call of the void: ballad of the laser whales · open space, moving from st ar t o st ar, f eedi ng...

Call of the Void: Ballad of the Laser Whales

Alpha 1.6

The ship moved silently through the dust of Underspace, like a viper in the grass. The crew sat or stood in the pale blue light of the ship’s interior, silently awaiting orders from their captain. The navigator, suspended in a tank of greenish gel, twitched occasionally as visual data was fed into his brain through the cords plugged into his skull. His voice, tinny and haunting, whispered course corrections into his handler’s ears through a headset, who then implemented the instructions through a series of dials and levers. Captain Voorstadt, seated on a raised throne near the back of the bridge, also listened in through a small speaker near his ear, and occasionally made his own corrections. Navigators were good at shortrange plotting, shaving valuable seconds off the journey by steering around eddies and avoiding rogue currents, but they tended to become overstimulated and myopicthey lacked longterm planning. It took a more experienced crew than Voorstadt had to police the navigator without his help. He had taken command of Unterweltraumboot9481 two weeks ago, after the scuttling of his old command to prevent the Eschatology Code from falling into enemy hands. He had almost been crucified by the brass for destroying his ship without a fight, but cooler heads had recognized that he had been right to do so, to deny the enemy access to vital codes. “Ships spotted, sir, bearing 345” the watchman’s voice came in tinny through the speaking tube. Voorstadt gestured to his XO to answer for him. The man rattled off a course adjustment to get a closer look. The Captain glanced at Vlatka, his Zell, who was idly sketching the communications officer in charcoal. She looked back. “What do the whales say?” he asked. She put down the sketch pad, and took his winecup out of his hand. She drank, and then smacked her lips a few times. Then she nodded. “Sad. No friends around. No shanties to warm the void. The sailors here are cold and bitter. They’re at war. It’s not a civilian ship.” “Good girl. Go pour yourself another,” he waved her away. She climbed up out of his lap and poured herself another drink from the pitcher on the counter. Voorstadt looked to the XO, who had gone over to check the periscope himself. He drew his eyes away and looked at the Captain grimly. “It’s a convoy, sir. Looks like two oil tankers and four destroyers. They’re big, sir.” “Four escorts for a pair of tankers? They must be desperate. Alert Muller and Eberard, and verify those targets.” Voorstadt and Muller’s UBoats watched the convoy as Eberard caught up. He had been out of formation checking a ping up North. Fortunately nothing went awry in the time it took him to get back into place. The wolfpack waited until dark, and then slipped into the column, closing in on the tankers. On his bridge, Voorstadt waited for the green light from the other two ships before sending the order.

“Muller, Eberard. Two eels each. We’ll overwatch.” The torpedoes exploded out of Underspace like flish leaping from a stream. They streaked for a time on momentum before the rockets kicked in, and they became incandescent streams of flame in the night sky. The two tankers had no chance to avoid them. Three of the four hit. The first tanker erupted into flames, its cargo igniting instantly in a monstrous cookoff that obliterated the vessel in a titanic explosion. The second was struck near the stern, its engines ruined, and began to slow as it lost power.The destroyers scrambled, pinging and rushing towards the sources of the torpedoes. Voorstadt watched the surviving tanker, heedless of the XO’s warnings. “Two eels, 5 degree dispersal, bearing 48. Fire.” he made a commanding gesture as his officers looked at him in astonishment. There was an instant’s silence, then they threw themselves to the task. The torpedoes launched five seconds later. “Sir, destroyers incoming, they know we’re here sir!” “Crash dive. Go to 120 meters,” Voorstadt said, turning his head slightly to accept a grape from Vlatka, who had been peeling them for him for the last twenty minutes, “take her down.”

Introduction to Concepts Strahlenkanonenweltraumwal (LaserWhale) Imperator Astrocephalus The LaserWhale. Spanning anywhere from 120 to 12,000 meters, these creatures drift through open space, moving from star to star, feeding off of iceasteroids, voidplankton, and occasionally consuming stars.

Inside their massive heads there is a liquid, called StarOil, which can be used to purify Moonstone into a form usable as fuel for Voidships (called Whaleblood) and for countless other purposes. This oilreservoir allows the LaserWhale to survive in space by converting moonstone into biological energy for itself, as well as giving it a potent defense against predators in the form of the Strahlenkanone—the eponymous laser of the LaserWhale. Though majestic, beautiful, and gentle, the LaserWhales have since time immemorial been hunted by man. In their great voidships, starwhalers have risen up to harvest these great leviathans, slaying them with moonstonetipped harpoons, and siphoning off their delicious, essential oil. The bones, which are naturally buoyant in air, are harvested for various purposes, and their flesh provides cheap sustenance for the poor. The population of whales has fallen, and with it the population of StarKrakens has risen, as they are natural enemies. Nevertheless, the industry continues, to fuel the burgeoning industries of the Whaleblood Revolution. But some reject the temptation of easy energy and quick power. Void Sailors, powering their vessels not with Whaleblood, but with starsails that catch the astral currents and carry them between worlds. Though slower, the Void Sailors are harder to detect, and do not require fuel. Pirates, smugglers, guardians of the whales, enemies of the State, the Void Sailors seek to push back the oppressive march of progress and keep the oceans free for all. Factions The States Sacred Chiron A fascist state born out of a failed attempt by the UC to uplift an ultrareligious feudal society. Chiron is militaristic, aggressive, and puritan to the extreme. Their practice of eugenics in the pursuit of “The Godly Man” have made them very unpopular, but they are nevertheless on the ascent, challenging the older States with aggressive and innovative military doctrines. They have also, to their credit, made enormous leaps in securing the great trade routes against piracy, at least in their waters. The Unified Culture A nominally peaceful postscarcity (except for Whalebood) society, the people of the UC live in great vessels called Thoughtships which possess a sort of intelligence because of their unique Whalebone construction. The Thoughtships require a constant supply of Whaleblood to sustain the hedonistic, decadent lifestyles of their crews, and as such are constantly involved in territorial skirmishes with the other States. To preemptively resolve these conflicts, a secret service called Unpleasant Circumstances (UC, or UCUC) is employed to manipulate foreign politics and try to bring about regimes favorable to the Unified Culture. The Hive A recent revolution in a previously Legalistic society resulted in The Hive (called The People’s Republic by its own people, at least publically) a collectivist police state aimed at creating a perfectly harmonious society. The Hive may seem callous to foreigners with its draconian policies, and a populace essentially living in brutal serfdom, but alone of the States, The Hive has never experienced meaningful upheaval or internal strife since the time of the revolution. With the sheer industrial might of an incalculable mass of people behind it, The Hive’s only real

weakness is its lack of innovation, and the possibility of its repressed people finally snapping under the weight of the heavy hand of government. The Technocracy Originally a neutral academic organization, The Technocracy formed in the wake of a civil war that destroyed the government of its host nation. The academics seized power, and rerouted the productivity of the nation into scientific pursuits. The Technocracy is a resourcehungry society with a severely repressed and disenfranchised (they would say shortsighted) lower class. Willing to do anything in the pursuit of their ultimate goal, The Singularity, the Technocrats have gradually alienated the other States with their transhumanist ideals, and are struggling to avoid destruction at the hands of Chiron and the CIS. The Commonwealth of Independant Straits Formerly the undisputed masters of the Void, the CIS, based in their homeland of Albion, have fallen from power in recent days coinciding with the rise of Chiron and The Free Men. One of the first nations to industrialize and construct a powerful navy, the CIS ruled the tides of the Void for centuries, colonizing distant islands and constructing the network of stoning stations that allow for travel to distant lands. These days they are chiefly occupied with recovering their lost empire, much of which was lost in a series of proxywars with Chiron, and to the cultural subversion of the UC. The Commonwealth also has a long and bitter history of brutally exploiting The Hive prior to the loss of their complete control of the Void, and that unfortunate history has metastasized into a burgeoning conflict over islands claimed by both nations. The Rahoo The distant archipelago of the Rahoos is divided into several “nations.” The Ree Nation, Desotia, The Liberated States, The Empire of the Sun, and the Hinomoto Bastion. Colonized by Albish and Ximbri settlers centuries ago, the great archipelago soon split along racial lines as the natives and slaves rebelled against the colonial powers, and terrible wars have followed ever since, brutal genocides and massacres without parallel in the history of the Void. The constant warfare has fueled military innovation in the wartorn archipelago, and the Rahoo are a constant source of new and clever weapons and vehicles. The first powered flight took place in Desotia, and fighter planes were developed quickly afterwards. Since then, the Rahoo have been famous for their highly skilled and savvy pilots, and have served as mercenaries and trainers in armies across the Void. The Free Men Void Sailors Spurning the temptation of Whaleblood Engines, Void Sailors use solarwind powered ships like those of old to travel beyond the range of stonepowered vessels. Pirates, adventurers, explorers, privateers and smugglers, the Void Sailors are a constant thorn in the side of the States. While they lack any organization above the lowest level, many hold to the Creed of the Void, a set of principles that emphasize the need to combat tyranny at all costs. The Jinxing Group A group of radical socialists that arose several decades ago, the Jinxing Group is dedicated to the destruction of imperialism, capitalism and religious tyranny, and the establishment of a new anarchosocialist world antiorder. Finding a great degree of purchase in disillusioned functionaries, angry proles, and college campuses, the Jinxing Group (called The Gold Star

Movement outside of the Hive) has pulled several attempted coups in countries like Chiron, the CIS and The Technocracy. Thusfar they have all been ruthlessly put down, but the UC and elements of The Hive support their endeavors in the hopes of sabotaging their rival states. Pilgrims Religious apostates from Chiron, the Pilgrim movement worship the same god as their parentnation, but believe that no one organization should rule in matters of faith. The Pilgrims wander the Void now, seeking new lands free of religious oppression, establishing missions and colonies where they can, and seeking God among the endless stars. Known to practice a form of martial arts utilizing pistols called The Way of Five. The Commercial League A free association of many small mercantile states, the League is a purely capitalist organization that believes in the dissolution of governments and the end of imperialism. The League believes that free trade and commerce are anathema to warfare and conflict, and its people seek to open trade relations wherever possible, in the hopes that one day all peoples will be too busy enjoying the benefits of modern industry and commerce to think about killing each other. The Zells The Zells are an enigmatic race of humanoids with long pointed ears and strange behaviors. They rarely speak, but seem to be able to communicate with their crewmates nonverbally. They are intelligent, and very similar to humansthough they come off as a bit lethargicand like most of the same things humans do: Food, drink, dancing, and violence. Here the similarities end. Zells are naturally drawn on the opposite direction by gravity that humans areup into the sky. Their ships fly upsidedown as a result, and they treat the Overspace much as normal folks treat the Underspace. They are also all, to a man, VoidGifted. Their ships, the Zellislava, are terrifying vessels of great size that seem to be partially alive, despite having no flesh or blood. They also fly upside down, but steer themselves, and will fight to the last even after the entire crew is killed. Sometimes, depopulated Zellislavas can be seen dipping in and out of Underspace, wailing miserably and lashing out at anything that comes too close. Technology Guns Firearms exist about as advanced as modern day firearms. However, because penetrating the hulls of Voidships can have terrible consequences, most onboard weapons are pistolcaliber SMGs or carbines with frangible rounds. Special weapons exist that use magic to produce unusually powerful effects, but these and their ammunitions are rare. Armor Because firearms tend to be lowvelocity and have poor penetration, armor is very effective against them. Ceramic plate armor can potentially resist a dozen rounds before one penetrates, giving armored men a great advantage in combat. Melee Weapons

Moonstone Blades can penetrate any material like butter, which makes such weapons highly effective against armored enemies. However, closing to range is difficult when heavily armored, meaning that melee fighters must be lightly armored—a death sentence if they approach an enemy through their line of fire. Melee fighters must outflank in order to be effective. The Void Overspace Overspace is the high misty realm above the rest of the Void, where the air is thin and one can see the stars forever. Voidships cannot normally venture this high—Void Zeppelins are needed to reach this sort of altitude. Zeppelins are fragile and illsuited for war, much less for whaling, so they are mostly used for exploration, observation, or as carriers for Voidships and Fighters. Overspace begins about 50 kilometers above the edge of Underspace. The Technocracy is known for its excellent Airships, though the Chironites’ Sternwaffe has a long and bitter rivalry with them. Space Space is the habitable central belt of the void, where most Voidships sail, and where most of the habitable islands reside. For analogy, consider this the surface world, with Overspace being the sky, and Underspace being underwater. Travel is fastest in this region of space, and requires the least fuel, so most vessels traverse here. Regular Space is a belt of 50 miles between Overspace and Underspace. The Unified Culture’s sentient warships are widely known to be the most powerful ships in regular space. Underspace Below Space there is a realm filled with dark energy that the human eye cannot penetrate. Here, a technology called Sonar is used to send ripples through this energy. Those ripples which return can identify the location of other vessels, allowing Underspace Ships to avoid collision… Or to detect enemies. At high altitudes just below regular Space, periscopes can be used to spy for enemies manually, since Sonar cannot extend above the murk. Underspace extends (as far as anyone knows) infinitely below Regular Space. Ships that venture too low tend to be destroyed by eldritch energies, or consumed by monsters. Sonar must be used sparingly, lest it attract the attention of these predators. Chiron is known for its powerful Underspace Navy, which it uses to annihilate the shipping of its rivals with surprise attacks. Islands/Worlds Mostly situated in Regular Space, these horizontallystretching expanses of land act as the primary population centers of mankind and (most of) the other races. Some of them are thousands of kilometers wide and have fully functioning ecosystems. Magic Void Magic: Those who dwell on the edge of habitable space, who submerge themselves too often in the Underspace, sometimes find themselves developing strange powers. Contacted by mysterious entities, they become living conduits for terrible power. The ability to move between spaces instantly, change shape, slow down the passage of time, and even control the minds of others are all Void Magics.

QinTao Magic: A magic based on harnessing the internal power of one’s own body, this ancient form of magic requires no contract with otherworldly beings, and thus is less mercurial and dark in implication than Void Magic. However, it is also much more physically draining, and can be used less casually because it draws power from the user.

Campaign Power Example PCP

Brutal, Grim LowPower No Man’s Land 22

Gritty Low Power Saving Private Ryan 25

Average Power Enemy at the Gates 28

Savage High Power Wolfenstein 32

Glorious High Adventure

Legend of the Galactic Heroes

36

Character Creation PCP Luck Attributes Skills Profs Wealth/Ship Contribution Magic¹ Boons and Banes

1 1 88 6 0 0/0 5 15

2 2 92 9 3 5 gp/1 10 10

3 3 96 12 6 15 gp/2 15 5

4 4 108 15 9 25 gp/3 20 0

5 5 124 18 12 40 gp/4 25 5

6 6 140 21 15 80 gp/5 30 10

7 7 160 24 18 150gp/6 35 15

8 8 180 27 21 300gp/10 40 20

9 9 200 30 24 800gp/15 45 25

10 10 224 33 27 1500gp/20 50 30

¹ Definitely in Beta Differences from Song of Swords Toughness

Toughness as a Compound Attribute no longer exists. All human characters have Toughness 4 at base. Social Class Social Class no longer exists. All men are equal, on the sea. Except those with guns. People with guns tend to be a bit higher up than unarmed men. Ship Contribution Characters pool their Ship Contribution points together at Chargen to see what sort of vessel they share. Luck Luck points are a multipurpose narrative power that allow characters to survive dangerous situations, do awesome stuff, and avoid hideous death, just as you’d expect characters in a game called “Ballad of the Laser Whales” to. Magic For some reason designing magic for a pulp Age Of Sail/Science Fiction/Dieselpunk game is easier than designing magic for a medieval swordplay simulator. As such, we already have a system for Void Magic. You can still take 0 points in Magic. Proficiencies Minor changes to how Talents work. You now only get Talents at set points in your total Proficiency levels, rather than for individual Proficiencies. New Talents incoming. Skills Don’t pretend that you care about skills. But if you do, skill packets are back. Boons & Banes New ones! You can only have 20 Bane Points, at all. If you have 1 PCP in B&B, you can only have up to +5 points from Banes. Races* Optionally, a Player may spend 3 PCP in order to play a nonhuman race. This requires GM permissionnonhumans may not be appropriate for your game. Zells Attributes: Agi +1, Per +2

The Zellish Touch So long as a Zell is using a missile weapon with a rotating part (Revolvers, most commonly) they always add their Perception to their dice for missile attacks. This is cumulative with the effects of Aim and other modifiers. Echolocation

Zells gain a +4 bonus to detecting opponents in Concealment, and suffers only half penalties for poor visibility and other visionbased penalties to Missile Attacks. Racial Glossophobia Zells have very keen senses of hearing, and this actually proves a disadvantage when communicating verbally, because the echoes of both their own and other voices makes it very difficult to pick out small details like words and inflections. As such, Zells often seem awkward, are prone to pausing in conversation to ‘sift’ through the words they have just heard, and also tend to prefer talking either very softly, or very loudly, with little room in between. Zells suffer a 4 pool penalty to CHA related tests involving communicating with others verbally. This does not apply for Intimidation checks, or for communicating with other Zells. Race of Sailors Zells gain a +2 racial pool bonus to Sailing tests. This bonus increases to +4 if the boat being operated is a Zellislava. This bonus decreases to 2 if the boat being operated is a Zellislava of a Chaos God hostile to the Zell in question. Resistance to Disease Zells cannot contract some diseases, including any transmitted by insects or rats, and some vitamin deficiencies, like scurvy. They are also curiously immune to botulism, though it does upset their stomachs. Strange Tastes Zells suffer a 2 penalty to PER to detect poison (or anything else) in food or drink, because they have a dulled sense of taste. However, they may survive drinking seawater, and cannot suffer nausea from smells or tastes, no matter how vile. Void Touched Zells start with 5 free Magic Points which are automatically invested in Void Magic, making them Novice VoidUsers. Incompatible Zells start with 2 Purity, to a minimum of 0.

Attributes When creating a character, all Attributes start at 1. You receive a number of Temporary Arc Points indicated on the Character Creation Table X.X in Chapter X, and may spend them to upgrade your Attributes asper Advancing with Arc. The higher an Attribute is at the start, the more Arc it costs. To simplify this, here is a table with the total cost of upgrading an Attribute from 1 at Character Creation.

Attributes at Character Creation

Attribute Level Arc Cost

1

2 4

3 8

4 (Human Average) 12

5 16

6 20

7 24

8 28

9 34

10 (Human Maximum) 40

11 46

12 52

13 (Mortal Maximum) 58

The Attributes are: Strength Agility Health Endurance Willpower Wit Intelligence Perception From this existing Attributes, you gain a number of Compound Attributes that are used for specialized tasks in combat and other circumstances. Adroitness (ADR) (Agility+Wit)/2 Mobility (MOB) (Strength+Agility+Endurance)/2 Carry Weight (CAR) Strength+Endurance Charisma (CHA) (Willpower+Wit+Perception)/2

Skills Skill Level Skill Pool Skill Bonus Arc Price

1 +1 Trained 1

2 +2 1

3 +3 1

4 +4 Teacher 1

5 +5 2

6 +6 2

7 +7 2

8 +8 3

9 +9 3

10 +10 Mastery 3

Characters cannot have any Skill higher than 6 at Chargen. Skill Packets Skill Packets cost 3 points at Chargen. Taking Packets multiple times increases the level of all Skills within the Packet by 1, same with Packets that have overlapping skills. Aristocrat Knowledge: History Knowledge: Politics Persuasion Subterfuge Criminal Subterfuge Intimidate Knowledge: Streets Gather Information Sailor Athletics Awareness Profession Sailing Marine Athletics Cooking, Crafting, or Ride

Drill Tactics (Foot) Scout Athletics Stealth Awareness Tactics (Foot) Doctor Surgery x2 Persuasion Knowledge: Science Academic Knowledge x2 Knowledge X2 (pick two different knowledgetypes) Officer Persuasion, Ride, or Navigation Drill Leadership Strategy Tactics (Pick one) Ensign Sensors, Gunnery, or Engineering Sailing Knowledge: Voidlore Drill Spy Stealth Subterfuge Awareness Gather Information Assassin Athletics Awareness Stealth Subterfuge Pilot Piloting Navigation Knowledge: Voidlore

Engineering Engineer Engineering x3 Knowledge: Science Laborer Profession x3 Cooking Skill List Athletics (Mob): Running, Climbing, and other stuff you’d do in PE. Awareness (Per): Noticing shit happening around you. Cooking (Int): Cooking fucking food. Crafting (Int): Making stuff. Drill (Wip): Military decorum and discipline. Engineering (Int): Maintaining, repairing and managing machines. Gather Information (Cha): What it says on the tin. Gunnery (Per): Coordinating the fire of the gunnery systems on a vessel. Intimidate (Cha): Intimidating people into backing off, giving up information, etc. Knowledge (Int): Streets/History/Politics/Science/Nature/Arcane/Voidlore Leadership (Cha): Leading people. Navigation (Int): Navigating places. Perform (Cha): Performing for people. Persuasion (Cha): Convincing people to do what you want. Piloting (Vessel) (Per): Piloting vessels. Profession (Wip): Doing some sort of job. Riding (Agi): Riding a horse or other animal. Sailing (End): Doing the menial work of making a boat move. For steering the vessel, see Piloting. Sensors (Int): Detecting things using sonar, radar, and other ship industries. Stealth (Agi): Not being seen or detected. Strategy (Int): Directing troops over the course of a campaign, assembling troops in good order for a battle. Subterfuge (Cha): Lying. Surgery (Int): Keeping people from dying. Survival (Int): Keeping yourself from dying in the wild. Swimming (Mob): Swimming. Rarer than you’d think since there are no oceans. Tactics (Foot) (Wit): The tactics of fighting in an infantry battle. Tactics (Naval) (Wit): The tactics of fighting in a naval battle. Tactics (Aerial) (Wit): The tactics of fighting in an aerial battle.

Proficiencies Schools are no longer a thing. Proficiencies must be taken individually. However, all melee Proficiencies have access to all maneuvers in their trees at level 1, and Talents are gained not through individual proficiencies, but as a whole. When you get 4 Proficiency levels in any combination of Proficiencies, you earn your first Talent, at 8 you earn your second, etc. Proficiency Level

Proficiency Point / Arc Point Cost

1 1

2 1

3 1

4 1

5 2

6 2

7 2

8 2

9 3

10 3

11 3

12 3

13 6

14 6

15 6

16 6

17 10

18 10

19 10

20 10

Talents Total Prof Levels

1st 4

2nd 8

3rd 12

4th 16

5th 20

6th 24

7th 28

8th 32

9th 36

10th 40

New Proficiencies Pistol Defaults to SMG at 1, Shotgun at 2, Rifle at 3, and Machinegun at 3. Submachine Gun Defaults to Pistol at 1, Shotgun at 1, Rifle at 2, and Machinegun at 2. Machinegun Defaults to Rifle at 2, SMG at 2, Shotgun at 3, and Pistol at 3. Shotgun Defaults to Pistol at 2, SMG at 1, and Rifle at 1, Machinegun at 3. Rifle Defaults to Pistol at 3, SMG at 2, Shotgun at 1, and Machinegun at 2. Rocket No Defaults. Flamethrower No Defaults. NEW TALENTS Fire and Maneuver Req: Agi 4 Effect: When Moving into Cover, you gain the Cover Bonus to Defense immediately instead of at the beginning of the next Phase.

Watch Your Corners Req: Agi 6, Fire and Maneuver Effect: Your Base Defense increases by an additional 1 when moving.

Point Man Req: Agi 6, Watch Your Corners Effect: Your Base Defense increases by an additional 1 when moving.

Akimbo Req: Agi 5 Effect: When dualwielding, the penalty for shooting is reduced by 2.

Macedonian Req: Agi 5, Akimbo

Effect: When dualwielding nonSingleAction pistols (both pistols must have more than 3 rounds left in them) you may perform a Suppression or Autofire Action at ROF 4 by firing both at once. This always expends all ammunition in both pistols regardless of ROF, but only a maximum of 4 rounds can hit targets.

Rebel Yell Req: Wip 6 Effect: When declaring a Charge against an opponent, for the rest of the Phase any shooting attacks that character makes against you suffer a 4 penalty. If you enter Melee, you gain a +2 bonus to Initiative in the first Round of Melee Combat.

Give Them the Bayonet! Req: Wip 6, Rebel Yell Effect: When making a Charge asper “Rebel Yell,” all characters suffer the 4 penalty to attacking you, not just the character against whom you have declared the Charge.1

Rapid Reload Req: Agi 4 Effect: If you do not move in this Phase, you may Reload without using up your Action for the Phase.

Rapid Unjam Effect: If you do not move in this Phase, you may Unjam your weapon without using up your Action for the Phase.

Light Infantry Doctrine Req: Per 4 Effect: Your Defense Bonus from all Cover increases by 1.

Skirmisher Req: Per 6, Light Infantry Doctrine Effect: Your Defense Bonus from all Cover increases by 1.

Controlled Bursts Req: Agi 4, Per 4 Effect: When making a Burst Fire attack, your first BS causes two additional bullets to hit instead of one.

Sustained Fire Req: Agi 6, Per 6, Controlled Bursts Effect: When firing Full Auto, you only use half of your weapon’s ROF in ammunition. If you would hit with more bullets than that number, you expend that many rounds of ammunition instead.

Hail of Lead Req: Agi 8, Per 8, Sustained Fire Effect: When firing Full Auto, your first BS causes two additional bullets to hit instead of one.

Double Tap Req: Agi 4

Effect: When making a Regular Fire action, you may choose to only roll Hit Location once, and have both shots (assuming they hit) land on that location.

Triple Tap Req: Agi 6, Double Tap Effect: When making a Regular Fire action, you may fire three times instead of two. If

you use Double Tap, only the first two shots hit the same location automatically, the third shot is still random.

Mozambique Drill Req: Agi 7, Triple Tap Effect: When making a Regular Fire action using Triple Tap, you may choose to

have your first two attacks (assuming they hit at all) automatically hit the Chest (Vitals), and the third automatically hit the Head, without rolling for Hit Location. You cannot be further than 10m away from your target.

Shotgun Surgery Req: Agi 6 Effect: When making an attack with a shotgun with Shot, you may chose to forego the scatterdamage to adjacent Hit Locations, and instead add increase the weapon’s base damage by half for the primary attack.

This is my Boomstick Req: Agi 6 Effect: When making an attack with a shotgun with Shot within 1 Range Increment, your scatterdamage may land on the Critical Hit location without being redirected to the Chest location as normal.

That was Left Handed! Req: Per 6 Effect: The Aim action provides a +3 bonus to attacks per Phase spent aiming, instead of +2.

Yes, I am a Wizard Req: Per 8, That was Left Handed! Effect: If you aim for 3 Phases at a target within the base Range of your weapon, that

target’s Cover bonus to Defense is halved for this attack. This does not apply to targets that have Full Cover. I am Huge Req: Str 6 Effect: If you do not move in an Action, you count as Bracing for the purposes of Brace.

I am In Control Req: Str 8, I am Huge Effect: You always count as Bracing for the purposes of Brace.

I will Crush Them Req: Str 8, I am In Control Effect: You gain +2 dice to all attacks when Suppressing.

Nope! Req: Hlt 6 Effect: When using a Riot Shield, you gain +2 AV against all attacks.

Gave Peace a Chance

Req: Hlt 6, Nope! Effect: When using a Riot Shield, so long as you move towards the enemy in this Phase, your shield provides you with an additional +1 to Defense.

I’m Fucking Invincible! Req: Hlt 8, Gave Peace a Chance Effect: When using a Riot Shield, you are immune to Critical Hits, so long as you exclaim loudly that you are, in fact, invincible at the start of the Round. Critical Hits count as hitting the Chest instead.

Chironite Style Req: Agi 4 Effect: When using a single pistol at Point Blank Range, you do not suffer the 2 penalty normally incurred by the weapon’s length.

SMK Close Stance Req: Agi 4, Chironite Style Effect: When using an SMG or Shotgun at Point Blank Range, you do not suffer the 3 penalty normally incurred by the weapon’s length. You suffer a 1 penalty instead.

HipFire Req: Agi 4, SMK Close Stance Effect: When shooting a Rifle at Point Blank Range, you do not suffer the 6 penalty normally incurred by the weapon’s length. You suffer a 2 penalty instead.

Advance! Req: Agi 6 Effect: You suffer only a 2 penalty to shooting while moving.

Stormtrooper Req: Agi 8 Effect: You suffer no penalty for shooting while moving.

Blitzkrieg Req: Wip 8, Stormtrooper Effect: When advancing towards an enemy through Suppression fire, the distance you can move before they get a +2 bonus to attack is doubled from 3m to 6m.

Fancy Shooting Req: Agi 6, Per 6 Effect: When making a Regular Fire action with a weapon chambered in Pistol Rounds, you may try to ricochet an attack around cover at your target. If you do so, your attack does not benefit from its AP bonus, but your opponent’s Cover bonus to defense is reduced by 2, and all Hit Locations can be hit. This does not apply to Full Cover.

Pretty Good Req: Agi 8, Per 8, Fancy Shooting Effect: When using Some Fancy Shooting, you may reduce your opponent’s Cover bonus to defense by 4 instead of 2. Never let your prey escape

Req: Agi 10, Per 10, Pretty Good

Effect: When using Pretty Good, you may ignore your opponent’s entire Cover Bonus instead of just 4. Additionally, you may now hit characters in Full Cover as though they were not in cover at all, but you suffer a 8 penalty to doing so.

Ranch Hand Req: Agi 5 Effect: Reduce the penalty for fanfiring a SingleAction weapon by 2.

Cowboy Req: Agi 6, Ranch Hand Effect: Reduce the penalty for fanfiring a SingleAction weapon by 2.

I See You Req: Per 6 Effect: When shooting at a target in a lowlight or other obscured environment, if that target has fired a weapon or otherwise created a visible flash of light surrounding it in the Phase thus far, halve all penalties to your attack against that character. Work The Bolt Req: Agi 6 Effect: When Regular Firing a SingleShot weapon, you may now fire up to two shots. However, the second shot is at a 3 penalty, and cannot benefit from Aim. Weapons with Reliable only suffer a 2 penalty, while weapons with Jam suffer 4.

Luck You know what’s not very heroic? Swinging onto the deck of a Chironite warship on a grappling hook and immediately being hosed down by six members of the SMK with submachineguns.

Luck is what distinguishes dead idiots from heroes. Every character has an amount of luck persession that they can use to change their fortune. Luck can be used in the following ways: Salvation If you’re about to die in some way which is avoidable, but which you have failed to avoid either through a botched skill roll or some other factor, you may spend three Luck points to survive by the skin of your teeth. This may also apply in events which are not necessarily lifethreatening, but extremely tense and with high consequences for failure (i.e., getting caught pickpocketing a king) Lucky Son of a Bitch If you’re in a situation where you’re in a large group of potential targets and an enemy is targeting you, you may, with the GM’s approval, spend 1 Luck to have the enemy instead target someone else. It’s fine, you can always get more friends. This probably won’t work if the guy targeting you very specifically wants to kill you . Wound Reduction If you suffer a Wound that is not instantly lethal, you may spend a Luck point to reduce it by 2 stages. For instantly lethal wounds, you may spend 2 Luck to reduce them by 1 stage, and no more. Lucky Shot When you make an attack of any sort, after you roll you may spend a point of Luck to roll 4 additional dice and add any successes to the total. Limit once per attack. Lucky Break When you make a skill test of any sort, after you roll you may spend a point of Luck to roll 4 additional dice and add any successes to the total. Limit once per test. Comedic Timing If something really, really appropriate could happen right now, and your GM agrees, you can spend 25 points of Luck to cause that thing to occur (GM decides the exact cost) Ex: Paladin Charon has been yelling at the scoundrel Vick not to play with the Kriegsmesser he keeps on his desk for weeks. Charon has now revealed himself to be a villain, and is holding the party at gunpoint. with that same pistol. Vick’s player notices this and asks the GM if his character could have broken the firing pin on Charon’s gun while playing with it a week ago and tried to hide that fact to avoid getting in trouble. The GM decides that this would be hilarious, and assigns it a cost of 3 Luck. Vick pays the cost, and steps forward. Charon grins evilly, and pulls the trigger...

New Boons & Banes Boons Rank (3/6/9)

You hold a rank in some organization or government. This gives you a degree of authority, respect or privileges in that role. 3: Police Sergeant 6: Army Lieutenant 9: Captain of the Queen’s Navy Crack Shot (6/12/18) You’re a born marksman. It might be a mind for trajectories, a knack for leading targets, or maybe you just like shooting people. Regardless, you know how to shoot on a purely instinctual level. 6: Add +1 to your MP. 12: Add +2 to your MP 18: Add +3 to your MP Genetic Marvel (10) Your body is exceptionally compatible with whalenerve prosthetics. Your Purity is now (Willpower+Health+Misc.)*2. Big Guy (15) You’re a pretty big guy. For you this means you’re harder to hurt and more likely to recover from injuries. Your Toughness is 5, instead of 4, and you enjoy a +2 bonus on Infection and Bloodloss rolls. This is not compatible with Scrawny or Skinny. Secret Agent (Good Guy) (3/6/9) You secretly work for a government to help the party. They don’t need to know about it (and they probably shouldn’t) but you can call in favors from your government to help them achieve their goals. 3: The government considers it of minor concern but can get the party off of minor crimes, arrange indirect support, etc. 6: The government considers the party relevant to its plans, and will help them as much as it can without openly showing its hand. 9: The government has staked the success of serious plans on the party’s success, and if needs be will send a squadron of warships to bail them out. Monster Hunter (6) You’re not afraid of StarKrakens, Laser Whales, Leviathans, or Zellislava. You’ve seen worse. Where? Don’t ask. You only suffer half the normal Panic Penalty when facing a Monster. I Know A Guy (3) You know every scoundrel, hooligan and rat bastard this side of Black Reach. This Boon is sort of like Contacts, but it applies specifically to scumbags and criminals, and also allows you to call in favors, within GM discretion. Banes Duty (2/4/6) You’ve got obligations, and these may conflict with your desires.

2: You are generally autonomous but have some obligations (detective, privateer, ranger) 4: You answer directly to an authority figure but still have a long leash (officer, ship captain) 6: You are part of a rigid command chain and are more or less constantly on orders (soldier, crewman, police officer) DemiZell (10) You’re part Zell. If you’re a woman, you’re probably unusually tall. Your ears are tapered and long. A faint smell like quinine lingers around you no matter how often you bathe. Zells are almost universally distrusted by civilized peoples in the Void, mostly because they’re weird, and have a reputation for violence, piracy, and generally antisocial behavior. No major State can afford to be openly hostile to Zells, as they are too important to maritime politics, but that doesn’t mean anyone has to like them. Being part Zell is the worst of both worlds. Humans distrust and despise you, both because you resemble a Zell, and also because you represent a betrayal of your race by your human parent. Zells pity and patronize you. You have neither the eternal life of the Zell, nor the endless ambition and mortal vigor of the human. What you do have is human foolishness, Zellish laziness, human rage, Zellish glossophobia, and worst of allZellish tastebuds. It’s awful, you can’t taste sour at all. You suffer 4 to any Charisma test with normal humans, and they are never likely to fully trust you or recognize your achievements. You suffer no mechanical penalty with Zells, but they will never fully trust you, and will treat you like a child no matter how high you rise in the world. Fucking Nazi (15) Wait a minute, you guys are Nazis! You’re a dyed in the wool fascist. Or a communist, or whatever flavor of ultraidealogue. You might be a member of the Chironite tripleS or a UC “Cleanup Crew” member, or part of the deepest innercircle of the Transhuman Death Cult of the Technocracy. Whatever the case, you’re the sort of person who sets off screaming alarm bells for anyone who isn’t what you are. You might be a nice guy in theory, but what you believe is utterly unpalatable to normal people. You suffer 8 to any Charisma test (except Intimidate) with anyone who isn’t friendly to your group. You may choose to have this quality be a secret (combines well with the Secret Agent Bane, or even better, the Secret Agent Boon!) but if it gets out, your party is likely to lynch you. Unless of course they’re also nazis. Wait, is anyone here NOT a Nazi? Jesus Christ, what the fuck is the Abwehr doing!? Secret Agent (Bad Guy) (10) You’re secretly work for a government whose interests do NOT align with the party. Your job is to make sure that the party doesn’t screw things up for your bosses. You can do it subtly, or you can do it overtly when the time comes, but if you fail you’re probably going to end up in a gulag somewhere. Talk to your GM about what exactly you’re trying to prevent the party from doing. It shouldn’t just be the main goal of the campaignunless you’re really into being a teamkilling fucktardbut something secondary that the party could conceivably be persuaded not to do or prevented from doing without ruining their longterm goals. Prejudiced (4) Man, you really hate Zells. Always making up bullshit like “the ocean” and “lobsters,” what a bunch of lying bastards. Pick a group of any sort, religious, ethnic, racial, political, etc. You just cannot resist spewing bile at them whenever you get the chance. You must make a Willpower test at RS 3 to avoid suffering a 8 Charisma penalty when interacting with a member of this group. This does not

apply to Intimidation attempts, or attempts to insult or taunt. If anything, it might help, at the GM’s discretion. Scrawny (20) You’re just not a very substantial person, you’re easy to injure and always seem to come down with something. Your Toughness is 3 instead of 4, and you suffer a 2 penalty against Infection and Bloodloss rolls. This is not compatible with Fat or Big Guy.

Combat “Don’t be such a pussy, it’s only death!”

Captain Flint Scarsborough DRAC

So you’re minding your own business trying to sell some blue jeans to some direly fashiondeprived Hiver kids, when a bunch of thugs in stupid hats and uniforms show up to ruin your parade. Turns out they don’t like free enterprise too much around here, something about disrupting faith in party leadership.

You’re not too keen on spending the rest of your life on a truck to the Lubyanka Building, so you shout something about bread lines, pull out your Liberator 2112, and start shooting. Hey, you gave peace a chance, right? Combat is an important part of Ballad of the Laser Whales. People die in gunfights all the time, you know. If you don’t want to join that honored register of the dead, read these rules carefully. Rounds A Round represents about six seconds of fighting. During the Round, characters will act once or more depending on their Initiative. At the end of the Round, if anyone’s still alive, a new Round starts and the fighting continues. Combat ends when the shooting stops. Simple enough, right? 3Phase Combat Round Each Round has three Phases: 1, 2, and 3. Every character can act in Phase 3, but only characters with higher ADR (as shown in the table below) can act in Phases 2 and 1. This represents the speed of the fighters involved. A fast man can get a lot more done in a short time than a slow one. Characters who can’t act in a Phase simply do not take any Actions. Characters declare Actions in reverse ADR order (from lowest to highest), but the Actions are resolved in ADR Order (from highest to lowest.) If characters tie in ADR, the characters with the higher PER is treated as having the higher ADR. If PERs are tied, it goes to WIL. If WILs tie, flip a coin, or some other random determination.

Initiative ADR 13 ADR 46 ADR 7+

Phase 1 N N Y

Phase 2 N Y Y

Phase 3 Y Y Y Stealing the Initiative In the general Round, you can temporarily raise your ADR to act in lower Phases and to improve your place in the Initiative Order, but doing so incurs a penalty to all Actions this Round equal to the amount by which you raise your ADR. (This penalty also applies to your Combat Pool if you end up in Melee this Round) You cannot raise your ADR to more than double its normal amount this way. Opponents and other characters may raise their ADR in response to any other character doing so, in the same way. Beware overusing this option, as the penalties can quickly become so high as to make you useless, even if you can act! Krauser and Manaheim face each other in a tense staredown. Manaheim knows Krauser is quicker than him, and he doesn’t want to die. He incurs a 5 penalty to raise his ADR from 5 to

10 for Initiative, allowing him to act in all 3 Phases, and almost certainly to act before Krauser, who has ADR 7. Krauser decides he’d rather not suffer a penalty, so he does not raise his in response. The two draw their pistols. Manaheim now acts before Krauser in Phase 1, as he has higher ADR, but his 5 penalty severely hinders his accuracy, and he misses both of his shots. Krauser, by contrast, takes aim, and calmly shoots his opponent in the chest, killing him instantly. Sometimes, it’s better to be cool than quick. Actions You may perform one Action per phase. Sometimes Actions can span multiple phases if they take longer than a single beat in combat. Base Movement: You can move a number of meters equal to your Mobility per Phase normally, or more when Sprinting. If moving into Cover, you do not gain the Cover Bonus to your Defense until the beginning of the next Phase. Moving normally does not count as an Action, but any Action taken while moving suffers a 4 Penalty. Conversely, moving raises your Base Defense by +1. Moving slowly (less than or equal to 1/2 MOB) does not count as an Action, but any Action taken while moving slowly suffers a 2 penalty. Your Base Defense is not raised when moving slowly. Sprinting and Active Defense Actions are exempt from these effects, since they are forms of Movement, and have their own penalties/bonuses. Action Types: Aim: For Missile Attacks only. You focus in on one target, and increase your odds of hitting it. Your next Regular Fire or Burst Fire action against that target gains a +2 bonus. You may Aim for multiple Phases in a row, each time gaining a cumulative +2 bonus to your next attack, to a maximum of +6 for 3 Phases of aiming. If you successfully Aim three times at a target in succession, you gain an additional bonus equal to your Perception to the attack that follows. If you shift targets, lose sight of the target, or are otherwise disrupted, you lose the Aim Bonus. Shoot: You may perform a shooting action. There are a few varieties of these. In the event that the target you were attempting to shoot at is incapacitated or becomes unavailable before you get to resolve your Shoot, you may pick a new target against which to make the attack, but only at half your base dice. Other modifiers apply as normal.

Regular Fire lets you fire up to two shots at the same or different targets. If your weapon is Pump or Bolt action, you can only fire one shot. Regular Fire has no inherent accuracy bonuses, but instead adds BS to damage. For Bonus Successes over 1, you may shift the location on the Missile Hit table of your shot by 1. No shot can be shifted by more than 1 however. Instead of firing two shots with Regular Fire, you may Aim asper the Aim Action and fire one shot. Burst Fire lets you fire 3 rounds at your target. This confers a +4 bonus to shooting, and each BS causes an additional round to hitup to 3. Bonus Success do not raise your damage on this maneuver, but for every Bonus Success over 2, you may shift the

location on the Missile Hit table of one of your shots by 1. No shot can be shifted by more than 1 however. Burst Fire requires that a weapon have a ROF of 3 or better. Full Auto Fire lets you spray bullets at your enemy enmasse. You fire a number of rounds equal to your weapon’s ROF (up to the remaining rounds in your Magazine, which must be more than 3 in order for you to use this option) and gain a +8 bonus to shooting. Like Burst Fire, each BS causes an additional round to hitup to the number of rounds fired. In the unlikely event that you have more Bonus Successes than bullets fired, you may shift the hit location of your shots as with Burst Fire. Full Auto Fire cannot benefit from the Aim Action. Additionally Full Auto cannot cause Critical Hits. Any results of a Critical Hit instead hit the Chest. Full Auto Fire requires that a weapon have a ROF of 4 or better. Suppressive Fire lets you fire a sustained blast of fire over a large area, potentially hitting everyone in that area, and denying them access to it without risk of being shot. You fire a number of rounds equal to your weapon’s ROF (up to the remaining rounds in your Magazine, which must be more than 3 in order for you to use this option.) Choose an area up to 2m wide per ROF of the weapon in a line perpendicular to your character, any distance away within range. Imagine a cone between your character and that line, and extending on behind. That cone is the Area of Suppression. Characters who move through this area suffer attacks as listed below. Treat these attacks as Full Auto Fire attacks for the purposes of Bonus Successes. Suppressive Fire requires that a weapon have a ROF of 4 or better. Any figure who moves into our out of the Area of Suppression laterally (moving parallel to the line) suffers an attack by you at half your normal Dice, +2 dice per 3m they move through the Area of Suppression. Any figure who moves towards you through the Area of Suppression (moving perpendicular to the line) suffers an attack at full Dice +2 dice per 3m they move through the Area of Suppression. Any figure who performs an Action, while in the Area of Suppression, suffers an attack by you at full Dice before they resolve their Action. Regular Fire only counts as one Action for these purposes, and only incurs one attack. Any figure who ends the Phase in your Area of Suppression suffers an attack from you at +4 dice, or +6 if they made an attack during this Phase. Making an attack while in an Area of Suppression is difficultCharacters suffer a 4 to any attacks made while under Suppressive Fire. Weapons with ROF 1 or Single Shot cannot Suppress. SingleActions can be used to Suppress at ROF 3, but suffer the FanFire penalty (4) as normal. If/When the total number of HITS equals the firing weapon’s RoF, the Suppression ends immediately. Covering Fire lets you wait for an enemy to show himself, and then shoot him if he does. Covering Fire suffers an additional 4 penalty if you’re Moving. If a character steps into your field of view or otherwise exposes himself (you can choose another trigger, like waiting for the guy to draw his gun before shooting him, etc) you may immediately take a Regular Fire, Burst Fire or Full Auto Fire Action. You cannot Suppress with Covering Fire. Covering Fire lasts until the next Action you take, but you can choose to simply

sustain Covering Fire every Action until something happens. This can allow a character who cannot normally act in Phase 1 to act in Phase 1 if he Covered in Phase 3. Blind Fire lets you make any of the above attacks except for Covering Fire at extreme penalties, while also making yourself much harder to hit. When Blind Firing you must be in at least ½ Cover. ALL Hit Locations immediately become “covered” except for your Weapon Arm, and you gain +2 Defense. You suffer a 8 Penalty to Hit with your attacks, cannot benefit from the Aim Action, but may otherwise make attacks normally. Suppressive Fire is made as normal, but at an additional 2 Penalty on your part. You cannot aim for a specific Hit Location while Blind Firing. MultiBarrel Shot fires all (loaded) barrels of the weapon simultaneously. This confers no bonus to shooting, and each BS causes an additional round to hitup to number of barrels fired. Bonus Successes do not raise your damage on this maneuver, but for every Bonus Success over 1, you may shift the location on the Missile Hit table of one of your shots by 1. No shot can be shifted by more than 1 however.

Throw: You spend the Phase throwing a grenade or other object. You may throw the object up to its Throwing Distance. Roll ADR at TN 7. The RS for landing the grenade within a meter of the targetarea is 4. If you fail, the throw will deviate in a random direction (13 too close, 46 too far, 78 to the left, 910 to the right) by 2 meters for every success you fail by. If you critically fail, roll deviation. The object will land 10 meters closer to you in a straight line from its deviation point. Throwing a weapon with the intent of actually hitting an enemy directly to injure them is resolved differently, under Fling. Active Defense: You spend the Phase ducking and dodging enemy attacks. Roll an ADR Test and add BS to your Defense RS. If you declare Active Defense, roll it before resolving any other Actionsit applies against attacks that occur before your Initiative in the Phase, as well as those after. This can be performed either standing still behind one piece of cover, or while running along or between close (23 meters apart) pieces of cover. Take Cover: Similar to Active Defense, but only usable behind at least Half Cover, you simply duck down and hide. You now have Full Cover, and cannot be hit by any attacks that cannot penetrate that Cover or otherwise circumvent it (you are still vulnerable to flanking attacks, though you count as Prone against them.) including Suppression. You cannot move faster than 2 meters per Phase while Taking Cover. If the cover can be penetrated by an attack, treat Full Cover as 8/10ths cover, but with all locations except Critical Hit covered. Reload: You spend the Action reloading your weapon. For weapons with Box magazines (or Cylinder/Internal Magazine weapons which you have a speedloaders or stripper clips for), this means you instantly reload the weapon. For weapons with Cylinders or Internal Magazines, this means you reload an number of rounds equal to your ADR. This also applies if you don’t have an additional magazine for your BoxFed weapon, and have to input rounds manually into the magazine of the weapon either separate from the gun or through the slidebreech. Sprint: You move up to double your Mobility score in meters this Action in lieu of taking any nonMobility Actions. While sprinting, you gain a +2 bonus to Defense.

Melee Attack: Move up to 10m into contact (2m away from) with a target, and Enter Melee Combat with a target for 1 Round. If you attack from a flank or behind, this counts as a Surprise Attack. If you cannot come within 2m of the target, you cannot initiate Melee Combat. Magic: Spend the Phase using magic of some variety, such as a VoidPush or Shift.

Defense RS The RS to hit a stationary mansized target not in cover is 4. Various forms of cover increase this RS depending on their amount. The Action Active Defense increases this number further through an ADR roll on the defender’s part. Additionally, environmental effects like lighting and visibility can increase Defense, as detailed on the table below. A character with a Camouflage Bonus adds it to RS against any attacks made from more than 50 meters distance away. Offensive Void powers halve the Defense RS to hit their intended target. Environmental effects that deal in visibility (lighting, smoke, etc.) do NOT raise Defense against Suppressive Fire.

Environmental Effect Defense Increase

Counter

Dimly Lit +1 Flashlight, Night Vision Goggles

Darkness +2 Flashlight, Night Vision Goggles

Smoke, Mist, Fog etc. +2 None

On a ship that is moving erratically

+1 Be a Zell

Camouflage & Concealment Camouflage and Concealment play dual roles. Firstly, they can affect a character’s Defense RS, as detailed above. Secondly, they can make it difficult for an attacker to actually target a character in the first place. When attempting to make an attack against enemies further than 50m away, a character must make an Awareness roll at RS equal to 0+Camouflage+Concealment, rolled against all enemies who currently benefit from Camouflage/Concealment. Roll only once and compare the roll to all enemies’ RS. If the roll equals or exceeds the RS of a character, they can be targeted as normal. If not, they cannot be targeted at all. Once within 50m, only characters who succeed at their Stealth checks remain undetectedotherwise they can be targeted normally.

Concealment Camo Bonus

Poor Lighting +1

Darkness +2

Smoke, Mist, Fog, etc +2

Thin Brush, Rocky Terrain +1

Heavy Brush, Jungle, Cliffside +2

Dense Urban/Interior Environment (Ruins, Street Battlefield, Cargo Bay)

+2

Character is Crouching +1

Character is Prone +2

Half Cover* +2

3/4ths Cover* +3

9/10ths Cover* +4

Every 100m distance after the first +1

Character has fired a weapon without a Flash Suppressor in this or the previous Phase

4

Character is in extremely visible attire 4

Character is moving very slowly (Half Mob) 1

Character is moving regular speed 2

Character is running/sprinting 4

*Cover gained from shields don’t count for the purposes of camouflage

Making Attacks A character makes an attack with his Pool (Missile Pool for missile weapons) plus any other modifiers he might have. Each multiple of the weapon’s Range that the Target is away after the first increases the Defense RS by 1. Aiming for a specific Target Location costs 4 dice, but the attack automatically hits the chosen Target Location. You cannot “aim” for Critical Hits, however, and this option does remove the chance that those will occur. A successful hit results if the attacker scores equal to or more successes than the target’s Defense RS. Hit Location is rolled on the Random Hit Table unless the attack targeted a specific location as detailed above. An attack using Void Magic halves the target’s Defense RS.

DualWielding A character may Dual Wield pistols (using two at once) with the following Benefits: +Can perform a Shoot Action of any variety available to the weapon (Regular, Burst, etc) with each weapon +Can reload both weapons simultaneously if stationary (no Move Action that phase) And the following Penalties: 4 to MP with all attacks (2 MP if the Character has the Ambidextrous Boon) Cannot use the Aim Action normally with either weapon. Outflanking A character’s Defense is lowered by 2 against attacks that come from the 90 degrees to their left and right. Cover that does not extend all the way around them is also ignored by such an attack. Attacks from the rear 90 degrees lower that Defense by 4, and similarly ignore cover that does not extend behind the character. Shooting Point Blank If adjacent to a target (2m or closer) and the target is not helpless or unaware, some weapons take a severe penalty to shooting. Aiming is also impossible at this range. These penalties apply to Initiative Contests made with the Melee Shoot maneuver in melee combat. Your chance to shoot them easily already passed! Don’t use a gun in a knife fight!Pistols suffer 2 to attacks. Shotguns and SMGs suffer 3 to attacks. Rifles suffer 6 to attacks. Machineguns suffer 10 to attacks. However, if an enemy is this close and helpless/unaware of the attacker, you suffer none of the above penalties, their Defensive RS is 0, and all dice of the attack automatically succeed.

Roll Location

10 Critical Hit

9 Head

8 Chest (Vitals)

7 Chest (NonVitals)

6 Abdomen

5 Abdomen

4 R Arm

3 L Arm

2 R Leg

1 L Leg

Critical Hits A Critical Hit result means something special happens. Here are some sample Critical Hitsif you want something different and narratively appropriate to happen (say, disarming an opponent of his sword, or shooting the feather off of his cap, etc) consult with your GM when it comes up. For those of you who hate narrativist systems, Critical Hits allow you to choose the location which you hit, and ignore 50% of the AV on that location. Full Auto Fire attacks cannot score Critical Hits. A Critical Hit result is instead a Chest result. Shotguns’ primary attacks can score Critical Hits, but the secondary “scatter” attacks cannot, and count as hitting the Chest instead. Cover When in Cover, you gain a Defense Bonus against enemy attacks that the Cover protects against (if the cover isn’t actually between you and the shooter, it’s obviously useless) and some of your Random Hit Locations are “covered,” meaning that attacks that land on those Zones are rerolled on the hit location table, until they land on an uncovered location. These are numbers on the Random Hit Table, numbers 19 (10 can never be obscured) and are chosen either by the GM, or by you at the GM’s discretion. Usually how you take cover behind the object dictates what parts are covered (shooting over a box that grants Half Cover would probably cover 15, for example) but in some cases this might change, like crouching around the side, etc. At GM’s discretion, once you have been in cover for a full Phase, you may choose which Parts are Covered at the start of each Phase. If your Head is ever a Part Covered, you cannot make a normal Shoot action, and can only Blindfire.

Cover Defense Bonus

Parts Covered

Half +2 5

3/4 +4 7

8/10ths +6 8

Piercing Cover Some Cover can be penetrated, reducing its effectiveness and making it less useful against some weapons. Cover has a Durability, and if a weapon’s Base Damage+Armor Penetration is higher than that Durability, then the weapon can penetrate the cover, and potentially hit a target hiding behind it. An attack with higher Base Damage+Armor Penetration than the Cover’s Durability halves the Cover’s Defense Bonus. Additionally, when rolling for Hit Location, a result that lands on a Part Covered is not rerolled, but instead hits that part, but reduces its AP by the Cover’s Durability.

Cover Durability

Cover Type Durability

Sheet Rock/Plywood 4

2cm thick Wooden Wall, Cardoor

7

Cinder Blocks, Store Shelves 9

Sheet Metal, Small Tree 11

Brick Wall, Shipping Crates 15

Ship Hull, Large Tree, 1 Meter of Wood

20

Sandbags/1’ of packed earth, Concrete Bunker Wall

40

Dealing Damage The damage done by an attack is compared to the Damage Threshold of the location hit. For each point by which the damage done exceeds the Target’s DT, a level of Wound is inflicted. An attack that hit with 0 BS can never inflict higher than a Level 1 Wound, regardless of damage done. This applies only to attacks that were rolledthe additional hits for Burst or Full Auto Fire count as having BS for the purposes of damage, even though they do not add those BS to damage. Additionally, attacks that combine damage may inflict higher than a level 1 Wound so long as at least one of the attacks scored more than 0 BS. If multiple attacks from the same source (both shots from a Regular Fire action, or rounds from a Burst Fire action for example) hit the same Hit Location simultaneously, the damage from these attacks partially combine, the first Attack gaining half of the damage of subsequent attacks. Krauser shoots Danger Redcliff twice with his Ritterschwert. Both shots land on Redcliff’s Chest. Rather than inflicting two Strength 8 attacks, these combine into one Strength 12 attack (8+4) which is enough to penetrate Redcliff’s armor and injure him. Bloodloss Bloodloss is tested at the end of every Round, after all 3 Phases have concluded. Head

Wound Level Stun Pain Bleed Special Description

Level 0 1 0 0 Close Call, clothing, helmet or hair clipped.

Level 1 3 1 1 Graze to temple or cheek.

Level 2 5 3 2 KO RS 2 Glance to skull, possible unconsciousness.

Level 3 10 10 8 KO RS 4 Shot to mouth, teeth lost, jaw fractured, unconsciousness likely.

Level 4 All All 15 Automatic KO, Difficult Surgery vs Brain Damage

Shot in the head, significant damage to brain. This is actually very survivable in some situationssometimes with no major sideeffects, even.

Level 5 Dead Dead Dead Dead Brains splattered over the opposite wall. Dead.

Chest (Vitals)


Level 0 1 0 0 Close Call.

Level 1 2 0 0 Flesh wound, nothing serious.

Level 2 3 1 5 Penetration into the body, no organs hit but dangerous bleeding.

Level 3 5 3 10 Artery Clipped! Severe bleeding, call a medic!

Level 4 10 6 20 KO RS 4 Punctured Lung, blood filling chest cavity. Death likely.

Level 5 Dead Dead Dead Dead Shot in the Heart. Dead.

Chest (NonVitals)




Level 2 3 4 2 Clips a rib, painful!

Level 3 5 8 4 Cracked ribs, exceptionally painful!

Level 4 10 12 8 Internal Bleeding

Breastbone hit, fragments lacerate internals, severe bleeding.

Level 5 20 20 15 Internal Bleeding

Ribcage shattered, possible organ damage, have fun picking out bone shards.

Abdomen




Level 2 3 2 2 Cuts through some fat, but otherwise nothing serious.

Level 3 5 4 4 Penetration through oblique muscles, painful, but not lethal.

Level 4 10 6 6 Infection Chance [+3]

Gut shot. The pain is unbearable, but bleedout is unlikely with medical attention. Infection, though...

Level 5 20 10 10 Infection Chance [+4]

Severe organ damage, incomparable suffering. Death will come, but probably not quickly.

Arm



Level 1 1 0 0 Graze of the upper arm.

Level 2 2 0 0 Disarm vs [1] RS

Flesh wound, surprising, might drop weapon.


Shot in the upper arm. Muscle damage, but little bleeding. Will probably drop weapon.


Shot in the firearm, tendons, weapon dropping is very likely.

Level 5 10 6 10 Autodrop, [RS 2] Surgery vs [Crippled Limb (arm)]

Artery clipped, arm broken, weapon dropped. Bloodloss is a serious threat.

Leg



Level 1 3 0 1 Stability vs [1] RS

Grazed thigh.

Level 2 4 1 3 Stability vs [3] RS

Flesh wound to the thigh or shin.

Level 3 6 2 6 AutoProne Shot in the shin or knee, muscle spasms cause leg to fail.

Level 4 8 4 10 AutoProne, [RS 2] Surgery vs [Crippled Limb (leg)]

Shot in the shin or knee, bone broken, may not recover.

Level 5 12 6 15 AutoProne, [RS 4] Surgery vs [Crippled Limb (leg)]

Shot in the thigh, artery clipped, may never recoverbloodloss may kill.

Burn Damage Burn Damage is not reduced by TOU. Burn Damage is Cumulative If a character suffers a Level 1 Burn, and then next Round suffers two additional Burn Damage, this does not create a Level 2 Burn, but instead turns the Level 1 into a Level 3. Wound Level Stun Pain Bleed Special Description

Level 1 4 4 [3 Infection Chance]

1st degree Burn, painful but not serious

Level 2 8 6 [1 Infection Chance]

Minor 2nd degree burn with swelling, but no probable scarring.

Level 3 12 10 [+1 Infection Chance]

Bad 2nd degree burn, skin lost, scarring probable.

Level 4 20 20 [+3 Infection Chance]

3rd degree burn, serious scarring and injury. Consider disfigurement Banes.

Level 5 Total 30 [+5 Infection Chance]

4th degree burn or worse, flesh destroyed, bone exposed and charred, almost certainly lethal if located on vitals (HLT at RS 5)

Melee Attacks When a character performs a Melee Attack action, immediately resolve 1 Round of Song of Swords style melee combat between that character and the target character, starting with a Refresh and then spanning two Actions. If the character Moved before using the Melee Attack action, they count as Charging, and gain +4 CP. Firearm Stats Weapon The name of the Weapon described. Type What Proficiency is used while firing the weapon, weapons with two can be used with either listed. Range Increment The weapon’s range, firing past a weapon’s range increment grants the target +1 Defense per multiple of the range increment. MTN The TN used when firing the weapon. Round The cartridge the weapon fires, weapons with multiple can fire either. Mag and Capacity The amount of rounds the weapon holds. The first number is the capacity of weapon’s normal magazine, second number indicates the capacity of an extended magazine if one exists for the weapon in question. In the parentheses, the type of feeding mechanism is noted. (Box) denotes that the weapon feeds from a detachable box or drum magazine. (Int) denotes internal mechanisms, whether that be a tubular magazine, internal magazine, enbloc clip, or a simple breakaction. (Cyl) denotes a revolving cylinder, for revolvers. (Belt) fed weapons have no specific capacity, it being tied to the belt being used at the moment. Internal Magazines and most Cylinders cannot be changed on the fly, requiring the use of stripper clips, speedloaders, or simply loose rounds. Box fed firearms can have an extra round in the chamber. RoF/Action The weapon’s rate of fire and Action, used for determining if the weapon is capable of Burst, FullAuto or Suppressive fire. Special Special Rules applied to the weapon. WT (Weight) The weight of the weapon added to Encumbrance. Firearms apply weight regardless of whether they are slung or held in hand. Cost The weapon’s base cost. Almost certainly varies regionally.

Pistols

Weapon Type Range MTN Round Cap. (Mag Type)

RoF Spec. WT Cost

Abitante “6 O’Clock” MR/34

Pistol 10m 6 10mm 6 (Cyl) 1 Conceal [2], Reliable

0.5 6 gp

Canton PM210 Pistol 10m 6 9mm 8 (Box) 1 Conceal [2], Reliable

0.5 10 gp

C08 Eroberer Pistol 10m 6 7.5mm 8 (Int) 1 Conceal [2], Reliable

0.5 15 sp

C18 Streithammer Pistol 10m 7 9x19mm 10/40 (Box) 1 Conceal [2] 0.5 2 gp

C19 Ritterschwert Pistol 10m 6 9x19mm 8/32 (Box) 1 Conceal [2] 0 5 gp

C19S Kriegsmesser Pistol 10m 6 9x19mm 8/32 (Box) 10 Conceal [2] 0 10 gp

C20 Sturmpistole Pistol 10m 7 9x19mm 10/40 (Box) 30 Conceal [2] 0.5 5 gp

Republican Arms Conquest SAA

Pistol 10m 6 11.5mm Rahoo 6 (Cyl) 1 Conceal [2], Reliable, SingleAction

0.5 5 gp

Republican Arms Liberator 1991

Pistol 10m 7 11.5mm Rahoo 7 (Box) 1 Conceal [2], Reliable

0.5 1 gp

Republican Arms Defender 1991

Pistol 10m 7 11.5mm Rahoo 6 (Box) 1 Conceal [3], Reliable

0 3 gp

Republican Arms Emancipator 1991

Pistol 10m 7 11.5mm Rahoo 7/25 (Box) 20 Conceal [2] 0.5 6 gp

Model 9 “Tianleng” Pistol 10m 7 7.5mm 8 (Box) 1 Conceal [2], Jams [2]

0 5 sp

Type 17 “Yenhsi” Pistol 10m 8 11.5mm Rahoo 10 (Int) 3 Conceal [2], Jams [3],

1 1 gp

Suncrusher .357 Pistol 10m 8 9x33mm 9 (Box) 1 Conceal [2] 1 7 gp

Buccaneer .69 Pistol 10m 7 17.56mm 1 (Int) 1 Conceal [2] 1 5 gp

Blackbeard .69 Pistol 10m 8 17.56mm 4 (Cyl) 1 Conceal [1], Reliable, SingleAction

1.5 10 gp

EugeneLonghill “Stonebreaker” ‘36

Pistol 10m 7 9x33mm 6 (Cyl) 1 SingleAction, Conceal [2]

0.5 3 gp

Norminster Pistol Pistol 10m 7 11.5mm Rahoo 6 (Cyl) 1 Conceal [2], Reliable

0.5 1 gp

Hector Arms Mustang .357

Pistol 10m 7/6 9x33mm /9x29 (1 TN)

6 (Cyl) 1 Conceal [2], Reliable

1 5 gp

Hector Arms Police Pistol 10m 8/7 9x33mm 5 (Cyl) 1 Conceal [3], 0.5 4 gp

Snub .357 /9x29 (1 TN) Reliable

Hector Arms Mule .38 Pistol 10m 6 9x29mm 6 (Cyl) 1 Conceal [2], Reliable

0.5 1 gp

KaufmanIsaev King Eagle

Pistol 10m 8 7.62x33mm 8 (Box) 1 Conceal [1] 1 23 gp

UC Naval Pistol Pistol 10m 6 7.5mm 12 (Box) 1 Conceal [2], Reliable

0.5 2 gp

UC Agent Pistol Pistol 10m 6 7.5mm 5 (Box) 1 Conceal [3], Silenced

0 10 gp

UC “Insurgent” Palm Pistol

Pistol 2m 7 11.5mm Rahoo 1 (Int) 1 Conceal [4], Jams [2], Single Shot

0 1 sp

Kuropatkin Silenced Revolver

Pistol 10m 7 7.5mm 6 (Cyl) 1 Conceal [3] Single Action, Silenced

0 10 gp

Republican Arms “Wrath of God” 1776

Pistol 10m 8 17x76mm 4 (Cyl) 1 Conceal [1], Single Action

1.5 45 gp

Jenner Micropistol Pistol 10m 6 6x16mm 8 (Box) 1 Conceal [4] 0 3 sp

Herstal “HAP” Automatic Pistol

Pistol 10m 7 9x19mm 13 (Box) 1 Conceal [2], Reliable

0.5 6 gp

Dixon Phoenix Pistol 10m 7 10mm 10 (Box) 1 Conceal [2] 0.5 5 gp

Bittenfield “Sonderbarkeit” Großmacht

Pistol 10m 6 9mm 12 (Box) 6 Conceal [3], Reliable

0.5 75 gp

Herstal Model 28 Pocket Hammerless

Pistol 10m 6 9x17mm 7 (Box) 1 Conceal [3], Reliable

0 15 sp

Rahoo Headhunter Pistol 20m 8 7.62x63mm 1 (Int) 1 Conceal [2], Singleshot

0.5 8 gp

Weapon Type Range Missile TN Round Cap. RoF Spec. WT Cost

Caster Pistol 10m N/A Caster Shells 1 (Int) 1 Single Shot 0.5 2 gp

SMGs


RoF Spec. WT Cost

C19S Kriegsmesser w/ Stock

SMG 50m 6 9x19mm 8/32 (Box) 10 1 10 gp

C20 Sturmpistole w/ Stock

SMG 50m 7 9x19mm 10/40 (Box) 30 1.5 5 gp

Nachtmacher C45 SMG 50m 7 9x19mm 32/50 (Box) 15 Reliable 2 10 gp

Weißenschwert C41 SMG 50m 7 9x19mm 35/75 (Box) 35 3 8 gp

Soltar Carbine .30 SMG 50m 7 7.62x33mm 30 (Box) 20 Jams [3] 3 8 gp

Type 71 SMG 50m 7 8x22mm 30/60 (Box) 25 Jams [4] 2 3 gp

Rahoo M28 “Viper” SMG 50m 7 11.5mm Rahoo

20 (Box) 20 Jams [3], Silenced 2 8 gp

Rahoo “Glue Gun” M2 SMG 50m 7 11.5mm Rahoo

30 (Box) 15 Conceal [1], Jams [4]

2 3 gp

Rawn Gun SMG 50m 7 9x19mm 32 (Box) 20 Jams [3] 2.5 2 gp

UC Naval SMG SMG 50m 6 7.5mm 20 (Box) 30 Conceal [2] 1 5 gp

Sark SMG SMG 50m 8 9x33mm 20 (Box) 10 Jams [3] 2 6 gp

Silver SMG SMG 50m 7 9x19mm 34 (Box) 20 1.5 5 gp

Blish 19 SMG 50m 7 11.5mm Rahoo

20/100 (Box) 20 4 15 gp

Shotguns


RoF Spec. WT Cost

Wellington Pump Shot 20m 6 12G 5 (Int) 1 Single Shot 4 3 gp

Wellington Pump SawedOff

Shot 10m 5 12G 5 (Int) 1 Conceal [1], Single Shot

2.5 3 gp

Wellington OverUnder Shot 20m 6 12G 2 (Int) 1 [2] Barrels 3.5 2 gp

Wellington SawedOff Shot 10m 5 12G 2 (Int) 1 Conceal [1], [2] Barrels

2 2 gp

Kuropatkin Revolving Shotgun

Shot 20m 6 12G 5 (Cyl) 1 4 6 gp

Kuropatkin CutDown Shot 10m 5 12G 5 (Cyl) 1 Conceal [1] 2.5 6 gp

Lancaster E1M1 Shot 20m 6 12G 4 (Int) 1 [4] Barrels 4 8 gp

Tompkins ‘09 Lever Action

Shot 20m 6 12G 5 (Int) 1 SingleAction 4 5 gp

Burgh “Constable” Folding Shotgun

Shot 20m 6 12G 6 (Int) 1 Conceal [1], Single Shot

4 8 gp

Herstal “Hunchback” SelfFeeding Shotgun

Shot 20m 6 12G 4 (Int) 4 Reliable 4 10 gp

Rifles


RoF Spec. WT Cost

Schwartzvald C5 Rifle 150m 8 7.92x57mm 8 (Int) 1 Longshot, Single Shot

4 5 gp

Schwartzritter C6 Rifle 150m 8 7.92x57mm 10 (Box) 3 Longshot, Reliable 4 8 gp

Volksverteidiger C10 Rifle 100m 7 7.92x33mm 30 (Box) 20 3.5 15 gp

Flammenschwert C7 Rifle 150m 8 7.92x57mm 20 (Box) 25 Longshot 6 20 gp

Hexenjäger EK21 Rifle 100m 7 7.62x33mm 15 (Box) 1 Night Sights 2 12 gp

Type 70 QiArMi Rifle 150m 8 7.92x57mm 8 (Int) 1 Jams [4], Longshot, Single Shot

4 2 gp

WestridgeAnsem IE Mk II

Rifle 150m 8 .303 Albish 10 (Box) 1 Longshot, Single Shot

4 5 gp

Republican Arms Model 9 Condor

Rifle 200m 8 17.56mm 6 (Box) 1 Longshot, Reliable, Single Shot

6 18 gp

Republican Arms “King Chuck”

Rifle 200m 8 12.7x99mm 5 (Box) 1 Longshot, Single Shot

10 20 gp

Nelson Deluge Rifle/MG 60m 7 6x16mm 120 (Box) 40 Jams [2] 6 8 gp

Republican Arms 1776 Special

Rifle 200m 8 17x76mm 1 (Int) 1 Longshot, Reliable, Single Shot

8 55 gp

Republican Arms “Volgin Contract” Lever Action Model 95

Rifle 150m 7 7.62x54mm 5 (Int) 1 SingleAction 4 6 gp

UC “Tipper” Field Rifle

Rifle 100m 8 7.62x54mm 25 (Box) 15 Longshot 4 16 gp

Rahoo R32 Rifle 150m 8 7.62x63mm 5 (Int) 1 Longshot, Single Shot

4 4 gp

Rahoo SLR58 Rifle 150m 8 7.62x63mm 8 (Int) 1 Longshot 4 10 gp

Rahoo SLC60 Rifle 100m 7 7.62x33mm 15/30 (Box) 1 2 8 gp

Rahoo SLC60B “Bushwhacker”

Rifle 50m 7 7.62x33mm 15/30 (Box) 1 Silenced, Single Shot (if used with Cold Load Rounds)

2 12 gp

Rahoo ASGR Rifle 50m 7 9x33mm 30 (Box) 20 Jams [4] 3.5 6 gp

Herstal Monitor Rifle Rifle/MG 200m 8 7.62x63mm 20 (Box) 15 Brace [1] 8 15 gp

Godfray Saboteur Rifle 50m 7 11.5mm 7 (Box) 1 Silenced, Single 2 10 gp

Rahoo Shot

Albish Royal Arms Squad Support Rifle

Rifle/MG 200m 9 .303 Albish 30/100 (Box) 20 Brace [1], Longshot 8 18 gp

EugeneLonghill LeverAction Rifle

Rifle 100m 7 9x33mm 12 (Int) 1 Reliable, Single Action

4 8 gp

EugeneLonghill “Bitterroot” LeverAction Carbine

Rifle 50m 7 9x33mm 6 (Int) 1 Conceal [1], SingleAction

2 6 gp

EugeneLonghill “Good Mother” Fallingblock Rifle

Rifle 200m 8 13mm 1 (Int) 1 Longshot, SingleShot

6 14 gp

McCollum Arms 4Bore Stopping Rifle

Rifle 100m 8 26.7x100mm 1 (Int) 1 Reliable, Single Shot

6 8 gp

PTSD AntiTank Rifle Rifle 200m 9 14.5x114mm 1 (Int) 1 Brace [1], Longshot, SingleShot

12 20 gp

Machineguns


RoF Spec. WT Cost

KurschatLickert MG71

MG 350m 10 13mm Belt 30 Brace [3] 15 75 gp

KurschatLickert MG66

MG 350m 10 7.92x57mm Belt 40 Brace [3], Reliable

12 50 gp

Rahoo BZK50 MG 350m 10 12.7x99 Belt 20 Brace [3], Reliable

25 20 gp

Rahoo BZK30 MG 350m 10 7.62x63mm Belt 30 Brace [3], Reliable

20 18 gp

Rahoo BZK303 MG 350m 10 .303 Albish Belt 30 Brace [3], Reliable

20 20 gp

Type 702 MG 350m 10 7.92x57mm 30 (Box) 15 Brace [3] 8 15 gp

Janovich 1488 MG 350m 10 7.62x33mm Belt 120 Brace [2], Ludicrous

30 70 gp

Round Damage AP Special Cost/round Type

6x16mm 3 2 1/10th cp Pistol Cartridge

7.5mm 5 4 1/5th cp Pistol Cartridge



9x19mm 6 2 1 cp Pistol Cartridge


10mm 6 3 1 cp Pistol Cartridge

11.5mm Rahoo 7 2 1 cp Pistol Cartridge

9x33mm 7 5 2 cp Pistol Cartridge

17.56mm 9 6 BP 8 cp Pistol Cartridge

12 Gauge Buck 12* Shot 4 cp Shotgun Shell

12 Gauge Slug 12 2 6 cp Shotgun Shell

7.62x33mm 7 8 3 cp Rifle Cartridge


.303 Albish 8 14 2 cp Rifle Cartridge




12.7x99 (.50) 15 15 OverSized 3 cp Rifle Cartridge

13mm 15 20 OverSized 6 cp Rifle Cartridge

26.7x100mm 25 3 OverSized, BP 1 sp Rifle Cartridge

17x76mm 20 25 OverSized 8 sp Rifle Cartridge

14.5x114mm 20 35 OverSized 10 sp Rifle Cartridge

Caster Shell NA NA See Caster Shells

Sorcery Cartridge

Normal Magazine/Clip

3 cp

Expanded/Drum 1 sp

Magazine

Cylinder Speedloader

1 cp

Stripper Clip 1/2 cp *Any Hit with more than 0 BS with a Shot Round will automatically hit the two adjacent Hit Locations (see Critical Hits, above, Rolls of 10 or 1 only count 9 or 2 as adjacent)) on the Random Hit Table as well. 0 BS hits only hit Target Location. Firearm Special Qualities Special Quality Effect

Brace [X] While this weapon is braced against a surface or mounted on a bipod, etc. (see Aim for more details) the weapon’s TN is reduced by X.

BP This round uses blackpowder propellants, rather than modern nitro based propellant. In and of itself, it has no effect.

[X] Barrels This weapon can make a MultiBarrel Shot using a number of barrels up to [X].

Jams If [X] or more 1s are rolled on an attack, weapon Jams and must be cleared with a Reload action before it can be fired again.

Longshot Attacks benefitting from Aim enjoy a 1 bonus to TN.

Ludicrous The Area of Suppression of this weapon is doubled. Also, when using Burst or Auto fire, this weapon inflicts twice as many Hits as normal.

OverSized Any Chest (NonVitals) hit with this round automatically becomes a Chest (Vitals) hit.

Reliable Increase the number of 1s needed to critically fail shooting the weapon by 2.

SingleAction Can be FanFired, giving a ROF of 3 at the cost of 4 dice on the attack. Can only

shoot once with Regular Fire instead of twice, unless FanFired. You cannot benefit from Aim while FanFiring.

Single Shot Can only shoot once with Regular Fire instead of twice.

Silenced Requires an Awareness Test at RS 3 to notice firing within 50m, RS 1 within 10m. Impossible to hear further away.

Shot Damage is Halved against any sort of armor. 1 Damage per Range Increment past the first.

Conceal [X] Can be hidden on your person with a proper holster, depending on your clothing. A weapon with Conceal [1] can be hidden under a coat, [2] can be hidden under a shirt, [3] can be hidden in your pants pocket, and [4] can fit in your sleeve. Rifles with Conceal [1] are treated as SMGs/Shotguns for the purposes of shooting at Point Blank Range.

Night Sights Ignore the first +1 Defense a target receives from dim lighting.

Weapon Enhancements

Enhancement Effect Weight Cost

Marksman’s Scope

Against targets further than 10m away, Aiming with this weapon gains an additional +1 bonus per Action.

1 1 gp

Detachable Silencer

Weapon gains Silenced quality, and suffers 2 damage. Has a chance of breaking with each automatic fire action (Burst, Full Auto, Suppression, etc), roll 1d10. On a 1, it breaks. As a rule of thumb, incompatible with weapons using a cylinder feeding mechanism.

.5 10 sp

Custom Parts Ignore first Jam result from Critical Failure or the Jam quality.

0 1 gp

Stealth Adaptation

This weapon turns invisible along with the bearer when using a Cloaking Device.

0 10 gp

Detachable Pistol Stock

Changes a pistol’s used proficiency to SMG, multiples the range by 3, removes Conceal. These changes are lost once the stock is removed. Takes an action to put on or remove. Not all pistols can accept a stock factory, but most can be modified to fit one (1 gp or a RS 2 Craft skill check). Often doubles as a holster. Attached stocks can hold a loaded pistol of the same model as a backup.

1 1 gp

Tritium Sights Adds the Night Sights rule to your firearm. 0 5 gp

Foregrip Reduce the penalty to firing this weapon during or after Movement by 1.

.5 5 sp

HandPacked Rounds

+2 AP, +10% range, Decrease the RS of the test to hear the weapon firing by 2.

0 +100% Ammo Cost

Cold Load Rounds

2 AP, 10% Range, Increase the RS of the test to hear a silenced weapon firing by 2.

0 +100% Ammo Cost

Rifle Cutdown This modification cannot be reversed, and can generally only be used on rifles with the SingleShot Rule. Remove Longshot or Brace rules from the weapon, and add Conceal [1]. Reduce the weapon’s range to 10% of its original range.

1/2 Weapon WT

1 sp or RS 2 Craft

Explosive Grenades Grenades have fuses measured in Phases. When thrown as detailed in the Throw action, they will sit dormant until the aforementioned number of Phases passes and they explode. Remember: The defender has no way of knowing how long the fuse on a grenade is! Grenades always explode at the very beginning of the Phase. Every character within the blast radius suffers damage from the explosion. Roll Hit Location a number of times equal to the second number in the Damage section, and apply the first number in Damage to each section rolled. In the event that multiple Hits land in the same location, treat these like normal attacksthe second Hit adds half of its damage to the first Hit’s total. Only ever resolve one Hit per Location. Critical Hits count as an automatic miss for the purposes of explosions. If a character is in Cover, any Hit Results that land on a Covered body part are not rerolledthey automatically miss. If a character goes Prone or uses Active Defense, reduce the second number by one. For every multiple of the Blast Radius away that a character is, halve the first number in Damage and reduce the second number by one. Once the second number is 0, the explosion is no longer effective.

If the Fuse entry has multiple numbers, it means the Phase length of the Fuse can be chosen before throwing the grenade.

Grenade Damage Blast Radius Throwing Range Fuse

Cost

Type 42 Stielhandgranate

20/4 5m 40m 2 1 sp

Type 19 Grenade 15/4 5m 30m 2/4/6/8

2 sp

Type 42x3 “Bundle” Stielhandgranate

60/4 5m 10m 2 3 sp

M27 Grenade 20/4 5m 30m 2/4 2 sp

Bongland 77 20/4 10m 20m 1 4 sp

Specialty Grenades Specialty Grenades are similar to explosive ones, except that they have a different function than to explode.

Grenade Effect Throwing Range Fuse Cost

Smoke Grenade Creates 10m wide cloud of smoke. +2 Defense for any characters attacked through cloud. Does not affect Suppressive Fire. Cloud persists for 9 phases.

40m 1 6 cp

Flashbang Blinds and Deafens any character within 10m for 3 Phases after detonation. Causes 20 Stun to any character within 10m.

40m 1 1 sp

Flare Illuminates an area of 50m, bringing lighting levels up 1 (Darkness to Poor Lighting, Poor to Well Lit, Well to Bright, Bright to Blinding). An Area of 10m from the flare is brought up two stages (Darkness to Well, Well to Blinding, etc.) Flare grenades fired from a launcher go off one phase after being fired, and have an attached parachute to allow them to stay in the air. Flare persists for 10 phases.

40m 1 1 sp

Strangle Gas Creates 10m wide cloud of tear gas. For every phase spent in the cloud without proper protection, a character suffers +3 pain, which stacks for every consecutive phase spent in the cloud. Once outside of the cloud, 1 pain per phase until all pain from the tear gas is gone. Cloud persists for 9 Phases.

40m 1 2 sp

Poison Gas Creates 10m wide cloud of poisonous gas. Any character without a respirator within this cloud at the end of a Phase must make an HLT test at RS 4 or suffer 10 Pain and lose 1 HLT. At 0 HLT, character dies. Cloud persists for 8 phases.

40m 2 6 sp

Babel Grenade Creates 10m wide swirling vortex of haunted ghost magic. +2 Defense for any characters attacked through vortex. Any character who moves through the vortex or ends a Phase inside of it must make an WIP test at RS 3 or suffer 10 Pain and lose 1 WIP. At 0 WIP, character dies. Vortex persists for 9 phases. Overlapping Babel Fields increase WIP test RS by 1 each. Only make 1 test. WIP lost in this manner returns after 24 hours. While moving through a Babel Field, a character’s MOB is reduced by half.

40m 1/3 8 sp

Grenade Launchers Grenade Launchers that miss deviate asper grenades, but triple the distance.

Weapon Type Range MTN Round Capacity RoF Spec. WT Cost

C602 Fackelwerfer Pistol 50mm 6 27mm Specialty

1 (Int) 1 Singleshot, Conceal [2]

0.5 1 gp

C602G Granatpistole

Pistol 50mm 8 30mm Grenade

1 (Int) 1 Singleshot, Conceal [2]

1 2 gp

C802 Granatwerfer

Rifle 100m 7 30mm Grenade

4 (Int) 1 SingleShot,Reliable

4 8 gp

Black Shore “Boop” 71


1 (Int) 1 Single Shot, Reliable

3 3 gp

Republican Arms Rhodes


6 (Cyl) 1 6 12 gp

Tekidanto II Rifle 300m 10 Type 19 Grenade

1 (Int) 1 Single Shot, Brace [2]

3 2 gp

Grenade Damage Blast Radius Fuse Cost

27mm Specialty * * Impact 1 sp

30mm HE 15/4 5m Impact 2 sp

30mm Specialty * * Impact 1sp *

40mm HE 20/4 5m Impact 3 sp

40mm Specialty * * Impact 2 sp *

Type 19 15/4 5m 2/4/6/8 2 sp

*The effects of this grenade are the same as a Specialty Grenade. The cost is the listed amount plus the cost of a regular Specialty grenade of that type. The Fuse type is always Impact, however. A direct hit with a launched grenade deals 7 Bludgeoning Damage to the hit location. Rocket Launchers

Weapon Type Range MTN Round Capacity RoF Spec. WT Cost

Panzerklatschen Rocket 75m 8 88mm Rocket

1 (Int) 1 Single Shot 8 1 gp

Panzerknuppel Rocket 30m 7 149mm Charge

1 (Int) 1 Single Shot, Single Use

4 1 sp

Canebreak “Endodontist” M77

Rocket 75m 7 57mm Rocket

1 (Int) 1 Single Shot 6 1 gp

Type 4 Launcher Rocket 90m 8 70mm Rocket

1 (Int) 1 Single Shot 8 10 sp

Rocket Damage Blast Radius Special Cost

88mm AP Rocket 100/1 2m Armor Piercing 20, Oversized

24 sp

149mm Charge 150/1 1m Armor Piercing 25, Oversized

24 sp

57mm HE Rocket 25/4 5m 18 sp

57mm AP Rocket 80/1 2m Armor Piercing 20, 18 sp

Oversized

70mm AP Rocket 90/1 2m Armor Piercing 20, Oversized

20 sp

Flamethrowers Flamethrowers are fired using the Suppressive Fire action. The arc of the flamethrower’s effect is determined in the same way as normal (by Rate of Fire) but when using a flamethrower, a character gains a +8 to hit any target within the arc, and instead of hitting characters with a bullet, the attack lights them on fire. You cannot benefit from Aim with a flamethrower. Flamethrowers use the Flamethrower Proficiency. The damage is delivered in the following format: X/Y/TN5 X is the number of random hit locations which are affected by flame. Y is the number of dice rolled for each Hit Location every Phase to inflict burn damage. These dice are always rolled at TN 5. Burning damage continues indefinitely until smothered.

Flamethrower Damage RoF Range Ammunition WT Cost

Type 9 Flammenwerfer 4/5/TN5 20 50m 12 Actions 16 20 gp

BZI Flamechucker 6/5/TN5 30 30m 12 Actions 18 20 gp

Bongland GDI Flamethrower 3/5/TN5 15 70m 10 Actions 14 20 gp

Caster Shells Casters are a very specialized category of firearm, usually incorporating whalebone latticework. The weapons are designed to project arcane energies from specialized “Caster Shells,” which essentially contain powerful magic. Caster Shells are rare and powerfulthey can only be produced by powerful mystics, and many of them drain the lifeforce of the creators, limiting their production to only a handful over a lifetime.

Caster Shells are ranked in power from 13 to 1with 13 being the strongest, and 1 being the weakest. They are also categorized by their effect. When players find Caster Shells, if the type is not specified (perhaps for plot purposes) you should roll on the following table for the kind found. Those found on the open market should be similarly rolled randomly. Caster Shell Cost: [Powerx5] sp

Roll 2d10 Power Type

1 Fire

2 1 Fire

3 1 Fire

4 2 Fire

5 2 Fire

6 2 Fire

7 3 Electricity

8 3 Electricity

9 3 Electricity

10 4 Electricity

11 4 Electricity

12 5 Explosion

13 6 Explosion

14 7 Explosion

15 8 Explosion

16 9 Explosion

17 10 Void

18 11 Void

19 12 Crush

20 13 Warp

Power Ranking 113 (The power ranking of a Caster Shell determines the number of dice rolled for its effect.) Effect Type Fire (Ignores Cover, inflicts X Fire Damage distributed randomly) Electricity (Ignores metal/conductive Cover, inflicts X Electricity damage, distributed randomly) Explosion (Explosion with Power X) Void: Ignores AV, Inflicts X+BS Damage, Critical Hit disintegrates instantly Crush: Inflicts X+BS+AV Damage, leaves no body Warp: Shoot TN 1, Inflicts X Damage, ignoring AV. Triples the regular amount of pain. Random Caster Effects Caster Shells aren’t perfect. Part of the reason they have only been sporadically popular is their tendency for unpredictable side effects. When a Caster Shell is acquired, roll on the following table for Random Effects. Caster shells purchased from very reliable dealers or directly from their creators may be exempt from this.

1 Life drain. Shooter suffers 1d10 Pain. If the Pain from this effect ever exceeds WIP, character goes comatose for 2d10 days. If Pain from this effect exceeds WIPx2, character must make a HLT test at RS 4 or die.

2 Minor Life Drain. Shooter suffers 1d10 Stun.

3 Electric Shock. Shooter suffers 1d10/2 Stun.

4 No Effect.

5 No Effect.

6 No Effect.

7 No Effect.

8 Overcharge. Shooter suffers 1d10/2 Stun, but Shell has +1 Power.

9 Supercharge. Shooter suffers 1d10 Stun, but Shell has +2 Power.

10 Superior Shell. Shell has +3 Power.

Armors Snapcoat Made of a nonnewtonian fabric that stiffens against impact, snapcoat is a popular form of armor for those less inclined to cover themselves in ballistic steel plates. Though effective enough to slow most pistol cartridges into the realm of survivability, it should not be trusted to repel anything of particularly high caliber. Totally useless against rifle cartridges. Thicker “heavy” vests are available, though these are somewhat cumbersome.

Armor AV Weight Coverage Spec Cost

Snapcoat Coat 4 1 Chest, Abdomen, Legs

Half AV vs Melee, Layer [1]

1 gp

Snapcoat Vest 4 0 Chest, Abdomen


10 sp

Heavy Snapcoat Vest

6 2 Chest, Abdomen


1 gp

Snapcoat Sleeves

4 0 Arms Half AV vs Melee, Layer [1]

6 sp

Snapcoat Leggings

4 0 Legs Half AV vs Melee, Layer [1]

6 sp

Snapcoat Hat 4 0 Head Half AV vs Melee, Layer [1]

4 sp

Additional Layering!

1 1 Any one location Layer [1] 10 sp

Sneaking Suit Made of a combination of experimental plastics, silk and ceramics, and designed with cuttingedge polymers in the soles and other contact surfaces, the Sneaking Suit was originally designed by Desotia’s AMDRA group for use by RIS agents in the field. The sneaking suit combines impressive ballistic protection with noise reduction and silhouettebreaking camouflage patterns on lightsensitive surfacesoptimizing the pattern automatically to account for light exposure and humidity. The “Skull Helmet” includes a bulletproof skullcap, a facemask made of airconditioned plastic, antifog autodarkening eyepieces, and the same camouflage system as the rest of the suit. The whole suit is compatible with the proprietary Timber Wolf Active Stealth System (sold separately) which can effectively turn the wearer invisible for a short period of time.


Sneaking Suit 4 3 Chest, Abdomen, Arms

Stealth Enhancements [2], Stealth Suite

2 gp

Legs compatible

Skull Helmet 8 1 Head Stealth Enhancements [1]

2 gp

Battle Plate Made of carefully designed plates of WhalebloodSteel, plastics, and snapcoat fibers, Battle Plate was developed for boarding actions and closequarters combat in the intense environment of Aethership interiors. Combining excellent protection with adequate coverage, the armor nevertheless is no match for armorpiercing rifle cartridges. Thankfully, those are rarely seen in the aether due to the risk of penetrating the hulls of ships, potentially flooding the compartments with Underspace Dust. Armor AV Weight Coverage Spec Cost

Battle Cuirass 10 3 Chest, Abdomen

10 gp

Heavy Battle Cuirass

10 6 Chest, Abdomen

Bulletproof 30 gp

Battle Leggings 10 6 Legs 3 gp

Battle Arms 10 4 Arms 3 gp

Battle Helmet 10 1 Head 2 Perception 3 gp

Steel Plate A favourite of the cheap, the desperate, and the luddite, Steel plating is an easy method of armouring oneself against harm against person and dignity. Mostly against person. Armor AV Weight Coverage Spec Cost

Steel Cuirass 5 3 Chest, Abdomen

5 gp

Steel Leggings 5 6 Legs 1 gp

Steel Arms 5 4 Arms 1 gp

Steel Helmet 5 1 Head 2 Perception 1 gp

Clayplate Using multiple laminated layers of ceramics, Clayplate, or Flowerpot as it is colloquially known dissipates the energy from firearms incredibly well, but falls short against sustained attack, or against large caliber weapons and melee attacks.


Clayplate Cuirass

10 3 Chest, Abdomen

Ablative [3], Bulletproof

10 gp

Light Clayplate Cuirass

8 1 Chest, Abdomen


10 gp

Heavy Clayplate Cuirass

15 6 Chest, Abdomen


15 gp

Clayplate Leggings

10 6 Legs Ablative [3], Bulletproof

3 gp

Clayplate Arms 10 4 Arms Ablative [3], Bulletproof

3 gp

Clayplate Helmet

10 1 Head Ablative [3], Bulletproof, 2 Perception

3 gp

Shields When using Shields, the character counts as having a certain amount of Cover, but unlike normal Cover, when an attack lands on an area protected by the Shield, it resolves, but with the AV of the shield added to the area. Attacks do NOT combine damage when hitting an area protected by a Shield, instead resolve each attack individually. This may cause the Shield to deteriorate more quickly because of the properties of the Ablative special rule. Shooting a weapon while carrying a shield incurs a 2 penalty, shooting a twohanded weapon while holding one is next to impossible.

Shield Name Bash TN

Block TN

AV Coverage Special Wt. Cost

Ballistic Shield 7(+1b) 7 15 Half Ablative [1] 8 1 gp

Bunker Shield 8(+1b) 7 20 3/4ths Cover Bulletproof, Ablative [1] 15

Doorway Shield 8(+1b) 7 15 3/4ths Cover Ablative [1] 12

Special Quality Effect

Ablative [X] Any attack that inflicts more than 50% of this armor’s AV reduces its AV by X after the attack has resolved. This cannot be repaired, you’ll have to buy a new one.

Bulletproof Weapons do not benefit from AP against this armor.

Stealth Enhancements [X] While wearing this armor, you gain a

bonus equal to X to any Stealth skill tests you make. Additionally, you count as having Camouflage X in dark, indoor or urban environments.

Backpacks

Pack Effect Wt. Cost

Marine Assault Pack Grappling Hook, Buoyancy Device, Respirator

4 1 gp

Engineer’s Pack Engineering Tools, Buoyancy Device, Respirator

4 1 gp

Stealth Suite [Requires Sneaking Suit] Cloaking Device, Respirator 4 25 gp

Luftpack Jetpack, Glider Module, Buoyancy Device, Respirator

8 10 gp

Grappling Hook You can launch a grappling hook up to 50 meters, where it will attach itself to most surfaces (including metal via magnets, wood, etc) and pull yourself up at a rate of 10m per phase. Buoyancy Device You may activate this device instantly. An inflating balloon causes you to become “buoyant” compared to the Dust of Underspace. You will float several meters above the surface indefinitely. Respirator This device contains a thirtyminute supply of oxygen that can be fed to the mouth and nose through a facemask. It is usually integrated into a helmet. The oxygen flow can be toggled on and off, but the respirator also has a simple filtration system so that regular air (or air with minor contamination like dust, smoke, etc) can be filtered and breathed normally. Engineering Tools This device allows for easy access to welding, steellathing, and other engineering tools without much fiddling or rummaging. Essential for work in the field. Cloaking Device This device works in conjunction with a Stealth Suit to turn the wearer effectively invisible for ten minutes. The power cell for this device costs 10 gp, and weighs ten pounds. While invisible, a character has Camouflage 10 in all environments, and gains a +20 bonus to stealth.

HOWEVER: Objects not treated with a Stealth Adaptation remain visible, and can be seen normally. A floating gun is obviously a dead giveaway of the bearer’s presence, and negates the bonuses. Equipment small enough to be stored in the backpack or in pouches on the suit are exempt from this penalty. Any sort of sharp impact (firing a weapon, tripping and falling, being hit by a weapon or bumped into strongly) will cause the wearer to become visible for a full Round. Melee Weapons Conventional Conventional Melee Weapons have the advantage of passing through all forms of energy field. Some rely on raw striking power to do their damage, whereas others can be used to target the joints and cracks in armor. (All armor components in Ballad of the Laser Whales have Joints for the purposes of Joint Thrust.) Moonblades Moonblades are made from the mysterious Moonstone, a sort of crystalline mineral which floats unnaturally on the surface of Underspace, and can be collected with nets or poles. Moonblades are weapons fashioned of this material and reinforced with metal for weight and handiness. When charged with an energy current, glow with an unearthly light and become capable of cutting through any material except for other moonstones. This is obviously extremely useful, and moonblades are highly prized and very expensive. Most Moonblades are swords, intended to be used in close quarters. Moonblade harpoons (Starpoons) are used to penetrate the thick hide of Laser Whales, though, and are sometimes used as weapons by desperate (or deranged) warriors. Weapons with the Moonblade Tag ignore all AV of all varieties. They still have to overcome target Toughness. Moonblade Cutlass

Sword 1H S 7(+1c) 8(+0p) 7(3) Moonblade 6/6 0.5 120 gp

Moonblade Harpoon*

Spear 1H L 8(+0c) 7(+1p) 8 Moonblade, Fluid Thrusts

6/6 100 gp

Moonblade Harpoon

Spear 2H L 6(+1c) 6(+2p) 6 Moonblade, Fluid Thrusts, HandOff

6/6 4 100 gp

Moonblade Templar Sword

Sword 1H M 7(+0c) 7(+0p) 7(0) Moonblade, Draw 2, Cavalry Sword

4/4 0.5 150 gp

Heat Bayonets A sort of “poor man’s Moonblade,” a Heat Bayonet is a tungsten spike through which a current is run that heats it up to the point where it can melt through most metals on contact. This makes it especially useful against Snapcoat, as well as Battle Armor, which has many plastic components which can melt like butter. These are usually attached to the ends of firearms,

though they can also be put at the end of poles. Often called HeatPikes, these polearms are surprisingly useful in some situations, and many ships keep a stock of them for emergencies. Heat Bayonet (SMG)

Spear 2H S 9(3c) 8(+6p) 8 Heavy Weapon, Thin Blade

3/6 0 1 gp

Heat Bayonet (Rifle)

Spear 2H L 9(3c) 8(+6p) 8 Heavy Weapon, Thin Blade

3/6 0 1 gp

Conventional Melee Weapons Knife (Large) Dagger 1H S 6(1c) 6(+0p) 9(0) Draw 1, Light Blade 5/5 0 7 cp

Degan Dagger, Sword

1H S 6(1c) 6(+1p) 7(0) Fluid Thrusts, Light Blade

4/4 0 1 sp

Cutlass Sword 1H S 7(+1c) 8(+0p) 7(3) 6/6 0.5 1 gp

Streitaxt Blunt 2H L 7(+4c) 8(+0p) 8 AP Swing 2, Crushing 2, Heavy Weapon, Hook, Shock 2, Swinging Slot, Thrusting Slot

10/5 2 7 sp

Claymore (Basket Hilted)

Sword 1H M 7(+1c) 7(+0p) 7(4) Tight Grip 2 6/6 0.5 1 gp

Templar Sword Sword 1H M 7(+0c) 7(+0p) 7(0) Draw 2, Cavalry Sword

4/4 0.5 15 sp

Prosthetics Laser Whales, as has been recently discovered, are dualbase life forms that incorporate both silicate and carbon structures in their biology. Their nervous systems are enormously complex, and can connect highly disparate materialsincluding crystalline and fleshy parts. For centuries the nervous system of the Laser Whale has been treasured as a piece of natural artmassive, branching, crystalline, and glowing with an unearthly light. Now, in recent years, a new use for the beautiful material has been discovered. Whalenerve, if treated carefully and arranged properly, can be bonded to exposed human nerves to create an artificial extension to the nervous system that can then, using the material’s qualities, be connected to artificial mechanical limbs, allowing them to be directed as naturally as one might control one’s organic arm. This was the birth of the field of automated prosthetics, which have now become mainstream, and are widely available across the void. Given the amount of war and violence, there has been no shortage of clients on which to test these new technologies. However, the technology is not without its risks. Whalebone nerve replacements emit lowlevel radiation when charged, which can be harmful over long periods of time, and can ultimately result in a host of negative sideeffects.

A character’s resistance to this radiation is called Purity. Each prosthesis lowers Purity, increasing the risk of sideeffects with subsequent enhancements. When installing a prosthesis, the person obtaining a prosthetic rolls a Purity Test. Successes must meet an RS equal to the Purity Loss of the prosthesis. Failure could mean Cybernetic Rejection. Purity/Compatibility Willpower+Health+Misc. (Hale and Hearty, etc.) Represents the purity of the nervous system, and how total the control of a character over his own body is. Reductions in Purity can result in nerve damage, phantom pain, psychosis, etc. Purity Loss Every time you install a prosthesis, regardless of successful installation, you lose Purity based on extremeness of prosthesis. When installed, the limb it is replacing is Amputated (if it’s still there at all), inflicting a Severed Limb bane there (or OneEyed for an Eye, or Facial Deformity (8) for a full Facial Reconstruction). After installation, a prosthetic negates the effects of the Bane associated with it, though the bane is still there. Be sure to track total Purity Reduction, as Purity Reduction also directly affects Void Capacity. Damaging Prosthetic Limbs Prosthetic Limbs have a TOU based on their Quality level, but otherwise suffer injury the same way that regular limbs do. However, Prosthetic limbs, when damaged, suffer Stun and Specials, but they do not suffer Pain or Bleed damage, since they have no nerve endings and there is no blood to be spilled. Low Performance limbs have a TOU of 6, High Performance limbs have TOU 8, and Extreme Performance limbs have TOU 10. Surgery tests versus Crippled Limbs become Engineering tests. Repairing a wounded/damaged prosthetic is an Engineering test at RS equal to the Wound level suffered. Prosthetic Limbs Arm Prosthetics A replacement of the arm. Arm prosthetics are probably the most common in the Void, as a great many people have suffered maiming at some point, and replacements allow them to live and work normally. Prosthetic arms do not normally increase the strength of the wearer, as they must be light enough not to burden the wearer, and must also be mounted to flesh, meaning that excessive force might rip them out of their sockets. Prosthetic arms, lacking sensory nerves in flesh, suffer 4 dice to any test involving fine tactile sensation, such as trying to pick a lock, feel for something in the dark, QuickDrawing a weapon, or anything along those lines. This penalty can be negated by purchasing the Tactile Sense augmentation.

Strength augmentations are only available for Full limb replacement, which includes part of the torso, thus reinforcing the arm’s connection to the body, making strength enhancements possible. When getting a second prosthetic Arm, the Purity Reduction for the new limb is Halved.

Prosthetic Monetary Cost Purity Reduction

Prosthetic Hand/Forearm 8 gp 1

Prosthetic Full Arm 15 gp 2

Prosthetic Full Arm w/ Torso Rig

25 gp 3

Low Performance (Civilian) x1

High Performance (Military) x5

Extreme Performance (Corporate)

x10

Low Performance Prosthetics have one Augmentation Slots, and 6 TOU. High Performance Prosthetics have two Augmentation Slots, and 8 TOU. Extreme Performance Prosthetics have three Augmentation Slots, and 10 TOU. Arm Augmentations (Cost of Augment/Augmentation Slots Used) Armored (5gp/1) Your prosthesis has +4 AV. This augmentation can be taken multiple times. Strength (Full Arm w/ Torso Rig only) (12 gp/1) Your Strength for any action taken involving this limb (punch, climb, etc.) is 8, instead of your regular Strength. If the action would involve two arms, and you only have one augmented arm, your Strength counts as 6or your base strength, whichever is higherinstead. Combat Hand (5 gp/1) Your hand is literally made of steel, and can move in ways that a human hand can’t. You count as having knuckledusters/gauntlet for the purposes of punching damage, and your STR counts as 2 higher for the purposes of Grappling Maneuvers. Electrified Fist (8 gp/2) You hand can be electrified, allowing you to channel electricity into your punches. Once the fist is activated, hitting an opponent with it causes +4 Stun, regardless of wounds inflicted. Keeping the fist in constant contact with an enemy, such as trapping them in a grapple, inflicts this stun once per Action. The fist can only be electrified for 5 Rounds, requiring a 10 Round recharge period.

Claw Hand (5 gp/1) Your fingers are tipped with sharpened steel, able to rip and tear with ease. Your hook punches can now inflict cutting damage, and your straight punches can now inflict piercing damage. These forms of punches cannot benefit from the Superior version of the maneuver, and obviously don’t get damage bonuses from knuckledusters. Free Rotation (2gp/1) Your arm’s joints have no limit on their rotation, allowing unusual feats of flexibility. Add +3 dice to any test where this effect could come into play. Tools (10 gp/1) You have a set of integrated tools in your arm for a specific purpose. Pick one nonKnowledge Skill. You gain a +2 bonus to performing that Skill so long as this limb is still usable and can be applied to the task. You can take this augmentation multiple times, for different skills each time. Grappling Hook (Full Arm w/ Torso Rig only) (6gp/1) The arm has a builtin grappling hook. Functions as a Grappling Hook; You can launch a grappling hook up to 50 meters, where it will attach itself to most surfaces (including metal via magnets, wood, etc) and pull you up at a rate of 10m per phase. Integrated Weapon (10+X gp/Variable) [X=Cost of Weapon to be Integrated] You conceal a weapon inside your limb that can be activated and used at will. For a Hand/Forearm sized limb, this can be a firearm of Pistol, SMG or Shotgun size, or a melee weapon no longer than MLength. For a Full Arm or larger limb, this can be a firearm of Pistol, SMG, Shotgun or Rifle size, or a Melee weapon no longer than LLength. Pistols and SLength melee weapons require 1 Augmentation Slot. SMGs, Shotguns and MLength melee weapons require 2 Augmentation Slots. Rifles and LLength melee weapons require 3 Augmentation Slots. The weapon can be readied normally, or Quickdrawn, but a Quickdraw with an Integrated Weapon automatically succeeds. Noticing that a limb has this augmentation by sight alone is an RS 4 Awareness check, RS 2 if you are allowed to handle the limb. Integrated Weapons have WT 0. Tactile Sense (2 gp/1) You can feel again. Remove the 4 dice penalty towards any action requiring/involving tactile sensations. GyroArm (Full Arm only) (10 gp/1) Your arm is gyroscopically stabilized, making shooting and similar dextrous tasks easier. You have +2 dice to any missile rolls, and to any relevant skill tests. Folding Shield (Full Arm only) (20 gp/2)

Your arm can deploy a small folding shield from itself, about the size of a buckler. It takes 1 phase to do so completely. The folding shield doesn’t function quite the same as normal shield, providing no bonus to defense RS. Also, instead of covering a number of hit locations equal to an equivalent cover, it covers two hit locations, one being the Arm it is installed on, then another of the player’s choosing. The covered location can be changed phase by phase, but not while actions are taking place (you can’t change the shield to cover your head as someone is rolling to shoot you in the head). The shield has the following stats:

Shield Name Bash TN

Block TN

AV Coverage Special Wt. Cost

Folding Shield 7(+1b) 7 15 Two Locations Bulletproof, Ablative [1] 0 0 gp

Repetitive Task Function (Full Arm only) (4gp/1) Your arm has an unusual function, in that it can be programmed to perform a specific, simple, onehanded task. This can be something like bringing a drink up to your mouth every half minute and holding it there for 5 seconds, writing out a specific section of a form, or signing your name. It takes about a minute to program the prosthesis, consisting of setting the clockwork mechanism up, then performing the task a single time. Once programmed, the prosthesis will perform the task exactly how it was performed during programming. The prosthesis will retain this programming until it is overridden by new programming. The method of activating the function is determined by the buyer, common methods being a pull string, a small button, or a turn key. A pair of full arm prosthetics can be programmed as one, allowing twohanded tasks. Leg A replacement of the leg. Prosthetic legs do not normally increase the strength or speed of the wearer, as they must be light enough not to burden the wearer, and must also be mounted to flesh, meaning that excessive force might rip them out of their sockets. When getting a second prosthetic Leg, the Purity Cost for the new limb is Halved.


Prosthetic Foot/Shin 8 gp 1

Prosthetic Full Leg 15 gp 2

Prosthetic Full Leg w/ Pelvic Reinforcement

25 gp 3




x10

Low Performance Prosthetics have one Augmentation Slots, and 6 TOU.

High Performance Prosthetics have two Augmentation Slots, and 8 TOU. Extreme Performance Prosthetics have three Augmentation Slots, and 10 TOU. Leg Augmentations (Cost of Augment/Augmentation Slots Used) Armored (5gp/1) Your prosthesis has +4 AV. This augmentation can be taken multiple times. Combat Leg (5gp/1) You’ve got a leg made of steel, and joints that rotate outside the human range of motion. You count as having sabatons for the purpose of kicking damage, and in addition, when using the Whip Kick rule, you may invest up to 10 CP to increase damage, rather than the usual 2. Dagger Foot (5gp/1) A dagger has been installed in the sole of your prosthetic foot, allowing it to be used in combat. Swinging Kicks can now deal piercing damage. Mobility Enhancement (Two Leg Prosthetics only) (5gp/1) These prosthetics have been optimized for movement of all kinds, from sprinting, to running, to jumping! This augmentation adds +2 to your MOB, and can be purchased multiple times. Claw Stabilizers (Two Full Legs w/ Pelvic Reinforcement only) (8gp/1) Stabilizing claws have been installed in your legs, letting you dig into the ground. Whenever appropriate, you may spend a move action to dig your claws into the ground. Doing so gives you +3 dice to stability tests (or any other appropriate test, GM discretion), and allows you to Brace a weapon. Free Rotation (2gp/1) This prosthesis’s joints have no limit on their rotation, allowing unusual feats of flexibility. Add +3 dice to any test where this effect could come into play. Rocket Legs (2 Full Legs w/ Pelvic Reinforcement only) (20gp/2) A small rocket booster has been installed into both of your legs, allowing you to jump massive distances. Sadly, it only has enough fuel for one jump. Once per fuel tank (fuel tanks can be bought for 5gp), you may automatically pass one Jumping Skill test, within GM discretion. Jumping the gap between two close together voidships may be reasonable, jumping up into Overspace to engage an Airship is not. The soft limit of distance is 33m horizontal, and about 17m straight vertical. Leg Compartment (2gp/1) A small hidden compartment has been installed somewhere on your prosthesis. This could be a holster of some kind, or just a small box for storing miscellaneous items. Noticing that a limb has this augmentation by sight alone is an RS 5 Awareness check, RS 2 if you are allowed to handle the limb. Other Prosthetics Head

A prosthesis on or of the skull. Generally the least common of replacements, but covering the widest range of injuries. One man may, after taking a blast of shrapnel to the face, may require a Prosthetic Jaw, Prosthetic Eye, or even a full Prosthetic Facial Reconstruction. By default, any prosthesis on your face counts as a Facial Deformity (2). Prosthetic Eyes, by default, cannot see color, and suffer a 2 dice penalty to any PER check. When getting a second Prosthetic Eye, the Purity Cost for the new eye is Halved.


Prosthetic Jaw 5 gp 1

Prosthetic Eye 10 gp 2

Prosthetic Facial Reconstruction

30 gp 4




x10

Low Performance Prosthetics have one Augmentation Slots. High Performance Prosthetics have two Augmentation Slots. Extreme Performance Prosthetics have three Augmentation Slots. Head Augmentations (Cost of Augment/Augmentation Slots Used) Combat Jaw (Prosthetic Jaw) (2gp/1) Your teeth and jaw have been reinforced, and potentially even sharpened! Your Jaw now increases the AV of the Lower Head by 6. Additionally, Bite Maneuvers now deal [STR+BS] rather than [Half STR+Half BS]. Technicolor Vision (Prosthetic Eye) (5gp/1) You can see in color once more! It’s not quite up to par with normal human vision, but it’s enough. Remove the dice penalty related to prosthetic eyes not being able to color. Starlight Vision (Prosthetic Eye) (8gp/1) Your eye can now take in extra light, allowing you to see better in the dark. When activated, remove any penalty related to darkness affecting your vision (shooting in dark ship, looking for something in the dark, etc.). If suddenly exposed to light while this augmentation is active, suffer 4 stun immediately. Facial Molding (Prosthetic Facial Reconstruction only) (20gp/2) An unusual enhancement, this augmentation allows a facial prosthetic to reshape itself, potentially changing your face completely. After starting the process, this augmentation will slowly change your face to whatever form (still human face) you wish, over the course of 1 week.

Voidsight (Prosthetic Eye) (20gp/2) Your eye can now project Moonstone radiation, which can reflect back into special sensors, allowing you to see things that normal light could not convey to you. Additionally, Moonstone radiation penetrates most materials, allowing you to briefly see through walls or other obstacles. Voidsight is powered by the moonstone battery used to project the radiation, but there is another costsomething the Zells call “The Wheel’s Price.” Events tend to conspire against those who utilize the Voidsight for too long, as though they are being punished for violating some natural law. Activating Voidsight requires the expenditure of 1 Luck point. This keeps it active for about thirty seconds (5 Rounds in Combat), during which time you can see things normally invisible to the naked eye (ghosts, magical spirits, the trails left by Void Users, etc) and can also see living creatures through walls and other obstacles. If shooting at an opponent or other target hiding behind cover that your weapon can penetrate, you may completely negate their Cover Defense bonus when shooting at them, since you can see them clearly and their cover provides no meaningful deterrence to the weapon. Torso Augmentations (Cost of Augment/Purity Loss) Augmentations of the Torso work slightly differently from other prosthetics. They have no augmentation slots, just being a flat cost and purity loss for a specific effect. Major (Organ Replacement) (15gp/3 Purity) Has no specific positive effects. Organ Replacement is done to prevent death from organ failure on account of illness, surgery or injury. When a character would be about to perish due to Septic Infection (see Wounds) and assuming that they are in a medical facility capable of performing such a surgery, an Organ Replacement Surgery may be used to immediately negate the Sepsis. Health is returned to normal, but another Infection roll must be made (counts as sterile and in good conditions, cutting type wound level 3) to see if the organ is rejected. No Cybernetic Rejection roll is need for this augmentation. Nerve Replacement (20gp/4 Purity per Level) The replacement of the central nervous system (where possible) with Whalebone fibers. This increases reaction time, coordination, reflexes and instills in the subject an extreme clarity of thought in stressful situations. However, it has its drawbacks. Difficulty sleeping is not uncommon, as the nerves react powerfully to stimuli, even in dreams. A normal man might sit up suddenly in bed after a nightmare a man with whalebone nerves might jump up so hard he hits the ceiling. Each level of Nerve Replacement increases ADR by 1. However, in the event of any surprise, alarm or other “trigger” for immediate reaction, a character must make a Willpower Test at RS 2+1 per level of this Augmentation to avoid reacting in the most immediate, primal and stupid way possible. Hemostatic Clamp (10gp/2 Purity) A small augmentation situated near the heart, this unit helps minimize bloodloss in combat conditions. Reduce the RS of Blood Loss tests by 1.

Prothesis Installation & Cybernetic Rejection When installing a prosthesis, the Surgeon responsible for its installation must make an RS 4 Surgery test. This surgery takes about 4 hours of continuous work under carefully controlled conditions. Meanwhile, the person undergoing surgery must make a WIL+Grit test, at RS equal to the Purity Reduction of the Prosthetic, in order to stay conscious while the surgery is taking place, so connecting nerves can be properly tested. If the person fails to stay conscious, the surgery cannot be finished until they wake up and stay awake (repeat the test). Multiple failures, or an unreachable RS, could mean that the surgery is simply too invasive for the person to safely endure. After a prosthesis is installed, a Purity test must be made by the person receiving the prosthesis. Failure risks Cybernetic Rejection. The Purity test is RS 3. Success means the prosthesis has been successfully installed, and no ill effects other than purity loss is suffered. On failure, various ill effects are suffered, based on the degree of failure, see the table below. Prosthetics can be removed, restoring the old bane they negated, and removing any negative effects of rejection. However, Purity Reductions are not reversed, and are permanent. You can never be clean again. Removing a prosthesis is an RS 4 Surgery Test.

Degrees of Failure Effect

Failed by 1 Minor chronic pain is suffered. Gain Lasting Pain (Minor).

Failed by 2 Major chronic pain is suffered. Gain Lasting Pain (Major).

Failed by 3 Major chronic pain is suffered. In addition, lesions and open wounds develop around the socket. Gain Lasting Pain (Major). The location the prosthesis was installed on has a constant Infection Risk of 1. This risk is reduced as normal by things like having enough to eat, and being in a clean environment.

Critically Failed (or 0 Purity) Total Cybernetic Rejection. An immediate fullbody septic infection is suffered, persisting until the prosthesis is removed, or until the subject is placed on a regimen of immunosuppressants drugs. These drugs cost 4gp per month if paying out of pocket, and reduce a character’s HLT to 0 for the purposes of infection and sickness.

Post installation/removal recovery time is equal to that of a Level 4 wound.

The Ship So you’re a bunch of Void Pirates. You’d better have a Voidship! Each PC brings a certain number of Ship Points to the Party. Pool these together and use them to create a ship for the Party. This should be a collaborative process, though the GM could just do it himself if you can’t agree, or if he has something special in mind.

PCP Ship Contribution

1 0

2 1

3 2

4 3

5 4

6 5

7 6

8 10

9 15

10 20

Other Sources of Ship Points

Source Points

50Year Mortgage (7,500 gp debt per Point)

State Navy (All characters gain Duty Bane for the country they serve. Captain gains Rank 6.)

5 per character

Salvaged (50% of ship systems are damaged at start)

+25% Points

Ship Class Class Length/Squ Normal Armament Hull Base Point Monetary

ares Defense Cost Cost

Tiny (Cutter) 10m/12 1 gun 10 3 5 25,000 gp

Small (Sloop) 25m/30 4 guns 50 2 10 50,000 gp

Medium (Frigate) 50m/96 2 batteries, 4 guns 100 1 20 100,000 gp

Large (Destroyer)

100m/144 4 batteries, 8 guns, 2 heavy guns

200 0 30 150,000 gp

V. Large (Battleship)

150m/270 6 batteries, 12 guns, 4 heavy guns, 1 spinal gun

400 1 50 250,000 gp

Huge (Dreadnought)


800 2 200 1,000,000 gp

Leviathanic (Leviathan)


1600

3 240 1,200,000 gp

Type

Type Point Cost

Voidship 0

Zeppelin 5

Underspace Boat 10

Propulsion Type Speed Squares Point Cost

Whaleblood Engine 50 knots 1/2/4/6/8/10/15 2

Solar Sails 30 knots 0/1/2/3/4/5/6 2

Manual Screws* 10 knots 0/1/2/3/4/5/6 1

*Can be taken in addition to other options as an emergency propulsion system

Ships have a “base” number of guns which are free, and take up no space. Additional guns take up space as shown below. Light Guns (All Light Guns take up one square) Gun Type Range Attack TN Hull Damage Arc Special

Light Gun

1000m 7 1d10 180 degrees Blast Radius 10m

Light Rocket

5000m 9 3d10 180 degrees Blast Radius 25m

Flamethrower

100m 4 NA 180 degrees Fire damage 1d10/2 for 5 rounds

Harpoon Launcher

500m 7 1d10/2 180 degrees Boarding Action

Flak Gun 5000m 6 1 360 degrees ROF 4, AntiAircraft, Blast Radius 10m, Half Damage vs Ships

Heavy Guns (All Heavy Guns take up 2 Squares) Gun Type Range Attack TN Hull Damage Arc Special

Heavy Gun 3000m 7 3d10 180 degrees Blast Radius 25m

Heavy Rocket Launcher

10,000m 9 10d10 180 degrees Blast Radius 50m

AntiAircraft Array

5,000m 6 1 360 degrees ROF 16, AntiAircraft, Blast Radius 10m, Half Damage vs Ships

Batteries (Batteries take up 10 Squares, these must all be on the edge of the ship.) Gun Type Range Attack TN Hull Damage Arc Special

Broadside Array

1000m 6 1d10 90 degrees ROF 20

Torpedo Array

See Torpedoes

See Torpedoes

See Torpedoes

90 degrees 6 Tubes, Launches Torpedoes

Shield Generator

90 degrees Not a Weapon, see Shield Array entry

Aircraft Catapults

90 degrees Carries Aircraft (10/20/30)

Spinal Cannon Spinal Cannons take up a single line of squares that extends the length of the vessel. The number of squares this actually takes up will depend on the design of the vessel, but should be counted and listed as X for stat purposes as shown below.

Gun Type Range Attack TN Hull Damage Arc Special

Moonstone Cannon

15,000m +[X*100m]

7 3d10*10+X Dead Ahead

Annihilator Lance

500m +[X*10m]

6 10d10*10+X Dead Ahead

Venator Cannon

12,000m+[X*100m]

7 1d10*10+X Dead Ahead ROF 5

Rapture Artillery Array

20,000m+[X*100m]

7 1d10 90 degrees ROF 30, Blast Radius 10

Airstrip Dead Ahead Carries Aircraft (30/60/90)

Torpedoes

Torpedo Type Speed Maximum Range

Damage Special Cost

Dumbfire AntiShip Torpedo

4 kpm 10km 1d10x100

Guided AntiShip Torpedo

2 kpm 5km 1d10x100

Dumbfire Stealth Torpedo

1 kpm 5 km 1d10x50

Guided Stealth Torpedo

.5 kpm 2 km 1d10x50

Assault Torpedo

4 kpm 50 km NA

Stealth Assault Torpedo

2 kpm 25 km NA

Fighters

Fighter Type Speed Max Range Armament Special Cost

Sternfleischer109

12 kpm

250 km 2 13mm KurschatLickert MG71 Machineguns 1 20mm cannon 1x250 kg Bomb

Air Superiority 6, Bomber [1]

1200 gp

Schneider Tannenhauser702

10 kpm

250 km 4 13mm KurschatLickert MG71 Machineguns, 2 20mm cannons

Air Superiority 7 1100 gp

Sternfleischer87

8 kpm 200 km 5 13mm KurschatLickert MG71 Machineguns 4x400kg bombs

Air Superiority 3 Bomber [4]

3000 gp

UC “Can’t we all just get along?” Mk VII

12 kpm

100 km 6 20mm cannons Air Superiority 5 1000 gp

Merlin Firebrand Mk XIII

10 kpm

150 km 8 12x99mm machineguns 1 37mm cannon

Air Superiority 6 1100 gp

D10 Stallion 10 kpm

500km 8 12x99mm machineguns Air Superiority 6 1200

CIS “Eadwine” Bomber

10 kpm

500 km 4 .303 machineguns 10x1000lb bombs

Air Superiority 1 Bomber [10]

10,000 gp

Ship Rooms Corridor Crew Quarters Storage Magazine Fuel Storage Bridge Armored Bulkhead Mess Hall Lounge/Entertainment Area Armory Officer Quarters Engine Supercharger Science Lab Containment Cells Medbay Damage Control Center Gun Pod Shields Ship shields protect the

Ship Combat Ship Combat is divided into 1minute Rounds. The Captains of each ship write down the actions of their vessels simultaneously in secret, and reveal them all. The actions are then resolved in the following order:

1: Orders 2: 1st Half Movement 3: Attack Actions A ship can make one Attack Action a Round per Fire Control Seat or Targeting Computer it has.

Barrage: Choose a target and a weapon type on your ship. All weapons of that type that are capable of doing so fire at the target. Fire Control Officer rolls Gunnery+Gunner Quality+Number of Weapons Firing+Misc against enemy Base Defense+Angle Bonus/Penalty+Range Modifier+Misc. Success results in 1 shot hitting, +1 per BS. Broadside Launch Torpedoes Launch Fighters Main Battery, Fire!

Angle Bonus/Penalty to Defense

Approaching 0

Abeam +1

Fleeing 1

4: Damage Resolution

Going back to the prior example, the enemy destroyer has just been hit with 9 Light Gun shots. Hit Location is rolled for each weapon based on Firing Angle (Abeam.) 7 of the attacks hit the Left Flank, and 2 hit the Bow. 7d6 damage is rolled against the Left Flank for a total of 20, 2d6 are rolled against the Bow for a total of 6. The Left Flank has sustained 20 damage, which is twiceover 20% of the total Hull value of that Flank (50), meaning two Critical Hits have been inflicted. The Bow has sustained 6 damage. The Critical Hits are rolled. One Fire Control Seat is destroyed, and the Damage Control Room is hit, casualties are suffered and the system is down. This is good! It will make it hard for the enemy to recover from future attacks.

5: 2nd Half Movement 6: Damage Control

Torpedoes When fired, Torpedoes will advance towards their targets in one of three ways depending on their guidance system. As soon as a Torpedo makes contact with a target vessel, resolve AntiTorpedo measures (if any) and then resolve the torpedo attack with the remaining torpedoes, rolling for random hit location and then damage like any other attack. Detecting Torpedoes requires an RS 5 Sensors test for regular torpedoes, and an RS 8 Sensors test for stealth torpedoes. Torpedoes can be shot with attacks. A wave of torpedoes has Defense 5 against weapons without the Anti Aircraft quality, and Defense 2 against weapons with that quality. Any impact will destroy a torpedo. A Fighter Squadron of any sort will completely destroy any Torpedo Flight. Dumbfire: Dumbfire Torpedoes will simply proceed in a straight line towards their destination until they either reach the target, encounter another potential target, or are destroyed. Dumbfire torpedoes that pass within 1km of a potential target will change targets to that ship instead. A Gunnery Test and a Sensors Test, both at RS 4, will determine where the torpedoes would have to be launched to hit a target based on its current trajectory. Unless the target changes speed or turns, the torpedoes will hit automatically. Guided: Guided Torpedoes will adjust their trajectory at the start of each Movement phase, and then proceed in a straight line towards the target. Guided Torpedoes will avoid or move around obstacles or other vessels in pursuit of their target. Assault: Assault Torpedoes are a bit different, in that they’re really manpiloted vessels full of marines intent on doing grievous harm to the enemy. Assault Torpedoes can be controlled manually each Movement Phase, and can be instructed to go wherever. Once they hit a target, they can conduct a Boarding Action with Manpower 1 per Assault Torpedo in the volley. Fighters Much like Torpedoes, Fighters are launched during the Shooting phase, but move during the Movement phases. Unlike Torpedoes, Fighters can be ordered to abandon their old target and adopt a new one, or to hold their position, or return to their hostship. When Fighters make contact with other Fighters, an Air Superiority test is made between the two squadrons. If one squadron is more numerous by 50% or more, it gains a +1 bonus to its Air Superiority quality per 50% advantage it has. The victor of the contest continues as normal. The loser is scattered and returns to their carrier, unable to continue their mission. Fighters can be shot at by ship weapons. A squad of fighters has Defense 5 against weapons without the Anti Aircraft quality, and Defense 2 against weapons with that quality. Any hit will destroy a fighter.

When Fighters contact an enemy Vessel, first resolve the Antiaircraft fire from the ship. Every weapon with the Anti Aircraft quality shoots its ROF at the Squadron. Any hit will destroy a fighter. Every surviving fighter may then inflict damage equal to their Bomber qualities. Afterwards, the fighter squadron will have to retreat back to the mothership to reload on bombs.

Void Magic “Can you hear it, human? Like a mother’s lullaby. Like the song of a whale. The winds of the netherworld whisper through darkness. The secrets, the secrets!” Void Magic, also called Black Magic, is a form of spellcasting granted to certain individuals by the “Gods Below,” the beings of Underspace, or the Netherworld. Nobody is certain what causes an individual to be chosen. Some search their entire lives for the power without ever finding it, others have it dropped into their laps without even knowing what it is. The dark powers are unpredictable, and capricioushowever, they do not revoke their gifts once given. Of the many strange abilities granted to VoidUsers, the most universal is that they can now understand the songs of whales. The eerie wailing that permeates the Void is now clear to them. The whales sing very slowlya sentence in a day, perhaps. They are lonely, so very lonely, and call out to their fellows from across the darkness. At Character Creation, a PC with points in Magic may become a VoidUser by spending the points awarded as detailed in the chart below. If a character has prosthetics of any kind, apply any Purity Reductions directly to Void Capacity. Becoming a VoidUser at Chargen Magic Points User Level Void Powers

(levels 1/2/3) Void Capacity

5 Novice 1/0/0 3+Wip

10 Initiate 3/1/0 6+Wip

15 Adept 6/3/1 9+Wip

20 Master of the Temple 8/6/3 12+Wip

Leveling up Void Capacity costs 8 Arc per VC point. Learning new Void Powers (Powers with multiple levels must be bought in order)

Power Level Arc Cost

Level 1 8

Level 2 12

Level 3 16

Powers Powers can be used with Void. You regain Void equal to (and up to) Void Capacity at the beginning of every Round. Offensive Void powers halve the Defense RS to hit their intended target. Using Void Powers as an Action Translocate You can dissolve yourself into ether, and reappear elsewhere at will! This is essentially teleportation. Many find this experience disturbing, as it takes a second between dissolving for them to reappear, and all that anyone can remember of that second is a lurching sense of weightlessness and a great bloodshot eye staring out of a field of eternal darkness. But hey, it’s fast, right?

Level 1: Flash [5] As a Movement, you may instantly move up to 120m to any location that you can see directly, ignoring all of the terrain in between. You can bring equipment with you up to your own bodyweight. You may spend another 10 Void to bring an additional person with you, or up to an additional person’s weight worth of inanimate materials. For the purposes of shooting, all penalties double when Translocating. Enemies suffer a 4 penalty when shooting at you, and you suffer a 8 penalty when shooting. This penalty applies to Offensive Void powers as well. You cannot make melee attacks after Flashing in this manner. In Melee Combat, you may activate this Power as a Flee Maneuver, at +1 TN.

Level 2: Shift [8] As a Movement, you may instantly move up to 120m to any location, regardless of whether or not you can actually see it directly. You have to know that the

location is there, though. If for some reason the location you had anticipated is no longer there, the Shift fails, and you waste your Action. You may spend another 10 Void to bring an additional person with you, or up to an additional person’s weight worth of inanimate materials. The penalties to attacks & actions are the same as with Flash, with the exception that you may make melee attacks after Flashing adjacent to someone. These “count” as Charges, but you suffer a 8 penalty to CP from Shifting. In Melee Combat, you may activate this Power as a Flee Maneuver, at +1 TN.

Level 3: Translocate [15] As a Magic Action, you may instantly move up to 120m to any location, regardless of whether or not you can actually see it directly. You may also instantly move any distance to a Location where you have a Tefillin. A Tefillin is a piece of yourself (usually a vial of blood, some hair, or a bit of fingernails) suspended in a container of Underspace Ether. Constructing such a reliquary costs 1 gp. However, Tefillin can be broken easily, so it is best to only install them in safe locations or among friends. You may spend another 10 Void to bring an additional person with you, or up to an additional person’s weight worth of inanimate materials. The penalties to attacks & actions are the same as with Shift, with the exception of the penalty to melee attacks, which is is reduced to 4. In Melee Combat, you may activate this Power as a Flee Maneuver, at +1 TN.

Spiderwalk [5 Void] You may walk on walls or the ceiling with no more difficulty than if you were walking on the floor. Curiously, your clothing and other equipment do not seem to obey the laws of gravity as you do thisthey “hang” in whichever direction the surface you are clinging to is relative to you. If you are clinging to multiple surfaces opposed to each other, they seem to float as though weightless. You may activate this Power at any time by paying the cost.

Level 1: 1 Round Level 2: 1 Minute (10 Rounds)

Level 3: 1 Hour (600 Rounds) Influence Technology [5 Void] You can cause technological devices (those involving electricity, motors, etc) to obey your will to a certain extent. At low levels you can simply cause them to fail, but at higher levels you can control them as extensions of your body. Make a Willpower Test at RS 1 for simple devices, 3 for complex devices, and 5 for extremely complex devices (GM’s discretion, but as a rule, a car battery or a gun is simple, an electric motor or a diesel engine is complex, and a computer is extremely complex.) Purely mechanical devices can also be manipulated (guns, cranks, a handpowered rail car) at +1 RS.

Level 1: ShortCircuit The device fails at whatever its intended task was, or activates once at your command.

Level 2: Destroy

The device not only fails, you may choose to break it as well. Reduce RS by 1. Level 3: Control You may cause the device to perform one action at your bidding within its capabilities (cause a crane to turn left instead of right, cause a weapon to fire in a specific way on your timing and command, etc) Reduce RS by 2. If the device would require electricity or manual input to function, you may force it to function as though something were supplying it with the necessary force, so long as you concentrate and take no other action.

Field of Darkness [10 Void] You create a field of darkness around you that reduces visibility to Darkness in its area. This darkness cannot be penetrated by conventional lighting, only by Moonstone Lamps. It overwhelms all natural and artificial lighting sources, except the aforementioned. Field of Darkness lasts for the entire round it was activated. At the start of the next round, before Phases begin, Field of Darkness can activated again for the same cost.

Level 1: The field is up to 10 meters in all directions from you. Level 2: The field is up to 10 meters in all directions from you, and your visibility remains as though it were normal lighting, regardless of what it was before.

Winds of the Netherworld You can cause tendrils of dark energy to lash out at your foes, dissolving their flesh into subspace dust. If used against the corpses of already dead creatures no larger than a horse or cow, the bodies and all other evidence disintegrate automatically.

Level 1: Vortex [3+X] As a Shoot Action you can make an attack at TN 6 with X that ignores Movement penalties to attack. This is only one attack with X. If it hits it ignores AV and inflicts WIP+BS damage. Effective Range is no further than 30m. In melee combat, this may be performed as a Melee Shoot maneuver, with the X CP of Melee Shoot not exceeding the X of Void Capacity invested in Vortex.

Level 2: Infest [5+X] As a Shoot Action you can make an attack at TN 6 with X that ignores Movement penalties to attack. This is only one attack with X. If it hits it ignores AV and inflicts WIP+BS damage. Next Phase, the target suffers the same amount of Damage to a different randomlychosen Hit Location. Effective Range is no further than 30m.

Level 3: Dust to Dust [8+X+Y] As a Shoot Action you can make an attack at TN 6 with X that ignores Movement penalties to attack. This is Y attacks with X. These attacks ignore AV and inflicts WIP+BS damage. A Critical Hit instantly disintegrates any target. Effective Range is no further than 30m.

VoidPush

Level 1: Minor [X] As a Shoot Action you can make an attack at TN 7 with X that ignores Movement and

Cover penalties. If successful, the enemy is pushed back BS meters directly away from you, and

must make a Stability Test at RS equal to your BS or be knocked prone. Effective Range is no further than 10m. In melee combat, this may be performed as a Melee Shoot maneuver, with the X CP of Melee Shoot not exceeding the X of Void Capacity invested in Voidpush.

Level 2: Major [X+4] As a Shoot Action you can make an attack with X that ignores Movement and

Cover penalties. If successful, the enemy is pushed back 2xBS meters directly away from you, and must make a Stability Test at RS equal to your BS or be knocked prone. Effective Range is no further than 10m. In melee combat, this may be performed as a Melee Shoot maneuver, with the X CP of Melee Shoot not exceeding the X of Void Capacity invested in Voidpush.

Level 3: Superior [X+6] As a Shoot Action you can make an attack with X that ignores Movement

and Cover penalties. If successful, the enemy suffers a Bludgeoning Attack to the Chest at Strength equal to BS, is pushed back 2xBS meters directly away from you, and must make a Stability Test at RS equal to your BS or be knocked prone. Effective Range is no further than 10m. In melee combat, this may be performed as a Melee Shoot maneuver, with the X CP of Melee Shoot not exceeding the X of Void Capacity invested in Voidpush.

Freeze Time

Level 3: The World is Mine [15] Activate at the very start of a Round. For this Round, there is now a 0th Phase which you may act in before any other Phases begin. You also gain +4 to your Base Defense for the 0th and 1st Phase of this Round. If multiple characters use this power simultaneously, they may all act in the “0th Phase.” Outside of Combat, this ability allows you to freeze time for just over one full second. Objects you put into motion will move, but only sluggishly until time returns to its regular pace.

Dustform

Level 2: Immaterial [10] Activate at the start of a Round. You gain +4 to your Base Defense for the entire Round.

Moonstone weapons can still attack you normally, and you gain no bonus to your Base Defense against them. Attacks you make this Round only inflict half of their normal damage, be they missile, melee or voidmagic, as you are not entirely “there,” and neither are your bullets.

Level 3: Unreal [15] Activate at the start of a Round. You gain a +8 to your Base Defense for

the entire Round., but you cannot make any attacks or interactions with other characters or objects. You can move through solid objects with ease, so long as they are not Electrified or MoonstoneLaced. Moonstone weapons can still attack you normally, and you gain no bonus to your Base Defense against them.

Bend Mind

Level 2: Kneel! [X+10]

You may activate this ability as an action in Combat. When activating this ability, you may issue a command, generally no longer than two or three words, directed at a living being. That being must make a Willpower test at RS equal to 2+(X/2) or do its best to obey the command. If the command is dangerous or potentially suicidal, the target gains a bonus of +3 to its Willpower test. If the command is overtly suicidal (“Die”is a valid command, causing the target’s heart to stop) the target doubles its Willpower for the purposes of the test. Kneel! is only binding for about ten seconds (3 Rounds in combat) after which the effects wear off. Multiple targets may be selected for Kneel! At a cost of +2 Void Capacity per target.

The Way of Five Up is Down. Drink the Tar. Forward is Back. Drink the Tar. Love is Hate. Drink the Tar. War is Peace. Drink the Tar. Good is Evil. Drink the Tar. Babel Tar has always played an important role in Chironite society. A powerful hallucinogenic and narcotic, it is frequently used (illegally) as a recreational drug, and less illicitly as an

anaesthetic. However, a less publicized use was discovered first by the monks of St. Bertulf. Very small quantities, taken regularly, produce a state of impenetrable calm, objectivity, and, at times, precognition. Others had found ways to achieve this state without use of the drug, but by “bruteforcing” the condition, enough practitioners were assembled to make serious strides in understanding the state through sheer force of numbers. The monastic order used this altered state to develop a martial arts system. Initially, the system was used as an exercise, to maintain a religious experience despite violent and hectic surroundings, imposing a sense of order and piety on a chaotic world. Eventually, however, the system was tested in battle and found to be superbly effective. The monks were called upon to defend the faith against infidels and outsiders, and eventually became a militant order. Now, centuries later, The Way of Five has been adapted for modern use, and elements of the style have found their way into military shooting stances, drills, and reloading routinesbut the true art, the art of precognition and unnaturally ordered and efficient movements, has remained the field of mystics and warriormonks. There are three primary groups who hold to this traditionthe Paladins, who serve the State, the Clerics, who serve the Church, and the Pilgrims, who serve nobody. There are other practitioners and imitators throughout the Void, but most take some inspiration from the original three. The use of the Way of Five revolves around Focus. Focus is the state of supreme calm that allows one to make use of the superb abilities of the martial art. A character’s supply of Focus replenishes at the start of every Round. Way of Five at Character Creation Magic Points User Level Focus Limit

5 Novice WIP

Purchasing additional Focus Limit at Character Creation costs 5 Magic Points for 4. Purchasing additional Focus Limit with Arc during gameplay costs 8 Arc Points for 1. Being part of a Tradition at Character Creation costs 10 Magic Points in addition to the initial 5. The Five Axioms Unless specified otherwise, each of the listed effects lasts for the entire Round. A character may activate any number of Axiom abilities in any combination, so long as they have the Focus required. Axioms must be activated at the start of the Round before any Phases are resolved. Activating both Abilities in any given Axiom also activates the [Axiom] Ability. Templars only need to activate the [Templar] ability to activate the [Axiom]. Way the First Up is Down Spend 3 Focus to gain one of the following abilities. Spends 5 to gain both abilities. Templars instead pay 3 for the Templar Ability.

You do not suffer Move Penalties to Shooting this Round with Pistols or SMGs. You gain a +10 bonus to Athletics rolls made this Round.

[Templar] [Active] You may move up to 20m when taking a Melee Attack action, and you gain a +10 bonus to Athletics rolls made this Round.

[Axiom] For this Phase, all rolls made by or against you count results lower than their Target Number as successes, and equal or higher results as nonsuccesses.

Way the Second Forward is Back Spend 2 Focus to gain one of the following abilities. Spend 3 to gain both abilities.

Your “front arc” now encompasses all 360 degrees around you. You may make attacks in any direction, and never count as being outflanked. [Templar] [Passive] You never count as being Outflanked. [Axiom] Even if you cannot see your target or are unaware of them, you do not count as

Defenseless for the purposes of attacks. Way the Third Love is Hate Spend X Focus. For every 3 points spent, you gain one of the following abilities. (You can take each multiple times.)

Your Base Defense is increased 1 per 3 points of Focus spent against attacks aimed specifically at you (Regular Fire, Burst Fire, Automatic Fire) for the duration of this Round.

Your Base Defense is increased 1 per 3 points of Focus spent against AoE attacks (Suppressive Fire, etc.) for the duration of this Round. (Note that grenades don’t roll against Base Defense.)

(Neither of these abilities apply against Blind Fire.) [Templar] [Passive]: Both of these abilities apply against Blind Fire. If you have a melee weapon drawn, both abilities of Love is Hate increase Base Defense by 2 per 3 points, instead of 1. [Axiom] Way the Fourth War is Peace Spend 4 Focus to gain one of the following abilities. Spend 7 Focus to gain both. Templars instead pay 4 for the Templar Ability.

This Round, you may make an extra attack with each weapon when performing Regular Fire. This attack may be a shot or an Aim, as normal.

This Round, you may Aim while dualwielding, though you must “aim” with a specific weapon, and the bonuses only apply to that weapon’s attacks.

[Templar] You gain +4 to any Initiative Tests you make in Melee Combat this Round. [Axiom] For every Attack you declare during a Phase, you gain 1 MP for all Attacks in

that Phase, this Round. For Templars, every Melee Attack made this Round increases your Combat Pool by 4 for the rest of the Round.

Way the Fifth Good is Evil Spend 4 Focus to gain one of the following abilities. Spend 7 Focus to gain both. Templars instead pay 4 for the Templar Ability.

For this Round, ignore all visibility, concealment and other visionbased penalties to shooting. Cover still applies.

For this Round, enemies cannot Aim at you. Previously existing Aim bonuses are not lost.

[Templar] Enemies cannot benefit from Aim Bonuses against you. This includes existing Aim bonuses.

[Axiom] Halve all Shooting Bonuses against you. This includes bonuses from Auto/Burst Fire.

TraditionSpecific Axioms Truth is Falsehood [Pilgrim] Spend 6 Focus to gain one of the following abilities. Spend 11 Focus to gain both.

For this Round, you may Move and perform an Active Defense at the same time, benefitting from the increased Base Defense as you move up to MOB meters.

For this Round, when performing an Active Defense, you may roll Athletics instead of ADR and add BS to your Base Defense.

Sanity is Insanity [Pilgrim] Spend 8 Focus to gain one of the following abilities. Spend 15 Focus to gain both.

For this Round, every character who declares an attack targeting you in any Phase increases your Base Defense by 1 for that Phase against all attacks.

For this Round, every character you declare an attack against in any Phase increases your MP for all attacks made by you in that Phase by 1.

Freedom is Slavery [Paladin] Spend 8 Focus to gain one of the following abilities.

For this Round, every ally within eyeshot of you gains +2 MP. For this Round, every ally within eyeshot of you gains +1 Base Defense.

Mercy is Cruelty [Paladin] This ability is always active.

Attacks with 0 BS are not limited to any level of Wound, and inflict damage normally. This applies to attacks made by or against you.

Order is Chaos [Cleric] Spend 4 focus to gain one of the following abilities. Spend 7 Focus to gain both.

For this Round, so long as all of your attacks in a Phase are aimed at the same character/target, you gain +2 MP to all shooting in that Phase.

For this Round, so long as you are only being shot at by one character in a Phase, you gain +2 Base Defense in that Phase.

Punishment is Reward [Cleric] This ability is always active.

You gain Pain as a bonus to MP, rather than suffering it as a penalty. Every point of Health you lose to Bloodloss gives you a temporary bonus of 5 MP. If you suffer a Wound Result of Death, delay it until the end of Phase 3 of the Round,

and resolve actions normally. God is Death [Templar] Spend 8 Focus to gain the following ability.

You cannot suffer any Wound higher than Level 3 this Round, except by overwhelming sources (a ship exploding, a hundred men firing machineguns at you at once, etc.).

Monsters Monsters fight differently from regular characters, and must be attacked differently as well. To begin with, each Body Part on a Monster is treated as a single target in combatdo not bother rolling on the Random Hit Location table against Monsters. Secondly, Monsters always attack in Phase 3 of the Combat, and no other Phases. Third, Monsters have a Base Defense of 0, as opposed to the Base Defense of 4 for humans. They’re so huge that it’s almost impossible to miss them. Fourth, Monsters sustain damage differently from humanoid targets. A Monster’s Toughness depends on its size, and its Armor is determined by the toughness of its hide. However, unlike human opponents, damage that penetrates Armor inflicts damage differently. If an attack inflicts damage greater than the Monster’s Armor, take any excess damage and compare it to the Monster’s Toughness. For each multiple of the Monster’s Toughness that the damage reaches, it inflicts 1 level of Wound. Dietrich, after carefully aiming, shoots a Star Kraken in the head with his Republican 1776, and scores 10 successes. Since Monsters have a Base Defense of 0 and this one isn’t taking cover (behind what!?) or moving, he hits with 10 BS. He inflicts 35 total damage, and halves the Kraken’s Armor. The Kraken’s armor is 20. The Kraken’s Toughness is 20. So, after surpassing the Kraken’s 10 AV, he manages to inflict 25 damage to its Toughness, inflicting a Level 1 Wound. The Star Kraken suffers a very mild injury. Dietrich immediately regrets his choice in careers. Monster Attacks Monster Body Parts can have Attack functions. Each Body Part can make an Attack in Phase 3, up to the limit determined by the Monster’s Head. There are two types of Monster Attacks: General General Monster Attacks affect an area detailed in the Monster’s description. Every character within that area is attacked with the listed number of dice, and suffers damage if hit. Aimed Aimed Monster Attacks target a specific object or character. These Attacks are resolved more or less normally, with the Monster’s attack bonus being compared to the character’s Base Defense plus other factors, just like a shooting attack. Kraken Head (Core) Armor 20, Tou 20

Movement (Water Jet) 100m Attacks Allowed: 4 Ram: Anti Ship Attack, inflicts 10 Structure Points of Damage Beak Bite: Aimed Attack at +20 against Entangled Character. Kills Instantly Tentacles (8) Armor 10, TOU 10 Slap: General Attack, 20m Area, +8, 20 Damage Grab: Aimed Attack at +10. Entangles Character (10 to all Actions, can be freed by killing Tentacle) Constrict: Aimed Attack at +20 vs Entangled Character, 20 Damage Ship Grab: Anti Ship Attack, Tentacle is now attached to Ship, and inflicts 1 Structure Point of Damage per Turn attached. Ship must make Engine Test at RS equal to Attached Tentacles to break free of grab.

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