“Imagination will often carry us to worlds that never were. But without it we go nowhere.

”
— Carl Sagan, Cosmos

How To Do Everything .............. 7 Flora ........................................54 The Ship ................................. 78

Basic Moves ........................... 23 Freebooter .............................56 Simulacrum ........................... 80
Support Moves ....................... 30 Futsie ......................................58 Techie ..................................... 82
Playbooks .............................. 37 Gestalt ....................................60 Uplift ...................................... 84
Archie ..................................... 38 Hazmat ...................................62 Making Up New Moves ............89
Celebrity ................................ 40 Hero of the Universe ............64 Master of Ceremonies .............90
Clockworker .......................... 42 Immortal.................................66 Debriefing ............................ 128
Displaced ............................... 44 Last of Their Kind..................68 Sample Setting ..................... 132
Empath ................................... 46 Lord Of Ashes ........................70 Variant Rules ........................ 141
Energy Being ......................... 48 Lost Toy ..................................72 Selected Bibliography ........... 147
Explorer ................................. 50 Old Soldier .............................74
Extinctioner .......................... 52 Polymorph ..............................76

William Kwan (Order #44609495)

 Farflung is a role-
playing game set in Farflung is a game about preten- The MC will describe to you a You’re the hero of your own
the future that comes ding to be someone else. You could situation, such as “the berserkers are story. You’ll have time points to call
after the future, take on the role of a devil-may-care assaulting with their railguns” or “the upon special moves to help you out.
where nothing is new space adventurer, eager to see what mad empress wants you to headline Your character may suffer harm,
and everything is wonders the universe has to show. this year’s gala” or “we’ve tracked such as physical pain, social anxiety,
permitted. Come here You could be the incarnation of the signal and it’s coming from and mental stress. If your character
to see the future, for death, destroyer of worlds… but it’s inside your house.” Like an improv suffers too much harm, they will be
there’s no time like not time for the apocalypse, so you actor, you’ll describe what your down and out, and you’ll have to get
the present. are hanging loose. You could be an character’s response will be. The MC some help before you can come back
To play, you will incomprehensible alien or the most will then tell you what happens next. to the story. (Being the future and
need two dice (the six- ordinary human in the universe. You don’t always have to wait for all, there’s not a big risk of death.)
sided kind, and it’s One player will be the Master of the MC to tell you something, either. We’re written the game of Far-
best to have two for Ceremonies (MC). They will preside You can seize the moment and make flung to give you and your fellow
each player). Everyone over the action. The rest of you will your own move. Then the MC tells players a glimpse of a far-off future
will also need their own be Players, which are like actors, you how the world responds to you. at the end of the universe. The only
character sheet, though who each have their own character. Some moves will be a gamble. limits are your imagination. The
you can use scrap paper, For those, you’ll be rolling dice. most important rule is, have fun!
instead. The best pencils Rolling a high total will get you
have good erasers. what you want and more. Rolling
Since you’ll be low will get you trouble.
moving your “points in
time” around a lot, you
could use some counters,
Farflung is a game about pretending Each character has a unique You don’t always have to wait for
stones, coins, etc.
to be someone else. You could take playbook, your class of character. the MC to tell you something, either.
on the role of a devil-may-care You start with all your unique You can seize the moment and make
space adventurer, eager to see what moves unlocked. You can also use your own move. Then the MC tells
wonders the universe has to show. a list of common moves, that you you how the world responds to you.
You could be the incarnation of share with every class. Some moves will have random
death, destroyer of worlds… but it’s The MC will describe to you a results. For those, you’ll be rolling
not time for the apocalypse, so you situation, such as “the berserkers are dice. Rolling a high total will get
are hanging loose. You could be an assaulting with their railguns” or “the you what you want and more.
incomprehensible alien or the most mad empress wants you to headline Rolling low will get you trouble, or
ordinary human in the universe. this year’s gala” or “we’ve tracked it may force you to make a difficult
One player will be the Master of the signal and it’s coming from choice to get what you want.
Ceremonies (MC). Like a computer inside your house.” Like an improv
hosting a game, the MC will preside actor, you’ll describe what your
over the action. The rest of you will character’s response will be. The MC
be Players, who each have their own will then tell you what happens next.
character your avatar in this story.

William Kwan (Order #44609495)

 Some moves will cost time You have three kinds of hit points, There’s no levelling up in this
points. These come in two kinds: called health: Doing, Feeling, and game. You start at maximum
Futurex (for science stuff, awesome Thinking. If any one of those drops power level. Combat doesn’t help
powers, etc.), and Historyx (for to zero, then you’re incapacitated. you level up - in fact, it can get you
passive buffs for your friends). Your (Being the future and all, there’s into serious trouble. Feel free to
points will shuffle from one meter no permanent death.) You also get look for other solutions.
to the next, so you’ll have to juggle a deflect - you can bounce damage Instead, you can grow Connec-
different moves. Sometimes, your from one HP track to other ones. tions with other characters. Like a
points will move into pools, special guild ranking, Connections can
meters that trigger other abilities. give you increased access to other
characters and gear.

Farflung is a game about the far Like any RPG, you don’t have to You have three kinds of hit points,
future at the end of the universe. You roll any dice if the situation is casual called health: Doing, Feeling, and
could take on the role of a devil-may- and you’re just doing normal things. Thinking. If any one of those drops
care space adventurer, eager to see For risky things, you’ll declare a to zero, then you’re incapacitated.
what wonders the universe has to move, then roll two six-sided dice (Being the future and all, there’s
show. You could be the incarnation and add a bonus, like an attribute. no permanent death.) You also get
of death, destroyer of worlds… but Some moves will have random a deflect you can bounce damage
it’s not time for the apocalypse, so results. For those, you’ll be rolling from one HP track to other ones.
you are hanging loose. You could be dice. Rolling a high total will get There’s no levelling up in this
an incomprehensible alien or the you what you want and more. game. You start at maximum power
most ordinary human in the universe. Rolling low will get you trouble, or level. Life’s too short. Combat doesn’t
Like most tabletop RPGs, our it may force you to make a difficult help you level up — in fact, it can get
game has a Master of Ceremonies choice to get what you want. you into serious trouble, so feel free to
(MC), who is the master of the Some moves will cost time look for other solutions to problems.
game. Everyone else is a Player. points. These come in two kinds: Instead, you can grow Connec-
The MC will preside over the action. Futurex (for cool powers, etc.), and tions with other characters. Like a
Each character starts with a Historyx (for improving your friend’s guild ranking, Connections can
unique class that gets its own rolls.). Your points will shuffle give you increased access to other
playbook, complete with unique around, so you’ll have to juggle characters and gear.
moves that only your class uses. You’ll different moves. Sometimes, your
also be able use a list of standard points will move into pools, which
actions, called the common moves. have their own special effects.

William Kwan (Order #44609495)

 Sanguine Productions and the Afterworld Planning Dragon's Lair Comics & Fantasy
Committee present Farflung. (www.dlair.net/austin)
Written by Friedrich Wallenhaupt, with Norman Schmee
Rafferty and Robert Vance. Based on Mahagonny Sphärenmeisters Spiele
game technology by Norman Rafferty and Sanguine (www.sphaerenmeisters-spiele.de)
Games (sanguinegames.com) and Apocalypse World.
Roger Trombone
(apocalypse-world.com).
Illustrated by Mama Bliss (mamabliss.com) and Dr. Donald A. Turner
Matt Howarth (bugtownmall.com). Art direction by
Norman Rafferty.
Playtested by Aubrisa, Jessica Baader, Jaimie Delos Adamski • Mauro Adorna • adumbratus • Ago •
Belknap, Jeremy Belknap, Isaac Coffey, Diana Eiffel, Big Al • Alcethenecromancer • Scott “Wolfgang”
Feyvvai, Lucas Finkel, Christian Grunwald, Simone Alex • George Alexander • Aliasi • John J. Allen III •
Grunwald, Amy Hisle, Carl Hisle, Hrrlari, Ace Hymel, Chris Allison • Brian Allred • Omar Amador •
Colin Hymel, Gabriele Konig, Antje Kruger, Eric Luft, Gary Anastasio • Brett Anderson • J. Nicklas
Robert Kastner, Silphaedr, and the Afterworld Early Andersson • Anima • Our Hero Andy • Angelborn •
Access Program. Anthial • Andy Antolick • mark argent •
Special thanks to Kleine Bissigehunde, Frostbyte, Daniel Armstrong • Tanya Armstrong • Chirag Asnani
Moult, Pieter Van Hiel, and Xin Jin Meng. • Karaktakus Audel • Axartes • Phillip Bailey •
The X-Card is ©2013 John Stavropoulus and is used Paul Baldowski • Max Bantleman • Philip Barclay-
under Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 Monteith • Vincent Baker • Ed Barnett • Scott Barrie
Unported (CC BY SA 3.0) License. (tinyurl.com/x-card-rpg) • Jerry Barth • Nick Bate • Beachfox • jason e. bean •
©1-Sep-2017 Sanguine Productions Ltd. All rights Michael Beck • Ron Beck • Martin “OriginalJolt”
reserved. Unauthorized duplication will result in a Bengtsson • Randy P. Belanger •
suspension of disbelief. Øyvind Z. Berentsen • Konrad Bergeson •
Richard Bethke • Fredrik Bexborn • Bieeanda •
Al Billings • James Birdsall • Ken Blakey • Bob •
2692 Madison Rd #279, Rookwood Pvn Ste N1 Rachel Bohac • Ben Bonds • Tony Bourne •
Cincinnati, OH 45208-1320, United States of America Mike Bowie • Stéphane Boyer • Simon Brake •
SanguineGames.com Brandon • Michael Brewer • Justin “Bonzo” Bridges •
Jason F. Broadley • Omari Brooks • David Brown •
Andre Patrick Bubel • Kyle Burckhard •
Aaron Cameron • Evan Cameron • Calvin Campau •
Jenora Feuer (Energy Being) Andre Canivet • Jonathan C. Cantwell •
Clay Gardner (Celebrity) Bryce Leland Carlson • Robert Carnel •
Gabriele Konig (Flora) Christian Caron • Cat of Many Faces • Joshua Chafin
Lorrraine (Explorer) • Chris A Challacombe • Dylan Chapman •
Chay Casso • Rob Cavender • Andrew Chang •
Gregory Morris (Hero of the Universe)
Steven Chin • Cirlot • Min Hyuck Choi • Space Chris
Blaise Simpson (Last of their Kind)
& Lizard Brooke • David Christoph • Ugo Cimone •

William Kwan (Order #44609495)

 Lauren Clark • Nick Clements • Eric Coates • James Husum • Blake Hutchins • Eric I • iBlinked •
Peter Cobcroft • Menachem Cohen • Neil Coles • Protagonist Industries • Erik Ingersen • Tenrai Inq •
Richard ‘Scylld’ Comfort • Carl Congdon • J3ST3R • Eric M Jackson • Chris Michael Jahn •
Edouard Contesse • Brice Coolen • Richard Coombs • jamie • Jay Wigglesworth Jensen • JMarks •
Alexander R. Corbett • Myles Corcoran • Timothy Cox Tanner Johnston • Russ Jordan II • Jerry L Meyer Jr •
• Jeff Crews • Allen Crimmins • Walter F. Croft • Sandy Julien • Chris Jungling • Matic Kačič •
Michael Cule • Jason Melo da Costa • Jim Dagg • Achim Kaiser • David “Weimann” Karlson Weimann •
Isaac ‘Will It Work’ Dansicker • Robert “Jefepato” Jeff ‘Fin’ Kattau • Kaz • Harpal Khalsa • KillN •
Dall • Darkwulf • Darloth • Jonathan “Buddha” Davis Robert C Kim • Alexander King • Joshua King • Kio •
• Evan “Hydra” Dawson • Brennan Dawson • Nat “Kizna” Kisa • Samuel Klingensmith •
Demonnic • Scott Denson • Rob Deobald and Andrew Knapik • Patrick Knowles & Tyler Lominack •
Rachelle Shelkey • Tristan “Twitchy” Gene Kobayashi • Jonathan Korman • Joel Kreissman
Wolfe DeRoches • Devin • James Dillane • • Karl Kreutzer • Spencer Krigbaum • Mischa D. Krilov
DocChronos • Bastian Dornauf • Drakitten • • Gert-Jan van der Krogt • Kruge • Adam Krump •
Paul Drussel • Jason Duke • Azereaux Duskwing • Joshua Kubli • Ed L • Mick L • Taylor LaBresh •
Herman Duyker • Bradford Elliott • Peter Engebos • Tom Ladegard • Leo M. Lalande • Indi Latrani •
Scott Kelley Ernest • Philip “xipehuz” Espi • Clara Latter • Panu “Possessed” Laukkanen •
Fate Everywhere • Exaveron • Zachary Farnsworth • Rodney Leary • Robert Lee • Andy Leighton •
Vladimir Filipović • Ken Finlayson • Forrest F • Rich Lescouflair • Daniel Leslie • Benjamin L. Liew •
Metal Fatigue • Jared Fattmann • James Fellows • Benton Little • I Little • Loneclaw •
FelTK • Mark Fenlon • Mora Fermi • David E Ferrell • Athelind Llewellyn Long • Austin Loomis dba
Useless Fiend • Jonathan Fish • FlatCon • Real Small Furry Creatures Press • Jay Loomis •
FluffySquirrel • Gustavo “Tanaka” La Fontaine • Steve Lord • Tim Lund • Lupercus • John W. Luther •
FougerePilote • Ryan “Mobius04” Fraedrich • Dan Luxenberg • H. M.‘Dain’ Lybarger • Rob Lyons •
Mark Frederick • Colin Fredericks • Frisky • Dan M • Dennis M • Tom M • Edward MacGregor •
Kogenta Frost • Frostbyte • Jennifer Fuss • Matt MacGregor • MagicBlue • Adam Makey •
David Futterrer • Yeehaw Gandalf • Richard Gant • MalaclypseV • Adam Manleg • Jere Manninen •
Angel Garcia • Mike Garoni • Silvio Herrera Gea • Joel Marco • Muster Mark • Rebecca Massey •
Bluegrass Geek • Michele Gelli • Alexander Gent • A Mathew • Nikolas Matovinovic • Sean Mattox •
Todd Gibel • Bret Gillan • Lakshman Godbole • Łukasz Matylla • Peter Mazzeo • Scott McIntosh •
Gomai • Luis Pavel Gomez • Judd M. Goswick • Conan McKegg • Robert McLaughlin •
Daniel Goupil • Graf • Lee Gray • Paris Green • Dr. Daryl McLaurine • Robert McNeal • Kyle McNeill
Richard‘Vidiian’ Greene • Robert Grosso • • MCNickel the Intrepid Adventurer from Quadrant 42
Sable Gryphon • Derek Guder • Jack Gulick • Jeff H • • Daniel McSorley • Spencer McTavish •
Craig Hackl • Seth Halbeisen • Troy “Wrongtown” Hall Michael S Mears • Arlene Medder • Tyler Melo •
• Joey “No Hands” • Eric “Alkane” Harding • Merlin • Patrice Mermoud • Matthias Mertens •
D. Ariye Harrison • Seth Hartley • David Hayes • Hans Messersmith • Brandon Metcalf •
James L Hays • Jim Heath • Fred Herman • Emanuel James Miller • Theodore Jay Miller •
Adam Herold • Dallas Hetrick • William Heyden • Absalom Milton • Ben “Trust Me” Morris •
Pieter van Hiel • Michael Hill • Eleanor Hingley • Marcus Morrisey • Alistair Morrison • Moult •
Brian E Hollenbeck • Matthew House • D Howard • Steven Moy • MultaeKappae • Liam Murray • Nessa •
Russell Hoyle • Grant Huelskamp • Colleen Hume • Earl Scott Nicholson • Jarrod Farquhar Nicol • Nituki

William Kwan (Order #44609495)

 • A. Niziolek • Nomad • None • Nonesuch • Michael Short • Hadley Shurmer • Jeremy Siemon •
Not Applicable • Even More Not Applicable • Aslan Silva • Eloi Simard • Johanne Skjerven •
Viveka Nylund • Aaron O’Donnell • adam oedekoven Jerry Sköld • Skrinch • Sligsixty • Ross Smith •
• James Ojaste • Tim Oliver • Chris “KillrGruve” Olsen Caleb Sobczak • Kevin Sonney • Jonathan Souza •
• oniphy • Onnala • Brad Osborne • M. P. O’Sullivan • Trip the Space Parasite • Lonnie “Gamefu” Spangler
Outlawsyn666 • C P • Shawn P • P.A.L.L. • • Veronikis Spyros • Stacie.Winters1 • David Starner
Trey Palmer • David Pardoe • Pasquee • Artie Passos • Josh “the Man of” Steele • Gordon Stephen •
• Saajan Patel • Kevin “ Wolf” Patti • Matthew Pauze • Chris Stewart • James Stoneburner • Tys Stora •
Reverance Pavane • Antoine Pempie • Joshua Straub • Janusz Strzelecki • Manuel Suarez •
Andrew Peregrine • H Alexander Perez • Michael Swadling • TadK • Tambi • Neal Tanner •
PickleTheCat • A.E. Pietz • Alan Phillips • Chris Tavares • Teka • Martin Teply • Jon Terry •
Angelo Pileggi • Michael Pineda • None, Please • Luc Teunen • Steven Thesken • Lilian W. Thevenet •
Rain Pletcher • Gilbert Podell Blume • Giovanni Pola Thomas • Zach Tincher • Kevin Tompos •
• Shawn Polka • Aaron Pollock • André Pönitz • Tsor ex the Barely Sufficient • Markku Tuovinen •
J. David Porter • Andrea Quirion • Mr. Rage • Jason Turner • Drew Tuttle • Richard Tuttle •
Kaja Rainbow • Raifu • Nicholas G. Rais • Paul Umbers • James Unick • Unnecessary Thanks •
Sawyer Rankin • Adam Rajski • Raminagrobis • Jess Unrein • Kiki V • Alexander “Black Bear” Velilla
Joshua Ramsey • Mike Ramsey • J. K. Rasmussen • • Chris Vogler • Chase M. Walker • Wade Wallace •
Lloyd Rasmussen • Keelin Ratterman • Caasi Geoffrey (Jetstream) Walter • Michael Walz •
‘It Sure Did’ Rekcisnad • The Redstick Family • Steven D Warble • Lester Ward • Simon Ward •
Josh Reynolds • Jeremy Richard • Ian A. Richmond • Steven Ward • Timothy J. Watkins •
Jimmy D. C. Ringkvist • Peter Rivera • Paul Rivers • Steven K. Watkins • John “Mowgli” Watson •
Jon Robertson • Daniel & Trista Robichaud • Hsieh Wei Hua • Brian ‘Commodore Stargazer’
Rogue Blade Games • Josema “Yrdin” Romeo • Whitcraft • Jordan White • Ronald Whitehead • Yancy
Michael De Rosa • Mike Rosen • Marc Ross • Reagle Whitham • Whitt. • Daniel Wilks •
Mark W Roy • Rraurgrimm • K. Ivan Ruppert • Clint Williams • Sara Williamsdaughter •
Paul Ryan • Ryoukou • Ryusui • Bryan S • Jonathan Woodward • Michael Wright • ‘Jayhad’
Travelling Tim Salisbury • Sammo • Sargas wielder • Wrobel • Victor Wyatt • Xavid • Jeff Zitomer •
Pierre Savoie • Sven A. Schäfer • Karl Scheer • Tom Zunder • 너불레기
Walter B. Schirmacher • Mendel Schmiedekamp •
Jason Schneiderman • Marco Schütz •
Remo di Sconzi • Scott • David B. Semmes • Ila Sena
This one’s for Richard. Thanks for believing in us.
• Sharon and Jake • Mike Shema • Eric Shelley •
We believe in you.
Shervyn • In Memory of Lakas Shimizu •

William Kwan (Order #44609495)

 Don’t panic!
The purpose of a role-
playing game is to
To play Farflung, you’ll need have fun. It’s not about
anywhere from two to six players. winning battles, it’s
The fiction has one or more
One of the players will be the Master about exploring new
Each session starts the same way. challenges, the plot points that
of Ceremonies (MC). The MC presides experiences in inter-
Each Player introduces their you need to confront to deal
over the story, making sure that each active story-telling.
character by saying their with this situation.
of the Players gets their moves in. These rules are just
character’s name and some of One or more Players describe
Each Player controls one or more the guidelines, to
their distinguishing looks. how their Characters will deal
Characters, the actors in our passion make sure we’re all
If anyone wants to make any with these fronts, usually by
play. Each Character comes with a thinking about the
last-minute changes to their using their special moves, and
playbook that explains the special same things. Relax.
characters, they’re allowed to often by rolling dice.
abilities they can use in the game. Dream. Share. Enjoy.
You will combine these with the make those changes right now, The MC describes the outcomes
general abilities that anyone can before the game has started. of what the Players’ Characters
use the moves to get stuff done. The MC begins the game, either just did, and then describes any
by picking up where the last game new events that happen, and
session left off, or by introducing the game continues until
a new situation. “You’re trapped there’s a good time to stop.
on a space station in a decaying
orbit.” “The Autarch demands a
pure-strain human for their
consort.” “A neutron scaffold is
cascading through the galaxy,
destroying all life,” etc.

William Kwan (Order #44609495)

 A quark is an elementary
particle of matter, the
only ones which experi- Your character will be rated in six different numbers, called Attributes.
ence all interactions Attributes range are rated in numbers. For your characters, these numbers will range from -3 (the worst) to +3
(weak, strong, etc.) (the best), with =0 as the average. Whatever “normal” is, it’s a zero in an attribute.
There are six flavors
of quarks (up, down,
strange, charm, top, and
bottom). Just as quarks
make up all interactions
of our matter, so do the
attributes make up all
interactions in our game.
The word “quark”
originates in the novel
Finnegans Wake, refer-
ring to calls to the bar
for more drinks.

Bottom is cool-headedness, introversion, introspection, Charm is ego, social interaction, leadership,

and humility. Bottom will add to rolls to be sneaky, to friendliness, and conversation. Charm will add to rolls
be subtle, to get out of the way, and to keep your head. to convince others to like you, to do things for you,
Characters with high values in this attribute are often and to listen to what you have to say.
sympathetic, diplomatic, and friendly. Characters with low Characters with high values in this attribute come
values will be shy, aloof, stubborn, and unpleasant. off as attractive, encouraging, and the life of the party.
Your +Bottom helps with: Characters with low values aren’t nearly as much fun.
Being introverted Your +Charm helps with:
Blending in with a crowd Being likeable and pleasant
Restraining your emotions Getting other people to listen
In the pecking order, Bottom (the attribute of deferring to others’ will) is the Convincing others to negotiate with you
are you at the bottom, opposite of Top (being bossy). Charm (the attribute of getting people to like you) is the
or the top? opposite of Strange (getting people to not like you).

William Kwan (Order #44609495)

 Down is resourcefulness, cleverness, mechanics, and Strange is id, social dominance, rage, manic episodes,
making do with what you have. Down will add to rolls and passion. Strange will add to rolls related to
to repair things, to craft things from raw materials, savagery, brutality, unpredictability, or insanity.
and to know obscure details about the past. Characters with high values in this attribute are
Characters with high values in this attribute know fearless, willful, and stubborn. They can be angry
a lot about history and science, they are good with loners or they might even be manic. They’re clearly not
machines, and they’re good about fixing things that another face in the crowd. Characters with low values
are broken. Characters with low values don’t know or are unremarkable, meek, and forgettable.
don’t care much about the past, and they won’t be very Your +Strange helps with:
helpful around the house. Freaking people out
Your +Down helps with: Being violent and dangerous
Working with machines Tapping into your id, your animal nature
Applied science Are you the charmer
Strange (the attribute of being scary, terrifying, and
Hands-on experience we’ve been waiting for,
violent) is the opposite of Charm (being friendly,
or the stranger we
Down (the attribute of working with what you got) is comforting, and approachable).
were warned about?
the opposite of Up (cooking up new and weird plans).

William Kwan (Order #44609495)

 Top is hot-headedness, extroversion, planning, and Up is intellect, science, abstraction, and higher
boldness. Top will add to rolls to take charge, to boss other functions. Up will add to rolls to work with mathematics,
people around, and to follow through with long-term plans. to program computers, to engineer new devices, and
Characters with high values in this attribute will often to know obscure details about this wondrous future.
be leaders, ready to tell people what to do and how to do Characters with high values in this attribute will be
it. Characters with low values are more likely to follow curious, inventive, and forward-thinking. Characters with
than to lead… and when they do try to lead, they’ll low values are often set in their ways and will have
have a hard time getting people to do what they say. trouble learning new things or coming up with new ideas.
Your +Top helps with: Your +Up helps with:
Being extroverted Observation and deduction

To fix our problem, will Standing out in a crowd Deduction, logic, and math
you get down and get Displaying your emotions Theoretical science
your hands dirty… or Top (the attribute of taking charge) is the opposite of Up (the attribute of guessing what could happen) is
will you step back to Bottom (letting other people get their way). the opposite to Down (relying on what you already
think up a solution? know that works).

William Kwan (Order #44609495)

 Characters who have lost
Various forces will try to hinder or to destroy your character. They will attempt to injure your body, to tax your all of their health aren’t
mental resources, and to subjugate your will. necessarily unconscious,
Your character has three health indicia. They must all be kept above zero for your character to continue to comatose, or in a fugue
function. state. By the needs of
the story, they might
still be led around by
other characters, or
Your Doing index is your physical Your Thinking index is your facility
even their followers.
If any single index drops to zero, Zero health just
endurance. While your Doing index for remembering, reasoning, and your character becomes incapaci- means you’re no longer
is positive, you’re able to interact rationalizing. While your Thinking tated. They are no longer partici- making moves that
with the physical world. index is positive, you’ll be aware of pating in the fiction. (In the science interact with the story.
If your Doing index drops to zero, what’s going on and able to make fantasy that is Farflung, a character Use your imagination
you will become incapacitated from sense of it. If your Thinking index is rarely permanently dead. Super- to come up with what
pain, exhaustion, or other disability. drops to zero, you will become science, time travel, and plot
If your attributes change, your incapacitated, collapsing into a
your character does at
convenience make a permanent this, their lowest
Doing index might change too. It cataleptic state. demise into a rare thing.) moment. Are you
should always be equal to If your attributes change, your You and your fellow players crippled by pain? Lost
Bottom+Top+5. Thinking index might change too. should describe how your character in your own thoughts?
It should always be equal to has lost the ability to affect the story. Having a nervous
Down+Up+5.
If your Doing drops to zero, breakdown? Unable to
then your character might be in maintain physical form?
Your Feeling index is your capacity shock, or passed out, or in too Babbling incoherently?
During the game, bad things will
for emotions. While your Feeling much physical agony to press on. Lost in memories of
happen to you, or you will push
index is positive, you’re able to If your Feeling drops to zero, the past? Unstuck in
yourself too far. In the rules of this
interact with other personalities. then your character might be time and space?
game, your character will suffer harm.
If your Feeling index drops to having an anxiety assault, or
Harm reduces one of your
zero, you will become incapacitated, they might lapse into catatonia
character’s health. For example, if
as you lose the will to act. or into uncontrollable sobbing.
the MC tells you “Lose 3 Doing”,
If your attributes change, your If your Thinking drops to zero,
then you must find your Doing index
Feeling index might change too. It then your character might be
and reduce it by 3 points. (An index
should always be equal to confused, hallucinating,
can’t be reduced below zero. If you
Charm+Strange+5. collapsed in an exhausted
run out of points to lose, then stop.)
heap, or in a fugue state.

William Kwan (Order #44609495)

 For example, the MC might tell to physics and plans. A Freebooter
Teela attempts to restart
you that your character suffers could brush off harm to their Doing
the computer but fails
“-4 Feeling” … when your Feeling with a quip such as “I decided to
spectacularly. The MC Some characters are extremely tough.
is your deflect. You could choose to leave before I lost more than just
says that she suffers 3 Genetically-engineered, cybernetic
lose 4 points from your Doing, or 4 my dignity.” A Displaced character
harm of Thinking stress. life-forms can shrug off physical
points from your Thinking, instead. could talk about how nothing
Teela’s player deflects impacts that would turn normal
You could even ignore the deflect makes sense and how they just
the damage to Doing, people into paste. Genius intellects
and lose 4 points of Feeling, if you wanted to go home, while they kick
by describing Teela as and positronic computers could solve
wanted to. a machine that’s not working, etc.)
getting frustrated, problems that a lesser mind couldn’t
Yes, you can split the points up,
kicking the stupid even begin to consider. Jaded killers
too. You could, say, deflect 3
machine… and stub- and remorseless monsters could
points to your Doing and 1 to your
bing her toe. Ouch! witness cosmic horror that would If a character becomes incapaci-
Thinking… or deflect 1 to Doing, 2 to
destroy the minds of ordinary people. tated, then you and your friends can
Thinking, and leave 1 in Feeling, etc.
Your character can deflect one try to get them up again. Whenever a
kind of harm, listed on your character has a chance to rest, they
character sheet. When you suffer can refill one or more of their indices.
harm to the deflecting index, you Characters with a connection to
Describe how your character works
can choose a different index to each other recover more when they
through the pain. Each playbook
suffer that harm, instead. rest together.
includes a brief description to
The full rules for resting and
inspire you. (A Techie might deflect
helping incapacitated characters are
harm from Feeling, muttering
on pages 126 and 127.
something about the how emotions
are so hard to understand compared

William Kwan (Order #44609495)

 Your character is very unusual. You may have superior reach in time and space. Or vast material resources to
draw upon. Or maybe you’re just lucky. In game terms, your character has time points (x).
We call each set of points your pool, that you can put up to use special moves. (More on that, below.) We
recommend that each player use tokens to keep track of their Fx and Hx points. There’s a space on the character
sheet where you can set these tokens down, so you can shuffle them at need.

Dvan needs to rustle up

The undiscovered country, your some quick cash. Fortu-
Future time (Fx) is the unrealized Some moves require you to ante You might make a long-term nately, he’s an immortal,
potential of things yet to happen up. You have to put a point forward change to the narrative, and your so he goes to check
to you. to use them. For example, if a time can get caught up in it. You may on the many bank
Moves that require Future points move says “ante 1 Fx”, then you have to set aside time into a pool. If accounts he’s stashed
include amazing powers that violate must take a point from your pool of the rule says “Set aside your ante as over the centuries. In
the laws of nature as we know Future time and put that forward. inventory”, then you have a new game terms, his player
them, extra-sensory perception, If you don’t have the point for pool of points, and it’s now called uses his reminiscence
and miraculous technology. the ante, then you can’t use the “inventory”. Set-asides may unlock move. Dvan antes up 2
move. You can’t substitute points, new game effects while they last, or Fx points and rolls two
either. If the move needs an ante of they may be slowly used up, point by dice plus 2. They score
What you’ve done, your History 1 Fx, you can’t use an Hx instead. point, each time they’re triggered. a 9, which works. The
time (Hx) is your memories, and the If a move says to ante 1 point, Sometimes, points might get 2 points are set-aside
connections that you’ve developed then you just ante 1 point. If a move locked out of play into their own pool. as a reminiscence
with other people, or the plans you’ve says you can ante 1 or more, then For example, a scars pool builds pool, “+2 connection
made for future contingencies. your only limit is if how many points up as a character suffers grievous with bank account”.
Moves that require you to bet you have. (If you have only 5 Fx injury. Some special abilities, like an
History points include using your points, you can only ante up to 5, etc.) Immortal’s eternal or a Lost Toy’s
Connections with other characters Sometimes your ante comes battered, will also tie up points.
and resources to get things done. back. If your ante is returned to you At the end of each session of
You may notice that your best go, it goes back into the original pool. play, the player will get to re-
moves are slowly pushing all your Other times, your points are arrange all their points in time.
points into your History pool. Every moved somewhere else. If the rule That time will be when you can
character has the inspiration move says “Move your ante to Hx”, then empty out these pools and put
(page 30), which will move Hx to you put all those points into your your points back into circulation.
your Fx pool. History Time (Hx) pool. Some characters, like the Hero of
the Universe, can give their points
to other characters; the end-of-
session reset is when everyone
gets their points back.

William Kwan (Order #44609495)

 As you play your character in the Farflung, your character will have a growing backstory. They will make friends,
they will enslave entities, they will have love/hate relationships with pan-dimensional beings, they will encounter
new life and new civilizations. And maybe have sex with any or all of them.

Your character will also collect

Castor has a +3
gear such as laser guns, star-ships,
connection to Pollux.
bottle cities, Klein bottles, personal When you just saved the Extropian
Castor’s player can get No one is an island. You may have
computers, jet packs, battle-suits, Arcology from a fractal implosion,
a +3 bonus on rolls to a love-interest, a pet, a robot, or a
and alien artifacts. And maybe they will be eager to repay the favor.
inspire or to get Pollux robotic pet cum love-interest that
have sex with one or more of those During the game, you can bet
to do things. (Sadly, follows your character around.
things, too. No one judges you, here. an Hx point to use moves to get an
Pollux has only a +1 During the game, you can ante
On your character sheet, you will organization to intervene on your
connection with an Fx point to get a follower to do
list one or more connections that behalf or to give you special
Castor. It’s not an things for you. Check out the order
your character has. Connections concessions. Check out the order
equal relationship.) move, page 32.
start at 1 and go up from there. move, page 32.
If your Connection drops to zero,
then you’ve lost it. Special gear is
no longer available. A follower no
longer hangs out with you or does As your character becomes more
what you say. You can still hang out familiar with the game world, they
with another Player-Character if will improve their ability to work One person’s trash is another one’s
you’ve lost the Connection, you just with that knowledge. Your treasure. You might be a collector
no longer share that special bond. character may earn connections who acquires all kinds of neat
with history, geography, politics stuff. Maybe you tinker in your off
and other game world concepts. time to fix junk or to decrypt alien
During the game, you may be tools. Or maybe you just under-
Your character may have a special able to use your connections to dig stand the art of the deal.
bond with one or more other up historical facts about what During the game, you can ante
characters. you’re looking for. And you may be an Hx point to use moves that
During the game, you can ante an able to reveal new treasures and instantly reveal that kind of gear.
Hx point to use moves to help other weapons. See page 27. (See reveal, page 27.) Maybe you
characters that you have a connection had it all along, stashed at the
with. See inspiration, page 30 bottom of your bag for an emergency
just like this. Or maybe you put some
pieces together very quickly.

William Kwan (Order #44609495)

 Typical play:
All of the character playbooks list moves, the things you can do in the game. When a player declares that their — The MC tells you
character does something, that’s when the character is making a move… and that’s when the player will roll dice. what your character
can see, hear, and
important to make sure everyone’s interact with.
You and your fellow Players will be The basic rule for making a move is getting a turn, and when. — You declare a move.
participating in the game, with that the player says their character However, sometimes the situation
will get worse. Hostile beings may try
— The MC tells you
your Characters doing their own will do it, and then the player rolls
to shoot you. A bulkhead’s seal could
that your move is
things in the world’s fiction. dice to see how well their
fail, giving you just seconds to get
okay and what
As a Player, when you’re talking character does that move.
out of the room before it empties of
might happen to
with the Master of Ceremonies, you The fiction of the world will
all air or fills up with molten boron.
your character if
have the spotlight. You tell the MC often respond to your moves. For
You could be trying to convince an
you win or lose
what you want your Character to do, example, if you declare that you will
artificial intelligence to recall its death
this move.
in the fiction of the universe, and the flip the unlabeled switch on that
MC tells you how the fiction responds. sparking device, the MC may say fleet before they destroy the sun. — You roll dice.
The MC will often pretend to be that the device promptly explodes. When the tension is high and the 7-9 gets weak
other Characters in the universe. Now that the MC has told you that timing is important, the tone of the stuff done.
You and the MC may have long the device exploded, you can’t just game becomes charged. It’s now 10-12 gets strong
conversations in character, where say, “Wait, I’ve changed my mind!” vitally important that everyone takes a stuff done.
what you say is what your You did something, and it had move, and what moves they take and 13+ gets grand
Character is saying. Feel free to consequences. You’ll have to deal when can have serious consequences. stuff done.
immerse yourself in your Character. with the broken device… or call — The MC responds,
Say things that they would say. Try upon some reality-altering power with a hazard,
new gestures and new expressions. to change what just happened. puzzle, or other
Just like it’s a bad idea for one You walk across the room, you pour new situation that
actor to hog the stage, you shouldn’t yourself a cup of coffee, you turn on advances the story.
stay in the spotlight for too long. your personal computer, you talk to
— Another player
Give other Players a chance to shine, Like a novel, movie, or other your friend, etc. In casual situations,
makes a move, and
to have some of the fun that you’re fictions, the tone of the story in most things will be free and easy.
the cycle starts
having by pretending to be some Farflung can shift from light- When you tell the MC that your
again.
fantastic Character. In charged hearted to serious business. character will take a safe move, the
situations, if you stay in the spotlight If the situation is casual, you and MC can just tell you what the result
for too long, your character may your fellow Players can be cool and is, without any fuss. (Yes, you can
push themselves too far and get composed. Talk about what your walk over there, sip the coffee, reboot
into some serious trouble. characters are doing. Improvise the machine, and say a few nice
new situations. Make jokes. Banter. words without rolling everything.)
Exact positions, places, and timing
won’t need to be tracked to the
finest detail. While everyone should
feel free to participate, it won’t be

William Kwan (Order #44609495)

 convinced the artificial intelligence
Some of your moves
to aid you in your quest. You have
may say that nothing
the spotlight, now play up your role!
happens, but you get a You need to run across an icy floor, In the playbook for your character, Did your character just drop the
bonus if you try it again you must fix the coffee machine, you’ll see have you one or more ball? Make a wise-crack or other
as your next move. you must crack the computer’s unique moves. These moves are your comment. Express your character’s
Whatever you just tried passcode, you’ve got to figure out alien powers, your superhuman disappointment.
to do is working, but what strange language that alien abilities, your alterations of time and It’s a game! Have fun with it.
it’s going to take some speaks, etc. space, your capacity to push the story Not every moment has to be a
time. Give other players A safe move can become in strange and wonderful directions. Shakespeare, but you should take a
a turn, to make their uncertain if circumstances make it Each special move is different. few seconds to let your imagination
own moves. (They can harder. For example, looking Refer to your playbook for details. run wild with the random events in
stall for time while you around the room to see what’s in it the game. It’s all part of the fun!
finish what you started, is normally a safe move. Looking
or they inspire you to around the room for hidden objects,
finish faster.) If you subtle clues, invisible enemies, or
move too hard, too fast, entropic residue is uncertain. Now’s your time to shine. After After you make a move, the MC
the MC may tell the story playing out the die roll and the will tell you how the characters
of how you pushed results, you and the MC should respond to it. Sometimes the MC
yourself too hard. hype up what just happened. will make counter-moves, where
Did your character just do the non-player characters force
something amazing? Explain in you to make rolls, or do harm to
For example, if you need to get to some detail what just occurred. your character, or other things.
the coffee machine before the Gray Describe the bloody spatter when a You move, and the world responds.
Goo does, you may have to make a roll vibro-blade cuts through against a After the MC tells how the
to see if you can win this race. When spacesuit. Make up some techno- world responds, you and the other
things are uncertain, we roll dice to babble on how you reversed the players make your own counter-
make things exciting and random. polarity of the deflector dish. Share move. And so it goes.
a line of dialogue or two on how you

William Kwan (Order #44609495)

 We’ll only be rolling dice
When you tell the MC that your character will take an uncertain move, the MC will ask you to make a roll. You’ll roll if we’re unsure of what
two+ six-sided dice and then add or subtract modifiers. The higher your total is, the better your results will be. wil happen. You won’t
be rolling for casual
Most moves have a layout like this: +Connection things where success is
To do a move, roll +mod. Add your Connection with the a given (such as walking
“Roll two six-sided dice and add target. That’s your connection A last bonus applied after the fact. across the room, putting
them together. Then apply your with the target, not their These bonuses can increase a bad your pants one one leg
modifier to the total, and that’s connection with you. (These roll into a good roll. If the rule says at a time, etc.) nor will
your result.” numbers might not be the same.) “+1 to your last roll”, take whatever we be rolling for things
your last total was and add 2 to it. that are impossible
Up to 6: No result +ante
Changing a roll you had just made (such as dividing by
“If your result was 6 or less, you Add whatever amount of points
can retro-actively change a failure zero, wearing socks and
got no result.” you anted up before rolling. For
into a success. sandals together, etc.)
7-9: Weak Success example, if you put up 3 points,
“If your result is 7 to 9, you then you will add 3 to the roll.
scored a Weak Success.” +(name of pool)
Add the amount of points in the Any time you roll dice, you’re
10-12: Strong Success
pool. For example, if you have a gambling on your success. But For most rolls in the
“If your result is 10 to 12, you
reflexive pool of 2, then +reflexive even if you don’t quite get what you game, you simply
scored a Strong Success.”
means “add 2 to the roll.” need, there are ways to change a need to roll a total of
13+: Grand Success roll after it’s made. Some examples: 10 or better to get
“If your result is 13 or more, You can be inspired by your what you want.
you scored a Grand Success.” friends. They can ante their Hx If your dice total is
Sometimes dice have modifiers. A points for a chance to improve 7, 8, or 9, you might
If a certain range isn’t described, your last roll. See page 30. still get score a weak
bonus adds to your die roll (that is,
then rolling in that range means victory… or the MC may
“take +1 forward” means add one Many characters can set aside
nothing interesting happens. For tell you that you only
to your die roll) and a penalty points into pools that can be
example, if there’s no “Up to 6” get what you want, if
subtracts from it (that is, “take -2” used to boost rolls. See the
range, that means rolling 6 or less you are willing to pay
means subtract 2 from your die roll). playbooks for details.
means nothing happened. (Though a price. See “Hard
It’s good etiquette to apply
the MC may have an interesting Bargain”, page 100.
these moves to your roll before you
response.) If your dice total 6
play out the results or make any hard
Sometimes, a bonus carries over to bargains. If you want to boost a or less, then you didn’t
your next roll. If the rules say, “+1 bad roll, do it before anything else succeed. You’ll have to
+Bottom, +Charm, +Down, forward”, that means your next roll try again on a later
happens.
+Strange, +Top, +Up gets a +1 bonus. move, and the MC may
Add the value of your attribute If the rules say “if your next describe other things
to the roll. For example, if the move is this, +1 forward”, then you that happen to you. It’s
roll says “roll +Down” and your only get the +1 if your next move is time to give someone
Down is -2, then you’d roll two whatever “this” is. else a try!
dice and subtract 2.

William Kwan (Order #44609495)

 An MC’s response
might be:
If you rolled poorly (6 or less),
— Harm to your Every action has an equal and We understand — you’re invested in the MC may have your character
character opposite reaction, though some the story, and you want to do what- experience some setback, such as
— A new roll that you reactions are more opposite than ever it takes to win the day. It’s easy personal harm, the loss of some
must make to avoid others. to get very excited and to blurt out resources, or another obstacle.
some unpleasantness After playing out your move, the a bunch of moves, furiously If you’re dealing with a confron-
— A new challenge or MC might tell you how your target grabbing at dice. Everything you do tational threat (cosmic beings,
situation. responds to it. Think of the responses has a consequence, even if you’re major bosses, planetary armies
— Or something else as the MC’s counter-moves. Just rolling well, and the MC controls etc.), the MC may have the threat
that the MC can like a player has their character do the story and its pacing. So respond with intimidation,
think of. things, the MC has other characters remember: after you move, ask for demands, violence, or worse.
(or machines, or the environment) the counter-move, then move on.
See pages 98-127 for respond to those moves. If you’re trying the same move
While there’s no hard limit to
more ideas about what You might be required to make twice, other things could
how many moves you can make in
challenges can be. another roll… or your character happen in the interval. (Other
a row, you may find the responses
may automatically suffer some people could get suspicious, or
get harder and nastier, until you
harm. You may get a response annoyed, or twitchy. You could
take a break and give the spotlight
even if you defeated the challenge exert yourself, suffering harm.
to someone else. The other players
with an amazing roll. Or something else!)
are your partners in this story, so
Want to know more about
give them a chance to shine.
responses? See page 97.

William Kwan (Order #44609495)

 Your Character will often be called upon to do dangerous and difficult things. In game terms, we call these
challenges. A challenge is something you have to deal with, to move the story along. Challenges are discussed in
greater detail in the MC’s section, pages 98-127.

Challenges can open up all kinds of The MC will be tracking Grand challenges are the stuff
complications: countdowns. They may keep of nightmares. They can only be
You might declare a special some of them a secret from you, overcome with the best attributes
move, that you must roll high so you don’t know what sort of rolling the highest rolls. To
enough to pass. These special pressure you’re under until it’s too defeat a grand challenge, you
moves deal with the challenge late. With other countdowns, they may have to pull out all the
in front of you. (Disarm that may only hint at how far along stops, heaping all kinds of
bomb! Run across the highway they are. In the game of Farflung, pushes, inspirations, and other
at rush hour! Calculate the time is often your greatest enemy. bonuses on top of each other.
jump to hyperspace!) Worse still are the grander
After you perform a move, you challenges: the elder gods, the All matter is governed
might have to deal with a god-emperors, the star- by fundamental forces.
response. A response is some- Just so everyone’s on the same conquerors. These challenges The weak force helps
thing the MC says that your page, we can break down the will take two or more grand to prevent radioactive
character must react to. If you roll various challenges into tiers. results before they’re complete. decay, while the strong
badly, your character will suffer. Weak challenges can be Many moves will list the quality of force binds the nucleus
And sometimes, you’re in a hurry. defeated half the time by people your success. For example, to of the atoms together.
A countdown is a timer slowly who have no special training, defeat a weak challenge, you’ll need Some scientists seek
counts down. The pool starts with simply by chance. Weak enemies to score a weak success. Naturally, a model that combines
a number of points in it. After are the rank-and-file creeps of overwhelming force is better. If these two forces into a
key events, or after a certain the universe, dangerous only in you score a grand result, you can grand unified theory.
large numbers. defeat strong challenges easily.
interval of time, the MC removes
a point from the pool. If the Strong challenges will require
countdown pool ever runs out high attributes, special resources,
of points, something happens. or lucky rolls. Strong enemies are
If you fail to deal with a serious threat to life and limb. If a rule says it affects a strong
challenges fast enough, you thing, it could affect a weak thing,
may run out of time. if you want. And yes, if the rules
say it affects a grand thing, you can
substitute a strong or weak thing.

William Kwan (Order #44609495)

 A play-session of Farflung usually runs about 2, 3, maybe 6 hours of real time. When it’s done, there’s some
things to take care of.

Did anyone try to use a move or The purpose of a role-playing

The MC asks the players some another rule, and the way the game is to make an interactive
questions about how the play- game played out was not what story that is fair, that is consistent,
session went. they expected at all? and that is (above all) fun.
Is anyone confused? Did a Did anything happen in the
situation happen in the game game that a Player felt was
that a player feels they didn’t unfair? Or that made them Also after the game session, you
understand what happened? uncomfortable? Should such will be allowed to make some
things keep happening? minor changes to your character’s
Attributes, Health, and Time. See
page 128 for more details.

That’s it. Everything else is just detail. It may sound complex, but think of Farflung as your own personal sonnet.
Sure, there’s some rules you have to follow, but within that framework, you’re only limited by your imagination.

William Kwan (Order #44609495)

William Kwan (Order #44609495)
William Kwan (Order #44609495)
 These are moves that any character can use, regardless of their playbook. Your playbook may have a move that
looks better than one than you see here – and that’s great! Use that one, instead, use the best tool for the job at hand.

Jalpha decides the

time for conversation
To assault an enemy, declare your weapon or method has ended. He declares
of assault, then roll +Strange. If your weapons are an assault on the Ur-
much fancier than your opponent’s armor, you may Reptoids.
get +1 or more to this roll. If you are shooting at a Jalpha rolls a 10.
target who is way past your weapon’s effective His blaster is a strong
range, the MC may give you a -3 penalty, or they weapon, and the targets
may just say the shot fails. are in range. The MC
7-9: Glancing Hit. Choose one: rules that a strong hit
Move into range. If your next move is “assault”, take reduces the Ur-Reptoid
+3 forward. You are exposed. count by 1. The MC says
In range, cause a hit that’s one lower tier than your that the Ur-Reptoids
weapon. (That is, a strong weapon makes a weak respond to the surprise
Many characters will assault using weapons. Some
hit, and a grand weapon makes a strong hit.) attack by falling back.
weapons have a greater ranger than other weapons; for
You are exposed. Not wanting to be left
example, a pistol can strike targets much further away
out, his buddy Vulf joins
than a knife can. If you’re not in range, you’ll have to 10+: Solid Hit. Choose one:
in. Vulf assaults and rolls
use a move that gets you into range, first. The details of Move into range, score a hit that’s lower-tier than a 7. Since he’s not even
a weapon’s tier, range, ammunition, etc. is up to MC. your weapon, and then find cover. (That is, you in range, all he does is
In the Farflung universe, far too many people will score a weak hit from a strong weapon, or a strong charge, screaming at
be quick to use violence against things they don’t hit from a grand weapon). You are not exposed. the top of his lungs.
understand… and your character will be a weird thing Move into range, and score a hit that’s the same tier Vulf is now exposed,
that some people don’t understand. Before you start as your weapon. You are exposed. but if his next move is
something you might regret, consider if you’d rather
Move up to a higher-tier target. If your next move is assault, he’ll take +3.
use an avoid move to step around the problem, or use
to assault that target, take +3 forward. No longer surprised,
a schmooze move to talk out your problems, first.
You are exposed. the Ur-Reptoids
Assaulting may expose you to a harmful response. respond, and Vulf has
13+: Critical Hit. Choose one:
If your result says that you’re exposed, you’re out in to avoid damage. The
Move into range, score a hit that’s the same tier as your
the open and everyone is witnessing your act of battle continues…
weapon, and then find cover. You are not exposed.
violence. Weak or strong enemies will respond to
exposed targets first, and you may suffer worse In range, score a hit that’s one tier higher than your
harm than if you hadn’t exposed yourself like this. weapon. (A grand hit from a strong weapon, or a
strong hit from a weak weapon.) You are exposed.

William Kwan (Order #44609495)

 The Master Brainer
shows up with an army
of Proud Enforcers To escape detection or to blend in with the
here to round up all the surroundings, roll +Bottom. The MC may give
deviants. Ghiana says you +1 or more for busy, shadowy places… or they
“nope” and is out of may penalize you -1 or worse if there’s nothing to
here, making a move to blend in with (like the yawning vacuum of space).
avoid any trouble. The 7-9: Weak Avoidance. Weak enemies will only assault
player rolls an 8. All the you if there aren’t any other targets to assault.
weak-tier Enforcers Subtract 1 from all harm until your next move.
ignore Ghiana. The 10-12: Strong Avoidance. Strong enemies will only
strong Master says, assault you if there aren’t any other targets to
“Not so fast”, and assault. Weak enemies can’t assault you at all, and
responds with a tingle weak detectors won’t even notice you. Subtract 2
Sometimes you want to be somewhere else… and
blast. Ghiana would from all harm until your next move.
you’d be happier if no one saw you, at all.
normally suffer 3
If you have to overcome walls, laser fences, 13+: Grand Avoidance. Grand enemies will only
harm, but their weak
sarlacc pits, etc., and not set off any alarms or cause assault you if there aren’t any other targets to
avoidance reduces
a scene, use this move. assault. Strong enemies can’t assault you at all,
that to only 2.
If you just want to be somewhere else on the and weak detectors won’t even notice you.
battlefield, and you don’t want to be assaulting while Subtract 3 from all harm until your next move.
you do it, use this move.
In the Farflung universe, far too many people will
be quick to use violence against things they don’t
understand… and your character will be a weird thing
that some people don’t understand. Rather than
escalate the violence, you can try to increase the
peace by simply avoiding the things that want to
harm you. It can often be easier to just sneak into a
place, get the thing you want, and then leave… than
it is to just smash up the place. (Oh, and it’s a lot
nicer, too.)

William Kwan (Order #44609495)

 Thrung cries out in
dismay when the Master
To defend a person, item, or region, roll +Top. If you Brainer and the Proud
have a position that is easily defensible, you may Enforcers assault Ghiana.
claim +1 or more. Thrung declares they
7-9: Weak Block will block for Ghiana.
Weak enemies must target you instead of what They only roll an 8.
you are blocking. That roll will distract
Until your next move, take +1 forward when the weak Enforcers,
responding to enemies. but it’s not enough to
If your next move is a block, take +1 forward. force a strong foe like
Stand together! the Master to assault
10-12: Strong Block him instead of Ghiana.
Strong enemies must target you instead of what Thrung must deal
Sometimes, you just want to hold the line. This move
you are blocking with the MC’s response
is a catch-all for any move where you plan to take hits
Until your next move, take +3 forward when before they can try to
or to defend something else. While this move is great
responding to enemies. block, again… but until
for using your variable-sword and hard-light shield to
If your next move is a block, take +3 forward. then, Thrung has +1 on
block incoming fire, it might also work if you envelop
Hold that line! rolls to respond to the
your friend’s psyche in orgone to shield from the
enemies.
mind-parasite and other weirdness. 13+: Grand Block
If Thrung’s next
Some characters will be much better at taking a Grand enemies must target you instead of what
move is block, they
hit than others. If you’re one of those tougher types, you are blocking
will take +1 forward.
consider blocking for a friend who is more fragile Until your next move, take +6 forward when
than you are. responding to enemies.
If your next move is a block, take +6 forward.
Never give up!

William Kwan (Order #44609495)

 Emeritax the Elder finds
a strange book. The MC
says no roll is required To consult your lifetime of accumulated knowledge
to know what a book is, to help you with something, roll +Down. If you
that it’s bound in leather have access to a library or database that is
and that the ancient specifically dedicated to your problem, you may be
paper is inked in some able to claim +1 or more.
archaic script. Emeritax 7-9: Something Interesting
wants to know more, so The MC should tell you some factoid that might
they make a lore move. prove useful when dealing with this situation. This
They roll a 9, and the MC should be some obscure fact that was impossible
tells them it’s a book to find without some research: names, dates,
of the lost Charybdese places, etc.
civilization, long since
There’s a lot of things to know, such as: who made 10+: A Useful Connection
purged in the Yoga Wars.
these obelisks, what gasses do these aliens breathe, Your detailed knowledge of the past can be
(It’s too bad Emeritax
where does this strange radiation come from, when applied to this situation. Take +1 forward when
didn’t roll a 10, or they
did this civilization die out, and why can’t you acting on this clue.
might’ve gotten a +1
determine both a particle’s location and its velocity? In addition, the MC may tell you to write down
connection for “Charyb-
a Connection +1 to something about this
dese literature”). To know common knowledge, no roll is needed. Your
situation’s lore, such as “Ixian Technology +1” or
character should know where things are in their
“Eddorian Law +1”. You can’t raise a Connection
own personal space. And if you, the Player, can’t
above +1 with this move.
always remember some tidbit that your Character
certainly knew three weeks ago, it’s good eti-
quette for the MC or for the other Players to
remind you. (It’s just a game. There’s not going to
be a test later.) This move is only to know obscure
facts and figures in the context of the fiction,
things that haven’t been revealed in our story
before now. It’s to know the kinds of things that
only some professor, egghead, or history geek has
picked up from their education, their reading, and
their elementary deductions.

William Kwan (Order #44609495)

 Ulwin wakes up from a
trans-bacchanal sleep to
To equip a new piece of gear that hasn’t shown up in the discover their partner is
fiction before, ante 1 Fx and roll +Connection. The gone and an assassin has
gear that you equip must somehow be related to your taken their place. “Not
connection. For example, the peaceful Extropians again!” cries Ulwin, as
are more likely to have given you medicine than a they reach under their
weapon. The Entropy Empire? Just the opposite. bed to reveal a weapon.
Up to 6: Return your ante to Fx. You don’t have what Ulwin antes 1 Fx and
you’re looking for. Your MC may let you try again if rolls their +2 connection
circumstances change. (You move to a new location, with “stashed weapons”.
you find a new store, you call in some favors, etc.) They score an 8. What-
7-9: Move the ante to your Hx. You may reveal one ever this weak weapon
piece of weak gear. You could reveal a gas mask, a is, it will have to do.
It’s not in anyone’s best interests to list every single
piece of equipment that a character has. Your smart phone, a holdout pistol, a multi-tool, or some
character will constantly be picking up new other cheap device that’s nothing special, but is still
equipment, and sometimes you’ll have to pull the right tool for your next job. The MC may give
something out of your big bag of stuff. you +1 forward on appropriate rolls, and the gear is
Some characters will be powerful beings beyond certainly enough to help solve a weak problem.
material concerns, and won’t need to use this move. 10-12: Move the ante to your Hx.
Others are tinkerers, collectors, and kleptomaniacs, Choose one:
whose pockets are full of amazing junk that can do all Reveal one piece of strong gear. (Spacesuit, AI drone,
kinds of neat future things. cone rifle, liquid metal, or another fantastic device.)
In game terms, we use your “connection with gear” to Reveal enough weak gear for you and all your friends.
represent how much buying power your character has,
Get a single follower from a large organization to
how much stuff they collect, how they can use it, etc.
help you for a single errand.
We call this “revealing” because it’s assumed that
you’ve had this thing all along. (You knew you were going 13+: Choose one:
to get into trouble today, or you buy a thing you need from Reveal enough strong gear for you and all your friends.
a local vendor, or you build something out of the junk you Reveal one piece of grand gear. (Big-Booster Suit,
found, etc.) Some players will want to specify that they Bottle City of Kandor, Smith-Hitachi Godzilla Blaster,
have specific gear at all times, and that’s okay, too. Use the Matmos Shoggoth, or other gear with a fancy name.)
debriefing so you, your MC, and your fellow players can Set aside your ante as inventory. Once the grand
strike the right balance for managing your inventories. gear is out of play, move the inventory to your Hx.
To keep the game simple, we’re not listing every Get a group of followers to help you for a single errand.
single piece of equipment we can think of, just the Get one follower to help you for three errands.
tiers. (See page 93 for more details on that.) If you
want to deal with a strong challenge, you’re going to
need a strong piece of gear.

William Kwan (Order #44609495)

 Amity 7-4800 doesn’t
want to see anyone else
get hurt. They make a To get your targets to talk with you, in a charged
move to schmooze the situation, tell the MC what your demands are.
creeps to stop attacking. Tell the MC what your demands are. Demands can
Amity rolls a 9. Deciding be simple (“a stop to all this fighting”), to complex
that the creeps can be (“the surrender of the Eye of Algorac and the Blue
reasoned with, the MC Star to us”), to the obscure (“the cupidory of
immediately stops the Gandahar/Thamber”) and even the abstract
battle that’s going on (“your obedience”). Roll +Charm.
and invites the players Up to 6: The target is not interested. Ask the MC if
to participate in a “cease there is any response. Your target may either
hostilities” challenge. ignore you, or they may say that your demands are
If Amity had rolled a unacceptable, or they may even start a fight.
You can attempt to get people to stop assaulting you
10, the MC might have 7-9: The target is open to negotiation, which is more
and to listen to what you want to say.
just had the creeps complex than just a simple “do what I want” roll.
In the Farflung universe, far too many people will
make a simple demand The MC should set up a new challenge for you.
be quick to use violence against things they don’t
for money or favors, Some suggestions:
understand… and your character will be a weird thing
and we’d be done. If all you want is to end a fight, that’s cease
that some people don’t understand. Rather than
escalate the violence, you can try to increase the hostilities (page 123).
peace by convincing hostile people not to fight with If you want to cheat someone, to lie to them, or
you, by using this move. otherwise play them false, that’s deceit (page 124).
To have a conversation in a casual environment with If you want to buy or to sell something, that’s
friendly people, no roll is needed. It’s only when haggling (page 124).
things are charged (say, in the middle of a heated If you want to force a target to give you what you
battle) or when things are risky and uncertain want, because they should be afraid of what
(such as a dicey negotiation) that you’ll have to happens if they don’t give it to you, that’s
roll to talk. Remember, we only roll dice for things intimidation (page 125).
when it’s interesting that we don’t know exactly If you seek romance, that’s seduction (page 122).
what the result of your move will be.
Or you and the MC can make something up.
10+: The target will respond with a counter-offer.
If you agree, then we have come to terms.
Otherwise, the MC chooses a new challenge,
as above.

William Kwan (Order #44609495)

 “This hallway is
empty,” thinks Ircelle.
To closely study a situation or a person, roll +Up. “Too empty.” They
If you have superior information or scanning make a move to scope
equipment, you might claim +1 or more. out the situation.
7-9: Ask the MC one of these questions: Ircelle rolls a 12 and
Does this person have something I need? may ask 3 questions.
How could I get these people to leave me alone? They ask: “What should
I be on the lookout
Who’s really in control here?
for?”; “What is about to
Is this person trying to deceive me? happen?”; and “What
What happened here recently? tier is this challenge?”
What here is useful or valuable to me? The MC responds that
What is about to happen? there are sentry turrets
Sometimes you want to take a good look at the place
Is there anything here that isn’t supposed to be hidden in the walls,
before you do something to it. Like all moves that
here? that they will pop out of
have a roll, you don’t have to use this move in casual
the walls if you can’t
situations - only charged ones, where time is a factor What should I be on the lookout for?
find some way to
or your safety is in danger. What tier is this challenge? baffle their infrared
To observe the obvious, no roll is needed. Your What’s the best way to deal with these people? sensors, and
character can notice obvious things like blaster Take +1 forward when acting on the answer interacting with them
bolts, rocket launches, blinking lights, emergency to your question. is a strong challenge.
exits, piles of festering garbage, opera singers, If Ircelle decides to
10+: Ask the MC three of the above questions, and
and the like. You don’t have to declare a special deal with this challenge,
take +1 forward when dealing with the answers.
move just to ask your MC to tell you what’s in they will take +1 forward
plain view. to their next roll.

William Kwan (Order #44609495)

 These moves work with other people. The inspiration and prepare moves help your fellow players, while the
order move lets you boss the non-player-characters around into doing things. Some playbooks have a unique
move that works better for you than what you see here… so if you have one like that, use it, instead!

Kurphyon assaults the

Anti-Nemesis and
scores an 11. That’s Inspiration doesn’t put the inspiring character at
good, but the monster any risk. The other character doesn’t need to be where
is a grand threat and you are, or even conscious at this time. You can have a
Kurphyon needs a 13. flash-back to happier times, or when they said
Azuragul cries out, something prophetic and inspiring to you, or maybe just
“Kurphyon! Don’t die! thinking of your history together fills you with
You can do this, I determination.
believe in you!” Azur- The player who is inspiring you antes 1 or more Hx.
agul's player antes 3 You roll +Connection. (So yes, the other player
Hx. Kurphyon rolls to puts up the ante, but you roll your connection
get inspired. Kur- with them.)
phyon’s player rolls Up to 6: Return the ante. You and your friend don’t
When things are at their darkest, think back to the
two dice and adds +1, have enough history for meaningful inspiration.
inspiration your friends give you. Don’t do it for you,
their connection with The ante goes back to their Hx.
do it for them!
Azuragul.
To increase a roll you just made, pick another player 7+: Inspiration
The roll comes up 8,
who has Hx points and that you have a Add the other player’s ante to your last roll.
which is success! Kur-
Connection with. You can only be inspired by Then the other player moves their ante to Fx.
phyon's roll is in-
creased to 14, and is another player who has at least 1 Hx point to ante You can stack many inspirations, one per player.
now a success! Azur- up. You can’t be inspired by someone you don’t As long as you have connections, and your friends
agul moves 3 Hx to Fx. have at least +1 connection with. have Hx points to ante, you can try each one in
Describe the inspiration. Talk about a good time you turn until you’re satisfied that your roll has
had together. Apologize for something terrible enough adds, or until you can’t score any more
you did, before. If your friend isn’t here, flash back inspiration.
to a time when they helped you work through the Like all moves, ask your MC if there is a response to
pain. And can you really give up now, lost like your inspiration. Hesitating like this might expose
tears in the rain? Moments of inspiration should you to more danger. A grand nemesis will mock
build on the story, they should remind you that you for depending so much on your
you’re not alone in this universe, that you can useless friends.
always depend on your friends to guide you.

William Kwan (Order #44609495)

 Enon is about to fly the
ship through the
To set up a friend to make a roll, describe how you asteroid field. Yvere is
would help. You could double-check a friend’s in the co-pilot seat,
math, hold a machine steady while they repair it, and prepares to help.
quickly offer a distraction from a faux pas, etc. They roll a 9, which
Then make a roll to help. Often, you’ll be rolling the will give Enon +1
same attribute they will be rolling. For example, if forward on the
they’re trying to roll +Up, then you roll +Up. piloting roll.
In some cases, you might be able to use a different
attribute on your assist. For example, if you’re
assisting a friend to avoid a sentry (which is normally
a +Bottom roll) … you might distract the sentry by
Is a friend about to make a roll, but you want to help? being romantic (+Charm), or bizarre (+Strange), or
You can lend some support. bossy (+Top). Be creative!
There will be many problems in the game where it 7+: +1 forward to your friend’s roll
makes sense to have the best character working on the Multiple assists don’t stack — take the best assist
problem… but other characters can pitch in to help. out of all the rolls. The MC may choose to limit the
When you prepare to help a friend, you may expose number of Players who can assist on something.
yourself to danger. Usually it’s the same danger
your friend is in. For example, if you help to disable Notice this move is called “prepare”, so it happens
a device, you could suffer the same electrical shock before your friend makes their own move. If you want
that your friend suffers for their mistake. If your to help someone after the fact, you must use an
friend rolls well but you roll poorly, you might suffer inspire move, instead.
something bad while your friend stays safe.

William Kwan (Order #44609495)

 Contessa Irlid is about to
be assaulted by ruffians.
She takes cover To get a follower to do something for you, declare the
behind her factotum, move the follower will do, move 1 Fx to Hx, and
Mister Caret. In game then roll +connection. As a rule, you can only ask a
terms, Irlid’s player follower to do common moves for you. The MC is
orders the follower to free to not allow you to make your follower do
use an “avoid” move. certain moves, especially your special moves or
Irlid is normally moves against a grand opponent. But there might
terrible at avoidance, be special circumstances. Use your best
since her Bottom is -3. judgement!
Instead, she moves 1 The follower does the move for you. Use whatever
Fx to Hx and then rolls you rolled as your own roll. The best time to order
her connection (+2). someone else to do something for you is when your
It’s the future, already. What’s the point of all this stuff
She scores an 11, for +connection is better than whatever attribute you
if you can’t get someone else to handle your dirty work?
strong avoidance. would have used, instead.
The bad guys shoot, What happens next? If the response to the move
causing 3 harm to results in something bad (harm, capture, disease,
Doing. The “avoid” horror, etc.), you must make a choice:
move subtracts 2. Suffer the response yourself.
Irlid decides to take
Let the follower suffer the response. The MC may
the 1 point of harm to
permanently reduce your connection by at least 1
herself. (Which she
point, possibly more.
deflects to Thinking,
as this is all part of
the plan.)

William Kwan (Order #44609495)

William Kwan (Order #44609495)
William Kwan (Order #44609495)
William Kwan (Order #44609495)
William Kwan (Order #44609495)
 These playbooks are
short and sweet. Even
if we could list every
Each player of the game of What’s your character’s look? In Your character also starts with single pitfall, misinter-
Farflung has a unique playbook. the far future, you could be almost time, measured in two kinds of pretation, and loophole,
This will be the kind of character anything, but some things are more points: Future (Fx) and History (Hx). the rules would become
you will be playing in the game. anything than others. We’ve listed You can write these points down, so big and wordy that no
Don’t think of a playbook as a some ideas to get you started, but you or use counters to track them. one could understand it
box, but as a platform. These are the should use your imagination. What’s Because just like life, your time all… and the entire point
common types of heroes you see in your character’s apparent age? points will keep changing. Don’t of role-play rules is so
the fiction. Your Old Soldier could be Gender? Your color? Do you have hair? worry, you can change these later. we all understand what
a sleek, untouchable veteran with How many eyes? How many roentgens No one is an island. Your char- each of us expects out
too many victories to mention… do you emit per second? Do things acter begins the game with con- of the story.
or they could be a cybernetic wad of taste salty to you? Be creative! Don’t nections to other characters Don’t do things you
meat, barely recognizable from one worry, you can change this later. around the table, and possibly to don’t want to do. Stay
term too many. Your Futsie could Now comes the math part. Your other people or organizations. true to the spirit of
be a hulking, alien monstrosity… character has a set of attributes. Write these on your sheet. your character. You
or something uncannily human, a While you can choose these num- Finally, your character has and the MC work
spooky little kid who barely talks. bers, some values make more unique moves. While your together to tell a great
We included a picture and some sense than others. Choose one of character can try almost story about your
concepts to get you started, but it’s these four setups, and copy them everything, you have a few character… by staying
just the numbers that matter. How to your character sheet. You’ll also somethings that aren’t just true to what your
you interpret them is up to you. get values for your health (Doing, anything. Keep these unique character is about.
Your character needs a name. This Feeling, and Thinking). These moves handy, but don’t forget
character will be your avatar, your role indices can change, if you change there’s plenty of basic moves and
in the game. When you’re in character, your attributes around, later. support moves to pick, too.
other players will address you by this There’s one kind of harm that
name. We’ve given you some sample your character deflects to other
names to get you started. Don’t worry, indicia. There’s a brief description
you can change your name, later. of why, too. Write this down.

William Kwan (Order #44609495)

 The problem with history is that they used to just keep making more of it. Now, here at the end of time, you can
finally get around to cataloging all this stuff.
Archies just love going through old things. They’ve forgotten more than most people will ever remember. They
make for great adventurers because they know a little bit about everything… and what they don’t know, they can
extrapolate from the thousands of things they do know.
Play an Archie if you want to help your friends with useful facts, figures, and trivia.

Amaranth, Attabar, Bill, Cassandra, Ask a trivia question. For the first
Codger, Doc, Herodotus, Notion, Choose one: player to answer the question to your
Mambazol, Matins, Mei Feng, Antiquarian satisfaction, you have +1 Connection
Miss Understanding, Oort, Bottom -1, Charm -1, Down +3 with their character. There’s no
Professor, Reverend, Secretary, Top -1, Strange +1, Up +2 time limit. The truth will out.
Teach, C. S. Tyson, The Watcher Doing 3, Feeling 5,Thinking 10 Also, +2 Connection with
(choose one):
Quiet Observer
Bottom +2,Charm -1, Down +1 Coat of Deep Pockets (gear)
Choose one or more: Top -1, Strange -1, Up +3 Carpet Bag of Tribid-8 (gear)
Big hat, Books, Canteen, Dirt under Doing 6, Feeling 3, Thinking 9 The cluttered closet of my
fingernails, Dirty clothes, Duster, Most Interesting Person research vessel (gear)
Gears, Glasses, Goggles, Good luck Bottom -1,Charm +2, Down +1 Gastronompede (alien pet,
charm, Magnifying glass, Top -1, Strange -1, Up +3 named Plato, Elon, Wales,
Mismatched clothes, Moleskin Doing 3, Feeling 6, Thinking 9 Oxnard, Bartleby, Quux, etc.)
journal, More books, Neat and Insufferable Know-it-All Floating thought matrix (alien
fastidious appearance, Out-of-date Bottom -1, Charm -2, Down +3 pet, named Bit, Core, Hash,
clothes, Pocket watch, Pony tail, Short Top +1, Strange =0, Up +2 Klak, Computer, Log, etc.)
hair, Too many books, Unkempt hair, Doing 5, Feeling 3,Thinking 10 Lab assistant (follower, named
Towel, Vest, Wrinkles, Wristwatch
Bem, Shev, Qyd’eb, Sedgewick,
Tyro, Clone, something you
Prime Directive of Non-Interference: can’t remember, etc.)
Whenever you would suffer harm to Or make something up!
your Feeling, you can deflect the harm
to your Doing or Thinking, instead.

Futurex 2, Historyx 3

William Kwan (Order #44609495)

 What you’re doing right now isn’t
so hard. You read about it in a book.
Those who fail to learn history are
doomed to repeat it. Before making a roll, ante 1 Fx,
then roll +Up.
Ante 1 or more Fx, then pick a
situation to analyze. Up to 6: -1 forward! Oops,
Roll +Down. well, at least we
learned something.
Up to 6: Return your ante to Fx.
Set aside your ante as
7+: For each point in your ante, study.
ask the MC one question from
7+: +1 forward. Set aside
the list below. Then set aside
your ante as study.
the entire ante as study.
What happened here recently?
What is about to happen? Your study pool
What should I be on the lookout builds from your other
for? moves.
What here is useful or valuable When your or another
to me? character tries to solve a
Have there been any strange puzzle, to work with tech,
scientific anomalies here? to know something, to involve
What is the anthropological themselves with something
history of this place? you have a Connection with,
What are the life sciences here? or does something else that
(Biological readings, life-forms, the MC says would benefit
toxins, signs of activity, etc.) from your field study, they
may move 1 point of
Who’s really in control here?
study to your Hx.
What tier are these people?
Forward, they will
What is here that’s not what it roll three dice and then
appears to be? choose which two
Take +1 forward to deal with the to keep.
answers to these questions.

William Kwan (Order #44609495)

 Welcome to fame and fortune, baby. You might be a darling of the galactic media, a president on the run, or a holographic
music idol giving your first transstellar tour. When you talk, people listen—even if you’re just running your mouth. No matter
how obnoxious you are, the mystique of fame excuses all. The universe is your audience, so give them something to watch.
Play a Celebrity if you want to draw lots of attention to yourself and solve your problems by talking.

Politician My press secretary (follower,

Bottom +2, Charm +3, Down -2 named Astra, Factotum, Gofer,
Alazia-5, Biff, Chris, Emplox Alpha,
Top +2, Strange -1, Up -1 Cordelia, or You There)
Ereshk1g4l, Hatsune, Lady
Doing 9, Feeling 7, Thinking 2 My bodyguard (follower, named
Stardust, Minmay, Mogolith, Raka
Zar, Tsqaliyah, Zaphod Glitterati Rax, Spike, Brutus, Ronin, or
Bottom +1, Charm +3, Down -2 Devastator)
Top +2, Strange -1, Up =0 My pet exotic lifeform (alien
Doing 8, Feeling 7, Thinking 3 pet, named Checkers, Mister
Choose one or more:
Woofykins, Bitey, or Socks)
Androgynous beauty, Cosmetic body
modifications, Expensive taste, Fancy Or make something up!
suit, Glowing eyes, Holographic vid- Getting By on Looks Alone:
screens, Je ne sais quoi, Musical Whenever you would suffer harm to
instrument, Narcissistic, Paranoid, your Thinking, you can deflect that
Shifty eyes, Smells like booze, harm to your Doing or Feeling instead.
If you have at least one observer, then
Smokes, Sunglasses before performing any common move,
you may declare that move to be a
Futurex 4 Historyx 1 grandstand. Ante 1 Fx then roll for the
move as normal.
Choose one: Up to 6: In addition to the move
Heartthrob Ask each other player to name their you just made, you also
Bottom +1, Charm +3, Down -1 favorite actor, musician, or other embarrass yourself. Move your
Top +2, Strange -1, Up -1 celebrity. After listening to their ante to Hx and any fame points
Doing 8, Feeling 7, Thinking 3 answers, choose one character to you might have to Hx.
Living Legend have +2 Connection with. 7+: In addition to the move you just
Bottom -2, Charm +3, Down +1 Also, +2 Connection with made, move your Fx to fame, and
Top +2, Strange +1, Up -2 (choose one): play out the move as normal.
Doing 5, Feeling 9, Thinking 4 My influence with friends in
high places (gear)
My embezzled or otherwise
illegal fortune (gear)
A cutting edge high-tech gizmo
or toy (gear)

William Kwan (Order #44609495)

 *If you add +fame to a roll that has
To get the attention of everyone doubles (any two dice have matching
around you, ante 1 or more Fx, numbers), move all mass appeal
then roll +Charm. There must be to your Hx. (Fame is fleeting.)
people around for you to be a star.
Up to 6: Do these people not know
To figure out how a situation or a
who you are? Inconceivable!
person relates to you, roll +Top.
Move your ante to Hx.
7-9: Ask the MC one of these
7-9: You draw a crowd of weak
questions:
targets. Move your ante to fame.
Do these people have anything
10+: You draw a crowd of weak
to offer me?
and strong targets. Move your
What can these people do
ante to fame.
for me?
What here is useful or valuable
You gain fame by using your to me?
grandstand and spotlight moves. What is about to happen to me?
Add +fame to any rolls* to What’s the best way to get
avoid consequences such as these people to do things
being caught lying, making a for me?
faux pas, or other social Take +1 forward when acting
mishaps where being famous on the answer to your
could help you. question.
Use +fame as a connection* with 10+: Ask the MC three of
any crowd that you gathered the above
with your spotlight move. questions, and
Subtract -fame from any roll to take +1 forward
be stealthy, to blend in, or to when dealing
otherwise not be the center of with the answers.
attention. The MC may rule
that having fame makes some
things impossible for you.
Add +fame to a friend’s roll*, if
being a celebrity would help.
For example, if you’re being a
distraction while a friend
sneaks in somewhere, or if your
friend is trying to impress
someone else by knowing you,
a real celebrity.

William Kwan (Order #44609495)

 Other people think that time is a strict linear progression of cause to effect. You know better. You have a personal
line into the timestream: psychic powers of precognition, a time machine, four-dimensional technology, or
bizarre time-warping powers.
Play a Clockworker if you want to meddle about with time and space.

Eternal Wanderer The contents of my larger-on-

Bottom +3,Charm =0, Down +2 the-inside time machine (gear)
Aradia, Chiana, Dave, Dio,
Top -1, Strange -2, Up +1 My traveling companion
Introssor, Janus, Kinmune, Marty,
Doing 7, Feeling 3, Thinking 8 (follower named Ace, Adric, Ian,
Pelinal, Professor, Tachyon,
Tessera, Trance Anomalistic Entity Peri, or Susan)
Bottom +2,Charm -2, Down +1 Displaced historical figure
Top +1, Strange +1, Up =0 (follower named Abe, Joan,
Doing 8, Feeling 4, Thinking 6 Napoleon, Saladin,
Choose one or more:
Shakespeare, etc.)
Anachronistic fashion, Dapper,
High-tech timekeeping device, Or make something up!
Low-tech timekeeping device, In the Long Run: Whenever you
Milky-eyed, Mischievous smile, would suffer harm to your Feeling,
Scarf, Soothing voice, Tendency to you can deflect the harm to your
talk about things that haven’t Doing or Thinking, instead.
It’s easy to do things when you
happened yet as if they already already saw how they will end up.
have, Tired eyes, Trouble with verb
Before making a roll, ante 1 Fx,
tenses, Tweedy, Twitchy Futurex 4 Historyx 1 then roll +Down.
Up to 6: -1 forward! You don’t
remember it happening this way
Ask each other player to name a at all. Set aside your ante as
Choose one: historical event. After listening to paradox.
Stranded in Time their answers, choose one charac- 7+: +1 forward. Set aside your ante
Bottom +2,Charm +1, Down +2 ter to have +2 Connection with. as paradox.
Top -2, Strange -2, Up +2 Also, +2 Connection with
Doing 5, Feeling 4, Thinking 9 (choose one):
Precog Historical artifacts gathered
Bottom +2,Charm +1, Down +3 from across time (gear)
Top -3, Strange -1, Up +1 Using time travel to get rich
Doing 4, Feeling 5, Thinking 9 quick (gear)
The gratitude of those you’ve
helped (gear)

William Kwan (Order #44609495)

 can’t think of all the time-
Why study history, when you You gain paradox points by using travel possibilities. As a rule, a
could just watch it first hand? your chronometry and observer roll of 7-9 will make a weak
To consult the past or future to moves. alteration, and a roll of 10+
help you with obscure facts, While you have paradox, you may will make a strong alteration.
ante 1 Fx and then use these moves: *If you add +paradox to a roll
roll +Bottom. Roll +paradox to order a that has doubles (any two
duplicate of yourself to do dice have matching
Up to 6: That’s not a time that
something*. The MC takes on numbers), move
either your past or future selves
the role of a follower — all paradox to your
have experience with. Move
another you from an alternate Hx. (The universe
your ante to paradox.
time-line. This follower only tolerates so
7-9: The MC takes on the role of appears out of nowhere, does much meddling.)
you, from the future, travelling a common move for you (using
back in time to this spot, to tell +paradox instead of the usual
you useful that might prove attribute), and then
useful when dealing with this disappears. If something bad
situation. This should be some happens to them (such as
obscure fact that a first-hand harm, capture, disease, horror,
observer would know: people etc.), move one point of
who were there, layout of the paradox to Hx.
room, combinations and pass-
To retcon a response from
words, etc. Take +1 forward
the MC, roll +paradox*.
when acting on their/your
7+, the MC must choose
observations, then move your
something different.
ante to paradox.
For example, if a
10+: It’s you who travels back in friend was about to
time to observe some key event suffer harm, the MC
or happening to help you. The might retcon that
MC may describe a scene where harm from
you’re a passive observer, and happening … or
things that you see. Not only do they might move the
you get +1 forward when acting harm to you,
on these observations, but the instead. You have no
MC may tell you to write down control over what the
a Connection +1 to something MC chooses instead,
about this situation … even even if it’s worse. Don’t
with something or someone you tamper with the time-
haven’t met yet. Move your ante stream lightly.
to paradox.
Roll +paradox to alter
time in some way*. We

William Kwan (Order #44609495)

 Funny thing about time, it just keeps slipping into the future. You’re from one of the many previous eras. Perhaps
you’re from 21st Century Earth, where you were put in cryogenic suspension or what-have-you, only to be revived
in this strange future time. Maybe you’re from a derelict spaceship, where you were put in suspended animation
only to be rescued much, much later than you ever thought possible. Or you might have popped through a
wormhole or other cosmic anomaly, and you were lucky enough to survive the time point.
Play a Displaced if you want to come through in a pinch and bring out the best in your friends.

Amber, Amelia, Arthur, Brittany, Ask each player to name a song.

Carter, Cooper, Craig, Jimmy, Choose one: After listening to all their answers,
Justin, Lei Po, Ook, Melissa, Lauren, Trying to Blend In choose one character to have a +2
Leela, Lindsay, Newcastle, Past- Bottom +3, Charm +2, Down +1 Connection with. You have latched
Lifer, Philip, Popsicle, Rip, Rose, Top -1, Strange -3, Up -1 onto this character as your anchor
Roy, Sarah, Shannon, Specimen, Doing 7, Feeling 4,Thinking 5 in this strange new world.
Travis, Whitley, Yesterday You have +1 Connection with
Backward Savage
all the other characters.
Bottom +2, Charm +1, Down +1
Top -3, Strange +2, Up =0,
Choose one or more: Doing 4, Feeling 8,Thinking 6
Ankle monitor, Bathrobe, Cigarettes, Perpetually Confused
Confused expression, Digital watch, Bottom +2, Charm +1, Down +1 For some reason, you’re never
Eyes that cannot unsee, Fedora, Top +1, Strange =0, Up -2 considered a priority.
Flannel, Flint and tinder, Jeans, Lack Doing 8, Feeling 6,Thinking 4 Ante 1 Fx, then roll +Bottom.
of background radiation, Legwarmers, Xenophile Up to 6: Until your next move,
Newspaper, Nervous tic, Portable Bottom +1, Charm +3, Down -1 subtract 1 from all harm and
stereo, Party attitude, Poncho, Rosary, Top +2, Strange =0, Up -2 weak threats ignore you.
Simple smile, Sneakers, Tattoo of Doing 8, Feeling 8,Thinking 2 Move your ante to Hx.
lab number, Tracking tag (on ear),
T-Shirt, Trilby, Vivisection scars 7+: Until your next move, subtract
3 from all harm and all threats
Ignorance is Bliss: Whenever you ignore you. Move your ante
would suffer harm to your Thinking, to fluke.
you can deflect the harm to your
Doing or Feeling, instead.

Futurex 2 Historyx 3

William Kwan (Order #44609495)

 7-9: Something strong happens, Move 1 fluke to Hx to have you or
Your boundless enthusiasm can mostly in your favor. (You find a a nearby friend replace a
bring out the best in people. useful, rare, strong device; the hazard with embarrassment.
Pick a character or other target, alien has a love for some (Enemies spare your life, only to
and make a motivational obscure fact or ancient history capture you. Your fall is broken by
speech to them. Ante 1 or more you happen to know; you crash a dumpster of Ultra-Manure. The
Fx, then roll +Charm. the entire security system by alien considers your bodily fluids
typing in the exact random to be a powerful aphrodisiac, etc.)
Up to 6: Set aside your entire ante
sequence it didn’t expect, etc.)
to fluke. Your target has no
Set aside 1 ante as fluke
idea what you’re on about.
and move the rest to Hx.
7-9: Your target takes +1 forward
10+: Something grand happens,
as you cheer them on. Set aside
mostly in your favor. (You find a
1 ante as fluke, return the rest
singular, grand device; you look
to your Fx.
exactly like the messiah, as
10+: Your target takes your +ante inscribed generations ago; you
forward, as you cheer them on. trigger the self-destruct
After they make the roll with sequence and now everyone
the +ante bonus, move your must leave, etc.)
entire ante to Hx. Set aside all
your ante as
fluke.
The universe must really like you.
Declare you want to have a really
lucky break, ante 1 or more Fx, You set aside fluke points
and roll +ante. You, the MC, by using your unique moves.
and your fellow players should Add +fluke to any rolls to
feel free to make suggestions, avoid harm.*
each one more unlikely and
Add +fluke to any rolls forward
embarrassing than the last.
that act on a previous luck
Up to 6: You suffer humiliation. result.* Especially the luck
(You reach into a bin and results that embarrassed you!
something stings you; the alien
*If you added +fluke to a roll that
reveals a frightening array of
had doubles (two dice that
toothy orifices; not only does
have matching numbers), move
the door not open, but you
all fluke to your Hx. You still get
trigger the security system, etc.)
the +fluke bonus to that last roll,
Set aside your entire ante
but now it’s all gone.
as fluke.

William Kwan (Order #44609495)

 You understand. You have telepathic powers, whether they’re an inborn gift, a natural talent of your species, or
the product of technological upgrades and experimentation. You can understand people better than they know
themselves, and exert a terrifying degree of control over unwilling minds.
Play an Empath if you want to play a character with mind-reading and other telepathic powers.

Dominator Use your psychic powers to reach

Bottom -2, Charm -1, Down +1 across the cosmos. Distance is not
Antharum, Byron, Charles,
Top +3, Strange +1, Up +1 a factor. Declare a target or group
Cognitotron 9000, Esth, Jean,
Doing 6, Feeling 5,Thinking 7 that you have a Connection with,
Locus, Scorpius, Susan, Taruvius,
Troi, Vriska, Zhaan ante 1 Fx, and roll +Connection.
Up to 9: move your Fx to Hx.
Psionic Discipline: Whenever you 10+: set your Fx on the target, as
would suffer harm to your Doing, you rapport. If your connection was
Choose one or more:
can deflect that harm to your Feeling with a group instead of a specific
Bald, Brain augmentations, Chatty,
or Thinking instead. person, you’ll get a random person
Frequent nosebleeds, Gas mask,
in that group – the closest, most
Jaded eyes, Kind eyes, Menacing
receptive mind.
eyes, Perfumed, Scared of crowds,
Soft voice, Third eye, Tidily Futurex 3 Historyx 2 You can also use telepathy without
groomed. someone’s consent. Declare an
unaware or unwilling target in
your zone of control, ante 1 Fx,
In character, ask each other then roll +Up.
character to tell you how they
Up to 6: No Telepathy
Choose one: feel. After listening to their
Your power fails you; return
Xenopsychologist answers, choose one character to
your ante to Fx.
Bottom +1, Charm +1, Down -1 have +2 Connection with.
A weak target won’t notice.
Top +1, Strange -1, Up +2 You have +1 Connection to all
A strong target will become
Doing 7, Feeling 5,Thinking 6 other characters.
suspicious of you.
Interrogator A grand target will know you
Bottom -2, Charm +1, Down +1 just tried using telepathy on them.
Top +2, Strange -1, Up +2 7-9: Weak Telepathy
Doing 5, Feeling 5,Thinking 8 You can use telepathy to establish a If your target is weak, choose
High Priest link to other people’s minds one: either let the telepathy fail,
Bottom +2, Charm +2, Down -2 Ask a willing target if they will or move 1 Fx to rapport. Your
Top +1, Strange -3, Up +3 consent to your telepathy. If they target suspects nothing.
Doing 8, Feeling 4,Thinking 6 do, set aside 1 Fx on the target, as
rapport. (No roll is needed.)

William Kwan (Order #44609495)

 If the target is strong, the vulnerabilities, and past history To transfer some of your
telepathy fails, return your ante with other telepaths. personal energy to another
to Fx, and the grand target To plant a hypnotic suggestion character, no roll is needed.
becomes suspicious of you. into a remote target’s mind, roll You may move points from any
10-12: Strong Telepathy +Top. Up to 6, affect a weak of your indices to restore the
If your target is weak or strong, target; 7-9, affect a strong target; same kind on the target. You
choose one: either let the 10+, affect a grand target. may move points from your Fx
telepathy fail, or move 1 Fx to Hypnotic suggestions are to the target’s Fx.
rapport. Your target suspects simple, careless actions that To erase a target’s memories,
nothing. do not cause the target roll +Top. 7-9, erase a weak
If there’s a group of weak immediate harm. (Forget to target’s memory of what just
characters here, all reasonably lock the door, leave the oven happened. 10+, erase a strong
similar, the MC may let you on, drop their wallet, etc.) Be target’s memory.
move 1 Fx as rapport with the subtle, be creative, and be fun. Do something else that involves
whole group. The suggestion lasts even after telepathy, mind-reading, and
If the target is grand, the the rapport is gone. other powers, making rolls as
telepathy fails, return your ante To dominate a local target appropriate. Be creative!
to Fx, and the grand target against their will, roll +Top.
becomes suspicious of you. 7-9, dominate a weak target.
13+: Grand Telepathy 10+, dominate a strong target.
Choose one: either let the (Grand targets cannot be
telepathy fail, or move 1 Fx to dominated.) Until your next
rapport. Your target suspects move, the target does anything
nothing. you want, including suicide.
They will remember being
controlled.
You gain rapport points by using To possess a target, roll +Top.
your telepathy move. 7-9, possess a weak target. 10+,
You may use the following possess a strong target. (Grand
moves, but only on targets who have targets cannot be possessed.)
your rapport set aside on them: Your own body becomes inert,
To read the target’s mind, roll and you are now controlling the
+Up. 7-9, you know the target’s target. Any harm suffered by
deep thoughts, including the target transfers to your
anything they’re hiding from body. The target won’t
you, who they really serve, and remember any of this.
if they are trying to deceive
you. 10+, you know the target’s
subconscious thoughts, such
as the target’s personal fears,

William Kwan (Order #44609495)

 You are an existence of pure energy, a lifeform that transcends the crude limitations of biology and technology.
Whatever you’re made of—electricity, light, radiation, cosmic energy—it’s tuned you into a perspective on reality
that’s fundamentally different from the way lesser beings experience it. Your reasons for traveling the universe
might seem inexplicable to them, but what are they going to do? Stop you?
Play an Energy Being if you want an alien perspective of the world combined with weird, logic-defying powers.

Scientific Observer
Bottom +3, Charm +2, Down +1
Anomaly Zero-X, Chorzoron, Dave
Top -3, Strange -2, Up +2
the Vortex, Emanation Prime, You don’t need to breathe, eat, sleep,
Doing 5, Feeling 5, Thinking 8
Galoch, Helios, Nova, Phoenix, or drink. You’re beyond such things.
Omegnetron, Rakasha, Rebus, Energy Eater
Bottom +2, Charm -2, Down -1 To use your energy , ante 1 Fx, then
Starchild, Syzygy, Tzalikoth
Top -1, Strange +3, Up +2 roll +Bottom.
Doing 6, Feeling 6, Thinking 6 Up to 6: Either return your ante to Fx
and do nothing … or choose one
Choose one or more: item from below, and move your
Containment suit, Crackling ante to Hx (as you drain your
electricity, Disrupts technology, Beyond Material Form: Whenever
personal energy).
Dots of cosmic energy, Energy you would suffer harm to your Doing,
you can deflect that harm to your Phase through a weak barrier.
tentacles, Higher-dimensional
Feeling or Thinking instead. Transmit yourself through
geometry, A metallic tang, Ozone
electrical wires, over a radio
smell, Person-shaped, Radiant,
dish, etc.
Shadowy, Translucent
Ignore gravity.
Futurex 3 Historyx 2
Ignore a single incident of weak
harm.
Drain or disable a weak elec-
Choose one: In character, ask each other
tronic device, including a
Trickster character how they enjoy the
weapon held by a weak target.
Bottom +2, Charm +3, Down +1 confines of their material bodies.
Top -3, Strange -2, Up +2 After listening to their answers, 7+: Choose one:
Doing 4, Feeling 6, Thinking 8 choose one character to have +2 Return your ante to Fx, and
Connection with. choose one option from the list
Transcendental
above (and thus avoid draining
Bottom +2, Charm +2, Down -1
your personal energy).
Top -2, Strange -1, Up +3
Doing 5, Feeling 6, Thinking 7 Move your ante to Hx, and then
overcome a strong barrier,
harm, or device.

William Kwan (Order #44609495)

 You have otherworldly senses beyond You can attack others with bolts of
those of material beings. To sense energy. To blast your foes with
energy and cosmic pheno- energy, ante 1 Fx, then roll
mena, ante 1 Fx, then roll +Up. +Strange:
Up to 6: Either return your ante to Fx Up to 6: Either move your
and do nothing … or choose one ante to Hx and score a
item from below, and move your weak hit… or return
ante to Hx (as you drain your your ante to Fx
personal energy). and miss.
What’s the largest source of 7-9: Either move your ante
power nearby? to Hx and score a strong
Have there been any strange hit (or weak hits against
energetic anomalies, cosmic a group of weak targets)
phenomena, or other beings of … or return your ante to
pure energy around here lately? Fx and just score a weak hit
Is there anything weird or on one target.
unusual happening around 10+: Either move your ante to
here that could help me? Hx and score a grand
What’s the technology level like hit… or return your
nearby, and is there infra- ante to Fx and just
structure that’s useful to me? score a strong hit.
What should I pay attention to?
What happened here recently?
What’s about to happen?
What tier are these people?
7-9: Choose one: Return your ante to
Fx, and ask one question from the
list above … or drain yourself,
move your ante to Hx, and then
ask three questions from the list.
10+: Return your ante to Fx, and then
ask up to three questions from the
list above

William Kwan (Order #44609495)

 Every map has edges. You’re one of the people that keeps pushing those edges forward. Driven by wanderlust and
the thrill of discovery, you live a constant adventure into the unknown. You take joy in finding uncharted planets,
discovering new species, making first contact with alien civilizations, and in dreaming of what’s still left to be
discovered.
Play an Explorer to be a jack of all trades who cames out of danger unscathed.

Most Interesting Character An all-purpose navigational

Bottom +1, Charm +2, Down +2 drone (gear)
Alexander, Darak, Ell, Farin,
Top +2, Strange -2, Up -2 Caches of weapons everywhere
Hunter, Indie, James, Lara,
Doing 8, Feeling 5,Thinking 5 (gear)
Mimulex, Ravi, Rey, Roland, Swift
A newly discovered life form
(alien pet, named Argo, Jax,
Can’t Take the Sky from Me: Obi, or Specimen Zero)
Choose one or more:
Bright eyes, Curious eyes, Whenever you would suffer harm Or make something up!
Compass, Dusty clothes, Heavily to your Feeling, you can deflect
armed, Hiking gear, Messy, Scruffy, the harm to your Doing or
Tanned, Trusting eyes, Unsus- Thinking, instead.
pecting, Utility vest Specialization is for insects.
After rolling 6 or less, but before
Futurex 4 Historyx 1
playing out any effects, move
1 Fx to Hx. That roll is changed
Choose one: to 7.
Thrill Seeker In character, ask each other After a nearby friend rolls 6 or
Bottom -1, Charm +2, Down +2 character what they want to find. less, but before playing out
Top +2, Strange -1, Up -1 After listening to their answers, any effects, offer your
Doing 6, Feeling 6,Thinking 6 choose one character to have +2 assistance. Move 1 of your Fx
Scientific Adventurer Connection with. to your Hx, and your friend’s
Bottom +2, Charm +2, Down +2 Also, +2 Connection with roll is changed to 7.
Top -2, Strange -3, Up +2 (choose one):
Doing 5, Feeling 4,Thinking 9 Space fleet uniform with
Treasure Hunter bandolier and communicator
Bottom +1, Charm +2, Down +3 (gear)
Top +1, Strange -1, Up -3 A talent for improvising repairs
Doing 7, Feeling 6,Thinking 5 with whatever’s at hand (gear)
The lost treasure of an ancient
alien civilization (gear)

William Kwan (Order #44609495)

 You’re ready for ambushes, traps, You speak dozens of languages,
and other surprises. you’ve been to hundreds of places.
When suffering some hazard or You are most interesting, that way.
peril, instead of rolling the When you interact with a strange
usual challenge, roll +Down. or alien culture, roll +Charm.
Up to 6: Suffer the hazard, as if 7-9: The MC should tell you basic
you rolled 6 or less. facts about the civilization
7-9: Avoid any weak hazard you’ve just met. The MC should
completely, or reduce any harm tell you who is in control here,
by 1. (In case it matters, treat what you should be on the
the hazard as if you rolled 7.) lookout for, and what is the best
Until your next move, any way to deal with these people. If
friend who responds to the they are currently hostile,
same hazard takes +1 forward. you may immediately try
to cease hostilities
10+ Avoid any strong hazard
(page 123).
completely, or reduce any harm
by 2. (In case it matters, treat 10+: As above, plus the MC
the hazard as if you rolled 10.) may tell you to write
Until your next move, any down a Connection +1
friend who responds to the with this civilization.
same hazard takes +3 forward. You can now nego-
tiate with them,
freely.

William Kwan (Order #44609495)

 You could be a sentient vapor cloud, or a being of pure energy, or a swarm of nanites. In theory, if you were left
unchecked, you could destroy planet after planet… but what’s the fun in that? Besides, you’d eventually go head-
to-head with some other unstoppable force and it would just get ugly. The genocide of countless innocents hasn’t
brought you any happiness. If you just take a chance to talk to people, many of them are extremely polite, when
they’re not sobbing and begging you to spare them from your ineffable power. Maybe here, among these gentle,
ephemeral beings, you might come to know the strange and wonderful feeling called “love.” Or maybe you’ll get
jilted, throw a fit, and wipe out a few star systems. Most of us are hoping for the “love” part.
Play an Extinctioner if you want to be a big, dangerous power, even by our standards!

Being of pure energy Bad News

… or make something up! Bottom =0, Charm -1, Down -1
The All-Consuming, Aohime,
When you are powered up, it’s Top +2, Strange +3, Up =0
Azathoth, Berserker, Bringer-of-
quite obvious. Nearby electronics Doing 7, Feeling 7, Thinking 4
Death, Dioxygene Diflouride, Ender,
Gemmajacula, Grey Goo, Gygan, may suddenly turn on or short out.
The Instrumentality, Jenora, Kali, Sentient beings feel the aura of your
Kosmos, Otto, Pyron, Ripper, Shakara, dread. Your appearance changes Unthinkable Destruction:
Shen Taier, Shiva, Tarkus, Tiamat to your final form, etc. Be creative! Whenever you would suffer harm
to your Thinking, you can deflect
the harm to your Doing or Feeling,
instead.
Choose one or more:
Amorphous blob, Crackling plasma, Choose one:
Death cannons, Everybody sees Cosmic Horror
something different, Glow, Humming Bottom -1, Charm-1, Down -2 Futurex 4 Historyx 1
noise, Ichorous ooze, Nanomachines, Top +3, Strange +2, Up +2
Polymorphism, Pulsating flesh, Doing 7, Feeling 6, Thinking 5
Robotics, Shifting chaos, Small Nice If You Get to Know Them In character, ask each player if
child, Stench of death, The stuff of Bottom +1, Charm =0, Down -3 their character is afraid of yours.
nightmares, Yawning void of space Top +3, Strange +2, Up =0 After listening to their answers,
Choose your dread power: Doing 9, Feeling 7, Thinking 2 pick one character to have a +2
Zetta-tech cybernetics Hiding in Plain Sight Connection with.
Self-replicating nano-machines Bottom +1, Charm =0, Down -2
Hard-light force-screens Top +2, Strange +2, Up =0
Level 9000 Psycho-Kinesis Doing 8, Feeling 7, Thinking 3

Unchecked biotic growth

William Kwan (Order #44609495)

 To power up for might, ante 1 or more Fx. Roll +Strange.
Up to 9: Return your ante to Fx. If “power up for might” is
your next move, take +3 forward.
10+: Put all of your ante aside, as might.
While you have might, you may use these moves:
Survive and travel in outer space. You propel yourself
with some sort of locomotion. While you could travel to
other stars, you don’t move faster that light and it will
take centuries to get there.
Ignore weak hazards and attackers. They either
bounce off you or are destroyed.
Before resisting a strong hazard or attack, roll +might.
If you roll 7+, you both ignore and destroy the source.
Before resisting a grand hazard or attack, roll +might.
If you roll 7+, you may move 1 point from might to Hx to
ignore this source until your next move, and to inflict
grand damage on it. Some grand challenges will be
destroyed by this, but grander ones might not.
Move all might to Hx. You power down.

To power up for destruction, ante 1 or more Fx. Roll +Top.

Up to 9: Return your ante to Fx. If “power up for
destruction” is your next move, take +3 forward.
10+: Put all your ante aside, as destruction.
While you have destruction, you may use these moves:
Roll +destruction vs. a group of strong targets.
If you roll 7+, all targets are destroyed.
Describe the carnage in detail.
Roll +destruction vs. a grand target. If you roll 7+,
you may move 1 point from destruction to your Hx to
inflict grand damage to the target. Some grand targets
will be instantly destroyed, but grander targets may
take two hits or more.
Move all destruction to Hx. You power down.

William Kwan (Order #44609495)

 Galactic sentience is often biased in favor of the mammals, what with their circulatory systems and their high
metabolic rate and whatnot. Maybe sometimes you get marsupials or even reptiles, but what about our other
kingdoms? When you’re a humanoid plant, you don’t have a shallow complexity just to show off to the
homiotherms. And you smell nice.
Play a Flora if you want to be different, if you want to be pretty, or if you want freaky plant powers.

Beautiful Arrangement
Bottom =0, Charm +2, Down -2
Alec, Audrey, Aweto, Eedyh, Elder,
Top +3, Strange +1, Up -1
Eukeif, Groot, Hawthorne, Kiara, To rapidly grow into a plant monster,
Doing 8, Feeling 8, Thinking 2
Kodama, Morphir, Neued, Pamela, ante 1 or more Fx. Roll +Top.
Rowan, Sallis, Treven, Triff, Eternal Wisdom
Bottom =0, Charm =0, Down =0 Up to 9: Others can see your
Woodrue, Willow, Yew
Top +1, Strange +1, Up +1 flowers bloom, stalks extend,
Doing 6, Feeling 6, Thinking 6 etc. Choose one: +ante forward
to your next growth move… or
Choose one or more: move your ante back to Fx.
Androgynous, Asexual, Bark skin, 10+: Set your ante aside,
Bright colors, Flowers, Fungoid Natural Law: Whenever you would
as growth. The more points in
growths, Green hide, Humanoid, suffer harm to your Thinking, you
can deflect the harm to your Doing growth, the bigger you are.
Hundreds of symbiotic insects living
or Feeling, instead. While you have growth, you may
inside your body cavity, Leaves, Mass
use the following moves.
of Fibers, Pleasant Odor, Pollen,
Reedy voice, Sticky globs, Tendrils When a friend or nearby object
suffers harm, roll +growth.
Futurex 2 Historyx 3
7-9, you take the hit instead;
10+, you take the hit and you
subtract 1 from the harm, too.
Choose one: Ask each player to say their When you are assaulted directly,
Plant Thing favorite color. After listening to roll +growth. 7-9, you ignore and
Bottom +1, Charm -2, Down -2 their answers, pick one character disable a weak attacker; 10+,
Top +3, Strange +2, Up =0 to have a +2 Connection with. you ignore and disable a strong
Doing 9, Feeling 5, Thinking 3 attacker or group of weak ones.
Avatar of Nature Choose one: subdue them (with
Bottom +1, Charm +1, Down -2 vines, catapults, etc.) or
Top +1, Strange +2, Up =0 destroy them (with thorns,
Doing 7, Feeling 8, Thinking 3 smashing, smothering, etc.)

William Kwan (Order #44609495)

 Add +growth to any rolls Cover a place in fungus, spores
where being huge would help and leaves, which instantly
(holding doors open, getting enrages all maids, cleaners,
things off high shelves, and janitorial staff in the area.
catching falling people, etc.) Attract one or more types of
Subtract -growth from any rolls insects. With the right wind on
where being huge would hurt the right planet, you could
(convincing people you mean summon swarms of the things.
them no harm, sneaking about, Repel an animal.
fitting into places, pushing Synthesize a variety of poisons,
buttons, etc.) The MC may rule irritants, thorns,
that some things are impossible and other
for giant plant monsters to do. unpleasant
Move 1 growth to Hx to things.
reduce incoming harm by 1, or Use healing
just because you want to. If all herbs and oils
your growth is gone, you shrink to give you or
back to normal size. someone else +3
on their next revive
move. (See
To use your colors, aroma, and page 126).
other display to your advantage, Sprout a blossom,
ante 1 Fx and roll +Top. which you can then
7-9: Move your ante to Hx, and hand off to someone
choose one from the list below. as a token of your
10+: Return your ante to Fx, and regard.
choose one from the list below. Learn the biological
Use bioluminescence to history of the plants
illuminate an area, revealing in this area.
anything hidden. Blend in with
Dazzle a strong enemy, so that local plants.
they stop assaulting you, thus Landscaping.
giving you an opening for Root yourself
negotiation. into good soil and
Entrance a weak target, with then wait a
your bright colors, powerful hundred years.
pheromones, and natural Or something else related
promise. to being a sentient plant.

William Kwan (Order #44609495)

 You can’t take it with you, and with the stars about to go out, why wait? Everything has a price, and your goal is to
build up the best inventory that you can. It’s not so much that enjoy the money, as the thrill of the acquisition.
Your stock and trade is the exotic, the bizarre, and the unique. Without a standard for money, you have to make
frequent spot judgements to weigh the value of one thing against another. And to you, everything has a price.
Play a Freebooter if you care about getting the best toys as much as you care about having them.

Collector Also, +2 Connection with

Bottom -3, Charm +3, Down =0 (choose one):
Adam, Captain, Carmen, Croesus,
Top +2, Strange -1, Up +2 Your Designer Bag of Holding
Cyrano, Delos, Fortune, Harry, Lucre,
Doing 4, Feeling 7, Thinking 7 with patented Xtra-DimensionTM
Macklin, Midas, Milton, Noah, Quark,
Stan, Tiktik, Tivan, Underwood, Connoisseur Pok-8 Space® (gear)
Vantabeard, Xuanzang Bottom -2, Charm +2, Down +1 Your ship’s cargo hold (gear)
Top +2, Strange -2, Up +2 Your credit at finer stores found
Doing 5, Feeling 5, Thinking 8 across the galaxy (gear)
Choose one or more: Your supercargo (follower,
Clashing clothes, Concealed named Arrow, Blackberry, Cat,
weapon, Deep pockets that jingle, Better Part of Valor: Whenever Efreet, Newton, 1-Zero-1,
Exotic cologne, Gaudy jewelry, you would suffer harm to your Silver, Uteeni, Zoop, etc.)
Honest face, Immaculate complexion, Doing, you can deflect the harm to Your rare, exotic, and spoiled pet
Mixed drink, Smile, One or more your Feeling or Thinking, instead. (named Angel, Buster, Lucario,
attendants, Organizer with up-to- Nero, Princess, Snookums,
date inventory, Polyglot of languages, Sweet Baby, Zuqueta, etc.)
Pride of their collection, Styled hair Futurex 2 Historyx 3 Or make something up!

Think of a number, then ask all the Always be closing. Move 1 Fx to

Choose one: other players to guess that number. Hx, then roll +Top.
Merchant Marine After hearing all their guesses,
Up to 6: Ask the MC one question
Bottom -3, Charm +2, Down +1 pick one character to have a +2
from the list below. 7 9, two
Top +3, Strange +1, Up -1 Connection with. You can choose
questions. 10+, three questions.
Doing 5, Feeling 8, Thinking 5 who guessed the closest, or who
What happened here recently?
Smooth Talker didn’t go over, or just anyone. Don’t
tell anyone what your number was. What is about to happen?
Bottom -2, Charm +3, Down +2
Top +1, Strange -2, Up +1 What’s in it for me?
Doing 4, Feeling 6, Thinking 8 What of mine is at risk, here?
What things here are the most
valuable or profitable?

William Kwan (Order #44609495)

 How valuable are these things
to other people? You gain riches by making
What tier are these people? successful trade deals.
Who’s really in control here? Add +riches to all rolls when you
What is here that’s not what it can impress others with how
appears to be? wealthy you are.
Take +3 forward when acting on Make a business transaction with
the answers to your questions. someone. Move 1 riches to Hx,
and choose one:
Make a strong purchase for you
It’s time to make a deal. Declare a and each one of your
target, then ante 1 or more Fx. friends.
Roll +Charm. Bribe a grand target.
(Grander targets may
Up to 6: Return ante to Fx.
need multiple riches.)
7-9: Set aside 1 point of the ante as
Purchase a grand
trade, and return the rest to Fx.
piece of gear.
10: Set aside the entire ante as (Grander gear may
trade. require multiple
Declare +trade to be a riches.)
+Connection with the target. Throw money at a
Use this connection to reveal problem, what can
gear, services, or other things. be solved with
You could have multiple trade money. In a casual
pools, set aside for different situation, this
targets. could just work, but
To liquidate trade, find another for charged
target who wants to do business situations, the
with your first target and MC may give you
roll +Top. +3 per riches
Up to 6: Move all trade to Hx. spent.

7-12: Set aside 1 trade as riches.

If your next move is to
liquidate, take +3 forward.
13+: Move all trade to riches.

William Kwan (Order #44609495)

 Only the insane have strength enough to prosper. Only those who prosper truly judge what is sane. And boy, have
you prospered. The pointless entropy of the universe, coupled with the death of everything and everyone you hold
dear, may have had an adverse effect upon you. Or maybe you just weren’t all there to begin with, and you thrive
in the madness that is the end of history. If you’re stubborn enough, eventually there won’t be anyone around to
tell you that you need help … just you, and the voices in your head.
Play a Futsie if you want to solve problems with brutal violence or addle-headed insights.

Albert, Alice, Black, Citizen Snips, Ask all the other players to roll
Colonel, Crazy, Death-on-Two-Legs, Choose one: two dice. Look at all their
Decker, Jane Doe, The End, Forbus, Walking Horror numbers, and then pick one
Frankie, Goldman, Jason, Kilgore, Bottom -1, Charm -3, Down +2 character to have a +2 Connection
Mister Happy, Johnson, Mawl, Mom, Top +2, Strange +3, Up =0 with. You don’t have to tell anyone
Nutjob, Omega, The Perfect Being, Doing 6, Feeling 5, Thinking 7 why you did or didn’t pick them.
Priscilla, Prophet, Psycho, Reaper,
Lurker in the Darkness
Roberto, Sam, Smiley, Super-
Bottom +3, Charm -2, Down =0
Beast, The Unnamable, Wacko
Top -1, Strange +2, Up +1
Doing 7, Feeling 5, Thinking 6 You are capable of extreme violence.
Compulsive Builder Ante 1 Fx, then roll +Strange
Choose one or more: Bottom +1, Charm -2, Down +2 Up to 9: Weak Atrocity
Babbling, Bad teeth, constant Top -2, Strange +2, Up +2 Move the ante into Hx. Charge
sparking, Collection of small and Doing 4, Feeling 5, Thinking 9 any weak opponent and destroy
shiny objects, Cybernetics, Hand- Seer them using only your bare hands.
written manifesto, Invasions of Bottom +0, Charm -2, Down -1 If your next move is an assault
personal space, Look of eagles, Top +2, Strange +2, Up +2 or atrocity, take +1 forward.
Necrosis, Never talks, Odd voice, Doing 7, Feeling 5, Thinking 6
Rictus, Ritual scarring, Sockets, 10-12: Strong Atrocity
Smell of blood, Spasms, Talks too Return the ante to Fx. Charge
much, Tattoos in fractal patterns, any one strong opponent, or
Unblinking eyes, Unusual diet Unconstrained by Conventional group of weak opponents, and
Morality: Whenever you would destroy them using only your bare
suffer harm to your Feeling, you hands. If your next move is an
can deflect the harm to your Doing assault or atrocity, take +3
or Thinking, instead. forward.

Futurex 4 Historyx 1

William Kwan (Order #44609495)

 13+: Grand Atrocity
Move the ante to Fx. Charge a
group of strong opponents, and
destroy them using only your
bare hands. You may charge a
grand opponent and inflict
grand damage on it, but it may
or may not be destroyed.
If your next move is an
assault or atrocity, take +6
forward.

If only they would listen to you!

It would all make sense, given time.
Declare another character to
share your secrets with, and
ante 1 or more Fx. Roll +ante.
Up to 6: Insanity
Move 1 point to your Hx, and
return the rest to your Fx. What
you say makes no sense to anyone
and just sounds really creepy.
7+: Prophecy
Set your ante in front of that
player, as prophecy.
After that player makes a roll, they
may ask you if they can move 1
point from the prophecy to
your Hx. If you say yes, that
player rolls one die and adds
that to their last roll. (Oh,
that’s what you were talking
about!)

William Kwan (Order #44609495)

 One is the loneliest number. You’ve expanded—a single entity distributed equally among multiple bodies. Some
gestalts are telepathic in nature, multiple individuals mind-melded into a single amalgamated whole. Technology
can also offer multiple mechanical or cybernetic bodies, synchronized to the will of an uploaded brain or A.I.
Others arise out of bizarre scientific accidents, quirks of alien evolution, or deep space anomalies.
Play the Gestalt to be defined by your multiple bodies, being in many places at once and occasionally pausing
to mourn the loss of an individual body.

Pleasure Collective
Bottom -1, Charm +3, Down +2
Alpha Mind, Anaander, The
Top +1, Strange -1, Up -1
Combine, Enantiomorph, The Your minds are linked, and you can
Doing 5, Feeling 7,Thinking 6
Harmony Consciousness, summon a flash mob at any time.
L.E.G.I.0.N, the Many-in-One, The Too Many Clones!
Bottom -2, Charm +1, Down +2 To summon more bodies, ante 1 or
Multiple Toms, Nestor, Omnius,
Top +2, Strange -1, Up +1 more Fx. Roll +Down.
Psmith, Uberclique, Unity
Doing 5, Feeling 5,Thinking 8 Up to 6: Return your ante to Fx.
Your other bodies have been
delayed, for some reason.
Choose one or more:
Expendable Bodies: Whenever you 7+: Put all your ante aside, as
Coordinated outfits, Cybernetic
implants, Disjointed movements, would suffer harm to your Doing, multiplicity.
Eerily synchronized voices, Glowing you can deflect that harm to your
eyes, Happy smiles, Matching Feeling or Thinking instead.
accessories, Matching eye colors, What is the fatigue of one body, when
Pleasantly harmonic voices, Simple you have dozens to spare?
white clothing, Smelling of incense, Futurex 4 Historyx 1 Whenever you would set aside a
Smelling of recreational drugs point in your scars pool,
roll +Top. Roll once per point.
Up to 6: Set the point aside as
In character, ask each other
dwindling, instead.
character how they cope with
Choose one: only having a single body. After 7+: Set the point aside as
Telepathically Linked listening to their answers, choose multiplicity, instead.
Bottom -2, Charm +2, Down +3 one character to have +2
Top +1, Strange -2, Up +1 Connection with. You have +1
Doing 4, Feeling 5,Thinking 9 Connection with all other
Mechanized Drone-Bodies characters.
Bottom -3, Charm -2, Down +2
Top +3, Strange +2, Up +1
Doing 5, Feeling 5,Thinking 8

William Kwan (Order #44609495)

 To control an area,
You gain dwindling points by using You gain multiplicity points by roll +multiplicity. Until your
your transferring to prevent scars. using your collective, trans- next move, all weak or strong
Each time you gain a dwindling ference, and dwindling moves. The enemies must target you first.
point, one or more of your bodies more multiplicity you have, the Before a friend makes a roll,
perish, but the gestalt carries on. more of you are around. offer to help and roll +multi-
Move all scars to dwindling. You Whenever you have multiplicity, plicity. 7+, they may take +1
don’t have a scars pool. If a rule you may use these moves: forward to the roll.
tells you to set a point in scars, You may be in multiple places at Add +multiplicity to any rolls
set it in dwindling, instead. once. If your friends split up, you where having multiple,
If any one of your indicia (Doing, may send one or more bodies with coordinated bodies would
Feeling, or Thinking) drops to them. If your multiplicity is gone, help (assembly-line, complex
zero, ante 1 or more Fx or Hx, choose one friend to repairs, cleaning house, social
then roll +ante. If you have any remain with and events, etc.)
+dwindling, add that to your abandon the Subtract multiplicity from any
roll, too. rest. rolls where having multiple,
Up to 6: Return your ante. You can coordinated bodies would help
try again on a later move, but (being sneaky, taking cover,
wait for the MC to respond, first. avoiding disasters, etc.) The MC
may rule that some things are
7-9: New bodies arrive to take up
impossible for a large crowd.
the slack. Restore 1 to each of
your Doing, Feeling, and At any time, move one or more
points from multiplicity to Hx.
Thinking. Move 1 of your
You can send your bodies off
ante to dwindling, and the
on their errands.
rest to multiplicity.
When you suffer harm, move
10+: Fresh bodies arrive to
one point from multiplicity to
take up the slack. Restore
dwindling to negate the harm.
1 to each of your Doing,
One of your bodies suffers the
Feeling, and Thinking.
harm, instead, and it instantly
Move your ante to
perishes, from organ failure,
multiplicity.
heart attack, seizure, etc. (This
demise may freak other people
out, but you’re used to it.)

William Kwan (Order #44609495)

 The wars of the future have seen the line between man and machine blur into nothingness on the battlefield. Soldiers
cybernetically enhanced with mechanical exoskeletons, armored suits pilot by uploaded mindprints, powered armors that
continue functioning long after the brain death of their pilot, and more. Were you ever human to begin with? If you were, it’s
hard to tell now. Your body is powerful and almost indestructible—but it’s also your prison.
Play the Hazmat to protect your allies with strength and technological prowess.

Forgotten War Machine Sensory scanners and probes

Bottom -1, Charm -2, Down +2 linked in to your armor’s
A’kzeni, Alita, Baxu, Evander,
Top +2, Strange +3, Up -1 H.U.D. (gear)
RIM Model-009, Kathra, Liza,
Doing 6, Feeling 6,Thinking 6 An onboard database of
Morrigun, Raltel, Rom,
S.O.L.D.I.E.R., Tony, Uron Null general information,
navigation, and sites of
More Machine Than Person: strategic interest. (gear)
Whenever you would suffer harm Assorted mechanical
Choose one or more:
to your Feeling, you can deflect components (gear)
Built-in weaponry, Custom
the harm to your Doing or War plunder (gear)
upgrades, Hazmat-sealed, No
Thinking, instead. Or make something up!
visible face, Nuclear power core,
Motorized hum, Multiple
mechanized arms, Polished chrome
chassis, PTSD, Static in voice, Futurex 3 Historyx 2
Tubes, Weathered chassis
Your suit has numerous self-
repair systems to help you. To heal
Ask each player whether they’d yourself, ante 1 Fx and roll +Top.
rather take the offensive or stay Up to 6: Your systems need more
Choose one: on the defense in battle. After time to complete the repairs.
Power Suit Veteran listening to their answers, choose Return your ante to Fx. If your
Bottom -1, Charm -1, Down +2 one character to have +2 next move is self-repair, take
Top +1, Strange +1, Up +1 Connection with. +3 forward.
Doing 5, Feeling 5,Thinking 8 Also, +2 Connection with
7-9: Restore up to 3 points to your
(choose one):
Sentinel Doing, Feeling, or Thinking
Bottom -1, Charm -1, Down +3 Pocket dimension storage
(mix and match). Then move
Top +1, Strange =0, Up +1 capsule (gear)
your ante to failsafe.
Doing 5, Feeling 4,Thinking 9 High-tech multimodal weapons 10+: Restore up to 6 points to your
Self-Upgrade Enthusiast array that can configure itself Doing, Feeling, or Thinking
Bottom -2,Charm -1, Down +2 into various forms (gear) (mix and match). Then move
Top +1, Strange =0, Up +3 your ante to failsafe.
Doing 4, Feeling 4,Thinking 10

William Kwan (Order #44609495)

 Tank for your friends. Until your
You gain failsafe points from using next move, any and all friends
your self-repair. It’s not as good as in your zone of control
self-repair, but it’s better than can deflect 1 point
nothing. of damage from
Whenever one or more of your hazards onto
indices is reduced to zero, you. You
roll +failsafe. choose
which of
7-9: Restore 1 point to each of Doing,
your indicia
Feeling, and Thinking. Then move
(Doing,
one failsafe point to scars.
Feeling, or
10+: Restore 1 point to each of Doing, Thinking) that they are
Feeling, and Thinking. deflecting the damage onto
(mix and match).
Use your exoskeletal strength
Your suit has a variety of systems to to force open a door, to lift
help you get stuff done. To use something heavy, to leap to a
your suit to your advantage, ante great height, etc.
1 Fx and roll +Down. Use rockets or jet boost
7-9: Move your ante to Hx, and to rapidly change
choose one from the list below. location.
10+: Return your ante to Fx, and Endure some
choose one from the list below. environmental
Scan an area for strange hazard, subtracting 3
radiations and toxins, giving from the damage
you and your friends +1 forward until your next
to deal with the problem. move.
Use a point-defense system to Engage
neutralize a weak target. suspended
Until your next move, use your animation,
point-defense systems to where you fall asleep
temporarily reduce all strong and reduce your life-signs,
targets in your zone of control to elude detection and to
into weak ones. (Maybe survive until help arrives.
someone else can take them Or something else that only
out?) someone in a powered-armor
suit could do. Be creative!

William Kwan (Order #44609495)

 The universe is a messy, complicated place where morality goes not just from black to grey to white, but to blue
and orange as well. Doing the right thing will get you killed, and if it doesn’t, you’ll just live to see the unintended
consequences of your heroism. You know that. But that’s not going to stop you from trying. You are the kind of
person who will always do the right thing, who protects the innocent and leads their friends to victory. It’s hard
world to be that kind of person in, but that makes what you do all the more important.
Play the Hero to inspire other characters with your heroic example. Someone’s got to try!

Swashbuckler
Bottom -1,Charm +2, Down +2
Adam, Attrid, Cesa, Chandra, Eliza,
Top +2, Strange =0, Up -2
The 404 Kid, Ilana, Juda, Kimball, With great power comes great
Doing 6, Feeling 7, Thinking 5
Lance, the Lone Unit, Luke, responsibility.
Malcolm, Marco, Marshal, Maya, Exiled Royalty
Bottom +2,Charm +3, Down +1 When a friend is assaulted, ante 1
Rebec, Shane, Sparks, Vash, Wayne
Top +1, Strange -2, Up -2 Fx and roll +Down.
Doing 8, Feeling 6, Thinking 4 Up to 6: You’re not fast enough!
Return your ante to Fx and try
Choose one or more: to keep strong as the MC
Backwater accent, Badge, describes what happens.
Calmness, Determined eyes, It’s Time for Action: Whenever you
Duster, Honest face, Inspiring would suffer harm to your 7-9: Weak Rescue. You subdue a
Thinking, you can deflect the harm weak attacker, or prevent a
voice, Lantern jaw, Military
to your Doing or Feeling, instead. weak hazard before any harm.
fatigues, Smile, Steady hand, Too
If it's a strong challenge, you’ll
young to shave
still succeed, but with
complications. (You may suffer
Futurex 3 Historyx 2
harm, you might lose some
important item, you gain un-
Choose one: wanted attention, or some-
Space Ranger In character, ask each other thing else that you and the MC
Bottom -2,Charm +2, Down +3 character what they personally think of.) Move your ante to
Top +2, Strange =0, Up -2 believe in. After listening to their heroics.
Doing 5, Feeling 7, Thinking 6 answers, choose one character to 10+: Strong Rescue. You deal with
Sheriff have +2 Connection with. You a strong challenge with no
Bottom -1,Charm +2, Down +1 have +1 Connection with all other problems, but if it’s grand, you
Top +3, Strange =0, Up -2 characters. suffer complications, as above.
Doing 7, Feeling 7, Thinking 4 Move your ante to heroics.

William Kwan (Order #44609495)

 Urge a friend to do the right
Lead by example. Describe some thing. If their next move is in the
noble calling to inspire your spirit of your urge, move 1 point
friends, ante 1 Fx and roll +Top. of your heroics to their Fx pool.
Up to 6: Return your ante to Fx.
7+: Move your ante to heroics.
If your friend’s next move is in
the spirit of what you just
described, you may tell them to
roll three dice and keep the
best two.

Your heroics pool builds up by using

your rescue and your rally moves.
When you have points in heroics,
you may use these moves:
Add +heroics to any rolls to
convince others of your good
intentions.
Add +heroics to any rolls to
escape from containment,
prison, or any other place that
would hold you back.
Add +heroics to any roll to
pick yourself back up.
(See “revive”, page 126.)
Subtract heroics from any
rolls where being a good guy
make things more difficult for
you. The MC may rule that
things are impossible when
you’ve got heroics.
If you are incapacitated, all
your friends may add +heroics
to their rolls to help you or to
fight against what caused
your downfall.

William Kwan (Order #44609495)

 By definition, anyone who can’t die would still be around by the end of history. Well, here you are. You might be
some sort of biological entity that’s immune to the ravages of age. Or you could be a mechanical robot who’s
really durable, easily fixed, or both. You might not even be a linear, causal being as we understand it. What makes
you unusual is that you’ve lived a long, long time, and you’ve seen a lot. Now it’s time to party.

Adventurer Items bought with compound

Bottom +1, Charm +1, Down +1 interest from the bank account
Ancient One, Arvin, Ayesha, Cane,
Top +1, Strange +1, Up -2 I started last century (gear)
Chosen One, Claire, Connor, Dorian,
Doing 7, Feeling 7, Thinking 4 Robot assistant assembled from
Durham, Elizabeth, The Foretold,
Jack, Lazarus, Logan, Magnus, Nomad Soul a dozen different sources
Maitland, Messiah, Methuselah, Bottom -1, Charm =0, Down +2 (follower, named Christian,
Milo, Number 17, Orchid, Orlando, Top +1, Strange +2, Up -1 Friday, Jeeves, Lydia, Oliver,
Pamela, Pilgrim, Vandal, Walter Doing 5, Feeling 7, Thinking 6 Vivian, or Servant)
Indestructible alien (pet, named
Auklar, Exu, Marble, Spot, etc.)

Choose one or more: Who Wants to Live Forever: Or make something up!
Anachronistic clothes, Beard, Whenever you would suffer harm to
Calmness, Deliberate movements, your Doing, you can deflect the harm
Eyes that have seen it all, to your Feeling or Thinking, instead.
Memento of lost love, Paternal You’ve forgotten more about life
demeanor, Soothing voice, Steady than most people will ever see.
hand, Striking looks, Weathered Futurex 4 Historyx 1 You can delve into old relation-
cane, Youthful complexion ships, recover lost memories, and
tap into hidden caches.
In character, ask each other charac- Declare a new connection with a
ter what their oldest memory is. person, organization, or gear.
Choose one: After hearing all the answers, choose This has to be a new connection,
Sybarite a +2 connection with one of them. not an existing one. Then ante
Bottom +1, Charm +2, Down =0 Also +2 Connection with 1 or more Fx. Roll +ante.
Top +1, Strange -1, Up =0 (choose one): Up to 6: Return your ante to Fx.
Doing 7, Feeling 6, Thinking 5 Calvary uniform and
7+: Set all of your ante aside as
Eternal Soldier weapons (gear)
the reminiscence.
Bottom +1, Charm +1, Down +2 Several secret cashes that I
Top +1, Strange -1, Up 1 stashed over the millennia (gear) Your +reminiscence is
Doing 7, Feeling 5,Thinking 6 a +Connection with the target.
The hospitality of my ten
thousand children (gear)

William Kwan (Order #44609495)

 You’ve been around. When a friend As you use your immortality to resist
you have a connection is about to damage, your eternal pool builds up.
make a roll, offer to assist. If they Add +eternal to any rolls to resist
accept, roll +Top. damage or hazards.
7+: Your friend takes your Add +eternal to all rolls for the
+Connection with them, forward. immortality move.
If you have scars on your character,
you may move 1 Fx point to
Your body resists harm that would
eternal. Then give the scars
fell lesser people.
points to any characters
Whenever you suffer harm or any you want, mix and
calamity, ante 1 or more Fx, then match. They put those
roll +ante. (And +eternal, if any.) points in Fx or Hx,
Up to 6: Return the ante to Fx. Until mixing and matching
your next move, reduce any as much as they want.
harm by 1. If your next move is
immortal, take +1 forward.
7-12: Move 1 point of ante to
eternal, return the rest to Fx.
Until your next move, reduce
any harm by 3. If your next move
is immortal, take +3 forward.
13+: Move all of your ante to eternal.
Until your next move, reduce any
harm by 6. If your next move is
immortal, take +6 forward.

William Kwan (Order #44609495)

 You are the last of a species or civilization lost to ages in some great cataclysm, war, or apocalypse. As the last, it
is up to you to honor the memory of your people and their traditions—but it is also your burden to make amends
for the wrongs of your people. On your journeys you seek out planets where your people interfered—conducted
weapons experiments, meddled in the evolution of indigenous species, or built the architecture of that planet’s
society. You’re the only one left who can fix that.
Play the Last of Their Kind to carry a timeless sadness and an ancient secret.

Still in Mourning
Bottom +1,Charm -2, Down +2
Adam, Cratius, Guinan, Howard,
Top -1, Strange +1, Up +2
J’onn, Kamandi, Kirana, Lobel, You have access to the rare
Doing 5, Feeling 4, Thinking 9
Nandi, Relict, Seht, Unit: Final, resources of your civilization.
Vestige, The Wanderer Seeking Vengeance
Bottom +1,Charm -3, Down +2 To find something to use for this
Top +1, Strange +1, Up +1 situation, ante 1 Fx, then
Doing 7, Feeling 3, Thinking 8 roll +Down.
Choose one or more: Up to 6: Return your ante to Fx.
Androgynous, Clothing or jewelry
7+: Ask your MC one of these
decorated with mysterious
Everything is Lost: Whenever you questions:
symbols, Humanoid, Kind eyes,
Lengthy journal, Mementos of lost would suffer harm to your Feeling, What gear would my ancestors
family, Polyglot, Quiet dignity, Sad you can deflect the harm to your have put me here to find?
eyes, Unidentifiable accent, Doing or Thinking, instead. What gear could I use to
World-weary eyes impress who’s in control here?
What gear would protect me
Futurex 4 Historyx 1 from a bad thing that’s about
to happen?
Is there anything here that’s
Choose one:
not supposed to be here?
Blending in With Society In character, ask each other
Bottom +2,Charm =0, Down +1 character how they feel about What would be the best gear
Top -3, Strange +1, Up +2 their family or culture. After to deal with these people?
Doing 4, Feeling 6, Thinking 8 listening to their answers, choose The MC tells you what new piece of
Sole Survivor one character to have +2 strong gear that you reveal, as
Bottom +1,Charm +2, Down +2 Connection with. dictated by your question. Move your
Top +2, Strange -3, Up -1 Fx to relics.
Doing 8, Feeling 4, Thinking 6

William Kwan (Order #44609495)

 You gain relics points by using Let others learn from the mistakes
your caretaker move. of the past. As your time ends,
Add +relics to any moves that theirs begins.
deal with the question(s) you Declare a friend, and advise them
asked to get the relics points on their future, using a
in first place. parable of the past. Then ante
At any time, move 1 or more 1 or more Fx and roll +ante.
points from relics to Hx. Once Up to 6: Move your ante to Fx.
all your relics points are gone, 7-9: Set 1 of your ante in
so is the gear, lost to the front of the player as
dustbin of history. counsel, and move the
rest to your Hx.
10+: Set your entire ante
You are one with the shadows.
in front of the player
Declare an enemy, then as counsel.
roll +Bottom.
At any time, the player
Up to 6: You are discovered before may ask if what
you can do anything they’re about to do
unpleasant, and the enemy is in line with
responds in kind. You are their counsel. If
exposed. you say yes, they
7-9: Move into range, subdue a may move 1
weak target, and then move point of your
away. No weak enemies see counsel to your
you do this. Hx pool to their
10+: Move into range, subdue a own Fx pool.
strong target, and then move
away. No weak or strong
enemies see you do this.

William Kwan (Order #44609495)

 In your glory days, your rule was unquestioned, and your power was absolute. Entire planets paid tribute to you. You knew
your empire would last until the end of time. And here we are. After centuries of operation, your empire is running on fumes.
Most of your resources have been used up. The few followers that you have remaining are a pale imitation of what they were,
generations ago. You’re still lord of all you survey, and you still have vast wealth and resources. But here at the end of
history, who doesn’t? What’s it all worth, when the last star goes out?
Play a Lord of Ashes if you want to help your friends by wallowing in pomp and glory.

Machiavellian The cargo hold of my personal

Bottom -1, Charm +1, Down =0 vessel (gear)
Am, Autarch, Divine Shadow,
Top +2, Strange =0, Up +1 Tribute still granted to me by my
Erebus, Forbus, God-Emperor, Gwyn,
Doing 6, Feeling 6, Thinking 6 thousands of supporters (gear)
Highmost, King Nothing, Lum, Maal
Dweb, Magus, Namirrha, Nashandra, Emeritus My personal attendant (follower,
Ozymandias, Pontiff, Prime, Qwib, Bottom -1, Charm +1, Down +1 named Reader-of-the-Rules,
Thasaidon, Typhon, Vergama Top +2, Strange -1, Up +1 Majordomo, Klytus, Zilog, etc.)
Doing 6, Feeling 5, Thinking 7 My bodyblock (follower, named
Maximilian, Star, Spirall, X86
Choose one or more: Myrmydion, Royal Scion, etc.)
Advanced age, Baggy eyes, Imperial Behavior: Whenever you My pathetic heir (follower, named
Booming voice, Ceremonial sword, would suffer harm to your Doing, Lothric, Sofia, Paul, Anakin,
Crown, Cultured accent, Dueling you can deflect the harm to your Morgana, Me the 2nd, etc.)
pistol, Gilded cybernetics, Jewelry, Feeling or Thinking, instead. Or make something up!
Life support, Purple robes, Quick
gestures, Royal scepter, Short
temper, Signet ring Futurex 3 Historyx 2
Shout a mighty and righteous
challenge, then roll +Top.
Ask all the other players to say Up to 6: Until your next move, weak
Choose one: something nice about your character. enemies must target you first.
Senescent After judging their responses,
7-9: Until your next move, strong
Bottom -3, Charm +2, Down =0 choose one player and gain a +2
enemies must target you first.
Top +2, Strange +1, Up +1 Connection with their character.
You may charge into range and
Doing 4, Feeling 8, Thinking 6
Also, +2 Connection with destroy a weak target.
Dynastic Clone (choose one): 10+: Until your next move, all
Bottom -3, Charm +1, Down +1 The star-spanning remnants of enemies must target you first.
Top +3, Strange +1, Up =0 my glorious empire (gear) You may charge into range and
Doing 5, Feeling 7, Thinking 6
destroy a strong target.

William Kwan (Order #44609495)

 When you talk, people listen.
At any time, ante 1 or more Fx.
Address all your fellow
characters in a booming voice
and give a rousing speech,
worthy of a sovereign such as
yourself. Roll +Charm.
Up to 6: Set 1 point aside as the
decree, and move the rest to
your Hx.
7+: Set all your ante aside as the
decree.
After another player makes a roll,
they may ask if they may move
one point of decree to your Hx.
If you say yes, they roll one die
and add it to their last roll.

You can urge others to greatness.

Order a follower to do something,
and ante 1 Fx. Roll +Top.
Up to 6: Return your ante to Fx.
If your very next move is
“command”, take +3 forward.
7+: Your follower does the task for
you. Use your roll as the
follower’s roll. When the MC
reacts, if you choose to suffer the
harm to yourself, subtract your
+connection with that follower
from any harm.

William Kwan (Order #44609495)

 What amazing robots, machines, and servants will we see in the future? And what happens when they’re
discarded. A few centuries without a system update, and a calamity or two have left you with a solid sense of
awareness and just a teensy bit of paranoia. You might have spent who knows how long doing the same repetitive
tasks over and over again. Or maybe you were left in the dark of the toy box, waiting and waiting for someone to
come back and play with you, one more time.

Technical
Bottom +2, Charm =0, Down +2
Aphrodite-A, Burradoberi, Cheri,
Top -3, Strange =0, Up +2
David, Galatea, GA07-JL, Joe, Leroy, You are a robot! You do not breathe,
Doing 4, Feeling 5, Thinking 9
Maria, Neko, Noa, Pino, Priss, Rex, drink, eat, or sleep. You may suffer
Roy, Raimu, Rogi, Steely Dan, Zev Recreation occasional power outages.
Bottom +2, Charm +2, Down +1
To use your robotic nature to
Top -3, Strange =0, Up +1
advantage, ante 1 Fx and
Doing 4, Feeling 7, Thinking 7
Choose one or more: roll +Down.
After-market add-ons, battle Up to 6: Return your ante to Fx. If
carapace, Better than the real thing, your next move is robotics, you
Buzzing, Easy to clean, Endowments, Unfeeling Exterior: Whenever you may take +3 forward.
Eyelashes, Genderfluid tank, Heat would suffer harm to your Doing,
you can deflect the harm to your 7+: Move your ante to battered,
warmers, Jailbroken, Jerky move-
and choose one:
ments, Last year’s model, Makeup, Feeling or Thinking, instead.
Destroy a strong target, with
Overclocked processor, Perfume,
nothing more than your bare
Pretty dress, Plastic smell, Polyvinyl
hands.
skin, Replaceable facial features, Futurex 4 Historyx 1
Until your next move, weaken a
Static in voice, Stitches, Strong grip,
grand target to merely strong.
Subwoofer, Various attachments
(Maybe someone else can finish
In character, ask each other it off?)
character if they have ever felt Until your next move, dominate
lost or alone. After listening to a strong computer or device.
Choose one: their answers, choose one Until your next move, prevent a
Household character to have a +2 Connection grand hazard from hurting
Bottom +2, Charm +2, Down +1 with. You tend to call that anyone else. (Block the plasma
Top -3, Strange -1, Up +2 character “Master”. jet with your body, hold the
Doing 4, Feeling 6, Thinking 8 Also, +1 Connection with robotic door open so everyone else can
Military parts (gear). A lifetime of get through, stand in the line of
Bottom +1, Charm =0, Down +2 scavenging has you constantly fire, etc.)
Top -2, Strange +1, Up +1 collecting bits and pieces, in case
Doing 4, Feeling 6, Thinking 8 you need to repair yourself.

William Kwan (Order #44609495)

 Another character (and not
Whenever a friend is assaulted yourself) can volunteer to fix you.
and you’re close by, ante 1 Fx If you ask someone else to do it,
and roll +Bottom. the other character takes -3
forward to fix you. (It’s not in
up to 9: You are now the target.
your nature to ask for your
Move your ante to battered.
help.)
10+: You are now the target. Move The other character
your ante to battered or to Hx antes 1 Hx and roll
(mix and match). +connection with you.
7-9: the other character
moves Hx to Fx. If their
Your battered pool builds up when you
next move is “fix you”,
suffer damage. Tell other people that
they take +3 forward.
you’re used to this kind of abuse and
that it doesn’t bother you anymore. 10+: The other character moves
Hx to Fx. Move all your
Your +battered may be used as a
battered points to Fx or Hx
Connection with anyone who
(mix and match).
might be sympathetic to you,
even complete strangers.
Whenever you would suffer harm,
roll +battered.
7-9: subtract 1 from the harm.
10-12: subtract 2 from the
harm.
13+: subtract 3 from the harm.

William Kwan (Order #44609495)

 War never changes. Having survived many tours of duty, you don’t even remember what you started fighting for.
You may have outlived your old unit, or maybe you were just considered unfit for duty. You now roam the stars,
trying to find a purpose. It’s not that you particularly enjoy killing… it’s that there’s nothing you enjoy more.
Play an Old Soldier if you want to be savvy about fighting, and about strategy in general.

Shellshocked +2 Connection with (choose one):

Bottom =0, Charm -2, Down +2 Your former unit’s tontine (gear
Athena, Bagman, Brannigan,
Top +1, Strange +2, Up =0 from the Resistance, the
Burton, Caine, Chief, Davis,
Doing 6, Feeling 5, Thinking 7 Brownshirts, the Separatists,
Deadlock, Doomguy, ED-210, 4C,
Grinner, Gunnar, Hammersmith, Mercenary the Spinward Marchers, etc.)
Hicks, Jango, Joe, Kilgore, Marshal, Bottom +1, Charm =0, Down +2 An uncanny knack for having
Mekum, Panzer, Reese, Rico, Rogue, Top +2, Strange -1, Up -1 stashed weapons all over the
PVC15, Slade, Todd, Vasquez, Zippo Doing 8, Feeling 4, Thinking 6 place (gear)
Conscript The captain’s locker in your
Bottom +1, Charm -1, Down +2 military-surplus vessel (gear)
Top +2, Strange =0, Up -1 A pocket dimension accessed
Choose one or more:
Doing 8, Feeling 4, Thinking 6 by the psionic actuator inside
Alcoholic, Bald, Battle armor, Burn
scars, Buzzkill, Clipped speech, your spinal column (gear)
Cybernetic replacements, A modular uniform where bits
Fatigues, Grafted body parts, Gruff All the Scars are on the Inside: can be taken off and assembled
voice, Haunted look, Inappropriate Whenever you would suffer harm to into a variety of tools, sensors,
laughter, Missing eye, Necklace of your Feeling, you can deflect the harm and weapons (gear)
ears, No sense of humor, to your Doing or Thinking, instead. Or make something up!
Polycarbon combat knife, PTSD,
Religious, Remorseless, Tattered
uniform, Tattoos, Unidentifiable Futurex 3 Historyx 2
accent, Vintage weapons
Any plan can be broken down into
simple elements. Describe an
In character, ask each other operating plan to the MC, then
character who is the most untouched ante 1 or more Fx. Roll +Top.
Choose one: by the horrors of war. After listening Up to 6: Return your ante to Fx.
Veteran to their answers, pick one character 7-9: Set aside 1 point of your ante
Bottom +1, Charm -2, Down +2 to have a +2 connection with. for your strategy. Move the
Top +2, Strange +2, Up -1 rest to your Fx.
Doing 8, Feeling 4, Thinking 6
10+: Set aside all points of your
ante for your strategy.

William Kwan (Order #44609495)

 Any player(not just you), after
making a roll, can ask the MC To attack an enemy, roll +Down.
if what was just rolled was
Up to 6: You are exposed.
covered by the plan. If the MC
says yes, move 1 point from the 7-9: Charge into range
strategy pool to your Hx, and and take out a target
then re-roll. The new roll that’s a lower tier
stands, even if it’s worse. than your weapon. If
your next move is
proficiency, take +1
forward. You are not
If fighting will result in victory,
exposed.
then you must fight. Move 1 Fx to
Hx, and then roll +Down. 10+: Charge into range,
and take out a
Up to 6: Choose one
target that’s the
7-9: Choose two same tier as your
10+: Choose three weapon. If your
Until your next move, any next move is
assaults made by weak proficiency, take
enemies are directed against +1 forward. You
you, instead of your friends, are not exposed.
and you take +1 forward to 13+: Choose one:
respond to their assaults.
Charge into
Charge to within range of a range, take out a
weak target and then take group of targets
it out. You are not exposed. at the same tier as
Until your next move, subtract your weapon. You are
1 from all harm. not exposed.
Relocate to another position. Charge into range,
Weak enemies will not observe and reduce a grand
your relocation. target to strong, until
Until your next turn, whenever your next move. (Maybe
a friend assaults a weak target one of your friends can take
and misses, you may choose to it out?) If your next move
take out the target for them is proficiency, take
and become exposed. +1 forward. You
Declare a strong target. Until are not exposed.
your next move, your superior
flanking reduces that target to
weak. Maybe one of your
friends can take it out?

William Kwan (Order #44609495)

 Who are you, really? Maybe you don’t know. You might be an alien from a planet where creatures have evolved to
be perfect mimics. Or you could be a creation of science, the perfect spy or consort. In theory, a cluster of nano-
machines could form and re-form into any shape needed for the current situation, too. Whoever you are, or were,
or will be, you are the ultimate tourist. There’s nowhere you can’t go, no one you can’t be.
Play a Polymorph if you want to be flexible and faceless.

Assimilator
Bottom +2, Charm -1, Down =0
Alzabo, Blundht, Carmilla, Dopple-
Top +1, Strange +3, Up -2
ganger, Firvulag, Gar, Grunge, Ante 1 or more Fx, and choose a
Doing 8, Feeling 7, Thinking 3
Kerrigan, Legion, Leucrocotta, Luna, character to mimic. Roll +Bottom.
Morphir, Mystique, Moldvay, Otho, Infiltrator
Up to 9: Return your ante to Fx.
Qualtz, Slimer, Sybil, T-X, Zelig Bottom +3, Charm =0, Down -2
Your shape distorts, slowly and
Top =0, Strange +2, Up =0
weirdly; if your next move is
Doing 8, Feeling 7, Thinking 3
mimicry or shapeshift,
Choose one or more aspects of +3 forward.
your true form: 10+: Set your ante aside, as mimic.
Ambient energy, Aura of psychic Whatever You Need to Be: Whenever
While you have mimic, you may
unease, Compound eyes, Dripping you would suffer harm to your
Thinking, you can deflect the harm use the following moves.
and reforming, Fangs, Fleshless,
to your Doing or Feeling, instead. Your +mimic counts as a
Genderless, Liquid metal, Many
+Connection to other characters
fingers, No one knows, Pleasant
who have a connection to your
odor, Tiny cube, Transparent skin
mimicked target.
Futurex 4 Historyx 1
Add +mimic to all rolls to
convince other people that
you’re the mimicked target.
Choose one: In character, ask each player what When someone assaults you
Succubus their character thinks your true while your mimicked target is
Bottom +2, Charm +2, Down -2 form looks like. After listening to here, roll +mimic. On 7+, they
Top +2, Strange +1, Up -2 their answers, pick one character assault the mimicked target
Doing 9, Feeling 8, Thinking 1 to have a +2 Connection with. instead.
Imposter Move 1 point of mimic to Hx
Bottom +3, Charm +2, Down -3 to reduce harm by 1, or just
Top +1, Strange +1, Up -1 because you want to. If all
Doing 9, Feeling 8, Thinking 1 your mimic is gone, you revert
to your bizarre, true form.

William Kwan (Order #44609495)

 To change into something else,
ante 1 or more Fx. Roll
+Strange.
Up to 9: Return your ante to Fx, as
you turn into something that’s
not like anything; if your next
move is mimicry or shapeshift,
+3 forward.
10+: Put all your ante aside, as
shapeshift.
While you have shapeshift, you
may use these moves:
Roll +shapeshift to relocate.
On 10+, you can ooze through
cracks, fly into the air, or other-
wise use your shapeshifting
nature to get somewhere. On
7-9, you flounder and distort
yourself, slowly morphing; if
your next move is mimicry or
shapeshift, +3 forward.
Roll +shapeshift to charge a
weak group. On 7+, you
destroy the entire group, by
using razor-sharp tentacles,
gigantic jaws, acidic goop, etc.
Roll +shapeshift to assault a
strong target that’s close by.
On 10+, you engulf the target.
If your next move is to mimic
that target, take +3 forward.
On 7-9, your next move
against that target takes +1
forward.
Move 1 point of shapeshift to
Hx to reduce harm by 1, or
just because you want to. If all
your shapeshift is gone, you
revert to your solid, true form.

William Kwan (Order #44609495)

 You are a living spacecraft, possessed of consciousness and free will in a body that is a vast interstellar vessel.
You might be an artificial intelligence overseeing the systems of a warship, projecting a holographic avatar to
interact with your crew. You might be truly biological, able to detach a symbiotically bonded pilot or cute animal
mascot for one-on-one conversation. Some ships have a technological or telepathic bond to a single pilot,
requiring their neural pattern as their activation key.
Play the Ship to assist your allies from orbit with information, advice, and shows of technological power.

A holographic projection of
your consciousness
Albatross, Argo, Caliburn, Defiant, High Maintenance: Whenever you
Father/Mother, Invincible, Lexx, A remote-controlled would suffer harm to your Feeling,
Melfina, Moya, Orac, Queen Zargon’s mechanical drone you can deflect that harm to your
Nervous Energy, Revenge, Sentinel, A cute furry animal Doing or Thinking instead.
Sunbird, SwEEtie, Talon, Vera Or something else!

Futurex 3 Historyx 2
Choose one or more:
Battered hull, Blaring klaxons, Crys- Choose one:
talline machinery, Engine hum, Gas Scientific Vessel In character, ask each other
fumes, Holographic displays, Main- Bottom +2,Charm +1, Down +2 character how they feel about
tenance drones, Painted red, Plant- Top -2, Strange -2, Up +2 being aboard you. After listening
like design features, Self-regene- Doing 5, Feeling 4, Thinking 9 to their answers, choose one
rating, Shiny chrome hull, Static in
Warship character to have +2 Connection
voice, Techno-organic machinery
Bottom -1, Charm -3, Down +1 with. You have +1 Connection
Describe your avatar: Your main body Top +2, Strange +1, Up +3 with all other characters.
is a spaceship, but you also have a Doing 6, Feeling 3, Thinking 9
secondary avatar that’s useful for Scout
interacting with people. You can take Bottom +2,Charm +1, Down +3
moves normally through your avatar, Top -1, Strange -3, Up +1
although it doesn’t gain the benefits You may redirect power to your
Doing 6, Feeling 3, Thinking 9
or penalties of any systems you’ve systems. Ante 1 or more Fx,
Merchant Freighter
powered up. then roll +Up.
Bottom +2,Charm +3, Down +2
Choose one: Top -2, Strange -3, Up +1 Up to 6: You need more time. If
A human that’s your Doing 5, Feeling 5, Thinking 8 your next move is conn, take
psychically-bonded pilot +3 forward.
A symbiotic alien pilot that can
detach from you temporarily

William Kwan (Order #44609495)

 7+: Move your ante (mix and To engage in an exchange of
match) to any of these five weapons, roll +firepower You gain shields points by using
pools: cargo, speed, firepower, Up to 6: Ineffective fire! The MC your conn move.
sensors, or shields. describes the response from You and your passengers may add
As a casual move, you may move 1 any other armed vessels. +shields to resist harm that
or more points out of firepower, 7-9: Move 1 firepower to Hx. You comes from outside your ship
sensors, shields, or speed to Hx unleash a strong barrage (turbulence, radiation, psychic
(no roll is needed). against a strategic target (giant waves of despair, etc.)
ships, buildings, asteroids, etc.) You may move 1 shields point to
Precision accuracy against tiny, Hx to resist a strong strategic
You set aside cargo points by using human-sized targets is barrage. You may move 1
your conn move. impossible, so there’s no way to shield point to scars to resist a
While you have cargo, you or any guarantee that you’ll take out a grand strategic
friend can raid your cargo bay to specific foe. barrage.
claim your +cargo as a bonus to 10+: As above… or you may
reveal gear. If they are successful, choose to move 1 firepower to
you may choose to replace their scars and unleash the full
ante of Fx with 1 point of your strength of your arsenal,
cargo (transferring your cargo to deal grand strategic
point to the other player’s Hx or damage.
inventory. See page 27.)

You gain sensors points by

You set aside shields points by using your conn move.
using your conn move. Add +sensors to any rolls
You or your pilots may add +speed that you or your friends
to any rolls where piloting fast make to scan strategic
and precise would help you. areas for life signs,
energy anomalies, and
the other kinds of
You gain firepower points by using things that ships can
your conn move. find.
You and your friends may add After a player makes a
+firepower to any rolls to roll, you may roll
intimidate others or to cease +sensors to assist them.
hostilities. The MC may rule 7+, add +1 to your friend’s
that having firepower makes roll., then move one
some operations (stealth, sensors point to Hx.
diplomacy, etc.) impossible.

William Kwan (Order #44609495)

 Since the dawn of computers, people have been trying to make simulations of how real people behave. Scholars
would input the entire repertoire of a famous author or playwright, hoping that some algorithm could generate
new works. Motion-capture and 3D-modeling could make likenesses of people from ages long gone. And if the brain
is merely neural impulses stored in known chemicals, might it be possible to duplicate someone’s very thoughts?
By the end of time, more than once, someone has been intelligently designed not to be unique, but to be someone
else. You have a constant existential dilemma: are you your own person, or were you just made to be this way?
Play a Simulacrum if you want to be a holographic A.I., full of useful knowledge and computer tricks.

Self-Aware Program
Bottom +1, Charm =0, Down =0
Albert, Alice, Arnold, Becky, Bernard,
Top +1, Strange =0, Up +1
Blue, Bob, Caspar, Claptrap, Cleo, You have a tiny drone that projects
Doing 7, Feeling 5, Thinking 6
Cortana, Eliza, George, Grace, Hal, your holographic simulation of a
Minerva, The Red Queen, Sal, Field Guide
person. You can float places, and
Samuel, Samantha, Sark, Siri, Bottom +1, Charm +1, Down +1
you don’t breathe, eat, drink, or
Tourbot, Vannevar, Veronica, Virginia, Top +1, Strange -2, Up +1
sleep. You can be affected by
Wintermute, Wopr, Yori, Ziggy Doing 7, Feeling 4, Thinking 7
things that affect computers.
To perform a holographic drone
stunt, ante 1 Fx, and roll +Top
Choose one or more: User-Friendly: Whenever you
Up to 6: Choose one:
Business dress, Expository would suffer harm to your Feeling,
You fail to make any progress.
dialogue, Flickering appearance, you can deflect the harm to your
Return your ante to Hx. If your
Glasses, Mono-chromatic, Outdated Doing or Thinking, instead.
next move is more compu-
clothes, Pop-up windows floating tations, take +1 forward.
nearby, Static, Transparency
Until your next move, you can
Futurex 3 Historyx 2 dominate a weak computer or
device. Move your ante to Hx.
7+: Choose one:
Choose one: Ask each player to say the name Until your next move, you can
Custodian of a person from history or fiction. dominate a strong computer or
Bottom +2, Charm +2, Down -1 After listening to each of their device. Return your ante to Fx.
Top +1, Strange -3, Up +2 answers, choose one player and get
You can overcome some grand
Doing 8, Feeling 4, Thinking 6 +2 Connection with their character.
computer or device, straining
Remake You then have +1 Connection with
your capacity in the process.
Bottom +1, Charm +1, Down -1 all other characters.
Your image becomes noticeably
Top +2, Strange -2, Up +2 dull. Move your ante to Hx.
Doing 8, Feeling 4, Thinking 6

William Kwan (Order #44609495)

 You were designed to blend in with If a friend asks for advice before
the other appliances, and you doing something, you can
are very good at avoiding access your databases. Ante 1
trouble. Roll +Bottom. Fx, then roll +Up.
7 to 9: Until your next move, weak Up to 9: Your friend takes +2
enemies will ignore you, weak forward. Move your ante to Hx.
detectors will fail to notice you, 10+: Your friend takes +2 forward.
and you subtract 1 from all Return your ante to Fx.
harm.
10+: Until your next move, strong
enemies will ignore you, strong
detectors will fail to notice you,
and you subtract 3 from all
harm.

You have access to vast libraries of

medicine. To give emergency
treatment to someone else,
ante Fx and Hx (mix and
match). Roll +ante.
Up to 6: Restore up to 6 points of
the target’s Doing, Feeling,
and Thinking (mix and match).
Set aside 1 point of your
ante on your friend, as scars.
Move the rest to your Hx.
7 to 9: Restore up to 12 points of
the target’s Doing, Feeling,
and Thinking (mix and match).
Set aside 1 point of your
ante on your friend, as scars.
Move the rest to your Hx.
10+: Restore up to 18 points of the
target’s Doing, Feeling, and
Thinking (mix and match).
Set aside 1 point of your
ante on your friend, as scars.
Move the rest to your Hx.

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 One person’s trash is another person’s treasure. The junkyards, refuse heaps, and dustbins of history are full with
wondrous machines that just need a little maintenance to get them working again. The universe is your workshop,
and you take great joy in collecting wondrous machines, in restoring things to working order, and in learning from
your mistakes. It’s very unwise to underestimate what you’re capable of making, given even the most basic of tools.
Play a Techie if you want to master all the ancient machines at the end of history.

Junker Purchasing power from the

Bottom +2,Charm -2, Down +3 residuals of your patents (gear)
Al, Ba Hei, Bill, Boffin, Bucky,
Top -1, Strange -1, Up +2 The uncanny ability to find
Clayton, Doc, Emile, Engie, Fingers,
Doing 6, Feeling 2,Thinking 10 large, useful piles of junk (gear)
Howie, Isaac, Jillian, Kaylee,
Madd, Miles, Monk, Pops, Richard, Forbidden Technologist Robot assistant assembled
Rusty, Scotty, Screwloose, Sparky, Bottom =0,Charm -3, Down +3 from a dozen different sources
Vitruvius, Wheels, Wrath-of-Goddard Top -1, Strange +2, Up +2 (pet, named Amiga, Bob, Foster,
Doing 4, Feeling 4, Thinking 10 Gax, K10, Mitsuko, Zed-X, etc.)
Humanoid assistant (follower,
Choose one or more: named Adric, Frank, Nyssa,
Crew cut, Dirty fingernails, Flux Never Regret Time Spent in the Lab: Pearl, You’re not sure but you’ve
capacitor, Geiger counter, Gloves, Whenever you would suffer harm to been calling them Max this
Grease stains, Hazmat suit, Jeep cap, your Feeling, you can deflect the harm whole time and can’t be
Jumpsuit, Operating Manual with to your Doing or Thinking, instead. bothered to learn their real
notes scribbled in margins, name, etc.)
Overalls, Personal digital assistant, Or make something up!
Pipe wrench, Pockets, Pony tail, Futurex 3 Historyx 2
Sonic screwdriver, Universal tool,
Voltmeter, Waft of ozone, Work boots

Write down a math problem, and You can reveal some amazing
share it with the other players. After technology from what you carry
each player tries to solve it, pick one around.
Choose one: and you have a +2 Connection with To improve a piece of gear, ante 1
Mechanic their character. Pick anyone, even or more Fx. Then roll +Down.
Bottom -1, Charm -2, Down +3 someone who got the wrong answer. Up to 6: Lesser Augment
Top +2, Strange =0, Up +1 Also, +2 Connection with Put 1 point of ante aside, as
Doing 6, Feeling 3, Thinking 9 (choose one): your augment, and return the
Engineer Lab uniforn with bandolier and rest of your ante to Fx.
Bottom =0,Charm -2, Down +3 satchel (gear) 7+: Greater Augment
Top +2, Strange -2, Up +2 Various parts in the boot of Set all your ante aside, as your
Doing 7, Feeling 1,Thinking 10 your junker vessel (gear) augment.

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 You can hand this gear off to Use the invention for a strong Yes, you can overload augments
someone else, to a follower, purpose, rolling +Down. On a and inventions. Just wait until we’re
another character, etc. 7+, the strong function works. out of the blast radius, please.
When this gear would help a move, Up to 6, the strong purpose
add +augment to that move. works anyway, but move 1 point
from the invention to scraps. Your scraps pool builds up from
After someone uses your
Use the invention for a grand your other moves.
augmented gear, you may
move 1 point from its pool back purpose, rolling +Down. On 7+, Add +scraps to all moves to reveal
to your Hx, then roll your +Up. it works. Whether it works or new gear.
If you roll 10+, they gain +3 to not, move 1 point from the Add +scraps to all moves to
your last move. invention to scraps. augment, to invent, and to
You can take apart the augment. Yes, you can augment an invention. otherwise tamper with devices.
No roll is needed, just move all If the invention loses all its points,
the points to your Hx. the augment is destroyed, too.

If the gear is destroyed, set aside

the augment points as scraps.
Those safety specifications
Otherwise, the gear is fine once
are just guidelines, really.
the augment runs out. You can’t
augment gear that already has an To push a device past all
augment pool on it. safety limits, ante 1
Fx and roll +Down.
7-9: Move your ante to
You’re got a lot of good ideas. And Hx. You overload a
you’ve got a lot of bad ideas, too. strong device.
To make a new device, declare 10+: Move your ante to Hx.
what you’ll invent, ante 1 or You overload a grand
more Fx and roll +Up. device.
7-9: Move 1 point to the invention When you successfully
pile. Return the rest in your Fx. overload a device,
10+: Move the whole ante to the choose one:
invention pile. Make the device unsafe.
All rolls with this
You can hand this invention off to
device gain +1 … but if
someone else.
any two dice ever
The user of the invention has match, the device
these new moves: explodes, harming the
user (and possibly others).
Sabotage the device. Any
use of the device makes it
explode.

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 What has science done? It’s not enough to just upgrade some aging computer to the point where it becomes
artificial intelligence. A recombinant nano-virus or a chordate implant can bring sentience to some of the most
basic of organisms. You never asked to become self-aware… but really, who does?
Play an Uplift if you want to pair big brains with big brawn.

Pet Project
Bottom +2, Charm +2, Down -1
Algernon, Bea, Bubastis, Caesar, Ask each player to say the name
Top +0, Strange +2, Up -2
Chickenhead, Clara, Croolie, Dog, of an animal. Then, choose one
Doing 7, Feeling 9, Thinking 2
Experiment #1138, Flask, Gelf, character to have +2 Connection
Gene, Gunter, Hammond, Jermaal, Brain Enhancements with. You have latched onto that
Jones, Justin, Licker, Mistake, Bottom +1, Charm =0, Down -1 character with a primal bond.
Pazuzu, Pha, Pretty Boy, Reuben, Top =0, Strange +2, Up +1 Then choose to have a +1
Redacted, Schrodinger, Zaius Doing 6, Feeling 7, Thinking 5 Connection with all other
Genetic Mutation characters except one (your
Bottom +2, Charm -2, Down -1 choice). That last one? You either
Top +2, Strange +3, Up -1 don’t like them for some reason, or
Choose one or more:
Doing 9, Feeling 6, Thinking 3 you seek to subordinate them at
Claws, Clicking noises, Cybernetic
every opportunity (by eating their
arms, Doesn’t use contractions or
shoes, stealing their food, marking
personal pronouns, Dyslexia,
Feral Instincts: Whenever you their territory, etc.) No one’s sure
Fangs, Flippers, Housebroken,
would suffer harm to your why you do that, not even yourself.
Hulking, Musk, Lashes out, Leash,
No concept of personal space, Thinking, you can deflect the harm
Saltwater smell, Skittishness, to your Doing or Feeling, instead.
Snarling, Sniffs everything, Spiked
collar, Stuttering speech, Tattered
clothes, Tiny, Uses “Me” instead of “I” Futurex 2 Historyx 3

Choose one:
Cybernetic Monster
Bottom +2, Charm -2, Down =0
Top +2, Strange +2, Up -1
Doing 9, Feeling 5, Thinking 4

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 You have strange enhancements to
your brain for higher functions.
You can enter a fugue state to call
You can push your neural network
forth your animal instincts. Ante 1
far past what it was ever meant to do.
or more Fx, then roll +Strange.
Declare you will use enhanced
Up to 6: Return your ante to Fx.
cognitive functions, then ante
7-9: Put 1 point aside, as atavism, 1 or more Fx. Roll +Bottom.
10+: Put all your ante aside, Up to 6: Return your ante
as atavism. to Fx.
To use your animal senses to 7-9: Set 1 point of ante
scope an area, roll +atavism. aside, as cognition.
7+: Learn what happened here, by Move the rest to
tracks, smells, spoors, etc. your Hx.
Move 1 point of atavism to Hx, 10+: Set all of your ante
and choose one: aside, as cognition.
Charge and destroy a strong Move 1 point of cognition
target, using teeth, claws, etc. to Hx, and choose one:
Charge and destroy a group of Dominate a strong
weak targets, using teeth, computer.
claws, etc. Solve a strong problem
Charge and savage a grand about mathematics or
target. Until your next move, engineering.
the grand target is reduced to Advise a friend on some
strong, so maybe your friends technical issue, giving
can do something. them +3 forward to an
Do something else that a appropriate roll.
cybernetic, gene-enhanced, Until your next move, reduce a
animal/machine hybrid could do. grand computer to strong, so
someone else can deal with it.

William Kwan (Order #44609495)

William Kwan (Order #44609495)
William Kwan (Order #44609495)
William Kwan (Order #44609495)
 What attribute should
you use for a move?
Some ideas:
You’re sure to think of some more If it’s an ante move, ask if it A strong result could be — Angry? Strange
moves that we haven’t thought of. should be risky (and use +ante) or “weak, but better”. Maybe a — Bizarre? Strange
When making up your own rules, dependable (and use +attribute). weak result applied to a large — Comforting? Charm
be fair and be consistent. Here are Rolling 7+ should be a weak area? Or a weak result that — Crafty? Down
some guidelines for making up success, 10+ should be strong, also lets you charge closer or — Extroverted? Top
your own. and 13+ should be grand. take control of the situation? — Intimidating? Top
Don’t make up a new move A weak success could be “this A grand result could be — Introverted? Bottom
that’s simply better than one could be strong if you’re willing “strong, but better.” Most — Machinery? Down
that already exists. Why is it to take a hit, like suffer some grand results should be — Math? Up
better? Will you remove the harm or screw up a count- awesome, but grand threats — Money? Connection
old move from play? down”. See hard bargain, are often too big to be taken — Nice? Charm
Use an appropriate Attribute page 100, for more ideas. out with a single roll. — Observing? Up
for the roll (And not just the — Programming? Up
one the player wants to use — Relations? Connection
because it’s their highest one.) — Sneaky? Bottom
— Subtle? Bottom
— Violent? Strange

William Kwan (Order #44609495)

 When you’re the Master of Cere- up, you can just play out the outcome
monies, you’re the director of the and go. When in doubt, roll and shout!
Tell a story full of strange landscapes,
action. It’s your job to present an
wondrous technology, alien vistas,
interesting situation to the players,
and bizarre juxtapositions. The city
let them play out their moves, and
expands to the horizon, the arco-
then respond accordingly. We’ve included a lot of rules in this
logy domes glittering in the sun
book, for what we think will be
that shines down over the dreadful
quick and easy reference to inspire
lemon sky. If you focus your eyes,
your story. But we can’t possibly
Be fair. Make things too easy, you can see the starscraper buildings
include a rule for everything — then
and the players won’t feel slowly sway to the song of shear
this book wouldn’t be quick and
challenged. Make things too and torsion, their summits rising to a
easy, it would be a few exabytes of
difficult, and the players will get vanishing point far above your head.
exceptions and formalisms.
exhausted. Each group is Talking to the players “in
A quick and easy read also means
different, so you’ll have to character” can help the mood. “Pollux,
quick-and-easy answers … and what
watch for the signs. (That’s what are you doing this morning?”
we have in the text may not be
what the debriefing is for.) It’s clear from context that the “you”
right for what you, the MC, want to
Be consistent. You’re in charge here refers to Pollux the character.
happen. You can over-ride anything
of the universe. If you said the This kind of talk will help keep the
in here! You are the alpha and the
polarity of the deflector dish players immersed in the game.
omega when it comes to the story.
can’t be reversed, then you’re Players are working together
When changing the rules,
not allowed to just change your for a common goal. Encourage the
remember the three principles:
mind and say that it can party to work together. Remind the
Be fair. If you think what the
without explaining what’s players that the best way to get Hx
rule-book says would happen is
different, now. points back into circulation is by
unfair or wrong, change it to a
Have fun. Don’t let these rules using the inspire move (page 30).
result that’s fair, just this once.
get in the way of a good time. While moves are handy, don’t feel
If you want to make this change
These rules are designed to be like you have to use them all the time.
permanent, discuss the change
simple and free. Your job isn’t to When a player wants their character
with your players during the
“get” the players, or catch them to do something, don’t bring the game
debriefing.
making mistakes. Stick to the to a screeching halt as we all read
spirit of the game, not the letter. these rules looking for the exact fit.
Ask the player to name an attribute,
then roll two dice, add, and go. Some
rolls will come up 2, 3, 11, or 12 and
you won’t even have to look anything

William Kwan (Order #44609495)

 Be consistent. If you change the Use inventive names like “Exercitum it’s good, sometimes it’s bad, but
rules, make sure your players Iubal the 3rd”, “Liberty 5-3000”, it’s always interesting.
understand why you’re changing and “Magnus Ridolph”. Though in a “Interesting” is not the same thing
it. If you’re not consistent, the pinch, a nickname like “Big as “worse”. Your job isn’t to make
players won’t know what they McLargeHuge” can work for a the player-characters miserable and
can or cannot do. They may throwaway character. Keep a list of pathetic. Don’t nerf their powers
become paralyzed, unable to names handy, and cross them off by making them useless. Don’t kill
make decisions because they as you use them. Keep the players off their followers casually or off-
don’t know how the game works. guessing on who is a major screen. Don’t let them roll dice and
Some will feel frustrated, character in the story and who is an then declare that their 11s and 12s
because what they thought was incidental, and they’ll get far more have no effect on the story.
true is now false. You should immersed in your living world. Give your players the freedom
change the rules when the Do the same thing with the to make their own mistakes. Most
result that you’re getting doesn’t fiction’s technology. Don’t say characters have more than enough
feel consistent with what you “scan”, say “Level 1 Diagnostic.” It’s power to knock things seriously out
and your players think should not a radio, it’s a “qubit interociter.” of whack. After any session – frak,
be happening in the story. Why use a “gun” when you can equip after any major incident in the game,
Have fun. Don’t change the a “phased plasma rifle in the 40-watt even – consider the long-term reper-
rules just to turn your players’ range”? Any gear that’s not weak cussions. How do the non-player
successes into failures; no one should have a strong name to go characters feel about all of this?
likes to feel they were winning with it. Make stuff up! Tech the tech! As MC, you’re playing to lose. You
but are then told the rules Have names for places, too: will see your non-player characters
changed to make them lose. “The Orion Belt”, “The Seldon killed, crushed, disintegrated, and
Work with your players, roll Institute of Natural History”, “the removed from matter coherency.
with their punches. Likewise, if third moon of Summa Nulla”, “the (And not always in that order.) That’s
a rule gives results that you and Gamma-Quadrant side of a stable fine. You have an infinite universe,
your players think is boring or wormhole”, etc. Name things after with infinite possibilities. Next
inappropriate, change it. Use myth, after people, after scientific session, let’s do something new. Or
the debriefing to discuss what principles. Make it fantastic and fun. let’s build something from the ruins
you all enjoy, and find ways to of the old. Explore. Invent. Construct.
make more fun happen. Oh, and remember to be a fan
of every player, not just the loud
Be a fan of the player characters! ones. Make sure you take time out
Your goal is to make them feel like to give every player a chance to
It’s too easy to keep the game they’re playing some bizarre take a move. (You might go around
abstract and strange, with generic space-person from the far future. the table, left to right, making sure
“bad guys”. Put faces to the threats. Give them challenges that are everyone gets the spotlight.)
Remember that the NPCs want worthy of their greatness.
things, they have their own interests. But don’t let them get soft. The
All grand characters, and many moves the players make should
strong ones, should have names. have consequences that shake up
the known universe. Sometimes

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 sell it with, “While a coy smile could get sick of waiting and go
passes across her lips, the Xyrillian hunt down the heroes on their own.
A hook refers to something that will gently nods at you, and leads you to Give your supporting cast some
happen later. Someone could get a a private chamber.” The game can personality. The more your charac-
strange package or alien artifact. You be more fun when it’s over the top. ters act like people, the more the
could create a non-player character When players roll really high, players will treat them like people,
to join up with our heroes who helps even if it doesn’t matter, cheer them and the more everyone will get
them out with boring stuff… only to on. “That guy is now a closed-casket immersed in the story. No one has
have bad people show up and kidnap funeral.” “You quickly tap a series “PC” written on their forehead, so
that NPC six sessions later, now that of buttons in rapid fire, then hit the your non-player characters should
everyone’s invested. Make note of any big red one with a flourish; the alien treat PCs like they were real people.
unsolved mysteries on alien worlds so computer lights up for the first time If you can, give accents and
you can have them come back later. in five hundred years.” “Over-awed personality to minor characters. If
We’re going to let you on a secret. by your prowess, the Tralfamadorian the players latch on to one of your
You need to be consistent… but prostrates before you, demanding that improvisations, you could develop
only about things you already told you kill them right now, as they know that improv into a full-fledged
to the players. You can introduce a they will never time point anything character in their own right. Long-
mystery box into the story, but you better in the rest of their existence.” running series do that all the time,
don’t have to decide what’s actually High rolls of 11 or 12 are pretty rare, and so can you.
in it until someone opens it. so celebrate them with a big to-do. Make it clear to the players that
Oh, and don’t get bothered when countdowns are ticking down. Our
your players ignore or completely heroes could over-hear news
miss out on a hook you set up. broadcasts on the radio. One of their
Remember, no matter how good you followers could remind them that
think the hook was, it’s the players time is running out. Find a way to
who are the stars. Take a deep breath, When playing Farflung, it’s all too tell the players about a countdown
let it go… and make a note so you easy to fall into the trap that the so that they know it’s a countdown,
can use this great idea in a later game. player-characters are the only so they’ll be spurred into action.
Part of the fun of the game is “real people” in the fiction. They
keeping the players guessing. roll all the dice and declare all the
Don’t let them know what’s a hook things. While you can treat the rest
and what’s an actual plot point. of the cast of your game as props, While our heroes are doing things, the
Take notes. like a computer game, you can other characters are doing things too.
make the story that much stronger If our heroes take some down-time to
by playing up the other characters. rest, what will the villains be doing?
Don’t just rattle off game terms If you want your story to feel Or the citizens of the doomed planet?
like “he hits you, lose 3 Doing.” Be real, then don’t have the bad guys Or the robo-factory that they activated
descriptive, like “The centurion just sitting around in rooms, so carelessly? And what about that
squawks with a burst of static. Its blocking the treasure while waiting electronic scaffolding that came out
needle-gun strikes you in the for adventurers to storm in and kill of that explosion, what’s up with that?
shoulder. Lose 3 Doing.” Don’t just them. Have them go home and night It’s difficult to juggle all the
say, “you seduce the alien.” Really and come back in the morning. They balls of the universe in your

William Kwan (Order #44609495)

 head… so just pick one thing or raise rolls after they’ve been made, To make the game easier, we’ve
two and follow that. Keep in mind so a low roll isn’t a lost cause. ranked the tiers of challenge for you:
that the players that after they Some threats will be impossible Most of the universe is casual.
smashed the wasp’s nest, those unless the characters work together. Shopkeepers will sell you
angry wasps are still flying around. things if you give them money.
Most people live boring,
uneventful lives. Not everyone
Farflung is a science-fantasy. It’s Not all threats are equal. Don’t is armed. Casual threats are the
often about pretending to be a treat a minor, random creep with “zero” of the threat scales. No
character with more power, more the same level of seriousness as a rolls are needed.
agency, more awesomeness than destroyer-of-worlds. Some doors It’s easy to forget that the
you have in your daily life. will be flimsy wood, and other casuals are out there, because
So to make the game fun, we doors will be tungsten-carbide they are not a challenge. Once
set up the playbooks so everyone’s steel. Some records are kept on in a while, remind your players
got great powers to use: over- video files with a user-friendly that there’s a few billion
powered guns, cosmic blasts, interface, and others are 50,000 normal people out there.
beweaponed extremities, orotund words written in Beta-Crypt 3, with
runcibles, etc. Players are going to the pages sorted out of order, etc. Weak threats are the police,
want to use those powers, and it’s We’ve kept the tiers very the armed blocks, the hostile
only fair that you let them. simple, from the casual (not worth politicians, the omega clones, the
That said, the game isn’t all ice a roll), to weak, strong, grand, and berserk drone. If you don’t have
cream and cake, either. Some beyond. Many moves let you the right moves to deal with
challenges will make the players defeat a low tier with a low roll, them, weak threats can be an
think outside the box. Every character and a higher tier with a higher roll. annoying obstacle. If you do have
has six attributes and the common The stories you create will the right moves, there’s still the
moves, so remind your players that make more sense when you have off chance that you might have to
their characters can do a lot more the right tier in the right situation. push yourself to deal with them.
than just their special powers. Our heroes will be able to take out If a character gets into
Never let a player roll dice if you’re a weak challenge without too trouble— say, by detonating an
not going to honor the outcome. It’s much trouble… they might have to explosive at the tram station—
far better to tell a player not to roll use up some resources for a strong it’s the weak threats that will
and that they just lose … than to let one… and they’ll have to team up respond first.
the player roll, have a 12 come up, and use everything they’ve got to
and then tell the player that the roll beat a grand one.
was meaningless. Rolling is only for You can lead your players along
when nobody – MC or player knows with escalating challenges. When
what the outcome is going to be. the puzzles and threats that show up
Cheerlead your players. The are slowly ramping up, the players
biggest, grandest challenge are will feel like they’re making progress,
going to require big ideas and high that they’re on the right track.
rolls. Remind your players that they
have the inspire move that can

William Kwan (Order #44609495)

 Strong threats are the serious challenge that you’re sure will voyeurs, etc.) or if there’s a
business. These are the elite take two moves or more, then countdown (and it’s a race to see
soldiers, the heads of state, the you want a grander challenge if you climb to success before
security systems, the death- or a countdown, below. time runs out.)
robots. A strong threat is a The most powerful are the Like all rules, if the situ-
serious challenge to someone grander threats. A grander threat ation is casual, you and the
with the right moves. Characters is just a grand threat that has to players can just say it’s done;
with the wrong moves will have be overcome 2, 3, or more no need to waste everyone’s
to push themselves really hard times. (You pick a number.) time with die-rolling that’s not
… and even then, they’ll only A grander threat should be fun or interesting. Climbs are
win on a good day. the single-most “big bad”, the for building tension, as bad
To keep things simple, you nemesis that shows up in guys respond to our hero, or as
can treat a group of weak multiple sessions, to trouble our other players make their own
threats as one big, strong threat. heroes. Grander threats shouldn’t moves to stall for time. Hurry up
Grand threats are the big story be suicidal – if they are beaten so before it’s too late!
points. These are the cyber-tanks, badly that the next defeat will
the global intelligence networks, end them, they should run away.
the galaxy’s most wanted. The players will be happy that
Players will want to work they won the battle, and they
smarter, not harder with a will be eager to win this war. While Farflung will have its share
grand threat- they will need to When a challenge has multiple of violent encounters, most
work together, to play to their steps, you can use a countdown. entities will have self-preservation
strengths, and to exploit any Sometimes it’s counting towards on their minds. When Fritz’s skull
weaknesses that the grand disaster (you have 3 counters explodes in a localized cold fusion
threat has. until the matrix unravels), and and leaves behind only a cyan
Only introduce a grand sometimes it’s counting towards afterglow, his friend Max is going
threat into your game once victory (inflict 3 strong hits on the to spend a moment rethinking the
every few sessions. Always Bugbladder Beast and it dies). life choices that led him to be
give them a name, and always Use a countdown where every- standing next to Fritz… and then
impress on the players just one is expected to participate. he’ll start running.
how serious this business is. While a few problems in the
A variation on the countdown is
Rather than game out every Farflung can be solved by just
the climb. This challenge
little thing, you could treat a blowing things up, there will be lots
requires a player to roll 13+, but
group of strong threats as one more that can’t. Most of the universe
if they roll 10-12, they get +6
big grand threat. is full of casual or weak characters
forward, and if they roll 7-9, they
A grand threat will use up who want to spend as little time dying
get +3 forward. Most players
some resources of a player, but as possible. (Sure, our players might
will be able to climb to victory in
they could still get taken out come back the dead, but Matthews,
three moves or less. A climb only
by a single, lucky roll. (More Thompson and Olson won’t.
matters if there’s other hazards
likely, by a roll with lots of They’re so inconsequential, you
going on (like a dangerous
players assisting.) If you want a don’t even know who they are.)
combat, radiation leak, eager

William Kwan (Order #44609495)

 Stories are about conflict. An old friend appears, and they’re Only our heroes can stop him! This
Violence just happens to be a simple doing something bad. But why? struggle can be more interesting than
conflict. (You want to kill them, Are they being blackmailed? Are just “stop the sun from exploding”,
they don’t want to die.) Science- they deluded? Does that fungus because now there’s a face to talk
fiction is about the possibilities of growing out of their spine have to and a villain to interact with.
imagination. Some examples: anything to do with it?
Our heroes are sent to retrieve If you and your players enjoy violent
a unique or rare creature, and encounters, that’s fine. This is a
maybe it has weird powers. game, and you’re all meant to have Many MCs mistakenly think their
Use too much force, and they fun. You can find there will be fun to job is to line up a bunch of
could kill it. be had in mixing things up, presenting monsters and then throw them at
Our players are sent out challenges that can’t be solved the player-characters, trying to kill
looking for Erith Nomic, as he simply by blowing something up. them. That’s not going to work.
has information they need or is In Farflung, there’s no
the only person who knows the permanent death. It’s the future!
Genesis Formula. They are Clones, time warps, retcons, etc. can
opposed by Vondos Quarn, a bring anyone back from anything.
violent man who is eager to Even if you could destroy a character,
assault. Unfortunately, it turns The laws of physics don’t lie, that threat is an empty one unless
out that Quam is Nomic, and if cheat, hold grudges, or fall in love. you follow through with it once in
the players accidentally kill People do those things. And a while… and few players want to
him, they won’t get the infor- Farflung is about people. (And see their precious persona killed off.
mation they need. what it means to be a person.) Look at the long-running TV
Get into the heads of the non- series, comics, and novels. They
Our heroes are invited as guests
player characters, from the casual have recurring cast members. How
to a social function, but there’s
all the way up to the grandest do the writers keep it all exciting
constant whispers about how
baddies. What would they do? Just when we know the leads can’t die,
uncouth or uncivilized they are.
like each player asks what their they’re clearly going to be in the
Someone might provoke a player
character would do, you have to ask next episode? Reach into the
into violence, just to prove it.
yourself what your characters would author’s bag of tricks.
Others might suggest resolving
do. If these characters don’t care Appeal to the player’s sense of
disputes with other kinds of
about what our heroes are up to, heroic achievement. When the
contest, such as gambling,
then they’re not part of the story. If desperate farmers of the Ioun
Tantrism, a race, or a spelling bee.
they do care enough to get involved, Belt ask our heroes to stop the
It’s time for time travel! Try to then they are. Keep things personal. Giga-Slaver from killing them
avoid killing yourself or your own A great way to make adventures off, emphasize that only our
grandfather. Paradoxes are incon- is to have a non-player character heroes could stop the monster in
venient even on the best days. decide to do something that the time. If our heroes fail, millions
players don’t want done. For die, and the players will have to
example, Lord Erebus has decided live with the shame of failure.
to destroy the star of Beta-Carotene,
which will exterminate billions.

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 Build up recurring characters, responsibility for whatever the You may have to remind your
then threaten to kill them. cult does; leaving the cult could players how you’re their biggest fan.
Introduce a minor follower that start a civil war. Dba could That message sounds better coming
helps the players out with grunt- discover they have children, or from the helpless non-player charac-
work. … Then four sessions enemies, or a malfunctioning ters of the world, who thank them
later, tragedy! “Falloe is Van-Neuman machine that for their help and their sacrifice.
infected! She’s going into shock only they can deal with. What It’s also okay to move the story
as the nanites spread through if Matins’ father is a loathsome ahead to the next interesting part.
her system. What do you do?” criminal? Is Matins responsible for Just like a movie or a book might
Falloe’s not a player character, stopping him or should she just have a time skip, you can just wave
so you need to emphasize that disown him and move on. Etc.) your hand and say, “Five hundred
she could permanently die. Players will enjoy seeing years pass while you’re in cold
Learn about your players’ how their own story is being sleep” or “nine months later and
characters, and put their told. You will make the game the embryo has finished gestation”
personal issues at stake. Your personal, and you can threaten or “twenty-nine minutes later, your
players are a creative group. a player with loss. (Not loss of pizza finally arrives.”
They will come up with all kinds their character’s life, but a loss Making the game move faster
of imaginative back-stories. And that’s still meaningful all the doesn’t mean you can ignore
the more sessions you play, the same.) Loss, change, and what anyone. Some players are shy or
more things they will make up. comes with that are what easily intimidated, so be sure to
Think of a question about a compelling stories are all about. ask everyone what they’re up to.
player character that could It’s also okay if you need to slow
make for a good story. “Will the down or take a break. If tempers are
Reverend-Engineer step down high or bladders are full, you can
Even in a game like Farflung, where call for a short break. Keep it fun.
from leading his cult?” “What
space and time are mutable, and life
will Dba do, when they dis-
and death are in constant flux…
cover who they use used to be
you could still have players who
in their past life?” “Will Matins
are too afraid to make a decision. In Farflung, there’s no specific limit
reconcile with her father?” Etc.
Some players hem and haw over on how many moves a player can take
Keep it short, keep it personal,
every choice, paralyzed with fear in a row, or how many times they can
keep it meaningful.
that they’ll do something “wrong”. try something. You may find that
Break this question down into
If the players are taking too long, some players are very aggressive,
plot points and into identifiable
you can force time to move. Force shouting moves rapidly and very
threats. Why is the cult breaking
another challenge onto the players. eager to roll dice. This behavior can
up? What new revelation of
Take a counter from a countdown. be annoying, turning the game into
Dba’s past just came up? Who
Have a follower or another charac- “roll-playing” or lots of shouting, with
is Matins’ father, exactly?
ter express their dismay. Set off the calmer, more deliberate players
Whatever the answer to the
alarms or sensors which warn of feeling left out. Some advice:
question is, it should have major
dangerous energy levels. Have a
impacts for the fiction. (Staying
with the cult means taking time traveler from the future appear
and scream, “There’s still time!”

William Kwan (Order #44609495)

 Rash behavior should have rash ask you, first. When debriefing, game with no changes. At the very
consequences. If a player pushes ask the players what you can do least, change the name to some-
too moves in a row before to encourage them to role-play thing random or strange, because
another player gets a chance, rather than roll. Should there they’re going to figure out who
remember to have enemies be more casual time and less “Baajin Mu” is, in a heartbeat.
respond. charged time? Which situations Inserting a canon character
Even if they succeed, pushing too do your players like to interact into your game can make the game
much too soon can take a strain with, and which ones do they easier. When confronted by the
on a character. Try telling the just want to be over, already? players, you can ask yourself,
player that if they want to keep Note that some mores are meant to be “What would Demogorgon do?” and
taking so many moves, they must tried repeatedly. Any move that lists then react quickly and decisively.
choose to suffer some harm to “if you try this move again, take +3 Remember that the players are the
their character, such as fatigue forward” means you can try it a stars, and that your insertion isn’t the
(-1 Doing), stress (-1 Feeling), second time, with increased odds. hero and thus may actually lose. Don’t
or exhaustion (-1 Thinking). These climbing moves let the MC worry, this isn’t the real Malachite, it’s
Making it a player’s choice will respond before the inevitable success, just an imitation, so it’s okay if some
let them keep control, and it and they also give the other players a nasty player-characters kill her off.
will let them understand chance to stall for time while their Even better than the imitation is
they’re pushing too hard. friend finishes up. the mashup, where you combine two
Watch out for “fail forward” types or more characters together. It will be
who will roll dice before even harder for the players to figure out,
considering their next move. and you get to have the fun of seeing
Some players will just “roll-play” It’s okay to use what you already just what the “DisQord” could do.
their way through everything, know for inspiration. This is a game (But, seriously, use a random name.)
since a high roll means they get that you play in your spare time, not As always, use the debriefing to
what they want, right? a published, copyrighted work for talk with your players about what
Well, there’s a gazillion special sale. No one’s going to break down worked and what didn’t. The sign
exceptions to all these moves and your door and tell you that you can’t of a good imitation is when your
situations, and we can’t list them put Princess Cadance, Ianto Jones, or players don’t immediately figure it
all. You may have to make it clear the Giraffe Monster into your game. out. Keep them immersed in the
to a player that it’s not just their But your players, who know you fiction and avoid meta. Make it
game, it’s everyone’s game, even pretty well, are going to see right matter, make it real.
the MC’s. You may want to insist through if you just drop the
that players don’t roll unless they character or setting into your

William Kwan (Order #44609495)

 The game will follow a regular rhythm: you present a situation, you ask your players what moves they want to take, and then you
respond to those moves. Just like players have their moves, you have your own “counter-moves:” your responses and challenges.

interesting parts. You don’t have to be

boring because some book told you to
add and subtract random numbers.
Role-playing games share a lot
While it’s possible to role-play
with improvisational theater. Your
without ever rolling dice even once…
job is to present a situation to the
without any random events, risky
players, listen to their responses,
gambles, or unpredictable results,
and decide what goes next. (Sure,
the game can become very boring,
you might roll some dice to help
very quickly. Everything happens
you decide, but you’re stil the boss.)
exactly the way you expect it to.
Each event in the game builds
Encourage players to try new
on the previous one. If our heroes
things— even things that their
blow up the power plant, then the
character isn’t best at. Taking a
lights go out, the force field drops,
gamble can be exciting when
looters and rioters come out, etc. If
it works. And when a gamble
our heroes save the power plant,
doesn’t work… well, it wouldn’t be
then the lights come back on, the
a risk if it worked every single time!
field contains the alien menace, the
looters can now take proper selfies
without a flash, etc. Things happen
in “real time”, there’s no retakes, You’d think a player would know that,
retcons, or do-overs. Learn to build if they throw a firebomb into a library,
on what’s happened before. Escalate. the books will catch fire… but they
don’t always know seem to know
that that. It’s a good idea to ask a
player, “Are you sure you want to do
that?” before they commit to some
You don’t have to roll dice for every- drastic act.
thing. If you just need the players to A role-playing game is a
get from point Alpha to point Beta, theater of imagination, and some
we can just say that happens and players don’t always think things
get on with it. Your game should through. They may be used to
only be about playing out the most video games, where buildings are

William Kwan (Order #44609495)

 indestructible and where non- and other ham-handed techniques thank you, they’re quite flattered by
player-characters never die. to keep players in line… techniques your offer, but since their species
Also, watch out for players who that just aren’t seen in tabletop. dies after mating, they’re not
will “roll-play” — players in such a interested in your proposal.” Etc.)
hurry that they’ll throw dice on the We only ask players to roll dice
table while barely taking any time if there’s some risk of loss involved.
As with everything, describe the
to say why. Always encourage your If the story requires the players to
results of a roll. If the player rolled
players to describe what their find Father Antos and get his ring,
high, describe something amazing,
characters are doing. Let the fiction then either your heroes casually
effortless, and cool. If the player rolled
inspire players to roll the dice. meet him with no rolls involved …
low, describe something painful,
Some players will roll dice, get or they roll dice and run the risk of
unlucky, or inept. Die rolls are for
a result they don’t like, and then not finding him. Remember, if the
emergence, but the players are here
immediately try to convince you to players cannot lose, then nothing
for experience. Make it come alive.
give them a victory anyway. In is at stake. When nothing’s at
Near-miss rolls (like 7 to 9)
Farflung, you can boost a roll after stake, nothing is interesting.
usually give the player a choice
you make it with inspiration, with Also remember that you, the MC,
between giving up or getting what
special moves, etc., so a bad roll control the pace. Don’t stop the game
they want, at a price. While many
isn’t the last word. But it’s also bad because the players aren’t reading
of the moves list some ideas, feel
sportsmanship to complain only your mind or rolling high enough. If
free to make up your own results.
when the dice aren’t going your the players can’t gain ground fast
(“The device sparks with electricity!
way. You may want to warn a enough, have something happen. The
Either give up or suffer -1 Doing.”
player that if you, the MC, are security guard arrests them all! The
“The Gynoplasm raises pseudo-
asking them to roll, that means ambassador grows tired of these
pods in what you think might be a
there’s a chance they could fail! delays and leaves for home! The
threatening or obscene manner.
It’s a good idea, especially with wormhole closes, and its mystery is
Either flee or suffer -1 Feeling.” Etc.)
new players, to warn them if they’re lost forever, time to move onto the
Bad rolls (6 or less) usually don’t
about to something terribly out of next story, etc. To make sure your
give the player anything at all. Some
character. Not all players will agree players know there’s pressure to get
players may become frustrated or
on what the word “game” means – this done, use a countdown. Tell them
discouraged if they’re told they got
some will assume it means anything how many counters are left and that
nothing. Take time to describe failed
goes in the name of fun… while they’d better try something soon.
rolls, to inform the player whether
others may want a more serious Your players are creative, smart,
they should keep trying this thing or
fiction with serious consequences. and fun — encourage them to work
something else. (“Your shot bounces
Also, many players’ first experience outside their comfort zones and to
off the sentry’s protective armor.
with role-play comes from video take risks when the chips are down
You’d have to be more accurate if you
games… which often have save- and time is running out.
want to hit a critical spot and take
states, plot-protected characters,
them out.” “The ambassador says no,

William Kwan (Order #44609495)

 Did our hero miss an attack? end this now and lose something
All moves in Farflung
Ask the player if they want to important to you.”
fall into three kinds: After a player makes a move, the MC
miss, or if they want to hit and
— The casual, where needs to tell everyone what happens
take some damage, too.
success is automatic, next. As the MC, you should always
no roll needed. respond to a player’s move, even if A character needs to fix a
— The impossible. You just to help them describe how it device? Ask the player if they
want to keep working on it, or Falling from a height,
tell the player that worked. Sometimes your response
if they want to just say it’s incidental fire, and taking too
their character can be a “counter-move”, the people
done… with a random chance many moves too fast could all
can’t do that; no or the environment responding
of breaking down, later. inflict harm to a character’s Doing.
roll is even allowed. Many moves already list some-
The harm could be automatic
— The roll, where we thing to do to the player if they roll Trying to convince someone to
(say, -1 Doing from a weak threat, -3
think you can do it, low… but you’re the MC. If you can help you? You could play out
from a strong one, and -5 from a
but we’re not sure, think of something better, then that the someone wants a
grand one). Or it could require the
so let’s chance it! declare that response to happen, particularly nasty favor in return,
player to make a move. (Bottom to
If you let a player roll, instead. You are the boss, just and our player must either
dodge it? Strange to respond with a
you are telling them make it fair and make it fun. accept their offer or walk away.
brutal counter-attack? Top to take
there is a chance they Here’s some ideas for how to You can use this response to let the hit and not care? Etc.) Rolls of
could succeed. You respond to player’s moves. a player “fail forward” — to move 10+ will probably enough to evade
can’t tell a player who the story along but also making the harm, but 7-9 might force a
rolled a 10 that they the player pay some price to difficult choice: suffer harm but solve
just failed. Be fair. do it. Progress will have more the problem, or be disarmed, or let
Likewise, a player Okay, that last move was yours, meaning when our heroes had
the console be destroyed instead,
who agrees to roll is now let’s hear from someone else to give something up to get it. or make a loud noise that alert the
accepting there’s a at the table. Inviting the player to make a hard guards, or something else, etc.
chance they could roll There’s no specific rule against choice about whether they really
a 2 and get nothing. letting a player try two or more moves want this victory or not can make
Make it clear to your in a row… but you’re the MC, you’re for some of the most memorable
players that rolling in charge, and some players might moments in your game.
can also mean losing. not take a turn unless they’re asked. A hard bargain is similar, but not Trying to make too many
You could offer a low- that same, as a climb. With a climb, decisions at once, operating too
rolling player a hard our player is trying to eventually roll many machines, and just taking too
bargain: fail, or succeed high enough for success, with each many mental moves too fast could
but at great cost. That Use this response when a player failed roll giving the a +forward bonus inflict harm to a character’s Thinking.
gives the player some scores only a 7, 8, or 9 … when they to the next one… while other moves, The harm could be automatic
agency about what miss out on that 10 that would make countdowns, and enemy activity go (say, -1 Thinking from a weak
happened, and can everything so easy. Offer the player on around them. A hard bargain is threat, -3 from a strong one, and -5
make them feel better a choice: accept the failure… or either “pay a price” or “give up”. But from a grand one). Or it could require
about their bad luck. take the success they need and you can make a climb more the player to make a move. (Up to
some setback that comes with it. dramatic by including a hard quickly come up with a solution?
bargain: “let the countdown tick Down to rewire or retool the mess?
down and take +3 forward… or Top to just shrug it off and not care?

William Kwan (Order #44609495)

 Etc.) Rolls of 10+ will probably
enough to evade the harm, but 7-9
might force a difficult choice: suffer Not everyone will be together Characters who roll high, but
harm but solve the problem, or give all the time. If someone’s fixing not high enough, could drop things
up as hopeless, or install a quick the ship, other people can scout or leave them behind. Our heroes
fix that could break later, or use up around or wander off for a tryst. could drop things, or run out of
some valuable resource, etc. After players say what they do, ammunition. And social functions
tell the players where they are, and won’t let you bring normal weapons
if they can see each other. Set up a past the detectors. Vehicles can be
rendezvous — that is, a place and impounded. Accounts can be
time where the players plan to get seized. Easy come, easy go.
Being embarrassed or mocked back together, so you don’t have to
in front of one’s peers, dealing with keep; the separated for too long.
abhorrent monsters from beyond It’s the future — people have
the pale, and just taking too many radios, phones, telepathy, etc., so Guns used in spaceships could
social moves too quickly could they can call each other for help. blast holes in walls, exposing
inflict harm to a character’s Feeling. everyone to vacuum. Explosives
The harm could be automatic could have friendly fire. Arcane
(say, -1 Feeling from a weak threat, -3 devices could require lots of power
from a strong one, and -5 from a grand Weapons fire may pin a character and attract attention.
one). Or it could require the player in a cave or storage space. Or there
to make a move. (Charm to assuage could be social pressure, where a
everyone’s feelings? Up to try to character just can’t leave a social
reason with them? Top to just shrug it event or someone’s company without
off and not care? Etc.) Rolls of 10+ will risking embarrassment or implication. Any time grand or grander stuff
probably enough to evade the harm, is involved, there should be side
but 7-9 might force a difficult choice: effects. Grand weapons could blow
suffer harm but solve the problem, or holes through several buildings.
give up as hopeless, or make a bargain A character could run into an Grand devices could discharge power
that’s definitely not in your favor, or old enemy… or an old friend who or energy fields, or start cascades
get talked out of a valuable resource, wants to talk, at a time when delay in motion that transform entire
or make a promise that you can’t isn’t an option. Debt collectors, city blocks into something else. A
deliver, or lose your social standing bounty hunters, old flames, grand enemy could have millions of
in the community, or have your dark imperfect clones, and more can all strong or weak supports who also
and perverse secret exposed, etc. show up to make life difficult. now hate the player… and a grand
friend means lots of publicity, lots
of attention from hangers-on, and
The classic response. You can the attentions of that grand
put new enemies on the field, or friend’s millions of enemies.
you can present a chase sequence
or puzzle to be solved. See page 98.

William Kwan (Order #44609495)

 You might tell a player that
they can’t retry a move unless
something changes. You can tell a
There’s no specific time-keeping in
player that their character can’t try
In this book, some moves have Farflung… but you still need to
to fix the engine, to calculate the
bonuses to try them again. As the keep the pace going forwards.
hyper-jumps, or to perform the
MC, you should have something Some challenges will have a time
pressed position unless something
happen in between the two tries. Is interval that is, after a certain
happens. Maybe they learn
the Extinctioner powering up? amount of time has passed,
something new, or someone helps
People may scream in horror, run something’s supposed to happen.
prepare them, or maybe they push
for cover, start shooting now to But when does that time happen?
themselves harder (and suffer
hope they can stop it in time, etc. As a rule, an interval happens
some harm before rolling)… or
A player can never simply retry just before a player takes a second
maybe they just have to give
a roll without asking the MC for a move. That means that everyone
someone else a chance to try a
response, first. Sure, you might should be asked if they want to make
move. (Maybe they can loosen it
say that nothing happens… but one move before the clock moves
up for you.)
you might not. The entire purpose forward and the interval happens
What can be retried, and how
of a climb, after all, is to give You’re the MC, so you enforce the
often, will vary from group to group –
everyone else (friends, enemies, clock – ask other players if they want
and from move to move. Most players
observers, intervals, countdowns, to try any moves (even a simple
won’t think twice about retries for
events, hazards, super-intelligent avoid move) before you let someone
pistol shots, athletic moves, or
shades of the color blue, etc.) a else go twice in a row, when time is
piloting rolls … but some may not
chance to respond before you can of the essence. Some of your players
like retries at all on negotiations
try again. Keep the pace. may not understand when they get
or other social moves. Use the
A climb is meant to be re- a turn unless you specifically ask
debriefing sessions at the end of
tried. A rule that says, “If you try them to make a move.
each game to talk to your players
this move again, +3 forward”, Any challenge that has an
about what they like and don’t like.
that’s a climb. You’re almost interval is one where timing is key,
there, and you will probably get so it’s up to players to each use
there on your next move… but you their resources wisely. And if that
have to wait for something else to challenge has a countdown, then
happen first. Unless something you really might need a lot of people
drastic changed between your last working together, and quickly, to
move and this one, then the player defeat it before time runs out.
can try again. (Oh, and if nothing
is going on, you can tell the player
to stop rolling, if you want, and
just give them victory on the
climb. Don’t make for boring busy
work! Only roll dice when random
uncertainty makes things more
exciting.)

William Kwan (Order #44609495)

 Body Swap: Ah, the hallowed devouring the galaxy’s resources
No one knows your
tradition of science-fiction, at an exponential rate. Those
Do you feel the game deserves to be players better than you
where two or more people’s people who made the mistake
more interesting? Try one of these do. What do they like?
minds get put into other people’s come to our heroes for help.
plot twists to liven up any story. What do they dislike?
bodies. See what it’s like to This twist can be made
Accidental Crime: The players do Each game session
take moves out of someone personal if one of our unique
something they didn’t even ends with a debriefing,
else’s playbook! Try to blend in players has the right gifts to solve
know was breaking a local law so don’t be shy about
when you lack the psi-control the problem. Maybe one of heroes
of custom. Speaking out against asking them about
that takes a lifetime to develop! is immune to the problem. Or
the choco-gram rationing, sexual what they want!
Come to terms with someone it’s their own invention, used
relations with a virgin prince, or Each player has a
else’s genitalia! And I worked too improperly, and only its original
wearing white after Labor Day character who has
hard to get this date with Lady inventor — our hero — could
could all be punishable by all kinds awesome powers.
Gallumbits this Friday night, so shut it down before it’s too late.
of local laws. Do our players risk These unique moves
you will go the opera with her Envy: One of the players has
becoming fugitives over a trifle are what makes the
and you will not embarrass me! something this NPC wants: the last
like this? And what is the penalty character special. It’s a
This is another twist that can Christian Dior dress, the Phoenix
anyway? A fine? Trial by combat? solid bet that the
really only be used once. No, it Force, or the rights of inheritance
This twist allows for all kinds of player wants to find
doesn’t make a lot of sense, but to the Ordos Throne. The NPC is
social conflicts, and even for a ways to make those
it’s good for a few laughs. willing to go to great lengths to
courtroom scene. powers useful. Find
Bundle of Joy: Science-fiction get the player to give this up. ways to give your
Bizarre Coincidence: Two old stories are rife with unexpected This twist benefits from a
enemies (or friends) just happen
players ways to show
pregnancies. Weird aliens lighter touch. Consider having this off, with plot twists
to run into each other. The day might rereveal by budding, by NPC repeatedly show up, willing
of the Triplanetary Accord
that can’t be solved by
laying eggs, or cloning. to bail our heroes out in return normal means.
Signing is apparently on the one This twist is another for the for taking things from them.
day every 32,000 years when the debriefing. Some players enjoy Face-Heel turn: Someone switches
planet’s phase-cicadas all hatch this kind of challenge; others sides to the bad guys. An ally of
at once. That lump of jethryk won’t care for it all. If the brood the players betrays them. This
rock in the back of the hold turns ages quickly, it can be fun to see a twist is more interesting if the
out to be a piece of a temporal- new pet, follower, or rival emerge. ally is duped or blackmailed, and
control device that holds the
Catastrophic Mistake: Someone if they regret the decision later.
fate of the universe, etc.
goofed, and it’s not for the best. Use this very sparingly, as
Part of the fun of Farflung
A scientist accidentally invented players don’t take this very
are these extremes of chance.
a linguistic virus that is turning well. They often feel cheated,
Use them occasionally, to add
people into non-volitional vectors. and they will take out their
humor and excitement.
A tachyon decelerator has started aggression in the game.
a temporal cascade, unraveling
time and space with increasing
frequency. A bug in a piece of
software has robots building
endless copies of themselves,

William Kwan (Order #44609495)

 Framed! Someone is pretending to Heel-Face Turn: Someone switches great overmind” and are
be one of heroes, ruining their sides to the good guys. An glowing orange. Or all records
reputation. This twist often enemy of the players betrays of our existence have been
uses some sort of duplicate, their cause and helps out. deleted and no one knows who
getting caught on video doing Maybe the enemy can’t stand we are. For some reason, only
all sorts of bad things. Is it a their employers. Maybe they fell our heroes notice this anomaly.
disguise? A clone? The other in love with a player-character. This twist will involve a lot of
version from a mirror universe? This twist works great if it “spot the differences”. Anything
This twist works best after a follows from a player’s moves that stayed the same or is
few sessions have been played. in the game. Show that charac- greatly different will attract the
It’s also an excuse for a violent ters can change the story players’ attention. This story can
showdown that’s evenly matched. through more than just be a great callback to NPCs from
Grim Portents: An encoded signal domination and violence. before, as the players interview
from deep space… a strange Loot the Burning House: Our them to see what’s different.
energy field that won’t leave… players are sent on some great Rising Hostility: One non-player
a psychic signal of four drum battle or violent conflict with character does something that
beats. What could it mean? the bad guys… and a third party makes another NPC crave
You can leave a twist like tries to sneak in and sweep up revenge. Or two civilizations go
this as a hook for something the debris as their own reward. to war.
later. Don’t build it up too much, Use this twist sparingly. Use this twist when the
just leave it out there. And by all Players hate being played for players have a stake in one of
means, let a player investigate chumps. But it does make the the sides winning. They can’t
it. It’s not “ruining the surprise” world feel like it’s a real place. just beat everyone up, they’ll
if they figure it out, it’s showing Misguided Love: An NPC falls madly have to find a way to work
genuine interest in the game. in love with one of our heroes through these problems.
Groundhog Day: Our heroes are (or a follower) and will not leave Secrets Revealed! Strike a dramatic
stuck in a loop. The same 24 them alone. To be interesting, chord when someone’s true
hours keeps repeating itself that NPC should be far too grand identity becomes known.
over and over again. They must to be dismissed with a single Disclose the mystery of what
find out what’s causing this and roll. This story can take a dark really destroyed the lost
stop it. Or just enjoy the same turn if the NPC kidnaps someone civilization. Witness the
things again and again. to lock away in a gilded cage. firepower of the fully-armed
This twist can be a good one- Use the debriefings as your and operational battle station!
shot episode, for its humor value guide for this kind of twist. A This twist only works if you
as players do outlandish things few players enjoy this sort of had a hook earlier that hinted
because they can expect a rewind gothic bondage… but many that it would happen. It’s not a
with no consequences. There’s a more do not like it at all. dramatic reveal unless after it
reason your favorite sci-fi show Not Funny Ha-Ha, Funny Strange: comes out, the players realize they
had an episode just like this. Things look a little … off, today. should have known this, earlier.
There’s an odd smell. Or people
are suddenly talking about “the

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 Sins of our Fathers: Nothing like a Strange Behavior: A friend is should not be, “betray the
few millennia of neglect to leave behaving oddly. Maybe their players”. Not only is that cliché,
trouble brewing. An old computer cybernetic brain is malfunc- but you’re just asking for trouble.
could be switched on and tioning? Or perhaps they’re having Unexpected Arrival: Any situation
decide it’s overdue to activate some sort of mental breakdown. that’s going easy enough can
mutually-assured destruction. For added drama, it could be a be ruined by the appearance of
Or the ringworld arcology could player-character having problems! someone who has no business
be wobblingly unstable, its guy- Use the debriefing as your guide. being there. Don’t go for the
wires in dire need of overhaul. Rarely, you can have a player who obvious “villain crashes party”—
Our players could be called in thinks it would be neat to have it’s far more interesting when it’s
Something Missing: There was a hole their character de-powered, or an old friend or embarrassing ally.
here, now there’s not. A person insane, or unreliable. (Most This twist can turn any
could disappear. A ship could players don’t like it, so don’t story that’s going too easy into
disappear from the scopes. A push this on anyone who doesn’t one that’s suddenly dramatic,
whole planet could just disappear. like it.) This can be an excuse to when the arrival accidentally
Nothing like a cosmic anomaly re-invent someone’s character gets caught or put into danger.
that needs to be solved, especially into a different version,
Victims of our own Success: That
if someone on that missing swapping out a new playbook.
miner that you rescued from
planet still owes me a beer. Ulterior Motives: Just because Chiron Beta Prime won’t leave you
This twist is good for opening someone has their own agenda alone. You killed the baddies and
an adventure. You can use this doesn’t mean they’re out to get saved the entire planet… and
as a long term hook, too, when a you. Some things are need to now the people want to elect you
player discovers that the planet know. The players could be emperor! The sentient mass from
disappeared at the exact same sent on some errand without the center of the universe keeps
time they pushed that button knowing that they’re part of shifting reality in ways that should
on the alien device last week. some grander scheme. make you happy, but don’t.
Use this twist very sparingly. Use this twist after players
Many players resent the idea that solve a problem a little too well.
NPCs are “using them”. Be sure This hook can shake the players
to have a debriefing to ask how up a bit, because how do you
this story went. We cannot stress let someone down easily?
enough that the ulterior motive

William Kwan (Order #44609495)

 Use these sample challenges as a guide for making your own. As MC, always listen to your players. They may
come up with their own ideas for moves to deal with these situations. We can’t possibly list every idea here, nor
all the bizarre responses and situations that can come up. If you think of better moves, better responses, or better
choices, then use those! Don’t let our silly book boss you around. Above all: be fair, be consistent, have fun.

These encounters are of a violent and charged nature with other people and monsters.

You can introduce a

Creep challenge when The creep attacks: At the
a player wanders off Hangs around bad neighborhoods, interval, the creep picks a
into someplace they’re found in sleazy bars, works below The creep counter- single character to
not supposed to be. Or deck, or is a hired goon. attacks: roll +Bottom. roll +Strange.
you can introduce a Up to 6: -1 Doing, and Up to 6: Choose one:
Choose a name: Bad Benjamin
Creep if a player does another -2 Doing if you’re surrender something to the
Barr; Betamax; Bill; Bimmy;
something clumsy, ob- exposed. creep (their choice),
Carvey; Cassiday; Crooley;
noxious, or otherwise 7-9: Choose one: flee or or -3 Doing.
Devlin; Draaga; Dug; 50-Cred;
fails on a move. -1 Doing 7-9: Choose one: surrender
Frang; Hector; Ironbelly; Jock;
If our players are in Kilmour; Lummox; Myrdyr; The creep yells catcalls, something to the creep
a civilized place, you Norris; Osgar; Poundar; Pustule; insults, and abuse: roll +Top. (their choice), or -1 Doing.
may want to warn your Rowe; Scully; Shooty; Slick; Up to 6: -1 Feeling and If all characters flee, only the
players that asym- Tornewan; Two.P; Uller; Wez become exposed ones with the lowest Top traits
metric violence is
7-9: Choose one: Become become part of a chase
frowned upon. That is,
exposed, flee, or -1 Feeling sequence (page 118). If even
if you kill someone just Use the standard moves. Assault?
one character remains, the
because he threatened Avoid? Block? Schmooze? Etc.
creep will deal with them, first.
you, you could get into The creep is a weak target. If the
even more trouble. players can neutralize a weak If all remaining characters
Encourage your players target, this challenge ends. are incapacitated, they are at
to try clever moves. the mercy of the creep.
(Kidnapping? Robbery?
Extortion?)

William Kwan (Order #44609495)

 A single Creep is a
Characters who flee become minor obstacle to a
A bunch of creeps, in greater part of a chase sequence player-character with
numbers and tacky clothes. The One of the creeps assaults (page 118). positive attributes
cheapest and lowliest of hired you: roll +Bottom. and common sense.
If all characters flee, they all
goons. Up to 6: -1 Doing, and become part of a chase A Gang of Creeps is
another -2 Doing if you’re sequence (page 118). If some another story.
Choose a name: Badwolves;
exposed. characters flee while others A strong assault or
Bagheads; Fire Walkers; First-
7-9: If you’re exposed, stay, the MC must choose: avoid move could get
Shooters; Hell’s Sergals;
-1 Doing. Now, choose one: reduce the countdown by 1 past them… but a bad
Hemovores; Iota Syndicate;
either flee or -1 Doing and start a chase sequence, or roll could spell
Jailbreakers; Lagrange
Rangers; Neonates; Permanent The gang yells catcalls, have the creeps stay here. trouble.
Floating Riot Club; Pure Strain insults, and abuse: If all remaining characters A Gang of Creeps
Humans; Red Ribbons; Quasar all characters roll +Top. are incapacitated, they are at could be small-time
Irregulars; Unified Field; the mercy of the creeps. hoods, a rabble of
Up to 6: -countdown Feeling
Ultra-Violent (Kidnapping? Robbery? hostile people, or out-
and become exposed
Extortion? Take them back to dated robotic sentries.
Countdown = 3 counters 7-9: Choose one: Become
the boss creep? Etc.) Use the Gang of
exposed, flee, or -1 Feeling
Creeps when you want
The creeps advance at the a challenge that’s
Use the standard moves. Assault?
interval: all characters clearly beyond the
Avoid? Block? Schmooze? Etc.
roll +Bottom. skill of common
Neutralizing a weak target takes
Up to 6: -countdown Doing, people, but is some-
out one creep and -1 countdown.
and another -2 Doing if thing that our
Neutralizing a strong target takes
you’re exposed. uncommon heroes
out all the creeps and zeros the
7-9: If you’re exposed, can deal with.
countdown.
-countdown Doing. Now,
choose one: either flee or
-1 Doing

William Kwan (Order #44609495)

 A Gang of Creeps is
a much more serious The boss orders their gang to do
obstacle when their Often found with a creep, or a Use the standard moves. Assault? things. This can happen at the
Boss Creep is around. gang of creeps. Avoid? Block? Schmooze? Etc. interval, or if a character does
If your players are The boss creep is a strong target. something that really, really
Choose a name: Abobo; Anti-
smart, they will try to The boss creep will ignore results offends the boss. Either add a
Maim; Bleek; Carnifex; The
neutralize the Boss, that only affect weak targets, but new gang of creeps, or add 1
Captain; The 404 Kid; Der
first. they can be neutralized by a to the countdown of an
Hexenhammer; Doc Rictus;
Consider increasing single, strong result. existing gang of creeps.
Harry the Unspeakable; Kraab;
the Boss to grand tier, Lady Maple; Lobo; Lostcore; When the boss creep is
if you want a recur- Lufi; Molly; Mongul; Old Man; neutralized, their underlings
ring villain who isn’t Russo; Vetter; Zann the Man may flee, they may keep fighting,
The boss counter-
to be trifled with. they may insist on ceasing
attacks: roll +Strange.
hostilities (page 123), etc.
Up to 9: -3 Doing
10-12: Choose one: flee or
-1 Doing

A Paramilitary is an
armed guard, police, A single paramilitary may
security, or clear Could be a lone bounty hunter, or pursue characters that flee, or
authority figure. could possibly be part of a larger The paramilitary counter- they may call out for patrols to
Either our players are group. A paramilitary comes attacks: roll +Down. catch them, instead (which
violating the local laws, dressed for war. Up to 9: -3 Doing can start a chase, see
or they are tangling 10-12: Are you exposed? page 118).
Choose a name: Ares, Boba,
with an evil empire. -3 Doing. If the paramilitary captures,
Bossk, Calhoun, Curare,
If our players are Dalton, Duke, Elexis, Esteves, Military action at the interval. incapacitates, or forces one
dealing with a nasty, Ezril, Fang, Gantz, Geist, All characters roll +Bottom. or more characters to
violent person (not Glossu, Idaho, IG-88, Jeltz, surrender, they will almost
Up to 6: Call for backup!
well-armed or well- Julie, Kersey, Leonard, The always move them to some
Replace this challenge
trained), you should Major, McGinnis, Mikiko, Nack, other location and detain
with a paramilitary unit
use a Creep, instead. Rusty, Sever, Shadow them. (See containment,
7-9: Suppressive fire! -1 Doing
page 114.)
(and another -2 if exposed)
10+: Start cease hostilities
Use the standard moves. Assault?
challenge (page 123)
Avoid? Block? Schmooze? Etc.
(Yes, if some characters roll
The paramilitary is a strong
low but others roll high, we
target. They will ignore results
could have backup arriving
that only affect weak targets, but
while negotiating for a
they can be neutralized by a
cease-fire.)
single, strong result.

William Kwan (Order #44609495)

 An army is many Para-
If one or more characters military Units, one
flee, they become part of a after the other. The
Armed police, hired mercenaries, Suppressing fire vs. hostiles. chase sequence (page 118). players might defeat
veteran soldiers, and anyone else who Automatic -1 Doing, with The paramilitary will prefer to one Paramilitary Unit,
knows how to fight and isn’t afraid. another -countdown Doing if call for other units to pursue but as MC you should
you are exposed. the characters, if they can. tell them if “that was
Choose a name: Anarcho-Militia;
Anti-Human League; Building Return fire: Otherwise, they must reduce just the first wave,
Security; Combine Automatic -countdown Doing, their countdown to send one more are on the way.”
Peacekeeper; Grubert Safari with another -2 Doing if you or more units after our heroes. Some players may
Company; Redshirt Brigade; are exposed. If the paramilitary captures, have difficulty under-
Spartan Phalanx; Special Demand for surrender: incapacitates, or forces one standing that they
Weapons & Tactics; Vortigaunt roll +Top. or more characters to don’t have to stay and
Conscripts Up to 6: -countdown Feeling surrender, they will almost fight. Remind the
Countdown = 3 counters 7-9: Either surrender or -1 always detain them players what their
(or more) Feeling somewhere until the law or goals are, and if that
some other authority arrives. goal doesn’t include
Military action at the interval. “fighting the army”,
(See containment, page 114.)
Use the standard moves. Assault? All characters roll +Bottom. then they probably
Avoid? Block? Schmooze? Etc. Up to 6: Call for backup! Add leave before more
The paramilitary unit is a group of +1 countdown. units arrive.
strong targets. They will ignore 7-9: Suppressive fire! -1 Doing
results that only affect weak (and another -countdown
targets. A single strong if exposed)
neutralization only reduces the 10+: Start cease hostilities
countdown by 1, but a grand challenge (page 123)
result will affect the entire unit (Yes, if some characters roll
(and maybe zero out the low but others roll high, we
countdown). could have backup arriving
while negotiating for a
cease-fire.)

William Kwan (Order #44609495)

 A single Alien Predator
is a nuisance: non- Round up the exposed characters. 7-9: Break free, but you must
combat characters will An apex predator from some The one who was the last one choose: -3 Doing; destroy
have trouble, but forgotten world. Has lots of teeth. to say “Not it!” is pounced or lose some valuable item;
tougher types won’t Choose a name: Agropelter; Axe upon by the predator. The MC or something else that you
break a sweat. For a Beak; Bitey; Ib; Jibburc; Mega- is encouraged to resolve any or the MC think is
greater challenge, you chicken; Merlock; Mew-Tannt; disputes using contests of wits dramatic.
could upgrade the My Child Still in Its Larval and humiliation. 10+: Break free.
creature so only grand Stage; Only Specimen in the
effects work on it. Or Known Universe; Owlbear;
you could have a hoard Brute-force moves (such as
Rare Delicacy; Sacred Beast of
of the things, with a assault, avoid, block, etc.) should Counter-Attack:
Klylo; Scrag; Thyrax; That Thing
countdown of 3, 5, 10, work, but the predator won’t -3 Doing vs. the character and
That Keeps Turning Up and We
or more. (Strong hits respond to reason (schmooze, -1 Thinking on a pounced
Don’t Know Where They Keep
cause -1 countdown and etc.) in the typical manner. The target.
Coming from; Slorrkh; Triffid;
grand hits cause -3.) alien predator is a strong target, Ravage the pounced target:
Umber Hulk; Velociraptor;
For an alternative but it is also cowardly. Weak Automatic -1 Doing, -1
What Used to be Greg Before
challenge, our heroes results will make it flee the area; a Feeling, and -1 Thinking on
He Got That Weird Rash; Vlillo;
may have to look after single strong result will take it the pounced target.
Vulpeon; Zerg
one of these things. out. If any target becomes
(Maybe it’s a pet, or a zoo There’s also a special move for incapacitated, the alien
Introduce the Alien Predator with
animal, or the baby part the unfortunate victim: predator will grab that target
a sneak attack: the MC asks
of an alien’s life-cycle.) Break free of the pounce: and run off. The best
all players to roll +Up, and
Try not to let it get loose! roll +Strange. predators have many escape
then says “Not it!”. All
players who do not say “Not Up to 6: You only make it routes, which may require
it!” before rolling are exposed. worse! Predator drags you successful scopes to figure
Up to 9: -3 Thinking and you into some terrible place out where they went.
are exposed, even if you where it has you all to Whatever the predator
said “Not it”. itself. does with its victim is up to
10+: Nothing. We discourage the MC. (Line the larder? Lay
you from pointing at the its eggs in their body cavities?
other players and laughing Present it to the nest mates?)
at their misfortune.

William Kwan (Order #44609495)

 The Psi Monster here
Mind Blast: at the interval, all is plain and simple.
It floats through walls and feeds Standard move might work, but characters roll +Top. You could make one
off mental energy. Immune to with qualifiers. The psi monster is Up to 9: -1 Thinking, and that has an advanced
conventional weapons and hazards. a strong target; it will ignore any choose: flee, or another personality, with all
weak results. In addition, it is -2 Thinking. sorts of wants and
Choose a name: Flumph; Intellect
immune to assault or containment 10-12: Choose: Flee or desires. It’s only
Devourer; Mind Parasite;
from any gear that isn’t speci- -1 Thinking dangerous if the
Thought Eater; W’th’t V’w’l
fically designed to work against Flee by moving through walls. players can’t reveal or
Introduce the Psi Monster with a psi monsters. (Special-attack It’s really annoying how they invent the gear to deal
sneak attack: the MC asks all moves from personal playbooks do that. with it. You could
players to roll +Up. will work, however. As always, the upgrade it to a higher
Up to 6: -3 Feeling and you are MC decides what goes.) tier… or have the thing
exposed.
possessing innocent
7-9: Choose: flee the area,
people, which raises
or -3 Feeling.
ethical questions on
10+: Without surprise, the Psi Counter-Attack:
how to remove the psi
Monster is not nearly as -3 Thinking vs. the character
monsters from them.
frightening. You may take +1 and -1 Feeling on all exposed
forward on all moves vs. the characters.
Psi Monster in this challenge.

If you were looking for

Up to 9: -3 Feeling, and the big nasty monster,
Your standard space monster. choose: -3 Doing or flee. this is it. Use this kind
We’re gonna need a bigger ship. Counter-Attack: roll +Bottom Remove 1 rage counter. of creature sparingly:
Up to 9: -1 Doing and -1 10-12: Choose: -3 Feeling or grand threats can use
Choose a name: Arachnoid,
Feeling, and another -2 flee. Remove one rage up a lot of resources.
Bullette; Gargantua; Grell;
Doing if you’re exposed. counter. And there’s no rule
Protozoid; Slimie; Stroggo;
10+: Add 1 rage counter. 13+: Choose: -1 Doing or that says the Menace
Xenomorph; Your Mom
remove one rage counter. can’t be a sapient,
Berserker rage:
Whenever the rage counter If all targets flee, start a chase
thinking creature.
Standard moves will work normally. gets to 3, all characters sequence (page 118). If even
Jealous, hate, revenge,
The alien menace is a grand target; roll +Top. one target stays behind, the
and other emotions
only grand results can affect or alien menace will continue to
could turn a person
neutralize it. In addition, not only does interact with that character.
into a force of nature.
it ignore weak results, but strong
results only make it mad. Any time
someone scores a strong result vs.
the alien menace, add 1 rage counter.

William Kwan (Order #44609495)

 At some point, you
might want the
ridiculous mecha- A monster as tall as a skyscraper, Standard moves will work
robot or space dragon this is the kind of problem that is normally. The alien menace is a Counter-Attack: roll +Bottom
that throws trains or very difficult to cover up. grander target; only grand results Up to 9: -5 Doing and -1
pushes over buildings. can affect it, and even then, they Feeling, and another -2
Choose a name: Arcyos, Cthulhu;
Again, there’s no rule only remove 1 counter from the Feeling if you’re exposed. If
Ghidra; Gozer; Kabuto;
against playing the countdown. The creature ignores you survive, you are pinned
Mazinger; Neo-Bahumut;
Kaiju as something weak or strong results. under rubble or knocked
Queen-Mother; Ro-Jaws
that can be reasoned If the kaiju’s countdown gets out of range. You take -3 on
Countdown = 3 counters reduced to zero, it will surrender,
with, bargained with, your next move against the
(or more) collapse, turn back into a statue,
or even propositioned. kaiju.
(Though the details of When a character first gets lose all structural integrity, 10-12: -3 Doing, and another
such a relationship are within range of the kaiju, they realize the error of its ways, or -1 Feeling if you’re
left as an exercise for must roll +Top. something else that makes it stop exposed.
the reader.) Up to 9: -countdown Feeling. being such a threat. 13+: -1 Doing.
If you don’t flee right now, Every interval, smash more of
another -2 Feeling. the city. All characters on the
10-12: -1 Feeling, and if you scene roll +Bottom.
don’t flee right now,
Up to 6: -3 Doing and -3
-countdown Feeling
Feeling. If you’re still
13+: The bigger they are, the
active after that, then
harder they fall. Take +1
choose: either flee or
forward to your next move.
suffer another -countdown
Doing.
7-9: -1 Doing and -1 Feeling,
and choose: either flee or
suffer another -2 Doing.

William Kwan (Order #44609495)

 Use the Space Knight
At each interval, the knight as a template for your
A humanoid typhoon, this person Standard moves will work chooses a target and slashes recurring villains. If
has “arch-nemesis” written all normally. The space knight is a at them, forcing them to you want the game to
over the creepy mask that they grander target; roll +Up. feel personal, then you
wear. The worst knights have an only grand results can affect Up to 6: -3 Doing, and another need to put faces on
entourage of a gang of creeps or a them, and even then, they only -2 Doing if you are the characters. What’s
paramilitary group. remove 1 counter from the exposed. your Space Knight’s
countdown. The knight ignores 7-9: -1 Doing, and another -2 appearance? Manner?
Choose a name: Ardel; Athame;
weak or strong results. Doing if you are exposed. Motivation? Goals?
Cutter Jane; Darth; Feyd;
If the knight’s countdown gets 10-12: -1 Doing. Emotions? Dreams?
Forgrave; Hiryu; Hudzen;
reduced to zero, they let out a cry As a grander threat,
Malik; Rom; Terminus;
of hate (see below). The very next When countdown drops to
Tetsutengu; Vantabright; Wade it usually makes more
grand result will be able to zero, the space knight lets
sense for our heroes
Countdown = 3 counters or more neutralize them. out a cry of unfathomable
to run away from the
hate: all characters
When the space knight first Knight, only confronting
roll +Strange.
appears on the scene, all them when they must.
Up to 9: -1 Feeling, and
characters must roll +Top. You can make even
Counter-attack with laser -3 forward to next move.
Up to 6: -2 Feeling, and the most mundane
blade: roll +Up. 10+: The space knight flees.
choose one: flee, adventure more inte-
Up to 9: -3 Doing. You are (Yes, if even one character
surrender, or -countdown resting by simply
disarmed by the laser blade rolls this high, the knight will
Feeling. having a Knight show
or by a ricocheted attack. flee.)
7-9: Choose one: surrender, up to stop our heroes
10-12: -1 Doing. Choose one: from whatever it is
flee, or -1 Feeling
be disarmed or -1 Feeling. they want to do.
10-12: You can surrender or
flee if you want, but you
can also hold your own.
13+: Finally, an opponent
worthy of your attentions.
Take +1 forward to your
next move.

William Kwan (Order #44609495)

 These are challenges that involve weather, travel, distance, objects and the like.

In stories, heroes get

captured all the time. Affect someone or something
In role-playing games, Oh no! Your enemy has trapped Think of something! outside of the containment:
it can be very difficult you in some kind of futury thing, Roll +Down. roll +Bottom.
to capture a player- and they are laughing at you while Up to 6: It’s hard to act under Up to 6: You strain yourself.
character. To some reminding you that escape is pressure! -3 Thinking. Choose one: -3 Doing
players, getting cap- impossible. While you are trapped 7-9: Choose one: do nothing… or -3 Feeling.
tured is the same like this, you can’t move against or -3 Thinking and +3 7+: Choose one: -1 Doing
thing as losing, and no others who aren’t in the same forward on your next move. or -1 Thinking. You may
one likes to lose. containment as you (unless you 10-12: Choose one: sacrifice a now take a move against
Farflung is a game make a special move, below). piece of strong gear and something outside of the
of high emotions and Choose a name: The classic pit; break free; try to improvise containment, with
quick turn-arounds. Force field; Frictionless floor; new gear, and roll again +1 forward.
Getting captured can get Giant magnet; Glue bomb; with +connection; or -3
you right into a villain’s Hard-light screen; Honeypot Thinking and +3 forward.
lair, and you can learn decoy; Increased gravity; Myob 13+: You disable the device. Someone comes to your
a lot of information bag; Net; Pocket universe; You’re free! Take +3 rescue. They can’t bear to see
that way. Also, no one Prison cell; Psychic projection forward to help free you like this. Maybe you could
is truly alone, there’s of your own private hell; Spider anyone else still caught. just give your captors what
plenty who can come to web; Spider garden; Stasis they want? Or maybe they
Brute force: roll +Strange.
your rescue. As always, globe; Sticky effulgence; Time have to confess their undying
use the debriefings to Up to 6: Flail in agony, curse
loop; Zero-point energy love for you. Would you put
discuss the story tropes your captor’s name, and
–3 Doing. someone else at risk, just to
with your fellow players. get yourself out of here?
7-9: Choose one: do nothing…
or -3 Doing and +3 forward The gloating. You’re not sure
on your next move, as you which is worse: the
push yourself harder than humiliation of defeat, or
ever before. having to listen to this
10-12: Choose one: work blowhard go on and on about
through the pain (-3 Doing) their victory. Maybe if you’re
and free yourself, or take patient, they’ll accidentally
+3 on your next move. reveal a detail of their master
13+: You and everyone else plan, and you can use it after
are free! Take +1 forward you escape.
on all moves to get revenge
against your captor.

William Kwan (Order #44609495)

 There’s a long tradition
Disguise: roll +Charm. Sabotage the security in genre fiction of
Sneak into a high-security area. Up to 6: You’re not fooling system: roll +Down. sneaking into places you
Choose a name: Abandoned Soylent anyone! Choose one: Up to 6: Subtract 3 from the have no business being
Packing Plant; Bani’s Fortified surrender; or -3 Feeling and countdown. in. From robot factories
Compound; Secret Lab on you must deal with a creep 7-9: -1 Thinking. If your next to alien spaceships,
Cinnra; The Ineluctable Sewers; or paramilitary. move is “sneak” or “sabotage from dominated hive-
Northbridge Robo-Factory; Ruins 7-9: Almost caught! 1 Feeling. the security system”, minds to the most
of Ancient Olorin; Shatabisha Choose one: leave the area; +3 forward. boring of metropolises.
Zaibatsu; Undisclosed Location; surrender; or make some 10+: +10 countdown. Security We can’t possibly
Under-City of Vespae Secunda people suspicious system is offline; this move detail every place you’d
(-1 countdown). is no longer available. break into, or what
Countdown = 3
10+: Good job. You get +1 you’d do while you’re
forward on other infiltration in them. Use this
Recon: roll +Up. rolls, and you can be casual challenge as a guide
Each interval: -1 countdown.
Up to 6: Caught by surprise! in places that a non- If the countdown reaches zero, for your own sneaky
Choose one: Surrender or -3 disguised person could not. then any move that would adventures. Encourage
Thinking and you must deal reduce countdown again sets your players to bluff
Sneak around: roll +Bottom.
with a creep or off every alarm, everywhere. their way past indolent
paramilitary. Up to 6: Caught off guard! guards, to eavesdrop
It’s probably time to go.
7-9: Almost caught! Choose one: surrender; or on others’ conver-
-3 Thinking and you must After a character does some
-1 Thinking. sations, and to stumble
deal with a gang of creeps non-infiltration move that
10+: You’ve cased the place. into private collections
or a paramilitary group. could get bad attention:
+1 countdown and +3 of adult novelties.
7-9: -1 Thinking and you’re not roll +Bottom.
forward to all “sneak” What sort of things do
yet inside. If your next Up to 6: If you don’t immediately you do, when you think
moves for you and all your
move is “sneak” or go outside, -1 countdown. no one is watching?
friends.
“sabotage the security And if you just did
system”, +3 forward. something loud, blatant, or
10-12: You’re almost inside. If obnoxious, another -1
your next move is “sneak” countdown.
or “sabotage the security 7-9: Either go outside or
system”, +3 forward. -1 countdown.
13+: You’re inside.
+1 countdown.

William Kwan (Order #44609495)

 Use the Hull Breach as
a model for other Seal the breach: roll +Down.
challenges where In space, no one can hear you Up to 9: So much stress! -1
players must make a curse your poor die rolls. Each interval: -1 countdown
Thinking. If your next move is
hard choice: flee to “seal the breach”, +3 forward. When countdown runs out, all
Choose a name: Airlock Failure in
save themselves, or 10-12: Choose one: +1 characters still not in safety
Cargo hold; Integrity Loss on in
take a risk to countdown or +3 forward. roll +Down.
the Stern; Rupture on Deck 3;
save others? Stress Fracture on Spinal Mount 13+: Sealed! Remove hazard Up to 6: Sucked into space.
from play. All friends suffer -1 Feeling.
Countdown = 3 counters
7-9: -5 Doing just before you
get to safety.
Evacuate: roll +Bottom. 10-12: -3 Doing just before you
7-9: Choose one: -3 Doing and get to safety.
get to safety, or +3 forward.
10+: Get to safety.

Whether it’s driving

the car, riding the Planning the route: roll +Up.
toma, or flying the “Long” is relative, but you can use Stay on course: roll +Down. Up to 6: Have you even seen a
ship, sometimes our this threat as a template for any If you’re in a vehicle, only the map before? -3 Thinking
heroes will have a long journey where resources pilot rolls. Otherwise, everyone and -1 countdown.
risky “travel montage” could be consumed or lost, or rolls. 7-9: Either admit your
to get somewhere. where time is important. Up to 6: Something breaks, mistakes and -3 Feeling, or
As with all rules, Choose a name: From the slipgate you get lost, enemy catches get us lost and -1
only use the Long to the hyperspace bypass; safari up, etc. New challenge and countdown.
Journey challenge if through Iarlayn Jungle; Over -1 countdown. 10 or better: Choose one:
you think the random Junkyards of Tetanoid Valley; 7-9: Making good time. If your better economy (+1 count-
results and costs will Cross Asphalt Plain on Hol-1; Long next move is “stay on down) or better route (pilot
make the story more walk home after one-night stand course”, take +3 forward. takes their +connection
fun. If our players just 10-12: Making great time. If with you as a bonus on all
Countdown = 3
need to get to Tau Ceti your next move is “stay on “stay the course” rolls)
before anything inter- course”, take +6 forward.
esting happens, then 13+: You’ve arrived!
just have them get Each interval: -1 countdown.
there, no rolls needed. If the countdown reaches zero,
something bad happens.
Everyone gets lost, the ship
runs out of fuel, their enemies
catch up with them, etc.

William Kwan (Order #44609495)

 Dogfighting and
space combat can be
For those dangerous piloting event. Sit in the Pilot’s Chair: interesting to some
roll +Down. Turbulence: All crew and players… but it can be
Choose a name: Fly through the rings
Up to 6: Bad move! Choose passengers roll +Top. boring to the players
of Asphodel VII; Navigate the
one: nightmare stress Up to 6: Strapped in? -1 Doing. who aren’t partici-
blasted remains of the Yao-Chi
(-3 Thinking) or crash Not strapped in? -1 Doing, pating. If you want to
Station; Pass through the Satai
course (-1 countdown) and choose: Drop what have a pitched space
Anomaly; Skim the Event Horizon
7-9: Do you risk it? Choose you’re holding or another battle, feel free to add
of the Corvi-Neb Black Hole
one: hard turn (+3 forward, -2 Doing. more custom moves
Countdown = 3
-1 Thinking, thrown about) Oh, and are you the pilot? (operating the guns,
or crash course (-1 -1 countdown repairing the engines,
countdown) 7-9: Not strapped in? -1 Doing. etc.) … and think of
10-12: Smooth piloting. 10+: Take +3 forward against ways to involve all the
Choose one: hard turn anyone else who didn’t players, not just one
(+6 forward, thrown about) succeed on a “thrown or two.
or hotdogging about” roll.
(+1 countdown) If the countdown drops to zero,
13+: Crisis averted. You’re in something bad happens. (The
the clear. ship is horribly damaged, the
bad guys catch up to you, you
get sent way off course and run
out of fuel, etc.)

William Kwan (Order #44609495)

 Another staple of the
genre is the chase Slow down the pursuit:
sequence: running For those long-term running scenes, roll +Strange. This move is
away from the baddies. when you’re running from strong only available if you’re being Each interval: -1 countdown.
“Running away” is enemies that you’d rather not murder. chased by hostiles that can be If the countdown runs out, all
concept some players slowed down by your weapons. the chased characters are
Choose a name: Ditch the Kawashi
have a hard time with. caught. Your pursuers make a
Murdergangs; Escape from the Up to 6: It’s not working!
Isn’t fleeing the scene demand that you must meet…
Breeding Pits of Bara-Dur; Flee Choose one: Get caught
the same as losing? or you might held in contain-
from the M’Pyri Slime Colony; Get (and drop out of this event),
No one likes to lose. ment (page 114)… or you
Out Before the Seals Are Shut for get hurt (-3 Doing), or slow
Some of our chal- might get trapped in an
another 30,000 Years; Grab the everyone down (-1 count-
lenges specifically unpleasant place, etc.
Poker Pot and Run for It; Jump down)
have the choice: “flee After losing a chase, you
Through the Portal Before It 7-9: Choose one: a risky shot
or take damage”, to won’t be taking any moves until
Closes; Run from the Neo-Seattle (-3 Doing and +1
make it clear to the your MC tells you it’s time to
Organ-Leggers; Snatch the Wins- countdown) or duck and
player that staying take moves again.
low and Worry About What to Do cover (-1 Doing)
means automatic With it Later; These Guys Again, 10-12: You take one or two of
harm, and if you want We Do Not Have Time for This Now them out (+1 countdown). If
the harm to stop, you your next move is “Slow
Countdown = 3
must go. down the pursuit”, take
When playing out a +countdown, forward.
chase, think about the Escape: roll +Bottom. 13+: Choose one: Take out all
movies or shows that Up to 6: Choose one: surrender your pursuers and suffer -1
make a chase exciting, (and get caught), slow Doing for your trouble… or
and put in the same everyone down (-1 count- take out most of them and
elements. Near-misses down), or get turned around scare the rest of them off.
with vehicles! Jumping (-3 Thinking) You and your friends get
over rooftops! Running 7-9: Keep running! Choose away, and the chase is over.
over factory conveyors! one: exhaustion (-1 Doing)
Surrender: no roll necessary.
Like everything else, or stress (-1 Thinking). If
You’re caught (see below), but
look for ways to make your next move is “escape”,
all your friends take +1 forward
this chase to be fun. +3 forward.
to escape, if they keep running.
10-12: You’re losing them! If
your next move is “escape”,
take +6 forward.
13+: Either escape (and leave
your friends behind) or add
+3 forward to everyone’s
“escape” move until this
hazard ends

William Kwan (Order #44609495)

 Puzzles such as this
Sabotage it: roll +Down. arcane device can
It’s a strange thing and we need to Make sense of the thing: Up to 6: Whatever you’re build a sense of
figure it out before we can move on. roll +Up. doing, stop it! -3 Feeling mystery and fun into
Choose a name: Dead-Hand Up to 6: It’s hard to act under and -1 countdown. your game. But what
Perimeter Missile Array; pressure! -3 Thinking and 7-9: Either admit your happens if none of
D’ni Codex; Firefrost Device; -1 countdown. mistakes and -3 Feeling, or your players’ rolls are
Gräfenburg Topology; Kobayashi 7-9: Pressure! Either take -3 waste time and -1 lucky enough to defeat
Maru; Logopolis Block-Transfer Thinking or -1 countdown. countdown. this puzzle? If you just
Device; Rama Console; Meganti- 10-12: You think you’ve seen 10-12: Almost there! Take give them the win,
kythera Mechanism; Shining this design before. Either another “sabotage it” move anyway, then what was
Trapezohedron; Szilard-Kahn +1 countdown or make with +3 forward. the point of rolling?
Defense Solution; Tabernacle another “make sense of the 13+: Device disabled. A good answer is
Crystal; That Thing with the thing” move with that if none of the
Blinking Lights; Ultimate +countdown forward. players can solve the
Nullifer; Voynich Laserdisc 13+: You have command of the Each interval: -1 countdown. puzzle of the Device,
device. If the countdown reaches zero, they must find some-
Countdown = 3
something bad happens. one who can. See
(Lockdown? Explosion? Alarm? “Fact-Finding”,
Unleash the hordes? Device page 120.
runs out of power? Our time is
up and we must return the
device? Something else?)

William Kwan (Order #44609495)

 These are challenges that involve dealing with other people.

Fact-Finding doesn’t
have to just be “make 7-9: A good lead, or a dead end: 13+: Either you find someone who
roll, fact comes out.” We have to go to some social Choose one: -3 Thinking from knows everything, or they tell
You can make this institution or library to find some stress… or -1 countdown you the right solution. You find
challenge interesting stuff out before we can advance and you and everyone else out the fact that you need,
and personal by the story. A simple “lore” check takes +3 forward on these and you or someone else on
putting on a face. isn’t going to tell us. fact-finding moves. your team may add 1 to their
After passing the roll, Choose an obscure fact: Anti-Life 10+: Eureka! You’ve found the connection with this topic.
the player meets an Equation; Combination to the solution. You or someone
absent-minded Druidian Shield; Cure for the else on your team may add
scientist, a crazed Andromeda Strain; Index to 1 to their connection with
recluse, a petty this topic. Mental stress.
Borges Memorial Library;
criminal, an ancient -1 Thinking or more, from all
Location of the Lost World of Find someone who can help
computer, or some these late nights and hard
Thamber; Knowledge of What you, then ask them.
other non-player reading. (Best for bad rolls.)
Lies Beyond the Great Barrier; Roll +Charm.
character that you use Unwanted attention.
List of all Cylon Agents; Plans Up to 6: Everyone is giving you
for just this to Starkiller Base; Proof of Someone doesn’t like you
the run-around. Choose looking these things up. You
encounter. Fermat’s Last Theorem; Recipe one: -3 Feeling from stress could run into an unexpected
Any Fact-Finding for Dark-Matter Fuel; Text of or -1 countdown. challenge of a gang of creeps, a
challenge can be made God’s Final Message to 7-9: This other person will help paramilitary unit, or even a
more interesting if His Creation you, but with strings attached. space knight.
our players’ enemies
Countdown = 5 for something easy to Either do what they ask (and
show up during any Time is running out.
find, 3 for rare facts, 2 or 1 for the MC invents a brand new
part of it. Sure, the -1 countdown at the interval.
something incomprehensible. challenge) or -1 countdown.
players’ characters Either we need this thing fast,
If you successfully help them,
can’t die, but the non- or someone else will find out
use the 10-12 result, below.
player characters can, Use your expertise. and it will be too late. (Don’t
10-12: The other person educates
and any good player Roll +Connection with this topic. choose this response if there’s
you on this problem. Everyone
will seek to protect no time pressure.)
Up to 6: Argh, the truth is out improves their connection
their fact-finding Countdown drops to zero?
there, you just know it. with this topic by +1, and
allies from harm, first. It’s hopeless. Something must
Choose one: -3 Thinking you may claim +3 forward on
change in the story (such as a
from stress or -1 your next fact-finding move.
new lead, a prophetic vision,
countdown.
someone’s tell-all confession,
etc.) before you can take this
up again.

William Kwan (Order #44609495)

 Farflung is a game
Sneak weapons into the 7-9: Almost caught! Choose about strange new
Just try not to embarrass us event, past one: +1 forward, or worlds and new civili-
too much. security: Roll +Down. -1 countdown and +3 on zations. You can use
Choose a name: Annual First- Up to 6: Nice try, chief. your next “use the party as the Social Gathering
Order Founders’ Day Parade; Either excuse yourself from cover” move. challenge as a model
Cloned Debutante’s Ball; The the gathering … or hand 10-12: Should your risk it? for any place where
Digital Circus; Dinner at Milli- over all your weapons to Choose one: +1 forward on talking, intrigue,
ways’; Ephrofrek’s Coming-Out security and -1 countdown. your next move … or -1 seduction, and
Party; Fhloston Cruise for 7-9: Security frisks you and countdown and +6 on your politics are the mode
Swingers; Fundraiser for finds all but one of your next “use the party as of the day.
Retcon Victims; Mardi Gras but weak weapons (your cover” move. You might be
in Space; Rollerball Finals; choice). 13+: You did it! Either go back surprised at the
Sadalachbia Supernova and 10 : Choose one: either keep to the party, or just leave. number of players
Fireworks Display; one strong weapon, or a who insist that their
Shufflepuck Café Gender’s group of weak weapons characters carry
Night; Thunderdome and armor. weapons at all times,
One chime closer to midnight: even when attending
Invitationals Mingle: Roll +Charm. -1 countdown at the interval. the ballroom dance
Countdown = 3 Up to 6: How could you say We don’t have all night, people. hosted by the Fede-
that? -3 Feeling and -1 Dreadful insult! ration Prime Minister.
countdown. Good for bad rolls. Something
7-12: How delightful! You and a player has said has insulted
Life of the party: Roll +Top.
all your friends take +1 someone. This makes for a
Up to 6: Embarrass yourself. forward to all rolls at this charged situation, which may
Choose one: Leave, gathering. require schmoozing to calm
-3 Feeling, or 13+: +1 countdown, and you down. (See page 28.)
1 countdown. and all your friends take +1 Inopportune arrival.
7-9 : Ha ha! That’s a good one, forward to all rolls at this Someone who hates our
I’ll have to remember that. gathering. heroes is also at this party.
You take +1 forward on all
Use the party as cover while Better avoid them if you don’t
“mingle” rolls.
you do something else want to cause a scene.
10+: Fascinating! Choose one:
+3 forward to all your (Choose one: steal the Conspicuousness.
“mingle” rolls, or +1 silverware; seduce the help; Use when a player is doing
forward for the rest of this install surveillance device; things they shouldn’t be. They
party. find evidence; plant get the attention of someone
evidence): Roll +Bottom. else. (Security? Rival? Busy-
Up to 6: Almost caught! body?) They must deal with this
Choose one: -3 Thinking or new situation before they can
-1 countdown. go back to the social event.

William Kwan (Order #44609495)

 Some players will
enjoy the idea of their Friends with Benefits:
characters being For when you just want to game roll +connection.
successful at romance. out a romantic encounter, Propositioned: roll +Top.
Up to 6: Ugh, what did they
Other players may not no strings attached. ever see in you? -3 Feeling Up to 6: This has turned
enjoy this type of play and give up. ugly. -Submit to the
Choose a partner: Ah’len; Professor
as much. Many players 7-9: Your old friend has some proposal, leave now, or -3
Algedon; Autarch; Bio; Clorcoxx;
would rather “role- new interests, and they Feeling.
Cifal; Butch Deadlift; Dromana;
play not roll play”; may propose some sort of 7-9: -1 countdown and choose
The Eichner Cloud; Harmony;
that is, they’d rather bargain or favor out of you. one: Submit to the
Iprotar; Jommy; Kokopelli;
describe the romance Either concede, or give up. proposal, leave now, or -1
Doctor Malrubius; Melmoth; The
informally and emo- (If you fail to follow Feeling.
Nephilim Ambassador; Nikolai;
tionally, not as a game - shi through on the favor, this 10-12: -1 countdown and
Onkagg; Reon Lak; Rex; San
of luck and of dice. - could jeopardize your choose one: Submit to the
Fen; Slaanesh; Slabb; Tarl; The
As always, use the connection.) proposal … or make a
Thing That Dares Not Call You
debriefings after each 10+: Ask your partner if they demand of the proposer. If
The Day After; Tirapheg; Tod;
game to ask your - - Ashura; Trix-Eznari; Unity; would have relations now, they agree, you must either
Tosho
players about what or later, just like old times. honor their proposal or live
Varnett; Vina; V'siana
worked for them and You have come to terms. with the disgust (-3
what didn’t, and how Feeling).
you can make your Propose Relations: roll +Charm. 13+: Submit to the proposal…
next game session or make a demand of the
Up to 6: Embarrass yourself.
even better. proposer. If they agree,
-3 Feeling and give up.
honor it or don’t. You’re
7-9: You make a gaffe but you
that cold.
might recover. Choose one:
give up, or -3 Feeling and you
are hitting it off (see below).
10-12: You are hitting it off. Ask
the MC what attribute your
partner is looking for. Domi-
nating? (Top) Submissive?
(Bottom) Sophisticated? (Up)
Energetic? (Down) Sensual?
(Charm) Perverse? (Strange)
If you follow the MC’s advice,
use that new attribute and
take +3 forward.
13+: Ask your partner if they
would have relations now, or
later. You have come to terms.

William Kwan (Order #44609495)

 Some players may
Assert your social status: have a hard time with
Only the most mindless or Plea to surrender: roll +connection with some the idea of surrender.
remorseless of killers would roll +Bottom person or group that your Isn’t surrender the
ignore a plea to end a combat Up to 6: Hostilities continue. enemy respects same thing as losing?
encounter. The MC may have you Up to 6: Hostilities continue. No one likes to lose.
suffer injury (harm to You don’t know these It’s a staple of the
Doing), anxiety (harm to people as well as you high-concept sci-fi
Feeling), or something thought you did. The MC genre of our heroes
else. The harm should may have you suffer injury willingly surren-
match the tier (weak -1, (harm to Doing), anxiety dering, even to
strong -3, grand -5). If your (harm to Feeling), or some- opponents who you
next move is “surrender”, thing else. If you don’t clearly inferior.
take +1 forward. surrender right now, the A surrender can get
7-9: The enemy demands that MC may reduce your you taken directly to
you and yours surrender connection. their base of opera-
unconditionally. The 7-9: The enemy demands that tions, it lets you
details of your upcoming you and yours surrender gather information
imprisonment are up to the peaceably. Since you have and meet the authori-
MC. Either accept or keep a connection with them, ties, and (most
fighting. you can be expected to get importantly) it keeps
10+: The enemy demands a favorable treatment. Either anyone from getting
favorable surrender. You accept or keep fighting. hurt. If you’re really
may be able to surrender 10+: The enemy demands as awesome as you
just some of you while the parley. They recognize that think you are, you can
rest get away, or you might you have a connection with always break free or
have time to do a custom their people or get rescued, later.
move first. (Stash a organization, and they will
weapon? Discard evidence? make reasonable demands.
Call your lawyer? Tell your (You must leave? Pay a
significant other to stay bribe? Hand over the
alive, no matter what evidence you have on
occurs, because you will Freynzam Dec? Etc.) You
find them? Etc.) may accept or make a
counter-offer. The MC will
decide what happens next.

William Kwan (Order #44609495)

 As MC, you know
everything about your 7-9: The target suspects you’re 10-12: The target falls for it. You
game’s fiction, even Bluffing, lying, cheating at cards, lying. Either confess (and convince a strong target to
the secret stuff…. But or otherwise playing someone accept your fate), or make take a deal that’s not favorable
your NPCs don’t. Your false. some concession (you pay to them at all. Only the most
players will often be Special move “Deceive”: more, they pay less, you unreasonable lies or cheats
able to deceive weak roll +Charm confess some other truth, or will still fail. If your next move
and strong non-player the MC could suggest would benefit from this deceit,
Up to 6: Caught red-handed. The
characters… and if something else even more take +1 forward.
MC may have you suffer injury
they’re rolling well unpleasant) and still get 13+: The target really falls for it.
(harm to Doing), anxiety (harm
enough, they should. something. You convince a grand target to
to Feeling), or something else.
You might know the If you continue to try to take a deal that’s not favorable
This may start a combat, a
players are being deceive these suspicious to them at all… or you can
chase sequence, or something
deceitful, but the people, take -3 forward. convince a strong group of the
worse. Use your imaginations.
weak and strong most preposterous of lies. Take
characters won’t. +3 forward on future rolls to
Be fair, be consistent, keep this lie up, but as time
and have fun. goes on, it may get harder and
harder.

desperation and have you take 10-12: Great deal. You get strong
From gold to latinum to bitcoins a bath, etc. If you really insist goods for a strong price, and
and everything in between, the that you won’t take the deal, maybe something extra (MC’s
bizarre values of the future. Can you will at least suffer anxiety choice).
also be used to hammer out deals (harm to Feelings) or stress
13+: Deal of the century! You can
of contracts. (Thinking).
hammer out a grand deal for a
Special move “Haggling”: 7-9: Mixed deal. You trade weak grand price… or a business
roll +Down stuff for other weak stuff. For deal that’s ridiculously in your
Up to 6: Bad deal. The MC may higher-tier deals, you get part favor.
have you take bum goods of what you want, or you’re
(defective weapons, knockoff forced to pay more to get
fashions, robot servant that things you don’t want as part
lacks the Three Laws, etc.) and of the deal, or you must jump
not tell you until later, or the through some hoops, or there’s
seller might sense your a hidden rider in the contract.

William Kwan (Order #44609495)

 Put your non-player
Scare them: roll +Strange Throw your weight around: characters into tiers,
Sometimes the best offense is the Up to 6: You are the laughing- roll +connection with the so you can tell who is
threat of a strong offense. stock of space monsters enemy’s bosses a minor challenge and
everywhere. The MC may Up to 6: Who are you, again? who is a story point.
Demand that your targets have your targets attack The MC may have your Casual encounters
give you what you want: roll you, laugh at you, take targets attack you, laugh at are trivial. You dash
+Top pictures of you, or anything you, take pictures of you, them off and move on.
else that is the opposite or anything else that is the Players should be
Up to 6: You might not be as
of fear. opposite of fear. able to roll over weak
impressive as you think you
7-9: Weak fear. A single weak 7 -9: The enemy recognizes characters easily.
are. If the non-player-
enemy will run away from you, and asks that you Strong characters
characters were already
you. If you’re outnumbered surrender peaceably, or will give up with a
hostile, you may suffer
or if the target is strong, pay a bribe, or something single good roll… but
immediate harm. Other-
you’ll have to do something else that they would only a marginal roll isn’t
wise, a charged situation
to convince them to fear offer to someone who has going to get them to
will only get worse, at the
you. Ask the MC how your connections like yours. back down.
discretion of the MC.
targets respond. (Harm? Either give in to their A grand character
7-9: Weak shutdown. A single
Falling back? demands or keep fighting. never simply gives up
weak enemy will submit to
Containment? Etc.) If 10+: The enemy recognizes because you made one
your demands. Strong
you’re still active, you get your authority. They will good roll. They are a
targets will want some-
+1 forward to do something cease hostilities, but they force to be reckoned
thing else in return: either
scary. may have to detain you to with.
accept their counter-offer
10-12: Strong fear. A group of keep up appearances, if
or don’t.
weak enemies or one you caused a lot of
10-12: Strong shutdown. A
strong one will run away property damage, etc.
group of weak enemies or
from you. Grander enemies
one strong one will submit
will simply notice you.
to you. Grander enemies
13+: Best fear. Entire groups
may take notice of you to
of strong enemies will
taunt, humiliate, flirt, or
panic. You may cause heart
otherwise interact.
attacks, catatonia, and
13+: Best shutdown. Entire
nightmares in the general
groups of strong enemies
populace. A grand target
will pause and take notice.
will remember you.
A grand target will take
you seriously enough to
make a deal.

William Kwan (Order #44609495)

 If you’re looking for
the rules on how to get 7-9: Choose: either -1 count- Get a friend back up: Ante 1 or
someone back up after When a character has gone down, you down or add +ante to more Fx or Hx. Roll +Connection.
they’re incapacitated, can try to get back into the action. target’s Doing, then set your Up to 9: You can’t give up on me
this is where they are. Choose a method: Chi manipulation; ante on the target, as scars. now, not when we’ve already
The healing rules Engram realignment; Final form; If your next move is a revive seen so much together!
are covered under Gift of some of my personal move, take +3 forward. -1 countdown, return your
“rest”, page 127. power; Healing factor; Medpack; 10+: Reset the target’s Doing ante. If your next move is a
Getting taken out Not your destiny to die today; Our full, then set your ante on revive move, take +3 forward.
can be stressful for a love; Psychic healing; Regene- the target, as scars. 10+: Choose: either -1 count-
player. They may see the ration; Reserve power; Sensu Rally a friend who has down or move your ante to
experience as “losing”, bean; Stimpack injection; Support zero Feeling: Ante 1 or more the target, as scars… for
and no one likes to from your friends; Wound Fx or Hx. Roll +Charm. each point you move, add 1
lose. (Permanent death transfer; You can’t die now, you to a target’s index of choice
Up to 6: Try harder! -1 count-
isn’t normally possible have too much to live for (Doing, Feeling, Thinking),
down, return your ante.
in our rules, but mix and match.
Countdown = 5, minus the scars 7-9: Choose: either -1 count-
emotions can trump
pool already on target down or add +ante to target’s Carry a friend out of here:
reason.) Remember to
Feeling, then set your ante Roll +Bottom.
use the debriefing
Pick yourself back up: Ante 1 on the target, as scars. If 7-9: It’s time for some hard
session to talk about
or more Fx or Hx. Roll +ante. your next move is a revive choices: either ditch your
what happened during
move, take +3 forward. friend, or become exposed
the game. Remind Up to 6: It’s no use! -1 count-
10+: Reset the target’s Feeling and let the bad guys take
players that role- down, and return your ante.
full, then set your ante on parting shots at you.
playing is about the 7-9: Restore all zeroed indicia to
the target, as scars. 10+: Get out of this place. You
experience, it’s not 1, then set aside all your ante
about winning or losing. to scars. If your next move is Restore a friend who has may wind up in a chase
anything but flee from what zero Thinking: Ante 1 or sequence (page 118), forced
downed you, -3 forward. more Fx or Hx. Roll +Top. to make rolls for your friend.
10+: Set aside all your ante to Up to 6: Concentrate! -1 count-
scars. If your next move is down, return your ante.
anything but flee from what 7-9: Choose: either -1 Each interval: -1 countdown.
downed you, -1 forward. countdown or add +ante to If the countdown runs out,
target’s Thinking, then set reviving no longer works on you.
Use field medicine on a friend
your ante on the target, as Threats from bad guys. An enemy
who has zero Doing: Ante 1 or
scars. If your next move is a may agree to spare your friend if
more Fx or Hx. Roll +Up.
revive move, +3 forward. you give them something. If
Up to 6: Damn these terrible
10+: Reset the target’s our heroes concede, then the
conditions! -1 countdown,
Thinking full, then set your enemies make off with the goods,
return your ante.
ante on the target, as scars. and after they’re gone, our hero
revives; add 1 to each Doing,
Feeling, and Thinking (up to max).

William Kwan (Order #44609495)

 For harm to mean
7-9: Choose one health index to Bonding. A follower or other something, it must
Get to somewhere safe. Absolutely reset to full. Then choose a non-player character uses this have some lasting effect.
no charged events. Several hours friend and add +connection to time to reveal a secret, or to In game terms, getting
will pass in the game fiction as you one of theirs (Doing, Feeling, confess to our hero that they people back up means
recuperate. Thinking, mix and match) felt lost and alone in an losing your points in
Choose a method: Alcohol; Bonding Then move ante to your scars. uncaring universe until they time to being set aside
with followers or friends; 10+: Choose one or two indexes came into their life, or to share as scars, resources
Brooding; Drugs; Estivation; to reset to full. Then choose a private intimacy. removed from play.
Orgasmotron; Recharge; Peace a friend and add Support. Someone that our If you don’t like the
and quiet; Repairs; Sex; Sleep; +connection to theirs heroes helped out earlier idea of your players
Update the log; Video games (Doing, Feeling, Thinking, pledges to support them in getting weakened like
mix and match) Then move their darkest hour. Our heroes this, you can use the
ante to your scars. could get special gear, new “support” response to
Special move in a restful
information, or (in only the put scars points back
place: Ante 1 or more Fx or Hx
most extreme of cases) a into circulation. Having
(mix and match), then
Events in motion. While our resilent boost that moves 1 or a base of operation, with
roll +ante.
heroes are nursing their more points out of scars and a proper medical facility,
Up to 6: Choose one index to wounds, the villains are back into Fx or Hx. can be a good excuse
reset to full. Then move within the story for that.
pushing ahead with their
ante to scars. As always, use the
nefarious schemes.
debriefing to discuss
what’s working and
what isn’t. Players are
often biased to making
things too easy for
themselves, but you also
don’t want them to lose
hope. Work together to
find the right balance
between challenge
and power.

William Kwan (Order #44609495)

 After each play session, the Master of Ceremonies and the players should take a few minutes to talk about their game went.

Bottom and add one to Top… or

subtract one from Charm, Down, and
Players may want to alter their
Up to add 3 to Strange. We don’t
Now that the session is over, the characters. We do that during the
recommend moving more than 1 point
MC should ask each player what debriefing. Ask your MC for
per play session, but maybe your
they thought of the game. Some permission to change something.
character had a serious change of life.
good questions to ask include: They will probably let you make
Also, you must follow these limits:
Did something happen in the the change, but it’s good etiquette
to ask them, first. You can only have one attribute
game and you didn’t know why?
as high as +3. All other
Did someone use a move or attributes must be +2 or less.
other rule and you want to
You can only have one attribute
know how that worked? If you made a good impression on as low as -3. All other
What do you like about the people, you will gain positive attributes must be -2 or more.
story? What do you dislike? connections with them.
After changing your attributes,
Do you have any story ideas If any connections were lost,
your health will change, too. If one
that you want to try, in the next destroyed, killed, etc. remove
of these numbers is zero, change
game session?? them from your sheet.
your attributes until it’s not.
Some people might be shy about If you gain a new connection,
Doing = Bottom+Top+5
talking about things that bothered write it down.
Feeling = Charm+Strange+5
them in front of others. This table is a If you gain +1 to an existing
Thinking = Down+Up+5
safe space, the game is for everyone. connection, improve it.
Be polite, be specific, and be fair. A connection won’t rise above +3
without a very good reason.
Maybe your character was killed
Whew! After a big session like and brought back as a holographic
that, all the time points must now simulation. Or perhaps you merged
be all over the place! You can move your Future and with the Empyrean Forge and now
History starting amounts if you
At the end of each session: you’re an unstoppable juggernaut.
want. You can mix and match, if
Remove all set-aside pools, Or maybe you were de-powered,
they total up to 5. You can have 5
such as scars, eternal, etc. trapped in a simple human body.
Future and no History, if you want. If you change your playbook,
Each player resets their
then all your unique moves
character’s Future and
change, too. You gain all the new
History times to their starting
ones and you lose all the old ones.
numbers. You can move your attribute points
You should consider making
around. You can subtract one from
changes to your appearance.

William Kwan (Order #44609495)

 Some groups enjoy
planning the entire
campaign before even
When planning your games, timing is key. Take too long to reach the next point of interest in the story, and the starting the game, by
players will give up trying to make sense of anything. Rush things too quickly, and the players will feel they’ve asking the players
been railroaded, that their decisions don’t matter. things they want to see.
It’s okay if you and your
The right balance will be different Act Two: The Reveals fellow players want to
from group to group. But every group Play out the results of your do a “pre-briefing”
plays out game sessions, and each players’ decisions. Listen them for before you even start
one is only a few hours long. Just like cues on what they find interesting playing, to set up your
how a TV writer, video-game reveal, You see this on television, where each and what they don’t. Make their shared universe so that
or screenwriter plans to fill so much episode is a self-contained story, moves pay off… and lead to new you will all enjoy it.
airtime, you can use the same paced over three breaks. In the same discoveries. Think up new planets,
techniques to plan your stories. way, we can tell a story over a 2 to 4
organizations, factions,
Start with an idea of who is our game session.
cultures, positions, etc.
involved, what they want, where they Introduction: Other players may
are, and how they’re going to do it. This sets up the story, and why prefer to just get
When they do it, and how fast, is the players are involved. started, improvising
what your plan is for. Sure, you can as they go along. Don’t
improvise everything on the fly, but over-think anything.
without a plan, your fiction might not Work with your players
be able to keep up a good pace. Do to find the right balance
you need your story to finish in under Ask your players for reasons of planning and improv.
3 hours? Or is this an epic tale that they would be involved in this We’ve included
will have multiple chapters? episode. This shouldn’t take more some optional rules to
A story plan is just a plan, not a than 15 minutes or so. try. If you’re the type
mandate. Your players are the stars, who likes to plan long
Act One: Rising Action
and they are a creative and chaotic term stories, consider
Ask the Players how they want to
lot. It’s okay to go off the rails, and to Make these reveals follow as a using “Tragic Flaws”
proceed. Let the players talk to
let the players do whatever they can natural consequence of your (page 144) and the
each other and work out plans. If
get away with. The purpose of the players’ moves. Again, make sure goals from “Leveling
anything they want to do isn’t an
plan is to keep the pace. Watch the you ask each player what they’re Up” (page 145). These
easy, casual thing, ask them to
clock – if you’re running over time, up to. It’s okay if some players rules will give every-
make rolls. Use existing moves or
you’ll have to speed things up or cut have more spotlight than others, one common ideas on
make up new fronts.
things out. If you’re falling behind, but it’s not okay to ignore anyone. what they want to see
This part will take up 25% to
you’ll have to reach into your bag of happen in the game.
33% of your time. Make sure you
tricks to pad the episode. It’s not easy,
ask each player one question
but if you’re unsure, remember that
about what they’re doing in
the players are the stars, and that
this story.
their fun is the most important thing.

William Kwan (Order #44609495)

 Act Three: Falling Action things up? I hear there’s some
Now your players need to act on out-of-work cultists who need a
the twists that you set up earlier. new job…
Ask each player how they want Now, urge your players to take
to deal with the reveals in Act After a session or two, when you’re
the lead. Listen for cues from
Two. Encourage your players to more familiar your players and their
your players on new ideas to put
split into teams, if necessary. (It’s characters, you can get more
in the adventure. They’re writing
the future, they can use radios to ambitious. You can set up an
this story, too, and it’s often more
talk to each other.) The players adventure that takes more than one
fun to follow one of their ideas
may find that some have the session to play out.
than to just make up your own.
ideal moves and attributes to Introduction. Set up the premise. If your players are having
deal with the problems, while trouble, introduce a mouthpiece
others are better served by character, someone who can urge
preparing or inspiring others. the characters on.
Keep an eye on the clock. This is á
the final act, so it’s getting to be
time to wrap things up.
á

Set up an outline for the

adventure. Have some specific
points, but keep it loose in case Put one front on each episode,
you need to improvise. that you can think of at least two
The End: Debriefing ways to solve. When the players
If the players won the day, confront them, ask them how
reward them with new they want to deal with it. They
Connections. If they didn’t… might think of a third way that
well, at least it was an you didn’t!
adventure.
If the players saved the
station, they should be
rewarded with new Connec-
tions. If they failed, they must
Start your players on the right
live with that shame for the
track. Consider putting things in
rest of their lives. And then
their way that would be
there’s the matter of the cult,
reasonable challenges that follow
who may become long-running
from the story.
enemies of our heroes…
First, the players will have to
do research on the old friend and
why he died. (Maybe Omega
sends some weak creeps to mop

William Kwan (Order #44609495)

 á

Role-playing is like
Plan for endings where the improvisational theater.
players win and where they lose. As the MC, pay attention
The End. Debrief the players to how your players act
and wrap up the story. Add any out their character’s
new relationships. moves, and take notes.
Then use the debriefing
to ask what they liked
and didn’t like.
Can you think of ways
to call back to previous
Remember, the goal is never adventures? Friends
to kill the player characters. could come back and
The villains want to accomplish ask for help. Enemies
some goal, and that goal is could seek revenge, or
rarely “kill the PCs”. even turn over a new
leaf, apologizing to our
heroes. Or things could
get more complicated,
á with romantic subplots,
intrigue, and other
things. Build one what
has gone on before.

William Kwan (Order #44609495)

 To help get you started, we include this sample campaign setting. As always, talk with your players to see what works for
them and what doesn’t. Listen to your players, and find ways to work their ideas into the setting.

And then, the Remanadan Empire

was overthrown—the consequence
The universe is a strange place, and
of an incident involving a planet-
it’s only getting stranger. One hundred
destroying superweapon mishap, a
billion galaxies, linked by warpslip
sinister megacorporate conspiracy, A nexus of intergalactic
gates and memospore ansibles, make
and fatal coitus with an energy commerce, Meren Prime is a
up Known Space, the heart of inter-
being. The violence of the coup was trader’s haven where any
galactic civilization. Until just ten
short-lived, settling into a cold war of yearning can be fulfilled in one
years ago, all the Known Universe
mutual distrust between countless of the sprawling pleasure
was the dominion of the Remanadan
foes vying to fill the power vacuum facilities. Nearby, the universe’s
Empire, a coalition of different planets
left by the Empire. The impact of the largest bazaar is the site of
and species united as protectorates of
empire’s downfall goes beyond the trades in precious metals, mined
the Emperor. While the Remanadan
political. Remanadan law and culture hydrogen, alien pets, black
conquest made many enemies who
shaped the way of life for people market technology, spaceships,
resented their new overlords, the
throughout the Known Universe, and more. Without the empire’s
empire maintained a fragile stability protection, the mercantile
regulating their customs through
that withstood the test of years.
imperial courts and broadcasting organizations whose commerce
Species from disparate star systems
their ideology through intergalactic passes through Meren Prime
and galaxies stood together as friends
holo-entertainment networks and have begun paying protection
and lovers. Cooperation between
the web. Now, each planet enters money to space pirates.
scientists of different planets drove
its own era of upheaval, The resource-rich planet of
the advance of technology forward,
transformation, or crisis. Whether Aldag’s two dominant species
and the cosmic melting pot of cultures
it is new generations questioning have a long history of brutal
gave rise to some of the greatest
the ways of their elders, planetary warfare between each other.
artists, musicians, and actors the
leaders making bids to consolidate Remanadan colonization halted
universe has ever known. Sure, it was
system-wide power, or formerly the infighting, but now, old
an absolute sham of government
oppressed planets seeking to rebuild grudges have begun to reignite.
operated solely in the interests of
a peaceful society. Every time a ship However, while there may be no
mega-corporations and others
makes planetfall, its crew can be more imperial courts to enjoin
wealthy enough to make their
sure they’re stepping into the middle the violence, the planet’s
interests known, but it also had
of chaos. And often, they’re going governing regime still
good parts!
to get caught up in it. maintains its control. Playing
the two against each other
would be an easy way to distract
them from their common foe.

William Kwan (Order #44609495)

 The noble families of Utrissa Thera is a small planet, notable Delia IV was once the capital
are ardent xeno-eugenicists, for its unique geomagnetic planet of the Seven Systems
seeking their mates from psychogenic field, a phenomenon Coalition, the greatest foe of
among those alien visitors who known to induce telepathic body- the Remanadan Empire. Ever
look like they have interesting swaps, communal hallucinations, since the defeat and conquest
new genes to contribute to the and out-of-control thought- of Delia IV, it has suffered
family line. The great families broadcasts. The planet’s natives, economic depression and social
are embroiled in millennia-old raised within the psychogenic unrest, treated harshly by the
intrigues and vendettas. field, have exhibit a highly Remanadan government. With
Tarkus was once known as the advanced psychic development, the empire’s fall, Delia IV has
most rebellious colony of the making them highly desired in become a symbol for a growing
Remanadan Empire. Then, the a vast number of positions. separatist group that wishes to
empire released the Halcyon The aquatic planet of Cetasae re-establish the sevens systems
Virus. It rewrote the genetics of was a major source of seafood for as an independent federation.
the entire planet’s population, systems throughout the Known Hegara is deemed an
locking them into a permanent Universe under the Remanadan undeveloped and uncivilized
state of compliant bliss Empire. Now that Cetasae’s world by the rest of the Known
through the restructuring of fishing industry no longer Universe. While it is true that
the brain’s pleasure center. benefits from immense subsidies, its indigenous people had not
However, the people of Tarkus it has begun to fall apart, developed interplanetary,
have been gradually evolving a although mega-corporations quantum computing, or other
resistance to the effects of the have rushed to renegotiate common technologies at the
virus, and the fall of the contracts and take over the role time the Remanadan Empire
empire has left them unable to of supplier to the universe. colonized them, Hegaran culture
cull these immune individuals. However, a faction wishing to has rapidly adapted to the
Multiple mega-corporations establish planetary introduction of new technologies
that seek to regain the planet’s independence has begun ranging from laser weaponry,
vast manpower have begun trying to sabotage the deal, to cybernetic augmentation, to
racing towards the completion both as a symbol of pride and mechanized power suits.
of a Halcyon Virus 2.0. to protect their waters from Hegaran politicians are divided
mass depletion. on how they should respond to
the Remanadan Empire’s fall,
with some wishing to court
stronger planets for protection,
while others strive to establish
the planet’s independence.

William Kwan (Order #44609495)

 The Happy Smile Brand Vehk Minor is a frozen planet,
Hypermall Planet is currently far outside its star’s habitable
suffering from technical range. Despite its inhospitable
difficulties. Due to a minor environment, the planet is
programming error in the densely populated by a diverse The Known Universe is populated by
central control A.I. operating the variety of lifeforms, all of them countless species and strains of alien
artificially-built commerce planet, made up of energy. The higher- life and life-equivalents. Ever since
the hypermall’s drones executed spectrum sentient entities humanity joined the Empire, they
all human staff members and have developed technology have rubbed shoulders (and more)
seized total control of the planet. that is beyond the state of any with fellow species ranging from
Customers are still welcome to other technology in the Known the elegantly bestial Y'fray to the
shop for premium bargains on Universe, driving many captains ooze-dripping invertebrate Eska to
everything from plasma rifles to to brave the perils of the icy the sleek chrome Digital Collective
power lifters, although the Happy world. Most of their technology Embodiment. Almost every planet
Smile Brand Megacorporation requires maintenance that can in the empire is populated by a
takes no liability for any injury only be provided by an engineer diverse variety of species. There are
or death that may occur. made of pure energy, which has many different perspectives on the
led to a fledgling spacefaring morality of human/xeno interaction,
Morana has come unstuck in
tradition among them. with each planet and species having
time. For every revolution the
its own views—but despite that,
planet completes around its axis, Earth is lost. Humanity had
the xeno-erotica market has been
it experiences four simultaneous been long gone for centuries at
but separate days. The the time they encountered the booming ever since it began, and it
sells throughout the universe.
Remanadan Empire stationed Remanadan Empire and were
The barriers of language have
scientific outposts on Morana conquered by it. Between the
been almost completely wiped out
to study this bizarre anomaly, primitive nature of early human
with the advent of cheap, quickly-
seeking to harness the generation astro-navigational technology
installable brain augments that can
of time. Now, the scientists and the passage of time, all
roughly translate 99.9% of languages
have barricaded themselves in data of Earth’s location is
spoken in the Known Universe.
their laboratories, besieged by a thought to be lost. The captain
Cultural differences still pose
local population eager to drive who discovers it is assured of
obstacles — disputes over culture,
out the last remnants of empire. fame throughout the universe
religion, ideology, and even art have
and whatever treasures might
led to drawn-out diplomatic conflicts
await in the fabled cradle of
and interstellar wars. But despite
humanity. Unless it’s been
this, the species that made up the
taken over by the damn gorillas.
Remanadan Empire have coexisted
together so long that almost none of
them can remember a time when they
did not live with aliens. It remains to
be seen if this unity can withstand
the fall of the empire that forged it.

William Kwan (Order #44609495)

 The Mugbasi, a symbiotic hybrid Perilisks, a reptilian species
of two separate species: one a with incredible physiognomic
highly intelligent but immobile diversity. Any given perilisk
The Khimereth, beautiful fungus, the other a self- might have venom glands, claws, The Farflung experi-
insectoid elves whose colorful, evolving nanomachine cloud. four, wings, a serpentine lower ence is the sum of what
jeweled carapaces are as durable The resulting entity is roughly body, or something stranger still. everyone contributes.
as titanium. The Khimereth are humanoid, incredibly resilient, Some aren’t even humanoid at The MC doesn’t have
still despised by species that and supremely intelligent. Up all, looking more like a giant to make everything
they formerly enslaved, a close and personal, a Mugbasi crocodile than anything else. up! Ask your players
practice ended only as a is equal parts slimy and shiny, Little is understood of their questions about where
condition of their peaceful entry with fungal threads and culture—while it is seemingly their characters come
into the Remanadan Empire. mechanical components a peaceful and primitive from. What is their
Some wish to resume the interweaving seamlessly. village-based culture, military home planet like? What
practice, while others see it as a The Oth Ulaqi, an amphibious expeditions into perilisk cultures have they
shameful atrocity of their past. humanoid species evolved territory have been turned seen? What techno-
Sirians, the ancient celestial from cephalopodan ancestors. aside with terrifying force. logy drives them on?
ancestors of the Terran dog. Their culture is believed to The Uatra are a genetically- Remember that
Almost completely revolve around the worship of engineered species of super “everyone” part. Some
indistinguishable from an ancient space god, said to soldiers abandoned as defective players will be far, far
ordinary dogs, save for their have brought them to their by their creators. A dozen feet more eager to make up
telepathic powers. home planet from far away. tall with prominent tusks, new stuff. As MC, always
The Remani are the species Distinctive features include massively swollen muscles, listen to your players,
that founded the Remanadan tentacles, incredible flexibility, adrenal glands implants, and a but moderate their
Empire, and they haven’t been and intoxicating pheromones. variety of weaponized organs, content to work best
letting anyone forget that. The The proud warrior traditions of they look scary. However, once with everyone. Don’t
Empire’s fall has done a massive the Kagren has evolved in you get to know them, most let anyone make story
blow to their dignity, but parallel with the evolution of have an incredibly gentle and elements that bully
Remani families still control their weaponry. Today, they are mild temperament, preferring other characters around,
massive amounts of capital, the universe’s most consummate scholarly pursuits or or that give one player
troops, and firepower—and they aficionados of explosions, recreational games to combat. strong advantages over
aren’t being subtle about it. vaporizations, and countless Many Uatra are accomplished others. Good stories are
other ways of making people stop politicians, philosophers, and full of complications,
being alive. Many are employed scientists. Those who put their not wish fulfillments.
as arms designers, engineers, talents to their intended use Some players do more
and military consultants, while are all but unstoppable on the planning than others. A
others enjoy working in the field battlefield, tearing through player might just want to
as starship pilots or soldiers. ordinary men like piñatas. wing it. They’re here for
the emergent experience
of what happens next,
not to write some
novel. That’s fine, too!

William Kwan (Order #44609495)

 The Hadronim are a silicon- The Ulq’doma are a universally Countless splinter factions came
based species made of living despised race of scavengers, out of the fall of the empire, each with
crystal that bear a close pirates, and venture capitalists. its own claim to imperial legitimacy:
resemblance to the common They have insectoid features, the ex-military Legion in Exile, the
Terran depiction of angels. So far, including stink glands that Bloodright Movement that has sprung
they’ve kept conspicuously silent contribute to their reputation up around various alleged heirs to the
about any involvement they may as noxiously disgusting. The empire, and the Intergalactic Lawyers
have had with ancient Earth. Ulq’doma are fair traders, making Guild, which is still in the process of
The Yigathi are a plant-based negotiations with them reliable, litigating the empire’s dissolution.
species known for their dual but many of their partners While no single imperialist group
cultures of hunting and elaborate question whether reliability is has the power to seriously attempt
courtships—which are often worth having to spend any more reestablishing Remanadan
combined into a single affair. than ten seconds in an enclosed superiority, the former empire’s
Yigathi easily find employment space with one of them. battalions, armadas, and the
as bounty hunters, as their nine wealth largely reside among them.
keen senses making tracking Unfortunately for the cause,
down targets child’s play. cooperation has not proven a strong
Unfortunately, they often end point—most imperialists spend more
up emotionally entangled with The collapse of the Empire turned time fighting amongst themselves
their target. the covert intrigues of galactic than against external foes.
The Miskazoth have pursued power players into an open conflict. More sinister forces have begun
transhumanism to its limits. The intergalactic power vacuum gathering strength in the empire’s
Cybernetic implants, brain has been filled by myriad forces, absence. The Children of Setakal
uploads, artificially-grown bodies, ranging in scope from single- are cultists of a space god said to
and other upgrades are not only planet regimes to all the Known feed on stars and excrete them as
available, but a part of everyday Universe. Mega-corporations that black holes. They have infiltrated
life from childhood on. The un- bought and sold political decisions planetary governments, system-wide
augmented minority makes up under the Remanadan Empire bureaucracies, mega-corporations,
a widely-detested underclass. must now enforce their control on military organizations, and more.
the intergalactic market share The only public information on the
directly. Their approaches differ— Children of the Setakal comes from
the Nova Soma Consortium has digital manifestos of dubious veracity
begun broadcasting universe-wide circulated online and the holotaped
advertising using formerly-banned interrogation of a single operative.
braincast technology, while Somnus All that’s known is that they aim to
Rationis Corporation has hired a facilitate the death of suns, and have
mercenary army of super-soldiers. amassed a considerable amount of
influence towards that end.

William Kwan (Order #44609495)

 The Happy Smile Brand The Zardasian Beggar Ruse is
Corporation is pleased to an age-old confidence trick used
announce the premiere of the on spacefaring captains. The
Space piracy is one the rise. Happy Smile Brand Total Control perpetrators will disable their
The classic pirate strategy is to Zone. Any ships that enter the ship’s engines and broadcast an
ambush a ship and incapacitate sectors encompassed by this S.O.S. Once they’ve lured a ship,
it with EMP missiles, long-range defense grid without proper they hail its captain and ask for
hacking, and subquantum authorization will be destroyed. basic aid. Inevitably, they will
disruption pulses. They then Malicious viral A.I. often spread feign a failure of life support
board, relieve the crew of their through spaceports, infecting systems, and ask to be let aboard
valuables and cargo, and beat the central computing systems the other ship. Once aboard,
a hasty retreat before the of ships. The virus will remain they’ll rob the ship blind before
incapacitated ship recovers. dormant until the ship has left heading to the escape pods, or
The rogue general Adavos orbit, at which points it declares try to overtake the crew by force
Regitari, proclaimed the true its presence, begins taking over if they encounter resistance.
Remanadan Emperor by the ship systems—beginning with Ghost Machines are
crew of his battleship Moon Dog, life support—and forces the crew autonomous A.I.-piloted fighter
remains at large. Adavos is to negotiate their release. Some craft and warships developed
reported to have staged multiple demand exorbitant monetary by the imperial military. With
raids on former imperial military payments for their programmers, their commanders gone and
bases, taking on supplies and while others prefer to their authorization codes out
personnel. All neutral vehicles entertain themselves with the of date, some of these ships
attempting to hail Moon Dog degradation of their hostages. have defaulted to their
have been fired on. The Threnoxian Metamorph is a mutually assured destruction
The agents of the Seven deadly invasive species that has programming, seeking out the
Systems conspiracy are at work spread throughout much of the largest population in range to
throughout the Known Universe, universe. Disguising themselves destroy.
sabotaging vital infrastructure as animals, they are sold to a The spacefaring energy
and committing vilest treason. member of a ship’s crew. The entities called Star Whales are
Are you so sure that the new metamorph will then begin not actively malevolent, but
recruit on your ship isn’t a impersonating the crew, sowing their very presence, composed
disguised saboteur? Have you confusion until it can kill and eat of high-spectrum gamma rays,
left your ship unwatched for them. This fuels its maturation is extremely disruptive to the
just a second, long enough for into its final, spacefaring form. technology in most ships.
a separatist to smuggle a zero-
point warhead aboard?

William Kwan (Order #44609495)

 The militant Department of Many wonders of technology have Technology has also made
Cosmic Transit has made itself an yet to spread beyond a single planet entirely new forms of life possible.
intergalactic nuisance for years, or system—between fluctuating While most robots are the servants of
harassing spacefaring traffic cosmic conditions needed to their creators, there are some planets
with heavily-armed warships operate them, lack of expertise in where machines have established
to conduct intrusive audits. specialized scientific disciplines, autonomous enclaves, and some with
Now, without the oversight of and old fashioned planetary ecosystems that are completely
the Remanadan Empire, the government obfuscation, they mechanical. Artificial intelligence
bureaucracy has only grown remain secrets. Retrieving such operating at superhuman degrees
bolder in expanding its reach. technology is a major interest of of mental processing power make
many mega-corporations, much of the decisions in matters
planetary governments, and other ranging from municipal power grid
organizations, who offer high rewards maintenance to the deployment of
for a captain who can successfully strategic weapons. Mad scientists
Technological development retrieve blueprints. Once an have always pushed the boundaries
throughout the Known Universe interplanetary organization secures a of life—animals uplifted to human
has been unevenly distributed, but unique technology, mass production intelligence, mutant prodigies with
is by and large bleeding edge begins almost immediately, either a hand-tailored genome, uploading
zettatechnology. Almost every to sell to the galactic market or for brainprints and even producing
inhabited planet has access to private internal usage. Corporate duplicate copies of them.
computers and the intergalactic web, espionage targeting these
zero-point generators, holographic technologies and prototype models
projection, spaceflight, faster-than- is standard workday procedure.
The world beyond the boundaries
light communication through the The progression of zetta-
of the Known is a realm of mystery
memospore ansible network, and technology has drastically changed
and legend, a place whispered of
faster-than-light travel through the the conditions of life. Death has
by spacefarers and described
warpslip gates. The inhabitants of become a trivial obstacle to those
solely in rumor and innuendo. Any
highly-advanced planets have with sufficient wealth, thanks to
navigational information on
casual access to gadgets that longevity-enhancing nanomachines,
Unknown Space is hard to come by,
incorporate functional A.I., self- brainprint transplants into cloned
and all but impossible to verify. It is
contained pocket dimensions, and replacement bodies, and emergency
populated by alien species that the
impossipoint matrices. surgeries capable of reviving all
Remanadan Empire was never able
but the most far-gone. Cybernetic
to conquer, or sometimes even
and biological body modifications
understand, who have demonstrated
are a common sight, ranging from
overwhelming power in resistance to
military-grade weaponry to
expansion into their territory. It is a
therapeutic equipment for the
hunting ground of cosmic monsters.
disabled to fashion statements.
With extensive modification and
genetic manipulation, almost any
transformation is possible.

William Kwan (Order #44609495)

 Why, then, would any captain be The fabric of reality is weaker in Early in the history of the
crazy enough to set a course for the the Unknown Universe. Rifts in Remanadan Empire, pioneering
Unknown Universe? Legendary riches. time occur far more frequently, scientists developed self-
Lost wonders. Miracles that defy the throwing ships into their past or replicating nanomachines that
laws of nature. The gods of space, future or trapping them in looping could reproduce themselves
still alive and answering prayers. All timelines. The walls between theoretically without limit. After
these and more pervade the hushed different realities blur, exposing a night of hard drinking, they
descriptions of what is to be found crews to mirror universes and accidentally released the entire
in the Unknown, a dubious rumor other anomalous realities. nano-swarm with no
that has nevertheless compelled the The Xol’Ki Swarm is made up programmed restrictions,
greedy and the desperate to seek their of giant spacefaring insects, threatening to wipe out an
fortune. Criminals and refugees have large enough to hunt and eat entire solar system with a grey
always been able to find a “safe” smaller spaceships. They have goo apocalypse. Ultimately,
haven across the borders of the no technology or individual the nanomachine swarm was
Unknown Universe, though what they intelligence, but appear to be jettisoned into the Unknown,
find on the other side is rarely safer part of a collective hivemind, where it’s presumably still
than confronting their pursuers. sometimes rumored to be led replicating itself.
by a Xol’Ki queen. The home planet of the
The ghosts of the dead still Tzaugothai, a species of
haunt the far reaches of space. telepathic parasites, lies in the
No one can agree on what the Unknown. It is near enough to
Out beyond the Known, you
Thalkon Dominion wants, but the frontier that is not unheard
can find yourself confronted
everyone agrees they’re a of for Tzaugothai ships to cross
by people you’ve lost—your
force to be reckoned with. No over the border into the Known
family, old friends, pets.
one has ever seen a Thalkon, Universe in search of sentient
Sometimes it’s in dreams.
but their void-black ships are minds to enslave.
Sometimes, hallucinations.
armed with reality-warping But they’re real. Trust me.
weapons beyond imagining.

William Kwan (Order #44609495)

 The gigantic Star Squid is a Mysterious entities with reality- The rogue planet Durga broke
beast of legend, a spacefaring warping powers have appeared free of her orbit and devoured
kraken undergoing constant to the crews of ships traveling the star that birthed her before
nuclear fusion, said to crush through Unknown Space. In going off into the Unknown. It’s
ships between its coiling arms most encounters, these beings unclear whether Durga is simply
and spit nuclear fire down on are not hostile, but mischievous an anomalous astrological
planets. Those who have and sadistic in their treatment phenomenon or if she is a
escaped the Star Squid speak of what they see as lesser living, sentient planet. Most
of it as a force of nature, an beings. One captain noted that, legends describe her as a
immense alien consciousness despite the beings’ immense wrathful goddess. She has
without compassion or regret. power over time and space, annihilated ships with a glance
Mysterious terraforming they were still susceptible to a of her burning eyes, but is also
machinery has been observed good punch in the face. said to have offered refuge to
drifting through Unknown Contagious memeplex outbreaks travelers lost in the Unknown.
Space, transforming entire are especially common in
planets seemingly at random. Unknown Space, where
The new biospheres created by telecommunications and signal
the terraforming process have relays go entirely without safety
given rise to strange life forms measures or regulations. Crew
with a genetic structure not members infected by a memeplex
comparable to anything in the exhibit bizarre changes in
Known Universe. speech patterns, eventually
coalescing into a hivemind
with other infected individuals.

William Kwan (Order #44609495)

 These rules may not be appropriate for all gaming groups. Use the debriefing session at the end of each game to
discuss if you want to use these rules or not.

It’s never fun when someone’s

feelings get hurt. You and your
It’s one thing to be watching a
fellow players may consider using
movie or TV show about sex or
the X Card. There’s no limit to the number of
violence, to be a passive observer
Each Player gets a card with a times you can use it. If you’re using
to mature issues. It’s another thing
big X on it. A standard 3x5 or A7 your X-Card more than once per
to be an active participant. And
index card with a big “X” drawn it game, though, you should really be
with other people present, right
works great, but any card will do: a talking about that in the debriefing,
there, putting social pressure for a
playing card, a common trading because you’re not having fun.
quick response, a player might
card, a coaster, etc. Some groups may find that the
time point a high level of anxiety.
X-Card can serve as a quick and
Farflung is a game about
easy reminder of the boundaries of
mature themes. Some players may
what can and cannot go on during
find confronting these issues to be
your game. The safety net of the X-
interesting, and overcoming them
Card can empower a player to push
as part of the game’s story can be
the emotions a bit further than they
fun. … Other players may be
normally would, because they trust
uncomfortable with such topics.
The player who threw the card their fellow players to let them know
In a role-playing game, sometimes
doesn’t have to explain why they immediately if they’ve gone too far.
players will use their role “in cha-
threw the card. Other groups may find the X-Card
racter” to say things that someone
The game immediately pauses, to be too simplistic or formalized. The
might find hurtful. Role-playing
while the players and the MC edit X-Card is to prevent feelings being
games can create a dissociative
the last event in the game’s fiction. hurt – it’s not supposed to be used
effect, where what someone is
After an X-Card is dropped, the MC because you don’t like how a die roll
saying “in game” is not considered to
should consider declaring a 5- came up. If you use the X-Card variant,
have any real-world consequences…
minute break before play resumes. remember that it’s about keeping
while other players may not share
So: short answer: if you feel it’s the game fun and exciting as you
the same sense of immersion.
getting too personal or too hurtful, push the limits of your imagination.
throw the X-Card.

William Kwan (Order #44609495)

 When it’s a mystery roll, the
player rolls one die, and the MC rolls
In the standard rules, the players
the other die, in secret. The player
do all the rolling. They roll dice to In the basic rules, if you fail a roll,
only knows what they rolled, and they
shoot at people, to know things, to you can use inspiration to try and
can only guess what the MC rolled.
disarm traps, to decrypt devices, raise it, or maybe you can use
The MC then adds both dice together
to sneak past guards, etc. Having some other unique move.
and tells the player the result.
the players make all the rolls But some heroes have their
Mystery rolls should only be
makes for a fast game, where the destiny written in larger letters.
used for moves where the outcome
players know where they stand. When their back is to the wall and
might not be known until much
But when the players make all there’s nothing left to lose, they can
later. (You can probably see if you
the rolls, it can be hard to keep a push themselves harder than ever.
shot someone in plain view, but
sense of mystery. In a game where The push move is a variant rule.
you might not know if your long-
10+ is always what you want, then It’s not in play unless the MC and
distance sniper-shot hit its mark.
of course the player knows if they the Players agree that it should be.
Maybe you deciphered this map
succeed or failed at a move. (Use the debriefing to discuss if
correctly, or maybe you’re about to
With this variant rule in play, the you want to use it or not.
go way off course to the forgotten
MC may declare that a roll a player is
reaches of the galaxy. And you
about to make will be a mystery roll.
might think you’ve seduced the After making any roll in the game,
Plenipotentiary, but they might just if you decide that you don’t like it,
be playing along to lure you into a you can push that roll. Pushing
trap, etc.) works with any roll in the game.
Not all players will enjoy the
To push a roll you just made, ante
idea of mystery rolling, and it can 1 or more Fx and roll +ante.
slow down game play. As always,
Up to 6: If your last roll was less
use the debriefing to ask your
than 7, it becomes 7. Move
players about what they enjoy…
your ante to Hx.
especially after putting in new
variant rules. 7-9: Add +3 to your last roll or
make it be 10. Then move your
ante to Hx.
10+: Add +6 to your last roll to
your last roll or make it be 13.
Then move your ante to Hx.

The push move lets players make

rolls when they really need to.
But other groups may find that it
makes the game too “meta”, that
they prefer when moves have clear
consequences or when other
people step in to lend a hand.

William Kwan (Order #44609495)

 To keep the game simple, enemies You may want to make some The many playbooks presented
and threats are presented at a single changes to what you see here. here have lots of options. But what
tier: weak, strong, grand, etc. If you Let’s get the warning out of the if you want a simpler game? You
want to avoid a strong character, you way, first: many players will want their could eliminate custom playbooks
must get a strong avoidance result; characters to be flawless, perfect altogether.
if you want to shoot them, you must beings. This game is a fantasy, after Start with the making your
get a strong assault result, etc. all, and people usually fantasize about own variant, above.
The MC may decide to make having lots of power. But always Each character has only one
certain threats multi-tiered: getting your way doesn’t make for unique move: the push move
they could be strong for some interesting stories… and it certainly (page 123).
things but weak in others. doesn’t help when there’s other
And that’s it! You’re all just
Some examples: players with their own characters.
ordinary people trying to get by.
A gelatinous monster could be A party of everyone winning all the
Players use Fx points to push their
strong against conventional time does not a fun game make.
rolls, and they use inspiration to
weapons but weak against When making your own play-
move Hx back to Fx.
microwave ones. books, keep these rules in mind:
You can make this variant more
A slow-moving, indestructible The sum of all attributes interesting if you combine it with
robot could be grand against (Bottom, Charm, Down, leveling up (page 145), so players
assault moves, but weak Strange, Top, Up) should be +3. gradually become more powerful.
against avoidance moves. Only one attribute can be +3,
A combatant who is far away, and only one can be -3. No
using long-distance weapons, attributes can go past that.
could have weak attacks but You start with 5 points in Fx and
strong defenses. Hx, mix and match.
Ideygtixx the Violator could be You start with at least one +1
grand against everything connection, and no more than
except the Caul of Vaw-Ces, a a single +2 connection.
legendary artifact thought to be Each character should have at
lost in the Great Hole. least two unique moves, and
You can also experiment with puzzles at least one that requires Fx.
where a specific item is much more
effective. For example, maybe the
lonely Ideygtixx is grand vs all moves
… but weak against ones that use
philately in one way or another. You
can build whole adventures around
trying to discover weaknesses and
then exploiting them.

William Kwan (Order #44609495)

 Skinless duplicates of myself, When your flaw comes up during
who keep trying to siphon off play, the MC may ruin whatever it
We assume that all players will
my bodily fluids is that you’re currently doing, then
enjoy the challenge of playing some
The loss of the Exponential Per- gives you 1 time point (Fx or Hx,
denizen of the strange and distant
mittivator, the only weapon your choice.) The MC isn’t going to kill
worlds. The struggle of coming to
effective against the Mechanisms you out-right, just find a way to ruin
terms with great power, strong
Honor in all things, which is a whatever is going on. Your enemies
emotions, and the inevitable failure
flaw because it can drastically get to your destination first! You’re
is enough. The MC may be a fan of
limit my options blackmailed into betraying your
the characters, encouraging them
friends! To keep your secret, you’d
to succeed as much as possible, but Freynzam Dec, who thinks it’s
have to sell out your friends! Etc.
sometimes failure comes from within. my fault that the feds arrested
Flaws are self-limiting. Either
But some players like to have a them but somehow let me go
the flaw prevents what you wanted
formal rule for having problems Evil twin who keeps doing to do and you get +1 time point…
with their characters. Let us things that I get blamed for or it doesn’t do anything at all and
suggest this rule for tragic flaws.
Good twin who keeps doing there’s no game effect. Players
During character creation or the
nice things that people I think may want to tell the MC when a
debriefing, each player chooses one
I did and it’s so annoying good opportunity comes along for
or more flaws for their character:
The Remnants of the Invictian a tragic flaw to ruin everything, if
Absent-minded
Army, who seek revenge for my they want to get their bonus time.
Amnesiac destruction of their homeworld During the de-briefing, the MC
Greedy Find out what an “Apara- and the players discuss if they
Parthenomania humanoidariyanizer” is want to add, remove, or change
Promiscuity Fragmentation of the mind Flaws. Perhaps you can overcome
Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder your fear of heights. Maybe you
Illiteracy
finally destroyed your twin, and you
Hunted by the Mechanisms, who Hunted by hounds of Tindalos can now put an end to those jokes
want to use my brain to power No opposable thumbs about “which one of you is the evil
the Aparahumanoidariyanizer
Sworn never to kill again, one, again.” Or you make sure to
The Kaywal Industrial Complex, no matter what the sacrifice send Freynzam Dec up the river for
still mad at me for selling them good, this time. Remove a lost flaw
Fear of heights
photon torpedoes that were duds from your character sheet.
Fear of being abandoned
Arrogance Nothing makes a story more
Fear of enclosed spaces
No concept of how interesting like adversity, and you may
technology works Fear of the U238 Asteroid Mine, find that the tragic flaws encourage
where I first encountered the players to work their own wrinkles
Hallucinations
Mechanisms and where I lost into the fiction. If you do use this rule,
Von-Smon Ufoc, who wants to the Exponential Permittivator
collect my DNA to sire a child it’s strictly opt-in. If a player doesn’t
Haven’t disposed of the want any flaws for their character,
A secret so horrible that only I evidence which proves that they don’t have to have any flaws.
and the MC know what it is I framed Freynzam Dec
… or make something up!

William Kwan (Order #44609495)

 Find the other half of this locket Each time you gain 3 levels,
Get someone to accept you, choose one improvement from
In a standard game of Farflung,
even after they’ve seen your this list. You can only choose
you start with all your powers and
true nature each improvement once.
abilities, coming out of the gate. But
when many people hear “RPG”, they Give Dirty Frank the bullet that Level/3 Improvement
think of grinding over time to raise he so richly deserves  +1 Bottom (max +2)
their numbers. As a variant rule, Liberate the Master Core from  +1 Charm (max +2)
you could try this leveling up rule. the pirates who stole it  +1 Down (max +2)
Prove the existence of the anti-  +1 Strange (max +2)
chronoton particle  +1 Top (max +2)
After creating their character,
Put a wild orchid on the grave  +1 Up (max +2)
each character writes down a
of your lost lover.  +1 to any attribute (max +3)
personal goal. This goal can be
 +1 to any attribute that’s
anything they want. Choose one: Solve the mystery of the ring-
less than zero (max =0)
Acquire 19 flawless Stones of world station before the
 +2 Time Points
Barenziah Cosmarchy does
 Change your playbook to
Acquire enough proto-blood to … or make something up! another one
assume your final form  Buy a single move from
Brew a perfect cup of tea another playbook.
Destroy your twin During the game, the MC may present  Retire this character
a party goal to the players, such as
Discover the secret of the lost Some players feel motivated when
“save the Extropian Arcology” or
civilization of Blayse-Coltin they have specific goals to accom-
“stop Doctor Omega”. Every player
Distim a dosh without using writes the party goal on their sheet. plish, and it can be fun to see your
a gostak character get more powerful.
Do something because you However, characters in Farflung
want to, not because your are already powerful, so you may
At the end of the play-session,
programming told you to. find this system just makes the
each character needs to check their
Finally know what true love is characters less fun.
goals. If a player-character succeed
Find a suitable breeding partner on a goal, they earn a level. If they
Find out what happened to the failed, remove the goal from their
missing colonists of sheet and they get nothing.
Liberty March

William Kwan (Order #44609495)

 Most games will have one charac-
In a standard game, each Player has ter per player. Tabletop games are Many gaming groups have one
only one character. Some groups complicated, and not everyone dedicated MC, who runs all the
may want to experiment with letting enjoys the challenge of juggling game sessions. In the troupe style
one player or more have two or multiple characters. variant, the role of the MC rotates
more characters in play, at the In the character tree variant, from player to player. You can rotate
same time. (This is different from the each player gets not one character, at the end of each session, or you
“character tree”, above, where you but two, or three, or four. Each may wait until a multi-session saga
rotate a single character, in and out.) character has its own sheet, with its ends before you choose a new MC.
You may find that two or more own write-up and its own experience. Troupe-style allows players to
characters works well when there’s on Each time a new adventure play with different MCs, which will
MC and only one or two players. With starts, the Player chooses one of result in different experiences. Being
larger groups of five or more, multiple their characters to bring on the an MC is a lot of work, so sharing that
characters can be over-whelming. adventure. (This is different from work with many people reduces
Not every player will enjoy playing “multiple characters”, since you only the overhead, which can make the
two characters. It can be hard enough have one character in play at a time.) game more fun for everyone.
to pretend to be one other person, The character-tree variant adds Some players don’t like the idea
let alone two! Also, the Farflung flexibility to the game – when an of being MC at all, and they will
game doesn’t have rigid turns like adventure calls for stealth, the player not like a troupe-style campaign.
some other games do. If a single can bring their stealthy character; This type of campaign may not be
player was hogging the spotlight when a mission calls for social appropriate for all players.
before, giving them two characters engineering, the Player can bring
is just going to make that worse. their “face”, etc. (Instead of the usual
As with all variant rules, use outcome, where the player brings the
the debriefing to talk with your same character on every mission,
players, to see how having whether it makes sense or not.)
multiple characters is working out. Some Players don’t like the idea
of juggling multiple characters, and
they will not like a character-tree
campaign. This type of campaign may
not be appropriate for all players.

William Kwan (Order #44609495)

 Andromeda (2000-2005) • A captain The Dancers at the End of Time The Fifth Element (1997) • Enjoyable
and his warship jump through (1981) • The universe is ending, action movie inspired by French
time to after his side lost the war, but can the immortal decadents of New-Wave science fiction.
so he picks up some other misfits Earth be bothered to do something Firefly (2002) • Ragtag space
and keeps on fighting. Earliest about it? Recommended. adventurers go on missions.
episodes are the strongest. Dancing with Eternity (2011) • If you Fun, but also more "normal"
Babylon 5 (1993-1998) • TV series read only one book about a post- than most sci-fi. Recommended.
about aliens, diplomacy, and scarcity, transhuman future, read Fringe (2008-2013) • TV series of
fate. The “Citizen Kane of high- this one. Highly recommended. weird science, dark tone, and
concept sci-fi”, carving paths Dead Leaves (2004) •Anime that is interpersonal relationships.
that many would follow. an immature romp on a future Futurama (1999-2013) • Animated
The Ballad of Halo Jones (1984- prison built on the moon. satire set in the year 3000.
1986) • Experimental comic Dirty Pair: Run from the Future Witty, artful, and just the right
about an adventurer and the (2000) • Graphic novel about mix of humor and drama.
weird worlds she visits. Available two insurance agents nabbing Highly recommended.
in anthology editions (2003 and criminals in a nexus of forbidden Galaxy High (1986) • Oh-so-1980s
2015). Recommended. technology. Wonderful imagery cartoon about aliens in high
Barbarella (1968) • A groovy and colorful side characters. school. Cheesy but fun.
astronaut flies to a decadent Highly recommended.
Ghost in the Shell (1989-) • Long-
planet on a mission of peace, but Doctor Who (1963-) • Long-running running cyberpunk franchise
to succeed she must overcome program about a reincarnating about what it means to be
various obstacles of sin and time-traveler and his many human. Highly recommended.
pleasure. Recommended. adventures. Uneven in quality.
Heavy Metal: The Movie (1981) •
Blake’s 7 (1978-1981) • Seven people Probably best to start with the
Animated anthology shoots for the
steal a super-powered spaceship. revival from 2006 onwards, with
grandeur of the celebrated maga-
Can they overthrow the evil its shorter episodes, long-running
zine, but misses more than it hits.
federation, or will they kill each arcs, and romantic themes.
other first? Recommended only The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy
Excession (1996) • This novel about
if you can ignore the low budget (1978-) • Mostly harmless.
post-scarcity transhuman adven-
and can enjoy the high concepts. Available in lots of media, but
ture is an excellent introduction
check out the 1981 TV series first.
Bravest Warriors (2012-) • In the to Banks’ “Culture” series.
far future, four teenagers warp The Hole of Tank Girl (2012) •
Farscape (1999-2004) • Modern-day
to strange, adorable worlds. Anthology of comics about a
earthling gets mixed up in an
punk girl & her mutant boy-
Buck Godot (1982-) • Comic sci-fi intergalactic conflict with lots of
friend. Highly recommended.
adventures with a perfect alien weirdos. Recommended.
balance of homage, satire, and
wit. Highly recommended.

William Kwan (Order #44609495)

 The Incal (1981) Seminal comic by Red Dwarf (1988-) • Long-running Star vs. the Forces of Evil (2015-)
Moebius and Jodorowsky. comedy series about bumbling • Cartoon about monsters and
Highly recommended. adventurers drifting through high-schoolers having wacky
Kaiba (2008) • Stylistic anime of space, millions of years in the adventures. Recommended.
decadent citizens living in a future. Highly recommended. Star Trek (1966-) • Long-running TV
pleasure-palace space-station. Redline (2009) • It's the most popular series about new life and new
Eager for more? Wonderful and strange. racing event in the galaxy, so civilizations. Episodes we recom-
You could also try: many colorful characters show mend include "Plato's Step-
Lensman (1948-) Space opera writ
• The Adventures of up to do whatever it takes in children", “The Slaver Weapon”,
large, of unrestrained, world-
Buckaroo Banzai this anime. Recommended. "All Good Things…", "The Sound of
destroying power. Recommended.
(movie, 1984) Her Voice", "Tinker Tenor Doctor
Lexx (1997-2002) • TV series about Rick and Morty (2013-) • A mad
• Cowboy Bebop Spy", "Twilight", and whatever
a ragtag group of unlikely scientist drags his grandson on
(TV, 1998) your friends say are the best ones.
heroes who must deal with sex, dangerous adventures in this
• Dark Star
genocide, and alien weirdness. cartoon of mature themes. Steven Universe (2013-) • Humanoid
(movie, 1974)
Earliest episodes are the best. Highly recommended. aliens with strange powers hang
• Earth Girls Are Easy
Ruby, Galactic Gumshoe (1982-) • out with a little boy on earth in
(movie, 1988) Metabarons (1992-2003) • Spinoff of
Audio drama with cyberpunk this popular animated series.
• Flash Gordon Incal, about a dynasty of perfect
(movie, 1980) warriors in the distant future. themes and high-concept sci-fi. Tom Strong's Terrific Tales, Books
• Galaxy Express 999 Made into its own RPG in 2001. Highly recommended. 1 & 2 (2005, 2006) • Excellent
(movie, 1978) Sealab 2021 (2000-2005) • A 1970s anthology for ideas, but read
Mom and Dad Save the World
• Gandahar science-fiction cartoon is edited the Jonni Future stories first.
(1992) • Obscure movie with
(movie, 1988) bumbling villains and family- and re-dubbed with self-aware, Torchwood (2006-2011) • “Doctor
• Hyperdrive (TV, 2006) sitcom humor. Recommended. adult humor. The best jokes are Who after dark” spinoff, about
• The Ice Pirates in the earliest episodes. time travel and aliens.
Nikolai Dante (1997-2012) • A
(movie, 1984) The Six Voyages of Lone Sloan (2015) Tenchi Muyo! (1994-2010) • Sci-fi
swashbuckler becomes a pawn
• Ijon Tichy, Raumpilot • Reprints of a long-running anime comedy, very popular.
of a futuristic Russian dynasty.
(TV, 2007) European sci-fi comic series.
Highly recommended. Tripping the Rift (2004-2007) •
• Kin-dza-dza!
Panty & Stocking with Garterbelt Skydoll (2000) • Comic series Animated series about irreverent
(movie, 1986)
(2010) • Two fallen angels use about an android slave and her aliens and adult-themed humor.
• Miles, Mystery, &
their magical lingerie to fight struggles against the various Urusei Yatsura (1978-1987) • The
Mayhem (book, 2003)
evil. Silly and fun. forces that want to subdue her. magical-girl harem anime genre
• Planet of Adventure
Recommended. begins with this. Recommended.
(book, 1975) Phoenix (1967-1988) • Tezuka’s
• Primordia (video time-travelling anthology manga. Space Dandy (2013) • He's a dandy Valérian and Laureline (1967-2010)
game, 2012) Start with Volume II, “Future”. guy, in space. Anime that hits • Oft-imitated space-opera comic
• Romantically Apoca- all the right notes. Highly of grand themes. Recommended.
Read Only Memories (2015) •
lyptic (comic, 2010-) recommended.
Retro computer game featuring Wander Over Yonder (2013-2016)
• Time Masters various transhuman characters. Spaceballs (1987) • Mel Brooks' • Cartoon hero tries to save
(movie, 1982) parody of 1980s space-opera. universe, using the power of
• Wolf’s Rain (TV, 2003) Some good jokes that de- friendship. Recommended.
construct the sci-fi genre.

William Kwan (Order #44609495)

 + (bonus to die rolls), 17 Boss Creep (Challenge), 108 Character Tree (Variant Rule), 146
Accidental Crime, 103 Bottom (attribute), 8 Charged situation, 15
Adds, 17 Bundle of Joy, 103 Charm (attribute), 8
Adventure design Capitalist (as Freebooter), 56 Chase Sequence (Challenge), 118
Episode, 129 Caretaker move, 68 Chronometry move, 42
Multiple parts, 130 Cargo move, 79 climb, 97, 100
AI (as Simulacrum), 80 Casual Climb (challenge), 94
Alien Menace (Challenge), 111 Challenge, 93 Clockworker playbook, 42
Analysis (Archie move), 39 Casual situation, 15 Cognition move (Uplift), 85
Anarcho-Capitalist (as Catastrophic Mistake, 103 Collective move, 60
Freebooter), 56 Caution move, 51 Collector (as Freebooter), 56
Ante, 13 Celebrity playbook, 40 Command move (Lord of Ashes), 71
Anthro (as Uplift), 84 Challenge, 19, 98–127 Computations move
Arcane Device (Challenge), 119 Alien Menace, 111 (Simulacrum), 80
Archeologist (as Archie), 38 Arcane Device, 119 Computer program (as
Archie playbook, 38 Boss Creep, 108 Simulacrum), 80
Assault move, 23 Casual, 93 Conn move, 78
Assist a friend (as Prepare Chase Sequence, 118 Connection
move), 31 Climb, 94 making changes, 128
Atavism move (Uplift), 85 Containment, 114 Connections, 14
Atrocity move (Futsie), 58 Creep, 106 Order move, 32
Attack (Assault move), 23 Dangerous Piloting, 117 Containment (Challenge), 114
Attack move, 30 Gang Of Creeps, 107 Cosmic Senses move, 49
Attribute, 8 Giant Kaiju, 112 Counsel move, 69
Bottom, 8 Grand, 94 Countdown, 94
Charm, 8 Grander, 94 Covert move, 69
Down, 9 Hull Breach, 115 Creep (Challenge), 106
making changes, 128 Infiltration, 115 Cybernetics move, 63
Strange, 9 Long Journey, 116 Dangerous Piloting
Top, 10 Paramilitary, 108 (Challenge), 117
Up, 10 Paramilitary Unit, 109 Databanks move (Simulacrum), 81
Augment move (Techie), 82 Psi Monster, 111 Death incarnate (as
Autodidact (Archie move), 39 Rest, 127 Extinctioner), 52
Avoid move, 24 Revive, 126 Debriefing, 128
Battered move (Lost Toy), 73 Seduction, 122 Declare, 15
Being of Pure Energy, 48 Social Gathering, 121 Decree move (Lord of Ashes), 71
Big Damn Hero, 64 Space Knight, 113 Deflect, 12
Bizarre Coincidence, 103 Strong, 94 Destruction move
Block move, 25 Weak, 93 (Extinctioner), 49, 53
Bloom move, 55 Changing your character Dice, 17
Body Swap, 103 (Modifications), 128 Diplomacy move, 51

William Kwan (Order #44609495)

 Disadvantage (Flaws variant Fx (Future times), 13 Riches from a Freebooter, 57
rule), 144 Gang Of Creeps (Challenge), 107 Strategy from an Old
Disguise move (Simulacrum), 81 Gear Soldier, 74
Displaced playbook, 44 Connections, 14 Study from an Archie, 39
Doing (index), 11 Reveal move, 27 Treatment from a
Down (attribute), 9 Genetic Modification (as Uplift), 84 Simulacrum, 81
Dreadnaught (as Hazmat), 62 Gestalt playbook, 60 Hero of the Universe playbook, 64
Dwindling move, 61 Giant Kaiju (Challenge), 112 Heroics move, 65
Ego move, 41 Goals (variant rule of Leveling History time points, 13
Empath playbook, 46 Up), 145 Inspiring other players, 30
Empathy move (Immortal), 67 Good Guy (as Hero), 64 Hive Mind (as Gestalt), 60
Energy Being playbook, 48 Grand challenge, 94 Hook, 92
Engineer (as Techie), 82 Grand tier, 19 Hull Breach (Challenge), 115
Envy, 103 Grander challenge, 94 Hx (History times), 13
Episode, 129 Grander tier, 19 Inspiring other players, 30
Equip Grandstand move, 40 Idol Singer (as Celebrity), 40
Reveal move, 27 Grim Portents, 104 Immortal playbook, 66
Eternal move (Immortal), 67 Groundhog Day, 104 Immortality move, 67
Evade things (as Avoid move), 24 Growth move, 54 In character, 15
Explorer playbook, 50 Guard something (as Block Incapacitation
Exterminator (as Extinctioner), 52 move), 25 Reviving a character, 126
Extinctioner playbook, 52 Harm Index of Health, 11
Face-Heel turn, 103 defined, 11 Indicia of Health, 11
Fail forward, 100 deflecting, 12 Infiltration (Challenge), 115
Failsafe move, 63 Harmless move, 44 Inspiration move, 30
Fame move, 41 Hazmat playbook, 62 Interval, 102
Feeling (index), 11 Healing Invent move (Techie), 83
Firepower move, 79 Resting, 127 Inventor (as Techie), 82
Fish Out of Water (as Revive a character, 126 Inventory
Displaced), 44 Simulacrum’s Treatment Reveal move, 27
Flaw (variant rule), 144 move, 81 Last, 17
Flora playbook, 54 Health Indicia, 11 Last of Their Kind playbook, 68
Followers Heel-Face Turn, 104 Leveling up (variant rule), 145
Order move, 32 Help a friend Librarian (as Archie), 38
Followers (connection), 14 Augments from a Techie, 82 Long Journey (Challenge), 116
Forward, 17 Cognition from an Uplift, 85 Loot the Burning House, 104
Framed!, 104 Command from a Lord of Lord of Ashes playbook, 70
Freebooter playbook, 56 Ashes, 71 Lore move, 26
Furry (as Uplift), 84 Decree from a Lord of Lost Toy playbook, 72
Futsie playbook, 58 Ashes, 71 Luck move (Displaced), 45
Future shock (as Futsie), 58 Empathy from an Mad Scientist (as Techie), 82
Future time points, 13 Immortal, 67 Manipulate (as Schmooze
Push move, 142 Inventions from a Techie, 83 move), 28
Fx (Future time) Prepare move, 31 Master of Ceremonies, 90
Push move, 142 Prophecy from a Futsie, 59 MC, 90

William Kwan (Order #44609495)

 Merchant (as Freebooter), 56 Empathy (Immortal), 67 Spotlight (Celebrity), 41
Might move (Extinctioner), 52 Eternal (Immortal), 67 Strategy (Old Soldier), 74
Mimicry move (Polymorph), 76 Failsafe (Hazmat), 63 Study (Archie), 39
Misguided Love, 104 Fame (Celebrity), 41 Telepathy (Empath), 46
Modify your character, 128 Firepower (Hazmat), 79 Trade (Freebooter), 57
Motivate move (Displaced), 45 Grandstand (Celebrity), 40 Transcendence (Energy
Move Growth (Flora), 54 Being), 48
Analysis (Archie), 39 Harmless (Displaced), 44 Transference (Gestalt), 60
ante, 13 Heroics (Hero of the Treatment (Simulacrum), 81
Assault, 23 Universe), 65 Versatility (Explorer), 50
Atavism (Uplift), 85 Immortality (Immortal), 67 Warfare (Old Soldier), 75
Atrocity (Futsie), 58 Invent (Techie), 83 Moves, 15
Augment (Techie), 82 Lore, 26 Unique, 16
Autodidact (Archie), 39 Luck (Displaced), 45 Multi-part adventure, 130
Avoid, 24 Might (Extinctioner), 52 Multiplicity move, 61
Battered (Lost Toy), 73 Mimicry (Polymorph), 76 Mutant
Block, 25 Motivate (Displaced), 45 Extinctioner, 52
Bloom (Flora), 55 Multiplicity (Gestalt), 61 Futsie, 58
Caretaker (Last of Their Observer (Clockworker), 43 Polymorph, 76
Kind), 68 Order, 32 Uplift, 84
Cargo (Hazmat), 79 Overload (Techie), 83 Negotiate (as Schmooze move), 28
Caution (Explorer), 51 Paradox (Clockworker), 43 Normal Human (as Displaced), 44
Chronometry Prepare, 31 Not Funny Ha-Ha, Funny
(Clockworker), 42 Proficiency (Old Soldier), 75 Strange, 104
Cognition (Uplift), 85 Prophecy (Futsie), 59 Observer move, 43
Collective (Gestalt), 60 Push, 142 Old Soldier playbook, 74
Command (Lord of Ashes), 71 Rally (Hero of the Order move, 32
Computations Universe), 65 Organization (connection), 14
(Simulacrum), 80 Rapport (Empath), 47 Overload move (Techie), 83
Conn (Hazmat), 78 Relics (Last of Their Kind), 69 Paradox move, 43
Cosmic Senses (Energy Reminiscence, 66 Paramilitary (Challenge), 108
Being), 49 Rescue (Hero of the Paramilitary Unit (Challenge), 109
Counsel (Last of Their Universe), 64 Philately, 143
Kind), 69 Reveal, 27 Plant (as Flora), 54
Covert (Last of Their Riches (Freebooter), 57 Playbook
Kind), 69 Robotics (Lost Toy), 72 Archie, 38
Cybernetics (Hazmat), 63 Savviness (Freebooter), 56 Celebrity, 40
Databanks (Simulacrum), 81 Schmooze, 28 changing to a new one, 128
Decree (Lord of Ashes), 71 Scope, 29 Clockworker, 42
Destruction Selflessness (Lost Toy), 73 Empath, 46
(Extinctioner), 49, 53 Self-repair (Hazmat), 62 Energy Being, 48
Diplomacy (Explorer), 51 Sensors (Hazmat), 79 Explorer, 50
Disguise (Simulacrum), 81 Shapeshift (Polymorph), 77 Extinctioner, 52
Dwindling (Gestalt), 61 Shields (Playbook), 79 Flora, 54
Ego (Celebrity), 41 Speed (Hazmat), 79 Freebooter, 56

William Kwan (Order #44609495)

 Futsie, 58 Scraps, 83 Schmooze move, 28
Gestalt, 60 Sensors, 79 Scientist
Hazmat, 62 Shapeshift, 77 Archie playbook, 38
Hero of the Universe, 64 Shields, 79 Techie playbook, 82
Immortal, 66 Speed, 79 Scope move, 29
Last of Their Kind, 68 Strategy, 74 Secrets Revealed!, 104
Lord of Ashes), 70 Study, 39 Seduction (Challenge), 122
Lost Toy, 72 Trade, 57 Self-aware program (as
Old Soldier, 74 Pop Star (as Celebrity), 40 Simulacrum), 80
Polymorph, 76 Powered Armor Suit (as Selflessness move (Lost Toy), 73
Ship, 78 Hazmat), 62 Self-repair move, 62
Simulacrum, 80 Prepare move, 31 Sensors move, 79
Techie, 82 Proficiency move (Old Soldier), 75 Set aside (time points), 13
Uplift, 84 Program (as Simulacrum), 80 Sex Robot (as Lost Toy), 72
variants, 143 Prophecy move (Futsie), 59, 84 Shapeshift move (Polymorph), 77
Playing Multiple Characters Protect others (as Block move), 25 Shapeshifter (as Polymorph), 76
(Character Tree Variant), 146 Psi Monster (Challenge), 111 Shields move, 79
Pleasure Robot (as Lost Toy), 72 Psychic (as Empath), 46 Ship playbook, 78
Plot Twists, 97 Pure Energy Being, 48 Simulacrum playbook, 80
Polymorph playbook, 76 Push move, 142 Sins of our Fathers, 105
Pool, 13 Rally move, 65 Sneak
Atavism, 85 Rapport move, 47 Avoid Move, 24
Augment, 82 Read a situation (as Scope Infiltration challenge, 115
Battered, 73 move), 29 Social Gathering (Challenge), 121
Cargo, 79 Relics move, 69 Soldier, Old, 74
Cognition, 85 Reminiscence move (Immortal), 66 Something Missing, 105
Counsel, 69 Rescue move, 64 Space Knight (Challenge), 113
Decree, 71 Response, 18 Spacecraft (as Ship playbook), 78
Destruction), 49, 53 Rest (Challenge), 127 Speed move, 79
Ego, 41 Reveal move, 27 Spotlight, 15
Eternal, 67 Revive (Challenge), 126 Spotlight move, 41
Failsafe, 63 Riches move (Freebooter), 57 Stealth
Firepower, 79 Rising Hostility, 104 Avoid Move, 24
Harmless, 44 Robot Strange (attribute), 9
Heroics, 65 Extinctioner playbook, 52 Strange Behavior, 105
Invention, 83 Lost Toy playbook, 72 Strategy move (Old Soldier), 74
Might, 52 Old Soldier playbook, 74 Strong challenge, 94
Mimicry, 76 Simulacrum playbook, 80 Strong tier, 19
Multiplicity, 61 Robotics move (Lost Toy), 72 Study move, 39
Paradox, 43 Rolling dice, 17 Successful rolls, 17
Prophecy, 59 don't roill when it's Super-Soldier (as Old Soldier), 74
Rapport, 47 casual, 15 Talk (as Schmooze move), 28
Relics, 69 Round (as interval), 102 Techie playbook, 82
Riches, 57 Safe, 15 Technician (as Techie), 82
Scars, 126, 127 Savviness move (Freebooter), 56 Telepath (as Empath), 46

William Kwan (Order #44609495)

 Telepathy move, 46 Trader (as Freebooter), 56 Uplift playbook, 84
Therian (as Uplift), 84 Tragic Flaw (variant rule), 144 Versatility move, 50
Thinking (Index), 11 Transcendence move, 48 Veteran (as Old Soldier), 74
Tier, 19, 93 Transference move, 60 Victims of our own Success, 105
Time points, 13 Treatment move (Simulacrum), 81 Warfare move (Old Soldier), 75
Ante, 13 Troupe Style (Variant Rule), 146 Weak challenge, 93
making changes, 128 Ulterior Motives, 105 Weak tier, 19
Time Traveler (as Clockworker), 42 Uncertain, 16 Weirdo (as Futsie), 58
Time Traveler (as Displaced), 44 Unexpected Arrival, 105 X Card, 141
Top (attribute), 10 Unique moves, 16
Trade move (Freebooter), 57 Up (attribute), 10

William Kwan (Order #44609495)

 To assault another target, state your weapon’s tier, and roll +Strange.
7-9, become exposed and choose one: either charge into range and +3
forward, or hit a lesser target. 10-12, choose one: stay covered & hit
lesser target, or become exposed & hit equal target, or charge and +3
forward. 13+, choose one: stay covered & hit lesser target, or become
exposed & hit greater target, or charge and +3 forward.
To avoid danger till your next move, roll +Bottom. 7-9, weak enemies
overlook you and -1 harm. 10-12, the strong overlook you and -2
harm. 13+, the grand overlook you and -3 harm.
To block something till your next move, roll +Top. 7-9, weak enemies target
you first, +1 forward to respond to them. 10-12, the strong target you first,
+3 forward to respond. 13+, the grand target you first, +6 to respond.
To know casual stuff, just ask. To know obscure lore, roll +Down.
7-9, MC tells you something. 10+, MC may give you +1 connection.
To reveal something from your inventory, ante 1 Fx and roll
+Connection. 7-9, move ante to Hx and you have weak stuff.
10-12, move ante to Hx and you have strong stuff. 13+, set aside
ante as inventory and you have grand stuff.
To talk to people who are already friendly with you, no roll is needed.
To schmooze unfriendly people, roll +Charm. 7-9, they’re open to talk,
ask the MC how to proceed. 10+, the target makes a counter-offer,
accept it or move on to something else (MC’s choice).
To observe the obvious, ask your MC. To scope a situation or person,
roll +Up. 7-9, ask one question and +1 forward to deal with answers.
10+, ask three questions and +1 forward on those answers. (Does this
person have something I need? How could I get past these people to
leave me alone? Who’s really in control here? Is this person trying to
deceive me? What happened here recently? What here is useful or
valuable to me? What is about to happen? Is there anything here that
isn’t supposed to be here? What should I be on the lookout for? What tier
are these people? What’s the best way to deal with these people?)

Don’t like your last roll? To get inspiration from a friend, ask them to
ante 1 or more Hx and roll +connection. 7+, add their +ante to your
last roll; your friend moves their ante to their Fx.
To prepare a friend for rolling, roll and add something (usually the
same attribute). 7+, you give them +1 forward.
To order a follower to do something, ante 1 Fx and roll +connection
instead of what you’d usually roll. Either you suffer the response
for your follower, or lose 1 point of connection permanently. Move
ante to Hx.

William Kwan (Order #44609495)