By Joseph Goodman Welcome to the world of Broncosaurus Rex! Be sure to look for these supplements at your local game store:
Cretasus Worldbook, spring 2002 Raptor Sourcebook, summer 2002
For more information, or to join our mailing list, contact us via e-mail or the web!
Published by Goodman Games www.broncosaurusrex.com [email protected]
This printing of Dinosaur Planet: Broncosaurus Rex Core Rulebook is done under (except the creature’s name or proper names specific to the Broncosaurus Rex setting), and version 1.0 of the Open Gaming License and the draft versions of the D20 System the sections “Skills,” “Feats,” and “Tech Level” (including tables) on pages 32-45, except Trademark License, D20 System Trademark Logo Guide and System Reference Document by for such place names and terminology which relates to the Broncosaurus Rex setting. permission from Wizards of the Coast, Inc. Subsequent printings will incorporate final ver- Some of the portions of this book which are delineated OGC originate from the System sions of the license, guide and document. Reference Document and are copyright © 1999, 2000 Wizards of the Coast, Inc. The remain- Designation of Product Identity: The following items are hereby designated as der of these OGC portions of these book are hereby added to Open Game Content and, if so Product Identity in accordance with Section 1(e) of the Open Game License, version 1.0: Any used, should bear the COPYRIGHT NOTICE “Dinosaur Planet: Broncosaurus Rex Core and all Dinosaur Planet: Broncosaurus Rex logos and identifying marks and trade dress, Rulebook Copyright 2001 Joseph Goodman DBA Goodman Games (contact including but not limited to the terms Dinosaur Planet: Broncosaurus Rex, Cretasus, Bronco [email protected], or see www.broncosaurusrex.com)” Rider, Wild One; any elements of the Broncosaurus Rex setting, including but not limited to Dinosaur Planet: Broncosaurus Rex Core Rulebook is copyright © 2001 Joseph names of characters, areas, factions, and creatures, including nicknames for dinosaurs; and Goodman DBA Goodman Games. Illustrations are copyright © their respective creators, as all artwork, stories, storylines, plots, thematic elements, symbols, depictions, and illustra- indicated. tions, except such elements that already appear in the System Reference Document. Dungeons & Dragons ® and Wizards of the Coast ® are Registered Trademarks of Designation of Open Content: Subject to the Product Identity designation above, the Wizards of the Coast, and are used with Permission. ‘d20 System’ and the ‘d20 System’ logo following portions of Dinosaur Planet: Broncosaurus Rex Core Rulebook are designated as are Trademarks owned by Wizards of the Coast and are used according to the terms of the Open Gaming Content: all creature statistic templates from Size/Type (e.g., “Medium d20 System License version 1.0. A copy of this license can be found at www.wizards.com. Animal”) to Advancement, all text under the “Combat” header of each creature’s section Open game content may only be used under and in the terms of the Open Game License. Table of Contents
Chapter I: The World of Broncosaurus Rex Brachiosaurus...... 66 Cretasus: Dinosaur Planet...... 4 Ceratosaurus...... 68 The Human Universe...... 8 Compsognathus...... 69 A Short History of 2202 ...... 12 Crocodilians ...... 70 Dragonfly, Giant...... 71 Chapter II: Character Creation Iguanodontids...... 71 Place of Origin...... 15 Ornitholestes ...... 72 New Character Classes ...... 18 Oviraptor ...... 73 Bronco Rider ...... 18 Pachycephalosaurus ...... 74 Machinist...... 21 Parasaurolophus ...... 75 Soldier ...... 23 Pelycosaurs...... 76 Spy ...... 25 Protoceratops...... 77 Two-Fister ...... 27 Pterosaurs ...... 79 Wild One ...... 29 Stegosaurus ...... 79 Skills ...... 32 Triceratops...... 80 Feats ...... 40 Tyrannosaurus Rex...... 81 Equipment...... 43 Velociraptor...... 84 Tech Level...... 44 Weapons ...... 46 Chapter IV: Adventures on Cretasus Armor ...... 54 Factions...... 88 Equipment ...... 56 Motivations ...... 88 Devices...... 58 Treasure...... 91 One Hundred Adventure Ideas ...... 92 Chapter III: Dinosaur Statistics General Overview...... 62 Appendix I: Creatures by CR...... 94 Allosaurus ...... 64 Appendix II: Open Gaming License...... 95 Ankylosaurus ...... 65 Index...... 96
Credits
Creator & Writer: Joseph Goodman Interior Artists: Tim Burgard, Derek Contributing Writer: Fred Bush Schubert, V. Shane, Walter Stuart, David Copy Editor: Mark Bruno Wong, Thomas Yeates Logo Designer: Derek Schubert Concept Artist: Andrew Farago Cover Artist: Walter Stuart Graphic Designer: Joseph Goodman
Dedicated to April. Chapter I: The World of Broncosaurus Rex
In Dinosaur Planet: Broncosaurus Rex, dinosaurs have been The Confederate States of America, still titled as such though discovered on the planet Cretasus. It is the year 2202, and you are it now occupies hundreds of planets throughout the universe, an adventurer there. The two major factions in human politics – views Cretasus as a saving grace. Since being forced off Earth by the Federal Union of Planets and the Confederate States of the Union, the Confederacy has been scattered across the galaxy. America – are rushing to colonize the planet, and your character Cretasus’ fertile soil, plentiful beasts of burden and rich, unspoiled joins in. wilderness could provide a new home base. You could be a bronco rider, riding the dinosaurs for adven- The Federal Union of Planets, the most technologically ture and profit. Perhaps you’re be a soldier: a Union ironclad pilot, advanced human nation, is intent on exploiting Cretasus’ natural a Federal sheriff or a rebel blockade runner. You could be a street resources. The planet’s natural wealth – measured in oil, ore and fighter in search of fortune or a homeworld dissident fighting for timber – is incalculable. It could supply Union industrial opera- freedom. You could be one of the legendary wild ones, fearsome tions for years to come. humans who leave human company to live with the dinosaurs. Cretasus is a gold mine waiting to be claimed. But the ques- You could be a Union machinist, always equipped with the latest tion remains: Who will claim it? technology. You could be an idealistic infantryman, a freelance dino hunter, a warp pirate, a Union turncoat, an outer ranges The Planet explorer, a dino rustler or an alien hunter. The world of Broncosaurus Rex is in your hands! Cretasus is a Jupiter-sized planet with Earth-like terrain. Its air is breathable by humans, and many of its native plants can be Cretasus: Dinosaur Planet eaten safely. The densely forested equatorial belt is a single, unbroken land mass, which fractures into thousands of islands as The planet Cretasus lies at the far edges of known space, in a it approaches the poles. Overlaid across the land are enormous desolate region called the outer reaches. A large world in a lonely, mountain ranges that divide the surface into twenty great valleys. sparsely-settled system, Cretasus is strangely earthlike. Its atmos- Every terrain on Earth is found on Cretasus, as well as some phere, climate and seasons all resemble those on Earth. Strangest that are unique, such as the thousand-foot-tall spider web forests of all, its flora and fauna are like Earth’s – but not like the Earth of the equatorial regions or the glacial “mushrooms” formed by of today. Cretasus is home to plants and animals that have not rivers of molten lava that flow under the polar wastelands. roamed our planet for millions of years. Cretasus is home to Cretasus has two moons, as well as thousands of asteroids in dinosaurs. a low-lying orbit. Most of the asteroids are less than a football Since the discovery of this fact, humans have flocked to field in length and do nothing but obstruct the view. A few are Cretasus. Adventurers come for wealth and glory, ranchers come larger, however, and have provided anchors for satellites, landing for the dinosaurs, farmers come for the fertile soil, frontiersmen platforms and orbital weapons. come for a new life, and dino hunters come for the challenge. The sheer size of Cretasus has prevented any comprehensive Industrialists come for the mineral wealth, the military comes for survey of its life forms. Though the Confederacy knows much exploration, the Free Fleet traders come to meet growing demand, more of its taxonomy than the Union, they still have catalogued and the wild ones come to join the dinosaurs. It seems that every- less than 1 percent of the planet’s species. one has come – but no one yet governs. In the regions where they have settled, the Confederate set- Cretasus is far outside established political borders. tlers have identified hundreds of varieties of dinosaurs virtually Humanity’s two largest factions – the Federal Union of Planets identical to those once found on Earth. They also have found and the Confederate States of America – struggle for possession. unique endemic species, including giant insects, highly evolved Cretasus’ Earth-like environment and abundance of dinosaurs land-dwelling jellyfish and bipedal pre-sentient reptilians. have brought it to the forefront of galactic politics. Although the Prehistoric mammals have been sighted in neighboring Union and Confederacy ceased open warfare long ago, they have regions, engendering theories that the planet’s massive surface never ended hostilities. Now the battle for Cretasus threatens to area has created numerous micro-climates separated by mountains re-open a centuries-old conflict. or other impassable terrain. Some micro-climates have remained
4 Tim Burgard Tim
“frozen” in evolutionary time or have evolved along unusual of – New Savannah. The Main Valley is occupied by three million lines, while others have evolved more normally. The result is inhabitants. This isn’t much, considering the valley is roughly the widely different ecological results in close proximity to each size of North and South America combined. other. The main valley also is home to dinosaurs primarily from Earth’s Cretaceous era. A mix of creatures who lived roughly 64 The Twenty Valleys to 110 million years ago on Earth intermingle freely and inexpli- cably there. They are accompanied by a wide variety of natural By all biological considerations, Cretasus is an anomaly. Its flora, giving the main valley every terrain from desert to plain to lifeforms have followed both parallel and divergent evolutionary swamp to steamy jungle. paths. Although many have evolved identically to dinosaurs on To the east lies “East Valley.” East Valley can be accessed Earth, creatures from different periods of Earth’s history roam through the air or by overland travel through several treacherous Cretasus at the same time. mountain passes. It is barely explored and no one has taken a full The surface of Cretasus is marked by twenty giant valleys, each survey. It appears to be home to dinosaurs from an earlier era of the size of a continent. For millions of years, stratospheric mountain Earth’s Cretaceous period. ranges divided these valleys. The mountains completely isolated the To the west lies “Mammoth Valley.” Mammoth Valley is life within. It is only in the most recent geological strata that the known for its large herds of woolly mammoths, which cross the mountains have begun to erode. It is now possible to travel freely mountain range occasionally to graze in Main Valley. A host of (but with difficulty) between valleys. The stunning conclusion: In other ancient mammals also live in Mammoth Valley. each of Cretasus’ great valleys, independent evolution has brought While no other valley is explored, they all have been aerially forth life from a different period of Earth’s history. scouted, except for two – Cloud Valley, cloaked in low-lying No one yet understands how or why this happened. In all the clouds, and Storm Valley, perpetually obscured by terrible storms. varied planets that humanity has found, not one has exhibited such Both remain completely inaccessible. Many intrepid adventurers a startling similarity to Earth. Scientists now view the planet as a have set out to map the lesser-known valleys, but only a few have great biological secret waiting to be unlocked. returned. They bring stories of alien cities, strange creatures and The most explored valley is known simply as “the Main dinosaurs that could have evolved on Earth, but didn’t. There is Valley.” The Main Valley is where the first Confederate settlers the consistent rumor of intelligent reptilian humanoids living in arrived. They set up a colony, the Union followed, and now the the far valleys and intelligent primates of some sort in Mammoth Main Valley has dozens of colonies, hundreds of small settle- Valley. But no one knows if these are true discoveries or the swag- ments, a handful of military bases and Cretasus’ only city to speak gering boasts of adventurers whose tales cannot be confirmed.
5 The Dinosaurs and thick jungle all around, it is easy to defend and, if you don’t know it’s there, hard to locate. The dinosaurs on Cretasus are a virtual index to those from While New Savannah is a civilian city, there are several early Earth. Creatures from different eras walk side by side, Confederate military bases along the shores of the same inland including tyrannosaurus rex, stegosaurus, oviraptor, ankylosaurus, ocean. Fort Tecumseh and Fort Apache are two of them. Fort diplodocus, brachiosaurus, pachycephalosaurus, allosaurus, styra- Tecumseh holds the main pass between New Savannah and “the cosaurus, velociraptor and triceratops. back country” (as the rebels call the raw wilderness of Cretasus), Some of the dinosaurs are the classic dumb brutes we all while Fort Apache guards a cluster of hatcheries. know so well. But most are not. Velociraptors have near-human The Confederate hatcheries are tended by specially trained intelligence and live in organized tribes that loosely connect into civilians with a strong affinity for animals. They are guarded by larger nations. Tyrannosaurus rex live in widely dispersed family Dino Warriors, the elite trained cavalry who ride dinosaurs. groups whose members remember genealogies for hundreds of Dinosaurs from the hatcheries are born into domesticity, making years. Triceratops travel in large herds with rigorous social organ- them much easier to train than their wild-born counterparts. In the ization. Almost every species has its own language and the more hatcheries lies the hope that every army can be trained and intelligent ones have dialects specific to each region. equipped with dinosaur allies. If such a force ever took to space, Dinosaur life is not just sleep-eat-mate-die. It has just as it might be able to reclaim the Confederacy’s lost glory. much politics as human life, if not more. Tribes of the same The forts, hatcheries and larger Confederate settlements are species routinely quarrel over territory, hunting and grazing rights, supplied by convoys of brachiosauruses, diplodocuses and other and mating. Ambitious tribes have been known to go to war animals. Smaller settlements rely on independent merchants and against neighboring tribes solely to expand their domains. Within their mounts. Land routes can be extremely dangerous – travelers the tribe, aspiring leaders scheme to overthrow their superiors, must often pass through the hunting grounds of tyrannosauruses, competitive rivals kill the children of their enemies, and overt allosauruses and other large predators. The Confederacy has min- political factions emerge. imized its losses by using large dinosaurs supported by heavy There are alliances between tribes of similar personality or weapons, but many independent merchants are never heard from situation, and on rare occasions inter-species alliances form to again. counter a common threat. As humans have become more familiar The largest Union presence is Fort Lincoln, which sits atop a with dinosaur languages (and vice versa), there have even been mountain not far from Fort Tecumseh. The Confederacy has made human-dinosaur alliances. The Confederacy is allied with several every effort (short of war) to sabotage the fort, but has not yet suc- velociraptor tribes, with whom it trades food in exchange for their ceeded. From Fort Lincoln, the Union has established smaller out- disruption of Union facilities. posts across the main valley. In addition to its highly guarded Some species – in particular, some tribes within certain research labs that experiment with the technology for ironclads species – remember events for lifetimes, and will often fight (or (the advanced fighting suits it hopes to deploy against the rebels), fight for their allies) for reasons long since buried. Certain herbi- the Union also owns mines, refineries, and oil wells scattered vore tribes are known for their revenge instinct – they hunt down throughout the wilderness, which it resupplies with vehicle con- and murder the young of carnivores that feed off of them. For voys. instance, when a strong leader emerged among one triceratops Dotted around New Savannah and the forts are countless herd, he organized several herds into one massive war force that ranches, farms, small towns, prospectors and their mines, hunting drove out two nearby tyrannosaurus rex families, killing one of lodges, mills and other settlements. These vary in loyalty. the T-rexes in the process. Generally, the smaller the settlement, the less they care about pol- The most frightening aspect of dinosaur intelligence – at least itics. from a human perspective – is their strategic talent. Velociraptors The many settlements with no strong loyalty to either have been known to stage false retreats in order to lure attackers Confederate or Union are called freetowns. There are as many into an ambush. T-rex make a point of traveling far apart so their freetowns as there are loyal towns. Freetowns usually lack a mil- numbers can’t be easily ascertained. Ceratosaurus, patient and itary, although they have sheriffs and plenty of settlers ready to observant, like to set ambushes. Many an unwary dino hunter has take up arms to defend themselves. The larger freetowns actually made the fatal discovery that his prey is as smart as he. have a “town square” complete with saloons, a post office, a bank, a hotel, a jail, a mill and a store or two, all surrounded by farms and ranches spreading over several miles. Smaller freetowns The Settlements might be nothing more than a single building serving as combined saloon, hotel and store. New Savannah is the largest city on Cretasus. It abuts a mas- New settlers see Cretasus as an untamed land full of possibil- sive inland ocean, just like its terrestrial namesake. New Savannah ities. Anyone can have land of their own on Cretasus, provided was founded by the Confederacy in 2185 and still maintains they’re hardy enough to carve it out and defend it from the wilder- strong ties. With the mountains on one side, the ocean on the other ness.
6
But life on Cretasus is rough, especially in the back country. ers and colonists) grew, and this only fueled further resentment. Small farmers with their paltry acres, small ranchers with their Third, many of these and other disenchanted voter blocs tiny herds or independent prospectors with their gold pans, live chose to join the Confederacy. When the Union cracked down and die based on the success of their labors. A bad crop means you with martial law, this only exacerbated tensions elsewhere in the can’t eat in the winter. If broncos get to your seed, you can’t plant colonies. next year. If raptors eat your stegosauruses, you have no meat to Finally, the Union’s treatment of newly discovered intelligent sell. If your diplodocus falls ill, you’ll be plowing the soil by aliens was somewhat less than idealistic. Two alien species were hand. If outlaw dino rustlers steal your herd, you’re out of busi- completely exterminated by Union industrialists determined to ness. If a T-rex takes up residence nearby, you can’t get to your strip-mine their home planets. Others were wiped out by diseases mine. It’s a rough life. inadvertently transmitted by Union settlers. Most of the rest were “liberated” and forced into the Union democracy, no matter what their culture or traditions dictated. For these subjugated peoples, The Human Universe the great melting pot became a great jail cell. Through a combination of these factors and the ongoing civil The Federal Union of Planets war, the great Union ideals of the twenty-first century collapsed under the weight of insurmountable logistics. Corruption erupted The unifying theme of human expansion since the early nine- in epidemic form, the spirit of idealism died and the self-serving teenth century has been industry, and the Union continues that ethics of capitalism reigned supreme. This, unfortunately, is the theme. With their discovery of the warp gates in the late twenty- Federal Union of Planets today. first century, Union colonial settlers first spread across the known All of Earth is now devoted to the federal bureaucracy. galaxies to establish mining and manufacturing operations. Today Congress meets there, and every major government agency has its they continue this quest, expanding the Union to any planet on headquarters there. The military is based on Earth, buttressed by a which they can find raw materials – including Cretasus. series of powerful outposts throughout the solar system. The Federal Union of Planets has, since its earliest days as the Thousands of planets are under Union control. The Union United States of America, retained a clear vision of its role in patrols hundreds of warp gates within its territory, fights regular- maintaining peace between cultures. The Union has always con- ly against aliens and warp pirates for control of hundreds more sidered itself a great melting pot, where people (and later aliens) and meddles in the business of dozens of alien governments. It of all backgrounds can join forces in the name of the greater good. constantly sends forth more colonists to settle new planets. On a The Union advocates strict representative democracy, human daily basis, its scientists invent new weapons, its military con- rights, free speech, free trade, prosperity through technology and quers new planets and its Congressmen grow ever richer. It battles uninterrupted human expansion. All of this is made possible the Confederacy on one front, the Free Fleet on another, and aliens through the great melting pot, which can theoretically merge dis- and warp pirates on a third. The Federal Union of Planets is by far parate cultures into a representative democracy that preserves the largest force in the known universe. their heritage while granting them unparalleled rights and oppor- The Union’s technology, though superior to that of the tunities. Confederacy, is still primitive based on what one would expect in This grand vision has, unfortunately, not been implemented 2202. For instance, digital technology was never perfected in the successfully. With the beginning of the space race, the Union’s universe of Broncosaurus Rex. The Union still uses cogs, wheels, adherence to its beliefs ran into a series of logistical snags. levers, gears and other mechanical instruments to do its calcula- First, the Union’s centralized federal government has grown tions, which limits the technology it can develop. Most of its exponentially since the early twenty-first century. The beginning weapons still use gunpowder, and it has yet to discover faster- of the space race and the existence of far-flung planetary govern- than-light travel. Intergalactic travel was only made possible by ments created the need for additional layers of government. As the discovery of the warp gates – travel in normal space still occurs in Union expanded in space, the bureaucracy grew by leaps and slow, bulky, dangerous space shuttles. bounds, but its honesty and effectiveness diminished. Many citi- Nonetheless, the Union’s military is marked by highly accu- zens lost their faith in the government’s ability to enforce its rate ballistic weapons, long-range sensors, mechanized vehicles, ideals. well-equipped regimented soldiers and its newly-developed iron- Second, colonists living on distant worlds developed priori- clads, which promise to be the hallmark of the Union’s military ties that were completely different from the comfortable citizens might. The ironclads are bipedal exoskeletons that are piloted by still living on Earth. The radical differences in lifestyle polarized a single human, whose strength is amplified a hundred fold. They political opinions, and huge demographic fractures emerged. The are as mobile as infantry but carry the firepower and armor of a further the Union spread, the more difficult it became to keep to tank. The Union hopes they will help squash the Confederacy the essence of democracy. The former majority (regular citizens) once and for all. became less and less powerful as the new minority (space travel-
8 Walter Stuart Walter
The Confederacy Second, it turned out that life everywhere preferred pretty much the same conditions. Many of the worlds targeted by the The Confederate States of America fights for America as an Confederacy for settlement already had at least one native, intel- ideal of liberty, not a geographic place. Led by dashing heroes ligent life form. Thanks to its great regard for national sovereign- (not politicians or bureaucrats), the Confederate member states ty and local government, the Confederacy treated these alien gov- shun the crass, “everything is for sale” attitude of the commercial ernments respectfully and usually earned their alliance, especially and industrial Union. Instead, they prefer an aristocratic, paternal- after the domineering, centralized Union made an appearance. istic, agrarian lifestyle. Individualism and self-rule, liberty and The rebel military reflects the loose organization of the independence, free will and hands-off governments are the marks Confederacy. The central military organization is the largest sin- of rebel lands. gle force, but it is still less than 15 percent of the total Confederate The Confederate way of life is clear in its galactic expansion military might. The remainder is comprised of regional armies. strategy. Unlike the Union, which sought to settle and colonize Each planetary system has its own army, often allied with local barren hunks of galactic metal, the Confederacy focused on find- life forms. These regional armies are armed and armored differ- ing habitable planets that could support agrarian colonies. This ently, and when they fight together it is usually as separate armies widened the “manufacturing gap” in the Union’s favor, but it cre- rather than as a centrally commanded force. ated two significant advantages for the Confederacy. The Confederate force on Cretasus is divided into four main First, each and every Confederate colony was totally self-suf- armies. The Army of the New Dominion is directly descended ficient and in a generally friendly environment. They could from the forces of nineteenth century Virginia. It now comprises expand and reproduce quickly and were able to create their own thousands of soldiers from dozens of worlds. It is the best regional armies within only a few generations. The Confederacy equipped of all the armies, consisting primarily of first-rate mili- soon had mini-armies scattered all over the known universe, each tary personnel from its constituent planets. independently commanded. The Army of Cretasus is a newly-formed division centered
9 around its Dino Warriors and supported by infantry and cavalry. It they set out for the farthest place they can find. Once they get has no real leader and exists more in name than in practice, as the there, they look for a place to set up camp. Dino Warriors have not yet been formally organized. A number of Most offworlder settlements are founded on semi-habitable charismatic heroes lead different groups of Dino Warriors, and the planets. If the settlers are lucky, they’ll find somewhere with an highly political process of integrating them under one leader has Earth-like atmosphere. More often than not, they don’t. (If the not yet been resolved. outer reaches were great vacation spots, they wouldn’t be unex- The Army of Solaris is a rag-tag force of many independent plored!) But there are “oases” (so to speak) hidden amongst them. battalions from hundreds of independent planets. It was put Offworlders live a primitive, survival-based existence. There together from volunteers from the many regions that have sent set- are no amenities in the outer reaches, and technology inevitably tlers to Cretasus. Five generals command its five divisions. The decays, as there are no manufacturing plants to replace it. Within majority of the forces have formal military training, although a few generations, most offworlder settlements are living as if there is a sprinkle of untrained home guard as well. they were in the middle ages. But many prospective settlers die Finally, the Grand Army of the Rebellion, commonly known long before they can add even one generation. as the Army of Dixie, is the least organized, but most enthusiastic A colony has only the resources its members bring with them. of all. Made up mostly of volunteers, home guard and civilian For instance, offworlders do not have fuel supplies, so there is lit- guerrillas, it makes up for its lack of training and equipment with tle transportation between colonies. There is no trade, no visitors, high morale, fighting spirit and no shortage of manpower. and no help. An offworlder is on his own. Confederate forces are led by legendary heroes. Their armies Offworlders as a group are shy, taciturn, reclusive, suspicious typically emphasize large numbers of infantry supported by cav- of strangers, and usually very strange in general. In many cases, alry riding horses, jet bikes or whatever steeds are native to the they have lived four or five generations with no contact with out- system — and since coming to Cretasus, those steeds happen to be siders, and they have no connection to the politics of mainstream dinosaurs. Cannons and artillery support are limited, and the human civilization. They have lived on worlds that are complete- Confederacy possesses only a small fraction of the tanks and ly different from where most humans live. They may have armored vehicles owned by the Union. encountered aliens in their galactic-fringe homes that no other human has encountered. The Outer Reaches Adventurers from the outer reaches are rare because they have no means of transportation, no concept of the rest of the uni- There is no region of space labeled “outer reaches.” Instead, verse, and, unless they have exceptional astronomy skills, no way it is a common term for the lonely fringes of explored space. to find home once they leave. The few adventurers from the outer These are the planets, moons and asteroids that explorers found – reaches are usually from the inner fringes, where trade ships or the and decided they weren’t worth visiting again. The outer reaches Free Fleet occasionally passes by. These are the settlements where exist at the border of all civilized lands. They are distant, isolated, contact is rare, but people are close enough that you can get to a primitive, ungoverned and unexplored. They also are uncivilized, crossroads with only a bit of trouble. but that doesn’t mean they’re not inhabited. Natives of the outer reaches are called offworlders. You must The Free Fleet have an unusual perspective on life to choose to live in the most out-of-the-way corners of the galaxy. As a result, offworlders are a combination of explorers, adventurers, cultists, convicts, freaks, The Free Fleet is a loose federation of wandering, independ- outcasts, idealists, loners and wilderness men. ent city-ships. There are hundreds of city-ships organized into six Life on the outer reaches is a case study in social isolation. fleets. While there is a distinct character to each fleet (and even to Most offworlder settlements consist of a few families, if that. each ship within the fleet), a strong common identity unites them Contact with other humans, even other offworlders, is practically all. non-existent. After all, most offworlder colonies exist because the Each fleet is partially self-sufficient through its hydroponics residents want to be left alone. A few of the more habitable areas and livestock ships, but the majority of their income comes from of the outer reaches have attracted multiple colonies, and there are trading. By traveling constantly, the fleets are always assured a even a few closely grouped colonies that are collectively large source of interesting products; they pick up goods in one system, enough to call cities. These are few and far between, however. then sell them in the next. With their aimless and unpredictable Offworlder settlements develop when a family or group of itineraries, their inventories change based on which systems pre- families grows tired of civilized life in the Union, Confederacy or ceded their arrival on any planet. Free Fleet. For whatever their reason, the settlers embark on a Because of their peripatetic nature, the fleets come into con- journey to the outer reaches. There are no reliable maps of the tact with aliens on a more regular basis than any other human outer reaches, and most of those who settle there never return. As nation. At any given time, you are sure to find at least one of the a result, there is little information to guide prospective settlers. So free fleets traversing uncharted space.
11 The war continued full force into the space race. In the late The Warp Gates twentieth century, it was a rebel astronaut who made the first foot- steps on the moon. Although the Union was industrially superior There are thousands of known warp gates. If you have a good to the Confederacy, it lacked the adventurous spirit of the rebels. map, you can get to just about any inhabited point in the universe Richmond managed to build and launch Dixie 1 entirely on the in less than a month – without ever going faster than light. Except basis of stolen technology and kidnapped scientists. The Dixie for a few areas of the outer reaches, and some alien systems, the survived the trip, landed on the moon and ejected Lance entire universe is connected by the warp gates. Whittacre, who claimed the moon for the Confederacy. The most interesting warp gates are the twelve gates known This success was the start of a streak, and the Confederacy as the Inchoate Gates. They are named for their connection to was going strong for some time. It pushed back Union lines and completely unidentifiable areas of physical space. Warp gates are expanded its Mexican alliance further into central America. As mapped onto physical space by the stars visible when one appears Confederate “Dixie-naughts” undertook several more trips to the there. This system is used because there is no direct correlation moon, the Union began to fear military attacks from space. between warp space and natural space; you can’t measure distance The Union quickly scrambled to launch its own space pro- in warp space to figure out how far you went in physical space. gram. Because its military, industrial, and academic bases were When explorers emerge from a newly discovered warp gate, they far superior to the Confederacy’s, the Union caught up in no time. must examine the constellations to figure out where they are in In fact, it was the Union that would discover the warp gates, the physical space. secret that revolutionized space travel. In the mean time, it raced The Inchoate Gates emerge into areas of physical space that the Confederacy to Mars. can’t be mapped. Some of them are so far away from anything that It was here that the War Between the States became the War no stars are visible — there is just black, empty space as far as can Between The Planets. As both factions struggled to colonize the be seen. Others present visible constellations that don’t match any solar system, open warfare broke out on other planets, and casu- known star patterns. alties among space settlers became frighteningly high. The earli- The two most important warp gates are Omega Gate and est colonies on Mars changed hands on a nearly weekly basis for Alacion Portal. Omega Gate is the gate closest to Earth. As the several months, with open warfare blazing all around. But all this most convenient centralized link to the core of the Federal gov- changed when the Union uncovered the warp gates. ernment, it is an incredibly valuable natural resource. Moreover, with Earth as the single largest economic confluence in the uni- Galactic Expansion verse, Omega Gate attracts warp pirates like flies. The Union maintains a heavy guard on both sides of Omega Gate, not so The warp gates are naturally occurring passages between much to guard against an Earth invasion, but to guard against points of “normal” space. Warp gates have no distance, yet they attempts at taking over the portal itself. connect far-flung points instantly – you step through, and sudden- Alacion Portal is the warp gate closest to Cretasus, and trav- ly you’re somewhere else. They are mysterious things because el from Alacion Portal to Cretasus takes only a few days. (The you cannot see them, you don’t know where they go and they’re next closest gate is a full two weeks away.) Alacion Portal is large not always there. The gates are only accessible with the appropri- enough to accommodate a great deal of traffic, which so far has ate technology, and even then they open and close on an unpre- been sufficient to avoid conflict. When traffic reaches the point dictable basis. where the Union and Confederacy must compete for priority, While the Union first discovered the warp gates, it didn’t get however, you can be sure there will be a showdown. very far with them. The few explorers brave enough to step through them never seemed to return. As before, it took Confederate guts to exploit Union brains. A Short History of 2202 Once again, the Confederacy used spies and kidnapped sci- entists to steal Union technology before undertaking an audacious The history of 2202 is not the history we know. Sherman’s plan. Building and equipping 100 small space ships, the march was repulsed long before he met Atlanta. Abraham Lincoln Confederacy randomly sent them through every warp gate it could was assassinated two years after the third battle at Gettysburg, and find. Each of the small ships had several families and enough pro- the Emancipation Proclamation was never written. The slaves visions for one year. They were to establish colonies wherever were freed by Robert E. Lee, President of the Confederacy in they could find them, and, if possible, report on where the warp 1881, as a humanitarian move by a war-hardened general. The gate took them. The combined result would be a nominal map of Confederacy managed to repulse a Union invasion, but could the warp gates and a head start on the colony race. never launch a successful counter-attack. By the mid-twentieth The Union followed suit. Soon the pressure on local planets century, the situation was a stagnating cold war, albeit with open thinned as both sides fanned across the universe, although they combat on a regular basis. pursued two completely different strategies. The Union, focusing
12 on its industrial strengths, looked for mineral-rich asteroids and the same light source. Ships streamed forth from all across North planets; its mining colonies focused on producing raw materials America, stringing together in ever-tighter lines as they for export, and they depended on supplies from home for survival. approached the warp gates. Military vessels appeared in larger The Confederacy, on the other hand, set up self-sustaining clusters, sent forth to join the last stand. The remnants of the colonies with an agricultural focus. Its colonists reproduced rap- Confederate government abandoned their positions around idly, expanded their domains, and soon had miniature, self-suffi- Atlanta and, accompanied by a ragtag force of civilian freighters, cient agricultural cities all over the universe. desperately fought through the rapidly forming Union blockade. As the maps of the warp gates became more detailed, the The retreat was spearheaded by the Army of the New Confederacy devoted immense resources to winning the colony Dominion, the largest of the Confederate armies. Known by the race. Its fleet of spacecraft, although technically inferior, was soon nickname First Stand, for its inevitable position at the front of twice as large as the Union’s. every charge, the Army of the New Dominion led a massive strike This spaceward focus left both nations distracted from against Union forces all across the globe. This synchronized Earthly concerns. The Union realized this and exploited the attack at dozens of targets hit strategic points throughout Union Confederacy’s preoccupation. In 2134, Union forces launched a territory. Given the Union’s superior technology and their full offensive at Richmond. momentum in the recent war, the attack was a complete surprise. This was the first major assault in decades, and Richmond Tactically, it made little sense, because courageous as it was, First was completely unprepared. The Union managed to overrun the Stand was outnumbered, outgunned, and thinly supported. city, and terrestrial victory seemed close at hand. Both sides But one aspect of the attack did make sense – it was a diver- returned their focus to Earth, where bitter, bloody battles once sion. Led by General Beauchamp, First Stand’s feisty half-pint again raged across North America. leader, the army sustained heavy losses without disengaging. The Confederacy could not slow the Union’s momentum as Beauchamp’s troops succeeded in tying up most of the Union its lines were pushed farther southward. Because so much of the forces while Confederate freighters streamed forth unharmed. Confederacy’s investment had been directed toward spacecraft Yet the retreating forces were still in great danger, because and orbital defenses, it had little left to counter the Union’s there were far more Union troops than First Stand could occupy, ground-based weaponry. As the situation became more dire, the and Union patrols were soon thick in the sky. Many rebel space Confederate generals realized the end might be near. ports were blockaded, and hundreds of Confederate ships were shot down in the retreat’s first wave. The Great Exodus But the Confederates were invigorated. After several years of defensive war, they had the initiative. The ships converging on the The Confederate generals quickly devised a devilishly simply warp gates were a virtual index to the Confederate populace; sleek plan. The Confederacy had now established nearly 300 self-suffi- craft carried the aristocrats and landed gentry, rusted junkers cient colonies on habitable worlds, moons and planets, all within hauled thousands of small farmers, powerful warships carried the easy reach of known warp gates. Since the colonies were suffi- main forces and small, homely gunships carried the Home Guard, cient to support almost the entire Confederate civilian population which traveled close to civilian ships carrying their families. (for a while, at least), couldn’t the rebels retreat to the stars? Hulking freighters lugged supplies and equipment. Livestock of The entire Confederate population would form hundreds of every known variety whinnied from the great arks trailing behind. small fleets, with each fleet traveling to a colony. Some citizens An entire way of life was packed into one enormous convoy head- would stay on, while the rest refueled and journeyed even further. ed for the stars. When they left the colony, their numbers would be thinned – but still the rebel ships would have enough passengers to found more Divergent Goals colonies. Each new colony would be like a bread crumb dropped along the trail of galactic colonization. The Confederacy was soon a true confederacy: a coalition The Confederacy’s investment in space paid off. As the comprised of hundreds of decentralized nations scattered across Union crashed through city after city back on Earth, the rebels the universe. Some systems supported hundreds of thousands of readied their spaceships. On a cold day in 2136, the world shook settlers scattered across many worlds, while other systems could as thousands of Confederate spaceships lifted off simultaneously. barely support a thousand people. Cities popped up in the more The entire Confederate fleet retreated from Earth. Every vessel habitable areas, and the panic of the retreat was soon replaced by that was even remotely spaceworthy had been commandeered and the tedium of rebuilding. retrofitted for an extended voyage. The Confederacy’s fleet The Confederacy adapted to its alien planets. On most, the included every kind of vehicle imaginable – from the newest cor- ground was planted with exported Earth seeds, but on many, alien sairs to aging barges welded haphazardly onto warp drives. beasts were harnessed to help sow crops of extraterrestrial origin. Thus was born the Great Exodus. The retreating Confederate In 2145, Confederate colonists in the Scray system became the convoy was like millions of moths converging from the dark onto first humans to make contact with intelligent alien life, and other
13 contact soon followed. the Confederacy wanted agriculture, so the war was basically Regional governments formed, and a loose centralized organ- stalemated. As the Union had Earth, and the Confederacy had the ization slowly prevailed. The way of life remained markedly sim- stars, open hostilities for the most part died down. However, a for- ilar to what it had been on Earth: small settlements focused on mal peace treaty was never signed. agriculture. Unlike nineteenth century Earth, however, there was In the past, the Union’s competition with the Confederacy no hint of the slavery that had stained the earliest days of the had limited its role as world leader, but now it was left unopposed. Confederacy – all people were citizens, and all citizens were The Union slowly expanded its democratic and economic hege- equal. The staggering strangeness of the extra-terrestrial lifestyle mony. only reinforced the common link of human-ness. After instigating the North American trade zone, the Union The warp gates and forced exodus had an unusual effect on forced a merger of the North American and European trade zones. technological evolution as well. Humanity leapfrogged over some The new union, to be called the Federal Union of Nations, “invit- technologies that we know of. Neither the Union nor the ed” other countries to join in this one new super-economy. Several Confederacy discovered the atomic bomb. With the warp gates to invitees refused, including China, England, and France, and a facilitate interplanetary voyages, neither side developed faster- series of devastating wars ensued. than-light travel. Many spacecraft looked more like the lumbering As with the Confederacy, the dissident nations were forced ships of the 1800’s than the sleek craft one would expect. off the planet, and in the course of the retreat their national gov- The Confederacy’s agricultural bent further impeded its tech- ernments were splintered forever. The resulting fleet of refugee nological progress, however. The Union’s strong industrial and ships became a quasi-nation of its own, and eventually formally academic establishment rapidly outpaced the Confederacy. By the declared itself the Free Fleet. mid-2100’s, this left rebel soldiers using traditional ballistic tech- But the Union’s manifest destiny knew no limits. The nology, while the Union tentatively deployed the first laser rifles. Confederacy’s successful diaspora still rankled its sense of might. When the great exodus fragmented Confederate society, the tech- Now that it had Earth, it hoped to conquer the stars. nology gap was further aggravated as everyday Union technology Using technology acquired from the alien Scray, as well as its advanced decades ahead of the Confederacy’s. own research, the Union developed bipedal walking tanks it called With the Confederacy gone, the Union was left in sole pos- ironclads. With the mobility of an infantryman and the firepower session of most of North America. With half the continent now of a tank, each ironclad is a match for two conventional tanks, or abandoned, the Union experienced the heady days of frontier four of the Confederacy’s aging vehicles. Using the ironclads, the expansion all over again. It transformed the Confederacy’s gilded Union believes it can crush the Confederacy once and for all. It plains of wheat into endless mining and manufacturing opera- hopes to deploy them soon. Cretasus, the Confederacy’s greatest tions, churning out new industries faster than ever before. hope, serves as its final testing ground. Although the Union continued its space exploration, the dif- That is the state of the universe in 2202. The Free Fleet wan- fering Confederate and Union philosophies on settlement left ders the galaxy, the Confederacy nurtures its scattered colonies, them pursuing different planets – the Union wanted industry, and and the Union prepares for war.
14 Chapter II: Character Creation
places of origin should there be a conflict, but even then, there are Place of Origin ways to bring the characters together. Family: The Civil War split many families. When the Union Player characters in Broncosaurus Rex are always human. forced the Confederacy from Earth, still more were split. Blood is Even though the universe of 2202 contains several known alien stronger than politics (usually), and characters of opposite origins races and the intelligent dinosaurs of Cretasus, these non-human could be cousins, siblings, or even parent and child. They will still species are not eligible to be player characters. quarrel about their beliefs, of course, but they love each other Yet the place where a human adventurer is raised can have a nonetheless. strong influence on her physical and mental abilities, what tech- Agree to Disagree: Two lawful characters of opposing ori- nology she finds available, what class she tends toward and why gins may disagree on politics, but a personal bond may override she chooses to adventure. that. The characters may get along personably, or simply have a While there are four common places of origin, the universe is hard time finding others to adventure with. Adventurers are vast, and there are actually many more places to come from. There unusual people, after all – they pursue danger and risk. There are endless uncharted areas; specialized environments on alien aren’t many regular people who understand that mentality. worlds produce heretofore unseen adaptations; and unexplored planets hold the promise of new discoveries. But many of the Common Traits known planets are colonized by societies homogeneous to their sister worlds, and only a few alien worlds are so unusual as to pro- duce a significantly different kind of human. Thus, the majority of All human adventurers share these common traits: the known human galaxy is categorized into four common places of origin. They are: • Medium-size • Base speed of 30 feet • The Confederacy • The Federal Union of Planets The extra feat and skill points given to humans do not apply • The Free Fleet to human player characters in Broncosaurus Rex. • Offworlders The Confederacy
Conflicting Places of Origin Confederates are headstrong, daring, self-sufficient people accustomed to rural life. They are comfortable with animals and Players building their adventuring party may discover that the wilderness. They are usually from small, self-sufficient they have chosen character backgrounds that don’t lend them- colonies on far-flung worlds, so they learn early on to be entirely selves to cooperation. For example, one player may have a Union self-reliant. character, while another may have a Confederate character. This Personality: Confederates are very sociable, but generally may cause friction between the characters, but it does not have to. suspicious of outsiders. It takes them a long time to befriend new- Place of origin isn’t necessarily the same as beliefs. There are comers, and they are forever ill at ease in cities and other places three ways to work contrary backgrounds into a cooperative with large groups of unfamiliar people. They tend to be civil yet adventuring party. taciturn at first, but polite, tactful, genteel and gracious once you Alignment: Even though a character is from the get to know them. Confederacy, he may not be staunchly loyal to the Confederacy. Relations: Confederates generally want to be left alone. Most Characters of neutral alignment are willing to work with those Confederate adventurers don’t mind working with Union sympa- with different allegiances, even though they may disagree with thizers as long as the bluecoats mind their own business. Some their beliefs. Chaotic characters are not particularly loyal in the Confederates, however, still bear a solemn hatred of Sherman and first place, and have no objections to adventuring with “the Grant, and they refuse to set foot in the same room as a bluecoat. enemy.” Only when you have two lawful characters from opposed It depends on the individual. Most Confederates are impartial
15 towards the Free Fleet and offworlders. most tactful Union citizen will probably rub a Confederate the Alignment: Confederates tend toward neutral alignments, wrong way at some point. with some chaotics. Their revolutionary past makes lawfuls rare. Alignment: Union citizens tend toward lawful alignments, Confederate Lands: The Confederacy has no home base. with some neutrals. Rather, it has dozens of civilized planets, and nearly a thousand Union Lands: The Union is based on Earth. Much of the more settlements on distant worlds. Confederate societies are planet has been turned over to government, military and adminis- almost always agriculturally based, with many small businesses trative uses, with the population concentrated in massive, super- and very few large organizations. urban areas that span hundreds of miles. On other planets, the Technology: The Confederacy is not a place of great tech- population is equally dense. The cities are vast, teeming with life nology. There are few universities and even fewer researchers. and heavily stratified. Large tracts of destitute squalor surround Most agricultural labor involves beasts of burden, not machines. small areas of prosperity, while manufacturing and industrial dis- Interplanetary travel takes place on aging or antique vessels, and tricts ring the cities. Union off-planet settlements tend to be min- warfare often emphasizes the more “noble” weapons of the past – ing colonies, zero-G manufacturing bases and research facilities. such as swords and bows – which are fine for hunting wild game, Technology: The Union is the heart of technological progress but usually out of place in interplanetary warfare. The little for the human galaxy. Its scientists, researchers, analysts and tech- advanced technology that the Confederacy does possess was nicians are the envy of the universe. Because they are more acquired from the Union via black market channels. advanced even than some alien races, technology is readily avail- Language: Confederates speak Common, as well as the able to Union characters. many local dialects that have evolved in the distant settlements. Language: Union citizens speak Common. Adventurers: The confederacy still retains a strong sense of Adventurers: Union adventurers are often overachievers or romance and chivalry. Many confederate adventurers are motivat- underachievers. The overachievers feel boxed in by the cities, and ed by wealth and fame, a sense of accomplishment and untamed can’t find the freedom to make a name for themselves in corpo- frontiers. Others want nothing more than glory and the chance to rate or scientific life. The underachievers don’t have the intellec- come home a worldly hero. tual ability or interest to succeed in such a technically-focused society, or simply can’t stand the confines of society and the CONFEDERATE TRAITS cities. • 1 extra feat at first level, because the Confederacy is a place of daring individualism and reckless heroes. UNION TRAITS • Proficient with manual weapons. • Proficient with ballistic weapons. • Difficult access to high-tech weapons. • Easy access to high-tech weapons. • Start with a free heirloom weapon. • 4 extra skill points at first level, due to a rigorous educational • +1 racial bonus in Animal Empathy, Handle Animal and Ride system. checks, thanks to their rural background. • +1 racial bonus to Intelligence, due to the advanced universities • Automatic Languages: Common; local dialect. of the Union. • Favored Class: Soldier. Every Confederate is trained in the ways • +1 racial bonus to Use Technical Equipment checks. of war from childhood. A military life is considered an honorable • Union Soldiers and Machinists may take the class skill Operate way to make a name for oneself. Ironclad. They are the only characters for whom this is a class skill. The Federal Union of Planets • Automatic Languages: Common. • Favored Class: Machinist. Citizens of the Federal Union of Planets are cosmopolitan, educated residents of some of the universe’s greatest cities. They The Free Fleet are schooled from birth in manufacturing, commerce, and science. They value democracy and equality, and are known for the amaz- Natives of the Free Fleet – or Freemen, as they call them- ing technology they produce. selves – are nomads, ready to leave a place almost as soon as they Personality: Union citizens are used to life in the big city. have arrived. Since their expulsion from Earth in the twenty-first Their gregarious and friendly interaction with strangers in no way century, they have claimed no home system. Instead, they wander mutes their natural suspicion. They speak their mind, don’t beat endlessly, and most Freemen make their living now as itinerant around the bush and value honesty over diplomacy. traders. Relations: Union citizens tend to be haughty and self-confi- Personality: Freemen are reckless, adventurous souls. They dent when interacting with other people. They view Confederates are neither reliable nor predictable. They do not depend on clocks, as uneducated hillbillies who don’t know any better, and they take life one day at a time and expect nothing more of a day than have a similar view of the Free Fleet and offworlders. Even the whatever may come their way.
16 Freemen make their living as traders. Their constant travel advancement was forced upon it by the need to maintain its city- brings them into contact with an endless variety of goods. They ships. It has not reached the level of the Union, but has easy buy in one system, then sell in the next. They have a reputation for access to Union and alien technology due to its vast trade net- being the kind of traders whose gift horse you should look in the work. mouth – “buyer beware” is especially true when dealing with Language: Freemen speak Common, as well as Anglit, the Freemen. language of the Free Fleet. Thanks to their travels, they are often In combat, Freemen focus on hit-and-run attacks. They use well-versed in the local dialects of the Confederate settlements. their maneuverability to outflank opponents, deliver one or two Adventurers: Adventuring is a part of life in the Free Fleet. well-aimed blows and retreat before retaliation can occur. New planets are routinely encountered, and at any given time, at Relations: In the late twenty-first century, the European and least one of the six fleets is exploring uncharted areas of the North American trade zones combined into the Federal Union of galaxy. Since Freemen take naturally to adventuring, they need Nations. This Union then tried to annex the areas around its bor- not have any specific goal – adventuring for a Freeman is like get- ders. Several nations refused to join – including China, England, ting a regular job for a Union citizen. and France – and a series of devastating wars followed. During the wars and after the Union won, wave after wave of refugees left FREEMEN TRAITS Earth. Some joined the Confederacy, some became independent • +2 racial bonus in Appraise and Knowledge (any area) checks, and others formed the Free Fleet. thanks to their background as itinerant traders. Thus, the Free Fleet was formed in direct response to Union • Moderate access to high-tech weapons. aggression, and the Freemen have never forgotten this. They are • +1 racial bonus to Dexterity. Each Freeman must serve in his openly hostile toward Union sympathizers, even more so than city-ship’s local army for at least two years, and be in the reserves most Confederates. The Confederates wanted independence, after thereafter. The focus of this military training is mobility and all, while the Free Fleet was forced into it. maneuverability. However, Freemen will hide their hatred if there is something • Automatic Languages: Common; Anglit; one local dialect. to gain from it. They are born traders, and will gladly trade with • Favored Class: Two-fisters. The Free Fleet has no “safe port” the Union if it’s good for them. and is always at risk. Most of the fleets lack the dedicated training Freemen feel no particular kindness for the Confederacy, to produce soldiers, but the entire population has army training other than the fraternity of a shared enemy. and the reserves are prepared for war at any time. The typical Alignment: Freemen tend toward neutrality. Freeman is always ready to get in a fight. The Free Fleet City-Ships: The Free Fleet has six separate fleets, each composed of anywhere from fifty to one hundred city- ships. Each city-ship is a vast spaceship, from five to twenty miles Offworlders across, in which hundreds of thousands of freemen dwell. Many of the larger city-ships are built on foundations of asteroids or Offworlder is a general term for the denizens of the far-flung small moons. reaches of the universe. They typically hail from the area known The city-ships run the gamut of urban landscapes, but unlike as the outer reaches – the distant corners, uncivilized planets and the sprawling metropolises of the Union, there is little poverty. unexplored moons of the very edges of known space. In many Each city-ship is run by a central government entrusted with pro- cases, offworlders are independent pioneers with no particular viding the bare necessities to all inhabitants. The individual gov- loyalty to any greater politics. Some are recent expatriates from ernments range in attitude from laissez-faire to absolute autocrats. the Confederacy, Union or Free Fleet, while others left long ago. The fleets themselves drift through space, traveling from sys- They are rugged, independent people who live hard, lonely lives tem to system, in search of trade, food, raw materials and occa- – and like it that way. sionally the spoils of war. Since their travel brings them into fre- Personality: Offworlders are usually from family groups or, quent contact with aliens, the average Freeman will have more at best, tribes of several families. They have little contact with exposure to alien life than even the most traveled Union citizen. other people, and are always working to keep the wilderness at The Free Fleet’s basic mode of existence – aimless wander- bay. They are gruff, stern, shy and violent. ing – is designed to avoid the sort of war that it faced on Earth in Relations: Offworlders have no particular likes or dislikes. the previous century. In most cases, a fleet will flee rather than They are often so far removed from the rest of human society that engage in direct combat. Nonetheless, the fleets will never miss they have no sense of politics. To an offworlder whose family has the chance to attack a Union force if the odds are in their favor. lived on an asteroid belt for four generations, the Confederacy Occasionally two or three of the fleets will join forces when they means nothing. The only time an offworlder will have preconcep- are nearby or in need of aid. In times of great distress the six fleets tions about other factions is if his parents are recent expatriates, or will converge into one massive fleet, but this is rare. if he has somehow encountered that faction in his distant home. Technology: The Free Fleet is somewhere between the Union Alignment: Offworlders can have any alignment. There are and Confederacy in terms of technology. Its own technological lawful offworlders who view their family groups as the only way
17 to survive in the wilds of space. There are chaotic offworlders who left society because they preferred the solitude of the outer New Character Classes reaches. There are good offworlders who left to establish a better society, and evil offworlders who were banned from their home- Cretasus has opened new doors for anyone brave enough to worlds. make a new life there. There is agricultural bounty, mineral Offworlder Lands: Offworlders populate every variety of wealth, natural beauty, taxidermic fortune, exotic livestock, new planet known to humanity. The only unifying theme to their set- societies and alien civilizations. An adventurer in search of such tlements is self-sustainability: the outer reaches are so distant that temptations invariably chooses a vocation best suited to his goals. all offworlders must be able to support themselves solely on what This vocation is the adventurer’s class. they themselves can produce. The adventuring life on Cretasus is very different from that of Technology: Offworlder technology is the remnants of what- a magical fantasy world. As such, the “standard” classes are ever they took with them. Their devices are usually in disrepair unavailable to Broncosaurus Rex characters. Instead, we present and precariously maintained, if they still work at all. six new classes. Language: Recently arrived offworlders still speak Bronco Rider: A bronco rider is a new kind of warrior, raised Common. Offworlders who have been in place for generations only on Cretasus, trained to fight with his dinosaur mounts and usually speak a local dialect based on Common. herds. Adventurers: Offworlders adventure for two primary rea- Machinist: A machinist is a scientist, technician and mechan- sons. Some want to find a life that is easier than the hard, toil- ic who finds his success through technology and invention. some, lonely existence they know in the outer reaches. Others, Soldier: The soldier is a professional warrior schooled in naturally adventurous by inclination, choose to leave for the same weapons, tactics and equipment. reason they originally became offworlders – they are bored or list- Spy: The spy is a secret agent working for a larger cause. less, and crave a chance of scenery. Two-fister: A two-fister is an untrained warrior, such as a mercenary, home guard, self-taught adventurer, member of the OFFWORLDER TRAITS local militia or warp pirate. • +1 racial bonus to Constitution and Strength due to the rough life Wild One: A wild one has left human society to live amongst and extreme environments in the outer reaches. the dinosaurs. • -1 racial penalty to Charisma to reflect their shy, reclusive per- sonality. Bronco Rider • -1 racial penalty to Intelligence to reflect the dearth of educa- tional opportunities in the outer reaches. Bronco riders train, herd and ride dinosaurs. Some bronco • Very difficult access to high-tech weapons. riders are daredevil roughnecks who have tamed their own T-rex. • +2 racial bonus in Intuit Direction and Wilderness Lore checks. Others hire on with ranchers, herding vast throngs of three- and • Automatic Languages: Common or local dialect. five-horned broncos across the plains. The most famous bronco • Favored Class: None. Offworlders have such small societies and riders are the Dino Warriors, the fearless new additions to the so little contact with other humans that they rarely develop voca- Confederate military. tions other than those needed to maintain the bare necessities of Bronco riders are a class unique to Cretasus. All bronco rid- life. ers feel the call of prehistory in their blood. For their own indi- vidual reasons, they have converged on Cretasus, where they now form the elite vanguard in a rapidly evolving society. Adventures: Bronco riders have no trouble finding adven- tures. An aspiring bronco rider must make it to Cretasus, then learn how to ride a dinosaur. That in itself is quite a task. Some seek out mentors or hire on as ranch hands, while others take to the wilderness with a rifle in one hand and a lasso in the other. An experienced bronco rider can become involved in the business of dinosaurs. Some set up their own ranches, farms or hatcheries. Others hire on with safari hunters or convoy guards. A few decide to start families or found settlements, sometimes in close proximity to a dinosaur tribe they have allied with. Especially skilled bronco riders may be recruited by their military or, in some rare cases, by the dinosaur tribes themselves. The apex of a bronco rider’s career is to be recruited as a Dino Warrior.
18
Characteristics: Bronco riders are tough men and women mounts. Dexterity is also important for riding skills. Wisdom who like to work with their hands. They are comfortable around comes in handy when the bronco rider is in the wilderness. animals, sometimes more so than around other people. They like Alignment: Any. to be outside, don’t mind sleeping in the saddle every now and Hit die: d8. then, and rarely get lonely. You can often tell a bronco rider’s mount by the rider’s looks Class Skills and disposition. It takes a lot of muscle to control the biggest mounts – such as triceratops and T-rex – and their riders are often The bronco rider’s class skills (and the key ability for each hulking, powerful men. The smaller and lankier bronco riders usu- skill) are Animal Empathy (Cha), Balance (Dex), Craft (Int), ally work as herders, or deal with the more intelligent species. Handle Animal (Cha), Intuit Direction (Wis), Knowledge (nature, Alignment: Bronco riders can be of any alignment. You’ll Int), Ride (Dex), Wilderness Lore (Wis). find both mean and kind riders working with herbivores, but you Skill Points at 1st Level: (6 + Int modifier) x 4. will not find many nice guys working with the carnivores. It takes Skill Points at Each Additional Level: 6 + Int modifier. a startling degree of brutality to train a T-rex. Even if you work with a T-rex that someone else trained, you have to be a rigid dis- Class Features ciplinarian to keep it in check. Background: Bronco riders share a common occupation, not All of the following are class features of the bronco rider. a common past. They come from all over the universe, from all Weapon and Armor Proficiency: A bronco rider is profi- nations, from all planets and from all backgrounds. cient with manual weapons, ballistic weapons and light armor. Bronco riders have always felt the call of the frontier. They Mounted Feats: Bronco riders are experts at mounted com- often experience an unexplained yearning for Cretasus the bat. A first level bronco rider automatically begins with the moment they first hear of it. It’s as if something appeals to them mounted combat feat; this is a natural talent he was born with. – something about the natural, untamed wilderness, and the sav- As the bronco rider advances, he gains bonus feats, as indi- age life of the dinosaurs. Somehow, Cretasus is in their blood. cated on Table 2-1: The Bronco Rider. At each level where he is Places of Origin: Confederates take naturally to becoming eligible, the character may choose from one of these feats: bronco riders, given their agricultural homeworlds and experience Mounted Archery; Ride-by Attack; Trample; and Spirited Charge. with animals. Most bronco riders hail from Confederate back- These feats are in addition to the extra feats that a character grounds. Offworlders make up the second largest group of bronco of any class gets every three levels. riders, while Union and Free Fleet bronco riders are both equally rare. Once a bronco rider has made the Table 2-1: The Bronco Rider journey to Cretasus, however, place of Base Fort Ref Will Mounted origin is unimportant – bronco riders Level Attack Bonus Save Save Save Feats are part of a new culture where old 1 +0 +0 +2 +0 Mounted Combat allegiances aren’t as important as they 2 +1 +0 +3 +0 Bonus Mounted Feat once were. 3+1 +1+3+1 Other Classes: Bronco riders are 4 +2 +1 +4 +1 Bonus Mounted Feat independent, self-reliant types. They 5+2 +1+4+1 respect the street smarts of two-fisters 6 +3 +2 +5 +2 Bonus Mounted Feat more than the ranged combat of the 7+3 +2+5+2 soldier. They have no need for the 8 +4 +2 +6 +2 Bonus Mounted Feat book learnin’ of the machinists, and 9+4 +3+6+3 they have mixed attitudes toward wild 10 +5 +3 +7 +3 ones: some understand the appeal, 11 +5 +3 +7 +3 while others consider them insane. 12 +6/+1 +4 +8 +4 13 +6/+1 +4 +8 +4 GAME RULE INFORMATION 14 +7/+2 +4 +9 +4 15 +7/+2 +5 +9 +5 Bronco riders have the following 16 +8/+3 +5 +10 +5 game statistics. 17 +8/+3 +5 +10 +5 Abilities: Bronco riders must be 18 +9/+4 +6 +11 +6 able to work with their mounts. 19 +9/+4 +6 +11 +6 Charisma is important for this, as is 20 +10/+5 +6 +12 +6 Strength when it comes to larger
20 Prehistoric Companion: First level bronco riders start with pragmatic. Others quest for alien artifacts to advance their own a prehistoric animal companion. Just as maverick cowboys in the studies, while some pursue great fortunes that they can invest in wild west frequently kept wolves as pets, many bronco riders keep extensive research of a favored subject. protosuchus. A bronco rider can select an edaphosaurus, ornit- Characteristics: Although years of tinkering makes some holestes or protosuchus as his companion (other companions are machinists strong and dexterous, most are out of shape, inexperi- permissible with GM approval). The companion interacts with the enced with weapons (except those they invented) and near-sight- bronco rider in the same way a modern dog relates to its master. ed. They carry tools instead of guns, and they don’t wear armor, Dinosaur Mount: Bronco riders receive a bonus equal to unless it is energy field armor which doesn’t interfere with their their level to all Handle Animal checks involving prehistoric ani- tinkering. The machinist is often the last person you would expect mals. This bonus is in addition to any other bonuses, including to find adventuring… until he pulls out a quirky device that disin- ranks in Handle Animal. tegrates a T-rex with the press of a button. Then the importance of Experienced bronco riders keep stables filled with their the machinist becomes clear. mounts. These stables serve as living trophy halls, evidence of the Alignment: Machinists consider ideas, theories and the truth bronco rider’s prowess at taming nature’s wildest beasts. to be more important than human organizations. Lawful machin- First level characters, however, are too inexperienced to have ists are very rare, while chaotics are common. a mount of their own. If they’re hired on as ranch hands, they ride Background: A machinist is driven by a thirst for knowledge the mounts of their employers. Only if they’re adventurers – as and its applications. Becoming a machinist requires many years of most characters are – will they have to acquire a mount. There are schooling. Aside from learning the basics of several fields of sci- three ways to do this: buy a domesticated mount; raise a dinosaur ence, the machinist also must learn how to operate most basic from birth; or set out into the wilderness, capture a wild dinosaur equipment. In civilian or military life, a professional machinist and train it. Any one of these options is an adventure in itself. spends his time repairing and maintaining equipment. Senior or accomplished machinists are expected to adapt new discoveries Machinist
Also known as gearsmiths or coglayers, the machinists are practical scientists. They spend half their time pursuing knowl- edge, and the other half putting that knowledge into practice. They are tinkerers and inventors, with a knowledge base that includes chemistry, physics, mechanics and biology. The general scientific ignorance of 2202 makes machinists coveted adventuring partners. Even in the Union, the most tech- nologically advanced human nation, the majority of the popula- tion does not understand common technologies. Moreover, imported alien inventions dwarf even the most advanced human creations. Machinists are the technological elite, those who can understand, maintain, repair and create the everyday technologies of 2202. The Union, Confederacy and Free Fleet are at very different levels of technological advancement, and the machinists from each group reflect this. The Union machinists are the most advanced, but their knowledge plateaus long before that of certain alien races. The Confederacy has never placed much emphasis on science, and as a result has very few accomplished machinists. The Free Fleet lies somewhere in the middle: Technology is not its strength, but so much time in close proximity to advanced alien races gives it access to advanced technology that it can use, if not understand. Adventures: Machinists must be carefully distinguished from scientists. While scientists are the academic researchers who discover knowledge, machinists are the practical souls who turn this knowledge into useful things. Many machinists are driven to adventure by the desire to prove the usefulness of their inventions. They want to take abstract knowledge and turn it into something
21 into practical uses, or create entirely new technology on their own. express scientific sophistication, so they compete to build the As adventurers, machinists are expected to do all of this and pro- most effective weaponry. They are constantly tinkering, adding vide weaponry and equipment as well. new capabilities and refining existing functions. Places of Origin: Machinists find a great deal of support in A customized weapon can add to the machinist’s attack bonus the Union, with its established educational system and respect for or cause additional damage. As a starting point, each custom fea- science. In the Confederacy, however, technology is not so ture gives a +1 enhancement bonus to attack or damage. The num- respected, and Confederate machinists are usually involved with ber of custom features that a machinist can implement is deter- military research. Machinists from the Free Fleet and outer reach- mined by his level. A first level machinist begins with one custom es acquire their knowledge through a mentor or self-study. feature, plus one additional feature for each point of Int modifier. Other Classes: Machinists don’t pay much attention to other At each level thereafter, the machinist can add one new custom classes. They just want to be left alone so they can work. feature. It can be added to an already customized weapon, or be used to customize an unmodified weapon. Table 2-2, The GAME RULE INFORMATION Machinist, tells the maximum customization bonus at each level. For example: Babcock is a first level machinist. His Machinists have the following game statistics. Intelligence is 15, giving him a +2 modifier. At first level, he can Abilities: Machinists must be able to understand complex have three customizations. He customizes his laser pistol to give theories, repair practical devices and create technologically him a +3 attack bonus. When he reaches second level, he further advanced machines. Intelligence and Dexterity are their two most modifies the laser pistol to give him an additional +1. His total important abilities. bonus is now +4. When he reaches third level, he customizes a Alignment: Any non-lawful. laser rifle to give +1 damage. His total bonus is now +5 (+3 for Hit Die: d4 his level and +2 for his Int modifier). At first level, the machinist starts with any customizations to Class Skills his weapons. At future levels, it takes two weeks of work to add each additional customization. After a decision is made as to the The machinist’s class skills (and the key ability for each skill) nature of a customization, it is possible to go back and convert one are Chemistry (Int), Concentration (Int), Craft (Int), Disable sort of bonus to another, but it requires extensive work. To convert Device (Int), Drive (Dex), Knowledge (science or technology, an attack bonus to a damage bonus, for example, would require Int), Pilot (Int), Profession (any relating to technology or engi- modifying the sight and targeting system, and researching upgrad- neering, Int), Repair Device (Dex), Use Technical Equipment (Int). Additionally, Union machinists Table 2-2: The Machinist (and only Union machinists) may Base Fort Ref Will Max. Custom. take Operate Ironclad (Dex). Level Attack Bonus Save Save Save Bonus Skill Points at 1st level: (6 + 1 +0 +0 +1 +2 +1 + Int modifier Int modifier) x 4. 2 +1 +0 +1 +3 +2 + Int modifier Skill Points at Each 3 +1 +1 +2 +3 +3 + Int modifier Additional Level: 6 + Int modifier. 4 +2 +1 +2 +4 +4 + Int modifier 5 +2 +1 +3 +4 +5 + Int modifier Class Features 6 +3 +2 +3 +5 +6 + Int modifier 7 +3 +2 +4 +5 +7 + Int modifier All of the following are class 8 +4 +2 +4 +6 +8 + Int modifier features of the machinist. 9 +4 +3 +5 +6 +9 + Int modifier Weapon and Armor 10 +5 +3 +5 +7 +10 + Int modifier Proficiency: A machinist is only 11 +5 +3 +6 +7 +11 + Int modifier proficient with high-tech and alien 12 +6/+1 +4 +6 +8 +12 + Int modifier weapons. Machinists are only pro- 13 +6/+1 +4 +7 +8 +13 + Int modifier ficient with energy field armor. 14 +7/+2 +4 +7 +9 +14 + Int modifier Understanding of Technol- 15 +7/+2 +5 +8 +9 +15 + Int modifier ogy: A machinist has the ability to 16 +8/+3 +5 +8 +10 +16 + Int modifier decipher unusual technology. He 17 +8/+3 +5 +9 +10 +17 + Int modifier adds his level to the maximum 18 +9/+4 +6 +9 +11 +18 + Int modifier tech level that he can understand. 19 +9/+4 +6 +10 +11 +19 + Int modifier Custom Weapons: Most 20 +10/+5 +6 +10 +12 +20 + Int modifier machinists believe their creations
22 Function Change Bonus Equivalent Weight Reduce weight by 50 percent +1 Range Increase range increment by 50 percent +1 Critical Increase threat by one (e.g., 20 to 19-20) +2 Critical Increase crit multiplier by one (e.g., x2 to x3) +2 Area Effect Increase area effect radius by 50 percent +2 Rate of Fire Add one extra attack per round +2 ed ammunition. Conversion takes one month for each point of activate some of them at any given time. In this way, the machin- transferred modification. Changing a +2 attack bonus to a +2 ist can own many devices, but not have to maintain them all at damage bonus, for example, would take two months. once. Instead of applying an attack or damage bonus, the machinist There are no restrictions on deactivating or disassembling may attempt some other sort of modification. This could include existing devices to make room for new ones. Many high-level the range, the area effect, the rate of fire, or, in theory, anything machinists have rooms full of devices, but only activate those they else. On the table above are some rough guidelines for custom need for an adventure. weapons. The “Bonus Equivalent” is what level of customization The machinist can select his devices from those listed in the bonus is necessary to create the custom weapon. Some kinds of chapter on equipment. He can build any sort of equipment, as well weapons may not be amenable to certain kinds of modification. as any of the devices listed there. With the game master’s permis- Your game master has the final word. sion, he also may custom build devices to accomplish specific The customization bonus applies only when using the cus- functions. tomized weapon. Only the machinist receives the bonus when using that weapon, as only he understands how to work the cus- tomized weapon. Soldier The bonus represents the machinist’s level of engineering ability, as well as the powers of his customized weapon. The cus- A soldier is a proud, disciplined warrior. He is trained in the tom weapons require constant maintenance. For this reason, a use of all common armor and machinist cannot construct custom weapons that he then passes on weaponry, familiar with most to his friends for their use. basic equipment, and If the machinist attempts to customize more weapons than his schooled in tactics and abilities allow, he will not be able to provide upkeep on the strategy. The soldier’s basic weapons. Those bonuses in excess of his level will cease to apply. fighting ability, as well as Furthermore, all of his customized weapons will malfunction, and his talent at leading and repairs will take one week per weapon. coordinating attacks, is If a custom weapon is destroyed or lost, the machinist can invaluable in most adven- customize another weapon or a replacement. turing parties. Devices. The machinist also can custom build devices. This degree of military Devices range in complexity from simple (such as a radio) to expertise is commonly avail- moderate (such as a whiner, which emits subsonic frequencies that able only in the Confederate or dinosaurs hate) to extremely difficult (such as a spibot, a spider- Union military, and thus most like robot that maps terrain as it traverses it). soldiers have served in one or the Each device has a tech level associated with it. A machinist other. There are few other can only build a device equal to or less than his level. Building a places to acquire the rigorous device takes one week per tech level. The components cost $10 training to become a sol- for tech level 1, $20 for tech level 2, $40 for tech level 3, $80 for dier, though some tech level 4, and so on. societies in the Building devices is different from maintaining devices. There Free Fleet have is no limit to the number of devices a machinist can build been known to do (although the complexity depends on the machinist’s level). There so, as well as cer- is a limit, however, to the number that he can maintain at once. tain private armies The machinist can only maintain a number of devices whose in the Union. total tech levels are equal to or less than his level. If he tries to An adventurer of maintain more, each device has a 50 percent chance per day of the soldier class is typi- David Wong malfunctioning. It is permissible to build many devices, but only cally a recent veteran, having
23 chosen to discharge his formal duties for a life of recklessness. immediate deployment and actual combat. Even when he has left his formal military life, though, he carries Soldiers develop strong fraternal bonds. Most remain close to with him the discipline and focus to become an even better sol- their old schoolmates, basic training buddies, and the men and dier. women from their units. When their active duty ends, old soldier Adventures: The kind of person who becomes a soldier is friends often re-unite to adventure together. usually perfectly suited to adventuring. Soldiers appreciate chal- Places of Origin: Confederate soldiers typically come from lenge, conflict, risk, excitement and success. Many soldiers con- families that identify strongly with the rebel cause. That’s why tinue adventuring after their career ends, simply for the excite- they join the military in the first place. By the time the soldier fin- ment and rewards. Others, who spent their careers in out-of-the- ishes his service, however, his loyalties may not be so strong. way systems and obscure posts, become adventurers because it Confederate soldiers are usually from rural areas. The poorer provides the excitement they didn’t get in the military. Confederates start as infantry, while the gentry and aristocrats Other soldiers become adventurers as a result of their service. enter service as officers. In many cases, the poorer troops who Some soldiers grow tired of fighting for generals they don’t know survive battlefield service to promotion into the officer ranks or ideals they don’t identify with. They adventure to fight for make better leaders than their sheltered aristocratic peers. something they care about – often themselves, but sometimes the Because the Confederate military is so decentralized, there cause or ideal that provoked them to service in the first place. are some adventuring parties on Cretasus that include soldiers still Others are so shaken by their war-time experiences that they can on active duty. This works fine as long as the adventures dovetail never return to mainstream society. with the soldiers’ missions. Characteristics: The soldier is a trained warrior. Soldiers do Union soldiers hail from its sweltering cities and endless not necessarily fight out of a personal lust for violence or power industrial bases. They often grew up in tough urban surroundings (although that is sometimes the case). Rather, they treat combat as and are used to defending themselves. The Union practices forced a vocation, a way to make a living, that has its own set of rules and conscription much more than Confederacy, so many of its soldiers standards. They usually fight for a greater goal: the safety of their aren’t particularly enthusiastic about their service. Those that do families, the right to self-govern or the virtue of democracy. They volunteer are often favored over the conscripts, with better oppor- understand that warfare is a necessary part of civilized life, not an tunity for advancement and easier access to elite training. The end or lifestyle in itself. Union military includes federal sheriffs and marshals, whose Alignment: Soldiers are never chaotic. They must be com- domains cover vast areas of unoccupied space, and it is not fortable with teamwork and being part of an organization. Lawful unknown for these soldiers to actively adventure on Cretasus in soldiers tend to be more successful in their military careers than their down time. neutral soldiers, although adventuring is a different Table 2-3: The Soldier arena than military life. Base Fort Ref Will Strategy & Tactics Troops with a chaotic disposi- Level Attack Bonus Save Save Save Feats tion are identified and dis- 1 +1 +2+0+0 charged early on – in the 2 +2 +3 +0 +0 Sense of Vulnerability Confederacy, this usually 3 +3 +3+1+1 means being sent back to the 4 +4 +4 +1 +1 Combat Tactician local home guard. 5 +5 +4+1+1 Background: Soldiers 6 +6/+1 +5 +2 +2 usually attend military schools 7 +7/+2 +5 +2 +2 Combat Placement beginning at the age of 14. 8 +8/+3 +6 +2 +2 From this early age, their edu- 9 +9/+4 +6 +3 +3 cation focuses on military his- 10 +10/+5 +7 +3 +3 tory and strategy, with basic 11 +11/+6/+1 +7 +3 +3 weapons training. At the age 12 +12/+7/+2 +8 +4 +4 of 18, they graduate to formal 13 +13/+8/+3 +8 +4 +4 military service, though prom- 14 +14/+9/+4 +9 +4 +4 ising candidates may begin 15 +15/+10/+5 +9 +5 +5 earlier. Military service begins 16 +16/+11/+6/+1 +10 +5 +5 with at least two years of col- 17 +17/+12/+7/+2 +10 +5 +5 lege-level education before 18 +18/+13/+8/+3 +11 +6 +6 the student enters active duty. 19 +19/+14/+9/+4 +11 +6 +6 Depending upon the place and 20 +20/+15/+10/+5 +12 +6 +6 time, active duty may entail
24 Some of the wealthy Union industrial magnates have trained of combat situations. In military school, they memorize thousands their own private armies. These armies protect their factories from of historical battles, and can instantly match the current situation competitors, aliens, natural hazards, rebels and labor unions. to a historical case study. They then assess all aspects of a situa- Some soldiers hail from these private armies. tion – weather, position of the sun, terrain, lighting, potential The Free Fleet has dozens of regional armies, each affiliated cover, and so on – to determine the best way to win an encounter. with a one or more ships in a fleet. Most of these are semi-pro- Soldiers gain certain feats due to their grasp of strategy and fessional organizations without the structure necessary to produce tactics. These feats are indicated on Table 2-3: The Soldier. They good soldiers, but there are some real armies, and some soldiers are described in the Feats section. The soldier gains these feats in do hail from there. addition to every character’s normal acquisition of a new feat Other Classes: Although soldiers look down upon the wild, every three levels. unskilled fighting of two-fisters and wild ones, they understand their importance in an army and adventuring party, and they Spy respect their courage. They have a similar attitude toward machin- ists: they appreciate the usefulness of their work, but they consid- You’ll find them at secret research facilities in the heart of the er them weak and inscrutable. Soldiers admire bronco riders for jungle, posing as servants at the strategy meetings of the general their strength and discipline. staff, stealing alien technology prototypes and thwarting assassins and plots. Spies perform secret actions that regulars could never GAME RULE INFORMATION dream to accomplish, through stealth, disguise and sheer nerve. Soldiers have the following game statistics. Adventures: Spies serve a larger group, whether it be a gov- Abilities: Dexterity is important to soldiers for its role in ernment or a corporation, and are frequently assigned missions by ranged combat. Intelligence is important for its influence on tacti- this group. They often need allies to accomplish their goals. Some cal thinking. Although Strength is important for close combat, are simply asked to “gather information” on a such fighting is rare for a professional soldier. Constitution is given topic – a perfect opportunity to important because a soldier is usually in the front lines of combat. explore and adventure! Alignment: Any non-chaotic. Characteristics: Spies Hit Die: d10. are masters of subterfuge, stealth and dis- Class Skills guise. They are equally at The soldier’s class skills (and the key ability for each skill) home chatting are Climb (Str), Craft (Int), Drive (Dex), Intimidate (Cha), Jump up a Union (Str), Knowledge (strategy and tactics, Int), Listen (Wis), Pilot general’s (Int), Use Technical Equipment (Int). Additionally, Union soldiers daughter at a (and only Union soldiers) may take Operate Ironclad (Dex). ball and rig- Skill Points at 1st Level: (4 + Int modifier) x 4. ging a dynamite Skill Points at Each Additional Level: 4 + Int modifier. charge to blow up a rail- way bridge. Spies also are Class Features good at sifting information and gathering intelligence. Spies do All of the following are class features of the soldier. not relish fighting; that’s a job Weapon and Armor Proficiency: A soldier is proficient with for the soldiers and two-fisters. daggers, all ballistic weapons, light armor, medium armor and Alignment: Spies can be of heavy armor. Soldiers prefer tactical, strategic war fought with any alignment. Lawful spies advanced weapons – not the clumsy, close-range combat associat- will keep the laws and codes of ed with two-fisters. their own nation, but may not Weapon Specialization: Upon achieving 4th level or higher, recognize those of other the soldier may take Weapon Specialization as a feat. A prerequi- nations as binding. site is Weapon Focus with that weapon. Weapon Specialization Background: Federal lends a +2 damage bonus with a chosen weapon. The damage spies serve bureaucratic mas- bonus applies within the targeting range of a ranged weapon. ters, are trained in law- Base Attack Bonus: The soldier’s base attack bonus applies enforcement techniques to ranged combat, not close combat. and special armed Strategy and Tactics: Soldiers are trained to take advantage combat systems, and David Wong
25 have strict codes of conduct and operational procedure. and light and energy field armor. Confederate and Free Fleet spies are often patriotic volunteers Slip of the Tongue: To use this ability, the spy must be in a with the gift of gab and a deft hand with locks. friendly conversation. She may “slip” a question into the conver- Places of Origin: The Union, the Confederates and the Free sation without seeming to ask it—“Oh yes, I was speaking to the Fleet all employ numerous spies. Few offworlders become spies, commander of the base, Mr....” “Sherman?” “Yes, Sherman, of because they are hilariously incompetent at passing themselves course, and I was saying...” The intended target must make a Will off as non-offworlders. save against a DC of 10 + spy’s level + Charisma modifier or Other Classes: Spies move in all sorts of company, and get inadvertently answer the question. If the intended target makes the along well with other people. However, they often prefer to work roll by 5 or more, they realize what the spy is up to! alone, without noisy bronco riders in the vicinity. The spy may use this ability once per day per level. If the spy attempts slip of the tongue on the same target more than once in a GAME RULE INFORMATION day, the target may become wise to the spy. For each attempt after the first, the target has a +2 bonus to its save. Spies have the following game statistics. Slip of the tongue works against any enemy whose language Abilities: Charisma allows a spy to persuade the people she the spy speaks. meets to tell her more than they should, Dexterity lets her slip into Dodge Bullets: Spies get a dodge bonus to AC against all and out of tight spots, and Intelligence lets her figure out the ranged weapon attacks (including energy weapons). This dodge enemy’s master plan. Charisma, Dexterity and Intelligence are bonus does not apply if the spy takes a full attack action. important for the spy’s special abilities. Improved Evasion: This ability works like evasion, except Alignment: Any. that the rogue still takes no damage on a successful Reflex save, Hit Die: d6. he now takes only half damage on a failed save. Nick of Time: Once a day (or more, depending on level), a Class Skills spy can use one of these skills in 1/10 the time it normally takes: Disable Device, Disguise, Escape Artist, Forgery, Open Locks, The spy’s class skills (and the key ability for each skill) are Use Technical Equipment Appraise (Int), Balance (Dex), Bluff (Cha), Ciphers (Int, exclu- Intriguing: An experienced spy is so intriguing and engaging sive skill), Climb (Str), Diplomacy (Cha), Disable Device (Int), that villains just don’t know what to make of him. The spy can use Disguise (Cha), Drive (Dex), Escape Artist (Dex), Forgery (Int), this ability either in battle, to avoid being killed, or before a bat- Gather Information (Cha), Hide (Dex), Jump (Str), Knowledge (all skills, Table 2-4: The Spy taken individually), Listen Base Fort Ref Will (Wis), Move Silently Level Attack Bonus Save Save Save Special (Dex), Open Locks (Dex), 1 +0 +0 +2 +1 Slip/tongue, Nick of Time Pick Pocket (Dex), Search 2 +1 +0 +2 +1 Uncanny Dodge (Dex) (Int), Read Lips (Int), 3 +2 +1 +3 +2 +1 dodge/bullets Sense Motive (Wis), Speak 4 +3 +1 +3 +2 Language (Int), Spot (Int), 5 +3 +1 +4 +2 Intriguing 1/day Tumble (Dex) and Use 6 +4 +2 +4 +3 +2 dodge/bullets Technical Equipment (Int). 7 +5 +2 +5 +3 Uncanny dodge (flank) Skill Points at 1st 8 +6/+1 +2 +5 +4 Nick/time 2/day level: (8 + Int modifier) x 4. 9 +6/+1 +3 +6 +4 +3 dodge/bullets Skill Points at Each 10 +7/+2 +3 +6 +4 Additional Level: 8 + Int 11 +8/+3 +3 +7 +5 modifier. 12 +9/+4 +4 +7 +5 +4 dodge/bullets 13 +9/+4 +4 +8 +6 Intriguing 2/day Class Features 14 +10/+5 +4 +8 +6 15 +11/+6/+1 +5 +9 +6 The following are all 16 +12/+7/+2 +5 +9 +7 +5 dodge/bullets class features of the spy. 17 +12/+7/+2 +5 +10 +7 Nick/time 3/day Weapon and Armor 18 +13/+8/+3 +6 +10 +8 Proficiency: A spy is pro- 19 +14/+9/+4 +6 +11 +8 +6 dodge/bullets ficient with manual, ballis- 20 +15/+10/+5 +6 +12 +9 Intriguing 3/day tic, and high-tech weapons
26 tle, to avoid conflict. If a battle has not yet started, the spy can Places of Origin: Confederate two- attempt to leave the battle, and opposing troops need to make a fisters are usually from the home Will check against a DC of 10 + spy’s level + spy’s Charisma guard, the Confederacy’s reserve modifier to attack the spy. Otherwise, they permit the spy to leave forces that patrol the soldiers’ the scene. If the spy is already in combat, she can offer to surren- home regions. The home der, and the opposing forces must accept her offer unless they guard is made up of the make their Will save. This ability works against any enemy whose poorest, least enthusias- language the spy speaks. tic or most rural rebs – those who don’t attend a military academy Two-Fister because they can’t afford it, don’t want to A two-fister is a warrior by necessity rather than training. The or aren’t near one. Confederate guerrillas fighting to liberate Union planets are two- Alternatively, fisters. The warp pirates who terrorize the trade lanes are two-fis- some Confederate ters. The Confederate home guard are two-fisters, as are the resi- two-fisters are over- dents of the Free Fleet who spend two years in the local army. And enthusiastic teenagers the self-taught adventurers of Cretasus, come to seek their fame who would have become sol- and fortune, are two-fisters. diers if they only had patience. Where the soldier has tactics and discipline, the two-fister has Instead, they ran away at a street smarts and gut instinct. Two-fisters become warriors young age, eager to adven- through trial and error. They learn to fight in the bars and gutters. ture, and never received for- They have scars, broken noses and missing teeth. In an aerial dog- mal military schooling. fight or a shoot-out, you want a soldier by your side – but when Union conscription you’re threading through the dank alleys of New Washington, you practices produce a regular want to be with a two-fister. supply of two-fisters in Adventures: Two-fister adventurers typically see their war- several different fare skills as a way to escape their home worlds. They are regular, ways. First, there are everyday people who want something more. Some join a local the conscripts. The militia solely for its role in preparing them for an expedition, majority of Union while others cobble together whatever skills they can teach them- conscripts are unwilling. selves before setting off. The Union recognizes this by giving them sub-par training and Characteristics: Two-fisters are warriors without formal treating them like grunts. When they are discharged, these ostensi- schooling. Although they lack the weapons expertise and tactical ble “soldiers” really don’t have the training necessary to be a true knowledge of a soldier, they make up for it with street-fighting, soldier. Many use what they’ve learned to become adventurers. close combat techniques, “dirty tricks” and local connections. The second source of Union two-fisters is the grueling day- Their folksy, layman’s manner lets them mingle easily with locals. to-day life in the Union. The Union super-cities are terrible places When they are in areas of personal connection – for example, a to live. For most citizens, they are hot, sweaty, polluted, grimy and Confederate in rebel lands – they are skilled at gathering informa- dehumanizing. The lower classes have their rights, but often noth- tion on local affairs. ing else, so they grow up defending themselves in the streets. The Alignment: Two-fisters can be of any alignment. There are middle classes are safe, but face a life of weary office ennui. lawful two-fisters who adventure with their childhood friends. Everybody wants to leave, and that urge produces two-fisters. There are chaotic two-fisters who yearn to escape the confines of The Free Fleet produces a steady supply of two-fisters by normal society. Good and evil two-fisters are just as common as virtue of its standing army of citizen reserves. Unlike the good and evil people in everyday society. Confederates and Union, the Free Fleet militiamen are proud to be Background: Two-fisters grew up as everyday people. They in the militia. When the Freemen take to adventure, their militia learned combat skills in a private or local army, on their own, or background proves a natural occupation. from a mentor. Everything they know was learned in the evenings Offworlders usually become two-fisters, as they typically after a hard day’s work, or in the tough alleys of an overpopulat- lack the time and resources to learn any other class. ed city. Other Classes: Two-fisters respect soldiers the way any hob- Two-fisters are “of the people” – they are the adventurers byist respects a professional. They have a similar respect for bron- who send money home to their family, maintain strong ties even co riders. They have no strong feelings for or against machinists, from long distances, and don’t forget where they came from. They but are disapproving of wild ones, whom they see as freaks and hope to make it big, then come home to a hero’s welcome. social outcasts.
27 GAME RULE INFORMATION with all manual weapons, light armor and medium armor. Unarmed Combat: Where soldiers focus their attention on Two-fisters have the following game statistics. modern weaponry, two-fisters learn to fight with whatever is Abilities: Two-fisters practice combat in its most basic form available. In many cases, this is only their fists. They are experi- – fists and knives – so Strength is important to them. Dexterity enced in street fighting and “dirty tricks” combat, and some have and Constitution also are important for their roles in close combat. limited exposure to martial arts training as well. All two-fisters Alignment: Any. automatically receive the Improved Unarmed Strike feat. Hit Die: d8. Furthermore, they receive an attack bonus and cause extra dam- age, as shown in Table 2-5: The Two-Fister. Class Skills Local Connections: Two-fisters blend in easily, especially in places similar to their hometowns. They can use this ability to The two-fister’s class skills (and the key ability for each skill) gather information about local happenings, so a two-fister are Climb (Str), Craft (Int), Drive (Dex), Gather Information receives a bonus to Gather Information skill checks, as follows: (Cha), Hide (Dex), Jump (Str), Profession (Wis). • A bonus applies equal to the two-fister’s level. Skill Points at 1st Level: (2 + Int modifier) x 2. • When in his native lands, or in any place populated by his Skill Points at Each Additional Level: 2 + Int modifier. people, this bonus is increased by 50 percent. For example, a fourth level Freeman two-fister visiting a city-ship of another fleet Class Features would receive a +6 bonus (+4 for level and +2 for native lands). • When in the lands of his enemies, his bonus is decreased by All of the following are class features of the two-fister. 50 percent. For example, the same Freeman in a Union city would Weapon and Armor Proficiency: A two-fister is proficient receive only a +2 bonus.
Table 2-5: The Two-Fister Base Fort Ref Will Unarmed Unarmed Level Attack Bonus Save Save Save Attack Bonus Damage 1 +0 +0+2+0+0 1d6 2 +1 +0+3+0+1 1d6 3 +2 +1+3+1+2 1d6 4 +3 +1+4+1+3 1d8 5 +3 +1+5+1+3 1d8 6 +4 +2 +5 +2 +4/+1 1d8 7 +5 +2 +5 +2 +5/+2 1d10 8 +6/+1 +2 +6 +2 +6/+3 1d10 9 +6/+1 +3 +6 +3 +6/+3 1d10 10 +7/+2 +3 +7 +3 +7/+4/+1 1d10 11 +8/+3 +3 +7 +3 +8/+5/+2 1d12 12 +9/+4 +4 +8 +4 +9/+6/+3 1d12 13 +9/+4 +4 +8 +4 +9/+6/+3 1d12 14 +10/+5 +4 +9 +4 +10/+7/+4/+1 1d12 15 +11/+6/+1 +5 +9 +5 +11/+8/+5/+2 1d20 16 +12/+7/+2 +5 +10 +5 +12/+9/+6/+3 1d20 17 +12/+7/+2 +5 +10 +5 +12/+9/+6/+3 1d20 18 +13/+8/+3 +6 +11 +6 +13/+10/+7/+4/+1 1d20 19 +14/+9/+4 +6 +11 +6 +14/+11/+8/+5/+2 1d20 20 +15/+10/+5 +6 +12 +6 +15/+12/+9/+6/+3 1d20
28 Wild One in all other respects, he is a dinosaur. Because wild ones at this stage rarely interact with humans, there is little opportunity for There have always been people who feel more comfortable them to be player characters. around animals than their fellow humans. They feel an innate con- Alignment: Most wild ones feel an affinity for the laws of nection to the laws of nature, which seem to make more sense than nature. They pay little heed to the laws of man, considering them the laws of man. They see the negative side effects of scientific ambiguous, artificial and temporary. At the same time, they reflect progress, which make them question whether humanity is really the fluid tribal and family structures of wild animals. Thus, wild that advanced after all. ones may not be Lawful or Chaotic. They can still be good or evil, The untamed wilderness of Cretasus has attracted these people. depending on their own inclinations, and many form alliances Many have become farmers or biologists or refugees in strange with dinosaurs closest to their own nature. cults, but a select few of the Cretasus migrants have felt a profound, Background: The slide toward wildness is the central story primal tug. At a level deeper than their own humanity, they connect behind each wild one. Some came to Cretasus intent on retreating to to a psyche once thought extinct – they think like dinosaurs. the wilderness. Others arrived as soldiers, farmers, bronco riders or These are the wild ones, feral humans who have taken refuge industrialists, unaware of the call of the wild within their breast. in the wilderness of Cretasus. Uncivilized, brutal, atavistic and Somehow, the urge to leave humanity overtook them. In most cases, animalistic, they have abandoned the company of man to live with they left on individual expeditions into the wilderness. A lucky few the dinosaurs. found comrades with similar inclinations, then set out together. Adventures: Everyday life is an adventure for the wild ones. Each wild one wants to abandon some portion of civilized They must hunt and kill their own food. They must defend them- life. Many seek only to escape the cities to live in the wilderness. selves against enemies. They must find others like them, and they Some carry this further by abandoning clothing and cooking. must fend off predators. In the most extreme cases, they must Most stop there, though a few go so far as to “forget” domestic maintain the alliances and interests of their adopted dinosaur animals and agriculture in favor of hunting and gathering. Most tribes, including going to war against the enemies of their wild ones have regular contact with both dinosaurs and humans, dinosaur brothers. At times, those enemies include man. treated as a fringe member of both societies but a true citizen of Player character wild ones find additional adventure. neither. The final step – extremely rare – is to leave the society of Although some truly are nothing more than brutal, animalistic humans. These wild ones give up their humanity once and for all people, others are pulled toward their feral state by a philosophi- to live with a dinosaur tribe. cal yearning. They consider the environment sacred, feel connect- There is no common thread connecting the backgrounds of ed to nature, and understand the balance of natural laws. Wild the wild ones. While some were raised in poverty, others come ones find adventure in putting these philosophies into practice. from wealthy, aristocratic backgrounds. No one understands what They oppose the industrial development of Cretasus. They serve causes the urge to retreat from civilization. For the mildest of the as intermediaries and diplomats when dinosaurs come into contact wild ones – those who simply become wilderness men – human with humans. They act as spies and scouts for both humans and society is still within reach, and they frequently maintain contact dinosaurs, and they try desperately to balance their love of nature with their friends and family. The most extreme, however, are with the responsibilities of humanity. deemed insane by the rest of humanity. Most wild ones fall some- where along this spectrum of the rough-mannered wilderness man Characteristics: Wild ones can be divided into three stages of to the insane, dinosaur-brained outcast. wildness. The first stage, the “wilderness man,” is gruff, taciturn and Places of Origin: There is no common thread to the wild rough-mannered, but still able to interact with people. He has close ones’ places of origin. Many of those who seek out a wilderness relations with local dinosaur tribes, but is not a member of any tribe. life in the first place are the rural denizens of the Confederacy, but These wild ones act as go-betweens and diplomats when dinosaur they are no more likely to become wild ones than the rare Union tribes deal with humans. Most player characters are this stage. settlers who come to Cretasus. The Free Fleet and offworlders The second stage, the “dinosaur man,” has intimate relations send fewer settlers to Cretasus than other factions, but wild ones with the dinosaurs. He lives near or with dinosaurs and may be a are just as likely among their citizens. The tendency toward wild- member of a family group of tribe. He foregoes cooking and ness seems genetic, rather than environmental, and there is no dis- clothing, feels awkward around humans and prefers the company cernible pattern of origin thus far. of dinosaurs, but he is still able to communicate with humans. Other Classes: Wild ones lump other classes together with Some player characters can be this extreme. the rest of humanity, guilty of betraying nature and the environ- The third stage is the true wild one. He has left humanity ment. Machinists, bronco riders, soldiers and two-fisters all repre- behind. He lives in a dinosaur tribe, only remembering broken bits sent the varied evils of civilization. Wild ones respect the classes of human languages. To a normal human, he has strange manner- to the same degree that they respect the rest of humanity – the isms, odd body language and a bad odor. He regards humans just wilderness man considers them misguided, the dinosaur man sees as the dinosaurs do – mostly as food, though occasionally as a them as dangers to the environment and the true wild one consid- source of technology or supplies. He is human only in anatomy – ers them potential meals at best and enemies at worst.
29 GAME RULE INFORMATION spices, roots and animal extracts that grow naturally on Cretasus. Most of this is learned through interaction with dinosaur shamans, Wild ones have the following game statistics. though some is self-taught. This knowledge gives wild ones Abilities: Wild ones must be able to survive in the wilderness access to the Heal and Knowledge (nature) skills. and earn the respect of dinosaurs. Those who aren’t strong enough Motivating Cause: A wild one is driven by an underlying die trying. Constitution and Wisdom are very important for wild cause. This cause is usually a result of his background and ones. upbringing. As a result of this cause, the wild one has certain ene- Alignment: Neutral good, true neutral, or neutral evil. mies. Some example causes are: Hit Die: d8. • The wild one opposes Union industrial development on Cretasus. His enemies are Union soldiers and industrialists. Class Skills • The wild one opposes Confederate domestication of dinosaurs. His enemies are the Dino Warriors. The wild one’s class skills (and the key ability for each skill) • The wild one opposes ranchers who try to herd wild bron- are Animal Empathy (Cha), Climb (Str), Craft (Int), Heal (Wis), cos. His enemies are bronco ranchers and their employees. Hide (Dex), Intuit Direction (Wis), Jump (Str), Knowledge The wild one receives a +1 attack bonus against all enemies (nature, Int), Ride (Dex), Speak Language (Int), Swim (Str), Use of this cause. The player should determine what his cause is. It Rope (Dex), Wilderness Lore (Wis). must be fairly specific – it cannot be so general as to include Skill Points at 1st Level: (4 + Int modifier) x 4. everybody. Skill Points at Each Additional Level: 4 + Int modifier. Animal Peer: A wild one respects nature as his equal. He views domestication as an improper imposition of civilization Class Features upon the wild animal. Thus, wild ones can have Animal Empathy and Ride skills, but they cannot acquire Handle Animal. All of the following are class features of the wild one: However, wild ones have an uncanny ability to communicate Weapon and Armor Proficiency: A wild one is proficient and interact with animals, and they can often persuade wild ani- with manual weapons and light armor. mals to work with them. This is reflected in the Animal Peer abil- Dinosaur Empathy: A wild one receives an inherent +2 ity. bonus to any Animal Empathy check involving dinosaurs. First level wild ones start with the Animal Peer ability. A wild Natural Knowledge: Wild ones learn to use the herbs, one adds his Wisdom modifier and level to checks against this
Table 2-6: The Wild One Base Fort Ref Will Human Level Attack Bonus Save Save Save Special Charisma 1 +0 +2 +0 +2 Animal Peer -1 2 +1 +3 +0 +3 Dinosaur Ally -2 3 +1 +3 +1 +3 Companion -2 4 +2 +4+1+4 -2 5 +2 +4+1+4 -3 6 +3 +5 +2 +5 Dinosaur Ally -3 7 +3 +5+2+5 -3 8 +4 +6+2+6 -4 9 +4 +6+3+6 -4 10 +5 +7 +3 +7 Dinosaur Ally -4 11 +5 +7 +3 +7 -5 12 +6/+1 +8 +4 +8 -5 13 +6/+1 +8 +4 +8 -5 14 +7/+2 +9 +4 +9 Dinosaur Ally -6 15 +7/+2 +9 +5 +9 -6 16 +8/+3 +10 +5 +10 -6 17 +8/+3 +10 +5 +10 -7 18 +9/+4 +11 +6 +11 Dinosaur Ally -7 19 +9/+4 +11 +6 +11 -7 20 +10/+5 +12 +6 +12 -8
30 ability. For example, a fourth level wild one with average Wisdom him as an enemy. Wild ones can ally with both herbivorous and would add +4 to any rolls. carnivorous dinosaurs, as long as that is their only point of differ- A wild one may use his Animal Peer ability to interact with ence. wild and domesticated animals. This ability works very much like Companion: Beginning at third level, the wild one can ask the Handle Animal skill, except that it reflects the wild one’s intu- his allies to provide him with a traveling companion. Companions itive nature, not his strength of will. Thus, the wild one cannot are typically requested for specific reasons – for example, the wild “train” a wild animal with this skill, though he can rear it and one needs protection while traveling through enemy territory, teach it tricks. Fundamentally, though, the animal remains wild. needs a translator for dealing with another tribe or needs help pur- The game master assigns a difficulty class to any interaction, suing revenge on enemies. with the following guidelines: The companion can be any member of the allied group, pro- vided its total hit dice are less than or equal to the wild one’s. It Task DC will accompany the character and treat him with the utmost loyal- Handle a domestic animal 5 ty. The companion may be a friend of the wild one’s, or a random “Push” a domestic animal 10 delegate from the allied group. The length of the companion’s stay Communicate with a wild animal * 15 depends on the needs of the wild one and the allied group. Convince a wild animal to act as a mount 20 ** The wild one can ask a companion to return home on certain Teach an animal tasks 10 adventures, or attend others. When a wild one has several allies, Teach an animal unusual tasks 15 he can request a companion from different allies at different times. Rear a wild animal 10 + HD But unlike the Bronco Rider’s companion, the wild one’s companion is not a pet. It is a wild animal. It will be skittish * Only works with intelligent animals. The communication around other humans, may be unwilling to follow the wild one must be simple and possible through body language and into human settlements, and, if carnivorous, may not have any basic noises. compunctions about eating the wild one’s fellow adventurers. ** At the GM’s discretion, this DC can be modified if the ani- Human Awkwardness: The more comfortable a wild one mal is hungry or hostile. becomes with nature, the more awkward he becomes around humans. As a wild one advances in level, he becomes less charis- Dinosaur Allies: A wild one gradually becomes a resident of matic in human company. His Charisma is reduced around the natural world. He makes friends with some dinosaurs, and humans, as indicated on Table 2-6: The Wild One. The modifiers their enemies become his enemies. by level are not cumulative; use the modifier for the wild one’s At each level indicated on Table 2-6: The Wild One, the char- current level. acter attains a dinosaur ally. For intelligent dinosaurs, this is usu- Multiclass: Wild ones have fundamental beliefs about the ally a local nation, tribe or family group; for others, it is a certain importance of nature. Any typical human profession contradicts species within a local region. Allies can be different political fac- these beliefs, so they cannot multiclass. tions of the same species, depending on how the game master has arranged the local political situation. The “typical” dinosaur of that allied group cannot have more hit dice than the wild one’s level. For example, a second level wild one can only gain allies of one or two hit dice. As the wild one’s level increases, he cannot “exchange” existing allies for more powerful ones. He can only acquire more powerful allies by mak- ing new friends. Allies have the following implications: 1. The wild one has learned the customs, habits and language of his allies. The wild one automatically speak the creatures’ lan- guage (although he is still limited by anatomy – he cannot repro- Skills duce the calls of a parasaurolophus, for example). 2. The wild one is accepted by the ally. He can come and go at their homes, share their meals and gain their audience. Many skills have new applications in the world of 3. The wild one is now identified with that ally by other Broncosaurus Rex. There also are new skills made available by dinosaurs of the same region. If his ally has enemies or allies, he the technology of the year 2202. does, too. The following table shows class restrictions for all the skills. The wild one may not select contradictory allies – for exam- Skills that are completely inapplicable for adventuring on ple, if the local velociraptor tribe is at war with the tyrannosaurus Cretasus are excluded. Following this table are revisions of exist- family, he cannot ally with both. If he does so, they will both view ing skills, and descriptions of new ones.
32 Table 3-1: Skills Skill Bro Eng Sol Spy Two Wil Alchemy/Chemistry o O oooo Animal Empathy O x x o x O Appraise o o o O o o Balance O o o O o o Bluff o o o O o o Cipher XXXOXX Climb o o OOOO Concentration o O oooo Craft O O O o O O Diplomacy o o o O o o Disable Device oOoOoo Disguise o o o O o o Drive o OOOOo Escape Artist o o o O o o Forgery o o o O o o Gather Information o o o O O o Handle Animal O ooooX* Heal oooooO Hide o o o O O O Innuendo oooooo Intimidate o o O o o o Intuit Direction O ooooO Jump o o OOOO Knowledge (nature) O ooooO Knowledge (science) o O oooo Knowledge (strategy & tactics) o o O o o o Knowledge (technology) o O o o o X Knowledge (all skills) o o o O o o Listen o o O O o o Move Silently o o o O o o Open Lock o o o O o o Operate Ironclad ** XOOXXX Perform oooooo Pick Pocket o o o O o o Pilot o O O o o X Profession o O o o O o Read Lips XXXOXX Repair Device o O o o o X Ride O ooooO Search o o o O o o Sense Motive o o o O o o Speak Language o o oOoO Spot o o o O o o Swim oooooO Tumble o o o O o o Use Rope oooooO Use Technical Equipment o O O O o X Wilderness Lore O ooooO
O = Class skill. * Wild ones have their own special ability, Animal Peer, that o = Cross-class skill. covers similar tasks as Handle Animal. X = Unavailable. ** Only Union Machinists and Soldiers may take Operate Ironclad.
33 Skill Descriptions Here are two examples of using Animal Empathy. First, a startled triceratops on the verge of shrieking a warning call is ALCHEMY/CHEMISTRY (Int; Trained Only) unfriendly. You can make a check to make it remain silent. If you In Broncosaurus Rex, Alchemy is known as Chemistry. It lets manage to change its attitude to indifferent, you have succeeded. chemists combine ingredients to produce acids, poisons and As a second example, a maternal ankylosaurus rears up when explosive mixtures. the character gets too close to her nest. The ankylosaurus is hos- tile and must be calmed to prevent it from attacking. The GM may ANIMAL EMPATHY (Cha; Trained Only; Bronco Rider, rule that the best you can do is change its attitude to unfriendly, Wild One only) because no matter what you do, you are still dangerously close to Animal Empathy can be used on dinosaurs and ancient mammals. its nest. Check: For purposes of this skill, dinosaurs are considered Retry: Retries do not work. animals. The success of Animal Empathy depends upon the men- Special: Wild ones making Animal Empathy checks with ani- tal state of the target animal. An animal’s attitude can be classed mals from allied groups receive a +5 circumstance bonus to their into five categories as follows: roll. CIPHERS (Int; Trained Only; Spies Only) Attitude Means Possible Actions Use this skill to determine that an innocuous piece of scribble is Hostile You threaten the animal Attack with intention in reality a coded message, to decipher a message you know is or its young, or it is of killing; may eat coded or to create a usable code that will be difficult for an enemy hungry you to break. Unfriendly You are in its territory, or Attack with intention Check: First, you have to realize that you’re dealing with a otherwise too close of scaring you off coded document. A check against DC 10 lets you instantly distin- guish a coded message from mere doodlings. Next, for all but the Indifferent It eats grass, and you’re Continue munching simplest codes there is an opposed check between you and the not grass (nor a threat) character who designed the code. Friendly Animal is playful or Horse around – intelligent which may look like Task DC Time an attack! Create a simple cipher 5 1 hour Create a difficult cipher 10 1 day Helpful Animal is intelligent and Communicate, Create a simple code 15 1 week likes you for some protect, assist Create a difficult code 20 1 month reason Break a code or cipher Opponent’s roll *
The DC for changing an animal’s attitude depends on the old *Same as time to create for that level of difficulty attitude. Roll the check and consult the table below to determine success in changing an attitude. A cipher is a method of transposing letters (such as A=Z, There are two limitations to influencing an animal’s attitude. B=Y, etc.), while a code can involve answer keys, visual aids, or First, only intelligent animals can be helpful. A helpful result on complex algorithms. any other animal merely indicates indifference, unless the animal The GM makes your roll secretly. When creating a message, is young and/or playful, in which case friendly behavior is possi- the roll determines how difficult (or simple) your cipher or code ble. actually is. For example, if you try to create a simple code, but Second, the success of the roll depends on the limits of the only roll a 17, the complexity of your creation is in fact no more animal’s current condition. As long as you look edible, a desper- complex than a difficult cipher. Even though you spent a week to ately hungry allosaurus is not going to become indifferent. The create it, an opponent can decode it in a day. When decoding a GM should feel free to make certain attitudes unattainable given message, if you miss your roll by more than 15, or if you roll a 1, the animal’s condition. you misread the message! Retry: You can DC to Change Attitude make another attempt Initial New Attitude at any time; however, Attitude Hostile Unfriendly Indifferent Friendly Helpful after three failed Hostile Less than 20 20 25 35 50 attempts you need to Unfriendly Less than 5 5 15 25 40 take at least a week to Indifferent - Less than 1 1 15 30 rest before tackling Friendly - - Less than 1 1 20 the code again.
34
Special: If you have a partially-decoded message, you Drive with one hand: Use this if you want to use the other receive a +10 circumstance bonus on attempts to solve the same hand to drink coffee, operate an onboard computer or shoot. cipher or code. Failing this check means you lose control of your vehicle. Drive in combat: Driving while someone is shooting at you is CRAFT (Int) difficult. This includes any situation where the character is driv- Craft covers the many crafts possible in the year 2202, including ing while either attacking or under attack. Failing this check gunsmithing, armor construction, electrical engineering and auto- means you lose control of your vehicle. motive mechanics. Drive at high speeds: This includes any kind of high-speed driving. Failing this check means you lose control of your vehicle. DISABLE DEVICE (Int; Trained Only) Drive unfamiliar vehicle: To illustrate by example, this This includes disabling the devices constructed by machinists. It applies to characters who specialize in tracked vehicles trying to also applies to any general technological construction. figure out how to work a wheeled vehicle. In general, once you Check: A set of engineering tools is required, or a –2 cir- are driving an unfamiliar vehicle, you have a +2 circumstance cumstance penalty applies. In general, the DC is equal to 5 plus penalty to the DC of any other task you attempt. the device’s tech level. Add +5 to the DC if the device is of alien Avoid obstacles: Any attempt at dodging is covered by this design. check. Failing the check means you collide with an obstacle. A character may be able to disable a device even though he Make a tight turn: This means making a turn in unusual situ- does not fully understand it. Disable Device allows a character to ations. It could mean a right turn at high speeds, or a skid turn, or disable a device at a maximum tech level of the tech level he a turn that requires hair’s-breadth judgment. Failure means you understands, plus his rank in the skill. For example, a character lose control of the vehicle. with two ranks in Disable Device who understands equipment of Drive in wilderness: This covers driving in off-road situa- tech level 4 could disable devices of up to tech level 6. tions. The situation could be anything from rough gravel to jungle Special: Characters with any of the following skills receives underbrush. The GM can change the DC to fit the terrain. Failure a +2 synergy bonus for each skill with 5 or more ranks: depends on the terrain. In some areas, failure may mean your Knowledge (technology), Use Technical Equipment and Repair vehicle simply can’t traverse the terrain. In other areas, you may Device. end up driving off a cliff. Regain control: You can attempt to regain control of an out- DRIVE (Dex) of-control vehicle. This is assuming the vehicle has not crashed Drive lets characters operate vehicles. The skill applies to any yet. conventional vehicle that uses ground-based locomotion, includ- Drive alien vehicle: Just because you captured an alien vehi- ing wheels, tracks and legs. Each time you take this skill, you cle doesn’t mean you know how to turn it on! Failure at this check must take it in one of those areas. means you can’t deduce how to operate even the most basic The tech level of the vehicles you drive is still limited by your aspects of the vehicle. normal tech level understanding. Retry: In general, once you lose control of a vehicle, you Note that Drive does not apply to Union ironclads; they can’t repeat your task until you regain control. You can attempt to require the Operate Ironclad skill. regain control repeatedly as long the vehicle hasn’t crashed. You Check: Typical city driving doesn’t require a check. You can may repeat attempts to drive unfamiliar or alien vehicles indefi- open the doors, start the ignition, traverse streets, parallel park and nitely. turn off the engine with ease. More advanced tasks require a Special: Characters without the Drive skill may still attempt check. to operate a vehicle. First, however, they must make an Intelligence check to determine if they understand how the oper- Task DC ating system works. If the Intelligence check is passed, they can Drive with one hand 5 attempt typical driving at DC 10. They cannot attempt any of the Drive at high speeds 7 tasks described above. Drive in combat 9 Drive unfamiliar vehicle 10 HANDLE ANIMAL (Cha; Trained Only) Avoid obstacles 11 Handling animals takes on a whole new meaning when you are Drive in wilderness 11 working with ten-ton dinosaurs. Make a tight turn 13 Check: The time required and the DC depend on what task Regain control 15 you attempt. Dinosaurs are considered animals, not beasts. Drive alien vehicle 20
36 Task Time DC Size Difference Example for Max Animals Handle a domestic animal Varies 10 Human Herded “Push” a domestic animal Varies 15 None Medium 10 Teach an animal tasks 2 months 15 One Large 8 Teach an animal unusual tasks 2 months 20 Two Huge 6 Rear a wild animal 1 year 15 + HD Three Gargantuan 3 Train a wild animal 2 months 20 + HD Four Colossal 1
The animal’s size affects the DC of all tasks other than rearing and training (the HD component of rearing and training accounts for size). If the ani- mal is only one size larger than the character (e.g., a human working with a large animal such as a horse), there is no penalty. For every additional size differ- ence, a +2 penalty applies to the DC. Summarized below are the penalties for a human working with bigger creatures:
Size DC penalty Large 0 Huge +2 Gargantuan +4 Colossal +8
The flip side is that raw, physical strength can help a handler control larger animals. A character dealing with an animal two or more sizes larger than himself applies his Strength modifier (whether positive or negative) to his roll. The Strength modifier also applies to rearing and training animals. One important aspect of animal han- dling is training dinosaurs to handle battle. Most carnivores are used to combat, but that doesn’t mean they want to fight when they’re already well fed. Most herbivores just don’t want to fight, period. It takes two months to train a carni- vore for combat, and four months for an herbivore. For herbivores, this counts as an unusual task; for carnivores, it is a normal task. Working with a herd is more difficult than working with individual animals. The table in the upper right corner summarizes how many animals each handler can control, based on their size relative to him. For each additional animal, the handler has a +2 circumstance penalty to the DC. If the animals are larger than the handler, apply the DC penalty for size once. If the animals are of mixed sizes, apply the penalty for the largest creature. There are technological devices that make ani- mals easier to handle. These are described in the Equipment section. Retry: You can retry handling and pushing ani- mals, but not training and rearing.
37 HEAL (Wis) is landing on your feet. Failing this check means the ironclad falls Healing in the year 2202 involves a combination of anesthetics, over upon landing. splints, sutures, drugs and other aspects of modern medicine. Dodge in close combat: Basic ironclad training allows a char- Healing requires a medical kit. acter to fight hand-to-hand while in the ironclad suit. However, a Wild ones are able to heal without medical kits. They are particularly good driver who is comfortable with the pilot’s har- familiar with the plants and animal properties of Cretasus, some ness will be able to use his own Dexterity to maneuver his iron- of which are particularly useful in healing. Many of these proper- clad. As a result, his ironclad will dodge and duck just as well as ties are known to the intelligent dinosaur species, and wild ones he does. If you pass this check, you can apply your character’s learn from them. Dexterity bonus to the ironclad’s AC. Dexterity penalties do not apply. Failure means you get no bonus. You can only make this KNOWLEDGE (Int; Trained Only) test once at the beginning of each encounter. Failure means your The knowledge areas listed below are especially useful in game character is too preoccupied with basic piloting and shooting to terms. They represent the more practical fields of knowledge for dodge effectively. Broncosaurus Rex. Walk over bad or very bad terrain: Ironclad movement works • Geography (this includes knowledge of Cretasus and the slightly differently from normal movement. A normal character is character’s home planet, as well as galactic geography, such slowed down by adverse terrain. An ironclad may lose its balance as the relative positions of various planets) and fall over. Even if you pass the test, normal hampered move- • Nature (this includes environmental knowledge of Cretasus, ment modifiers apply. Sand and streams count as bad terrain for the character’s home planet, and “typical” planets) an ironclad; loose rocks or other shifting terrain, deep snow or • Science (astronomy, physics, biology, neurology) sand dunes, deep water, and crevices and fissures count as very • Strategy and Tactics (historical battles, army organization, bad terrain. special tactics) Right a fallen ironclad: This is the character’s ability to make • Technology (electrical engineering, computer science, a prone ironclad stand up. You can retry until you make the check. mechanics) Deploy from drop pod: This does not cover the pilot’s ability to steer the drop pod to the right spot or land right-side-up with- OPERATE IRONCLAD (Dex; Trained Only; Union Soldiers, out jamming the exit hatch. That is covered by the Pilot skill. This Union Machinists only) task covers getting out of the banged-up pod without damaging or This skill allows the character to operate an ironclad. Ironclads are knocking over the ironclad. Failure means the ironclad falls over the Union’s top secret armored fighting suits. They use alien tech- as it exits the pod. nology and operate with a suspension harness system, where the Retry: Retry attempts depend on the task, as above. pilot’s motions are mimicked by the ironclad. Characters who are Special: A character with 5 or more ranks in Drive (walkers) not from the Union have no opportunity to learn to pilot them. receives a +2 synergy bonus. Even characters from the Union only have a chance to use them if they are soldiers or machinists. PILOT (Int; Trained Only) Check: This skill allows the character to make an ironclad Piloting skill lets you operate flying vehicles, including both air- perform basic functions. He can make the ironclad walk, fight and planes and spaceships. Flying vehicles are divided into three crouch. More advanced operations require a check. All ironclads groups: atmospheric (operate only within a planet’s atmosphere), are top-heavy walkers, and the biggest danger when operating one interplanetary (operate between planets in normal space) and is that could fall over. warp-capable (able to travel through a warp gate). Each time you take the pilot skill, you must specialize in one of these groups. Task DC Depending on your character’s exposure, the GM master may Run 5 further ask your character to specialize in a particular kind of fly- Jump, with or without jump jets 10 ing vehicle. For example, a zero-G miner may only have familiar- Dodge in close combat 10 ity with zero-G atmospheric craft. A warp pirate may be unfamil- Walk over bad terrain or moderate obstruction 10 iar with the latest high-tech Union warp-capable ships. Walk over very bad terrain or heavy obstruction 15 Right a fallen ironclad 15 The Pilot skill does not apply to Union ironclads. Deploy from drop pod 15 A character with at least one rank in Pilot, regardless of spe- cialization, is able to safely maneuver a drop pod. Run: Moving an ironclad quickly can be dangerous. The cen- Your ability to pilot a vehicle is still limited by your charac- ter of gravity shifts, and keeping your balance can be hard. Failing ter’s maximum tech level. this check means the ironclad loses its balance and falls over. You Check: A trained pilot can load up, take off, fly and land a cannot run over bad or very bad terrain. typical aircraft without a problem. The tasks shown below require Jump: It’s not hard to get the ironclad in the air. The hard part additional expertise.
38 Task DC RIDE (Dex) Pilot unfamiliar vehicle, same type 5 Ride is especially useful to characters with dinosaur mounts. Shoot and pilot at the same time (normal conditions) 10 When a player chooses this skill, he must choose a specific Stay aloft in moderate storm 10 type of dinosaur as his mount. However, just as ponies, horses and Pilot unfamiliar vehicle, different type 15 donkeys are similar, so too are many dinosaurs. A few of the sim- Stay aloft in major storm 20 ilar dinosaur groupings are these: Land in adverse conditions 20 • Theropods: tyrannosaurus rex, allosaurus, ceratosaurus, Regain control 20 carnotaur, albertosaurus and other similar large two-legged Pilot alien vehicle 25 carnivores Crash land safely 30 • Ceratopsians: triceratops, styracosaurus, pentaceratops • Sauropods: diplodocus, brachiosaurus, apatosaurus Pilot unfamiliar vehicle, same type: The “type” refers to • Pterosaurs: pteranadons and others atmospheric, interplanetary or warp-capable. A soldier trained as a helicopter pilot would have to make this test to fly a jet. Failure • Herbivorous grazers: iguanodons, parasaurolophus means you simply can’t figure out the controls. You don’t crash – Dinosaurs with unique behaviors or anatomical features you just never make it off the ground. require specific riding skills. The ability to ride these dinosaurs Stay aloft in moderate storm: Smart pilots land when they run does not carry over to other species. These include ankylosaurus, into a typical rain storm. Daredevil pilots may try to make it pachycephalosaurus and stegosaurus. through the storm. Failing this check by a margin of 5 or less Check: Dinosaurs are often led into battle. A dinosaur’s suc- means you are forced to land, but you may test to land in adverse cess as a combat mount depends on its training and its diet. conditions. Failing this check by 6 or more means you crash. Carnivorous dinosaurs are easier to fight with, especially if you Pilot unfamiliar vehicle, different type: As above, but this don’t feed them before battle. As indicated on the task list below, would be similar to a warp pirate (trained in warp-capable ships) fighting with a hungry carnivorous dinosaur for a mount reduces trying to fly an atmospheric hovercar. the DC. However, you have to keep your hungry mount from eat- Shoot and pilot at the same time: Using a ship’s weaponry ing slain enemies! can get distracting. Most ships have a pilot and a gunner, but you The GM may wish to apply additional situational modifiers must make this test to act as both. Failing means you lose control. for fighting with hungry carnivores. A hungry T-rex could just Stay aloft in major storm: As above, but this covers hurri- buck its rider off and eat him, after all. Poorly trained or extreme- canes and tornadoes. Failure means you automatically crash. ly hungry mounts may be liable to do this, as well as those who Land in adverse conditions: A normal landing is any attempt are forced to keep fighting instead of stopping to munch on their to land on a wide, flat, smooth surface with enough room to slow slain enemies. down. Any other kind of landing counts as adverse conditions. This makes a nice opportunity for a “catastrophic failure” This covers landing on a mountain ridge, a short runway abutting check result. On any check involving a hungry dinosaur, the GM a cliff, a farmer’s field, a jungle runway or a landing zone that can deem a roll of 1 as the dinosaur’s decision to try to eat its requires a sharp turn in the descent. The GM may apply DC mod- rider. This is at the discretion of the GM. ifiers for especially difficult landings. Failure means you crash. Pilot alien vehicle: Use this when your character tries to pilot Task DC a vehicle of alien design. Failure means you can’t even figure out Fight with combat-trained carnivore 6 how to turn it on, much less steer. Fight with combat-trained herbivore 8 Crash land safely: Expert pilots are able to turn a crash landing Fight with non-combat-trained dinosaur, carnivore 10 into a stunt show. Passing this check means your craft still crashes Fight with non-combat-trained dinosaur, herbivore 12 and is still damaged in the landing. However, you manage to arrive on the ground right-side-up, and you avoid any obstacles that could Fighting with hungry carnivore for mount -3 have killed you. For example, a pilot crash-landing into a jungle Keep hungry carnivore from eating slain enemies 10 somehow plows through the trees without hitting any head on. Retry: You can retry attempts to figure out unfamiliar or Keep hungry carnivore from eating slain enemies. You must alien vehicles. Any task involving a crash obviously doesn’t grant make this check after the first enemy is slain. If it fails, your a retry. You can make multiple attempts to regain control, provid- mount will spend the round gorging itself. The mount does not ed you haven’t crashed yet! receive a Dexterity bonus to AC while gorging. You may retry this Special: Characters without this skill don’t have the faintest check each round in order to gain control of the mount again. But idea of how to operate an aerial craft. even if you regain control, you will be forced to make the check Pilots involved in an aerial dogfight can use opposed Pilot every round as long as there are dead enemies and your mount checks to see if they outmaneuver each other, are able to get a remains hungry. A hungry mount will eat for d4+1 rounds before bead on their enemy, and so on. turning its attention back to battle.
39 REPAIR DEVICE (Dex; Trained Only) that are prevented by his physiology. For example, humans cannot This lets a character repair damaged technical equipment. It is the reproduce the mighty calls of the parasaurolophus’ crest. opposite of Disable Device. The two remain separate skills because repairing equipment typically requires a much deeper USE TECHNICAL EQUIPMENT (Int) understanding of its workings than disabling it. This skill lets a character operate high-tech equipment. Check: The task depends on the device’s complexity and just Check: A character with this skill can operate any kind of how damaged it is. common technical equipment (radio, computer, etc.) without a If the repairs are minor (short circuit, fault on minor compo- check. Rare, complex or special-purpose equipment requires a nent, etc. – equivalent to a broken brake light on your car) and check. The DC is the equipment’s tech level. require few or no replacement parts, the DC is 5 plus the tech level A character cannot use equipment with a tech level that of the equipment. You can retry until you make the fix. The time exceeds his comprehension. required is 2d6 rounds plus an additional 1d4 rounds per tech Retry: You can retry until you figure out how to use the level. You may need a few replacement parts. Minor replacement equipment. parts typically cost 5 percent of the cost of the item. Special: A character without this skill may still try to use If the repairs are substantial (a major component is broken or equipment, but has a +5 penalty applied to the DC. damaged – equivalent to a busted radiator on a car) and/or require A character with 5 or more ranks in Knowledge (technology) several replacement parts, the DC is 10 plus the tech level. You gets a +2 synergy bonus. can retry until you make the fix. The time required is 3d6 rounds plus 2d4 rounds per tech level. Obviously, you will need the WILDERNESS LORE (Wis) replacement parts. Several replacement parts typically cost 20 A character with Wilderness Lore has a very strong knowledge of percent of the cost of the item. the wilderness on his native world and on worlds with similar cli- If the item is heavily damaged (for example, you ran your car mates. Wilderness Lore also includes butchering, a useful skill for head-on into a pole at 60 mph), the DC is 15 plus the tech level. characters who want to make money from the dinosaurs they hunt. The time required is 1d6 hours plus 3d4 rounds per tech level. Check: While on worlds with climates very different from Most importantly, you can only make one check. If the check fails, his homeworld, the character has a –2 penalty to his check. Once the item cannot be repaired. Any replacement parts you bought the character has spent at least 3 years on the world, this penalty can be re-used, but they must be purchased first before making the no longer applies. check. These sorts of replacement parts cost 40 percent of the cost of the item. A character cannot repair equipment whose tech level exceeds that which he understands. Add 5 to the DC if the equip- ment is of alien design. Repairing a device requires engineering tools. Attempting repairs without tools incurs a –2 circumstance penalty. The GM makes the check. You don’t know whether you’ve fixed the equipment until you try to use it. Retry: Depends on the difficulty, as above. Special: Characters with any of the following skills receives a +2 synergy bonus for each skill with 5 or more ranks: Knowledge (technology), Use Technical Equipment and Disable Feats Device. Although technology is a driving force in the year 2202, the SPEAK LANGUAGE (None; Trained Only) powerful accomplishments of heroic individuals are still impor- The more intelligent dinosaurs have their own languages. Some tant. The Confederacy, in particular, is renowned for its daring, species have one common language, while others have multiple dashing young heroes, and many of them routinely perform dialects of the same language. Even the less intelligent species incredible feats. have simple sound systems that communicate elementary mes- Broncosaurus Rex characters acquire feats through the nor- sages – “predator,” “back off,” and so on. mal process. They can use the standard feats, as well as new ones Speak Language includes the ability to speak dinosaur lan- listed here. Obviously, the Metamagic feats, as well as others con- guages and dialects, as well as imitate the calls and sounds of cerned with magic, do not apply to characters adventuring on species that have simplistic languages. If a language has more Cretasus. Table 4-1 lists the new feats that are available. than one dialect, the skill means the character picks up a specific Armor and Weapon Proficiencies: Broncosaurus Rex intro- dialect. Otherwise, it applies to the entire language. duces a few new categories of armor and weapons. These are fur- Even with this skill, the character is unable to make sounds ther explained in the Equipment section. For now, note that char-
40 Table 4-1: New Feats position. If the check fails, you can’t Feat Prerequisites make your movements without your Combat Placement Knowledge (strategy and tactics) opponent realizing your intentions. Combat Tactician Knowledge (strategy and tactics) Astute opponents may realize Death Wish Con 13+ what’s going on. This feat is counterbal- Dinopathy - anced by successful Sense Motives skill Dinosaur Presence - check. Gearhead Int 13+ Gentry Confederates Only COMBAT TACTICIAN (General) Great Lover Cha 13+, Confederates Only You have a natural talent for coordinat- Lucky Cuss - ing others in battle. Rebel Yell Confederates Only Prerequisite: Knowledge (strate- Sense of Vulnerability Knowledge (strategy and tactics) gy and tactics) Sneaky Git Dex 13+ Benefit: Your character can take a Trick Shot Dex 13+ Full Attack action to direct the combat Turncoat Wis 13+, Chaotic Alignment of his comrades. He shouts commands, Weapon Proficiency – Alien Sufficient tech level coordinates attacks, analyzes enemy Weapon Proficiency – Ballistic Sufficient tech level movements and warns of potential Weapon Proficiency – High-tech Sufficient tech level enemy strategies. Higher-level charac- Weapon Proficiency – Manual Sufficient tech level ters are typically already aware of most of the tactics he can add to a battle, so combat tactics have the greatest influ- ence on lower-level characters. acters can be proficient in manual, ballistic, high-tech and alien While directing combat, the character may do nothing other weapons, as well as energy field armor, as well as the usual cate- than take his 5-foot step. In other words, he sacrifices his attack to gories. assist the tactics of his allies. Directing combat provokes attacks Confederate Feats: The following feats are available only to of opportunity. Confederate characters: Gentry, Great Lover and Rebel Yell. The character can command a number of people equal to his level, provided they are friendly and can communicate with him. COMBAT PLACEMENT (General) After the character has used his action to direct combat, make a You know how to best maneuver yourself in battle. difficulty check for each person he tries to affect. This check Prerequisite: Knowledge (strategy and tactics) determines how useful his advice is to the person, and how well Benefit: This feat requires a good deal of discretion by the the person follows his direction. The DC for each person is their GM. As a general rule of thumb, it represents the hero’s ability to level plus 5. The character receives a bonus to his roll equal to his always end up in the best spot once the shooting starts. You are Charisma modifier. Make one check at the beginning of the battle, skilled at moving around a combat scene to take advantage of ter- and apply the result for the duration of the battle. rain while forcing your enemies into positions of weakness. You Each person who is affected has these benefits: always end up behind cover, next to the exit or behind the big guy. • The person receives a +1 circumstance bonus to attacks. You are able to position your enemies so they have the sun in their • The person receives a +2 circumstance bonus to initiative in eyes, rubble at their feet or face an uphill slope. You are able to all subsequent rounds. force this positioning through seemingly nonchalant motions on The benefit of combat tactics is even greater when everybody your part, or by moving your own body to threaten the enemy and does what they’re supposed to. If the character successfully force him to move. affects 75 percent or more of the friendly creatures involved in The feat does not allow you to run through a hail of gunfire combat, every friendly creature in the combat – even those not and duck behind cover, or somehow switch positions with ene- affected – receives the +2 initiative bonus. The +1 attack bonus mies across the room. But if both you and the enemy are within continues to apply only to those affected. leaping distance of the cover, it allows you to somehow always end up behind the cover. DEATH WISH (General) This feat requires time to maneuver so that the subtle posi- Your character wants to go down in a blaze of glory, leaving a tioning can take place. This can be done during combat or during story for future generations to retell. parleying if it precedes the battle. The maneuvering takes howev- Prerequisites: Con 13+. er long you need to get where you want to be, and is only possi- Benefit: Normally, you become unconscious between –1 and ble if you can physically make that movement. You must make a –9 hit points. Death Wish represents a combination of endurance check against DC 10. If successful, you manage to move into and sheer willpower that lets you stay awake while in negative hit
41 points. However, you risk killing yourself. GREAT LOVER (General; Confederates Only) Each turn while the character is below 0 hit points, he can Your dashing, daring rebel hero is a legendary lover. Women (or continue fighting, moving, talking, and otherwise acting as if he men) everywhere yearn to meet him (or her). He was once cap- were still alive. However, he suffers a penalty to everything he tured by a Union army and escaped by seducing the general’s does equal to his current hit points. At –3 hit points, for example, wife. This has few applications directly on the battlefield (hope- the character would have a –3 penalty to all dice rolls. In addition, fully, it has no applications directly on the battlefield), but it sure the character has no chance of stabilizing, and automatically loses gets the hero motivated to survive each battle – he just can’t wait 2 hit points each round, rather than 1. to get home and charm the ladies with his latest heroic exploits. If the character wishes, he can relax and collapse into uncon- Prerequisites: Cha 13+. sciousness. At that point, he returns to “normal” near-death state: Benefits: The character has an inherent +2 bonus to losing 1 hit point each round with a 10 percent chance to stabilize. Charisma when dealing with people of the opposite gender. Furthermore, he is unbelievably motivated by the urge to tell his DINOPATHY (General) admirers of his exploits. He receives a +1 bonus to all Fortitude You have an uncanny ability to communicate with dinosaurs. and Will saving throws. Benefits: The character is able to communicate in simple ways even with dinosaurs whose language he doesn’t speak. He LUCKY CUSS (General) can make a Charisma check against DC 10 to communicate with Some people carry four-leaf clovers or rabbit’s feet, but your char- any dinosaur, regardless of whether he speaks its language. The acter doesn’t need that. He is unbelievably lucky. dinosaur must be intelligent, and the communication must be sim- Benefits: Once per day, you can re-roll one die roll. You must ple and possible through body language and basic noises. accept the second die roll, regardless of whether or not it is good. Wild ones who take this feat receive a +2 bonus to their Animal Peer check when trying to communicate with a dinosaur. REBEL YELL (General; Confederates Only) This feat also conveys a +2 bonus to Animal Empathy checks You can make a powerful rebel yell. This motivates your allies involving dinosaurs. and scares your enemies. Only Confederates may take this feat. Benefits: Once per day, you can make your Rebel Yell. All DINOSAUR PRESENCE (General) allies within 30’ receive a +1 morale bonus to attacks for the next The hero commands the attention of dinosaurs. For some reason - 1d4 rounds. be it his strength, size, smell or personality - dinosaurs notice him and pay attention. SENSE OF VULNERABILITY (General) Benefits: There is something about the character that attracts You are aware of classic positions and situations for ambushes, and calms dinosaurs. They are more relaxed around him than sneak attacks and forced moves. around other humans. The character has a +2 bonus to all Handle Prerequisite: Knowledge (strategy and tactics). Animal checks involving dinosaurs. In addition, he can herd 50 Benefit: Your knowledge of military history, classic battles, percent more dinosaurs (round up) than normal. For example, a and strategy and tactics makes you aware of any situation where normal human can herd six Huge dinosaurs, but a character with you could be ambushed. You receive a +4 circumstance bonus to Dinosaur Charisma can herd nine. Listen and Spot checks in situation where surprise is due to ambush or environmental conditions – for example, opponents GEARHEAD (General) hidden in bushes, charging around a corner and so on. Your character thinks like a machine. She intuitively grasps how You also are attentive to combat situations where it looks like most technologies work. an enemy is trying to herd you or otherwise direct your motion Prerequisites: Int 13+. through their attacks. You receive a +4 circumstance bonus to Benefits: Your character receives a +2 competence bonus to Sense Motive in such situations. This bonus applies if an enemy all checks regarding Knowledge (technology), Disable Device, tries to use the Combat Placement feat against you. Repair Device and Use Technical Equipment. Furthermore, you receive a +1 bonus to the tech level for weapons and equipment SNEAKY GIT (General) you are eligible to use. You have a natural talent for making good use of cover and mov- ing stealthily. You would make a good scout. GENTRY (General; Confederates Only) Prerequisites: Dex 13+. Your character is a member of the Confederate gentry. His father Benefits: Enemies suffer a –2 circumstance penalty to Spot owns a plantation somewhere, and his mother is a distant cousin or Listen checks against you. of Robert E. Lee. Benefits: You have high social standing in the eyes of TRICK SHOT (General) Confederates. You receive a +2 racial Charisma bonus in any sit- You have an amazing ability shoot hats, cigars and silver dollars uation in which you deal with Confederates. at 20 paces. Once, you managed to splinter a bullet on a rock and
42 send both fragments ricocheting in different directions, just like Normal: A character who uses a weapon without being pro- Davy Crockett. ficient with it suffers a –4 penalty on attack rolls. Prerequisites: Dex 13+. Benefits: Once per day, the character can attempt a trick shot. WEAPON PROFICIENCY – HIGH-TECH (General) This is a shot that otherwise would be nearly impossible. For You understand how to use one type of high-tech weapon (full example, you could try to hit a silver dollar tossed in the air from descriptions of weapon categories are in the Equipment section). horseback. Or you could try to splinter a bullet and hit two targets. Unlike other weapon proficiencies, this feat grants you expertise Or you could shoot at a wall and try to ricochet your shot to hit a in one kind of high-tech weapon. The different kind of high-tech target around the corner. The GM has the final say on what you weapons are of very different construction, after all. You can can do, but in general the point of this feat is that you manage to select sonic, laser, plasma, freeze or gravity weapons. pull off stuff that’s supposed to be impossible. Prerequisite: Tech level sufficient to use the weapon. When attempting your trick, make a normal attack with all Benefit: You make attack rolls with the selected weapons penalties applied (including the negative modifiers that are sup- normally. posed to make it impossible). But first make a check against DC Normal: A character who uses a weapon without being pro- 10. If that succeeds, you get a +8 competence bonus for the trick ficient with it suffers a –4 penalty on attack rolls. shot and only for the trick shot. If the check fails, all normal penal- ties apply. Making a trick shot requires full concentration and WEAPON PROFICIENCY – ALIEN (General) counts as a full round action. You can only make one trick shot per You understand how to use one specific alien weapon (full day. descriptions of weapon categories are in the Equipment section). Unlike other weapon proficiencies, this feat grants you expertise TURNCOAT (General) in one weapon. You can select a single weapon to be proficient in. You have the chameleon-like ability to make yourself believed on Prerequisite: Tech level sufficient to use the weapon. either side of a polarized issue. For example, you can sound con- Benefit: You make attack rolls with the selected weapon nor- vincingly Union when buying decommissioned weapons from the mally. Union military, then sound like an earnest reb when you sell them Normal: A character who uses a weapon without being pro- to the Confederates. ficient with it suffers a –4 penalty on attack rolls. Prerequisites: Chaotic alignment, Wis 13+. Benefits: This skill must be carefully adjudicated by the GM. You are basically a slimy, unctuous person who can pass yourself off as having practically any opinions. You readily pick up on someone’s sentiments and are able to persuade them you agree. This lets you make friends quickly, even in reclusive, closed- minded and provincial places where it would otherwise be very difficult. In general, you receive a +2 competence bonus to all checks involving Bluff, Diplomacy, Gather Information, Perform and Sense Motive. You also suffer no negative penalties to Charisma checks when dealing with people who should be your enemies. Equipment WEAPON PROFICIENCY – MANUAL (General) You understand how to use all manual weapons (full descriptions There is a lot of interesting technology in the year 2202. of weapon categories are in the Equipment section). Humans have developed space travel, both between planets and Prerequisite: Tech level sufficient to use the weapon. through naturally occurring warp portals. The Union has built Benefit: You make attack rolls with manual weapons nor- bipedal armored fighting robots, while the Confederacy has pro- mally. duced devices for controlling beasts of burden. Alien races have Normal: A character who uses a weapon without being pro- manufactured exotic weapons, ranging from lasers to plasma ficient with it suffers a –4 penalty on attack rolls. blasters to disintegrator rays, which find their way into human hands through the constant trading of the Free Fleet. WEAPON PROFICIENCY – BALLISTIC (General) Yet the technology of 2202 is contradictory. Space travel is You understand how to use all ballistic weapons (full descriptions common – but faster-than-light engines are unbelievably rare. of weapon categories are in the Equipment section). Lasers are available – but most soldiers fight with gunpowder- Prerequisite: Tech level sufficient to use the weapon. based weapons. Mechanized vehicles are well understood – but Benefit: You make attack rolls with ballistic weapons nor- the Confederacy still toils with beasts of burden. mally. These ostensible contradictions are the result of one over-
43 whelming factor: the unequal distribution and understanding of tech levels. The most primitive, simplistic tools are tech level 1. technology. Knowledge is highly stratified in 2202. The Union, Current technology in the year 2001 is of tech level 5, approach- with its intellectual culture, manufacturing industry and sprawling ing 6. The most advanced human equipment in the year 2202 is universities, long ago outpaced the Confederacy. Yet within the tech level 10. Union, only those with an academic background can comprehend Almost all technology above level 10 is of alien design. The the delicate minutia of high technology. And even they are limit- rare human inventions above tech level 10 are the prototypes of a ed by what humanity as a species has accomplished. No human few brilliant researchers whose discoveries are far beyond the understands anti-matter or faster-than-light engines, even though capabilities of mass production. certain alien races do. We trade in finished goods, but cannot yet The time span covered by each tech level compresses as the manufacture them ourselves. tech level increases. For example, tech level 1 covers the standard The availability of technology has an affect on your charac- weapons for the first 20,000+ years of human existence, while ter’s success in the world. Characters from less developed soci- tech level 3 covers roughly 350 years. Tech level 4 and 5 each eties usually possess little understanding of anything but the most cover less than a century. As technology advances, the speed of basic technology. They are ill-equipped for space travel, are often research quickens. out-classed in combat, and must rely on resources other than Because of this, tech level groupings seem broad when looking weaponry to win their battles. “up” but thin when looking “down.” For example, the technology of a club (basically a tree limb) is primitive compared to that of a fine- Tech Level ly crafted sword. Humanity took thousands of years to make that jump. Looking “up,” from this tech level to those above it, you The technological sophistication of weapons and technology could say that clubs and swords deserve different tech levels. But is represented by the term tech level. This is a new term for the looking “down,” from the perspective of the Apollo moon missions, d20 system, and should be considered a contribution to the open swords and clubs are easily grouped together as primitive weapons. gaming community. Determining A Character’s Tech Level: The maximum Tech level determines how well a character understands a tech level that a character can comprehend is called, simply, the piece of equipment. If the tech level is too high, the equipment is character’s tech level. A character’s tech level is based on place of greater than the character’s ability to comprehend it, and thus the origin, Intelligence and additional modifiers. character cannot use it. If the tech level is within the character’s Place of origin determines the base tech level, as shown on grasp, he can use it without problem. If the tech level is suffi- Table 5-2. Base tech level is the level of technology available in a ciently low, the character understands the item’s internal opera- typical colony of the place indicated. A character with a minimum tions and is able to repair and maintain the equipment. level of education from a rural area can count on understanding Range of Tech Levels: Table 5-1 illustrates the full range of the base level of technology. Table 5-1: Tech Levels Tech Level Example Weapons Weapon Category Example Equipment 1 Club, sword, dagger Manual Food, rope 2 Bow, arquebus Manual Wheel, Gutenberg press 3 Musket, Colt .45 Ballistic Cotton gin, Ford Model T 4 M-16, AK-47 Ballistic F-16 jet, moon landing 5 “Smart” rifles Ballistic Space station, computer 6 Sonic weapons High-tech Interplanetary travel 7 Laser weapons High-tech 8 Plasma weapons High-tech Warp travel 9 Freeze weapons High-tech Cryonics 10 Gravity weapons High-tech 11 Monofilament weapons Alien 12 Genetic weapons Alien 13 Antimatter weapons Alien 14 Disintegrator weapons Alien 15 Beam technologies Alien 16 Psychic weapons Alien Cloaking devices 17 ? Alien Terraforming 18 ? Alien Faster-than-light travel 19 ? Alien 20 ? Alien Teleportation
44 Table 5-2: Base Tech Level by Place of Origin will be using this technology somewhere. Colonies are compara- Place of Origin Base Tech Level ble to small towns in modern terminology. Union 6 City: It takes a city to support this technology. The factories Free Fleet 5 that sell it, repair it and manufacture it are located in cities and Confederacy 4 can’t be found elsewhere. If you’re extremely lucky, you might Outer Reaches 3 find it exported in small quantities to very important colonies, but otherwise it is unavailable anywhere smaller than a city. City- The base tech level is in turn modified by the character’s level technology is the limiting factor on what first-level charac- Intelligence modifier. Finally, any additional modifiers are ters can start with. They may understand even more rare tech- applied (such as those due to the Gearhead feat). The final result nologies, but they won’t find them until they start adventuring. is the character’s tech level. Planet: Even your average city doesn’t support this technol- Tech level is not the same as weapon proficiency. A character ogy. It is so specialized that only a few institutions per planet will who understands how a laser works may not be familiar with fir- be involved in its production. The technology can be found on the ing laser rifles. Weapon proficiency is still required to avoid the most populated planets, but you’ll have to look hard for it. –4 penalty for using a weapon you are not proficient with. System: Two or three people in the entire solar system will be Note that a character’s tech level represents his understand- working with these items. They may be researching and manufac- ing of technology, not the availability of technology. Just because turing them (at exorbitant cost, since their production runs are so a character can understand a piece of technology does not mean low), or they may operate small import-export businesses with he can locate it for sale! aliens or the Free Fleet. “System” is the last population density Tech Availability: A place’s base tech level determines the where what you are searching is for is actually manufactured. availability of technology within that region. Even if technology Rare: No one is producing these items. They are available is available, it may only be found in places where there are edu- only from private collectors, brilliant inventors, worldly Freemen cational institutions, military research labs, private industrialists and retired adventurers. If you want a rare item, you’d better start or independent researchers. Population density is often the deter- looking now. It may take more than a year to track down a sup- mining factor in tech availability. Table 5-3 describes tech level plier. You might be better off hiring a machinist to make it. availability by population density. It can be read as follows. Very Rare: Almost no one (even the average machinist) has Family: Any family in the area is probably using items of this any idea what these items are. You might find them if you spend tech level. It is common and ubiquitous. years searching. Your best chance of acquiring it is to go to alien Settlement: A settlement is a few families living in proximity space yourself, or hire a high-level machinist to manufacture it. to each other. Although every family may not have this technolo- Impossible: You cannot acquire this tech level in this place. gy, it can be found somewhere in even the smallest settlements. There are a couple things worth noting about Table 5-3. First, Colony: This technology is available somewhere in every the Union is ahead of the curve in human technology (anything colony. The typical mining, farming, research or military colony with a tech level of 10 or less). But alien technology (tech level 11 and higher) is easiest to find in the Free Fleet. Table 5-3: Tech Level by Population Density The Confederacy possesses no alien technolo- Lowest Population Density Needed To Support Tech gy. The outer reaches, with their many scat- Tech Level Union Free Fleet Confederacy Outer Reaches tered settlements, do not reach the population 1 Family Family Family Family density of planets – cities are their largest con- 2 Family Family Family Settlement centrations of people – so they lack the Planet 3 Family Family Settlement Colony and System designations, and thus max out on 4 Family Settlement Colony City technology very quickly. 5 Settlement Colony City Rare Cretasus is in the outer reaches. 6 Colony City Planet Very Rare However, it has become a nexus of intergalac- 7 City Planet System Very Rare tic activity. The Union has several settlements 8 Planet System Rare Impossible there, and the Free Fleet has sent traders there. 9 System Rare Very Rare Impossible Treat it as a Confederate place, while noting 10 Rare Rare Very Rare Impossible that most advanced technology (“planet” level 11 Rare Rare Impossible Impossible or higher) must be acquired in Union-con- 12 Very Rare Rare Impossible Impossible trolled areas, or during the occasional surface 13 Very Rare Rare Impossible Impossible visits by the Free Fleet. Characters adventur- 14 Very Rare Very Rare Impossible Impossible ing on Cretasus will have to leave the planet to 15 Impossible Very Rare Impossible Impossible buy more exotic equipment (of course, they 16 Impossible Very Rare Impossible Impossible also could acquire it as treasure in an adven- 17 Impossible Impossible Impossible Impossible ture, or hire a machinist to make it for them).
45 Equipping a Character Weapons
A character can be equipped within the constraints of his cash WEAPON CATEGORIES allowance, his understanding of technology and what technology is available. There are so many weapons in the year 2202 that the standard The most common currency of 2202 is the dollar. There are weapon categories must be expanded. other currencies, as explained later, but all a first level character Manual Weapons: Manual weapons are weapons that have needs to worry about is the dollar. Random starting cash for an few or no moving parts. They are very simple, basic weapons, and adventurer depends upon his class, as follows: generally have a tech level of 1 or 2. Manual weapons can be either melee or ranged. Table 5-4: Random Starting Cash Every weapon in Core Rulebook I is a manual weapon. A Class Amount Min Max Average character proficient with manual weapons can use any manual Bronco Rider 3d4x10 30 120 75 weapon, though not all are commonly available. Machinist 6d4x10 60 240 150 Ballistic Weapons: Ballistic weapons involve gunpowder, Soldier 5d4x10 50 200 125 projectiles and/or moving mechanical parts. Most ballistic Spy 5d4x10 50 200 125 weapons are guns, although there are a few other types (such as Two-Fister 4d4x10 40 160 100 flamers). Almost all ballistic weapons are ranged. Most weapons Wild One 2d4x10 20 80 50 of tech level 3, 4 and 5 are ballistic weapons. None of the weapons in Core Rulebook I are ballistic weapons. Availability: First level characters may select from the High-Tech: High-tech weapons are of tech levels 6 through equipment listed on the following pages. Only a few items of tech 10. These are the most advanced human weapons. Some work level 11 and higher are listed here. There are many more, but similar to ballistic weapons (i.e., “point and shoot”), but not all. novice adventurers aren’t familiar with them. High-tech weapons can be either ranged or melee. Characters are limited to using technology of the tech level Alien: Weapons of tech level 11 or higher are of alien design. they can understand. In addition, as noted above, first level char- Even if a brilliant human scientist or 20th level machinist created acters are limited to buying equipment of a tech level available in the weapon, it is still such abstruse technology that it is considered cities or smaller populations. By place of origin, that limit trans- alien for purposes of determining whether other people can use it. lates to: Alien weapons can be either melee or ranged. Union: At first level, maximum tech level of 7 Free Fleet: At first level, maximum tech level of 6 WEAPON QUALITIES Confederacy: At first level, maximum tech level of 5 Offworlders: At first level, maximum tech level of 4 In addition to the standard weapon qualities, one additional For example: Alderon is a first level bronco rider from the weapon quality has been added: targeting range. Many combat Confederacy. His Intelligence score is a 16, giving him a +3 rules specify a distance at which ranged weapons may be used for Intelligence modifier. His tech level is thus a 7 (base tech level of certain feats and skills. For example, the Fighter’s Weapon 4 for a Confederate background, +3 for Intelligence modifier). Specialization feat gives a damage bonus to ranged attacks only if Over the course of his adventuring career, he will be able to use they are within 30 feet. That makes sense with bows and arrows, weapons and equipment of a tech level up to 7. At first level, how- but not laser rifles and scopes. ever, he must buy his equipment in the Confederate lands where Targeting Range: Targeting range is the effective range at he begins his career. Thus, even though he can understand which a character can carefully aim a weapon. It is not the dis- advanced technologies, the only equipment he can find to pur- tance at which the weapon is most accurate (that would be range chase has a tech level of 5 or less. increment). Targeting range is the range at which aiming ability Machinists are an exception to this rule. A machinist can add translates into precise shots capable of causing extra damage. For 2 to his first level maximum tech level availability. For example, most weapons it is contingent on the size of the weapon’s projec- a first level Union machinist could purchase equipment up to tech tile and the use of a scope. level 9. Cost: In general, all costs should be converted into dollars at Once characters arrive on Cretasus, and otherwise start the rate of $1 = 1 gp. However, all manual weapons are consid- adventuring, they may be able to find more advanced equipment. ered antique and cost half the list price – a greatsword, for exam- When they start out, however, they can only acquire the equip- ple, costs $25 even though it lists at 50 gp. Antique armor costs ment that is readily available in their place of embarkation. the regular price. Ammunition: Most weapons of the future require ammuni- tion. Ammunition is listed in the weapons tables, and the individ- ual descriptions tell how much is needed.
46 WEAPON USAGE loom away in order to keep it in the family. If they can’t find anyone to give it to, they have to die with it. Preferably, they Not many people use tridents in the year 2202. Historical have to die using it. Selling an heirloom has serious conse- weapons are theoretically available, especially if you have a very quences – other Confederates may ostracize a character with liberal GM, but in reality most shouldn’t make their way into a such little respect for tradition. game of Broncosaurus Rex. Table 5-5: Archaic Weapon Usage A first level Confederate character may start with one heir- lists which old-timey weapons are still used in 2202, and who uses loom weapon. This weapon comes at no cost – it has been passed them: down from one family member to the next. An heirloom weapon must be of tech level 4 or lower (after all, this thing has been Table 5-5: Archaic Weapon Usage passed down for generations!). And just because the heirloom is Weapon Used by whom free doesn’t mean the character is proficient with it. Battleaxe Warp pirates, offworlders, Confederates The heirloom weapon may be a masterwork version of a Club Offworlders longsword, greatsword, dagger, longbow, Winchester rifle or Colt Crossbow Confederate sportsmen, offworlders .45. As an heirloom weapon, it is engraved, gold and brass plated, Dagger/Knife Common everywhere and notched with the kill marks of your ancestors. A masterwork Gauntlet Warp pirates weapon is an exceptionally well made weapon which gives a +1 Greataxe Warp pirates, offworlders, Confederates enhancement bonus to attack rolls. Greatsword Confederate gentry, warp pirates You should make up a story and history for your heirloom Handaxe Warp pirates, offworlders, Confederates weapon. Here are a few examples: Lance Confederate cavalry Bowie knife: A sturdy blade purchased by the hero’s great- Longbow Confederate sportsmen, offworlders great-great-great-great-great-great-uncle from Bowie himself Longspear Confederate cavalry/sportsmen, offworlders back in the gold rush of ‘49. Stats as per a dagger. Longsword Confederate infantry, warp pirates Lee’s sword: The hero’s distant relative fought under Lee Mace Offworlders and was given this engraved sword as a reward for his valor. It is Net Confederate sportsmen, offworlders of exceptional construction. Stats as per a longsword. Quarterstaff Offworlders Longshot pistol: A long-barreled handgun used by a grand- Shortbow Confederate sportsmen, offworlders father to dispatch a rival suitor of his wife-to-be. Without this pis- Sickle Confederate farmers tol’s deadly aim, the hero’s grandmother would have married a different man! Stats as per a Colt .45. HEIRLOOM WEAPONS Mr. Wesson’s revolver: This revolver was one of the origi- nal prototypes built by Mr. Wesson (of Smith & Wesson), given to Confederate heroes carry heirlooms. These are long-kept spe- the hero’s long-lost cousin after he saved Mr. Wesson’s life. The cial weapons or artifacts that have been passed down through the prototype is exceptionally well built, and its prowess was never generations. For example, an heirloom weapon could be the fam- duplicated under mass manufacture. Over the years, it has been ily pistol that the hero’s grandfather used at a famous battle, or upgraded to take modern ammunition. Stats as per a Colt .45. that a great-aunt was given as a gift from a grateful general. Silver musket: A special musket hand-crafted from solid sil- Heirlooms are sturdy, high-quality implements of unusually ver. According to legend, it was manufactured by Paul Revere. It fine construction. Although the Union possesses better technolo- was on its way to a museum but the hero’s distant cousin captured gy than the Confederacy, the Confederacy possesses better made it when he was a swashbuckler fighting against the Union block- technology. A pistol from Union lands was probably mass manu- ades of ‘62. It has been retrofitted over the years as a high-veloc- factured, while a similar Confederate pistol was individually cast. ity rifle. Stats as per a Confederate rifle. The Confederacy is known for craftsmanship in general, and attention to detail in particular when it comes to making weapons. WEAPON DESCRIPTIONS Heirlooms are the one-of-a-kind, hand-made pinnacles of crafts- manship. These are descriptions of the weapons listed in Table 5-6: A character with an heirloom must abide by its historical Weapons (on the next page). importance. Characters who have heirlooms must obey the fol- Absentee Voter: This is the standard rifle of the Union mili- lowing restrictions: tary. It earned the nickname “Absentee Voter” when Union sol- • They may never lend out the heirloom; only the owner can diers wielding the rifle kept rebel sympathizers away from the use it. polls on the planet Vulcanus. Union troops refer to the rifle as the • They must always keep it in tip-top condition, oiled and pol- Marionette – for the effect it has on targets. An Absentee Voter can ished and always of display quality. be used to make more than one attack per round, if the user has • They may never sell the heirloom. If they no longer want it, that ability. they are obliged to contact their next of kin and give the heir- Amp Bomb: Also called a thumper, an amp bomb is a sonic
47 Table 5-6: Weapons
Size Weapon Cost Dam Crit Range Targeting Weight Tech Type Increment Range Level MANUAL WEAPONS Tiny Gauntlet, Raptor Claw 50 1d6+1 x2 - - 3 lb. 1 Slashing Bayonet 3 1d4 19-20/x2 - - 1 lb. 2 Piercing Knife 1 1d4 19-20/x2 10 ft. 30 ft. 1 lb. 1 Piercing Lasso 3 ** ** 10 ft. - 5 lb. 2 **
BALLISTIC WEAPONS – MELEE Small Stun Gun 10 2d4*** x2 -. - 2 lb. 4 Special
BALLISTIC WEAPONS – RANGED Medium Colt .45 Revolver* 25 1d10 x3 100 ft. 40 ft. 3 lb. 3 Piercing Mutiny Gun 75 1d10 18-20/x3 200 ft. 60 ft. 9 lb. 5 Piercing Pistol, automatic* 35 1d10 x3 150 ft. 40 ft. 5 lb. 4 Piercing Large Absentee Voter 60 1d12 x3 250 ft. 60 ft. 12 lb. 4 Piercing Bronto Gun 65 4d6 x2 50 ft. 40 ft. 18 lb. 3 Piercing Flamer 150 3d6** - 20 ft. 10 ft. 8 lb. 4 Special Grenade Launcher 90 ** ** 200 ft. 40 ft. 12 lb. 4 Piercing Howzer 600 5d10 17-20/x3 600 ft. 60 ft. 80 lb. 4 Piercing Hvy. Machine Gun 120 2d10 19-20/x3 300 ft. 40 ft. 25 lb. 4 Piercing Hvy. Trank Gun 100 3d6*** x2 100 ft. 40 ft. 16 lb. 4 Piercing Musket 15 1d8 x2 100 ft. 40 ft. 8 lb. 3 Piercing Piledriver 450 4d12 18-20/x3 300 ft. 60 ft. 20 lb. 4 Piercing ROGUE Rifle 250 3d6 19-20/x3 300 ft. 60 ft. 15 lb. 5 Piercing Shotgun 25 ** x2 10 ft. 10 ft. 10 lb. 3 Piercing Trank Gun 20 1d6*** x2 50 ft. 40 ft. 8 lb. 4 Piercing Whisper Gun 100 1d12 18-20/x3 250 ft. 60 ft. 15 lb. 5 Piercing Winchester Rifle 40 1d12 x3 200 ft. 60 ft. 10 lb. 4 Piercing
BALLISTIC WEAPONS - GRENADES Tiny Gas Bomb 5 ** - 10 ft./20 ft. - 1 lb. 4 Special Grenade, Frag 20 6d6 - 10 ft./5 ft. - 1 lb. 4 Piercing/Flame Smoke Bomb 5 Smoke - 10 ft./20 ft. - 1 lb. 4 -
BALLISTIC WEAPONS - AMMUNITION Tiny Belt, HMG (60) 8 - - - - 2 lb. 4 - Bronto shell (1) 2 - - - - 1/2 lb. 3 - Cartridge, Pistol (20) 2 - - - - 1/2 lb. 4 - Cartridge, Rifle (20) 3 - - - - 1/2 lb. 4 - Clip, Rifle (30) 4 - - - - 1/2 lb. 4 - Flamer fuel (10) 2 - - - - 1 lb. 4 - Rocket shell (1) 3 - - - - 1/2 lb. 4 - Shotgun shells (20) 2 - - - - 1/2 lb. 4 - Trank darts (5) 1 - - - - 1/2 lb. 4 -
HIGH-TECH WEAPONS – MELEE Small Gauntlet, Energy 20 2d4+1 x2 - - 3 lb. 7 Bludgeoning Screamer Knife 30 2d6 x3 - - 4 lb. 6 Slashing Medium Laser Lance 40 2d8 x3 - - 3 lb. 7 Piercing Laser Prod ** 10 1d6 x2 - - 1 lb. 7 Special Laser Sword 50 2d8 19-20/x2 - - 2 lb. 7 Slashing
48 Table 5-6: Weapons (continued)
Size Weapon Cost Dam Crit Range Targeting Weight Tech Type Increment Range Level HIGH-TECH WEAPONS – RANGED Medium Laser Pistol 170 2d10 x2 250 ft. 10 ft. 2 lb. 7 Special Large Cryon Ray 1,000 ** ** 40 ft. 30 ft. 40 lb. 9 Special Laser Rifle 350 3d10 x2 400 ft. 10 ft. 7 lb. 7 Special Plasma Sling 500 3d12 x2 150/40** 30 ft. 12 lb. 8 Fire Pulse Rifle 300 3d8 x2 150 ft. 10 ft. 7 lb. 7 Special Screamer Rifle 150 ** x2 20 ft. 20 ft. 35 lb. 6 Special Wide Beam Laser 200 2d10 x3 100 ft. 30 ft. 8 lb. 7 Special
HIGH-TECH WEAPONS - GRENADES Small Amp Bomb 35 ** x2 10 ft./30 ft. - 1 lb. 6 Special Grav Field 30 *** x2 10 ft./10 ft. - 2 lb. 10 Special Plasma Bomb 30 3d12 x2 10 ft./30 ft. - 1 lb. 8 Fire
HIGH-TECH WEAPONS - AMMUNITION Tiny Energy pack (50) 10 - - - - - 6 - Plasma charge (20) 5 - - - - - 8 -
ALIEN WEAPONS – MELEE Tiny Monofilament blade 250 3d12 x3 - - 1 lb. 11 Slashing
ALIEN WEAPONS – RANGED Small Chimera Fiend 5,000 ** ** 250 ft. 30 ft. 1 lb. 12 Special Medium Annihilator 800 6d10 x2 10 ft. 10 ft. 10 lb. 13 Special Large Dust Gun 3,000 ** ** 40 ft. 30 ft. 30 lb. 14 Special
* Can be used as melee weapon. ** See description. *** This weapon deals subdual damage rather than normal damage. grenade. It emits an unbelievably loud bang that can be heard for shot. Loading is a standard action. A bronto gun can only be fired miles. All creatures within the blast radius take 3d20 points of once per round. subdual damage and d10 points of normal damage. Furthermore, Chimera Fiend: This is perhaps the most grotesque applica- they must take a Fortitude saving throw (DC 12) or be deafened tion of genetic technology. Also called a gene scrambler, the for 3d6 rounds. Deafened characters have a 20 percent chance of chimera fiend uses blasts of radiation to disrupt a creature’s DNA. being permanently deafened. The effects are unpredictable, but almost always deadly. Usually, Annihilator: An annihilator is an antimatter rifle. It is an the fiend causes some sort of internal organ failure, which instant- energy weapon that can be fired no more than once per round. ly kills the target. Sometimes, the target begins sprouting fast- Each shot drains 25 charges from the energy pack. growing tumors, which develop rapidly into additional limbs for Bayonet: A typical bayonet for mounting underneath the bar- about 30 seconds until the target keels over dead. On rare occa- rel of any rifle. A rifle equipped with a bayonet can be used in sions, the results are fantastically disgusting: the target sprouts melee, at the stats of the bayonet. A bayonet does double damage eyes all over its body or its face mutates into a foot or it glows or on a charge. grows wings or sprouts horrible sores. Bronto Gun: Similar to the elephant gun of the old safari Chimera fiends make modified touch attacks – armor bonus- hunters, the bronto gun is the weapon of choice for the big-game es are not considered except for energy fields, which can absorb dinosaur hunter. Bronto guns have long, heavy barrels that flare at the radiation. A target hit by a chimera fiend must make a the end. They fire a massive charge that has incredible penetrating Fortitude save against DC 15. Failure means death. The creature power, but only at very short ranges. The bronto gun’s shot will take 1d6 rounds to die; during that time, it is nauseated. decreases in power rapidly. For every full 50 feet between the Even if the target survives the hit, its genetic material is dis- shooter and target, subtract 1d6 from the damage roll. The maxi- rupted. One week later, make another Fortitude saving throw mum range at which a bronto gun can cause damage, then, is 200 against DC 5. If the throw succeeds, there are no ill effects. If the feet. A bronto gun must be reloaded with a bronto shell for each throw fails, the creature develops some sort of mutation. The
49 mutation has a 25 percent chance of being harmful (e.g., cancer), The amount of damage depends on which area of the body is hit: a 50 percent chance of being inconsequential (e.g., hair changes color), and a 25 percent chance of being helpful (e.g., rapid mus- Roll Hit cle growth). 1-2 Hand/lower arm A chimera fiend can only be fired one per round. It requires 3-5 Shoulder/upper arm an energy pack and uses 10 charges per shot. Chimera fiends are 6-7 Foot/lower leg energy weapons. 8-10 Thigh/upper leg Colt .45: The standard weapon of the bronco rider, a Colt can 11-13 Abdomen fire multiple times per round if the user has that ability. A Colt 14-19 Chest holds six shots and requires a full round action to reload. 20 Head Cryon Ray: The cryon ray is a basic, man-portable freeze rifle. Whatever a cryon ray hits is instantly frozen for 2d6 rounds. For hand, arm, foot and leg results, determine randomly A frozen creature is frozen, obviously, and can do nothing. After whether it is the left or the right. the freeze wears off, the character returns to normal. Hand/lower arm: The target takes 2d10 damage. Cryon rays make modified touch attacks. Targets of a cryon Furthermore, its hand and lower arm are disintegrated forever. ray do not get an armor class bonus for normal armor. Any armor Shoulder/upper arm: The target takes 3d10 damage. Its you’re wearing when hit by a cryon ray will just freeze along with shoulder and upper arm are disintegrated. The lower arm is thus the rest of you. Energy fields are the only armor that provides AC severed and falls to the ground. benefit against a cryon ray. Foot/lower leg: The target’s foot and lower leg are gone for- A frozen creature takes 1d8 points of cold damage per round. ever. It takes 2d10 damage and moves at half rate from now on. That is not the real charm of a cryon ray, however. Once a target Thigh/upper leg: The target’s thigh and upper leg are disinte- is frozen, it is extremely fragile. All subsequent damage to a grated. It takes 3d10 damage. The rest of its leg is severed and frozen target is doubled. useless. It moves at half rate from now on. If an already-frozen target is hit by another cryon ray shot, Abdomen: The target takes 5d10 damage. If he’s lucky, the roll 2d6 for the new duration. If it is greater than the number of dust gun only grazes him, or takes out a few ribs at most. If he’s turns remaining on the target’s freeze, then the roll is the new total not lucky, the dust gun destroys vital internal organs. A target hit duration for the freeze. Otherwise, the freeze duration remains the in the abdomen must make a Fortitude save at DC 15 or be killed. same. For example, a frozen target has 3 rounds to go before Chest: The target takes 6d10 damage and runs the risk of hav- thawing. The target is hit again. The character rolls 5 for the num- ing his heart or lungs disintegrated. He must make a Fortitude ber of rounds of freeze caused by the second shot. 5 is greater than save at DC 20 or be killed. 3, so there are now 5 remaining rounds of freeze instead of 3. If Head: The target takes 8d10 damage. He must make a the character had rolled a 2, that would be less than the 3 rounds Fortitude save at DC 30 or be killed. Even if he survives, his head already remaining, so the target would remain frozen for 3 rounds. is grotesquely deformed. He suffers a –8 inherent penalty to Finally, targets may suffocate while frozen. A frozen charac- Charisma and becomes permanently blind. ter can hold his breath for 2 rounds per point of Constitution with- A dust gun must be fired from a tripod. Otherwise, it suffers out suffocating. After that, a frozen character must begin making a –2 penalty to the attack roll. Constitution checks (DC 10) to prevent suffocation. Dust guns use energy packs, and a single shot drains 50 A normal cryon ray can freeze an entire medium-sized crea- charges. Dust guns are energy weapons. ture. Larger creatures will be partially frozen, centered on the Energy Pack: An energy pack has 50 charges. All energy point of impact. Determine randomly which part of the body is hit. weapons drain a certain number of charges per use. Unless noted The frozen area will be roughly equal to the size of a medium-size otherwise, reloading an energy pack is a standard action. creature. The frozen creature still suffers 1d8 points of damage for Flamer: Flamers are energy weapons. They use 5 charges per each round of freeze, plus any additional impairments due to hav- shot and can be fired only once per round. A flamer deals damage ing part of its body frozen. For example, a frozen leg will slow it to everything in a 5-foot-wide stream extending to the maximum down. Randomly determine whether subsequent shots hit the range. Targets hit by a flamer must make a Reflex save (DC 15) frozen area and thus cause extra damage: for a large creature, this or catch fire. happens on 1-10 on a d20; for huge, on 1-5; for gargantuan, on 1- Gas Bomb: A gas bomb releases a noxious gas that can be 3; for colossal, on a 1. fatal if inhaled. The cloud looks and acts exactly like that from a Cryon rays cannot cause critical hits. smoke grenade and is indistinguishable until inhaled. Characters A cryon ray requires no ammunition, but it must recharge for with gas masks or hermetically sealed suits are immune to gas one full round after each shot. bombs. A character within the cloud tales 1d8 points of damage Dust Gun: A dust gun is a disintegrator. Each hit can turn one immediately, and an additional 1d8 at the beginning of each round cubic foot of matter into a puff of grey dust. The effect on living that he remains in the cloud. Furthermore, he must immediately creatures can be lethal. Luckily, dust guns are extremely rare. make a Fortitude saving throw (DC 10). The saving throw must be
50 repeated at the beginning of each round in which the character tional strength of the tranquilizer. A heavy trank gun can hold 5 remains in the cloud. If the throw fails, the character loses con- darts, but can fire one per round maximum. Reloading requires a sciousness and is considered helpless. Large creatures receive an full round action. inherent +2 bonus to the saving throw, Huge +4, Gargantuan +8 Howzer: This is the light cannon typically mounted on small and Colossal +16. tanks. The recoil is enormous. You never see howzers except Gauntlet, Energy: An energy gauntlet is a spiked gauntlet when mounted on tanks, but an extremely strong character may fitted with a power generator. The generator produces an electri- attempt to carry one. This is impossible for characters with a cal field that magnifies the strength of any blow. An energy gaunt- Strength less than 17. A Strength of 17-18 lets you fire the howz- let uses an energy pack, which is drained one charge for every er, but you cannot move in the same round you shoot (not even a hour of continuous use. Strength modifiers do apply when using 5 foot step), and you suffer a –4 attack penalty from the recoil. At an energy gauntlet. Energy gauntlets are considered energy Strength 19-20, you can fire with a –2 penalty. Above that, there weapons for purposes of energy field armor. is no attack penalty. A howzer may only be fired once per round. Gauntlets, Raptor Claw: A raptor has two killer claws, one Howzers fire rocket shells, and must be reloaded after each shot. on the inside of each foot. It takes ten killer claws to produce a set Reloading is a standard action. of raptor claw gauntlets. They are worn like gloves, with the ten Laser Lance: This is the standard weapon of the Dino large claws mounted above the fingers. They are highly prized tro- Warriors. It has reach and deals double damage when used from phies, and are always worn in sets. Many adventurers consider the back of a charging mount. Dino Warriors typically charge with them a status symbol, indicative of a seasoned warrior. It is their lances, then turn them off and activate their laser swords. A extremely difficult to find raptor claw gauntlets for sale. laser lance uses an energy pack, which is drained one charge for Generally, a character who wants them has to hunt and kill the every hour of continuous use. Strength modifiers do apply when raptors himself, then hire a weaponsmith to attach the claws to the using a laser lance. Laser lances are energy weapons. gauntlet. The cost and statistics are per gauntlet, even though they Laser Pistol: Lasers fire extremely thin beams. They have a are always worn in pairs. very long range, but even the slightest swing of the barrel can Grav Field: A grav field looks nothing like a normal grenade. cause you to miss your target. Laser pistols use energy packs, and It is a complex wired box with several gyroscopes visible within. drain one charge per shot. A laser pistol may only be fired once When activated, it creates a powerful gravitational pull toward per round, no matter how many attacks the character has. Laser itself. The pull can reach 5 G’s and is enough to pin most creatures pistols are energy weapons. to the ground. The effect lasts for 1d4+1 rounds, after which the Laser Prod: Laser prods are used by bronco riders to herd grav field burns out and is useless. dinosaurs. They are three-foot long staffs with a short laser blade A creature caught within the grav field must make a Strength on the end. A laser prod has two settings: subdual and normal. The check against DC 14. If the check fails, the creature is knocked to bronco riders use the subdual setting to keep their herds in line. the ground and considered held. A held creature can do absolute- Either setting can be used in combat. A laser prod uses an energy ly nothing until the grav field wears off. No additional Strength pack, which is drained one charge for every hour of continuous check is allowed. use. Strength modifiers do apply when using a laser sword. Laser If the creature passes the Strength check, it is able to move prods are energy weapons. about at half speed within the area of effect. Laser Rifle: Like the laser pistol, the laser rifle fires extreme- Larger, more powerful grav fields can be custom-built. ly thin beams. It has a very long range, but even the slightest Grenade Launcher: A grenade launcher can fire any swing of the barrel can cause you to miss your target. Laser rifles grenade, but must be reloaded after each shot, which requires a use energy packs, and drain one charge per shot. A laser rifle may standard action. only be fired once per round, no matter how many attacks the Grenade, Frag: Frag grenades deal damage that is half pierc- character has. Laser rifles are energy weapons. ing and half fire damage in a 20-foot radius. Targets within the Laser Sword: A laser sword is a hilt that produces a laser area effect can attempt a Reflex save (DC 20) to take half damage. beam for use in close combat. The beam can be turned on or off Heavy Machine Gun: This is a large, powerful machine gun. at the touch of a button. Laser swords are the preferred weapon of It is belt-fed and typically mounted on a tripod. Firing without the military officers. A laser sword uses an energy pack, which is tripod causes a –1 attack penalty unless the firer’s Strength is 17 drained one charge for every hour of continuous use. Strength or greater. The HMG can eat through an entire belt (60 shots) modifiers do apply when using a laser sword. Laser swords are before needing to be reloaded, which takes a full round. A charac- energy weapons. ter with multiple attacks can fire a heavy machine gun multiple Lasso: Lassoes make ranged touch attacks. The maximum times in one round. range for a lasso is 30 feet, though no range penalties apply. If you Heavy Trank Gun: This is a larger version of the trank gun, hit, the target is entangled. An entangled creature has –2 to attack used to hunt big game. It fires larger darts filled with a more rolls and –4 to effective Dexterity; moves at half speed; and can- power tranquilizer. It works exactly like a trank gun, except that not charge or run. If you win an opposed Strength check with an the Fortitude saving throw is against DC 20. This reflects the addi- entangled target, you can limit their movement to the range
51 Walter Stuart Walter allowed by the rope. The entangled creature can escape with an is a small, short-barreled electric weapon that is mounted on a Escape Artist check (DC 17), or by breaking the lasso (DC 25, 5 character’s shoulder or backpack. Because it is electric, it makes hp), both of which are full round actions. A lasso can be thrown no noise when fired. It is equipped with its own discriminating repeatedly without penalty until you hit, but once a target is entan- targeting system. When the character “fires,” he actually desig- gled the lasso cannot be thrown again until they are let free. nates targets with a hand-held laser sight. The mutiny gun zeroes Lassoes cannot be thrown in radiuses wide enough to affect crea- in and fires ten incredibly rapid bursts aimed at and a few inches tures of size greater than Huge. around the target. The sheer volume of bullets unleashed, and the Monofilament Blade: The monofilament blade is a grue- gun’s ability to blast the area around the target as well as the point some technology that humanity has not yet mastered. The hilt can of aim, give it a high probability of causing critical hits. A mutiny be of any design. Extending from it is a blade only a single mole- gun fires 20 bullets per turn. It is fed by a HMG belt. Reloading cule wide. It can slice through almost anything. Strength modi- is a full round action. A character with multiple attacks can fire a fiers do not apply to damage from monofilament blades – the mutiny gun multiple times in one round. blade slices at a constant, stable rate regardless of force, so dam- Piledriver: This is the most commonly available shoulder- age is more a consequence of the directness of the hit than the fired rocket launcher, also called a thunder chucker. It shoots sin- strength behind it. Monofilament blades require no energy source. gle rockets. Each rocket must be loaded individually, which They are available in dagger length, longsword length, greatsword requires a standard action. The rockets explode in a highly length, etc. The blade described here is of longsword length. focused blast, which has a tendency to cause critical hits. Musket: A musket is an antique firearm. Muskets are still in Pistol, Automatic: Automatic pistols can be used to make use in some parts of the Confederacy and the outer reaches. multiple attacks per round if the character has that ability. Muskets must be individually loaded after each shot. Reloading is Plasma Bomb: A plasma bomb is a shell filled with superhot a full-round action. A musket can only be fired once per round. plasma. When it collides with a target it explodes in a ball of Mutiny Gun: This is an advanced AI weapon named after its flame. Those caught within the blast can make a Reflex save (DC use by Union naval captains to control their conscripted crews. It 15) to take half damage. The plasma cloud continues to combust
52 for 1d3+6 rounds in still weather and 1d3+1 rounds in windy 3d20 points of subdual damage and 1d10 points of normal dam- weather. Characters within the cloud are blinded and continue to age. Creatures between 41’-60’ take 2d20 points of subdual dam- take damage each round they are within it. Plasma bombs are age and no normal damage. Creatures between 61’-80’ take 1d20 energy weapons. points of subdual damage. The effect then tapers off and causes no Plasma Charge: This is the ammunition used by plasma damage to creatures further than 80’ away. rifles. It takes a full-round action to reload a plasma charge. A Any target that takes damage must also make a Fortitude sav- plasma charge is hardness 10 with 3 hit points. If it is reduced to ing throw to avoid being deafened for 3d6 rounds. The DC is 20 0 hit points it explodes like a plasma bomb. within the first 20’, 15 from 21’-40’, 10 from 41’-60’, and 5 from Plasma Sling: Also called a sun gun or heat gun, a plasma 61’-80’. If the target fails the saving throw, there is a chance the sling launches a glob of superhot plasma. The plasma splatters deafness will be permanent. The chance is a percent equal to the when it lands. The plasma sling’s range increment is 150 feet. DC. (For example, from 21’ to 40’ there is a 15% chance of per- Wherever the shot lands, it explodes like a grenade, with a radius manent deafness.) of 40 feet. Those caught within the blast can make a Reflex save A screamer rifle uses an energy pack. Each shot takes 10 (DC 15) to take half damage. The infernal plasma cloud continues charges. A screamer rifle can only be fired once per round. to combust for 1d3+6 rounds in still weather and 1d3+1 rounds Screamer rifles are energy weapons. in windy weather. Characters within the cloud are blinded and Shotgun: A shotgun deals 3d6 points of damage to targets in continue to take damage each round they remain within. Plasma the first range increment, 2d6 damage in the next increment and slings use one plasma charge per shot. A plasma sling can be fired 1d6 damage to targets in a 5-foot wide path beyond that to maxi- multiple times per round. Plasma slings are energy weapons. mum range. In can fire once per round maximum, and can hold up Pulse Rifle: A pulse rifle is a fully automatic laser rifle. It to five shells. Reloading up to two shells is a standard action. fires multiple short bursts with great rapidity. Pulse rifles use Reloading more than that is a full-round action. energy packs, and drain one charge per shot. A character with mul- Smoke Bomb: One round after a smoke bomb lands, it emits tiple attacks can fire multiple times in one round. Pulse rifles are a cloud of nontoxic smoke in a 20-foot radius that persists in still energy weapons. conditions for 1d3+6 rounds and windy conditions for 1d3+1 ROGUE Rifle: The ROGUE rifle is an advanced rifle pro- rounds. Visibility within the smoke is limited to 20 feet. duced by the Union. ROGUE stands for Rapid Oscillation Everything within the cloud has 90 percent concealment. Gun/Under Experimentation. It is carried only by elite military Stun Gun: A stun gun zaps the target with a forceful electri- units, and can only be acquired on the black market. It fires cal charge that deals subdual damage. Any touch to the target advanced ammunition designed to oscillate in flight, giving it (regardless of force) delivers the charge. No Strength bonuses accurate stopping power at great distances. The Confederacy, apply. The stun gun must be recharged after five uses. A single lacking the advanced research capabilities of the Union, has made charge from an energy pack will recharge the stun gun. A stun gun several attempts to hijack shipments of ROGUE guns, but has may be used multiple times per round. Stun guns are energy thus far not succeeded. A character with multiple attacks can fire weapons. a ROGUE rifle multiple times in one round. Trank Gun: A trank gun fires tranquilizer darts. When a dart Screamer Knife: Also called the vibroblade, a screamer hits, it releases tranquilizing chemicals into the target’s nervous knife is a vicious sonic weapon that makes an awful screeching system. This immediately causes 1d6 points of subdual damage. noise. It is a small, razor-sharp dagger blade that vibrates at At the beginning of each round thereafter, the target must make a incredibly high frequencies. It slices with ease – simply touching Fortitude saving throw against DC 15. If the throw succeeds, no it to flesh is enough to tear a deep gash. Furthermore, the rapid additional damage is taken. If the throw fails, the target takes an vibrations leave a jagged wound that is slow to heal. Strength additional 1d6 points of subdual damage, and must continue mak- modifiers do apply when using a screamer knife. A screamer knife ing a saving throw at the start of each round thereafter until it uses an energy pack, which must be replaced roughly once every passes. A trank gun can hold 5 darts, but can fire one per round two months of continuous use. maximum. Reloading requires a full round action. A trank gun can Screamer Rifle: A screamer rifle is a shoulder-mounted only fire once per round. sonic rifle. It is extremely heavy and requires protective headgear Whisper Gun: Whisper guns are electric rifles. They have no to use. The headgear is included with the weapon, and cannot be moving parts and are completely silent when fired. A whisper gun combined with a gas mask, helmet, or other form of head protec- fires 20 bullets per shot, all aimed at a single target. The massive tion. If the firer does not wear the headgear, he is automatically hit attack volume gives it a high chance of causing critical hits. A by the blast and suffers a 20 percent chance of being permanently whisper gun is fed by a HMG belt. Reloading is a standard action. deafened. A character with multiple attacks can fire a whisper gun multiple The screamer rifle fires a sonic shock wave that is incredibly times in one round. powerful but dissipates rapidly. The shock wave is cone shaped. Wide Beam Laser: The wide beam laser was developed as Creatures within 20 feet take 4d20 points of subdual damage and an attempt to overcome the normal laser’s narrow field of fire. 2d10 points of normal damage. Creatures in the next 20 feet take Wide beam lasers are less focused and have a shorter range, but
53 they sear a much wider portion of the target and are more damag- Table 5-7: Archaic Armor Usage lists which old-timey armors ing when it comes to critical hits. Wide beam lasers use energy are still used in 2202, and who uses them. These armors are packs, and drain one charge per shot. A wide beam laser may only repeated on Table 5-10: Armor for ease of reference. be fired once per round, no matter how many attacks the charac- ter has. Wide beam lasers are energy weapons. Table 5-7: Archaic Armor Usage Winchester Rifle: This is the standard rifle of the Armor Used by whom Confederate military. It can fire once per round maximum. It uses Chainmail Warp Pirates, Confed. officers and gentry rifle cartridges. Chain Shirt Warp Pirates, Offworlders, Confed. gentry Hide Offworlders Armor Leather Craftsmen in many common occupations Padded Craftsmen in hazardous occupations ARMOR CATEGORIES Steel Shields Offworlders, Warp Pirates Stud. Leather Warp Pirates, Offworlders, Home Guard The armors of 2202 include one additional category. Energy Field Armor: Certain kinds of energy fields can ARMOR FOR MOUNTS absorb the energy of incoming attacks. They make excellent Dinosaur mounts (as well as other creatures) may be armor. Energy field armor consists of a small metal projector box, equipped with armor. Any armor except powered armor and worn on the belt. The field can be turned on or off with a switch. shields may be adapted for use by a mount. The cost and weight Some fields are visible; others are not. are multiplied based on the size of the creature, as shown on Table The field traces the three-dimensional shape of the character, 5-8: Armor for Mounts. The costs represent custom-fitting the at a distance of about three inches from the skin. A field general- armor, materials used, and the rarity of tools and craftsmen able to ly stops at the hands to allow the character to use weapons or perform the task. tools, although fields may be purchased as fully enclosed. Energy fields can be worn on top of normal physical armor. Table 5-8: Armor for Mounts An energy field’s armor bonus stacks with any physical armor below it, as well as shields. Mount Size Cost Weight Certain weapons are designated “energy weapons.” Energy Medium x2 x1 fields are most effective at stopping energy weapons, as detailed Large x4 x2 in the weapon descriptions. Huge x8 x5 Gargantuan x16 x12 ARMOR USAGE Colossal x32 x24
As with weapons, not all antique armors are used in the year GETTING INTO AND OUT OF ARMOR 2202. Some are still used regularly, however, especially by cash- poor adventurers. They are cheaper in 2202 thanks to the miracles Table 5-9: Donning Armor explains how much time it takes of mass production. to don, don hastily and remove armor.
Table 5-9: Donning Armor IRONCLADS Armor Type Don Don Hastily Remove All energy fields 1 round 1 round 1 round The Union’s most advanced armor is Hermetic, padded, the ironclad system – a fully-enclosed, hide, leather, studded powered, bipedal walking tank. It is more leather, chain shirt, of a vehicle than a suit of armor, but it flak jacket 1 minute 5 rounds 1 minute* deserves special mention here because Chainmail, reflective, the wearer maintains most of his mobility reactive 4 minutes* 1 minute 1 minute* and agility. Ironclads will be described in Riot gear, vacuum more detail in future supplements. suit, bomb suit, powered armor 4 minutes** 4 minutes 3 minutes*
* If you have help, cut this time in half. ** You must have help to don this armor. Without help, you can only don hastily.
54 Table 5-10: Armor
Armor Cost Armor Max Dex Armor Speed Tech Wt. Bonus Bonus Check (30 ft.) Level Penalty Light Armor Hermetic Suit 20 +0 +8 0 30 ft. 5 15 lb. Padded 5 +1 +8 0 30 ft. 2 10 lb. Leather 10 +2 +6 0 30 ft. 2 15 lb. Studded Leather 25 +3 +5 -1 30 ft. 2 20 lb. Chain Shirt 100 +4 +4 -2 30 ft. 2 25 lb. Flak Jacket 200 +5 +4 -2 20 ft. 4 25 lb. Medium Armor Hide 15 +3 +4 -3 20 ft. 1 25 lb. Chainmail 150 +5 +2 -5 20 ft. 2 40 lb. Reflective Armor 80 +6/+1** +5 -1 20 ft. 7 10 lb. Heavy Armor Riot Gear 350 +6 +2 -4 20 ft.* 4 35 lb. Vacuum Suit 300 +6 +0 -6 20 ft.* 5 45 lb. Reactive Armor 600 +7 +2 -5 20 ft.* 6 35 lb. Bomb Suit 1,000 +8 +0 -6 20 ft.* 5 50 lb. Powered Armor** 2,500 +9 +2/+0 -4/-6 30 ft.** 8 70 lb. Energy Field Armor Kinetic Field 60 +2/+0** +8 0 30 ft. 9 3 lb. Absorption Field 240 +4/+2** +8 0 30 ft. 9 3 lb. Vibrofield 1,000 +6 +8 0 30 ft. 9 3 lb. Shields Shield, small steel 9 +1 - -1 - 1 6 lb. Shield, large steel 20 +2 - -2 - 1 15 lb. Shield, riot 25 +2 - -2 - 3 5 lb. Shield, energy 100 +3 - -2 - 7 3 lb.
* When running in heavy armor, you only move triple your speed, not quadruple. ** See description.
ARMOR DESCRIPTIONS Kinetic Field: This is the simplest form of energy field armor. The field uses electromagnetism to “thicken” the air, which Absorption Field: This field absorbs energy. Whenever an causes massive friction and a huge drag on physical objects mov- energy attack hits the field, it glows brightly. Absorption fields ing through the field. The wearer looks blurry and out of focus give a +4 armor bonus against energy weapons. The field is able behind this “thick air.” A kinetic field gives a +2 armor bonus to reduce the impact of conventional projectiles (bullets, arrows, against any attack with a conventional weapon, but it is useless etc.) by absorbing kinetic energy, but it is not as effective. It only against energy attacks. gives a +2 armor bonus against non-energy weapons. Powered Armor: This is a fully-enclosed fighting suit. Bomb Suit: Resembling a potbelly stove for human use, the Equipped with its own power supply, motorized joints, strength bomb suit was originally designed for explosives experts doing amplifiers and exoskeleton, powered armor is the best man- risky disarmament work. Bomb suits have been modernized since portable armor there is. Although the Union has developed exper- then, but have not lost their essentially bulky, awkward aspect. A imental versions, most of the best specimens come from alien bomb suit is completely enclosed, though it does not include a gas trade. In addition to providing protection, powered armor offers mask. the following benefits: Flak Jacket: A bulletproof vest worn on the torso. Most are • Powered armor amplifies the wearer’s Strength. As long as made of kevlar, along with various modern improvements. A flak the armor is powered, the wearer receives a +2 enhancement jacket provides good protection against ballistic weapons. bonus to Strength. Hermetic Suit: A hermetic suit gives no bonus to AC but • The armor is heavy for purposes of proficiency, but when completely encloses the wearer. It includes a small air filter, pump worn it amplifies the wearer’s motions and applies its own and a simple gas mask. A person in a hermetic suit is immune to motorized joints to the task of moving him. As long as it is gas weapons, biological weapons (including those that must touch powered, the armor does not reduce the wearer’s speed. the skin) and any sort of atmospheric contamination. • Because the armor is self-supporting, it should be treated as
55 weighing nothing for purposes of the character’s encum- These suits are designed for protection from space junk and brance (as long as it is powered, of course). celestial radiation, not bullets or lasers. If the character enters • The helmet includes infrared goggles and a communicator. combat wearing a space suit, the suit has a 5 percent chance of • The two powered gloves are treated as energy gauntlets as springing a leak for every attack made on the character (whether long as the suit is powered. A person wearing powered armor it hits or not). If the suit springs a leak, it is no longer sealed and is never unarmed. The gloves may hold other weapons as does not protect from the vacuum, but it still provides its armor well. bonus. The armor is hermetically sealed. It includes a gas mask, an Vibrofield: Based on sonic technology, the vibrofield stirs up air pump and a filter. the atoms in the air around the character. The area surrounding the The one drawback to powered armor is that it must be pow- character looks wavy, like heat rising from a hot road. A vibrofield ered. Powered armor uses the same energy packs used for disrupts and deflects both energy and projectile weapons. weapons. It consumes five charges for every hour of use. Replacing an energy pack takes a full round action. As long as the Equipment armor is powered, the user has a +2 maximum Dexterity bonus and –4 armor check penalty. It takes one full round to power up a suit. Table 5-11: Equipment lists commonly available equipment If the wearer is ever stuck in un-powered armor, his Dexterity of 2202. The standard adventuring gear remains available at the bonus is reduced to +0 and the armor check is –4. Furthermore, conversion rate of $1 = 1 gp. the first five benefits listed above (strength amplification, normal Riding gear costs and weights are listed for a large mount. speed, no weight, helmet equipment and energy gauntlets) cease, For huge mounts, multiply by 2; for gargantuan, by 4; and for the wearer’s move is reduced to 20 ft./triple run as per normal colossal, by 8. heavy armor, and the armor weighs its full 70 lbs. Many soldiers have machinists customize their powered Table 5-11: Equipment armor to include targeting systems, smart weapons and built-in Item Cost Weight Tech Level devices. Binoculars 20 2 lbs. 4 Riot Gear: A fully-enclosed suit of flak armor surrounded by Bit and bridle, padding. Includes boots, gloves, and helmet. heavy-duty, large 8 15 lb. 1 Reactive Armor: This highly advanced armor is typically Breather gear 25 5 lb. 4 utilized only in Union armies. It uses advanced plastics that Communicator, handheld 10 2 lb. 5 respond instantaneously to pressure. The moment the armor is hit, Compass 3 1 lb. 2 the plastics begin to expand, rapidly stopping the bullet. After Engineering tools 25 5 lb. 6 being hit many times, the armor looks like it is covered in small Flashlight 5 3 lb. 3 blisters. It’s strange looking, but it works. Gas mask 10 5 lb. 4 Reactive armor requires regular maintenance to maintain its Helmet, kevlar 15 2 lb. 1 stopping power. After every two months of combat use (roughly Infrared goggles 35 2 lb. 5 four months of adventuring use), it must be serviced. Servicing Injection harness 80 7 lb. 4 costs $25 and is tech level 6. The armor’s AC bonus will decline Laser sight 90 1 lb. 5 by 1 for every month that servicing is delayed. Laser tripwire 15 3 lb. 5 Reflective Armor: Reflective armor is a polished, seamless, Medical kit 25 5 lb. 5 high-density foil suit designed to reflect energy. It is very effec- Saddle, large 60 35 lb. 2 tive at countering laser and heat weapons, but basically useless Scanner 10 7 lb. 6 against any other kind of weapon. Reflective armor gives a +6 Scrambler 25 9 lb. 5 bonus against lasers (including pistols, rifles, pulse rifles, melee Telescopic sight 35 1 lb. 3 weapons), flamers and other heat-based attacks, but only +1 Tripod 5 5 lb. 1 against all other attacks. Shield, Riot: This is a tall, steel-reinforced plexiglas shield. Binoculars: These high-powered lenses allow detailed Shield, Energy: This is a empty rectangular metal frame observation from up to a mile away. worn on the arm. A field generator on the strap generates an ener- Bit and bridle, heavy-duty, large: Conventional leather bit gy field around the frame. An energy shield’s armor bonus stacks and bridles don’t work when your mount has six-inch long teeth. with both physical and energy field armor. A heavy-duty bit and bridle uses chains and reinforced leather. It Vacuum Suit: This is the typical suit worn to protect the user is a necessity when working with dinosaurs. from the vacuum of space. The suit is completely enclosed and Breather gear: This is a mask connected to a canister. The includes its own air supply. The wearer can survive for five hours canister contains enough oxygen for a human to breathe normally just on the air within the suit. for one hour.
56
Communicator, handheld: A basic two-way communication sight is used the shot counts as a full-round action. device. A communicator picks up every common radio frequency. Laser Tripwire: This is a basic perimeter defense system. A On a planet without an established orbital network (such as non-damaging laser and a series of mirrors are attached to an Cretasus), a communicator covers a distance of roughly five alarm. If the laser beam is broken, the alarm goes off. The laser miles. With an orbital network, it can reach almost anywhere on a and mirrors can cover a perimeter of up to 1,000 feet. planet. Larger, non-hand-held communicators are necessary for Medical Kit: A medical kit includes all the tools, medicines communicating with people off-planet. Requires an energy pack. and equipment you need for basic first aid. Drains one charge for every week of use. Saddle, Large: This is a large saddle suitable for any type of Compass: A basic magnetic orienteering compass. More large animal. advanced compasses require an orbital network. Scanner: A scanner detects heat, radiation, and metal within Engineering Tools: Everything a machinist needs to perform a radius of 50 feet, centered on the user. basic repairs and construction. This does not include specialized Scrambler: A scrambler disrupts communications. components, spare parts or the bits and pieces necessary to build Communicators will not work within 1 mile of a scrambler. most devices. Telescopic Sight: Using a telescopic sight doubles the target- Flashlight: Your basic high-powered flashlight. Illuminates a ing range of a weapon and adds a +1 circumstance bonus to the cone 60 feet long and 20 feet wide at the end. Requires an energy attack roll. A telescopic sight can be added to pistols, rifles, mus- pack. Uses a half charge for every six hours of use. kets, trank guns and lasers (except pulse rifles). A weapon fitted Gas Mask: A filtered mask. Characters with gas masks are with a telescopic sight can be fired with or without using the sight, not affected by gas bombs or other gaseous attacks. but if the sight is used the shot counts as a full-round action. Helmet, Kevlar: A simple armored helmet which provides an Tripod: Some heavy weapons require a tripod, or were built armor bonus of +5, just like a flak jacket, except this applies only with one in mind. For other lighter weapons, a tripod steadies the to the head. For game purposes, this has no impact unless an shot and increases accuracy. There is no benefit to using a tripod attack specifically targets the head. on a bronto gun, heavy machine gun, heavy trank gun, tank gun, Infrared Goggles: Heat-sensing goggles. Infrared goggles grenade launcher or piledriver. For rifles, muskets, trank guns, provide night vision, allowing characters to fight normally at machine guns, cryon rays, plasma slings and lasers, using a tripod night. Furthermore, they minimize the impact of smoke and other gives a +1 circumstance bonus to the attack roll. Obviously, the atmospheric conditions. A character with infrared halves penalties benefit does not apply if you move in the same turn that you fire. for firing into a smoky area (e.g., a smoke bomb area effect). A weapon fitted with a tripod can be fired with or without the tri- Injection Harness: An injection harness is attached to pod, but setting up or breaking down a tripod counts as a move- dinosaurs and other mounts to help keep them under control. The equivalent action. harness has a remote-controlled injection device attached to a can- ister that can be filled with any chemical. Devices The chemical of choice is somnix, a calming anesthetic. A dinosaur injected with somnix becomes easier to control. All Ride and Handle Animal checks are at a +2 circumstance bonus for 2d6 “Devices” is a specific term used to describe equipment that hours after the injection. is custom built by machinists. However, devices are not a specif- The downside is that somnix (as well as most other chemi- ic kind of technology. Even the most common piece of equipment cals) can be addictive and has long-term debilitating effects. A can be considered a device if it is custom built by a machinist. We mount that receives more than twenty injections in a period of six have separated certain pieces of equipment into this devices sec- months will become addicted. Thereafter, somnix will provide no tion because they are rare and difficult to build, and will only be benefit, and there will be a –2 penalty to all Ride and Handle found in a game if a machinist builds them. Animal checks unless the somnix is injected. In general, a machinist can build a device to accomplish just Activating the injector is a standard action. Replacing a vial about anything, provided he has the cash and the tech level under- is a full-round action. standing. If an item of technology is not listed here, but your Each vial is good for 5 doses. A vial of somnix costs $5. One machinist wants to build it, discuss it with your game master. vial is included with the harness. Other kinds of chemicals are Inventing a completely new device will take time and money, and available as well. may not succeed on the first try, but it can be done. Laser Sight: A laser sight uses a small, non-damaging laser Table 5-12: Devices lists some special-purpose devices. You to pinpoint where a shot will go. Using a laser sight triples the tar- won’t find any of these devices for sale in stores. They either have geting range of a weapon and adds a +2 circumstance bonus to the to be custom built or special ordered from a machinist willing to attack roll. A laser sight can be added to pistols, rifles, muskets, provide the service (or found on an adventure, of course!). The trank guns and lasers (except pulse rifles). A weapon fitted with a cost column indicates the cost of the components necessary to laser sight can be fired with or without using the sight, but if the build the device. If you hire another machinist to build an item
58 rather than doing it yourself, labor costs can be as much as double gives –2 Strength and –3 Dexterity for each arm replaced. This the component costs, depending on how much experience the basic prosthetic costs $500 (including surgery). machinist has with building the item. Bionic ear: A bionic ear replaces the functions of a damaged ear. It also enhances them. A character with one or more bionic Table 5-12: Devices ears has all the benefits of ear implants. Bionic eye: A character who is blinded may have one or both Item Cost Weight Tech Level eyes replaced. The cost is per eye and does not include surgery, Ankle jets 700 3 lb. 6 which is double the component cost. A character with one or two Bionic arm 3,000 - 7 bionic eyes has eagle-like vision. He receives a +1 competence Bionic ear 1,000 - 7 bonus to all ranged attack rolls, a +2 competence bonus to all Spot Bionic eye 2,000 - 7 and Search checks, and a +2 competence bonus to all saving Bionic leg 3,000 - 7 throws against blindness. The bonus is the same whether one or Dyno-mites 100 1 lb. 6 both eyes are replaced. More advanced eyes are available, includ- Ear implants 500 - 7 ing prosthetics with built-in infrared vision, but they are expen- Egg scanner 100 5 lb. 6 sive and rare. Electron field 200 3 lb. 9 Bionic leg: A character with a wounded leg can have it Holosphere 600 1 lb. 9 replaced with a bionic leg. The cost is per leg and does not include Iron gills 1,500 - 12 surgery, which is double the component cost. A character with two Jet Pack 2,200 18 lb. 7 bionic legs has a standard move of 50 feet. (If the character only Microfilament bomb 100 1 lb. 11 has one bionic leg, find the average of 50 and his move when his Prop bomber 1,600 8 lb. 6 legs were fine – for most humans, their previous move was 30, so Robot Varies Varies Varies the average of 30 and 50 makes 40 feet.) Some eccentric machin- Sparkle bomb 50 1 lb. 8 ists replace damaged legs with wheels, treads or hover platforms. Spibot 175 12 lb. 7 Dyno-mites: These are ghastly weapons invented by a par- Tractor beam 1,400 25 lb. 10 ticularly nasty machinist. Each dyno-mite is a very small robot, Warp render 7,000 45 lb. 13 less than an ounce in weight and barely visible. They are light Whiner 150 10 lb. 6 enough to be carried in the wind, though they also can crawl like ants. Each is equipped with the tiniest drop of nitroglycerin and a Ankle Jets: These wearable propulsion devices are perfect miniature igniter. Dyno-mites can be stored in canisters and for jetting around the city. They provide a short burst, which can dropped on any surface, including food, or released to the wind in be tailored for merely reinforcing one’s own stride all the way up gas bombs. When a dyno-mite encounters a living creature, the to flying short distances. A character with ankle jets has her base tiny nitroglycerin charge explodes. A single mite does little dam- move increased to 40 feet. She receives a +10 circumstance bonus age – unless it is swallowed. When inhaled or ingested with food, to Jump checks. Additionally, she can fly at a speed of 60 feet the dyno-mites can cause significant internal damage. A creature (average). Ankle jets use energy packs. They drain one charge for that inhales or ingests dyno-mites takes 4d10 points of damage. every hour of regular use, or one charge for every 30 seconds of Dyno-mites can be deployed as grenades, in which case the flying. Replacing the energy pack is a move-equivalent action and cloud of mites has a 5 foot radius and disperses in 1d4+1 turns. causes the ankle jets to cease functioning while the replacement is Once the cloud is dispersed, the mites are lost. Any creature enter- made. ing the cloud automatically inhales the mites, but may make a Bionic arm: A character whose arm is damaged or destroyed Reflex saving throw (DC 15) to take half damage. The given price can find a machinist to build an arm, and a surgeon to attach it. of $100 is for a single grenade. A disassembled grenade has The price is per arm and does not include the surgery, which is enough mites to sprinkle over an area roughly 9’ by 9’ – more than double the component cost. A standard bionic arm has a Strength enough for many poisoned meals. of 19. If the character has one arm replaced, average this with his Ear implants: These implants amplify a character’s ability to previous Strength to determine his overall Strength score. If a hear. They don’t just make things louder; they also discriminate character has two bionic arms, his Strength is 19. The drawback is between background and foreground noise, and do a good job of the arms’ lack of Dexterity. For each arm, the character suffers an making only the right noises louder. Ear implants give a +2 com- inherent –1 penalty to Dexterity. petence bonus to Listen checks. They automatically muffle any More advanced arms are available, including those with high- noise that is too loud for a human ear. As a result, the character er Strengths, more dexterous mechanisms, and built-in weapons gains a +2 competence bonus to Fortitude saves against deafness, and equipment. They are much more expensive and very difficult and only suffers half damage from amp bombs, vibrobeams, and to build. other sonic weapons. A character with insufficient tech level to understand a bion- Egg scanner: Egg scanners were created by the Confederacy ic arm must be fitted with a much simpler, basic prosthetic that to hunt for dinosaur eggs. An egg scanner detects any embryonic
59 chemicals within a 50 foot radius, and precisely pinpoints their run. They suffer a –2 penalty to attack rolls and a –4 penalty to location. their effective Dexterity score. On each subsequent turn, they can Electron field: The electron field is a bizarre energy field attempt to escape by making a Strength check against the same armor that converts kinetic energy to electrical discharge. The DC. wearer is always surrounding by a crackling field of blue static Prop bomber: A prop bomber is a propeller-powered robot energy due to passing air molecules interacting with the field. As designed to deploy grenades. The user designates the target with a with a kinetic field, the electron field gives a +4 bonus against any laser pointer. The prop bomber then takes off and drops grenades. attack with a conventional physical projection (anything using When the bomber reaches its target, it drops its load of grenades. bullets, arrows, etc.), but no bonus to energy attacks. Each prop bomber can carry up to 30 pounds of any type of When an attack is defused, the field flares up in a massive, grenades, divided between four bomb bays. Each bomb bay can short-lived electrical storm. Every time the wearer successfully be activated independently. After one bay has been emptied, the saves with the field, he emits a huge electrical charge. When the user may designate another target for deployment of another wearer is in combat, everything within 10 feet (except the wearer, bomb bay. who is immune) must make a Reflex save (DC 10) each turn or be The prop bomber can be recalled at any time. It has enough hit by the electrical charge, which causes d6 damage. fuel to stay aloft for up to five minutes. Refueling costs $25. An electron field allows a +8 Dexterity bonus and gives no The bomber has a flying speed of 80 feet. It is small and light- armor check or movement penalty. ly armored, giving it an AC of 13 with 10 hit points. Holosphere: A holosphere projects a pre-recorded holo- Robot: Machinists can build robots. This section will provide graphic image. It can be up to one hour in length. The user can a brief outline of the process, and your GM will give you addi- start, stop, fast forward or rewind the image. tional information. Iron gills: Iron gills are mechanical devices that the body is The tech level of a robot depends on its ability to do tasks. genetically modified to accept. The gills are implanted on the The tasks it can perform depend on its Intelligence. Once you neck. The cost is for components only; surgery is double the com- decide on what a robot will do, decide the minimum Intelligence ponent cost. Once the gills are implanted, the wearer can breathe requirement for that task, then determine tech level according to normally under water. There have been experiments in genetic these guidelines: acceptance of other non-human traits, Task Capability Example Int Tech Level but they are rare. Specific, simple task “Follow me” 1 5 Jet pack: A jet Simple task with some judgment Prop bomber 2 6 pack is a backpack Tasks requiring advanced motion Spibot 3 7 propellant system. Moderate tasks with judgment Identify targets based on uniform 4 8 When using a jet Complex tasks Make multivariable decisions 5 9 pack, a character Simple artificial intelligence Speech interaction with humans 6 10 can fly at a move of 100 feet (average). The jet pack can run for up to two hours before its fuel supply runs The basic cost of researching a new robot is the tech level out. A full tank of replacement fuel costs $300 and weighs six times 100. After spending the research money, make an Int check pounds. with a DC of 10 plus the robot’s tech level, adding the machinist’s Microfilament bomb: This large grenade contains a highly tech level to the roll. If the check succeeds, the machinist finds a pressurized mass of microfilament nets. When it explodes, the way to build the robot. If the check fails, the machinist must spend nets are flung across a wide area, entangling whatever they an entire new research budget for the chance to make another encounter. The bomb is treated as a grenade. It explodes in a 10 check. foot radius area. All creatures in the area may be entangled, and After the machinist discovers how to build the robot, she or must make a Dexterity check against a DC that depends on their he may build it, using the normal costs for building devices. size: Sparkle bomb: These grenades detonate in a blinding dis- play of photon shrapnel. The mass of short-range lasers they emit Size DC can blind any creature within 30 feet of the explosion. Affected Medium 15 creatures must make a Reflex save (DC 10) or be blinded for 2d6 Large 12 turns. Characters with infrared goggles or bionic eyes receive a +2 Huge 9 enhancement bonus to the save. Gargantuan 6 Spibot: A spibot is an eight-legged robot that maps the terrain Colossal 3 it walks over. Surveyors will drop several dozen spibots over an area, then integrate their reports to get a good idea of an area’s ter- Entangled creatures move at half speed and cannot charge or rain. A spibot can walk for roughly ten days before exhausting its
60 battery. It maps the terrain directly under it, as well as visual, energy packs, and drained one charge per round of use. More radar, and sonar depiction of the terrain within roughly a one mile powerful tractor beams are highly coveted weapons amongst dino radius. It can go underwater without problem. A spibot will trans- hunters who prefer to bring their prey home alive. mit its findings once per day. Warp render: This experimental weapon opens a direct but Tractor beam: A tractor beam is an advanced use of gravita- fleeting portal to the warp. Physical matter surrounding the portal tional and magnetic technology. A tractor beam can attract or is siphoned away, possibly forever. The warp render is unwieldy repulse the objects within its area effect. The area effect is a cone and requires a tripod. Firing a single shot is a full-round action. 300 feet long and 50 feet wide at the end (range increment of 100 Furthermore, it requires enormous power reserves, and drains an feet, targeting range of 30 feet, though more powerful tractor entire energy pack with each shot. beams can be built). Once activated, the beam remains in place A warp render has a range increment of 30 feet and a target- until deactivated. ing range of 30 feet. Warp renders make touch attacks. Armor All objects within the area effect must make a Strength check bonuses to AC do not apply against a warp render – the weapon against DC 17 or be affected. One Strength check is made when does not penetrate armor; it drags its targets into the warp, and the beam is first activated – there is no second chance. dragging the armor will bring the human inside it as well. Objects that fail the Strength check are affected. For all prac- Any creature hit by the warp render is automatically affected. tical purposes, they are paralyzed – they can make no voluntary Creatures pulled into the warp simply disappear. They may re- movement, and are under the control of the tractor beam. If the appear, blinking randomly back into physical space, or they may beam is on “attract,” affected objects are pulled 20+d10 feet be lost in the warp forever. The first hour after the creature disap- toward the weapon. If the beam is on “repulse,” affected objects pears, there is a 50 percent chance it will reappear. The second are pushed 20+d10 feet away from the weapon (possibly out of hour, there is a 40 percent chance, and so on until the sixth hour. the effect area). If the creature has not reappeared by the sixth hour, it is lost for- Objects that make the Strength check can attempt to slog their ever. way out of the effect area. While still in the area effect, they are Creatures hit by a warp render do not remember what hap- considered entangled. They move at half speed, suffer a –2 penal- pened to them. While they are affected, they are basically uncon- ty to all attack rolls, and have their effective Strength and scious. Dexterity reduced by 4 until they are out of the area. Whiner: The whiner is a radio-like construction that emits The beam’s setting cannot be changed unless it is deactivated sounds on a sub-sonic frequency that aggravates dinosaurs (as and activated again. While activated, the weapon can be aimed at well as many other creatures able to hear on that frequency). Once different targets. If the beam is pivoted slowly enough, objects turned on, a whiner requires no attention until it is turned off. Any caught in the beam will be dragged with it. Otherwise, the beam dinosaurs within 100 feet of a whiner suffer a –1 to attack rolls will move faster than its ability to drag them, and they will be left and saving throws. Whiners use energy packs and drain one outside the area effect. charge per day. Humans cannot hear the sounds produced by A tractor beam requires a tripod (included). The weapon uses whiners.
61 Chapter III: Dinosaur Statistics
The dinosaurs of Broncosaurus Rex are intelligent, social ani- Dinosaur Intelligence mals. They are capable of charity, treachery, honesty, deceit, strat- Protoceratops 14 egy and loyalty. They have languages, politics and commerce. Velociraptor (Deinonychus) 12 They are far from the dumb brutes we think we know so well. Allosaurus 9 This chapter gives game statistics for the dinosaurs and other Tyrannosaurus Rex 8 prehistoric creatures of Cretasus. Because characters on Cretasus Ceratosaurus 7 will encounter dinosaurs as first level characters, we have decid- Megaraptor 7 ed to focus these statistics on dinosaurs of the lower challenge rat- Ankylosaurus 6 ings. Thus, you will find some of the more popular large dinosaurs Ornitholestes 6 represented by a single example (e.g., brachiosaurus is described, Triceratops 6 but not diplodocus or apatosaurus), while smaller creatures are Brachiosaurus 5 more abundant. Future supplements will expand upon powerful Iguanodon 5 dinosaurs more suited to higher level characters. Oviraptor 5 Paleontological confession: Several of the creatures Camptosaurus 5 described here are, technically speaking, not actually dinosaurs. Elasmosaurus 4 We will refer to them under the collective term “dinosaurs” for Pachycephalosaurus 4 simplicity’s sake. There are a few other scientific inaccuracies as Parasaurolophus 4 well, but in every case we deemed the game play was improved Stegoceras 4 by the inaccuracy, so we allowed it. The true paleontologists out Pteradactylus 3 there will hate us for this, but the rest of you will find it makes life Pteranadon 3 easier! Compsognathus 2 Deinosuchus 2 Dimetrodon 2 General Overview Edaphosaurus 2 Protosuchus 2 Animals or Beasts? Stegosaurus 1 Dinosaur Languages Creature type determines how magic affects creatures, as well as the Difficulty Class of performing tasks for certain skills (such The high intelligence of dinosaurs means that they are able to as Handle Animal). We believe dinosaurs should be type animal, communicate using complex languages. Depending on the social not beast. The definition of animal specifically states that it “lived organization of the dinosaur, a language may have dialects that on the planet Earth in historical times” (Core Rulebook III, page vary by region, or it may be consistent across the entire species. 5). Furthermore, the definition of beast notes that “a beast is a One particular language, called “dinosaur common” for lack nonhistorical, vertebrate creature.” Given that dinosaurs are clear- of anything better, is something of a common tongue with which ly historical creatures that did live on the planet Earth in histori- most dinosaurs are familiar. Dinosaur common is like tail-wag- cal times, the type animal seems most appropriate. ging between humans and dogs – it allows simple communication of basic concepts (anger, peace, alliance, enemy, food, happiness, Intelligence threat, etc.) but nothing more advanced than that. Unless noted otherwise, all dinosaurs speak dinosaur common. Many dinosaurs in Broncosaurus Rex have near-human intel- Characters may speak dinosaur languages, provided they ligence. Some are smarter than the average human. Here is a com- have the physical ability. Certain languages utilize the anatomical parison of average dinosaur Intelligence scores. Note the revisions abilities of their members in ways that humans cannot duplicate. for velociraptor (deinonychus), elasmosaurus, megaraptor, tricer- The powerful calls made possible by the crest of the parasaurolo- atops and tyrannosaurus rex. phus are a good example of this.
62 A character or dinosaur can understand other dialects of its Dinosaur Byproducts language, but not speak them. In general, creatures using different dialects can communicate on a basic level, but there is always a Dinosaur teeth, claws, hearts, skins, meat and other body 10 percent chance of miscommunication in each conversation. parts can be sold to settlers and exporters. Parts from rare or dif- When a miscommunication occurs, the creatures will be unaware ficult-to-kill dinosaurs can be especially valuable. The description of it 50 percent of the time. Then you get really interesting situa- of each dinosaur indicates which byproducts are valued, and how tions – for example, one side thinks they’re supposed to meet on much they are worth. the western mountain peak, while the other side thinks they’re Characters must be able to get to the parts in order to sell supposed to meet on the eastern peak! When a misunderstanding them. It helps to have the Wilderness Lore skill. Butchers can occurs, the game master will determine the exact outcome. recover dinosaur byproducts by making a skill check against these Here is a list of the dinosaur species, their languages and the DC’s: dialects of those languages. Part Trained Untrained Dinosaur Language Dialects Intact skin 9 18 Allosaurus Allosaurus None Internal organs 6 * Ankylosaurus Ankylosaurus None Teeth, claws, horns, etc. 3 9 Brachiosaurus Sauropod By species Ceratosaurus Ceratosaurus None * Untrained characters cannot attempt this task (they don’t Camptosaurus Iguanodontid None know what they’re looking for). Compsognathus None None Deinosuchus None None Failure means the part is damaged in the attempt and thus ren- Dimetrodon None None dered useless. No skill check is necessary to butcher a dinosaur Edaphosaurus None None into edible meat. Elasmosaurus Elasmosaurus None Iguanodon Iguanodontid None Dinosaur Treasure Megaraptor Raptor By region Ornitholestes Ornitholestes None Predatory dinosaurs almost always have treasure, mostly in Oviraptor Raptor By region the form of leftovers from adventurers who were eaten as meals. Pachycephalosaurus Pachycephalosaurus None Some species actually collect this treasure into a pile, in much the Parasaurolophus Parasaurolophus None same way ravens collect pretty baubles, while others hoard it Protoceratops Ceratopsian By species because they know its importance to humans. There is one veloci- Protosuchus None None raptor tribe that actually understands the value of cash, and has Pteradactylus Pterosaur None purchased food using money acquired, presumably, from dead Pteranadon Pterosaur None adventurers. Stegoceras Pachycephalosaurus None As a general rule, carnivores will have standard treasure, but Stegosaurus None None only in their nesting or feeding areas, while herbivores will not Triceratops Ceratopsian By species have treasure. Tyrannosaurus Tyrannosaurus By clan Velociraptor Raptor By region Training Dinosaurs Dinosaur Ages Training dinosaurs as mounts is generally very difficult. Most dinosaurs have enough hit dice that they’re hard to manage. And Most dinosaur groups will include a range of ages, from new- the coolest mounts – such as allosaurus or T-rex – are so huge that born to ancient. Dinosaurs that live to an old age do so because the DC to train them is often 30 or more. they are unusually tough, meaning they may have more hit dice There are a couple ways to overcome this. First, bronco rid- than a typical specimen. The parameters for tougher creatures are ers add their character level to Handle Animal checks. A bronco noted in the Advancement section of the statistics. rider can train dinosaur mounts for himself and his friends. A sin- Young dinosaurs will be smaller than the adults (obviously). gle character can train up to three animals at once, provided he In general, juveniles will be two sizes smaller, while adolescents dedicates at least five hours of training per animal per day. will be one size smaller. For each decrease in size, halve the hit Second, young animals are easier to train than adults. The dice. Thus, a juvenile has one fourth the HD of an adult, and an descriptions that follow list DC’s for both adult and young ani- adolescent has one half. You can reverse the adjustments for the mals. Prospective riders can always capture a young animal to size increases to arrive at changes to ability scores, AC, etc. for the train. size decrease.
63 Statistics for Dinosaurs and Other Prehistoric Creatures
ALLOSAURUS (“SWEET-TOOTH”)
Allosaurus Huge Animal Hit Dice: 15d10+60 (143 hp) Initiative: +1 (Dex) Speed: 40 ft. AC: 13 (-2 size, +1 Dex, +4 natural) Attacks: Bite +17 melee, claws +2 melee Damage: Bite 3d8+11, claws 1d4 Face/Reach: 10 ft. by 10 ft./15 ft. Special Attacks: Improved grab Special Qualities: Scent Saves: Fort +13, Ref +13, Will +7 Abilities: Str 25, Dex 13, Con 18, Int 9, Wis 18, Cha 12 Skills: Listen +12, Spot +12, Wilderness Lore +5 Climate/Terrain: Warm forest, hill, plains and marsh Organization: Solitary or family (1-3 adults, 1-2 young) Challenge Rating: 7 Treasure: Standard Alignment: Chaotic good Advancement: 16-30 HD (Gargantuan)
Allosaurs are smaller cousins to the tyrannosaurs. An adult allosaur can be as long as 40 feet and almost six tons in weight. Their jaws are huge, but not so massively built as the T-rex’s. They are immediately distinguished from T-rex by their brightly colored skin. Yellow, red and blue allosauruses are common. compete for the same prey. Allosauruses are the most generous of all the theropods. They When fighting with each other, allosauruses inflict painful are known for their reverence for nature. As carnivores, they can- but non-lethal blows as warning signs. They will only fight to the not help killing for their own survival, but they always inflict death if forced to do so. With few exceptions, they only attack swift, painless deaths, and at times seem almost apologetic for other dinosaurs if they are hungry. Allosauruses hate ceratosaurs their predatory nature. Much as the American Indians whispered and tyrannosaurs, whom they view as cruel, and will attack them prayers before killing their prey, the allosauruses are torn between on sight. their good nature and the necessity of killing. Allosaurus never lay more than two eggs at a time. When the young mature, they leave the family. They will often remain in the SOCIETY same area in which they were raised, although they do not main- Allosaurs do not have a very organized society. As chaotic tain strong relations with their parents. Eventually they take a creatures, they prefer the company of nothing larger than small mate, and then raise their own family. family groups. Multiple family groups will often inhabit the same area, as allosauruses are not particularly territorial. They will not COMBAT interact except in passing, or when times are tough and they must Allosauruses survive by hunting and scavenging. Many actu-
64 ANKYLOSAURUS (“WRECKER,” “MEGADILLO”)
Ankylosaurus Huge Animal Hit Dice: 16d10+112 (200 hp) Initiative: -2 (Dex) Speed: 25 ft. AC: 20 (-2 size, -2 Dex, +14 natural) Attacks: Tail club +20 melee Damage: 4d6 Face/Reach: 10 ft. by 20 ft./15 ft. Special Attacks: Target Ankles Special Qualities: Scent, Defensive Crouch Saves: Fort +17, Ref +7, Will +7, Abilities: Str 22, Dex 7, Con 25, Int 6, Wis 8, Cha 10 ally prefer scavenging, as it saves them from having to kill their Skills: Listen +4, Spot +4 own prey. Some of the more astute settlers have recognized this Feats: Great Cleave tendency, and earned the appreciation of local allosauruses by leaving them remains from their own hunts. The allosauruses then Climate/Terrain: Desert, plains, marsh, riverbanks avoid those settlers’ herds. Organization: Small herds (5-8) Allosauruses fight primarily with their jaws. Their arms are Challenge Rating: 7 longer and more useful than a tyrannosaurus’s, but still not Treasure: Standard designed for combat – hence their weak claw attack. Alignment: Neutral Advancement: 17-24 HD (Gargantuan)
BYPRODUCTS Ankylosauruses are squat, powerful dinosaurs sheathed in a Allosauruses are valued by safari hunters because they are dense armored hide. They have short, stubby legs and sit low to large theropods and hard to kill. Their skins can be used to make the ground. Mature ankylosauruses can reach 30 feet in length. two suits of human-sized masterwork hide armor, and their claws Their tails end in a massive bone club. Although their bodies are and teeth can be used to make daggers. However, they do not have slow and ponderous, the tails are flexible at the base and frighten- the legendary status of the T-rex, and thus their organs have little ingly accurate. value. An intact hide can be sold for $800, but most buyers would SOCIETY rather have a T-rex hide. Allosaurus hides are more colorful, but Ankylosauruses are surly and gruff. Their approach to life is lack the prestige of a T-rex’s ferocity. A full set of claws and teeth simple and straightforward. They interact only with the other can be sold for $400. members of their herds, and ignore anything that isn’t a threat. As The most valued allosaurus byproducts are their eggs. for threats, they aggressively pursue them. Unfortunately for their Allosauruses are easy to train (for a creature their size!), and neighbors, other herbivores in the same grazing area are consid- breeders, riders, ranchers and the Dino Warriors prefer allosaurus ered threats. eggs to T-rex eggs. A single allosaur egg can fetch as much as Ankylosaurus herds are matriarchal. Although the males $1,000. compete for mating rights, it is the eldest female that leads the herd; she determines where they graze and how they respond to TRAINING other animals. Allosaurus make good mounts. They are good-natured and, The herds wander constantly within a given region. given their size, quite amenable to training. Due to their high Ankylosauruses do not have fixed nesting grounds, preferring to Intelligence, they quickly figure out how to do what they’re sup- pick a new spot in their territory with each new season. posed to do. They don’t require “training” in the traditional sense; Ankylosauruses lay clutches of 5-10 eggs as often as once a rather, most of their training is learning to interact with humans year. Two or three young from each clutch will make it to maturi- and work in teams, a concept not natural to their chaotic nature. ty. A herd often includes youth of many ages. A young allosaurus can be trained as a mount at DC 25, while Most other dinosaurs – both herbivores and carnivores – pre- an adult can be trained at DC 32. An adult allosaurus can carry fer to avoid ankylosauruses, which are known for their short tem- 4,000 pounds. per and generally ill disposition.
65 COMBAT BRACHIOSAURUS (“’BRACHY,” Ankylosauruses are among the more aggressive herbivores. Predators that come near an ankylosaurus are often met with a “SHAKER,” “BEHEMOTH”) charge from the ankylosaurus itself. A fully grown ankylosaurus has no natural enemies, except in times of extreme famine when Brachiosaurus carnivores are forced to take chances. Colossal Animal An ankylosaurus can swivel its hips to make a tail slap hit a Hit Dice: 40d10+400 (620 hp) target as far forward as its head. Their club tails are accurate Initiative: -4 (Dex) weapons that deal powerful damage. They may use the Great Speed: 80 ft. Cleave feat to mow down multiple creatures with a single slap of AC: 2 (-8 size, -4 Dex, +4 natural) the tail. Attacks: Kick +22 melee, tail slap +20 melee, The ankylosauruses’ armor class comes from the thick bite +17 melee armored plates that cover its hide. The only vulnerable part of an Damage: Kick 8d12+18, tail slap 4d10+10, ankylosaurus is its belly, but the creature is so low to the ground bite 2d8+10 that it is practically impossible to flip over. Face/Reach: 30 ft. by 70 ft./30 ft. Defensive Crouch (Ex): An ankylosaurus feeling defensive Special Attacks: Trample can crouch, tuck its head in and draw its legs up beneath its body. Special Qualities: Scent This minimizes the already few vulnerable areas and grants a +4 Saves: Fort +25, Ref –4, Will +6 circumstance bonus to AC. When crouched as such, the anky- Abilities: Str 45, Dex 3, Con 30, losaurus cannot move or attack. Ankylosauruses generally do this Int 5, Wis 18, Cha 12 only when injured or facing overwhelming odds. Skills: Listen +4, Spot +17, Target Ankles (Ex): Ankylosaurus always aim for their Wilderness Lore +8 enemy’s ankles. For a creature so low to the ground, this is its best Climate/Terrain: Forest, hills, plains defense against large theropods. All ankylosaurus attacks have a Organization: Herds (20-50) threat range of 18-20. On any critical hit, the ankylosaur scores Challenge Rating: 11 double damage, and the target must make a Fortitude save against Treasure: None DC 18 or have its leg broken. A target with a broken leg cannot Alignment: Neutral good run, moves at half speed and is considered flat-footed at all times. Advancement: They don’t get any bigger! BYPRODUCTS The only useful part of an ankylosaur is its armored hide. The Brachiosaurus is one of the largest sauropods. They are individual armored chinks and knobs are too large and too heavy almost 75 feet long and weigh more than 75 tons, with heads as for use as human armor. However, the hide is ideally suited for high as 40 feet from the ground. Brachiosaurus has an extremely armor plating for large dinosaurs. Many caravan leaders protect long neck, raised even further because its front legs are longer their brachiosauruses with armor made from ankylosaur hides. than its rear legs. Many caravans prefer brachiosaurus mounts An ankylosaur hide can be sold for $900 to an armorer. because of their massive carrying capacity (as much as 50 tons) However, the hides are heavy – almost a ton! It takes one month to and their tall necks, from which a human lookout can scan the work a single hide into usable armor. A single untreated hide is horizon for trouble. enough to produce a suit of armor for a large creature. The com- pleted armor weighs 600 pounds (a medium-sized suit for a human SOCIETY would weigh 300 pounds!). Two hides can cover a huge creature, Brachiosaurus graze constantly in vast, slow-moving herds. four hides a gargantuan creature and eight hides a colossal creature. Once a brachiosaurus reaches maturity (which takes almost Treated, ready-to-wear ankylosaur armor costs $1,800 for a 40 years), it no longer has natural predators. A few of the very large creature. Ankylosaur armor is heavy armor, with a +7 armor largest tyrannosauruses (the tyrant kings) could consider taking on bonus, max Dex bonus of +0 and armor check penalty of –7. an adult brachiosaurus, but they generally choose to pick on smaller victims. Only in the worst famines would any creature in TRAINING its right mind consider attacking a brachiosaurus. As such, the There really aren’t any uses for ankylosauruses. Their spikes adults can live to ages of 250 years or more before dying of old and armored knobs make them difficult and uncomfortable to age. ride, their bad attitude makes them undesirable as beasts of bur- Ancient brachiosauruses are wellsprings of lore. They recall den and they are too much trouble to hunt for meat. the other occupants of their region for centuries past, including Characters who, for whatever reason, really want to train an creatures ostensibly beneath their notice. They remember in great ankylosaur as a mount can do so at DC 36 for an adult and DC 29 detail the tyrannosaurus and other large predators. They love to for young. Ankylosauruses can carry 6,000 pounds. gossip, and fondly retell the mating habits of other brachiosaurus-
66 en off any predator! Trample (Ex): Anything that comes near a brachiosaurus is at risk of being stomped. In combat, the brachiosaurus can active- ly attempt to trample any and all targets within range. The tram- ple causes 6d12 points of damage. Opponents who do not make attacks of opportunity against the brachiosaurus can attempt a Reflex save (DC 15) to halve the damage.
BYPRODUCTS Adult brachiosauruses are considered a prize kill by safari hunters. Young are considered easy kills by settlers looking for a winter’s provisions. The young generally are easy kills, as long as you can avoid their parents. The creature’s blubber also is valued as a source of fuel. An adult brachiosaurus’ organs are valuable because they are large enough to feed a family for months! For someone who likes V. Shane - vshane.com liver (for example), there’s nothing like a king-size brachiosaurus es and some of the smaller dinosaurs. liver to tide you over. They can be sold at the following prices: Brachiosauruses are gentle and good-natured. They compete for mates in non-lethal shoving contests (that are wisely avoided Part Value by all other creatures). As they are generally mellow creatures, Heart $300 their herds feature no leadership positions and very few politics. Liver $600 They meander wherever the grass is green. Kidney $400 Females lay eggs once every ten to twenty years. Usually the Tongue $200 entire herd will nest at the same time. During this period, they graze the surrounding area into nothingness, often reducing the TRAINING greatest forests to fields of mere stubs. A few months after their Brachiosaurus make great beasts of burden. They are docile offspring are born, they set off again. and easily trained (at least, for creatures their size), but they are Brachiosaurus scorn diplodocus, whom they consider stupid also enormous. Training must begin as a youth or the creature will and simple-minded. pay no heed to its trainer. A brachiosaurus raised from the egg can be trained as a mount COMBAT at DC 25. Training must take place simultaneous to rearing. For Brachiosaurus do not enjoy fighting because they are simply every three months that pass before training begins, the DC raises not designed for combat. However, their size gives them a power- by 1. Training takes twelve years (sometimes longer) because the ful punch. A brachiosaurus can kick with any of its feet, slap with lessons must be repeated continually as the ‘brachy approaches a its tail and bite (its jaws are not designed for biting animals, but useful size. they are large enough to deal serious damage). Amazingly, a brachiosaurus weighs only five pounds at birth. Adult brachiosauruses generally ignore whatever comes near In the first few years they grow at an incredibly rapid speed, them, no matter how ferocious it looks. Except when protecting sometimes quadrupling in size in periods of one year or less. young, they will not initiate combat. (Adults are usually a little Thereafter, they double in size every year for many years until shocked that anything would have the nerve to attack them!) If an growth slows near adulthood. enemy does initiate combat, however, the entire herd will turn on An adult brachiosaurus can carry up to 50 tons. In general, a the enemy. Facing fifty enraged brachiosaurus is enough to fright- brachiosaurus at any age can carry two thirds of its weight.
67 CERATOSAURUS (“DEVIL LIZARD,” Unlike allosaurus and tyrannosaurus, ceratosaurus does not like to scavenge; it prefers to eat its own kills. “HORNED HORROR”) COMBAT Like other theropods, ceratosaurus relies on its teeth. Relative Ceratosaurus to its skull, its jaws are massively built, much like a T-rex’s. Huge Animal Ceratosaurus has four-fingered claws that are relatively weak and Hit Dice: 12d10+36 (102 hp) rarely used in combat. The creature’s horn is primarily decorative Initiative: +2 (Dex) and not useful in combat. Speed: 30 ft. Ceratosauruses are carnivores who prefer to set ambushes. AC: 16 (-2 size, +2 Dex, +6 natural) They scout out popular trails, watering holes, grazing areas, hunt- Attacks: Bite +9 melee, claws +1 melee ing grounds and other locations where prey is abundant (including Damage: Bite 2d8+12, claws 1d4 human farms, ranches and settlements). Then they find a good Face/Reach: 10 ft. by 10 ft./10 ft. place to conceal themselves. Although their size makes it difficult Special Attacks: None for them to hide, they are quite clever about finding bends in the Special Qualities: Scent trail, rocky overhangs, barns, boulders and other obstructions Saves: Fort +10, Ref +8, Will +5 large enough to hide them. Abilities: Str 23, Dex 14, Con 17, Once a ceratosaurus finds a good hiding place, it will return Int 7, Wis 10, Cha 8 there frequently until its prey learns to avoid the spot. Then it will Skills: Hide +5, Listen +11, Spot +11 seek out a new hiding place. When that one runs dry, it may return Climate/Terrain: Forest, plains, hill, mountains, marsh Organization: Solitary Challenge Rating: 6 Treasure: Standard Alignment: Chaotic evil Advancement: 13-24 HD (Gargantuan)
Ceratosauruses are small theropods distinguished by the short horn protruding from their snout. They grow to a maximum length of 20 feet. Unlike the social tyrannosauruses, ceratosauruses are always solitary.
SOCIETY Ceratosauruses are mean, quarrelsome creatures who cannot bear even their own company. The only time characters will ever encounter more than one ceratosaurus is if they run into a mother with her young. But even that is rare, for ceratosaurus wean their young incredibly early (at only two years, when bare- ly a juvenile). This is perhaps why the creatures never learn to bond with others. Ceratosaurus are extremely uncooperative. Simply put, they have bad attitudes. Even if a ceratosaurus is well fed, and a character who speaks its language offers it a bribe for assistance or information, the ceratosaurus will probably turn down the character. Furthermore, the species is known for its cru- elty, so there’s a chance it will not only turn down the character, but attack it out of spite! A ceratosaurus stakes out its own territory and defends it dili- gently. It will attack any trespassing predator that might compete with it for prey – as long as it can win, of course. If a trespasser is larger than it is (for example, a T-rex or allosaurus), the cer- atosaurus will immediately leave and try to find better hunting grounds. Ceratosauruses have no respect or tolerance for other ceratosauruses, and treat them just as badly as they do every- one else.
68 to its previous spot, or find a new one. Ceratosauruses will often COMPSOGNATHUS (“ROADRUNNER,” frequent the same three or four hiding places on a regular basis. Characters who encounter a ceratosaurus in an area, but fail “SWARMIES”) to kill it, will be sure to find the ceratosaurus in the same area Compsognathus again. Since humans have come to Cretasus, ceratosaurus Small Animal ambushes have become so common on some trails that work Hit Dice: 1d8+2 (6 hp) crews regularly clear out anything the creatures can hide behind! Initiative: +4 (Dex) Speed: 60 ft. BYPRODUCTS AC: 17 (+1 size, +4 Dex, +2 natural) The most valuable part of a ceratosaurus is its horn, which is Attacks: Bite +2 melee considered a fertility symbol by many settlers, a trophy by dino Damage: Bite 1d3 hunters, and a medicinal ingredient by wild ones. In fact, the horn Face/Reach: 5 ft. by 5 ft./5 ft. is a powerful stimulant. When ground into powder and ingested, a Special Attacks: None horn will provide a +1 enhancement bonus to Strength for 4d6 Special Qualities: None hours. A horn can be sold for as much as $600. Saves: Fort +2, Ref +6, Will +0 Ceratosaurus are valued by safari hunters not so much Abilities: Str 12, Dex 18, Con 14, because of their size, but because of their reputation as merciless Int 2, Wis 12, Cha 5 killers. Their skins can be used to make one suit of human-sized Skills: Listen +2, Spot +10 masterwork hide armor, and their claws and teeth can be used to make daggers. Like allosaurus, they do not have the legendary sta- Climate/Terrain: Forest, plains, hill, mountains, swamp tus of the T-rex, and thus their organs have little value. Organization: Pack (3-30) An intact hide can be sold for $400. A full set of claws and Challenge Rating: 1/2 teeth can be sold for $200. Ceratosaurus are so hard to train that Treasure: None there is virtually no market for their eggs. Alignment: Always neutral Advancement: - TRAINING Given their size, ceratosauruses are rebellious and extremely Compsognathus are among the smallest dinosaurs – they difficult to train – they simply cannot learn to work with another rarely grow more than three feet long, half of which is the tail. creature. They make terrible mounts. The only other creature They exhibit the traditional theropod body structure – two legs, more disagreeable is the T-rex. However, if you really want to two smaller arms and strong jaws. Their legs are quite long (for train one, go ahead. A ceratosaurus adult can be trained as a mount their body size, of course), and they hold their neck, spine and tail at DC 35; a youth, at DC 28. An adult ceratosaurus can carry almost perfectly horizontal, allowing them to run very quickly. 1,000 pounds. SOCIETY Compsognathus live in rowdy packs, roaming in constant search of prey. They are quite noisy and can be detected by their constant clicking and chattering noises (characters receive a +2 circumstance bonus to Listen checks against them).
COMBAT Compsognathus is extremely agile, very fast and equipped with excellent vision. All of these skills contribute to its ability as a predator. Although compsognathus generally hunt small ver- tebrates and large insects, large packs have been known to attack humans.
69 CROCODILIANS (“CROCS”) full of sharp teeth. It snarls loudly in combat. A colony of protosuchus will Protosuchus (“Diggercroc”) Deinosuchus (“Megacroc”) often work together to take down Small Animal Gargantuan Animal larger prey. Hit Dice: 2d8+4 (13 hp) 14d8+56 (119 hp) Deinosuchus have massive jaws Initiative: +1 (Dex) +0 (almost as large as T-rex’s), long Speed: 30 ft. 40 ft., swim 40 ft. claws on every toe and a strong tail. AC: 16 (+1 size, +1 Dex, +4 natural) 15 (-4 size, +9 natural) They hunt large dinosaurs, both in the Attacks: Bite +2 melee Bite +15 melee, 2 claws +12 water and on land. melee; or tail slap +18 melee Improved Grab (Ex): A Damage: Bite 1d6 Bite 4d8+12, claw 2d8+2, deinosuchus in water may make an tail slap 2d12+15 improved grab against Huge or small- Face/Reach: 5 ft. by 5 ft./5 ft. 10 ft. by 40 ft./15 ft. er-sized opponents. If it gets a hold, Special Attacks: None Improved grab the deinosuchus drags the opponent Special Qualities: None None under water and tries to pin it to the Saves: Fort +3, Ref +5, Will +1 Fort +12, Ref +4, Will +3 bottom. The deinosuchus automati- Abilities: Str 14, Dex 13, Con 15, Str 32, Dex 10, Con 19, cally deals bite damage each round it Int 2, Wis 12, Cha 2 Int 2, Wis 12, Cha 5 maintains the pin, and the target may Skills: Hide +9, Listen +6, Spot +6 Hide +0*, Listen +5, Spot +5 drown. Hide (Ex): A deinosuchus Climate/Terrain: Any warm land Any warm land or aquatic receives a +12 racial bonus when hid- Organization: Colony (6-11) Solitary ing in the water. Challenge Rating: 16 Protosuchus hide by burrowing Treasure: Standard Standard into loose soil. They lurk below the Alignment: Neutral Neutral surface with only their eyes showing, Advancement: - 15-29 HD (Colossal) much the way modern crocodiles will hide in water. Characters encounter- ing one or two protosuchus may be Protosuchus and deinosuchus are primitive crocodilians. surprised when several more crawl out of the earth nearby. Protosuchus is a small terrestrial crocodile that cannot swim. Unlike most of its relatives, it lives on land and avoids water. Its BYPRODUCTS legs are proportionately much longer than a typical crocodilian’s, Crocodilian hides are valued for their use as armor. A croco- and it walks with a less sprawling posture. A fully grown proto- dilian hide may be used to make masterwork hide armor. suchus is barely three feet long, but they are ferocious predators. Deinosuchus provides up to four medium-sized suits or two large Deinosuchus (“terrible crocodile”) is the largest of the known suits. It takes four protosuchus hides to make a sin- crocodilians. Its head alone is more than six feet long. Its gle medium-sized masterwork hide armor. total length is 40 feet, giving it somewhat shorter pro- Two hides can be used to make a suit of nor- portions than most crocodilians. This is because it is mal hide armor. An intact deinosuchus designed for a more active land-based life. Its tail is hide can be sold for $600; protosuchus shorter than most crocodilians, and its legs are hides go for $30. longer. Unlike protosuchus, it is completely comfortable in the water – but it is TRAINING equally comfortable on land, Protosuchus and deinosuchus even far from water. are both highly instinctive preda- tors that cannot be trained. A char- SOCIETY acter may attempt to train them, and Protosuchus nest in colonies, may achieve some modicum of suc- much like modern crocodilians. cess. However, at some point the Deinosuchus are solitary predators character will move suddenly, or that roam alone. the crocodilian will be hungry, or something startling will happen, COMBAT and the crocodilian will attack Protosuchus has a broad, flat the character. They can never be head with a very short, narrow snout truly domesticated.
70 DRAGONFLY, GIANT IGUANODONTIDS (“BOXERS”) (“BUZZER”) Camptosaurus Iguanodon Dragonfly, Giant Large Animal Huge Animal Medium Vermin Hit Dice: 5d10+10 (38 hp) 8d10+24 (68 hp) Hit Dice: 4d8+4 (22 hp) Initiative: +0 +0 Initiative: +2 (Dex) Speed: 30 ft. 40 ft. Speed: 20 ft., fly 60 ft. (good) AC: 11 (-1 size, +2 natural) 11 (-2 size, +3 natural) AC: 14 (-1 size, +2 Dex, +3 Attacks: Thumb spike +4 melee Thumb spike +10 melee natural) Damage: Thumb spike 1d8 Thumb spike 2d8+4 Attacks: Bite +3 melee Face/Reach: 5 ft. by 5 ft./5 ft. 5 ft. by 10 ft./5 ft. Damage: Bite 1d6+1 Special Attacks: None None Face/Reach: 5 ft. by 5 ft./5 ft. Special Qualities: Scent, Bi/Quadruped Scent, Bi/Quadruped Special Attacks: None Saves: Fort +4, Ref +3, Will +2 Fort +9, Ref +6, Will +4 Special Qualities: Vermin Abilities: Str 17, Dex 11, Con 14, Str 20, Dex 10, Con 16, Saves: Fort +4, Ref +3, Int 5, Wis 12, Cha 10 Int 5, Wis 13, Cha 12 Will +1 Skills: Listen +12, Spot +12 Listen +15, Spot +15 Abilities: Str 16, Dex 14, Climate/Terrain: Warm forest and marsh Warm forest and marsh Con 12, Int –, Organization: Herd (11-20) Herd (21-30) Wis 12, Cha 10 Challenge Rating: 25 Skills: Spot +6 Treasure: None None Climate/Terrain: Marsh, rivers, lakes Alignment: Lawful neutral Lawful neutral Organization: Solitary or swarm Advancement: 7-9 HD (Huge) 11-15 HD (Gargantuan) (5-8) Iguanodontids are tough herbivores Challenge Rating: 2 with good eyesight and powerful natural Treasure: None defenses. All iguanodontids have front legs Alignment: Always neutral equipped with a stout spike in place of the Advancement: 5-8 HD (Large) fifth toe or thumb. They fight upright, Giant dragonflies are the bane of the COMBAT swinging their thumb spikes like a boxer’s Cretasus back country. They are to Giant dragonflies will generally hook punch. When not fighting, iguanodon dinosaurs what horseflies are to cows. retreat from combat after one or two suc- lopes around on all fours, while the smaller Characters traveling through marshes or cessful bites. That is enough to fill their camptosaurus tends to remain upright. along riverbanks are bound to encounter relatively small stomachs for about an them. What makes them most frustrating is hour. When they start to get hungry again, SOCIETY their capriciousness: they don’t stay to they will attack something nearby – possi- All iguanodontids are devoted herd fight. Rather, they take one bite, have their bly even the same characters! members. They are actively social, spend- fill and buzz off until they get hungry again. ing much of their days chatting and gossip- ing as they feed. The healthy adults travel at the fringes of the herd, with the young and elderly in the center. Once every few years, entire herds of iguanodontids will simply disappear. Sometimes they are seen marching deep into a forest or marsh, or setting off toward one of the great mountain ranges. Other times they seem to vanish overnight. It is theorized that this enigmatic behavior is related to breeding. Iguano- dontids are unusual in that their breeding cycle has never been witnessed. No one has ever found an iguanodon egg, and captive iguanodons never mate or produce young. V. Shane - vshane.com
71 BYPRODUCTS Iguanodontids taste great, and their meat is considered a del- icacy. Camptosaurus is generally the preferred dinner target, since it is much easier to kill than iguanodon, but either can be sold at a profit. A fresh camptosaurus kill can be sold for $250, and a fresh iguanodon for $1,500. A camptosaurus weighs 500 pounds; an iguanodon weighs 3,000 pounds. Iguanodons have small beaks with very sharp edges. They are perfectly sized to be used as a sort of razor-edged brass knuckles. The upper and lower hinges of a single beak provide one pair of “beak knuckles.” Beak knuckles are often worn by hunters as a trophy weapon. A character fighting with beak knuckles counts as fighting with a gauntlet, but beak knuckles do 1d4 points of dam- age instead of 1d3.
TRAINING Iguanodontids sense the personality of their trainers. They respond well to lawful characters. Training an iguanodon as a mount is DC 28 for an adult, and 24 for a youth; a camptosaurus, DC 25 for an adult, and DC 21 for a youth. Lawful characters receive a +2 circumstance bonus to training rolls with iguanodon- tids, neutral characters receive a –2 penalty and chaotic characters receive a –4 penalty. (Note that youth must be captured as such COMBAT from the wild, as they are never born into domestication.) Iguanodontids are not aggressive by nature, but they don’t Adult iguanodons can carry up to 3,000 pounds, while adult take any crap, either. They have vicious thumb spikes, and they’re camptosauruses can carry 250 pounds. not afraid to use them. Predators who come too close to an iguan- odontid herd will be met with a rank of adult males ready to fight. ORNITHOLESTES (“HANDY-HANDER,” Iguanodontids are the most organized dinosaur fighters. They “GRABBER”) are herd-minded and use cooperative fighting techniques. The healthy adults will always encircle the young and elderly. When predators approach, this “outer ring” will not break ranks – the Ornitholestes adults defend “zones” in order to keep the center of the herd safe. Medium Animal If the herd is forced to retreat (for example, when facing T- Hit Dice: 2d10+4 (15 hp) rexes or other predators out of their league, or if attacked by humans Initiative: +3 (Dex) with ranged weapons), it does so in an orderly fashion, maintaining Speed: 60 ft. ranks as it goes. When facing ranged weapons, one or two pairs of AC: 15 (+3 Dex, +2 natural) adults will drop out of formation and conceal themselves along the Attacks: Bite +4 melee, 2 claws +1 melee path of retreat, then ambush pursuers at close range. Damage: Bite 1d4+2, claw 1d3 Iguanodontids facing repeated attacks from a difficult preda- Face/Reach: 5 ft. by 5 ft./5 ft. tor that isn’t much stronger than them (for example, a territorial Special Attacks: None ceratosaurus) will organize a “posse” of the most powerful adults Special Qualities: None from several herds. The posse will then drive out and possibly kill Saves: Fort +4, Ref +5, Will +1 the predator. Most carnivorous dinosaurs prefer to hunt easier Abilities: Str 14, Dex 16, Con 15, prey than iguanodons. Int 6, Wis 12, Cha 6 Bi/Quadrupeds (Ex): Iguanodontids can move on two or Skills: Listen +4, Spot +6 four legs. Moving on four legs increases a camptosaurus’ speed to Climate/Terrain: Forest, plains, hill, mountains, swamp 45 feet, and an iguanodon’s speed to 60 feet. Iguanodon is com- Organization: Solitary or tribe (4-11) fortable on four legs and can walk that way for long periods. Challenge Rating: 1 Camptosaurus, however, has a more upright posture and can walk Treasure: Standard on all fours for no more than two hours a day. Iguanodontids can Alignment: Neutral evil only fight while standing on two legs, and will always assume that Advancement: 3-4 HD (Large) posture when danger is near.
72 Ornitholestes (“bird robber”) is an early theropod known for its habit of hunting flying creatures, including birds and small pterosaurs. It is aided in this task by a rare adaptation: an oppos- able thumb. Its second and third fingers are long and slender, while its first is short and able to bend inwards against the other two. Combined with its long arms, this makes it one of the only dinosaurs well equipped for grasping. An adult ornitholestes is a little over six feet long.
SOCIETY Ornitholestes is intelligent enough to put its thumb to good use. Tribes of ornitholestes live in shelters they have built them- selves from overlapping palm fronds, rolled logs or other natural elements. They are known to use simple tools, ranging from sharpened sticks to the occasional bone club. Ornitholestes have a habit of picking up interesting looking objects. This includes most weapons and technology, and any- thing that is sparkly, shiny or otherwise pretty. Sometimes they carry these articles back to the tribe to share; other times they dis- card them along their path. Ranchers often bear the brunt of this annoying habit, as wan- dering ornitholestes carry off their tools, weapons and other goods. As a result, most ranchers, miners and other settlers shoot ornitholestes on sight. Ornitholestes is the only known dinosaur species to routinely practice cannibalism. The parents within each tribe guard their OVIRAPTOR (“RUNNERBEAK,” “EGG- young ferociously from the other packs, which are just as much a EATER”) danger as outside predators. This produces some interesting social dynamics, both within and between tribes. Oviraptor In general, when it is not nesting season, the larger males tend Medium Animal to dominate the tribe. During nesting season and when the young Hit Dice: 2d10+4 (15 hp) are still defenseless, however, the mothers become incredibly Initiative: +2 (Dex) aggressive, even in regards to their childrens’ fathers, and even the Speed: 60 ft. largest males do not risk crossing them. AC: 16 (+2 Dex, +4 natural) Attacks: Bite +5 melee COMBAT Damage: Bite 1d6+6 Ornitholestes are rapid, nimble predators. They have strong- Face/Reach: 5 ft. by 5 ft./5 ft. ly built jaws that are their primary weapons. Their long arms and Special Attacks: None opposable thumbs give them a strong grasping ability, which they Special Qualities: None will use when fighting creatures smaller than them. Saves: Fort +5, Ref +4, Will +2 Each ornitholestes has a 25 percent chance of being armed Abilities: Str 16, Dex 14, Con 15, with a bone club (damage d6). If carrying a club, it has practiced Int 5, Wis 13, Cha 8 enough to be proficient with it. Ornitholestes armed with a club Skills: Listen +8, Spot +8 still prefer their bite as their primary weapon. Climate/Terrain: Desert, warm forest or plains TRAINING Organization: Solitary or pair Ornitholestes’ opposable thumb gives them great potential as Challenge Rating: 1 users of technology. They are sufficiently comfortable with their Treasure: Standard natural weapons to have never developed any weapons more Alignment: Chaotic neutral advanced than a simple club – but the arrival of humans has Advancement: 3-4 HD (Medium), 5-6 HD (Large) changed that. Some ambitious dino trainers have taught ornit- holestes to use swords and daggers. Training an ornitholestes to Oviraptor (“egg thief”) is a small theropod with a strong, proficiency in a weapon counts as training an unusual task (DC toothless beak. It prefers the taste of eggs to all other things, and 20). The maximum tech level of an ornitholestes is 2. is a constant hazard around the nesting grounds of other
73 dinosaurs. Although a fully grown, PACHYCEPHALOSAURUS (“CHROMEDOME,” “BONE- seven-foot oviraptor weighs no more than seventy pounds, its powerful HEAD”) beak makes it quite dangerous. Stegoceras Pachycephalosaurus SOCIETY Large Animal Huge Animal Oviraptors are not social. They Hit Dice: 5d10+20 (48 hp) 8d10+32 (76 hp) mate for life, and a mate provides the Initiative: -1 (Dex) -1 (Dex) only society an oviraptor ever needs. Speed: 30 ft. 40 ft. Oviraptors are very territorial, for AC: 12 (-1 size, +3 natural) 11 (-2 size, +3 natural) good reason: there aren’t that many Attacks: Head butt +6 melee Head butt +9 melee places where you can regularly find Damage: Head butt – see below Head butt – see below eggs. When they encounter other ovi- Face/Reach: 5 ft. by 5 ft./5 ft. 5 ft. by 10 ft./5 ft. raptors they will quarrel with them, Special Attacks: None None though these confrontations rarely Special Qualities: Scent Scent result in full-fledged combat. Saves: Fort +4, Ref +2, Will +2 Fort +9, Ref +5, Will +3 Abilities: Str 18, Dex 9, Con 18, Str 22, Dex 9, Con 18 COMBAT Int 4, Wis 11, Cha 8 Int 4, Wis 11, Cha 9 Oviraptors are usually not Skills: Listen +2, Spot +2 Listen +4, Spot +4 aggressive. It’s quite simple, really: Feats: Improved Bull Rush Improved Bull Rush they prefer the taste of eggs to living, Climate/Terrain: Warm plains, forest Warm plains, forest walking creatures that can fight back. Organization: Herd (5-10) Herd (5-10) However, oviraptors will initiate an Challenge Rating: 35 attack if their hunting ground is tres- Treasure: None None passed upon. Since their hunting Alignment: Neutral Neutral grounds are invariably the nesting Advancement: 7-9 HD (Huge) 11-15 HD (Gargantuan) grounds of other dinosaurs, characters hunting dinosaur eggs will often encounter angry The pachycephalosaurs (“thick headed reptiles”) are stout- oviraptors. legged, robust bipedal herbivores. A thick, knobby mass of bone on their skulls is specially adapted for head butting. On some TRAINING adult pachycephalosauruses, the bone on the top of their skulls is Oviraptors are too small to be ridden, but more than a foot thick. they can be trained as watchdogs. This counts Pachycephalosaurus is a huge creature, as much as 26 feet in as teaching an animal unusual tasks. Due to length. Its smaller relative stegoceras (“horny roof,” named for the their chaotic nature, however, ovi- knobby spikes around the crown of its skull) reaches lengths of raptors are more difficult to only six feet. train than usual. A +2 circum- stance penalty applies to SOCIETY DC’s when training them. Pachycephalosaurs congregate in herds. Unlike many other wandering herbivores, each pachycephalosaur herd stakes out a “home base.” The herd will leave the base to graze during the day, but will always return at night. During nesting season, the home base becomes the nest; the rest of the year, it is simply home. This home base can be any sort of protective terrain feature: a cave, rock, hill, tree or something else. The common feature of all pachycephalosaurus homes is the flat, open area that surrounds it. This gives the residents ample room to charge trespassers. Pachycephalosaurs always prefer wide open areas where they can best use their head butt. They are uncomfortable in confined quar- ters and on uneven ground. Because they are so attached to their home bases, pachy- cephalosaurs are very territorial. They do not object to other crea- tures grazing near them, but they will confront anything that gets too close to their homes.
74 Stegoceras skulls can be sold for $25 to import/export dealers (back country residents usually kill their own, so they won’t pay for them). Pachycephalosaur skulls can be sold to import/export dealers or collectors for $100.
TRAINING Pachycephalosaurus can be trained as a mount at DC 27. It is extremely difficult to ride, however, due to the fact that the rider is constantly at risk of being propelled out of the saddle every time his mount head butts a target. The rider must make a check to stay in his saddle each time the pachycephalosaurus head-butts. The check is against DC 7 when the head butt is preceded by a charge, and DC 5 otherwise. Stegoceras is too small to ride. An adult pachcephalosaurus can carry 6,000 pounds. PARASAUROLOPHUS (“SOUNDER,” “BOOMER”)
Parasaurolophus Huge Animal Hit Dice: 8d10+8 (52 hp) Initiative: +0 Speed: 40 ft., swim 40 ft. AC: 11 (-2 size, +3 natural) COMBAT Attacks: Bite +1 melee Pachycephalosaurs are built by nature for head-butting. Their Damage: Bite 1d6 specially adapted skulls are thick enough to withstand enormous Face/Reach: 5 ft. by 10 ft./5 ft. impacts. Special Attacks: Trample A head butt does the most damage when preceded by the Special Qualities: Scent, Snorkel momentum of a charge. The damage caused is as follows: Saves: Fort +8, Ref +6, Will +4 Abilities: Str 16, Dex 10, Con 13, Damage... With charge W/out charge Int 4, Wis 13, Cha 11 Stegoceras 2d6+6 1d6 Skills: Listen +18, Spot +18, Bluff +4 Pachycephalosaurus 4d6+12 2d6 Climate/Terrain: Marsh, lakeshore, riverbank Additionally, any head butt also counts as a bull rush. If the Organization: Herd (10-40) defender loses the Strength check, it is pushed back. Challenge Rating: 3 At close quarters, the pachycephalosaurs’ thick skull is sim- Treasure: None ply a short-ranged club. As a result, pachycephalosaurs prefer to Alignment: Always neutral pull back after each charge, so they can get enough momentum to Advancement: 9-12 HD (Huge) charge again. Herds are smart enough to use coordinated fighting tactics. Parasaurolophus are large, peaceful herbivores distinguished Usually, half of the herd will charge in the first round of attack. In by the long crest on the top of their skull. Adults can reach thirty the second round, that half will retreat, while the others charge. feet long. They will repeat this cycle through the rest of combat. SOCIETY BYPRODUCTS Parasaurolophus communicate by blasting air through their Pachycephalosaur skulls are valued as oddities. Furthermore, crest. This produces an amazing variety of sounds, from low whis- many back country settlers use stegoceras skulls as natural clubs. tles to powerful roars. Parasaurolophus calls carry for many miles, A favored weapon of some wild ones is a primitive morning star and can be very intimidating for those who don’t realize they or flexible club made of a stegoceras spine, held together with a come from a docile, defenseless plant eater. flexible wire, connected to a stegoceras skull. Herds of parasaurolophus meander along the banks of rivers
75 and lakes, constantly grazing. If you because they have few defenses. A encounter one herd, you will probably fresh carcass can be sold for $400. encounter two or three more in the Parasaurolophus horns are used immediate vicinity. They spend at by many settlers as musical instru- least half their time in the water, much ments. They can be played much like like the modern hippopotamus. a didjeridoo or trumpet, though with a The long-distance communica- much wider range of sounds. There’s tion skills of the parasaurolophus not much of a market for selling the make them difficult to surprise. If a crests for this use (as most musicians predator is sighted anywhere along find it easy to acquire one), but char- the river, every parasaurolophus for acters can harvest them and learn to miles around knows of it immediately. play them themselves.
COMBAT TRAINING Parasaurolophus are not adapted Parasaurolophus can be trained as for combat. They have an herbivore’s mounts. They also can be trained to bite that they use if they absolutely emit certain calls on command, and must fight. They prefer to flee, but if this is how they are most useful. that isn’t possible and they’re facing Hunters and caravans sometimes humans or other small creatures, they bring along a few trained will use their crests to produce a con- parasaurolophuses, which they use to vincing imitation of a tyrannosaurus’ communicate over long distances. roar. The success of this imitation is An adult parasaurolophus can be determined by a Bluff check. Usually Burgard Tim trained at DC 27; a youth, at DC 23. the roar startles attackers long enough Training the parasaurolophus to issue for the parasaurolophus to get away. calls on command counts as a regular Trample (Ex): Individual task (DC 15). An adult parasaurolo- parasaurolophus will never choose to phus can carry 3,000 pounds. move toward an enemy unless they are cornered or the herd is behind PELYCOSAURS (“SAILBACKS”) them. They generally use their tram- ple attack only in a stampede – in Dimetrodon (“Sailwolf”) Edaphosaurus (“Sailsheep”) which case, getting trampled by forty Large Animal Large Animal stampeding dinosaurs can be more Hit Dice: 5d8+5 (28 hp) 3d8+3 (17 hp) than enough to wipe out an entire Initiative: -2 (Dex) -2 (Dex) party! A parasaurolophus trample Speed: 20 ft. 20 ft. does 1d12 points of damage. AC: 10 (-1 size, -2 Dex, +3 natural) 9 (-1 size, -2 Dex, +2 natural) Opponents who don’t make attacks of Attacks: Bite +6 melee Bite +1 melee opportunity can make a Reflex save Damage: Bite 2d6 Bite 1d4 (DC 13) to take half damage. Face/Reach: 5 ft. by 10 ft./5 ft. 5 ft. by 10 ft./5 ft. Snorkel (Ex): Parasaurolophus Special Attacks: None None can breathe through their skull crests. Special Qualities: None None They like to relax just below the sur- Saves: Fort +3, Ref +1, Will +3 Fort +1, Ref +0, Will +0 face of the water with only the tip of Abilities: Str 14, Dex 6, Con 12, Str 12, Dex 6, Con 12, their crest showing. Characters who Int 2, Wis 12, Cha 8 Int 2, Wis 12, Cha 7 encounter a few parasaurolophus Skills: Spot +5 Spot +2 along a riverbank may not realize two dozen more are sitting just offshore. Climate/Terrain: Warm forests, marsh, river Warm forests, marsh, river Organization: Solitary or pack (3-5) Pack (5-8) BYPRODUCTS Challenge Rating: 21 Parasaurolophus are a good Treasure: None None source of meat, and are herded by Alignment: Always neutral Always neutral many ranchers. Hunters find them Advancement: 6-10 HD (Huge) 4-6 HD (Huge) hard to surprise, but still pursue them
76 The dimetrodon is not actually a can be sold for $10. Dimetrodons dinosaur, but a pelycosaur, an early mate once a year and lay as many as mammal-like reptile. Dimetrodons 30 eggs, of which 75 percent will are marked by their sprawling pos- hatch. ture, powerful fanged jaws and the Edaphosaurus eggs are valued for large sail that runs down their spine. their taste, and can be sold for $1 The edaphosaurus is an herbivorous apiece. Or they may be eaten out- pelycosaur similar to the dimetrodon right! Each egg will provide one in appearance, but with jaws designed meal. They have quite thick shells for eating plants. The sail of and can, if padded, be transported dimetrodon is smooth between the safely through normal walking activi- skeletal ribs that support it, while the ties. Edaphosauruses mate once a sail of edaphosaurus is knobby and year and lay up to 50 eggs. irregular in surface. TRAINING SOCIETY Dimetrodons can be trained to act Both edaphosauruses and as watchdogs or hunting assistants dimetrodons are fairly social and (e.g., the pelycosaur equivalent of a often travel in packs. They are not bird dog). This counts as teaching an intelligent enough to have complex social relationships, however. animal tasks and is DC 15. Edaphosauruses can be trained as Creatures within a pack will battle for mates, and dimetrodons well... but why would you want to? will battle for the choice parts of any kills while edaphosauruses fight for the best grazing areas. PROTOCERATOPS Even though they travel in packs, neither species fights using specialized pack tactics. When they do fight together, it is as a Protoceratops mob charging the same victim. Medium Animal Dimetrodons loll about during the day, using their sails to Hit Dice: 2d10+8 (19 hp) regulate body heat. They are most active in the early afternoon, Initiative: +0 after their bodies have been warmed by the sun and their sails Speed: 20 ft. have dissipated some of the heat. AC: 18 front (+8 natural), 13 sides Each pack of dimetrodons patrols its own territory. Because and back (+3 natural) dimetrodons are slow moving and lazy hunters, their territories Attacks: Bite +4 melee are fairly small. Damage: Bite 1d8+2 Edaphosauruses move indolently from place to place, grazing Face/Reach: 5 ft. by 5 ft./5 ft. as they go. They prefer the moist plants that grow along the edges Special Attacks: None of rivers, in marshes, or in warm, wet jungles. Special Qualities: Scent Saves: Fort +9, Ref +3, Will +8 COMBAT Abilities: Str 17, Dex 10, Con 18, Dimetrodons are sluggish, opportunistic predators that prey Int 14, Wis 17, Cha 15 upon small animals, large insects and fish. Characters who are Skills: Bluff +8, Diplomacy +10, Gather solitary or wounded or otherwise look like easy prey are especial- Information +6, Intuit Direction +4, ly likely to be attacked by a dimetrodon. Knowledge (nature, dinosaurs, arcana, Edaphosauruses will not initiate an attack unless their nests geography, history, local, human soci- are threatened. Their jaws are weak and their teeth are designed ety) +8, Listen +8, Sense Motive +12, for grinding roots and shrubs, not rending flesh. Speak Language (1d4 languages), Spot +6, Wilderness Lore +10 BYPRODUCTS A dimetrodon’s sail is a necessary artifact in any self-respect- Climate/Terrain: Any ing dino hunter’s trophy cabinet. Experienced dino hunters con- Organization: Solitary, pair or tribe (3-24) sider dimetrodons to be something of a test of man versus nature. Challenge Rating: 2 They think the creature’s sail isn’t properly earned unless it was Treasure: Standard killed with only a knife! Thus, there is no market for them – “only Alignment: Lawful good cowards buy wolf sails,” as they say. Advancement: 3-4 HD (Medium) Dimetrodon eggs are valued for breeding purposes. An egg
77 Protoceratops are highly intelligent ceratopsians. They are the vocal system. This, combined with their high intelligence, allows sages and diplomats of the dinosaur world, widely respected for them to master the languages of most other dinosaurs. Each pro- their wise judgment, magnanimous decisions and insightful analy- toceratops speaks 1d4 languages in addition to ceratopsian. There sis. is a 10 percent chance that one will be a human language (other- Roughly speaking, protoceratops resemble miniature tricer- wise they are all dinosaur languages). atops, but without the horns. They are short, stout, strong and very The lawful good nature of protoceratops is well known. This heavy for their size – a typical five-foot long adult can weigh has let protoceratops carve out a niche for themselves as the diplo- more than 200 pounds! mats of the dinosaur world. When dinosaur tribes – especially those of different regions, dialects, or species – need to resolve a dis- pute, they seek out protoceratops. The protoceratops will act as translators, representatives or even negotiators in exchange for food supplies or protection treaties. Protoceratops villages are often carved out of solid rock. They use their beaks and neck frills to carve out the caves, which are gradually expanded generation by generation. Their beaks are particularly dexterous, and can be used to carve tiny marks or deep gashes. The deepest caves are the “caves of knowledge,” which exist solely to provide walls on which to record learning. Protoceratops have darkvi- sion up to 60 feet.
COMBAT V. Shane - vshane.com Protoceratops have an SOCIETY extremely strong razor-edged beak. Their neck frill provides an Protoceratops have the most advanced of all dinosaur soci- anchor point for a huge mass of muscle, which is devoted entire- eties. They live in well organized villages with defined social ly to the beak – it can shear off a human-sized arm with little trou- roles. Every village includes warriors, shamans, academics, diplo- ble. mats, researchers, food gatherers and scouts. Nonetheless, protoceratops prefer to avoid combat. They will Protoceratops are a naturally curious species and their socie- use their many skills to try to defuse combat situations before vio- ty supports the acquisition of knowledge. They have a written lan- lence occurs. Many adventurers have a tale or two of a protocer- guage, which they use to record knowledge on stone tablets and atops who talked a hungry T-rex out of eating it. cave walls. They regularly send out observers in singles or pairs to report back on what is going on in the world. BYPRODUCTS Roving protoceratops are a storehouse of knowledge. They The neck frill and skull of a protoceratops is just the right size have often traveled hundreds or even thousands of miles. Some for a medium-sized human shield. Other than that, protoceratops cover established “scouting routes” that will eventually bring do not have any useful byproducts. In fact, their meat is tough and them back to the tribe, while others wander aimlessly until they considered distasteful. feel like returning. They are eager to converse, especially with learned characters, and love to trade stories and tall tales. TRAINING Protoceratops are fascinated with human culture, and seek out Protoceratops are intelligent enough that they do not need every opportunity to communicate. Many now offer themselves as “training” in the traditional sense. Any protoceratops can be read- guides to human expeditions, in exchange for being taught human ily persuaded to accompany humans, provided it is treated well, languages. and the humans are not chaotic or evil in alignment. Protoceratops Thanks to a quirk of evolution, protoceratops have a versatile should be treated as NPC’s rather than trained animals.
78 PTEROSAURS (“LIZARD BATS”)
Pterodactylus Pteranadon Small Animal Huge Animal Hit Dice: 1d8 (5 hp) 8d8+8 (44 hp) Initiative: +3 (Dex) +2 (Dex) Speed: 10 ft., fly 70 ft. (good) 20 ft., fly 50 ft. (good) AC: 15 (+1 size, +3 Dex, 12 (-2 size, +2 Dex, +2 natural) +1 natural) Attacks: Bite +2 melee Bite +8 melee, rake +5 melee Damage: Bite 1d3 Bite 2d8+4, rake 1d6+2 Face/Reach: 5 ft. by 5 ft./5 ft. 10 ft. by 30 ft./10 ft. Special Attacks: None Improved Grab Special Qualities: Scent Scent Saves: Fort +1, Ref +3, Will +1 Fort +7, Ref +9, Will +4 Abilities: Str 10, Dex 16, Con 10, Str 15, Dex 14, Con 13 Int 4, Wis 9, Cha 3 Int 4, Wis 10, Cha 5 Skills: Listen +2, Spot +10 Listen +3, Spot +12 Climate/Terrain: Cliffs, mountains Cliffs, mountains Organization: Flock (5-10) Solitary or pair Challenge Rating: 1/2 4 Treasure: Standard Standard Alignment: Always neutral Always neutral Advancement: 2-3 HD (Medium) 9-12 HD (Huge)
The pterosaurs are the flying reptiles. Pterodactylus is a short- tailed pterosaur with a wingspan of two to four feet. Its beak is filled with a row of forward-pointing teeth. Pteranadon was a STEGOSAURUS (“SPIKER,” “RIDGE- huge flyer with a wingspan of up to 30 feet. Its beak was tooth- BACK,” “SPIKETAIL”) less. Stegosaurus SOCIETY Huge Animal Pterosaurs live in aerial rooks high atop cliffs and mountains. Hit Dice: 14d10+56 (133 hp) They hunt during the day, bringing their kills back to the nest to Initiative: +0 feed. Their nests are littered with the remains of previous kills. Speed: 30 ft. AC: 16 (-2 size, +8 natural) COMBAT Attacks: Tail spikes +12 melee Pterodactylus usually feed on small fish and reptiles. They Damage: Tail spikes 4d6 will attack larger targets only as an entire flock. Face/Reach: 5 ft. by 20 ft./10 ft. Pteranadons like to pick up a target then kill it by dropping it Special Attacks: None from a great height. Special Qualities: Scent Improved Grab (Ex): To use this ability, the pteranadon Saves: Fort +15, Ref +9, Will +5 must hit a Medium-sized creature with its bite or rake attack. It Abilities: Str 19, Dex 11, Con 19, can then carry the target to a great height and drop it. The pter- Int 1, Wis 10, Cha 6 anadon can carry targets in both its beak and claws, but no more Skills: Listen +4, Spot +2 than one target can be carried at once. Climate/Terrain: Warm forest, hill, and plains TRAINING Organization: Herd (5-8) Pteradactylus can be trained like a falcon to kill and retrieve Challenge Rating: 7 prey (DC 15 for teaching an animal tasks). Pteranadons can be Treasure: None trained as a mount, at DC 28 for an adult and 24 for a youth. Alignment: Always neutral Despite their size, pteranadons weigh very little and cannot carry Advancement: 15-28 HD (Gargantuan) much weight. An adult can only carry loads up to 200 pounds.
79 Stegosaurus has the dubious distinction of being one of the TRAINING dumbest dinosaurs ever to walk the earth. For a beast over twen- Stegosaurus can be trained as beasts of burden, and can carry ty feet long and weighing as much as three tons, its three-ounce up to 4,000 pounds. They are practically impossible to ride, how- brain gives it the smallest brain-to-body size ratio of any dinosaur. ever, due to their rows of plates. Nonetheless, it has enough brains to do what it needs to do, and its spiked tail ensures that other dinosaurs won’t tease it too much! TRICERATOPS (“BRONCO,” “HORN-
SOCIETY HEAD”) Stegosaurus wanders in slow-moving herds, which graze as they travel. Their social organization is fairly basic: might makes Triceratops right. Huge Animal Hit Dice: 16d10+112 (200 hp) COMBAT Initiative: -1 (Dex) Stegosaurus has thick, knobby skin and armored plates along Speed: 30 ft. its spike. It can flex the plates to a limited degree, bringing them AC: 18 front (-2 size, -1 Dex, +11 natural), from a vertical to an angled position that helps protect its flanks. 11 sides (-2 size, -1 Dex, +4 natural) The four foot-long spikes on stegosaurus’ tail are its only Attacks: Gore +15 melee weapon. It can swing its tail in a limited arc of about 10 foot Damage: Gore 2d8+7 radius from the point of attachment. It generally maneuvers its Face/Reach: 10 ft. by 20 ft./10 ft. body to present its tail to oncoming enemies. Special Attacks: Charge for double damage, trample Special Qualities: Scent BYPRODUCTS Saves: Fort +17, Ref +9, Will +6 Stegosaurus plates can be used to make armor for huge or Abilities: Str 20, Dex 9, Con 25, larger mounts. They are too heavy to be used for smaller sizes. A Int 6, Wis 12, Cha 7 single suit of huge-sized stegosaurus plate armor requires the Skills: Listen +8, Spot +8 plates from six stegosauruses. It is heavy armor weighting 400 Climate/Terrain: Warm forest, hill and plains pounds, with a +5 armor bonus, max Dex bonus of +2, and armor Organization: Solitary or herd (10-100, 50% young) check penalty of –4. Challenge Rating: 7 Treasure: None Alignment: Always neutral Advancement: 17-32 HD (Gargantuan), 33-48 HD (Colossal)
SOCIETY Triceratops travel in herds that can reach vast proportions. The herds wander where the grass is green, but are extremely ter- ritorial about whatever area they currently occupy. Detachments of 2-4 adults will be deployed to charge most trespassers, includ- ing other herbivores. If a serious threat approaches (such as a T- rex), the adults will form a ring, horns pointed outward, and herd their young inside. They then wait for the opponent to attack. Triceratops herds do not have a single leader. Males compete for mating rights in non-lethal contests, but are otherwise con- vivial and non-combative. The herds protect their elders and treat them with respect. Triceratops herds basically ignore each other unless there is territorial infringement. Most triceratops stay with the herd they were born into, although some do move to other herds. A tricer- atops wishing to join a new herd must “petition” the herd by stay- ing on its fringes, just outside of territorial range, for weeks until the herd accepts it. There are certain migratory patterns that the triceratops fol- low. Most take them through the same areas year after year. Some of their predators anticipate these patterns or even follow the
80 BYPRODUCTS Triceratops are valued for their skulls, which have no resale value, but are one of the prize specimens in any trophy hunter’s cabinet. They are valued by settlers for their meat, which is aro- matic, flavorful, and in such enormous quantities that a single kill can feed a settlement for weeks. The eggs are valued by ranchers as well as settlers, who like to eat them. Ranchers will pay up to $200 per egg for breeding purposes. Settlers pay substantially less, but will happily eat any eggs they come across!
TRAINING Both young and adult triceratops may be used as mounts. The young are awkward, poorly coordinated creatures that usually aren’t ready for battle. They’re cute by most standards, not fero- cious. Although triceratops are short-tempered and aggressive, their herbivorous nature and herd mentality makes them easier to train than you might suspect. Training as a mount is DC 31 for an adult and 24 for a youth. Youth take six years to reach maturity. A tricer- atops can carry up to 12,000 pounds. triceratops through their migration. Many an unfortunate pioneer TYRANNOSAURUS REX (“CHOMPER,” has set up his homestead in a seemingly safe area, only to have it “BIGBITE”, “BIG’UN”) flattened when the triceratops come through months later. A single triceratops can weigh upwards of 20,000 pounds. Tyrannosaurus Rex The Confederate Dino Warriors have practiced controlling tricer- Huge Animal atops stampedes, in the belief that a stampeding herd is capable of Hit Dice: 18d10+72 (171 hp) breaking through almost any Union armored column. Initiative: +1 (Dex) Speed: 40 ft. COMBAT AC: 14 (-2 size, -1 Dex, +5 natural) Triceratops are herbivores. The adults are huge creatures that Attacks: Bite +20 melee are extremely difficult to kill but, due to their herbivorous nature, Damage: Bite 5d8+13 are never particularly enthusiastic about entering battle in the first Face/Reach: 10 ft. by 10 ft./15 ft. place. They are extremely aggressive, but it’s all bark and no bite. Special Attacks: Improved grab, swallow whole They rely mostly on bluffing and superior numbers, and will only Special Qualities: Scent, roar initiate combat if the odds are in their favor. They usually fight Saves: Fort +15, Ref +12, Will +8 only to defend their territory and their young. Abilities: Str 28, Dex 12, Con 19, Once every several years, the herd will remain in one place Int 8, Wis 15, Cha 10 for upwards of a year to lay and hatch eggs. Each herd has its own Skills: Listen +11, Spot +11 nesting ground that it always returns to. When in the nesting Climate/Terrain: Warm forest, hill, plains, and marsh ground, the triceratops are extremely territorial. They will charge Organization: Solitary or family (2 adults and at the slightest provocation, at ranges far in excess of normal, and 0-2 young) are much more likely to actually enter combat rather than just Challenge Rating: 8 bluff. Treasure: Standard The AC of a triceratops depends on the angle of attack. Alignment: Lawful evil Triceratops always try to face an enemy, since their massive skull Advancement: 19-36 HD (Gargantuan), plate is their most strongly armored position. Any attack coming 37-54 HD (Colossal) from the forward 90-degree arc of the triceratops hits the skull plate at AC 18. All other attacks hit the fleshy sides at AC 11. SOCIETY Trample (Ex): A triceratops can trample creatures of T-rexes travel alone, or in family groups of one male, one Medium size or smaller. The trample causes 2d12+5 points of female and possibly one or two children. Despite being solitary damage. Targets who do not make attacks of opportunity may loners, tyrannosauruses are loyal and place a high premium on make a Reflex save (DC 23) to take half damage. family. They mate for life. An adult who loses a mate will never
81 take another. Often, it will dedicate the rest of its life to avenging its dead mate. As a result, there are areas of Cretasus where T-rex clans have been at war for gener- ations. Tyrannosaurus rex society is centered around family relationships, and they are extremely interested in genealogy. The extent of this interest can be realized through their language. Tyrannosaurus lan- guage includes hundreds of words to denote very specific famil- ial relationships. They have terms for “paternal aunt,” “son of a father’s cousin,” and “grandmother’s sister’s mate’s brother.” Tyrannosaurus loyal- ties depend on family ties. The tyrannosauruses in a given region form clans of interrelated fam- ilies. Relations between individuals depend on the closeness of their ties. Close relatives are always extremely loyal, regardless of whether they get along person- ally. Each T-rex family has a nesting area, usually in a remote place accessi- ble only to the T-rex. It is in this nest- ing area that young are raised. T-rexes frequently drag enemies back to the nest to provide food for their young. In this way, the nesting area for a family that has raised several young may be littered with skeletons. If the T-rex ever fed adventurers to its young, their remains (and their treasure) will be found in the nesting area. T-rex never have more than one child at a time, but a T-rex child may stay with its parents until well after it matures. This older child then helps its parents raise younger siblings. When a child finally leaves to establish its own family, it remembers its parents and treats them with respect for the rest of its life. A young T-rex establish- ing its own hunting grounds will inevitably conflict with other T-rexes in the area. In the same way that human sports- men may compete on the field yet be friends off, two tyran- nosauruses may compete sav- agely for hunting grounds, but, once that’s decided, be friendly for the rest of their lives.
82 A typical encounter between two unfamiliar T-rexes will start gives a +5 armor bonus, max Dex bonus of +4, armor check with a lengthy discussion of family history. They will exchange penalty of -2, with a weight of 30 pounds. The hide of a typical T- genealogies until they have established their exact relationship. rex (size Huge) can produce two suits of good medium-size These conversations sometimes go on for hours. Inevitably, armor. If the characters manage to kill the T-rex without punctur- though, there will be some link between the two creatures. Once ing its skin (a rare proposition), they can get four suits of armor the link is known, the two T-rexes will know something about out of it. their relationship: either they are from different clans, or distant T-rex teeth and claws are useful for decoration and adorn- relatives within the same clan, or close relatives of some kind. ment. A character proficient in either can use it as a dagger. This then determines their attitude toward each other. Since T-rexes never have more than one child at a time, their Despite their loyal nature, tyrannosauruses have a mean eggs are exceedingly rare. However, very few breeders want to streak. They are nasty, vengeful and cruel. Combat between T- raise T-rex young, as they are vicious and difficult to train. An rexes can be gruesome. A T-rex in a bad mood may pick on small- intact egg can be sold for up to $500, if you can find a breeder er creatures, even when it’s not hungry. They are known for teas- who wants it. ing prey, torturing their enemies and showing respect to no crea- Various T-rex body parts have medicinal uses (or so many ture but another T-rex. There is a reason every other animal on people think), and can be sold for the following prices. Some buy- Cretasus avoids T-rexes! ers will be local Cretasus settlers (who pay full price), but most will be exporters (who pay half price, since they resell). COMBAT Tyrannosaurus hunting strategies are fairly straightforward: Part Used for… Value Use terrain to get as close as possible, then charge. T-rexes in bad Claws and teeth Weapons, aphrodisiacs $2,000 (full set) moods will attack even when they’re not hungry and their target Heart Strength $3,600 is not a threat. This is when they are most dangerous, for they may Intact hide Armor, decoration $4,000 toy with their prey in cruel ways. Liver General health $600 Tyrannosaurus rex travels in widely dispersed family groups, Lungs Endurance $400 communicating with a variety of roars, whistles, grunts and Spleen Ferocity $2,200 chirps. Their close family ties and ability to communicate over Tongue Tastes great $800 long distances make them very dangerous. Roar (Ex): A tyrannosaurus facing a real threat will summon TRAINING help with a deafening roar. Nearby T-rexes will hear the roar and Tyrannosauruses are mean, ill-tempered creatures. Training come to its aid. (Being summoned is one of the few times a T-rex one as a mount is incredibly difficult. It requires a successful will enter another T-rex’s hunting grounds.) Handle Animal check at DC 38. The only trained T-rexes on T-rexes summon aid with discretion, and rarely do so unless Cretasus have come from the handful of master bronco riders who their opponent is a threat to their neighbors, as well as themselves work with the Confederate Dino Warriors. (e.g., human or carnivore invaders, not just a big, angry bronco). Training a young T-rex is slightly easier at DC 31. Young T- But when the threat is real, and they are in danger, they do not hes- rex take seven years to mature. itate. A mature T-rex has the physical ability to carry a load of A T-rex can roar with a full-round action and attract 1d4 T-rex 4,000 pounds. However, you will be hard pressed to get one to families. The roar carries many miles, meaning aid may come carry that much. They are ornery creatures and will generally from far away. Each summoned family will arrive in 2d20 rounds. refuse to carry more than 1,000 pounds. Improved Grab (Ex): A T-rex that hits a Medium-size or smaller creature with its bit attack may grab them. It may then THE TYRANT KING attempt to swallow them whole. There are apocryphal stories, spread by both adventurers and Swallow Whole (Ex): A T-rex can swallow a Medium-size or the dinosaurs, of the Tyrant King. According to these legends, T- smaller creature with a successful grapple check. Swallowed crea- rexes continue to grow their entire lives. The Tyrant King is the tures take 2d8+8 points of crushing damage plus 8 points of acid oldest, and thus largest, T-rex in each clan. The Tyrant King is damage per round. A swallowed creature may cut itself out by treated as a sort of great-grandfather, with all of his descendants using Small or Tiny slashing weapons to deal 25 points of damage alternately bringing him their kills to feast from. The Tyrant King to the T-rex’s innards (AC 20). never leaves his nest – but if his nest is discovered, it is home to the treasures of hundreds of years of inhabitation. If you choose to BYPRODUCTS include the Tyrant King in your games, it should be treated as a T-rex hides are valued for their use as armor. T-rex hide armor Colossal T-rex with 54 hit dice.
83 VELOCIRAPTOR (DEINONYCHUS) (“RAPTOR,” “SLICER,” “FASTCLAW”)
Velociraptor/Deinonychus Large Animal Hit Dice: 4d10+12 (34 hp) Initiative: +2 (Dex) Speed: 60 ft. AC: 16 (-1 size, +2 Dex, +5 natural) Attacks: Rake +6 melee, 2 claws +1 melee, bite +1 melee Damage: Rake 2d6+4, claw 1d3+2, bite 2d4+2 Face/Reach: 5 ft. by 5 ft./10 ft. Special Attacks: None Special Qualities: Scent Saves: Fort +7, Ref +6, Will +2 Abilities: Str 19, Dex 15, Con 17, Int 12, Wis 12, Cha 10 Skills: Hide +7, Jump +13, Listen +11, Spot +11, Wilderness Lore +9, others (see below) Climate/Terrain: Warm forest, hill, plains and marsh Organization: Solitary or tribe (6-21 adults) Challenge Rating: 3 Treasure: Standard Alignment: Lawful neutral Advancement: 5-8 HD (Large)
Velociraptors are the most intelligent of all the social preda- V. Shane - vshane.com tors. Their advanced combat tactics and natural cunning, com- bined with their ferocity and physical features, make them Competition for the leader position continues constantly. As extremely dangerous. They are the biggest threat to human settlers new raptors enter the tribe, whether through birth or migration, the on Cretasus. leader has to defend his position. These challenges are usually Paleontological confession: Velociraptor and deinonychus decided with a quick exchange of test blows, and do not result in are actually two different dinosaurs, with velociraptors being the serious injury. However, aggressive or powerful challengers may smaller of the two. However, since a certain hit dinosaur movie force the combat to reach deadly levels. Tribal leaders have been has popularized velociraptors that look like deinonychus, we will known to murder or banish adolescents that show the prospect of perpetuate the popular confusion of the two, and call the deinony- a serious challenge. chus by the name velociraptor. Thus, the stats above are those for Although the tribal leader is usually male (as the males tend a deinonychus, which in this work we call a velociraptor. to be larger), the “core” of each tribe is the females. When either a tribal leader or a challenger loses a challenge, he leaves the tribe. SOCIETY Because the females are rarely engaged in challenges, they never Velociraptors live in well-organized tribes. Each tribe has leave the tribe. Each tribe is thus a core group of females around several designated roles and a loose caste system. The leader is which the males slowly change. The females are often related, as usually the strongest raptor in the tribe. The other raptors bicker are the younger males who have not left the tribe, but most adult endlessly for caste rank. Politics can be nasty both within and males within a tribe are unrelated. between tribes. The eldest females in each tribe function as tribal shamans. Raptors submit readily to an established leader. This is not Their knowledge of the environment is formidable. The shamans simply for their own protection, but because lawful behavior know the properties of all the local herbs, roots, spices and flow- seems inherent in the raptor mentality. However, abusive leaders ers, as well as the characteristics of the body parts of their prey. can trigger the combined wrath of the tribe. Cruel or incompetent Although they lack the opposable thumb that would lead their leaders have been deposed when entire tribes united against them. intelligence to greatness, they do have limited dexterity with their
84 A wilderness traveler will occasionally encounter solitary male raptors who do not belong to a tribe. These are the males who have lost leadership challenges. They eventually either find a new tribe or remain solitary forever. Some have been known to form alliances with ranchers or soldiers, even becoming pseudo- members of human society. One rancher on Cretasus is known for his employment of two lone male raptors, who help him protect his herds from predators in exchange for a steady supply of food.
COMBAT Velociraptors are a warlike species who settle disagreements with violence. They will fight not just for food, mates, territory and survival, but also for honor, pride and loyalty. Violent as it is, however, velociraptor warfare is not simple. Clever tricks, subterfuge and social manipulation all play a part. Velociraptors may be the only dinosaurs capable of dishonesty, deceit and double-crossing. In even the most basic, standard encounter, velociraptors may use an ambush; fake a retreat to lure the attackers into a trap; conceal their numbers to encourage an assault; fight from a superior position; use flanking maneuvers; or use any number of other strategies to gain the upper hand. Character encounters with velociraptors will usually involve an entire tribe or at least a large portion of the tribe. Raptors hunt, travel and fight in packs. Except for solitary males without tribes, the smallest encounters will be with hunting packs of 1d4+1 rap- tors. Larger encounters may involve an entire tribe. The tribal leader will be one of the following (roll d%):
Roll Tribal Leader 1-80 Warrior V. Shane - vshane.com 81-100 Tactician teeth and claws. The raptor shamans can mix simple healing salves, as well as specific potions for various illnesses. Some mix Warrior: The tribal leader has an extra 1d4 hit dice, and poisons, with which they coat their claws. Poisons are only used +1d4 to his Str and Dex scores. Warrior leaders will use simple in wars against animals the raptors will not eat, as the poison strategies. Although they are tactical, they love battle, and want to remains in the blood of the dead victim. get a chance to bloody their claws. They usually will not win Because raptors are highly intelligent, strategy is as important through strategy alone. as raw strength in winning their wars. A physically powerful Tactician: A tactician leader has +1d4 to Int and Cha. He has leader may be useful in times of peace, but unless his strength is the feats Combat Placement and Combat Tactician. Tactician lead- by itself enough to turn the tide of battle, a strategically gifted ers are patient and smart. They are content to win wars without leader is better for the tribe in times of war. Some rebellious tribes ever spilling blood. They will employ sieges, traps, ambushes, and have united behind a physically weak but highly intelligent raptor other complex strategies, and have no qualms about waiting out as their new tribal leader. In such cases, the leader invariably is an enemy. They are sneaky and stealthy, and are always scouting highly tactical with a strong grasp of wartime strategy. A coterie their enemies’ terrain. Characters battling tactician leaders will of loyal bodyguards keeps the leader safe from challenges – at find themselves constantly out-maneuvered. least as long as his talents are needed by the tribe. Shaman: For every raptor in the tribe, there is a 5 percent Interaction between raptor tribes depends on a great deal of chance of the tribe having a shaman. (For example, a pack of 12 history. Most tribes have remained in the same region for genera- raptors has a 60 percent chance of having a shaman.) Velociraptor tions. Longtime rivalries, alliances and neutralities exist. shamans have the skill Heal +10. They also have d6 healing Relationships can be altered when situation changes (e.g., a drought potions, salves or powders. These can be applied with a full-round forces one tribe to infringe on the hunting grounds of another) or action to cure 1d8 hit points immediately. A shaman has +1d4 to when tribal composition changes (e.g., a new tribal leader decides Wis and Int. to seek vengeance on the tribe where he lost a challenge). In times of war, velociraptor tribes with shamans may coat
85 their claws in poison. With any claw or rake feat. At fourth level, a warrior raptor can use the injury, the poison drains 1d4 Str initially, and Anchorclaw Attack feat. He anchors himself another 1d4 points in secondary damage. on an enemy using his mouth and arms, The poison may be avoided with a then fights only with the scythe-like Fortitude save against DC 13. killer claws on his feet. If he is Raptors with poison-tipped claws anchored properly, his killer will not use their bite attack. claws can reach vulnerable areas of the victim, including RAPTOR NPC’S the stomach or throat. To use Raptors are smart Anchorclaw Attack, he must enough to make very inter- make a successful rake or esting NPC’s. The three claw attack. Thereafter, he raptor types described is anchored to the enemy, above – warrior, tactician and can only make and shaman – can be anchored rake attacks, expanded into raptor-spe- which are +12 melee and cific classes. deal 3d6+6 damage. The Raptor Class At sixth level, a war- Table below gives a sum- rior raptor can use the mary of the three classes Jumpclaw Attack feat. He through tenth level. All save can jump past an enemy and bonuses and attack bonuses rake him as he goes by. In are in addition to the bonuses game terms, he can take a move described in the standard raptor action (including a jump) and profile. Raptors receive an extra hit another partial action at any point die for each level above first, but the during the move. The raptor cannot hit die varies by class – d12 for warrior, make a second move action during a d10 for tactician and d8 for shaman. round when he makes a jumpclaw attack. The five raptor racial skills (Hide, Jump, When using jumpclaw from hiding, the raptor Listen, Spot and Wilderness Lore) are considered receives a +2 attack bonus. cross-class skills for all raptors. Raptor NPC’s gain feats at A warrior raptor gains (2 + Int modifier) x 4 skill points at third and sixth and subsequent levels, as with normal characters. first level, and an additional 2 + Int modifier at each additional Warrior: Warrior raptors train in martial combat. Although level. A warrior’s class skills are Balance (Dex), Climb (Str), all raptors focus on physical skills, the warriors are distinguished Intimidate (Cha) and Jump (Str). by their combination of above-average speed and strength, which Tactician: Tactician raptors train in stealth, strategy and tac- give them the ability to perform special combat feats. A warrior tics. They are average in physique, but significantly above-aver- raptor always has Str and Dex scores that are 1d4 points higher age in sly, crafty intelligence. They are masters at traps and than average. ambushes, and incredibly good at scouting and gathering infor- At second level, a warrior raptor can use the Spring Attack mation regarding their enemies. A tactician raptor always has +1d4 to Int and Cha. Raptor Class Table A tactician has the Raptor Base Saves feats Combat Placement Level Attack Bonus (Fort/Ref/Will) and Combat Tactician at Warrior Tactician Shaman Warrior Tactician Shaman first level. At second level, 1 +1 +0 +0 +2/+0/+0 +0/+2/+0 +0/+0/+2 a tactician gains the feat 2 +2 +1 +1 +3/+0/+0 +0/+3/+0 +0/+0/+3 Sense of Vulnerability. At 3 +3 +2 +1 +3/+1/+1 +1/+3/+1 +1/+1/+3 fourth level, he gains the 4 +4 +3 +2 +4/+1/+1 +1/+4/+1 +1/+1/+4 feat Sneaky Git. 5 +5 +3 +2 +4/+1/+1 +1/+4/+1 +1/+1/+4 A tactician raptor 6 +6/+1 +4 +3 +5/+2/+2 +2/+5/+2 +2/+2/+5 gains (4 + Int modifier) x 4 7 +7/+2 +5 +3 +5/+2/+2 +2/+5/+2 +2/+2/+5 skill points at first level, 8 +8/+3 +6/+1 +4 +6/+2/+2 +2/+6/+2 +2/+2/+6 and an additional 4 + Int 9 +9/+4 +6/+1 +4 +6/+3/+3 +3/+6/+3 +3/+3/+6 modifier at each additional 10 +10/+5 +7/+2 +5 +7/+3/+3 +3/+7/+3 +3/+3/+7 level. A tactician’s class
86 skills are Balance (Dex), Bluff (Cha), Gather Information (Cha), claw is large enough to function as a dagger. Many experienced Hide (Dex), Knowledge (strategy and tactics, Int), Listen (Wis), dino hunters take pride in their raptor-claw daggers. Move Silently (Dex) and Spot (Wis). Shaman: Shaman raptors are attuned to the natural properties SILVERCLAW RAPTORS of Cretasus. They study the herbs, plants, spices and animals of The silverclaws are a special kind of velociraptor that has their world. They know how to mix potions and poisons, and they appeared recently in Confederate alliances. They are physically can heal the wounded. They are often the diplomats of their tribes. normal raptors that have assented to prosthetic modification. In A shaman has +1d4 to Wis and Int. short, their natural claws are removed and replaced with artificial A first level shaman can mix poisons and healing potions. claws made of weapons-grade steel. Higher level shamans can mix more potent versions. The process was first developed as a regimen for raptors A healing potion restore hit points equal to 1d8 + the whose natural claws were broken or amputated in battle. This shaman’s level. A poison drains Str points equal to 1d4 + the often happened in combats with protoceratops and other creatures shaman’s level (both initial and secondary). with beaks: their powerful bites can easily slice off a velocirap- At second level, a shaman may mix acids from natural ingre- tor’s claws. dients. (Even if the raptor has the Alchemy skill, this ability does Because the natural claws have no nerve endings — like not materialize until he learns where to find the appropriate ingre- human hair or fingernails — surgically replacing them is painless dients – hence the second level requirement.) At fourth level, he and simple. After observing the effectiveness of the steel hooks can mix simple explosives. (Yes, it’s true – a tribe of velociraptors used to help amputees, certain raptors actually volunteered for the armed with grenades!) There are no known shamans of higher surgery. Soon there were several packs of raptors whose natural than fifth level – but who knows what one could do... claws had been entirely replaced. Their gleaming claws soon A shaman raptor gains (6 + Int modifier) x 4 skill points at earned them the nickname silverclaws. first level, and an additional 6 + Int modifier at each additional The silverclaw phenomenon had an unexpected side-effect. level. A shaman’s class skills are Alchemy (Int), Craft (Int), Confederate surgeons had a glut of amputated raptor claws. One Diplomacy (Cha), Handle Animal (Cha), Heal (Wis), Intuit enterprising surgeon sheathed their tips in steel, mounted them on Direction (Wis), Knowledge (nature, Int), Sense Motive (Wis), arm braces, and rebuilt them for human use. These rare, highly Speak Language and Wilderness Lore (Wis). prized close combat weapons are now worn in sets by rebel heroes who have earned the distinction of defeating a velociraptor in BYPRODUCTS close combat. Although not quite as deadly as when wielded by a Velociraptors claws are highly valued trophies and weapons, raptor, they are still fearsome weapons. particularly the two hooked killer claws. A full set of claws can be Silverclaw raptors cause 2d6+8 damage with their rake and sold for $70; a single killer claw will fetch $20. A single killer 1d3+4 with their claws.
87 Chapter IV: Adventures on Cretasus
It is easy to find adventure on Cretasus. This chapter provides a basic overview of what goes on there and why. Once you know Motivations what’s going on, it’s easy to fit the characters in. Motivations – Settlers Factions The independent settlers on Cretasus are not a single organ- ized faction. They are millions of individuals with their own agen- There are many factions on Cretasus: das who have come to Cretasus for shared reasons. They have cer- tain common goals, which can be used to create adventures. Settlers (Union, Confederate and independent offworlders) A New Life: Many settlers want nothing more than to escape Farmers their past. This can take many forms. Usually the key tenet is free- Prospectors and miners dom, expressed in open spaces, untamed wilderness, challenges, Explorers new places, new people and governments that don’t meddle. The Dino ranchers surest way to offend a settler is to trespass on their land, propose Dino hunters a tax or restrictive law, or intrude in any other way. Traders Security: Frontier life is difficult. Settlers want security, pro- Dino rustlers and outlaw gangs vided they don’t have to sacrifice freedom to get it. They want to Cultists punish outlaws, keep predators at bay and have a safe place to Adventurers keep their belongings. Unsupportive governments and uncooper- The Confederate military ative militaries always raise the ire of settlers. Home guard Opportunities: Settlers want the chance to try their hand at Army something. They want to build a ranch or farm or mine from noth- Dino Warriors ing, provided they work hard, think smart and have a little luck. Guerrillas Nothing infuriates a settler more than a robber baron who claims Blockade runners so much territory he closes opportunities for others. Claim Hatcheries jumpers, outlaw gangs and dino rustlers are close seconds. The Union The Wilderness Challenge: Many settlers are motivated Army simply by the raw challenge of life in the wild. They don’t want Navy and drop troops to get too civilized. They enjoy hunting five-ton dinosaurs to feed The Ironclad Legions their families. These are the settlers who start feeling crowded Federal sheriffs and marshals when a neighbor moves in within five miles of their homestead. Ore discovery, extraction and exportation The cabal Dinosaurs Motivations – Union and Confederacy Domesticated dinosaurs The various families, tribes and nations The two largest organized factions on Cretasus are the Wild ones Confederacy and Union. They are motivated by several basic fac- The Dinozonians tors. You can use these motivations to formulate adventures. Aliens Resources: The Union needs reliable sources of food. The Warp Pirates Confederacy needs advanced technology, manufacturing ability The Free Fleet (occasionally) and maintenance for its equipment. Each side is able to supply for itself what the other side needs, and each is constantly looking for new capacity to do what it knows how to do — the Confederacy wants flat terrain for larger fields, for example, and the Union is always looking for mines and mineral deposits.
88 Toward this goal, the Confederacy has set up several experi- mental farms throughout Cretasus. They want to determine which The Cabal native plants are easiest to farm and most useful. The Union is extremely interested in these farms, for two reasons. First, they The Union is falling apart from the inside. Its politicians can use the results of the experiments to sustain their own forces. are corrupt, its military is oppressive and its diplomacy is Second, every farm they destroy makes it that much more difficult dominated by corporate interests. The ideals that originally for the Confederacy to feed its forces. led the Union are gone. The Union is not evil; rather, it is a At the same time, the Union is constantly scouting for raw decaying civilization. But there is a true enemy: the furtive, materials for industrial purposes. They send out expeditions to loosely organized faction that pushes the Union toward find extractable ore on the planet’s surface. These expeditions are galactic dominance. usually very small and intended to pass beneath the notice of This secret cabal of generals, industrialists, corrupt Confederate forces – although once a mine is established, the Senators, and self-interested aliens exercises enormous operation usually gets noticed fast. The Union also tries to fore- power at the highest levels of Union government. Its mem- stall Confederate progress in this area. The Union has been known bers drive the Union to serve their egocentric agendas, which to buy all the ore that independent prospectors can produce – even are individually different but intertwine into a shared goal of though it has excess supplies already – just to keep it out of personal power. The reason the Union professes to offer citi- Confederate hands. zenship to anyone in the universe, but then invades alien Dinosaurs are a resource. For both sides, they mean food, planets and strip-mines them bare, is the cabal’s industrial transportation, beasts of burden and exotic products for export. interests. The reason ironclad research continues the war And when it comes to large, powerful dinosaur tribes, alliances against the Confederacy, despite no real remaining territorial mean power. or commercial conflicts, is the cabal’s military interests. And The Confederacy is far, far ahead of the Union in developing so on. their dinosaur interests. It has its own hatcheries and generations At the lowest levels of everyday affairs – where charac- of agricultural experience. While the Union sees dinosaurs as a ters might encounter this – the cabal is the reason people are Cretasus-specific concern, the Confederacy sees the potential to repressed, police states flourish and prisoners are shipped to export eggs and use dinosaurs on other planets. forced labor in private mines. On Cretasus, the cabal is the Territory: The Confederacy has already established a strong- reason Union researchers are trying to raise and export hold on Cretasus. But the planet’s huge size and isolated mountain dinosaurs. The potential military and industrial uses of valleys give the Union plenty of opportunity to try to get its foot dinosaurs are enormous, and the cabal sees Cretasus as a in the door. Both sides fight to control territory on Cretasus, as minor step toward greater goals. The cabal’s attempts to con- well as the airspace above it and the space routes from Cretasus to trol the dinosaur trade reach into all aspects of life on the rest of the galaxy. Cretasus, from spaceport management to back country The most important areas are frequently those with resource patrols. use to one side, including: At the highest levels, this cabal steers the Union toward • Ore-rich areas a none-too-subtle scheme for galactic dominance. In short, it • Dinosaur grazing areas wants to conquer or absorb anything and everything it can. • Areas free of dinosaurs, especially carnivores The cabal’s inner circle numbers fewer than two dozen mem- • Areas with fertile soil bers, and only they know the true scope of its actions. Each • Natural trade routes of the members has thousands of employees, as well as pri- • Strategic points for military bases vate security forces and personal agents, which further their • Areas near fresh water goals in a vacuum of partial knowledge. Yet only at the very Lifestyle: The Union is commercial, industrialized and cen- top can all the pieces be put together. tralized. The Confederacy is aristocratic, agricultural and region- Rumors of the cabal are everywhere, usually as vague al. Both sides have nothing but contempt for the meaningless conspiracy theories and ambiguous tales. Most Union citi- lifestyles led by their enemies, and sometimes fight on principle zens believe in a “secret government.” There is a hidden alone to prove their way of life is superior. agenda to what the Union does. The Union itself is not evil – Galactic Expansion: Both factions want to continue explor- but a core faction within it is. ing the galaxy, recruiting the alliances and technology of aliens.
89 Motivations – Dinosaurs
The less intelligent dinosaurs have very simple motivations: eat, drink, sleep, reproduce, dominate and stay alive. Their moti- vations are no different from those of common animals, but their hundred-ton physiques sometimes add a new dimension to things. The intelligent species are another situation entirely. Each intelligent species divides itself into political groups, much the way humans do. Velociraptors, for example, may have three or five distinct tribes within the same area. Tyrannosauruses, which congregate in smaller family groupings, may have twenty or thir- ty independent families over a large area. Each tribe or family has its own customs, attitudes, behaviors, dialect and motivations. Common species or geography does not always mean common interests. Here are some of the more common motivations shared by intelligent dinosaur groups. Food: The most important resource for dinosaurs is food. Carnivores, in particular, are in constant need of food. Hunting food can be dangerous, especially when you’re battling triceratops with their sharp horns, or ankylosauruses with their club-like tails. Dinosaurs are generally amenable to alliances that can supply them with a steady supply of food – be they alliances with humans or dinosaur. This makes their lives easier and safer. Groups of both herbivores and carnivores battle over hunting and grazing rights. When a carnivore’s prey migrates, it may bat- tle neighboring groups for the right to follow the prey through “enemy” territory. Carnivores fight against human encroachment when it threatens to scare off their prey. Herbivores battle for the land with the greenest grass (so to speak). V. Shane - vshane.com Power: Even the most basic animal understands power poli- tics. Many dinosaurs are smart enough to keep their neighboring shortages has been known to raid an enemy tribe to kidnap fertile competitors in check. A carnivore that has a large litter one year females. may find its neighbors trying desperately to kill the babies. Territory: Territory is always important, usually for reasons Nobody wants to have several more adult T-rexes grow up to join of food, safety or power. Almost all carnivores try to maintain the community! their own hunting grounds. Most herbivores are comfortable shar- Within tribes and families, the dinosaurs may battle for ing grazing grounds, but some are not. All dinosaurs closely guard power. Adolescents of some species may challenge adults for their nesting areas. And depending on the dinosaurs’ nature, they leadership positions. Longtime rivals may scheme against each may guard territory simply because it’s theirs – even if it isn’t par- other. Schisms may appear in difficult times – for example, half ticularly useful for food or young. the tribe may advocate an alliance to secure food in times of Competition and Vendettas: When tribes live next to each drought, while the other half may wish to go to war to establish other for hundreds of years, they have history in their blood. Some expanded hunting grounds. tribes remember atrocities committed years ago. They may Mates: Mating rights are a common reason for hostilities. remember wars, forced exile, murdered family members and This can happen within a tribe, or when a new outsider arrives in hunting grounds that once belonged to them. Some tribes can’t the area. In most cases, the competition does not prove fatal – but even remember why their enemies are their enemies, but they still not always. In some rare cases, a tribe with severe population attack them on sight.
90 a rule of thumb, herbivores are most valuable to civilians, while Treasure carnivores are much more valuable to military personnel. Gems, metals, art, and other valuables: If they won’t take Treasure is an adventurer’s best friend. It makes the journey your cash, you can always give them gems or gold. A one-pound worthwhile. Treasure in Broncosaurus Rex takes several forms: gold bar is worth $5,000. One pound of silver is worth $500 and one pound of copper is $50. But value changes depending on Alien artifacts where you are. Many of the isolated settlers on Cretasus and other Cash outer reaches planets will pay more for a few bars of top-quality Dinosaurs – dead steel than for gold. Dinosaurs – live Technology: If you can find a disintegrator in the warp Gems, metals and other valuables pirates’ stash, you’ve done well. Powerful and difficult-to-find Technology technology are great finds, as are unique alien pieces or rare devices. Alien artifacts: Humans are not alone. There are several other intelligent alien races, and others that have long since passed away. Alien artifacts can be useful on their own, especially tech- The Dinozonians nology so advanced it appears magical. Alien art is easily sold if it is useful or patently beautiful. The more obscure treasures – and The dinozonians are warrior women who have estab- the ones that are properly identified – can be sold to collectors, lished their own society in the wilds of Cretasus. They are Union universities or the military for large sums. archetypal wild ones, having chosen the beautiful brutality of Cash: There are two main currencies in the human galaxies: wildness over the comforts of civilization. Confederate and Union. Both trade in dollars. Officially, neither The first dinozonian was a settler’s wife. Her husband government recognizes the currency of the other. When you’re and children were killed by hungry raptors, but she survived dealing with a Union diplomat or a Confederate general, you can by defending herself with a pitchfork, killing two raptors in only spend the appropriate currency. However, in most offworlder the process. The raptors eventually overwhelmed her, but situations (including Cretasus), and especially in the free-and- instead of eating her, they subdued her and carried her with easy places where many adventurers spend their recreational time, them to their tribe. She found herself able to adapt easily, and both kinds of cash are traded freely. lived with them for many years. Later, when the raptors were Cash comes as paper and coin. Union notes are consistent, at war, she left the tribe to organize several other female wild always issued by the central bank. Some Confederate notes are ones in the area. Together they called themselves the dinozo- centralized, but most come from regional governments or banks. nians. Confederate characters who don’t make sure to exchange their Now there are several dinozonian tribes. Each tribe local currency before leaving home may have trouble spending adopts one dinosaur species as its primary ally. This dinosaur their money in distant places. becomes the tribes’ sacred totem, appearing as a common Dinosaurs – dead: There is a market for dinosaur parts. motif in all of their rituals, art, weapons, and armor. The Claws, jaws, teeth, horns, organs and skins can be sold to collec- dinozonians share meals, homes, and even babysitting duties tors, exporters and some weapons makers. They also have totemic with their allied tribes. value to wild ones and some cultists. You can sell some kinds of The dinozonians avoid other humans. They are not ideo- dinosaur meat to export traders, and if you can drag a fresh car- logical, and do not attack human ranchers and miners on a cass to the taxidermist, you might sell the stuffed dinosaur to a routine basis (unlike some other wild ones). They do live like collector. dinosaurs, however, and will attack humans (and dinosaurs) Dinosaurs – live: A live, trained dinosaur can be worth a lot who infringe upon their territory. Since the discovery of pre- of money to ranchers, farmers, some industrialists, wealthy col- cious metals in their domain, the dinozonians have been lectors, the Confederate and Union military, and anyone else who forced to combat human explorers. They are quickly becom- might need beasts of burden. The catch is the training. A very ing known for their violent raids on prospectors who stray too angry T-rex in a net isn’t worth much. Trained young are most close. valuable, then trained adults, then eggs, then untrained young. As
91 24. The supply route to and from a Union gold mine passes right One Hundred Adventure Ideas beneath a perfect ambush spot. 25. A diamond mine is discovered in T-rex hunting grounds. Here are one hundred ideas for adventures on the world of 26. All the inhabitants of a settlement have disappeared. Cretasus. 27. An informant tells the characters about an upcoming shipment of ROGUE rifles and other Union technology. 1. A young T-rex has staked out a territory that includes a large 28. A farmer needs someone to clear twenty acres of dinosaurs. settlement. He’s already eaten three settlers. 29. A new trade route from a rebel town cuts travel time in half – 2. Two velociraptor tribes have gone to war. Unfortunately, a but it goes right through Union territory. The characters can help human settlement lies on the path between their camps. the blockade runners, or help the Union catch them. 3. Somebody (or something) has been poaching broncos on a 30. The Union discovers a huge oil deposit – beneath the land of rancher’s land. several Confederate ranchers. 4. Bank robbery! A team of thieves uses a triceratops to pull the 31. The Union is experimenting with raising dinosaurs. It hires the wall off a bank, then they haul off the vault without even bother- characters to bring back ten T-rex eggs. ing to open it. A reward is offered for their capture. 32. A triceratops herd has accepted two wild ones, who are using 5. An independent prospector’s brachiosaurus has fallen ill in the modern weapons to fend off a nearby ceratosaurus family. The midst of an overland journey. He can’t move his ten tons of ore ceratosauruses contact the characters and offer an alliance in without a new ‘brachy – but he can’t leave the ore lest it be stolen. exchange for help eliminating the wild ones. 6. Gold has been discovered in a natural cave system – but the 33. An outlaw gang has been raiding small farms. caves are inhabited. 34. The characters come across a juvenile T-rex being attacked by 7. A drought causes herbivorous dinosaurs to make daring crop velociraptors. The T-rex promises a favor from its parents if the raids. characters will save it. 8. The Confederacy has kidnapped a key machinist involved with 35. A wealthy off-planet safari hunter wants to bag an adult T-rex. Union ironclad research. He needs a wilderness guide. 9. A Union diplomat needs an escort and interpreter when he 36. Unscrupulous dino hunters have been thinning the carnivore meets with a velociraptor chieftain. population around a farming settlement. The resulting growth in 10. The ruins of an alien spaceship have been discovered in a herbivore population is wreaking havoc on the farmlands. neighboring valley. 37. A 12-year-old child has disappeared deep in raptor territory. Is 11. A Confederate weapons supplier was forced to dump his cache he lost? Was he eaten? Or did he become a wild one? and run when T-rexes attacked his convoy. 38. A gang of dino rustlers has been stealing broncos. Ranchers 12. A frantic dinosaur pup leads the characters to the trap that just hire to characters to find their hideout and bring them to justice. captured its mother. 39. Dino rustlers have taken over a frontier town. The sheriff 13. Plans for a powerful new weapon are mistakenly delivered to needs help. the characters. 40. Nobody has returned alive from the dinosaur burial grounds. 14. Rumors claim a massive, ancient T-rex lives in the ruins of a 41. Frontiersmen discover an abandoned underground laboratory mysterious city. that has remained hidden for decades. 15. It’s parasaurolophus mating season. Their amorous calls rever- 42. A herd of dinosaurs sets up nests in a gemstone mine. berate in the night. One particularly loud male has been keeping 43. Somebody is murdering prominent dino ranchers. the mayor awake at night. He offers a reward for its head. 44. Several tribes of raptors besiege a town and demand sacrifices. 16. A Union drop pod inexplicably crash lands in the middle of 45. Warp pirates have begun raiding isolated settlements. town. The hatch is jammed shut. Union troops arrive to retrieve it. 46. A high-level wild one is negotiating alliances between the car- 17. Something is keeping supply convoys from reaching a distant nivores in an area. military post. 47. A border incident causes the Union and Confederacy to mass 18. Confederate breeders need to capture a dozen raptors – alive. troops right in the path of the decennial iguanodon migration. 19. A maverick machinist doing genetic experiments has 48. A Union turncoat offers to sell military secrets. unleashed his “mutasaurs” into the wild. 49. The Confederate general’s heirloom weapon is stolen. 20. The Union wants to build a road between two important bases. 50. Disillusioned Confederate pioneers petition the Union for cit- 21. A machinist thinks he can build a certain advanced device, but izenship. only with obscure minerals found deep in the Cretasus jungle. 51. A prominent Free Fleet trader is accused of swindling the 22. Word reaches town that a renowned private inventor’s mayor. research lab has been deserted since he was eaten by an 52. A major Free Fleet trading vessel lands, offering “anything allosaurus. and everything for sale for five days only.” 23. An outlaw gang has stolen a shipment of recently mined 53. The leaders of neighboring Confederate and Union military Union gold. bases discover they are brothers.
92 54. An extremely fertile plain is discovered. Three groups of pio- atosauruses tries to organize a revenge raid. neers compete to be the first to establish farms there. 79. An offworlder settlement is split by violent political infight- 55. A Union mining town rebels against the Union. Confederate ing. One faction hires the characters to assassinate the rival leader. forces come to their aid. 80. Union industrialists want to dig a huge mine beside existing 56. A character slights the honor of a local Dino Warrior. He farmland, which will be polluted by the runoff. The farmers need demands a duel. someone to disrupt the industrialists’ plans. 57. A disease is causing confused, maddened broncos to charge 81. Two Confederate brothers plot to murder their third brother, wildly through town. who has defected to the Union. 58. A local dino hunter’s “tame” T-rex eats a child. The dino 82. Pioneers settling the western frontier keep disappearing. hunter refuses to kill or surrender the beast. 83. The Union wants to kidnap and interrogate two Dino Warriors. 59. Offworlder cultists establish a tent city near a town’s water 84. Carnivorous dinosaurs keep eating soldiers at a Union military source, and they shoot at anyone who comes near. base. Every time one dinosaur is killed, another appears. The 60. A vehicle carrying an important diplomat crashes in the jun- Union suspects Confederate or wild one involvement. gle. He must be saved. 85. The largest herd of broncos ever sighted – more than 300 ani- 61. A hardened wild one has been leading pachycephalosaurus mals – is stampeding toward town right now… raids against military outposts encroaching on their land. 86. One of the Union’s experimental flying ironclads has crash 62. A fearful mayor outlaws all dinosaurs (even domesticated landed in a swamp in neutral territory, and it can’t be reached by ones) within city limits. vehicles. The Union and the Confederates both race to retrieve the 63. A fortified Union military base was built right in the path of ironclad – but the Union only has vehicles… the brachiosaurus migration trail. Each year the base has expand- 87. The Union (or Confederacy) has captured an enemy military ed, and each year the brachiosauruses have to veer further around. officer. The characters are hired to rescue him. This year, they are forced to walk directly toward a small settle- 88. A damaged warp pirate ship, filled with stolen loot, has crash ment near the base. If they aren’t stopped, they will destroy it. landed on Cretasus – right in the midst of T-rex hunting grounds. 64. Union soldiers are moonlighting as dino rustlers. Confederate military, Union military, looters and the characters all 65. A famous safari hunter offers a reward for anyone who can kill rush to claim what they can. a T-rex bigger than the one he killed. 89. An alien ship lands on Cretasus. The aliens use their horrific 66. A town raided by an outlaw gang organizes a posse to take the technology to clear the area of dinosaurs – but now the dinos are law into their own hands. being driven into nearby settlements. 67. A federal sheriff arrives to hunt down a galactic criminal 90. Under cover of darkness, ankylosauruses built nests and laid reputed to be in the area. eggs around a small settlement. When the settlers left for the fields 68. Settlers discover a warp pirate camp just around the bend. the next morning, the ankylosauruses charged them. Now the set- 69. Someone is spreading rumors as to the characters’ allegiances. tlers can’t leave their homes and food supplies are running short. 70. Someone is sabotaging Dino Warrior saddles so they come 91. A Union research station deep in the jungle has ceased com- loose in battle. munications. 71. The Confederate military has captured a dozen pregnant 92. The Union is trying to destroy a dinosaur hatching ground. dinosaurs to supply their hatcheries. Their mates want them back. The Confederacy, allied with the dinosaurs, must protect the eggs. 72. The Union wants to steal eggs from a Confederate hatchery. 93. The Confederates have promised food to dinosaur allies, but They need someone who’s good with animals to sneak in and steal these particular allies demand their favorite food: human flesh. the eggs – without getting caught. 94. The Union has arranged to bribe a Confederate officer who 73. A Confederate base is low on supplies. They need metal, tools knows top secret information, but their middleman was killed. and spare parts – all on hand at a nearby Union outpost. 95. A secret message must be delivered to a distant outpost – by 74. A Confederate patrol wandered too far into Union territory and tomorrow night. was captured. They are being held in the brig of a distant outpost. 96. A brave Confederate hero is getting too old to fight. Rather 75. The Union is clearing ground for a major construction project. than grow old and die in peace, he has elected to lead a suicide Confederate agents suspect it is an ironclad factory. They hire the mission and die a hero’s death. characters to herd stampeding broncos to the site on a regular 97. The Confederacy is raiding a Union munitions dump to steal basis – “block progress but make it look natural.” desperately needed weapons and ammo – or the Union is raiding 76. Velociraptors near a Confederate base have recently started a Confederate farm for desperately needed food supplies. using specially-designed ballistic weapons to raid the food stores. 98. Confederate laborers are clearing a forest to make room for A nearby Union research facility is suspected of supplying the new construction. A Union ambush catches them by surprise. weapons. 99. A Confederate force has discovered a Union mining expedi- 77. Two rival suitors duel for a woman’s love. One of them owes tion in its territory. the characters money. 100. Freighters need someone to carry supplies through an area 78. The lone survivor of a town massacred by hungry cer- covered in tar pits.
93 Appendix I: Creatures by Challenge Rating
The wilds of Cretasus are home to Creature CR Creature CR more than just dinosaurs. In addition to saber-toothed tigers, mammoths, Edaphosaurus 1 Elasmosaurus 5 mastodons, giant sloths, and other giant Giant Ant, Worker 1 Iguanodon 5 mammalians, and the pterosaurs of the Monstrous Centipede, Large 1 Pachycephalosaurus 5 skies and various giant sea beasts (all of Monstrous Scorpion, Medium 1 Snake, Giant Constrictor 5 which will be covered in future Monstrous Spider, Medium 1 Broncosaurus Rex supplements), Cretasus Octopus 1 Ceratosaurus 6 is populated by many animals and vermin. Ornitholestes 1 Deinosuchus 6 The following table lists the challenge Oviraptor 1 Megaraptor 6 ratings of all creatures native to Cretasus, Protosuchus 1 Monstrous Centipede, Gargantuan 6 as described in this work and Core Shark, Medium 1 Monstrous Scorpion, Huge 6 Rulebook III. Many more creatures will be Snake, Medium Viper 1 described in future Broncosaurus Rex sup- Squid 1 Allosaurus 7 plements. Ankylosaurus 7 As noted earlier, the creatures present- Camptosaurus 2 Monstrous Spider, Gargantuan 7 ed in this work tend toward lower chal- Crocodile 2 Stegosaurus 7 lenge ratings, in order to provide a good Dimetrodon 2 Triceratops 7 assortment of encounters for low level Giant Ant, Soldier 2 characters. Future supplements will Giant Ant, Queen 2 Monstrous Centipede, Colossal 8 expand the higher challenge ratings on this Giant Beetle, Bombardier 2 Octopus, Giant 8 table. Giant Dragonfly 2 Tyrannosaurus 8 Giant Lizard 2 Creature CR Giant Praying Mantis 2 Monstrous Scorpion, Gargantuan 9 Monstrous Centipede, Huge 2 Squid, Giant 9 Toad 1/10 Monstrous Scorpion, Large 2 Monstrous Spider, Large 2 Monstrous Spider, Colossal 10 Monstrous Centipede, Tiny 1/8 Protoceratops 2 Shark, Large 2 Brachiosaurus 11 Lizard 1/6 Snake, Constrictor 2 Monstrous Scorpion, Colossal 11 Snake, Large Viper 2 Monstrous Centipede, Small 1/4 Monstrous Scorpion, Tiny 1/4 Giant Wasp 3 Monstrous Spider, Tiny 1/4 Parasaurolophus 3 Snake, Huge Viper 3 Giant Beetle, Fire 1/3 Stegoceras 3 Snake, Tiny Viper 1/3 Velociraptor (Deinonychus) 3
Compsognathus 1/2 Giant Beetle, Stag 4 Giant Bee 1/2 Giant Crocodile 4 Monstrous Centipede, Medium 1/2 Monstrous Spider, Huge 4 Monstrous Scorpion, Small 1/2 Pteranadon 4 Monstrous Spider, Small 1/2 Shark, Huge 4 Pterodactylus 1/2 Snake, Small Viper 1/2
94 Appendix II: Open Gaming License
OPEN GAME LICENSE Version 1.0a ify, translate and otherwise create Derivative tute a challenge to the ownership of that Product The following text is the property of Material of Open Game Content. (h) “You” or Identity. The owner of any Product Identity used Wizards of the Coast, Inc. and is Copyright “Your” means the licensee in terms of this agree- in Open Game Content shall retain all rights, title 2000 Wizards of the Coast, Inc (“Wizards”). All ment. and interest in and to that Product Identity. Rights Reserved. 2. The License: This License applies to any 8. Identification: If you distribute Open 1. Definitions: (a)”Contributors” means the Open Game Content that contains a notice indi- Game Content You must clearly indicate which copyright and/or trademark owners who have cating that the Open Game Content may only be portions of the work that you are distributing are contributed Open Game Content; (b)”Derivative Used under and in terms of this License. You Open Game Content. Material” means copyrighted material including must affix such a notice to any Open Game 9. Updating the License: Wizards or its des- derivative works and translations (including into Content that you Use. No terms may be added to ignated Agents may publish updated versions of other computer languages), potation, modifica- or subtracted from this License except as this License. You may use any authorized version tion, correction, addition, extension, upgrade, described by the License itself. No other terms or of this License to copy, modify and distribute any improvement, compilation, abridgment or other conditions may be applied to any Open Game Open Game Content originally distributed under form in which an existing work may be recast, Content distributed using this License. any version of this License. transformed or adapted; (c) “Distribute” means to 3.Offer and Acceptance: By Using the Open 10 Copy of this License: You MUST include reproduce, license, rent, lease, sell, broadcast, Game Content You indicate Your acceptance of a copy of this License with every copy of the publicly display, transmit or otherwise distribute; the terms of this License. Open Game Content You Distribute. (d)”Open Game Content” means the game 4. Grant and Consideration: In consideration 11. Use of Contributor Credits: You may not mechanic and includes the methods, procedures, for agreeing to use this License, the Contributors market or advertise the Open Game Content using processes and routines to the extent such content grant You a perpetual, worldwide, royalty-free, the name of any Contributor unless You have does not embody the Product Identity and is an non-exclusive license with the exact terms of this written permission from the Contributor to do so. enhancement over the prior art and any addition- License to Use, the Open Game Content. 12 Inability to Comply: If it is impossible al content clearly identified as Open Game 5.Representation of Authority to Contribute: for You to comply with any of the terms of this Content by the Contributor, and means any work If You are contributing original material as Open License with respect to some or all of the Open covered by this License, including translations Game Content, You represent that Your Game Content due to statute, judicial order, or and derivative works under copyright law, but Contributions are Your original creation and/or governmental regulation then You may not Use specifically excludes Product Identity. (e) You have sufficient rights to grant the rights con- any Open Game Material so affected. “Product Identity” means product and product veyed by this License. 13 Termination: This License will terminate line names, logos and identifying marks including 6.Notice of License Copyright: You must automatically if You fail to comply with all terms trade dress; artifacts; creatures characters; stories, update the COPYRIGHT NOTICE portion of this herein and fail to cure such breach within 30 days storylines, plots, thematic elements, dialogue, License to include the exact text of the COPY- of becoming aware of the breach. All sublicenses incidents, language, artwork, symbols, designs, RIGHT NOTICE of any Open Game Content You shall survive the termination of this License. depictions, likenesses, formats, poses, concepts, are copying, modifying or distributing, and You 14 Reformation: If any provision of this themes and graphic, photographic and other visu- must add the title, the copyright date, and the License is held to be unenforceable, such provi- al or audio representations; names and descrip- copyright holder’s name to the COPYRIGHT sion shall be reformed only to the extent neces- tions of characters, spells, enchantments, person- NOTICE of any original Open Game Content you sary to make it enforceable. alities, teams, personas, likenesses and special Distribute. 15 COPYRIGHT NOTICE abilities; places, locations, environments, crea- 7. Use of Product Identity: You agree not to Open Game License v 1.0 Copyright tures, equipment, magical or supernatural abili- Use any Product Identity, including as an indica- 2000, Wizards of the Coast, Inc. ties or effects, logos, symbols, or graphic designs; tion as to compatibility, except as expressly System Rules Document Copyright 2000 and any other trademark or registered trademark licensed in another, independent Agreement with Wizards of the Coast, Inc.; Authors Jonathan clearly identified as Product identity by the owner the owner of each element of that Product Tweet, Monte Cook, Skip Williams, based on of the Product Identity, and which specifically Identity. You agree not to indicate compatibility original material by E. Gary Gygax and Dave excludes the Open Game Content; (f) or co-adaptability with any Trademark or Arneson. “Trademark” means the logos, names, mark, sign, Registered Trademark in conjunction with a work Dinosaur Planet: Broncosaurus Rex motto, designs that are used by a Contributor to containing Open Game Content except as Core Rulebook Copyright 2001 Joseph identify itself or its products or the associated expressly licensed in another, independent Goodman DBA Goodman Games (contact products contributed to the Open Game License Agreement with the owner of such Trademark or [email protected], or see by the Contributor (g) “Use”, “Used” or “Using” Registered Trademark. The use of any Product www.broncosaurusrex.com) means to use, Distribute, copy, edit, format, mod- Identity in Open Game Content does not consti-
95 Index
Adventures 88-93 Dragonfly, giant 71 Pteranadon 79 Alchemy 34 Drive 36 Pterodactylus 79 Alien weapons 46 Edaphosaurus 76-77 Pterosaurs 79 Allosaurus 64-65 Energy Fields 54, 55-56 Races see Place of origin Anchorclaw Attack 86 Equipment 56-58 Rebel Yell 42 Animal Empathy 34 Factions 88 Repair Device 40 Ankylosaurus 65-66 Feats 40-43 Ride 39 Armor 54-56 Federal Union of Planets see Union Sense of Vulnerability 42 Categories 54 Fort Apache 6 Settlers 88 Descriptions 55-56 Fort Lincoln 6 Shaman (Velociraptor NPC class) 85-87 Donning 54 Fort Tecumseh 6 Silverclaws 87 Mounts 54 Free Fleet Skills 32-40 Statistics 55 Background 11 Sneaky Git 42 Usage 54 Place of origin 16-17 Soldier 23-25 Ballistic weapons 46 Freetowns 6 Speak Language 40 Brachiosaurus 66-67 Gearhead 42 Spy 25-27 Bronco rider 18-21 Gentry 42 Starting cash 46 Bronco see Triceratops Great Exodus 13 Stegoceras 74 Cabal, the 89 Great Lover 42 Stegosaurus 79-80 Camptosaurus 71-72 Handle Animal 36-37 Tactician (Velociraptor NPC class) 85-87 Ceratosaurus 68-69 Heal 38 Targeting range 46 Challenge Ratings 93 Heirloom weapons 47 Tech level 44-45, 46 Chemistry 34 High-tech weapons 46 Treasure 63, 91 Ciphers 34-36 Human Awkwardness 32 T-rex see Tyrannosaurus Rex Combat Placement 41 Humans (PC race) 15 Triceratops 80-81 Combat Tactician 41 Iguanodontids 71-72 Trick Shot 42-43 Compsognathus 69 Improved Evasion 26 Turncoat 43 Confederacy Intriguing 26 Twenty valleys, the 5 Background 6, 8 Ironclads 8, 54 Two-fister 27-28 Motivations 88-89 Jumpclaw Attack 86 Tyrannosaurus Rex 81-83 Place of origin 15-16 Knowledge 38 Tyrant King 83 See also Dino Warriors Local Connections 28 Union Craft 36 Lucky Cuss 42 Background 6, 8, 12-14 Crocodilians 70 Machinist 21-23 Cabal 89 Custom weapons 22-23 Manual weapons 46 Motivations 88-89 Death Wish 41 Money Place of origin 16 Deinonychus see Velociraptor Kinds 91 See also Ironclads Deinosuchus 70 Starting 46 Use Technical Equipment 40 Devices 23, 58-61 New Savannah 6 Velociraptor 84-87 Dimetrodon 76-77 Nick of Time 26 Warp gates 12 Dino Warriors 6, 11 Offworlders see Outer Reaches Warrior (Velociraptor NPC class) 85-86 Dinopathy 42 Operate Ironclad 38 Weapon Proficiency 43 Dinosaur Ornitholestes 72-73 Weapons 22-23, 46-54 General 62-63 Outer Reaches Categories 46 Intelligence 62 Background 11 Custom 22-23 Languages 62-63 Place of origin 17 Descriptions 47-54 Motivations 90 Oviraptor 73-74 Heirlooms 47 Statistics 64-87 Pachycephalosaurus 74 Qualities 46 Training 63 Parasaurolophus 75-76 Statistics 48-49 Dinosaur Companion 32 Pelycosaurs 76-77 Usage 46 Dinosaur Presence 42 Pilot 38-39 Wild one 29-32 Dinozonians 91 Place of origin 15-18 Wilderness Lore 40 Disable Device 36 Protoceratops 77-78 Dodge Bullets 26 Protosuchus 70
96