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. screen is easily hidden from visual observation he wishes to go, and states a general distance. The target can’t take unless the viewer is within immediate distance The device suggests the easiest and quickest physical actions or (and even then it may be obscured, depending way to travel that route, taking into account perceive through the on the circumstances). terrain, weather, potential threats, and existing bubble for ten minutes. paths. It functions for 28 hours and then dies, speaking a single bit of useful information Pushpull beam, Camouflage Spray about the route ahead when it does so. page 81 Level: 1d6 + 1 Usable: Canister Effect: An inanimate object (or group of Clamp Trap objects) small enough to fit into a cube that is Level: 1d6 + 1 10 feet by 10 feet by 10 feet (3 m by 3 m by 3 Usable: Mouthlike metal clamp m) can be quickly coated so that its color and Effect: When activated, this device becomes texture blend into its surroundings perfectly. a pressure-plate trap that clamps around anything that triggers it. The device is similar to a bear trap, except that when it is fully activated, it becomes invisible. Once triggered,

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it inflicts damage equal to the cypher level, invisibility effect by taking an action to focus plus 1 additional point of damage per minute on hiding his position. until it is removed.

Clone Tank Cleaner Level: 10 Level: 1d6 Usable: A large glass and metal tank filled with Wearable: Wristband projector (immediate pink slime range) Effect: To activate this device, the user Usable: Metal container filled with what looks must place a few drops of blood, strands like metal filings of hair, nail clippings, or a piece of flesh in Effect: When activated, the device dissolves the slime. The slime hardens around the the remains of one dead human-sized creature organic material to form a cyst. Over the into a small pile of salts and other minerals. next 3d6 months, the device rapidly grows a person from the material. At the end of this time, a full-grown creature, identical in every Cloaking Pin physical way to the donor creature, emerges Level: 1d6 + 2 from the tank, and the device deactivates. Usable: Metal disk that has been made into a The clone is a level 1 creature. It can lapel pin communicate in a language known to the Effect: When activated, this creates a cloaking user, but otherwise it understands nothing field that effectively makes the user invisible of the world. It becomes a unique character and completely silent for one minute. While that develops a personality, objectives, and invisible, the user is specialized in stealth nature of its own. and Speed defense tasks. This effect ends if he does something to reveal his presence or position—attacking, performing an esotery, Cloud Seed using an ability, moving a large object, and so Level: 1d6 + 4 on. If this occurs, he can regain the remaining Usable: Handheld projector (5 miles or 8 km)

Sample file

39 TECHNOLOGY COMPENDIUM

the difficulty of any task that involves reason, The empty box can hold four depleted, logic, or recall by two steps. However, it broken, or otherwise unusable cyphers increases the difficulty of any task that involves and artifacts. When the box is filled with communication by one step. the numenera and the machine’s heart is An installed spike cannot be removed activated, it combines all of the numenera without permanently reducing the user’s items inside it and reconfigures them into a Intellect Pool to 0. number of new cyphers or artifacts equal to Depletion: — the artifact level. Depletion: 1 in 1d6 Machine’s Heart Level: 1d6 Manybag Form: A 7-foot-tall (2 m) collapsible metal Level: 1d6 stand with a 3-foot-by-3-foot (1-m-by-1-m) Form: Stiff leather bag of fairly large size empty box on top and a control panel along Effect: This leather bag has dozens of sealed the side compartments of different sizes. By verbal Effect: It takes two rounds to assemble and set up command, portions of the bag can become this device, and then it takes an action to activate selectively intangible so that anything in the it. bag can be accessed quickly. In effect, the user can speak a command word and draw out whatever object in the bag is desired, because all other obstructing compartments (and their contents) are rendered out of phase for a moment. Depletion: —

Matter Separator Level: 1d6 + 2 Form: A small handheld device equipped with prongs at one end Effect: This device causes the atomic bonds holding together a creature or object within an immediate distance to separate, creating Sample filea cloud of dust that spreads out a short distance in all directions and remains there for one round. Unless dispersed by wind (which utterly destroys the target), the target snaps back together after the effect ends. The user then rolls a d20. On a result of 11 or higher, a part of the target, as decided by the GM, is missing. The disappearance inflicts 4 points of damage that ignores Armor. Depletion: 1 in 1d6

Mechanical Arm Level: 1d6 + 2 Form: Mechanical arm grafted to a stump on a person’s body Effect: The arm must be surgically and permanently attached (a task equal to the artifact level). The procedure takes about an hour in a skilled chiurgeon’s hands. Once the arm is attached, the user has complete control over the limb and uses it naturally. The arm grants an asset on any task involving carrying or lifting. Depletion: —

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Mechanical Leg Armor). Once activated, the device remains Level: 1d6 + 2 active for one minute. Form: Mechanical leg grafted to a stump on a Moreover, when the device is activated, person’s body creatures within immediate range that can see Effect: The leg must be surgically and the patterns in the spinning flames become permanently attached (a task equal to the mesmerized, losing their action in the next artifact level). The procedure takes about an round. Creatures that come within immediate hour in a skilled chiurgeon’s hands. range once the device is active may also Once the leg is attached, the user has become mesmerized. No creature ever loses complete control over the limb and uses it more than one action to the patterns. naturally. The leg grants an asset on any task Depletion: 1 in 1d10 that involves running. Depletion: — Mesoglea Gloss Level: 1d6 Memory Shard Form: A living gelatinous creature encased in Level: 10 a medium-sized orb Form: A sharp metal spike that must be Effect: After breaking the orb and essentially killing inserted into the base of the neck at an the creature inside, the user can then slather upward angle. Installing the spike inflicts no a piece of armor with the goo. Once the goo damage, but it cannot be removed without dries into a hard shellac (about ten minutes), it killing the person. provides protection against water, wind, and light. Effect: The spike contains a personality Additionally, the user can add a single drop of fragment from a person long dead. Installing liquid to the gloss to activate it. When activated, the the spike floods the host’s mind with shreds gloss becomes both hard and slippery, decreasing of memory, feelings, and sensations until the difficulty of all Speed and Might defense actions he absorbs the extra personality. He can by one step for one hour. immediately choose and gain a second focus. Applying the gloss is an action. Activating Depletion: — the gloss is also an action. Depletion: 1 in 1d20 for the Speed and Might Mental Storage defense abilities (after depletion, the glossed Level: 1d6 + 4 armor retains its water-, wind-, and light- Form: Large device with multiple screens and reflection properties) controls as well as wires with electrodes Sample file Effect: When used, this device records a thinking creature’s knowledge, memories, and personality—basically, a copy of his consciousness. The recording process takes four hours. The device can then store this data indefinitely. It can be accessed and downloaded into another appropriate device or body (if those capabilities are available). The device can be used only once. Depletion: Automatic

Mesmerizing Flame Level: 1d6 + 2 Form: Large handheld device with a star- shaped wheel on the end of a long extension Effect: When the device is activated, two things happen. First, the user is protected by a shield of force that provides +1 to Armor, and +10 to Armor against flame. Second, the star- shaped wheel begins spinning and spitting out flames. This is a heavy melee weapon that inflicts damage equal to the artifact level + 2, and all of the damage is fire and heat (ignores

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