona is Styphathal, due to his relationship with is unresolved until the combatants can fight again. Any dragon
Lord Splynncryth, his personal power, his (self-promoted) posi- who resorts to violence while in the city limits will face the cen-
tion in the pantheon of the Cult of Dragonwright, and his machi- sure of the rest of the dragon community, not to mention the
nations with the Kingdom of Lagarto in South America. His Lazlo Defense Force or the Minions of the Splugorth respec-
position is not as entrenched as Plato’s in Lazlo, however; if tively (dragon dueling is too destructive to property and other
Styphathal were to lose Lord Splynncryth’s favor, or if his plots citizens for any society to permit it inside city limits).
involving Dragonwright or Lagarto were to go badly, it is possi- Dragon duels are sometimes filmed by adventurous City
ble that he could be overtaken. In Lagarto, the top dragon would Rats, and there is a steady market for bootleg video discs of the
be Styphathal once again, but since he is rarely there it falls to most recent and noteworthy dragon fights. A newly-filmed duel
Melastirth, his lieutenant in the region. between adult dragons can fetch as much as 10,000 credits from
In Freehold, dragon social rank depended on connection to someone with the resources to distribute it (like the Black Mar-
the Dragon Kings. The 19 ancient Dragon Kings were at the top, ket), while a hatchling duel might get a quarter of that. Copies
while those nearest in descent from the Dragon Kings, the of these fights can be as inexpensive as 50 credits, or as much as
Dragon Princes, were next. They were followed by the other ten times that, depending on location and availability.
38
Rebel Waltz
North America, they raid across the continent, only willing to be
bribed into working for a master who can fulfill their lust for
blood and violence, ill-gotten gains and mindless brutality. They
do, however, have minds, primitive and blood-soaked though
Optional Rules & Source Material for Rifts®
they may be, and they have a society of their own... one suited
By Mark Hall to their monstrous appetites, and which springs naturally from
their unnatural origins.
Grz’nak ripped off his foe’s cyclopean helmet, taking the
head and part of the spine with it. With a shout of grotesquely
child-like glee, he turned to his next opponent, beating its hel-
The Sound of Sinners
met with the one he held in his hand. Looking at Brodkil society from the outside, it seems simple
He was rewarded with two... no, three... blasts from the puny to fathom, but there are small idiosyncrasies that are difficult to
hand rifles these humans carried, a Vibro-Blade in the belly, notice without deep (and dangerous) study. Traditional Brodkil
and some fool pounding on him with a mace. Throwing the groupings are often called tribes, but are more properly gangs;
corpse of his first opponent at the annoyances with the rifles, he most of the members have no obvious relationship, obey the
ripped out the Vibro-Blade, spattering the idiot holding the others only insofar as they wish to (or can be coerced).
mace with Grz’nak’s own gore before plunging it to the hilt in Dominance combats are frequent; a day without a fight is one
the human’s puny head. in which every Brodkil is too drunk to move (and even then,
Grz’nak was outnumbered, armed only with his own manic they’ll probably fight over who is making too much noise).
viciousness and the corpses of his opponents. He was bleeding Fights are impromptu, without ritual; the only acknowledged
from several wounds, and ominously not bleeding where several bad form is breaking the other’s stuff, and that’s mostly because
chunks of his flesh had been excised by combat lasers. others want it, and will beat the transgressor near to death with
the broken pieces.
He was also having the time of his life.
Every gang has a leader, usually with two to four Brodkil
Brodkil are the foot soldiers of the demon hordes of Europe. who answer only to him; these are not necessarily the strongest
Forming a loose coalition of bands, they’ve claimed much of the or the best warriors, but they are one of the few unified forces in
former Czech Republic and southern Poland for themselves. In any gang, and so the leader commands respect by applying vio-

39
lence with his loyal thugs. Individual Brodkil may switch alle- (2.5 m). If the body already has cybernetics or bionics, the
giance from one gang leader to another, depending on whim, Brodkil regard this as a bonus.
bribes, and how an individual leader has benefited them, person- The creating Brodkil bites open its own wrist and completely
ally. They have no concept of group loyalty... Brodkil will covers the corpse in its own blood; this causes 20+3D6 M.D. to
gladly stab someone else in the back to get ahead, so they think the creator. The Brodkil then punches the corpse in the face (a
that everyone is likely to feel the same way. kick, elbow, or head-butt can be substituted for a punch; the
The result is that Brodkil gangs must keep moving; they must only requirements are that the contact must be violent, it must
always have fresh territories to terrorize, or individual members be with the Brodkil’s flesh (not a bionic limb), and it must be to
get bored and leave. the face). If the Brodkil is unsuccessful (which only happens
What creates a Brodkil leader? While skill in battle is impor- rarely, when the Brodkil is unable to completely cover the
tant, virtues that humans would see as desirable in a leader... corpse in blood), the head will explode like an overripe pumpkin
reason, charisma, and level-headedness... are almost entirely ab- hit by a Mack truck. In this case, the Brodkil’s only consolation
sent in Brodkil leaders. In fact, the leaders are frequently the is that he will heal all of the damage from blood loss in time.
least level-headed of any group, flying into rages at the least If the Brodkil is successful, then the face breaks, but the skull
provocation. That brutality, and the loyalty of their lieutenants, remains strong. The newly-made Brodkil will heal the punch
enables them to cling to a perch on top of their seething mass of damage normally (for a Brodkil), and its face will heal to look
monstrous insaniacs. like a Brodkil, instead of whatever race the body once was.
In the Brodkil Empire, however, things are somewhat differ- They also frequently grow in stature, filling out to a Brodkil’s
ent. The Brodkil have re-invented a sort of feudalism; the leader normal eight and a half to nine feet. The creator Brodkil will
of any given gang was likely once a strong-man in a larger gang, permanently lose 10 M.D.C. and two points of M.E. If this
and still follows the orders of that gang’s leader. At the very top drops the Brodkil’s M.E. below 8, then he must roll for a ran-
is a group of Brodkil whose loyalty is not to each other, but to dom insanity.
the Angel of Death and the technology she provides. Gangs who Newly created Brodkil know almost nothing of their former
do not spring from one of these “controller gangs” are pum- lives; they may remember snippets about a place, and a few
meled into compliance with the status quo. Thus, the Brodkil faces may stir a memory, but they can never recall large
Empire remains a relatively safe haven for the Angel of Death, amounts of detail from before they were Brodkil. Instead, they
giving her a wide variety of experimental subjects to choose are infected with a selection of skills that their creator pos-
from, both Brodkil and those whom they have subjugated. The sessed... if their creator had learned to pilot a hovercraft, track
Brodkil themselves wander within the “empire,” villages offer humanoids, or bake a souffle, it is possible that their offspring
them “hospitality” in the form of food and individuals to terror- will know it. They still lack any limbs that they did not have
ize (frequently strangers or wrongdoers), and they offer protec- when they were corpses, but cybernetics and bionics possessed
tion in that they destroy anyone who interferes with their subject when alive will already function. Brodkil seek out replacements
peoples or defies their rule. for lost limbs as soon as possible. Since their creator is now
It should be noted that about 90% of Brodkil are male, but short some of its vitality, it is not uncommon for Brodkil and
that matters little; female Brodkil are just as belligerent and vio- their new spawn to seek out a Cyber-Doc together, with the
lent as their male kin. Brodkil also have no internal mating be- spawn replacing missing parts, and the creator adding some
havior; no courtship rituals, no displays before others of their more metal plating to its bones.
species to draw attention. While Brodkil have been observed The new Brodkil is also under the control of its creator, and
having sex, and many of them rape during the course of a raid, remains so as long as both exist. This is not a mental domination
they do not reproduce sexually; the appearance of male or fe- or charm; it is simply that, should the creator give its spawn an
male Brodkil is a function of their unique method of reproduc- order, the spawn will follow it unless it stops to think... and
tion. Brodkil rarely stop to think about anything. Those Brodkil who
do reproduce are careful to benefit their spawn with many, if not
Somebody Got Murdered most, of their orders, since the most common reason for a spawn
to disobey is that it has to ask, “What do I get out of it?” This is
There has never been a Brodkil born of woman. Mommy
not hard to do, though, since Brodkil regard an order of “tear his
Brodkil do not love daddy Brodkil very much, and so they are
arms off” as benefitting them (since they get to tear someone’s
never blessed with little baby Brodkil. Brodkil are Sub-Demons,
arms off).
not natural creatures. Whatever their ultimate origin, they now
reproduce through a Necromantic ritual involving the blood of a This unique method of reproduction does much to explain the
Brodkil and a relatively fresh corpse (no more than a day or gender disparity within Brodkil. In most Earth societies, women
three old). are far less likely to be warriors. As such, Brodkil seldom con-
sider them worthy of being Brodkil, and leave their corpses on
To reproduce, a Brodkil must have a corpse with its brain
the field (though not necessarily intact).
stem and torso largely intact; a few holes in the belly won’t stop
the ritual, but major damage to the heart or lungs will cause
problems. The limbs or eyes can be missing, but they do not Lose this Skin
regrow. The corpse must be of a humanoid mortal race, no Brodkil are spirits of violence bound into humanoid form. In
smaller than five feet (1.5 m), and no taller than eight and a half order to keep their body “living,” they must consume meat on a
fairly regular basis, or their bodies degrade, and the spirit is un-

40
able to continue holding onto its fleshmobile; however, since netics. Brodkil love cybernetics and bionics; the more mechani-
they’re not truly living, they can go a long time without suste- cal looking, the better. A Brodkil will mount any weapon he can
nance, and can get by on relatively little (compared to what a onto a bionic limb; favorites are big, noisy particle beams, in-
predator of the same size would normally require). Their pen- timidating Vibro-Blades, and rows of spikes. For many Brodkil,
chant for bionics lessens their requirements even more. In gen- this is a necessity; the reality of modern combat is that many
eral, each Brodkil needs about a pound of flesh every day. This corpses lack arms and legs due to the powerful energy weapons
flesh doesn’t have to be fresh... they’re capable of eating car- used. Other Brodkil take extensive damage, mangling a limb be-
rion, in extreme circumstances... but they’re far happier with yond the Brodkil’s ability to regenerate; they happily chop off a
fresh flesh and nice, crunchy bones. If given a chance, a Brodkil useless limb to get a shiny metal one, or scoop out the remains
will eat three to five pounds of flesh in a sitting, two or three of an eye for one that will work better. All they lose is the abil-
times a day. This makes up for any lean times they might have ity to turn invisible, and modern optics frequently render invisi-
had recently, and staves off their need for flesh for a while. As bility useless.
noted above, Brodkil do not reproduce conventionally, and so In the case of Brodkil, their unique physiology makes iso-
have no real need of sex. They do, however, enjoy it, especially lated bionics an even more attractive option than for humans.
with other demons (where they can cut loose without things Brodkil regenerate slowly enough that they do not automatically
ending early due to the death of a squishy partner). reject implants, but instead tend to grow around them. Further-
Because they are a type of demonically-posessed dead, more, since they are already supernaturally strong, an isolated
Brodkil don’t have most normal biological processes. Eating bionic limb can take full advantage of its strength, as if it were
flesh gives their bodies material with which to heal, and they integrated into a fully bionic body; once the healing is done,
still have blood coursing through their bodies, but it serves no they have the equivalent of Robotic Strength with their bionic
real purpose... they can bleed an improbable amount and not limbs, instead of Augmented Strength. This means they lose
weaken. (There are tales that the Angel of Death, on the order of very little power, and can move astonishingly fast if both legs
an experiment, continually bled a Brodkil for three days, pro- are bionic. The only thing that must not happen is their trunk or
ducing more than thirty gallons of blood in that time.) Though head being replaced; that will slay the demon, and no amount of
they are supernatural, most Brodkil are native to the dimension cybernetic wizardry can save them. Trunk and head can be aug-
in which they are found, and so they do not crumble to dust mented, drilled into, even shattered and regenerated, but they
when killed. They leave a corpse, like most creatures. A Brodkil cannot have them outright replaced. Brodkil are quite fond of
who travels the dimensions, however, will have his corpse Cyber-Armor; while theirs does not regenerate, as it does for
crumble to dust like other supernatural creatures, its spirit re- Cyber-Knights, it does provide them with excellent protection
turning to its home dimension to be reincarnated by the next with few drawbacks.
Brodkil to create progeny. These reborn Brodkil don’t recall Brodkil within areas controlled by Atlantis are almost as en-
much of their previous incarnation; they’re simply another new thusiastic about Bio-Wizardry Symbiotes... not quite, because
Brodkil in the army. Brodkil tend to think chrome is king, but they like all the op-
Those Brodkil capable of turning invisible have the equiva- tions available, and will frequently go in for mass modification.
lent of the third level spell Invisibility: Simple. Each use of the
power requires an action, but the fact that it requires no words or Career Opportunities
energy means that Brodkil are able to overcome some of the dif-
Brodkil are violent, sociopathic killers. Their empathy is lim-
ficulties of simple invisibility; if they are cut, or have some visi-
ited to understanding what causes others pain, and trying to do
ble substance applied to them, they can blink back into view,
that. It’s not a case of “In rare instances, you will encounter a
then go invisible immediately, negating much of the trouble,
Brodkil who really feels bad about all the horrible things his
since anything that was on them at the time of their invisibility
people do”; such Brodkil do not exist, outside of those who have
disappears.
been magically or psychically altered... to the Brodkil, it would
It should be noted that Brodkil blood, bone, or flesh is a very be the equivalent of a profound psychosis. That said, there are
powerful Necromantic focus. Blood sacrifice of a Brodkil pro- three basic kinds of Brodkil: Gearheads, Infiltrators, and
vides a Necromancer with three times the Brodkil’s P.P.E., not Raiders.
just two times. If a Necromancer chooses to add a Brodkil’s
Gearheads are the rare Brodkil who are highly intelligent and
limbs to his body, it costs only 15 P.P.E. (as opposed to the nor-
learn the basics of cybernetic sciences and weapon engineering.
mal 20). A helm made from the skull of a Brodkil costs 10
Compared to human or D-Bee Cyber-Docs and Operators, their
P.P.E., gives the wearer the ability to turn invisible, and adds 10
work is incredibly crude... they should never perform surgery on
M.D.C. A suit of armor made from the rib cage of a Brodkil
anyone who does not regenerate, for example... but they are ef-
gives 100 M.D.C., and costs 40 P.P.E. In any case, the duration
fective at creating cobbled-together weapons, recharging
of bonding with Brodkil limbs is doubled. There are also some
E-Clips, and fixing cybernetic devices. Most are heavily
spells which specifically require Brodkil limbs to function; see
cyborged, and avidly seek out new devices.
below.
Infiltrators are Brodkil who have no cybernetics, and special-
The Equalizer ize in stealthily sneaking amongst a group so as to cause maxi-
mum carnage when they and others attack. Unable to augment
Brodkil have only modest magical powers; they regenerate, their bodies with cybernetics without losing their advantage of
are supernaturally strong, and can turn invisible. The first two
remain, but the last is frequently sacrificed on the altar of cyber-
41
invisibility, they learn unarmed combat and use improvised W.P. Energy Rifle or Heavy M.D. Weapons
weapons to destroy their foes. In addition to the above skills, Infiltrators may choose
Raiders are the typical Brodkil; cyborged sociopaths with the 1D4+1 skills from amongst Weapon Proficiencies, Commu-
biggest weapons they can manage. They are not precluded from nications, Technical, Wilderness, and Espionage. No R.C.C.
being clever, or even shrewd, but their capability to be merciful bonuses apply to any of these skills.
or sophisticated is limited by their inherent barbarity. Bionics: Infilitrators cannot take Bionics without losing the
ability to turn invisible. If they get Bio-Wizardry enhance-
Gearhead Brodkil R.C.C. ment, this difficulty does not apply.
Attribute Requirements: I.Q. 12, P.P. 15. Experience: Use the same Experience Table as Brodkil.
R.C.C. Skills:
Hand to Hand: Expert
Intelligence (+5%)
Let’s Go Crazy
Land Navigation As mentioned above, Brodkil corpses are valuable
Pilot Hovercraft (+15%) Necromantic components. Because of their nature, a Brodkil can
be used to make several magic items by skilled Necromancers.
Radio: Basic (+10%)
Two of the most common are listed below, as part of the spells
Recognize Weapon Quality (+25%) which create them.
Basic Electronics (+10%)
Basic Mechanics (+10%) Cursing Skull (Ritual)
Bioware Mechanics (+5%) Level 13 Necromancy Spell
Field Surgery (+4%) Range: The skull must be handled during the ritual, but its ef-
W.P. Knife fects extend 10 feet (3 m) per level of the caster.
W.P. Blunt or Sword Duration: Will function indefinitely, until the skull is destroyed
W.P. Energy Rifle or Heavy M.D. Weapons or the spirit exorcised.
Skills Note: Though Gearheads have the skill Bioware Me- Saving Throw: Special.
chanics, they do not have its prerequisites; they are capable P.P.E.: Three Hundred.
of tinkering and repairing with existing bioware, but not of This Brodkil skull must be harvested fresh (no more than two
really creating anything. They use field surgery to install any hours after death), and is ritually scarified by the Necromancer,
bionic or cybernetic devices; they fail to kill their patients be- binding the spirit of violence which animated the Brodkil to the
cause Brodkil regenerate. skull. Unable to act physically, the spirit instead incites others in
In addition to the above skills, Gearheads may choose the area to violence.
1D4+1 skills from amongst Weapon Proficiencies, Commu- Those in the area of effect must make a saving throw when
nications, Technical, Wilderness, and Military. No R.C.C. exposed to stress or react violently (punching a messenger, kick-
bonuses apply to any of these skills. ing someone who spills a drink on them, shooting the guy who
Bionics: Gearheads have the same bionic desires as other made a pass at their date). The save begins at a mere 5, but in-
Brodkil, but almost always get at least one hand replaced and creases by +1 for every half hour the character has spent in the
outfited with regular and Vibro-Blades; they frequently per- area of effect in the past day. M.E. bonuses are applicable, but
form their surgeries with these. not bonuses to save vs magic. A Mind Block prevents the effect.
Experience: Uses the same Experience Table as Brodkil. Those who fail their save gain a +2 to initiative and +3 to dam-
age until they are removed from the area of effect. They cannot
Infiltrator R.C.C. be calmed down, instead lashing out violently, even at friends
Requirements: May have no bionics or cybernetics. and loved ones; this, of course, requires the victim to save. Once
R.C.C. Skills: removed from the area of effect, the victims can be calmed
down, but will not do so immediately; they will calm at the
Hand to Hand: Expert
same rate the character normally would from such a state of agi-
Intelligence (+5%) tation.
Land Navigation This spell ends only when the skull is broken (it has 100
Prowl (+20%) M.D.C.), or an exorcism is performed to banish the spirit. If the
Radio: Basic (+10%) skull is not in the exorcist’s possession, then their chance of suc-
Recognize Weapon Quality (+25%) cess is at -20%.
Tracking: Humans (+10%)
Detect Concealment (+10%) Dead Demon’s Hand
Climbing (+5%) Level 10 Necromancy Spell
Find Contraband (+4%) Range: Melee weapon; about 4 feet (1.2 m) long.
W.P. Knife Duration: Permanent until destroyed.
W.P. Blunt or Sword Saving Throw: Not applicable.

42
P.P.E.: One Hundred Eighty. Natural Weapons:
The Dead Demon’s Hand is a Brodkil arm, from shoulder to Automatically gets Huge Hands: Brutes have massive, over-
fingertips, completely stripped of flesh and magically held rigid sized hands with well-developed muscles and tendons. A
into an extended arm and fist. It is held at the shoulder, with the Brute’s hands are so tough that they can be used to damage hard
ball of the shoulder being below the wielder’s hand. The Dead objects like stone and metal without damaging the character.
Demon’s Hand is a relatively simple weapon, with few magical Furthermore, if the character takes thick skin and dense bone
features. It is amazingly tough (80 M.D.C./800 S.D.C., but only structure, he or she will be able to parry melee weapons with his
takes damage when specifically targeted), and does a significant or her hands without taking any damage.
amount of damage (4D6 M.D., plus the wielder’s S.D.C. P.S. 5 Bio-E for Protruding Knuckle Bones: The knuckle bones on
bonus in Mega-Damage; someone with a P.S. of 30 would do the hands become sharp, serrated blades sticking out of the
4D6+15 M.D.). It also has the special feature of becoming invis- skin. These dense bones add 2D6 damage to a punch.
ible, even to the wielder! While this makes it easy to conceal, Mutant Animal Powers:
being invisible does make it somewhat more difficult to wield
10 Bio-E for Beastly Strength
(-2 to strike and -3 to parry unless the wielder can see invisible;
in that case, it is +2 to strike and parry). Turning the weapon in- 20 Bio-E for Crushing Strength
visible or visible is done with only brief concentration (requiring 5 Bio-E for Thick Skin: +20 to S.D.C. and blunt attacks do ½
one melee action). damage.
15 Bio-E for Dense Bone Structure: The character has incredi-
bly hard, dense bones. +20 S.D.C., and the character suffers

Weird Mutants no damage from falls under sixty feet (18.3 m). For falls over
sixty feet, reduce damage by half.
10 Bio-E for Extra Intelligence Quotient
New Mutant Types and 10 Bio-E for Extra Mental Affinity
Rules for Creating Genetic Chimeras 10 Bio-E for Extra Mental Endurance
Vestigial Disadvantages:
Optional Rules and Source Material Automatically has Reptile Brain: Predator.
for the After the Bomb® RPG -10 Bio-E for Diet: Herbivore

By B. Caleb Goodson

Human Mutants
Brutes
Original Animal Characteristics:
Description: Brutes are massive, gigantic offshoots of hu-
manity capable of great feats of strength and endurance. How-
ever, they trade their size and strength for agility and speed.
Size Level: 14 (Min 12, Max 18).
Length: Varies according to size level.
Weight: Varies according to size level.
Build: Long.
Mutant Changes & Costs:
Total Bio-E: 20
Attribute Bonuses: +10+1D10 to P.S., Brute Strength, +6
P.E.
Penalties: -2 P.P., -6 Spd.
Human Features:
Hands: Partial: Brutes have huge, three-fingered hands and
long arms.
Biped: Automatically Full.
Speech: Partial: Voice will be loud and growly.
Looks: Partial: Exceptionally large and broad-shouldered
creatures with long arms and legs. Everything about these mu-
tants is exaggerated, including their facial features. Skin will be
rough and lumpy, almost leathery to the touch.
43
 rience to everything in a ten foot (3 m) radius around the
character.
Mutant Animal Powers:
Automatically has Energy Immunity: The character can han-
dle extremes of energy (NOT kinetic) without taking damage.
He or she can thrust a hand into a fire, be struck by lightning, or
take burst after burst from energy rifles or particle beams with-
out being hurt. However, this only applies to the character’s
body. Anything that he or she may be wearing or carrying is
subject to full damage, which could lead to some embarrassing
situations. (“Why are you naked?” “Uh... don’t ask.”)
5 Bio-E for Advanced Vision
5 Bio-E for Ultraviolet Vision
15 Bio-E for Extra Physical Prowess
10 Bio-E for Extra Intelligence Quotient
10 Bio-E for Extra Mental Affinity
10 Bio-E for Extra Physical Beauty
10 Bio-E for Extra Mental Endurance
Vestigial Disadvantages:
Automatically gets Reptile Brain: Predator. Lightwielders are
extremely aggressive, and must constantly focus their minds to
Lightwielders keep calm and rational. (If they care about doing so, that is.)

Original Animal Characteristics: Revenants

Description: Lightwielders are human mutants that have the
Original Animal Characteristics:
ability to focus and project energy from specialized organs lo-
cated on the arms. These organs grant great power to the mutant Description: The Revenant is the most tragic example of the
human, but are also painful and taxing on the body, resulting in human mutants. These are humans that were exposed to the hu-
reduced endurance. man-genome virus and radiation from nuclear weapons. These
pitiful creatures have bodies that are in constant states of decay
Size Level: 10 (Min 8, Max 12).
and restoration. Many are insane, and those who are not often
Length: Varies according to size level. become reclusive and bitter. Yet, these creatures tend to know
Weight: Varies according to size level. more about the world before the Crash than any other. Thus,
Build: Medium some seek these creatures out for their unique knowledge.
Mutant Changes & Costs: Size Level: 8 (Min 6, Max 12).
Total Bio-E: 10 Length: Varies according to size level.
Attribute Bonuses: +2 I.Q., +2 M.E., +1 P.P. Weight: Varies according to size level.
Penalties: -1 P.E., -10 S.D.C. Build: Medium.
Human Features: Mutant Changes & Costs:
Hands: Full. Total Bio-E: 20
Biped: Full. Attribute Bonuses: P.E. +7.
Speech: Partial: Voice will sound strange, as though it is be- Penalties: -2 M.E., -2 M.A., Reduce P.B. by half.
ing synthesized through an electronic microphone. Human Features:
Looks: Partial: Looks almost completely human, save for Hands: Full.
two features. One is that all Lightwielders have glowing eyes. Biped: Partial: Character will walk with a stumbling, clumsy
The other features are the lens-like organs located in the fore- gait unless running on all fours. (Most Revenants would rather
arms. This is what the character uses to focus and expel energy. die than do this.)
Natural Weapons: Speech: Full.
Automatically has Energy Beams: The character has a pair of Looks: None: Horribly ugly. These mutant humans are cov-
organs located in the forearms that hold and release beams of ered with tumors and strange growths. Their skin is a sickly yel-
coherent light at a target. Damage is 1D6 per every two levels of low-green color or gray color. Hair is either completely gone or
experience. The character must have his or her forearms ex- growing in small tufts. Odd bone growths protrude at the joints.
posed in order to use this power. Some will have plants growing out of their flesh (see below).
10 Bio-E for Energy Wave: The character has greater control Most sane or semi-sane Revenants wear heavy clothing, armor,
over his or her energy powers and blasts the light energy in a or full helmets to conceal their features.
wave. This does 1D6 damage per every three levels of expe- Natural Weapons: None.
44
 damage. Can function normally until Hit Points reach a
negative equivalent to the P.E. attribute, at which point the
character falls unconscious and starts to regenerate. Note:
Most sane Revenants have this power.
10 Bio-E for Brute Strength
10 Bio-E for Extra Intelligence Quotient
10 Bio-E for Extra Mental Affinity
10 Bio-E for Extra Mental Endurance
Vestigial Disadvantages:
Automatically gets Shifting Anatomy and Deadened Sense of
Touch: The numerous tumors and growths constantly growing
on the Revenant’s flesh push and shove his or her anatomy in
strange ways. The character will be unrecognizable in one
month. This is another reason that Revenants tend to hide their
features under armor or cloaks, letting those they choose to have
contact with become familiar with their choice of clothing and
personalities, rather than their appearances. They also have the
most rudimentary sense of touch. -10% to any skills that require
a delicate touch.
-15 Bio-E for Insanities: Roll or pick 1D4 random insanities.
-15 Bio-E for Stench: As musk glands, but the scent is of decay
and death.
-10 Bio-E for Parasitic Non-Fruit-Bearing Plant: As above, ex-
cept this plant does not produce any fruit.

Fungal Genetic Chimeras

Twisteds
Original Animal Characteristics:
Description: The poor, misshapen Twisteds are one of the
horror stories of genetic experimentation gone horribly wrong. It
is unknown where these creatures came from, or how they came
Mutant Animal Powers: about, but they are nonetheless here, and there is much specula-
Automatically gets Regeneration and Longevity: The charac- tion as to their origins, even amongst themselves. Some fear the
ter heals at a rate of one Hit Point or S.D.C. per round, and can Twisteds, fearing that they carry some form of communicable
grow back lost limbs in a matter of days. However, the regrown genetic disease that will result in other creatures becoming
limb will look completely different from the original. The char- Twisteds.
acter will also live ten to twenty times longer than normal. Size Level: 8+1D4
5 Bio-E for Extra Physical Endurance
5 Bio-E for Extra Mental Endurance
5 Bio-E for Extra Intelligence Quotient
10 Bio-E for Symbiotic Fruit-Bearing Plant: To use this power,
the character permanently gives up ten S.D.C. The character
has a small tree or vine growing out of his or her flesh! This
can be located anywhere except for the head, as the burrow-
ing roots would grow straight into the brain, killing or perma-
nently incapacitating the character. The plant provides the
character with a piece of fruit each week that gives the char-
acter all the nutrition that he or she needs to survive for a
week. Also, if the character is ever trapped in an area without
air, the plant will provide oxygen for the character.
5 Bio-E for Radiation Immunity: The character is immune to the
effects of radiation.
10 Bio-E for Pain Immunity: The Revenant lacks the ability to
feel any pain at all, and suffers no penalties from physical

45
 Length: Varies. enough to separate itself from the ground. Thus, most Sporons
Weight: Varies. tend to be feral, self-taught characters.
Build: Random, roll 1D6: 1-2 Short, 3-4 Medium, 5-6 Long. Size Level: 8 (Min 6, Max 10).
Mutant Changes & Costs: Length: Usually around 5 feet, 5 inches (1.6 m).
Total Bio-E: 40 (For Psionics ONLY.) Weight: Usually around 150 lbs (67.5 kg).
Attribute Bonuses: I.Q. +3, M.E. +4. Build: Medium.
Human Features: Mutant Changes & Costs:
Hands: The smaller hand is a Full hand, with three fingers. Total Bio-E: 20
The larger hand is Partial, with just a big finger and thumb. Attribute Bonuses: +2 P.S., +3 P.E., +10 S.D.C.
-35% to skills that require the use of two hands. Human Features:
Biped: Full. Hands: Full: Sporons have heavy, four-fingered hands.
Speech: Partial: Voice will sound like someone talking Biped: Full.
through a wet bag. Speech: Full.
Looks: None and Bizarre: Twisteds are a misshapen lot. One Looks: Partial: For lack of a better term, these mutants look
arm (either the right or the left, pick one) is much larger and like mushroom-men. They have a humanoid body structure and
stronger than the other, which is quicker and more nimble. long, lean limbs. They have pale, spongy skin that looks like the
There is no discernable head, just a cluster of bumps around a flesh of a mushroom. Topping their heads are wide, flat mush-
permanently open mouth, where the head would be. Legs are room caps that look much like hats. The caps can come in a va-
designed like a bird’s and end in stumpy pads. Character’s skin riety of colors and patterns. No two Sporons have the same cap
comes in several different shades of brown and green, and is design.
covered in bumps and lumps.
Natural Weapons: None.
Natural Weapons: None.
Mutant Animal Powers:
Mutant Animal Powers:
Automatically gets Poison Cap: The mushroom cap all
Automatically gets Brute Strength and Leaping: Rodent. Sporons possess contains a poison. This poison is harmless un-
Vestigial Disadvantages: less it is ingested or it comes into contact with the bloodstream,
Automatically gets Diet: Herbivore. at which point it turns deadly. A character swallowing the poi-
son or being cut by a weapon coated with the poison must make
a successful save vs deadly poison or take 4D6 damage direct
Hit Points. A successful save means half damage. Sporons can
harvest this poison by milking a portion of their caps without
penalty. They can make one dose per size level, and it takes a
day for the cap to regrow if one dose is taken. If the maximum
dosage is milked, then the character’s cap is removed and will
regrow in one week. This does no damage to the character.
15 Bio-E for Regeneration: The character heals at a rate of one
Hit Point/S.D.C per melee round. Any limbs cut off will heal
in a matter of hours. Cannot survive being decapitated,
though.
10 Bio-E for Brute Strength
10 Bio-E for Extra P.E.
Vestigial Disadvantages:
Automatically gets Diet: Carnivore.
-10 Bio-E for Webbed Hands and Feet. (Character’s fingers and
toes will be fused with strange, fungus-like growths.)

Plant Genetic Chimeras

Sporons Deciduons
Original Animal Characteristics: Original Animal Characteristics:
Description: Sporons are a blend of mushroom and human. Description: Deciduons are humanoid trees. They feel a
These creatures are instinctive loners towards others of their great contempt for other plant-life, and take great offense to be-
kind, only getting together to release spores in fertile areas. ing compared to non-sentient plants. They have a majestic and
Hundreds of small mushrooms are produced through this repro- awe-inspiring presence, making them prone to dominate most
ductive method, but only one Sporon manages to survive long conversations or negotiations.
Size Level: 12 (Min 10, Max 15).
46
 20 Bio-E for Extra Heavy Natural Body Armor: A.R. 16, S.D.C.
+80.
10 Bio-E for Fruit-Bearing
5 Bio-E for Brute Strength
10 Bio-E for Beastly Strength
10 Bio-E for Each pair of Branches. (Functions as partial hands.
Adds one attack per melee and +1 to parry for each pair of
branches. Maximum 3 extra pairs.)
Vestigial Disadvantages:
Automatically gets Vestigial Leaves on the head. (Same pen-
alties as vestigial ears, except for the M.A. penalty.)
-10 Bio-E for Diet: Consumer (Replaces Photosynthetic Feeding
Process.) Character must eat other life forms exclusively in
order to survive.
-5 Bio-E for each pair of Vestigial Branches. (Maximum 3
pairs.)

Mossians
Original Animal Characteristics:
Description: These hulking brutes represent the ultimate in
adaptable plant/animal hybrids. Mossians can survive on a
Length: Usually 8 feet (2.4 m).
purely plant-like diet, absorbing nutrients from the soil and uti-
Weight: Usually 350 lbs (158 kg). lizing photosynthesis, or they can engage in an animal-like diet,
Build: Long. consuming other life forms in order to get nutrients. Frequently,
Mutant Changes & Costs: they do both, as these mutants tend to enjoy what they believe is
Total Bio-E: 30 the best of both worlds; animal and plant.
Attribute Bonuses: I.Q. +2, M.A. +4. Size Level: 16 (Min 12, Max 20).
Human Features: Length: 6 feet (1.8 m) to 12 feet (3.6 m) when standing fully
Hands: Full. erect, but spends most of the time hunched over, losing two feet
(0.6 m) in height.
Biped: Full.
Weight: 300 to over 1000 lbs (135-450 kg).
Speech: Partial.
Build: Long.
Looks: None: Deciduons look like big trees given life. They
have a basic tree-like structure divided into a humanoid form. Mutant Changes & Costs:
Two large branches form their arms, and a series of root struc- Total Bio-E: 20
tures forms the legs. Glassy eyes stare out from their solid, Attribute Bonuses: +4 P.S., Brute Strength, +8 P.E.
trunk-like heads. The eyes can be green, red, or yellow in color. Human Features:
They also have leaves sprouting from their heads, and along Hands: Partial.
their arms and legs.
Biped: Partial: Stance is like a gorilla, with the forearms lon-
Natural Weapons: ger and stronger than the legs.
15 Bio-E for Thorny Defense: This is a kind of natural body ar- Speech: Partial: Character will have a raspy voice, almost
mor. A.R. 12. A physical attack, such as a fist or foot, which like a loud whisper.
rolls under the A.R. contacts the thorns, doing 1D6 damage.
Looks: None: Has a gorilla-like frame covered with
Character can also use a body block or tackle that does 4D6
moss-like fur and vines. Back is large and has a considerable
damage plus P.S. bonus.
hump. Three or four particularly large vine-like structures hang
Mutant Animal Powers: from the face, resembling trunks. These are the olfactory ap-
Automatically gets Photosynthetic Feeding Process: If a pendages. Two large, glassy eyes stare out from the head and
Deciduon is exposed to a few hours of sunlight each day and is are either sold blue, red, or green. Character will be bright green
allowed to root in fertile soil for at least an hour each day, then when healthy, yellow when sick or undernourished, and brown
all of its dietary needs are met. when dead.
Automatically receives Light Natural Body Armor: A.R. 9, Natural Weapons:
S.D.C. +20. 15 Bio-E for Thorny Defense: This is a kind of natural body ar-
10 Bio-E for Medium Natural Body Armor: A.R. 11, S.D.C. mor. A.R. 12. A physical attack, such as a fist or foot, which
+40. rolls under the A.R. contacts the thorns, doing 1D6 damage.
15 Bio-E for Heavy Natural Body Armor: A.R. 14, S.D.C. +60. Character can also use a body block or tackle that does 4D6
damage plus P.S. bonus.
47
 will look at the chimera as a freak or abomination and treat the
mutant poorly or attempt to kill it. Therefore, if a player wishes
to play a mutant chimera, obtain permission from the G.M. first,
and obtain his or her approval for the combination presented.
Chimeras are usually created in the world of the After the
Bomb in a Pre-Crash, portable gene splicer by desperate parents
who cannot otherwise have children. In most nations, this prac-
tice is illegal, but in the world of After the Bomb®, the only
nation that can even come close to successfully controlling this
behavior is the Empire of Humanity, and even they are not
100% successful.
Note: The maximum number of donors that can be combined
into a mutant chimera is three. Any more than that and a vile,
misshappen monster with no human intelligence is produced.
G.M.s, remember this and use it to your advantage, creating all
new monsters to pit against your players.
A player can either choose the animals he wishes to combine
Mutant Animal Powers: to make the mutant chimera, or roll on the random mutant ani-
mal tables. (I personally recommend rolling randomly. You will
Automatically gets Mossian Body Structure (Special): A
get the most bizarre results.)
Mossian’s entire body is made up of dense plant fibers sur-
rounding a skeleton composed of flexible cartilage. All blunt at- Once two or three animals have been selected or randomly
tacks do 1/3 damage, blade attacks do ½ damage. Energy, fire, rolled for creating the chimera, the player then rolls a six-sided
cold, and acid attacks do full damage. Defoliants and chemical die, assigning a different animal to each set of numbers. For two
weapons designed to kill plant life do double damage. Can also animals, a roll of 1-3 means the first animal, and a roll of 4-6
squeeze through openings half its size because of the flexibility means the second animal is selected. For three animals, a roll of
of the body. +20% to Escape Artist Skill. 1-2 means the first animal, a roll of 3-4 means the second ani-
mal, and a roll of 5-6 means the third animal. The result of this
Automatically gets Photosynthetic Feeding Process: If a
die roll will determine the chimera’s starting size level, attribute
Mossian is exposed to a few hours of sunlight each day and is
bonuses, build, starting human features, and starting Bio-E.
allowed to root in fertile soil for at least an hour each day, then
all of its dietary needs are met. Example: A player wants to create a griffin. The G.M. ap-
proves, and allows him to roll up a chimera consisting of a lion
5 Bio-E for Advanced Smell
and an eagle. The player rolls a six-sided die, and rolls a 1. This
10 Bio-E for each pair of Tendrils: A pair of tendrils sprouts means the chimera starts out with the lion’s size level, build,
from a location on the character’s body specified by the Bio-E, starting human features, and attribute bonuses.
player. Tendrils function as partial hands and grant +1 attack
Once the above step is completed, the player can now spend
per melee round and +1 to parry.
the Bio-E points determined randomly, and now has access to
10 Bio-E for Prehensile Olfactory Appendages: The vine-like both sets of powers and vestigial disadvantages available to each
structures on the face of the character become the equivalent animal.
of partial hands.
Example: The above player continues to build his griffin.
10 Bio-E for Beastly P.S. The lion was rolled as the main animal, so he purchases human
Vestigial Disadvantages: features based off of that particular animal. Therefore, if he
Automatically gets Color Blindness. wants to be a full biped, it has to be purchased. Had he rolled
-10 Bio-E for Diet: Consumer (Replaces Photosynthetic Feeding the eagle as his main animal, he would automatically be a biped.
Process.) Character must eat other life forms exclusively in The player can now purchase any powers or gain Bio-E points
order to survive. by taking vestigial disadvantages from both the lion and the ea-
-5 Bio-E for each pair of Vestigial Tendrils. (Maximum 3 pairs.) gle. Players may NOT take powers or vestigial disadvantages
that are either redundant or incompatible. (E.g., cannot take both
Diet: Herbivore and Diet: Carnivore, cannot take Extra Physical
Rules for Creating Prowess twice, cannot take both a slashing beak and fangs, etc.)
Note: The only exception to the human features rule is when
Genetic Chimeras the chimera would have access to multiple limbs. In the case of
the griffin, if the player purchases flight or selects vestigial
Instead of offering a ridiculously long list of the millions of wings, the wings will automatically be placed on the back, be-
possible combinations available for creating new genetic chime- cause the lion was rolled as the main body. Had the eagle been
ras, a new set of rules for creating any type of mutant chimera rolled as main body, then the character would have to purchase
has been created. Players need to keep in mind that mutant chi- extra limbs if he wanted to have wings on the back. Another ex-
meras will be looked at as strange and frightening, even by fel- ample of this exception is when a character creates a chimera
low mutants. Some, even in tolerant societies such as Cardania, with one of the donor animals being an octopus. Regardless of

48
the main donor animal rolled, the character will have access to own). Upon arrival it immediately bonds and anchors itself to
multiple limbs, but they will be tentacles and will look very odd. the summoner and immediately becomes his obedient servant.
(However, that is the whole idea of playing a chimera, is it not?) Once mentally bonded it must then anchor itself physically to a
Once the above steps are completed, work with the G.M. to small deposit of common gravel (which is usually already pro-
determine the chimera’s appearance. The main donor should be vided for them by their summoner).
the strongest influence in the chimera’s appearance. Thus, the Those who summon a Scurry Scree will do so with a specific
griffin chimera in the example above will primarily look like a purpose in mind. You see, the Scurry Scree is basically a super-
lion with some eagle features. However, if the character selected natural sentry that watches over the possessions and/or land,
Human Looks: Partial or Full then the appearance of the charac- home, lair, hideaway or secret chamber of its master. To them,
ter should be some type of blend of the features provided in the their entire point of existence is to be their master’s watchdog,
mutant animal descriptions. and they do so diligently. As shape-changers they transform into
Take care of all other character creation and generation as mundane looking knickknacks to blend into the locations they
normal, and now you have a chimera! guard unnoticed and overlooked. They are always animal-like in
Note for G.M.s: This set of rules can be used to create all appearance, and if examined, they look as if they were carved
manner of new and interesting monsters and creatures for your out of a small and plain looking rock.
players to encounter in any of Palladium’s game systems. There Due to their diminutive size they can be placed virtually any-
is literally no limit to what you can create using the chimera where; on top of a mantel, cabinet, office desk, table, bookshelf
rules and a little imagination. or anywhere else it can hide in plain sight while on duty. Once
posted it freezes in place (can remain frozen indefinitely) and
keeps a constant watch over everything that happens in the

The Scurry Scree room/area it guards. Being bonded to its master, the Scurry
Scree knows who its master considers friendly and who’s an in-

& the Scurry Talus

truder. Depending on its master’s wishes, the Scurry Scree will
either become immediately alarmed at the sight of an intruder,
or may simply watch what the intruder does and only become
alarmed if something of importance to its master is touched or
Two New Demonic Servants for disturbed in some way.
Beyond the Supernatural™, 2nd Ed. When they become alarmed, they immediately spring into ac-
tion, scurrying off to warm their master (and incidentally, others
By Steven Dawes who may serve their master). While running to its master, it
Most practitioners of magic, various cultists and supernatural
beings tend to summon other supernatural creatures to guard
them and/or their belongings and hideaways. However, there are
those who require (or simply prefer) supernatural creatures that
are more discreet and able to hide in plain sight. The majority of
modern day societies live in urban settings, therefore living in
close proximity to each other with limited privacy. This requires
many of these evil individuals to live amongst them and deal
with the same lack of privacy and close scrutiny. Obviously,
summoning a Hell Hound for a watchdog at a house in the sub-
urbs would be a very foolish thing to do.
This is why the “Scurry Scree” and the “Scurry Talus” have
become commonplace in such environments. Their shape shift-
ing abilities allow them to exist quietly in these types of com-
munities while still providing their masters with the unique
security the supernatural can offer.

The Scurry Scree

scurry: To move in or as if in a brisk pace; to move around in
an agitated, confused, or fluttering manner.
scree: An accumulation of loose gravel or small stone debris ly-
ing on a slope or at the base of a hill, cliff or mountainside.

The Scurry Scree is a Minor Demon that anchors itself to our

plane of existence in an unusual manner. First off, it must be
summoned from its home dimension by a practitioner of magic
or supernatural being (it cannot find its way to Earth on its

49
scampers in a very agitated, confusing and fluttering manner ons and gargoyles are their most common look, but they can
(hence their namesake). As it runs, the Scurry Scree emits a look like any quadruped or biped animal with as little or as
painfully high-pitched scream and vibrates to create a loud rat- much detail as desired. Always changes into whatever its
tling sound. This is the sole function of the Scurry Scree, to alert master desires it to look like.
its master when it becomes alarmed by something, and it will Telepathic Bond: Magically understands the language and in-
not stop until it either reports to its master, or is destroyed in the structions of its master at 90%, but cannot read or speak.
process. They will obey their master’s wishes, will recognize and ig-
nore all individuals their master considers “friendly” and will
The Scurry Scree not sound the alarm in their presence. Their bond has a range
- Minor Demonic Servant of two miles (3.2 km). While in range the Scurry Scree will
Also known as the “Gravel Golem” and “Scamper Sentry.” always know where its master is located and will instantly
know when someone has become a friend or an enemy ac-
Alignment: Always Aberrant. They are not malicious by any
cording to its master.
means; they are subservient creatures with animal-like intelli-
gence, similar to that of the common dog. Screaming Rattle: When alarmed, the Scurry Scree begins to
vibrate and rattle like a rattlesnake while emitting an ex-
Attributes: I.Q. High animal intelligence about equal to a ca-
tremely loud, high-pitched scream similar to that of a scream-
nine, M.E. 2D6, M.A. 1D6, P.S. 2D6 (Supernatural), P.P.
ing frog, only several times louder. As it screams it will
1D6+11, P.E. 2D6+5, P.B. 6+1D4, Spd 4D6+5.
scurry off towards its master as fast as possible to warn him
Armor Rating (A.R.): 13; any attack less than 14 does no dam- of the intruder (only if its master is within the two mile ra-
age to its rocky hide even if it hits. dius of it). If its master is away, it will try to find somewhere
Hit Points: P.E. number +1D12. to hide from the intruder, who will most likely try to destroy
S.D.C.: 4D6+20 it while it continues screaming.
Discorporation: When the Scurry Scree is destroyed, its body While not deafening or powerful enough to shatter glass,
explodes like a tiny grenade, sending gravel scattering in all the screaming is painful and disorienting to anyone less than
directions. Anyone within 4 feet (1.2 m) of its blast radius 30 feet (9.1 m) from the Scurry Scree, and victims must
takes 1D6 points of damage. (Note: Anyone who destroys the make a saving throw of 16 or higher (may include P.E. bonus
Scurry Scree with a melee weapon or a ranged weapon at in their attempt). Those who fail their saving throw will have
point-blank range must roll to dodge the explosion. Treat the to cover their ears or get out of range of the scream or they
explosion like a normal attack by rolling a 20 sided die (no suffer -3 to all their combat actions and -15% to all skill rolls
bonuses) and have the defenders attempt to dodge if able.) until 1D4 minutes after the screaming has stopped (or they
If examined, the remains of its gravel body show no un- are out of its range).
usual characteristics, it is simply gravel that’s commonly A Scurry Scree can scream rattle nonstop while scurrying
found in that region of the world. to its master (or running from its attackers) and can continue
Threat level: x2, a Minor Demonic Servant. (G.M. Note: If the its scream indefinitely if needed. This scream can be heard at
player characters are in an Investigating the Supernatural least a city block away in all directions.
mode and therefore already at a x2 level, they will not notice Telepathic Report: When picked up and held in its master’s
the presence of the Scurry Scree.) hand, the Scurry Scree gives a telepathic report of what it has
Horror Factor: 5 when someone recognizes what it is. These seen, including the sounds and faces of the intruders that
creatures pose to look like a small, animal-shaped knick- have alarmed it. This is why they scurry to their master when
knack that’s typically used as a piece or art, a paperweight, a activated, not so much as to warn him of the danger (they
souvenir or other similarly small inanimate trinket. The fear would know that by the screaming rattle alone) but to be able
factor of this creature is not because it’s dangerous, but be- to show him a replay of everything it has seen or experienced
cause if alarmed it summons the attention of much more dan- of the intruders. Destroying the Scurry Scree before reaching
gerous individuals. its master will stop it from reporting what it has seen, allow-
Size: They are typically 4-6 inches (10-15 cm) in height and ing the intruders to stay anonymous (if they escape or hide
length, with 8 inches (20 cm) being the maximum; they are before they are spotted by someone else who heard the
never larger than a fist. screaming rattle).
Weight: Typical range is one to three pounds (0.45-1.35 kg), Discorporate at Will: Believed to be something of a last ditch
with five pounds (2.25 kg) being the maximum. effort to help its master, when a Scurry Scree is trapped, cap-
Average Life Span: Uncertain, probably immortal. tured or picked up by an intruder/attacker, it can discorporate
instantly. As the discorporation notes mentioned previously,
P.P.E.: 1D4
anyone within 4 feet (1.2 m) of its blast radius suffers 1D6
Natural Abilities: Has excellent day and nightvision (1000 damage.
feet/305 m), can leap 5 feet (1.5 m) high and across, doesn’t
Vulnerabilities: 1. Paper and Cardboard. While vulnerable to
breathe air and bio-regenerates 1D4 S.D.C. or Hit Points
all normal man-made weapons, melee weapons that are
once every melee round.
wrapped with paper inflict an extra 1D6 points of damage per
Shape-change into Knickknack: The Scurry Scree can trans- strike. Durable items made out of cardboard (like a shipping
form into a knickknack that looks like it was a rock that was tube, thickly rolled up newspapers or similar objects used as
chiseled and carved to resemble an animal. Lizards, scorpi-
50
 a blunt object) inflict 1D12 damage per strike to a Scurry Magic: None.
Scree and will bypass their Natural Armor Rating (only need- Psionics: None.
ing a natural roll of 5 or higher to strike).
Enemies: ANYONE who is not considered friendly by its mas-
2. They are affected by psychic abilities or magic that can ter, human and non-human alike.
control or expel them (like Banishment, Constrain Being,
Allies: Scurry Screes can be summoned and controlled by prac-
Summon Lesser Being, Exorcism, etc.).
titioners of magic and powerful supernatural beings. Evil
3. They automatically fail to save against anyone using mages, cultists and supernatural beings keep them as sentries
“Psychic Invisibility.” However, any ill intent or act (includ- over their possessions and their home. In fact, they might
ing thievery of items the Scurry Scree is watching over) will keep several on hand at one time if they so desire. They will
cancel the psionic influence and immediately alarm it. loyally serve their master to the best of their ability and with-
4. Their Screaming Rattle Alarm ability is dampened out question.
when submerged in water. In addition, they cannot swim and
literally sink like a stone in water. If thrown into a pond,
lake, ocean or a location where it can scurry back to land, it
will exit as fast as possible and resume its screaming rattle.
But if thrown into an aquarium, a kitchen sink, bathtub or
other location it can’t climb out of that’s filled with water, it
is effectively trapped and ineffective as a sentry. They do not
breathe air so it won’t drown; it will simply wait in the water
to be rescued by its master.
5. If their master dies or releases them from service, they
are forced back to their home dimension. When this happens
they will discorporate as noted above.
P.C.C. Notes: Psychic Diviner: A Diviner will NEVER see a
sign out of the blue that he or she is being watched by a
Scurry Scree. However, if they specifically look for signs
they will automatically know that they are “being watched by
something” (no Perception Roll required). However, if the
Scurry Scree is set by its master to start screaming the mo-
ment its spots an intruder, the G.M. may let the Diviner see a
sign that reads “The next room/area is being watched/
guarded by something.”
Nega-Psychic: A Nega-Psychic’s aura will effectively “switch
off” a Scurry Scree while in its presence. It’s as if it simply
stops working and “blacks out,” resuming its sentry duty once
out of range of the disruptive energy field. The Scurry Scree
does not notice this disruption and will not become alarmed.
Psychic Sensitive: A Psychic Sensitive will get a creepy feel-
ing that he’s “being watched” the instant he is spotted by a
Scurry Scree.
R.C.C. Skills or Equivalents (do not increase with experi-
ence): Detect Ambush 70%, Land Navigation 85% and Cam- The Scurry Talus
ouflage 95% (freezes in place and looks like a common
scurry: To move in or as if in a brisk pace; to move around in
knickknack and is easily overlooked).
an agitated, confused, or fluttering manner.
Average Level of Experience: Not applicable.
talus: An accumulation of loose rocks (usually larger than a
Actions per Melee: Five. All of its actions will be used for fist) or stone debris lying on a slope or at the base of a hill,
scurrying off to warn its master of intruders, running from crag, cliff or mountainside.
and dodging its attackers. If it runs from someone and finds a
safe place it will merely continue to scream until a path is The Scurry Talus is very similar to the Scurry Scree, and
clear for it to run to its master (if its master is in range of its could be considered the rich uncle of the two. A Scurry Talus
telepathic radar). performs the same basic duties of the Scree and then some. Like
Damage: Not applicable! They are not meant to attack, only to the Scree, the Scurry Talus must be summoned from its home
call out an alarm when necessary. However, if they are dimension by a practitioner of magic or supernatural being,
caught or picked up by an intruder/attacker they can use their bonds psychically with its master and serves him or her loyally.
Discorporate at Will ability to inflict damage. However, it uses rocks instead of gravel for its physical body,
Bonuses: +3 initiative, +4 to Perception Rolls, +6 to automatic building a bigger, heavier and stronger body than the Scree. It’s
dodge, +3 roll with impact, +10 save vs Horror Factor and is also more intelligent and capable of handling more duties for its
impervious to cold (cold attacks do no damage). master than the Scree.
51
 Like the Scree, the Talus builds its body out of loose rock, Threat level: x4; Demonic Servant; a Lesser Demon.
but requires stones that are at least the size of a fist or larger. Horror Factor: 10 when facing one in its natural gargoyle-like
Like the Scree it can shape-change at will; however its disguises form, 12 when facing more than three. These creatures pose
imitate small to medium-sized statues. These statues look identi- to look like outdoor home decor and are easily overlooked,
cal to the garden variety statues found in home and garden but if someone recognizes what one is while disguised (per-
stores, which can include garden gnomes, fairies, gargoyles, haps by psychic means), its Horror Factor is 6.
cherubs, frogs, turtles, geese, dogs, cats, porch lions, yard deer,
Size: They can range from half a foot (15 cm) tall up to four and
lawn jockeys and other familiar sights. Typically, they are
a half feet (1.4 m) tall and wide. Their natural form is always
placed outdoors to keep watch over their master’s yard and
4½ feet tall standing up (can scurry on all fours if needed).
property, as well as keeping an eye out for intruders.
Weight: They can range from ten pounds (4.5 kg) all the way
Like the Scree, they telepathically know who their master
up to eighty pounds (36 kg). Their natural form will always
considers friendly and will ignore them. At the same time they
be around seventy to eighty pounds (31.5-36 kg).
learn to recognize their neighbors, the postman, paperboy, gar-
bage men, and other common fixtures and daily occurrences that Average Life Span: Uncertain, probably immortal.
take place around them. They also learn to keep track of the oc- P.P.E.: 2D6
currences they see daily. For example, they begin to note the Natural Abilities: Has excellent day and nightvision (1000
usual time a neighbor leaves and returns home from work, or the feet/305 m), can leap 10 feet (3 m) high and across (twice
general time the mailman stops by to deliver the mail. With their that distance with a running start), doesn’t breathe air and
exceptional hearing they even learn to pick up on the neighborly bio-regenerates 1D6 S.D.C. or Hit Points once every melee
gossip in case something is going on worth reporting to their round.
master. Shapechange into Yard Decor: The Scurry Talus can trans-
Another attribute similar to the Scree is in the event that the form into yard decor that looks like it was either chis-
Talus becomes alarmed by someone (intruders, thieves, its mas- eled/carved from rock or molded out of cement. Can
ter’s enemies, etc.) it will send out an alarm. However, Talus do duplicate the look of any animal or humanoid stone or ce-
not scream out like the Scree; since they are usually displayed ment yard decor desired. Always changes into whatever its
outdoors they must remain discreet in the public eye. Instead master desires it to look like. However, it can also transform
they send a telepathic alarm to their master and, if possible, they into a hideous looking gothic gargoyle-like creature at will.
will go into hiding somewhere (like under or behind bushes and This is considered by most Parapsychologists to be the
shrubbery, etc.) and will continue watching the intruders. If it Scurry Talus’s natural look.
sees an opportunity to surprise the intruders, it will transform Telepathic Bond: Magically understands the language and in-
into a hideous gargoyle-like creature and will scurry over to am- structions of its master at 90%, but cannot read or speak. It
bush and attack them! Unlike the Scree, the Talus is bigger, will obey its master’s wishes, will recognize and ignore all
stronger and capable of combat, making it an “attack dog” to the individuals its master considers “friendly” and will not send
Scree’s “watchdog.” an alert in their presence. Their bond has a range of five
miles (8 km), and while in range the Scurry Talus will always
The Scurry Talus know where its master is located and will instantly know
- Lesser Demonic Servant when someone has become a friend or an enemy according to
Also known as the “Yard Golem” and the “Rockgoyle.” its master.
Alignment: 80% are Miscreant, 20% are Aberrant. Unlike the Telepathic Alarm: When alarmed, the Scurry Talus will send
Scree, they exhibit human intelligence (albeit at a child’s a telepathic alert to its master. This alert will include any
level) and will perform cruel acts when they can. sights or sounds of note, including what the intruder(s) looks
Attributes: I.Q. 1D4+2, M.E. 3D6, M.A. 2D6, P.S. 3D6 (Su- like and anything they might have said or done that’s worth
pernatural), P.P. 3D6+2, P.E. 4D6, P.B. 6+1D4, Spd 3D6+5. noting. If its master is out of range of the telepathic bond, the
Talus will continually send out the alert till either it’s de-
Armor Rating (A.R.): 11; any attack less than 12 does no dam-
stroyed or its master comes within range of its telepathic
age even if it hits.
bond. This is a silent alarm that only its master and its mas-
Hit Points: P.E. number +1D12. ter’s other Scurry Talus servants can receive.
S.D.C.: 4D6+30 Discorporate at Will: Believed to be something of a last ditch
Discorporation: When the Scurry Talus is destroyed, its body effort to help its master, when a Scurry Talus is trapped, cap-
explodes like a grenade, sending rock fragments scattering in tured or nearly destroyed by an intruder/attacker, it can
all directions. Anyone within 8 feet (2.4 m) of its blast radius discorporate instantly. As the discorporation notes mentioned
takes 3D6 points of damage. (Note: Anyone who destroys the previously, anyone within 8 feet (2.4 m) of its blast radius
Scurry Scree with a melee weapon or a ranged weapon at suffers 3D6 damage.
point-blank range must roll to dodge the explosion. Treat the Vulnerabilities: 1. Paper and Cardboard. While vulnerable to
explosion like a normal attack by rolling a 20 sided die (no all normal man-made weapons, melee weapons that are
bonuses) and have the defenders attempt to dodge if able.) wrapped with paper inflict an extra 1D4 points of damage per
If examined, the remains of rock fragments show no un- strike. Durable items made out of cardboard (like a shipping
usual characteristics, it is simply rock that’s commonly found tube, thickly rolled up newspapers or similar objects used as
in that region of the world. a blunt object) will inflict 1D8 damage per strike to a Scurry
52
 -Self-proclaimed “Supermage” Scott Percy Danson to Chief Finding spells on the Internet is really difficult, because there
Medical Examiner Hugo Jimiez, on the steps of the Library of is a lot of misinformation, impossible to corroborate accounts
Congress. and just plain wrong/stupid commentary. Message boards,
usergroups, IRC chat rooms, and other places are full of bogus
Unlike some of the other magic classes, the Modern Mage
information. However, thanks to the character’s handy computer
doesn’t see any need to intermingle magic with science, ma-
resources that constantly scour these sources, he can find that
chines or computers, but simply to use the technology to make
one legitimate piece of the puzzle that helps to piece things all
magic “easier.” Consequently, the Modern Mage is well versed
together.
on the contemporary world, and will use things like the Internet,
newsgroups, FTP servers, and PDAs to keep track of his infor- The chance of finding a spell through a random web search
mation and to cross reference sources as he searches for new without any computer program assistance is -20%. Having the
spells and knowledge. skill Internet Usage raises it by +20%; yes, to an even zero per-
cent. This is where the Modern Mage requires his tools and ex-
The character is most definitely an investigative type and will
pertise to track down the information that he needs. Note
use all kinds of information gathering techniques to not only
however, that finding new spells does become easier as one ad-
learn new spells, but to keep track of the latest in modern tech-
vances in experience, so there is a +2% bonus to acquiring new
nology and discoveries as well. The very nature of the Modern
spells per level of experience.
Mage will often lead him into communication and conflict with
those that want his knowledge and also will want to keep him The character has an impressive ability to translate spells
from finding lost information. The best way to describe the from ancient texts, books of magic and scrolls. When combined
Modern Mage? Globe-trotting with an arcane bent. with his computer knowledge, and a successful Principles of
Magic roll (to help understand the complexities of the spell that
Character Bonuses: Because of the focus on learning and
he is working on), the character can attempt to do a Scroll/Text
knowledge, all Modern Mages receive a bonus of +2 to I.Q. and
Conversion. The success ratio is 10%, +3% per level of experi-
+2 to M.E. (very mentally focused). This also accounts for the
ence. A successful Principles of Magic and Cryptography roll is
bonuses to Perception that are defined below.
first required and at least six months of study and research. A
successful Scroll/Text Conversion means that the knowledge is
Initial Spell Knowledge gained, and the character can use the spell at will. On a failed
Modern Mages deal with a lot of practical magic; stuff that is roll, roll on the following table.
useful to them in a day to day setting and fitting in with their
chosen occupations. This doesn’t always translate well to com- Success or Failure
bat, but it makes the character extremely versatile in a lot of sit- 01-09%: The desired spell, but at half range, damage, dura-
uations. These are also the four most widely distributed spells, tion, and effect. The character will need to study the spell for
and that is why all Modern Mages end up learning them. another six months to see if the spell can be made to work
The character starts with the following four spells (from ei- (+25% Scroll/Text Conversion on that specific spell).
ther HU2 or the HU2 G.M.’s Guide): Decipher Magic, See the 10-22%: Nothing! No reaction or effects at all.
Invisible, Befuddle and Weightlessness. Also, starting Modern 23-30%: Failure, causing the character to suffer slight immo-
Mages gain a total of 1D6+4 spells from levels 1-3, and 1D4+2 lation from the mystic energy; caster suffers 2D6 damage and is
spells from levels 4-8. However, unlike the Mystic Study char- weakened (-2 on all combat rolls, -4 on all saving throws) for
acter, the character does not automatically gain spells per level, the next 1D4 hours (heals normally).
but must use his or her investigative nature to learn more magi- 31-42%: Failure, leaving the caster dazed and confused. All
cal spells. skills are -20% and he is -2 on all combat rolls and has one at-
P.P.E.: Like all magic users, the Modern Mage is a living tack per melee. The effects last 1D6 days.
battery of P.P.E. The character starts with 2D4x10+10 +P.E. at- 43-50%: Failure, the character feels ripped apart from elec-
tribute in P.P.E. As the character grows in experience, he or she trical energy; the character suffers 4D6 damage, but is otherwise
gains 2D4 P.P.E. Note that this is less than the Mystic Study unaffected (no lingering effects).
character, but the Modern Mage has a number of tools that the
51-62%: Success, the spell works perfectly.
Mystic Study character simply cannot acquire.
63-75%: Failure, the spell summons an otherworldly being
Methods of Acquiring New Spells (typically a lesser demon, entity, or minor elemental) that will
be surprised and aggressive. The otherworldly being will typi-
Again, the modern world often helps the Modern Mage to ac- cally be teleported back (01-75%) after 1D4 hours, but some
quire new areas of magic. Scouring the Internet, libraries with (76-00%) are stuck in their new dimension!
digital cameras with text readers that translate books into a 76-88%: Failure, the character has trouble focusing and con-
searchable format (often thousands of pages of text), and tele- centrating. All spells require 50% more P.P.E. to cast and have
phone conversations with voice capture and identification as half the effects, and the character is -2 on all saving throws for
well as filters and translators, makes the Modern Mage some- 1D4 days. The character will be unlikely to successful do an-
thing much different than the Mystic Study character. For the other Scroll/Text Conversion (-20%) on that particular spell.
character believes entirely in the existence of magic (after all,
89-95%: Failure, opens a mystic portal to another dimen-
without belief one couldn’t begin to learn) but doesn’t believe in
sion. To close the portal will require the spell caster to cast 1D6
the “magical.”
Mystic Portal spells himself before he can close it. If left open,
54
 -Self-proclaimed “Supermage” Scott Percy Danson to Chief Finding spells on the Internet is really difficult, because there
Medical Examiner Hugo Jimiez, on the steps of the Library of is a lot of misinformation, impossible to corroborate accounts
Congress. and just plain wrong/stupid commentary. Message boards,
usergroups, IRC chat rooms, and other places are full of bogus
Unlike some of the other magic classes, the Modern Mage
information. However, thanks to the character’s handy computer
doesn’t see any need to intermingle magic with science, ma-
resources that constantly scour these sources, he can find that
chines or computers, but simply to use the technology to make
one legitimate piece of the puzzle that helps to piece things all
magic “easier.” Consequently, the Modern Mage is well versed
together.
on the contemporary world, and will use things like the Internet,
newsgroups, FTP servers, and PDAs to keep track of his infor- The chance of finding a spell through a random web search
mation and to cross reference sources as he searches for new without any computer program assistance is -20%. Having the
spells and knowledge. skill Internet Usage raises it by +20%; yes, to an even zero per-
cent. This is where the Modern Mage requires his tools and ex-
The character is most definitely an investigative type and will
pertise to track down the information that he needs. Note
use all kinds of information gathering techniques to not only
however, that finding new spells does become easier as one ad-
learn new spells, but to keep track of the latest in modern tech-
vances in experience, so there is a +2% bonus to acquiring new
nology and discoveries as well. The very nature of the Modern
spells per level of experience.
Mage will often lead him into communication and conflict with
those that want his knowledge and also will want to keep him The character has an impressive ability to translate spells
from finding lost information. The best way to describe the from ancient texts, books of magic and scrolls. When combined
Modern Mage? Globe-trotting with an arcane bent. with his computer knowledge, and a successful Principles of
Magic roll (to help understand the complexities of the spell that
Character Bonuses: Because of the focus on learning and
he is working on), the character can attempt to do a Scroll/Text
knowledge, all Modern Mages receive a bonus of +2 to I.Q. and
Conversion. The success ratio is 10%, +3% per level of experi-
+2 to M.E. (very mentally focused). This also accounts for the
ence. A successful Principles of Magic and Cryptography roll is
bonuses to Perception that are defined below.
first required and at least six months of study and research. A
successful Scroll/Text Conversion means that the knowledge is
Initial Spell Knowledge gained, and the character can use the spell at will. On a failed
Modern Mages deal with a lot of practical magic; stuff that is roll, roll on the following table.
useful to them in a day to day setting and fitting in with their
chosen occupations. This doesn’t always translate well to com- Success or Failure
bat, but it makes the character extremely versatile in a lot of sit- 01-09%: The desired spell, but at half range, damage, dura-
uations. These are also the four most widely distributed spells, tion, and effect. The character will need to study the spell for
and that is why all Modern Mages end up learning them. another six months to see if the spell can be made to work
The character starts with the following four spells (from ei- (+25% Scroll/Text Conversion on that specific spell).
ther HU2 or the HU2 G.M.’s Guide): Decipher Magic, See the 10-22%: Nothing! No reaction or effects at all.
Invisible, Befuddle and Weightlessness. Also, starting Modern 23-30%: Failure, causing the character to suffer slight immo-
Mages gain a total of 1D6+4 spells from levels 1-3, and 1D4+2 lation from the mystic energy; caster suffers 2D6 damage and is
spells from levels 4-8. However, unlike the Mystic Study char- weakened (-2 on all combat rolls, -4 on all saving throws) for
acter, the character does not automatically gain spells per level, the next 1D4 hours (heals normally).
but must use his or her investigative nature to learn more magi- 31-42%: Failure, leaving the caster dazed and confused. All
cal spells. skills are -20% and he is -2 on all combat rolls and has one at-
P.P.E.: Like all magic users, the Modern Mage is a living tack per melee. The effects last 1D6 days.
battery of P.P.E. The character starts with 2D4x10+10 +P.E. at- 43-50%: Failure, the character feels ripped apart from elec-
tribute in P.P.E. As the character grows in experience, he or she trical energy; the character suffers 4D6 damage, but is otherwise
gains 2D4 P.P.E. Note that this is less than the Mystic Study unaffected (no lingering effects).
character, but the Modern Mage has a number of tools that the
51-62%: Success, the spell works perfectly.
Mystic Study character simply cannot acquire.
63-75%: Failure, the spell summons an otherworldly being
Methods of Acquiring New Spells (typically a lesser demon, entity, or minor elemental) that will
be surprised and aggressive. The otherworldly being will typi-
Again, the modern world often helps the Modern Mage to ac- cally be teleported back (01-75%) after 1D4 hours, but some
quire new areas of magic. Scouring the Internet, libraries with (76-00%) are stuck in their new dimension!
digital cameras with text readers that translate books into a 76-88%: Failure, the character has trouble focusing and con-
searchable format (often thousands of pages of text), and tele- centrating. All spells require 50% more P.P.E. to cast and have
phone conversations with voice capture and identification as half the effects, and the character is -2 on all saving throws for
well as filters and translators, makes the Modern Mage some- 1D4 days. The character will be unlikely to successful do an-
thing much different than the Mystic Study character. For the other Scroll/Text Conversion (-20%) on that particular spell.
character believes entirely in the existence of magic (after all,
89-95%: Failure, opens a mystic portal to another dimen-
without belief one couldn’t begin to learn) but doesn’t believe in
sion. To close the portal will require the spell caster to cast 1D6
the “magical.”
Mystic Portal spells himself before he can close it. If left open,
54
there is a 01-70% chance of something crawling out of it the both man and animal will understand each other completely. For
first hour and 01-40% chance of another creature crawling out the Modern Mage, the Familiar is now a sensory extension en-
of it for every day that it is left open. Bad news if the mage abling him to see, hear, smell, taste and feel everything the ani-
doesn’t know the Mystic Portal spell! Portal closes by itself af- mal experiences. Thus, Familiars make great spies, listening to
ter 2D6 days. conversations and prowling into areas not easily accessible to
96-00%: Complete Success. The spell not only works per- their masters. Although the Familiar understands and obeys the
fectly but costs 10% less (rounded up) to cost per invocation! Modern Mage, it cannot actually speak to him.
Just as the Modern Mage knows what the Familiar is feeling,
Other Magic Abilities so the Familiar knows what its master is experiencing (on an
empathic and telepathic level). If one is in danger, the other will
of the Modern Mage know it. The magical nature of the union also provides the Mod-
The Modern Mage, like the Mystic Study character, is a pow- ern Mage and the Familiar both with an additional six Hit
erful practitioner of the arts of magic. Consequently, he has Points. However, if the Familiar is hurt or attacked, its master
other abilities that do not require spell casting but usually re- takes the same amount of damage even if miles apart. If the Fa-
quire P.P.E. expenditure. miliar is killed, the Modern Mage permanently loses 10 Hit
Points! There is also a 50% chance he will suffer shock from the
Heightened Perception ordeal. If he does, he will lapse into a coma for 1D6 hours. An-
The Modern Mage is keenly aware of his surroundings and is other Familiar Link cannot be attempted again for at least 1D4
always observing things, trying to find that one clue that is hid- years.
den. Thus the character gets a general +2 bonus to Perception, Other Limitations & Notes about the Familiar Link:
with an additional +2 if he senses that something is not right 1. Two-way telepathic and empathic communication; maxi-
with the current situation; that requires a roll under against M.E. mum range 6000 feet (1829 m). Beyond this range the two can-
to see if the character’s “gut instinct” kicks in. Also, if he has not communicate, but each will know if the other is in danger or
the skills Detect Ambush, Detect Concealment, Military Intelli- hurt regardless of the distance between them. The animal will
gence or Land Navigation, each of those skills provides a +1 bo- also understand spoken commands by its master on an almost
nus to the Perception ability. human level. The Modern Mage will have a keen understanding
and perception of his animal companion’s reactions, growls,
Sense Aura noises and body language.
Range: One individual up to 100 feet (30 m) away. 2. The Familiar also possesses all of the abilities common for
Duration: One melee round. that type of animal.
Saving Throw: Standard.
P.P.E.: 5
While not as informative as a See Aura, a Sense Aura can
still provide some useful information. On a successful Sense
Aura the character can learn the following about the victim:
· Presence of psychic or magic abilities but not the
strength/level or power.
· Presence of possession, mind control and altered mind (in-
cludes if a person is drunk or on drugs).
It does not provide any knowledge of if the individual is sick
or healthy, level of experience or alignment. It is merely a
screening ability. Also mind blocks, Iron Will and Impervious to
Magic super abilities block this scanning ability (will mask the
presence of psionic and magic abilities).

Familiar Link
Range: Self and animal; 600 feet (183 m).
Duration: Indefinite.
Saving Throw: None.
P.P.E.: 20
At third level, a Modern Mage is experienced enough to
mentally link with a small animal (mammal, bird or lizard). This
link is permanent, producing a rather impressive symbiotic rela-
tionship. No matter how wild or mean the animal may have
been, it will instantly consider the Modern Mage to be its friend,
companion and master. To him, the animal is always docile, be-
cause the two are now one; an extension of each other. As such,

55
 3. Familiar Size: 35 pounds (15.7 kg) maximum. Tenth level adds +1 to Spell Strength (16 or higher to save vs
4. Typical animal types used as a Familiar include cats, dogs, his magic) and another +1 vs possession and Horror Factor.
coyotes, foxes, weasels, ferrets, rodents, birds, large lizards and Thirteenth level adds +2 to save vs magic and +1 to save vs
snakes. possession.

Sense Magic Skill Knowledge

Range: 120 foot (36.6 m) diameter.
Being a Modern Mage requires a fair bit more educational
Duration: Automatic and constant awareness. specifics than just dropping one skill program for the knowledge
Saving Throw: None. of the class. Thus, similar to Special Training (and let’s face it,
P.P.E.: 3 magic is a form of special training!), the character starts with a
The Modern Mage is so familiar with magical energy that he number of skill programs to reflect his upbringing and back-
can sense or feel the presence of magic (i.e. an enchanted ground.
weapon or object, other powerful magic item, ley line nexus, Common/General Skills
Greater Demon, Demigod, god, or fellow wizard that is 8th level Read/Write/Speak Native Language
or greater, and similar). Like a geiger counter, the individual can Basic Math
tell if he is near (within 20 feet/6 m) or far (towards the limit of
Pilot Automobile
the range) from the source of the magic. The ability can also in-
dicate whether a person, object or place is enchanted/under a Select 1D6+5 Secondary Skills.
magical spell, possesses vast P.P.E., is in the process of invok- Lore Program (Special)
ing magic, or if powerful magic is being used in the area. Note: Principles of Magic (New!) (+20%)
Practitioners of Magic and most Supernatural Beings do not reg-
Lore: Geomancy (+15%)
ister as being magical except when actually casting a spell/using
magic. Lore: Theology (+10%)
Lore: Demons and Monsters (+10%)
Sense Enchantment Archeology (+10%)
Range: About 90 feet (27.4 m) maximum. Computer Program (Special)
Duration: Automatic and constant awareness. Computer Operation (+20%)
Saving Throw: None. Computer Programming (+20%)
P.P.E.: None. Internet Usage (New!) (+10%)
The Modern Mage’s knowledge and attunement to the super- Basic Electronics (+5%)
natural is so complete that he can recognize magic in almost any Computer Repair (+5%)
form, on sight. This includes magic items, magic weapons, cir-
cles, other magic users, and people controlled or possessed by Investigative Program (Special)
mystic forces. The exact purpose or power of the enchantment is Cryptography (+15%)
usually not known, but that it is rooted in magic is easily identi- Surveillance Systems (+10%)
fiable. This is basically an uncomfortable, prickly sensation or Tracking (+10%)
specific “feeling” or hunch the Modern Mage gets when looking Forgery (+5%)
at a specific person, place, or item. Base level of perception and
Research (+15%)
correct evaluation is 52% +2% per level of experience.
Also select one skill program from HU2, pages 46-47, from
Magic Combat and Bonuses this list: Business, Communications, Domestic, Language, Med-
ical Assistant, Pilot: Advanced, Physical/Athletic, Science and
See the Magic and Spells section in HU2, page 319, for full
Technical. All skills gain a +5% Special Training bonus.
details. Basically, the character can cast two attacks from spells
level 1-8 per melee round. Each spell counts as two melee at-
tacks. Just as the Modern Mage gains P.P.E. during his level ad- Special Equipment
vancement, so too does he gain other bonuses that directly
augment the effectiveness of his magical skills. These bonuses
of the Modern Mage
are in addition to any applicable attribute and skill bonuses. Note that the following equipment is not automatic, it must
be purchased from the character’s budget, but all Modern Mages
At first level, the Modern Mage is +2 to save vs all kinds of
have access to this equipment.
magic, +2 to save vs possession, +2 to save vs Horror Factor (if
it is used in the game), and others need a 12 or greater to resist Personal Data Assistant (PDA) (Cost: $250-$800)
his magic (Spell Strength).
No Modern Mage worth his salt would be without a PDA.
At fourth level, another +1 vs magic is gained and Spell
This handy device records conversations, video and still images
Strength increases +1 (characters need 13 or greater to save
as well as functioning as a telephone with text messaging capa-
against his magic). bilities and audio conferencing. Since the device also has wire-
Seventh level adds +2 to Spell Strength (15 or higher to save less networking technology (enabling it to wirelessly connect to
vs his magic) and +1 to save vs possession. the Internet) it has a large number of Security Intrusion detec-
56
tors that make it difficult to hack into (-20% for Computer reply even if he doesn’t know the language of the caller! This
Hacking and Cryptography attempts). It is light and pretty super phone only comes from one supplier, Daltry Enterprises
flimsy (only 4 S.D.C.) but remains an important component in based out of Yorkton, Ohio. It’s been advertised forever on TV
the arsenal of the Modern Mage. It doesn’t add any bonuses to via infomercials, eBay auctions and many other methods (in-
the Acquiring New Spells percentile, but without it, the charac- cluding cameo displays on the Simpsons and COPS) that make
ter would be hard pressed to drum up leads and follow hot links it fairly ubiquitous. Most people don’t fully grasp the serious-
using the other technology at his disposal. ness of the functionality of this device, but the Modern Mage
certainly does and uses it to its fullest capacity. It has a measly
Desktop Personal Computer (Cost: $4000-$11,000) S.D.C. of 3 (easily broken). Note that if the phone can help
The character has a top of the line personal computer that in- translate some aspect of a spell the character is looking for it
teracts with all of his other devices; the PDA, the OCR Printer, adds +20% to the Acquire New Spell percentage, otherwise it is
Scanner, Copier and most importantly, the FTP Server. This a measly +2% bonus but only if the character is talking to some-
computer has a number of ports and links to devices to be a one that gives good, credible information about the spell.
powerful mobile communications hub. The computer comes
with a 22 inch widescreen LCD monitor, wireless mouse and Peer to Peer Software (Cost: Free)
keyboard and state of the art sound system with DVD burner While Peer to Peer (or P2P as it is commonly known) is best
and optical drives. known for illegal pirating of copyrighted material, including
movies, music and books, it is still a useful source for the Mod-
Data Miner (Cost: $35) ern Mage to gain specific knowledge on something. Thus all
This powerful computer utility is not what most would call Modern Mages have P2P software running when tracking down
“user friendly.” It simply scours the Internet for all information, popular TV shows that have been to an area. This benefits them
copies what it can and transmits that data into files on both the in two ways: they have a way to check the detail of the land-
FTP server that the Modern Mage utilizes (see below for details) scape they are traveling to, and they can see how “authentic” is
and onto the PC that the character has. It doesn’t filter any infor- the relic that they are choosing to see. As far as using P2P soft-
mation, it only does its best to copy text and images (it’s limited ware to Acquire New Spells, there is a measly +1% bonus be-
to jpg, gif, png, tiff and bitmaps for images and avi and mpeg cause the character will have a slightly better idea of what he is
for video; it destroys all HTML tags and all javalinks too and looking for with the software.
stores text as txt files) and stores them on the user’s computer
systems. FTP Server (Cost: $3000-$8000)
Note that Data Miners are powerful utilities and, as such, re- A powerful device in the servitude of the Modern Mage is
cord all kinds of information. It procures tens of thousands of the FTP server. FTP stands for File Transfer Protocol and repre-
pages of documents with hundreds upon hundreds of images and sents the “virtual” storage of the Modern Mage. As long as the
videos stored in separate folders. To go through them all would character, or anyone with proper authorization, can access the
take the Modern Mage hundreds of hours. However, it is a good Internet, he can access files on the FTP server with the right
utility in that it raises the Acquiring New Spells percentage by software. FTP servers are important and useful because they can
+25%! So it is a utility that no Modern Mage would be without. back up material on the Modern Mage’s main PC and are useful
It can be downloaded with a fee from many different websites as a permanent repository for stored data. Since they are ac-
and only takes about an hour of usage for the character to be- cessed remotely, they can be situated virtually anywhere and it’s
come familiar with. not unprecedented for a Modern Mage to have multiple FTP
servers set up with each holding different data. The FTP server,
Digital Camera (Cost: $300-$900) however, does not offer a bonus to Acquire New Spells because
As good as the PDA is, the Digital Camera is an important it’s not an active device, it simply responds when needed.
tool as well. It takes more, better quality pictures with zoom
functions as well as storing them electronically so they can be
Wireless Router and High-Speed Connection
transferred to digital storage without the messy function of de- (Cost: $100-$405)
veloping film. While the Digital Camera doesn’t add to the Ac- It is important for the character to be connected online and,
quiring New Spell percentage, it is a good tool and aids the as such, have both a Wireless Router and High-Speed Connec-
Research skill with a +5% bonus. The Photography skill is not tion. This enables the character to utilize the PDA with the FTP
required to fully utilize the Digital Camera. The S.D.C. Of a Server along with the Jet Search Engine. The typical range of
typical Digital Camera is only in the 5-8 (4+1D4) range. the wireless router is 100 feet (30 m) before the signal begins to
weaken, but signal boosters can jump that up to 1000 feet (305
XS-88 Voice Recognition Speaker Phone m) at a cost of roughly $300.
(Cost: $49.95)
An exceptionally handy phone that the character will often
OCR Scanner, Printer, Fax and Copier
keep in his office, this phone not only offers the customary call (Cost: $150-$500)
display, three-way calling and call forwarding, but also will tell A very handy device for the Modern Mage is the OCR Scan-
the character who is calling and can record phone conversations. ner, Printer, Fax, and Copier. This device scans text documents
Also, there is a built-in translator for the phone that translates and converts them into digital files for the character as well as
any of 50 built-in languages so the character can understand and providing the standard printing, fax and copier functions that all
57
machines provide. The OCR scanning is especially important in
that it allows the character to get a digital copy of printed text
and images.

Desktop Publishing Software (Cost: $200-$1000)

Trying to understand all of the documents possessed by the
Modern Mage can be difficult, so it is important to have good
Desktop Publishing Software to turn it into a more legible prod-
uct, especially if one is doing any seminars or appearances
based on what he knows. Thus it is important for the Modern
Mage to have Desktop Publishing Software.

Jet Search and Analyze Engine (Cost: Free)

A powerful utility developed by a small cadre of Modern
Mages known as the Visionary Assembly, with a specialty in
Computer Intrusion Security and Factual Dissemination. The Jet
Search Engine (JSE is the acronym) scours the files that it is al-
lowed to access and analyzes them, finding linking words and
phrases and generating its own reports on what it finds. This al-
lows the Modern Mage to quickly realize what is bunk and what
might actually be true. It’s also extremely handy in Acquiring New Age Oracle
New Spells, raising the percentage by +30%! However, even on “I don’t see why you can’t replace the frog’s tongue with an
the typically high-end computer systems that the Modern Mage iguana’s. Iguanas are bigger.”
runs on, the JSE is incredibly slow and memory taxing; it chews
- WXIR Talk Show Host Pam Brown while doing a radio in-
up memory and grinds everything else down to a halt, so
terview with Priestess Clarissa, a noted Wiccan and Vegan.
multitasking is pretty much impossible. But if one wants a tool
that is useful in tracking down arcane information, the JSE is Finding new ways to perform old rituals is the basic mindset
not merely useful, but mandatory. behind the New Age Oracle, one of the surprisingly popular new
“fads” of the New Age Movement. Aspects of New Age Mysti-
Other Stuff for the Modern Mage cism are taken very seriously by this character, including the
Tarot, Astrology, Numerology, and other different and popular
Alignment: The character can be of any alignment, however
forms of mystic knowledge and ability. Yet the New Age Oracle
most Modern Mages are of good or Unprincipled alignment.
is not a crackpot, but a genuine believer in learning new meth-
Evil Modern Mages often find it hard to get information through
ods for achieving power.
cooperative efforts.
Also an important note is that the New Age Oracle requires
Level of Education and Skill Selection: This is detailed
objects, drawings and/or symbols to be used with magic. Conse-
above. The character does not roll on the Random Education
quently, the character is a Ritual Magician, with the additional
Level table like the Mystic Study character.
power and complexity that such magic paths require. Thus, in-
Hand to Hand Combat: Most Modern Mages are weak in stead of the normal spell range of the “traditional” Mystic Study
hand to hand combat. Thus if they want a Hand to Hand skill character, we will explore all of the different aspects of New
they must select it as a Secondary Skill choice. It is recom- Age Mythology that the character is familiar with and how the
mended that the character select at least Hand to Hand: Basic to character uses such knowledge.
avoid getting creamed instantly.
Attacks per Melee (Hand to Hand): The character starts
with two attacks, with extra attacks coming from a Hand to
Different Areas of Mastery
Hand skill choice and/or possibly Boxing. of the New Age Oracle
Weapons and Armor: Unless the character is extremely The character may become a specialist in three of the follow-
wealthy, only conventional weapons and body armor are avail- ing areas (to be picked at first level). Also note that each option
able. provides separate bonuses from the others.
Structural Damage Capacity (S.D.C.): The character has a
starting S.D.C. of 30. Additional S.D.C. comes through Physical Tarot
skills such as Body Building. Knowledge of the Tarot enables the character to recognize a
Available Financial Resources: The character has a budget Tarot deck as well as using a Tarot deck for reading a person’s
of $1D4x10,000+3000 towards the purchase of the special future. The character knows the major and minor arcana sets and
equipment above. Any extra money left over can be spent on is familiar with the history and lore of the Tarot. Note that it is a
other equipment, weapons and vehicles. Any money not spent is fairly exhaustive area of knowledge as there are many different
wasted. Note that the character is smart and well educated and interpretations on the Tarot and different names for the cards,
will often have a fairly good job using his investigative and the amount of cards, as well as different origins for different
magical background. decks with different names for the main sets.
58
 Divination through the Tarot results in a +10% roll to the per melee round and remember it at 95% instantly. As long as
Divination ability, defined below. The actual divination itself in- the character reads it once every six months it will always be re-
volves a deck of Tarot cards and turning them over one at a time membered at the 95% proficiency. However, after six months it
to a final drawing of three cards. The interpretation of the Tarot drops 5% to a minimum of 40% (always has a chance to remem-
is defined below. ber it) but it must be related to numbers.
Skills Gained: Card Sharp (+15%), Palming (+15%), Con- Skills Gained: Business and Finance (+10%) and Advanced
cealment (+10%). Math (+20%).

Astrology Crystal Balls

Astrology has been around for eons and the stars even longer, Pretty much the token toy for the New Age Oracle is the
so it is no surprise that divination is long associated with astrol- Crystal Ball. No other object has been more identified with divi-
ogy. And elements of both the Chinese Zodiac and West- nation and fortune-telling than the Crystal Ball. The character is
ern/Latin Zodiac are both attributed to personality, and with that experienced in the traditional swirling mists of the Crystal Ball
personality knowledge a certain method of predictability can be and is genuine enough to tell a false fortune-teller from a real
ascertained. Unlike the skill presented in Mutants in Orbit one. The character is familiar with the theory, history and
though, there is magic attributed to this form of Astrology that knowledge of Crystal Balls, can build a real Crystal Ball and
makes it more precise, although with possible consequences. can also use other Crystal Balls with only a -5% roll to Divina-
For one thing, it is still unreliable; it is based on the move- tion when using another Crystal Ball. Also, the character can tell
ment of the stars and the arrangement of other celestial beings in if a Crystal Ball is “energized” or not.
the sky. However, prophetic dreams are definitely possible, and The actual divination from the Crystal Ball results in images
the character is keenly aware of the celestial movements. Thus and colors emanating from the ball that the New Age Oracle in-
the character will be rather date specific on the divination, keep- terprets based on what he feels the Crystal Ball is trying to tell
ing in mind that the further away from the birth date of the indi- him. Like all forms of Divination, it is not exact and should
vidual, the less reliable the result will be. Divination through never be fully relied on, but does remain a fairly accurate
Astrology results in a +15% bonus to the Divination ability de- method and adds +15% to the Divination ability below. Note
fined below. The focus on Astrology also provides the character that because of the reliance and history of Crystal Balls, the
with a +2 bonus to M.E. character gains a bonus of +2 to M.A. and +2D6 P.P.E.
Skills Gained: Astrology (+20%) and Land Navigation Actually building a Crystal Ball is also part of this specialty.
(+5%). Note that the skill Astrology doesn’t relate to the magi- This includes the stand (traditionally wood but can be any sub-
cal divination, but rather the history, theory, and knowledge that stance depending on the character’s skills), and the ball itself. It
goes into Astrology itself. takes roughly 2D6 hours to build a proper Crystal Ball in its en-
tirety. Quartz and Beryl are the two most common and readily
Numerology available crystals that are used to sculpt the Crystal Ball itself
For the Numerologist, the study of numbers involves many and are “energized” with 20 P.P.E. during the final creation. The
different possibilities. The date, time, and location (latitude and imbuing of P.P.E. into the creation process is what helps gives
longitude) of birth along with elevation can be possible cata- the higher bonus to Divination since the New Age Oracle al-
lysts. Also, the timing of events and numeric logistical analysis ready has a portion of his or her psyche involved in the process.
will play a factor in all Numerology based divinations. Of Skills Gained: Performance (+10%), Art (+15%), Sculpting
course, Numerology makes one skilled in much more than just (+10%), Gemology (+10%). These skills revolve around the de-
the study of numbers, it imparts an impressive memory regard- sign and aesthetic appeal of Crystal Balls themselves as well as
ing numbers in general that transcends magic and enables the performing Divination with the Crystal Balls.
character to remember an impressive array of numerical knowl-
edge. Voodoo
Divination through Numerology may seem like a bit of mad- Despite the obvious connection to zombies, Voodoo as pre-
ness as the character babbles on, analyzing all kinds of numeri- sented here follows more of the established West African con-
cal data relating to the character while in the trance before cept of communion with the spirits and the sanctity of the soul.
blurting our random comments and suggestions. It is quite cha- Thus New Age Oracles do not get any sort of zombie creation
otic although a successful Divination can be quite a shocking rituals or control abilities. However, Voodoo is a powerful me-
experience. Divination through Numerology adds +5% to the dium of connection and provides a number of abilities. Unfortu-
Divination ability defined below. The character also gains a bo- nately, it is unlikely for a Caucasian or Asian character to learn
nus of +1 to I.Q. the true power of Voodoo, as the secrets of the arts are jealously
Special Abilities guarded hereditary secrets that are only taught to a select few,
even within a traditional family link.
Head for Numbers: The character has a near photographic
memory when it comes to numerical data. Phone numbers, bank Although other Areas of Mastery support this, Divination
account numbers, addresses and other numerical information is through Voodoo is often in the form of a Seance; a large number
remembered almost instantly and is retained for six months of people that have a mutual mental link to each other through
without study. The character can breeze through complex math- family or marriage. Divination through Voodoo gets a +10% bo-
ematical formulas and financial documents at a rate of 10 pages nus. Voodoo provides a bonus of +3D6 P.P.E. and +1 to M.E.
and +1 to P.E.
59
Special Abilities a position that is puzzling for magic, because it equates more
commonly to Science and the two are often seen in conflict with
Spirit Guide: The Voodoo-centric character has a Spirit
each other. Yet a New Age Oracle that focuses on Teleology
Guide that gives him advice when it is asked for. The Spirit
will also believe that seemingly random events fit a larger goal
Guide is typically a dead relative; aunts, uncles, and grandpar-
and purpose and the character will try to fit all of the congruent
ents are the most common. The advantage for the Voodoo Ora-
events into a cohesive vision of the future.
cle is that the Spirit Guide will protect the character during
Séances and Divinations with a +3 bonus to save against psy- Divination through Teleology may seem quite puzzling. The
chic attacks leveled against the character. Note that the Spirit character will grill the person seeking the divination with many
Guide only appears during a Séance and the corresponding Divi- (may be over 100) questions that will help him ascertain a likely
nation. Likewise, other characters can not interact with the Spirit direction in the character’s life. The result may be conflicting
Guide and attacking the Spirit Guide is a moot point, since it is and contradictory but the Teleologist is a master of reading the
impervious to psionic attacks, mind control and possession. If results. Divination through Teleology gains no special bonus.
the Spirit Guide does not show during a Séance, or if another The character enjoys a +1 bonus to I.Q.
spirit shows, it means great danger has befallen the Spirit Guide Skills Gained: Psychology (+15%).
on the Astral Plane, although there is little that the New Age Or-
acle can do about it. Palmistry
Skills Gained: Meditation. The practiced art of predicting things while reading the lines
in one’s hand is the foundation of Palmistry. The art has been
Rune Stones around for many centuries and can be surprisingly accurate.
Rune Stones are a unique area of specialty for the New Age Likewise, the character will be very astute regarding the general
Oracle. Traditionally, Rune Stones are of Scandinavian back- health of people around him and will often have the skill and
ground, and display images of Norse gods. The character is fa- ability to assist others if needed.
miliar with the legends of Rune Stones and is also familiar with Divination through Palmistry is done by reading the lines.
the runic alphabet but, of course, can not create Rune Weapons, The life line is the main line that distinguishes how long and
but can get a general idea of what kind of stories are written in prominent one’s life will be. It’s also generally used to identify
runic language. The character can create simple amulets or what will happen in a person’s life and what possible obstacles a
charms by energizing Rune Stones. person may have to overcome. The head line is used to properly
Divination is largely based on small stones that each has a identify the person’s mental health and overall mental acumen,
single runic character on it, that are scattered on the ground, and while the heart line is most often associated with physical health
how they fall are interpreted based on the direction of the stone and vitality. These three are the primary factors used in Divina-
and the character on the stone. Divination gains no special bo- tion; other knowledge and associations are included but these
nus through Rune Stones. The character gets a +1 bonus to M.E. are the cornerstones of this particular area of Mastery. Divina-
tion through Palmistry gains a +3% bonus because it has a legit-
Special Abilities imate, established history. There are no character bonuses.
Recognize Runic Magic: Although the character can not Skills Gained: Biology (+5%).
create rune weapons, he or she can sense when runes are genu-
inely energized with magic and is familiar enough to recognize Augury
genuine rune weapons and objects. The character’s sensing abil-
An interesting and often forgotten Area of Mastery, Augury
ity is limited to 20 feet (6 m) and recognizing rune weapons and
has been around for many centuries. It involves analyzing the
objects is done at a skill level of 55% + 4% per level of experi-
flight of birds, whether they travel in packs, what kind of sounds
ence.
they emit, etc. It is most commonly believed to have originated
Create Energized Rune Stones: The character can also cre- with the ancient Romans, who often sought council based on the
ate energized Rune Stones that provide some generic bonuses by results of Augury. Today, however, it is a very obscure art and
carving the symbols onto the Rune Stones and energizing them anyone that professes to have knowledge of it is likely called a
with 15 P.P.E. The Rune Stones provide a +1 saving throw charlatan or worse. Also, the character becomes a master at
against magic, mind control, possession, psionics, or Horror reading bird nature and physiology and comes to treat them with
Factor. Bonuses are not cumulative for multiple Rune Stones, an incredible deal of respect.
and they cannot be used as a P.P.E. battery or store spells. The
Divination through Augury involves focusing on a particular
Rune Stones can be easily destroyed as they have an S.D.C. of
issue (such as war, famine, etc. in a particular part of the world
10+1D6 and A.R. of 8. The ability to create Energized Rune
or the personal trials of a specific individual) and for the dura-
Stones is only available at 4th level.
tion of the Divination doing nothing but watching the birds. The
Skills Gained: Literacy: Rune Symbols (+15%), Sculpting reaction of the birds is key to this aspect of Divination, and if
(+14%; 4th level). there are no birds around it simply will not work. Not a chance.
Because this is so obscure, there is no bonus to Divination
Teleology through Augury. There are also no character bonuses.
Quite possibly the least “magical” of the sub-areas of mas- Skills Gained: Biology (Birds only) +15%, Falconry (+5%).
tery, Teleology believes that all things exist with meaning, that
nothing is random and all things have a logical explanation. It’s

60
Ouija nation expertise, it is not as simple as it may first appear for the
New Age Oracle to select one particular medium. Often, he will
Ironically, one of the most frowned upon methods of Divina-
have one preferred method and will use the others to build upon
tion is also one of the most popular. The Ouija board is one of
the original divination. This, however, can be extremely time
the most iconic pieces of New Age Mythology because of its
consuming and exhausting and will entail the need of many dif-
connection to popular movies and books, and remains a very
ferent items. The benefit, of course, is a lot more accurate divi-
visible display. The character will be able to sense a real Ouija
nation once each one is done and hopefully, not all of the P.P.E.
board from a fake one, whether one is “energized” or not, and
of the character is exhausted.
will have the skill to create his own Ouija board.
It is up to the G.M. to determine what happens during the
Divination through the Ouija board is the classic mantra from
Divination (haunting visions of light and swirling mists and tele-
the movies and other pop culture. The New Age Oracle and the
pathic comments are typical). The answers should never be to-
individual both touch the board, the New Age Oracle asks the
tally obvious, but the more successful the skill roll, the clearer
individual questions starting with easy “yes or no” answers be-
the reply. (Such as, “Your mother left the world in anger. She
fore going onto more introspective questions. The Divination
has not forgotten the promise she made to you.”) However, a
doesn’t last long (the typical 2D6 minutes of all Divinations) but
failed skill roll means that the answer is either wrong or ex-
can be climactic and interesting. Despite the movie results, spir-
tremely cryptic. (“Her spirit exists only in sorrow.”) It is impor-
its are seldom involved that are malicious, as only those that
tant for G.M.s to realize that Divination does have some
want to contact make will do so and many often couldn’t be
limitations. It can not be used to predict the future of the charac-
bothered. Divination through Ouija offers a +8% bonus to Divi-
ter himself, is never 100% accurate, and must be done via some
nation. Ouija offers the character +1 to M.E. and +1 to P.S. and
sort of object. It also is not instantaneous, but is a very good tool
also +1D6 to P.P.E.
for finding information, especially if the source of the Divina-
Building a Ouija board, despite what one might think, is not tion involves powerful magical or psionic forces.
that easy. It involves a fair amount of craftsmanship and atten-
tion to detail, especially to build one that is aesthetically pleas- Séance
ing. It takes roughly 1D4 hours to build and to “energize” it
Range: Self.
takes 25 P.P.E.
Duration: 1D6 minutes.
Skills Gained: Art (+15%), Calligraphy (+10%) and Carpen-
try (+5%). P.P.E.: 12 (but gains the P.P.E. of the willing participants after-
wards for the Divination).
Methods of Acquiring This is the practiced ability of the character to perform a nor-
mally psychic ability but, in this instance, it is based entirely on
New Areas of Mastery magic. It requires at least four other people besides the New
The character is unique in that he or she must actively search Age Oracle to empower the ability properly. What a Séance al-
out new areas of mastery and that they require real game time to lows is for the New Age Oracle to use the willing P.P.E. of oth-
study and learn. Consequently, one does not gain new abilities ers around him and channel that into the Divination, giving the
per level, but by devoting two years to a specific study they then Divination a +20% boost and help offset the P.P.E. cost. On the
gain that ability at first level. Note that is two full years of at flip side of that however, is that if even one person has reserva-
least four hours a day towards that study five days a week, with tions or resists the Séance then it is reduced by -5% per person
no great lull in that time. Thus, the level advancement can vary so it is best used with trust.
widely depending how devout the New Age Oracle is to master-
ing new disciplines. Astral Recognition
Range: Self (for Astral Location it’s 200 (60 m) feet plus 20
Other Magic Abilities feet (6 m) per level of experience).
of the New Age Oracle Duration: 2D6 hours.
P.P.E.: 10
Note that these abilities are applicable to all New Age Ora-
This particular ability is useful to recognize both beings that
cles regardless of the above different Areas of Mastery.
are astrally invisible as well as beings and instruments that have
Divination recently been to the Astral Plane. The character is also cognitive
of Astral Travel and Astral Portals that may be caused by move-
Range: Self.
ments to and from the Astral Plane. Note that this does not en-
Duration: 2D6 minutes. able the character to actually enter the Astral Plane, nor
P.P.E.: 10 communicate with anyone directly that is in an Astral state. It’s
Base Skill: 44%+3% per level of experience. important to state that the character can not actually see anyone
All of the different areas of study for the New Age Oracle invisible, only sense their presence and prepare for when they
provide specific abilities but they have one unifying theme and are encountered.
that is divination. Similar to the ability in Beyond the Supernatu-
ral™, First Edition, the Divination has a unifying theme of re- Sense Enchantment
quiring an item and a target to have any chance of success. Range: About 90 feet (27.4 m) maximum.
Since the New Age Oracle has so many different areas of Divi- Duration: Automatic and constant awareness.
61
Saving Throw: None. acquire. Also it’s possible that other Areas of Mastery for the
P.P.E.: None. New Age Oracle may provide additional P.P.E.
The New Age Oracle’s knowledge and attunement to the su-
pernatural is so complete that he can recognize magic in almost Skill Knowledge
any form, on sight. This includes magic items, magic weapons, One of the unique aspects of the New Age Oracle is that each
circles, other magic users, and people controlled or possessed by special branch of mystic knowledge also includes a certain
mystic forces. The exact purpose or power of the enchantment is amount of skill knowledge. Thus, the character possesses not
usually not known, but that it is rooted in magic is easily identi- only the Common/General Skills and the fundamental skills of
fiable. This is basically an uncomfortably prickly sensation or the New Age Oracle but also additional skills based on the dif-
specific “feeling” or hunch the New Age Oracle gets when look- ferent Areas of Mastery. Note that in the case of duplicate skills
ing at a specific person, place, or item. Base level of perception and skill bonuses, only take the highest bonus; do not add the
and correct evaluation is 50%+2% per level of experience. bonuses together.
Common/General Skills
Sense Magic
Read/Write/Speak Native Language
Range: 120 foot (36.6 m) diameter.
Basic Math
Duration: Automatic and constant awareness.
Pilot Automobile
Saving Throw: None.
Select 1D6+3 Secondary Skills
P.P.E.: 3
New Age Oracle Skills
The New Age Oracle is so familiar with magical energy that
he can sense or feel the presence of magic (i.e. an enchanted Public Speaking (+15%)
weapon or object, other powerful magic item, ley line nexus, Principles of Magic (New!) (+20%)
Greater Demon, Demigod, god, or fellow wizard that is 8th level Lore: Demons and Monsters (+10%)
or greater, and similar). Like a geiger counter, the individual can Cryptography (+5%)
tell if he is near (within 20 feet/6 m) or far (towards the limit of
the range) from the source of the magic. The ability can also in- Also select one other skill program that includes all available
dicate whether a person, object or place is enchanted/under a except for the Criminal, Espionage, Medical Doctor, Military,
magical spell, possesses vast P.P.E., is in the process of invok- Police/Law Enforcement, Professional Thief, and Robot pro-
ing magic, or if powerful magic is being used in the area. Note: grams.
Practitioners of Magic and most Supernatural Beings do not reg-
ister as being magical except when actually casting a spell/using Other Stuff for the New Age Oracle
magic. Alignment: The character can be of any alignment, however,
most New Age Oracles are of good or unprincipled alignment.
Magic Combat and Bonuses Evil New Age Oracles often find it hard to get information
See the Magic and Spells section in HU2, page 319, for full through cooperative efforts.
details. Unlike most magic classes, however, the New Age Ora- Level of Education and Skill Selection: This is detailed
cle does not cast spells per melee as all of the abilities relate to above. The character does not roll on the Random Education
Divination and other non-spell related actions. However, the Level table like the Mystic Study character.
character does gain other bonuses that directly augment the ef- Hand to Hand Combat: Most New Age Oracles are weak in
fectiveness of his magical skills. These bonuses are in addition hand to hand combat. Thus if they want a hand to hand skill
to any applicable attribute and skill bonuses. they must select it as a Secondary Skill choice. It is recom-
At first level, the New Age Oracle is +2 to save vs all kinds mended that the character select at least Hand to Hand: Basic to
of magic, +2 to save vs psionics, +2 to save vs possession, +2 to avoid getting creamed instantly.
save vs Horror Factor (if it is used in the game), and others need Attacks per Melee (Hand to Hand): The character starts
a 16 or greater to resist his magic (Ritual Strength). with two attacks, with extra attacks coming from a Hand to
At fourth level, another +2 vs magic is gained. Hand skill choice and/or possibly Boxing.
Seventh level adds +2 to save vs possession. Weapons and Armor: Unless the character is extremely
Tenth level adds +2 vs possession and psionics. wealthy, only conventional weapons and body armor are avail-
Thirteenth level adds +2 to save vs magic and +1 to save vs able.
possession. Structural Damage Capacity (S.D.C.): The character has a
P.P.E.: Like all magic users, the New Age Oracle is a living starting S.D.C. of 30. Additional S.D.C. comes through Physical
battery of P.P.E. The character starts with 1D4x10+16 +P.E. at- skills such as Body Building.
tribute in P.P.E. As the character grows in experience, he or she Available Financial Resources: The character has a budget
gains 1D6 P.P.E. per level of experience. Note that this is less of $2D4x1000 towards the purchase of starting equipment and
than the Mystic Study character but the New Age Oracle has a resources. Any extra money left over can be spent on other
number of tools that the Mystic Study character simply cannot equipment, weapons and vehicles. Any money not spent is
wasted.

62
 Initial Spell Knowledge
Digital Sorcerer The Digital Sorcerer has a few specialty spells that come
“What’s in the computer, you ask? Stuff that would blow from combining magic and technology. They include Transfuse
your mind. Literally.” Spell, Digital Encoding, Spell Lock, Decipher Magic, and one
- Famed computer hacker and Digital Sorcerer spell of choice from levels 1-3.
1337_h8r4shur to Amanda Bevington-Collins, host of the popu- P.P.E.: Like all magic users, the Digital Sorcerer is a living
lar news show, TV Central Today on the BBNN (British Broad- battery of P.P.E. The character starts with 1D6x10+22 +P.E. at-
cast News Network). tribute in P.P.E. As the character grows in experience, he or she
gains 1D6+1 P.P.E. Note that this is less than the Mystic Study
The Digital Sorcerer, unlike the Modern Mage, is more inter-
character but the Digital Sorcerer has a number of tools that the
ested in achieving spells through technological devices than
Mystic Study character simply cannot acquire.
simply storing them as data files. For to the Digital Sorcerer, a
laptop is his spell book, and his hands-free headset is the
method that he chooses to channel the power into the world. Methods of Acquiring New Spells
Studying to be a Digital Sorcerer involves the same rigorous The Digital Sorcerer is the only magical proficiency that can
training as all magic specialties require. It takes two years to take an already existing electronically-stored spell and use it as
build up the P.P.E. Battery as well as mastering some basic is. However, finding electronically-stored spells is difficult. The
spells before the character even looks at a computer. Studying skill Internet Usage will aid the character in finding spells; how-
the intricacies of the psychic world, the character’s own strength ever, the character will rely on contacts with the Master and his
of character and conviction as well as lots and lots of reading own focus and self research. The character is also likely to fig-
and research are involved in the path to becoming a Digital Sor- ure out new spells on his own as he engages the world through
cerer. After the fundamentals are known, the character spends study and experimentation.
the next two years learning about Digital Sorcery and the con- Self Research: Every second level of experience, the Digital
cepts and execution behind it. Sorcerer will get a breakthrough in his mystic knowledge, and
Finding someone actually able to teach Digital Sorcery is not will spend the next 1D6 weeks working on the spell, fine tuning
too difficult because it’s basically everywhere. However, the it through trial and error until it becomes a working spell. The
best teachers don’t advertise what they know. All of the big cit- spell is limited to the character’s level or below.
ies in the world (especially in the UK, the US, and Portugal) Return to the Master: The Master will occasionally benefit
have well known Digital Sorcerers. These teachers rarely take the Digital Sorcerer with a working spell, especially if the stu-
on apprentices, as they are all skilled professionals without a lot dent and the Master enjoy a good relationship, and the Master
of time on their hands. However, should they take a liking to sees growth and development in his apprentice. It will take the
someone, then they will start the process. character 3D4+8 weeks to learn the new spell (and the spell will
Character Bonuses: The character gets a bonus of +2 to I.Q. never be in digital copy; the Master believes that the student
and +2 to P.E. as a result of the training. need not forget his original training) and is typically limited to
levels 1-5.
Digital Sorcery vs Modern Magic
Why study Modern Magic over Digital Sorcery? The answer
Other Magic Abilities
is easy: it’s simpler for the Modern Mage to acquire spells than of the Digital Sorcerer
it is for the Digital Sorcerer. The Digital Sorcerer has limitations
on the spells he can cast because it must be done electronically. Spell Storage
The Modern Mage doesn’t have that limitation. However, the All of the character’s spell knowledge is in his head, like any
Digital Sorcerer, once he does have a working spell, can be in- wizardry class; however, he may choose to have a spell stored
credibly powerful, simply because the spell can be energized on his computer. A spell takes up a lot of room on a computer
into his computer and cast at a later time, creating a very potent (300 megabytes per P.P.E. point of casting cost), but once
“spell book” of sorts. stored, can be cast without using any P.P.E. Also, it only takes a
The Digital Sorcerer has impressive computer knowledge single melee action to cast the spell. Spells may also be stored
(and access to some of the material and technology of the Mod- on CDs or DVDs, however; these discs are destroyed/unusable
ern Mage) but the character is more interested in his focal point, after the spell has been cast. Flash Drives, External Hard Drives
and lacks a lot of investigative abilities that make the Modern and Optical Drives can be used 1D6 times before they are also
Mage such an interesting class. However, the Digital Sorcerer destroyed. (P.P.E. is hard on technology, after all.) It’s only the
can more easily create spells on his own, and that helps to deter character’s computer that doesn’t get destroyed because of its
the character from doing a lot of active searching for existing enchantment with the Digital Encoding spell.
spells. Since the character creates his own spells as he levels up,
he rarely spends time traveling to find lost tomes and libraries, Computer-Based Casting
and uses knowledge he finds on the Internet as “inspiration” for Rather than storing the spells on a computer, the character
his own spells. can choose to cast the spell directly through the computer. This
functions as a standard invocation, except the character requires

63
his laptop computer and headset (as the spell must be spoken). advancement, so too does he gain other bonuses that directly
Also, the character is limited to one spell per melee, but also has augment the effectiveness of his magical skills. These bonuses
one extra action per melee (if no hand to hand skill is known, it are in addition to any applicable attribute and skill bonuses.
may be a non-combat action). Note that this applies to a tradi- At first level, the Digital Sorcerer is +2 to save vs all kinds of
tional spell casting, so the mage is within view of his target(s) magic, +2 to save vs possession, +2 to save vs psionics, and oth-
while holding his laptop, and is technically “offline.” ers need a 12 or greater to resist his magic (Spell Strength).
At fourth level, another +1 vs magic is gained and Spell
Strength increases +1 (characters need 13 or greater to save
against his magic).
Seventh level adds +2 to Spell Strength (15 or higher to save
vs his magic) and +1 to save vs possession.
Tenth level adds +1 to Spell Strength (16 or higher to save vs
his magic) and another +1 vs possession and psionics.
Thirteenth level adds +2 to save vs magic and +1 to save vs
possession.

New Spells
Transfuse Spell (2nd Level)
Casting Magic Through the Internet Range: Self.
One of the great dreams of many intrepid Digital Sorcerers is Duration: 2D6 melee rounds; lasts until medium is destroyed.
the thought that one can easily dispatch unwanted targets by Saving Throw: None.
emailing them a spell, such as Domination, Control, Agony, etc.
P.P.E.: 10 plus the P.P.E. from the spell.
and for the recipient to suffer the effects of the spell. However,
it doesn’t quite work that way. The reason is that spells are ener- This spell is what the Digital Sorcerer casts when he wants to
gized locally, and that localized energy can not be sent outside put a spell to a hard copy of digital media. It typically appears as
of the computer case. Thus, electronically stored spells are all if the Digital Sorcerer is scratching the surface with his bare
inert and harmless until they are energized, and can only be used hands in fast, incoherent movements, focusing the spell onto the
locally. However, to prevent someone from using the computer medium. It’s a fundamental spell for all Digital Sorcerers and is
besides the spell caster, Wards, Seal, Mystic Alarm and similar one of the first ones taught. Obviously, the character must al-
spells are all very effective, because they are energized and cast ready know the spell to be transfused and must have a usable
locally from the computer itself. medium.

Sense Magic Digital Encoding (4th Level)

Range: 120 foot (36.6 m) diameter. Range: Self.
Duration: Automatic and constant awareness. Duration: 2D6 months, plus one month per level of experience.
Saving Throw: None. Saving Throw: None.
P.P.E.: 5 P.P.E.: 30
The Digital Sorcerer is so familiar with magical energy that This spell enchants the character’s computer and allows for
he can sense or feel the presence of magic (i.e. an enchanted the transfer of the transfused medium to be copied into the com-
weapon or object, other powerful magic item, ley line nexus, puter for later casting. Note that once a spell has been encoded
Greater Demon, Demigod, god, or fellow wizard that is 8th level into the computer, the disc is destroyed, and if the computer is
or greater, and similar). Like a geiger counter, the individual can destroyed then the Digital Sorcerer will have to go through the
tell if he is near (within 20 feet/6 m) or far (towards the limit of entire process again. The Digital Encoding protects everything
the range) from the source of the magic. The ability can also in- inside the case, so it’s not just the hard drive, but the RAM,
dicate whether a person, object or place is enchanted/under a motherboard, fans, etc. that are magically enchanted. Thus the
magical spell, possesses vast P.P.E., is in the process of invok- character can add in multiple hard drives and they will also be
ing magic, or if powerful magic is being used in the area. Note: protected from the destroying process that normally occurs.
Practitioners of Magic and most Supernatural Beings do not reg-
Spell Lock (4th Level)
ister as being magical except when actually casting a spell/using
magic. Range: Enchanted onto the object.
Duration: Two weeks per level of experience.
Magic Combat and Bonuses Saving Throw: Standard.
See the Magic and Spells section in HU2, page 319, for full P.P.E.: 7
details. Basically the character can cast two attacks from spell This is a useful spell to protect the computer if the character
levels 1-8 per melee round. Each spell counts as two melee at- wishes for someone else to use the computer, but not to be able
tacks. Just as the Digital Sorcerer gains P.P.E. during his level to access the spells. The spells are magically invisible during

64
searches on the machine. Should anyone attempt a Cryptogra- Weapons and Armor: Unless the character is extremely
phy or Computer Hacking skill roll they must make a save vs wealthy, only conventional weapons and body armor are avail-
magic. On a successful save they will be unaffected by the en- able. The character is likely to have some sort of body armor
chantment, but need to make another successful save to see the while in the field.
spells on the computer (but unless the character has a Principles Structural Damage Capacity (S.D.C.): The character has a
of Magic or Lore: Magic skill they won’t know what it means). starting S.D.C. of 30. Additional S.D.C. comes through Physical
On a failed initial save they are hit with an electric shock that skills such as Body Building.
does 1D6 damage with a sharp, burning feeling. The characters Available Financial Resources: The character has a budget
can continue to attempt as many times as they like, but each of $3D6x1000 towards the purchase of starting equipment and
failed attempt results in getting stung again. resources. Any extra money left over can be spent on other
equipment, weapons and vehicles. Any money not spent is
Skill Knowledge wasted. Note that the character is smart and well educated and
The Digital Sorcerer has some specialized training to gain his will often have a fairly good job using his investigative and
abilities. The following skill knowledge represents that training. magical background. Note that he will use the budget to buy
several computers and has access to all of the equipment listed
Common/General Skills
in the Modern Mage section (although the character may choose
Read/Write/Speak Native Language to have a minimal amount of equipment and may buy other
Basic Math equipment as well).
Pilot Automobile
Select 1D6+5 Secondary Skills
Digital Sorcerer Program (Special)
Real Time Caster
Principles of Magic (New) (+20%) “Three hours to perform a simple ritual? Who has the
Crpytography (+15%) time?”
Language and Literacy: Two of choice (+15%). - Reginald Smithson, “Certified” Real Time Caster to
Claudaias, Master of the Sky Fire Ritual.
Lore: Two of choice (+10%).
Computer Program (Special) Whoever said that magic had to be long and boring studies
obviously never met a Real Time Caster. In a world of instant
Computer Operation (+30%)
gratification and no patience for waiting, it was only natural that
Computer Programming (+30%) someone would attempt to “mass market” spells that were quick
Computer Hacking (+30%) to learn and easy to perform. Of course, as most of the readers
Internet Usage (New!) (+20%) would likely gather, the casting of spells that comes without
Basic Electronics (+10%) proper instruction and training, and the years of studies to mas-
Computer Repair (+10%) ter even one spell with the belief required, is a recipe for disas-
ter.
Also select one skill program from HU2, pages 46-47, from The Real Time Caster is the brainchild of an actual certified
this list: Business, Communications, Domestic, Language, Med- Wizard, a surprisingly intelligent and knowledgeable man by the
ical Assistant, Pilot: Advanced, Physical/Athletic, Science and name of Anton Grueswald. Anton was getting older and seeing
Technical. fewer and fewer qualified students joining the Brotherhood of
Magic and Mysticism. He decided that he would take some very
Other Stuff for the Digital Sorcerer simple spells and attempt to franchise out spellcasting, to make
Alignment: The character can be of any alignment, however it popular so that those with genuine talent and ability could be
most Digital Sorcerers are of good or Unprincipled alignment. convinced to take up the real arts of Mystic Study.
Level of Education and Skill Selection: This is detailed His spells, that he dubbed “Facile Magic,” involve nothing
above. The character does not roll on the Random Education more than some slight hand movements (“Because the kids be-
Level table like the Mystic Study character. lieve all mages do that”) as well as the required spell words. The
Hand to Hand Combat: Most Digital Sorcerers are weak in spells are extremely simple, from the standpoint that they are
hand to hand combat. Thus if they want a hand to hand skill easy to cast, don’t require a lot of P.P.E. and don’t really have
they must select it as a Secondary Skill choice. It is recom- much of an effect. However, some of the side effects of Real
mended that the character select at least Hand to Hand: Basic to Time Casting can be pretty serious, and now Anton is starting to
avoid getting creamed instantly. Note that of the HU2 magic wonder if putting everyone’s thoughts into a standardized spell
classes, Digital Sorcerers are likely the weakest in any form of casting concept was really as innocent a concept as he first envi-
combat. sioned.
Attacks Per Melee (Hand to Hand): The character starts Character Bonuses: None! Real Time Casting is designed
with two attacks, with extra attacks coming from a Hand to to be easy and requires no commitment or training so the char-
Hand skill choice and/or possibly Boxing. acter gains absolutely no bonuses to any stats or abilities. There
is not even a P.P.E. bonus.

65
Initial Spell Knowledge Fire Fire
Note that these represent all of the spells that Anton devel- Range: 3 inches (7 cm).
oped for Real Time Casting. Real, professional magic users can Duration: Half a melee round (7 seconds).
also learn these spells in a matter of 1D4 minutes (10 minutes Saving Throw: Dodge at 16.
for an educated individual such as a Parapsychologist, Special
P.P.E.: 2
Training, Hardware or Acolyte; 30 minutes for anyone else) and
will find them useful, if not very powerful. This spell doesn’t do much more than light a cigarette instead
of a match or lighter. The physical results are a flame shooting
from the finger of the mage to the target. The flame is magically
Zap the Mosquito
directed and seldom misses. It does a measly one point of dam-
Range: 6 feet (1.8 m). age and that is only to anything flammable.
Duration: Instant.
Saving Throw: None; always hits! Omniboronousness
P.P.E.: 3 Range: Self.
This is a weak electrical magical spell designed to inflict Duration: One melee round (15 seconds).
minimal damage (only does 1 S.D.C.) damage at minimal range Saving Throw: None.
but is meant to be a “fun” spell. It does one damage and can
P.P.E.: 1
never be dodged and does count as an electrical attack magic
spell. This is a popular party spell. All it does is create a huge
farting noise and corresponding smell for one melee round. It
has no other effect; it’s meant to be funny.
Light Wind
Range: 20 feet (6 m). Methods of Acquiring New Spells
Duration: Instant.
None! Real Time Casters are not real wizards or masters of
Saving Throw: None. magic. Thus they are limited to the six spells above. They can-
P.P.E.: 2 not perform other functions that Wizards and Sorcerers can do,
This is a gentle breeze meant to cool people down. It doesn’t such as Scroll Translation, Return to the Master and Localized
do any damage and isn’t particularly troublesome, it is simply Self-Teaching of spells. But with spells like Quiet the Pet and
there to cool people down on a hot day. Fire Fire, what else do you really need?

Recover From Hangover Side Effects of Real Time Casting

Range: Self. Because Real Time Casting involves no real understanding of
Duration: Instant. magic, P.P.E. or the subtle nuances of casting magic, there are
Saving Throw: None. some very real side effects that can occur during Real Time
Casting.
P.P.E.: 4
For one, each time the character casts a spell, he or she must
This is a popular spell! It immediately removes any feelings
make a save vs magical mishap. The target number is 18, with
of nausea, headache, and/or weakness that comes from the
some possible modifiers. P.E. bonuses to save vs magic can be
over-consumption of alcohol. It doesn’t matter how much the
included as well as M.E. Bonuses to save vs insanity. This rep-
character had to consume, the character will be totally sober.
resents an individual’s raw natural ability to control the power-
However, if the character is hung over or drunk while casting
ful mystic forces that even these petty spells unleash. Immortals
this spell, then he or she is -2 on top of the normal save vs magi-
without mystic knowledge and ability get +4 to save and Natural
cal mishap of casting this spell.
Geniuses (talent) +2 to save. Supernatural creatures and crea-
tures of magic like Dragons, Ki-Lin, Lizard Mages and similar
Quiet the Pet
beings will never have to worry about making a save vs magical
Range: 12 feet (3.6 m). mishap. Likewise, so will real wizards and spellcasters.
Duration: 3 minutes in total. Does not advance with experience. However, other creatures, including normal humans, won’t
Saving Throw: None. have that luxury. On a failed save vs magical mishap, roll on the
P.P.E.: 1 following table. All failed saves are cumulative and can result in
This spell simply makes a pet docile. Note that the spell has a some pretty severe penalties.
few limitations on what the character can control. It must be an 01-05%: Spell has no effect.
animal that the character has had exposure to for at least four 06-10%: Character suffers 2 points of damage from electri-
weeks, and of course, can not be an attack animal, familiar, cal burns from the inside.
alien, or anything other than a vanilla domestic pet such as a 11-15%: Character falls asleep for 1D4 hours.
dog, cat, hamster, small bird, etc. 16-20%: Character is paralyzed for 2D6 melees! All the
character can do is breathe and rely on his senses.

66
 New Skills
21-25%: Spell has no effect.
26-30%: Character summons 1D4 Imps that are annoyed and
tease the character mercilessly for 2D4 minutes before vanish-
Internet Usage (Technical): This skill enables the character
ing back to Dyval.
to use the Internet, browse websites and perform limited HTML
31-35%: A mirror breaks locally, and the character suffers and BB coding. The character is familiar with Modems, TCP/IP,
several lacerations that do 2D6 damage. If there are no mirrors, domain names, FTP, and other common knowledge associated
there is no damage (however, any Mirror Mage will be aware with the Internet. Note that Computer Operation is not required
that a spell was cast). for this skill, but this skill is no substitute for Computer Opera-
36-40%: Character’s legs cramp up and he is unable to walk tion as a prerequisite for other skills. Base Skill: 40%+5% per
for 2D6x10 minutes. level of experience.
41-45%: Character falls asleep for 1D6 hours. Principles of Magic (Paranormal or Exclusive to HU2
46-50%: Character gets blasted by a fireball from above that Magic Classes): A full understanding of all the various types of
does 3D6 damage! magic, their histories, intentions, reasonings behind, purposes,
51-55%: Spell has no effect. methods, components, rituals and supernatural forces involved.
56-60%: Portal to an alien swamp opens; the character must This knowledge enables the character to recognize and under-
make a save vs toxic poison to avoid being overwhelmed; on a stand the purpose of authentic magic symbols, circles, icons,
successful save the character takes 1D4 damage direct to Hit tools, methods and magical paraphernalia, as well as other signs
Points per minute; triple damage on a failed save. The portal that indicate the use/practice of magic. The character will be
stays open for 1D4 days and unless the room or area is sealed, able to deduce the probable purpose of the magic and which su-
the swamp gas will continue to spread. pernatural forces are likely to be involved. This deep under-
standing of magic will enable the character to prepare against
61-65%: Character’s face and hands are paralyzed for 3D4
forces at work, and stop them or use them himself. Base Skill:
minutes.
60%+4% per level of experience. A failed roll means that the
66-70%: Character summons 1D4 Entities (usually Ban- character does not realize the implication of the magic or has
shees) into the area, and they don’t leave unless no one is going misinterpreted its meaning. Although the character’s knowledge
to die immediately. is extensive, the character is not infallible, and may have to con-
71-75%: Character loses his memory; -50% to all skills for sult his own vast libraries of archaic knowledge to uncover the
2D4 days and -2 M.E. permanently (remember kids, spellcasting true nature of specific magic or unnatural forces.
without proper supervision is dangerous).
76-80%: Spell has no effect.
81-85%: Character summons a possessing force (either En-
tity, Wraith, etc.) that will immediately attempt to possess the
spellcaster. The motives of the creature will never be pleasant.
86-90%: Character summons an acid rain that does 2D6
damage to all metal and plastic objects and 1D6 to organic mat-
ter. The rain lasts 1D4 melee rounds.
91-95%: Spell has no effect.
96-00%: Character vanishes only to reappear at a random lo-
cation 1D6 feet straight up!

Other Magic Abilities

of the Real Time Caster
None! Real Time Casting does not involve any real magical
knowledge or abilities. That is one of the biggest problems with
it that while it teaches spell casting, the other underlying knowl-
edge remains unknown to all but those willing to gain a greater
understanding.

Skill Knowledge
These spells do not require a significant investment in time
or knowledge, consequently, the character does not gain any
skill knowledge. But on the other hand, it is possible for other
characters, including Hardware, Special Training, Mutants, etc.
to learn Real Time Casting. Just don’t forget about the side ef-
fects. In game terms, the character can drop one measly Second-
ary Skill to gain Real Time Casting as an ability.

67
68
The Hawaiian
ity. To understand this power, one must understand the spirit
world.

The Spiritual Realm of Hawaii

Supernatural Hawaiians are deeply spiritual and believe that the body is
composed of three parts: the body (kino) and two spirits (the
Optional Material for Many Palladium Settings free Uhane and the body-bound Uhane.) The free Uhane can
slip out of the body and travel around the islands, conversing
By Chris Perrin with other spirit denizens of the islands. Of course, there are
many perils to such adventuring, the most common of which is

Introduction
the Uhane getting lost and not being able to find its way back to
its body. Should this happen, the poor spirit is forever dispos-
sessed and is forced to live by itself, feeding on only butterflies
“The spirits are restless tonight. I spoke with the aumakua
for the rest of eternity.
this evening and they tell me Pele, the volcano goddess, has be-
come angered with a group of white men. They dishonor her However, the Hawaiian spirit world offers many enticements
traditions, they do not respect the land and they bring the food for such journeys. The most common of which is that once un-
of the pig near her sacred domain. The pork reminds our god- bound from the body, a free Uhane is able to directly commune
dess of her lost lover, Kamapua’a. with aumakua (sometimes called little gods or ancestor gods)
who are family ancestors who protect the living and offer advice
“I do not think the visitors from the east are bad men, just ig-
and warnings of events yet to come. Aumakua are far more pow-
norant, but ill will befall them all the same. When that happens,
erful than normal ghosts or Uhane because of special deeds, be
I will help them if I can. I have sent messages to the other
they martial or in the spirit of aloha (kindness, unity,
Kahunas and I have said my chants. It is all I can do for now.
agreeability, humility, and patience) and ohana (family), they
“I can sense something is amiss. The spirits who are known performed during their mortal lifetimes. These deeds allowed
to me have said nothing, but I know something has happened. them to become minor deities with expanded knowledge and
The spirits, who normally float from place to place, now move powers, including the ability to morph into animal shapes, enter
with angry determination. They go to where the white men have dreams, and directly interact with those who seek them.
made their camp.
In addition to aumakua, the lands of Hawaii are filled with
“For the ghosts of this land to be in such a panic, I worry other spirits and ghosts who roam the land. Some of these spir-
something has happened to the white men! Another Kahuna may its’ origins are not certain, though it is clear that they are not
have bound a ghost to torment them. Perhaps one of the white aumakua and they are not lost Uhane. Instead, they are usually
men’s spirits, his Uhane, has chosen this of all times to escape peaceful, though often mischievous entities, and will usually be
its mortal shell and cannot find its way back. I fear Pele has al- friendly towards those who can communicate with them.
ready decided their fate. All I can do now is wait and hope to
Ghosts are another matter entirely. Ghosts are the Uhane of
heal what damage I can.”
living beings who could not find a leina, a jumping off point
from this world to the afterlife. If the Uhane belonged to a good
The Magics of Hawaii aligned (Principled or Scrupulous) person, then the ghost is usu-
Hawaii is best known for the spirit of aloha, sandy beaches, ally friendly, though disoriented, alone, and may be confused as
and surfing. It is a popular tourist destination for many in the to why the gods would not allow her to enter into the afterlife. If
United States and all over the world, but few realize that the is- the Uhane belonged to an evil person (Aberrant, Miscreant, or
lands are tormented by the restless spirits of countless warriors Diabolical), the ghost will also be evil and will try to mislead
who fought over its soil, protected by gods who call her home, any Uhane it encounters and prevent it from finding a portal to
and maintained by an army of tireless faeries, called menehuna. the next world.
Fewer still know of the power vortex (Rift) at Waimea Canyon Kahunas, through their study of huna, are aware of aumakua,
Falls and the mana that is concentrated there. Uhane, and ghosts alike. They can see spirits float amongst the
The full mysteries of the islands and their various ghosts, trees and they can commune with any aumakua, even if that par-
spirits, faeries, and gods are known to only a few skilled practi- ticular little god was not one of the Kahuna’s direct ancestors.
tioners of huna, Hawaiian sorcery. The term huna has largely They know when spirits are near and have rituals for binding
become watered down in the Internet age. It has been applied to them in gourds or other containers. Some Kahunas, called
many mundane areas of study: psychology, self-improvement, ana’ana Kahunas, have even learned to force spirits to steal the
and commerce, but there are still a few who remember what it life energies from their enemies!
once meant. These men and women can bind the little gods, the
aumakua, to human bone, walk on fresh lava, heal injuries, steal Hawaiian Lore and Your Game
a victim’s life force, or even return the spark of life back to the
The pantheon and the mysteries of huna magic are great addi-
dead. Forget surfing, these men and women are the true big
tions to a number of games. Kahunas and the spirits of Hawaii
Kahunas.
can be either powerful allies or staunch foes in a game of Be-
A great deal of huna’s power emanates from the spirit world yond the Supernatural™. A particularly nefarious villain in a
that exists side by side with what the uninitiated think of as real- Heroes Unlimited™ game might have enslaved malevolent spir-
69
its to do his bidding or a hero might choose to study huna as her ever recognize which kino an Uhane belongs to or recognize the
power. In a Rifts™ game, it is possible a few of the Hawaiian same Uhane twice. Magical and psionic characters have a 25%
gods might have preserved the lands they called home and may + 3% chance of sensing an Uhane and knowing from which
even now be marshaling their forces for an expedition to con- body the spirit rose. Kahunas, as a class ability, can see all
queror the mainland. Uhane and know exactly whose spirit they are looking at and, as
No matter what the case, the spiritual world of Hawaii is a such, make excellent watch keepers in spirit filled areas.
tool for player and G.M. alike. More than likely, the party will Because of the difficulty of recognizing a spirit, Hawaii of-
encounter the spirits of Hawaii either when a player decides to fers great anonymity in numbers. There are so many spirits
play as the Kahuna O.C.C., when either the G.M. or player roaming the land, it is virtually impossible to tell one from an-
chooses to let an Uhane free from the body, or when the G.M. other. This makes free Uhane very useful tools for espionage as
decides to use a Kahuna or spirit as an NPC. they possess normal hearing, sight, and smell and can eavesdrop
The rules for creating and playing a Kahuna are listed below. on conversations and gather useful intelligence. Such informa-
It should be stressed that while the rules and examples focus on tion would be inadmissible in court, but could serve as justifica-
the Hawaiian Islands, they are applicable anywhere in the world, tion for more direct action...
especially those areas that are high in P.P.E.
Talking with Aumakua
Running a Game The other benefit of leaving one’s body is the ability to di-
with an Escaping Uhane rectly commune with aumakua. Normally, Aumakua, ancestors
that have been deified, can visit their family members disguised
Should the free Uhane (po’i`uhane) grow restless or should as an animal. When the aumakua visits, it is said that the entire
the player characters be in dire straits and need supernatural as- family will recognize their ancestor in animal form and will
sistance, the free Uhane can sneak out of one or more player know that they are being shown portents of things to come.
characters’ eyes (in an area near the tear ducts) and begin to Aumakua can also visit their family members in dreams and of-
wander the countryside. The G.M. may decide any time the fer wisdom and foreshadow the future. The G.M. should always
character falls asleep that the free Uhane has decided to leave. feel free to use aumakua in this way; however this type of com-
Instead, if the player wants her character’s spirit to roam, the munication only happens when the aumakua feels it necessary
player should make a skill roll based on any occult skill the to initiate it and is always done through nature or dream symbol-
character possesses at -15%. If the character does not possess ism.
knowledge of the occult, the player may still make a roll as if For instance, an owl lands on a tree by the family dwelling.
her character had a skill level of 15%. Of course, the G.M. may Instantly, the family members recognize this as one of their re-
just allow the character’s spirit to leave. vered ancestors and stop what they are doing. The owl
Once the Uhane is free, it manifests itself as an ethereal form screeches, shakes the branch it has landed on, and then flies off.
that resembles its physical body. The spirit keeps all of its men- This gesture may mean many different things and it is up to the
tal stats (I.Q., M.A., M.E.) but replaces all of its physical stats family to determine how best to address the owl’s advice and to
with its M.E. Therefore, those already attuned to magic, and determine if it is, in fact, a warning of ill tidings to come.
particularly psionics, will fare better than those not. In spirit Dream conversations may also be filled with images and
form, all psionics skills can be used as normal and spells may be symbols, but in a dream the aumakua are far more likely to
cast at double the P.P.E. cost. Those without magic or psionics speak in verse or give riddles rather than images. When an
will need to rely on their wits! aumakua chooses to communicate this way, the dreamer wakes
The good news for non-natives to the land of Hawaii who do with a complete memory of the dream and a strong inclination
not know the lay of the land, nor understand the powers of their of what the dream means, though it is still wise to discuss such
own Uhane, is that most spirit denizens of the Hawaii still live dreams with family members or the local Kahuna. As a further
by the rules of aloha. Unless a psychic baddie or demon from limitation, while the aumakua is doubtless aware of the issues
outside of Hawaii happens to be passing through, the greatest troubling the character, the little god will only discuss what it
danger to wandering Uhane is getting lost and not being able to wants to talk about. This can lead to larger problems when the
find its body. Rules for measuring the connection between a character wants guidance on personal issues, but the aumakua is
wandering Uhane and its body are noted below. delivering warnings about global crises on the horizon.
Floating around as an Uhane offers several distinct advan- But if the player character is willing to send its Uhane on a
tages to the character. First, the character can wander about, journey, the aumakua can be talked with directly. No symbols,
which can be useful in reconnaissance and for getting more fa- no dreams, just one-on-one sharing of the aumakua’s wisdom.
miliar with the area. Once the character’s spirit has returned to The aumakua may still be a bit vague, but they are far more
its body, that character can recall all details of every place the likely to speak plainly and offer advice on anything that the
spirit traveled. The memories will have a glassy quality to them, character may ask. That is not to say that the aumakua has limit-
like looking at a faded photograph, but will otherwise be intact. less hours to spend talking and the characters should be respect-
In Uhane form, the character is undetectable without special ful and limit the conversation to only the most pressing issues.
equipment or training. For instance, an Uhane gives off no heat Also, aumakuas are not the eldest gods, they are deified an-
but is detectable by thermal scanning. However, these is only a cestors and are neither omnipotent nor omniscient, and can only
3% + 1% level that any non-magical or psionic character would divulge information that they could reasonably know or find out

70
from other aumakua. Still, an aumakua is going to know about directly to the kino’s H.P. Even though the link between kino
events on the island, both in the world of the living and in the and spirit has been severely damaged, the two are still linked!
spirit world. The little god will know all the skills it had when it The good news is that there are not many aggressively evil
was alive and may know how to fashion canoes, prepare foods, spirits in Hawaii, still there is one group that is a danger to both
or craft S.D.C. swords, bows, and spears. In addition, Aumakua Uhane and kino alike. They are called Night Marchers (huaka‘I
who were former Kahunas will have retained their knowledge of po) and are the souls of warriors who fell fighting over the is-
ancient huna rights, as well. On the other hand, the aumakua is lands of Hawaii. They only appear at night and usually only in
not going to have the plans for an M.D.C. tank killer, a nuclear places where large battles were fought. When they do appear,
reactor, or even a water purifier. they march in formation across the islands, carrying ghostly
torches and beating war drums. When characters encounter
Dangers of the Spirit Journey these dead warrior ghosts, the best thing to do is lie still on the
There are two dangers to traveling as a free Uhane: getting ground, face down, like a corpse. If the Night Marchers make
lost and bad spirits. The connection that Uhane have with their direct eye contact with a living person, that person must make a
kino is measured by the Inner Strength Points (I.S.P.) of the saving throw vs psionics or be instantly turned into one of the
character whose body it just left. The Uhane share the same spectral marchers. A wandering Uhane that comes within 100
pool of I.S.P. feet (30.5 m) of a Night Marcher immediately loses all I.S.P.
and must make a psionics saving throw or become a Night
As long as the character has positive I.S.P., it knows where
Marcher forever.
its body is and may return by traveling back to it and re-entering
through its feet. Once the Uhane’s I.S.P. points drop to zero, the
Uhane has lost its way and it slowly begins to forget who and Life After Death
what it was as a living person. The Uhane will no longer be able There is another time when an Uhane might roam free: when
to enter its body without help from a Kahuna. it is a ghost. After the body has died, the Uhane escapes through
While in spirit form, I.S.P. are lost at a rate of 1 point every the eyes and goes in search of a leina where the soul can escape
15 minutes of game time the Uhane is away from the body. This from this world to the next. Leina, such as Pu’u Keka’a in Maui,
means that even psychically inactive characters will still main- are always tall cliffs that lead into the ocean. When the Uhane is
tain their connection for a short while after their Uhane have left ready to pass to the next world, it jumps from the cliffs and falls
their kinos. into the afterlife.
I.S.P. are also lost when a spirit comes in contact with other Not every Uhane finds a leina. Some, especially those who
ghosts and Uhane. If the character’s spirit converses with or is did not atone for their transgressions before they died, are un-
contacted by another spiritual entity with a Good alignment, it able to find their way and are stuck in this world to float without
loses 1 I.S.P. If the other spiritual entity is of a Neutral or Evil purpose, home, or food. Some of these Uhane may ask for assis-
alignment, the character loses 1D6 I.S.P. This should not be tance from the player characters.
considered an attack, nor is it damage; it is merely a representa- Also, not everyone is ready to die. If a Kahuna can capture
tion of the Uhane losing its connection to its body through con- the deceased’s spirit in a vessel or gourd, it can be returned to
tact with other supernatural entities. Actual spirit damage is the body like any wayward Uhane. However, this requires the
discussed below. Once the character’s I.S.P. drops to zero in this Kahuna to find the spirit, trap it, and return it. This may be diffi-
manner, it cannot go negative. cult if the Kahuna was not present at the time of death. Instead,
Kahuna Uhane do not lose I.S.P. from contact with other a better way of preserving the deceased is to prepare one of the
spiritual entities (though they will lose 1 I.S.P. per fifteen min- body’s bones and binding its spirit to the world, thereby creating
utes). At the G.M.’s discretion, other O.C.C.s with superior an aumakua. Doing this requires that the Kahuna prepare the
knowledge of the occult may also avoid losing I.S.P. from con- body before the spirit has had time to reach the leina.
tact with spiritual entities or may possibly gain a saving throw
vs psionics to avoid it. Uhane and Kahunas as NPCs
Another danger of spiritual travel is movement of the host The last way Uhane and Kahunas can enter a game is as
body. If the kino is moved more than fifty feet (15.2 m) from its NPCs. Should the G.M. choose to include an Uhane as an NPC,
original location and cannot be seen (for instance if the body she can base the spirit off of the generic Uhane noted below and
was moved into a tent or over the horizon), the spirit’s I.S.P. modify it as she sees fit.
goes to 0 automatically and the Uhane is lost. Every NPC Uhane is a minor telekinetic (they have the pow-
To make matters worse, some bad spirits may actively work ers Telekinetic Lift and Telekinetic Punch) and limited Telepa-
to harm the wandering Uhane. Typical evil spirits do 1D8 I.S.P. thy (player character Uhane do not receive the benefits). This
damage (this replaces the 1D6 I.S.P. loss from above). Supernat- gives them the ability to move small objects, make floorboards
ural creatures such as demons, psionic entities, or magicians that creak, and do typical actions associated with “ghosts.” They can
can do spiritual or mental damage may also attack wandering also communicate with the living using telepathy.
spirits with their powers. These attacks lower I.S.P. in addition An NPC Uhane is not going to be of much value in combat
to any other effects. A Kahuna may also unleash a 1D8 attack except as a distraction or a thrower of small rocks and branches,
against a spirit if he or she feels threatened or provoked. which would only harm S.D.C. targets. The real value of an
If the character’s I.S.P. drops below 0 due to damage (not Uhane in the game is to get an adventure started or to serve as a
loss due to contact with other spirits), any I.S.P. damage is dealt spirit guide for the characters. The spirit may be in danger or
71
may need help finding its kino again. Should the spirit need help More importantly, the wrongful murder of a Kahuna by any
reentering its body, the party will need to secure the services of player character is likely to earn the wrath of other Kahunas, the
a Kahuna who may require a hefty payment or ask for a service island, and spirits who may follow the players wherever they
to be performed. journey (including back to the mainland) in order to wreak ven-
In games that deal with the supernatural, an ally NPC geance on the killer(s). It would not be beyond some of the gods
Kahuna can be priceless as they are able to commune with spir- of Hawaii to send the ghosts or even aumakua to chase after a
its, see their true form, and have limited forms of dominion over fleeing party if they have done grievous harm.
them. If no one in the party chooses to play a Kahuna character, And remember, just because this is Hawaiian mythology
but know they will have to deal with spirits, having a relation- does not mean that the spirit world ends on the islands. All hu-
ship with the local practitioner of huna magic is a must. mans have kino and Uhane. A spirit is just as likely to sneak out
The benefits of having an ally Kahuna goes beyond just be- of its body in the middle of Kansas as the middle of Hawaii! Of
ing in touch with the spirits of Hawaii. The Kahuna is also part course, trained Kahunas are far less plentiful in the Midwest...
nature shaman and has limited powers to control nature. This
power manifests itself as the ability to control weather, foretell
the future, and walk on fresh lava.
The Kahuna O.C.C.
No matter why the party chooses to befriend an NPC This is an optional character class that lets players experience
Kahuna, the G.M. and players should keep in mind that the mastery of huna magic.
Kahuna is a master of her arts and has studied long and hard to In Hawaiian, the word Kahuna means many different things,
achieve her position. In other words, the Kahuna is not sitting in some of them magical, some not. Whether the word refers to a
her home waiting for the party to arrive, instead she is placing practitioner of sorcery or a master craftsman, the term Kahuna
spirit wards, healing the injured, and calming stormy seas. The signifies both expertise and special status amongst the Hawaiian
Kahuna is an honored person in her village and if the player people. While it would have been possible to create separate
characters need her assistance, they should be prepared to treat Kahuna O.C.C.s for each of the forty or more types of Kahuna,
her with respect and compensate her for her services. this text focuses only on those Kahunas that can interact with
Rather than being friendly, Uhane and Kahuna may enter a and guide the spirit and natural worlds. While the Kahuna would
game as antagonist NPCs. While truly evil Kahunas are not never claim to be their master, the huna oral traditions passed
common on the islands, there are evil spirits and Kahunas who down to her by her predecessors allow her to gain great insight
would use their powers for less than honorable ends. from the ancestors, entreaty other spirits to act on her behalf,
To start an adventure, a nefarious Uhane or ghost might ap- and sometimes control the land, sea, and sky.
proach the party in the same way a kind spirit would. The mis-
creant specter might ask the party for help locating its body, Kahuna O.C.C. Powers
finding a leina, or righting some wrong. This plea for help will 1. Commune with the Spirits: The Kahuna can see all spir-
be a trap and will lead to mortal danger, all to the amusement of its as they roam the land of Hawaii and can communicate with
the evil spirit. Particularly evil Uhane might offer to be a spirit them, though this communication is not a dialogue unless the
guide for the party and lead them directly into their enemy’s spirit uses its telepathy. Instead, it is more of an intuitive under-
hands. standing of who the spirit is/was while in its kino, what the spirit
Evil Kahunas can conflict with the party for any of the rea- is looking for, and the general disposition of the spirit (happy,
sons typical villains might or for some causes that are specific to sad, scared, as well as how many I.S.P.). If the Uhane is in the
the islands. Some of the more common reasons include: mood to talk, the Kahuna may ask the spirit questions and learn
1. Greed. of events happening on the island. Should the Kahuna feel
2. The Kahuna is a sociopath. threatened, it may unleash an attack which drains 1D8 I.S.P. on
any spirit, ghost, or psychic creature at the cost of 2 I.S.P.
3. The Kahuna feels the player characters will disrupt the nat-
ural ecology of Hawaii. 2. Communicate with Animals: Animals have Uhane, just
as humans do. Because of this, the Kahuna can ask animals for
4. The player characters have insulted the gods or are about
advice, information, and to perform simple tasks (fetch, go look,
to do so.
attack). If the animal agrees to do the Kahuna’s bidding, it be-
5. The player characters are attempting to take relics or comes an NPC until the task is complete. Use basic stats for
stones off the islands. each animal.
6. The player characters oppose the Kahuna’s personal 3. Travel as Uhane: Kahunas do not need to make a roll or
agenda. ask G.M. approval to travel as a free Uhane. They simple go to
One thing is for sure, if the players cross a Kahuna, they sleep and their spirit leaves. While traveling as a spirit, the
should be prepared to deal with poor weather, a lack of food, Kahuna does not lose I.S.P. due to contact with other spirits,
and a large number of angry spirits whose aid the Kahuna may though she will still lose 1 I.S.P. every 15 minutes as normal.
have solicited. Furthermore, the Uhane and ghosts that side with Also, while in spirit form, the Kahuna can still use their spirit at-
an opposing Kahuna may continue to fight even if the Kahuna is tack against other spirits if (and only if) provoked or endan-
killed. In some cases, if the Kahuna was particularly in tune gered.
with nature, the party might find that the entire island is now 4. Reconnect Uhane and Kino: If an Uhane is lost, the
their enemy. Kahuna can perform a ritual which will reconnect it to its kino.

72
She will cover the entire body, except for the feet, with ti leaves flesh from one bone, usually the leg bone. The Kahuna then
and begin chanting with the help of a number of assistants. Each wraps the bone in ti leaves and performs a ritualistic chant. The
minute of chanting restores 1 I.S.P. to the Uhane for each per- deceased’s spirit is then bound to the mortal realm and will for-
son chanting (including the Kahuna herself). This only works if ever be housed in its bone. However, the spirit is automatically
the body is near the physical location it was when the spirit left. transformed into an aumakua and can be called upon for advice
5. Huna Magic: Through her connections with the spirit and aid.
world and the spirits that live in the land and the sea, the This power is a prerequisite for learning ana’ana.
Kahuna has an amazing range of powers available to her. At 2. Ana’ana: Some Kahunas choose to practice a darker
first level, players may select up to two huna powers for her magic and will bind even good Uhane and ghosts to their will.
character. Additional powers are selected at levels 3, 7, 11, and To do this, they must first entrap a wandering spirit in a vessel,
15. typically a gourd but could be a jar or bowl with a tight lid.
If the spirit does not wish to inflict harm, the Kahuna must
Land Powers then subvert the spirit by chanting. This ritual can take place
1. Control Weather: Once per day, the Kahuna may alter over a number of days, during which the Kahuna spends 50
the weather patterns for an area fifty miles (80 km) in diameter P.P.E. (which can be broken up over the course of the ritual). At
around where she is standing. She may clear the clouds from the the end of the ritual, the Uhane must make a Magic Saving
sky, she may call for a light rain or hail or lightning. The Throw at -3. If it fails, it must now go do exactly what it is told,
Kahuna may use this power one additional time per day at levels including haunting the victim and slowly stealing its life. This
5, 9, and 13. Destructive weather patterns such as hurricanes and drain removes 1D6 Hit Points per day and does 1D6 points of
tornadoes and tsunamis may also be called at the cost of 20 damage directly to the victim’s P.E. This damage cannot be
I.S.P., but the Kahuna cannot use the Control Weather power for cured by normal means, only with healing magic. Spirit wards
the next seven days of game time. do not protect the victim from this type of curse.
2. Walk on Lava: The Kahuna may walk on lava or any fi- If the spirit does not mind inflicting harm, the cost is 5 P.P.E.
ery surface for 10 minutes per level and take no harm. Note: this and the ritual lasts only 1D6 minutes!
power only protects the Kahuna’s feet, not her shoes, socks, or The ana’ana Kahuna may call the spirit back and have them
pants. stop tormenting the victim. If this happens, the victim’s P.E. is
3. Call Kamapua’a Bounty: Kamapua’a, Pele’s husband, is restored at the rate of 1 per day and Hit Points are recovered at
said by some to watch the oceans while his wife dwells in the the rate of 1D4 per day.
great volcanoes. Once per day, the Kahuna may ask Kamapua’a If the ana’ana Kahuna prefers a less deadly form of cursing,
to deliver a great quantity of fish (1D10x10 pounds of fish per the spirit may just torment the victim, preventing him from
net) to any fishermen’s nets within 10 miles (16 km) of the sleeping and constantly annoying him. All rolls to strike, dodge,
Kahuna. As an added bonus, the nets magically do not break un- parry, and roll are -1 and all skills are at -10%. The torment may
der the weight of the catch! continue a number of days equal to the Kahuna’s level.
This ability also repels any oceanic predators and any evil sea Any spirits serving an ana’ana Kahuna are not seen as normal
creatures so that only healthy, edible fish are caught. The by a Kahuna. The Kahuna must first realize something is amiss
Kahuna may summon Kamapua’a’s bounty one additional time and make a roll at 40% + 6% per level to detect the bound spirit.
per day at levels 3, 6, 9, 12, and 15.
(Note: When creating an NPC Kahuna, keep in mind that not
Spirit Powers every ana’ana Kahuna is evil nor is every Kahuna that might op-
pose the party an ana’ana Kahuna. Still, most of the Kahunas
1. Bind Spirits: The Kahuna may use her spirit knowledge to
who practice ana’ana are regarded with some caution and a
capture a wandering Uhane into a containing vessel, usually a
healthy dose of respect.)
hollowed out gourd, and trap it there by capping the container.
There are a number of perfectly legitimate uses for this power, 3. Tell the Future: Once per day, the Kahuna may talk to
including capturing an Uhane that has lost its way, trapping a spirits about the future. When this happens, the G.M. must re-
malevolent spirit and preventing it from doing harm, or trans- veal a scene or an image and roll 1D20. The Kahuna player
porting the spirit to a leina so that it can go to the next world. notes the result and may substitute that roll once for any D20
Less honorable uses for capturing an Uhane include forcing it to roll made in combat for the rest of the game session. The
steal a victim’s life energy or for imprisoning the Uhane as pun- Kahuna can do this one additional time per day at levels 5, 10
ishment or torture. and 15.
To capture a spirit, it must be within reach of the Kahuna. 4. Healing/Reverse ana’ana: By expending 5 P.P.E., a
The Kahuna can either bait the gourd with a bit of food, in Kahuna may heal 1D6 points of non-magical damage or 1 point
which case the Uhane may just float into the gourd (50% or the of magical damage. If the Kahuna heals any magical damage, it
Kahuna’s P.B. charm/impress percentage) or the Kahuna must becomes curable by non-magical means (bed rest, doctors, the
make a successful unarmed combat attack to snare the spirit. If Kahuna’s healing arts). This type of healing may mend broken
the gourd cracks or is opened, the Uhane may choose to leave. bones and internal bleeding as well.
Kahuna may also bind the spirit of a recently deceased per- Also, if the Kahuna notices a spirit is tormenting another per-
son to one of its body’s bones. To do this, the Kahuna must be son, she can work to restore the person immediately by sensing
able to reach the body within 1D10 hours of death and strip all who is commanding the spirit and forcing them to stop. To do
this, the healing Kahuna spends 5 I.S.P. and forces the ana’ana
73
to make a Psionics Saving Throw. If the ana’ana fails, the spirit Cowboy: Any.
is unbound and the victim has all her power restored instantly. Domestic: Any (+5%).
If the ana’ana succeeds, she may spend 5 I.S.P. to force the Electrical: None.
healing Kahuna to make a saving throw vs psionics. If that fails, Espionage: Any.
the Kahuna takes 3D6 points of Hit Point damage and immedi-
Horsemanship: Horsemanship: General only.
ately loses consciousness for 1D6 hours.
Mechanical: Basic Mechanics only.
5. Thought Implantation: Kahunas can also implant
thoughts. This is an ritualistic way to allow their minds to use Medical: Animal Husbandry, Medical Doctor, Veterinary
the Super Psionic power Hypnotic Suggestion. The ritual costs Sciences, and Psychology only (+5%).
the same amount of I.S.P. Military: Camouflage only.
6. Spirit Ward: By expending 10 P.P.E., the Kahuna may Physical: Any.
place a ward on a structure at its main entrance. This keeps any Piloting: Pilot: Car and Pilot: Motorcycle only.
spirits, good or bad, from entering (including wandering Uhane Pilot Related: None.
trying to return to their kino). The ward must be placed on a Rogue: Concealment, Imitate Voices & Sounds, Prowl,
building less than thirty feet (9.1 m) on a side and less than three Palming, Seduction, and Streetwise only.
stories tall.
Science: Any.
The Kahuna’s understanding of the spirits is so great than no
Technical: Any not dealing with technology (e.g. no Com-
ghostly or demonic being may enter into a warded building.
puter Operation or Programming, Cybernetics, or Jury-Rig).
However, this does not prevent them from harming the building
with physical or demonic attacks. W.P.: Any Ancient, Handguns, Rifles, Shotguns (if Rifts®,
Energy Pistol may also be selected).
7. I.S.P. and P.P.E.: The Kahuna is a little bit psionic and a
little bit magical, but a master of neither. She starts out with Wilderness: Any.
1D10 I.S.P. and gains 5 per level. She also starts out with Secondary Skills: Select four skills from the Secondary Skills
1D4x10 P.P.E. and gains 5 per level. List. The Kahuna gains additional skills at levels 3, 6, 9, 12
8. O.C.C. Related Bonuses: Because of her studies into the and 15. These are additional areas of knowledge that do not
spirit world, the Kahuna gains +1 to all Saving Throws against get any bonuses, other than any possible bonus from having a
Magic and Psionics. She is also +5 to save vs Horror Factor high I.Q. All secondary skills start at the base skill level.
when confronted with ghostly or supernatural beings. Standard Equipment: The Kahuna starts out with a set of
clothing, a belt with medical pouches, 2D6 uses of healing
Mystic O.C.C. Stats powders, bandages, and ti leaves, a set of light body armor
Alignment: Any. (25 M.D.C. or 50 S.D.C. depending on the setting), a knife, a
spear, 12 empty gourds for water or spirits, a tent, a bedroll,
Attribute Requirements: I.Q. 8, M.E. 12. A high M.A. and a
50 feet (15.2 m) of rope, and a set of Hawaiian drums.
higher I.Q. are strongly recommended.
Money: The Kahuna will be one of the wealthier citizens in the
O.C.C. Skills:
village, though far away from the tourist traps, many Native
Lore: Faeries & Creatures of Magic (+20%) Hawaiian settlements are not well-to-do. The Kahuna starts
Lore: Magic (+20%) with 1D4x100 units of local money (typically dollars, but
Lore: Demons & Monsters (+5%) may be credits) as well as 2D6x100 monetary units worth of
Literacy: Native Language (+30%) huna mystical artifacts, typically animal or human bones, that
Mythology (Hawaiian ONLY) (+20%) have been ceremonially prepared.
First Aid (+10%) Cybernetics: None. The Kahuna would not wish to become un-
natural by implanting such things inside herself.
Sing (+10%)
Dance (+20%)
Swimming (+15%)
A Typical Uhane
Pick one: Boat Building, Carpentry, Track & Trap Animals Alignment: Any, usually Diabolical, Scrupulous, or Unprinci-
(+10%). pled.
Land Navigation (+10%) Attributes: I.Q. 13, M.E. 17, M.A. 9, P.S. 17*, P.P. 17*, P.E.
17, P.B. 17, Spd 17. (* Note: These are spiritual equivalents.
Identify Plants & Fruit (+10%)
The Uhane cannot affect the physical world without using
Wilderness Survival (+10%) Telekinesis.)
W.P. Spear Size: Varies, typically the size of a human.
W.P. Knife Natural Armor: None, though can only be hurt by magic, spiri-
O.C.C. Related Skills: At first level, the Kahuna can select five tual, and psionics.
skills from the list below, plus additional skills at levels 4, 8 Hit Points: 10
and 12. S.D.C.: None.
Communication: Any not dealing with technology (e.g. no I.S.P.: 20
Radio skills).
Horror Factor: Varies, usually 12.
74
Attacks per Melee: 3 Malor awoke a few minutes later. His jaw still felt swollen,
Bonuses: +1 to initiative, +10 to save vs Horror Factor, +1 save but his head had cleared and his eyes seemed to be working. In-
vs psionics. stead of foggy darkness, he saw blackness all around him. He
sat on a dirty and uneven stone floor in a cold room with no
Magic: None.
breeze. Nearby, he could hear someone else breathing. With all
Psionics: Telekinetic Lift, Telekinetic Punch, Telepathy. the effort he could muster, he leaned forward and found a foot.
Appearance: Varies, but usually a faint white manifestation of He gave it a shake.
how the person appeared in real life. Someone else moaned softly and then another voice asked,

The Dark
“Who is that? What’s going on?”
“It’s Malor, sir. He is alive and awake.”
“Oh, good,” a female voice sighed. It was Lydia. The

Realm of Netosa
Changeling heard her move across the floor and felt her hand
fumble to find him in the dark. “How are you feeling?” She
sounded genuinely concerned.
As he lay there trying to recover, Malor the Mind Mage
A short story by Aaron Corley and Aaron Deskins started to remember the last few days’ events. He was traveling
as a bodyguard on a boat with his paladin friend Lydia, the boat
Chapter One – Captives was ambushed by bandits and, during the fight, he was knocked
“Malor!” someone whispered. “Malor, can you hear me?” unconscious by a large Ogre. He still could not believe that a
“He’s dead. Forget about him,” a second voice said. few months earlier he had been at the Library of Bletherad,
studying his race, the Changelings, and now he was struggling
“He has a pulse. I felt it,” the first voice repeated.
to make money so he could search for others of his kind. At
Malor flinched as something cold ran down his face. He tried least, until he ended up here in some dark, unknown location.
opening his eyes, but the muscles in his face refused to cooper-
“I’ve been better. How are you? Where are we?” he an-
ate. Something cold rested against his right cheek, numbing the
swered.
pain from the Ogre’s blow, but not enough for him to forget the
impact. Lydia laughed nervously as if he told a joke. She explained in
a whisper, “We are in a pit in a cave. Those bandits overran the
“See?” the first voice said again.
yacht. They killed quite a few people and then gathered up the
“Well, then get him off the ground.” bodies. When we realized you were alive, they put you in here
“I don’t think he can sit up yet.” with us. I think we are inside the Shattered Mountains. It was
“Then let’s at least roll him over.” dark though, I don’t really remember.”
Multiple hands lifted Malor’s body from the ground. The He heard her draw herself closer to him. “Are you hurt? We
cool sensation against his face faded, gradually replaced by the have a little water.”
burn of bruised muscles. He still fought to open his eyes, but “I’ve been better. If I meditate a little, I’m sure I can improve
with no success. the situation.”
“Your friend looks like hell.” Malor drank from a water skin Lydia handed him and asked,
“I just hope he pulls through. We are going to need his help quietly, “Is anyone here hurt? Who is here?”
to get out of here.” The voice sounded distant, as if spoken un- “Well,” she replied, “we are all hurt to some degree or an-
derwater and far away. other. The captain is here, a few of the other passengers and Ad-
After what seemed only a few minutes, Malor heard a voice dle. Most everyone else was killed, even Roark.” She laid her
say, “Help me lift him.” head on his shoulder, “I am glad you are all right.”
“How far are we going this time?” asked another voice, “That Roark was the one who started all this. He tried to kill
softer, more feminine. The Changeling was sure he recognized me and throw me into the water, but I stopped him. Unfortu-
the speakers, but he could not think of their names. He tried to nately, his friends arrived. I wonder why they’ve brought us
speak, but nothing happened. He tried to open his eyes, but it here. Why not just kill us?”
was no use. “I-I don’t know. We’ve been here most of the day. Maybe
Suddenly, he felt his head hang against his chest and his arms they are waiting to kill us. Addle says they are Orcs, humans
flopped against his side. He started to wonder if he was even in and an Ogre.”
his body anymore. This felt like being trapped inside a rag doll. “Okay. Thank you for the information. I must meditate to get
His feet bumped against something and then all sensation left my strength back.” Lydia sat up, giving the Mind Mage some
him again. space. He closed his eyes and entered a meditative trance that he
He tried to transmit something to them telepathically — this hoped would clear his mind and help him refocus his psionic
is Malor. Who are you? — but he received no reply. powers in case he needed them anytime soon.
No reply. It seemed like Malor only meditated a moment when Lydia
His brain ached too much to concentrate on sending anything nudged him awake. “C’mon. They are moving us again.”
more. His lips felt parched, his body stiff and his mind numbed. Their captors lowered a makeshift ladder and the prisoners
began climbing it. As he reached the top, Malor saw a point of
75
light to his left — just enough to illuminate the face of an Orc “You, me, Addle, the captain, four or five of the passengers
guard standing next to him. from the yacht,” she reported. It felt like there were more than
Next, they marched from that room deeper into the cave, just eight or nine people in the cell however. The smell of un-
passing torches from time to time, but always going deeper. The washed flesh hung in the air and he heard people moving about
passage seemed to go on for hours. Finally, one of the other slowly. “Why?”
prisoners moaned loudly and fell to the ground. The Orcs tried He did not answer. Instead, he found a wall and sat down
to get him to his feet, but he lacked the strength to walk any far- against it to meditate.
ther. A while later, the sound of the door opening again pierced
In the torch-lit darkness, Malor saw one Orc remove a whip the cold silence. A Kobold in armor entered. He carried a torch
from his belt and strike the injured man across the back. With a that cut through the darkness like a knife. Two more soldiers
weakened cry, he convulsed on the tunnel floor. followed behind him. They set a pair of buckets each on the
Malor moved to help the fallen captive, but another guard floor and stepped back toward the door. In the faint light, Malor
stepped in his way and barked an interrogative. could see bread sticking out of one of the buckets.
“He needs help!” he answered. After a pause, several of the captives charged forward. They
“And who is you?” the first Orc demanded in heavily-ac- pounced on the bread like animals, fighting over the few meager
cented Western. loaves. In the process, the second bucket was kicked over, spill-
ing water on the floor. The Kobold with the torch laughed, then
“He’s a priest. He can heal,” Lydia said.
his companions left once again with the now-empty bucket.
The Orc glared at her for a moment, then looked at Malor.
Getting one’s share of the food proved difficult. Not only
“Heal. Nothing else.”
was there not enough to go around, but not everyone wanted to
“Thank you for your kindness, good sir.” share. In addition, it was dark, making it impossible for Malor to
Malor did not see the glare the Orc gave him. Instead, he see who had food and who did not.
healed the man, but realized more would be needed soon. Infec- “Listen to me,” he said aloud, “we need to work together or
tion had set into the man’s wounds and he looked dehydrated. none of us will make it out of here alive. If we fight amongst
“He needs water. And rest.” ourselves for food and water, we’ll all suffer together and get
“I said heal, no more.” The Orc pushed Malor back into line nowhere.”
and lifted the man from the floor. “Keep marching.” His entreaty was met largely by silence, however, though
Disappointed, the Mind Mage took his place once more. The there were a few grunts, groans and heckling comments. His
column kept marching for almost an hour more. Several people hunger, together with the darkness, compounded the disappoint-
stumbled and fell, but not just because it was hard to see in the ment inside. Still, Malor started thinking of some way to change
torchlight. Malor wondered briefly how many of the others were their situation. If only he had some light...
suffering from improperly treated wounds, but by that time the Suddenly, he remembered something. “Lydia, can you come
group reached a flat space on the edge of a chasm. They stopped to my voice?”
here. “Where are you? Keep talking and I will follow your voice.”
The sound of metal scraping on metal filled the enclosed “I’m right here. Can you hear me? Can you hear me now?
space. Soon Malor could see a drawbridge drop through the Can you hear me now?”
darkness onto their side of the chasm. A squad of soldiers, three
“We can all hear ya! Shaddup!” Someone yelled.
to four feet tall, carrying steel weapons and wearing armor,
gathered in front of them. Malor recognized them as Kobolds, A second later, someone touched his shoulder. “Is that you,
though he had never met any before. Malor?” Lydia asked.
Another figure in a dark robe, also a Kobold, approached the “Can you create some light with your powers? This darkness
Ogre leading their captors. They talked for a moment, then the does nothing to help our situation.”
Kobold handed over a small bag. It clinked with the sound of “Well, it’s a blessing from Rurga and she really doesn’t want
money and the Ogre bowed as he took it. us to use it as a substitute for a torch. Maybe you could make
As the Ogre and his cronies withdrew, the Kobolds sur- something combust instead.”
rounded the captives and began marching them onto a draw- Malor lit a small fire on the ground, hoping there was enough
bridge. The Orcs took their torches with them as they walked kindling around to keep it going for a while. In the dim light, he
into the caves. Within seconds, Malor and the others were left in saw Lydia and the shadows of several others prisoners as well.
the oppressive darkness of an underground kingdom. Almost immediately, someone came running over, frantically
The Kobolds steered the group through what sounded like an speaking in a language the Mind Mage did not understand. He
underground city for several minutes before leaving them inside even tried to put out the fire, but without success. Lydia con-
some sort of open space like a communal cell. After hearing a fessed she did not understand him and after a moment, Addle
heavy door close behind them and a large bolt drawn, Malor appeared at the edge of the firelight to translate.
called to Lydia in a whispered voice. To his relief, it did not re- “He says, if you do not put out the fire, they will kill us all.”
verberate throughout the cavern. As he extinguished the fire, Malor asked, “Is there anyone in
“What?” she called back. charge here?”
“How many of us are there?” Addle translated and then asked, “Do you mean among the
prisoners or the Kobolds?”
76
 “Both.” “No. Unfortunately not. What do we know about the guard?”
Addle and the other talked for a moment. The Dwarf became Addle shrugged, “Just Kobolds. I noticed they wore armor
grave. “There is no leader among the prisoners,” he said finally. and carried swords, but no shields or helmets.”
“And I am afraid that we are now captives of the Flaming Eye “I’m just wondering if they are on constant guard or only
Clan.” come to deliver meals. Maybe you could ask your friend there if
“Oh, no,” Lydia said softly. he knows anything.”
“What does that mean?” Malor asked, unsure of why the “How many guards are there usually at any given time?”
other two were so upset by this news. “Three usually bring the food,” Addle answered. “He does
“It means we will surely die,” the Dwarf answered in a tone not know how many are outside.”
no less grumpy than his usual one. “Hmm...,” Malor pondered this and then stated, “I think we
“The Kobolds of the Flaming Eye Clan,” Lydia explained, should rest now and get more of a feel for our new home.”
“control the entire south end of the Shattered Mountains. They “Are you feeling all right?” Lydia asked. “You have spent a
are a bloodthirsty lot. Neither my order or the Dominion Army lot of time asleep since the attack on The Rivermaster.”
patrols this area because the Kobolds do not associate with the “Using my abilities drains me. If I am to use them again I
Wolfen and will kill them on sight — just as they will anyone must be rested. How are your powers from your god?”
else that sets foot in the mountains, including Dominion soldiers
“I have been set apart as a Paladin of her Order. We have cer-
and knights.”
tain abilities — create daylight, a sense for the truth and a sense
“Worse than that,” Addle intoned, “recent rumors suggest for evil — that she gives us. We then develop them through her
that they have come under the leadership of a priest of darkness service,” Lydia explained. “Your abilities sound more psychic
who intends to revive the Old Ones. So, instead of killing in- than spiritual, is that true?”
truders on sight, they have been capturing them in preparation
“Yes. You could say that. My mind has certain abilities that
for a grand sacrifice to their evil god. If the god is awakened, it
you have witnessed.”
is only a matter of time before the Old Ones return to power and
the world is plunged into a second Age of Chaos.” Lydia did not answer. After a moment, Malor decided to
meditate, figuring she would rouse him if she needed him.
Malor had studied enough history to know about the ancient
Old Ones. They had enslaved the world millennia ago. It had Some time later, the guards returned with more food and wa-
only been through a long and bloody conflict that the Alliance ter. Lydia tapped Malor on the shoulder as the Kobolds entered
of Light had been able to subdue them and force them into a ten- the cavern. They followed the same routine as earlier, setting the
uous hibernation. bucket down and waiting for their prisoners to pounce on it. It
almost seems like a game to them, Malor thought.
“Hmmm... Looks like we’ll have to do something about this.
When will they bring food next? I’ll need my strength when the “If you are going to act, now is the time,” Lydia said.
time comes.”
Addle relayed the question to the figure in the dark and trans- Chapter Two – Escape
lated the answer: “Twice per day, though he admits he has lost In the torchlight, Malor saw a large humanoid push away an-
track of time and does not know for sure.” other and take an entire loaf of bread. The Kobolds did not seem
“Perhaps we should get some rest until our next feeding.” to care, but the Changeling perceived his opportunity was at
“And then what do you propose?” the Dwarf asked. hand.
“We need our strength. I propose we rest until our next feed- He got to his feet and approached a man who had taken more
ing and make sure we get some of the food.” than his share of the bread. “I need food,” he said, using his
powers to exude a sense of friendship.
“Need our strength for what?” Lydia pressed.
“Sure.” The man, completely under the Changeling’s psionic
“I don’t plan on becoming a sacrifice for the Old Ones. Who
control, broke the loaf in half and gave part to Malor as if in a
will record this story and share it with the world if I’m dead?”
trance. “Here you go. Do you want some water, too?” He
Malor smiled, though he knew in his heart the ancient enemies
pushed aside a woman trying to get to the water and handed the
of all goodness are no laughing matter. He continued, “I think
bucket to the Mind Mage.
our best bet is to try an escape at some point. It may be futile,
but we’ve got to try something.” Malor broke off a piece of the bread and chewed it while
nonchalantly looking over the Kobold guards. Two held torches,
“We’re dealing with religious fanatics,” Addle said. “We
the third did not. He carried no keys, but was dressed and ar-
should have a plan.”
mored like his companions.
Lydia gave the Dwarf a sideways look, then leaned closer to
Noticing Malor, he barked something in a language the
Malor. “You aren’t going to die. Not yet, anyway. What do you
Changeling did not understand.
have in mind?”
The Mind Mage ignored him and the guard turned away.
“I wish I could speak Dwarven. Perhaps I could influence our
They waited for the prisoners to finish with the water.
guard’s mind. I’m also thinking that perhaps I could teleport the
guard’s key here. I don’t quite know yet what to do. Any ideas “Addle, how do you say ‘demon’ in Dwarven?”
yourself?” Addle told him the word. “Why?”
“Hasn’t your god given you the gift of tongues?” “Just curious. These words might come in handy. What about
‘Look!’ or ‘Help!’”
77
 The Dwarf told him and added, “If you gotta plan, you might “Sounds like a plan,” Lydia said.
as well share it, so the lady and I don’t mess it up.” Malor sat quietly, meditating. He was soon awoken by the
“How do you say ‘hold your horses’?” asked Malor with a guards returning with food for their prisoners. As soon as he
grin. heard the door open, Addle alerted his companions.
Addle was about to answer and then stopped himself. He “I’ll need a moment,” Lydia informed them while the
glared at the Changeling for a moment. Changeling altered his shape.
Malor continued, “I think we should try to create a distrac- Taking his cue from Malor, the Dwarf suddenly yelled,
tion of sorts. I can create illusions, but must sometimes use ver- “Help! There is a demon!”
bal commands to distract the person seeing. If we create the The Kobolds turned, drawing their weapons at the sudden ap-
illusion of something powerful, I bet we can scare our guards pearance of a ten-foot-tall hulking monster charging them. They
away, or at least enough to distract them so we can take them rushed forward, only to be met by Addle, who tackled one of
out.” them.
“Tell me more about your powers from your god, Lydia. You The other two swung at Malor. One missed, dropping his
can create a light. How powerful is this light? Can you focus it weapon, while the other struck the Changeling across the middle
on one person? What about your other powers?” with his short sword. Malor launched a fireball at the guard, ig-
“It is powerful enough to keep vampires away, but not niting his clothes and casting shadows over the cavern. Stunned,
enough to affect normal people,” she answered, “and it only the Kobold dropped his weapon and staggered about.
works if I concentrate.” Malor closed the distance to the door when, suddenly, the
Malor turned to the Dwarf, “Addle, who are these Old Ones chamber was filled with light as bright as noon day, centered on
that these Kobolds want to bring back?” Lydia. Its appearance caused most everyone else to run for the
“The Old Ones are the ancient evil that enslaved the world. shadows, though she followed her companion.
Everyone knows that.” Addle knocked down the second Kobold with a stiff arm
“Maybe we can convince these Kobolds that the Old Ones across the neck and ran after her.
have returned. Using my illusionary skills, I can make myself Thanks to the light, he was able to see the door. As sus-
look like anything else.” pected, it opened outward and was slightly larger than the open-
“Here’s an idea. I’ll make myself look like some demonic ing it covered (which explains why it let no light in). Malor
Old One. You, Lydia, cast your light spell on me to make it look made out two more guards outside, both covering their eyes as
as if I have some unholy power emanating from me. You, Ad- he ran toward them.
dle, scream ‘an Old One!’” He concentrated long enough to ignite a pillar of fire under
“That should hopefully be enough to distract them so we can the Kobolds. They both started and backed away, trying to put
make our jail break. What do you think?” out the flames that separated them from the door.
“I think you are crazy,” Addle said flatly. “Let’s go,” Addle said impatiently.
Lydia asked, “How would you get an Old One to fit in here?” “We need to hurry. The light will only last for a minute,”
“Ok, maybe an Old One isn’t best, but I can make myself ap- Lydia added.
pear to be a demon or some other creature. Something to scare “I’m with you: let’s move. What does your Dwarven sense
or distract them. You two can add to the drama.” tell you about this underground world?” the Changeling asked
“Sure,” Lydia said. Addle.
“Can you see the door?” Malor asked the Dwarf. “‘Dwarven sense’? Honestly, human, sometimes you make
no sense yourself!”
“Yes.”
As the three companions pushed through the door, they no-
“It’s just a door, about five feet tall. It opens to the outside,”
ticed more Kobolds coming. Addle and Lydia both slowed up
Addle told him.
when they saw the pillar of fire blocking the way, too. Malor
“Is there a keyhole or handle on the inside?” pushed forward, grumbling, “And I thought Dwarves were stone
“I can’t see a keyhole from here. As I recall, though, it is lovers.”
barred from the outside.” The Dwarf ignored his comment. He and Lydia stepped
“Then when the guards come in is our only chance. Do you around the pillar as Kobold guards approached. They both car-
think you can handle a Kobold or two, Addle?” ried weapons which they brandished at their captors.
The Dwarf was silent for several seconds and then asked in a Addle engaged one of them, cutting the lighter soldier with
serious tone, “Are you trying to be funny?” his sword. Lydia had taken one of the Kobold’s short swords
Malor smiled. “Okay. Can you take three Kobolds?” and was now fighting alongside him. Meanwhile, Malor looked
“You are about to piss me off,” Addle grumbled. around. As far as he could tell, they were in a two-way corridor
“I can help,” Lydia offered. about fifteen feet wide and at least twice that long. A dozen
more guards were approaching, mostly from the right.
“Ok, let’s try it,” Malor said. “When the guards come in next,
I’ll change into some demon-like creature, you, Addle, yell Lydia knocked one of the Kobolds into the pillar of fire.
something to distract them, then we’ll rush them. Any effects “Which way now?”
you can give, Lydia, are appreciated.” “There are few Kobolds that way,” Addle yelled, still fight-
ing one of the guards. “I think I see some dwellings that way,
78
79
too.” The Kobold he was fighting cut him across the arm, draw- “I bet all of the buildings around here are homes. We might
ing blood. Using his free hand, however, the Dwarf knocked be able to find some food here, too.” Addle said as he stepped
him out and let the body slump to the floor. into the building, leaving Lydia and Malor in the darkened
“Let’s go then!” street.
The three of them ran down the corridor into the darkness. “I really don’t like this,” the woman said after a moment.
Although he relied on his hearing to keep track of the other two, “The darkness, I mean.”
after a few hundred feet Malor was completely lost in the sub- “Let’s try and find some food,” Malor said. “Quick.”
terranean darkness. A few minutes later, Addle returned. He handed some bread
“Lydia? Addle? Are you there?” to his companions and then put something cold and ceramic in
Someone grabbed Malor’s hand and he heard Addle’s voice. Malor’s hands. “It’s an oil lamp. It won’t create a lot of light,
“This way, human.” but it will help. All it needs is a spark.”
“I think we are going to need a torch,” Lydia said. She stood “Do you think the Kobolds will see the light?”
close by, too, and the Changeling wondered if Addle was hold- “How else do you to plan to see?”
ing onto her as well. “I’m not against seeing. I’m just against two hundred angry
“If we have wood or something to burn I can start a fire.” Kobolds chasing us.”
“I don’t see anything readily available,” Addle reported. “You may have just jinxed us, human,” Addle said. He
“What do you see?” grabbed Malor by the arm and pulled them into the dwelling.
“I think we are going the wrong way. All of these buildings “Be quiet,” he ordered.
look deserted.” After what felt like an eternity, Malor heard talking outside,
“How do we know this is the wrong direction? Towards although it was muffled through the stone walls. The three of
what? Perhaps we can use this area as a camp to move in on the them hid under a table not too far from the door, however. Who-
Kobolds.” ever it was, they carried no torches or other light source.
“I thought we were looking for a way out. The architecture In spite of his sixth sense warning him of danger, Malor
here seems older to me than what I saw on the way in. But then, changed shape to look like a Kobold. Then he crawled across
you are in charge here, so whatever you want to do, we will do.” the floor towards the door to listen as quietly as he was able. As
he went, however, he bumped into something causing some
“How did I get in charge?” Malor wondered aloud.
other object to fall and strike the floor. It shattered loudly.
“Anyways, can we let the Kobolds summon the Old Ones? I
“What have you — ?” Addle began, in an angered whisper.
want to get out also, but if they summon them, there really isn’t
any point getting out, right?” The tense feeling that had settled over the trio of escapees
suddenly intensified.
“If they summon them, it means the end of the world!” said
Lydia, indignant. Another minute passed before a pair of Kobolds pushed open
the door. After a moment, one stooped to examine the Change-
“Then I think we should try to stop them. I really like this
ling who now pretended to sleep on the floor in the middle of
world.”
the room. The Kobold gave him a good shake on the shoulder
“We could alert the Dominion Army back in Llorn.” and said something in his language. When Malor did not reply,
“We haven’t got time for that. I say we find out who is in they began to roll him over.
charge and take them out ourselves,” the Dwarf said. Suddenly, there was a bright flash of light and Malor heard
“I think Addle is right: we just don’t know when they’ll have something slam against the wall. When he opened his eyes, Ad-
the ceremony complete. We need to at least scout out the situa- dle had knocked one guard senseless against the stone interior of
tion and see how their progress is coming along. If we need food the building. Lydia engaged the other.
and water, Addle, what do you suggest?” “Move, Malor!” she yelled, kicking the Kobold in the face.
“We can steal it from the Kobolds, but first, we need to find a The Kobold responded by nicking her with his spear across
safe place to hide.” the left thigh.
“Any ideas? You are the only one among us who can see in “Let’s go!” Addle yelled. “Or we will be pinned in here for
the dark,” Lydia reminded him. good.”
“How about one of these dwellings?” He moved toward one The Changeling jumped to his feet and ran back out into the
of the buildings. Malor heard him struggle with a door before street behind his companions. At least a dozen angry Kobolds
breaking it in. After a moment, he came back. “These dwellings stood to his left, blocking the road back to the area Malor just
aren’t as abandoned as I thought.” escaped from.
“What’s in there?” Lydia led the group down the road to the right. Somehow,
“It looks like somebody’s home. They haven’t been gone that she was able to keep her light centered on herself. All Malor had
long.” to do was keep up and he could see where they were going. Ad-
“What type of stuff is there. Can you tell if it’s Kobold?” dle, although not as fast, brought up the rear after clobbering a
“Definitely Kobold,” Addle replied. couple of the Kobolds.
“Besides, Dwarves don’t live on this end of the Shattered The road took them through a series of two and three story
Mountains,” Lydia said. dwellings similar to those Malor had seen in other large cities,

80
only these had been carved out of the earth itself. They crossed a Addle threw the Kobold he had grabbed a second before into
tenth of a mile, however, before the dwellings ended at a plat- some of the others, then ran to Malor’s side. “Good work.”
form at least a hundred feet in diameter overlooking a deep Seizing the confusion, Malor hopped over the railing and
chasm. climbed down to the ledge. Lydia’s power cast just enough light
Lydia stopped to rest against the railing as Malor caught up. to reveal a cavity big enough for the three of them to stand on
He could not see the bottom of the chasm from the railing. without being seen from above. In addition, a narrow crevasse
“Where do we go now?” the Paladin asked as the light went led back under the balcony and into the dark.
out again, leaving them in complete darkness. They waited quietly against the cliff face as the light faded.
They both turned when they heard footsteps approaching. After several minutes, Malor was about to say something when
“It’s me, Addle,” the Dwarf said. “But we can’t stay here. The he felt Lydia’s hand on his lips, shushing him. Above them, he
Kobolds are on my tail.” could hear a few Kobolds discussing something before turning
A moment passed while everyone caught their breath and and leaving.
considered the options. It looked like they had finally found a safe place to hide.
“I have an idea: you two hide in the dark. Addle, you yell “I guess we have a little climb back up,” Malor whispered af-
‘they went there!’ while I point back down the direction we ter catching his breath.
came. Hopefully, my Kobold disguise will fool them and the “Up? We should go back this way,” Addle said, pointing to
darkness will prevent them from noticing our ventriloquism.” the crevasse.
“Kobolds can see in the dark, remember?” the Dwarf re- “Uh, okay. Sounds good to me. What’s down that way?”
minded them impatiently. “I don’t know, but it seems to lead generally back toward the
“Is there anywhere to hide — rock formations?” Malor asked center of their town.”
the Dwarf, trying to hide the panic in his voice. “If we are going to stop them from awakening the Old Ones,”
“None that are easy to get to.” Lydia said a bit sarcastically, “we will need to find their leader.
“How far are the Kobolds away?” I bet he lives in town somewhere.”
“Right behind me.” “It would seem that some shaman or shamans would be in-
“What if we climbed over the balcony here?” Lydia sug- volved in the process, I’m guessing,” Malor said. “Do we even
gested. know what is involved in the process? If we take them out we
could stop the process.”
“Do we have any rope?” Malor asked.
“I have no idea,” Lydia admitted.
“No.”
Addle concurred, “But it is probably the work of evil priests
“We need to do something!” the woman reminded them.
and wizards. It must be stopped.”
“I see a ledge about fifteen feet down,” Addle said, “but
“So how do we know there’s a tunnel from this crevice you
you’ll never make it if you can’t see.”
want us to take to the town?” the Mind Mage asked. “Does your
“You two worry about the Kobolds. I will worry about the Dwarven sense tell you anything?”
light.”
In the darkness, Malor could not see the dirty look Addle
Once again, Malor shape-changed to look like a Kobold. gave him. “It tells me this tunnel leads back toward town. It also
When the transformation was done, he said, “Addle, pretend to tells me this crevasse is not used much and that we can probably
be my prisoner. Put your hands behind your back. Yell out stuff count on not running into any Kobolds any time soon if we fol-
like ‘Just because you caught me doesn’t mean I’ll tell you low it. If we stay here, who knows?”
where the gold is!’ and then, when they don’t expect it and are
“Do you think the Kobolds will find us here?” Lydia asked.
hopefully caught off guard, you can rip their arms out of their
sockets and I’ll blast them with some fire.” “I don’t intend to stick around to find out.”
“You’re crazy,” the Dwarf muttered as he moved in front of “I guess we should get going. I think the city was only a few
the Mind Mage. He got in place just as the Kobolds arrived on minutes from the ledge, so we can’t be too far from it. But who
the balcony. knows how long this cavern will go.”
He yelled something in his native language while doing his Lydia took Malor by the hand and they started walking. The
best to make it look like he was struggling with Malor. Light passage was narrow in places with an uneven floor and plenty of
suddenly filled the balcony, causing their pursuers to shriek and opportunities to trip or scrape oneself against the rock. After a
both Addle and Lydia charged forward only to find themselves moment, with a slight tremble in her voice, she said to him, “I
outnumbered at least three to one. really hate this dark. Is there anything you can do about it?”
The Dwarf grabbed his first target while Lydia fell back to “If we have something flammable I can start a fire. Addle,
Malor’s side. what do you see?”
“Now’s a good time for some more fire,” she nodded. “I think we are underneath the cavern we escaped from ear-
lier,” the Dwarf reported. “I have nothing to burn, except maybe
Malor summoned a wall of fire underneath the first row of
my clothes.”
Kobolds.
“It is just cold and dark,” Lydia said. “I don’t like it.”
“Let’s go,” Lydia urged, climbing over the railing to get to
the ledge below. “We should find an opening soon,” Addle assured her.

81
 “Should we rest before we attempt to enter the city?” Malor Addle took a few minutes to gather up a selection of the local
said and then bumped into Lydia. Apparently, she had stopped fare. After a moment, Malor’s thirst got the better of him and he
because Addle had stopped. The Dwarf sounded as grumpy as moved toward the stream. He took a sip of the water. It was
usual when he said that would be fine. heavy with minerals, but tasted fine otherwise. “Are there signs,
“I don’t think he meant right here, though,” Lydia said. Addle, that animals have been around this water, drinking it? Is
“Maybe we could find some place to actually sit down. Right, there any life in the water?”
Malor?” “Not here. I have seen no animals since we rid ourselves of
“Sounds good to me. I’ll probably need to rest before we get the Kobolds.”
into any more combat.” Lydia asked Malor about the water and, after he described its
“Humans.” The Dwarf led them a little farther to a small flavor, she drank from her hand. “At least it is wet,” she de-
area. Malor heard water flowing nearby. cided.
“What’s that?” Lydia inquired. “Perhaps we should take a break for a few minutes then con-
“It’s our ticket back into the Kobolds’ city.” tinue on,” the Changeling suggested.
“Can we drink it?” Malor asked. “What does your Dwarven “Good idea.”
sense tell you?” “How far do you think we are from the city?”
“You know, human, you are really starting to piss me off. “We’re underneath it,” Addle told him.
What makes you think I know whether we can drink it?” “So how do we get into the city from here?”
“I’m sorry to upset you,” Malor apologized. “I’ve always “I am still working on that one.”
heard that Dwarves have a great sense of the underworld. I just “We have to figure out something,” Lydia said. “We can’t let
assumed you had a great understanding of this place. Please ac- the Kobolds bring back the Old Ones.”
cept my apologies.” “How thick do you think the ceiling between us and the city
“Whatever. You can drink the water if you like. Then we will is?” Malor asked the Dwarf.
continue.” “Maybe twenty or thirty feet. I am not really sure.” The
After a moment, Malor whispered to Lydia, “Are all Dwarf’s voice sounded a bit farther in the dark than it was a mo-
Dwarves this moody?” ment ago.
“All Dwarves are grumpy,” she assured him. “Do you think any other paths lead to the city?”
“I can drink the water. My mind will protect me, but if it’s “This one must. There is an iron grating just up the path a lit-
poisoned I’m not sure about you. Perhaps we can see if there are tle ways.”
creatures using this water source.” “Should we rest for a few hours, then check it out?”
“The opening is too small for us to continue downstream,” “You humans always need to rest,” Addle grumbled.
Addle reported when he returned. “So we probably ought to
“I think we should,” Lydia agreed with Malor, ignoring the
move upstream and see what we can find. Do you mind getting
Dwarf’s tone.
wet?”
“Fine. How long do you want to rest for?”
“How wet?” Lydia asked, unsure. The darkness was obvi-
ously getting to her. “How about until my mind is well rested? That is probably a
few hours.”
“No more than your boots, I should think.”
“Would it help if we had more light? Perhaps you can create
another globe to see by, Lydia.”
Chapter Three –
“I can’t. I can only do it so many times a day. I won’t be able Sneaking Back into the City
to summon more light for a while now.” Lydia roused Malor sometime later. “We are ready. Are
“Addle, have you seen any life at all in this tunnel?” you?”
“Plenty. Why?” “So let’s go. Anybody hurt?”
“Where there’s life, there’s something to burn. A torch of “No, we are both fine. Addle has been scouting ahead. He
some sort would be great right now.” says he found a way out of this cavern, but we aren’t going to
“Not necessarily. I have seen lots of mushrooms, but they are like it.”
too damp to light. Maybe we should continue in the dark for a Malor took a moment to heal himself. “Okay, let’s go.”
while and then find something.” “I hope we get out of this darkness soon,” Lydia said. “I hate
Lydia groaned at the suggestion. this place.”
“Are the mushrooms good to eat?” Addle led them through a serious of narrow, rough passage-
Lydia groaned at that suggestion too. ways carved by water a hundred years ago. The water still
“Mushrooms beat not eating at all.” flowed here and, sometimes, got as deep as the Changeling’s
“True.” waist. The first time Lydia complained, however, the Dwarf ig-
nored her. The second time he reminded her that this was the
“Show me which ones are edible,” Malor said to Addle.
only way out and she said nothing more about it again.
“Maybe we should take a rest for a little while and then get
moving again.”
82
 After what felt like a couple hours, Malor bumped into his fe- as soon as he released the three-hundred pound iron mess, it
male companion. “Careful,” she warned and then asked the tipped over, filling the tunnel with a loud clang.
Dwarf, “Where are we? I can’t see.” “Good job, human.”
The roar of water made it difficult to hear anything else and “Enough of that,” Lydia ordered. “Let’s go.”
the air was full of spray, but it was still too dark to see any of She stepped through the opening and into the pool of a large
what was causing the noise. fountain. In the center was a massive bowl housing a
“This is the Kobolds’ aqueduct. They learned how to make blue-colored flame that filled the cavern with eerie shadows.
these from us millennia ago. If we follow it,” Addle explained, “Where are we?”
“it should open in a cistern somewhere. Can you handle getting
“I don’t know, but it looks like a public fountain of some
soaked for a while?”
kind.”
“I guess so,” Lydia answered.
“Let’s not stay long,” Lydia suggested, walking toward a spi-
“What about you, human?” ral staircase on the left.
“I’ll be fine. Lead on, O Dwarven guide.” “Let’s be careful not to make too much noise,” the Change-
“There is a ledge about six feet up,” Addle told them. “I can ling warned. “Where do you suggest we go, Addle?”
lift you both to it. On the right is an opening where the water co- “How would I know? I don’t live here. If we are going to
mes out. Just follow the ledge until you get to it and then go in- stop them from freeing the Old Ones though, we should find out
side.” where the Old Ones are sleeping,” he answered. According to
“How big is the opening?” Lydia asked. legend, those ancient and dreaded enemies slept beneath the
“Big enough for you to stand up in. The water flow is not ground, waiting to be awoken by their servants — evil beings of
enough to knock you over either, but watch your step because it any species — and many of the mountain chains in the Palla-
might get slippery. Ready?” dium world were merely markers for their resting places.
“Yes.” “I think we should take a prisoner to get some information.
“Good.” Malor listened as the Dwarf lifted Lydia up and she One of these Kobolds could probably tell us where the cere-
climbed onto the ledge, then he felt Addle’s hand on his shoul- mony or whatever will take place.”
der. A moment later, he was standing on the six inch wide ledge “Where do you propose getting a prisoner with that kind of
as well. He shuffled along after the Paladin, going at least thirty knowledge?”
feet before he got to the opening Addle had mentioned. Careful “If these Kobolds are obsessed with bringing back the Old
not to hit his head, he stepped into the water’s flow. Ones, don’t you think they’d know where they’re taking their
“Which way now?” Lydia asked, just in front of him. sacrifices and where they perform their evil rituals? Are
Addle stood just behind him, “Keep going forward until I tell Kobolds so secretive that they don’t even tell each other who
you to stop.” their own leaders and shamans are and where the leaders and
After several more minutes, the tube began to angle upward shamans perform their evil deeds?”
and Lydia reported seeing a faint light up ahead. Malor saw it as “Maybe someone just thinks Kobolds are stupid,” Lydia
well, but said nothing. jibed the Dwarf. “Malor has a good point. Any adult should do.”
They kept walking and, within a few minutes, reached an In the firelight, Malor could see Addle glare at him. For
iron grating. Light and water poured into the tunnel from an iron whatever reason, he could tell the Dwarf did not like him much.
grating above in the ceiling. “My guess is that there is a fountain Lydia had said Dwarves tended to be cranky, but this seemed
above us. We just need to pry the grating loose somehow and like more than just a maladjusted disposition to the Mind Mage.
we will be back in the city,” Addle said. “We should have a plan. Running around town will just get
“Sounds easy enough,” Lydia agreed with a hint of sarcasm. us jailed again,” Lydia said, a bit put off that Malor would think
Malor turned to Addle. “How’s that Dwarven strength of of something she had not.
yours? Think you can pry it open?” “Probably,” the Dwarf growled.
“Stand back.” Addle pushed his way to the grating. He posi- “Let’s go then,” the woman said, sensing the hostility be-
tioned his hands and pulled, using his feet to brace him against tween her companions. She started up the stairs, moving as qui-
the opening. Nothing happened. “I think it would be better to etly as possible.
push.” She passed through the archway at the top with the other two
“But what if the grate falls?” Lydia asked. in tow. Candles placed in sconces along the wall broke up the
“I’ll catch the grate in case it starts to fall,” Malor assured darkness in this new room. It had a high ceiling with a few
her. “Does it appear anyone is near the grate outside?” benches along one wall and a silent altar opposite. Two arch-
ways led out of the room. A chain blocked the one on the left.
“I don’t see anyone,” Addle reported. He put his feet against
the grate and pushed on it with his legs. Even in the dim light, In the distance, they heard a combination of singing and
Malor could see the sweat on his brow. chanting.
Suddenly, the grate popped free, falling into the Mind Malor saw someone coming from the unchained archway.
Mage’s telekinetic grasp. Malor used his mind to hold the grate They looked to be Kobold height and wore a cloak covering all
in place, then set it aside. He misjudged his skill, however, and, of their features.

83
 “Quick, someone is coming,” he reported to the others in a “I think that is their plan,” Addle assured her.
whisper. “Here’s our chance to take them alive. Take cover and “Ask her, ‘what if we want to join the Kobolds so we don’t
get ready to grab the person who comes through.” He then become destroyed when Netosa returns?’” Malor ordered.
pulled back beside the archway to get ready. The Dwarf repeated the question but, when the Kobold re-
“Got it.” plied, raised his fist again to strike her. Luckily for their pris-
The hooded figure walked through the archway with head oner, Lydia was able to stop him first.
down. She carried a chalice in her right hand. The other was “What did she say?” the woman demanded, restraining Ad-
hidden in her sleeve. She appeared not to notice the three intrud- dle’s arm.
ers hiding in her path. “Netosa will have no room in his kingdom for non-Kobolds,”
Before any other action was taken against her, Malor tried to he repeated. “Or words to that effect.”
confuse her psionically, but his power seemed to have no effect. “Tell her she must be naive, because the Confederacy of
The Kobold walked right past him and towards his skulking Dwarven Clans is already moving to bring Netosa back before
companions. As she walked past, Lydia jumped out of the shad- the Kobolds.”
ows and tackled the stranger, bringing her to the ground in a tan-
Addle looked at Malor. “What?”
gle of fabric and limbs. The figure tried to scream, but the
woman covered her mouth too quickly. “Just a little improvisation. We’ve got to convince her to tell
us what’s up.”
“Quick, let’s get the Kobold down the way we came.”
“It seems pretty obvious. They are going to use the full moon
“Grab her feet,” Lydia snapped. The Dwarf grabbed both an-
to augment a ceremony involving some sort of sacrifice. The re-
kles under one arm and they dragged the struggling Kobold
sulting magic will awaken the Old One,” he explained.
back toward the fountain. Meanwhile, Malor focused his mental
powers on her, hoping to gain her trust — if only temporarily “But who are they going to sacrifice?”
and artificially. “Probably all of those prisoners they took when they nabbed
“Addle, ask it about the Old Ones. When are they coming? us.”
How are they coming?” “Hmmm.... How many priests or priestesses are there
Addle translated the question, but their female prisoner did above?”
not answer. The Dwarf threatened to strike her, but she still said “She says dozens, if not hundreds.”
nothing. “Great,” Lydia moaned.
“Ask it what its name is,” the Changeling ordered. Thinking quickly, Malor said, “Ask her about the ‘other’
“Ask her what her name is,” Lydia corrected. “She’s a person Kobold clan in the adjoining cave. Perhaps we can convince her
even if she isn’t human.” The woman looked hard at Malor. “Or that a rival clan is trying to beat them at bringing back the Old
Dwarven.” She looked at Addle and then lowered his fist for Ones.”
him. She was noticeably offended at their brusqueness. “She says there is no other clan in the mountains.”
The Dwarf repeated the question, more politely this time. “Ask her who the Kobolds we saw with the white hand are.”
“Karistan,” she answered. “She says they are the hands of the Old Ones.”
“You’ll have to excuse us,” Malor said to Lydia, “but this “Netosa’s priests,” Lydia concluded.
Kobold is trying to summon the Old Ones and destroy our “Will you stop saying his name!” Addle growled. “It is bad
world. Ask Karistan why she wants to destroy our world.” luck!”
Addle did and then reported, “She says it is the Kobolds’ Malor was about to ask another question when they heard
right to rule the world and their Old One has promised to make footsteps coming from the landing above. His danger sense
that possible.” kicked in as he realized someone was coming to toward the
“When can we expect the Kobolds to take over?” fountain.
“After the next full moon,” Addle translated. “Quick! Someone is coming,” Malor said, moving back to-
“I have completely lost track of time,” Lydia confessed. ward the drain. “Quick! Down the drain! Shove the Kobold
“What day is it anyway?” down, too!”
“I believe you humans will be celebrating the summer equi- “What?”
nox soon,” Addle said, “but I don’t know your calendar that “Why?” Lydia demanded. “What is going on?”
well.” “Some Kobolds are coming! Let’s hide. Quickly!”
“How do you plan on awakening the Old Ones?” The four of them clamored to the drain. Lydia went first, then
“She says there will be a ceremony.” Addle raised their prisoner up to her. The Kobold took this as
“Are you a priestess? Will you be bringing the Old Ones her cue to get away, but the Dwarf and Paladin held her tight.
back?” “D’ye need help getting up there?” Addle asked Malor.
“She says she is not. The chief priest calls himself the “Sure.”
Lowliest Servant of Netosa –” The Dwarf lifted Malor up far enough for him to grab the lip
“Netosa? He was one of the worst Old Ones!” Lydia gasped. of the drain. He climbed in and directed Lydia to take the pris-
“They can’t bring him back. He will turn this entire region into a oner deep into the drain. A moment later, Addle appeared at the
battlefield. Millions will die.” edge and made his way to where the others waited.
84
 “Let’s keep going a little ways,” the Changeling suggested. Silently, the Mind Mage cursed his luck, wishing now he had
“We can’t,” Lydia said. Malor looked past her, seeing shad- summoned a wall of fire to cover their escape. Unfortunately, he
ows at the bottom of the shaft that could only be caused by ap- lacked the strength at the moment.
proaching torches. The Kobolds dragged Malor up the stairs and away from the
“I think we are pinned,” Addle grumbled. fountain. Within a few minutes, they came to a stop in a small
“Hmm... This could get interesting,” Malor murmured. anteroom where the three of them were deposited on the ground.
Quickly, he sized up the situation. Lydia and their hostage were Malor could not see anything in the darkness, but he heard
twenty feet from the rear entrance to the drain. Addle was five Lydia ask Addle in a whisper if he was all right and the Dwarf
feet behind Malor and ten feet from the other entrance. replied in a similar hushed tone. Before she could direct the
Malor pushed past Lydia and readied a fireball. Before he same question to the Changeling, however, a Kobold barked fe-
could launch it, however, Addle informed them that several rociously at them and the Paladin groaned in pain.
Kobolds had arrived at the top of the stairs leading to the foun- After a pause, someone else entered the darkened room. He
tain. “They are armed, too.” said something to the guards in Dwarven and then left.
“I’ll hold the rear. You take the front!” Malor tried to meditate again, but the guards dragged them
“With what? We have no weapons!” the Dwarf reminded from the room and quite a distance before chaining them to
him. shackles on a wall in another part of the city. It seemed to the
Changeling that they were back in the same prison — it sounded
Malor ignored him. “Okay. Follow me. We’ll just to have to
the same as before, at least — though this time there was no
go the way we came.”
light to see by.
He moved past Lydia toward the finished end of the drain.
“Did you understand any of what was said?” he heard Lydia
The corner was basically a ninety to one hundred degree angle
ask Addle.
that turned to his left. He was between it and Lydia, about five
feet away from the corner. “We’ve been deemed troublemakers and need to be pun-
ished.”
Quickly, he rounded the corner and launched a fireball. It ex-
ploded against a Kobold, illuminating the cavern as it did. The “What does that mean?”
creature stumbled, fell and then rolled aside as his companions “There are going to sacrifice us to the Old Ones at the next
charge forward. full moon.”
The next soldier stabbed Malor in the gut, burying his sword “When is that? Did you find out?”
deeply before the Changeling had a chance to stop him. “Yep.” Addle sounded parched. “Tonight.”
Malor fired off another pair of fireballs. His attacker dodged
the first, letting it explode against the cavern wall, while the sec- Chapter Four – The Offering
ond caught the Kobold straight on, killing him. His body fell to Hours later, Malor heard a sound that brought him out of his
the side of the passage, allowing just enough room for one more meditative trance. The guards had returned. They unchained him
enemy at a time to advance. from the wall, leaving his wrists bound together and, once again,
Immediately, a second Kobold charged forward, slashing at dragged him through their underground city. This time, to a fate
the Changeling. His blade narrowly missed, but he did not look possibly worse than death.
likely to give up. After what seemed like hours, they arrived at an opening to
“Lydia!” Malor stumbled back toward the Paladin. In the the surface. It was dark, but Malor could see the stars over a
dark, he bumped into either her or their prisoner, causing Lydia small valley. Hundreds of beings stood around him: Kobold ci-
to let go of her Kobold prisoner. vilians, soldiers and priests; slaves and prisoners, Lydia and Ad-
“Stop her!” the human said. dle — it looked like everyone one was invited to this occasion.
“I got her,” Addle assured them. His armed escort pushed him toward a long line of other
Suddenly, Malor felt something heavy strike his head, break- non-Kobolds — presumably, those who would also be sacrificed
ing the skin. He fell to the ground, pretending to be dead, only under the full moon tonight.
to have several Kobolds grab him. They maneuvered him clum- Malor scanned past the line of chained up prisoners. It looked
sily to his feet, scraping his arms against the cavern walls before like everyone was being herded to a raised altar at the north end
binding his hands behind his back. of the valley where a small group of Kobolds stood. In the
Although he could hear Addle and Lydia fighting, the Mind moonlight, it looked like they were sharpening long-bladed dag-
Mage could not see them. After a few minutes scuffle, however, gers.
the fighting stopped and they were led to the edge of the drain. Three Kobold guards waited within fifteen feet of his posi-
The flames around the fountain cast enough light for the tion, but there must have been dozens if not hundreds more mill-
Changeling to see six Kobolds standing around Lydia and Ad- ing about.
dle, their former prisoner and at least three lowering him from “Lydia? Addle? How many must die for the Old Ones to re-
the drain. There might have been more still in the drain, but he turn?” the Changeling whispered.
could not tell. The Kobolds moved quickly and precisely, creat- “Thousands, I would guess,” Lydia said. However many it
ing only minimal noise. would take, the Kobolds seemed well-prepared.

85
 “Let’s bide our time to get closer to the altar.” Malor watched “Here we go.” Addle threw one of the soldiers out of the
the moon near the apex of the sky, signaling the appointed hour. way, charging for the podium.
Suddenly, the guards started moving the line closer to the altar. The Dwarf charged through a line of Kobolds, knocking
Some of the prisoners resisted, only to be beaten down. Malor them aside. He and Malor got about fifteen feet from the stairs
could not see it well, but he could hear Kobolds chanting and, when a pair of guards with pole arms attacked. One stabbed the
after a moment, the blood-chilling cries of the first few victims. Dwarf in the gut. He broke the weapon’s shaft off and hit the
“Horrible,” he muttered to himself. soldier with it, but it was obvious Addle was hurt badly.
Malor estimated the moon would be in position within fifteen By now the chaos Malor tried to create seemed to be starting
minutes. He tried the manacles about his wrists, but the metal up. Hundreds of enraged slaves swarmed the podium, resulting
would not budge. He was probably twenty people from the front in the perfect chance for him and the others to escape.
of the line with Lydia, Addle and hundreds more behind. As if on cue, his two companions started to flee the valley
“Addle — can you break these chains?” and Malor followed them. They ran for about an hour, making
“Already tried,” the Dwarf grumbled. their way through the crowds of Kobolds and slaves, over a
Malor strained to see the podium. He counted at least a dozen short wall and down the mountainside. About the time he
priests engaged in conducting sacrifices. He closed his eyes and thought he would collapse from lack of air, the Changeling’s
concentrated. A little panic would be useful at the moment, so danger sense came back on.
he willed a wall of fire into existence under the priests. Soon he “Hold! Something is amiss!” the Mind Mage announced to
heard the sounds of people losing control of themselves, his companions.
prompting him to open his eyes. As he did, the wall of fire dis- “Yes: you!” Without warning, Addle suddenly tackled Malor,
appeared by some unseen force. sending them both tumbling down the mountainside. The Dwarf
Some of the priests and potential victims were injured, but locked the Mind Mage’s arms behind his back in a painful hold,
their leader — although angered — had quickly wrested back then jammed a dagger blade up against his Adam’s apple.
control. Lydia ran to their sides. “What’s going on here?” she de-
Malor asked Addle how to say ‘Old Ones’ in Dwarven and manded, obviously shocked.
the warrior told him. “What’s this?!” the Mind Mage gasped against the blade.
“Addle, yell with me.” “This one is a Changeling!” the Dwarf said, spitting the final
The Changeling began yelling, “Old Ones! Old Ones!” and word from his mouth like poison.
pointed at the altar area. Soon Addle picked up the chant, too, “A Changeling?” Lydia almost laughed. “What makes you
and the Kobolds joined in. In fact, after a moment, it looked like say that?”
their captors were relishing the mantra, caught up in the excite- “Remember the way he changed into a demon in the cavern?
ment it created. He did the same thing on the yacht before we were captured. He
Lydia tried to get their attention. “I think this is having an op- changed into a Kobold when the guards found us, too,” Addle
posite effect from what you intended.” sneered. “He’s a Changeling.”
She was about to say more when a soldier pulled her out of “No, he’s not,” the woman shook her head, refusing to be-
line and toward the altar. She struggled against his grasp, but the lieve.
non-human was stronger. “You don’t believe me? Then ask him.”
Using his powers, Malor tried to fill the Kobold with fear. She looked the Mind Mage in the eye, glancing briefly at the
The empathic transfer was successful. The guard let go of her blade at his throat.
and cowered on the steps. Lydia gave him a swift kick and more “Malor, are — ?”
guards charged her.
He tried to laugh. “Changeling? This is absurd! Get your
Malor focused on the Kobolds coming at Lydia and tried to hands off me Addle! I’m no more a Changeling than you are,”
instill fear in their minds. He hoped sparking a panic would foil Malor insisted as he tried vainly to influence the Dwarf’s mind
the priests’ attempt to restore the Old Ones. with his psionics.
After a second, however, Addle grabbed his arm. “Don’t just “No, Paladin of Rurga,” Addle said to Lydia, maintaining his
stand there! We gotta get out of the way!” hold on his prisoner but withdrawing his blade slightly. “Invoke
The Dwarf pulled him out of the main thoroughfare and the truth. Ask him in the name of your goddess.”
closer to the wall under the altar. Somehow, while the Mind “How do you — ?” She stopped, realizing it was the only
Mage was concentrating elsewhere, Addle had gotten a dagger way to uncover the truth. Malor tried not to gulp against the
which he now used to pick the lock on his shackles. It took a sharp blade. Lydia had explained this power to him before. As
few seconds to get them off of both prisoners, but by then emissaries of the Warrior Goddess, Paladins of Rurga had the
full-blown chaos had swept the area. ability to force others to answer questions truthfully, whether
“Let’s go!” Freed, Malor now jumped to his feet, pushing his they wanted to or not. She had not used it in his presence, but
way to the podium, when a Kobold guard attacked him with a had spoken enough about it in casual conversation for him to
sword. His danger sense had been buzzing for a few minutes al- know that she would believe whatever answer he would give.
ready and now he knew why. But he also knew the only answer he could give under the
“Get me to the altar and we’ll end this! Get those Kobolds!” spell’s influence would be the wrong one.

86
 Lydia took a step closer. “Malor, in the name of the Warrior The Changeling leaned against a nearby tree, trying to figure
Goddess, Rurga, are you a Changeling?” out how to stop the bleeding from his chest. His breath felt
Although he tried to fight the spell, he was unable to resist. wheezy, as if a lung had been punctured. Sadly, he knew he
“I... am... a... Changeling,” he confessed reluctantly. lacked the internal strength to heal himself immediately and
The Paladin gasped and took a step back. Tears filled her doubted he would live long enough to meditate long enough to
eyes and she shook her head against the truth. “No, Malor. No,” recover it.
she whispered and, without waiting for him to offer any expla- Still, he willed his body to heal, forcing all of his mental en-
nation, Lydia turned and ran into the trees. Malor watched her ergy to concentrate on the process. As he lay there recovering
go, powerless to stop her. Soon she had disappeared down the from his wounds, he wondered if the return of Netosa might not
mountainside and into the forest. have been a bad thing.

The Way Station

Suddenly, Addle tightened his hold on Malor’s arms, press-
ing the blade into his skin on his neck. “Now then, Impostor,
let’s be done with you.”
“You would kill me after I helped save us?”
“You are a Changeling. You cannot be trusted.” Optional Source Material
Malor had heard stories from his grandmother about the irra- for Rifts® Chaos Earth™
tional hatred people harbored for Changelings. He was con-
vinced his parents’ deaths had been the result of mindless By Mark Vernon
prejudice, though he had no proof. Still, he never thought it

A Safe Haven in Madness

would catch up with him. People ignorant of his true nature had
always been kind to him. Now this...
“Then I shall die at Dwarven hands and shall know what true When the survivors of the cataclysm talk of the Blue Zones,
Dwarven friendship means.” it is generally believed they are an ever changing place of de-
“I’m not the one who lied about who I am, Assassin.” mons, monsters and other horrors that have no name to describe
“I am no assassin.” Malor protested as he launched a fireball them. It’s also thought that any human found there is either
at the Dwarf, catching him in the face. Addle backed away, working for, or trying to make a dark pact with the creatures that
dragging his knife across the Changeling’s collarbone and the Blue Zones spawn. Or possibly even suicidal. This view is
shoulder. The knife ripped his clothes and bloodied his tunic. not without merit, and is true more often than not, but it is not
Meanwhile, the Dwarf’s beard ignited, sending smoke and the complete picture. Some brave (or foolhardy) souls enter the
flame into this face. He patted at it, trying to dowse it while Blue Zones not to make pacts with monsters, but to learn of the
charging after Malor. strange energies there, to harness them, and with luck, to find
Addle bowled him over, barely hitting the Mind Mage but out how to use them to fight the very creatures they bring into
still knocking him to the ground. “Now you die, Changeling.” the world.
Raising the knife, he moved in to finish Malor off. These pioneers of magical study face many problems. Civil-
Malor summoned his inner strength to protect him just in ians who had their lives shattered by the coming of the shim-
time for the Dwarf’s first knife stab. He felt the blade enter his mering blue lines distrust anything from the Blue Zones and, at
chest with enough force to knock the wind out of him. If not for best, fear these neophyte wizards, or at worst, hate them for con-
his power of mind-over-matter, he would have surely been dead. sorting with the enemy. Demon Callers and Death Mages see
Blue Zone Wizards and Chaos Wizards as competition or fool-
The Dwarf let go of the knife and pounded Malor across the
ish interlopers into their affairs. The horrors of the Blue Zones
jaw with his fist. At that point, the Changeling began to wonder
generally consider them to be slaves, entertainment, or food.
if he would survive or not. Desperately, he willed the burnt ends
of Addle’s beard to ignite. With a puff, they exploded again in NEMA considers the wizards misguided, but occasionally
his face, buying enough time for the Changeling to kick his at- useful. Certainly, no one else is in a better position to report on
tacker free. the movements, numbers and weaknesses of the monsters from
the Blue Zones. However, NEMA has its hands full maintaining
Climbing to his feet, Malor yanked the knife from his chest;
control over its own territory, keeping power and heat on for
the exertion almost knocked him over. Next, he stumbled over
thousands of refugees, plus feeding and guarding them. The
to the Dwarf and drove the knife deep into his back. Blood
Zone Wizards can expect no regular supplies or protection from
stained Addle’s clothes as his body went rigid and then tumbled
the forces of NEMA so long as they choose to dwell in the Blue
to the ground.
Zones. Of course, living in the Blue Zones means surviving the
Malor took a step away, weakened by the loss of blood and constant threat from the demons, weird storms, hypothermia,
still confused by the sudden betrayal. He stood alone in the for- and starvation.
est with only the stars staring down on him. Blood stained his
Even with all these problems, the Blue Zone Wizards remain
hands, though he could not tell if it was his or the Dwarf’s. It
in the Blue Zones, studying the magic there and using it to fight
did not matter, he felt weak enough to join the dead warrior at
the monsters that threaten them and the world. To survive in
any moment.
such a hostile land, they have banded together and found a safe

87
haven in the chaos around them. Built with their own hands out recharged off the main power grid, so there was no worry of suf-
of the wreckage of the city, they have called it the Way Station. focating if the engines were turned on. With the bus heaters and
a few strategically placed Campfire Spheres (see Rise of
Humble Beginnings of a Hideaway Magic™), the depot could be heated quite easily. The buses
were quickly converted into dormitories for the wizards, keep-
When the cataclysm ripped the land apart, people were
ing them off the cold concrete floor and giving a small amount
caught completely off guard. The malls, supermarkets, and res-
of security while they slept.
taurants were all destroyed or ran out of stock. Supplies that
would pour into the city daily stopped dead. Food and drink be- The depot was fully equipped with tools, which were a great
came more precious than gold as the survivors scrambled to sur- boon. Most of the large wrenches served both as weapons and
vive. Winter clothing, safe shelter, weapons and medical let the Zone Wizards gain access to food and supplies that had
supplies all became needed more than ever before. When the de- been locked away or hidden. The lockers for the depot were
mons began to overrun areas filled with the Blue Lines the peo- forced open and the supply rooms searched. One room con-
ple retreated to the secure areas of NEMA and prayed that tained stock uniforms and overalls for the drivers and mechan-
things would improve. NEMA itself began hoarding supplies ics. The gray uniforms were ill suited to the arctic conditions
and scavenging the ruins in danger zones for the necessities of outside, but they were undamaged and available, so were often
life. Rationing of food became mandatory and, for now, the situ- used to repair clothes or were sewn into cloaks. The gray color
ation is fairly stable. At least compared to most places on Earth. turned out to be excellent camouflage in the city ruins, blending
in well with the blasted landscape of dust, concrete, soot, and
Away from NEMA’s area of control, the Zone Wizards had
snow.
to learn to survive in the Blue Zones. Many of the first to arrive
quickly perished, but those that survived for even a short time For security, the Zone Wizards dug tunnels and escape routes
could pass on what they learned to the ones that followed. It in the rubble and made sure to conceal the entrances. Check-
quickly became clear that the Zone Wizards needed what points were set up and guarded. As the number of people willing
NEMA had: A secure place they could store supplies, rest, and to enter the Blue Zones to study magic increased, so did the
defend themselves from attack. Until such a place was found, number of wizards at the depot. With the depot’s repairs mostly
the wizards were forced to spend most of their time looking for done, supplies from other areas were brought in wherever they
food and water, and sleeping wherever was safe at the moment. could be found. Food, water, blankets and the like. The real gem
Just as many neophyte wizards have died from a horde of of the scavenging expeditions happened after the Zone Wizards
Hang-Jaw Demon Rats finding them as they slept as have died came across the remains of a skirmish between NEMA and a de-
in battle with a huge, fire-breathing demon. monic gang. Forgotten in the rubble, a heavily damaged NEMA
combat bike was recovered. It’s front wheel and laser were
One small group of Zone Wizards saw this problem and be-
gone, crushed under a demon’s foot, but the engine was intact.
gan to search for what was needed. The obvious safe locations
Using parts from the repair depot the wizards were able to
(army bunkers, police stations, etc.) were either destroyed or in-
jury-rig power cables to the nuclear engine. Now the bus en-
fested with demons. Even if they weren’t infested with demons,
gines and other electrical essentials could be recharged though
NEMA had taken care to strip the weapons and supplies from
the ability to charge E-Clips was still beyond them.
most of them already anyway, so they were unsuitable for use.
The shopping malls had everything needed to survive, but were As the weeks went by, the depot soon helped cut down on the
not easily defended and far too vulnerable for a small band of incredible casualty rate normal among Blue Zone Wizards by
Zone Wizards to fortify effectively. Worse, some demons knew giving them a safe haven to rest, and a place to share knowledge
that humans would come there searching for food, and stalked about the monsters they encountered daily. Some Chaos Wiz-
nearby, hoping for a snack of their own. ards even began learning magic from the more experienced
Zone Wizards. Perhaps just as important was the bus depot gave
It was only by chance that a trio of wizards found the place
the Zone Wizards a place where their abilities were accepted
they would call home. Hidden between two collapsed office
and could be practiced openly. Far too often, a Chaos Wizard
buildings and looking like a pile of rubble itself in some ways, a
would often be seen as a monster or a demon in disguise by their
bus repair depot was still fairly intact. It had no food, supplies or
fellow survivors. In the harsh world of post-apocalypse, many
heat but it needed only minimal repairs to seal it away from the
an innocent youth who manifested magic by accident is set upon
bitter cold and any curious demons. While not a true bunker, the
and lynched, or even more tragically, commits suicide rather
depot was solidly built and had a great deal of space inside. It
than live as a “monster.” Just to know there were others who
was also smack dab in the middle of the Blue Zones, making it
could do the same amazing things as themselves, and who ac-
the perfect location for those who came to study magic and the
cepted it, saved more than one survivor.
blue lines. Gathering some more Blue Zone Wizards for help,
the depot’s windows were boarded up and covered and a crude No one is certain who began calling the depot the Way Sta-
tunnel entrance was excavated. tion, but the name has stuck. This is something they built, and
for many of the Zone Wizards, it is now their home.
After the Zone Wizards had moved in they took stock of the
situation. There was no food or water, but there were two buses
and all the equipment needed to keep them in good order. The Life at the Way Station
large bay doors were covered with rubble and could not be The first priority for the Way Station wizards is secrecy. The
opened, but the buses were still useful. Long before the cata- depot is by no means a Mega-Damage building, nor a defensive
clysm, Chicago had switched their bus system to electric motors structure. Almost any demon could easily destroy it if they knew

88
about it, so the first rule is to keep it hidden. No rubble or filth find shelter for when – not if, but when – the Way Station must
dropped from a Blue Line storm is ever cleaned up or removed be abandoned. So far, no large central location has been found
from around the building. It adds to the camouflage. All en- suitable, but the Zone Wizards have set up a number of small
trances to the Way Station are watched around the clock, and safe houses and storage areas, typically by using the magic in-
are as carefully hidden as possible. One advantage the Zone cantation Move Debris (see Rise of Magic). Hidden inside these
Wizards have is using magic to cover an entrance with debris, small enclosures one could find a small amount of food (usually
then removing it when it is to be opened again. canned goods), medical supplies (painkillers and bandages), and
In sharp contrast to NEMA’s barracks is the level of noise a weapon or two (a crude club, or maybe a knife). Most wizards
and light at the Way Station. At a standard NEMA barracks, one in the Way Station know of at least two such safe houses, and
hears soldiers clomping about at all hours, the whir of drills and should the Way Station be abandoned, they can flee to a hope-
wrenches keeping equipment in good repair, sergeants barking fully safer location. One problem with this system is should the
orders and the all too often wail of an alarm warning of another repair depot be abandoned, it would be very difficult for the
danger that must be dealt with. NEMA has been fairly success- Zone Wizards to quickly reassemble again. The wizards don’t
ful in keeping power and heat on in their area of control, so consider this a major problem though, since they know any of
most buildings are bright. Floodlights scan the open areas near them who is captured may be forced to reveal the location of the
any NEMA building, looking for any signs of monsters who ei- others. A wide network of safe houses prevents the entire group
ther managed to sneak by the patrols or popped into existence in from being captured or killed. Again, secrecy is the means of
the safe zone. survival in the Blue Zones.
The Way Station is quiet and dark by comparison. Conversa- These safe houses also serve a very practical purpose when
tions are held at whisper level, if at all. Generally, the only new Zone Wizards arrive in the Blue Zones. Another wizard is
sources of light are the Campfire Spheres that are placed around always welcome at the Way Station, but they know very well
the station for heat. The flickering, magical Campfire Spheres that appearances can be deceiving. That new Zone Wizard may
and the dancing shadows make the old bus depot feel rather me- be one just like them, or could be a demon in disguise, a Demon
dieval, suiting the cloaked and hooded wizards well. The quiet Caller, a Death Mage, or a Chaos Witch. When someone new
and dark is another security measure for the Zone Wizards. arrives in the Blue Zones who looks like they might be a good
None of them are really sure how good the hearing of the aver- wizard to bring into the fold, three of the Way Station’s wizards
age demon is, so they stay as quiet as possible. Any windows will try to make peaceful contact with him. Typically, one actu-
the bus depot had are now covered and barred so no hint of light ally comes out to greet the person, the other Zone Wizards stay
gives away the Way Station’s existence. Still, even though the hidden and watch for trouble. If it’s a trap, the Zone Wizards
Zone Wizards are as quiet as church mice, the bus depot is simply flee from the enemy. If the meeting goes well, the new-
rarely without noise. The laughter, screams and other hideous comer is brought to one of the safe houses that has been set up
noises of the demons that surround the Way Station are often away from the Way Station. There the Zone Wizards quietly
heard through its thick walls in addition to the rumble and crack question the new wizard, try to determine his feelings on magic,
of the frequent storms. demons, NEMA and other important issues and find out his rea-
Another difference between the Zone Wizards and NEMA is son for being in the Blue Zones. After a short time with the po-
the permanency of their base of operations. NEMA is in Chi- tential member, the three Zone Wizards make a quick secret
cago’s heart where it has a power plant, factories churning out vote to see if they believe the newcomer is worthy of being
weapons, combat drones, armor and other needed supplies shown to the Way Station. If all three agree, the newcomer is
round the clock. They have medical facilities, the means to re- quietly brought to the Way Station and hopefully he will be-
charge E-Clips and manufacture ammunition, barracks, and a come a productive member of the small band. In truth, the Zone
command center, not to mention well stocked food and other Wizards would prefer a more thorough way of investigating a
mundane supplies vital to the working of a military force. They novice wizard, but they simply have no other way of doing so at
know the area very well, have established regular patrols and this time.
have hordes of survivors who depend on them to protect them. Just as important as secrecy in the Blue Zones is food and
Simply put, NEMA cannot leave. There’s too much to lose and water. Even with magic to restore spoiled food and multiply the
too much to move. If they lose what they have now, the war amount, it still means there must be some food to use magic on.
against the demon hordes is truly lost. Any demon horde who The nuclear winter has provided an abundance of snow which
tries to force them to leave will find themselves under a blister- normally could be melted down into water, but the snow is con-
ing hail of fire from a very determined group of soldiers fighting taminated by volcanic ash, concrete dust, and bombarded daily
to survive and hold on to what they have. by the freakish storms that erupt regularly in the Blue Zones.
The Zone Wizards at the Way Station have no delusions Without any means to produce the necessities of life on their
about their ability to withstand a determined assault. If a demon own, daily forage parties go out to search for food, scavenging
lord, or even a moderately powerful demon gang find the Way in the malls, homes and restaurants for anything they can find.
Station and decide to attack, the Zone Wizards might be able to The wizards do everything they can to make the food last, in-
drive them off but the secrecy of the depot would be compro- cluding watering down all food in soups and stews and then
mised. It would no longer be safe, and would most likely be at- freezing it for later. The Zone Wizards know this is only a tem-
tacked until it fell. Consequently, the Zone Wizards use the Way porary solution however. Eventually, the food that was in the
Station as a safe haven but are also looking for other places to city will run out. There’s been discussion of finding a way to

89
grow mushrooms or other crops inside the depot, but they lack Some Zone Wizards have taken to storytelling as pastime, but
the facilities or knowledge to do so effectively. Finding a stable this is generally considered too loud an activity.
source of food is high on their list of priorities. By far the most popular way of passing time at the Way Sta-
Beyond secrecy of the Way Station and the means to survive tion is reading and writing. Actual paper books are somewhat
in the Blue Zones, the Zone Wizards also look for survivors (a rare in the time of the cataclysm. Many books were converted to
low priority due to the lack of them in such demon infested lo- digital format and it’s just not feasible to waste power reading
cations), study the Blue Lines and demons, learn and teach books when you could be heating your home, if you have power
magic to each other, and scavenge for useful items. In their time at all. Books written on actual paper do exist, but many were
in the Blue Zones, the Zone Wizards have found three Automag lost in the initial cataclysm, more were spoiled by the elements
pistols and five clips of ammunition. Since these are the only after that, and still more destroyed by the survivors needing fuel
weapons available to them, most prefer to rely on their magic. for their fires to keep from freezing. As a result, the Blue Zone
The weapons are communal property and at least one is always Wizards are actually collecting a small but growing library of
kept at the Way Station to protect it. books on a variety of subjects. Some have even taken to writing
Though they are well outside of NEMA’s safe zone, the Way themselves, penning their observations on demons and magic of
Station tries to keep in contact with them. Usually the trek is the Blue Zones for future reference or simply keeping a diary
made to the NEMA controlled zone for the purpose of trade, during these harsh times. In time, this will help preserve literacy
typically medical supplies and food in exchange for information. among them as more knowledge is lost with the fall of civiliza-
The Zone Wizards are now able to compare notes about demons tion.
and magic, as well as be the first to know when a huge thing has
slithered from a Blue Line and is heading NEMA’s way. It’s not The Challenges of a
always possible for the Zone Wizards to get a warning out on
time, but they help when they can. This journey is always
Blue Zone Wizard
fraught with danger that doesn’t end when the messengers reach In the world of Chaos Earth, playing a Zone Wizard requires
the NEMA controlled area. The civilians know of the strange a different mind set from the player running a member of
things so-called Zone Wizards can do, and often fear they have NEMA. The soldiers of NEMA are expected to put their lives
made horrific pacts with some demonic lord. Fear can turn to on the line for others and are fully capable of going above and
blind hate quickly among the survivors and Zone Wizards some- beyond the call of duty. It is this dedication and perseverance in
times face a lynch mob while simply trying to deliver a warning the face of the horrors of the Blue Zones that have allowed
to the people who would kill them. NEMA to hold on to what they have and make occasional
strikes at the demonic forces around them. These are heroes
A few of the Zone Wizards are growing concerned about the
born, bred, and trained.
number of odd beings coming through the Blue Lines. They
don’t appear to be monsters or demons, but they’re definitely In contrast, the Blue Zone Wizards who make their home in
not human. Some seem like aliens lost on a strange world, strug- the Blue Zones are, for the most part, civilians. Even former po-
gling to survive as best they can. Others look more like crea- lice and firemen of Chicago typically join forces with NEMA.
tures of myth but not demonic, such as Elves, Orcs, and It’s closest to what they knew before the cataclysm, it’s how
Dwarves. It’s been debated as to whether to offer help to some they feel they can best help their fellow man. Blue Zone Wiz-
of them, but the Way Station’s resources are already stretched ards have no military training, no system of rank, no great call
thin. While some wizards argue helping these dimensional be- to fight the good fight. Consequently, there won’t be squads of
ings could be a remarkable boon for them in terms of learning Zone Wizards scouring the Blue Zones for demons to fight,
more about what lies beyond the Blue Zones, the majority cau- working in perfect co-ordination and blasting away with deadly
tion they can’t take such risks now. Demons are well known for precision. Discussions about what plan of action to follow aren’t
their deceptions. For now, these dimensional beings will have to simply decided by one Zone Wizard and then his orders are fol-
fend for themselves. The Way Station continues to observe them lowed. Instead, Zone Wizards are more cautious and try to avoid
from a distance and occasionally helps them in small ways. A or outwit their foes rather than outfight them. Drawing on too
few Zone Wizards hope to eventually establish small trade with much power of the Blue Lines is as likely to work as to destroy
select groups of the dimensional beings but such an event is a the user, so a clever use for a small bit of magic often trumps a
long way off. huge blast of eldritch energy. Being so close to the Blue Lines,
the Zone Wizards know new vile things spew forth from them
Isolated out at the Way Station, the Zone Wizards are usually
every day – or every hour – so what worked on a threat yester-
quite busy with the day to day struggle to survive. Sometimes
day may not today. They know the idea of a standard operating
however, the sheer number of nearby demons or ferocity of a
procedure just doesn’t work under these circumstances. They
Blue Line storm forces the Zone Wizards to remain inside the
have to make it up as they go and be ready to change the plan at
Way Station for days at a time. During these times, the Zone
a moment’s notice. Or cut their losses and run.
Wizards have had to find ways to pass the time. Using magic,
some of the younger Chaos Wizards have taken to painting, A Blue Zone Wizard’s battle is also an isolated one. NEMA
splashing bright, bold colors on the buses and walls to make the maintains regular patrols and scours their own area to ensure
Way Station a bit more pleasant. Others use these times to prac- that no monsters have managed to sneak past the patrols. Strike
tice their magic or discuss the theories about how magic works teams sent into hot zones are armed to the teeth, ready to cull
and how it could be best used to fight back the demon hordes. the demons to make sure they don’t attack en masse. But no

90
 The Hammer
matter where any of the soldiers of NEMA go, they know help
is just a radio call away. Even if their radio is jammed or bro-
ken, lost radio contact raises an alarm back at base and a rescue
squad is dispatched. Silver Eagles can arrive in minutes, heavier

of the Forge
troops shortly after.
The Zone Wizards don’t have advanced communications,
have no effective strategy for dispatching help to any of their
group who find themselves in trouble, or even any way of learn-
ing a group member is in trouble. They are slowly learning to be Chapter Forty-Six
prepared for such things, and do try to keep in touch with their

“And Two”
own forage expeditions. But it is pretty much assumed that any
wizards out in the Blue Zones must rely on themselves in an
emergency. As a result, the Zone Wizards have learned to de-
pend on the people around them, and on themselves, and will be By James M. G. Cannon
extra cautious in every situation. A grav car met them at the spaceport as they disembarked,
Another problem facing the Blue Zone Wizard is the reaction and whisked them through a maze of freeways and highways,
from other survivors. NEMA soldiers are widely seen as saviors out of the city and into the barren wasteland outside the
of mankind, fighting against the forces that threaten to over- metroplex. The six of them, squeezed into the small compart-
whelm the last remaining pockets of humanity in the world. ment of the car, made for a tight fit. Joriel, the biomechanical
They provide food, shelter, heat and medical care for them. Celestine, took up the most room. He was a big guy to begin
They are quite literally the hope for the future. with, but the maroon feathered wings erupting from his back
On the other hand, even if a Zone Wizard does some good made him half again as large. Curled up next to him, literally
with his magic, say if he saves a town from destruction, fights under his wings, the Atlantean Undead Slayer Kassiopaeia
demons, or saves a life, there is very little chance he’ll be Acherean looked almost tiny, despite being well over six feet
thanked. At best he may get a fearful glance as those he saved tall herself, and clad in the bulky, rune-inscribed battle armor of
rush to hide from him. Even if it’s clear he saved their lives, the her order. Beside Kassy reclined Arwen Griffin, a young martial
survivors are more likely to be convinced that it was some trick artist with green skin and blue hair, who otherwise looked hu-
or deception. In the minds of many survivors, if someone shows man enough. Across from Arwen sat Sammadar Orak, herself
they can use the magic of the Blue Zones, that makes him a encased in the insectile power armor she had stolen from the
threat or demon in disguise. K!ozn Continuum, a beyond state-of-the-art killing machine
painted a riot of day-glo colors. Only one person, the man on
All this has drawn the Blue Zone Wizards together into a her left, knew that within that suit of armor was a green haired,
very tight-knit group that knows if they are to survive they must pixie-ish near-human. Caleb Vulcan, Knight of the Cosmic
rely on each other and pool their knowledge and resources. They Forge, had dispensed with his badge of office, the armor of a
have not abandoned their fellow man. They have not become Cosmo-Knight. He often preferred to wear street clothes, and it
corrupted by the magic they wield (they hope). The Zone Wiz- allowed for some slight room within the confines of the grav
ards are working to learn how to use the magic the world is now car. On Caleb’s left sat a shadowy being in a trench coat and fe-
bathed in, to help the other survivors around them, and take the dora, his only fixed features a pair of glowing orange lights,
fight to the demons. If there is one advantage the Zone Wizards about where eyes would be in a solid being. This was Doctor
have in their plight it is their magic, and the constant day to day Abbott, one of the most accomplished wizards in the Three Gal-
battle has given them a very sharp learning curve. Though the axies.
sink or swim approach is a very dangerous way to teach magic,
it is working for the Way Station. At least, among the survivors. “I had no idea you were a member of the Fraternity of Stars,”
Abbott said in Orak’s direction. He had a British accent, despite
growing up in the Three Galaxies, where as far as Caleb knew,
there existed no British Isles anywhere.
Orak’s voice was a modulated buzz, and helped keep her
identity secret. “Membership has its benefits. Little jobs like this
one come my way every once in a while. Keeps my life interest-
ing.” By profession she was a mercenary and Galactic Tracer; a
bounty hunter. But the Fraternity of Stars was anything but mer-
cenary. Rather, it was a guild of explorers, adventurers, and
freelancers who gadded about the Three Galaxies getting into
trouble... and occasionally solving problems.
“Yes, I would imagine so,” Abbott said. “I’ve been a member
myself for nearly fifty solar years. Of course, I haven’t done a
‘job’ for the brotherhood in some time. I seem to be quite able

91
to find trouble on my own.” He chuckled slightly. “Or with Ca- “Interesting,” Abbott said. Everyone looked at him.
leb and Kassy’s help.” Orak’s voice crackled. “I’m not getting any readings through
Beside Abbott, Caleb grunted. He only listened to Abbott and my suit. Weird. It’s like this thing isn’t even here. I can see it
Orak talking with half an ear. Orak’s connection to the fraternity through the visor, but the HUD isn’t picking a damn thing up.”
and her little mission to investigate some mysterious arch did “Why is it doing that?” Caleb asked Abbott.
not concern him half as much as Elias Harkonnen. Harkonnen,
killer and pirate, terrorist and former Invincible Guardsman, had “I’m sure we’re about to find out,” Abbott said. “This arch is
recently escaped from prison. Caleb was the one who put him clearly a gate. The only question is, are we here to see some-
there in the first place, and now that Harkonnen was loose, Ca- thing come through, or are we being invited to cross over our-
leb wanted nothing more than to find him and put him back. But selves?”
the Three Galaxies were a large place, and with no leads, the “I’m not sure I want to know the answer to that question,”
trail had dried up. While the group waited for Harkonnen to Kassy said.
show himself, they had agreed to accompany Orak to this arch. The glow from the arch intensified, and without discussion,
But Caleb wasn’t happy about it. the six of them all reacted instinctively. Caleb sheathed himself
While Caleb silently stewed and the other members of the in his metallic red centurion armor. Arwen activated her force
party made small talk, the grav car made its inexorable way to shield, enveloping herself in a warm violet glow. A blue white
the arch site. According to the flash sent to Orak by the Frater- sword dripping with fire appeared in Kassy’s hands, and Joriel
nity, this archway had grown out of the earth one morning in the summoned up his blazer, a similar weapon composed of psionic
middle of the planet Dusk’s desert. There wasn’t much else in force. Orak’s armored right arm morphed into the barrel of a
the flash, other than that it was covered in runes and seemed to massive gun. Only Abbott stood serene and unperturbed as the
defy analysis by conventional means. glowing wave reached out and gathered them up and pulled
Which is why the conventional authorities turned to the Fra- them into the arch.
ternity of Stars, who turned to Orak. In just an eyeblink, the six of them spilled out of the other
Which brought them to the present. side of the arch, into another world. The sun and shadows were
gone, replaced by a black sky with low, scudding dark clouds,
The grav car pulled off the road and into the impromptu outlined with bursts of red lightning. They stood in the midst of
camp that had arisen around the arch. Through the windows of a plaza made up of square cut stones, surrounded on all sides by
the car, Caleb saw a dozen brightly colored tents, portable gen- oddly shaped buildings, something like ziggurats. Behind them
erators, a fleet of grav cars, two tanks, and some kind of lattice stood a massive arch, the twin of the one on Dusk, down to the
strung with lights and dishes and monitors. And beyond them, runes carved across its expanse, but this one was fashioned from
looming over all of them, the arch itself. the same square-cut stones as the plaza and the ziggurats.
The arch was immense, easily ten meters high, apparently “Qrun,” Joriel swore.
formed from the same sandstone as the outcrops of rock the grav
car had passed on the way to the site. There were indeed runes Abbott looked back at the arch and his eyes flickered in his
carved into the stone, strange whirls and lines that made no version of a frown.
sense to Caleb. “This look familiar to anyone else?” Kassy asked.
The car dropped them in the middle of the camp, and it took Caleb shook his head, then paused. He heard something mov-
another half hour of introductions and handshakes and bruised ing in the darkness. Arwen stepped past Caleb, still glowing.
egos for them to navigate through Dusk’s bureaucracy and get She nodded. “We don’t have a dozen Undead Slayers with us
to the arch itself. The sun, high in the sky by this time, created a this time.”
large shadow across the camp. “What are you talking about?” Orak asked.
Abbott, nearly invisible in the bright sunlight, twirled his “This place looks oddly similar to a world that Joriel, Abbott,
cane in his hands and made little clucking sounds. Caleb tugged Arwen and I visited recently,” Kassy said. “It was crawling
at Abbott’s elbow. “Can you read it?” with...”
Abbott looked at Caleb. “Not a jot.” Kassy trailed off as a horde of slavering vampires swarmed
Caleb tried to quell the stab of worry that accompanied the into the plaza, pale-skinned and clad in ragged clothes, eyes
wizard’s declaration. gleaming redly in the semi-darkness.
The six of them were finally cleared to approach the arch, Caleb took an involuntary step back as the tide rushed to-
and made their way through the camp and past the lattice. None wards them. Near him, Arwen bounced on the balls of her feet.
of them were dressed for desert conditions. Joriel shaded who he “Rematch,” she said happily. Caleb was less enthusiastic. He re-
could under his wings, while Arwen and Kassy both gulped wa- membered Kassy and Abbott discussing their visit to this world.
ter from canteens provided by Dusk’s authorities. Joriel was nearly killed last time, and the team only survived be-
The party stood a dozen meters away from the arch when the cause it was made up largely of Atlantean Undead Slayers, each
runes flickered alight and the space between the arch’s arms be- one armed to the teeth with vampire-destroying magic tattoos.
gan to glow. From what Kassy had said, vampires could only be harmed by a
handful of substances, among them water, wood, silver, and

92
sunlight. Caleb didn’t have a single weapon made of any of Elsewhere, another Cosmo-Knight had passed through a sim-
those elements, and he was not nearly so invulnerable himself. ilar arch-gate on another planet spinning somewhere in the
Vampires didn’t fight with energy weapons, but with fists and black, far from Dusk.
claws and teeth. That horde would tear him apart, just as easily Ariel of Titan, clad in her silver Hoplite armor, stepped
as it had torn Joriel apart. Caleb spared a glance at the Celestine. through on a volcanic planet, and stepped out onto the roof of a
Joriel’s mouth was set in a grim line, and his blazer didn’t wa- cyclopean building that looked to be built from some kind of
ver, but Caleb could tell that Joriel was shaken. green soapstone. The sky was low and scarlet, like a weeping
Abbott gestured and a bouncing ball of glowing yellow light wound. As she looked around, Ariel noticed that the soapstone
leapt from his palm and up into the air, where it bobbed happily, was pitted and scarred, as if marked with acid. Behind Ariel
creating a circle of light around the six of them. The vampires loomed a soapstone arch, twin to the one she had stepped
halted at the edge of Abbott’s light, barking and growling and through on the volcanic planet. The Forge had brought her to the
gesturing at the six of them with their claws. They might have first gate, but she didn’t feel any particular pull now that she had
been saying words, but not in any language that Caleb knew. stepped through.
“The Globe of Daylight will keep them at bay while we con- Ariel reached out with her cosmic awareness and tried to
sider a strategy,” Abbott said. sense where she might have landed. But her cosmic awareness
“How about we just bug out back through the gate?” Orak buzzed angrily in the back of her skull. Whatever stars there
said. might be beyond the red sky, they were foreign ones. Ariel re-
mained lost.
Abbott’s eyes twinkled in his version of a smile. “That’s go-
ing to be difficult, as the gate was only one way. I can certainly Still, she knew she had traveled to another dimension, and
get us back to Dusk, but it will take time to set up the ritual and one of her gifts as a Titan allowed her to bridge the gulf between
gather the necessary psychic energy. I must admit however that realities. With some trial and error, she could conceivably find
I am curious as to why we have returned to this hostile place.” her way back to the Three Galaxies. But not yet. The Cosmic
Forge wanted her to pass through that arch for some reason, and
Caleb and Kassy exchanged a look. She could keep them all she would discover it.
alive long enough for Abbott to solve his mystery, but it would-
n’t be pretty. Caleb nodded. Kassy started activating tattoos. Ariel walked across the expanse of the roof to the edge, and
looked out upon a cyclopean ruin. Around her, stretching in all
directions, were towering buildings of the same construction.
* * * Many of them lay shattered to rubble, and gigantic boulders lay
strewn about the city like giant’s toys. Strange glyphs and fig-

93
ures were etched into the stone, and gargoyle-like projections “On your tail, sir,” one of the marines said, grabbing at one
erupted from the gables and joints of the buildings. Many of of Vodal’s waldoes and nearly wrenching it free of the chassis.
them were smashed and scarred as well. “I don’t need help,” Vodal snapped. He was beginning to
The city seemed to stretch as far as Ariel could see, a crum- panic. What would happen when those giants noticed them?
bling, decaying monument to some long-dead civilization. Quickly, Vodal got his tail under him and rose smoothly to his
Then, as Ariel watched, the gargoyles began to move. They full height. The marine shouldered his weapon and stepped in
contorted and stretched and expanded and lifted themselves front of Vodal, aiming at the giants.
from the walls and began to climb. She recognized them for “Anyone know what just happened?” asked another marine.
what they really were, now, by their leathery skin and insect Under her helmet, her voice had a nervous quaver.
eyes, their curving horns and grasping claws. Hordelings. “Qrunning magic,” muttered another marine. “I bet this is
Deevils. Devils. Demons. some kind of attack from the United Worlds of Warlock.”
Hundreds of them, climbing and leaping and suddenly flying “That doesn’t make a lick of sense, corporal,” said the first
up the side of the building on which Ariel stood, moving with marine, the one who had tried to pull Vodal up. “Now button it,
preternatural speed. They moved without sound or cry, just the unless you got something intelligent to say.” Vodal realized
rustle of wings, the crunch of claws digging into rock, the gasps from the stripes on the marine’s shoulder plates that he was the
of living creatures exerting themselves. sergeant in charge of the squad, and something like relief
Beneath her silver helmet, Ariel grimaced. She called up her flooded into his hearts. Someone else was taking charge, some-
signature weapon, a great two-handed sword that was as long as one who could act decisively in a crisis situation.
she was tall, and prepared to meet her foes. They came crashing “Okay,” the sergeant said, “standard circular pattern. Keep
up over the side of the building, a wave of flesh, and they fell the civilian safe, weapons at the ready. We are making our way
upon her. She swung her sword with Forge-enhanced Titan to those doors over there.” The sergeant pointed with two fin-
strength, and unleashed blasts of silver light that burned through gers towards a pair of massive doors on the far left.
demonic flesh, and they died in droves. But in the end, there
were too many of them, and they overwhelmed her. She was “Should we leave the arch, sarge?” asked the nervous marine.
lost. The sergeant looked over his shoulder at Vodal, as if asking
for clarification. “I have no idea what activated the gate, or what
might set it off again,” Vodal said. The sergeant nodded, as if he
* * * had expected as much.
That was when one of the giants crashed to the ground, caus-
Another archway, appearing on the CCW core world ing a quake that unsteadied the marines and nearly toppled
Dravidia, managed to capture a squad of CAFFCO marines and Vodal. With his foe defeated, the other giant noticed for the first
one scientist. time the small squad of marines and the scientist. The giant
They stumbled out of the arch onto a sandy floor beneath a hefted his massive, bloody mace, and began to walk towards
marble arch carved with runes. The marines managed to keep them.
their feet and held their weapons at the ready, but the scientist Vodal squeaked in fear.
fell face forward into the sand. His name was Vodal Kee, and he The marines opened up. Flashes of yellow light hammered
was a Sinestrian, a serpentine being who lacked limbs of his into the giant. He barely slowed. The marines began to move as
own. He made up for the lack with a set of bionic waldoes that one towards the doors, all but dragging Vodal along with them.
he wore at about shoulder height. Right now they were sprawled The crowd roared even louder. Vodal’s head rang. He felt
out helplessly, metal fingers grasping weakly at nothing. His queasy.
datapad lay just out of reach in the sand.
Somehow, the doors appeared before them. One of the ma-
Vodal looked up, past his datapad. “Nine Hells,” he said. rines scurried to the side, where an access panel lay, and pro-
The roar he heard wasn’t the aftereffects of the jaunt through duced an electronic lock pick. There came a whooshing sound,
the gate. Around him rose the columns and tiers of a gigantic and Vodal whipped his head around to see the massive mace
coliseum, packed to the rafters with shouting and gesticulating sweep aside the two marines closest to him with a sickening
fans. Banners waved in the breeze, emblazoned with a blue hel- crunch. The marines were thrown across the sand like rag dolls
met with horns that looked vaguely familiar, but Vodal was too and fell to the arena floor, dead. Vodal heard someone scream-
stressed to think of where he had seen it before. At the far end of ing, and realized it was himself as the giant leaned down and
the arena stood two of the largest humanoids Vodal had ever stared hard at him with one huge bloodshot eye.
seen, brightly skinned and clad in an odd mixture of heavy furs One of the marines pushed Vodal down roughly and fired
and crude armor plates. They fought, swinging huge blunt in- point blank into the giant’s eye. The huge humanoid howled and
struments of destruction against one another that resounded with lurched backward, and the grenades came out. Explosions
terrific crashes as each thunderous blow connected. The giants rocked the giant, and he fell backwards another step, tottering
had yet to notice the intruders, but the audience saw the gate on his feet. The sergeant hauled Vodal upright once more, just
flare and dump its contents onto the killing floor. as the doors cycled open. The remaining marines, Vodal in tow,
Vodal noticed cameras, hovering overhead, begin to rotate stepped through the opening, laying down suppressive fire at the
and focus on the newcomers. enraged and wounded giant.
94
 The hacker marine keyed the door shut, and for a moment, nological hub within the UWW, and for producing some of the
they were safe. worst terrorists in the UWW. But there weren’t any Ogres in the
Vodal looked at the sergeant. “I didn’t even get their names,” Three Galaxies who still used primitive weapons, as far as
he said. Romana was aware.

“Rennick and Kayser,” the sergeant said. “Good people.” They had reached her now, and the ogres encircled her,
growling and barking in their primitive tongue. One of them
The doors shuddered with a massive impact. The giant was jabbed at her with a spear, and Romana stepped back despite
hammering at it, trying to get in. herself. She brushed a palm across the face of the Singularity
The sergeant hefted his rifle, ejected the E-Clip and jammed Watch, activating the translator program. But it didn’t work.
a fresh one into the port. “We need to keep moving,” he said. The Ogres still jabbered at her, and they were losing their tem-
Vodal looked at the sergeant as if he were mad, then at the pers.
four remaining marines. Their expressions were hidden by their But the Singularity Watch was keyed into every era of the
helmets and blast shields, but their posture spoke of grim accep- Three Galaxies. There was no reason why it wouldn’t be able to
tance. Two of their number were already dead, they were lost in translate their language... unless she wasn’t in the Three Gal-
hostile territory, and they couldn’t even be sure they were still in axies any longer.
the Three Galaxies. Just what was that gate, and where had it One of the Ogres roared, raising an axe. Romana blanched.
taken them? Quickly, she cast a spell, freezing time for a few precious mo-
It was then that Vodal realized that his datapad, with all the ments. Romana ran through the grass, away from the Ogres and
information he had absorbed from the gate, was still out on the the battle. She didn’t get far before the scouts rejoined the
arena floor. He hoped he wouldn’t need it, but had a sinking timestream, but she didn’t look back as the axe dropped.
feeling that he would. Romana kept running. The clash of armies drowned out any
sounds of pursuit.
* * * Then, suddenly, Romana slammed into something solid. She
bounced, bit her lip, and fell backward into the tall grass.
Quickly, she got her feet under her, and risked a glance back.
Elsewhere, the time traveling Romana Vorishcenko ne Most of the Ogres had given up, returned to their battle, but one
Usckios stepped into a gate herself, this one formed out of the of them still stalked her. The one with the axe.
ruins of an old city of the Burschian Dominion. Although alone,
and apparently armed with only a laser pistol, Romana was fully Before her, she saw no sign of a barrier, just the grassy plain
confident in her ability to handle whatever might lie on the other stretching out as far as she could see. But when she reached out,
side of the gate. The Time Council, the enigmatic body for she felt something smooth and solid, slick like glass. She rapped
which she worked, had entrusted her with the Singularity her knuckles against it, and heard no echo.
Watch, a powerful time-traveling device. Romana was still fa- The Ogre drew closer.
miliarizing herself with the full capabilities of the device, but re- Romana preferred not to settle things violently, but she fig-
mained reasonably certain she could handle any amount of ured she could handle one Ogre. She drew her pistol and drew a
trouble that came her way. bead on the advancing Ogre. Then a thought occurred to her,
When the blue glow faded and her eyes adjusted, she found and she spun, taking a step back, and fired. Red light flashed
herself standing on a vast plain beneath a bright blue, cloudless from the muzzle and burned through the invisible barrier. The
sky. Before her, massing in columns and rows, stood two huge wall shattered, and fell to the plain in sheets of mirrored glass.
armies facing one another. It appeared that a battle was about to Beyond, Romana saw rolling dunes, a caravan of lizard-like
begin. creatures crossing the roof of them. Beyond, a gigantic coliseum
Romana put a hand on the butt of her pistol, then slowly be- stretched high into the sky. The roar of the crowd could be
gan to approach the gathering host. She saw scouts in the tall heard, even from where Romana stood. On the other side of the
grass pointing at her and beginning to advance. They called out arena, she saw a large city of adobe and stone rolling across the
to her in some guttural tongue that she couldn’t understand. As dunes.
they drew closer, Romana realized that they weren’t human. She looked back at the grassy plain. The lone Ogre stood
They were Ogres; oversized, brutish humanoids in heavy armor, dumbfounded, his axe hanging limply in his hands.
armed with spears and axes. They lumbered toward Romana.
Behind them, the armies began to come together with a shudder- “What is this place?” Romana said.
ing crash. The opposing army was even larger than the Ogres,
and more crudely armed. It took a moment for Romana to real-
ize that they were Trolls.
What was this place? Romana wondered. Some backwater
world in the United Worlds of Warlock? The UWW was popu-
lated by Elves and Trolls and Ogres and such creatures, but they
generally had access to the same technology as the rest of the
Three Galaxies. Ogretopia, in particular, was known as a tech-

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