BREACHWORLD
Jason Richards PublishingPresentsA Complete RPG
Welcome to the Breachworld RPG
I don’t quite know how to tell you the story of how Breachworld came
to be. I’ve written bits and pieces of the pages that follow through a
number of different states and several different countries. My primary
design notebook has made it to three continents. I’ve chatted with
friends and colleagues about this project by phone, text, email, instant
messenger and sitting at tables at lunch, from the car, in my living
room, or in engineering offices in Texas and Saudi Arabia. There
haven’t been many days that the world, characters, and avenues to
adventure found in this volume haven’t occupied my thoughts. I have a
lot of rough outlines and notes on dozens of other projects littering
my hard drives and file cabinets, but this is one that I haven’t been able
to shake.
The long journey is just a footnote now, and what matters is that
somehow, after years of noodling and pondering and tinkering, this
book managed to reach you. This is a story that I’ve always wanted to
tell, a world I’ve always wanted to know. This is a gate to adventure
that I have always wanted to open for all of you so that we can share in
it together.
Let’s do this.
Jason Richards
2014
Table of Contents
Part 0: Introduction
Chapter 0.1 Credits and Thanks --- 5
Chapter 0.2 Breachworld ---9
Chapter 0.3 Getting Started --- 11
Rule #1 --- 13
Part 1: Character Creation
Chapter 1.1 Character Creation --- 15
Steps --- 15 Advanced Class: Epic ---17
Chapter 1.2 Player Races --- 24
Humans ---26 Machine Men --- 40
Climbers --- 28 Morlocks ---42
Demonkin ---30 Pathos --- 44
Dru ---32 Reptilian Raiders --- 46
Elder --- 34 River Folk ---48
Grim --- 36 Tusks --- 50
Chapter 1.3 Skills ---52
Might Skills ---52 Wit Skills --- 54
Agility Skills --- 53 Charm Skills --- 57
Chapter 1.3 Perks ---58
Perks --- 58 Epic Perks--- 62
Chapter 1.4 Complications --- 64
Complications --- 64 Epic Complications---67
Chapter 1.5 Gear ---69
Weapons ---71 Equipment --- 76
Armor --- 74 Vehicles ---80
Part 2: Game Rules
Chapter 2.1 Game Mechanics --- 83
Core Mechanic ---83 Scaling ---91
Setting the TN --- 84 Fate Points ---92
Character Actions --- 86 Character Advancement ---93
Chapter 2.2 Epic Mechanics ---95
Air Manipulation ---98 Kinetic Manipulation --- 108
Biochemical Manip. --- 100 Light Manipulation --- 111
Electrical Manipulation -- 103 Matter Manipulation --- 113
Heat Manipulation ---105 Space-Time Manip.--- 117
Chapter 2.3 Vehicle Rules --- 120
Part 3: World Information
Chapter 3.1 The World --- 129
Then and Now --- 129 World Overview --- 142
Breaches --- 137
Chapter 3.2 Living in Breachworld --- 150
Society --- 150 Economy --- 154
Chapter 3.3 Tech in Breachworld ---156
Chapter 3.4 Places of Note ---161
Hood ---161 Trade Post --- 171
Arena --- 165
Chapter 3.5 Breach Creatures --- 175
Allosaur --- 176 Leecher ---188
Creep --- 178 Mauler ---190
Griffin ---180 Plasma Wyrm --- 192
Hardhat ---182 Poison Bat ---194
Hoodum --- 184 Prowler Beast --- 196
Imp --- 186 Trapcat --- 198
Part 4: Resources
Chapter 4.1 Creation Aids --- 200
Character Sheet --- 201 Epics --- 203
Player Races --- 202 Skills, Perks, and Comps - 204
Chapter 4.2 In-Game Aids --- 205
Scale Modifiers ---206 Dealing Damage ---208
0.1
Credits and Thanks
Dedication
Dedicated to the man who gave me my first real byline and whose games have inspired me to create new worlds since I was a kid.
Thanks, Kevin Siembieda.
Contributors
Design, layout, maps, and art direction by Jason Richards. Standard cover art by Eric Quigley.
Interior art by David Arenas, Amy Ashbaugh, Damon Bowie, Matthew Bryan, Mike Mumah, Avi Odenheimer, RJ Palmer, Eric Quigley, and Michael Wilson.
Responsibility in Business
Jason Richards Publishingis a strong advocate for the ethical treatment of animals. I encourage you to spay and neuter your pets, and to join me in supporting local no-kill animal shelters.
Ten percent of the profits of this book and its supplements will be donated to the no-kill shelter and animal adoption center,Operation Kindness, in Carrolton, Texas. Thank you for helping me help others.
Acknowledgements
I’d like to acknowledge these people who helped make this project a reality:
Susan
, my amazing, beautiful, and incredibly tolerant wife.Zachary Houghton
, for introducing me to Mini Six and planting this idea in my brain.Jason Marker
, for his friendship, encouragement, assistance, and for being someone to so greatly admire.Ray Nolan
andPhil Morris
atAntiPaladin Gamesfor creating such a sleek and fun system in Mini Six.Eric Gibson
for graciously putting OpenD6 out there for all to use.Charles Alston
andJose Fitchett
for the extensive proofread.Special Thanks
None of this would have been possible without the help of these amazing supporters through Kickstarter. I hope it lives up to your expectations.
Mike Sneed Chant Macleod Sasyn Ryan Craig Anthony Laffan Ryan McDaniel Peter Porcaro, Jr. Brent Naylor Jeff "NMI" Ruiz H. Nathan Bingham James Holt Steve Warfield Rodney Mancuso David Terhune Josh Hilden Ryan L. Jones Jesse Butler Jason Kelliher bdp Morgan Weeks Peter A Wayne Pillion Carl J. Gleba Dan Mitchell Rob Richardson Loconius Moore Mecha vs Kaiju John "Smiley" Adams
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0.2
Breachworld
The Earth is an untamed wilderness, unrecognizable from centuries ago when humanity enjoyed a Golden Age of peace, abundance, science, and art. This era of enlightenment was brought about by the discovery of a new global teleportation technology known as Gates. The end of human society was brought on decades later by the sudden, total, and catastrophic malfunc-tion of this technology, when control of it was lost and the Gates opened random doorways through space-time. These permanent, uncontrolled rips in the fabric of the universe are known as Breaches. Through them pour alien beings, creatures, vegetation, plagues, and environments. The Earth was transformed in an instant, and human civilization collapsed in an event now known as The Fall. Very little verifiable information exists from the centuries that span from The Fall until only a few generations ago.
The Breaches are still open and active, but humans normally avoid them, preferring to steer clear of the dangers they present. For alien beings or creatures that pass through, it’s a one-way ticket; Breaches seem to all lead in-to our world, but not back out again. Anything that crosses inin-to our world is permanently made a part of it, to live or die on our dimensional shores.
The Earth is now populated by roughly as many aliens as humans, and for every friendly otherworldly sentient, two are hostile. Feelings about aliens vary from one group of humans to another and the same can be said for ali-ens’ feelings toward mankind. Some groups actively hunt one another and some work in peaceful coexistence. Some humans enslave alien races while others are subjugated by them. Some aliens are invaders or travelers while some were displaced to Earth by forces they could not control.
Monsters lurk in the mountains, forests, plains, seas, and skies. Other-worldly beasts often defy description, while some resemble creatures of
Some semblance of civilization has begun to crawl out of a Lost Age. Pockets of humanity exist either in isolated villages or fortified cities. Others survive by moving from place to place, scavenging or hunting, or trading. The easiest way to survive is often through bushwhacking and banditry, taking by force what precious resources are to be had. There are rumors of huge met-ropolises, even whole nations that have survived The Fall, but it is difficult to find someone who claims to have seen these wonders firsthand.
A resurgence of technology has fueled humankind’s gradual reestablish-ment. Fossil fuels are almost nonexistent, but there exist some scattered an-cient power plants that are still operable. Some automated factories are still functional as well, particularly those with their own fusion reactors. Dis-covered caches of Golden Age wonders can make one’s fortune overnight. A handful of weapons and plenty of ammunition can make a simple man into a king. Even after a Lost Age, mankind has proven to be resilient and innovat-ive as it rediscovers secrets once thought lost to the past.
Through generations of careful study and painstaking progress, one great discovery trumps all others. The Cooperative, a secretive group of research-ers and scholars, has developed a device capable of permanently closing a Breach. For the first time in an age, there is more for mankind to hope for than simple survival. Now, there is a light on humanity’s horizon. The Breach Closure Device has made it possible to reclaim Earth’s dimensional borders, one sealed Breach at a time. All that is left is to use it.
Awaiting you are fortune and famine. High adventure and otherworldly horror. Epic heroics and the darkest depths of villainy. This is the world as it exists at this instant, wide open and filled with possibilities. What happens next, is up to you.
0.3
Getting Started
What to Expect
After this short introductory section, this book is divided into three main segments. First up, you have the section that details everything you need to know to create a character in the Breachworld RPG. Here is where you can refer to full statistical information for Player Races, skill descriptions, Perks, Complications, and character equipment.
Second is the section that lays out the game mechanics for the Breach-world RPG, powered by a set of rules byAntipaladin Games, called Mini Six. This is actually a refinement of Open D6, an OGL system owned by Eric Gibson. This is what many gamers refer to as the “crunch” of the game, and includes the rules and methodology used by the Game Master to tell the story and resolve challenges using stats and dice. There are rules for things like combat, car chases, the use of paranormal powers, tests of skill, and charac-ter advancement. Additionally included are some optional rules for your con-sideration.
Finally, you have the core of the Breachworld RPG, which is all of the in-formation about the world, itself. This is what many gamers refer to as the “fluff” of the setting. Here you will find the history of Earth and how soci-ety came to The Fall. You will learn about the world’s many perils, and the alien and human beings that populate it. Introductions will be given regarding some major players in Breachworld, and you will learn about the Civilized Lands that form the basis of the initial setting in this RPG.
At the end of the book you’ll find a number of resources for your use, like a character sheet and reference charts to assist in character creation,
kitchen table or putting on headsets in front of computers around the world. I hope that you expect adventure. I will do my best to provide you the means.
Role-Playing
The core volume of this RPG was not written specifically for novice gamers. For the sake of brevity, I would refer anyone new to role-playing in general to www.breachworld.com and the introductory document and example of play found there as a free download. Pulling out the basic “how to” for beginners allows this RPG to be packed with as much gaming material as possible.
Common Game Terms
For gaming veterans, most of what you find here is self-explanatory. However, what follows are some brief comments on the nomenclature of this specific system.
Game Master (GM).
This is the designation for the game’s narrator and referee.Player Characters (PCs).
These are the protagonists of the game, con-trolled by the individual players.Non-Player Characters (NPCs).
Every person in the gaming world that is not a player character in an NPC, controlled by the Game Master.Dice codes/pips.
This game uses only six-sided dice. The number be-fore the “D” is how many to roll, and any number after a + is how much to add to the roll. The numbers after the + are called pips. For instance, 2D+2 means roll two dice and add two to the resulting total.Each die is equal to three pips. A die code may have dice only (no pips), +1 or +2. Going to “+3” advances the die code to the next largest die (e.g. 1D, 1D+1, 1D+2, 2D, 2D+1, etc.).
Wild die.
One die rolled is always the wild die, usually represented by a die of a different color or by rolling the dice one at a time and making the last die rolled the wild die. If the wild die rolls a six, then it is rolled again, adding the six and the new result together. If a six comes up on the reroll, then you add the six and reroll again! Keep doing it until the wild die lands on something other than a six. This is sometimes referred to as an ex-ploding die.Target Number (TN).
This is the number a player must meet or exceed on a roll to succeed at whatever a character is attempting. General chal-lenges are broken down into six levels of difficulty, from Very Easy toRule #1
Over the course of this RPG, you will find references to Rule #1. This is the first and most important rule in the Breachworld RPG, and it consists of only two words: have fun.
The Mini Six ruleset was selected to serve as the framework for the Breachworld RPG simply because it facilitates fun. Breachworld is a very fast and loose game where anything can happen. The core game and its supple-ments will cover a dozen types of gaming standards, from the supernatural to human augmentation to survival to world domination. Different player groups will opt to be good guys, bad guys, and everything in between.
To accomplish this, the ruleset has to be streamlined and adaptable. In Mini Six, there is one mechanic that rules just about every facet of the game, that being that an attempt to do something is rolled versus a Target Number appropriate to the difficulty. Great though it is, and thorough as I have tried to be in the design of Breachworld and the adaptation of Mini Six, you will surely find issues in your sessions that don’t quite fit into the system as
Heroic. Combat target numbers are based on the target’s defensive scores. Sometimes two skills are rolled against each other when characters face off against one another. In this case you must beat the defender’s roll to succeed. The TN of a given action might be modified by the GM de-pending on circumstances.
Character Point (CP).
Character Points are rewards for advancing the story through a gaming session, with special emphasis placed on good role-playing. CPs are used between sessions to advance player characters.Fate Point (FP).
Fate Points are in-game incentives given by the GM as a reward for a player for engaging in superior play. They are used to turn the odds in a character’s favor, such as to improve a roll or get some sort of deference from the GM.Scale.
It’s easy to hit a tank with a bullet fired from a handgun, but hard for that bullet to actually damage the tank. Similarly, it’s difficult for a battleship’s main gun to precisely hit a person standing on the beach, but if the shell does hit the mark, the person is probably toast. Scale projects these sort of differences in Mini Six by giving bonuses to strike, dodge, deal damage, and resist damage, as appropriate.Part 1 :
1.1
Character Creation
Character creation is a simple and quick process in the Breachworld RPG, but also allows for massive amounts of customization so you can create your character to be whoever you want him or her to be. Creation is carried out in seven easy steps, which are detailed in the following pages.
Before you get started, take a few minutes to read through the rest of the Character Creation section to get an idea of how all of the pieces fit together, then grab a pencil and dive into it.
This section will describe the steps to making your own Breachworld character, which are:
Step 1:
Select a Player RaceStep 2:
Allocate dice to attributesStep 3:
Select Advanced ClassStep 4:
Allocate dice to skillsStep 5:
Allocate dice to PerksStep 6:
Select ComplicationsStep 2: Allocate Dice to Attributes
Each character has four attributes which measure basic physical and mental abilities that are common to every creature. Characters distribute dicebetween the attributes, the number of which depend on the character’s Player Race. The chosen Player Race also sets the limits on minimum and maximum attributes for that particular species. When allocating dice to each attribute, you may put whole dice in each or use a mixture of whole dice and pips.
Might
represents physical strength, toughness, and amount of damage dealt in hand-to-hand combat.Agility
represents aim and coordination.Wit
represents mental creativity and intelligence.Charm
represents charisma, resolve, and leadership.Step 1: Select a Player Race
About half of all intelligent beings on Earth are non-humans, and each race has a different set of natural abilities, advantages, and drawbacks. Each Player Race template gives the racial minimum and maximum for each of the four attributes (Might, Agility, Wit, and Charm), and the number of attribute and skill dice that may be distributed for a new character. Dice are allocated to at-tributes in Step 2. Skill dice are utilized in Steps 3, 4, and 5.
Many Player Races also have special Perks and/or Complications that are ingrained into the fiber of the species and cannot be changed, but otherwise operate the same as normal, per Steps 5 and 6.
Finally, some races may have special conditions listed, typically some sort of unique rule or player option that doesn’t quite fit into the normal play.
Player Race templates are found in Chapter 1.2.
GameDesign Note: Youraveragehuman
Humans are often considered the “interdimensional average” for the many races that inhabit the various universes. The typical human player character receives 12D to distribute between attributes, with each attribute receiving a minimum of 1D and maximum of 4D. Human player characters receive 7D to apply toward skills and Perks, and have no particular racial Perks or Complications. You will find templates for a number of different alien species in the Player Races section.
Step 3: Select Advanced Class
During this optional step in the character creation process, the character may take on an Advanced Class. Advanced Classes are unique bundles of abilities that use their own special mechanics to create a slightly different gaming ex-perience. You may play the Breachworld RPG just as well without an Ad-vanced Class. If you're unsure if you want to pick up a class during character creation, your character can always learn one later after he or she has been adventuring for a while.Learning an Advanced Class is not without cost. It requires a substantial investment when creating or advancing the character. Not all classes are available to all Player Races, and Game Masters might choose to exclude any or all of them from the game in the interest of Rule #1.
Advanced Classes
In this core RPG, there is only one Advanced Class available: the Epic. This class is in many ways the sorcerer and psychic of Breachworld. Other Ad-vanced Classes will be available in future supplements, including characters that are experts in hand-to-hand combat, piloting mechanical suits of armor, melding robotics with their own flesh, and more. Each new type will have its own special abilities and unique powers to develop.
Epic
Required:
Wit attribute of at least 3DCost:
3D in starting skill dice, or 45 CPAn Epic, also sometimes known as a sorcerer, mage, psionic, or witch, can harness the invisible, little-understood substance known as Aether and ma-nipulate it to produce Aether Feats, which are analagous to magical or psychic abilities in the Breachworld RPG.
For more information on Aether, Feats, and the mysteries and mechanics behind them, refer to Chapter 2.2.
The new Epic immediately gains the following: • The Epic skill, starting at the Wit attribute level.
• Two Aether Feats of choice. Feats are described in Chapter 2.2. • The ability to learn Aether Feats with character advancement.
Air
Manipulation
Broadcast Control Weather Fog Shriek Sphere of Silence VacuumBiochemical
Manipulation
Beast Tongue Heal Induce Fear Hallucination Paralysis Possession Slumber Still Mind TelepathyElectricity
Manipulation
Depower Object Electric Field Interference Lightning Bolt Magnetic Telekinesis Power Electronics Stun BoltHeat
Manipulation
Body Heat Chill Extinguish Fire Feed Fire Fireball Heat Radius Resist Heat Spontaneous CombustionKinetic
Manipulation
Accelerate Break Fall Deflect Projectile Fly Increase Gravity Kinetic Suspension Field Push TelekinesisLight
Manipulation
Dark Vision Flash Hologram Invisibility Lantern Laser Blast Snuff LightMatter
Manipulation
Aether Weapon Animate ArmorConjure Simple Object Create Food Create Water Death Spell Disintegrate Growth Mask
Space-Time
Manipulation
Dispel Aether Feat Divination Hasten
See Aether Aura Sense Aether Feat Sense Breach Slow Time Teleport
Step 4: Allocate Dice to Skills
Your character is further defined by skills. Players allocate dice to best repres-ent the unique talrepres-ents of their characters. The number of dice available to be spent on skills depends on the selected Player Race. Any leftover skill dice may be used in Step 5 to purchase Perks.
Skills are areas of expertise that represent focus and training. When put-ting dice into each skill, you can put whole dice in each or use a mixture of whole dice and pips. No more than 2D may be spent on each skill during character creation. If your character attempts to use a skill, but has no dice allocated to that skill, simply roll under the appropriate attribute.
The following is a list of the standard available skills. A full accounting of these skills, with descriptions and recommended specializations, is found in Chapter 1.3. Some skills may not be available to every character for any num-ber of reasons, including GM preference. Other skills may be added to this list by the Game Master to represent special knowledge in a unique area, but this list covers the basics.
Might
Axe* Blunt* Brawl* Knife* Lift Pole-Arm* Stamina Sword*Agility
Athletics Bow* Dodge* Drive Gunnery* Handgun* Pilot Rifle* Sleight of Hand Stealth Throw*Wit
Aliens Breach Science Computer Craft Epic^ History Language Medicine Navigate Pick Locks Repair Search Science SurviveCharm
Command Courage Diplomacy Persuade Ride Seduce StreetwiseSkillList
Skill Specializations
Specializations are focused aspects of a skill. For example, Drive specializa-tions might include Car and Motorcycle. One skill die can be spent to gain 3D specialization dice at character creation. Combat skills and the special skills (such as the Epic skill) don’t normally have specializations.
Example: Attributes, skills, andspecializations
Joe Backslider, the bouncer, has a Might attribute of 3D. At character creation, he adds 2D to the Brawl skill, so it is recorded as 5D. When he wants to get into a fistfight, he uses his 5D skill in Brawl. If he picks up a baseball bat and tries to fight with it, he only rolls 3D in his skill checks (his Might total), because he doesn’t have any extra skill dice in the Blunt skill. Jill’s character, Kim Stepgoode, has an Agility of 3D, and therefore a base Athletics skill of 3D. Jill wants her character to be able to climb through ruins in search of loot and adventure, but doesn’t so much need expertise in other aspects of the Athletics skill such as running or jumping. So, during character creation, she spends 1D toward the skill specialization of Climb, which increases that aspect of the skill by 3D. This gives her an Athletics skill of 3D, but a specialization in Climb at 6D.
Step 5: Allocate Dice to Perks
During character creation, you may save some skill dice to acquire Perks for your character. Perks provide relatively minor, situational advantages, such as modifiers to certain skills, resistance to certain types of damage, or access to special considerations from the Game Master. Many Player Race templates have one or more Perks included, which do not require spending skill dice. The following Perks are meant to serve as examples and inspiration; the number and range of possible Perks is practically endless, so GMs should feel free to add their own. The number in parentheses is the number of whole skill dice that must be spent to acquire the Perk. Full descriptions of all avail-able Perks are found in Chapter 1.4, but a list is provided below for your convenience. Note that only a character who has taken the Advanced Class of Epic can take Epic Perks.
Armor, Light (1) Armor, Heavy (2) Attractive (1) Blessed (2) Climbing (2) Daredevil (2) Destiny (2) Direction Sense (1) Eagle Eye (1) Extra Sense (1) Famous (1) Fast Draw (2) Favors (1) Fearless (2) Hardiness (1) Healing, Lesser (1) Healing, Greater (2) Keen Sense (1) Nightvision (1) Patron (2) Perceptive (2) Prehensile Limb (1) Quick Study (1) Recall (1) Reflexes (2) Resistance (1) Sidekick (3) Signature Weapon (2) Special Breathing (1) Swimmer, Minor (1) Swimmer, Major (2) Unstunnable (2)
Epic Perks
Astrological Power (1) Familiar (1)Perks
Step 6: Select Complications
During character creation only, you may select Complications. These are troublesome, inconvenient, or otherwise negative traits or characteristics that apply to the character. These grant no additional skill dice during character creation. However, when a Complication pops up in play to impact the game, the character earns a bonus CP.Characters may have at most two Complications under normal circum-stances; some Player Races have a Complication or two assigned as part of the template. Characters may not earn more than one CP per Complication per session regardless of how often it comes up or how severely it impacts the game. Full descriptions of all Complications are found in Chapter 1.5, but a reference list is provided below. Note that only a character who has taken the Advanced Class of Epic can take Epic Complications.
Age Allergy Crazy Debt Diet Disabled Doomed Enemies Fearsome Visage Gremlins Hazardous Environment Illiterate Infamous Marked Pariah Personal Code Primitive
Skeletons in the Closet Unlucky in Love Unlucky in Money Soulless
Epic Complications
Astrological Flaw Crutch Demonic Pact Dogma Narrow Focus White WizardComplications
Step 7: Select Gear
Your character starts with one weapon or piece of equipment related to each skill you allocate dice to during character creation, plus some reasonable per-sonal items. For any other starting equipment or weapons, beg the GM. A well thought-out and detailed character background will help justify additional gear to your Game Master. Gear lists and stats for various types of weapons and equipment are found in Chapter 1.6.
Example: Complications
Sam’s character, a teenage adventurer named Danny, has the Complication of Age due to his youth. Danny and his companions are set to meet a contact in a bar in the town of Amnesty. The GM decides that this is a good time for a Complication and informs the group that the bouncer has denied the youthful Danny entrance because he’s “too young and might get hurt” in the rough-and-tumble establishment. Sam gets an extra CP for Danny’s trouble, but the group must now deal with this unexpected hurdle.
1.2
Player Races
What follows are brief templates for various races common to Breachworld. These are just a few examples of the thousands upon thousands of types of alien beings that find themselves on the planet, any of which are potential player characters.
In order to get in as many playable types of characters as possible, Player Races described in this core RPG are given using an abbreviated form that focuses only on their stats and less on detailed descriptions and backgrounds. Feel free to fill in the gaps with your own stories and world information to create a more well-rounded character for your game. Future supplements will include more comprehensive explorations of the backgrounds, motivations, and descriptions of these and other Player Races.
GameDesign Note: Naming Races
It is the convention within the Breachworld RPG that the names of alien races are capitalized. Strictly speaking, they should be used as lowercase, just as one would not always capitalize “human.” However, because most alien races are referred to by a description such as Climbers or Machine Men or River Folk, the use of lowercase could be confusing, making it difficult to determine if a word like “climbers” was being used generally toward characters that can climb, or to refer to the specific alien race. The general racial name of “human” is not used as a proper noun. However, the more specific racial name of Earthling is always capitalized.
Creating New Player Races
Feel free to create your own alien beings from beyond a Breach. There are no hard and fast rules regarding assigning stat limits or dice. Most races have 12D for attributes, plus or minus up to 2D
depending on the “power” level of the race. Most also have 7D for skills, plus or minus up to 3D depending on how advanced or in-nately skilled the race is, with adjustments made for Racial Perks.
Not all beings are created equal and some will be more powerful than others, but always be mindful of Rule #1.
Playing the“LittleGuys”
Humans
Whether a native of Earth or originating from some other Earth-like world across time and space, humans represent more or less the interdimensional average of intelligent species. They have no great racial advantages, but no great disadvantages, either. If they have a defining trait, it is a certain resili-ence and adaptability. Humans are found across all of the planes of existresili-ence because they can learn most any skill required to survive, and are physically and mentally hardy enough to endure.
Native Earth humans, referred to as Earthlings, can obviously be found anywhere on Breachworld, and make up roughly half of the world’s popula-tion. Earthlings are much the same as they are
during the Golden Age of the 21st century. Survivors come from every ethnic demo-graphic. Racial distinctions have long since lost any importance that they still held at the time of The Fall, faced with the reality of truly alien humans, as well as nonhuman races.
Just as the humans of Earth show great ethnic diversity, so they show a diversity of culture. During the Lost Age, keeping tra-ditions alive was important to many sur-vivors, so Earthlings maintain the practice of any number of religions and societal val-ues. Others lost their traditional ways over the centuries, however, only to adopt new customs that may still have hundreds of years of his-tory behind them. Some Earthlings have ad-opted alien cultures or religions, either by choice, or by way of zealous evangelism.
Humans who have found their way to Earth through a Breach may have slight variances in appearance. Beings that are biologically human with the exception of some superfluous physical characteristics are often referred to as near-humans. Common noticeable cosmetic vari-ations are often limited to strange shades or patterns of colors of the skin, eyes, or hair. Other unusual physical characteristics may include pointed ears, a vestigial tail, abnormal
ridges or shaping to the skull, hands, or ears, or other such distinguishing feature.
The culture of near-humans varies as greatly as does their experience, with dif-ferent alien races carrying their own tra-ditions with them across the barriers of time and space. One universally trouble-some dilemma for near-humans involves altering their appearance to fit in with their Earthling cousins. Many alien-ori-ginated humans look enough like Earth natives to be able to pass with minor physical modifications, such as coloring hair, wearing makeup, or undergoing simple cosmetic surgery. This presents a conundrum, as fitting in with the majority of humans can greatly simplify life for these dimensional castaways, but being found “impersonating” Earthlings is
viewed as deceitful and subversive by many native humans, even to the point of violence. The discovery and exposure of such “insurgents” is a powerful weapon used by many anti-alien or pro-Earthling movements.
Description
Earthlings of Breachworld, and many alien humans, display the same vari-ations in appearance as did their pre-Fall ancestors. The Gates made racial di-versity more widespread than ever during the Golden Age, so the descen-dents of that varied population are similarly diverse.
As previously noted, near-humans come in a variety of forms of what an Earthling would call “human.” Only cosmetic differences from an array too vast to measure set them apart from the native kin.
It is worth noting that most species of humans are anatomically and ge-netically compatible. The appearance of the offspring of such couplings var-ies. In some cases children always bear the physical appearance of the genetically dominant race of the coupling. In others, the appearance of a crossbreed child is a 50/50 proposition. In still others, offspring appear as a rough middle ground between the appearances of his or her parents.
Humans
Attribute Dice:
12D
Skill Dice:
7D
Might:
1D/4D
Agility:
1D/4D
Wit:
1D/4D
Charm:
1D/4D
Move:
15
Racial Perks:
None
Racial Complications:
None
Climbers
In the towering ruins of cities or in the canopies of wild forests live a race known commonly as Climbers. They come from a sky-dwelling world where most go their entire lives without setting foot on solid ground, but live atop networks of massive towers. On Earth they have built elaborate tree houses or found suitable shelter in the remnants of downtown office buildings or apartment towers, which they move between using their uncanny climbing abilities. It’s a common sight in a Climber colony to see young children hanging carelessly over a chasm hundreds of feet down, or to see parents swing from landing to landing with a baby held freely in one hand, so at ease are the Climbers with their physical gifts.
Rely as they might on their natural abilities in their daily lives, Climbers have a sophisticated society with a good understanding of modern technolo-gies, and have great success salvaging in towering ruins where most cannot reach. The Climber homeworld featured stunning architecture and building technologies on par with anything from the Golden Age. In that tradition,
even the comparative simplicity of their makeshift villages atop skyscraping ruins or vast networks of treehouses are com-plex, beautiful, and impressive to behold. Friendly outsiders are often invited to take rest within the homes of these acco-modating aliens, so tales of their wonder are commonly traded yarns among trav-elers.
Climbers do not stay tucked away in their lofty homes. Necessity requires travel over land just for moving from place to place in search of resources and trade partners, or to explore the world in which they find themselves. Many turn salvage operations into profitable busi-ness ventures by selling goods recovered from towering ruins in shops in various towns or trading posts, or simply set up
mobile storefronts that move between areas containing ruined high-rises, collecting and selling as they go. If not salvaging, Climbers often hire them-selves out as wilderness guides, navigators, or even skilled muscle for those making their way through the tall places of Earth.
Climbers are naturally good-natured and friendly, thus are often con-sidered naive or gullible by bandits or grifters, though in reality are as sharp-minded as most other races. Their disposition does help them to get along well with humans who do not mind alien company, and other peaceful races.
Description
Climbers are roughly human-sized, but have incredibly long, almost simian arms and powerful legs that end in prehensile feet. Their wide-tipped fingers and toes have small, retractable barbs, unsuited for combat but ideal for scal-ing even the steepest surfaces. Their small, hairless heads have only simple slits for a mouth, nose, and ears, and sit atop thin necks. They have coarse tan skin with subtle brown, textured splotches.
Also Known As
Climbers
Attribute Dice:
12D
Skill Dice:
6D
Might:
1D/3D+1
Agility:
2D+1/5D
Wit:
1D/4D
Charm:
1D+1/3D+1
Move:
15
Racial Perks:
Climbing
Racial Complications:
None
Demonkin
Demonkin are a warlike, technologically ad-vanced race that is easily identified by their demonic appearance. Their homeworld suffered a fate not un-like that of Earth, when their own dimensional portal tech-nology failed them. The prime difference is that in-stead of opening millions of doorways into their own world, the portals led out-ward. Their failed Gates ripped at the fabric of ex-istence, nearly destroying their planet. For genera-tions, the Demonkin have bred a never-end-ing conquernever-end-ing army on their dying world, con-tinually sending more of its hellish soldiers blindly across space-time through the Breaches, not knowing where they might land.
On Earth, and on every other planet that their scourge is unleashed upon, the De-monkin are a plague. They establish dominions that are ruled by the strongest
among them, brutally subjugating their fellows in addition to other races by violence. They lack sophisticated civilization, but constantly hunt for fresh resources to claim, literally devouring anyone who attempts to stand against them, as they consume little but raw flesh, humanoid or otherwise. Humans and other intelligent races are taken along with livestock and other animals to feed the hungry armies; there are rumors that some Demonkin go so far as to operate farms where intelligent species are bred to provide a renewable food source. All the while, periodic reinforcements arrive with fresh ship-ments of weapons and equipment from their own dimension, making them a never-ending threat.
Capable of killing or simply stunning live targets, the Demonkin Rifle is an effective weapon of destruction as well as a tool for gathering live victims as slaves or foodstock. The secret to fully recharging these weapons has yet to be unlocked, however, as recharging any Demonkin weapon from a terrestrial power source sees it made only half its normal potency. Still, it is a highly sought after weapon even when not operating at peak per-formance.
Description
Demonkin have flame-red skin, strong legs with hoofed feet, beaked mouths, a spiked tail, and two long horns protrud-ing from their forehead. Their hides are thick and their wounds heal quickly, mak-ing them formidable enemies. Their
en-ergy weapon technology exceeds anything produced on Earth during the Golden Age.
Also Known As
Breach Devils, Devilkin, or Tech Demons.
Demonkin
Attribute Dice:
11D+1
Skill Dice:
6D
Might:
2D/5D
Agility:
1D/4D
Wit:
2D/5D
Charm:
1D/3D
Move:
16
Racial Perks:
Healing, Lesser
Armor, Light
Racial Complications:
Infamous
Demonkin Rifle
The Demonkin Rifle fires a unique packeted energy charge, as opposed to the beam of intense light emitted by a laser weapon. While still an energy weapon, it packs a more substantial punch, yet is still able to be wielded by a single soldier. Recovered specimens have unique cells that are difficult to charge by human methods, resulting in a weapon that does only half damage.
Skill:
Rifle
Dru
Dru are a race common to the Civilized Lands, having arrived on Earth through a Breach found in the hill country to the west. They are notable for their wandering culture and easygoing nature, as well as for their innate, lim-ited psychic ability to commune with animals.
The Dru homeworld is very much like Breachworld in many respects. It has wide open wilderness covering much of the surface, with towns and cities isolated from one another geographically. There is no urban sprawl, as the Dru as a people greatly value the outdoors and being in the elements. They
feel great kinship to nature, particularly an-imals, with whom they can communicate through a simple form of telepathy. On their homeworld, the Dru worked in partnership with livestock to work the land and meet other needs, such as trans-portation and even as comrades at arms. They continue this on Earth, trying as best they can to live with the land and among their animal brothers rather than at their expense. Most keep one or two particular animal friends in close company, usually for life. As one might expect, virtually all Dru are strict vegetarians.
On Earth, many Dru find work in their own communities as farmers and ranchers, which number among the most successful in the Civil-ized Lands. These lands are often also worked by
beings of other races who come to the Dru in order to learn their techniques; the Dru are always eager to teach others their ways of community with the natural world. Dru who can’t still their wander-lust enough to permanently settle most often find work as guides or as traveling farmhands, trading labor and instruction for temporary housing. Many others simply wander the countryside, exploring and living off the land.
Description
Dru are roughly human-sized, with an elongated head and snout and tall, poin-ted ears. They have wide feet with only two large toes on each, causing them to usually go barefoot or to simply wrap their feet in cloth for added protection.
They also have only three fingers and a thumb on each hand. Dru are
covered in short fur ranging in color from rusty red to bright orange in youth, but fading to gray with age.
Also Known As
Beast Talkers or Druids.
DruBeastTongue
TN:
8
Duration:
Concentration
Range:
Self
Resisted:
None
The Dru can communicate with animals via a crude sort of telepathy; but this is not an ability to command or control. The animal can give and
Dru
Attribute Dice:
12D
Skill Dice:
5D
Might:
1D/3D+1
Agility:
1D/4D
Wit:
1D+1/4D
Charm:
1D+2/4D+2
Move:
15
Racial Perks:
Dru Beast Tongue
Racial Complications:
Elder
Elder are an ancient, long-lived race of what many consider to be superior beings or even demigods. All are tall, statuesque, and almost angelic in beauty, but other-wise resemble humans. They are a people not of one world, but of the cosmos. There are thousands of planets and dimensions that members of the Elder race call home, and they are a relatively common people over the vast-ness of all universes.
The Elder that find themselves on Earth were pulled to the chaotic planet by dimensional disturbances through the Breaches like any other alien species. Be-cause their race is so scattered across di-mensional space, they find themselves all across the planet, pulled by any number of different Breaches linking to any number of different worlds. Some seem to have even journeyed to Earth of their own ac-cord, to seek adventure, to spread peace and hope, or even to subjugate others.
The Elder are adaptable and have little trouble using human or alien tech-nology as required, but the advance-ment of their own sciences are beyond compare. As one of the more ancient known races, the
technology of the Elder is advanced beyond the understanding of most mortals and borders on what many would consider to be magic. One example is the Lens, a powerful weapon wielded by many Elder that seems to lack a power source and be activated by the power of thought. Those that dedicate themselves to the study of Aether manipulation can become very powerful Epics, as the performance of Aether Feats seems blended with commonplace mechanical workings within Elder society.
Despite their wide travels, Earth is a new world to the Elder, or so at least they first believed. Some of the world’s most ancient ruins suggest that Elder
visited the planet thousands of years be-fore The Fall. The resemblance between the Elder and Earthlings is also unex-plained and cannot be dismissed as mere coincidence. For now, these are all mys-teries, which many Elder have dedicated themselves to solving.
Description
Elder look identical to Earthlings, and vary similarly in traits like eye, hair, and skin color, though these ancient beings portray an almost idyllic version of hu-manity. They stand several inches taller than humans, on average, and are strik-ingly attractive, with lean, athletic phys-iques. Despite living incredibly long nat-ural lives, Elder do not age beyond early adulthood, with the oldest appearing to
be no more than 35 years old by human standards.
Also Known As
Ancients, Angels, Ascended, or Titans.
Elder
Attribute Dice:
14D
Skill Dice:
8D
Might:
1D+2/4D+2
Agility:
2D/5D
Wit:
2D/5D
Charm:
1D/4D
Move:
16
Racial Perks:
Attractive
Racial Complications:
None
Lens
A Lens is a powerful weapon carried by many Elder. It appears to be a sort of amulet that is held outward in the palm. When aimed and activated by mental command, the target is struck by the sudden impact of an invisible force. The use of this weapon seems limited to the Elder.
Skill:
Throw
Damage:
4D+2
Ammo:
Unrestricted
Range:
10/50/150 feet (3/15/45 m)
Bonus:
+3 to strike
Grim
Many that have traveled the Civilized Lands will be be familiar with the phrase, “as dark as a Grim.” The subject of that popular saying, the race known as the Grim, are indeed dark in every way. The idiom refers to their legendarily black and humorless personalities every bit as much as their thick, smoke-colored skin.
Grim travel the Civilized Lands just as any other people, making their way as best they can in a world that is not their own.
Their cultural discipline and toughness make them natural soldiers and hunters of men, professions which only add to the perception that they all have dark souls. They can be found in other professions as well, be they scholars or merchants or even farmers, but few ever shake the reputation of being broody and sullen.
Much of this perception has more to do with biology than personality. Grim of both genders speak in deep, gravelly voices. Their rigid, almost mask-like facial structure gives them hollow eyes and prevents facial move-ments such as smiling. Even when amused or pleased, the natural Grim reaction is a sort of low guttural growl instead of a laugh or a grin, which is such a foreign cue to most races that they totally misinterpret it as annoyance or anger.
Any Grim’s chief concern in life is the perfection of whatever he or she pursues. Discipline and devotion are hallmarks of the life of a Grim. They view these traits as making them superior in many ways to most other races, though individual exceptions can be made to that judge-ment. The daily meditative practice of the art of wielding a Grim Blade is one outward sign of this dedication, though the weapon’s fearsome ap-pearance does little to discount the race’s reputation as dark and pitiless.
Description
Grim are humanoid, with thick, muscular torsos that make their long arms and legs seem a bit skinny and sinewy by compar-ison. They have tough, bony hides of dark gray for females and lighter gray for males. Their natural armor gives their faces very little expression, as if wearing a thick leather skeletal mask. Behind that facade are deep-set black eyes under a tall brow. Males have a distinct ridge across their wide forehead, while the head of a female is topped with black, obsidian-like scales rather than hair. Ears are little more than holes behind a Grim’s prominent jawline.
Also Known As
Blackhearts, Butchers, or Grayhides.
Grim Blade
The Grim Blade is a short sword, the traditional weapon of the Grim homeworld. Razor-sharp on one edge, with a large barbed hook on the other, it is a particularly violent weapon used more in the manner of a cleaver than of a traditional short sword, as well as using the hooked side to either disarm opponents or pull them in closer.
Skill:
Sword
Damage:
+2D
Grim
Attribute Dice:
12D+1
Skill Dice:
6D
Might:
1D+2/4D+1
Agility:
1D+2/4D+1
Wit:
1D/3D+2
Charm:
1D/3D+1
Move:
15
Racial Perks:
Signature Weapon
Armor, Light
Racial Complications:
None
The Holy
The Holy are a pious race whose en-tire culture is centered around reli-gious ritual and observance. They view themselves as benevolent re-formers, but are often viewed by oth-ers as zealous oppressors. These deeply spiritual beings worship a trio of deities that they call the Great Sis-ters, who call their beloved children to bring true religion and order to all people from all worlds. They travel across space-time to spread the word of their goddesses.
On the Earth of Breachworld, The Holy have been drawn to a place that they view as an interdimensional pulpit. They are not merely preaching to the Earthlings, but have a chance to reach thousands of different races, all in one place. To them, Breach-world is the ultimate land of oppor-tunity, and they work diligently to make the most of it.
The governing credo of the Holy, the Code of the Great Sisters, spells out with great clarity the three stages of their evangelical process. First, the Holy establish missions that provide food and shelter to those in need, in order to gather an initial following. Those that flock to these ecclesiastical communes are taught about the uni-verse as viewed by the Great Sisters and their followers, who seek peace and justice by stamping out the unbe-lieving villains who would take all wealth and glory for themselves. This is followed by a message of warning
to those who resist the peace of the Great Sisters, lest they find themselves on the outside, looking in on the enlightened. Finally, any remaining unbe-lievers are destroyed by the faithful as a message to others that peace comes
to those who embrace the true religion. Converts generally do see genuine ad-vantages, as the pooled resources of a great number of adherents to the religion can be leveraged for the good of all. Likewise, a strong congregation is quite capable of doing serious harm to those who would stand against them; the most heavily armed and dangerous non-believ-ers are usually allowed to travel their own path if they are resistant to conversion. The Holy tend not to engage in physical violence, themselves, but command their eager followers to take up arms on their behalf. If pushed, they are more than capable of using any and all available technology in defense of their faith.
Description
The Holy have massive, barrel-shaped torsos, spindly arms, and a long neck with no obvious head at the end of it, but a single lidless eye. Their four short, thin legs are generally hidden by the long robes that they wear. Their skin is black, smooth, and cold like marble. Their voice emanates from somewhere within their large chests and they have no mouth, nose, or ears. They feed by drawing nutrient-laden gases or fluids through invisible pores in their hides.
Also Known As
Crusaders, Eye Priests, or Prophets.
TheHoly
Attribute Dice:
13D
Skill Dice:
7D
Might:
1D/3D+1
Agility:
1D+1/4D+2
Wit:
1D+1/4D+1
Charm:
2D/5D
Move:
12
Racial Perks:
Blessed
Racial Complications:
Personal Code
CodeoftheGreatSisters
Greet with warm compassion;
they will embrace our generosity
Revisit with stern warning;
they will heed our genuine concern
Annihilate with great prejudice;
Machine Men
Not all alien beings are flesh and blood. One non-organic race is the Machine Men, intelligent robots from an entirely mechanic-al society. Millennia ago they were created by a mortal race that eventually expired, leaving their artificial progeny behind. The Machine Men continued to improve on their own designs until they truly became a new race unto themselves.
Machine Men excel at math-ematics and the sciences and are capable of learning vir-tually any skill, and have the clarity of memory of a vid recorder. Where they fall short is their lack of human emotion, ability for nonlin-ear thought, and creativity. Because of these short-comings, many Machine Men, particularly those that find them-selves on a world such as post-Fall Earth, dedicate themselves at least in part to the study of vari-ous aspects of the less-structured elements of
most societies. They seek a better understanding of their mortal creators and hope to learn more about their lives and motivations by living among biolo-gical beings.
Largely because of their natural curiosity about biological life, Machine Men seek out the companionship of flesh-and-blood mortals far more than they do their own kin. They often take up with explorers and adventurers and wander the Civilized Lands in search of new experiences. Others use their extreme intelligence to become engineers, doctors, or scientists that seek to
unlock the mysteries of the Breaches, find cures for earthly or alien diseases, or simply improve life for those around them. Many discover that more mundane lives among common people teach them the most about humanity. Lacking a mor-al compass, many Machine Men find ca-reers as bandits or mercenaries to be perfectly logical and acceptable in a harsh and unforgiving world and throw in with the darker side of society.
Description
The appearance of Machine Men varies incredibly, but they always appear as mechanical beings; to seek to impersonate a human or other alien leads to being labeled as a subversive and generates dis-trust of the entire race. They typically maintain a bipedal humanoid form, but
may appear masculine, feminine, or neuter, and may or may not wear cloth-ing. The appearance of each is related to function and is unique to each indi-vidual. For example, those that self-design for combat may be bulkier with armor plating, while another self-designed to practice medicine may have thin hands with retractable medical instruments in its fingertips.
Also Known As
Metal Men, Robotos, or Tinmen.
MachineMen
Attribute Dice:
12D+2
Skill Dice:
10D
Might:
2D/4D
Agility:
1D/4D
Wit:
4D/6D
Charm:
1D/3D
Move:
15
Racial Perks:
Recall
Quick Study
Racial Complications:
Soulless
Morlocks
Morlocks are considered by many to be a type of mutant or subhuman, changed by generations of hiding in the dark tunnels and caves of the world in an effort to survive. Any biological relationship does little to create kinship with humanity, which by and large views Morlocks as dangerous savages. Whether they share common ancestors with Earthlings or came through a Breach hundreds of years ago, they are distinct from their human cousins in many ways.
Morlocks have adapted to have extraordinary night vision and an infallible sense of direction, even underground. These both ideally suit a race that spends most of their lives in the dark places of the world. Further encour-aging a life in the dark is the fact that their eyes are very sensitive to light. Thus, it is unusual to find a Morlock away from the protection of his or her often-subterranean dwelling during daylight hours.
As different as Morlocks may be from humans biologically, it is the soci-etal differences that really set the two apart. Morlocks do not seem to under-stand civilization or most technology, and while they may scrounge simple tools that they can put to use such as a knife, rope, shovel, or other similar gear, they do not seek it out. They even shun the
use of fire due to their natural aversion to light, which means eating a steady diet of raw in-sects, fish, and vermin, or the occasional scav-enged food scraps. Morlocks have little use for language beyond grunts and gestures, and none for reading or writing,
though they possess the mental capacity to learn. Morlocks live in a brutal, tribal world of physical domination where the only law is
survival of the fittest. The strongest and most ruthless, re-gardless of gender, dominate their way to the top of the mob. Chieftains get the best food, loot, and mates, but also become a target for
younger up-and-comers, making bloody mutinies and drastic shifts in power a fre-quent occurrence.
Morlocks can be found throughout the subterranean ruins, tunnels, and caves of Breachworld, or on the surface at night, scavenging for food and basic sup-plies. Many mobs find good conditions and stay put for years at a time, while others migrate from place to place, either at random, or to favored grounds on a regular schedule.
Description
Morlocks are generally shorter than hu-mans, but broad-shouldered, compact, strong. Their skin is pale or even gray from a lack of exposure to sunlight. They have very little hair over their bodies, head, or face, and what is there is usually thin and patchy, giving them an unhealthy
appearance. They have eyes about 50% larger than those of a human that take up a disproportionate amount of area on their flat, snub-nosed faces.
Also Known As
Goblin Men, Sub-Humans, or Underdwellers.
Morlocks
Attribute Dice:
10D+2
Skill Dice:
4D
Might:
2D/4D+2
Agility:
2D/4D+2
Wit:
1D/3D
Charm:
1D/3D
Move:
15
Racial Perks:
Direction Sense
Nightvision
Racial Complications:
Disabled (Light Blind)
Primitive
Pathos
A major player in the Civilized Lands is the race known as the Pathos, a people with natural psychic abilities. All Pathos are natural empaths, able to sense the emotions of those around them. Those that choose to pursue the development of their abilities can become incredibly powerful Epics,
partic-ularly in matters related to abilities such as ESP and mind control. Because of the latter, Pathos are among the
most feared aliens among xenophobic humans or other races. The reputation is not altogether
un-deserved, as many Pathos have become notable tyr-ants and despots through the use of their powers.
In truth, however, the pursuits of all Pathos are as varied as any other race, with many heroes
counted among their ranks.
To Pathos, transparent emotions are a natural part of the social order. Thus,
they tend to be very forward in their dealings with others and not spare
feel-ings or mask their intentions. Pathos usually say what they mean and
mean what they say. This results in seemingly extremely
emotion-al personas and behavior that strikes many as obtuse or even
vulgar, as members of this empathic race are not
ac-customed to hiding behind niceties or false fronts. Pathos are well known as valued advisors and counselors to various
human or alien settlements, where their natural gifts give them the
greatest advantage over non-em-paths. There also exist a number
of notable small towns and villages that they call home
for themselves, where they try to approximate life as it
was on their homeworld, a high-tech society that
mirrored much about Earth’s Golden Age.
Description
Pathos have brightly-colored hair only down a thin strip on their large heads and down their spines to the middle of their backs, with no facial hair and very little over the rest of their bodies. Ridges from behind their ears and running down their jawline further distinguish them from hu-manity. Their appearance is near enough to the typical Earthling that they are often incorrectly classified as near-humans.
Also Known As
Brain Burners, Dominators, or Mohawks.
Pathos
Attribute Dice:
12D
Skill Dice:
6D
Might:
1D/3D+1
Agility:
1D/3D+2
Wit:
2D/4D+1
Charm:
2D/5D
Move:
15
Racial Perks:
Pathos Empathy
Racial Complications:
None
PathosEmpathy
TN:
Resist Roll
Duration:
Concentration
Range:
100 feet (30 m)
Resisted:
Epic skill, or Charm attribute
A Pathos can sense the emotions of those in the immediate vicinity. The character gets a general sense of the mood of a group of people or animals within the radius, as well as the presence of any particularly strong or out of place feelings. A specific person or creature can be more specifically read, in which case the Pathos can more distinctly determine the target’s emotional state.
Reptilian Raiders
In Breachworld, even many primitive species have learned to thrive through adaptation and seizing opportunity
where it can be found. Many denizens of Breachworld laden with state-of-the-art gear have fallen prey to one such race, known as the Reptilian Raiders. These predators leverage what natural abilities and advant-ages they have into being one of the most notable, if fragmented, powers of the Civilized Lands.
Reptilian Raiders come from a Bronze Age society, where they exist in clans as nomadic hunters and plunderers. When a Breach opened on their homeworld, drawing countless of their kind to Earth, these roaming barbarians continued this way of life to great success. Reptilian Raiders are a common sight along the ruins of old roads and highways,
scavenging weapons, armor, and supplies from victims of their bushwhacking.
Though incapable of building them on their own, Raiders love high-tech gadgets, espe-cially weapons, and routinely use them in their attacks. In fact, they lack the skill to repair broken equipment or sometimes even to load an empty handgun, and so con-tinually discard and replace gear through constant raiding.
They always travel in packs, and the general rule is that for each Raider that you can see, two more are watching from somewhere in the wings, ready to pounce. Common attacks include simple roadside ambushes, setting pit traps, laying salvageable vehicles or equipment out as bait, or chasing prey in-to dead ends. They also regularly raid livesin-tock and food sin-tores from wilder-ness villages, the citizens of which have often learned just to cut losses and
not stand in the way of the scaly menace. It bears special mention that Reptilian Raiders are almost always in the company of the large, feline-like Breach creatures known as Trapcats. They use these beasts very effectively as swift-running and climbing mounts, or as attack animals. It is unknown whether the Trapcats origin-ate from the Reptilian Raider homeworld, or if they have been found and domest-icated by the Raiders after arriving on Earth. Either way, the two species seem to have an uncommon bond of spirit and cooperation to mutual benefit.
Description
These aliens are aptly named, given their scaly green-brown skin, elongated lizard-like heads, and sharp teeth. They are usu-ally seen wearing armor assembled from
pieces collected from various battlefields, with several weapons slung about their person.
Also Known As
Cat-Riders or Lizard Men.
Reptillian Raiders
Attribute Dice:
12D
Skill Dice:
6D
Might:
2D/5D
Agility:
2D/4D
Wit:
1D/2D+1
Charm:
1D/3D
Move:
14
Racial Perks:
Natural Weapon, Light
Racial Complications:
Primitive
Infamous
River Folk
River Folk are an amphibious race that can be found living in and around many of the rivers, lakes, and marshes of the Civilized Lands. They are air-breathers, but are far more comfortable in the water than on land. Their slick skin and webbed hands and feet make them excellent swimmers, and they can hold their breath for extended periods. If exposed for any amount of time to extremely hot or dry conditions, these amphibious beings begin to suffer and, in extreme cases, die.
On their homeworld, a massive freshwater archipelago spanning the globe, the River Folk enjoyed technology roughly equal to that of the Earth
during the Golden Age, but suffer the same limitations as other high-tech races that must adapt to their
new home in its current state. They make their way on Earth by farming muddy riverbanks and lakeshore, or grow-ing crops of aquatic plants and
flowers in the marshes and shallows. They make do with primitive implements where they must, but prefer to barter
their always-abundant supply of fish and aquatic foodstuffs
for more modern gear, par-ticularly farming implements and weapons. Their homes are typically built on floating platforms or just on the wa-ter’s edge, or even half-sub-merged with the primary entrance accessible only from underwater. This makes them
highly defensible positions in the case of attack by hostile forces.
River Folk are not strangers to violence, themselves. The hard road of survival is often made easier by theft, raiding,
or outright banditry, and so River Folk have been
known to engage in organized
