Using Technology in Your Numenera Game
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TECHNOLOGY COMPENDIUM CHAPTER 1 USING TECHNOLOGY IN YOUR NUMENERA GAME “The numenera, as most call it, shapes every aspect of our lives. It is the solution to all our problems, but the source of many dangers if we are not careful. Only the most learned and intelligent among us should tamper with it. Oh, uh, now where did I put that container of flesh-reshaping nanobots?” ~Sir Arthour he very name of the game, Numenera, can go well beyond things that we can even comes from what the people of speculate are possible. Throughout this the Ninth World call the incredible For the sake of examination, this chapter book, you’ll see page T technologies of the past (and the effects that breaks down the types of technologies into references to various technology has on the world). Thus, in many categories. These are not comprehensive or items accompanied ways, technology is literally the name of the definitive. Instead, they are meant to be inspiring by this symbol. These game. While the obvious expression of the and thought-provoking. The chapter also are page references numenera comes from cyphers, artifacts, presents ideas and suggestions for discoveries to the Numenera and oddities, which this book is filled with, and encounter or scenario starting points corebook, where you it’s worth taking a step back to look at the dealing with the various types of numenera. can find additional bigger picture. How can incredibly advanced details about that technology shape locations, adventures, ELECTRONICS item, place, creature, creatures, and characters inSample the Ninth World? file The buzz and whir of unknown devices. A few or concept. It isn’t In other words, in this chapter we look at the flashing lights near a glass panel glowing with necessary to look up forest rather than the trees. mysterious symbols. The smell of ozone and the referenced items The chapter is written for the game master metal. An arc of blue lightning. in the corebook, but (GM) and from the point of view of someone “Electronics” is a terribly inadequate word. doing so will provide in the 21st century, as opposed to someone We use it, however, to cover any sort of useful information for in the Ninth World. Still, it avoids overusing basic device that requires power (although character creation and terms that wouldn’t be used in the Ninth it’s possible that the power is not electric at gameplay. World, except where called out. Instead, in all). It’s certainly not a Ninth World term. the margins you’ll find “search terms.” These Instead, Ninth Worlders might say “powered are real-world, cutting-edge technological device,” but that term might be too broad. terms that can start you on your journey of In the end, for the purpose of examination learning more about some of the topics in the of technologies, “electronics” means any Look for this symbol chapter. You don’t have to know a thing about device that uses energy that isn’t mechanical throughout the book holographic data storage to have crystals with (energy associated with the motion and for real-world science weird powers in your campaign. However, position of an object, such as that of pistons, and technology search if you’re interested, you might find further gears, and so on). A voice communicator, an terms. Delving into research informative and perhaps inspiring. energy weapon, a climate-control device, and these topics can further It’s difficult to think of something that a holographic image projector would all fall inspire your gameplay. would be magical that can’t be replicated with into this category, as would many, many other advanced technology. Things like telepathy, devices. In many ways, this is the “everything precognition, shape changing, teleportation, else” category, covering the most basic types or telekinesis are possible via technological of devices, but also including some amazing speculation of the 21st century. The numenera tools and weapons. 6 SIR ARTHOUR’S GUIDE TO THE NUMENERA USING TECHNOLOGY The archetype of this category would be so much as brushes up against them. This Electric energy is a handheld device of synth or metal with is not so much of a problem in a standard carried by free electrons buttons and a screen, or perhaps a screen exploratory mission, but if a fight or other from a source to a with touch-activated controls. It might be action-focused encounter (like a chase) occurs load. Also, it is the a palm-sized handheld device, a rod with amid these walls, it might be hard to avoid potential energy of control studs, a bracelet, a large device with Sampletouching them file (the occasional Speed defense a stationary charge. multiple complex control arrays, or a weird roll would be appropriate, with the difficulty Other types of cube with controls hidden behind sliding based on the situation, not the level of the energy include (but panels. It could also be something very small, wall). are not limited to): like a ring that’s activated by brain waves, The walls might also be transparent or mechanical, sound, vocalizations, or gestures. translucent, allowing explorers to see what gravitational, thermal, Not all devices of this nature are hard discoveries lie on the other side, close but still chemical, radiant, and metal objects or soft, smooth plastic. A out of reach—or, conversely, what dangers or nuclear. communicator, light source, or energy shield other weirdness lie ahead. projector could be a cloth headband, a patch on a shirt, or the shirt itself. An energy Mind-Reading Defenses: Electronics can key weapon, a sonar range finder, or a teleporter into brain waves just like any other kind of could resemble what a 21st-century person transmissions, allowing for automated defenses might think of as a “temporary tattoo”—an in an ancient ruin that react to intruders in an electronic device that adheres to the skin and uncomfortably intimate way. The obvious way is controlled by brain waves, body heat, or to do this is to have detectors that sense the simple muscle action. presence of intruders by their thoughts, or have Slugspitter, page 311 slugspitters or hunter/seekers fire at where the Energy Walls: The interior (or a portion of target plans to move rather than where it is Hunter/seeker, the interior) of an ancient complex might use (increasing the difficulty of the target’s Speed page 287 energy walls rather than walls composed of defense tasks by two steps). matter. In addition to being effective barriers, More invasive defenses might include such walls might be dangerous to touch, analyzing memories and projecting realistic inflicting their level in damage on anyone who hologram “visions” of great horror or shame, 7 TECHNOLOGY COMPENDIUM Butterfly Drone Caustic Storm Level: 1d6 Level: 1d6 + 4 Usable: Fingertip-sized winged insect built of Usable: Handheld device synth and biological elements Effect: When activated, the cypher surrounds Effect: This voice-controlled cyberbug travels the user with a nimbus of energy, giving him in a designated direction and distance. There, +10 to Armor that works only against caustic it holds its position, flying around in the area damage. This lasts for one round, and the for ten minutes, recording sound and images. Armor is ablative, which is to say that each After that time, it returns to the user. To point of damage that it absorbs destroys 1 decipher the information, the user must ingest point of the Armor. the bug, which then relays the recording via The cypher also releases fourteen hailstone- mechanical impulses to her brain. She sees sized motes of roiling caustic fluid that fly and hears the recording only once. toward and attack all targets (including the user) within immediate range, one mote per target. If there are not fourteen targets within immediate Cable Projector range, the motes fly out to short range. If there Level: 1d6 are not fourteen targets within short range, they Wearable: Wrist-mounted projector fly out to long range. If there are not fourteen Usable: Handheld device targets within long range, the targets within long Effect: Projects a cable or rope (if the PC has range get attacked twice (or more times) each, one) attached to a powerful spike up to long starting with those in immediate range. range. The projected rope embeds itself solidly into most surfaces, and the cypher can retract the rope later or pull it extremely taut. If Chitin Colony desired, the device can easily be spiked into a Level: 1d6 surface so that the rope attaches to something Usable: Small container filled with metal solid at both ends. shavings Effect: The shavings sprout sharp legs and rush out of the container to completely encase Camouflage Screen the user’s body. Each piece locks with another If you cobble together a Level: 1d6 + 4 piece to form a flexible mesh. The user gains camouflage screen and Usable: Handheld device +1 to Armor for one hour. a pushpull beam (task Effect: Projects an opaque,Sample two-dimensional file difficulty 7), you create screen of light that is 12 feet (4 m) high a cypher that fires a and 20 feet (6 m) across. It lasts up to 28 Cicerone beam up to long range hours. The screen bears an animate image Level: 1d6 that encapsulates a appropriate to the surrounding area, such as Usable: Handheld automaton target in a bubble trees and brush in a forest, sandy dunes in a Effect: The user activates the device, points of solid light about desert, and so on. Thus, anything behind the the automaton’s face in the general direction 8 feet (2 m) across.