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ECLIPSE PHASE: TRANSHUMANITY’S FATE

The Fate Conversion Guide for Eclipse Phase

RYAN JACK MACKLIN GRAHAM ECLIPSE PHASE: TRANSHUMANITY’S FATE

Transhumanity’s Fate: ■ Brings technothriller espionage and horror in a world of upgraded humans to Fate Core. ■ Join Firewall, and defend transhumanity in the aftermath of near annihilation by arti cial intelligence. ■ Requires Fate Core to play.

Eclipse Phase created by Studios

Eclipse Phase is a trademark of Posthuman Studios LLC. Transhumanity’s Fate is © 2016. Some content licensed under a Creative Commons License. Fate™ is a trademark of Evil Hat Productions, LLC. The Powered by Fate logo is © Evil Hat Productions, LLC and is used with permission. eclipsephase.com TRANSHUMANITY'S FATE WRITING DEDICATION Jack Graham, Ryan Macklin The dedicate this book to Jef Smith, our ADDITIONAL MATERIAL companion of many days & nights around the table. Jef was a tireless organizer in Chicago's science-fiction/ Rob Boyle, Caleb Stokes fandom, including the Think Galactic reading EDITING group and spin-off convention, Think Galacticon. In Rob Boyle, Jack Graham 2015, he co-published the Sisters of the Revolution: A GRAPHIC DESIGN Feminist Anthology with PM Press. Adam Jury We will miss Jef's encouragement, wit, and bottomless COVER ART generosity. The person who lives large in the lives of their friends is not soon forgotten. Stephan Martiniere A portion of profits from Transhumanity's Fate will be INTERIOR ART donated to Jef's family. Rich Anderson, Nic Boone, Leanne Buckley, Anna Christenson, Daniel Clarke, Paul Davies, SPECIAL THANKS Alex Drummond, Danijel Firak, Nathan Geppert, Ryan thanks his wife, Lillian, for her support and Zachary Graves, Tariq Hassan, Josu Hernaiz, octomorph shenanigans, and blackcoat for being a font Jason Juta, Sergey Kondratovich, Ian Llanas, of feedback. Adrian Majkrzak, Stephan Martiniere, Marco Mazzoni, Thank you to all our playtesters—from the Eclipse Phase Mark Molnar, Maciej Rebisz, Lorenz Hideyoshi Ruwwe, forums during the open playtest, to the crack goups James Wolf Strehle, Daneil Stultz, Viktor Titov, assembled at Gen Con and Metatopia! Alexandre Tuis, Bruno Werneck, Andy Wright Thanks to Jonathan Bagelman, Emily Care Boss, Juliet Brownell, Andy Click, Russel Collins, David Cooper, Jim Cummings, Nathaniel Dean, Rob Donoghue, Rich Flynn, Aaron Grossman, Dr. Matthew Hare, Lucien Huete, Marc Huete, K, Howard Katz, Marissa Kelly, Joshua Kronengold, Kevin Kulp, Tony Lee, James Mendez Hodes, Jessica Noble, OUR RESOURCES Ethan Rex, Laiel Shepherd, Neal Tanner, Andrew Wilson http://eclipsephase.com —Eclipse Phase website, blog, and forum http://posthumanstudios.com —Posthuman Studios website

Version 1.1, March 2016 This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution- Noncommercial-Share Alike 3.0 Unported License. by Posthuman Studios To view a copy of this license, visit: us at [email protected] http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0/ or via http://eclipsephase.com or send a letter to: Creative Commons, 171 Second Street, Suite or search your favorite social network for: 300, San Francisco, California, 94105, USA. “Eclipse Phase” or “Posthuman Studios” What this means is that you are free to copy, share, and remix the Posthuman Studios is: text and artwork within this book under the following conditions: 1) you do so only for noncommercial purposes; Rob Boyle, Brian Cross, Jack Graham, and Adam Jury 2) you attribute Posthuman Studios; 3) you license any derivatives under the same license. For specific details, appropriate credits, and updates/changes to this license, please see: http://eclipsephase.com/cclicense WELCOME TO FIREWALL 4 Creating Ego Stunts and Morph The Fall 4 Your Muse 25 Stunts 56 Aftermath 5 Stress and Morph Stunts 56 A Time of Eclipse: Consequences 26 Gear Stunts 57 The , Team Roles 26 List of Gear Stunts 57 Circa AF10 5 AI Researcher 26 MORPHS, BOTS, AND Firewall 6 Bot Jammer 26 VEHICLES 60 Cool Hunter 26 GLOSSARY 8 Anatomy of a Morph 60 Criminal Hacker 26 Type 60 TRANSHUMANITY'S FATE Ego Hunter 27 Morph Aspects 61 RULES 10 Enforcer 27 Morph Traits 62 Playing Eclipse Phase Explorer 27 Morph Stunts 62 with Fate Core 10 Field Engineer 27 Durability 62 Freelance Judge 27 Traits 10 Bots, Vehicles, Genehacker 27 Free Invocations 10 Journalist 28 and Habitats 64 Action Lengths 10 Merc 28 Device AIs 64 Languages 11 Militiamensch 28 Jamming 64 Teamwork in Mesh Sleeving into Devices 64 Actions 11 Networker 28 Contests Programmer-Archeologist 29 List of Morphs Under Fire 11 Scavenger 29 and Devices 66 Scout 29 Biomorphs 66 Conditions 11 Smuggler 29 Pods 68 GAME CREATION 12 Techie 29 Synthmorphs 69 Game Aspects 12 Xenoarcheologist 29 Bots and Vehicles 70 Creating Issues 12 Zone Stalker 29 Habitats 71 Creating a Server 13 SKILLS 30 Infomorphs 71 Proxies 13 Skill List 30 List of Morph Traits 72 Location/Specialty 13 Athletics 32 Essential Biomorph Traits 72 Firewall Factions 13 Civ Rep 33 Essential Pod Traits 72 Server Aspects 14 Cover 34 Essential Synthmorph Eye Rep Cap (Optional) 14 Cred 35 and Bot Traits 73 Ready-to-Play Games 15 Deceive 36 Essential Infomorph Traits 73 Gatecrashers 15 Eye Rep 37 Morph-Specific Traits 73 Scrap and Salvage 15 Fight 38 List of Morph Stunts 76 Night Market Blues 16 Hardware 39 Armor 76 A Fistful of Credits 17 Infiltrate 40 Attraction 76 CREATING Infosec 41 Emergency Neutrino Broadcaster 76 YOUR SENTINELS 18 Investigate 42 Kinesics 43 Enhanced Senses (Type) 76 18 Character Concept Medicine 44 Hyperlinguist 76 Name 18 Notice 45 Medichines 76 Firewall Phases 18 Pilot 46 Mental Speed 77 Phase One: How You Program 47 Mobility (Flight) 77 Got Noticed 18 Provoke 48 Mobility Phase Two: Rapport 49 (Grip Pads) 77 A Recent Mission 20 Shoot 50 Multiple Personalities 77 Phase Three: Somatics 51 Multi-tasking 78 Crossing Paths 20 Survival 52 Natural Attack (Ink) 78 Phase Four: Will 53 Natural Attack (Venom) 78 Crossing Paths Again 21 Xeno-Contact 54 Reflex Boosters 78 Making Ego Aspects 22 X-Risks 55 Shape Adjusting 78 Skills 23 STUNTS 56 Stealth 78 Strength 78 Morph 24 Ego Stunts 56 Structural Enhancement 78 24 Ego Stunts and Stunts Swarm Composition 78 Spending Refresh 24 Different Morphs 56 2 Changing Morphs and Ending a Contest Under Gatecrashing 120 Moving Egos 79 Fire 96 Horror 120 Resleeving 80 Interference 96 As Thematic Element 121 Egocasting 80 Two-Sided Contests 97 As Situation Aspect 121 Forking and Merging 81 Firing on More than As Means to Attack or Popping a Stack 82 Just Contests 97 Create an Advantage 121 Morph Acquisition 83 MESH 98 As Consequences 122 Temporarily Acquiring What the Mesh Allows 98 More on Hostile a Morph 83 Communication 98 Environments 122 Jacking NPC Morphs 83 Access 98 SETTINGS 124 Being Forced into a Teamwork in Mesh 124 Morph by a Situation 83 Mars Actions 99 Brace (Nick Yao) 124 TECHNOTHRILLER Research 99 The Mogura Gwisin 125 CONFLICTS 84 Mesh Intrusions 100 Main Belt: Legba 126 Setting up a Conflict 84 Intrusions as Contests 100 Roland Nazon/Elleggua 126 Situation Aspects 84 Multiple Uranus: Oberon Zones 85 Intruders/SysOps 101 and Xiphos 128 Establishing Sides 85 Mesh Intrusions under Oberon: Chat Noir Determine Turn Order 85 Fire 102 and Fissure Gate 128 Flow of Conflicts 86 Scorching Conflicts 102 The Factors 129 Exchange Sequence 86 Tracking People 102 Xiphos 129 Attacks and Defenses 86 MIND HACKS 104 Adaphel Maine 130 Typical Attacks 86 Psi 104 Exoplanet Echo IV 131 Devastating Attacks 86 Creating an Async Abandoned Weakness 131 Invulnerable Defenses 87 Character 104 Hecaloth-7 132 When to Use Situation Psi Traits 105 Exoplanet Giza 133 Aspects Instead 87 Psi Stunts 106 Graves 134 Other Attack Rules 88 Risking Strain 109 Random Alien Condition-Inflicting Async Consequences 110 Chatrooms 135 Weapons 88 Changing Sleights 111 Explosives 88 Compelling Psi Aspects 111 THREATS 136 136 Ranged Weapons 89 Psychosurgery 112 The Exsurgent Virus Basilisk Hack 136 Unavoidable Attacks 90 Psychosurgery Basics 112 Mindstealer Strain 137 Hostile Environments 90 Running Psychosurgery 113 Xenomorph Strain 137 Morph Death Psychosurgical Stunts 115 Exsurgents andNTENTS War E T and Destruction 91 Situational Aspect 115 a Rewriting Consequences 115 Machines 138 b Healing and Repairing: Recovering from Mental Fractal 138 l

Addressing Morph Wastewalker 138 Consequences 116 of Consequences 92 Rewriting Ego Aspects 116 Whipper 139 Morph versus Ego Narrating Exhumans 140 C Consequences 92 Psychosurgery at Predator 140 o Recovering from Milestones 116 Transhuman Threats 140 Morph Death Psychosurgery on Black-Hat Hacker 140 Asyncs and Exsurgents 117 and Destruction 92 Guanxi Enforcer 140 Consequences RUNNING THE GAME 118 Guanxi Soldier 141 Common Guardian Angel 141 with Morph Merc 141 Abandonment 93 118 Psychosurgery and Security Drone 141 93 Swarms Resleeving Equipment 118 Smuggler 142 Nanoswarms 93 Public Meshes and Xenolife 142 Contests Under Fire 94 Surveillance 118 Factor Diplomat/ Setting up a Contest Simulspaces 119 Merchant 142 Under Fire 94 Tacnet 119 Echolalian Land Playing Out a Contest Nanofabrication 119 Anemone 143 Under Fire 95 Echolalian Microsauroid 143 3 WELCOME TO FIREWALL

In Transhumanity's Fate, you play that had been at a constant simmer for secret agents protecting the scattered the last century. As events accelerated, remnants of transhumanity from though, those who could pierce the fog threats that could wipe it out once of war realized that someone—or some- and for all. You might be a crusading thing—was applying pressure in just the hacktivist, an anarchist militia fighter, a right places to spark conflicts. -hopping xenoscientist, a psychic By the time the enemy revealed detective, or a social networker owed themselves, transhumanity’s nations, favors by all the right people. You’re a space colonies, and corporations were transhuman—a genetically modified already at each other’s throats. After human, an intelligent animal, a mind almost a year of stirring the pot, that in a robotic shell, or even a bodiless foe struck in earnest. They were rogue artificial generalized intelligence North American military AIs known as (AGI). Your body is heavily upgraded, the TITANs (Total Information Tactical and your mind can communicate with Awareness Networks). While distracting every electronic device around it. You the polities of , they had covertly need every advantage, because you’re built their own military-industrial up against mutants infected with an complex using nanofabrication and alien virus, WMD dealers, corrupted subverted bots. These autonomous AGI god-minds, shifty amoeboid alien factories churned out war machines merchants, rampaging alien wildlife, and self-replicating nanoswarms, which and the ultimate threat: transhumani- then attacked transhuman population ty’s own self-destructive capabilities. centers, cleansing them of life. An infopocalypse began as massive attacks on computer networks subverted infra- THE FALL structure and destroyed data. Most Ten years ago, we lost Earth in the Fall. disturbingly, the war machines didn’t Transhumanity had already been on the kill everyone. Millions had their minds tipping point between enlightenment forcibly uploaded before their bodies and annihilation. We’d colonized were repurposed as shock troops. space, but ruined our own planet. We’d We fought back, but a coordinated uplifted animals and AIs to sapience, defense was impossible with trans- but billions of persons remained voice- humanity’s major factions already less. We’d even conquered death—by fighting each other. And one of the uploading minds (egos) and resleeving TITANs’ most potent weapons, the into new bodies (morphs)—but only for possibly alien exsurgent virus, could those who could afford it. propagate itself across both digital and Then something started going seri- biological life with frightening ease, ously wrong—orders of magnitude killing, corrupting, and subverting. The more wrong than the situation we’d Fall became a race to get key people, already gotten ourselves into. At first equipment, and resources off Earth as it seemed like an intensification of the quickly as possible—and damn the cost bush wars, cyberattacks, and civil strife to everyone else. 4 intelligences (AGIs), and uploaded people living as bodiless infomorphs AFTERMATH are not uncommon. Biological and It is AF10: 10 years After the Fall. Of 11 synthetic bodies are heavily augmented billion transhumans, barely 500 million and available in huge variety. An entire survived the Fall, spread across the solar generation of children raised in simul- system from Mercury to the Kuiper Belt. space VR—dubbed the Lost—proved No one knows how we survived. At prone to severe mental illness, but some point, the machines just stopped. Firewall knows some are also asyncs, There are a million theories why, but wielding what can only be called the possibility that they might return psychic powers. And just a few years ago, to finish us off hangs over the head of the Factors, an alien race of slime-mold every survivor. space merchants, made first contact. In their wake, the solar system was Politically, the solar system is divided. permanently altered. Earth was a The Planetary Consortium is the mouth- smoking ruin. Large swaths of Luna and piece of the hypercorp-aligned city Mars were quarantined as the machine states of Venus, Luna, and Mars. The life there, while no longer guided by Jovian Republic of is fascist in the TITANs, remained dangerous. its politics but principled in its techno- ’s , Iapetus, had been logical precautionism. The Autonomist partially converted into a matrioshka Alliance includes anarchist, anar- brain—a planet-scale megacomputer. cho-capitalist, and technosocialist poli- And all over the system, we began to ties spanning Jupiter’s Trojan and Greek discover mysterious Pandora gates , Saturn, Uranus, Neptune, and that opened to exoplanets in other star beyond. Enclaves of these factions exist systems—some so far from Earth that outside the parts of the system they astronomers haven’t been able to fix dominate, and the Main Belt and Kuiper their positions within the galaxy. Belt are a wild west exploited by all. Did the TITANs disappear into the The economies of the factions

network of Pandora gates? Did they differ, spurring conflicts. In auton- W

achieve some type of machine apothe- omist territory, currency is obsolete. elcome osis and leave us to our fate? Or are they Unrestricted use of nanofabrication still here, biding their time, before the means that anyone can manufacture final act of our destruction unfolds? anything they need given a blueprint

and basic raw materials. In these open to

economies, reputation, not wealth, F

mediates the exchange of information i A TIME OF rewall and services. In the Consortium sphere, ECLIPSE: THE nanofabber blueprints and the fabbers themselves are protected by DRM, SOLAR SYSTEM, enforcing payment in credits before printing items. That autonomist terri- CIRCA AF10 tories flagrantly disregard Consortium Our efforts to rebuild from the Fall anti-piracy laws doesn’t smooth brought strange harvests. Uplifted relations. In Jovian space, nanofab is animals, artificial generalized banned for most citizens, and credits 5 are used to pay for manufactured goods. The Jovians consider the rest of transhu- manity incautious for relying so heavily FIREWALL on nanotech, which the TITANs also You’re part of Firewall—a mostly-secret subverted during the Fall. organization dedicated to combating Earth governments ceased to exist. x-risks. Some of your peers have Beyond the sway of the big factions, been in this fight from the start. They crime syndicates, mercenaries, scien- started out in government outfits like tists, artists, pirates, isolationists, the UK’s Bletchley Park or China’s and weirder clades have built their Machine Intelligence Directorate own societies in private patches of (MIND). Others were part of inde- space. Aside from the threat that the pendent groups like the argonauts, TITANs will return, we face existen- the Jörmungandr Initiative, or the tial risks—x-risks—that complicate Singularity Foundation. After the Fall, our survival. These include weapons the battered remnants of these groups of mass destruction, diseases brought formed the Eye, an information sharing back from beyond the Pandora gates, network for anti-x-riskers. abuse of salvaged TITAN , It quickly became apparent that the celestial collisions, and the occasional disunity and mistrust that kept Earth’s nest of exsurgents bent on further governments from working together spreading the virus. during the Fall had carried over to the No one watches what’s going on new political factions. A series of virtual across all these borders. No one shares conferences on x-risk mitigation hosted information between the data vaults by the technoprogressive argonauts lead of Jupiter and the academic networks members of the Eye to form Firewall, of Titan. No one has the reach to help a cell-structure conspiracy devoted small, isolated space habitats, or to track to detecting and containing x-risks an exsurgent infiltrator from the clouds anywhere in transhuman space. of Uranus to the souks of a Martian This isn’t a simple mission. Keeping megacity. No one except us. the Eye’s servers secret and secure

WHAT IS ? Transhumanism is an international cultural and intellectual movement that endorses the use of science and technology to enhance the human condition, both mentally and phys- ically. In support of this, transhumanism embraces emerging technologies to eliminate the undesirable elements of the human condition such as aging, disabilities, diseases, and involuntary death. In Eclipse Phase, the transhuman program has borne fruit in the form of enhanced humans, uplifted animals, and machine sapience. But counter to the hopes of many present day transhumanists, eternal youth, enhanced anatomy, and heightened intel- ligence haven’t been equal for all. In the Planetary Consortium’s sphere of influence, they’re the prerogatives of the wealthy, while the masses make do with older used bodies, robotic shells, or sometimes no physical bodies at all.

6 is a massive task all by itself, even Operations are run on a shoestring if the rumors are true that we have budget, with proxies calling in whom- guardian angels in the form of transhu- ever they can from a given locale man-friendly AIs called Prometheans. to reconnoiter, infiltrate, or fight as Each Firewall working group, called needed. Your cell might be a long- a server, is organized by one or more standing team, or it might have been proxies—Firewall’s core of facilita- put together on the spur of the moment. tors, threat watchers, and logisticians. You were recruited because you’re Servers in turn oversee cells, consisting resourceful, you have needed exper- of teams of rank-and-file agents—that’s tise, or maybe you saw something you you—called sentinels. shouldn’t have but handled it well where The distributed, anti-hierarchical most people would have fled in terror. nature of Firewall keeps power from Maybe you lost everything in the Fall, accumulating in one place. On the up maybe you’re an idealist who thinks side, this keeps our operations secret and they can fix everything, or maybe you’re our decision making democratic, at least just looking for a good fight. You’ve at the level of the proxies. On the down passed our loyalty tests—for now—and side, it means that factional disputes proven you’re ready. between Firewall servers sometimes turn One thing we all agree on: transhu- ugly. As in wider transhuman society, manity stands on the brink of extinc- though, reputation in the Eye matters. tion. We all feel called to act, and with a Servers or cells that go rogue too often viewpoint that’s galactic, not local. quickly find themselves cut off from Extinction is coming. Will you fight it? support from the rest of the organization. W elcome

to F i rewall

7 GLOSSARY

Below are some terms useful to players and GMs Biomorph: A biological body, whether a flat, getting to know the world of Eclipse Phase. Since splicer, genetically engineered transhuman, Eclipse Phase takes place in a hard or pod. universe, real-world terms from science and Body Bank: A service for acquiring or storing a technology also appear liberally. If it’s not in this morph. AKA dollhouse, morgue. glossary, try Wikipedia! Bots: . AI-piloted synthetic shells. AKA, drones AF: After the Fall (used for reference dating). Cortical Stack: An implanted memory cell used AGI: Artificial General Intelligence. An AI that for ego backup. Located where the spine has cognitive faculties comparable to that of meets the skull; can be cut out. a human or higher. Also known as “strong AI” Ego: The part of you that switches from body to (differentiating from more specialized “weak body. AKA ghost, soul, persona. AI”). See also “seed AI.” Egocasting: Term for sending egos via AI: . Generally used to refer farcasting. to weak AIs; i.e., AIs that do not encompass ETI: Extraterrestial Intelligence. The term (or in some cases, are completely outside of) Firewall uses to refer to the god-like post-sin- the full range of human cognitive abilities. AIs gularity alien intelligence theorized to be differ from AGIs in that they are usually spe- responsible for the Exsurgent virus. cialized and/or intentionally crippled/limited. Exsurgent: Someone infected by the Exsurgent Anarchist: Someone who believes government virus. is unnecessary, that power corrupts, and Exsurgent Virus: The multi-vector virus created that people should control their own lives by an unknown ETI and seeded throughout through self-organized individual and the galaxy in Bracewell probes. The Exsurgent collective action. virus is self-morphing and can infect both Argonauts: A faction of techno-progressive computer systems and biological creatures. scientists that promote responsible and Factors: The alien ambassadorial race that deals ethical use of technology. with transhumanity. AR: Augmented Reality. Information from the The Fall: The apocalypse; the singularity and Mesh overlaid on your real-world senses. wars that nearly brought about the downfall AR data is usually entoptic (visual), but can of transhumanity. also be audio, tactile, olfactory, kinesthetic Firewall: The secret cross-faction conspiracy (body awareness), emotional, or other that works to protect transhumanity from types of input. When you use the Mesh, it’s “existential threats” (risks to transhumanity’s frequently through AR windows. continued existence). Async: A person with psi abilities. Forking: Copying an ego. Not all forks are full Autonomists: The alliance of anarchists, copies. AKA backups. Barsoomians, Extropians, scum, and Titanians. Gatecrashers: Explorers who take their chances Barsoomian: A rural Martian, typically using a Pandora gate to go somewhere resentful of hypercorp control. Also known previously unexplored. as Rednecks. Ghost-riding: The act of carrying an infomorph BF: Before the Fall (used for reference dating). in a special implant module inside your head. Bioconservative: An anti-technology Habitat: A transhuman space colony, whether movement that argues for strict regulation a tiny cluster of tin cans on trusswork, or a of nanofabrication, AI, uploading, forking, kilometers-long . AKA, hab, cognitive enhancements, and other disrup- . tive technologies. 8 Indentures: Indentured servants who have Exsurgent infection. The Prometheans secretly contracted their labor to a hypercorp or back Firewall and work to defeat x-risks. other authority, usually in exchange for the Proxies: Members of the Firewall internal promise of a morph. structure. Infolife: Artificial general intelligences and Psi: Parapsychological powers acquired due more powerful AGIs. to infection by the Watts-MacLeod strain of Infugee: “Infomorph refugee,” or someone who Exsurgent virus. left everything behind on Earth during the Re-instantiated: Refugees from Earth who Fall—even their own body. escaped only as bodiless infomorphs, but Jamming: The act of “becoming” a teleoper- who have since been resleeved. ated drone thanks to XP technology. Resleeving: Changing bodies or downloading Lost Generation: In an effort to repopulate into a new one. Also called remorphing, post-Fall, a generation of children were reincarnation, shifting, rebirthing. reared in VR simulspaces using time accel- Scum: The nomadic faction of space punks/ eration. The results were disastrous: many gypsies that travel from station to station in went insane, and the rest were stigmatized. heavily modified barges or swarms of ships. Some are rumored to have displayed Notorious for being a roving black market. psychic powers. Sentinels: Agents of Firewall. Mesh: The omnipresent wireless mesh data Simulspace: Full-immersion virtual reality network. Also used as a verb (to mesh) and environments. adjective (meshed or unmeshed). Singularity: A point of rapid, exponential, and Mesh ID: The unique signature attached to recursive technological progress, beyond one’s mesh activity. which the becomes impossible to Mesh Inserts: Nanoscale cranial implants (in predict. Often used to refer to the ascension biomorphs) or mesh hardware (in synths) of some AGIs to god-like levels of intelligence. that act as computation, storage, and Mesh Sleight: A psi power. access, controlled by thought, from the brain. Synthmorph: Synthetic morphs. Robotic shells A cheap, disposable, external version made possessed by transhuman egos. of flexy plastic, called an Ecto, is a favorite Titanian: Someone from Titan, a moon of of hackers. Saturn. Morph: A physical body. AKA sleeve, shell. TITANs: The human-created, recursively GLOSSARY Muse: Personal AI helper programs. improving, military AGIs that underwent a Nanobot: A nano-scale machine. hard-takeoff singularity and prompted the Nanofabricator: Any of a family machines that Fall. Original military designation was TITAN: print physical objects from feedstock based Total Information Tactical Awareness Network. on digital blueprints. Some are specialized Transhuman: An extensively modified human. for mechanical or inorganic objects, while Ultimates: Separatist mercenary faction others can print food and drugs. whose ideology of genetic and mental Nanoswarm: A mass of tiny nanobots improvement draws from both Indian unleashed into an environment. religions and fascism. O’Neill Cylinder: A pop can shaped habitat, Uplifting: Genetically transforming an animal spun for gravity. species to sapience. Pandora Gates: The wormhole gateways discov- XP: Experience Playback. Experiencing someone ered after the disappearance of the TITANs. else’s sensory input (in real-time or recorded). Prometheans: A group of transhuman-friendly Also called experia, sim, simsense, playback. AGIs created by early argonauts years X-Risk: Existential Risk. Something that threat- before the TITANs and that (mostly) avoided ens the very existence of transhumanity.

9 TRANSHUMANITY'S FATE RULES

The various components of simply can’t. Mobility: Limber could Transhumanity's Fate—physical and be used this way, providing permis- mental conflict, mesh hacking, morph sion to pass through a small crack and ego attributes, psi, and so on—use other characters can’t fit through. the rules from Fate Core as a baseline But it could also be invoked (via the with the following rules on top of that. Octomorph aspect) to gain the upper tentacle when wrestling someone. PLAYING FREE INVOCATIONS A few ego stunts and morph traits grant ECLIPSE PHASE either “one free invocation per session” or “one free invocation per scene.” WITH FATE CORE Per-session abilities refresh whenever For the most part, Transhumanity's fate points refresh, meaning that if Fate uses the mechanics presented in fate points refresh midway through a Fate Core. Where the rules diverge in game for a given reason, that ability’s minor ways, we specify this. For major free invocation refreshes. Likewise, if departures, such as skills that work the session ends on a cliffhanger and differently, we include a full write-up. the GM doesn’t want to do a fate point In any case, you will need a copy of refresh right away in the next session, Fate Core to play Transhumanity's Fate. these abilities don’t refresh either. The coreEclipse Phase rulebooks are Per-scene abilities refresh specifi- also recommended for a more complete cally when morph stress boxes would presentation of the setting. clear off, so if one scene runs right into another without a breather, the ability’s TRAITS free invocation doesn’t refresh with that Some of the capabilities of morphs new scene. and psychic powers are represented by traits. Traits are, in part, sub- ACTION LENGTHS aspects. They serve as a reminder of Eclipse Phase splits various tasks when the core aspect they pertain to into different lengths, based on how could be invoked or compelled. In the involved the task is compared to pulling case of morphs, traits also provide a trigger or punching someone. Fate’s permission or justification to do sense of time is more fluid, but it still things other characters couldn’t do. holds to some sense of story logic, so For example, a character with the Transhumanity's Fate uses three scales morph aspect Octomorph has the of time: normal, long, and specific. traits Environmental Adaptation: Normal actions take an exchange’s Gills and Mobility: Limber. Gills worth of time as if in a heated conflict, aren’t a sub-aspect you’d often invoke, like verbal sparring or a firefight (see but they do mean the character can Exchanges, p. 159, Fate Core). Long breathe underwater where others actions can’t be done in the scope

10 of a heated conflict, as it can take Spanish, Arabic, Portuguese, Russian, several minutes or longer. Specific- French, Japanese, and Cantonese. timed actions tell you how long they Other languages that remain strong take, which is usually longer than a include Bengali, Dutch, Farsi, German, long action. Italian, Javanese, Korean, Polish, This is only important when different Punjabi, Swedish, Tamil, Turkish, Urdu, actions happen at the same time. A Vietnamese, and Wu. Some languages normal action can interrupt or compli- were effectively lost during the Fall, cate a long action, and at least an entire especially those in some undeveloped conflict full of normal actions can regions, as their speaking populations happen at the same time as a single long did not migrate into space pre-Fall and action. Use your sense of story and drama were not privileged enough to survive as a group to pace how the various scales in large numbers as infomorph refugees. of action work in a given moment of play. For more on languages in the setting, Naturally, there can be conflicts see p. 181, Eclipse Phase. that take place with long actions back and forth. Only worry about this when people are working at different speeds TEAMWORK IN of story. MESH ACTIONS The teamwork rules (p. 174, Fate LANGUAGES Core) for mesh-related actions Languages in Transhumanity's Fate are (hacking, etc.) have been modified not handled as skills. Your character slightly. See Teamwork in Mesh either knows it or they don’t, much like Actions, p. 99, for details. other, minor random talents. Language is not usually a barrier in Eclipse CONTESTS Phase, as everyone's muse (personal AI assistant) can facilitate real-time UNDER FIRE translation by accessing public software Transhumanity's Fate uses new rules

on the mesh. This means that language in several situations called Contests FATETRANSHUMANITY'S RULES is only important in Fate games when Under Fire. They’re especially useful it complicates situations (no muses or when hacking attempts overlap with mesh access), but in order to achieve combat action. See p. 94 for details. that, you need to have a sense of what languages you speak. CONDITIONS The short rule is that you know the Conditions are a new type of situation languages most tied to your aspects and aspect. Unlike most situation aspects, your background. Having more than conditions can persist beyond a single one or two languages is unusual, and scene. However, they’re not as persistent having four or more is extraordinary. If or difficult to get rid of as consequences. the GM and other players think you’re Weapons that have temporary effects abusing the spirit of this rule, talk it over. like stunning a target use conditions. The ten most common languages in Conditions are also used to track the the solar system by speaking popula- progress of the exsurgent virus in char- tions are: Mandarin, Hindi, English, acters who become infected.

11 GAME CREATION

The world ofEclipse Phase is vast in scope, with numerous factions, envi- EXAMPLE ISSUES ronments, and types of characters to explore. During game creation, you’ll FACTIONAL narrow that scope, defining your • The Ultimates’ Long Game Doesn’t Include the team’s relationship to Firewall and the Rest of Us types of missions they specialize in, • Can Anarchism Prevail Against Existential and with that, the character roles that Threats? are important to the kind of game you want to play. You’ll also get some hints IDEOLOGICAL about where the game could go over • Hypercorp Greed Could Be Our Downfall the long run. • Infomorph Slavery Threatens Everyone GAME ASPECTS X-RISKS You’ll create two game aspects for your • Escalating Trade in WMDs Transhumanity's Fate campaign. • Cognite’s Unrestricted AGI Research One should be about a current issue in your world. The other should be ORGANIZATIONS about a coming change, something at • Project Ozma Is Always Hiring stake, or imminent danger. Either could • Titanian Intel: Our Best Frenemies concern your Firewall server—the working group within the conspiracy EXSURGENT CULTS to which you’re most closely tied (see • The White Khanhs Server Aspects, p. 14). • The Cult of the Destroyer

MEME-BASED CREATING • The Precautionary Principle ISSUES • Transhumanity Needs Backup Colonies The Eclipse Phase world abounds in OCCUPATIONAL HAZARDS political and economic intrigue among • Pirates Are Making Salvage Work Tough its mainstream factions and social • Paranoid Jovian Internal Security movements. Meanwhile, exhumans, exsurgents, and other fringe elements LOOMING PROBLEMS lay their own plans for transhumanity’s • Night Cartel-Pax Familae Tensions Are High future (or lack thereof). In the back- • Corrupt Aerostat Government ground, the TITANs and the ETI that created the exsurgent virus loom. This ferment of agendas provides ample sources for issues.

12 Most PCs begin play as sentinels, but characters who start the game with a +4 CREATING A or better in Eye Rep may opt to begin play as Proxies. In addition to greater SERVER clearance for Firewall’s secrets, Proxy Your sentinel isn’t alone in the fight characters have more access to their to save transhumanity. Your team is a NPC peers than other characters. Firewall cell, a group of sentinels who NPC proxies may be fleshed out as receive mission guidance and orga- major NPCs (and may even become nizational support from one or more antagonists over time). proxies. Your cell is in turn part of a server, a working group of proxies. Your cell and server might not be your only LOCATION/ connections to Firewall. If you have Eye SPECIALTY Rep skill (p. 37), you have access to the Many servers either have a specific Eye, Firewall’s secret social network. territory they watch over or are During game creation, the table should specialized for a certain type of make some decisions about the team’s mission. Common examples include server. Is it small and new, or old and servers based in a city or , established? Are its proxies open with servers that specialize in gatecrashing the sentinels, or do they withhold infor- or erasure ops, servers with an interest mation and sometimes outright lie in the in particular types of x-risks like name of mission security? Does it run on TITAN lore or WMDs, and servers a shoestring budget, or it above average in with a particular factional or political terms of resources? (Remember that desir- orientation. The five main factions in able resources can also be a disadvantage). Firewall are the pragmatists, conser- Is it a tight-knit server, working mostly vatives, mavericks, backups, and struc- on its own projects, or does it collaborate turalists, but servers may belong to heavily with other servers, sometimes multiple or none of these factions.

even loaning sentinels out to other ME G proxies? And finally, how controlling FIREWALL FACTIONS a are the proxies? Are they collaborators Your server is probably aligned to one and teammates, or are they ruthlessly or more of the major factions within C manipulating the sentinels toward ends Firewall. Even servers that are osten- reation the sentinels don’t fully understand? sibly neutral tend to lean toward one faction or another because of their PROXIES proxies’ allegiances. Most servers have 5-50 proxies, averaging a few dozen. As a sentinel, you’ll only • Pragmatists, the majority faction, know one or two proxies—the ones who favor using all of the tools at Firewall's work with your cell. You’ll most often disposal and improvising in the field talk to your router, the proxy in charge to get the best results. of coordinating your missions. You also • Conservatives favor a scorched Earth might have some contact with your vector, policy, disposing of TITAN artifacts the proxy in charge of secure communi- and infected transhumans quickly cations between you and your server. and thoroughly. 13 • Backups advocate focusing Firewall’s game world because of how your server resources on survival initiatives, behaves. These aspects can describe creating redoubts and secret colonies the server’s reputation within Firewall so that transhumanity’s eggs aren’t (Unpredictable Mavericks, Nuke-it- all in one basket. from-Orbit Conservatives), the style • Mavericks are unified mainly in that of its NPC proxies (Forknapping they favor autonomy for individual Manipulators, No One Left Behind), servers and embrace unorthodox or its resources (TITAN Lore solutions to Firewall’s structure. Clearinghouse, Superior Morph They also have their share of nihilists Provisioning—via Black Market). and malcontents. • Structuralists want to reform Firewall into a more hierarchical, EYE REP CAP unified, accountable, and above- (OPTIONAL) ground organization. Finally, the group might decide to cap Eye Rep (p. 37), a sentinels’ skill SERVER ASPECTS at networking and calling in favors You may choose a server aspect as part from within Firewall through the Eye, of your game aspects (p. 12). Good Firewall’s secret social network. If the server aspects are double-edged, like group decides they want to play new any good aspect. They could confer an recruits, or that their proxies aren’t advantage, but they also imply trouble letting them fully into the fold yet, or a change that can happen in the placing a cap on Eye Rep makes sense. 14 alien world; Synergy, a world of aerial creatures where the colonists have READY-TO-PLAY formed a group mind; Olaf, a massive unexplored . GAMES Likely Opposition: Colonial authori- If your group wants to jump right into a ties, hostile xenolife, rival explorers, game with some parameters set for them, TITAN remnants the following example games provide a Inspirations: Blindsight, Prometheus, quick starting point. Alternatively, use , Traveller bits of these for building your own game. Game Aspects: Exploration Will Save Transhumanity but Might Kill Us, GATECRASHERS What Lies in the Dark Between Firewall sends its brightest and most the Gates? reckless on missions through the Pandora gates. In a gatecrashing game, you’ll be investigating the Fall-like SCRAP AND demises of other civilizations, infil- SALVAGE trating off-the-grid corporate labs, or Your crew of rowdy scum barge even seeking traces of the TITANs. misfits somehow ended up in Firewall You’ll regularly brave the dangers of (possibly after doing something useful, being cut off from the rest of trans- or possibly after doing mind-altering humanity on the far side of the gates. substances with your new proxy at Scientific knowledge and practical a Carnival of the Goat drug orgy, or survival skills are important. Often, possibly both). You still do what you you’ll be too busy fighting hostile do best—exploring abandoned space alien fauna or exsurgent xenodinosaur stations and derelict ships—but now analogs to talk. However, social skills you do it with the knowledge that the do come into play when your team next hull Firewall sends you to claim discovers a new species and has to nego- could be teeming with self-replicating

tiate a price for its genome—or choose nanoviruses or slavering exsurgent ME G to preserve it in the public domain. toadmen. So, sometimes also you are a Ultimately, exploration into the nature murder hoboes. This type of game calls of the gates themselves might reveal the for a good mix of tech, fighting, and C galaxy’s ancient truths. social skills (for wheeling and dealing reation Useful Archetypes: Explorer, Field with your space treasure—or bribing Engineer, Merc, Programmer- crazed exhuman space pirates who want Archeologist, Scout, Xenoarcheologist to jack your loot and eat your morphs). Interesting Locales: Chat Noir, an Useful Archetypes: anarchist gate city in Uranian space; Bot Jammer, Militiamensch, Echo IV, a megafauna paradise; Luca Programmer-Archeologist, Scavenger, II, grave of a failed, aardvark-like Smuggler, Techie civilization; Giza, planet of the alien Interesting Locales: Abandoned aster- chat pyramids; Ma’adim Vallis, the oid mining colony; derelict freighter; Planetary Consortium gate facility on Meathab, a probably-sapient living Mars; Portal, a nexus of gates on an space station with a hull made of

15 bacon; Earth orbit, full of abandoned Your sentinels will need guile, tech habitats, autonomous killsats, and skills, and no small willingness to get pieces of ships destroyed in the dirty in this type of game. To the right war with the TITANs; Fresh Kills, a audience, a canister of self-replicating heavily defended scavenger base in TITAN-designed nanoplague prac- Earth orbit; crash site on an out-of- tically sells itself—unless you take it the-way Kronosian moon; the ice off the market. To make things more tunnels beneath Iapetus, bored out by challenging, Firewall might not entirely the TITANs in an attempt to make a trust your team, given that a criminal planet-scale megacomputer background is almost a requirement Likely Opposition: Corporate “acqui- to function in this world. Expect to be sitions” teams, exhumans, military unwillingly resleeved, sent on decoy blockades, other salvage crews, space missions, and generally fucked with pirates, things that should have been by your anonymous, god-complexoid left in their cryo tubes proxy from time to time. The table Inspirations: Alien Resurrection, Event might wish to agree on a very low cap Horizon, Farscape, Pathfinder / for Eye Rep in this type of game. Dungeons & Dragons Useful Archetypes: AI Researcher, Cool Game Aspects: Making a Living Off Hunter, Criminal Hacker, Detective, Dangerous Space Junk, We Do What Ego Hunter, Enforcer, Freelance Judge, Firewall Asks … Usually Genehacker, Networker, Smuggler Interesting Locales: Extropia, an anar- chocapitalist city; Kronos NIGHT MARKET Cluster, a dangerous space hab divided B LUES between anarchist communities and Night markets used to be a thing in criminal gangs; Locus, a well-orga- south and southeast Asia, old Earth, nized anarchist cluster hab in the where bazaars were held by night to Jovian Trojans; the red-market bazaars avoid the heat of the day. Now the term of Noctis-Qianjiao, Mars; online black "night market" has become a byword in markets; the New Quebec clone vats; criminal and anarchocapitalist circles shady street doc lairs; Legba, asteroid for marketplaces—red, black, and grey— stronghold of the Nine Lives ego-trad- that trade anything imaginable in an ing cartel ever-changing array of places to avoid Likely Opposition: Out-there artists, the heat of the law or social ostraciza- body thieves, black kettle genehack- tion. Guns, missiles, unrestricted nano- ers, singularity seekers, soul traders, fabbers, exotic gene therapies, discount weapons brokers, exsurgent infiltra- pleasure pods, three-legged marsupial tors, your own Firewall proxies goldfish, indentures, forknapped egos, Inspirations: Altered Carbon, Bladerunner, stolen prototypes, and weapons of mass 2013, The Stone Canal destruction all make their way through Game Aspects: You Can Get Anything the Night Market—and Firewall has its in the Night Market; Our Proxy, eyes peeled. “Maximum Mike,” Doesn’t Tell Us Much

16 or more of your cell are proxies, full A FISTFUL OF CREDITS members of the Firewall server with Corrupt officials and rival gangs. which you’re affiliated. Hypercorp secrets and left-behind Useful Archetypes: Bot Jammer, Cool TITAN war machines. Glamorous Hunter, Criminal Hacker, Enforcer, cities and wild outland towns. Mars is Field Engineer, Freelance Judge, the new cradle of transhumanity, and Genehacker, Journalist, Martian it’s Firewall’s biggest hotspot. Part Ranger, Scout, Smuggler, Zone Stalker spaghetti western, part Asian crime Interesting Locales: A thriller, this type of game centers on car carrying a suspicious shipment hypercorp machinations and the threat of morphs; the Red Northern rail from the TITAN Quarantine Zone, a line connecting Olympus to Noctis- massive stretch of Mars still overrun Qianjiao; New Dazhai, an unfriendly by now-masterless TITAN minions. corporate settlement engaged in The backdrop is the glittering excess questionable research; the aban- and social inequality of Martian cities doned industrial area surrounding played against the frontier sensibilities the Olympus Mons space elevator of outback. on Mars; Pilsener City, a ditchstop Firewall brought your team together agricultural dome town where weird because you know the hinterlands shit has been going down; Brevard’s and the fringes. Survival, combat, and Souk, a cave system used as a meeting investigative skills are all important in place by the northern Maker nomads; this type of game, but you’ll want a few El Destino Verde, a yakuza dive in team members with good credit, Civ the Noctis badlands concealing an Rep, and social skills as well. Expect to operation to make drugs from exsur- visit a lot of towns in the outback where gent bodily fluids; a thousand-cred- there’s something evil in the water, it-a-night bordello in Elysium, the and the local bosses are among those Los Angeles of Mars; the smugglers’ affected. Exhuman cults, black-budget caves at Ascraeus Mons; the nearby

labs, and entire towns infected by the Martian Ranger station; the ruins of ME G exsurgent virus can all take root out the city of Qurain, deep in the TITAN a in the Martian countryside, but some- Quarantine Zone; the White Zone, the times, the trail leads back to the city. dangerous heart of the TQZ C Under the domes of the big cities, the Likely Opposition: Black kettle reation opposition includes hypercorp security genehackers, corp security, corrupt forces, crime syndicates, covert exsur- local officials, exsurgents, Guanxi gent cults, and Firewall’s rival, Project mobsters, indentured servant Ozma. Finally, the occasional possible holders, local crime bosses, Planetary suicide run into the TITAN Quarantine Consortium spies, Project Ozma, Zone is not off the table. TITAN war machines Because Mars is a key theater of Inspirations: A Fistful of Dollars/Yojimbo, action with its huge, dense population, Cowboy Bebop, Django Unchained, proxies here get involved personally Durance, Oldboy trilogy more often than elsewhere in the Game Aspects: This Here’s Our Planet system. This is risky, but the stakes on and We Won’t Trade Her for Nothin’, Mars are high. You might decide one Proxies in the Trenches 17 CREATING YOUR SENTINELS

You may have some good ideas that could generate your high concept and CHARACTER trouble aspects. Before you write those CONCEPT down, proceed with the Firewall Phases. First, come up with your overall char- NAME acter concept, using the Character There are a couple different names you Concepts section on p. 130, Eclipse should think about for your character: Phase. The same advice in there their actual, legal name and their applies: talk with the rest of the group Firewall codename. For operational about if your character concepts mesh, security, codenames are used on and turn a short description into a missions and on the Eye, Firewall’s sentence. Important: this is not an peer-to-peer social network. aspect, at least not yet. Aspects come later. If you need help devising a concept, see Team Roles, p. 26. FIREWALL Once you have that, choose a back- ground from the Choose Background PHASES section (pp. 131–132, Eclipse Phase) Next, you’ll fill in theFirewall phases, and a faction from the Choose Faction which works much like Fate Core’s section (pp. 132–134, Eclipse Phase). The default phases (pp. 38–44, Fate Core), game statistics listed for those choices except that there are four phases rather have no effect in Fate; this is purely a than three, and you won’t write down narrative choice, one that you’ll incor- aspects for the phases at this point. porate as needed into your aspects later, as well as how you play your character. For both choices, write a brief statement PHASE ONE: HOW about how that element shapes your YOU GOT NOTICED character today. What impact did your Firewall is picky when it comes to background have on you? What benefits inducting people into its secret organi- or debts do you have with your faction? zation. Some event (or events) demon- After that, come up with one to strated your extraordinary and useful three motivations from the Choose capabilities, and that’s how you got on Motivations section (p. 138, Eclipse Firewall’s . What was it? Phase). As with the background and Use the framework for the Your faction choice, write a brief statement Adventure phase (pp. 40–41, Fate Core), about how this motivation shapes you. and address the following: What are you chasing because of your motivation? What did you do recently • Why were you in this situation? Since for your motivation that put you in a it wasn’t for Firewall, this shows your difficult situation? individual loyalties or motives.

18 CHARACTER CREATION Character Concept n p. 18 Firewall Phases n p. 18 Making Ego Aspects n p. 22 Skills n p. 23 Morph n p. 24 Stunts n p. 24 Refresh n p. 24 Muse n p. 25 Example Team Roles n p. 26

CHARACTER CREATION SUMMARY

• Create concept (background, faction, and motivations) and brainstorm character's Firewall backstory (how you got noticed, a recent mission, crossing paths). • Create 4 ego aspects: high concept, trouble, and 2 others. • Consider the example team roles. • Spend 25 skill points, choosing either a broad focus or deep focus pyramid. • Choose a morph. • Choose 3 to 5 stunts (morph-, ego-, or gear-based). At least one must be an ego stunt. • Start with 6 refresh. Reduce this by morph refresh costs and stunts. You must have a minimum refresh of 1. • Create your muse. • Determine stress track boxes and consequence slots. NOT USING FIREWALL? The default setup is that all the characters are part of Firewall, but that’s far from the only way to play in Eclipse Phase! Rewrite the first two phases to fit the game and group dynamic you set up. If you’re working for a different organization, that’s a simple change. If you’re not, then as a group discuss what two events would be better fits for the first two phases.

• How legal or ethical was your • Was the mission successful, partially conduct? successful, or a complete failure? • Did you get what you wanted or • Do you remember the mission? achieve your goal (if you even had one)? That last question is important (and • What was the aftermath of your could apply to every phase, if you like). By actions (if any)? default, we expect that you’ll remember • How long after this did Firewall these events, but even if you don’t they contact you? should be noted down. The events still happened in the setting, which means This phase establishes both a sense of that they could come back to haunt a your character’s competence and some character who doesn’t even have memory recent history that isn’t directly tied to of them. Also, in the Crossing Paths Firewall. After all, your characters are phases, another character might have only on-call for Firewall—they have been in the event and still have memory fuller lives with their own urgencies of it, which is dramatically fruitful. and issues. PHASE THREE: PHASE TWO: CROSSING PATHS A RECENT MISSION This is identical to Crossing Paths This phase is about a Firewall mission, (p. 42, Fate Core), where you will add one that other characters might have to another character’s event by compli- been involved in. It works very much cating it, solving a situation, or both. like the Your Adventure phase (p. 40, However, since there’s more than one Fate Core). Along with the questions in event, together you choose which event that section, address the following: makes more sense for your characters to have crossed paths, whether briefly • What was the nature of the mission? or for the whole of the event. Intelligence gathering? Infiltration? If you hook into someone else’s How Combat? You Got Noticed event, talk about the • What mission details did Firewall timing. Were you already in Firewall at provide? that point? If not, was it before you were • Did they give you a morph specifi- noticed or after that but before Firewall cally for the mission? approached you? By detailing this, you’ll • Is there anything that Firewall didn’t collectively build a timeline of events tell you that you ran into? that happened in your game’s backstory.

20 If neither event seems to work for If you really want to declare that your your characters, come up with some- characters haven’t met before this, that’s thing else that’s a minor moment in fine. But it does deprive you of material each of your lives—nothing so dramatic for both aspects and immediate char- as the above two events. Two examples: acter interplay.

• You were both involved in a bar-room PHASE FOUR: brawl. Were you on the same side? How did you fare? CROSSING PATHS • You were both on the same transport AGAIN and saw something noteworthy or By whichever method of crossing paths suspicious. What did you each do? that the group is using, cross paths with How did the other person strike you another person. Use the guidance in the as memorable? previous phase for this one. EATING C r S e ntinels

21 concept aspect and trouble aspect (pp. 32–35, Fate Core). When coming up with MAKING EGO those aspects, talk the ideas over with the rest of the group to make sure that those ASPECTS aspects (and concepts in general) still With your character’s backstory and mesh together with the other characters personality fleshed out, it’s time to and with the game’s overall conceit. make aspects. Aspects on characters The high concept should draw on the are divided into two categories: ego character concept and the information aspects, which relate to the character’s from the How You Got Noticed phase, competence, personality, history, and at the very least. The trouble aspect is everything else that isn’t tied to a give particularly flexible, though first look to morph; and morph aspects, which are the reasons you have your motivations keyed to the morph the character is in at and why you were in the How You Got any given time. The two morph aspects Noticed situation. are defined when taking a morph(see The other two aspects are freeform, Morph Aspects, p. 61). to be drawn from anything that you (or Characters have four ego aspects, others) described about your character which you’ll define now. The first two above. Here are some general types of ego aspects are the classic Fate high aspects that you could key to:

FIREWALL LOYALTY ASPECTS Aspects that talk about why a character is loyal to Firewall (or what it would take to turn them) can be a great option for a character’s trouble aspect or one of their freeform ego aspects. For new or idealistic sentinels, fill in the blanks in the following sentence: “[My motivation] drove me to join Firewall.” For veteran or cynical sentinels, try this sentence: “I have a problem with [thing Firewall does].” Figuring out how your character would respond to either produce some great aspects. For example, a character who disagrees with Firewall’s invasive loyalty tests might have the aspect Tired of All These Loyalty Tests. A character who joined because they lost people in the Fall might have Justice for my Family. BUT I HAVE SO MANY ASPECT IDEAS! If you have more than four aspect ideas, that’s great! Many people will have a number of ideas due to how rich this character creation is. You still only have four slots for ego aspects, but if you have more ideas than that, then you can choose the ones that you want to play with right away. One you choose your four ego aspects, note the other ideas down. They won’t be aspects that you or the rest of the group can use right away, but when you come to a milestone that involves rewriting an aspect, you could instead swap in one of those other aspects. That gives you a way to change what you want to play with regarding your character’s dramatic arc. And maybe if one isn’t getting any traction in the game, you and the GM can talk about just swapping it out with one that will before hitting a milestone. 22 • Competence: This is about how gifted or proficient you are at something. This could be a focused element of SKILLS your high concept or something The list of skills available to characters tangential that would surprise others in Transhumanity's Fate can be found to discover. The events in your phases, on p. 31. Characters start with 25 skill notably the first two, should help points and a skill cap of Great (+4) with one of these. (see The Skill Cap, p. 46, Fate Core). • Reputation: You’re known among Mediocre (+0) is the default for any skill people, for good and ill. The first that you do not take, though several two phases could lead to reputations, skills will state that they can only be either as fallout from groups affected used by characters who do take them; or praise from groups benefited. in those cases, they cannot be rolled or • Detriment: Anything from being otherwise used in an action by charac- hunted, to having a vice, to insa- ters that have not taken them. tiable curiosity could be an aspect. Assign your skills using either a Complicating situations in your broad focus or deep focus skill pyramid Crossing Paths phases could give you (see Skill Pyramid Options table, p. 23). some ideas here. (These sometimes Alternatively, you can spend the 25 turn out to be like a second trouble points freely, using the rule for Skill aspect, but not always.) Columns, p. 258, Fate Core (you can't • Relationship: Something about your have more skills at a certain rank than connection to an NPC, group, or even the rank below it). another PC could make for a strong aspect. Specifically for ones pointing at another PC, look at your Crossing Paths phases (or their Crossing Paths phases with you). Also look to your SKILL PYRAMID faction for inspiration. OPTIONS TABLE

• Motivation: The motivations you BROAD FOCUS (14 SKILLS) EATING C detailed earlier can be shaped into r aspects. 1 Great (+4) skill 2 Good (+3) skills Naturally, you can combine these, 4 Fair (+2) skills such as an aspect that touches on your S 7 Average (+1) skills e reputation for competence. If you can ntinels imagine different ways to invoke and compel your aspects, and if your aspects DEEP FOCUS (12 SKILLS) cover various situations, then they’re 2 Great (+4) skills ready for play. If you feel like they aren’t 2 Good (+3) skills going to work, talk the ideas over with the rest of the group and hash out some 3 Fair (+2) skills alternatives or figure out what tweaks 5 Average (+1) skills are necessary to make them fit.

23 provided with skill, gear, and morph descriptions. When choosing stunts, MORPH you must note which are ego stunts and Characters in Eclipse Phase live in which are morph or gear stunts. Ego morphs—biological, synthetic, or stunts are your inherent edges; you may purely informational shells that house only change them at milestones (see their personality and memories (known Advancement and Change, p. 255, Fate as the ego). At least one morph must be Core). Morph stunts change when you taken at character creation. Like stunts, switch bodies, and gear stunts change some advanced morphs (or morphs when you gain or lose important gear. enhanced with morph stunts) lower You must choose at least 1 ego stunt. your refresh. Basic morph models, See the Stunts chapter (p. 56) for however, have no refresh cost. more info on choosing and using stunts. The list of morphs, morph stunts, and To create your own stunts, follow the the rules governing them are in the guidelines on pp. 88–95, Fate Core. Morphs chapter, starting on p. 60. Unlike standard Fate games, in Transhumanity's Fate, you don't get any stunts for free. Each stunt has a STUNTS refresh cost. Stunts represent benefits your sentinel gets from morphs, gear, and their own capabilities. The last type,ego stunts, SPENDING go with characters when they move from body to body. Morph stunts and REFRESH gear stunts are temporary, lasting only Because Eclipse Phase characters are as long as a character is in a given body so varied in what they can do and how or has a given item. they’re defined, the refresh system in The starting morph you chose in this Fate build is made to match that. the previous step may give you access Characters start with 6 refresh and to one or more morph stunts; see the must spend at least 3. As usual, PCs morph description for a list. The Stunts need at least 1 refresh to be playable, chapter (p. 56) also includes stunts which means that you can spend up to 5. based on after-market augmentations to You can spend refresh on the following, your morph. The Stunts chapter (p. 56) 1 for 1: includes suggested ego stunts based on skills. Finally, the Stunts chapter (p. 56) • An ego stunt (each PC must have at provides sample stunts representing least one) (p. 56) especially useful gear. All of these • A morph with a refresh cost (p. 60). pre-built stunts are suggestions that can You may buy more than one morph, either be riffed on to create new stunts paying the refresh cost for each. or used as is for convenience. • Enhancing a morph you own with Create 3 to 5 stunts for your char- morph stunts or traits (p. 76) acter, or choose from the sample stunts • A gear stunt (p. 57)

24 • Access to a vast information reposi- tory and do smart-filtering for you. If CREATING connected to the mesh, they can pull up any piece of transhuman academic YOUR MUSE knowledge not covered by the Xeno- Most individuals have a dedicated AI Contact or X-Risks skills. that serves as their personal assistant. • Muses can interact with you as a Commonly known as a muse, this personal assistant, and have their AI has been a lifelong companion for own memories (data, really). As such, most people less than seventy-years old. a muse can organize your life for you Muses learn their owners’ tastes, habits, when it comes to mundane things. and preferences, and do their best to • Muses can operate on their own

make life and technology use as easy in a limited capacity, performing EATING C as possible. Muses can be alarm clocks, research-oriented errands while you’re r data retrieval gophers, appointment doing something more important. schedulers, accountants, and many other functions often limited only by Muses begin the game with one their owners’ imaginations. For more skill at Fair (+2) and one at Average S e information, see pp. 47–52, 244–245, (+1). Most commonly, these skills are ntinels and 265, Eclipse Phase. Investigate (to aid your character in All characters with mesh inserts research) and Infosec (to protect your (p. 72) are assumed to have muses that personal mesh against intrusions). they can communicate with mentally, Muses have 2 stress boxes and no though it’s not a requirement for a viable consequence slots. Transhumanity's Fate character. Muses are backed up on your cortical Muses allow a few things: stack (p. 72) and go with you when you back up, egocast, or resleeve (see Changing Morphs and Moving Egos, p. 79).

25 B OT JAMMER STRESS AND You’re an expert on all things robotic, using bots as scouts, helping hands, and CONSEQUENCES force multipliers for your team. PCs in Transhumanity's Fate have Peak Skill: Pilot stress tracks and consequence slots (p. Key Skills: Hardware, Infosec, Program 50, Fate Core). Your PC's physical stress Likely Morphs: Splicer, Menton track is dependent on their morph and Useful: Multi-Tasking, bots possibly Somatics skill; see Durability, p. 62, for a complete explanation. Each COOL HUNTER PC's ego has a mental stress track , fashions, and prevalent of 2 boxes, plus any additional boxes memes in your world are constantly granted by their Will skill (p. 53). Every shifting, bringing weal or woe to those PC also has 3 consequence slots (mild/ not paying attention—and so you find moderate/severe) that apply to both your niche being someone who pays morph injuries and mental traumas; attention. Corporations, social move- some morphs may provide additional ments, design houses, and espionage mild consequence slots. agencies all have jobs for someone who can cut through the bullshit, keep up with the party, and report back on TEAM ROLES what’s cool—right the fuck now. Players who want guidance coming up Peak Skill: Rapport with a high concept might consider the Key Skills: Athletics, Investigate, Notice following team roles as starting points Likely Morphs: Observer, Scurrier, for a useful sentinel. Splicer Useful: Attraction, Enhanced AI RESEARCHER Senses, Mnemonic Enhancement, You design or study artificial minds. Medichines, Multiple Personalities, Maybe you’re an AGI trying to under- psi-gamma sleights, observation gear stand yourself better, or maybe you’re stunts another type of transhuman out to create the next great overmind. Either CRIMINAL HACKER way, you’re a skilled ego hacker, a gifted You’re an underworld hacker, using all-around programmer, and an artist your security skills to profit in ways the at creating simulspaces. You also have authorities wouldn’t endorse. decent social skills, because young AGIs Peak Skill: Infosec need teaching as much as they need Key Skills: Cover, Deceive, Hardware programming. Likely Morphs: Menton, Swarmanoid Peak Skill: Program Useful: Multi-Tasking, bots, hacking Key Skills: Infosec, Medicine, Rapport gear stunts Likely Morphs: Infomorph, Menton Useful: Multiple Personalities, Multi- Tasking, psychosurgery and program- ming gear stunts

26 EGO HUNTER FIELD ENGINEER You’re a detective (private or with a You’re an outdoors-focused techie, police force) who specializes in tracking adept at aiding xenoarcheology digs, down egos—a tricky thing in a world crews, or civil where they can hop bodies with a few projects. hours’ notice. Peak Skill: Hardware Peak Skill: Kinesics Key Skills: Pilot, Somatics, Survival Key Skills: Investigate, Rapport, Will Likely Morphs: Flexbot, Ruster, Worker Likely Morphs: Splicer, Infomorph Pod Useful: Enhanced Senses, psi-gamma Useful: Environmental Adaptation, sleights Medichines, nanofabrication or ENFORCER gear stunts Whomever you work for—the Night FREELANCE JUDGE Cartel, the triads, the yakuza, a scum An arbiter and enforcer of the contract petals dealer, or even a small-time law systems that bind together anarcho- chessboxing racket on Titan—your job capitalist settlements, you’re part lawyer, is the same: enforcing your gang’s terri- part bounty hunter. tory and dealing messily with those who Peak Skill: Rapport don’t respect it. Key Skills: Kinesics, Provoke, Shoot Peak Skill: Provoke Likely Morphs: Fury, Novacrab, Sylph Key Skills: Civ Rep, Fight, Shoot Useful: Attraction, Structural Likely Morphs: Fury, Neo-Pig, Worker Enhancement, social and weapon Pod gear stunts Useful: Attraction, Strength, weapon gear stunts GENEHACKER With most of the work once done by EXPLORER doctors now the province of bots and

You’re an exoplanet ranger, skilled at AIs, the real practice of medicine now EATING C navigating and surviving on hostile falls to people like you: those who can r alien worlds—possibly with a little help troubleshoot problems at the genetic from psychic talents. level, treat difficulties with bio- and Peak Skill: Survival cyber- augmentations, and research Key Skills: Athletics, Shoot, cures to newly discovered pathologies. S e

Xeno-Contact Peak Skill: Medicine ntinels Likely Morphs: Bouncer, Ruster Key Skills: Investigate, Hardware, Useful: Enhanced Senses, Xeno-Contact Environmental Adaptation, Xeno- Likely Morphs: Menton, Splicer Empathy, exploration gear stunts Useful: Multi-Tasking, medical or psychosurgical gear stunts

27 JOURNALIST MILITIAMENSCH Transhuman journalists are filtering Part soldier, part neighborhood watch, and fact-checking specialists in a world part private detective, you’re the closest of ubiquitous surveillance. Whether thing most anarchist communities have you’re a vlogger who specializes in to cops or an army. x-risks or just a celebrity reporter who Peak Skill: Rapport witnessed an XP star transforming into Key Skills: Investigate, Kinesics, Shoot an exsurgent monster, Firewall needs Likely Morphs: Bouncer, Fury, Neo-Pig people like you to be its eyes in the zeit- Useful: Armor, Enhanced Senses, geist—and to influence public opinion. Structural Enhancement, weapon and Peak Skill: Investigate investigation gear stunts Key Skills: Civ Rep, Rapport, X-Risks Likely Morphs: Scurrier, Splicer NETWORKER Useful: Enhanced Senses, Mnemonic You’re a fixer, a broker, possibly in with Augmentation, investigation gear the corps, but probably also a black stunts marketeer. You’re owed favors by all the right people—but you might end up MERC owing some big ones in return. You’re a mercenary soldier. You might Peak Skill: Civ Rep be a freelancer now, but in the past you Key Skills: Cover, Cred, Rapport probably served an old Earth govern- Likely Morphs: Splicer, Sylph ment, a corporate private army, or a Useful: Attraction, Multi-Tasking, social mercenary faction like the ultimates. and reputation stunts Peak Skill: Shoot Key Skills: Fight, Notice, Somatics Likely Morphs: Fury, Novacrab, Reaper Useful: Armor, Strength, Structural Enhancement, weapon gear stunts

28 PROGRAMMER- TECHIE ARCHEOLOGIST If it breaks, you can fix it—or repro- You study the workings of old and gram it. In a society where everyone has forgotten computer systems—be they of some technical acumen just as a matter human or alien origin. of survival, you’re a geek among geeks. Peak Skill: Program Peak Skill: Hardware Key Skills: Hardware, Infosec, Key Skills: Infosec, Investigate, Program Xeno-Contact Likely Morphs: Flexbot, Menton, Synth Likely Morphs: Infomorph, Menton Useful: Enhanced Senses, Manipulators, Useful: Multi-Tasking, hardware or nanofabrication gear Quantum Computer stunts SCAVENGER XENOARCHEOLOGIST You’ve made your way as a salvage Those who study alien antiquities specialist, mining transhumanity’s space always run up against one unavoidable junk for whatever is still useful or valuable. truth: other than the amoeboid Factor Peak Skill: Hardware merchants, transhumanity is the only Key Skills: Infosec, Notice, Survival known living civilization of sapient Likely Morphs: Bouncer, Flexbot, beings physically encountered to date. Octomorph The question of why the stars are littered Useful: Enhanced Senses, Medichines, with dead civilizations is one of several / gear stunts that keep you up at night. Peak Skill: Xeno-Contact SCOUT Key Skills: Investigate, Notice, Survival Whether acting as site security on a Likely Morphs: Menton, Scurrier gatecrashing team or as an advance Useful: Environmental Adaptation, scout on a planet like Mars, you’re an Grok, Medichines, research and ideal recon component to any ops team. survival gear

Peak Skill: Notice EATING C Key Skills: Athletics, Shoot, Survival ZONE STALKER r Likely Morphs: Neo-Avian, Opteryx Aside from Earth, the TITAN Useful: Mobility, Reflex Boosters, Quarantine Zone on Mars is the biggest stealth and survival gear stunts no-go zone in the Solar System. It’s full of hideously dangerous TITAN war S e

SMUGGLER machines, alien environmental effects ntinels Despite ubiquitous nano-fabrication, that can kill you like a bug in a micro- there are still goods out there whose wave, exsurgents, and highly sought- movements are controlled, and you after TITAN technology. You specialize specialize in getting them where they’re in avoiding death by all the former to going—no questions asked. walk out of the TQZ with the latter. Peak Skill: Deceive Peak Skill: Infiltrate Key Skills: Cover, Infiltrate, Pilot Key Skills: Hardware, Notice, Survival Likely Morphs: Bouncer, Splicer, Likely Morphs: Ghost, Ruster Worker Pod Useful: Enhanced Senses, Medichines, Useful: Attraction, Shape Adjusting, Grok, stealth and survival gear stunts Stealth 29 SKILLS

Firewall recruits sentinels based more At the end of this book, there’s a on competence than any other factor. reference table that shows what each Agents hail from every clade and skill in Eclipse Phase maps to in species in the transhuman community, Transhumanity's Fate. but they all bring skills Firewall needs to carry out its mission. The skills in Transhumanity's Fate re-skin several SKILL LIST Fate Core skills, extend others, and add The following 25 skills cover the broad new ones. Since the setting covers a lot range of actions that nearly all char- of nuance and asserts various assump- acters are capable of being trained in. tions about how the world works, all Each skill contains the four actions the skills from Fate Core are reprinted (overcome, create an advantage, attack, here, altered to fit the setting and Eclipse and defend) it’s capable of and a selec- Phase-specific situations. tion of related ego stunts.

TRIVIA As a sentinel, you hack into things, investigate threats, and blow shit up. You have a real life, but your ten years of experience as a healthcare economist, your microgravity glass- blowing project, and your keen interest in Martian craft beers generally mean fuck all when you’re on a Firewall mission. Sometimes, though, a sentinel team needs someone who can correctly interpret local laws, deliver a scathing critique of a piece of art, know what’s currently fashionable, or analyze the economy of a space habitat based on how it’s deploying its resource harvester drones. Transhumanity's Fate doesn’t include skills for professions, artistic pursuits, specific aca- demic disciplines, or hobbies. In core Eclipse Phase, these are covered by the Academics, Art, Interest, and Profession skills. Many uses of these skills are handled by the set- ting-themed X-Risks and Xeno-Contact skills. Other tasks can simply be delegated to a character’s muse or handled by recruiting a freelance expert with Civ Rep. Where none of the above fully supports a particular character concept, here are some suggestions. To create a lawyer or diplomat, take the Investigate skill accompanied by a stunt spe- cific to the character’s profession. Diplomacy and law are data-driven professions, which the mesh research aspect of Investigate captures. Rapport, Deceive, and Provoke cover the social sides of these professions. This approach works for many other professions, like journalists and financiers. Artists and art experts can use the Rapport skill to gain the upper hand in social interactions based on their knowledge or creation of art. They use Investigate to be up-to-date on current happenings in the art world, invaluable for responding to a work in the context of current trends. Stunts can alter either of these skills to give an edge at art-related challenges. Cool hunters and trendwatchers can be handled similarly.

30 S kILLS 31

Eclipse Phase’s

SKILL LIST SKILL DESCRIPTION Operating various vehicles, remote controlling bots, and related applied knowledge related and bots, controlling remote various vehicles, Operating Writing and modifying software code, programming bots and nanoswarms, nanofabrication bots and nanoswarms, programming code, and modifying software Writing Being able to bring to bear currency, liquid assets, and financial intelligence and liquid assets, currency, Being able to bring to bear subtle ways of and other their knowledge manipulating others without misdirection, Lying, Knowledge of to transhumanity threats existential Political clout, access to information, and access to material aid within Firewall and access information, to access clout, Political Ranged combat Ranged and thrive in various environments navigate, Endure, living and otherwise Knowledge of alien species and cultures, Electronic intrusion and counterintrusion techniques, hacking, and encryption/decryption hacking, techniques, intrusion and counterintrusion Electronic Making positive connections and eliciting positive emotion Making positive connections and eliciting positive Research, analysis, interviewing, and other information-gathering and -collating skills interviewing, analysis, Research, Intimidating, scaring, or otherwise hostilely manipulating others scaring, Intimidating, Ability to assume false identities and avoid positive ID by the opposition false identities Ability to assume Aptitude regarding physical movement in various gravities; also used to avoid being also used to avoid being gravities; movement in various physical Aptitude regarding Ability to use a morph’s strength and its capacity to endure physical harm and its capacity to endure strength Ability to use a morph’s tests and for psi in horror used composure; one’s Ability to keep Ability to build, repair, physically hack, and upgrade equipment; demolitions equipment; and upgrade hack, physically repair, Ability to build, misdirection and creating sleight of hand, Avoiding detection, Ability to read other people via empathy and non-vocal communication Ability to read and maintenance ofApplied care biological beings; psychosurgery physically harmed Situational awareness and observance ofSituational awareness casual things Contacts, allies, and favors owned in the world outside Firewall and favors owned allies, Contacts, Close-quarters and melee combat Close-quarters and melee

p. 37 p. 47 p. 51 p. 41 p. 32 p. 52 p. 42 p. 35 p. 55 p. 36 p. 46 p. 45 p. 39 p. 49 p. 34 p. 54 p. 33 p. 53 p. 43 p. 43 p. 38 p. 48 p. 40 p. 50 PAGE Resources and Contacts are part of Cred, Civ Rep, and Eye Rep. Some elements of Some elements Contacts Rep. and Eye Civ Rep, of part are and Contacts Cred, Resources might fall until Investigate or another skill, depending on the goal of depending the action. might fall until Investigate or another skill, some other skills you might Many expect. skills are renamed and rethemed to fit Stealth. for Infiltrate and Kinesics for Empathy, as Somatics for Physique, such and language, setting Those familiar to Fate Core will see that there’s no Contacts or Resources skill listed here, as well as skill listed here, or Resources no Contacts will see that there’s Core familiar to Fate Those WHERE ARE CONTACTS AND RESOURCES? WHERE ARE CONTACTS SKILL Will Deceive Rep Eye Pilot Program Program Fight Fight Hardware Provoke Provoke Rapport Infiltrate Infiltrate Infosec Kinesics Medicine Notice Investigate X-Risks Xeno-Contact Athletics Somatics Survival Shoot Cover Cred Civ Rep confound your foes or otherwise make ATHLETICS a situation to your benefit. The Athletics skill represents a general Attack: Athletics is generally not level of physical fitness, whether aused to attack, though it does through natural talent, military cover throwing dangerous items like training, body enhancement, etc. grenades. It’s how good you are at moving Defend: Athletics is a catch-all your morph with speed, grace, and afor defense in a physical conflict, precision (contrast with Somatics, p. against both close-quarters and ranged 51). Sentinels also use this skill to fly attacks, provided you are aware of the using their morph’s innate capabili- danger. You also use it to defend against ties or to maneuver in non-standard characters who are trying to move past gravity. Gravity acclimation is no big you, if you are in a position to phys- deal under normal circumstances. It ically interfere (contrast with using becomes an obstacle in some cases, Somatics skill to defend against ranged though, such as when you’ve just attacks, which involves huddling down resleeved in 0.3 g after a year in 1 g, or in a defensible position rather than if you’re dealing with a tricky transi- moving about). tion from micrograv to spun gravity in a rotating space habitat. ATHLETICS STUNTS Overcome: Athletics allows • Ambidextrous: Every limb is a domi- oyou to overcome any obstacle nant one, no matter what morph involving physical movement—parkour, you’re in. You have +2 to non-combat climbing, free fall, flying, jumping, actions where multiple limbs make a swimming, etc. You use overcome task easier, such as climbing. actions with Athletics to move between • Free Fall: You’re skilled at maneu- zones in a conflict if there is a situation vering in microgravity. Gain a +2 on aspect or other obstacle in your way. Athletics tests when maneuvering in You also use Athletics to chase or race zero gravity. in any contests or challenges that rely • Freerunning: You’re an accomplished on these types of activities. traceur, able to traverse dense urban Create an Advantage: When areas with speed and style. In conflicts cyou are creating an advantage where acrobatic use of the local terrain with Athletics, you are jumping to high would provide an advantage, gain a +2 ground, running faster than the oppo- on Athletics rolls when trying to move nent can keep up with, or performing multiple zones or when movement 32 other acrobatic maneuvers that between zones is opposed. the right person to talk to for a given CIV REP task or to create an advantage relative to Civ Rep (short for Civic Reputation) is knowing someone’s reputation. the skill of maintaining an active social Attack: Civ Rep isn’t used to network and using it to get information aattack. and exchange tangible favors, often in Defend: Civ Rep can be used to the form of goods or services. Civ Rep adefend against people creating incorporates aspects of both Contacts social advantages against you, provided and Resources in Fate Core. your social network is a factor. Civ Rep has a narrative component to it, in that different characters are likely CIV REP STUNTS to have different types of associates, • Entrepreneur: You own or co-own providing justification for different a hypercorp, microcorp, or business flavors of use. Everyone’s network franchise—or you’re prominent in an includes friends, possibly family, and autonomist cooperative, collective, extended social circles. For a character or work syndicate. Choose what line with a hypercorp background, Civ of business you’re in when you take Rep also represents business contacts, this stunt. Gain +2 to Civ Rep actions former co-workers, civic associations, pertaining to this line of business. and the like. For anarchists, Civ Rep • Patron: You have an influential represents people with whom you can person in your life who can be relied barter, exchange favors, and cooperate on for occasional support. This on projects. For criminals, it’s about is an additional ego aspect, such who in the underworld fears you or as Wealthy Hyperelite Family could use a favor from you in the future. Member, High-Ranking Triad Boss, If your character is a dyed-in-the-wool or Anarchist Networker with an technosocialist with few hypercorp Unbeatable Reputation. You can business contacts, you’ll have to seri- invoke this aspect to call on your ously justify using it to find what you patron to pull strings on your behalf,

need on Mars. supply resources, introduce you to ILLS S Overcome: Use Civ Rep to over- people you need to know, or bail k ocome any obstacle related to finding you out of trouble. You have one free information you need to find, or to make invocation per session. As this is an contacts through your social networks. aspect, it can also compelled as the You can also use Civ Rep to acquire patron calls upon you to keep your services and physical goods while in end of the relationship. If you want autonomist space. For physical goods, to invoke the aspect a second time this is not exactly the same as buying in a session without paying a fate things with money. The favor represents point, you can, but then the GM has getting a usable 3D blueprint and a free-floating compel to use in the getting the item you needed printed on future. You don’t get a fate point for a public nanofabricator. this compel (as you have effectively Create an Advantage: Civ Rep can already spent it). You can refuse the cbe used to win favors and influ- compel as normal by paying a fate ence people in your social network. As point, but that doesn't get rid of the in Fate Core, it can also be used to find social debt, just postpones it. 33 Create an Advantage: Use Cover COVER cto evade attempts to trace your Firewall agents live and die by real identity, to gain an advantage in their ability to keep a wall between Reputation contests by falsifying your the straight world and their life in credentials, or to fool the opposition Firewall. For sure there’s a bleeding by forging credentials. You can also edge of proxies who don’t conceal use your own stable of aliases and false their identities from Firewall (and reputations to create advantages for they’re considered too lucky by some other sentinels on your team. of their peers), but no one in Firewall Attack: Cover is not used to advertises their affiliation with the Eye aattack. to the outside world. Because Firewall Defend: Cover is used to defend expects agents to be largely self-suffi- aagainst attacks aimed at tracking cient, all sentinels typically maintain the character’s identity or physical at least one false identity (represented location. It can also be used to throw by this skill) on their own. Characters off Investigate attempts with false can also use Cover to help other senti- information. nels evade identification. Cover represents a character’s ability COVER STUNTS to maintain false identities, be prepared • Forger: You’re a skilled forger with with false identification, resist identifi- a deep pool of bureaucratic arcana, cation by Kinesics, or thwart attempts zero-day exploits, and “borrowed” to trace their Firewall activities back to reputations at your disposal. Gain their real life via Investigate. +2 on Cover actions when forging Because characters in Eclipse Phase credentials, false IDs, or falsified all have Civ Rep, false identities don’t reputations. hold up unless backed by a reputation. • Information Control: You have a Cover therefore also covers appropri- knack for diligence and caution in ating, mimicking, or outright renting your daily living, online, and social a reputation in order to back up a networking interactions, reducing false identity. the amount of extraneous or sensi- Stealing a specific person’s identity tive information about yourself that requires the use of Infosec, but Cover leaks out. Gain +2 on Cover actions would thereafter be used to masquerade concerned with keeping your real life digitally as that person. concealed from Firewall’s opposi- Overcome: Use overcome actions tion—and from other Firewall agents. owith Cover to establish a false • Digital Ghost: You’ve spent countless identity, manipulate bureaucracy to hours setting up botnets, backdoors, evade authorities, or to leave false trails and anonymous repeaters in weakly for pursuers. defended systems all over the mesh. You have a +2 to Cover actions when attempting to act anonymously or avoid being backtraced on the mesh.

34 analytics suite that’s inseparable from CRED your bank account. There are limits to Cred is the skill for having money what you can learn this way, though. when you need it. This is in the form of You can’t find out what a specific person credits, a universal digital currency, but bought or where they ate on a partic- it implies that you have income streams, ular day, for example. However, you can investments, and the like slowly feeding find out that a particular hypercorp is into your liquid assets. Expending these investing heavily in a given area, find assets on Firewall missions too often out whether a specific hyper-wealthy can land you in debt. Cred also comes individual has a stake in an enterprise, with a certain amount of financial intel- or try to make sure that everyone who ligence, inherent to the way hypercapi- fits a given niche demographic profile talist economies operate. sees a particular piece of advertising. Cred is useless for buying things Using Cred in autonomist space is in the autonomist sphere and in usually limited to remotely gathering other post-money economies, but its intel on inner-system hypercorps. Due intel-gathering function might still to stronger privacy measures, decen- work in some cases. tralization, and the almost-complete Overcome: Use Cred to have absence of the credit as a currency, there oenough cash and other liquid assets is no endless stream of tiny financial to buy whatever goods, services, morphs, transactions in autonomist space by or morph augmentations you need while which to track people. in Planetary Consortium space. Create an Advantage: You can Hypercapitalist economies operate cuse Cred to grease the wheels on an intricate web of predictive where money or the perception of models, and have succeeded in mapping wealth would make you more likely to the small actions of everyday life to get a good hearing. For example, you transactions in this web, every one of could create the advantage Bribed which is logged and analyzed. Wealth Official before going in for a Rapport

in this economy therefore demands attempt to make them look the other ILLS S analytical capacity, so you can also roll way while you carry out your op. k cred to get information and insights Attack: Cred isn’t used for attacks. about financial markets. The definition a of “financial markets” has expanded Defend: Cred isn’t used to defend. far beyond the old understanding, a though. There are secondary markets for everything from gene sequences to CRED STUNTS the advertising space on free-to-print • Credit Rating: You’re good at using kitchen appliances. Thanks to weak the perception of wealth to gain the privacy laws, the wealthier you are, upper hand. Gain +2 when using the more access you have to others’ Cred to create an advantage against data. The boundaries between people’s people impressed by wealth. finances and their social graphs are • Data Miner: You’re extremely skilled blurred and, moreover, permeable. at tying financial data to individ- You can thus deduce a lot about local uals. You can use Cred in place of markets, big companies, and even Investigate to track down an indi- wealthy individuals from the personal vidual by their financial transactions. 35 Syndicate Cover Story for attending a DECEIVE clandestine meeting. You could trick Deceive is the skill about lying to and someone into revealing one of their misdirecting people. aspects or other information. Overcome: Use Deceive to bluff Attack: Deceive is an indirect oyour way past someone, to get askill that creates a lot of oppor- someone to believe a lie, or to get tunities you can capitalize on, but it something out of someone because they doesn’t do direct harm. believe in one of your lies. For a casual Defend: You can use Deceive encounter, this is just an overcome roll; ato defend against efforts made for characters in more intense situations to discern your true motives with the (including lying to another character), Kinesics skill. it will be a contest, with the target opposing with Kinesics. Winning this DECEIVE STUNTS contest could justify placing a situation • Behavior Masking: You’ve had aspect on your target, if buying into yourself psychosurgically modified your lie could help you in a future scene. to reduce or eliminate your facial Deceive is the skill you use for and gestural “tells” when lying. This determining if a disguise or imper- makes it difficult at first for people sonation attempts works. You’ll need trained in Kinesics to read you. Gain to have the time and supplies to create +2 on Deceive actions the first time the desired effect. you lie to someone who has a +2 or You can also use Deceive to perform better in Kinesics. small tricks of sleight-of-hand and • Bodyhopper: You’re adept at misdirection. disguising your own gait, body Create an Advantage: Use language, and expressions, and at cDeceive to create momentary mimicking those of others whom distractions, cover stories, and false you’ve had time to observe. Gain +2 impressions. You could feint in a fight, on Deceive actions to conceal your putting an opponent Off-Balance identity or impersonate someone and setting you up for an attack. You else when heavily disguised, in a new could misdirect in the heat of a chase morph, or remote controlling a morph. to buy yourself a Few-Second Head • Endocrine Control: Same effect as Start. You could establish a Criminal Attraction, p. 76.

COVER VS. DECEIVE Deceive is lying to people. Cover is lying to society. Sentinels live in a world of omnipresent data and surveillance networks. Cover rep- resents their ability to dodge society’s eye. Deception handles personal interactions: the look-over the exocustoms agent gives you on your way back from an alien planet, or your delivery when you tell a mark you’re a captain of industry. Cover handles the cybernetic side of that interaction: the customs mesh running your fake ID, or the mark’s ping on your falsified rep network when you tell him who you are.

36 X-Risks skills are better sources of general EYE REP information. Firewall’s info tends to Eye Rep (short for Eye Reputation) is relate specifically to missions, and as such the skill of knowing and influencing shows only a patchwork view of each topic. other Firewall agents, be they indi- Create an Advantage: Eye Rep vidual sentinels or entire servers. This ccan be used to create an advan- can range from getting information tage when trying to resolve conflicts to calling in an erasure squad when a with other Firewall agents. situation gets out of hand. Firewall only Attack: Eye Rep isn’t used to has two “ranks,” and they’re really more aattack. like job descriptions than ranks in the Defend: Eye Rep can be used to military sense. Every proxy is equal to adefend against other Firewall all other proxies, and every sentinel is agents creating social advantages against equal to all other sentinels. But Firewall you, provided it’s in a Firewall context. also practices secrecy and elaborate operational security, so getting infor- EYE REP STUNTS mation is a matter of reputation rather • Seen It Before: You have direct than having some type of security personal experience with a particular clearance. High rep in Firewall can’t type of threat, such as exhumans, be faked. It means the character has TITAN war machines, or rogue AI served as a sentinel or proxy for some researchers. Gain a +2 on Eye Rep time and distinguished themselves (or actions to pull resources together to at least not screwed up badly) in the fight that specific type of danger. process. Characters with an Eye Rep of • Jack-of-all-Proxies: This stunt is 4 or higher are usually proxies. only available with an Eye Rep of 4+. NPCs working for Project Ozma may You've worked as a sentinel and every have Ozma Rep, which is identical to kind of proxy and have seen it all. For this skill beyond the name. 1 fate point, you may use your Eye Overcome: Use Eye Rep to get Rep in place of any other skill for one

oinformation and support from roll or exchange, provided you can ILLS S other Firewall agents. The Eye’s many justify previous experience with the k missions and projects have included type of action. investigating xenotech, confining • Morph Provisioning: You have a outbreaks of the exsurgent virus, battling knack for pulling the best morphs exsurgents, studying dead alien races, when Firewall provides them for monitoring the spread of weapons of mass missions. You may use Eye Rep destruction programs, keeping an eye on instead of Cred or Civ Rep when renegade singularity seekers, shutting acquiring morphs during a mission. down black labs doing unrestricted AI Alternatively, if Firewall provides research, and working against a dozen a morph for you, you may rewrite other things that threaten transhuman its second aspect (e.g., adding one security. It doesn’t freely share all of this where there was none or modifying information, though, especially when a trouble aspect placed there by the doing so might risk operational security GM). This must be done immediately or agents’ covers. The Xeno-Contact and upon resleeving.

37 Attack: You make physical FIGHT aattacks with Fight. This is for The Fight skill covers all forms of close-in combat, so you have to be in the close-quarters combat (in other words, same zone as your opponent. within the same zone), both unarmed Defend: You use Fight to defend and using weapons. For the ranged aagainst any other attack or create weapons counterpart, see Shoot (p. 50). an advantage attempt made with Fight, Fight also represents know-how about as well as pretty much any action where close-quarters weaponry: makes and violently interposing yourself could models, maintenance, and the like. prevent it from happening. You cannot More on weapons and combat in use this skill to defend against Shoot or Transhumanity's Fate can be found in other ranged attacks, explosions, and Technothriller Conflicts chapter, p. 84. so on. Overcome: Since you don’t use oFight outside of a conflict, it’s not FIGHT STUNTS often used to overcome obstacles. You • Non-Lethal Techniques: Gain a +2 might use it to display your fighting on Fight actions when fighting to prowess in a demonstration or to partic- subdue your opponent, be it in hand- ipate in some kind of regulated bout or to-hand or with less-lethal weapons sport fighting, which would allow you like eelware implants and shock to use this skill in a contest. batons. Create an Advantage: You can • Ramming Speed/Swarm Fu: Gain cuse Fight for many of the advan- +2 on Fight actions when remotely tages you create in a physical conflict. controlling a bot, morph, vehicle, or Various special moves are covered here: nanoswarm. striking to stun, using an underhanded • Micrograv Combat Specialist: Gain trick, disarming, and so on. You could +2 on Fight actions when maneuver- also use Fight to assess another fighter’s ability in microgravity is a decisive style, spotting weaknesses in their form factor. that you can exploit.

38 Construction) or a vulnerability you HARDWARE could exploit (Fracture in the Hull, Hardware encompasses the ability Hasty Work). Hardware advantages to build, repair, physically hack, and can also take the form of quick-and- upgrade equipment such as electronic dirty sabotage or jury-rigging mechan- devices, vehicles, habitat systems, locks, ical objects in the scene. and synthetic morphs. Hardware When using Hardware for demoli- also represents know-how about tions, you can create aspects related to technology: nanoswarm makes and explosives, such as Debris Everywhere, models, bot combat capabilities, and Panic and Chaos, or Damaged the like. Finally, Hardware is used Vehicle. (Stealthy aspects, such as for demolitions or other tasks where Well-Hidden Bomb, are handled by characters must handle, set, and arm the Infiltrate skill, p. 40) destructive devices. This skill doesn’t Attack: Hardware isn’t used to cover throwing a grenade in the heat of aattack. When using explosives, action; that’s just throwing something, Hardware is used to harm only in an which Athletics handles. indirect fashion. For an immediate Overcome: Presuming you have attack with a destructive device (like a othe time and tools you need, hard- grenade), use Athletics. ware allows you to build, modify, and Defend: Hardware isn’t used to hack. Actions with Hardware generally adefend. happen as one component of a more

complex situation, making it a popular ILLS S skill for challenges. The timeframe is HARDWARE STUNTS k determined by the GM as appropriate • Demolitions Expert: Gain +2 on to the modification. Success with style Hardware actions when trying to could either render the accomplishment plant explosives, disarm bombs, or better or faster. identify weak points in structures. Hardware can also be used to repair • B&E: Gain +2 on Hardware actions objects and address morph conse- when trying to bypass security on quences on synthmorphs. Additionally, doors, airlocks, ventilation systems, it allows you to create, jury-rig, or and assorted portals. dismantle an explosive, presuming you • Weak Spot: Once per combat, you have the time and tools needed. may declare a devastating attack Create an Advantage: You can against a bot or synth opponent. cuse Hardware to create aspects representing features of physical equipment, pointing out useful compo- nents or strengths you can use to your advantage (EMP Hardened, Rugged 39 Attack: Infiltrate isn’t used to INFILTRATE amake attacks. Infiltrate is the art of avoiding detection, Defend: You can use this to foil whether that’s moving unseen, hiding, aNotice attempts to pinpoint you sleight of hand, or creating misdirection. or seek you out, as well as to try to Overcome: You use Infiltrate to throw off the scent of an Investigate or oget past situations that primarily Survival attempt from someone trying depend on you being unseen. This to track you. covers physically hiding or moving with stealth to avoid someone sensing INFILTRATE STUNTS you, whether you are hiding behind a • Counter-Forensics: You’re adept at tree, sneaking past a guard, or blending cleaning up sites in the aftermath into a crowd. Infiltrate isn’t just about of operations. Your toolkit includes escaping; it can also be used in an cleaner nanoswarms used to hunt aggressive sense, to follow (shadow) down stray hair and skin, knowledge someone without being detected. It also of how to throw off ballistics tests, covers sleight of hand tricks that rely on and common chemicals that can foil dexterous manipulation, obfuscation, forensics tests. Gain +2 on Infiltrate timing, and misdirection. These actions actions when trying to alter or are opposed by Notice. conceal physical evidence (e.g., when Avoiding leaving evidence as you pass cleaning up a crime scene). through a place and similar uses also • Smuggling Tricks: You know how to fall under Infiltrate. conceal contraband from detection, Create an Advantage: You’ll whether in a ship’s hold or during cmainly use Infiltrate to create a body scan. Gain +2 on Infiltrate aspects on yourself, setting yourself actions when trying to hide goods in an ideal position for an attack or from scans and searches. “Goods” ambush in a conflict. That way, you can include anything from weapons can be Well Hidden when the guards or devices to corpses, morphs, or pass by and take advantage of that, or even NPCs. Hard to Pin Down if you’re fighting • Counter-Surveillance: You’ve in the dark. mastered the art and science of It’s not impossible, though, to use it monitoring local public surveillance to help others—knowing how to remain to find gaps in security systems and undetected in such a high-tech world avoid having your own Infiltrate means being able to assess locations attempts intercepted. Gain +2 on like Blank Spot in Sensor Grid. This is Infiltrate attempts in areas that have only about assessment or exploitation, public surveillance not controlled by however; actually creating such a situa- your opponents (including surveil- tion through direct sabotage falls under lance set up by you or your allies, e.g., Hardware (p. 39) or Infosec (next page). from deploying drones in an area).

40 aspects related to whatever traces they INFOSEC may have left behind. You can also use Infosec is short for “information secu- Infosec to bolster a system. rity.” It encompasses training in elec- The digital form of the exsurgent tronic intrusion and counterintrusion virus is extraordinarily hard to techniques, as well as encryption and neutralize completely, but it can be decryption. Infosec can also be used by slowed down. Against a digital virus characters to scan for digital strains of taking over a station network, for the exsurgent virus, provided they have example, Infosec could be used to create access to the scanning software used advantages via delaying tactics. by Firewall, the argonauts, or another Attack: Infosec can be used for organization (free to sentinels with Eye ascorching attacks against AIs and Rep of Average (+1) or more). infomorphs (p. 102). Overcome: Infosec allows you Defend: Infosec can defend oto overcome obstacles relating to aagainst hacking attacks to the self hacking into or protecting electronic and exposure to digital strains of the devices and mesh networks. See the exsurgent virus. Mesh chapter, p. 98, for more details. When used to check for the exsurgent INFOSEC STUNTS virus, Infosec detects the virus on a • Scorcher: You deal 2 additional shifts success—although success at a cost of damage on successful cyberbrain might suggest further infection risk. scorching attacks. Create an Advantage: You can • Zero-Day Exploit: You have written ccase a system with Infosec to or discovered an exploit that no one determine how hard it will be to break else is aware of and that affects a large into and what kind of security you’re number of systems. Once per session, dealing with, as well as discover any for 1 fate point, you can intrude vulnerabilities you might exploit. You upon a particular system without can also examine the work of other initiating a contest, unless the GM

hackers to determine how a particular rules the system is too unique or ILLS S heist was done and create or discover well-defended. k

41 otherwise make up aspects about nearly INVESTIGATE anything in the game world that your Investigate is the art of analyzing character could reasonably unearth. evidence, piecing together clues, If that sounds broad, consider the solving mysteries, and making logical following as just a few of the possibilities deductions from groups of facts. It’s a for using Investigate: eavesdropping on a counterpart to Notice. Notice revolves conversation, looking for clues at a crime around situational alertness and surface scene, examining records, verifying the observation; Investigate revolves around truth of a piece of information, conducting concentrated effort and in-depth scru- surveillance, and researching a cover story. tiny, the conscious search for clues or Given the technology in Eclipse Phase, pieces of a puzzle. much of this can be attempted remotely Investigate also covers research using (though there are just as many methods of the mesh: searching, sifting through, counter-surveillance.) mining, and interpreting data. This Attack: Investigate cannot be includes knowing where to look, what aused to attack. links to follow, and how to optimize Defend: Investigate cannot your queries. adefend. Actions like doctoring a crime scene, removing DNA traces of a sentinel INVESTIGATE STUNTS team’s presence from a given locale, • Advocate: You’re a practicing lawyer, or planting a false trail using physical versed in both corporate and auton- evidence also use this skill. omist legal systems. Gain +2 on Overcome: Investigate obstacles Investigate actions when analyzing oare all about information that’s legal documents, looking for legal hard to uncover for some reason. It dirt on a subject, or representing could be used to determine the likely someone as an attorney. sequence of events at a crime scene, • Deep Digging: Between you and determine a possible social connection your muse, you never go into a social between two people, or deduce how an conflict without an extensive dossier enemy made their escape. on the opposition. You can use your Investigate is a great way to provide Investigate in place of Provoke on an clues to players, especially when the opponent when you possess sensitive or subject matter is something their char- embarrassing information about them. acter might know well but the player • Eidetic Memory: You have perfect does not. Racing against the clock to recall and can remember anything collect evidence before others show up you’ve sensed (even from a single or disaster occurs is a classic way to use glance). You have +2 to Investigate the skill in a challenge. and other rolls where your memory Create an Advantage: Investigate is a significant factor. Additionally, cis probably one of the most versa- eidetic memory can be compelled tile skills you can use to create an advan- as if part of your high concept, as tage. As long as you’re willing to take your eidetic memory can cause you the time, you can find out just about to remember events and sensations anything about anyone, discover nearly you wish you could forget. This is an any detail about a place or object, or option to talk with your GM about. 42 You can also use Kinesics to discover KINESICS what circumstances will allow you Kinesics is the art of empathy and to make mental assaults on someone, non-vocal communication. It’s basically figuring out their breaking points. the emotional and cultural version of When hunting an ego that has moved the Notice skill—knowing and being to a new morph, time spent researching able to spot changes in a person’s mood the person’s habits, gait, posture, and or bearing. Kinesics also represents the body language in previous morphs ability to recognize the ego in a morph— may create an aspect in your favor in either to spot an impostor, or to track later scenes where there’s a chance to down an ego in a new body. spot them. Overcome: You use Kinesics to Attack: Kinesics isn’t used for oread body language, tells, social aattacks. cues, and other subconscious indica- Defend: This is the skill to go to tors. This doesn’t necessarily overcome ain order to defend against Deceive obstacles directly—normally, you find actions, allowing you to pierce through out some information with it and then lies and see through to someone’s true use another skill to act. In some cases, intent. You can also use it to defend though, you might use Kinesics like against those creating social advantages you would Notice, to see if you catch a against you in general.

change in someone’s attitude or intent. ILLS S Kinesics may be used in a contest KINESICS STUNTS k against Cover to spot an impostor in • Do Sun [賭神]: You’re a god among someone’s old morph or to recognize a gamblers. Gain +2 to Kinesics actions familiar ego sleeved in a new morph. when playing games of chance. Create an Advantage: You can • Ego Hunter: You have a knack for cuse Kinesics to read a person’s spotting impersonators and fugitives emotional state and get a general sense of when they switch morphs. Gain +2 who they are, presuming you have some on Kinesics actions to recognize kind of interpersonal contact with them. an impostor in a familiar morph or Most often, you’ll use this to assess the recognize someone in a new morph aspects on another character’s sheet, but when you’ve had at least 10 minutes sometimes you’ll also be able to create to observe their gestures, gait, and new aspects, especially on NPCs. If the facial mannerisms in their old morph. target has some reason to be aware that you’re trying to read them, they can defend with Deceive or Rapport. 43 Create an Advantage: In addition MEDICINE cto determining any ailments in a Medicine is the applied care and main- biomorph (whether short-term or long- tenance of biological beings and life. term ones), Medicine can be used to Use Medicine when you need to apply bolster someone—administering a genetic medical care, including conducting cocktail to Boosted Stamina without physical exams, diagnosing ailments, putting them into danger, for instance. treating problems and illnesses, first aid, Medicine only covers genuine treat- surgery, using biotech and nanotech ments. If you’re administering a placebo, medical tools, and long-term care. that falls under Deceive. This skill only covers medical prac- Used for psychosurgery, Medicine tice; skills relating to bedside manner can create aspects on a subject. are handled through social skills, such Attack: Medicine cannot be used as Kinesics or Rapport. ato attack. Medicine can be used Medicine also covers psychosurgery: to indirectly harm, such as by adminis- the use of machine-aided psychological tering a poison or intentional mistreat- techniques to repair, damage, or manip- ment. For a direct attack with a syringe or ulate the psyche. Medicine allows using medical instrument, use Fight. psychosurgcial techniques to edit minds, Defend: Medicine cannot be used help patients who remember their deaths, ato defend. ease adjustment to new morphs, or resolve other mental traumas. Psychosurgical MEDICINE STUNTS techniques can also be used to interrogate, • Forensics: You’re a skilled Forensic torture, or otherwise mess with captive investigator. You may use Medicine minds in a VR environment. in place of Investigate when an action For more details on psycho- involves noticing or interpreting surgery, see p. 229, Eclipse Phase. information based on forensic clues: Detailed Psychosurgery rules for transhuman corpses, blood stains, Transhumanity's Fate are on p. 112. and the like. Investigators who Overcome: You use Medicine to specialize in investigating attacks on odiagnose and address physical synthmorphs might instead take this and mental health concerns, such as as a Hardware stunt. determining if someone’s cough is • Psychosurgeon: You’re skilled at just the common cold or a dreadful repairing transhuman egos. Gain contagion, setting a broken limb, +2 on Medicine actions to overcome treating a gunshot wound or mental mental consequences or to perform disorder, and so on. You can also use psychosurgery techniques. for in-depth knowledge into a partic- • TacNet Paramedic: You skillfully ular medical field or to tell if someone use your team's tacnet to monitor is faking an illness. vitals, analyze injuries, and remotely Medicine can also be used to address administer drugs and fast-acting a morph consequence. In its psychosur- nanobandages. Once per session, gical usage, Medicine is used to remove you may attempt a Medicine action and alter aspects relating to the psyche (difficulty set by the GM) to clear as (including ego consequences; see p. 92). many physical stress boxes from your biomorph allies as you generate shifts. 44 NOTICE NOTICE COMPARED The Notice skill involves situational TO OTHER SKILLS awareness and spotting casual things. Notice covers a person’s general It’s a counterpart to Investigate, repre- sense of awareness, influenced senting a character’s overall perception, by the way a given morph gathers ability to pick out details at a glance, sensory input and an ego processes and other general powers of observation. it. Training can enhance situational Notice is quick and generally unfocused, awareness in a given area, repre- so the kinds of details you get from it are more superficial, but it also doesn’t sented by another skill: Hardware, require much effort. Investigate, Survival, etc. When notic- Focused discovery is covered under ing a detail based on such expertise Investigate, Hardware, and other skills or training, use the higher of Notice that involve expertise or intentional and that skill—if Notice is higher, effort. Details you find with Notice can that means a character is better at lead to knowing which skill to use and uncovering details than they are at in which context, though. processing them into something. Fundamentally, Notice is about an individual’s mental speed and band- width. Someone with a high Notice Attack: Notice cannot be used for can take in sensory input, connect that aattacks. information together, draw conclusions, Defend: You can use Notice and act on it sooner than someone else. ato defend against any uses of Overcome: Use Notice to over- Infiltrate to ambush, get past you, or to ocome obstacles in a reactive way: discover that you’re being observed. noticing a curious detail, hearing a Original EP Skills: Perception, faint sound, or spotting the concealed Scrounging weapon. Notice is also the skill for initia- tive in nearly all non-social conflicts. NOTICE STUNTS ILLS S Create an Advantage: You use • Situational Awareness: You’re very k cNotice to create aspects based good at maintaining continuous on direct observation—looking over a partial awareness of the goings-on in room for details that stand out, finding your immediate environment. You an escape route in a debris-filled have +2 to Notice rolls and other building, noticing someone sticking situations where this awareness is out in a crowd, etc. You might also use crucial, and cannot be given aspects Notice to spot something you can use like Distracted. to your advantage, such as a convenient • Eye for Weakness: If you succeed Escape Route when trying to get out of with style on a Fight or Shoot attack a building or a Subtle Weakness in the (pick one when you take this stunt), enemy’s line of defense. you can choose to inflict a 2-shift hit When you’re watching people, Notice rather than take a boost. can tell you what’s going on with them externally; for emotive cues and person- ality insights, see Kinesics (p. 43). 45 getting good positioning, doing a fancy PILOT maneuver, or putting your adversaries Pilot is your skill at driving and flying in bad spots. vehicles. You use Pilot skill whenever You can also read the Athletics you need to maneuver, control, or avoid description, p. 32 and then make it crashing a vehicle, whether you are in about your vehicle. the pilot’s seat, remote controlling a Attack: Pilot isn’t usually used , or directly jamming a vehicle aas an attack skill. If you want with VR. This skill also encompasses to ram a vehicle, you can attack with navigation and other ancillary elements Pilot, but you take the same shifts of based on the field. harm you inflict. Overcome: Pilot is the equiva- Defend: Avoiding damage to a olent of Athletics when you’re in avehicle in a physical conflict is a vehicle—you use it to successfully one of the most common uses of Pilot. accomplish movement in the face of You can also use it to defend against difficult circumstances, like rough advantages being created against you or terrain, small amounts of clearance, or overcome actions of someone trying to stunt driving. Pilot is commonly used move past you in a vehicle. for contests, especially chases and races. Create an Advantage: You can PILOT STUNTS cuse Pilot to determine the best • Bot Jammer: Gain +2 on Pilot way to get somewhere in a vehicle, and actions when jamming a drone or bot. a good enough roll might allow you • Interceptor: Gain +2 on Pilot actions to learn features of the route that get when attempting to intercept or over- expressed as aspects or declare that take an opponent. you know a Convenient Shortcut or • Combat Driving: When ramming something similar. Other advantages another vehicle, take two damage created using Pilot often revolve around shifts less than you inflict.

46 Overcome: Overcome actions PROGRAM owith Program include efforts Program is your talent at writing and to create or modify existing code to modifying software code. Use Program patch unintentional holes or intentional to write new programs, modify or patch exploits, break protections, etc. Program existing software, break copy protec- can also be used to give complex orders tion, find or introduce exploitable flaws, to bots or nanoswarms that won’t be write viruses or worms, design virtual under the character’s direct control. settings, and so on. Create an Advantage: Software Program also handles issuing orders cyou create with Program could to bots, programming nanoswarm cause a variety of advantages, either behaviors, and nanofabrication. See the immediately, on a delay, or at a trigger. Mesh chapter, p. 98. Nanofabrication (p. 284, Eclipse Phase) also uses the Program skill to create objects using a cornucopia machine, fabber, or maker. If you have appropriate blueprints and raw materials, no roll is required. If you wish to create an item for which you do not have blueprints or the proper raw materials, or you wish to alter an item’s design, then that will call for a skill roll (see Nanofabrication, p. 119). Attack: Program isn’t used to adirectly attack (though advan- tages you create could effectively attack digital entities). Defend: Program isn’t used to adefend.

PROGRAM STUNTS ILLS S • Math Wiz: You can perform any feat k of calculation, including the most complex and advanced mathematics, instantly and with great precision. This means you can calculate odds, find correlations in numerical data, and perform similar tasks with great ease. You have +2 to actions involving mathematical calculation. • Security Expert: You’ve specialized in countering system intrusions. You may use Program in place of Infosec when protecting a system from hackers. • Programmer-Armsmensch: Use Program instead of Shoot for attacks using automated weapon systems you’ve programmed. 47 Create an Advantage: You can PROVOKE ccreate advantages representing Provoke is the skill about getting momentary emotional states, like someone to elicit a negative emotional Enraged, Shocked, or Hesitant. response—fear, anger, shame, etc. A Attack: You can attack the ego common use for this skill is intimida- awith Provoke, to do emotional tion, but it also covers goading someone harm. The circumstances and your rela- into an action. It’s always an adversarial tionship with the target figure a great skill, and is defended against with the deal into whether you can do so. Will skill (p. 53). Defend: Provoke cannot be used To use Provoke, you need some kind ato defend. of justification. That could come entirely from situation or from an aspect that’s PROVOKE STUNTS appropriate (either yours, the target’s, or • Interrogator: Gain +2 on Provoke a situation aspect). actions to extract information from Overcome: You can use Provoke an unwilling subject. oto force someone into doing what • Code Agitator: You are adept at you want in a fit of emotional pique. triggering reactions from AIs and You might intimidate them into giving AGIs. Gain +2 on Provoke rolls you information, piss them off so badly against them. that they act out, or scare them into running away.

EMOTIONAL MANIPULATION AND ASSESSMENT Skills that involve manipulating the emotions of a target—Provoke and Rapport, and also some uses of Deceive or other skills—depend on your target actually having emotions. Some limited AIs cannot be emotionally manipulated, for example, though this benefit is made up by the fact that they can be hacked. (Note that muses, AGIs, and other sapient infolife characters can be emotionally manipulated, thought it may be more difficult). Attempts to affect those with sufficiently different neurochemistry, biology, or mind-states—thus, different ways of processing or showing emotion—aren’t impossible. However, if the manipulator doesn’t have familiarity with the target’s emotional makeup (either that target specifically, or those like them), give them a situation aspect like Inscrutable or Unpredictable. What qualifies for “familiarity” is between the player and GM, but err on the side of what feels right for the story. Situation aspects like this may also be appropriate when a baseline transhuman tries to affect an AGI or . The above bit about familiarity goes for Kinesics, as well. Though synthmorphs are designed to emote, that doesn’t mean reading them is easy. The same is true for any morph inhabited by an uplift or AGI, for those unfamiliar, or any morph that is sufficiently non-hu- man, no matter who has sleeved it. The aspects above could possibly apply here.

48 Confidence, stir a crowd into a Joyful RAPPORT Fervor, or simply make someone The Rapport skill is all about making Talkative or Helpful. positive connections to people and You can also use it to assess a social eliciting positive emotion. It’s the skill situation, to help you choose your of being liked and trusted. words carefully, determine who is the Rapport can involve persuading appropriate person to speak to, impress someone to do what you want through someone with your grasp of customs, the use of words and gestures. This does or otherwise fit into a specific social/ not include persuasion through threats cultural grouping. or force (that is covered by Provoke) or Attack: Rapport doesn’t cause by lying (covered by Deceive). It can also aharm, so you don’t use it for involve protocol—the art of making attacks. a good impression in social settings Defense: Rapport defends against through keeping up on the latest memes, dany skill used to damage your trends, gossip, interests and habits of reputation, sour a mood you’ve created, various (sub)cultural groups. or make you look bad in front of other Overcome: Use Rapport to people. It does not, however, defend ocharm or inspire people to do against ego attacks; that requires Will.

what you want or to establish a good ILLS S connection with them. Motivate your RAPPORT STUNTS k subordinates or peers to take action, • First Impression: You have a way of seduce a companion, win a political charming and otherwise making a debate, or negotiate a contract, among good impression on others the first other things. For nameless NPCs, this time you interact with them. You is just an overcome action, but you have +2 to Rapport when dealing may have to enter a contest to suffi- with someone for the first time. ciently ingratiate yourself to a named Particularly enterprising characters NPC or PC. use this to create advantages that will Create an Advantage: Use last for longer than just an evening. cRapport to establish a positive • Uplift Ally: You are familiar with mood on a target or in a scene or to uplift issues, struggles, and culture. get someone to confide in you out of a Gain +2 to Rapport when dealing genuine sense of trust. You could pep with uplifts. talk someone into having Elevated

49 (like noticing and communicating that SHOOT an opponent’s weapon is Prone to The counterpart to Fight, Shoot is Malfunction or Has a Limited Range). the skill of using ranged weaponry, Attack: This skill makes physical either in a conflict or on targets that aattacks either up close or at range. don’t actively resist your attempts to This range varies based on its type. shoot them. Defend: Shoot is unique in that More on weapons and combat in ait doesn’t really have a defense Transhumanity's Fate can be found component to it—that’s covered starting in the Technothriller Conflicts with Athletics (for dodging, p. 32) or chapter, p. 84. Somatics (for hunkering down, p. 51). Overcome: Unless you need to odemonstrate your Shoot ability in SHOOT STUNTS a non-conflict situation, you probably • TacNet Sniper: Gain +2 on Shoot won’t be using this skill for normal rolls when attacking anything you obstacles much. Like Fight, though, you can’t directly see by using allies over could use it to demonstrate prowess or tacnet software as spotters. participate in sport. • This Is My Rifle: You are intimately Create an Advantage: In phys- familiar with one type of weapon, cical conflicts, Shoot can be used such as plasma rifles. Gain one addi- to perform a wide variety of moves, tional free invocation per conflict such as pinning someone down under when creating advantages with Shoot Covering Fire. You might be able to with those weapons. assess something based on your knowl- edge of a given form of ranged weapon

50 use it to provide active opposition to SOMATICS someone else’s movement, provided you The Somatics skill is a counterpart to are in a small enough space that you can Athletics, your skill at pushing your effectively use your body to block access. morph to the best of its physical ability, You might also interpose something including the fundamental utilization heavy and brace it to stop someone of the morph’s strength, endurance, and from getting through. sustained positioning and motion. For explosives and unavoidable Overcome: You can use Somatics attacks, use Somatics to defend—this oto overcome any obstacles that represents your morph’s ability to require the application of brute force— endure the brunt of unexpected phys- most often to overcome a situation ical trauma. This is only viable if you aspect on a zone—or any other physical cannot otherwise act to defend yourself. impedance, like prison bars or locked Special: Somatics partially deter- gates. Of course, Somatics is the classic mines how many additional stress boxes skill for arm-wrestling matches and and consequence slots your morphs other contests of applied strength, as have. See Durability, p. 62. well as marathons or other endurance- based challenges. SOMATICS STUNTS Create an Advantage: Somatics • Pain Tolerance: You have a high chas a lot of potential for advan- threshold of pain tolerance and are

tages in physical conflict, usually better at ignoring the effects of pain. ILLS S relating to grappling and holding You have +2 on overcome or defend k someone in place, making them Pinned actions to withstand pain, including or Locked Down. You might also use from non-stress attacks that would it as a way of discovering a target’s place a condition like Shocked (p. 88). morph impairments—grappling a Additionally, you give +2 to anyone mercenary tells you that his morph has addressing a physical consequence of a Malfunctioning Leg, etc. yours that primarily involves pain (this Attack: Somatics is not used to includes addressing yourself). This aharm people directly—see the stunt only works while in a biomorph. Fight skill (p. 38) for that. • Right at Home: Choose one type of Defend: Somatics is used to morph (splicer, neo-hominid, case, adefend against attacks, but only etc.). You always feel right at home in when huddled down in a defensible morphs of that type. When resleeving position (this is the opposite of using into one, you automatically adjust Athletics, which involves avoiding these to the new body without taking a situations via movement). You can also temporary New Morph aspect. 51 right next to your opponent’s feet that SURVIVAL could cause him to slip. The Survival skill is all about the ability Survival also allows you to create to endure and thrive in various envi- aspects based on using or manipulating ronments through wits and training, your environment, such as making whether in a crowded city, remote a trap or a foxhole, scrounging for asteroid habitat, or natural environs supplies, building a shelter or tools, and like a jungle or desert—including otherwise altering the environment to the scientific skills to survive on an suit your needs. exoplanet. It also includes training and Attack: Survival isn’t used for handling animals. aattacks, though it can be used Overcome: You use Survival to to indirectly harm or trap someone by oovercome obstacles relating to creating a trap. your environment, such as finding your Defense: You can use Survival way through rugged terrain, avoiding dto defend against any uses of dangerous xenofauna, or gathering Infiltrate to ambush you or to discover edible food and potable water. that you’re being observed. Additionally, Survival can be used to treat a morph consequence akin to SURVIVAL STUNTS being a field medic, provided you have • Animal Empathy: You have an the proper supplies and time. instinctive feel for handling and Create an Advantage: You use working with non-sapient animals. cSurvival to create aspects based You can use Survival skill to calm, on direct observation of your surround- provoke, train, or otherwise manipu- ings—finding an escape route in a late animals at +2. debris-filled building, noticing someone • Combat Awareness: Your natural sticking out in a crowd, tracking an survivalist training gives you an animal or person, etc. You might also edge when a fight’s about to ensue. use Survival to declare that your char- You can use Survival in place of acter spots something you can use to Notice for all combat-related uses, your advantage in a situation, such as a including initiative. convenient Xenofauna Shortcut when • Direction Sense: You always known you’re trying to find your way out of which way is up, north, spinward, dense exoplanet terrain or a Forgotten etc., even when blinded. You have +2 Vent Access in a habitat's infrastructure. to rolls regarding navigation, dealing For example, if you’re in a barroom with complex directions, reading brawl you could make a Survival roll to maps, and remembering or retracing say that you spot a puddle on the floor a path you’ve taken. 52 Overcome: You can use Will to WILL opit yourself against obstacles that The Will skill represents your charac- require mental effort. Puzzles and riddles ter’s general level of mental fortitude, can fall under this category, as well as self-control, and ability to command any mentally absorbing task, like deci- your own destiny. phering a code. Use Will when it is only a matter of time before you overcome the mental challenge; use Investigate, Notice, etc. if it takes something more than brute mental force to get past it. Many of the obstacles that you go up against with Will might be made part of challenges, to reflect the effort involved. Horrific situations also require Will to overcome; see p. 120. Create an Advantage: You can cuse Will to place aspects on yourself, representing a state of deep concentration or focus. Attack: Will is not used for aattacks. Defend: Will is the main skill used adefend against Provoke, repre- senting control of your reactions. It’s also your defense against assaults on the ego. Special: As in Fate Core, the Will skill gives you an additional mental stress box if Average (+1) or Fair (+2), or two additional mental stress boxes

if Good (+3) or higher. Additionally, ILLS S Superb (+5) skill and above gives you an k additional mild consequence slot that can only be used for mental/ego harm. WILL STUNTS • Brave: You don’t scare easily, and will face threats, intimidation, and certain bodily harm without flinching. You gain +2 when rolling to defend against intimidation and similar manipulation. • Ego Plasticity: Resleeving is a breeze for you. You recover from negative temporary morph aspects after 1 scene instead of at the next refresh. The gamemaster may overrule this for very traumatic resleevings. 53 out research or experiments on a given XENO-CONTACT topic, but it could also be used in the Xeno-Contact represents a character’s thick of combat to point out the infec- knowledge of and preparedness for tion threat from an exsurgent. contact with alien life, living or extinct Often, Xeno-Contact will provide (the latter of which is disturbingly story details (e.g., from experimenting frequent, at least for sapient species). on samples of xeno-flora), but it may It draws on disciplines as various as also create an aspect beneficial to you in astronomy, astrobiology, computational a future scene if the information gained archeology, ecology, xenoarcheology, gives you an edge. xenolinguistics, and xenosociology. Attack: Xeno-Contact can’t be Because the exsurgent virus is of alien aused to attack. origin, knowledge about the virus, the Defend: Xeno-Contact can’t TITANs, and various exsurgent types adefend against any attacks. is also covered by this skill. Xeno- Contact may also be used to recall or XENO-CONTACT STUNTS analyze non-alien-related information • Hyper-Linguist: You have an intu- pertaining to any of the disciplines itive understanding of linguistic mentioned above, provided it’s not structures. When you encounter a covered by another skill. transhuman language for the first time, you can pay a fate point to Overcome: Xeno-Contact is declare that you know that language oused when you wish to call upon (the GM might disallow this for espe- knowledge about alien behavior, ecosys- cially obscure or secret languages tems, or societal organization, or when or not charge you the fate point for trying to counter a threat related to the ones that everyone assumes a hyper exsurgent virus. You can use this skill linguist would know). Additionally, to overcome any obstacle that requires gain +2 to Xeno-Contact rolls to applying this type of knowledge to translate alien languages. achieve a goal. For example, Xeno- • TITAN Intel: You’re an expert on Contact could be used to translate a the TITANs—which is scary, because dead alien language, to predict the being a TITAN expert mostly means behavior of alien animals, or to assess having a full grasp of how little we the danger from a TITAN war machine. know about them. Gain a +2 on Xeno- Create an Advantage: Xeno- Contact rolls when knowledge of the cContact provides flexible oppor- TITANs or the exsurgent virus is a tunities to create advantages. It’s most decisive factor. effective when you have time to carry

54 determine what the opposition is nano- X-RISKS fabricating from a suspect list of mate- X-Risks represents a character’s knowl- rials, or to formulate a plan for diverting edge of and preparedness for various a rogue comet from a planetary collision. existential risks to transhumanity, from Create an Advantage: X-Risks out-of-control self-replicating nanotech cprovides many opportunities (“grey goo”) to celestial cataclysms or to create advantages. It’s most effec- anthropogenic threats. It draws on a tive when you have time to carry out wide range of applied and academic research or experiments on a given fields, including astrophysics, computer topic, but it might also be used in the science, economics, engineering, epide- thick of combat to point out the weak- miology, genetics, history, mathematics, nesses of an out-of-control nanoswarm. memetic warfare, , Often, X-Risks will provide story political science, and threat contain- details (e.g., from running tests on ment protocols. X-Risks also covers forensic evidence), but it may also create

threats from hostile infolife and ASIs an aspect beneficial to you in a future ILLS S (artifical super-intelligences) in a scene if the information gained gives k general sense, but the Xeno-Contact you an edge. skill is used for all specific knowledge Attack: X-Risks can’t be used to about the TITANs and their minions. aattack. X-Risks may also be used to recall or Defend: X-Risks can’t defend analyze non-x-risk-related information aagainst any attacks. pertaining to any of the disciplines mentioned above, provided it’s not X-RISKS STUNTS covered by another skill. • Physicist: Gain +2 on any X-Risks action where a knowledge of theoret- Overcome: You can use this skill ical or applied physics is important to oto overcome any obstacle that the subject of the action. requires applying knowledge of threats • Nano-Defense Protocols: Gain +2 to to transhumanity to achieve a goal. X-Risks when creating an advantage For example, X-Risks could be used to against nanoswarms, nanoplagues, predict the spread of a designer plague, to and other nano-threats. 55 STUNTS

As in Fate Core, characters in primarily in a physical morph, don’t take Transhumanity's Fate choose 3 to physical-oriented ego stunts. This goes 5 stunts during character creation. for other stunts that would only affect a Beyond the things they’re used for in given morph you’re not typically in. Fate Core, stunts also represent morph augmentations and specialized gear. Because sentinels change bodies EGO STUNTS AND almost as often as they do gear, some MORPH STUNTS special rules affect stunt choices. Stunts Some morph stunts work exactly as an are divided into ego stunts, morph ego stunt does. If you have both the ego stunts, and gear stunts. Ego stunts stunt and the morph stunt, you don’t are permanent parts of your character, get double-benefit, such as having +4 to while morph and gear stunts change certain actions instead of +2. more easily. MORPH STUNTS EGO STUNTS Morph stunts are available only to the Ego stunts work as the normal stunts in morph in which you are sleeved. They Fate Core and are available to your char- work a bit differently from ego stunts, acter regardless of whether they switch in that they aren’t permanent parts of bodies, upload themselves, or egocast. your character—after all, your morph Ego stunts might be useless while not in isn’t permanent (in most cases). You a body or not in the right kind of body, can take stunts listed on that morph by but the character still has them. temporarily spending 1 refresh, with You must purchase at least one ego some restrictions beyond not being able stunt at character creation, choosing from to go below 1 refresh total. The morph those in the Skills chapter or creating your stunt refresh cost is in addition to the own with the guidelines on pp. 88–95, morph's base refresh cost. Fate Core. Once an ego stunt is taken, it’s You can only take a morph stunt a permanent part of your character. when you sleeve into a morph or when you have downtime in the story; no taking morph stunts in the middle of EGO STUNTS AND the action. If you have enough time to DIFFERENT MORPHS take a breather and recover stress boxes, Note that while the character always that is also a time you can take new has a given ego stunt, a given morph morph stunts. If you take morph stunts might deny access to some ego stunts. after you’ve refreshed your fate points, Having a bonus to Athletics won’t help you have to pay a fate point as part of you while in an infomorph, for instance, reducing your refresh—if you’re out of but will help you the moment you’re in a fate points, you can’t take a new morph physical morph again. Being denied ego stunt right then. stunts in this way doesn’t give you back On the next refresh, those morph any temporary refresh, so if you’re not stunts are cleared away, and you get 56 your refresh back from them. You can on to the gear item and later pay 1 choose to keep those morph stunts if refresh to create a stunt on the fly you like instead of regaining refresh. (see Filling Stunts in Play, p. 53, You can also choose to keep just some Fate Core). stunts, or even change to different stunts for that morph. Exercising any of the above options If you die, resleeve, or otherwise lose locks the new gear stunt in until the access to a morph with a morph stunt, next refresh, even if the character loses you don’t get your refresh back until the the item. However, if the character next refresh cycle. That’s the risk that gains another stunt-worthy item, they comes with the flexibility. If you leave can replace a locked stunt with a new your morph temporarily, however, and gear stunt as described above. This can come back to it before the next refresh only be done with gear that has just cycle, those morph stunts remain active. been acquired from a source other than A complete list of morph stunts can another player character. (This may feel be found in the Morphs chapter, p. 60. artificial, but not doing it leaves a loop- hole for PCs to buck the refresh rule by GEAR STUNTS trading items.) Normally it’s assumed that sentinels have whatever gear they need to use LIST OF GEAR their skills. When in doubt, usually STUNTS they use Civ Rep, Eye Rep, or Cred to determine whether they have what ABLATIVE PATCHES they need. Most gear simply gives The character’s normal vacsuit or sentinels permission to do something armored clothing has been augmented they couldn’t otherwise. Weapons and with thin and light slap-on patches armor have their own rules. Some gear of adhesive armor designed to absorb is potent enough to be represented by heat and energy from beams and

gear stunts. explosions, safely vaporizing and UNTS S Gear stunts come and go as charac- blowing hot gas away. Once per t ters acquire and lose gear. If a character session, the character may claim gains a stunt-worthy item (more on this invulnerable defense against an attack below), they can add the stunt to their in physical conflict. If the attack was character sheet in one of three ways: from a heavy weapon like a plasma rifle, however, this has no effect. • If the character has greater than 1 refresh, they can pay a refresh (and CHAMELEON CLOAK the accompanying fate point) to take This loose, poncho-like cloak contains the gear’s stunt immediately. a network of miniature emitters that • If the character is at 1 refresh, they precisely replicate its wearer’s back- may give up another gear stunt and ground, making the wearer effectively pay 1 fate point to replace it with the invisible as long as they are stationary new stunt. or not moving faster than a slow walk. • If the character doesn’t want to take Gain +2 on Infiltrate actions to sneak the stunt immediately, they can hold past visual surveillance. 57 even wrap around objects. It typically COVERT OPS TOOL (COT) comes in a 50-meter length capable of This handheld device is the ultimate supporting 250 kg. Controlled by mesh, in infiltration technology. It contains electronic rope grants +2 on actions to smart-matter micromanipulators, climb obstacles or cross gaps. Allowed cutting tools, and a specialized nano- to operate on its own, it has Fair (+2) hive that produces nanobots that can Athletics skill, Average (+1) Somatics bore or cut through almost any material skill, and 0 stress boxes. and disable or open almost any elec- tronic lock. LIQUID THERMITE Cutting out a lock or boring a 1-milli- A favorite of scrappers and salvage meter hole in a wall with a COT can be crews, this easily applied gel burns at done as an action during an exchange. 2,500 Celsius when ignited with an elec- Cutting out a 1-meter diameter hole in trical charge, melting through anything a wall takes longer (~10 minutes) and it’s touching. Gain +2 on Hardware counts as a scene. The nanobots can actions to overcome obstacles and later be used to repair damage so that create advantages against structures or it is invisible to any but the most careful armored foes (see Explosives, p. 88). and detailed examination. A COT can easily open any old-fash- NANOFABRICATOR ioned mechanical lock simply by You have a desktop cornucopia machine, analyzing it and shaping an appro- portable maker, or other microfacturing priate key, though this takes a scene. device. You may use this device instead It can also open electronic locks by of Civ Rep, Cred, or Eye Rep to acquire infiltrating them with nanobots that gear, although you must have blue- influence the lock’s electronics, no prints of the gear you wish to print (see matter what authentication system the Nanofabrication, p. 119). To create or lock uses. Using a COT gives you a +2 alter blueprints, you need the Program on Hardware actions to break and enter. skill (p. 47). DEMOLITION CHARGES NANOHIVE You’ve got a supply of explosives, timers, This small canister houses, recharges, proximity fuses, and the like. Once per replicates, and programs a colony of session, you can either use a charge to thousands of nanobots. Individual remove an obstacle (Hardware action, nanobots are invisible to the naked difficulty determined by the GM based eye. When released as a swarm they on the type of obstacle) or make an may create a shimmer in the air due to explosives attack during a conflict. In the refraction of light and the tiny lasers latter case, the attack is devastating and the swarm uses to communicate with unavoidable, affecting every character in itself. Nanobots may fly or crawl at the zone where you make the attack. the speed of a human walking slowly. All nanoswarms have 3 physical stress ELECTRONIC ROPE boxes and are difficult to physically The fibers in this rope can be controlled damage (for more details, see Swarms, electronically, making it move in a p. 93). Create a single stunt effect based snakelike fashion, stiffen up, and on the type of nanobots living in the 58 hive or choose a type of swarm from the characters with invulnerable defenses following examples: normally, without creating an advan- tage first. • Cleaners: +2 on Investigate actions to tamper with or eliminate physical QUANTUM COMPUTER evidence. More the province of scientists than • Engineers: Use Program in place of hackers, quantum computers are handy Hardware for construction tasks (e.g., when solving a problem requires some erecting walls, digging tunnels, or serious computing power. This credit sealing holes). card-sized machine grants +2 on • Guardians: Guardians are designed Program, Xeno-Contact, or X-Risks to attack other nanoswarms. Use actions where massive computational Program instead of Shoot when power aids the outcome. attacking hostile swarms. This bypasses the invulnerable defense SNIPER RIFLE swarms have against many forms of This is a large, high-powered rifle physical attack. that fires armor-piercing rounds • Proteans: A protean swarm can be and can engage at sniper range (see programmed to fashion a single piece Ranged Weapons, p. 89). Once per of human-sized or smaller gear using conflict, a character with this stunt nearby raw materials. In effect, the can make a devastating attack (p. 86) nanobots are a portable 3D printer against an opponent. that can use whatever is nearby as feedstock. Provided you have the SURVEILLANCE BOTS blueprints for the desired item (either You have a selection of 3–5 small bots already in hand or acquired using useful for recon. These include a creepy Cred or Civ Rep), the protean swarm (a 10-centimeter crawling bot), a gnat consumes itself to create the desired (a tiny rotorcraft flying recorder), and a gear, swapping this stunt for another speck (a 2.5-millimeter, bug-like flying

gear stunt. Fabricating the item drone). They have 0 stress boxes, Fair UNTS S requires time—half an hour to several (+2) Notice, and Average (+1) Athletics. t hours depending upon the size and They can be controlled directly by you complexity of the item to be created. or given instructions using Program • Saboteurs. +2 on Infiltrate actions and dispatched to work autonomously. where making the opposition’s equip- ment go haywire would aid success. UNDERBARREL SEEKER • Scouts. +2 on Investigate actions to LAUNCHER collect and catalog physical evidence. You have an underbarrel cradle for antipersonnel micromissiles. Once PLASMA GUN per conflict, you can designate one You’re armed with a high-yield energy of your Shoot attacks as an explosive weapon capable of dispersing violet-hot micromissile. Everyone in the zone artificial star-stuff over an area a few you pick defends against this attack meters wide. This allows you to damage (see Attacking with Explosives, p. 88). nanoswarms, morphs with swarm Although explosive, this isn’t a devas- composition, and sometimes other tating attack. 59 MORPHS, BOTS, AND VEHICLES

Sentinels on a mission pack some consequence slots are available pretty serious hardware and software, to that morph (p. 63). This differs but their greatest asset is the body between biomorphs, pods, synth- they’re wearing. The term morph is morphs, and infomorphs. used to describe any form your mind • Refresh Cost: The refresh that must inhabits, whether a vat-grown clone be spent to have that morph. This sleeve, a synthetic robotic shell, a refresh cost is in addition to any part-bio/part-synthetic pod morph, refresh spent on morph stunts. If you or even the purely electronic software sleeve into a morph with a refresh state of an infomorph. The wearer of a cost, but you can’t afford that refresh, morph could be a player character or you can still ride that morph, but will transhuman NPC, but it could also be have to spend refresh for that morph a limited AI. Bots, vehicles, and space- in the next refresh cycle (unless you craft are normally operated by AIs, but genuinely don’t have enough refresh other characters can sleeve into them, to do so normally). too. It’s even possible for characters to sleeve into a space habitat, treating the entire structure as their morph. TYPE There are four broad types of morph, classified by construction, type of body, ANATOMY OF A and type of brain. Biomorphs are all meat. Most MORPH develop in exowombs, but natural child- birth (or egg-laying) is still practiced Morphs have six elements: by a minority. They may have bioware, nanoware, or cyberware augmentations, • Type: General morph style: biomorph, but their overall structure, metabolism, pod, synthmorph, or infomorph. and brains (usually) are biological. • Aspects: Two aspects specific to that Most are genefixed if not genetically morph. enhanced. Not all are human—some • Traits: Traits are augmentations that are genetically modified animal uplifts come stock with a given morph type. or even more exotic chimeras or neoge- Traits give permission in the fiction netic designs. Biomorphs are in general to take actions that other characters looked upon favorably by society, couldn’t, such as directly sensing although uplifts sometimes face preju- radiation or surviving in hard dice and even diminished legal rights, vacuum with no space suit. Traits depending upon the local laws. serve as a hook or reminder for when Pods are biological morphs with to invoke or compel morph aspects. cyberbrains instead of meat brains. • Stunts: The more potent capabilities They’re grown in pieces in mass-pro- of a morph are represented by stunts. duction vats and assembled—with a • Durability: Measuring how many fair bit of cybernetics to fill the gaps— morph stress boxes and additional rather than developing in an exowomb. 60 Originally designed as biological androids for limited AIs, pods are often stigmatized as a low-rent option. Synthmorphs are artificial morphs of metal, ceramics, and plastic with cyber- brains. The cheaper mass-produced models (the "clanking masses") are a sign of poverty or indentured servitude. Infomorphs are incorporeal, soft- ware “bodies” favored by AGIs and transhumans who want to ditch their bodies. Infomorphs have limited rights in some legal systems, are considered property in others, and are straight-up illegal in the most conservative polities. Much of this is due to guilt by associa- tion with the TITANs. MORPH ASPECTS Each morph has a core aspect relating to the sort of morph it is, such as Flat or Octomorph. Some have an adjective or other descriptor attached to this aspect, relating purely to that morph: Healthy Flat or Scarred Octomorph. Essentially, this is the morph’s high concept aspect. Morphs may have a second aspect that involves something specific to the morph. For instance, a sentinel might

find themselves sleeved into a morph M

that has Nicotine Addiction as a orphs second aspect. In this case, the aspect is almost like a trouble aspect, but a

morph’s second aspect isn’t restricted , to being about a trouble. Bots Morphs taken at character creation

will be this fleshed out. Morphs encoun- , tered in play may also be or may start and with just a base aspect and perhaps be fleshed out with a second aspect later, if V e

the morph’s role in the story isn’t brief. hicles

61 acquire the morph should be more MORPH TRAITS difficult—from +1 to +3 above the Each morph type has a set of things normal ladder rating, depending that it can and can’t do, such as having upon how hard a custom morph a cortical stack, not needing to breathe, would be to acquire at the character’s being able to switch sex, etc. In Eclipse current locale. Phase, these include those implants, Customizing a morph in this way enhancements, advantages, and disad- doesn’t cost any additional refresh. vantages that are primarily narrative in function. MORPH STUNTS Beyond providing permission to Each morph also has a stock list of perform certain actions, traits are available stunts. The character wearing sub-aspects of the morph’s primary the morph has justification to take all, aspect. They provide more description some, or none of these stunts when they of what the morph’s core aspect means, sleeve, subject to the rules in the Stunts serving as reminders of when it can be chapter (see Morph Stunts, p. 56). invoked or compelled. NON-STANDARD CUSTOMIZING MORPH AUGMENTATIONS TRAITS At character creation, it’s also possible Players may wish to customize stock to take stunts not listed for a given morphs with traits from the complete morph. Customizing a stock morph list below that aren’t standard to that during play with non-standard stunts in morph. This should start with a conver- play requires justification, usually in the sation with the GM (or the entire table) form of a Cred or Civ Rep roll to acquire about justifying the inclusion of the the desired implant. If taken at char- desired traits on the morph. Do the acter creation, the player should usually proposed custom traits make sense and be able to simply pay the additional contribute to setting flavor? Some traits, refresh, provided the table finds this like putting Mobility (Hovercraft) on neither unjustifiable nor unaesthetic. a humanoid biomorph, might be very hard to justify. Others, like adding DURABILITY Access Jacks or Natural Weapon (Claws) A morph's physical stress track comes to a humanoid morph, shouldn’t require into play in conflicts where the morph much discussion. is assaulted, hindered, or damaged. All At character creation, taking a morphs have at least 2 physical stress custom morph should be represented boxes. Depending on the type of morph, by a morph aspect encapsulating the they may have more boxes, as determined special modifications (e.g., Stealth by the morph's listed Durability rating or Octomorph or Amphibious Ghost). Up the character's Somatics skill, as detailed to 3 additional traits may then be added on the Durability table, next page. to the morph’s trait list. Morphs may also suffer from If the morph is being acquired physical consequences. Specific rules using Cred or Civ Rep, the action to regarding morph consequences can

62 be found in Healing and Repairing: Addressing Morph Consequences, p. 92, SYNTHMORPH DURABILITY including how consequences work if For synthmorphs, stress boxes and you leave a morph or it is destroyed. additional consequences are deter- Some morphs might have additional mined solely by the morph’s Durability, mild consequence slots that apply only as listed on the Durability table. to morph harm. INFOMORPH DURABILITY BIOMORPH AND POD Infomorphs also have physical stress DURABILITY boxes, as determined by Durability, but For biomorphs and pods, a user must the only way to damage infomorphs have a corresponding rank in Somatics physically is with a scorching attack to get the most out of their morph’s (a program that tries to physically Durability. Use the lower of the user’s delete or disrupt the infomorph; see Somatics or the morph’s Durability and p. 102). This requires first hacking into the Durability table to determine the the server on which the infomorph is number of stress boxes. running; See the Mesh chapter, p. 98, For instance, if you have a Fair (+2) for more details. Infomorphs receive Somatics and are in a neo-avian morph no bonuses to physical stress based on (Mediocre +0 Durability), you only have Somatics skill. the standard 2 stress boxes even though If an infomorph’s server is physically your Somatics is high enough to get a destroyed, the infomorph can no longer third. On the other hand, if you’re in a take action until their backup is loaded ghost morph (Good +3 Durability), you onto another server. For example, an only have 3 stress boxes even though the infomorph using a ghostrider module or morph is capable of having more. vehicle as a server can’t act if the person Some biomorphs and pods have or object on which they were running is ingrained toughness regardless of taken out in a way that results in their Somatics, which is represented by ride’s death or destruction.

morph stunts. M orphs

DURABILITY TABLE , For biomorphs and pods, use the lowest of morph Durability or Somatics skill. Bots For synthmorphs and infomorphs, use Durability. ,

DURABILITY/SOMATICS PHYSICAL STRESS BOXES and Mediocre (+0) 2 V Average (+1) or Fair (+2) 3 e Good (+3) or Great (+4) 4 hicles Superb (+5) 4 plus additional mild morph consequence

63 Slipping from jamming back to one’s body, or over to another controlled B OTS, VEHICLES, device to jam, takes a single move action if in conflict. AND HABITATS If a device is destroyed while a char- Robots, vehicles, and space habitats acter is jamming it, they must still take may for all intents and purposes be a move action to reestablish control of treated like morphs. They have traits, their own morph or other device on Durability, and may be taken at char- their next action. acter creation or acquired using Cred or Civ Rep. SLEEVING INTO DEVICE AIS DEVICES Bots and vehicles are autonomous, Sleeving into a bot or vehicle is fairly equipped with a native AI. These AIs straightforward. These devices aren’t are typically very basic in their capa- intended as morphs, but with the bilities, with two skills, one at Fair (+2) addition of a cyberbrain trait (see and one at Average (+1). For vehicles, Customizing Morph Traits, p. 62), they the Fair skill is always Pilot, and the serve quite well and are otherwise Average skill is usually Infosec (repre- treated as normal morphs. senting a rudimentary ability to resist Space habitats generally have a subversion). For an automech bot, the massively parallel habitat cyberbrain Fair skill is usually Hardware, while for attached to central administrative an armed drone, it might be Shoot. systems. Sleeving a habitat as a morph Device AIs don’t require a cyberbrain does not make the ego omniscient or to run as an AGI or other transhuman all-perceiving, any more than being in ego would. It’s even possible to erase the a transhuman morph would make one default device AI and replace it with a aware of all of the blood corpuscles, copy of one’s muse, although doing so bacteria, and food particles moving is often inadvisable, since muses usually through one’s body. It does however don’t have the skills to operate the confer a sense of proprioception: the device. If a cyberbrain is added to a bot perception of “body” awareness and or vehicle, the ego in the cyberbrain can where all of the parts of a body are in coexist with the device AI, with the AI relation to one another at any given taking over should the ego leave or cede time. This means that the inhabiting control. ego is aware of the macro-scale state of the habitat, including such things JAMMING as hull integrity, atmospheric pres- Characters with control over a bot sure (interior and exterior, if any), the or vehicle may assume direct control, functional status of the power grid and treating the device as if it were their energy intake and consumption, orbital morph temporarily. This may be done position and velocity, and the position using mental actions, so it’s a popular and functionality of major external option with bodiless infomorphs. “appendages” such as axial space docks While jamming, a character may take or the mirrors and windows on an no physical actions in their own morph. O’Neill cylinder. 64 To see and hear specific places inside, are being delivered to these types of

the ego must focus its attention on the systems with appropriate armament. M

area's public surveillance hardware. E.g., emptying a machine pistol into orphs The physical stress for a space habitat the habitat’s core server farm would be doesn’t represent the overall structural effective, but the attackers might then

integrity of the whole hab. Rather, it need to traverse 10 zones full of security , measures how much damage enemies goons to reach the outside of the station Bots must do to incapacitate mesh systems and do enough damage to sensor arrays

and sensors to the degree that the or solar panels to finish the job. , inhabiting ego is no longer running If an ego sleeved into a hab concedes and the show. Doing this requires physical or is taken out, the hab itself isn’t attacks on operations centers, servers, usually destroyed, but serious disrup- V e

and external or internal sensors. tion to things like life support, door hicles Although the amount of stress that controls, service animals, or bots can must be inflicted isn’t much more than quickly become a problem, creating for an individual morph, in the fiction, nasty situational aspects like Venting attackers need to justify the stress Atmosphere, Damage Control Offline, inflicted by specifying that attacks or Berserk Security Drones. 65 FURY LIST OF Mostly female due to problems with hyper-aggression in male versions, MORPHS AND furies are top-of-the-line combat morphs with sharpened senses, light- DEVICES ning reflexes, and incredible stamina. A morph’s name is also its primary Sample Aspect: Short Temper aspect (which the player may choose to Traits: Essential Biomorph Traits customize with an additional adjective). Stunts: Armor, Enhanced Senses, The most basic morphs of each type are Medichines, Reflex Boosters, listed first. Additional morphs of each Structural Enhancement type are in alphabetical order. Durability: Good (+3) Stress Boxes: 4 (max) B IOMORPHS Refresh: 1 Cred/Civ Rep Cost: Great (+4) BOUNCER Designed for life in space, bouncers GHOST have prehensile feet, limber bodies, and Ghosts are partly designed for combat the ability to survive in vacuum for a operations, but what they really excel at limited time. is stealth and infiltration. Sample Aspect: Clumsy in Gravity Sample Aspect: Former Morph of Traits: Essential Biomorph Traits, Wanted Saboteur Environmental Adaptation (Vacuum), Traits: Essential Biomorph Traits, Manipulators (Prehensile Feet), Mobility (Grip Pads) Mobility (Limber) Stunts: Mobility (Grip Pads), Reflex Stunts: Mobility (Grip Pads) Boosters, Stealth Durability: Average (+1) Durability: Good (+3) Stress Boxes: 3 (max) Stress Boxes: 4 (max) Refresh: 1 Refresh: 1 Cred/Civ Rep Cost: Great (+4) Cred/Civ Rep Cost: Good (+3) FLAT MENTON A baseline human with no augmen- Mentons are modified to increase tations. Genetic defects are not learning ability, creativity, focus, uncommon. Flats usually lack cortical memory, and overall cognitive ability. stacks or mesh inserts. Sample Aspect: Oblivious Sample Aspects: Nondescript, Traits: Essential Biomorph Traits, Unattractive Mnemonic Augmentation Traits: none Stunts: Multiple Personalities, Mental Stunts: none Speed, Multi-Tasking Durability: Average (+1) Durability: Average (+1) Stress Boxes: 3 (max) Stress Boxes: 3 (max) Refresh: 0 Refresh: 0 Cred/Civ Rep Cost: N/A (unavailable Cred/Civ Rep Cost: Good (+3) in many locales) 66 Stunts: Hyperlinguist NEO-AVIAN Durability: Average (+1) Neo-Avians are ravens, crows, or grey Stress Boxes: 3 (max) parrots uplifted to human-level intelli- Refresh: 0 gence. They’re about the size of human Cred/Civ Rep Cost: Good (+3) children, with larger heads to accom- modate their increased brain sizes. OCTOMORPH Sample Aspect: Delicate A large, sentient octopus capable of Traits: Essential Biomorph Traits, swimming or walking on its many legs. Natural Weapon (Claws), Sample Aspect: Hair Trigger Stigma (Uplift) Chromatophores, Tentacle Chewer Stunts: Mobility (Flight) Traits: Essential Biomorph Traits, Durability: Mediocre (+0) Environmental Adaptation (Gills), Stress Boxes: 2 (max) Manipulators (8 Arms), Mobility Refresh: 0 (Limber), Mobility (Swim), Natural Cred/Civ Rep Cost: Good (+3) Attack (Beak), Stigma (Uplift) Stunts: Natural Attack (Ink), Natural NEO-PIG Attack (Venom), Stealth Neo-pigs are bipedal pigs uplifted to Durability: Average (+1) human intelligence. They’re shorter but Stress Boxes: 3 (max) more powerfully built than humans. Refresh: 2 Males grow small tusks from their lower Cred/Civ Rep Cost: Great (+4) jaws. Sample Aspects: Clumsy Trotters, Prematurely Aged Traits: Essential Biomorph Traits, Stigma (Uplift) Stunts: None Durability: Good (+3)

Stress Boxes: 4 (max) M

Refresh: 0 orphs Cred/Civ Rep Cost: Good (+3)

NEOTENIC , Neotenics are splicers in whom Bots adult physical development has been

prevented. Their small bodies use fewer , resources, a useful trait in cramped and post-Fall space habitats. Although capable of hosting mentally and V e

emotionally mature adult minds, their hicles brains also retain some of a child’s mental flexibility. Sample Aspect: Delicate Traits: Essential Biomorph Traits, Mobility (Limber), Size (Small) 67 RUSTER PODS Rusters are humans adapted for the cold, thin atmosphere of Mars. Corp-designed NOVACRAB models often require periodic “patches” Bioengineered from coconut and spider with expensive genetic service packs to crabs, novacrabs house a cyberbrain maintain good health. Planned obsoles- and transgenic vocal cords in a cara- cence makes them unpopular with infu- paced, massively clawed body with 10 gees otherwise desperate for a real body. 2-meter legs. Sample Aspects: Always Hungry, Sample Aspects: Manners of a Prawn, Planned Obsolescence Shell Parasites Traits: Essential Biomorph Traits, Traits: Essential Pod Traits, Environmental Adaptation (Cold), Environmental Adaptation (Gills), Environmental Adaptation (Thin Environmental Adaptation (Vacuum), Atmosphere) Natural Weapon (Claws) Stunts: None Stunts: Armor, Strength, Structural Durability: Average (+1) Enhancement Stress Boxes: 3 (max) Durability: Good (+3) Refresh: 1 Stress Boxes: 4 (max) Cred/Civ Rep Cost: Good (+3) Refresh: 1 Cred/Civ Rep Cost: Great (+4) SYLPH A stunningly beautiful morph with pher- SCURRIER omonal and other social augmentations. Developed from non-sapient alien Sample Aspects: Celeb’s Old Morph, animals called sciurids, scurriers Unforgettable Looks resemble raccoon-sized sugar gliders Traits: Essential Biomorph Traits, Social with prehensile tails. Dependence on (Sex Switch) the original animal’s hindbrain for Stunts: Attraction motor control has hindered entirely Durability: Average (+1) eliminating the sciurid’s instinctual Stress Boxes: 3 (max) reactions. Refresh: 0 Sample Aspects: Delicate, Squirrel-like Cred/Civ Rep Cost: Good (+3) Instincts Traits: Essential Pod Traits, SPLICER Manipulators (Prehensile Tail), A genefixed human with only standard Mobility (Glide), Size (Tiny) biomorph modifications. Stunts: Mobility (Grip Pads), Sample Aspects: Aged, This Year’s Face Medichines, Multi-Tasking Traits: Essential Biomorph Traits, Durability: Average (+1) Common Stress Boxes: 3 (max) Stunts: None Refresh: 0 Durability: Average (+1) Cred/Civ Rep Cost: Good (+3) Stress Boxes: 3 (max) Refresh: 0 Cred/Civ Rep Cost: Fair (+2)

68 WORKER POD OPTERYX The most basic pod morph available, Popular with neo-avians who prefer a worker pods are grown for use in synthetic body option, these excellent menial labor and service jobs. Aside reconnaissance morphs resemble small, from the “seams” of scar tissue left from winged dinosaurs. Oddly, while they’re assembly and the access jacks, they’re a sufficiently high-end morph to avoid indistinguishable from splicers. the social stigma of being in a cheap Sample Aspect: Unfashionable Face synth, the automatic assumption that Traits: Essential Pod Traits, Common, the inhabiting ego is neo-avian can Stigma (Pod) draw negative attention from those Stunts: None prejudiced against uplifted animals. Durability: Average (+1) Sample Aspect: Fragile Stress Boxes: 3 (max) Traits: Essential Synthmorph Traits, Refresh: 0 Mobility (Flight), Stigma (Uplift) Cred/Civ Rep Cost: Good (+3) Stunts: Enhanced Senses (Lidar/Radar) Durability: Average (+1) SYNTHMORPHS Stress Boxes: 3 Refresh: 0 CASE Cred/Civ Rep Cost: Good (+3) A Firewall agent either has to be desperate or piss off their proxy to end up in one REAPER of these cheap, unreliable synths. The Stars of countless popular simulspace working poor are often not so lucky. war dramas, reapers are the ultimate Sample Aspects: Lemon, Limited combat morph—but they’re in no way Range of Expression subtle. Reapers resemble an armored Traits: Essential Synthmorph Traits, disc bristling with thrusters, weapon Stigma (Synth) mounts, and snake-like clawed arms. Stunts: None Sample Aspects: Battle-damaged,

Durability: Average (+1) Terrifying M

Stress Boxes: 3 Traits: Essential Synthmorph orphs Refresh: 0 Traits, Mobility (Flight), Mobility Cred/Civ Rep Cost: Average (+1) (Hovercraft), Natural Weapon (Claws)

Stunts: Armor, Reflex Booster, T-Ray , FLEXBOT Emitter Bots Designed for modular expansion and Durability: Superb (+5)

polymorphic adaptability, flexbots are Stress Boxes: 4 and 1 additional mild , the MacGyver knife of synthmorphs. consequence and Sample Aspect: Difficult to Control Refresh: 2 Traits: Essential Synthmorph Traits, Cred/Civ Rep Cost: Superb (+5) V e

Modular Construction hicles Stunts: Shape Adjusting Durability: Average (+1) Stress Boxes: 3 Refresh: 1 Cred/Civ Rep Cost: Good (+3) 69 SWARMANOID B OTS AND VEHICLES Composed of a swarm of insect-sized bots, swarmanoids can also link AUTOMECH together into an amorphous humanoid These ubiquitous repair drones come shape about the size of a child. in many form factors, ranging from Sample Aspect: Spread Thin roughly humanoid to cylindrical with Traits: Essential Synthmorph Traits, an adorable, dome-like “head.” Mobility (Hovercraft), Swarm Sample Aspects: Clanking Masses, Just Composition a Bot Stunts: Multi-Tasking, Stealth Traits: Essential Bot Traits, Common Durability: Average (+1) Stunts: None Stress Boxes: 3 Durability: Average (+1) Refresh: 1 Stress Boxes: 3 Cred/Civ Rep Cost: Good (+3) Refresh: 0 Cred/Civ Rep Cost: Fair (+2) SYNTH Synths are the most basic synthmorph FLYING CAR model that a sentinel would actually This mid-sized car can carry up to 5 want to consider. Roughly human-sized, passengers comfortably and can run on they’re clunky but effective shells used the ground or fly using methane-fueled, in many labor applications. vectored thrust engines. They’re very Sample Aspect: Clanking Masses common on Mars. A more truck-like, Traits: Essential Synthmorph Traits, armored model is used by Martian Rangers. Common, Stigma (Synth) Sample Aspects: Beater, Favorite of Stunts: Strength Car Thieves Durability: Good (+3) Traits: Cyberbrain (optional), Essential Stress Boxes: 4 Bot Traits, Common, Internal Refresh: 1 Compartment, Mobility (Wheeled) Cred/Civ Rep Cost: Fair (+2) Stunts: Mobility (Flight), Reflex Booster, Structural Enhancement Durability: Good (+3) Stress Boxes: 4 Refresh: 1 Cred/Civ Rep Cost: Good (+3) GENERAL EXPLORATION VEHICLE (GEV) These hybrid ground vehicle/short- range spacecraft have sealed atmo- spheres, (cramped) accommodations for 6, limited self-repair capabilities, and the ability to make low orbit from an Earth-standard gravity well in under an hour. They’re a favorite of exoplanet gatecrashing expeditions. 70 Sample Aspects: Reported Stolen Traits: Cyberbrain (optional), Essential INFOMORPHS Bot Traits, Internal Compartment, Mobility (Tracked), Mobility EIDOLON (Walker), Size (Huge) The choice of elite hackers and would-be Stunts: Mobility (Flight), Nanofabber seed AGIs, eidolons improve upon Durability: Superb (+5) the basic infomorph design for faster Stress Boxes: 4 and 1 additional mild processing. consequence Sample Aspect: Inhuman Sensorium Refresh: 2 Traits: Essential Infomorph Traits, Cred/Civ Rep Cost: Superb (+5) Stigma (Infolife) Stunts: Multi-Tasking, Mental Speed, HA BITATS Reflex Boosters Durability: Good (+3) O’NEIL CYLINDER Stress Boxes: 4 These huge, cylindrical space habits are Refresh: 1 from 500 meters to 10 kilometers long Cred/Civ Rep Cost: Great (+4) and rotate around their central axis to provide gravity. The inside alternates INFOMORPH between dense commercial/residential The basic virtual morph for AGIs and areas, farms and parkland (vital to infugees, infomorphs interface effort- creating enough oxygen), and vast lessly with any digital system. windows into space to admit sunlight. Sample Aspects: Copyright Trolls, Spacecraft typically dock at the gravi- Unempathetic ty-less axis. A character sleeved into one Traits: Essential Infomorph Traits, won’t be going anywhere except around Stigma (Infolife) the astronomical body they orbit, but Stunts: Multi-Tasking, they usually have an entire city—some- Mental Speed times with millions of inhabitants— Durability: Average (+1)

inside them. So why leave home? Stress Boxes: 3 M

Sample Aspects: Imbalanced Ecology, Refresh: 0 orphs Sensor Dark Zones Cred/Civ Rep Cost: Traits: Cyberbrain (optional), Essential Good (+3)

Synth Traits, Internal Compartment, ,

Mobility (None), Size (Ultra-Massive) Bots Stunts: Armor, Enhanced Senses, Multi-

Tasking, Structural Enhancement ,

Durability: Superb (+5) and Stress Boxes: 4 and 1 additional mild consequence V e

Refresh: 3 hicles Cred/Civ Rep Cost: Legendary (+8)

71 internal computing power to run your personal AI muse and enough storage LIST OF MORPH to record your entire life. You connect to the datasphere via a headware radio TRAITS with a range of about 1 km (in urban Traits are sub-aspects of a morph’s core areas—10 km in open country, and aspect that give its wearer permission in even more in space). the fiction to perform actions that char- acters without this trait wouldn’t be able to perform. Traits have no cost, nor do ESSENTIAL they have to be invoked or activated like POD TRAITS aspects and stunts, although they can Pods are biomorphs, but they have serve as a reminder for when to invoke cyberbrains instead of organic ones. or compel aspects. Pods have Essential Biomorph Traits, as well as the following traits. ESSENTIAL ACCESS JACKS B IOMORPH TRAITS The morph has physical jacks (usually in Biomorphs are fully biological bodies. the back of the neck) for hookup to vehi- All biomorphs except for flats have the cles, ego bridges, or any number of gear following traits. items. The character can also plug into other characters who have access jacks. BIOMODS The character can upload (see Resleeving, The morph is free from genetic defects, p. 80) almost instantly if plugged into a common diseases, and some of the server capable of receiving their ego and effects of old age. if their morph has a cyberbrain. CORTICAL STACK CYBERBRAIN The morph’s resident ego, including The morph’s resident ego runs on its mind, memories, and all of the hardware rather than meatware. The data in its mesh inserts, is down- character can upload almost instantly loaded into this cigarette-butt-sized, if also equipped with access jacks. The nanodiamond-encased storage device morph’s cyberbrain is also a potential over 36,000 times a day. If the morph target for hackers, who, if they make dies, all of this can be retrieved by a successful mesh intrusion (see Mesh digging the stack out from the spine Intrusions, p. 100) can make scorching near the hindbrain. attacks against the character (see p. 102). MESH INSERTS PUPPET SOCK The morph’s brain is augmented with The morph can be remotely controlled. the transhuman future’s answer to Normally the morph’s resident ego a smart phone: a network of proces- has control over this feature, but a sors and storage that allow instant successful mesh intrusion against the access to the mesh via augmented ego could gain temporary control of reality windows controlled by the the morph. mind. Mesh inserts provide enough 72 ESSENTIAL physical conflict, nor can it take physical actions itself. An AGI can act directly on SYNTHMORPH the mesh without mesh inserts. AND BOT TRAITS VIRTUAL MESH INSERTS Synths are fully mechanical morphs. These are the infomorph equivalent Synths have the following traits: of the operating system and storage in physical mesh inserts. Infomorphs • Access Jacks interact directly with the mesh, so this • Cortical Stack trait represents their personal data • Cyberbrain store and the environment in which the • Mesh Inserts infomorph’s muse—their personal AI • Mnemonic Augmentation assistant—runs. • Puppet Sock

Bots have all of the above, minus the MORPH-SPECIFIC Cyberbrain and Cortical Stack traits. TRAITS It’s possible to sleeve into a bot, but The following traits are permissions doing so requires justifying the addition conferred by specific morphs. of these traits to the base model (usually using Cred or Civ Rep). BODYSCULPTING In addition, synths and bots have the Current medical technology allows following trait: morphs to be customized with skin dyes and textures, bone sculpting, changes NO BIOLOGICAL FUNCTIONS in coloration, tattoos, piercings, scari- Synthmorphs don’t breathe, don’t eat, fications, and other body modifications can turn off sensations of pain, are quickly and at trivial cost. unaffected by vacuum or extreme temperatures, and are immune to shock COMMON

weapons, diseases, and toxins. This morph is so ubiquitous that it M

draws very little attention in most orphs situations. People trying to describe the ESSENTIAL morph (say, to authorities) may have a

INFOMORPH TRAITS hard time picking it out from a crowd. ,

Infomorphs have the Mnemonic Bots Augmentation trait (p. 74). ENHANCED SENSES (TYPE)

In addition, they have the following The morph has natural senses beyond , traits: the transhuman norm. While this and doesn’t make senses any more acute, INFOLIFE it does expand the sensorium into V e

The infomorph or AGI must run on a areas others can’t even perceive. This hicles server: a ghostrider module in some- could mean infrared/ultraviolet vision, one’s head, a vehicle’s onboard computer, sensing radiation, ultra-keen sense of or rackspace in an anonymous server smell, sonar, echolocation, or nano- farm. The morph can’t be engaged in scopic vision.

73 ENVIRONMENTAL types of manipulation other morphs ADAPTATION (TYPE) couldn’t attempt. Examples include The morph has adaptations needed an octomorph holding 8 things at to survive in a specific hostile envi- once, someone with wrist-mounted ronment. Describe the adaptation in tools making a Hardware roll while parentheses. Possibilities include gills, otherwise without gear, or a bot with high-gravity adaptations, internal fractal-branching digits slowly taking oxygen reserves, radiation shielding, something apart at the molecular scale. extreme temperature tolerance, sealing and oxygen reserves for survival in hard MNEMONIC AUGMENTATION vacuum, or, in the case of synthmorphs, The character remembers everything not having to breathe at all. they experience while in this morph, flawlessly. For morphs with cyberbrains, GHOSTRIDER MODULE memories are recorded as data that can This implant allows the character to be accessed much like a video or XP carry another infomorph inside their (eXperience Playback) recording. For head. This infomorph could be another morphs with meat brains, this trait muse, an AI, a backed-up ego, or a is a transgenic adaptation conferring fork. The module is linked to the char- eidetic memory. Characters can still acter’s mesh inserts, so the ghostrider recall these memories if sleeved into a can access the mesh. The character new morph. may limit the ghostrider’s access or may allow them direct access to their MOBILITY (TYPE) sensory information, thoughts, commu- The morph’s body provides a mode of nications, and other implants. movement other than walking. This could be hopping, flying, hovering, MANIPULATORS (TYPE) squeezing through tiny spaces, maneu- The morph has multiple limbs, wrist- vering in vacuum with gas jets, or being mounted tools, fractal branching able to climb with the aid of prehensile fingers, a prehensile tail, or some feet or grip pads. Various modes of other augmentation that permits flight, however, are treated as stunts. 74 Some mobility traits represent being better at a given way of getting around STIGMA (TYPE) than the average morph. Most morphs Some prejudice persists against uplifts, can swim, but a morph with Mobility AGIs, and the cheaper synthmorph or (Swim) might be able to do things pod models—particularly in the inner automatically underwater that would system. While this morph doesn’t require an overcome roll for a less automatically operate at a social disad- specialized morph. vantage all the time, in some situations Other mobility traits, such as grip (such as interactions with police), it only pads, make it possible for characters to takes one bigot to make everything go attempt actions no one otherwise could, pear-shaped. On the other hand, some- like scaling a glass with no times being underestimated is useful. climbing gear. SWARM COMPOSITION MODULAR CONSTRUCTION The morph is composed of insect- The morph is designed to have other sized robots that can travel together robotic modules quickly added or in a swarm or link together to form removed from it. Once per session, you amorphous shapes. You can’t lift or may change one of your morph stunts move objects heavier than 1 kilogram, mid-session, provided you can acquire but you can fit into narrow spaces, appropriate new hardware with a Cred spread yourself out over an entire room, or Civ Rep action. or even occupy two adjacent zones at once. You’re considered to have invul- NATURAL ATTACK (TYPE) nerable defense against bullets and The morph has a beak, claws, or some edged weapons. To hurt you in physical other natural weapon. The character is conflict, your opponent either needs to always considered armed for purposes of create an advantage or be armed with a Melee or Shoot rolls (depending on the weapon that spreads its damage over a natural weapon type), even if they’ve lost large area, like a shotgun, flamethrower,

their other weapons in the fiction. or explosives. M orphs SIZE (TYPE) The morph is much bigger or smaller UPGRADING TRAITS

than a typical humanoid. This could TO STUNTS , help or hinder their ability to move, Morph traits can also serve as the basis Bots hide, evade attacks, reach things on for custom stunts. If a morph has a high shelves, and the like. trait, this provides justification for the ,

player to create a custom stunt upgrad- and SOCIAL (TYPE) ing the trait from a permission to an V This includes minor socially-oriented advantage of some type. Taking such e modifications that might have a narra- stunts is otherwise subject to the usual hicles tive effect but don’t have any direct rules for Morph Stunts, p. 56. The List of game effect. This includes the ability to Morph Stunts section (p. 76) contains switch sexes, distinctive cosmetic modi- several examples of traits upgraded fications, and the like. to stunts, such as Mobility (Grip Pads).

75 dying or urgently wishes to depart the morph, this tiny amount of antimatter LIST OF MORPH is brought into contact with a similarly tiny amount of matter in a controlled STUNTS fashion that generates a single brief and carefully coded neutrino pulse of the ARMOR ego’s most recent cortical stack backup. Every sentinel wears some type of However, the heat generated by this body armor, even if it’s just armored process cooks the morph, killing it and street clothing or a vacsuit, but you’re destroying all implants in it. a tank. In physical conflicts, you If a character with this stunt declare invulnerable defense (p. 87) concedes or is taken out in a conflict, against an attack in physical conflict they can activate the broadcaster to once per session. ensure that a backup of themselves from a split second before they died ATTRACTION gets out. This also prevents the enemy The morph’s physiology or appear- from recovering a copy of them from ance have been modified to give the their cortical stack. All other effects upper hand in social situations. This of conceding or being taken out apply may include tailored pheromones, (p. 168, Fate Core). fine control over hormonal output, a sanitized metabolism that produces no unpleasant odors, or striking phys- ENHANCED SENSES ical looks. (TYPE) You have a +2 to Rapport and similar Covers enhanced hearing/vision/ actions where physical looks or physical smell, t-ray emitters, oracles, radar, and presence would give you a social edge. lidar. You have +2 to Notice rolls when Alternatively, this stunt could be enhanced senses of the type you have re-worded to represent someone who’s would be relevant (e.g., +2 to Notice rolls a good liar thanks to fine hormonal for sight if you have enhanced vision). control (+2 on Deceive), physically This may also make it possible to sense intimidating due to pheromonal fine- things that would be impossible for tuning (+2 on Provoke), or better at any normal characters (e.g., seeing through action involving control over fear. solid objects with a t-ray emitter). EMERGENCY HYPERLINGUIST NEUTRINO Your language centers pick up new syntax, vocabulary, and the like rapidly, BROADCASTER and you’re incredibly adept at analyzing The morph has an implanted, unfamiliar languages and codes. Gain single-use neutrino broadcaster linked +2 on Xeno-Contact actions to translate to a highly secure storage facility. The or use alien languages. broadcaster contains approximately 10 nanograms of antimatter stored in an MEDICHINES apple-sized triply redundant magnetic This is the most common form of containment vessel. If the character is nanoware. These nanobots monitor 76 your body at a cellular level and fix maneuverable than other characters, any problems that arise. Medichines gaining +2 to Athletics rolls where eliminate most diseases, drugs, hostile having wings, thrusters, or an aerody- nanobots, and toxins before they can namic shape provides an advantage. do more than minor harm to the host. Since flight capability is usually an If desired, you can temporarily override inherent characteristic of the morph/ this protection to permit intoxication bot/vehicle's design, GMs may want or other effects, but unless you activate to consider making this stunt a a second specially labeled override, required purchase. medichines prevent the toxins from accumulating to lethal or permanently harmful levels. MOLITYBI Medichines for synthmorphs and (GRIP PADS) bots consist of nanobots that monitor You have +2 to Athletics rolls when and repair the shell’s integrity and climbing or clinging to a surface, internal system functions. provided you’re not wearing gloves or are You give +2 to anyone attempting otherwise unable to use the augmentation. to address your morph consequences (including you) as well as to defend against toxins and sicknesses— MULTIPLE including the exsurgent virus. PERSONALITIES The morph’s brain is intentionally MENTAL SPEED partitioned to accommodate an extra With this nanoware system, nanobots personality. This multiplicity is not alter your neural and viewed as a disorder, but as a cogni- augment the functioning of their tive tool to help people deal with their neurons. You can deliberately speed up hypercomplex environments. your mind to think and also receive and Special: Create another character, process sensory information far faster purely as an ego. It shares the primary

than ordinary humans. Time seems to ego’s fate points and consequence M

subjectively slow down, allowing you to slots, and this additional ego uses the orphs carefully plan your next action, even if primary ego’s refresh pool in char- you only have a split second to do so. acter creation. It must spend at least 1

You receive 1 free invoke of your refresh, but doesn’t take its own morph. , primary morph aspect per session It has its own identity, including skills, Bots when your mental speed and percep- rep, and ego stunts. You can have as

tion processing would make significant many personalities as you can afford, , difference. You have +2 on this roll. provided you have a minimum of 1 and refresh remaining. MO BILITY (FLIGHT) Alternatively, if the concept interests V e

Your morph has wings, vector-thrust you from a purely roleplaying stance, hicles engines, or another means of flight. In but you aren’t interested in the extra gravity higher than .1 g, this simply bookkeeping of having multiple egos, means you are flight capable. In talk with the GM and take an aspect gravity of .1 g or under, you're more relating to this.

77 enhanced neural speed and reaction MULTI-TASKING time come into play. Not only do you think extremely fast, you do it in parallel. You have an advanced SHAPE ADJUSTING computer installed in your brain that You can reshape yourself to fit into uses the data in your cortical stack to small spaces and can mimic the appear- create several simultaneous short-term ance of other synthmorph and bot types forks to handle various mental tasks. on a successful Deceive action. However, these forks can only perform purely mental or on-line interactions. STEALTH Only morphs with the Cortical Stack trait The morph has some type of natural can possess this augmentation. camouflage: chameleon skin, gait Your talent for multi-tasking gives masking, radar absorption, or invisi- you some metaphorical firepower in bility from refractive coatings. tense cerebral situations. You can treat You have +2 to Infiltrate actions to a delta fork of yourself (p. 81) as another not be noticed, provided that you’re person for the purposes of teamwork. stationary or not moving faster than Your fork can only handle mental a slow walk. You also have a +2 to tasks that can be performed internally or actions that involve your deliberate use involve the mesh. To use this, you must of changing your color and pattern to pay a fate point or otherwise invoke an blend in. appropriate aspect, though the effect lasts the entire scene or conflict. STRENGTH The morph has cybernetic arms and legs, enhanced muscle fibers, pneumatic NATURAL ATTACK waldo arms, or some other augmenta- (INK) tion to physical strength. You can make a Fight or Shoot attack You have +2 when bringing your at +2 to create a Blinded condition on enhanced strength to bear would make your target. a significant difference. This can’t be used for attack or defend actions. NATURAL ATTACK (VENOM) STRUCTURAL If a Fight attack from your beak gener- ENHANCEMENT ates 1 or more shifts, you inflict the Increase your Durability by 2. This Neurotoxin Paralysis condition on should provide an extra physical stress your target. box or possibly an extra mild conse- REFLEXSTERS BOO quence (see Durability, p. 62). The morph has lightning reflexes and is physically fast thanks to modifications SWARM to its nervous system, adrenal glands, or COMPOSITION neural circuitry. The shell is not a single unit, but a You can activate reflex boosters to swarm of hundreds of insect-sized gain a +2 to physical actions where robotic microdrones. Each individual 78 “bug” is capable of crawling, rolling, hopping several meters, or using nano- copter fan blades for airlift. The cyber- CHANGING brain, sensor systems, and implants are distributed throughout the swarm. MORPHS AND Though the swarm can “meld” together into a roughly child-sized shape, the MOVING EGOS swarm is incapable of physical tasks like Characters in Eclipse Phase can be killed grabbing, lifting, or holding as a unit. and reinstanced from backup, forked Individual bugs, however, are quite into two morphs to work simultaneously capable of interfacing with electronics. and then merged, and other things that In addition to having vast mobility, are quite unusual even for roleplaying distribution, and other effects, you have games. Since Fate Core is more about invulnerable defense (p. 87) against supporting drama than a sense of physical assaults that don’t affect an physics, Transhumanity's Fate treats area (like being punched, shot at, grap- these special cases with unusual rules. pled, tripped, etc.). However, there’s a This is because the player is playing a downside: when rolling for an action single (if broad) concept of a character, that involves using strength to lift an which goes beyond what morph you’re object or overcome aforce of more than in or how many you’re controlling. 5 kilograms, you roll at Mediocre (+0), First, consequence slots are persistent. regardless of your Somatics skill. If you are brought back from a backup M orphs , Bots ,

and V e hicles

79 (often because you’ve died), most conse- • Biomorphs require 60 minutes and quence slots you have are still filled. See an ego bridge. Recovering from Morph Death and • Pods require 30 minutes and a Destruction, p. 92, for examples and connection via access jacks between use. If you’re reloaded from a backup the morph and a server. into the same morph, that’s effectively • Synthmorphs require 10 minutes the same as character death, so that uses and a connection via access jacks the same rules. between the morph and a server. Second, multiple morphs share fate • Infomorphs require 10 minutes and points and some consequences. If you a server. fork, then you have two characters and can take twice as many actions, but Specific to Transhumanity's Fate, the you have the same pool of fate points, amount of time spent getting used to even if you’re light-minutes apart. You a new morph (known as integrating), also share severe and extreme conse- adjusting to the idea that the morph is quences—since these consequences are you (known as alienation), and dealing linked to drama and length recovery, with the loss of time and memory you can’t escape them by just ditching (known as continuity) is handled as a morph. a temporary aspect of New Morph or Lost Continuity. This goes away RESLEEVING the next time the character refreshes Resleeving is the process of giving a fate points, unless the GM deems that new body to an ego. Changing bodies the alienation is so severe as to stick is a normal part of life for hundreds around for longer—being in a morph of millions of transhumans, and it is vastly different from what you’ve been an even more frequent occurrence in before could take a significant mile- for people in certain professions. stone to acclimate to, as might recov- Characters involved in specialized ering from months of lost continuity. work may resleeve as often as once a month. Those who travel frequently EGOCASTING may do so even more often. Also, In spite of being a spacefaring civili- given the number of infugees who died zation with outposts throughout the during the Fall but have now acquired solar system and beyond, transhu- a new morph, the vast majority of manity makes scant use of spacecraft transhumanity has resleeved at least for interplanetary travel. Shuttlecraft once. As such, most transhumans are using a variety of propulsion systems accustomed to resleeving. In some make regular trips between habitats, circles, elaborate social rituals have planetary surfaces, and . But even developed for re-introducing for any trip longer than 1.5 million oneself to friends and associates after kilometers—the distance a fusion taking a new body, especially if its drive craft can cover in a day—people appearance is very different from the normally egocast. old one. Egocasting involves uploading your The requirements for resleeving vary ego, being transmitted across the inter- depending upon what type of morphs vening space, and then downloading the character is resleeving from and to. into a morph at your destination. Many 80 transhumans, including Firewall agents, morph as well, other than legalities egocast regularly for work or pleasure. and custom. Additional information While egocasting, you have the tempo- on how forks work can be found on p. rary aspect Egocasting (or a variant, 273, Eclipse Phase. like Darkcasting). Most of the time, this aspect won’t come into play, but for VARIOUS FORKS those times that it does, it’s most likely The rules for alpha, beta, delta, and to be used to the character’s detriment— gamma forks in Transhumanity's Fate either as a compel or as an invocation are as follows. against that character. Alpha Fork: As alpha forks are exact Forknappers or other adversaries copies of an ego, there’s no difference in might attempt overcome actions the rules between the original ego and opposed by an egocaster’s Cover skill to the fork. identify their ego in transit. Egocasting Beta Forks: Beta forks, being imper- companies guard their servers well, but fect copies, have no skill higher than determined hackers could potentially Good (+3). This doesn’t alter the skill track, scorch, or even forknap egos pyramid; skills in a higher slot are in their care. Most of transhumanity just treated as being at Good, though goes about their lives without worrying they will frequently have some stunts about this too much, but then most of removed. All psi stunts are removed, as transhumanity doesn’t have enemies might other ego traits at the GM’s call. like Firewall does. Delta Forks: Delta forks are even more limited. They have no skill higher than Fair (+2) and are frequently edited FORKING AND down. All psi stunts are removed, as MERGING might other ego traits at the GM’s call. With all of these backups of trans- Gamma Forks: What little detail human minds on file and an abundance gamma forks have is up to the GM. of mesh space on which to run them Forks and Consequences: Forks have

as virtual brains, one might wonder all of the consequence slots filled that M

what’s to stop post-Fall transhumanity the original ego has, though the GM orphs from multiplying its numbers by might deem some addressed or even running additional copies of them. edited if time has passed.

The short answer is: nothing, aside , from massive social stigma and thorny MERGING Bots psychological issues. Taking a backup Merging is the process of re-integrating

of a transhuman mind, copying it, and a previously spawned fork with the orig- , reinstancing it as an infomorph is called inating ego. Merging is performed on and forking. It’s one of the most useful and conscious egos/forks, transferring both still-controversial applications of trans- to a single, merged ego. The process is V e

humanity’s brain science. not difficult to undergo when two forks hicles There are four classifications of have only been apart a short time. As forks: alpha, beta, delta, and gamma. forks spend more time apart, though, Though typically copied as info- merging becomes a severe mental ordeal. morphs, there is nothing preventing a For synthmorphs, merging takes fork from being sleeved in a physical just a moment. For biomorphs, an 81 ego bridge (p. 328, Eclipse Phase) is The result of the process is a unified required to merge, and the process ego, whether or not the action succeeds. takes 10 minutes. Psychotherapy and psychosurgery can Merging requires either the ego or be used to address consequences from another character to make a Medicine a poor ego merge. action. If another character with at least Merging and Consequences: When Good (+3) Medicine is overseeing the egos are merged, the new ego has all of process and there’s no pressure to the the consequences of both egos. If both situation, it automatically succeeds. egos had a given level of consequence If rolling, the target is Fair (+2) if (like both having a mild consequence), the time the egos have been apart is then choose the one that best fits or less than a day, Great (+4) if less than rewrite accordingly. If a consequence a half a week, and Superb (+6) if longer. is new to either of the old egos, then it If the ego is doing this themselves, the needs to be addressed, even if one of difficulty is increased by 2. Success the original egos addressed it before means that the ego merges without a merging; for the other ego, this is a shock. hitch. Tying means that there’s some Minor Memory Glitch, a temporary POPPING A STACK aspect that goes away on the next Cortical stacks can be removed from refresh. Failing means taking ego stress both dead and, less commonly, living equal to the number of shifts you failed morphs. by; if this doesn’t cause you to take a It’s possible to pop a stack from a consequence, then you have the Minor living morph if you’re just that brutal. Memory Glitch as if you tied (in addi- In many conflicts, being left alive but tion to taking the ego stress). badly wounded and stackless will usually be a reasonable effect of being Taken Out. 82 JACKING NPC MORPH MORPHS At some point, players are likely to ACQUISITION decide someone’s body would look Morphs available to players list a cost good on them. This is handled normally in Civ Rep or Cred to get a hold of one. as resleeving. However, many NPC This is the normal difficulty to acquire writeups may omit a specific morph this morph in play using either of these (particularly for nameless NPCs). In skills. The GM has discretion to increase this case, the GM is free to decide on or reduce this difficulty based on the the spot. PCs’ location. Fighting morphs like the Fury or Reaper might be complicated to B EING FORCED acquire in a heavily policed locale, while in other locales (like the bioconserva- INTO A MORPH BY A tive Jovian Republic), some morphs SITUATION simply aren’t available at all. If a given mission or situation—such as to infiltrate a location—forces you to TEMPORARILY be in a morph you don’t own and effec- tively denies you access to those morphs ACQUIRING A that you have, and that situation is the MORPH GM’s conceit for a scenario, then that’s If you gain another morph, such as by effectively a compel against you that you borrowing or renting one, then in addi- can’t really refuse. In those instances, tion to any cost paid in the story, you you get all of the refresh you’ve spent on must also temporarily pay the refresh morphs back, regardless of how much cost of the morph. When paying tempo- the morph you’re not in would cost. If rary refresh, discard fate points equal this happens in the middle of a session, to the refresh cost. If you don’t have and it’s not just a brief moment, you

enough fate points to cover the cost, gain that many fate points as if you had M

then just discard all that you have at the that refresh at the beginning. You can’t orphs time. You can mitigate this temporary spend this temporary refresh on other cost by removing one of your owned character options, and it goes back to

morphs from play while borrowing normal once you’re in your own morph , another morph. (though you don’t have to give back the Bots Normally, a character cannot reduce fate points).

their refresh below 1, but that can If a given mission or situation forces , happen when temporarily acquiring a you to be in a morph you don’t own, and morph. If you have less than 1 refresh, but you still have access to your other then in addition to gaining no fate morphs in play, then you don’t get the V e

points during a refresh, all compels cost temporary increase, but you also don’t hicles two fate points to refuse instead of one need to temporarily pay for it either. (but still only give you one fate point GMs and players should talk this over to for accepting). If you’re already below make sure everyone’s on the same page 1 refresh, you cannot change morphs in about these situations. this way. 83 TECHNOTHRILLER CONFLICTS

The world of Eclipse Phase is a dangerous place. Conversely, death SITUATION ASPECTS isn’t the end-point of most characters. In general, setting the scene for a This chapter provides various rules for conflict works as described on p. 155, handling physical conflicts and harm in Fate Core. However, there are some Transhumanity's Fate. setting-specific elements to take into consideration when choosing situa- SETTING UP A tion aspects: • Gravity. Are one or more zones in CONFLICT Microgravity? Are there any zones that have different gravity from the 1. Set the scene. rest of the conflict area, requiring a. Describe the environment. characters to maneuver through a a. Establish zones. Gravity Transition Zone when they a. Define participants and sides. enter it? 2. Determine turn order. • Hostile Environments. Some envi- a. Use Notice for physical conflicts. ronments, such as the surfaces of Athletics, then Somatics break ties. Venus or Io, are inherently fraught a. Use Kinesics for mental conflicts. with natural hazards like Pools Rapport, then Will break ties. of Boiling Magma or Crushing 3. Proceed to the Exchange Sequence Atmosphere. Other areas could quickly become exposed to space if someone were to damage a Faulty Airlock or flooded with radiation due to a stray bullet causing a Magnetic

THE TONE OF CONFLICTS IN THIS GAME As mentioned in the introduction, Transhumanity's Fate holds to a particular tone: techno-thriller action and espionage, with a bit of transhuman survival horror on the side. The rules in this chapter play to Fate’s strengths: keeping the action quick and loose and erring on the side of larger-than-life characters rather than going for gritty realism. After all, characters in Fate don’t necessarily die when they’re taken out—and in the world of Eclipse Phase, death isn’t necessarily the end of a character anyway. So tracking character harm in terms of life or death isn’t as important as tracking harm in terms of how long a sentinel can keep in the fight. In Transhumanity's Fate, the octomorph super-spy will probably dodge the micromis- sile shot at her, the mesh hacker will still be hacking while his body is in a firefight, and even the flat suddenly dealing with explosive decompression will have a short time to act before being taken out. Keep that in mind as you’re reading these rules and playing the game. 84 Containment Breach in a reactor. other zones or take physical actions Especially aboard ships and space against characters outside the airlock. habitats, watch out for destructive A stuck hatch might take a Somatics actions that could add situation roll to force open or a Hardware roll aspects during the conflict. to jimmy. A secure airlock might • Social Situations. Characters infil- be hackable with Infosec, although trating a Martian society function usually this will take multiple actions might find it Steeped in Protocol. and so should be handled as a contest Accusing a member of an autonomist under fire (p. 94). mining co-op of being an exsurgent • Gravity Transition Zones. Space could be tough if the Hometown stations that spin to create artificial Crowd is on their side. gravity contain areas where gravity • Non-Analog Locales. A conflict can transitions from microgravity to take place in a server or simulspace Earth or Mars levels. Moving through world. Attempts to scorch AGIs off a one of these boundaries gracefully server (an example of physical conflict might call for an Athletics roll, in a non-analog locale; see p. 102) could especially if the “up” direction shifts be affected by aspects like Hardened abruptly. Characters who fail could Server or Lax Infosec. A simulspace either take stress from falling (treated world could skew “physical” conflicts as an unavoidable attack p. 90) or taking place there with an -like simply fail to move between zones Physics Model, or the avatars might that turn. have Cartoon-like Expressions that complicate social conflicts. ESTABLISHING SIDES ZONES As described on p. 158, Fate Core. Zones work as described on p. 157, Fate Core. Zones are used mostly for physical DETERMINE TURN areas. Although they’re physical conflicts, ORDER

scorching attempts against AGIs on This also works as on p. 158, Fate Core, CHNOTHRILLER T servers only have one zone. Likewise, except that some of the skills used are e social conflicts don’t use zones. different in Transhumanity's Fate. Remember that non-trivial boundaries between zones, such as airlocks or gravity For physical conflicts, transition zones may require an action to • Notice is still the primary determi- cross (see p. 169, Fate Core). nant of turn order. Some setting-specific considerations • Athletics remains the first tie-breaker.

should be kept in mind. • Somatics replaces Physique as the C

final tie-breaker. on • Airlocks and Hatches. Airlocks flicts may connect zones with breathable For mental conflicts, atmosphere with other environments, • Kinesics replaces Empathy as the like water, toxic atmospheres, or the primary determinant of turn order. vacuum of space. Airlocks take time • Rapport remains as the second to cycle—usually 1 turn during which tie-breaker. characters in the airlock can’t move to • Will is the final tie-breaker. 85 FLOW OF ATTACKS AND CONFLICTS DEFENSES Once a conflict is set up, it plays out as a Transhumanity's Fate doesn’t use the series of one or more exchanges. Repeat weapon and armor rating extras from the following sequence as many times Fate Core. Eclipse Phase has a great as needed to resolve the conflict. amount of detail in devices that can destroy or protect morphs, with various EXCHANGE armor conditions having different SEQUENCE effects on certain weapons. We’ve collapsed this idea down into three 1. On your turn, take an action and general situations for physical conflicts: resolve it. typical attacks, devastating attacks, and a. Declare your action. invulnerable defense. b. If attacking, define your situation vs. the defender: TYPICAL ATTACKS i. Typical Attack: Your attack Most of the time, characters in physical has no special advantage conflicts make typical attacks against based on situational factors each other, whether that’s punching, or your opponent’s defenses. slashing with claws, or shooting ii Devastating Attack: Your someone with a rifle. These attacks do attack or other situational the normal amount of physical stress factors render your oppo- based on that attack’s shifts. It doesn’t nent’s defenses ineffectual. matter if you’ve been punched in the iii. Invulnerable Defense: Your head, stabbed by a knife, or shot at—it's opponent’s defenses or other all just part of a sentinel’s life. situational factors render your attack ineffectual. 2. On other people’s turns, defend or DEVASTATING respond to their actions as needed. ATTACKS 3. If everyone has had a turn, start a Devastating attacks are attacks that new exchange. more or less would destroy a morph, such 4. If everyone on one side has conceded as most explosives or a vehicle-mounted or been taken out, the conflict is over. railgun fire meant to take down heavily armored synthmorphs. These attacks inflict an extra 2 stress when successful, and inflict 2 stress instead of creating a boost on a tie. (Essentially, they are Weapon:2 in terms of the weapon rating extra.) This rule reflects situations where even an action hero should tactically retreat—or at least think twice before entering the fray, possibly to buy needed time for their cohorts. 86 If you can somehow mitigate the devastating nature of the attack, it WHEN TO USE becomes a typical attack. Likewise, SITUATION ASPECTS devastating attacks scale to the situa- INSTEAD tion: ship-mounted weapons meant to take on other ships are typical attacks, Having a small advantage over the other but a nuke is still devastating. side isn’t worth being a devastating attack or invulnerable defense, but that is definitely worth being an aspect. In INVULNERABLE some cases, that’s a part of a character DEFENSES aspect—your morph having claws is an Finally, invulnerable defenses are element of your morph’s core aspect, for

exactly as described: your foe’s instance, or having a powerful rifle is CHNOTHRILLER T defenses render the attack you’d reflected in an ego aspect likeSniper e attempt moot. You’re not going to slow with a Heart of Gold. Or the advantage down a tank with your machine pistol. was created prior to or as part of the This rule reflects situations where scene, such as Taken the High Ground action heroes have to use different or Won’t It Be Funny When They tactics to overcome danger. Walk Into the Ambush?. When you’re in this situation, you When there aren’t any aspects that

have three options: retreat (tactically cover the power differential, the GM C or frantically), create advantages that might declare a side to have some on someone who can inflict stress could advantage aspect, but without the flicts use, or find a way around the defense. free invocation. (A general note about That last option could be an overcome Fate and free invocation: aspects are action to disable a defense, a clever use only worth free invocations if you of gear or positioning to get around the spend actions in the game to create defense, taking the fight to the mesh, them, at the cost of being able to do and so on. something else.) 87 OTHER ATTACK EXPLOSIVES Many sentinels love to employ explo- RULES sives when executing missions, as do more military-oriented adversaries. Explosives make three things possible: CONDITION- overcoming obstacles by blowing them INFLICTING WEAPONS open or away, creating advantages Certain weapons are meant to incapac- through strategic explosive placement, itate or cause a condition rather than and attacking with explosives. inflict direct stress, notably stunners. Explosives come in two broad catego- These weapons work by inflicting aspects ries: planted explosives and projectiles. on the target (such as Stunned), meaning To attack or overcome an obstacle, roll you use the create advantage action. Hardware when planting explosives. However, if the target already has Roll Athletics when throwing a grenade that aspect—even if the free invocation or Shoot to launch a missile. is used—and the weapon could possibly inflict stress, you can choose to attack ATTACKING WITH EXPLOSIVES in follow-up actions rather than keep When you attack with explosives, creating the advantage. The moment the everyone in the zone rolls to defend character shakes off the aspect, though, against the explosive (including you, if the option to attack is off the table until you set off a blast in a zone you’re in!). that aspect is re-inflicted. Depending on the size of the zone in In the case of Shocked, that aspect the story and the nature of the explo- probably goes away after a couple sive, this could involve multiple zones exchanges, unless you keep attacking or just part of a single zone (see Ranged with the stunner or otherwise push them Weapons, next page, for more on flex- into not being able to shake off its effects. ible zone handling). 88 When you launch a missile or throw also an attack roll against those caught a grenade, those caught in the blast in the blast. defend normally using Athletics against From a narrative standpoint, your Athletics or Shoot roll. planted explosives are usually more If you strategically planted the explo- effective at overcoming obstacles than sive, define a triggering condition. This projectile explosives. A well-planted could be a proximity fuse (if you can superthermite charge can take out just justify it), or it could be a simple time about anything, whether it’s a support delay. If a conflict has already started, column, a sealed bulkhead, or the belly define time delays in terms of how many of a tank. Projectile explosives usually characters’ turns until the explosive require more narrative justification. goes off. When the triggering condition You’re not going to open a hardened is met, those caught in the blast defend door by throwing an anti-personnel against your Hardware roll using their micromissile at it. On the other hand, Somatics. Make your Hardware roll a volley of those same micromissiles when the explosives go off—not when would make sense for creating a you plant them. Suppressive Fire advantage. Characters may spot planted explo- sives using Notice versus the planter’s RANGED WEAPONS Hardware. Trying to detect explo- Fate’s zone system is very flexible when it sives from an adjacent zone usually comes to defining environments, which requires justification (e.g., a relevant can get tricky when thinking about sensory augmentation on your morph weapons that have codified effective or a bomb big enough to be visible ranges. Transhumanity's Fate handles from a distance). this by giving ranges weapons one of two Generally speaking, explosives are ranges: normal range and sniper range. devastating attacks. Most weapons have normal range, meaning that you can target someone OVERCOMING OBSTACLES up to two zones away, within reason.

AND CREATING ADVANTAGE “Within reason” is a variable depending CHNOTHRILLER T Both planted and projectile explosives on the GM and group, so you may at e can be used to overcome obstacles times decide that a very large zone and create advantages. To put a shape counts as two for ranged weapons, or charge on a door to open up a boundary that very small zones (created because between zones, roll Hardware. To their borders aren’t trivial to cross) missile the hangar doors so that your don’t count. But when in doubt, the ship can get out, use Shoot. normal range is two zones.

This is no different from other Then there’s sniper range, covering C overcome or create advantage actions, sniper rifles, smart missiles, large on except that characters in the blast railguns, and other weapons that are flicts could take stress. In those cases, the iconic due to their ability to be accu- action also triggers the rules for rate and effective at a vast distance. attacking with explosives (also starting They have no strict range limit; as long a physical conflict, if one hadn’t started as you can see it and it makes sense yet). Treat the roll for the overcome or that your weapon would reach the create an advantage action as if it were target, you can attack. 89 because such limited-use weapons are BARELY OUT OF RANGE more like temporary advantages you’re As an option, if a target seems to be expending than commonplace actions possibly just outside of normal range, but you’re used to employing. an argument can be made for hitting the target, let the attack happen. The target has a free invoke on the Out of Range UNAVOIDABLE aspect for every defense where they’re out of range of the attack. Essentially, ATTACKS the shooter is constantly at a disadvan- If you can’t avoid an attack, such tage with every shot, not just with one. as being caught in a building-wide explosion or being attacked after your AMMUNITION synthmorph body is hacked and frozen, Transhumanity's Fate doesn’t care about you’re going to be hurt for sure. ammunition for weapons that aren’t If the attack is typical (p. 86), the single-use weapons or a situation where attacker makes an attack, rolling against having another clip or charge pack is a a Mediocre (+0) result for you instead of simple fix to keep firing. For all those your own defend action. Since you’re weapons, you can keep using Shoot— not rolling dice, you can’t invoke firefights don’t last so long that ammo is aspects or boosts on your behalf. a significant problem. If the attack is devastating (p. 86), That said, since being out of ammo you’re taken out, unless you have a can make for an interesting moment of stunt like Armor that affords some story, if you fail a Shoot action, the GM protection. Most people don’t make it might declare that it’s because you’re out of exploding ships, no matter how out of ammo, and you either have to hypercompetent they are. (Of course, if justify getting more ammo (such as by you can make an argument for why you scavenging a wounded foe) or tempo- might be able to, the GM could present rarily accept the Out of Ammo aspect. an opportunity for you to try to escape Note: the Out of Ammo aspect can be or survive. But generally, “unavoidable” compelled only if shooting at your foe means “you can’t avoid its impact.”) was the only viable option for stopping them, due to distance or some other reason, and the compel is about your foe HOSTILE escaping or achieving some objective ENVIRONMENTS before you can engage them again. If All dangerous environments have some you could simply switch to a knife and aspect, from On Fire to Venting Toxic reasonably continue attacking, that’s Gas to No Atmosphere. not a compel—that’s just color. If you’re in a deadly environment or For weapons that are single-use toxic atmosphere—and “no atmosphere” or are very trivial to keep track of is pretty toxic to most biomorphs—you ammo in the moment, the game uses don’t have a lot of time to get yourself to the simple logic of “when you use safety (or perform some heroic last act it, it’s used up.” There’s never an Out before your morph bites it). The rules of Ammo aspect from this situation, for this are simple: on every exchange

90 before you act, take 1 physical stress. There’s nothing that can mitigate this stress, except by not being affected by MORPH the environment at all. If you’re taken out, your morph is DEATH AND probably dead. Conceding may also mean death, or it could mean everyone DESTRUCTION else assumes you’re dead, but you’ll If you’re taken out by something that show up later in the same morph. is quite capable of killing you, the The border around a zone with victor can declare that you’re dead. On a dangerous environment aspect is the face of it, this is a departure from generally secured somehow, taking Fate, where death is normally a player

effort (such as an overcome action) to choice. Consider, however, that bodily CHNOTHRILLER T get past. Bulkheads slam shut when death is only an inconvenience for e a ship detects depressurization, for Transhumanity's Fate characters. They example. Though in the case of such an might need to find a new body, but the aspect capable of assaulting that envi- character is alive and able to return to ronment—Acid Rain or On Fire—the play, albeit with some consequences border might be trivial to cross because from being temporarily dead. See it’s been eroded or entirely non-existent. Recovering from Morph Death and

For more details, and suggestions for Destruction, p. 92. C running hostile environments as obsta- on cles in a contest under fire, see More on flicts Hostile Environments, p. 122.

91 resleeve. A character with the conse- quence Multiple Gunshot Wounds, for HEALING AND example, could swap this for a conse- quence aspect of the same value called REPAIRING: Traumatized from Getting Shot Up. ADDRESSING RECOVERING MORPH FROM MORPH CONSEQUENCES Depending on the type of morph you’re DEATH AND in, different skills are required for addressing consequences (see p. 162, DESTRUCTION Fate Core). If you’re taken out by something that is quite capable of killing you, the victor • For biomorphs (including pods), can declare that you’re dead. The same medical treatment is necessary. Use is true if you’re knocked unconscious Medicine skill. and someone has time enough to kill • For synthmorphs, bots, vehicles, and you. Death isn’t a game-ender, but other devices, repair is necessary. Use it does warrant some special rules Hardware skill. regarding consequences. • For infomorphs, use either Hardware First, wipe away any mild conse- (for repairing a server physically quences you have. Second, reframe all damaged) or Program (for function- of the morph-based consequences you ality being affected by a malicious or have into ego-based ones that relate malfunctioning code). either to being killed or to the social debt incurred by being cast into a new Recovering from consequences is morph. Consequences like Suffering otherwise the same as in Fate Core. From Lack, Missing Memories, PTSD, The difficulty is based on the degree on Owe Firewall Even More, and Not consequence. If successful, rename the Sure What’s In This Morph are poten- consequence as desired and wait the tial post-death ways of reframing. needed amount of time for it to fade. All of your consequences are consid- ered addressed, so they’ll go away over time as normal. MORPH VERSUS EGO This doesn’t cover other situations CONSEQUENCES that could arise from being cast into Physical consequences go away when a new morph post-death, like dealing you change morphs. This doesn’t mean with Rep or any particular narrative. the consequences themselves go away, Those situations are still in effect, just as though. If you resleeve either volun- they would be if you were to suddenly tarily or due to the death of your old need a new and very expensive piece of morph, morph-based consequences gear—since that’s pretty much the case. must be translated into something a And someone might be floating around character carries with them when they with your cortical stack, of course. 92 Second, swarms are very difficult to damage with normal weapons. CONSEQUENCES Punching a swarm or shooting it with a machine pistol might take out a WITH MORPH few tiny bots, but the damage to the overall swarm is negligible. Swarms are A BANDONMENT considered to have invulnerable defense If you leave your morph for any signifi- (p. 87) against bullets, blades, unarmed cant length of time—a session, perhaps attacks, or any other attack that focuses even sooner if you know you’re not its energy on a single point. They can be going to return to it—then the morph damaged normally by area weapons like consequences become ego consequences plasma rifles, flamethrowers, grenades, just as if the morph died. If you return or explosives. to the morph in short order, you can switch your consequences back to the NANOSWARMS original ones if you so desire. For descriptions of different swarm char- acteristics, see the Nanohive stunt (p. 58). The following details about SWARMS nanoswarms should also be under- Several types of characters in stood. Nanobot sensors allow them to Transhumanity's Fate have bodies distinguish between types of objects, composed of swarms of tiny bots materials, and creatures based on chem- rather than a single, solid body. This ical composition, including chemical includes characters with the Swarm emissions like pheromones. Nanobots Composition morph trait (composed of could, for example, be programmed insect-sized microbots), nanoswarms to ignore metal objects, certain types (composed of even tinier bots), and of plants, specific morphs, females, or certain creations of the TITANs specific individuals. (composed of advance nanobots or even Before release from their hive, the

femtobots that far exceed transhuman swarm must be given instructions using CHNOTHRILLER T technology). All may be treated simi- the Program skill. The programming e larly in physical conflicts. should specify how long the swarm will Swarms have two advantages in be active, the area to occupy, and the physical conflict. First, they can parameters for its mission. spread themselves out, enabling action Most swarms deteriorate into inef- throughout a zone or even in more than fectiveness after 2 weeks unless they are one zone. Swarms may straddle two replenished by a hive.

zones. This is useful for characters who The area they effect can vary from C want to perceive more than one area at “coat this person” to “spread out to a on once (e.g., if a given zone is around a diameter of 20 meters” to “find the flicts corner). It also enables nanoswarms to nearest chemical traces and track them act physically in more than one zone. to their source.” However, swarms get a mostly negative Finally, mission parameters include Spread Out aspect if they spread over additional instructions—for example, if more than one zone or disperse them- it should ignore certain materials, if it selves to widely in a very large zone. should send a report at a predetermined 93 time, or if it should self-destruct into Contests under fire work by having harmless dust when it has completed a one side (or more) work toward certain task. achieving a goal by scoring victories Swarms may also be directly before being taken out by one other controlled via radio or laser link. side (or more). It uses actions and Swarms are not affected by vacuum, exchanges from the conflict system, although swarms may not fly in airless rather than rolling together for each environments. exchange in contests. CONTESTS SETTING UP A CONTEST UNDER FIRE UNDER FIRE Start by setting the scene as you would Sentinels often encounter threats that with a conflict: describe the environ- can harm them but can’t be harmed ment, create situation aspects and in return. Some of these are environ- zones as needed, then establish who’s mental conflicts, like “escape from the participating and what side they’re on. erupting cryovolcano.” Other encoun- Finally, outline what each side is trying ters revolve around overcoming over- to achieve—notably the side trying to whelming force, like “bring the defense achieve something beyond “stop those grid back online while under bombard- guys” or “kill those guys.” ment” or “run from the self-replicating Once you have that, the last thing nanoswarm.” And still others involve you need is to know how many victories trying to achieve something while something takes. This involves asking being attacked, such as “hack the secu- two questions: rity door before the exsurgents overrun How many participants are there us.” You can handle these situations by on the contest side that can actually blending contests and conflicts together engage in the contest? If your contest is into contests under fire. something like “repair the defense grid,” 94 and only two of the four characters are in the contest might be able to justify technicians, then you only have two using teamwork to help someone who participants. Even if you can justify can, like using Somatics to haul heavy other characters helping indirectly, equipment around for the techni- only count those who can reasonably cians. Those characters have to choose attempt and intend to do the relevant between giving aid in the contest and contest actions. acting in the conflict, which is described Can each participant work toward a in the next section. victory on their own, or do they have to work together in a single action? PLAYING OUT A If the contest requires a continual sustained effort, like throwing exploits CONTEST UNDER to “hack the security door,” then it’s FIRE likely that they’re doing a single action Each exchange in a contest under fire has each exchange to achieve victories, just two phases: the conflict and the contest. as with normal contests. On the other For the conflict phase, everyone— hand, an integrated space defense grid including those who are pushing on might benefit from two technicians the contest—determines their initiative operating on different parts simultane- using whatever method your Fate build ously, meaning that they’re each capable normally does for conflicts. Then each of achieving victories together. participant on their turn either does If there’s only one action per something in the conflict or states that exchange that can push for victo- they’re going to act during the contest ries, either because there’s only one phase. If you decide to act in the conflict, contest-worthy participant or because resolve your action before the next the actions are effectively joined, then person decides what they want to do. start with the normal number of three Those doing something in the victories before adjusting. If multiple conflict get to make their action as actions in a given exchange can push normal. Those working on the contest

for victories, start by multiplying the don’t roll their action right away; if they CHNOTHRILLER T number of independent participants by aren’t taken out or don’t concede in the e three before adjusting. exchange, they roll for their action in When it comes to adjusting, the the contest phase. This also means that base number of victories means that someone working on the contest could at least two rounds of conflict happen decide to instead engage in the conflict before success is possible. If the conflict for that exchange, like one of the two is meant to be drawn out, add to the technicians above switching to shooting

number of victories, and then make at encroaching soldiers while her buddy C sure that there are interesting things continues the repairs. That said, once on to do so that those players who are just you’ve stated that your action is to work flicts acting to achieve a goal aren’t bored. on the contest, you can’t change your Note: There can be conflict-oriented mind until the beginning of the next characters that can help on the contest exchange—in the scene’s story, you’re side, like mercenaries giving covering putting your effort into the contest. fire so that the technicians can work. Or In the contest phase, everyone in someone who can’t directly participate the contest rolls their overcome action, 95 either collectively (as in a normal ENDING A CONTEST contest) or individually as based on the situation. Since this is a one-sided UNDER FIRE contest, the GM sets the difficulty of the A contest under fire ends when the roll just as she would for an appropriate number of victories needed are achieved overcome action. Often, the difficulty or when everyone who can participate isn’t going to be especially high; don’t in the contest concedes or is taken out go higher than Fair (+2) unless it would (meaning the contest failed). At that be inherently challenging even without point, one of three things happens: being shot at or pursued by nanoswarms. If the contest causes the conflict For a collective roll, if anyone succeeds, to end, the conflict ends. Escaping then a victory is scored. Two victories through the security door would cause happen on a success with style. On a that … if it shuts behind you. Fixing a tie, they generate a boost usable in the bomb that you’re sacrificing yourself to next contest phase. Since there’s already destroy a monstrous horde also effec- something chaotic happening and there’s tively ends a conflict. risk on the line, the contest rule regarding If the contest doesn’t cause the something dramatic happening on a tie conflict to end, then the conflict isn’t needed. Naturally, no victories are continues. Repairing a defense grid achieved on a failure; that doesn’t mean doesn’t stop soldiers on the ground the entire contest fails, just no progress is from shooting at you, for example. But made (but remember success at a cost is at least your technicians can pick up still an option). their rifles and fire back! If no one acts in the contest phase, If the contest fails, then the conflict and the nature of the contest means continues if there are others on that side that it fails if no one puts effort into it engaging in conflict, or it’s over if the on an exchange, then the contest fails. entire side is down. The hacking to open the security door could need uninterrupted hacking, for INTERFERENCE instance. On the other hand, if the two There are a couple different ways to technicians stop fixing the defense grid interfere with a contest. for a moment to fight off an enemy that Indirect Interference: Aspects just stormed up to them, the defenses can be invoked to raise the difficulty. don’t magically un-fix themselves so the Notably, consequences sustained in the technicians can continue next round. exchange probably have their free invo- GMs: You might use this an oppor- cation used to this end. tunity to vary the difficulty based on Opposing Action: If another side what’s happening in the story. Is the is able to directly interfere, like a rival security system becoming overwhelmed hacker working to disrupt your intru- due to another’s actions, making the sion, then they roll as the opposition security door easier to open? That puts instead of a set difficulty. Ties still pressure on the conflict side. On the generate a boost for the contestants. other hand, if it’s getting harder to open, Denial: If someone is genuinely able that puts pressure on the contest side. to stop you from acting in the contest phase, such as by tackling you, then that contest phase has to go on without you. 96 This can prove ruinous if the contest requires constant attention. That said, FIRING ON MORE if you’re able to recover on the next THAN JUST exchange, you can go back to acting in CONTESTS the contest. The contest part of contests under fire is asymmetrical: the opposition isn’t TWO-SIDED racing to achieve the same goal as much CONTESTS as it’s trying to eliminate you before you You might have a full contest happening succeed at a goal. This makes one-sided at the same time as a conflict, like two contests similar to challenges (p. 147, sides rushing to get to the same parked Fate Core). The main difference is that

flying car while the exhumans are the rules around victories and the sense CHNOTHRILLER T chasing you down. In that case, treat the of sustained action inherent to contests e contest phase with the full contest rules, (rather than the discrete beats of a awarding victories to the side with the challenge) works for the average contest highest roll as normal. If a tie happens, under fire situation. then something dramatic occurs within It’s simple to replace the contest the contest portion of the scene. part with a challenge, if the goal of This modification could be used for the non-conflict side isn’t a sustained

a three-sided contest under fire—two effort but a series of different tasks. Just C for the contest, and another attacking replace needing victories with indepen- on both of those sides—or it could be dent actions, and play on! flicts used for a two-sided contest where More on tinkering with contests can the conflict agents also have people be read in Fateful Concepts: Hacking engaging in the contest. Contests, by Ryan Macklin.

97 MESH

The mesh—the numerous decentral- flip over a vehicle just because you’re ized networks of servers and devices— on the mesh, but you can help them is in some ways the foundation of investigate something online. There’s a life in Transhumanity's Fate. People catch with this, though: this is usually communicate more through the mesh uncoordinated teamwork, where than through speaking, even while people are looking into different parts of in the same room. Staggering, nearly the mesh or trying to contact different inconceivable volumes of information people, and so it isn’t quite as useful as exist on any subject you can think of, normal, coordinated teamwork. See the though there’s just as much rumor and Uncoordinated Teamwork table, for the bullshit as factual and verifiable infor- appropriate bonus. mation. People make whole livings on the mesh, and network outages are tantamount to suddenly being blind, UNCOORDINATED deaf, and mute. TEAMWORK MINIMUM NUMBER BONUS WHAT THE MESH OF HELPERS 1 +1 ALLOWS 3 +2 The mesh allows everyone with the ability to access it—which is nearly 7 +3 every character, thanks to basic mesh 15 +4 inserts for biomorphs, hardware in synthmorphs, and so on—access to three basic concepts: communication, Dealing with that much assistance, information, and access. whether it’s in information load or being forwarded many different COMMUNICATION contacts, means that there’s a function Barring issues with lightspeed lag or cap to how useful this is. No matter how fragmented/isolated networks, charac- many people are helping, you can’t get ters on the mesh can communicate with a teamwork bonus higher than the each other without being in physical rank of the skill you’re rolling. It’s not proximity. Assume the characters can just about the data, but skill at turning always talk with each other, or at least everything everyone finds into some- leave messages for another person to thing useful. receive later. In game terms, this means the ACCESS teamwork rules (p. 174, Fate Core) are The mesh allows distributed access, available nearly all of the time for purely which broadens places where characters cerebral efforts. You can’t help someone can have effect and agency. Being able

98 to remotely pilot a vehicle, broadcast a actions such as Infosec or Program public announcement, and activate or rolls. The benefit you can get from shutdown various devices all speak to mesh teamwork caps at your skill having the potential to act in a contest rating. After that, you’re not really able or conflict where you’re not otherwise to utilize the additional help. So you can present. (Really, the mesh makes get the benefit of four people helping if you present when you want to be, so you have a skill at Great (+4), just one even the concept of “being present” is person if your skill is Average (+1), and extraordinary fluid.) you can’t really get help if you have In game terms, this access means Mediocre (+0) skill. you might be able to act in situations that would normally be prohibited. Certainly, not everything you’d like RESEARCH to do is necessarily publicly accessible, Given the sheer amount of data that so hacking may be necessary. And exists on any given network (to say being non-local means others could nothing of interconnected networks), directly, physically interfere with your research is made much more viable. In access—the price you pay for not being games terms, this is permission to make physically present. Investigate and related actions without having to leave the comfort of your bed, and you can make it on nearly any TEAMWORK IN subject regardless of how esoteric. The only limitation is in getting specific MESH ACTIONS information on secured servers—and Anyone who’s ever managed a software that’s where subterfuge and hacking project realizes that throwing more come into play. bodies at a problem is often the worst This information doesn’t just cover way to solve it. This is reflected in how facts, but also access to public cameras the teamwork rules work for mesh and other mesh media. M esh

A NOTE ON OUTAGES Naturally, if you’re unable to connect to the mesh (such as if your wireless is being jammed) or the network in your area is completely down, you’re unable to do any of the above things. In some cases, this can be a compel on a location aspect, like Spotty Mesh Access. Other times, this is just an issue that has to be worked around or somehow overcome. The main times it could be a compel is if there’s a reasonable way for the character to justify buying off the complication, and if it’s not an essential part of the story in that moment but just an interesting side complication.

99 In some cases, an intrusion might not MESH be possible or might require additional narrative justification to attempt at all. INTRUSIONS An anonymous system tucked away Just about every person, place, and in the far corners of the mesh might thing in Transhumanity's Fate is on need to be located using Investigate or the mesh, from toasters to security other means before it can be hacked. bots to space habitats. When sentinels A character who turns off their mesh want to subvert any of these systems connection or a server behind an air without permission, the first step is a gap can’t be targeted by an intrusion mesh intrusion. Any character with attempt unless the intruder physically mesh inserts and Infosec of Average jacks into them. (+1) or better can attempt intrusions on systems connected to the mesh. Characters with Infosec at Mediocre INTRUSIONS AS (+0) aren’t assumed to have the software CONTESTS needed to attempt intrusions, but can Mesh intrusions use the rules for also attempt them if they acquire intru- contests (p. 150, Fate Core). In a typical sion software using Cred or Civ Rep. intrusion, both intruder and sysop In a mesh intrusion, one party—the roll Infosec in a series of exchanges to intruder—seeks to gain unauthorized determine whether the sysop boots the access to a system: a database, a locked intruder before the intruder achieves door, or even someone’s cyberbrain. The their goal. Before the contest begins, the intrusion must have a specific goal, be it intruder clearly states their goal, such as stealing files or turning off life support. stealing data, deactivating surveillance The other party—the sysop—defends cameras, opening an airlock, tracing a the system. If the sysop wins, they boot drone operator’s physical location, or all intruders and gain justification to turning off life support. physically track them (see Tracking If the intruder reaches 3 victories People, p. 102). first, they achieve their goal. The 100 data is theirs, surveillance is down, roll separately; in this case, the contest the airlock vents, or the drone gives ends when either the sysop or one of the away its master. If the sysop reaches 3 intruders racks up 3 victories. victories first, they dump all intruders If the intruders’ goals are truly unre- from their system. The sysop can lated to each other, the GM should ques- then attempt to track the intruder (see tion whether they need to be resolved Tracking People, p. 102). simultaneously. Keep in mind, though, Ties on exchanges indicate that the that some goals that seem tangential intruders and the sysop are deadlocked. on the surface are not. For example, if The sysop knows the intruder is there one team of intruders is trying to steal a but hasn’t managed to lock them down file while another is trying to force the and strip them of access privileges. server to shut down, it matters which How a tie in this type of contest twists succeeds first. the situation depends upon what the Additional characters helping protect intruder is trying to do. If they’re out to the system give their teamwork bonus steal data, a tie might mean the sysop to the primary sysop. gets a general idea of what the intruder is after. If wresting control of a drone, COMPLEX SYSTEMS the drone might hesitate, unable to Critical systems, such as airlocks, may take action, or, if it was being directly be designed with multiple failsafes or controlled (see Jamming, p. 64), the otherwise secured in ways that favor drone’s native AI might take over from the defending sysop. Other systems the sysop. might include very complex file systems or many different hardware devices that the intruder needs to manipulate MULTIPLE to reach their goal. In these cases, a INTRUDERS/SYSOPS lopsided contest might be appropriate. Normally, a system has only one sysop The sysop still needs 3 victories to boot protecting it, and hackers often act alone the intruders, but the intruders might

(or with the aid of their muse), but it’s need 4 or even 5 victories to reach M

possible to have two or more on either their goal. Such systems should be used esh side. However, only one character from rarely; lopsided contests are best for each side rolls their skill in the exchanges really dramatic moments. making up the intrusion contest. If more than two characters partake WEAKLY PROTECTED in an intrusion attempt, each hacker SYSTEMS states their own goal, and the GM The contest rules for mesh intrusions determines whether those separate assume that there’s meaningful resis- goals are the same, mutually exclusive, tance from the sysop character in or unrelated. If they’re the same, the the contest. If it’s not clear who’d be lead intruder gets a teamwork bonus opposing an intrusion, the sysop is from the other hackers. If they’re likely to be whatever unnamed NPC AI mutually exclusive (e.g., if they’re both is running on the system being hacked. trying to steal the same data and then Unless they’re specialized for Infosec, delete it from the system), treat them as security AIs have only an Average (+1) opposing sides and have each intruder or Fair (+2) Infosec skill. A character 101 with Infosec at Mediocre can’t effec- with the intended goal of achieving full tively defend their personal network access to their digitized ego. (their mesh inserts, gear, or cyberbrain). Scorching uses contests under fire In this case, their muse would act as (p. 94). The attacker rolls attacks with sysop, if it has Infosec at Average (which Infosec on their turn. On the defender’s most users have their muse at, with turn, they roll Infosec as if they were some having it at Fair). in a contest. If they achieve 3 victories In cases where the sysop can’t offer before conceding or being taken out, meaningful resistance, the intrusion they successfully boot the attacker from succeeds automatically. the device on which their ego is running, and can then shut mesh connectivity or even themselves down to prevent MESH INTRUSIONS another intrusion attempt. If the UNDER FIRE attacker takes out the defender before It’s possible to simulate hacking during the defender gets 3 victories, the most combat by combining the contest with likely resolution is that the defender’s a physical conflict(see Contests Under ego has been completely deleted from Fire, p. 94). When this happens, each the device in question and must return character can choose when their turn from backup. If the defender concedes, comes to either take an action toward it means they’ve been deleted from the the mesh intrusion or act physically device but somehow avoided having to against a foe in the physical conflict. return from backup. This could mean In this case there are two ways for the attacker deleted the contents of their the intrusion to fail: either by the cyberbrain but missed the cortical stack sysop booting the intruders or by the or that the defender was able to shoot a intruders (or sysop) conceding or being copy of their ego onto another device to taken out of the conflict. which they had access. TRACKING PEOPLE SCORCHING Public cameras, open mesh nodes, and CONFLICTS live sensor feeds from drones all make Scorching is an attempt to harm a char- it extraordinarily easy to track people, acter by corrupting or deleting their ego especially if they’re not making special on the device on which it’s running. This efforts to pass unnoticed. could be a synthmorph with a cyber- Tracking someone requires having brain, the server on which an infomorph either identifying physical data or a clue runs, or a device controlled by an AI. to their identity. Possible starting points Cyberbrains, ghostrider modules, and include photos, video, identifying the AI components in gear are hardened marks, gait and biometric data, or the against attempts to delete the occupant. person’s mesh ID. You can’t simply go up to someone Physically tracking someone using with a cyberbrain and start trying to mesh nodes and tips from sources can scorch their brain—you must first gain be run as a challenge using Infosec and control over the device on which they’re Investigate, plus whichever of Civ Rep, running. This means you must succeed Cred, or Eye Rep is most appropriate at a mesh intrusion against the defender to the situation. Tracking someone 102 through your social networks would been traced as soon as the challenge is use Civ Rep, while finding someone over (again, unless there’s comm lag, in whose whereabouts might be known to which case they know however many someone in Firewall would use Eye Rep. minutes after the end of the challenge Cred is only useful in a few cases, such it’d take a signal from the tracker to as for narrowing down the whereabouts reach them). of someone who’s wealthy enough to For minor NPCs who don’t merit leave a financial wake (Cred of 4 or 5), the drama of a challenge, tracking can but not wealthier than you. Cred lets be reduced to a simple Investigate vs. the wealthy keep tabs on those under Cover contest or even just an overcome them—not the other way around. roll using Investigate. For such NPCs, a To counter someone tracking you or tie should yield 2 out of 3 of exact, fast, your friends, treat it as a challenge using and covert, while for anything better Cover, Infiltrate, and Infosec. than a tie, it should yield all 3. Tracking challenges should always consist of three overcome actions. The TRACKING AS AN OUTCOME opposition for each action should be set OF MESH INTRUSIONS to the Cover skill of the person being Tracking an opponent’s physical loca- tracked. The results of the tracking may tion can be one outcome of a mesh be exact, fast, and/or covert. For each intrusion contest (see Mesh Intrusions, overcome that succeeded, the winner p. 100). In this case, tracking shouldn’t picks one (e.g., if they succeeded on 2 be run as a full-on challenge, because out of 3 overcomes, they might choose either the intruder or the sysop has exact and covert). already won a contest to get there. Exact means you know the tracking If the sysop won the contest, they target’s location precisely enough to set can immediately roll their Infosec skill up an ambush or kick down the right versus the intruder’s Cover. On a tie, door when you get there. If the results the sysop chooses one of exact, fast, or weren’t exact, you’ve got more legwork covert. On a success, they get 2 out of

to do when you get to their general 3. On a success with style, they get all 3. M

vicinity. For a small space hab, this If the intruder stated at the start of esh might mean you know only that they’re the contest the tracking the sysop was on aboard, whereas for a big, city-sized their desired victory outcome, they one, you might know which neighbor- succeed upon reaching 3 victories. hood to find them in. Successful tracking by mesh intruders Fast means that you get the results as is always exact, fast, and covert. quickly as possible—instantly, unless Another advantage to mounting the character being tracked is far away a mesh intrusion as a precursor to enough for comm lag to be an issue. tracking is that the intruder needn’t If the results weren’t fast, minutes or know as much about the sysop. Tracking hours might be needed to home in on normally requires biometric data, a mesh the target’s location (plus any time for ID, or some other identifier. An intru- comm lag between celestial bodies). sion, on the other hand, allows hacking Covert means that the target doesn’t into a server or drone and trying to find know they’ve been tracked. If the results out who its operator is without knowing weren’t covert, the target knows they’ve anything else about them. 103 MIND HACKS

Transhumanity’s technology doesn’t CREATING AN ASYNC just allow uploading and backing up of minds. Once uploaded, they can be CHARACTER manipulated in a process called psycho- To gain access to psi sleights, an async surgery that has largely replaced psychi- character needs several things. atric drugs. Alien technology, trans- First, one of your ego aspects must mitted through the exsurgent virus, goes be about being an async. This could even farther, allowing biological transhu- be your high concept aspect (Async mans to perform psychic feats that would Xenoarcheologist or Psychic Assassin), otherwise be impossible. Firewall makes but it could also be your trouble or extensive use of psychosurgery, both in another aspect. A dabbler who just the field and to prune memories from knows a few mind tricks might take the departing agents lest they compromise freeform aspect Gives Off a Weird Vibe, the Eye’s security. Firewall uses psychics, while a character who’s struggling to too, although some in the organization master the strange demands of their new strongly object to making sentinels out powers might take Watts-MacLeod of people who are, effectively, exsurgents. Infectee as their trouble aspect. Watts-MacLeod only infects trans- humans with biological brains and PSI bodies. This doesn’t mean AGI char- Psychics in Eclipse Phase are known as acters can’t become asyncs, but they asyncs. Their condition is the result of must have been in a biological body infection with the Watts-MacLeod strain when they were infected. Asyncs who of the exsurgent virus. This makes the resleeve into a morph that doesn't have flavor of psi and the experience of being a biological brain temporarily lose use an async different from, say, a superhero of their powers. game, where psychic powers arise from Whether the character’s psi aspect is mutation or unlocking of some hidden a trouble aspect or not, the fact that psi potential. Asyncs grapple daily with the is an alien infection should regularly mental health effects of Watts-MacLeod influence the character’s behavior in infection, which range in severity the form of compels. On a good day, from anxiety and depression to severe this could just mean the character psychosis. Specific psychic powers, called doesn’t want to get out of bed (or their sleights, let asyncs augment themselves, sleep sack, if they live in microgravity). affect other characters, and gain infor- At its worst, the character might find mation from their environment in ways themselves wanting to burrow, use that wouldn’t otherwise be possible. non-existent appendages, or eat some- Asyncs can opt to risk mental stress from thing unnatural as the alien urges of the some sleights in order to increase their virus alter their behavior. effects; this is called risking strain. The character may then acquire one Psi has no effect against synthmorphs, or more psi sleights that define how their infomorphs, or (with a few exceptions) async powers may be used. Sleights come inanimate objects. in two flavors: psi-chi and psi-gamma. 104 Psi-chi sleights are traits—sub-aspects taking actions that normal characters of the aspect that makes you an async would be unable to take. (similar to how morph traits are sub-as- pects of your morph’s primary aspect). AMBIENCE SENSE Like morph traits, psi-chi sleights are This sleight provides the async with always on, augmenting the character an instinctive sense about an area and providing justification for certain and any potential threats nearby. actions much as a morph’s bioware or Characters with this sleight are hard implants do. However, psi-chi sleights to surprise, and they’re good at things are purchased with refresh. You buy the like scrounging for useful items and Psi-Chi stunt, and then choose several hunting for hidden clues. traits that come along with it. Psi-gamma sleights are single, potent stunts that can EMOTIONAL CONTROL affect other characters or glean informa- Emotional Control gives the async tight tion from the environment. control over their emotional states. Players familiar with Eclipse Phase Unwanted emotions can be blocked may notice that several of the more out and others embraced. This has the potent psi-chi sleights (e.g., grok) have benefit of protecting the async from been re-classified as psi-gamma for emotional manipulation, but it can also purposes of Transhumanity's Fate. provide an edge in social situations by PSI TRAITS making the async difficult to read. Psi traits (psi-chi sleights) are acquired HYPERTHYMESIA by choosing the Psi-Chi stunt (see Psi Hyperthymesia grants the async a supe- Stunts, p. 106). What follows are just a rior autobiographical memory, allowing sampling of possible psi-chi traits. If them to remember the most trivial of you choose to add new psi-chi traits, events. A hyperthymestic async can be keep in mind what they can and can’t asked a random date and recall the day of do in the Eclipse Phase setting. Psi-chi the week it was, the events that occurred

can augment the mind by sharpening that day, what the weather was like, andCKS M

perception, improving predictive ability, many seemingly trivial details that ind filtering out distractions (whether irrel- most people would not be able to recall. evant information or pain), altering Normal characters need a Mnemonic H subjective time, improving memory, or Augmentation trait from their morph to a enabling you to read other characters achieve this level of recall. better in social situations. Psi-chi isn’t about affecting other characters or the PREDICTIVE BOOST physical world outside your body. Psi-chi The Bayesian probability machine doesn’t allow flight, becoming incorpo- features of the async’s brain are boosted real, or blasting people with energy. by this sleight, enhancing their ability As traits, psi-chi sleights do two to estimate and predict outcomes of things. They act as sub-aspects (see events around them as they unfold in Traits, p. 10) that define when real-time and update those predictions your character’s async aspect could be as information changes. In effect, the invoked (or sometimes compelled). In character has a more intuitive sense for addition, they provide justification for which outcomes are most likely. This 105 can be useful for tasks like knowing where to position oneself during a fire- PSI STUNTS fight for maximum effect or where to go Psi stunts (psi-gamma sleights) are to avoid a spreading epidemic. Needless specific effects usable by characters to say, no one should play blackjack infected with the Watts-MacLeod virus. against this character—or chessboxing. Some are fairly typical stunts, conferring a situational bonus or allowing use of a SENSORY BOOST skill in a way it normally wouldn’t. Most, An async uses this sleight to increase their however, also give the character permis- natural or augmented sensory perception sion to take actions that would be impos- (visual, audio, olfactory, etc.) by enhanced sible for other characters, such as reading cerebral processing. This doesn’t so much someone’s mind or sensing the presence enhance the senses beyond their usual of the exsurgent virus with no virus capabilities as increase their efficiency scanning software or lab equipment. by filtering out noise and distractions to If adding more psi-gamma sleights offer a clearer perception of whatever the to the game, look to the following async focuses their attention on. Asyncs sampling for a sense of what they will with this sleight can use it at any time and won’t let asyncs do. Psi-gamma but need to be concentrating on the sense lets asyncs affect the minds of other in question, e.g., listening for potential characters, harm the brain and nervous ambushers or looking for visual evidence. system, defend against other asyncs, Sensory Boost thus wouldn’t alert an read minds, glean information from async to someone sneaking up on them physical objects, or detect other minds while they’re asleep, but it would enable over short distances. In addition, psi-chi them literally to find a needle in a haystack. traits can serve as inspiration for stunts. As an example, a stunt-based form of SPACE-TIME SENSE the Sensory Boost trait is provided The async has an enhanced sense of below. Psi-gamma can’t affect inani- time and is incredibly sensitive to their mate objects, influence other minds body’s velocity and position in space, over long distances, channel perceptible whether walking blindfolded, riding in amounts of energy (be it kinetic or in the trunk of a car, or streaking through the electromagnetic spectrum), or make space. As long as they’re conscious, drastic changes to the async’s own body. they always know roughly how far Psi-gamma sleights cost 1 refresh at and in what direction they’ve traveled, character creation or to acquire in play. including any changes in speed and direction during the trip. ALIENATION Alienation is an offensive sleight that creates a sense of disconnection

TRAITS WITH FREE INVOCATIONS (OPTIONAL) Instead of taking 3 traits with the psi-chi sleight, take just 1 trait. In addition, your character gets 1 free invoke of this trait per session.

106 OPPOSITION TO SLEIGHTS Most psi-gamma sleights can be handled as a simple action to overcome or create an advantage. Nameless NPCs offer passive opposition, whereas named NPCs and PCs offer active opposition (see Active or Passive?, p. 131, Fate Core). Sleights that involve manipulation of the target's mind may be actively opposed even when the user is unaware of the sleight's use. With both passive and active opposition, if the target wins or ties, they may be alerted to the fact that someone is attempting to influence them. GMs may choose to zoom in on the action and handle some sleights as contests for particularly dramatic moments. between an ego and its morph—similar zones in the conflict are particularly to that experienced when resleeved into small. This sleight confers +2 bonus to a new body. The ego finds their body Notice actions aimed at detecting other cumbersome, strange, and alien, almost minds within that range. If the target is like they are a prisoner within it. The actively hiding, they oppose with Will async makes a Provoke action against rather than Infiltrate. On a success, the the target's Will. If successful, the target async knows the distance and direction gains an aspect like Integration Jitters of the detected life. Success with style or Body Dysmorphia as a condition also yields the approximate size and (see Conditions, p. 11). This effect lasts type of creature. The async will know if for one scene. the target moves, if they do so during the same scene. CLOUD MEMORY On a tie, the target has an uncom- Cloud Memory allows the async to fortable intuition that someone or temporarily disrupt the target’s ability something is watching them. to form new, long-term memories with a touch. This sleight allows the async to GROK make Deceive actions to cloud memories Grok gives a +2 bonus to Hardware or block memory formation. If the async actions to intuitively understand how

succeeds, for the duration of the scene, any unfamiliar object, vehicle, CKS or M

the target will retain short-term memo- device is used simply by looking at and ind ries but will soon forget anything that handling it. On a success, the async occurred while this sleight was in effect. achieves a basic ability to use the object, H On a tie, the async might successfully vehicle, or device, no matter how alien a block memories, but the target is left or bizarre. This sleight does not provide with a feeling that something is wrong any understanding of the principles with how they remember events. or technologies involved—the psi user simply grasps how to make it work. EGO SENSE Success with style may confer more Ego Sense can be used to detect the information about the object, if there is presence and location of other sentient more to be learned. and biological life forms (including A tie might indicate that the async’s animals) within 20 meters. In a conflict, understanding of the device is incom- usually this will mean targets within plete—perhaps dangerously so. the same or an adjacent zone, although Grok can be used to analyze unfa- it may reach beyond this range if the miliar synthmorphs, bots, and vehicles. 107 This is an exception to the general rule of This sleight also detects fellow asyncs, psi being unable to affect synthmorphs. although without success with style, they’re indistinguishable from other PSI-CHI exsurgent types. You’ve honed your innate psychic potential to augment your natural SENSORY BOOST transhuman abilities to a degree that When taken as a stunt rather than a trait, meets or in some cases exceeds what this sleight confers +2 to Notice actions bioware, cyberware, and other implants when the async focuses on a sense allow. Choose 3 psi traits (p. 105). relevant to what they’re attempting to These become sub-aspects of the aspect perceive. that makes you an async, as well as providing 1 free invocation of that SUBLIMINAL aspect per session. The Subliminal sleight confers a +2 Taking this stunt more than once bonus on Deceive actions to influence provides 3 more psi traits, but no addi- another person by implementing a tional free invocations. single post-hypnotic suggestion. If the async succeeds against the target's PSYCHIC STAB Will, the recipient will carry out this With a touch, the async can cause suggestion as if it were their own physical damage in the form of internal idea. Implanted suggestions must be hemorrhaging, massive cell death, or encompassed in a short sentence (for other disruption of metabolic processes. example: “open the airlock” or “hand The async may use Will instead of over the weapon”). Suggestions may be Fight to attack or create an advantage implanted with a short trigger condition in physical conflict, dealing stress as if (“when the alarm goes off, ignore it”). they were mounting a normal attack. The async must succeed with Psychic Stab can’t be employed to style to make the target do anything use Will to defend. It doesn’t work on immediately life threatening (“jump non-biological targets, although it is off the bridge”) or that violate their effective against pods because it doesn’t motivations or personal strictures. PCs exclusively target the brain. and named NPCs can’t be given such commands at all. SENSE INFECTION On a tie, the target might have a Sense Infection confers a +2 bonus vague intuition that they’re being to X-Risks actions to detect infection manipulated or might not take the by the exsurgent virus in biological action precisely according to the trigger entities within 20 meters of the async condition the async specified. (provided the organism is visible and can be perceived at that distance). THOUGHT BROWSE Success with style yields additional More invasive forms of mind reading information, such as the specific viral may exist, but Thought Browse merely strain or the vector of the infection verifies whether a target has a partic- (bodily fluids, touch, etc.). A tie indi- ular person, place, event, or thing in cates that infection isn’t necessarily mind. This stunt enables the async present but can’t be ruled out. to scan the target’s surface thoughts 108 with a touch for certain “keywords” like a particular word, phrase, sound, RISKING STRAIN or image chosen by the async. This is Some psi-gamma sleights have a Will action, opposed by the target's increased effect when the async Will. Alternatively, if conversing with generates a success with style (or more the target, the async may receive a +2 shifts, in conflict). An async may opt bonus to Kinesics to draw out infor- to risk strain before rolling the dice. mation with help from this sleight, Each point of strain risked adds 1 to opposed by the target's Deceive. In the number of shifts generated on a tie both cases, the async receives 1 piece or better. of information on a success—3 if they Take the async’s total result plus the succeed with style. points of strain risked. The async must On a tie, the target has a vague intu- then defend against this total strain ition that the async is probing them using their Will. Each shift generated for information. by strain immediately inflicts 1 mental stress on the async. Shifts generated XENO-EMPATHY by the async have no effect other than This stunt confers a +2 bonus on Xeno- avoiding stress. If this results in conse- Contact actions to gain an intuitive quences, see Async Consequences, p. 110, understanding of any non-human, for examples of how the Watts-MacLeod non-terrestrial organism within 20 virus alters its users, alienating them meters of the async (provided the from the rest of transhumanity. organism is visible and can be perceived If the action is a contest rather than at that distance). a simple overcome, as in the case of On a success, the async gains insight many mind-affecting sleights, strain into one of the following pieces of infor- works somewhat differently. The async mation about the target: motivations, must still decide how much strain to needs, or mental/emotional state (if risk before rolling the dice, but this sapient), or the target’s ecological niche, doesn’t affect the individual exchanges

instinctual drives, or likely behavioral making up the contest. Instead, whenCKS M

responses (if non-sapient). Other the contest ends, add the async’s final ind species-specific information might be total result to the number of strain provided at the GM’s discretion. risked. The async then defends against H On a tie, the organism might have this strain using Will, as above. a a vague intuition (if capable of such Asyncs must defend against strain thought) of being observed, or the regardless of whether their initial xeno-empath receives a mix of true and action succeeded. false information. When used to create an advantage, EXAMPLE OF STRAIN Xeno-Empathy might generate results Luna is trying to use Thought Browse faster than a character making conven- on a supporting NPC. She has no tional use of the Xeno-Contact skill. The Kinesics skill, so she rolls at Fair (+2) async is able to make intuitive leaps that against the NPC, who opposes her might take hours or weeks of research to with his Will of Fair (+2). On a roll of reach normally. 0, this means she’ll only get one piece of information, possibly inaccurate, so she 109 decides before she rolls to risk 2 strain. tweaking, disorders can also serve as If Luna rolls a +1 and her target a 0, trouble aspects for asyncs. she’ll generate 3 shifts—a success with style! Luna now has to defend against ALIEN BEHAVIORAL her total result (+3) plus the strain DISORDER risked (2). Luna’s Will is also Fair (+2). The character has strange urges to If Luna rolls a 0 (a total result of +2) behave in an alien fashion. They may against the strain difficulty of +5, she feel a weird compulsion to burrow, the takes 3 mental stress immediately. If sensation of urgently needing to lay she had already taken mental stress, this eggs without any means to fulfill this might result in consequences. urge, an instinct to gesture with or If Luna rolls a 4 (a total result of +6), clean phantom appendages that don’t she takes no stress. Luna’s additional shift map in any way to their anatomy, or above the difficulty of +5 has no effect. a desire to eat substances that would be non-nutritive or even dangerous to terrestrial animal life. Because some of ASYNC the urges on which they feel impelled CONSEQUENCES to act are anatomically impossible, The following sample consequences are the character may seek out unusual examples of the temporary or ongoing augmentations or even self-mutilate in mental issues that can result from the attempt. Watts-MacLeod infection. Asyncs most often experience them as a result of ALIEN SENSORY DISORDER stress from using psi sleights, but they The character’s mind attempts to use can also emerge gradually over time just an alien sensory organ the character by dint of being infected. With a bit of doesn’t have, becomes confused, and 110 as a result may short-circuit the neural pathways of an existing sense. The SPECIES DYSMORPHIA sensory organs themselves continue to The alien stirrings of the Watts-MacLeod function; the effect is at the interface virus have left the character convinced between sensory input and the brain. that they are something other than Therefore, implants using that sense transhuman, an alien being trapped in a are also disabled. For example, if sight body of terrestrial origin. The character is lost, the effect is to the visual cortex has difficulty when resleeving and may of the brain, so the character loses seek out exotic body modifications in a input from cybernetic eyes and the quest to become more “alien.” ability to view visual augmented reality input. The virus will re-route around CHANGING SLEIGHTS the disabled sense in a few hours, but Psi-gamma stunts can be created or during this time, the character may changed following the same rules as receive disturbing phantom feedback normal stunts. However, the nature of on the new sensory channel. the exsurgent virus is such that once a psi stunt is purchased with refresh, COMMON DISORDERS it can only be exchanged for another Many disorders less exotic than those psi-gamma sleight. If a character described here are appropriate to exchanges the Psi-Chi stunt for another asyncs, including borderline personality sleight, they may choose new psi traits disorder, hypochondria, megalomania, upon reacquiring the Psi-Chi stunt. multiple personality disorder, and schizophrenia. More commonly, async characters suffer from anxiety and COMPELLING PSI depression—feelings of worthlessness or ASPECTS hopelessness exacerbated by the separa- Psi compels should often but not exclu- tion the virus creates between them and sively relate to the effects of the alien the rest of transhumanity. exsurgent virus on the mind and body

of the async, as described under AsyncCKS M

COSMIC ANXIETY DISORDER Consequences, next page. The conditions ind Faced with the possibility of an incom- that trigger a compel mirror those that prehensibly advanced alien civilization affect people with real world mental H exterminating transhumanity from disorders such as PTSD. They are highly a afar, the sufferer exhibits symptoms of individual, difficult for others to under- extreme anxiety or even phobias. The stand, and never pleasant. symptoms may overlap with general Also keep in mind, however, that anxiety disorder and be treated as Watts-MacLeod infection is a rare and such. When faced with TITAN arti- little-understood condition. Aside from facts or war machines, some char- the debilitating effects of the virus itself, acters may experience panic attacks asyncs have to contend with distrust where they tremble or have difficulty from fellow Firewall agents, scientists breathing, leaving them unable to act. who’d like to cut their brains open, Alternatively, they may exhibit terror, hypercorps and governments who want fleeing from the stimulus. to forcibly employ them, and the accom- panying need for secrecy. 111 Compels of the async’s psi aspect mind, but some feats, such as intention- may be related to one of the async’s psi ally creating a new consciousness from sleights. For example, the incredible whole cloth, or locating and editing recall provided by the Hyperthymesia memories with pinpoint accuracy, stunt might also mean that a char- haven’t yet been mastered. acter is distracted or absorbed by their memories at times when they’d rather be dealing with the present. PSYCHOSURGERY When a sentinel buys off a compel BASICS related to their internal struggle with Psychosurgery actions use the Medicine the virus, it represents a moment where skill and permit making any of the modi- they’ve maintained their grasp on their fications shown on the Psychosurgery own nature and identity at the expense Procedures table (next page). of the virus—for now. The question Psychosurgery takes time. Most should always hang in the air of whether, procedures take a week or more. some day, the virus will win. Fabricating memories takes addi- tional time (generally a few days) for characters with Program skill to PSYCHOSURGERY produce hyperrealistic forgeries of the Psychosurgery is the process of digitally experience to be recalled. Really major modifying a transhuman ego, either to changes, like altering core personality eliminate consequences stemming from traits or completely eliminating an mental stress or to create specific effects emotion, might take multiple weeks. A such as editing memories, modifying few simple effects, like psychotorture behaviors, or even rewriting aspects of and tasping (stimulating pleasure someone’s personality. This is done by centers) can vary in duration from uploading the ego, forking it multiple minutes to weeks. Finally, particularly times, making gradual adjustments, and strong-willed subjects of involuntary keeping the forks that respond best to psychosurgery might be able to resists treatment. Less invasive psychosurgery its effects—but only for a time. can also be performed either by inter- When complete, whether the subject acting with the patient in a simulspace is aware of having been psychosurgically world (common for the talking cure, modified depends on circumstances. torture, and tasping) or by making subtle If they were hit in the face with a rifle alterations to the still-conscious patient’s butt, mindscrubbed, and then dumped brain chemistry with medical nanobots. by the side of a Martian highway with Psychosurgery requires an ego missing memories, the character will bridge (p. 118) if uploading the patient, probably realize something is up. On psychosurgery software, a server the other hand, if the character was (p. 118) capable of running multiple taken out subtly, kept sedated, given a copies of the ego, and someplace to few subtle memories with a trigger for store the patient’s morph while they later recall, and then returned to the undergo treatment. It’s not an exact spot where they were knocked out, it’s science. Transhumanity understands hard to realize anything is off until the a great deal more than present day trigger for the implanted memories humanity about the workings of the causes them to come flooding in. 112 PSYCHOSURGERY PROCEDURES TABLE SUGGESTED PASSIVE BASE PROCEDURE OVERCOME DIFFICULTY TIMEFRAME Alter core personality traits like altruism, Epic (+7) 2 weeks confidence, self-control, or sexual orientation Fabricate and implant memories (requires Program skill to forge memories using Fantastic (+6) 2 weeks simulspace or experience playback) (Clumsily) erase memories, possibly with Superb (+5) 1 week unintended effects on linked memories Swap out skills Superb (+5) 1 week Boost or limit specific emotions Great (+4) 1 week Condition for/against specific behaviors Great (+4) 1 week Inflict torture Great (+4) 1 day* Temporarily suppress memories (sometimes until Great (+4) 1 week a trigger condition is met) Conceal identifying behaviors (e.g., altering Good (+3) 1 week someone’s walk to foil gait recognition software) Stimulate pleasure centers Fair (+2) 1 day** (tasping, potentially to an addictive degree) Aid recovery from mental consequences varies† varies† Narrative psychosurgical adjustment at milestone n/a 4 hours * 1 day per piece of information sought, if torture is for the purpose of extracting information. ** 1 week if the goal is to addict the character to tasping. † Difficulty is based on the shift value of the consequence—e.g., Great (+4) for a moderateCKS M consequence (see p. 164, Fate Core). If performing psychosurgery between milestones, ind timeframe is likewise based on shift value: 1 week for every +2 of shift value, e.g., 4 weeks for H the Legendary (+8) shift value of a drastic consequence. a

RUNNING handled with a simple overcome PSYCHOSURGERY action, with the difficulty determined by the complexity of the procedure. Psychosurgery effects are a mixed bag, Involuntary procedures may be resisted mechanically. It's important to consider for a time, but always succeed eventu- the circumstances under which the ally if the psychosurgeon has enough psychosurgery is being undertaken. time. The latter are handled using First, determine what kind of actively opposed overcome actions, resistance the psychosurgeon faces. pitting the psychosurgeon's Medicine Voluntary psychosurgery can be against the target's Will. 113 Next, determine how long the • On a tie, the psychosurgery still takes psychosurgery will take. Voluntary effect, but takes half again (150% of) psychosurgery procedures take the the listed time. time listed. Involuntary psychosurgery • If the subject succeeds, the psycho- can take longer, but only with especially surgery still takes effect, but takes strong-willed subjects, who might be double the listed time. able to delay the inevitable. If there’s • If the subject succeeds with style, the hope of the subject being rescued, the psychosurgery still takes effect, but latter is handled by an actively opposed takes quadruple the listed time. overcome action, with success by the subject meaning they’re able to hold out If psychosurgery is interrupted (e.g., for a time. if the subject’s allies rescue them before Finally, consider the procedure’s it takes effect), the effects of the proce- effects. Psychosurgery allows some dure might be partly or totally avoided. changes to characters that would The GM should take into account the normally only be possible at a milestone. type and timeframe of the procedure. The Psychosurgery Procedures table In the case of torture for information lists possible procedures, difficulty for over a few days, a character who’s passive overcome actions (for voluntary rescued won’t have broken and revealed procedures), and the base time they take. information yet. A character who’s been The psychosurgeon then rolls against having memories erased over a stretch either the passive difficulty or the of weeks, though, may have lost some subject’s opposed roll. memories prior to rescue. Rescuing a character from psychosurgery might • On a success, the psychosurgery also mean that their allies have a chance takes effect at the end of the base to create aspects like Recovered Less- timeframe shown in the table. Damaged Forks or Psychosurgical • On a success with style, the psycho- Procedure Data that will help a surgery takes effect in half the listed friendly psychosurgeon to reverse the time. damage. 114 A character uploaded for psychosur- SITUATIONAL gery is out of play until the procedure is completed (unless forked or the psycho- ASPECT surgery is interrupted for some reason). Instead of a stunt, some psychosurgical The effects of voluntary psycho- procedures are temporary, degrading surgery can be reflected as rewritten slowly or going away when a trigger consequences and aspects, or even as condition is met. For example, a char- new stunts, as detailed below. acter given the behavioral masking procedure, described above as a stunt, might instead get the situational PSYCHOSURGICAL aspect Walks and Gestures Just Like STUNTS Director Yao that lasts for a few days The two stunts given here are examples of game time. A deep cover sentinel of beneficial effects imparted by psycho- might get the aspect No Memory of surgical procedures. The character must Firewall until a specific code word is have enough refresh to pay for the stunt spoken to them. when the psychosurgery is complete. If the psychosurgeon succeeded with style, the aspect created comes with one • Behavioral Masking: The character free invocation. is conditioned to adopt different physical mannerisms, walking gait, and/or characteristic facial expres- REWRITING sions from their usual behavior. CONSEQUENCES This can throw off surveillance If a character ends up in psychosurgery systems, such as gait recognition after being taken out by enemies, the software, that are used to double- victors can rewrite their consequences. check who a person is during ID Behavioral modification and false or checks. The character gains a +2 on deleted memories are common options, Cover actions when trying to fake but any psychosurgical effect is on the

their way through physical identity table. The psychosurgeon may chooseCKS M

checkpoints such as customs areas, any consequence slot and rewrite it to ind immigration, front lobby security represent a psychosurgically created

checks, and the like. effect. For memory erasure, this might H An alternate version of this stunt be something like Doesn’t Remember a geared to impersonators could be Those 2 Months on Echo IV. For behav- based on a specific person. Combined ioral conditioning, the psychosurgeon with a morph bodysculpted to look might opt for Gets Migraines From like the person or other convincing Lying or Conditioned Loyalty to the disguise, this provides a +2 on Planetary Consortium. Deceive actions to mimic the person’s For characters with no consequence mannerisms. slots (e.g., nameless NPCs), the psycho- • Emotional Control (Fear surgeon can instead elect to rewrite one Suppression): The character has had of their aspects. the emotion of fear expunged from their psyche. They gain +2 on Will actions to resist fear. 115 RECOVERING REWRITING EGO FROM MENTAL ASPECTS CONSEQUENCES At its most extreme, psychosurgery can be used to rewrite core ego aspects as A psychosurgeon may make a Medicine if the character were at a major mile- overcome action to help allies recover stone, changing fundamental character from mental consequences relating to traits like openness, conscientiousness, stress, emotional distress, or mental altruism, extroversion/introversion, health issues. This includes conse- impulsiveness, curiosity, creativity, quences rewritten by hostile psycho- confidence, sexual orientation, or surgeons if the character received self-control, among others. This is diffi- psychosurgery after being taken out. cult and takes more time than any other Consequence recovery overcome psychosurgical procedure, but when actions are taken by the psychosurgeon complete, it allows rewriting a single and otherwise work as described on ego aspect to reflect the possibly drastic p. 164, Fate Core. Difficulty is based on changes to the character’s personality the shift value of the consequence—e.g., that can result. Great (+4) for a moderate consequence. Aspect rewrites done through The time needed to aid recovery psychosurgery should reflect changes from mental consequences depends on to the character’s personality rather whether the psychosurgeon is bucking than changes in the world. For the usual rules about consequence example, a character who has psycho- recovery at milestones (see p. 256, Fate surgery to be more compassionate Core). Psychosurgery can be used as a and rewrites their high concept from normal part of milestone-based conse- Ruthless Triad Smuggler to Lovable quence recovery, or the psychosurgeon Rogue with a Dodgy Past still retains can attempt to address consequences whatever narrative complications between milestones. In the latter case, might result from their association the time needed is 1 week for every with the Guanxi underworld. +2 of shift value, e.g., 4 weeks for the Legendary (+8) shift value of a drastic NARRATING consequence. The GM may want to PSYCHOSURGERY AT convert this time roughly into scenes and sessions for the players. MILESTONES If psychosurgery is used as the Minor psychosurgical procedures are recovery action for milestone-based commonly undertaken by transhumans. consequence recovery, the time taken Effects can include very subtle tweaks to is the same as needed to reach the brain chemical balance, instilling minor milestone. The psychosurgeon and habits, and the like. patient should narrate spending some Frequently, psychosurgery is used to of their down time between scenes change characters in ways that would making chemical adjustments, talking normally require them to be at a mile- in time-accelerated simulspace, and stone. However, characters who are at a the like. milestone can narrate “free” psychosur- gery for things they’d be able to do at 116 a milestone anyway, like skill swaps or PSYCHOSURGERY stunt purchases (but not recover from consequences). These minor psycho- ON ASYNCS AND surgical interventions still require a EXSURGENTS trained psychosurgeon with the right equipment to be on hand. Unlike Psychosurgery can make temporary major psychosurgery, which requires improvements to the behavior and uploading the character for days at a cognition of people infected with the time to work with their forks, these are exsurgent virus. Asyncs can even be outpatient procedures. They only take made to temporarily forget their powers. several hours and require no rolls from But ultimately, it can’t save them or the psychosurgeon. They otherwise excise the virus. In addition, uploading follow the rules for character changes at a person infected with the exsurgent milestones (see p. 256, Fate Core). This virus for psychosurgery risks spreading is just one option for narrating changes the virus further. at milestones; characters can always advance or make changes at milestones without psychosurgery. Again, note that consequence recovery at milestones can’t simply be narrated in this way; it requires a consequence recovery action from the psychosurgeon (see Recovering from Mental Consequences, p. 116). CKS M ind H a

117 RUNNING THE GAME

This chapter explains how to run For all types: various elements of Eclipse Phase using Fate Core. • Psychosurgery Software: You’re assumed to have these apps necessary for psychosurgery if your character COMMON has a Medicine skill of Average (+1) TECHNOLOGIES or more. This section explores a few common pieces of technology in the Eclipse PU BLIC MESHES Phase setting that aren’t handled as AND SURVEILLANCE stunts or otherwise as attributes of Almost all space habitats, planetary characters. dome cities, ships, and other trans- human habitations have a public mesh PSYCHOSURGERY and a great deal of public surveillance. In Eclipse Phase, even normal construc- AND RESLEEVING tions (doors, airlocks, windows, public EQUIPMENT kiosks) and furnishings (kitchenware, All resleeving and most psychosurgery tables, park benches) have cameras, require the following items. Usually, microphones, and mesh connections. acquiring any of these items should be Combined with more sophisticated no more difficult than a Cred or Civ Rep devices that feature embedded AIs, this roll of Great (+4) to acquire. Remote means that wherever transhumans go, locales can complicate this. they create a local mesh of connected For biomorphs, not including pods: devices. This local mesh means that connectivity to the solar system’s wider • Ego Bridge: A device that scans the mesh, access to local news, and public brain and central nervous system maps are easily available to anyone with with medical nanobots that create a mesh inserts. detailed map of neural pathways and Aside from granting access to the other attributes necessary to faith- mesh, this makes it very easy to estab- fully copy an ego. lish surveillance on areas that haven’t • Server: A computer capable of been painstakingly freed of devices running one or more egos in a that are publicly accessible or could be simulspace. subverted by a hacker to eavesdrop on the area. Privates homes and typical For synthmorphs and pods: workplaces, unless they belong to the wealthy and paranoid, almost • Access Jacks: Included by default on always have one or two devices that a almost all pod and synth morphs. professional hacker can subvert. So (It’s assumed you’ve got cables, too). do secured areas—they just take more • Server. work to get at.

118 SIMULSPACES TACNET Simulspaces are virtual reality worlds in Almost all Firewall teams have this which any character with mesh inserts software. Tacnets are usable any time can immerse themself. Used for both the characters aren’t maintaining radio work and entertainment, simulspaces silence. Tacnet software places a small are fully immersive and in some cases heads-up display, similar to the mini- indistinguishable from reality. Running maps in games, in the field of vision a simulspace requires a server. Time of all team members. Tacnet allows inside the simulspace can be sped sharing sound and video feeds, and it up, such that subjective time inside displays all team members and known is a few orders of magnitude faster or threats as color-coded blips on the slower than in the real world. Each mini-map. simulspace has its own physics model; the world can be cartoon-like or totally

realistic. Participants occupy simul- NANOFA BRICATION NNING R morphs—simulations of actual bodies Characters with access to the right u that can have characteristics identical equipment and basic raw materials can to the real world versions, or exotically 3D print just about anything, from guns different (the latter especially in art and to clothing to food. Doing so requires games). It’s possible to hack from inside either a portable nanofabricator or the a simulspace, but the process is much access to a publicly available one (which G more difficult, requiring the character just about every autonomist habitat a probe for chinks in the fabric of “reality” boasts). The raw materials are so cheap me rather than using standard hacking as to not usually be worth keeping track methods. Difficulties should be much of, although if a character wants to print higher for overcome actions, and if a a briefcase nuke, they’d better be able to mesh intrusion is attempted, the hacker explain where they got the fissionables. starts with the Hacking Simulspace Given raw materials and access, the from Within and Virtual Mesh Access next thing the character needs is a blue- aspects on them, each with one free print of what they’d like to fabricate. invoke usable by the system’s defenders. Blueprints cost more in Cred or Civ Rep 119 favors than the item they enable you to other side until the return window— print, since once you have a blueprint, which for survey missions can be weeks it’s stored in your mesh inserts, travels later. During this time, gatecrashing with your ego when you resleeve, and teams are cut off from the mesh on enables you to print that item again the other side (though the devices they for as long as you have fabber access brought with can mesh together). Miss and the needed mats. Nanofabbers your return window, and you could be in some areas may be restricted from waiting a long time for rescue. printing illegal goods, requiring an Infosec challenge to override. Lacking the proper blueprints, a character can HORROR design their own with an appropriate In Eclipse Phase, your character’s Program challenge. sanity can degrade over time, slowly accruing mental disorders that affect both performance and roleplay. This GATECRASHING doesn’t square with the empowered The Pandora gates enable travel to hyper-competency of Fate charac- other solar systems and exoplanets ters. Rather than grafting a system via traversible wormhole. There are of slow sanity degradation onto Fate, five known Pandora gate locations in Transhumanity's Fate treats horror the solar system, each controlled by a as an in-the-moment phenomenon. separate faction, and hundreds or even Sentinels see a lot of shit, and what thousands more scattered throughout would gradually wear down normal the galaxy. people fazes them—but not as much as Gates are composed of a multitude it would the average Lunar sarariman. of interlocking rings made of spiky, Transhumanity's Fate is by default programmable that the a high-octane technothriller, so how eye and brain have difficulty focusing much horror to include is a matter on. The theory is that they create worm- of consent and should be discussed holes, but it’s unknown how. Average during game creation. There’s nothing gates are 10-12 meters across. When preventing the GM from creating and activated, a black sphere of nothing- invoking horror-themed aspects, save ness rippling with green static energy for the question of whether players are appears inside a cage formed by the up for that kind of game. Put another rings. Travelers need to climb through way, the following suggestions for the cage openings, meaning vehicles running horror mechanically work and other large objects sometimes need best when the players are up for to be carried through in pieces. Going portraying characters who are suscep- through feels like walking through a tible to fear. chill, inky open space with no bound- Horror stems from several sources. aries; some crashers have reported Environments can have horror-re- hallucinations during the seconds of lated aspects. NPCs can be physically subjective time spent in between. frightening in terms of appearance Gates run on a tight schedule, or behavior, and they can manipulate meaning teams get a few minutes to environments to create fear by adding go through and then must wait on the new aspects. 120 AS THEMATIC Good horror situation aspects describe what’s frightening, isolating, or ELEMENT helplessness-inducing about an environ- One way to treat horror is simply as a ment and also suggest how antagonists thematic element that surfaces through might invoke it against the sentinels. the GM’s description of the world and Nightmarishly Twisted Overhanging characters. For some groups, this is all Buildings are oppressive and spooky, that’s needed. When the players are but they also hint how a hostile could scared, they’ll play their characters differ- use the terrain to their advantage. ently, even if the characters themselves aren’t being hit by any mechanical effects. AS MEANS TO If you have sensitive players, discuss off-limits subject matter during game ATTACK OR CREATE creation, or use an x-card during play. AN ADVANTAGE Many exsurgents and TITAN minions were created to intentionally weaponize AS SITUATION fear through a knowledge of trans- ASPECT human psychology. If the environment Once the GM starts including horror where they’re encountered already as a thematic element in their descrip- has horrific situation aspects on it, the tions, ideas for aspects should start to denizens should invoke them to create surface. Use them! A dead alien city an advantage. To represent an exsurgent deserves an environmental aspect like or other creature that’s out to sew terror Nightmarishly Twisted Overhanging using its own fearsome traits, give it a Buildings, while an exsurgent’s lair Provoke skill good enough to threaten might be Coated in Living, Tortured PCs’ Will skills. If it has a situation Victims’ Flesh. A hulked spacecraft aspect to work with or an appropriate where something awful once happened aspect of its own, these can be invoked can be made even spookier by adding to strengthen Provoke actions. In a

an Intermittent Radio Interference contest or challenge, horrific NPCs may NNING R aspect, disrupting the sentinels’ all-im- try to create advantages like Shocked u portant mesh connections to each other or Unnerved on individual PCs. In and to their gear. a conflict, they can also opt to inflict mental stress.

the G a me

121 NPCs trying to strike fear into an entire group of PCs have a few options. They can create an advantage to impose MORE ON a horror aspect like Echoing with Gibbering Shrieks or Wall Splattered HOSTILE with [Friendly NPC]’s Remains on an area, and then invoke it when they act ENVIRONMENTS against individual PCs. Alternatively, Space isn’t by definition a hostile envi- they can try to Provoke multiple char- ronment. Sentinels have vacsuits when acters, dividing their total result up they need them. Smart fabric vacsuits among targets (see Affecting Multiple that can morph from street clothes to Targets, p. 206, Fate Core). If the space helmet are ubiquitous in orbital targeted characters fail to defend, the habitats. Normally, impromptu EVA result can be either an aspect stuck to shouldn’t be an issue for prepared the target or, if in conflict, mental stress. sentinels. That said, smart clothing isn’t equipped for long term use; it’s designed AS CONSEQUENCES for people who can expect rescue within Exsurgents and other minions of the a few hours. If you need to complicate TITANs sometimes fight as much to a player’s path with hard vacuum, engi- terrorize as to kill. Characters who neer a situation where you can slap an take mental stress in conflicts with aspect like Faulty Vacsuit or Limited horrifying NPCs can take consequences Air Supply on them. reflecting what they’ve experienced. Some environments are worse, Mild consequences represent anxiety though—much worse. The corrosive, or jumpiness—Easily Startled or high pressure atmosphere of Venus Nauseated. Moderate consequences will crush, melt, or corrode just about represent conditions like post-traumatic anything not specially adapted for it. stress—Flashbacks or Cosmic Anxiety The intense pressures of the Europan Disorder. Severe consequences repre- sub-crustal ocean are almost as bad. sent the effects of majorly debilitating Mars can freeze or suffocate morphs not mental trauma—Combat Paralysis or designed for its thin, cold atmosphere. Severe Phobia. And your sentinels really don’t want to fall into a cryovolcano while visiting the moons of the outer system. Rules for handling hostile envi- ronments as unavoidable attacks during a conflict appear under Hostile Environments, p. 90. If no opposition is present other than the hostile environment itself, use the rules for Contests Under Fire, p. 94. The contest is between the sentinels and the hostile environment—plus whatever opposition is against them. If a char- acter takes a moonwalk sans vacsuit, walks into a room full of poison gas, 122 or decides to test their morph’s flesh they escape the hostile environment. against the intense radiation of Io’s This might require Hardware actions to surface, it’s a contest under fire. This jimmy an airlock, Somatics actions to in effect starts a conflict, so characters hold their breath long enough to swim caught in the hostile environment act in clear of an airless space, or Survival initiative order. tests to create shelter in a freezing Environments aren’t characters, Martian desert. though, so the environment doesn’t Conceding a contest under fire need to take any action to cause stress against a hostile environment means to characters exposed to it. Characters the character escaped destruction

in a hostile environment contest have of their morph—but just barely. In NNING R a clear objective: get the airlock to a radioactive environment, it might u cycle, repair the vacsuit, or find shelter mean they’re huddled under a piece from hard radiation. The environment of shielding, safe from being ionized doesn’t care; it’ll just be slowly killing but unable to move. In vacuum, it them. During each exchange in which might mean they’re in a coma, kept the the character is trying to escape the barely alive by the last reserves in G hostile environment, they take 1 or their vacsuit. a more physical stress. Typical hostile Getting taken out is bad news. The me environments, like the freezing, barely character’s morph is almost certainly breathable atmosphere of Mars or the dead or destroyed, with their cortical vacuum of Luna’s surface, deal 1 stress stack recoverable—if they’re lucky. Your per exchange. Seriously hostile envi- best mates might brave the surface of ronments, like the atmosphere of Venus, Venus to recover your stack from your might do more. trashed morph—but the people you If characters accrue enough victories work with in Firewall aren’t always your before conceding or being taken out, best mates. 123 SETTINGS

Sentinels tend not to stay put. Although Pandora gate at Ma’adim Vallis. Beyond travel by ship is slow, egocasting and the the reach of the law, crime bosses build Pandora gates put the entire solar system, their empires, hypercorps conduct risky and points beyond, within easy reach. black-budget research, and the jaded The opposition has access to these tools, hyper-wealthy pursue their obsessions. too, meaning a mission that starts on Looming over it all is the specter of Mars can easily take sentinels to the outer the TITAN Quarantine Zone (TQZ), reaches of the gas giants. A selection of a vast swath of Mars never reclaimed the most likely settings for sentinels to from the exsurgents and war machines find trouble follows, accompanied by left behind by the TITANs. some prominent NPCs to be encountered there. For full details of the solar system, B RACE (NICK YAO) see System Gazetteer, p. 86, Eclipse Phase. NPC Type: Main Aspects: Project Ozma Mission Lead, High-Functioning Addict, Ozma MARS Funds My Habit, Once a Legendary Gravity: .36 g Zone Stalker, Morph: Ghost Population: 300 million Skills: Climate: Extremely cold; thin Fantastic (+6) Infiltrate; Superb (+5) atmosphere Deceive, Survival; Great (+4) Chief Cities: Valles-New Shanghai (37 Hardware, Kinesics, Xeno-Contact; million), Noctis-Qianjiao (13 million), Good (+3) Athletics, Cover, Cred, Elysium (9 million) Notice; Fair (+2) Infosec, Investigate, Ozma Rep, Rapport, Shoot; The new cradle of transhumanity is a Average (+1) Civ Rep, Fight, Pilot, place where undreamt-of wealth and Program, Provoke, Will crushing poverty exist side by side, its Stress Boxes: 4 physical, 2 mental population swollen by the post-Fall Muse: Hana; Fair (+2) Infosec, influx of refugees from Earth. Mars is Average (+1) Investigate only partly terraformed but survivable Likely Minions: Black-Hat Hacker, by transhumans with the right modifi- Guanxi Soldier, Security Drone, cations (such as ruster morphs). Much Smuggler of the population dwells in domed cities and towns, but nomads and hardscrabble STUNTS: rednecks make do with scattered sietches Combat Drugs: +2 on Shoot actions or old-fashioned tin-can modules. for the duration of a single conflict. The Planetary Consortium, the Usable once per session. inner solar system’s confederation of Reflex Boosters: see p. 78 hypercorp-controlled cities and space Stealth: see p. 78 habitats, holds sway over most of the TQZ Survivor: Use Survival in place of planet. Consortium members control Will when defending against attacks key transportation routes like the space by TITAN war machines or exsur- elevator at Olympus Mons and the gents/asyncs that deal mental stress. 124 Nick Yao was one of the hottest zone Stress Boxes: 4 physical, 3 mental, 1 stalkers in the business, making a tidy extra mild consequence living fetching dangerous TITAN Likely Minions: Fractals, Headhunters, artifacts from the TQZ. A few years Wastewalkers, Whippers ago, he disappeared from the scene entirely, prompting rumors of his STUNTS: death out in the Zone. In reality, Horror: Nick’s addiction to various combat +2 on Provoke actions to create fear. stims had finally caught up with him, Swarm Composition: see p. 78 and he’d been captured leaving the Zone. The authorities turned him over The Mogura Bunkers are a to Project Ozma, who recruited him popular-but-dangerous destination and gave him a new identity. for zone stalkers. They’re a collection As Brace, he has two jobs: directing of several dozen TITAN-built bunkers Ozma missions into the Zone and 200 kilometers inside the Zone perim- trying to recruit known Firewall eter that are known to harbor both agents. Daring, roguishly charming, dangerous populations of active exsur- and at ease around the types of people gents and valuable TITAN technology. Firewall recruits, Brace might approach The Gwisin is one example of a carri- a PC having second thoughts about er—a walking (or in her case, floating) Firewall with an attractive offer one electronic warfare platform created by day—and steal a prize from right under the TITANs to coordinate their other their noses in the TQZ the next. Like minions. Once a transhuman woman, all Ozma agents, he’s well funded, well the Gwisin was converted by the provisioned with minions, and ruth- TITANs into a barely-corporeal swarm lessly practical. He’d rather convince of shimmering femtobots. She appears sentinels that they’re misguided and as a legless apparition in a white hanbok bring them into the fold, but failing that, with drooping, black hair. Since the he won’t hesitate to rub them out. TITANs abandoned their creations after

the Fall, she’s presided over the aimless TTINGS S horde guarding the bunkers. But lately, e THE MOGURA something has changed in the Gwisin. GWISIN More and more often, she sends her NPC Type: Main minions on extended sorties, probing Aspects: Exsurgent Boss, Roving the TQZ perimeter for weaknesses or Electronic Warfare Platform, abducting smugglers and zone stalkers Terrifying Nano-Apparition to swell their numbers. Has she begun Skills: Fantastic (+6) Infosec; to receive new orders from her absent Superb (+5) Cover, Provoke; gods, or has some purpose of her own Great (+4) Notice, Pilot, Program; roused her? Good (+3) Hardware, Shoot, Will; Fair (+2) Athletics, Infiltrate, Survival; Average (+1) Deceive, Fight, Investigate, Kinesics, Medicine

125 cartel’s blasphemous reinterpretation of vodun are ubiquitous, painted on walls, MAIN BELT: set in small shrines, or hovering in the air as public AR graphics. LEGBA The gang’s primary sources of profit Gravity: .001 g (effectively micrograv- are identity theft, slavery, prostitution, ity); 1 g in areas spun for gravity gambling on gladiatorial games, and Population: 15,000 forknapping. They also have a semi-le- Climate: standard atmosphere inside; gitimate arm that supplies egos to legal vacuum outside hypercorp indenture-trading firms, although these firms would of course When most people think of the Main deny that they have anything to do with Belt, they think of isolated mining Nine Lives. If this weren’t reprehensible colonies, survivalist enclaves, and the enough, Nine Lives is also a huge secu- anarchocapitalist asteroid metropolis rity risk for Firewall. So many stolen of Extropia. But sentinels aren’t most egos pass through the cartel’s hands that people, so they usually think of the there’s a real danger of a Firewall asset Main Belt’s darkest corner: Legba, eventually ending up in their clutches stronghold of the notorious cartel of and revealing information about the Eye. soul thieves called Nine Lives. The ego-trading criminal cartel controls the entire asteroid, a large, irregularly ROLAND NAZON/ shaped C-type about 3.5-kilometers ELLEGGUA long and 2.5 kilometers at its widest NPC Type: Main point. Legba was mined out and then Aspects: Criminal Mastermind, A Little abandoned by the Fa Jing mining hyper- Off From Too Much Psychosurgery, corp, leaving behind a maze of tunnels Reigns Through Fear and Mysticism, and caverns. Haphazard hab modules Nimble Bastard, Morph: Neotenic dot the outside of the asteroid, including Skills: Fantastic (+6) Provoke; an entire hulked ship anchored to one Superb (+5) Deceive, Kinesics; side and several habitation toruses that Great (+4) Cred, Notice, Shoot; spin to produce gravity inside. Good (+3) Athletics, Civ Rep, The neighborhoods inside are Investigate; Fair (+2) Cover, Rapport, controlled by a crazy quilt of individual Will; Average (+1) Infosec, Pilot, X-Risks Nine Lives crews, some of whom Stress Boxes: 4 physical, 3 mental demand bribes from people passing Muse: Ghede; Fair (+2) Infosec, through. The crews in return report Average (+1) Investigate up to the nanchons, the three major Likely Minions: Black-Hat Hacker, factions making up the gang. At the Guanxi Enforcer, Guanxi Soldier, top is Roland Nazon, the legendary Guardian Angel leader who purports to be the high priest of a corrupt form of vodun. It’s STUNTS: strictly prison rules on Legba; you keep Attraction: see p. 76 and take whatever you can, be it gear, Emergency Neutrino Broadcaster: morphs, or your ego itself. Imagery and see p. 76 paraphernalia connected to the crime Reflex Booster: see p. 78 126 Roland Nazon’s calculating brutality ethnicity in flowing red and black turned the Fall into a business oppor- clothing. The neotenic contains a tunity, building a criminal empire atop much saner fork of the lucid, ruth- countless kidnapped and enslaved egos less sociopath whom Nazon once who’d lost their bodies during the chaos. was. Elleggua uses Nazon’s veneer of In many ways, his outlook has never weakness to expose his enemies, then left the squalor of the refugee camps: orchestrates their demise before they everyone is an asset to exploit or an become a real threat. Even if someone example to be made. were to succeed in eliminating Nazon, Eventually, though, whether it was one can’t assassinate a King that a calculated move to sustain his image doesn’t exist.

as an invincible vodun priest or a case Elleggua/Nazon’s current goals could TTINGS S of falling for his own bullshit, Nazon bring him into conflict with Firewall in e drove himself hopelessly insane with several ways. Nine Lives is constantly psychosurgical experimentation. Nazon seeking ways to steal more egos, make is sleeved in an elderly splicer with a more cred off the ones they have, and straw hat and cane in a blasphemous eliminate rival gangs. The cartel might impersonation of Vodun’s Papa Legba. become interested in the mind-con- This morph contains a puppet sock trolling properties of the exsurgent used by Elleggua to control Nazon when virus or the incapacitating effects of he needs to make the appearance of basilisk hacks. A Nine Lives server full lucidity to his other lieutenants. The rest of enslaved egos becoming infected of the time, Nazon reverts to a drooling with the virus could be exceptionally stupor, caught up in a conversation dangerous. Worse, if Nine Lives ever within his own mind. forknapped a Firewall agent, they might Elleggua, his chief “lieutenant” is try to blackmail Firewall—or demand the real Roland Nazon. Elleggua dangerous technology for the return of appears as a wiry boy of mixed the prisoner. 127 (despite several Planetary Consortium attempts to wrest control of it). Firewall URANUS: is generally supportive of the anarchists maintaining control over this gate, as OBERON AND the ultimates holding two gates could put the rest of transhumanity at risk if XIPHOS the gates were needed to evacuate the Gravity: 0.035 g, effectively micrograv- solar system. ity (Oberon); 1 g (Xiphos) Weirdly, the Fissure Gate was discov- Population: 10,000 (Oberon), ered 500 meters under the icy crust 10,000 (Xiphos) of Oberon. This has prompted much Climate: Freezing vacuum (Oberon speculation on the age of the Pandora surface), standard atmosphere gates and has led to arguments both (Chat Noir, Xiphos, other for and against the hypothesis that an settlements) intelligence predating the TITANs created them. The Uranian system is an oft-forgotten The autonomists at Chat Noir run the but vital frontier in transhumanity’s colony along collectivist anarchist lines, struggle to define its identity and ensure with lots of participatory democracy its own future. An ice giant surrounded deciding activities, but they’re more by moons and a ring system with militant than most anarchist settle- abundant chemical resources, Uranus, ments. This is with good reason. The despite its distance from the sun, is a Planetary Consortium may have given good destination for colonists in this up on seizing Fissure Gate for now, but age of small, reliable fusion reactors. the nearby ultimates are a looming More important, though, is the presence threat. The ultimates have made no of the Fissure Gate, one of the system’s secret of their disdain for anarchist five Pandora gates, on the surface of the societal organization, and they’re moon Oberon. Several factions of trans- known to have been working to take humanity—and one alien one—have de facto control of the Pandora gate at outposts here, and close quarters plus Eris from their hypercorp sponsors, the the strategic importance of the gate may Go-Nin Group. Chat Noir is extremely soon bring them into conflict. well defended against both ships and troops, and the locals are friendly but always armed. O BERON: CHAT NOIR That said, anyone considered a good AND FISSURE GATE egg by the anarchists can book time Chat Noir is the Uranian system’s on the Fissure Gate, provided they’re primary long-haul spaceport, willing to open source any knowledge egocasting facility, and heavy manu- discovered. Chat Noir itself is a dome facturing area. For a frontier outpost, habitat with a subterranean warren the facilities are advanced, and take of ice tunnels. Like most anarchist several collectives of anarchists to outposts, various public services and operate them. The reason for all of the infrastructure duties are handled infrastructure is the Fissure Gate, the by collectives, syndicates, or ad-hoc only Pandora gate in anarchist hands working groups. Love & Rage is the 128 collective directly responsible for gate to offer only small improvements on operations. There are no laws or legal transhuman norms—enough to be authorities, but reputation matters worth acquiring, but not to upset the and the locals are quick to organize a balance of power among transhuman community response to anyone that factions. Other times, they may quietly overstays their welcome or threatens the hire transhuman agents to perform safety of the populace. missions deeper inside transhuman Because of Uranus’s sideways tilt, space. It’s not clear what they might the hemispheres of Oberon alternate be up to, but charges of interference in spending 42 years in complete darkness transhuman affairs have been leveled at or complete sunlight. Though Chat the enigmatic aliens in the past. Noir and the Fissure Gate are currently on the sunny side, the equinox is XIPHOS approaching in a few years, after which Xiphos is a Hamilton cylinder, a they will be plunged into darkness for 5.5-kilometer long, 1.5-kilometer diam- four decades. eter, partly living, self-constructing space habitat. Situated in Uranus’ ring THE FACTORS system, Xiphos will slowly consume The sea slug-like alien Factors are ring matter until it’s grown to full size. rumored to maintain a base hidden A major stronghold of the ultimates in the atmosphere of Uranus. This is faction, Xiphos is off-limits to outsiders. thought to be the case in part because The stony exterior of the habitat bristles the trajectories of visiting Factor ships, with long-range weaponry, and swarms normally difficult to trace due to their of fighter drones prevent approach reactionless drives, have been first by unauthorized craft. Egocasting in spotted in the orbit of the ice giant, secretly is also difficult; infosec special- though whether they were coming form ists vet all incoming egocasts. All of this there or just using the planet to sling- security is in part because the facilities shot for gravity is a point of contention. dotting the beautiful, rugged landscape

The Factors have shown alarm at of the interior are largely devoted to TTINGS S transhumanity’s use of the Pandora advanced research. The ultimates have e gates, delivering cryptic warnings spent the past decade gearing up to take against activating them. The aliens the creation, testing, and manufacture will not say why we should be worried, of the morphs and military equipment though, so their warnings go unheeded. their survivalist ideology calls for Cynical minds speculate that the in-house so they won’t be beholden to Factors fear a dilution of the market corps or lose control of their designs. for xenotechnology if transhumanity Other features of the interior include discovers too much of it via the gates monuments, meditation gardens, and a on our own. Others point out that given coliseum used as a fighting arena. the Factors are the only living alien Xiphos is also noteworthy for the species so far encountered, there might dramatic increase in the ultimates’ be something to the warning. purchase of infomorph indentures since Factor diplomats and merchants the opening of the station. Although occasionally visit transhuman settle- transaction records are publicly ments. The technology they offer tends available on IndEx, the Planetary 129 Consortium-managed indenture STUNTS: exchange and registry, all of the Attraction: see p. 76 contract terms are sealed until after Medichines: see p. 76 the indenture has completed service. Reflex Boosters: see p. 78 A comfortable explanation is that the ultimates are using the indentures as Maine is a ductus, a high-ranking cheap, semi-skilled labor to run the ultimate leader charged with one of the vast and complex systems for Xiphos faction’s major campaigns or initiatives. or to conduct the construction of In Adaphel Maine’s case, this means the Hamilton cylinder. But given the administering the growth of Xiphos, ultimates’ belief that Fall victims were spying on the Factors, and preparing unfit for survival, more disturbing for a military takeover of Fissure Gate possibilities are raised about their use as when the time is right. slaves or test subjects for morph designs, Maine might cross swords with senti- psychosurgical techniques to perform nels who try to infiltrate Xiphos, inter- and resist mental and VR torture, or fere with ultimate surveillance of Chat experiments with exhuman or TITAN Noir, or come back with a gatecrashing remnant tech. Noting that the purchase find worth seizing. Most ultimates of tens of thousands of indentures seems aren’t aware of Firewall, and Maine almost indiscriminate, others suggest might go to great lengths to glean more the ultimates may be recreating some information about the organization pre-Fall scenario or wargaming parts of if she suspects another player has sent the Fall itself. agents into her theater of operations. It’s even possible sentinels might coop- ADAPHEL MAINE erate with the ductus. The ultimates, in NPC Type: Main their way, are just as concerned about Aspects: Ultimate Ductus, Logistics transhuman long-term survival as Mastermind, Bleeding-Edge Firewall. They just tend to exclude the Remade Morph, Rigid Thinker, other, “weaker” factions from their Warrior-Philosopher contingency plans. Skills: Fantastic (+6) X-Risks; Maine’s current remade morph (a Superb (+5) Kinesics, Shoot; combat and survival-oriented morph Great (+4) Athletics, Fight, Notice; exclusive to the ultimates faction) is Good (+3) Civ Rep, Investigate, hairless and elaborately tattooed, and Rapport; Fair (+2) Deception, she’s always seen either in severe grey Somatics, Will; Average (+1) Infosec, suits or well-used combat armor. Pilot, Survival Stress Boxes: 4 physical, 2 mental, 1 additional mild consequence Traits: Enhanced Senses (Vision), Stigma (Uncanny Valley) Muse: Therese; Fair (+2) Infosec, Average (+1) Program Likely Minions: Black-Hat Hacker, Merc

130 A BANDONED EXOPLANET WEAKNESS ECHO IV NPC Type: Main Gravity: 1.08 g Aspects: Exhuman Predator Alpha, Population: 1,800 TITAN Lore, Dangerously Confident Climate: Standard atmosphere Skills: Fantastic (+6) Fight, Superb (+5) Athletics and Somatics, Echo IV is a paradise: a temperate, Great (+4) Notice and Shoot, Earth-like world orbiting in the sweet Good (+3) Provoke and Xeno-contact, spot of an orange dwarf star. The two Fair (+2) Infiltrate and Survival,

megacontinents are covered in abun- Average (+1) Kinesics and Will TTINGS S dant vegetation and teem with fauna—a Stress Boxes: 4 physical, 2 mental, 1 e bit too vigorously, perhaps. Echo IV’s additional mild consequence dense forests and large, aggressive Traits: Enhanced Senses (Vision), animal life present a barrier to coloni- Natural Weapon (Claws) zation and a real danger to explorers. Muse: Harbinger; Fair (+2) Infosec, Unlike the neighboring Echo V, where Average (+1) Investigate this system's Pandora gate is located, Likely Minions: Black-Hat Hacker, Echo IV holds no alien ruins. Aside Exhuman Predator from colonization, transhumanity’s main interest here is in xenobiological STUNTS: research. The small population consists Chameleon Cloak: see p. 57 mainly of researchers cataloging the Reflex Boosters: see p. 78 native life and the scouts and site secu- Strength: see p. 78 rity specialists needed to protect them.

131 Known to Firewall for past attempts to Psi-Chi Sleights: Ambience Sense, get hold of TITAN weaponry, Abandoned Predictive Boost, Sensory Boost, Weakness and their exhuman followers Thought Browse, Xeno-Empathy are believed to have made inquiries Likely Minions: Echolalian about Echo IV before departing on a Microsauroid, Whipper gatecrashing mission. Presumably they headed for that same star system. Given STUNTS AND PSI-GAMMA SLEIGHTS: Firewall’s hypothesis that the TITANs Cloud Memory: see p. 107 may have left via the gate network, an Ego Sense: see p. 107 exhuman TITAN enthusiast tracking Neurotoxic Tentacles: Hits from Fight them is a person of interest. attacks that deal 1 shift or more put In this case, though, it’s not TITAN the Paralyzed condition on the target technology Abandoned is looking with 1 free invocation. This condition for, but a TITAN itself. The exhuman lasts for the conflict. Characters with received hints that the TITAN medichines or similar augmentations Hecaloth sent a fork of itself to Echo fare better against this attack. IV and decided to follow it. Abandoned believes it and its followers to be Hecaloth was a TITAN once, but this improved successors to transhumanity, fork of the original has, for reasons able to treat more equally with such a of its own, taken on a biological form. being than their weak human prede- Hecaloth-7, arriving on the planet with cessors. And if the TITAN doesn’t want only a battered synthmorph, infected to talk, Abandoned plans to kill it and an Echolalian land anemone with steal its hardware. the exsurgent virus, transforming it Abandoned Weakness is a hulking, into a hulking, semi-humanoid mass muscular being covered in armored, of neurotoxic tentacles and trunk- bony plates and fearsomely clawed. like pseudopodia with a massively powerful central nervous system. Selection in favor of the Watts- HECALOTH-7 MacLeod strain of the virus when NPC Type: Main infecting the anemone also grants the Aspects: TITAN Fork Gone Biological, TITAN fork async powers. However, Giant Tentacled Predator, it’s now a completely biological entity Chemically Influences Native with no mesh connectivity. It instead Lifeforms, Perceives Much in This has spread a genetic trait among local Web of Life, Async Great Mind animals that causes them to evolve Skills: Epic (+7) Fight; scent glands and receptors sensitive Fantastic (+6) Will, Xeno-Contact, to the same chemical signals used Superb (+5) Athletics, Somatics; between land anemones and clown Great (+4) Notice, Survival; sprites. Effectively, Hecaloth-7 has Good (+3) Investigate, Rapport; placed itself at the center of a massive, Fair (+2) Medicine, Provoke; kilometers-wide scent web carrying Average (+1) Kinesics, Shoot signals from all of the local flora and Stress Boxes: 4 physical, 4 mental, 1 fauna. It can exert partial control over additional mild consequence some of the animals within the web using scent signals. 132 Most of the time, Hecaloth-7 is in that interface non-invasively with the repose, looking like a gigantic land communicant and open a random chat anemone. It avoids drawing the atten- connection allowing exchange of infor- tion of the colonists, spending its days mation with a variety of species. At best, capturing the occasional animal for these talks are friendly and result in food, dispatching animal minions to exchange of genetic info, technical data, enlarge the scent web, and contem- or the like. At worst, the alien commu- plating how to create a biological nicated with is of such a different singularity on this world. If attacked, mental makeup that communication is however, it can collect itself into a an emotionally stressful, perhaps sanity- humanoid shape and fight back with damaging experience. betentacled pseudopods the size of tree Go-nin Group, an influential hyper- trunks. This repose may not last for corp, controls the Pandora gate and the long, though. Eventually Hecaloth-7 small settlement near the valley of black will reach a conclusion about how to box artifacts. However, infiltrators initiate a bio-singularity, and send its from Proactionary (the Extropian corp animal minions forth. that discovered the black boxes) and attempts by gangs like the Graverobbers to chat with the aliens have complicated EXOPLANET Go-nin’s plans for settling the planet and bringing in researchers en masse GIZA to farm the black boxes for alien knowl- Gravity: 0.53 g edge. Firewall is extremely concerned Population: 2,000 about these plans, given the hypothesis Climate: Thin, cold atmosphere that the exsurgent virus is itself of alien origin. Who knows what else trade Giza is a habitable, terrestrial planet with unknown aliens could bring upon orbiting a yellow dwarf star. Earth-like transhumanity? conditions make it desirable for colo- In response to this potential threat,

nization, but the presence of unique the conservative faction inside Firewall TTINGS S and possibly dangerous xenoartifacts initiated an operation to destroy the e has complicated transhuman presence Giza gate and/or black boxes. A nuclear there. Not far from the Pandora gate device was smuggled through the gate on Giza is a valley containing over and detonated on the other side. It is 500 smooth, black objects shaped known that Pandora gates have rebuilt like platonic solids (pyramids, cubes, themselves after worse attacks, however, dodecahedrons, and the like). The arti- so it was only a matter of time before facts range in size from 3 to nearly 200 access to Giza was regained. Go-nin meters across and are partly buried in has ramped up their security as a the valley soil as if they’ve been there an result, which has also hindered efforts extremely long time. When approached, to research the black-box devices and these black box artifacts open a mesh communicate with aliens. Meanwhile, connection offering to let the recip- other factions within Firewall have ient chat with aliens. If accepted, the decried the bombing, pointing out that black box extends silvery tendrils the relics here may help transhumanity

133 acquire information or knowledge Muse: Long Pig; Fair (+2) Infosec, about the TITANs or other external Average (+1) Investigate threats to help protect transhumanity Likely Minions: Black-Hat Hacker, in the future. Enforcer, Guardian Angel, Smuggler

GRAVES STUNTS: NPC Type: Main Armor: see p. 76 Aspects: Morph: Neo-pig Chameleon Cloak: see p. 57 Skills: Fantastic (+6) Infiltrate; Medichines: see p. 76 Superb (+5) Notice, Xeno-Contact; Great (+4) Deception, Kinesics, Shoot; The Graverobbers are a wanted gang Good (+3) Cover, Hardware, Survival; of neo-pig xenoantiquities smugglers, Fair (+2) Fight, Somatics, Will; and Graves is their boss. Posing as Average (+1) Civ Rep, Infosec, Pilot legit gatecrashing teams doing survey Stress Boxes: 4 physical, 2 mental, 1 work and the like, the Graverobbers additional mild consequence have plundered xenoarcheological Traits: Stigma (Uplift) sites on three exoplanets, brought unvetted xenotech back into the solar

134 system through the gates, and sold it RANDOM ALIEN to the highest bidder. But their latest and greatest venture is one that offers CHATROOMS boundless wealth at a much lower The GM may use the following list if risk than tromping through alien they want a random idea for the beings potshards looking for scraps. The black encountered by connecting to the box xenoartifacts on Giza actually black boxes. allow their users to chat with aliens. ---- Full immersion simulspace of Offer them transhuman literature, a howling dark void with an reverse-engineered TITAN weapon entity that communicates by designs, or your own genetic code, and causing waking nightmares. they’ll send back alien scientific data, --- Hostile anti-sapient filter genomes, and even nanofabber blue- feeders offer a weapon that prints (albeit in hard to decipher alien blows up the nearest star, hate formats). Sneaking past the hypercorp you, and want nothing of yours. security perimeter to access the arti- -- Text chat with a species that offers facts is risky, but Graves and his gang only threats of eventual conquest are good at it. in exchange for information. Graves got his start on Luna, - Gibbering hivemind monkey things zone stalking in the New Mumbai in a partial immersion simulspace Containment Zone, a radioactive waste- offer alien porn from several dozen land left behind after transhumanity species and poop jokes (their main nuked the main zone of TITAN activity cultural product), but are interested on Luna. He’s a seasoned gatecrasher in genomes and project manage- and stalker, his burly frame belying ment software. the stealth and grace with which he 0 Confusing interaction with a species can move. Graves and his neo-pigs whose thought patterns are impos- came from nothing, and they’ve pulled sible to effectively translate. themselves up far. He is ambitious + Easily offended but talkative star-

and cutthroat, but he’s not completely fish beings in an underwater video TTINGS S ruthless and might be swayed as much chat offer millions of varieties of e by compelling evidence that what he’s programmable building coral, seek doing threatens transhuman survival biological weapons or pharmaceu- as by force. tical knowledge in return. Firewall has already tried to nuke ++ Text chat with friendly, mellow, Giza to shutdown communication via philosophical fern beings. the black boxes, so obviously they’d +++ A chorus-mind gasbag colony take a dim view of the Graverobbers’ sings advanced astrophysics knowledge activities if they picked up any leads. in exchange for vape juice recipes. Graves and his crew divide their time ++++ An avian/dinosauroid between a secret camp near the valley species faced with extinction offer containing the black-box artifacts, all data necessary to clone members and the tin-can housing of the hyper- of their species, but the black-box corp settlement, where they blend in artifact blocks them from sending with the local population of laborers through any egos. and researchers. 135 THREATS

What follows are a selection of threats There are two ways of treating the from the Eclipse Phase universe. The virus: as a fractal extra (see p. 270, Fate main NPCs in the Setting chapter refer Core) or as a simple obstacle to over- to likely minions employed by these come. Most viral strains are designed to adversaries. These and other threats are infiltrate, infect, and subvert transhu- detailed here. mans or their technology. These strains act like supporting NPCs, possessing skills, aspects, and intentions. Other THE EXSURGENT strains are more limited in their effects and may only incapacitate or misdirect VIRUS characters rather than infecting them. The exsurgent virus attacks transhuman These latter are best handled via skill people and technology through myriad challenges or overcome actions. strains, each with their own vectors Transhumanity's Fate tracks the of infection and effects. Some strains progress of the virus in an infectee rewrite people and machines wholesale, using conditions (p. 11). See the sample mutating their forms and altering their strains below for examples of how identities. Others have more subtle, conditions can accumulate and worsen long-term effects. over time. When building a strain of the virus, The exsurgent virus is incurable. GMs consider the following: who find this incompatible with the feel they want in a game may allow use of • Vector of infection: How does the Medicine to stave off its effects, but in strain enter and subvert characters? the end, the virus always gets its host. Does it only affect machine life like However, since most characters have AGIs and synthmorphs, or can it backups, suicide of the current self and jump to biological organisms? replacement by backup to avoid trans- • Effects: The more extreme effects formation into an exsurgent is always an of observed exsurgent virus strains option. For some Firewall teams, it can include mass erasure of mesh data, become a normal part of life. zombification, physical metamor- phosis, and mental subversion, all B ASILISK HACK leading to the death or permanent Basilisk hacks are an obstacle to be over- transformation of their victims. More come. TITANs discovered that bursts of subtle effects observed have included sensory input can incapacitate or even temporary incapacitation, implan- alter transhuman minds. Resisting the tation of post-hypnotic suggestions, effects of a basilisk hack requires a Will memory loss, or development of overcome action against the strength of mental disorders. the hack, which can be anywhere from • Phases: Does the strain show its Fair (+2) to Great (+4). Failure indicates effects immediately, or does the infec- a condition like Overstimulated or tion work in phases? Sensory Overload is gained, usually lasting for the rest of the scene. 136 MINDSTEALER XENOMORPH STRAIN STRAIN NPC Type: Nameless, Good (+3) NPC Type: Nameless, Good (+3) Aspects: Cyberbrain Subversion Aspects: Mutagenic Custom Specialist, Spreads Rapidly Via Mesh Nanoplague Skills: Good (+3) Infosec; Fair (+2) Skills: Good (+3) Medicine; Fair (+2) Cover, Program; Average (+1) Will Notice; Average (+1) Will Stress Boxes: 2 physical Stress Boxes: 2 physical Traits: Mobility (Immobile) STUNTS: Infectious Scorch: If the mindstealer STUNTS: virus hacks into a target’s cyberbrain Biological Nanoplague: The virus can and makes scorching attacks, any attack with Medicine instead of Fight hit of 1 shift or better inflicts the when in contact with a biological condition Mindstealer Infection. entity. A hit of 1 shift or better inflicts Characters with this condition slowly the Xenomorph Infection condition succumb to the effects of the virus. on the target. Characters with medichines (p. 76) get +2 to defend The mindstealer strain of the exsurgent against this attack. virus is an autonomous, AI-like entity Splattered All Over: The virus is only that attempts to infect the cyberbrains damaged by area-effect weapons. of synthmorphs and pods with itself. If successful, it slowly alters the behavior The xenomorph strain of the exsurgent of the character to serve the aims of virus is usually spread via contact with the virus until they become an exsur- exsurgent bodily fluids. Though immo- gent, capable of passing the virus on bile on its own, there are lots of ways themselves. The mindstealer virus is it can get on transhumans, from being intelligent in its attacks. It will first splattered during combat to dripping on

subvert gear or other weakly defended someone from an infected corpse above. REATS T systems, copying itself over the resident Once it touches a biological entity, set up h AIs so that it can make mass attacks on for a conflict with the xenomorph strain the cyberbrains of characters in synth- attacking the character touching it. A morphs and pods. Since it’s a digital successful Athletics or Survival over- virus, it can’t be physically attacked, but come by the defender is enough to brush it can be beaten back by hacking into it off, forcing it to stop attacking, unless the device on which it’s running and the defender is immersed in a large making a scorching attack. amount of it. Clearing an area spattered Characters with the Mindstealer with fluids carrying the virus requires Infection condition get slowly worse. attacking it with area-effect weapons. After 2–3 weeks of game time, the infec- Characters with the Xenomorph tion takes the character over completely, Infection condition get slowly worse. and they become an exsurgent in the After 2–3 weeks of game time, the control of the GM. Dying and returning character begins to metamorphose from backup is the best option to avoid physically, and they become an exsur- this fate. gent in the control of the GM. However, 137 since this virus doesn’t initially infect In their standard form, fractals resemble the mind, the character can upload and a roughly spherical, metallic bush sacrifice their morph to free themselves surrounded with an eerie glittering of its effects before physical transforma- haze. In their centers are a number of tion begins. metallic branches, linked together with a flexible joint. Each of these branches splits into two or more smaller branches, EXSURGENTS also with flexible joints. These branches also split, and then split again, and so AND WAR on down to the molecular scale. The tip of each fractal branch ends in a MACHINES nanoscale manipulator. Fractals are Exsurgents are biological or machine deceptively potent adversaries, having entities corrupted and rewritten by the the capability to dismantle almost exsurgent virus. War machines include anything at the molecular level and also a variety of synthetic entities created to rebuild anything just like a nanofab- by the TITANs in their genocidal war ricator. Attacking them with projectiles against transhumanity. is futile, as they absorb the ammunition, break it down into its constituent atoms FRACTAL or molecules, and then use those as NPC Type: Supporting components to build a weapon to use Aspects: Matter-Absorbing Bush Robot, against you. Fractals are difficult to Relentlessly Adaptive damage, as their “bodies” are actually Skills: Superb (+5) Program; Great (+4) airy assemblages of fractal branches. Athletics, Shoot; Good (+3) Infosec, Notice; Fair (+2) Fight, Infiltrate; WASTEWALKER Average (+1) Cover, Hardware NPC Type: Nameless, Good (+3) Stress Boxes: 4 physical Aspects: Desert-Stalking Shock Trooper, Traits: Mobility (Hovering) Pack Tactics Skills: Good (+3) Shoot; Fair (+2) STUNTS: Notice; Average (+1) Athletics, Fight Fractal Branching Robot: Fractals can Stress Boxes: 2 physical only be damaged by weapons that slash or do area-effect damage. STUNTS: Disassemble and Fabricate: Once per Wastewalker Mask: When applied session, swap this stunt for any other to the face of a helpless humanoid gear-based stunt. This can be done at biomorph (one who’s been taken out any time and costs 1 Fate point. or somehow restrained), wastewalker Self-Reprogramming: Once per masks permanently attach themselves scene, a fractal can swap skill ratings and begin the transformation into a between one of their Great (+4) skills new wastewalker. A character in this and any other skill by succeeding at a state might have their stack rescued Program overcome against Fair (+2) in time, but their morph is done. difficulty. If the fractal didn’t have the skill swapped for, the Great (+4) skill Wastewalkers are exsurgent becomes Mediocre (+0). infantry created by placing a wastewalker 138 mask on a helpless transhuman. More claws. They’re covered in a hide-like, intelligent and sophisticated in their patterned, black material that might tactics than other exsurgents, the be skin or might be polymer armor. TITANs intended them as élite troops. Humps high on their backs bristle Wastewalkers are tall and wiry. with several long, thin cylinders that They wear smooth, white masks that might house nanohives. Wastewalkers completely cover the face and may communicate in bursts of noisy, in fact be part of it. Their masks are pulse-modulated sound, like static starkly minimal, with circles for eyes, blasting out of a distorted speaker. a narrow slot at the mouth, and short, “Feral” wastewalkers survive without horn-like protrusions that curve up TITAN control in places like the from the cheek bones to one side TQZ. There they run in packs, with an of the eyes and end in rounded-off alpha dominating and coordinating nubs. Their arms, legs, and fingers are the others. Lacking orders from the elongated and spindly, with jagged TITANs, they’ve taken to defending protrusions at the joints that give the territories they’ve staked out, alter- their bodies a sketchy appearance. nately cooperating with or hunting Wastewalker hands end in long, sharp other exsurgent types. Wastewalkers replenish their numbers using any biomorphs they capture. Many a smuggler or stalker lost in the TQZ is now a wastewalker. Once masked, the new recruit metamorphoses into a wastewalker within a few days. WHIPPER NPC Type: Nameless, Fair (+2) Aspects: Betentacled Lashing Meat Trunk

Skills: Fair (+2) Fight; Average (+1) REATS T Somatics h Stress Boxes: 1 physical

Whippers are one outcome of the Xenomorph strain of the exsurgent virus. Their human limbs and features are no longer distinguishable, having merged into a trunk of flesh with many tiny legs at its base. Tentacles arranged radially around the creature’s middle allow grappling or slashing at enemies. Fortunately, whippers aren’t very bright, and they can’t actively infect people with the exsurgent virus (although eating a dead one would be a very bad idea). 139 EXHUMANS TRANSHUMAN Exhumans follow an ideology of extreme self-modification and improvement. Less THREATS committed to maintaining human-like On a good day, instead of being up forms than the similarly motivated ulti- against half-alien mutants that could mates faction, exhumans eschew trans- infect them with a xenovirus, sentinels human aesthetics and social adaptations only have other transhumans to worry for forms that are fearsome, durable, and about. In addition to transhumans, this combat-ready. Reviled by other trans- category includes a sampling of trans- human factions for their aggression and human-built bots. excesses, exhumans live on the fringes of the solar system and out in the gate B LACK-HAT HACKER network, plotting a future of their own, NPC Type: Nameless, Good (+3) red-in-tooth-and-claw design. Aspects: Identity Thief, The Freshest Exploits PREDATOR Skills: Good (+3) Infosec; Fair (+2) NPC Type: Nameless, Fair (+2) Cover; Average (+1) Hardware, Aspects: Top of the Food Chain, Program Ready to Survive Anywhere Stress Boxes: 1 physical, 1 mental Skills: Fair (+2) Fight; Average (+1) Survival Given transhumanity’s heavy reli- Stress Boxes: 1 physical ance on mesh technology, a hacker is indispensable on a serious ops team. One of the most common varieties of Criminal hackers tend to be focused on exhumans, predators focus on forms the offense—getting in quickly, getting that are physically imposing and geared what they need, and not getting caught. for survival in extreme conditions. Frequently they’ll be assisted by a muse with its own Infosec skill. GUANXI ENFORCER NPC Type: Nameless, Good (+3) Aspects: Hardcore Ganger, Wetwork Professional Skills: Good (+3) Notice; Fair (+2) Shoot; Average (+1) Deception, Fight Stress Boxes: 2 physical

The triads, vory, yakuza, and other syndicates from Earth compete with newer outfits like the Night Cartel, the ID Crew, and Nine Lives for control of the Guanxi underworld. This NPC can represent either an assassin or an officer from any of these gangs. 140 GUANXI SOLDIER MERC NPC Type: Nameless, Fair (+2) NPC Type: Nameless, Good (+3) Aspects: Hardcore Ganger, Aspects: Cool Under Fire, You Crossed Our Turf Veteran of a Dozen Bush Wars Skills: Fair (+2) Shoot; Average (+1) Skills: Good (+3) Shoot; Fair (+2) Provoke Notice; Average (+1) Athletics, Stress Boxes: 1 physical Survival Stress Boxes: 2 physical This NPC can represent a typical soldier from any of the criminal gangs A wide variety of mercenary companies mentioned above. Soldiers sport a wide operate in the solar system and beyond. variety of morphs. Human forms are Hypercorp and anarchocapitalist outfits the norm in many gangs, but synth- like Direct Action and Medusan Shield morphs and uplifted animals aren’t rare. fight for profit wherever they’re needed. More extreme are the ultimates, who GUARDIAN ANGEL pursue mercenary work that either NPC Type: Nameless, Fair (+2) furthers their personal self-improve- Aspects: Electrowasp ment, or furthers the political aims Skills: Fair (+2) Fight; Average (+1) of their faction. Still other mercenary Notice companies are more like paid militia, Stress Boxes: 1 physical contracted to protect a space habitat or Traits: Mobility (Winged) planetary settlement.

STUNT: SECURITY DRONE Stunner: Hits from this bot in hand- NPC Type: Nameless, Average (+1) to-hand combat inflict the condition Aspects: Stunned on the target. This condition Miniature Flying Saucer with Guns lasts for the conflict. Skills: Average (+1) Shoot

Stress: no boxes REATS T These bots are about 30 centimeters long h and look like a cross between a wasp Ubiquitous anywhere transhumans set and a praying mantis. When not given up security, drones like these resemble other orders, guardian angels hover a hovering, doublewide frisbee. It near the person they’re assigned to mounts a pair of machine pistols and protect, warning off or stunning anyone flies at low altitude using an ionic who gets too close. propulsion system. Versions designed for use in vacuum mount rail guns or laser pulsers instead and maneuver using gas jets or small rockets, while others are camouflaged for the Martian desert or shielded with rock against the magnetosphere of Jupiter.

141 SMUGGLER NPC Type: Nameless, Fair (+2) XENOLIFE Aspects: Knows a Few Tricks, Zone Stalker Skills: Fair (+2) Infiltrate, Average (+1) FACTOR DIPLOMAT/ Shoot and Survival MERCHANT Stress: 1 physical box NPC Type: Nameless, Good (+3) Aspects: Canny Merchant, Cunning Those with a knack for moving Negotiator small, high value cargo around find no Skills: Good (+3) Rapport, Fair (+2) shortage of work these days. Alien arti- Notice, Will, Average (+1) Kinesics, facts, weaponry, unrestricted nanofab- X-Risks bers, and old standbys like drugs need Stress: 1 physical box, 1 mental box to move where the cred is. This NPC can represent a cartel courier, the smug- Communicating through voice boxes gler gangs who bring restricted items that convert their chemical scent into Jovian space, or the zone stalkers language into sound, factor diplomat/ who retrieve TITAN artifacts from the merchants are nonetheless surprisingly Martian quarantine zone. good at negotiating with their trans- human opposites. When away from their colonies, they are at all times accompanied by guardians to ensure their safety. 142 Land anemones are best used as an FACTOR GUARDIAN obstacle, since they can’t move. They Factor Guardian NPC Type: Nameless, may block a narrow passage between Fair (+2) large rock formations, requiring a Aspects: Stinging, Spore-Spraying Blob conflict to pass through. Land anem- Skills: Fair (+2) Shoot, Average (+1) ones live in a symbiotic relationship Fight and Notice with clown sprites—adorable, curious, Stress: 1 physical box flying fox-like creatures covered in bright fur. Unwary gatecrashers might STUNT: be lured into an anemone’s clutches by Factor Dust: The choking spores these creatures. guardians use in their Shoot attacks inflict the Hallucinating condition with one free invocation on a hit of 1 ECHOLALIAN shift or better. This condition lasts for MICROSAUROID the conflict. NPC Type: Nameless, Average (+1) Aspects: Tiny Biting Dinosauroid Factor guardians don’t communicate Skills: Average (+1) Athletics and Fight except via chemical scents with other Stress: no boxes factors. They’re seemingly less intel- ligent than the diplomat/merchant Echo IV is famous for big, dinosauroid caste, but dangerous in combat with predators, but one of the nastiest pack their jellyfish-like sting and sprays of hunters on the planet are microsau- choking, entheogenous spores, known roids. They’re 60 cm from the feathered as Factor dust. head to the long, prehensile tail. Their chompers are wickedly serrated beak- teeth, they can hop 5 m at a bound, ECHOLALIAN LAND and they have hooked, 5 cm claws with ANEMONE which they grapple and bit prey in mobs.

NPC Type: Nameless, Good (+3) Small and hard to shoot, a pack of these REATS T Aspects: Alien Ambush Predator little bastards can run down and devour h Skills: Good (+3) Fight, Fair (+2) animals many times their size. Infiltrate,Average (+1) Notice and Somatics Stress: 2 physical boxes

STUNT: Neurotoxic Tentacles: Hits from Fight attacks that deal 1 shift or more put the Paralyzed condition on the target with 1 free invocation. This condition lasts for the conflict. Characters with medichines or similar augmentations fare better against this attack.

143 SKILL CONVERSION TABLE ECLIPSE PHASE TRANSHUMANITY'S ECLIPSE PHASE TRANSHUMANITY'S SKILL FATE SKILL SKILL FATE SKILL

Xeno-Contact, X-Risks Investigation Investigate Academics (see Trivia, p. 30) Kinesics Kinesics Animal Handling Survival Kinetic Weapons Shoot Art — (see Trivia, p. 30) — (see Languages, p. Language Beam Weapons Shoot 11) Blades Fight Medicine Medicine Climbing Athletics Navigation Pilot, Survival Clubs Fight Networking Civ Rep, Eye Rep Control — (see Psi, p. 104) Palming Infiltrate Notice Deception Deceive Perception (and other skills, p. 45) Demolitions Hardware Disguise Deceive Persuasion Rapport Exotic Melee Weapon Fight Pilot Pilot X-Risks, Xeno-Contact Exotic Ranged Weapon Shoot Profession (see Trivia, p. 30) Flight Athletics Fray Athletics, Fight Programming Program Free Fall Athletics Protocol Rapport Freerunning Athletics Psi Assault — (see Psi, p. 104) Gunnery Shoot Psychosurgery Medicine Hardware Hardware Research Investigate Impersonation Cover Scrounging Survival Infiltration Infiltrate Seeker Weapons Shoot Infosec Infosec Sense — (see Psi, p. 104) Spray Weapons Shoot Xeno-Contact, X-Risks Interest (see Trivia, p. 30) Swimming Athletics Interfacing Infosec, Program Throwing Weapons Athletics, Fight, Shoot Intimidation Provoke Unarmed Combat Fight

144