CREDITS

DESIGNERS:
DOMINIC COVEY AND cHRIS DAVIS
Darwin’s World CREATED BY DOMINIC COVEY
COVER ARTIST: INTERIOR ARTISTS:
JEREMY SIMMONS JOHN LONGENBAUGH JEREMY SIMMONS
PROOFREADERS: DOMINIC COVEY V. SHANE
DAVID JARVIS
LAYOUT:
DON KIESLING
CHRIS DAVIS
ERIC ROUNTREE
DESIGN CONTRIBUTIONS FROM:
JOHN SHAW
CHARLES BAIZE
Editing and Playtesting Support: DON KIESLING
Charles Baize Ryan KellEy
Chris Derner CHARLES RICE
CHARLES RICE
Jay Fitzloff Ethan Ripplinger ETHAN RIPPLINGER
Thomas Hainlin John Shaw JOHN SHAW
Chris Hoover Aaron Wiggins
David Jarvis v2.3
WWW.DARWINRPG.COM
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www.DarwinRPG.com. At DarwinRPG.com you will find many
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products only sold via the web.

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 TABLE OF CONTENTS
CHAPTER 1: CHARACTERS 5 TRADER 42
BACKGROUNDS 6 EPIC CLASSES 44
FERALS 6 CHAMPION 44
TRIBALS 6 MECH 46
RITUAL PRESERVATIONISTS 6 MEDICINE MAN 48
RESENTFULS 7 MUTANT HUNTER 49
RADICALS 8 SCIENTIST 51
DEGENERATES 8 TECH LOOTER 53
RESURRECTORS 8 TRADE MASTER 55
VISIONARY REINVENTORS 9 WARRIOR MONK 57
GUARDIANS 9 NEW & REVISED SKILLS 58
HEDONISTS 9 GENERAL FEATS 64
ADVANCED 10 TECHNOLOGY FEATS 69
OCCUPATIONS 10 TECHNOLOGY CRAFT FEATS 69
ACADEMIC 10 CHAPTER 2: MUTANTS & MUTATIONS 71
CARAVAN GUARD 10 THE MUTANT TEMPLATE 73
CORIUM PROSPECTOR 11 CHOOSING MUTATIONS 73
CRAFTSMAN 11 MUTATION FEATS 74
DEMAGOGUE 11 MUTATIONS 74
FURNITURE 11 DEFECTS 85
GUIDE 11 MUTANT FEATS 90
HEALER 11 NEURAL FEATS 92
HERDSMAN 12 CHAPTER 3: ARTIFACTS OF THE ANCIENTS 99
MERCHANT 12 TRADE 100
MILITARY 12 FIREARMS 101
PREDATOR 12 HANDGUNS 101
REPAIRMAN 12 LONGARMS 104
SLAVE 12 HEAVY WEAPONS 112
SLAVER 12 EXPLOSIVES AND SPLASH WEAPONS 113
WANDERER 12
LASERS 115
THE POST-APOCALYPTIC HERO 13 MASERS 119
ADVANCED CLASSES 15 ENERGY FIELD GENERATORS 119
BARBARIAN 15 MASS DRIVERS 121
DEMAGOGUE 17 PARTICLE-BEAM WEAPONS 124
GUARDIAN 19 OTHER UNCONVENTIONAL WEAPONS 125
JUJU DOCTOR 21 POWERED MELEE WEAPONS 130
PSIONIC 23 ARMOR 130
RAIDER 24 GENERAL EQUIPMENT 132
ROAD WARRIOR 26 MEDICINE 142
SCAV 28 MILITARY HARDWARE 145
SCHOLAR 29 POWERED ARMOR 148
SKULK 32
2 SISTER OF THE DESERT 33
CHAPTER 4: GAMEMASTERING
CAMPAIGN MODELS
152
153
SURVIVALIST 36 SURVIVAL 153
SYMBIOTE 37 BRAVE NEW WORLD 154
TINKER 40
 TABLE OF CONTENTS
JUST VISITING 155 DOOMRIDERS 231
SETTING IDEAS 155 DOOMRIDER ZEALOT 233
TOTAL NUCLEAR WAR 155 ENTROPISTS 235
DISINTEGRATION AND CHAOS 157 FAR TRADERS 238
CATACLYSMIC EVENT 158 FOUNDATIONISTS 240
SUPER PLAGUE 159 FOUNDATION PALADIN 242
INHUMAN MASTERS 159 GHOULS 243
COMBINING ELEMENTS 160 MOVEMENT, THE 245
NEAR FUTURE VS. PRESENT 161 PARADISE BELIEVERS 248
POLITICAL CONSIDERATIONS 161 RANGERS 251
THE UGLY ELEMENTS 162 RANGER 252
SLAVERY, SURVIVAL OF THE FITTEST 163 RAVAGERS 254
DRUGS, ANOTHER CURRENCY 164 SAVANTS 256
ENVIRONMENTAL DANGERS 165 SAVANT 259
GAMMA RADIATION 165 AMAZONS 261
ULTRAVIOLET RADIATION 166 BENDERS 262
CHEMICAL CONTAMINATION 167 CORIUM MINERS OF LITTLE VEGAS 264
DISEASE 168 CRYSTALTIME MERCHANTS 266
PARASITIC INFESTATION 169 KNIGHTS OF ROUTE 66 267
FOOD AND MOISTURE NEEDS 169 RAIDER GANGS (VARIOUS) 268
STORMS OF SAND AND RADIATION 170 WASTELORDS 269
SANDSTORMS 170 XENOPHOBES (VARIOUS) 271
RADIATION STORMS 170 APPENDIX 1: CHARTS & TABLES 273
CHAPTER 5: ADVENTURE LOCATIONS 171 OPEN GAME LICENSE 289
WASTELAND SETTLEMENTS 172 OPEN GAMING CONTENT 289
SAMPLE: HEMISPHERE 172
TRADE TOWNS 177
SAMPLE TRADE TOWN: TUCUMCARI 177
CITIES OF SURVIVORS 184
SAMPLE CITY OF SURVIVORS: STYX 185
DOMED CITIES 193
SAMPLE DOMED CITY: LOCKDOWN TOWN 193
VAULTS 196
SAMPLE VAULT: GREENBRIER 197
NECROPOLI 203
LOS ANGELES IN YOUR CAMPAIGN 206
OTHER AREAS 214
CHAPTER 6: DENIZENS 216
BRETHREN 217
BRETHREN FOLLOWER 219
BROTHERHOOD OF RADIATION 220
BROTHERHOOD FORCE MASTER
CARTEL
222
224 3
CHILDREN OF THE METAL GODS 227
CLEAN WATER CLANS 229
 CHAPTER 4:

Gamemastering
“Believing as I do that man in the distant
future will be a far more perfect creature
Acting as the gamemaster of
your gaming group means being perhaps the most
than he now is, it is intolerable that he be important player at the table. Anyone who has ever
doomed to complete annihilation after such a played a role-playing game is, at the very least,
long-continued process.” familiar with the idea of what a gamemaster does:
the gamemaster (or “GM”) is responsible not only
-Charles Darwin for knowing the rules and regulating the game,
he also must arbitrate the result of encounters and
“Now I am become Death, the destroyer of skill checks, and, when the established rules fail
worlds” to cover a given area of dispute, make on-the-spot
judgments to keep the game flowing. Furthermore,
-J. Robert Oppenheimer it is the GM that serves as “storyteller”, devising
the session’s adventure beforehand for the
“So it was that, after the Deluge, the enjoyment of all. With a bit of practice and
Fallout, the plagues, the madness, the experience, even a beginning GM will soon be
confusion of tongues, the rage, there began coming up with adventure hooks, complete ideas,
the bloodletting of the Simplification, and even fully developed scenario plots and stories
when remnants of mankind had torn other for his or her gaming group.
remnants limb from limb, killing rulers, At its most basic, most role-playing sessions
scientists, leaders, technicians, teachers, and will consist of a series of encounters linked
whatever persons the leaders of the maddened together by a story modified and tweaked as a
mobs said deserved death for having helped result of the spur-of-the-moment actions of players
to make the Earth what it had become.” and developments in the game. Most pre-made
adventures are basically the same, though the time
- A Canticle for Leibowitz taken beforehand to prepare such a product means
there is a more ordered structure – and less chance
a GM will be unprepared for circumstances outside
a homemade, sketchy outline.
 A campaign, however, is different. A campaign There are limitless possibilities, and countless
is more of an ongoing story, a series or string of futures for all adventuring in Darwin’s World. This
adventures linking the characters to deeds of heroics section focuses on how to find the elements you and
and epic struggles. The best campaign games call for your players like, custom tailor the setting to your
a lot of forethought in designing a good back story, so specific set of requirements (and tastes), and how
that the individual “episodes” run smoothly together, to put the various suggestions herein to use in your
and serve some greater, future purpose. Players may campaigns.
not even know at the start, the extent of the plots or
plans of the villains (or mysterious, behind-the-scenes
allies), only to discover that a foe thought beaten
long ago has all along been rebuilding, plotting, and
CAMPAIGN MODELS
seeking his ultimate revenge... A campaign allows Many GMs, players, and gaming
you to build upon the elements of individual episodes, groups have their own style of play,
making every decision count, to make every mistake a method of gaming they prefer
have a price, and have every heroic deed truly matter over others when they play
in the grand scheme of things. role-playing games. While
As a GM of Darwin’s World you are always free you are certain to establish
to come up with any variety of story that suits your your own style of play at
style of play: stories of survival, scavenging, or some point, keep in mind
duty to a greater cause. Through playing this game there is more than one angle
you will find that everyone likes something a little from which to approach the post-
different; some players choose to play characters who apocalyptic milieu. Following are a few examples
only seek personal profit and power, while others of how to play Darwin’s World, regardless of the
are interested in exploring the various communities individual setting.
available, perhaps finding among their callings and
visions a familiarity or welcome “new beginning”
for their characters. The Twisted Earth of Darwin’s SURVIVAL
World is perfect for all sorts of adventuring types, as In this type of campaign, the sole goal is for player
it is a world filled with lost cities, ruins infested with characters to survive the dangers of the wasteland (or
intelligent mutants or bizarre aberrations, subterranean the ruins of a given city) with whatever the hero(s) can
worlds of buried sewer systems filled with lost goods, find or create through his everyday efforts. While this
and other fascinating remnants of a futuristic world type of campaign might seem to be limited in scope
that appears and vanishes beneath the sand with the and the potential for heroic deeds, it is in fact rich
fickle pull of the winds. with challenges and opportunities for characters to
Though they don’t have the same control as the experience the chilling atmosphere of the genre. It is
GM does, individual players contribute a lot to especially fun if you have a small group of players
the excitement of a campaign through (even a single player and GM can have fun in
the deeds of their characters. While this style of campaign). There is nothing
many players are more comfortable with quite like playing a lone individual trying
characters who seek only personal to survive in the hollowed-out
betterment to meet and defeat ruins of an ancient city with
the next opponent, other players only his wits and the dusty
colorfully add quirks to their in- artifacts he finds amongst the
game personas that make play rubble. Concerns such as
far more interesting. Giving uncontaminated food and
his character an obsession water, or even a safe (and
with a quest to find his true secret) place to let his
origins, for example, or a desire guard down for the night
to learn what the Ancients were to rest become nerve-racking
really like before they fell. Or endeavors. And by their self,
they may question the almost even the toughest character
universal “worship” of the will be forced to seriously
Ancients by their peers consider investigating
as an Atlantean-paradise strange noises, dark
now gone, and instead find
that they too had their
places, or sightings of
other creatures along
153
villainous leaders and the path of his solitary
motivations. wanderings.
 The major bonus to this style of play is the amount well. For example, players who follow the Brethren
of control the GM has over events that go on during cause might be sent as an expedition to a certain site of
the campaign. Since the players will not likely be Ancient-era relevance (such as a lost base or shelter)
involved in the politics of any major group (being to find and destroy any technological items there for
loners), events will come to them, at your pace the benefit of “Mother Earth”. Alternatively, a group
– you don’t have to worry about players entangling of Foundationists might instead be sent to the same
themselves with political entities far beyond their sight to protect those very same artifacts. And if
abilities, or causing trouble with the wrong crowd. players play characters of opposing factions, well then
Difficult situations are few and far between, making that could very well lead to a confrontation between
this one of the easiest types of campaigns for previous friends and allies…
beginning GMs to run. Through their adventures and continued struggles,
Also, since the characters are basically just trying players who take the role of aspiring faction members
to survive, even mundane elements such as finding will have the chance to not only become strong and
sources of nutrition or shelter become important powerful, but also gain rank and prestige in their
events that call for thought and planning by players. faction. If they were to survive, characters might
A strong sense of “realism” often arises in this type of expect to get newfound fame, respect, and even
play, a sense that contributes greatly to the nightmarish positions of power in their chosen group – which
atmosphere of the setting. With proper role-playing in turn could lead to adventures with higher stakes,
and ambience, you can turn what seems to be a more in-depth role-playing, large scale warfare, and
monotonous regimen into an almost “horror-style” consequences as epic as any gamer could hope for.
type of game with moments of normalcy punctuated The ultimate goal for this type of play is to see
by sudden encounters full of terror and mind-spinning eventual victory. Not so much on a personal level,
uncertainty. but to be a part in helping to reconstruct the world
Similarly, the rare introduction of outside elements (or at least a corner of it) in the image desired by
(such as a wandering NPC, or a cherished visit to that particular faction, cult, or society. For Primitive
an established community for supplies) becomes characters it may be as simple as striving their entire
a major spectacle, around which you can base plot campaign to bring peace among the tribes of their
leads, adventure hooks, and introduce new allies (or region, or unite the warring clans against some greater,
enemies) to break the monotony of the day-to-day more dire threat from outside. For others, such as
struggle to live. Reinventors, the scope will widen and become about
The real drawback to this type of game is the lack of building a new republic for man and mutantkind in
opportunities for players to interact and get involved a kinder image, to learn from the mistakes of the
with events outside of their immediate area of concern greedy, self-serving past. For Guardian or Advanced
(namely, their own survival). While this mostly means characters their campaign might be about becoming
the characters are limited to combats, carving out the heroic figures that helped pave the way towards a
niches for themselves, and the rare visit to a trader reconstruction of a “new” United States. And yet for
to sell artifacts scavenged from the ruins, this style others it will be less grand, less monumental a goal
of play suits some players and GMs quite well. It is - perhaps even a little more selfish - and their idea of
especially easy for new gamers (or gamers unfamiliar success will be to carve their own empire or to rise to
with the setting), where the “kill this, get that” (and a leadership position in a cult centered around, what
tally up cash and experience points) method of play is else, worship of themselves!
easily understood. The benefit of this style of play is fairly obvious,
in that characters are more than just nobodies
wandering the wastes like drifters - they have the
BRAVE NEW WORLD chance to become integral to the politics (and wars of
Of course the typical campaign in Darwin’s World is dominance) of the Twisted Earth. Their adventures
really no different than campaigns in other settings; will have a purpose; though starting out small and
player characters, in addition to just trying to survive insignificant, they will grow to become trusted agents
against monsters and environmental dangers, of their faction, and perhaps later as leaders and
eventually become embroiled in things well beyond eventual masterminds of their cause. This style of
their control. The structuring of the Twisted Earth play promises long-term enjoyment, and the savoring
setting, for example, provides a number of major of the fruits of each player’s labors will be felt in more
communities to which PCs can either belong from the than just a personal way – it will shape the world. The
beginning, or can aspire to join during their campaign. only possible drawback is the time and commitment
154 The major factions provide not only a wide variety
of philosophies for characters to align themselves to
it requires to take a character from low to epic levels,
which may be unsuitable for those unfamiliar with the
(or to stubbornly resist with as much opposition as setting or role-playing games in general.
they can muster), but these philosophies also have
the potential to become the impetus for adventures as
JUST VISITING themselves in the unique ambience of the post-
apocalyptic setting. With an easy avenue of escape
For some players, the post-apocalyptic setting is just
from the ruin and rubble, the dying ecosystem and the
too depressing, too macabre, to sustain interest in
hopeless future, players will not come to experience
a long-term campaign. To still others, only certain
the immediacy of life after the nuclear war – or truly
elements of the genre are appealing, while other
appreciate the savagery of its denizens or the threat
aspects may seem too unrealistic, too far-fetched,
posed by the villainous factions of the world. Without
to fully draw them in. For these kinds of players,
ties to the people, the communities, or the game
Darwin’s World (or the genre in general) becomes
world, the setting is more likely to be viewed as a kind
more interesting as a “brief look” rather than a long-
of dangerous “nature reserve” with wild monsters
term commitment.
and mutants to hunt, rather than a world worthy of
This style of play is absolutely valid, and can work
attempts to save and cultivate relations with.
really well either as a single night’s entertainment,
or to complement existing campaigns for other
games. For example, perhaps the characters visiting
the Twisted Earth are powerful PCs from an existing SETTING IDEAS
fantasy-based campaign; drawn to the wasted
landscape of Darwin’s World through a freak magical As a set of rules, Darwin’s
portal, or through a mishap during the course of planar World provides players
exploration, they will encounter new and bizarre with a variety of options
monsters. Or perhaps their spell-powered ship has for generating heroes in a
come to a new stretch of previously uncharted space, post-apocalyptic setting, a
whereupon they find a planet that even from orbit process that involves selection
shows the signs of a great culture in its ancient past. from a number of character backgrounds and a wide
Landing, they will find a world filled with exotic range of classes, all of which are geared towards
dangers. Their swords and spells will clash against the individualizing the PC and making each hero unique.
hides of unrecognizable beasts, or against the metal But in addition to having characters provide the
skin of rusted robotic overlords from a civilization vehicle for determining what the campaign is about
unfathomable to their minds. They will wonder at and where it will ultimately head, there are more
the amazing technologies lost in the Fall, and after fundamental options that can be toyed with or tweaked
experiencing radiation for the first time, will likely to make each campaign a different and exciting
mark the Twisted Earth as a place never to visit again! experience.
Alternatively, one can always use the Twisted Earth Consider the actual scenario behind the apocalypse
as yet another planet in any science-fiction universe’s that is central to the theme of your campaign. The
cosmos, a world separate from the ongoing space- “Twisted Earth” setting of Darwin’s World (and the
faring campaign in which to thrust PCs if only for a majority of other post-apocalyptic games) focuses
night or so of gaming. Even with their own advanced on the scenario of total nuclear war, a cataclysm
technology they will find new challenges in this combining both the failings of humankind’s warlike
(relatively) primitive setting, again in the form of nature and a nightmare vision of science and
mutant monsters but also in the form of those who technology gone awry. But this is only one possible
think the PCs are gods – or demons returned to finish backdrop for the apocalypse, and only one potential
the destruction begun by their ancient ancestors. “history” upon which to base your campaign’s world.
Unlike the cross-genre scenario described above, with This section offers some suggestions and guidelines
fantasy blending into post-apocalyptic, this style of for the major causes of a world apocalypse (i.e. “The
play is much more believable and does not suffer from Fall”); each has strengths and weaknesses, as well as a
the kind of “disjointing” experience that comes with unique twist to offer players of the genre.
the melding of a more medieval theme with a futuristic
one.
The strengths to this type of game include the TOTAL NUCLEAR WAR
wonder and excitement of investigating a new planet, The iconic theme to the post-apocalyptic genre is the
the remnants of a lost civilization, and clashing eruption of a total global nuclear conflict. During the
with weird societies, NPCs (villains included) with era of the Cold War this was a common scenario for
unexpected abilities, and monsters whose weaknesses movies, books, and television to play with, postulating
and powers are unfamiliar to the most seasoned almost every aspect of what nuclear war would mean
to humankind. Whether looking at how man might
gamers. Even for only a few sessions, a visit to the
Twisted Earth can certainly make for a perilous side survive the war itself, in the days after, or generations
later, there are countless sources of movies and
155
trek during a running campaign.
The only real drawback to this style of play is literature to draw inspiration, visuals, and ideas from.
that players will not get the chance to truly immerse Nuclear war was such a horrific prospect for so many
 years (in fact it still remains) that it is hardly a wonder What military forces were left would be deployed
there is so much information available! to enforce martial law, but their diminished presence
The nature of nuclear war in any game setting has might not be enough to stem the growing sentiment
many possibilities. Whether or not it involves two that they, the military, were at fault for all of this.
super powers escalating towards conflict, or terrorists Mobs would run rampant, leading to escalations of
getting their hands on weapons of mass destruction, or violence and outright confrontation between civilians
religious cults seeking to bring about doomsday, there and military. Even assuming military forces won (a
are quite a few scenarios to base your world upon. likely outcome, considering the tools at their disposal),
However, the effects of a total nuclear war, as morale among military units would eventually be
devastating and cataclysmic as it would most certainly eroded. Without a cohesive leadership, without a
be, lacks variation in the sense that it will almost clear cause to keep them obedient, mutiny, the willing
always lead to unprecedented destruction, chaos, disbanding of units by local command, and outright
death, and misery. Depending on the actual “history” desertion would spell the end of all remaining order.
leading up to the outbreak of nuclear war, the buildup On top of the social repercussions, the nuclear
might have been foreseen, and people may have attacks would spread fire and radiation. Immediate
struggled vainly to seek shelter or isolation to avoid effects of radiation would spell the death of most of
the first strikes. This could have led to chaos and those in the cities struck in the exchange, but fallout,
anarchy, confidence shaken in the powers that be, thrown up into the atmosphere with every detonation,
rioting and looting, etc. – a paltry precursor to the would circulate for weeks, months, and years to come.
devastation to come. Considering that thousands of warheads would have
Or it could have been sudden, unexpected, a first been used all over the planet, this fallout would affect
strike done by a treacherous enemy intent on “getting almost every corner of the world, even areas that had
us” before we could “get them”. But the end result is been spared actual nuclear strikes. With fallout there
the same. is a death to the land, to crops, and to animals – and
With total nuclear war there is virtually no escape. of course, death to the unwitting survivors who feed
Assuming the proliferation of nuclear weapons in your off them or simply remain exposed to the “nuclear
setting mirrors our own world during the height of the snowfall” that brings radiation with it.
Cold War, the cataclysm stemming from war is almost With radiation also comes a diminishing of
unimaginable. With literally thousands of nuclear resistances, and with so many dead in the streets
missiles and bombs deployed against countries and of cities or on the jammed highways leading to the
conventional theatres all over the world, no corner of false security of the countryside, disease would
the globe is truly safe. Nuclear detonations ranging spread uncontested. Without a government to
from a tactical level to a strategic level mean not only enforce quarantines, produce medicines en masse,
the irradiation of battlefields across the planet, but also and coordinate efforts, death by nuclear strike and
the virtual incineration of the world’s major cities, radiation would certainly meet its match in the
industrial areas, and population centers. Assuming mortality rate of disease. And since other countries,
the concept of “mutually-assured destruction” remains virtually all countries, would be affected militarily,
as the sole deterrent to war (as it was during the Cold politically, economically, and on a humanitarian level
War), and that deterrent proves insufficient to curb the by the war, there would be no outside help for anyone
madness of the world’s leaders, military and industrial anywhere.
targets would not be the only ones struck. Civilian Obviously such a doomsday scenario requires
centers - entire cities – would be deliberate targets of some survivors for a game to exist. Survivors of
the exchange. the exchange could come from a number of sources.
Nuclear bombs would kill millions, if not billions, in Humanity could survive through the “crazy”
a global war. With only ten to thirty minutes warning, survivalists that predicted the coming storm and made
the mass of population, and even government, could preparations while everyone else laughed; or it could
not escape the first strikes. Detonations across the have survived in small pockets that banded together
major populated areas would spell not only death, but in the immediate aftermath to find a new home in the
the destruction of the communication that is so vital to hills or mountains. Though most would die in the
keeping the country united. Without leaders to rally years to come, there are always a few survivors, and
them, and with their faith in their own government to these would go on to continue the species.
protect them all but obliterated, the social order could Setting the game’s timeframe is important, because
very well disintegrate in a matter of weeks, if not days. it dictates what tools are available to PCs. If the
Rumors that the government, secretly aware that the players play immediate survivors of the nuclear war,
156 end was coming, fled to secret shelters or bunkers,
would cause an uproar among the thousands of urban
they will face terrible landscapes of fire, ash, and
corpses. In the hollow shells of their former homes
homeless who saw their loved ones die, unknowingly, they will be forced to survive, scavenging resources,
in the first strikes. attempting to find out what happened and why, and
searching for any possibility of rebuilding from the state. Without oil and other resources to keep cars,
ruin. Enemies and encounters could involve fellow cities, and global industry going, everything begins to
survivors, some friendly, others predatory, and still wind down until it finally comes to a crashing halt.
others gone completely insane from the loss of loved Spurred on by a need for resources, nations go to
ones and the dissolution of law and order. Rogue war all over the world. The last holdouts with usable
bands of marauders, in the form of “gangs” or even reserves are invaded and conquered by more powerful
entire military units who deserted, are often among the countries. Though no one “goes nuclear” for fear of
most savage and difficult enemies of any role-playing destroying what little is left to take, the end result is
milieu. the same. The effort, which proves to be too little too
If the game is set years later, characters play the role late, cannot stem the widespread urban chaos erupting
of the descendants of early survivors. Their world is everywhere; enraged by the crippling price of oil,
one that still has disease, starvation, and ruin, but also skyrocketing unemployment, and worldwide rationing,
with a hope that through their efforts they can create the massive populations of the globe rise up first to
a new world with a mind for the lessons of the old. protest, then to engage in open rioting. Spread thin
Scattered remnants have now formed into cohesive by wars and a devastated economy, the armies of even
groups or “factions”, some fostering weird beliefs the most powerful countries cannot keep the peace.
based on a deteriorating understanding of the past, Without police on the streets, and only a handful of
while others keep the seed of technology and pre-war military units to enforce martial law, anarchy spreads
human culture alive. Characters can be feral survivors, like wildfire. Criminals and self-styled doomsday
raised among the ruins to fend for themselves, or they prophets sow discord, either through random acts of
could be from any number of fledgling communities violence and theft, or through deliberate plans to take
seeking acceptance and success, and working towards advantage of the chaos and seize what is left for their
fulfilling their people’s goals. own followers.
Mutation is an important consideration in the Total What happens next can be varied as well. Inevitably
Nuclear War theme, and one that gives the setting governments begin to fall apart, because without
one of its major sources of flavor. While in scenarios resources and power they cannot pay their armies and
closer to the actual “Fall” mutation would not likely thus enforce control. The fabric of the nation state has
be seen (it often takes generations to manifest), in all but unraveled already, as civilians flee the cities
settings decades and centuries afterwards mutation can to look for food in the countryside. Because of the
reasonably exist in countless manifestations: among world’s growing population, however, pollution has
specific factions (a shared trait, for instance, that already devastated much of the ecology, meaning that
keeps them unified almost like a “racial group”, there is no food to be had – not
such as albinism or the ability to communicate in large enough quantities,
telepathically), a new ecology filled with all anyway.
sorts of horribly mutated monstrosities, and
even individual characters – giving them just
the edge they need to survive against all the
dangers of a post-nuclear world.

DISINTEGRATION AND CHAOS

As opposed to the idea of a sudden and total
nuclear war ending civilization, several books and
famous movies instead play upon the idea of a slow
disintegration of the social fabric of humanity, a
backwards evolution that leads to chaos and the
inevitable collapse of world civilization.
The causes behind such a slow descent into chaos
can be quite varied. A common scenario is set in
the near future, only a few decades or so down the
road. With the slow diminishing of the world’s most
vital resources (namely oil, other expendable
sources of fuel, and the world food supply), and
a steady explosion of world population, society
slowly begins to unravel. Though major nations
across the globe fare better, having more lasting 157
reserves, they only prolong the inevitable
collapse of the world economy and the confidence
of their own people in the long-term survival of their
 As governments go offline, vanish, or crumble
away, new “communities” begin to evolve. While
CATACLYSMIC EVENT
A little more “science fiction” than most, the
in some places this may constitute a “city state” or
Cataclysmic Event scenario can still be highly
something similar. Elsewhere (such as in larger cities),
entertaining.
the diversity of the population makes this impossible,
The premise lies in the sudden introduction of an
leading to the creation of small cells of like-minded
overwhelmingly destructive “event” on current (or
individuals who only seek their own survival. Small-
near-future) human civilization. In movies, cartoons,
scale warfare continues, as these factions battle for turf
and books the actual “event” itself can be any number
and the rotting remains of whatever is left-to-be-had.
of things: the world is hit by a massive asteroid
Given time, this condition advances the decay of
ending all life on the surface; a comet emitting deadly
civilization tremendously. If the game is set only a
radiation passes too close to the atmosphere, killing
few decades later, the cities may still stand, but are
those who did not find shelter in time; a new ice age
largely empty except for the violent holdouts of the
begins, destroying the world ecology and plunging the
original “gangs” that stayed to wage war there. The
planet into chaos; a scientific experiment to control the
inability to supply food to the major population centers
weather goes awry, spirals out of control, and creates a
means millions upon millions starved to death; only
chain reaction in the atmosphere that leads to the end
the fittest, and most ruthless, would survive to see the
of the world. These are just a few possible ideas.
future. The millions of dead, left to rot in the streets,
In the Cataclysmic Event scenario, the actual “Fall”
would either be cannibalized (in a few cases) to feed
could take place instantly and immediately (i.e. it
hungry mouths, or would be left to spawn diseases
was totally unexpected), or may have been seen
that would further devastate the survivors, and add
coming, and the world degenerated into anarchy as
to the wide berth given the ancient cities by whoever
doomsday approached. In the former case, those few
remains.
who survived would adventure in a world seemingly
Disintegration and Chaos is an excellent scenario
“frozen in time”, a world displaced, walking among
for the post-apocalyptic genre. It provides a very
the ruins of homes with meals still set, or in streets
believable wind-down of human civilization.
still backed up with cars and traffic. In the latter
For adventurers, there are still many finds to be
case the remnants of the world would have suffered
uncovered in the great cities, since there was no “total
tremendously in addition to the damage caused by
devastation” by nuclear bomb. While looting would
the actual cataclysm, making survival all that more
have been rampant in the years up to the eventual
difficult.
abandonment of most urban areas, the relative
This theme requires individualization of the setting
proximity of the present to the actual “Fall” means that
by the GM (and players), depending on the actual
many items would still remain, and in relatively good
cataclysm chosen to base the setting on. In the case
condition.
of a meteor or asteroid striking the earth, for example,
The only real drawback to the Disintegration and
consider not only the effects of where and how the
Chaos theme is that it usually lacks the traditional
meteor hit (depending on its size it could erase an
element of mutation, since without nuclear war there
entire city, or an entire region, and devastate the
is no radiation, and without radiation it is a little more
surface of the planet), but also the effect on coastlines
difficult to explain the proliferation of mutated life
due to the flooding and unprecedented tidal waves that
forms. Similarly, the relative closeness in time to the
would result from such an impact, and the shape of
actual Fall is quite short, meaning that it has only been
the landscape once the water has settled (coastal cities
one or two generations since the collapse (in fact,
and population centers would be all but destroyed).
some survivors from before the Fall might even still be
Consider the raging infernos that would be spawned
alive).
the moment the meteor hit, the clouds of dust and
One way to remedy this is to have mutation be a
smoke kicked up by its striking the crust, and the
“side effect” of the world’s vast industrial pollution
effect the prolonged darkness worldwide would have
(from before the Fall), as opposed to being a product
on plant life, animal life, and humanity.
of nuclear war. Water sources, breathable air, and
Similar questions must be raised for each cataclysm
even food could very well have been contaminated
scenario. There are many books that discuss the
long before the Fall, resulting in freak births and
possible repercussions of the Earth being struck by
rare occurrences duplicating the effects of traditional
a major comet or meteor; other scenarios only take a
mutations and defects.
little imagination and development by the GM.
Regardless of how it is explained, mutations (and
The timeframe is also important with this theme;
mutant monsters) are likely to be rare, if present at
158 all, and bearers of the “taint” would be universally
ostracized as freaks or worse.
it makes a world of difference whether the PCs play
survivors in the first years after the Event, or if they
exist decades, centuries, or even thousands of years
afterwards. Living in the immediate devastation
would prove a challenge merely for day-to-day
survival, feeding off whatever supplies remain in old horrible death.
supermarkets and stores, and dealing with the slow Throughout it all, civilization breaks down,
death of the planet due to its unending darkness. Part government control is lost. With worldwide travel so
of the flavor of this scenario involves the characters convenient, the disease crosses the globe almost the
(assuming they are old enough to remember the world same day as it begins to surface in major domestic
before the Event) coming to terms with the erasing of cities. At the same time the country responsible for
the world they once knew, the deaths of everyone they its creation begins to buckle and collapse, nations
loved, and letting go of the technological culture they everywhere also realize it is too late, that their own
were once a part of. populations have the disease in uncontrollable
Characters in the “immediate” time period would numbers. Those few who can shake the fever of the
be struggling to survive while also looking for a new “super plague” now know the End is upon the world!
home, to avoid the impending winter that would You can set the game anywhere along the timeline
come with the endless night. This could be a quest of this slippery slope towards the “End”. Perhaps
to seek out rumored government-built shelters in the the game begins with characters living their lives as
mountains (deep vaults under the earth where human normal, when the outbreak first occurs. They must
holdouts might still live, with abundant supplies deal with dying loved ones, rumors of government
readied before the Event), or hideouts of their own. involvement, and later bio-suit wearing squads of
Caves, for example, or exploring a vast underworld soldiers attempting to control all anti-government
created as a side effect of the Event itself in which resistance (and of course, the spread of disease) with
heretofore-unknown subterranean life is now revealed. fanatical violence. Characters might begin as ordinary
If set decades or centuries later, characters might citizens, but as things escalate they must learn to
be assumed to be descendants of those who survived adapt, take up arms, and survive. Later, as civilization
(in government shelters or otherwise), emerging onto completely unravels and the world becomes ever more
a world greatly changed since the Event. Life may devoid of life, they must continue to avoid getting
have evolved to adapt to the cold, and now nothing infected by finding long-term shelter, a quest that will
resembling what their ancestors knew even exists on no doubt lead to conflict with other holdouts - and
the surface world, or the world may be totally barren those more ruthless than them such as ex-military
(except for others like themselves, who might be men, mobs of survivalists, and more.
helpful, friendly, or outright hostile). Cities destroyed If set farther in the future, the characters could,
or abandoned in the Event have crumbled without the instead, be the descendants of such survivors,
maintenance of human hands, and remain as enigmas, emerging from protected shelters beneath the cities,
their great marvels unexplained and unexplored since or in the mountains. Terrifyingly aware that the
humans left them so many generations ago. disease may still linger in the curious life forms that
now inhabit the surface world, the PCs will be able
to explore cities seemingly frozen in time, abandoned
SUPER PLAGUE during the height of the epidemic, or littered with the
Of the various options for the post-apocalyptic genre, skeletal remains of the millions who died. The cities
there are few as sinister as the concept of the “super might be all empty except for wildlife, or might be
plague”, a disease of some sort that is the direct cause home to other survivors (what’s more menacing than
of the near-extinction of all life on Earth. a group of enemies in biohazard suits, seeking only to
The setting is simple and believable; in the present hunt you and your people down to find out why you
(or near future) a secret government bioweapon never got infected?), or even disease-infected holdouts
being engineered somewhere in the country who are slowly succumbing, and are naively desperate
somehow manages to escape confinement in its deep for water and medicine to alleviate their pain.
underground research lab. It could be an airborne One classic variation is the idea that the disease,
disease, escaping through faulty air scrubbers; or a instead of merely killing its host, changes them in
disease carried by an escaped test subject; it could some horrible way. With these changes comes a
even be an actual test sample or warhead, stolen by disintegration of the mind, madness (or psychotic
terrorists/anarchists and accidentally released during idiocy), and a cannibal lust or homicidal desire to kill.
their flight from the authorities. The result is the Perhaps they only change mentally, or perhaps they
same: the disease begins to spread insidiously, and the become true monsters, “mutating” as it were, into new
government – despite ruthless efforts to curb it, even and deadly forms of life against which the world’s few
to the point of exterminating those quarantined on survivors must fight to survive.
suspicion of infection, and later the entire populations
of small towns – is powerless to prevent it. Soon radio
and television are reporting a “strange new epidemic”, INHUMAN MASTERS 159
people begin to get scared as loved ones and co- The “inhuman masters” scenario breaks from the
workers begin to die off, and within days and weeks traditional irony (and tragedy) of mankind destroying
90% of the world population perishes in a ghastly, itself in a foolish mistake, and instead places the blame
 for the apocalyptic ending of civilization on outside scenario), as time passes humankind will no doubt
elements beyond human control. The classic example resort to its last option - nuclear weapons – a futile
is the alien invasion, in which Earth is caught totally attempt to destroy the outworlders that only leaves the
unaware by a force from another planet (or another landscape tainted with radiation and further blasted
galaxy entirely), attacked, and in due course subdued. into a blazing inferno. And, without any last hope or
This scenario, while admittedly pure science fiction, recourse, this final nuclear strike would be man’s last
has a lot to offer in the way of enjoyment, challenges, whimper of organized resistance.
and memorable moments. It has the apocalyptic feel In later periods in which to set a campaign in this
of an overwhelming termination of human history, scenario, characters will be stragglers and refugees
the facing of almost impossible odds, chaos and of the alien/robot invasion, living in the ruins of
destruction on a mass scale, and the ultimate collapse burned-out cities or deep in the wilderness. There,
of human law, order, and civilization. You can throw life will forever be “on the run”, evading capture
in bizarre diseases brought unwittingly by the aliens and enslavement (or extermination) by the dreaded
(or wittingly, for a more sinister approach), super enemy, searching for the remnants of rotting supplies
advanced devices and weapons to tip the scales, and just to stay alive. Each day will be a trial of survival,
armies of cross-bred offspring used to pacify the interspersed with moments of sheer terror as alien craft
Earthlings with mental or physical powers simulating flying overhead, or robot patrols marching through
the most potent mutations in the rules. the rubble, come dangerously close to finding them
The kind of alien invaders can vary from hideous and rooting them out. Or instead they might join an
monsters intent on wiping the world clean for their “Earthling resistance”, forced to team up with varied
sole habitation, to sinister, beastly things bent on dysfunctional and bitter personalities, learn to work
killing some, capturing some as a food source, as a team, and fight desperate battles to reclaim their
enslaving others, and perhaps even inter-breeding world against impossible odds.
with the human race. Still another variation would be
aliens who can pass for human beings (and infiltrate
the best security Earthlings can muster), either through COMBINING ELEMENTS
their own ability to change form or through some With so many options for playing in a post-apocalyptic
super-advanced technology yet unknown. The aliens setting, why not combine them? Here are some
could comprise a varied racial structure and hierarchy possible variants that blend elements of the above
(with a different monster type representing each tier of scenarios:
their society), which in turn means a diverse and ever- Super Plague leads to Total Nuclear War: The
changing enemy for characters to face throughout the outbreak of the super plague in one country causes
campaign. If you play in a more modern era (closer to panic in others around the world. Aware that the
reality), the capture of alien technology might provide disease is unstoppable via conventional quarantine,
the incentive – and edge – to keep things interesting they might start a nuclear war in a desperate attempt
from lower levels all the way up to epic. to thwart the disease’s spread. Even if the disease
Alternately the “inhuman masters” behind the were contained by nuclear detonations, the countries
apocalypse might be of a more terrestrial (though struck would no doubt fight back, cascading into total
still terrifying) nature, beings of artificial intelligence nuclear war. Ironically the disease might still survive,
brought into being by scientists hoping to better mutated now that it has been subjected to radiation
human civilization. Another major staple of science beyond imagining, and more tenacious and lethal than
fiction (and the apocalypse), robots and androids before…
turning against their former masters – and proving Total Nuclear War leads to Disintegration
unstoppable due to their superior nature – is a perfect and Chaos: While, ultimately, world leaders fail
scenario for playing in Darwin’s World. to prevent a nuclear war from erupting, the missile
If you decide to play during the time of the defenses of the world’s various nations prove to be
“invasion” (or “uprising”, in the case of an “android more effective than ever hoped for. The result is a
apocalypse”), player characters will struggle daily world with intact population centers, but a widespread
with the realization that they now have to share their dispersal of fallout and radiation due to atmospheric
world with a seemingly unstoppable enemy. They detonations and premature airbursts. While much
will have to deal with their homes, entire cities, being of the population of the world is spared death in a
systematically reduced to ash. Families lost and nuclear cataclysm, the landscape is scarred forever,
burned up in sectors of the globe slowly conquered tainted beyond any possible means of revival. In this
under the boot of unforgiving masters. Signing up dying world, civilization struggles to live on, in hastily
160 for a worldwide draft (or watching from hiding) only
to see the best of mankind’s armies defeated time and
constructed “super-domes” (huge enclosed cities
using energy fields or actual bubbles of steel and glass
again against superior beings and their technology. to protect from atmospheric radiation) but without
In the alien scenario (and likely in a robot-driven food and other resources to keep large countries
going, nation states break down into hundreds of
warring enclaves. New generations are being born as supplies of fuel would run out unless someone knew
mutants, who blame their forebears, and as a result how to power up a refinery and continue the process.
the world descends into chaos. Now the only thing Without the power supplied by power plants, anything
linking the states are the old highways and roads, and not battery powered would also be utterly useless;
only brave men and women (or outcasts) dare leave computers, communications, household appliances,
the environment domes to face the radiation and and most everything we take for granted in modern
sandstorms of the “wasteland” to scavenge or make society would be unable to function. Cities would be
vital hauls from one city to the next. pitch black at night, and would become formidable
Total Nuclear War leads to Inhuman Masters: places to explore…
In this scenario the nuclear exchange was deliberately A more futuristic world requires a willingness
started to cleanse mankind from the earth. Alien to embrace science fiction, but it answers a lot of
life forms from another world, desiring Earth as a questions and makes available a lot of elements that
colony or new home world, have watched humankind make the game even more exciting. With a more
for years, and grown aware of the tensions growing futuristic backdrop you can work in lasers, plasma
across the globe between new-world superpowers. weapons, powered armor, and colossal engineering
Orchestrating some kind of atmospheric disturbance projects in the cities (such as skyways, gravity cars,
resembling the initial outbreak of nuclear hostilities and a vast selection of useful gizmos) to make a much
(blowing up missile-laden satellites in a ghostly “first more interesting world to explore. This is especially
strike”, for example), they leave both sides guessing useful in campaigns set long after the Fall, as it helps
as to who struck first – forcing both superpowers to accentuate the sense of technological disintegration
use their arsenals for fear of being destroyed before (after all, your players, who fill the role of survivors,
they can retaliate. Watching the conflict unfold from will be as impressed with the technological wonders of
space with satisfaction, once the radiation has settled the futuristic cities of the Ancients as their characters
and the remnants of humanity have dwindled into are supposed to be!).
sparse pockets, they descend upon Earth to claim the Regardless of which style suits your method of
ashes for their own. Or instead of aliens, the exchange play, remember that with the abundance of options
was generated by robot and android creations with there are almost countless ways of playing a rich and
the devious idea that having wiped itself almost into entertaining post-apocalyptic game. If you and your
extinction, the remnants of humankind will make players are looking for something more familiar, play
ready slaves for their former servitors! a game based more in reality. If science fiction and
futuristic technologies are part of the attraction, by all
means create a world with those elements worked into
NEAR FUTURE VS. PRESENT the fabric of the setting. It’s all up to you.
One very important factor is the time period of
your specific setting’s “Fall”. Did the Fall occur
in the present, along the lines of “real life”, with POLITICAL CONSIDERATIONS
recognizable countries, figures, and technologies? Or Another consideration for creating a dynamic and
does the setting propose it all happened in a world in “living” setting for your players involves the political
the near future, a time when certain technologies add a makeup of the “wasteland”. Who are the major
bit of science fiction to the equation? players, the new-world movements, and the rising
The technological level prior to the Fall is important leaders and figures of this heinous world of rubble
not only because it often explains how the Fall and ruin? Are there recognizable entities, such as the
came about, but it also affects what tools the player remnants of pre-Fall army units and/or government
characters will be able to utilize in the game. In a holdouts, or is the world sliding into a desolate Dark
“real life” style setting, players can expect only the Age with quack visionaries, new-age prophets, and
tools we see available today. While this means a newly massed mutant armies bent on conquest of the
proliferation of conventional (and familiar) weapons ashes? If your campaign is set only a few years after
and items (making the game easy to run and more the Fall, there might still be communities of soldiers
palatable for those unfamiliar with the genre), it also (and their families) scattered about the countryside,
means the players will face many limitations of our hoping for orders from a non-existent government. Or
modern society. For example, foremost would be the instead their might be a “government-in-exile” style
fact that even the best preserved food supplies would organization hoping to rebuild the United States with
not last very long before decaying in abandoned what limited resources remain – and the players take
supermarkets, food outlets, etc. Other sources would the part of its best, and most competent agents.
have to be secured for communities to survive, and of
course these sources might very well be contaminated
Further on down the road, however, the groups
will no doubt become less “familiar”. For example, 161
with radiation, disease, etc. Cars and other vehicles what were once the holdouts of a surviving army unit
would soon become useless if some steady source of might now become the “New Knights of America”, a
refined gasoline could not be secured; even then, the militant society geared towards enforcing their own
 code of law and order in the absence of a civilian mistakes of the past. Theirs is a brutal quest to re-
authority. Or they might degenerate into marauders forge the wasteland, with blood and tears if necessary,
and raiders, turning their advanced military equipment for a future without war and mass destruction. There
and vehicles into machines of war to dominate and is a bizarre mutant cult that reveres the withering
conquer. Religions, the gods of which failed to effects of nuclear radiation, as if the toxic leftovers
protect mankind from destruction at man’s own hands, of mankind’s wars and vast industrial accidents
would unravel - or at the very least evolve into new, constituted a kind of “magic”, a deadly and powerful
unrecognizable forms. Their fading tenets and rituals “force” to be accorded respect and worship even
(the meaning of which would slowly be lost to the as it remains unseen and lethal, centuries into the
survivors of the apocalypse) might become the tools future. Another is a quasi-monastic society that
of charismatic madmen in their campaigns to unite views the objects of the past as relics of their deified
the masses for one violent cause or another. Petty progenitors, seeking at all costs to preserve whatever
warlords calling themselves “governors”, “senators”, remains as if each bit of refuse and pre-war trash were
and “presidents” (titles still remembered as having a holy artifact in which the secrets of the universe
authority) would rise and fall, playing upon some lay. But in their quest to preserve and protect, they
symbol of post-Fall America if only to hold power for unwittingly become villains - and conquerors - of
a few years before vanishing in the relentless swirl of this wasted world. There are masses of outcasts and
time. desperate survivors who mistakenly take the pitted
A staple of the post-apocalyptic genre is the axiom and dented war robots and androids left to rust on the
that the further from the present one sets the story, the battlegrounds of the Ancients as “gods” of a new era.
less likely real-life political, ethnic, and social groups And ghoulish savages from the heart of the world’s
will exist in a recognizable form. This is an obvious destroyed cities, who in their desperation for food and
conclusion to any era of mass destruction and decay; sustenance long ago took to the consuming of the flesh
governments that fall (and for whatever reason cannot of their own kind.
be resurrected) will be forgotten over time – new In addition to these, there are vast raider gangs
systems of government will arise. With the kind of and armies that live each day for the moment, living
decimation of population posited in the worst case fast and furious, and dying in violent and brilliant
nuclear scenarios, interbreeding for the sheer sake of cataclysms of fire and bloodshed on the decaying
the human race’s survival will blur the distinction of highways of the Old American landscape. And there
ethnicity (except in the case of hold-outs who refuse are hold-outs, known as “xenophobes” for their
to interact with the outside world for fear of disease or fear of the outside world and its predatory peoples,
a Trojan-horse style destruction). And almost every who each hold a piece of the puzzle to humankind’s
social group not held together by a mutual obsession technological past - but who lie so scattered and
for self-preservation, will become the victims of divided across the limitless expanse of desert that
stronger, more able groups prowling the ruins. any chance of preserving this legacy for more than a
While there is sometimes an element there that just generation or two is, in the end, a hopeless dream.
barely links the ruined civilization of old with the In your campaign, the major groups of the Twisted
chaotic patchwork of communities that is the new, Earth can either be the set piece societies, or merely
by and large the societies of the future will be much, persistent staples that make appearances now and
much different. As always, literature and movies again as villains (or allies), or they might just be
provide great templates to work from. For example, templates, ideas from which to draw inspiration to
in the classic post-apocalypse book A Canticle create new ones of your own.
For Liebowitz, the ruins of the world are overseen
by a “New Rome” that, while obviously modeled
on the real-world Catholic Church, has a distinct
post-apocalyptic feel to it that lends expertly to the
THE UGLY
feeling of a “New Dark Age”. In Mad Max Beyond
Thunderdome, the burgeoning community of “Barter ELEMENTS
Town” models their violent and quirky society (and
code of justice) on – of all things - a game show! One of the signature traits
The “Twisted Earth” setting of Darwin’s World of the Twisted Earth setting
also continues this tradition, with more than a dozen of Darwin’s World is its
post-war communities that play upon the decay of backdrop of stark inhumanity,
post-apocalyptic man’s understanding of the past, a portrait of cruelty, savagery, and hopelessness that
162 Ancient-era technology, and civilization. There is a
violent group that vilifies technology as the cause of
paints an ugly picture of a future world without law
or the delusions of an ordered civilization. While the
all suffering on earth, and as a means to an end they devices worked into the Twisted Earth are not exactly
destroy all that they find in the name of erasing the new in this respect (movies and books about the
milieu have long played with the themes of slavery,
racism, sexism, drug abuse, etc.), the combinations or too difficult to cope with comfortably. As with
and no-holds barred acceptance of these issues in the other suggested design elements of Darwin’s World,
world leave some players reeling – or toning the harsh it’s up to you to choose what is right and fitting for
atmosphere down by a few notches. your particular game and group of players.
This is, of course, your domain to fine tune as
you please, but take a moment to consider that these
elements, however hard and inhumane they may seem, SLAVERY, SURVIVAL OF THE FITTEST
have a definite place in the post-apocalyptic genre The cycle of slavery often arises when there is neither
– and games in general. At its most basic there is an a balance of power in a region (guaranteeing some
old adage that asks the question: what would light be measure of respect between rivals) nor some form of
without dark? The villainous groups and individuals enforcement to prevent institutionalized bondage from
of the campaign, as well as their oppressive policies, being introduced. After the Fall, with countless groups
give something for player characters to fight against, having a limited ability to defend themselves against
time and again. Contrasted by the vile world outside, outsiders, larger and more powerful groups with the
those truly “good” communities that become the guts to do so will inevitably move in, conquer, and
homes of the PCs will shine that much brighter, and enslave others. Factions (like raider gangs) who know
feel all the more worthy of being defended against all nothing but how to wage war (or are made up almost
odds. exclusively of men), will need a caste of people to
It also makes sense in this type of setting. Consider do their menial work – gathering food, for example,
for a moment your average prison environment in real entertaining perhaps, or to bear their children. Those
life, in which you get a blend of the worst elements who fall under their oppressive fist become slaves, a
society has to offer and promise them very little hope life of misery that in most cases promises no chance of
for a brighter future (a microcosm, of sorts, for a post- escape.
apocalyptic world). What you almost inevitably get Slavery is a staple in most corners of the post-
is a self-destructive community wherein the strong apocalyptic wasteland, even among the most
rule over the meek by force alone, and where even “benevolent” factions. To pursue their own
innocent individuals are eventually forced into one or philosophies or wild concepts of a better future, many
another violent group just to stay alive. Men are raped groups would find the use of slaves a necessary evil to
not only for gratification, but also to reinforce notions get things done. Having slaves around means being
of superiority and “slavery”. And prisons, for all their able to free up soldiers, for example, to defend the
evils, are watched over by enforcers; imagine an entire community, or allowing more thinkers to dedicate
world where there is no overriding law, no universally their time to piecing back together the fragments of
accepted code of conduct, and no one to make sure the ancient past. On another note, one faction may
everyone behaves. consider the people of another faction little better
The end result could very well be as bad as the one than animals, and thus without any compassion
suggested in the Twisted Earth setting: a desolate or sympathy might not even care about their fates
place where the savage and uneducated descendants whatsoever. And, to further complicate the matter,
of man must band together to survive, whether under some communities (such as raiders) consider the
well-meaning leaders or psychotic cult masters. A taking and maintaining of slaves a mercy, since it is,
sense of belonging is more than just the key to living after all, better than being killed.
a contented life; it means having allies who will Also, slavery does not always need to be an actual
willingly lay down their lives to save you when danger “institution”; in many ways, an unofficial policy can
rears its head. Communities would become wary of be just as effective. In fact, the division between
outsiders (who persistently bring disease, or prove to “slave” and “master” need not always be so obvious,
be spies for raider gangs checking out their defenses casting various “shades of gray” over in-game
for a future attack), bringing about an almost total end societies that give the setting layers of complexity.
to the concepts of hospitality and trust. Only traders, For instance, a community ruled by a certain racial
or those who have something to offer, are likely to group, who also holds all the power, can effectively
be given entrance to most population centers – and strangle a rival ethnicity through unfair social and
even then, only if they prove to be too tough to take economic policies, denial of sharing in government
down and rob (after all, why trade when you can representation, and even blocking basic human rights.
take?). Weaker people – women included – would be While they may not call their rivals “slaves”, through
victimized the world over, or protected, sheltered, and their own policies they make them so. Forced into
kept from the public eye by jealous keepers afraid of poverty, the latter group will be unable to gain political
harm coming to them.
When coming up with a setting of your own design,
power or even personal wealth, or even assemble in
any tangible sense to provide resistance against the 163
you may or may not want to include the elements of inevitable. In time, they could very well transform
the Twisted Earth. Some may be too harsh on players, into a “caste” serving the menial needs of their
“masters”.
 Slaves fill almost every mundane role imaginable in the miserable condition of their unrelenting squalor.
most wasteland communities. Like the “untouchables” Drugs become a tool to dull the pain, to shut out the
of India or Japan, they do the dirty work no one else horrors of everyday life in the wasteland. Whether in
wants, but they also fill out where there are shortages the hands of the decrepit masses seeking an escape, or
of freemen. Slaves labor all day to make bricks from as stimulants for live-fast-die-furious raiders, drugs are
mud and straw, they dig ditches and graves; bury the a staple of the post-apocalypse world.
dead, and clean sewer systems (assuming a community Common examples include “acid” (a common
has such a luxury). They tend animals, work as recreational drug from before the Fall), which sends
servants in richer households, and spend their lives the user into wild delusions and visions; a tantalizing
working fields for the benefit of their masters. Among entertainment for an Ancient race bored with their
groups that aren’t quite so sedentary, slaves still fill a post-industrial way of life, it is still attractive after
vital role as porters, muleskinners, and wagon drivers, the Fall as a means to escape the horrors of reality.
or as janissary-style soldiers trained from birth to fight Cocaine, while a difficult drug to come across (since
to the death for those who own them. advanced refining and purification techniques have
Slavery can be an indiscriminate policy, affecting all but vanished in the post-holocaust world), still
any and all who cannot fight back (as in the case of exists as well. Smoked, injected, inhaled, or rubbed
raiders and slavers), or it can be specific to a certain against the gums for absorption, this stuff was once a
group. For example, a pureblooded human enclave sign of class and sophistication (even when the user
that abhors the idea of slavery as a matter of principle was sprawled out on the floor with bleeding gums and
might not recognize mutants as “humans” – and thus dilated eyes, just minutes from death).
might not extend their abhorrence to using mutants One of the easiest drugs to manufacture, “crack” has
as slaves. Likewise, a group that lives in Utah might always had an appeal to the poverty-stricken masses,
have long-standing legends about the “savages of before or after the Fall. Crack is basically cocaine but
Nevada”, and thus any native of Nevada is fair game without the refinement, and, as such, is the roughest
for enslavement. Or, a clan of mutants who all have drug around – and possibly the most dangerous.
the inherited trait of pink eyes might consider any Smoked, injected, or inhaled like its parent narcotic,
other color of eye inferior, thus justifying slavery and crack is the steak and potatoes of the drug world.
bolstering their concepts of superiority over all others. Heroine, “black tar”, and other opiate derivatives,
More than just a means to enslave others, slavery can are most commonly smoked or injected. Marijuana
be a cultural norm and necessity that keeps a people is harvested for its easily identifiable leaves, much
strong and confident in their own destiny (in effect, a sought after for its sedating effect that is quite popular
mirror of racism). among the poor of various wasteland communities.
Slavery is a great element to work into your post- Marijuana is more than just a drug to get the mind off
apocalyptic campaign, because the struggles against it, the pain, however; many primitive tribes still use it as
and the establishments that support it, can be amongst a means of achieving unison with the “spirit world”
the most entertaining and extremely challenging of and as a vehicle for visions and prophesy. And PCP
adventures. Whether PCs are escaping from slavery (a.k.a. “snow” or “angel dust”) was allegedly once
themselves, or showing pity and helping others break made by the Ancients in some forgotten war to pump
free from their chains of bondage, the fight against up the troops; it is now often seen in the hands of
slavery is one of the traditional hallmarks of role- raiders who use it to send themselves into homicidal
playing games. rages before raids and inter-gang clashes across the
wasteland.
Because of their value as hallucinogens, stimulants,
DRUGS, ANOTHER CURRENCY and relaxants, in many communities drugs are the
Whether we like to admit it or not, the use of so- closest thing to a viable currency. They can be easily
called “recreational” drugs would not likely diminish carried in a single dose (a “hit”), whether as a “joint”,
because of a widespread apocalypse. In fact, assuming plastic or glass ampoule, or miniature packet – just
the worst elements of humankind manage to survive like coins. Whether they use it themselves, drug
purely through their ruthless ability to adapt, the merchants know there are always others willing to take
legacy of drugs could very well continue well after the stuff in exchange for goods and services – a fact
law and order has broken down. that simply wouldn’t be lost on post-war entrepreneurs
Drugs have always been a way to escape the horrors no matter how strong the former stigma of drug use
of reality, and in Darwin’s World, they are even more might be. And like gasoline, foodstuffs, and other
attractive to the denizens of the world than they were goods, there might still be men and women (protected
164 before the Fall. In fact, with the state of the world
as it is, drugs are no longer a luxury whose use is
as important commodities themselves, no doubt)
with the knowledge to manufacture drugs for the
frowned upon, but in many cases a necessity for market. Drugs are still manufactured in many larger
those struggling with the pain of their own corrupted communities, though some lesser communities may
bodies (from mutation and defects), or to stave off
Table 4-1: Radiation Exposure Time of Exposure
Situation
1 round 1 minute 10 minutes 1 hour 1 day
Character in irradiated area:
Lightly irradiated Mild Mild Mild Mild Mild
Moderately irradiated Mild Mild Low Low Low
Highly irradiated Low Low Moderate Moderate Moderate
Severely irradiated Moderate Moderate High High Severe
Character exposed to radiation source:
Mildly radioactive materials Mild Mild Low Low Low
Highly radioactive materials Moderate Moderate High High Severe
Severely radioactive materials Moderate High Severe Severe Severe

have access to refining techniques as well. safety, the wasteland itself is as much a hazard to life
The reasons for the survival of the drug trade are as any of its most formidable inhabitants.
simple – their use takes away the pain and terror of This section is meant to deal with the major dangers
the dying Earth. As such, nearly every wastrel on the characters are likely to face during the course of play.
Twisted Earth uses one drug or another. Radiation, chemical contamination, the possibility
of parasitic infestation, thirst and hunger, etc. are all
touched upon in a concise manner in this chapter.
ENVIRONMENTAL
GAMMA RADIATION
DANGERS In most sources of post-holocaust literature, the
nuclear wasteland of planet Earth is almost always
An important aspect depicted as being heavily polluted with the mutative
of the post-holocaust effects of gamma radiation - the product of the great
role-playing genre is the nuclear war that incinerated mankind’s last hopes
focus on each character’s day- in one great and final cataclysm. Because many
to-day struggle for sheer survival, an uphill battle communities no longer grasp the true power of the
against the monstrous denizens of the wasteland, the Ancients, radiation is also often misunderstood, if
haunting savages hiding in the ruins of old cities, and comprehended at all. Since it is invisible, radiation
a fight against the lethal nature of the world itself. A is often accorded a “mystical” and “magical” nature,
landscape pitted with radiated craters, poisoned wells and either worshipped as a force for change and
and water systems, starved of shelter and places of purification, or feared as a kind of lethal “curse” left

TABLE 4-2: GAMMA RADIATION SICKNESS

Degree of Fort
Damage Description
Exposure Save
Mild 12 1d4-2* Con Character suffers from fatigue, nausea, and fever.
Character suffers the beginnings of a slow destruction of marrow, and the
Low 15 1d6-2* Con
start of infection and hemorrhage.
Body hair (especially head hair) begins to fall out. A lowered white
Moderate 18 1d6-1* Con blood cell count also means the character’s blood clots much more
slowly (if at all), meaning natural healing is much more difficult.

Loss of fluids/electrolytes in the intercellular spaces and gastro-

intestinal tract. If the character dies as a result of Con loss, it is because
High 21 1d6 Con
of electrolyte imbalance, advanced bone-marrow decay, and terminal

165
infection of his weakened internal organs.

Character suffers from severe damage to the vascular system, which

Severe 24 2d6 Con causes cerebral edema. Shock and neurological disturbance can bring
about death if the character remains exposed for much longer.
 TABLE 4-3: ULTRAVIOLET RADIATION
Exposure Fort
Damage
Time DC
Thirst and mild sunburns. On a failed save the character requires double normal fluid
Up to 24
12 intake to avoid thirsting. If unable to meet these needs he must begin making Constitution
hours
checks every hour to avoid taking damage (see page 213 of d20 Modern).

Thirst, sunburn, and the beginnings of skin spots start to form. On a failed save the
Up to 7 character suffers a reduction to Charisma of –1 due to unsightly spots; this penalty goes
15
days away after the character spends 1d4 days outside of the hazard area. Whether or not the
save is made the required fluid intake is double to avoid the effects of thirst.
Skin cancer begins to develop. Exposed areas develop serious abnormalities, turning
leathery and porous. Required fluid intake is triple (no save); in addition, a Fortitude check
7 days or is required every hour to avoid becoming fatigued. Normal rest will not reverse the effects
18
more of this fatigue, though leaving the hazard area for at least 24 hours will. The character
also suffers a permanent reduction of Charisma by –1 due to the formation of permanent
melanoma spots, on a failed save.

over from long ago. Variously called the “red thirst”, fleets, larger airfields, and military complexes (such
“red fever”, and “slow death”, radiation is rarely as bases), produce a crater roughly one kilometer in
recognized, and even more rarely is treatment possible size, casting out radiation to five kilometers or more.
with the few medical resources available so long after While the crater may only by one kilometer in size,
the Fall. By all accounts the radiation of the nuclear the area of actual devastation (ruined buildings, etc.)
war will last for tens of thousands of years, and as is double that. At the one megaton level and higher
such it poses perhaps the single most insidious threat one enters the realm of strategic nuclear targets,
to long-term life on the post-apocalyptic planet Earth. bombs and ICBM warheads designed to destroy cities.
Radiation is accumulated by living things that pass Craters here are four or five kilometers in diameter,
in or near an area of radioactivity (examples include areas of ruin extend to ten kilometers, and radiation
fractured reactor cores, ruined nuclear missile silos, remains lethal out to 25 kilometers. The largest of
and of course, nuke craters). This is not an unlikely warheads, at ten megatons, produce a whopping eight
prospect regardless of where humans and mutants to ten kilometer crater, an additional 15-kilometer
happen to live, since the nations of the world were region of blasted wasteland, with radiation cast out
universally bombarded with vast numbers of nuclear to 30 kilometers or more. And “enhanced-radiation”
weapons, from bombs to missiles, and the invisible weapons (or “neutron bombs”), while creating an
clouds of particles from these detonations - and their extremely small area of actual physical devastation (a
curious “nuclear snows” - were blown over even the crater around 0.2 km and ruins out to 0.5 km), carpet
most distant corners of the world (thanks to global an area with radiation roughly equivalent to a 100-
weather currents). Known as tropospheric radiation, kiloton blast.
this kind of fallout can circulate for weeks, even Radiation is a term coined for ionizing energy that
months before settling along latitudinal lines all over injures tissue, and in real life is measured in a number
the world, poisoning areas that might have otherwise of ways: rads, rem, and sieverts, etc. In Darwin’s
been spared the actual detonation of bombs and World, a much simpler system is used. Radiation
missiles. exposure is ranked as mild, low, moderate, high, or
The various types of nuclear weapons used during severe. To determine how and if a character is affected
the Third World War are all long gone now (or are by radiation first find the source of the radiation on the
they?) but their effects still linger on, invisible, deadly, left hand column below, depending on how long the
and silently waiting. Areas once bombarded heavily character(s) was exposed to the source of radiation, the
have, in some cases, grown over with weird plant and amount of exposure will be different.
animal life, concealing the tell-tale craters – creating a
deadly surprise for the unwary who delve too deep into
the ruins of ancient cities. In many cases, the actual ULTRAVIOLET RADIATION
crater is gigantic, and may not even be noticed by Ultraviolet radiation, or “UV”, is another of the most

166 people on the ground; while tactical nuclear weapons

(around 1 kiloton) used to destroy military units in
deadly hazards of the Twisted Earth. The reasoning
behind the inclusion of UV as a significant threat
the field produce a hole of perhaps a quarter kilometer comes from the supposed “history” of the world before
in diameter, larger weapons have exponentially the Fall: mankind, reaching unprecedented heights of
bigger craters. 100-kiloton weapons, used against technological greatness, scarred the Earth irreparably
with its vast industries. With a dying ecology resulting the longevity of these toxins is quite remarkable; for
from unchecked pollution, mankind was forced into instance, industrial chemicals such as dioxin, dieldrin,
protected “dome cities”. As the smokestacks of vast DDT, and PCBs (some of which use deadly mercury
factory complexes and industrial centers continued or cadmium as part of their formula), the heavier
to churn out more toxins, not only was the water elements composing their makeup do not deteriorate
and earth tainted – but the atmosphere, too, became as expected but can actually change into poisons over
damaged beyond repair, allowing the deadly rays of time, through the action of bacteria. If dumped with
the sun to penetrate to the landscape below. acids (a common mistake of manufacturers), they can
In our own modern reality, a diminished ozone turn into liquid form and permeate an entire region
layer has slowly and steadily grown less stable in through its water systems, ending up a long distance
many parts of the world, making exposure the sun from their original source.
hazardous for more than an hour or so. This was In some regions, chemical by-products and
almost unthinkable a few decades ago, but today leftovers from the lost civilization of the Ancients
we live in a world where having to wear hats and are very much still in evidence: in the form of
sunscreen are taken for granted. The world of the leaking chemical storage facilities at the heart of
Twisted Earth also remains damaged from the legacy old cities, industrial wastes ringing urban centers, or
of the Ancients, leaving the planet vulnerable in intact containers of dangerous industrial chemicals
certain “hot spots”, where the sun’s lethal UV rays can abandoned during the chaos of the Fall. The legacy of
penetrate unhampered to the very surface of the desert. these chemicals is still very much a potent danger to
This radiation is one of the causes of mutation in the survival; in many cases the cocktail of chemicals used
world’s urban ecosystems, and also poses a serious in mankind’s industry remain in precarious storage,
and deadly threat to those forms of life not native to awaiting some accidental release by witless survivors
the necropolis of the world. In areas where the ozone of the apocalypse. Chemical wastes dumped and
layer has been most damaged (in and around the buried long ago slowly seep to the surface over time,
regions of massive pre-holocaust industry), UV is an killing ground vegetation in a wide area, poisoning
important hazard to consider. wild animals that feed in the vicinity, inflicting burns
Applying UV radiation hazards in game play should on anything making so much as momentary contact
not be a common threat in sessions of Darwin’s with the soil, and even causing birth defects in animals
World, except in adventure areas ravaged by industrial and people unwittingly consuming the source without
pollution – such as the heart of the great ruined cities, any knowledge of the chemical taint under their feet.
where the holes in the ozone are most predominant. In Examples of chemical contamination still posing
these cases the GM should simply rule that an entire a sizeable threat in Darwin’s World might include
region is a “UV hazard”, and begin keeping track of leaking underground chemical storage tanks in
the amount of time PCs spend there and calculate the the water table, lead contamination in cisterns or
appropriate effects incurred along these lines. old urban pipes and water systems, acids used in
The Fortitude save is made after the stated perid of metal manufacturing sitting around in huge vats
time. Being moderately protected (wearing normal in abandoned factory complexes, chemical runoff
clothes and armor) grants a +2 bonus to the Fortitude from industry permeating entire regions, etc. The
save to avoid the detrimental effects of UV exposure. actual chemicals that pose this threat can vary; GMs
Being fully protected (wearing protective goggles, can either use existing poisons (such as cyanide
sunhat, sunscreen, etc.) grants a +6 bonus to the and arsenic, both of which are commonly used
Fortitude save. as industrial chemicals), or use the more generic
pollutants suggested below.
Characters will only likely come into contact with
CHEMICAL CONTAMINATION chemical contaminants as the result of accidents
Chemicals from the weapons and massive industry of foolish exploration; for example, falling into a
of the Ancients are still a curse felt by the survivors bubbling pool of chemical treatment fluids during a
of the legendary Fall. In many cases the reason for pitched combat, or unknowingly swimming from one

Table 4-4: Chemical Contaminants

Poison Type Save DC Initial Damage Secondary Damage
Low-grade pollutants Ingested/Contact 13 1 Con 1d4 Con + 1 Wis
Industrial waste
Deadly chemicals
Ingested/Contact
Ingested/Contact/Inhaled
17
20
1d6 Con
2d6 Con
1d6 Con + 1 Wis *
2d6 Con + 1d6 Wis *
167
* If damage is sustained, make a second saving throw to avoid 1 point being permanently drained (instead of
damage).
 side of a poisoned reservoir to the other to escape a sprouting purple and black sores and lesions all over
powerful predator. Chemical contamination is treated the body, the victim dies in agonizing pain.
just like poison, requiring a Fortitude saving throw and Carried by man and wild animals, rabies is
the reduction of abilities through Initial and Secondary transferred through fluid exchange (usually through a
damage. A few generic forms of contamination are bite). Pain, delirium, fever, and eventual death soon
presented here. follow. Various STDs (sexually-transmitted diseases)
In addition to attribute damage, many of these also exist, in an abundance in the various dens of
chemicals often cause damage as acids do. Like iniquity that are the trade centers of the Twisted
normal acid, the strength of a chemical’s acidity ranges Earth. A common affliction of concubines, slaves, the
from Mild to Potent to Concentrated, with appropriate lecherous merchants who own them, and the raider
degrees of damage. bands who “use” them when captured for debased
purposes beyond imagining, the effects of STDs can
range from irritating rashes to the most lethal viruses.
DISEASE Tuberculosis, a common disease that affects the lung
A major motivator for the xenophobic existence of tissues, seems to breed in the squalid conditions of
many wasteland communities, diseases is as much (if many ruin settlements and the crowded streets of the
not more) a devastating danger of the post-apocalyptic world’s wasteland communities. Forming what are
world as our own. Entire communities, once healthy known as “tubercles” – small but prominent lumps on
and promising, have been wiped out in less than a the interior surface of the lungs – the disease literally
week’s time after the arrival of a disease-carrying strangles the breathing passages and causes eventual
trader or scav at their gates. Contaminated water asphyxiation.
sold by merchants, slaves carrying unseen viruses, or Diseases such as anthrax, smallpox, and pneumonia
goods laden with infected fleas have more than once were also employed as weapons of mass destruction
spelled the doom of some of the world’s last vestiges during the Fall, and their presence is still found
of civilization. among the dying remnants of human habitation, in
Unleashed as the most horrific weapons of war cities, villages, and ruined settlements everywhere.
during the cataclysmic Fall, designed to wipe out Other biological weapons have mutated thanks to an
entire army formations and devastate civilian centers environment rife with radioactive elements, however,
to cripple war production on both sides of the conflict, creating new strains that post-apocalyptic scientists
many of the diseases of the post-apocalyptic world are and juju doctors have little hope of combating.
the descendants of the same viruses and germs tailored Dwelling in the hearts of blasted cities, seething in
deliberately by ancient man. breeding pits created by bomb craters, these diseases
Of the diseases of the Twisted Earth, cholera is by are quite varied and their effects often ghastly to
far the most common. Most often found in unpurified behold.
water sources, it is a problem because in many desert Among these is the super-flu, an invisible and
communities water of any kind is not likely to be incredibly voracious killer spread by airborne germs as
thrown away, no matter how suspicious it looks. In well as mere contact with an infected individual. Most
effect the disease causes the victim to thirst to death, likely a mutated form of the common flu, those who
by removing body moisture through extreme and suffer from the fast-acting mutant disease are afflicted
violent episodes of diarrhea. with diarrhea, lesions on the face and torso, drastic
Without modern health conditions to combat the skin discoloration, nausea, weakness, and wracking
proliferation of rat populations, ancient pestilences pains. Few survive its tenacious onslaught.
like the bubonic plague often appear in communities There are also rumored to be necropolis across
large and small all across the wasteland, threatening the Twisted Earth wherein the entire populations
to destroy any stability these holdouts of civilization succumbed to a nightmare plague spawned mistakenly
might offer. Victims of the scourge begin with a by the Ancients in their most forbidden secret research
swelling of the lymph nodes on or around the groin labs. The “contagion” is said to turn those afflicted
which blossom to the size of eggs or small fruit; these into mindless, cannibalistic zombies, driven solely
become buboes over time, spreading all over the body. by a mindless drive to consume flesh. The contagion
Dark bruises, blisters, and blotches appear on the skin, of the so-called “plague zombie”, while certainly a
followed by fever, headaches, and weakness – and disease, does not cause normal attribute loss. Instead,
eventual death. 2d6 hours after a victim has been injured he becomes
Pneumonic plague is a cousin of the bubonic variety, weak and delirious (and must remain bedridden).
and is characterized by the habitual coughing up of Additionally after 2d6 hours he becomes a plague
168 blood and mucus, high fever, difficulty in breathing,
and eventual death. Septicemic plague, the rarest
zombie, losing all attributes, feats, and other abilities
and instead taking on the characteristics of a plague
and deadliest form of plague, occurs when plague zombie.
bacteria manages to reach the bloodstream. The The “muta-virus”, while not officially named as
blood instantly becomes infected, and within hours of
TABLE 4-5: DISEASES
Disease Type Incubation Period Initial Damage Secondary Damage
Cholera Ingested DC 13 1d3 days 1 Str 1d2 Str and 1d2 Con*
Contagion, plague zombie Injury DC 20 2d6 hours Special Special
Muta-virus Injury DC 16 1d2 days Special Special
Plague, bubonic Contact DC 15 1d6 days 1 Con 1d2 Str and 1d4 Con*
Plague, pneumonic Inhaled DC 15 1d8 days 1 Str 1d3 Str and 1d3 Con*
Plague, septicemic Injury DC 16 2d6 hours 1d2 Con 1d3 Str and 1d4 Con*
Rabies Injury DC 12 2d4 days 1d2 Str 1d2 Str and 1d2 Con*
STD, irritating Special DC 12 1d2 months 1 Con 1 Con*
STD, lethal Special DC 13 1d2 months 1 Con 1d4 Con*
Super-flu Inhaled/Contact DC 18 2d6 hours 1 Str and 1 Con 1d3 Str and 1d3 Con
Tuberculosis Inhaled DC 12 1d2 months 1 Con 1d4 Con*

* If damage is sustained, make a second saving throw to avoid 1 point being permanently drained (instead of
damage).

such, has allegedly popped up in various corners of the on their own, parasites will continue to maintain this
Twisted Earth. The disease seems to defy scientific symbiotic relationship for 5d20 days, after which
explanation and categorization, and its effects are another Fortitude save is allowed to flush them from
puzzling (and terrifying): it alters the genes of the the victim’s system. A save is made every 5d20 days,
victim, slowly reorganizing his cellular structure to and can continue for the rest of the character’s life if
transform him into a monstrous aberration. Like the repeatedly failed.
plague zombie contagion, the muta-virus does not The DC save to avoid becoming infested varies,
cause attribute loss, but rather changes the victim depending on the conditions.
into another form of creature altogether. After the
incubation period of 1d2 days the virus will begin to Condition Fort DC
(painfully) physically alter the host, while reducing
Character only comes into momentary
his mind to that of a savage beast. The end result is 10
contact with the source
a transformation into a bloodthirsty, heavily mutated
creature known only as an “abomination”. Character is in constant contact with
Diseases in Darwin’s World should be handled using the source (wading in a tepid pond, for 12
the same rules and examples provided in d20 Modern. example)
Character unknowingly consumes the
PARASITIC INFESTATION source of infestation (in his food or 16
While the mutant monsters of the Twisted Earth water, for example)
provide a more visible threat to player characters on
most adventures, even the smallest creatures can prove
more than a nuisance should the GM introduce them in FOOD AND MOISTURE NEEDS
a session. Parasites are one danger that GMs can use Generally speaking, typical humans (and their mutated
to keep the environment inhospitable, and the players offspring) require a half-gallon of fluids and about
on their toes. a quarter lb. of food per day to avoid the threat of
Parasitic infestation should be treated like “poison”; starvation and thirst. But in the universally hot and
when a character comes into contact with a possible dry climate of the wasteland of Darwin’s World, the
source of infestation (a tainted water supply, wormy fluid intake is doubled to about one gallon per day
food, or egg-laden supplies), a Fortitude save must be (food needs remain about the same, except in colder
made; if failed, the parasites begin their infestation of climates, where calories are essential to survival).
the individual. Sometimes characters might find themselves without
As a result of parasitic infestation (herein it is food and water. A character can go without water for
assumed the parasites are worms, though it can vary) one day plus a number of hours equal to his or her
the parasite absorbs roughly half the nutrients ingested
by the character. As a result, an infested character
Constitution score. After this, the character must make
a Constitution check each hour (starting at DC 10, +1 169
needs to consume double the normal amount of water for each previous check) or take 1d6 points of damage.
and food to maintain his health and survive (if unable, A character can go without food for three days, in
he risks suffering from thirst and starvation). If left growing discomfort. After this, the character must
 make a Constitution check each day (starting at DC
10, +1 for each previous check) or sustain 1d6 points
RADIATION STORMS
An even deadlier relative of the common sandstorm,
of damage. Damage from thirst or starvation cannot
radiation storms are a phenomenon unique to the
be recovered until the hero gets water or food, as
post-apocalyptic environment. Massive storm fronts,
needed.
moving through distant regions devastated by the
ancient nuclear exchange, pick up literally billions
STORMS OF SAND AND RADIATION of irradiated sand, dust, and debris particles from the
ruins of lost cities, and carry them dozens, scores, or
Sandstorms (and radiation storms) are a common
occurrence in the wastelands of Darwin’s World, even hundreds of miles in a deadly wave to blanket
posing a major threat to communities large and entire regions in a matter of hours. Powered by
small wherever they lie. Capable of drying up entire the same tornado-strength winds that make normal
regions, wiping out crops, rearranging landmarks, and sandstorms so deadly, the radiation they also bring
hiding trade routes under tons of sand, the disruption with them combines to make a radiation storm
they bring can devastate settlements reliant on trade something feared by both primitive and advanced
or agriculture – and strand merchant convoys far from communities alike. Sometimes these storms are
their destinations, dooming them to a slow death lost merely a nuisance resulting in the deaths of a
in a wilderness of unfamiliar sand dunes. community’s livestock and a few unlucky men unable
to take cover; other times such tempests can bring
about an apocalyptic end to an entire region under a
SANDSTORMS violent “snowfall” of burning particles that claims all
Generally speaking, sandstorms are the product of life for years to come.
unusually high winds, unimpeded by ground clutter The same rules governing sandstorms apply to
or terrain, gathering strength and carrying with them radiation storms, but in addition anyone exposed to the
loose particles of sand picked up along the floor of storm risks exposure to the radiated elements brought
desert landscapes and carried many miles in a swirling along on the winds. Unless you are playing on the
vortex. While generally quite uncommon on the Twisted Earth (see below), the severity of radiation
North American continent, the drastic climate changes levels in a radiation storm will vary just like normal
suggested in the post-nuclear scenario of Darwin’s radiation exposure, and these levels persist for the
World means that the conditions needed for such a storm’s entire duration. In addition, however, the
phenomenon are much more common. Without vast particles, once settled, will remain just as radioactive
regions of forestland or ordered crop country (due to in their new resting place – with the potential of
war, bio-engineered blights, etc.) to control winds, contaminating food and water sources in the vicinity
dustbowl conditions exist in areas formerly thought of for years to come.
as green and lush. On the Twisted Earth, the radiation level of storms
Any character may make a Survival check (DC will usually depend on where the storm originates;
12) to detect an approaching sandstorm, usually 1d4 certain areas of the Twisted Earth are radioactive “hot
hours before it actually strikes. Once a sandstorm hits, spots”, and thus storms generated in such a region will
all who remain in the open are blasted by powerful be far more potent than one from just another corner of
winds, biting sand, and small debris. Anyone who the wasteland.
cannot make it to substantial cover (a cave, enclosed Radiation storms of a Moderate or greater level of
vehicle, or being encased in powered armor) takes radiation actually glow noticeably at night, resembling
1d2 points of lethal damage each round. Vision is weird aurora displays of blue, green, or crimson color
reduced to 30 feet and hearing is useless due to the on the distant horizon. By night, detecting a coming
intense roar of the storm. After 1d10 rounds the lethal radiation storm is always automatic.
damage incurred drops to 1 point per round, but vision
and hearing limitations remain for the duration of the Storm Origins Typical Level
storm. The typical storm lasts 1d4 days, and can cover Burning Lands Moderately irradiated
a region ranging from one to fifty miles or more.
Deadlands Lightly irradiated
Once a sandstorm passes, the landscape may be
vastly altered. Former landmarks, footprints, trails, Deserts of Nowhere Lightly irradiated
and other signs of habitation might be completely Forbidden Lands Lightly irradiated
erased, or moved around so as to confuse even the Forgotten Desert Lightly irradiated
most experienced traveler. In other cases, just the Glowing Hills Highly irradiated
170 opposite may occur, and ancient-era artifacts lost for
centuries, or sites of interest best left forgotten, may
Graveyard of Bone Cities
Great Rift Valley
Highly irradiated
Lightly irradiated
well be uncovered for the first time in generations…
Purple Desert Severely irradiated
Sierra Gehenna Lightly irradiated
 CHAPTER 5:

Adventure Locations

“If you look at the whole life of the

planet, we, you know, man, has only been
Where does the actual excitement and
“adventure” take place in the post-apocalyptic
around for a few blinks of an eye. So if the setting? In the ruins? In musty old abandoned
infection wipes us all out, that is a return to cities? Traditional dungeons, magical kingdoms,
normality.” and extra-planar domains simply do not exist in
this milieu; instead, a GM designing an adventure
Sergeant Farrell, 28 Day Later for Darwin’s World must come up with entirely
new templates for his or her adventures. Instead of
You are right, I have always known about castles and medieval villages there are xenophobic
man. From the evidence, I believe his wisdom community compounds and degenerate trade
must walk hand and hand with his idiocy. towns. Instead of the stereotypical subterranean
His emotions must rule his brain. He must complexes populated by a wide spectrum of
be a warlike creature who gives battle to magical creatures, there are corium mines filled
everything around him, even himself. with mutated things and underground missile silos
that echo with hints at the ancient past.
-Dr. Zaius:, Planet of the Apes Coming up with ideas in which to set an
adventure can be fun, a great chance to challenge
“Wiping out the human race? That’s a great your creative side. In the majority of fantasy
idea. That’s great. But more of a long-term settings this step is pretty easy; due to the sheer
thing. I mean, first we have to focus on more volume of pre-published materials, it’s hard
immediate goals. “ not to come up with ideas either based directly
or indirectly on the places visited in modules,
-Jeffrey Goines, 12 Monkeys sourcebooks, and campaign adventures. It’s a
little different with the post-apocalyptic genre, for
at least two reasons: first, there are (currently)
few gaming resources supporting the genre, and
second, it is often hard to turn the mundane, real-
life locales of the setting (such as old factories,
 skyscrapers, etc.) into exciting places for adventure desperate need of aid by brave adventurers. Some
and perilous encounters. settlements are so small that they serve merely as
As a result, this chapter is intended as a primer to stopovers for travelers (PCs included), while others
help jumpstart your creativity and imagination, to may have some kind of appeal or charm to the curious
set you on the right path for developing adventures – with their own twisted religious rituals, local laws
of your own. In the next few pages we’ve presented and customs, fears of (or obsessions with) outsiders,
a comprehensive look at the more common types of and coveted technologies and treasures.
adventure locations in the post-apocalyptic setting, Even a small wasteland settlement, which would
along with a few sample locations of the kind most otherwise only serve as a stopping point for rest and
likely to serve as the setting for encounters, or as re-supply for powerful parties, can draw their interest
places characters are likely to visit more than once. if designed with some forethought. Work in a few
quirky elements, provide one or two local NPCs with
character and something to offer, and the PCs are
WASTELAND likely to view the settlement as more than just another
desert village…

SETTLEMENTS SAMPLE WASTELAND SETTLEMENT:

The image of the
“wasteland” that most HEMISPHERE
often comes to mind to The village of Hemisphere (so-named for the
players is one of “dry cracked hemispherical “dome” shape of the settlement’s
desert” and “radiated badlands”, crisscrossed with shelters) is rather typical of the minute xenophobic
the remnants of old highways and speckled with the communities that dot the wasteland, far from the
ash-blackened ruins of cities destroyed during the established trade routes of the world’s major factions.
nuclear war. Between the blasted cities (which are in Like Hemisphere many of the populations of these
most cases inhospitable to life due to radiation and the fragile communities can trace their lineage directly
general absence of normal life radiation brings with back to survivors of the nuclear holocaust: crackpot
it) and the uninhabited wastes there is, however, a survivalists who fled to the middle of nowhere before
common medium – the tiny, often fragile settlements the nuclear war erupted, military deserters, or small
that in many cases are the only vestiges of human communities of scientists doing experiments in new
habitation in the desert. forms of agriculture or waste recycling when the
Settlements in the wasteland run the gamut from Fall came. As a result many of these communities
tiny adobe villages built and inhabited by tribal are actually storehouses of one form of technology
savages, to fortified way stations erected by the or another – survival equipment, military gear, or
world’s few remaining merchant cartels as a place to scientific tools kept in working order for generations.
stockpile fuel to keep their caravans of rusted trucks Location Name: Hemisphere.
in operation. Other settlements are merely seasonal Estimated Population: 65.
communities set up briefly for trade between nomadic Ruling Faction: None.
tribes during times of peace, exchanging food, water, Background: Ritual Preservationist or Degenerate.
women, and engaging in brutal gladiatorial games for
their amusement. And still others are the remnants LOCAL HISTORY
of Ancient-era towns scattered across the American Hemisphere, for its part, was originally founded by
landscape, their inhabitants descended directly a small group of scientists from a long-forgotten
from original human stock and though dwindling in university sent to the desert to conduct experiments
numbers with each passing generation, still stubbornly in the use of solar power to extract water from the
clinging to their corner of the world in defiance of the subterranean water table. When the nuclear war
chaos and lawlessness outside their walls. erupted, many of the scientists on the project left in
Wasteland settlements in your campaign can be used the futile hope of returning to the cities to find their
for a number of reasons, both from a GM standpoint families. Those few who were grounded in reality
and as an asset to player characters. As a GM you can remained, knowing that their only chance of survival
use wasteland communities as actual adventure areas, was to remain isolated, preserve what they had, and
or as places to pick up information and helpful NPCs. hope that in a few years they might link up with other
Settlements can be the starting place for adventures, survivors and strive to rebuild from the ashes.
172 a place for characters to meet and join up before a
more protracted campaign in the desert outside. An
But they had very few supplies, and very little hope
for a chance at living long-term so far in the desert.
entire adventure can even take place inside a single Counting their supplies they realized they had to make
settlement, with local characters contributing to things work – there was no other choice. Continuing
the story either as villains to thwart, or victims in their experiments with a new sense of urgency, they
managed to perfect a form of solar-powered device only contact, the people of Hemisphere built a wall,
that could extract water from underground. This water pored over ancient books still in their possession to
would be used not only for drinking, but for giving reconstruct weapons to defend themselves, and persist
life to the beginnings of crop fields that would sustain in fostering a paranoid and aggressive resentment
them for years to come. against all outsiders.
The labors and ingenuity of the scientists paid off, Today Hemisphere is a tiny bubble of law and order
and within a few years the people of Hemisphere were in the wasteland. Few know it even exists. The locals
still alive; though their community was a fragile one prefer it that way, content in living their lives day to
at best, it was able to sustain itself. In time, as the day. They keep a few animals both to supplement
scientists grew aware of the true devastation of the war their largely vegetarian diet, and also as pets and guard
through monitoring their radiation meters and through animals. Unlike many communities on the Twisted
continuous attempts to contact nearby cities via radio, Earth, this village knows peace, happiness, and hope.
they gave up hope of finding other survivors. The People marry, have children, and share equally in
remaining survivors, consigned to living their isolated the labors of maintaining their commune. It is a
lives and hoping for a future where the dangers might precarious way of life living isolated from the outside
subside, began to marry, have children, and plan for world, but from what they have seen, they would
the future. rather die than be forced to give up their hard-earned
Generations have passed and Hemisphere water and solar technology.
continues to remain a viable commune. Though their
understanding of the past has blurred with time, the LOCAL LAW
seed of solar science that keeps them alive remains a Hemisphere’s form of government has remained
jealously guarded secret. A few years past a group of
173
unchanged for generations – it is a democratic
raiders (masquerading as traders) came to Hemisphere commune, in which all the heads of the various
hoping to take their precious water from them, an households (man and woman) have the right to vote
encounter that left many villagers dead and much of in matters affecting the community. Though most
their valuable crop destroyed. Burned by this first and of these are true “elders” by age and experience, any
 HEMISPHERE IN YOUR GAME
While small and xenophobic, Hemisphere is ideal as a template for the kind of fragile and secluded
communities that exist in the far reaches of the wasteland’s desert wilderness. Separated by dozens, if not
hundreds of miles, such villages are neither fully aware of the condition of the world outside, nor the dangers
that at times stand poised against them. Since they stand alone, separated by ideologies and mutual paranoia
of one another, even if they were aware that other such communities existed it is unlikely they would make
peace and unite, even against the greatest of mutual threats.
Primitive in some ways, and yet technically advanced in others, Hemisphere is also typical of
many xenophobic holdouts. You can use it as a starting community for your group (treat it as a Ritual
Preservationist or Degenerate background), as a place to infiltrate in hopes of stealing its secrets of water
extraction, or simply as a potential adventure location for players to stumble across and approach at their own
pace and discretion.

couple – young and old – who makes a home together the surrounding desert, covered in a layer of clay,
is accorded this right. and whitewashed every year by the inhabitants of the
Upholding the traditional laws governing theft village to protect against cracks and weather.
and violence are the main concerns of the people The wall surrounding Hemisphere is more than a
of Hemisphere. Since this is a commune, all things barrier to desert animals or outsiders, it is a barrier
are shared equally, and thus theft (or hoarding) is that separates the peaceful way of life within and the
considered a worrisome crime. Those who hold back total chaos of the world beyond. To the people, it
part of their harvest, or who take more water/food than is a reinforcement of the sense of security that they
they are allotted, are punished accordingly. desperately cling to, and even as children they are
Since the people of Hemisphere recognize the taught never to go beyond the wall’s boundaries – else
potential damage to their communal bond that risk death at the hands of one imaginary bogeyman or
martial punishments can bring (such as thoughts of another.
retaliation, or inter-family feuds), punishments usually The walls are patrolled by one or two villagers
only involve censure - being denied admittance at all times, keeping watch for the signs of coming
to communal gatherings, festivities, even weekly storms or the approach of outsiders (for instance,
“services”. Other members of the community, under the plumes of dust kicked up by raider gangs on the
threat of punishment themselves, are expected to move). Guards will be armed with black powder rifles
ignore the criminal for the determined period of and a handmade spyglass with which to survey the
punishment (anywhere from a few days to a month or surrounding landscape.
more).
Irrigated Crops
VILLAGE KEY These areas are set aside for the highly ordered crops
Locations described here correspond to labeled areas of the community. Laid out to make the best of every
on the accompanying map. inch of space, the crops that grow here are generally
the most stubborn – potatoes, yams, carrots, etc.
Animal Pens Part of the ingenuity of the community is in the
These areas are sturdily constructed to keep livestock layout of the irrigation system. Water drawn from
in – and out of the crops where they can tear up the the pump houses can be regulated at various points
roots and vegetables and threaten the delicate balance along the irrigation ditches, controlling how much
of the commune. The animals kept by the villagers water is fed into the fields (to prevent either drying out
are communally owned, and since they have long or drowning the crop). The villagers have, over the
been domesticated, tending them is a task generally generations, grown quite adept at maintaining these
reserved for children (to teach them responsibility) fields and maximizing the amount of crops produced,
or pregnant mothers, or the elderly members of the a far cry from the scientists who first settled here who
community that are still fit to stand for hours on end. battled nonstop with the local weather, failing water
The population of Hemisphere’s animal stock supplies, and their own ignorance of how to farm
consists primarily of goats, chickens, and pigs. successfully.

Compound Wall Pump Houses

174 The wall around Hemisphere was created long ago
and has withstood numerous attacks by raiders and
The lifeblood and precious secret of the village of
Hemisphere are its numerous pump houses. These
the assault of the wasteland’s strongest sandstorms. structures exactly resemble the numerous dwellings of
The wall is made from mud bricks and stone from the village, but their use is strictly limited to pumping
water during daylight hours. Underneath the baking the interior walls, if only so future generations will
hot panes of glass that comprise the entire domed not forget their ancestors. Within this building the
building are “solar pumps” – contraptions created children of the community’s few odd families are sent
long ago by the first generation of scientists and kept to be taught the basics, when not out helping their
operating through the meticulous care of the villagers elders with crops, livestock, or household chores.
ever since. Each pump consists of a complex array In addition to serving as a school, this structure is
of solar panels on the outside of the building (which also used as a meeting hall for the adults of the village,
can be retracted indoors by old rusty mechanical both men and women alike. Weekly services, which
levers and pulleys, when the prospect of an attack or poorly attempt to mirror church gatherings of the
sandstorm threatens the village), that power the motors past, are held here on Sunday – though the robotic
in the pump. The pump shafts (which were bored long ritual of these masses are no longer intelligible even
ago when there was adequate equipment to do so) by the would-be worshippers. Still these events give
draw water from the desert water table more than 500 the community a chance to exchange ideas and news,
feet below the surface. laugh, or officially announce courtships, betrothals,
Water pumped from the earth spills from the pumps births, etc. Monthly news on projected crop yields
into stainless steel basins, where they either collect or other important matters to the survival of the
for potting, or are channeled outside to irrigate the community are also held here, with everyone (except
commune’s crops. a marginal guard on the walls) present. In a pinch it
Since all things are shared in Hemisphere, these even serves as an infirmary (such as during sieges by
pump houses are never locked. The interior walls are raiders), though in most cases sick villagers are taken
often stockpiled with clay jugs (and old glass bottles to the chemist’s for treatment and bed rest.
from before the Fall) loaded with fresh water, just in In times of trouble, or under unusual circumstances
case an excess of water is needed by the community in (for example, in the almost unthinkable event that the
the future. village gives refuge to an outsider), villagers gather
A model of ingenuity and far-range planning, each here and vote to decide how they, as a community,
pump house is also a priceless reservoir of life-giving will act. The heads of all households (both husband
water. and wife, regardless of age) are accorded a vote in
governing such affairs, and for generations this system
Rubble Piles has never failed to see Hemisphere through its hardest
Dotted throughout the village are piles of rusted and times. Given another five or ten generations, it is still
dented machinery, the purpose of which has been unlikely to change. Assuming the settlement will last
almost completely forgotten by the current generation that long…
of villagers. These are the remnants of old earth-
boring machines brought into the area by the original Subterranean Area (Not Shown)
scientific team during their research in the desert; used Beneath the school is an old underground area still
to dig straight down through sand and solid rock, they intact despite its great age. In fact, its very presence
permitted the creation of the solar-powered wells now is unknown to most of the locals, though a few of the
used to keep the village alive. elders of the commune know of its secret location and
None of these machines can be revived, as parts of pass it on every generation.
some (and the whole of others) have either completely Constructed by the founders of the village, this
rusted over with time or been scavenged beyond repair subterranean shelter has remained here as a storage
over the years to keep the solar pumps in operation. space for some of their ancient equipment, tools
Now the children of the village simply climb atop and gizmos left over since the Fall. Dusty and dark,
them to play, adolescents run around them in amorous the basement area holds a small workshop with old
games of hide-and-seek, and adults rest in their shade tools and equipment, though most of these tools have
from a day’s toils – but no one remembers what they either been scavenged for use by the villagers in
were once used for. day-to-day affairs, or else are so complex as to defy
understanding. Examples of remaining artifacts kept
School House here under layers of dust include a variety of brittle
At the center of the village is a dome that has long geology texts and charts, local and continent-scale
been used as a school, meeting place, and refuge for geographical maps (as well as much more detailed
the community throughout the years. One of the maps from the USGS of the immediate area), a
oldest structures in the settlement (dating from the portable petrol generator (though no fuel remains to
first generation of scientists who founded the town), operate it, PCs might know of a source outside the
the school is also one of the most beautiful, its largest
panes of glass hand decorated with paint and the
walls that could get it running again), a salvageable
water purifier, nearly a dozen spare solar panels
175
names of every man, woman, and child to have lived suitable for repairing the solar pumps on the surface,
in Hemisphere over the years carved into the stone of mineral assay equipment, a laptop computer hooked
 up to a portable satellite communicator (once used from the desert, or stone shaped to suit domestic
to monitor weather patterns through regular contact needs. Clothing is made from animal hides, though
with orbital satellites, though these satellites no longer virgin wool taken from the small flock of sheep by far
transmit), a short wave radio set (also lacking power), predominates. Each household is expected to maintain
and a pair of old Geiger counters rigged to antenna- spears for all members of the family, as well as at least
like structures still standing high over the school one black powder musket for the man and woman of
– these counters, if powered back up, will once more each home. Other than that, however, there is little of
begin to register radiation levels in the atmosphere. value in each of these compact dwellings.

Village Dwellings ADVENTURE HOOK #1

The first thing one notices about the village of The players take the role of longtime natives of
Hemisphere is that instead of shacks and typical huts, Hemisphere. Having lived the entirety of their youth
the village is dotted with hemispherical “domes” of as farmers of this small community, they are shocked
faceted glass, with an arched entryway that descends when the elders approach them with a task that will
a few feet into a subterranean chamber, below. All in forever change their lives. The commune’s supply
all each of these homes resembles an igloo, one of the of medicine is running out, thanks to an unexpected
most efficient shapes for low-technology housing. period of drought that has all but made growing the
Each home in Hemisphere is constructed to delicate herbs impossible. What’s worse, two or three
make the best use of existing building supplies. of the villagers have come down sick, and without
Made primarily of transparent or translucent glass, care they will certainly die. Those stricken could be a
each “dome” is in fact composed of dozens of father, a mother, or one of the character’s sweethearts,
interconnecting panes. On hot days many of these providing the impetus to go along with the elder’s
panes can be opened or closed on hinges, permitting plan for the PC (and his friends) to leave home and
cool air in and venting excess heat. The floor is made search the wastes for plants that will cure the disease.
from white clay, and since it is depressed a few feet Their travels may take them far away, across the
into the earth, remains cool day and night. Here desert to the lands of the major factions, where they
is where the inhabitants sleep, on the floor among will have to learn the ways of the “outsiders”, and to
blankets or mats, sectioned off in one or two rooms. defend themselves, all while keeping the location of
A food preparation area is usually reserved as well, their community a secret no matter the cost to prevent
where families gather for meals or private time before outsiders from becoming aware it even exists.
heading out to do a day’s work or bed down for the
night. ADVENTURE HOOK #2
Parts of each home, sectioned off by glass walls, The PCs, hounded (and possibly wounded) by raiders
are usually reserved for secondary pursuits that also or the agents of one of the world’s major factions, flee
help the community. Each family of the community to the desert wilderness hoping to lose their pursuers.
passes down some kind of a trade, without exception; During their flight they stumble across Hemisphere,
there is a metalworker (more like a scav, one of the and though the villagers are wary of letting them in,
few allowed outside the walls to scavenge for metal seeing the PCs to be in dire need of aid at their gates
parts needed to sustain the village), a carpenter (who forces the moralists in the community to take them in.
also works in stone, but whose tasks are mainly geared At first kept under guard until they heal before being
towards making mundane tools and repairing old exiled once more to the world outside, one or more
muskets), a glassblower (vital to keeping the domes locals take a personal liking to the PCs. “Adopted” by
in shape), and a chemist (not only the resident juju one family or another, the PCs are given the chance to
man but also a maker of gun powder, he has also been live among the Hemisphere villagers, even learning
known to concoct some of the best fermented goat’s of their secret water source and their benevolent way
milk for the rare event of village celebrations), to of life. This can lead to any number of possibilities:
mention a few. They mostly tend to their particular the village becoming a base from which to operate, or
field from their domed shelters, or from sheds nearby. a hideout until the heat is off, or it could become the
Each home also has a section reserved for the target of a siege by the PCs’ pursuers if they somehow
growing of plants and herbs. Every family in the track the PCs down. Faced with staying and fighting,
community is expected to contribute to the food and possibly being the cause of Hemisphere’s ruin, or
supply by growing roots and edible fruit in these leaving to avoid such a fate, either way the PCs will
“indoor gardens”. And because of the greenhouse- have to make a decision that will change the settlement
style construction of each home, the bounty generated
176
forever.
is quite considerable.
Though they have ample food and space to live
in, the villagers have few other belongings of note.
Most tools are made from old bits of wood scavenged
 TRADE TOWNS One thing you will probably find during game play
is that trade towns (and markets in general) quickly
become important to the gradual improvement of
Trade is a central source characters at all levels. Characters who find artifacts
of revenue for many during their travels are really only going to keep a
communities of the post- few of the most essential, selling the rest to upgrade
apocalyptic wasteland. to better gear as time goes on. A good idea when
While some subsist solely designing a trade town is to set up a short list of
on the fruits of their own things available in that specific community, from
labor, or prey upon others for readily available items (such as basic equipment)
their livelihood, some are instead founded solely for to steeds and mounts (such as vehicles), to artifacts
the continuation of an age-old way of life: commerce. coveted by locals (and only grudgingly put up for
Trade towns can be big or small. They can be sale if offered something of equal or greater value in
tiny way stations built for serving the trade route’s trade). Use your judgment to determine availability
merchant caravans, or distant trading posts set up in and the numbers of goods for sale; every community
neutral areas by the inhabitants of an entire region is different, depending on the size, geographical
(so that trade is never threatened by local politics or location, local politics, recent weather trends, etc.
inter-community warfare). They can be places where Some settlements may have an abundance of one
certain goods are for sale (for instance, a town known commodity, while others may have an overwhelming
for selling water, or gasoline, or food), or less reliable demand for the same commodity just a few miles
markets where there is no telling what will be on the away. Such is the nature of trade: buying in one area
auction block from day to day. There are raucous and selling where it is really needed (and making a
places where only the rule of the gun enforces order tidy profit).
and honesty among traders, or secure compounds No rules are presented here to spontaneously create
within the borders of a given faction’s lands (giving a market with a few dice rolls – each and every trade
them an advantage in all dealings). And of course community or market will certainly be different
there are darker marketplaces where drugs for dulling depending on these factors.
the pain of life flow freely, or even more wretched
settlements built from the ground up from the blood-
profits of slavery. SAMPLE TRADE TOWN: TUCUMCARI
The “official” tongue of most trade settlements is, Tucumcari is a good example of a healthy, prosperous
of course, Trade, the language spoken by all major trade town where valuable goods flow freely and men
houses that do business in the wasteland. Of course, from all corners of the region come to barter. While it
Unislang is even more widely spoken by visitors to is far from a peaceful, benevolent place where one can
such settlements, whether in the form of desperate hope to let his guard down, there are enough parties
scavs coming to town for water and supplies, raiders interested in maintaining order here that violence and
looking for spare parts and oil for their machine destruction is rare. An important center of commerce
“rides”, or just plain sandwalkers and travelers. for its region, it is a shining example of the potential
Unislang should serve visitors well enough to survive power of trade houses on the Twisted Earth.
in most trade centers, but it should be noted that in Location Name: Tucumcari (aka “Trade City”).
many cases the established merchant houses (the Estimated Population: 500 permanent, 1,000+
Clean, Cartel, etc.) usually have a favorable opinion of temporary/transient.
those who have mastered the Trade language – even Ruling Faction: Clean Water Clan (and Cartel).
scavs, wanderers, and scum. To them, it is a symbol Background: Resurrector.
of intelligence and education, and a sign of respect
that one should learn the language of their betters. A LOCAL HISTORY
character who initially begins a conversation with The trade town of Tucumcari (more commonly known
a trader or merchant in Trade will often receive a by its wasteland name of “Trade City”) has been a
modest discount on traded goods, favorable mention, nexus of commerce in the wasteland for generations.
or privileged treatment in the future. This favorable One community or another has inhabited the site
view of “Trade-talkers” can extend to more than just since a few decades after the Fall, dwelling far from
discounts on items; a character having made good the burned-out ruins of the actual city atop the nearby
with a merchant house will also be able to bargain mountain – Tucumcari Mountain – where it is easy
for items not normally for sale, or may be sought-out to defend against the predators of the desert. Though
specifically for jobs that need doing that wouldn’t be
trusted to just anyone. It never hurts to impress the
many of these communities came to rise and fall since
its earliest history, the arrival of traders in recent times
177
big-wigs... brought the town newfound prosperity – and security
– that has guaranteed its existence ever since.
 A few years ago the Clean and Cartel took over the While the Clean have outposts across the wasteland
small-time operation of the local traders in a three- where they do business (especially in the Arid City,
way struggle that left one side defeated (the locals) but also elsewhere along the Far Desert’s trade
and the other two reeling – and poised on the edge of corridor), Trade City could almost be called “theirs”.
an all-out faction war. With a remarkable stroke of Though they do share power here with the Cartel, it
cunning, however, the Clean managed to avoid war by is pretty clear that in Trade City, the Clean have the
compromising over control of the town. By sharing major share of power and prestige. And while the
Tucumcari with the Cartel they not only avoided a actual “capital” of Clean lands is another city entirely,
costly conflict, but also cemented an alliance that situated far away, Trade City is growing in strategic
has remained stable (if somewhat lacking in trust) importance – largely because it is a gateway of sorts
for longer than most faction friendships. And, most to the Forbidden Lands, a violent but promising region
importantly, it has established Tucumcari as a secure where they no doubt plan to expand.
place for trade in an otherwise hostile land, a fact that Oversight of the Clean Water Clans’ operation
has made both factions rich over the past few years. in Trade City could only be given to a skilled and
masterful negotiator, strategist, diplomat, and
LOCAL LAW politician. The supply in Trade City provides for more
In Trade City, the Clean and Cartel make the law. The than 10% of all water traded by the Clan in their entire
178 law is “business and profit rule”. If you happen to be a
visitor, a wanderer, or just some local small fry, don’t
operation yearly, and many communities in this part of
the desert rely completely upon them. In addition, the
step on the toes of anyone more powerful. It’s just Cartel buy their water here, the corium slavers of Lil’
common sense. Vegas buy their water here (or have it shipped from
 TUCUMCARI IN YOUR GAME
In the Twisted Earth setting, Tucumcari is superb as a hub for adventures and other forays into the wastes
of the Forbidden Lands, as well as throughout the central arm of the Far Desert. The location of Tucumcari
is strategic, acting as a kind of “nexus” between the Forbidden Lands, Trader Pass, and areas east. Here
characters will find opportunities for paid work, as well as chances to make names for themselves in the
service of one or two of the Twisted Earth’s most powerful groups: the Clean and the Cartel.
If you’re not using the Twisted Earth setting, Tucumcari is still a viable option as a place to visit if you
need a relatively large trading settlement during the course of your game, yet have little time to develop one
yourself. Though it is ruled by two factions that have a distinct connection with the Twisted Earth, they can
be easily replaced with ruthless mercantile organizations of your own design.

here), and many other groups as well get their supply he sells to tribals and merchant caravans for trade in
in Trade City. It is simply too important to trust to a distant locales. With human feces he forms 4” x 2”
novice. x 1” blocks, which can be sold as long-burning fuel
As such, the Clean have trusted their Trade City for braziers and ovens (which has become, in fact, the
operation to one of their most talented, experienced, primary cooking fuel in Trade City). Almost overnight
and shrewd trademasters, the mandarin Margus H’an. these blocks have become so common that they are
Margus, though entering into old age (for survivors even accepted as trade goods, in bulk (like money), by
in the Twisted Earth), is one of the Clan’s oldest and the Clean and Cartel.
most respected leaders – brilliant, cunning, oftentimes Sadly, though his creative uses for dung as fertilizer
ruthless and cruel, but utterly efficient and with and fuel would conceivably stand to make Trash a
contacts throughout every one of the Clan’s founding good deal of corium, he has been virtually enslaved by
families. In Trade City, Margus is effectively the the Cartel. He naively entered into an agreement with
prince, the president, and the underworld boss. them a few years back, without really reading into the
contract he witlessly signed. Now he is forced to give
TOWN KEY away almost 80% of his product (for a mere pittance)
Because it is potentially one of the larger trade towns to keep his Cartel “friends” supplied with fuel blocks
of the Twisted Earth, with various layers of intrigue, and fertilizers. He knows that if he were to back out
adventure, and opportunities, only specific areas of now, they would certainly shut him down, light up his
interest in Tucumcari are covered in this overview. dung farm, and probably drive him out of the city.

Blockmaker Cartel Caravanserai

Situated in a part of the Low Market quarter where A large part of the city is quartered off as the property
the rubbish heaps have been knocked flat, stands a of the Cartel. Once merely a caravan house for
small cluster of dilapidated shacks closely resembling the resting of their mounts and caravan guards, the
a series of “greenhouses”. Virtual “clouds” of “caravanserai” has since turned into a sprawling
bloated flies hover in the air here, while maggots compound with warehouses, rest houses, barracks, a
seem to practically explode underfoot as one leaves yard for oil storage, a water tower, and a headquarters
impressions in the over-enriched earth. The odor for their regional efforts in the area.
of feces hangs heavy enough here to make even the The Cartel compound is almost always buzzing
filthiest tribal swoon. with activity. Vehicles from their merchant caravans,
The overseer of this squalid “farm”, Trash, suffering from wear and tear, are brought here to
is nearing seventy years of age – and it shows. be maintained and repaired in huge corrugated iron
Diminutive, shrunken, and withered away, only a “garages”. Other vehicles are brought here to be
grimy, filth-caked beard, head of wild spidery hair, and loaded up with supplies (in most Cartel vehicle
a toothless grin meet those who can bear to look upon caravans, one truck out of five will be loaded with
him. Still, Trash has the knowing of a lot of things, fuel to keep the caravan moving). Cartel truckers
especially things concerning crap. You see, Trash who have seen too many hours of driving without rest
has made a life of finding uses for human and animal (or the guards who travel with them) can come here
dung, and though few will admit it, he provides a to catch a few winks, plentiful fresh water, and a hot
much-needed service to the people of Trade City. meal – all for free.
The garrison commander also sees potential recruits
179
Trash cultivates feces from animals and humans
(for free; there’s so much of the stuff lying around here on an individual basis, and thus PCs wishing to
this quarter that he doesn’t ask for donations), and join the Cartel will likely be directed here to begin
uses them in a number of ways. Most animal feces he their initiation into the Cartel trade house.
blends with dirt to make an exceptional topsoil, which
 Cartel Oilyard Great Bazaar
This compound is off-limits to outsiders, and only Unlike the Squatter’s Market, the “Great Bazaar”
a few trusted guards and technicians are permitted is really the place to be for serious merchants.
entrance – even among Cartel followers. Here, in a bright, wide open marketplace flanked
The “oil yard” is a compound that is dominated by by gleaming white adobe buildings on all sides,
a trio of large, drum-shaped gasoline reservoirs. The major trade is conducted - oftentimes with serious
metal parts of these were obviously scavenged from repercussions. Whereas in the Squatter’s Market the
areas across the Twisted Earth, for they still bear the kind of commerce that goes on is on an individual
faded logos of gasoline corporations of the past. A scale (meeting the needs of individual scavs, travelers,
metal framework of scaffolds, ladders, pipes, and or road gangs), here the representatives of entire
other essential support systems crowd the area around communities from throughout the region come
these colossal storage drums, on which technicians can to secure months or even years of water supplies,
crawl and climb to make sure pressure levels remain trade for oil and gasoline, and other “strategic”
stable, vapors are vented regularly, and the level of commodities. Likewise the market is often crowded
the gas can be measured to ensure the supply for the with wagons filled with the homemade goods of these
region is steady. native people, come to convince the Clean or Cartel to
buy their wares on a large scale.
Cartel Water Tower The Great Bazaar is always bustling, with huge
Though they do not deal in the trade of water throngs of people sweating and baking under the
themselves, the Cartel have erected a water tower parched sun. In addition to the big business done here,
that provides running water to their parts of the city. the Clean makes a little extra selling water from bazaar
Purchased from the Clean at a discount, this water stands to thirsty visitors and trade representatives
is also used to refresh visiting Cartel caravaneers, suffering from a day’s trading in the heat. Stalls and
including their animals, porters, and vehicles. pavilions, as well as storefronts opening out onto the
Because of its elevated vantage point, one or bazaar, offer all sorts of goods in varying qualities
two Cartel marksmen are usually stationed on the and quantities, and the presence of Cartel and Clean
precipitous catwalk running around the water tower. enforcers is always heavy, keeping peace, order, and
From here they can see for miles around Tucumcari. ensuring that no one steals.
Many of the buildings here are really just “fronts”,
Gardens places where representatives of other communities
Whether to please their own aesthetic tastes, or merely can come to strike a deal. The actual commodities
to show off the fact that they have water in abundance, being traded for (such as gasoline or bulk rations of
the Clean have created a fabulous garden on the water) are kept elsewhere in town, in warehouses in
upper terraces of Tucumcari within the Palace of The private compounds where they can be more efficiently
Mandarin himself. Though it is kept protected inside guarded and shipped from.
the sprawling courtyards of this great fortress, the tops
of towering palms, and the rainbow colors of many Hydro Station
fruit groves, can be seen just peeking over the walls The hydro station at the top of Tucumcari was built
like a vision of temptation for the poor souls in the city exclusively by the Clean over the past few years, and
below. has expanded upon the original flat stone building (of
The construction of the garden was a deliberate unknown antiquity) that once occupied the site. The
attempt by the Clean to create something that would hydro station is now a deep recessed structure, within
rival the fabled hanging gardens of Babylon from the which the Clean have sunk numerous broad cistern
lost history of man. Water is run through a complex shafts into the rock of the mountain. These cisterns
system of aqueducts and irrigation sluices to keep the contain pure drinking water shipped in from across the
garden alive and productive; exotic fruits are harvested desert, as well as pools for purifying water through the
for the table of the city’s mandarin, and flowers that methods known only to their clan.
hang from the lacy ivy of the garden’s walls and trees The water at the hydro station is used to maintain
send a pleasant fragrance throughout the entire palace, the gardens of the Clean, as well as a reserve for
day and night. distributing to the markets of the city and for
At least half a dozen of the household’s most trusted transporting to the Clean’s clients throughout the
slaves maintain the garden daily. These slaves are region. All told there is almost a limitless supply of
maintained in relative luxury (living in the palace, pure (or semi-pure) water in the cisterns here, at least
given good clothes, and enjoying almost complete enough to keep the city alive (should it ever become
180 security from the depravations of the world outside),
so there is little threat of theft.
cut off, such as by raider siege) for 5 years or more.
The hydro station is a complex maze of passages,
storage areas, guard rooms, and well chambers.
Anyone not familiar with the grounds has a good
chance of getting lost. The front doors of the building Labs
are usually guarded day and night, and in addition the What they call the “Labs” is really just a complex of
halls are patrolled by janissary soldiers regularly. corrugated iron shacks with tall tin chimneys rising
into the rancid Tucumcari sky. The pathetic sight
Karos’ Looms of grubby scavs, tiny hunger-wasted children, and
This large mud building, open on all sides at ground wheezing old discarded misfits moving through this
level, has been painted a brilliant white. In the shadow shanty “village” is appalling.
of the overhanging floor above, a row of handcrafted The Labs are essentially Tucumcari’s much-needed
textile looms have been constructed, allowing the drug mill. The Cartel run the place, but do their
workers here to continue with their toils all day long best to distance themselves from its operation, only
with constant ventilation and decent light. appearing now and again to pick up the drugs that are
How the impoverished inhabitants of this shipped out to distant markets. Here, in Tucumcari,
establishment ever managed to secure a building in it’s better to just forget the Labs exist.
the Trader’s Quarter is unknown, but within reside The Labs aren’t exactly an ordered operation. In
anywhere from five to ten members of the wasteland essence, it is simply a bunch of inter-connected old
faction known as the “Movement”. A relatively poor huts used to manufacture glue and other cheap brain-
and humble group, they are members of a religious eating intoxicating chems. Built a long time ago to
sect that has braved great dangers to set up a “parish” manufacture adhesives for the rubber-tire repair of the
in Trade City. Though many died in the journey, those Cartel’s motorized caravans, the Cartel soon found that
that survived pooled their resources and opened this much more profit was to be made in simply selling
business to maintain themselves for the duration of the glue to the young, the old, the pained, the diseased
their stay. - and especially the entertainment-starved scavs that
Karos (leader of the Movement cell) and his visit Tucumcari on a regular basis.
“brothers and sisters” produce a rather course linen for Though some of the glue produced here is used by
clothing, which has been met with some acceptance the Cartel for legitimate purposes (maintaining their
in Trade City’s markets. Tunics and togas fit only for fleet of oil tankers, keeping them and the oil lifeline in
the rank-and-file of the Clean janissary force are a operation), about 80% of the glue and other chems find
particularly important source of their business, and as their way into the hands of Tucumcari’s kids, dying
such the cell has enjoyed modest profits while here at elderly, lepers, etc. Scavs from all over also visit the
the mercy of their Water Clan benefactors. Labs to buy the mind-altering stuff by the tube-full.
The members of the Movement cell all live and
work under the same roof; on reed mats on the ground Low Market Terrace
floor or in linen hammocks suspended in the shade The lowest level of Trade City lies at the base of
of the looms in the evening. All food preparation, Tucumcari Mountain, skirting the slopes that rise
cooking, and meals are shared by the entire Movement higher up into the desert sky. Here, the Clean and
community as well. The second floor of the building Cartel have taken great pains to erect a monstrous wall
is reserved for the cell’s evening meetings (in a low- around the shambling shantytown that has sprung up
ceilinged hall overlooked by a hand-woven tapestry at the mountain’s base. Towers for watchmen and
with the Movement’s symbol emblazoned on it), a lookouts sprout irregularly along this all-encompassing
time when the members of the fledgling faction gather wall, while just behind it rises a cage of run-down
to exchange news, bring up important affairs, or vote houses, shacks, huts, and abodes barely-recognizable
on issues concerning their continued survival in Trade from the junk heaps – the quarter of town known as
City. New recruits will be brought here to be initiated “Low Market”.
and welcomed into the fold, before being given tasks The Low Market quarter is home to the poorest
to pursue throughout the city. population of the city – raiders willing to put aside
Every week or so a number of the Movement their violent ways for a brief day of trading for
“cultists” will be sent into the city to beg for alms, essentials, visiting scavs from the deep desert,
preach the Word of their “Fallen God” to any and all transients moving east and west along the Trade
who will listen, and attempt to garner new recruits Routes, and even outcasts from various communes
from the marketplace’s forum. This evangelical work seeking a new life make their homes, temporary or
has not been very successful, mainly because the folk otherwise, in and around the Low Market. Businesses
who comprise the Movement cell here are old men erected in the Low Market generally consist of
and women, and a few of their weak and malnourished watering holes (buying their water in bulk from the
children. Preaching a gospel that is curious at best, Clean here in Tucumcari and selling it back to the
they have a long road ahead of them. visiting scavs at elevated cost), junk dealers, scrap
merchants, and scabrous peddlers of cooked rat, boiled
181
horse, and gecko jerky. The dusty, filth-strewn streets
are crowded not only with lopsided buildings, but also
 masses of travelers, traders, and other folk from the through sale to public buyers, or are instead selected
wasteland. to serve, for life, the Clean or Cartel in any variety of
Wealthier or more prestigious caravans, traders, or roles.
community representatives must move through the The slave market is situated in a large square among
Low Market from the city gates on their way to the the barrio-like ghettos of Tucumcari, an amphitheater-
higher quarters deeper in the city, but their progress is style gathering place where crowds of merchants,
seldom deliberately impeded. Guards in the employ of wealthier patrons, or just lascivious onlookers can
the Clean and Cartel make sure no “important” figures come to watch the proceedings. Though most of the
or their followers are harassed in the Low Market, at action takes place in the sun for hours (so the Clean
the threat of death. Those on official business with can skim more money selling water to thirsty patrons),
either the Clean or the Cartel are also often given in the hottest weather a tent-like pavilion can be set up
escorts (of two to six warriors) through this congested, over the entire theatre, shading from the heat.
Calcutta-like maze to their final destination in the city. On any given day there are likely to be at least
two score slaves for sale, though during times of war
Palace of The Mandarin (when entire communities are enslaved by one faction
The palace of the mandarin of Tucumcari is a roughly or another) this number can triple or quadruple. Most
doughnut-shaped fortress of towering white stone. slaves sold here consist of women taken from all
Within these mighty walls are to be found cool, shaded across the desert, though men (for labor or as bonded
passageways, various chambers and parlors, quarters soldiers), intellectuals, and even children (for whatever
for the mandarin, his harem and servants, and his most amusement onlookers can think of) can also be
trusted guards and agents. Entrance to the palace is found for sale every few days or so. Prices fluctuate
through one of three main gates, each fashioned from depending on abilities, looks, and general health, and
ornately carved wood and guarded day and night by are only slightly elevated here when compared with
the most vigilant janissaries. Flapping pennants of the dingy slave markets of smaller trade centers on the
white (the symbol of the Water Clans) stand from Twisted Earth.
every crenellated tower and precipice, demonstrating Like all areas in Tucumcari where large crowds
to all in the city below who really rules this town. gather, it can get unruly and violent at the Slave
The palace is a dangerous place for anyone not Market. To remedy any possible outbreaks of riotous
personally invited by the mandarin himself, Margus behavior (especially during auctions for concubines),
H’an. Guards patrol walkways atop the battlements, the Clean and Cartel both contribute a heavy guard of
or sit in shaded tower tops watching the busy city men to overlook the proceedings and keep order.
below. The interior of the palace is also regularly
patrolled by eunuch guardsmen, who have orders to Squatter’s Market
treat all trespassers as potential assassins – and kill Squatter’s Market lies at the heart of the Low Market
them on sight. quarter, under the shadow of the rising mount of
Despite these dangers, the idea of trying to break Tucumcari. The road through the city (from the Trade
into the palace is not an uncommon one. The Gate and up) leads through this bustling marketplace,
mandarin is known to live in lavish luxury, with and it sees its fair share of traders and visitors.
crystal clear water flowing freely from decorative Squatter’s Market, at first sight, looks more like
fountains and basins throughout his home, juicy fruits an open-air garbage dump than any self-respecting
and the freshest meats delivered to his table each bazaar. Huge heaps of trash, refuse, and swill,
day, and possessing a harem of more than thirty of discarded from the inhabitants of the city, invariably
the wasteland’s most beautiful slaves (the stuff of find their way here – and are simply scavenged to
legends). He is also rumored to have a collection of pieces, swept aside, or even shaped into houses
salvaged artifacts and weapons (from the war as well and buildings. There is little distinction between
as from exotic communities from across the desert), storefronts and garbage mounds, except perhaps for
and the palace’s proximity to the deep cisterns of a handmade sign showing the way to a back entrance
the hydro station are yet another great temptation to or private shop. All over the square stand ramshackle
potential thieves. stalls of corrugated iron or cardboard, from where
diseased and dirty peddlers shout out the prices of their
Slave Market goods or extend mangy hands to beckon passersby to
Though there is more than one place to trade human take a look inside.
beings in Tucumcari, the aptly-named “Slave Market” The marketplace here is patronized more by scavs
is by far the largest and most infamous clearing house
182
and small-time traders than by anyone with any
for slaves and concubines. Its reputation for quantity serious trading to do. A major portion of its visitors
and quality is renowned up and down the trade routes. comprise dusty, ugly, half-fried junk scavengers and
Co-owned by the Cartel and Clean, the slaves bought garbage peddlers, the poorer types who can’t afford
and sold here either turn a profit for their brokers much and only have baubles to trade. Walking around
the bazaar, there doesn’t seem to be a single person it back to his public for the remarkably low price
wandering who doesn’t have a rich tan, dried-up lips, of 5 corium per gallon (though customers have to
and a rifle slung over his shoulder. bring their own bottles and jugs). Though the water
The market is geared more towards seeing to the sometimes has “impurities”, and a little more than just
needs and vices of these types in particular; shops that a “hint” of a urine smell, it is, ultimately, potable and
deal in consumables, cheap whiskey, and necessities life sustaining. Most scavs, used to such hardships,
are most common. These include places that hand- just shrug and accept it. To them, water is water.
load spent ammunition casings for a fee, for instance, Tough is constantly “on the run” from the Clean,
or sell sturdy boots and traveling gear for affordable who are aware of his operation and do their best to
prices. Hats of all kinds to protect against the long- move him or harass him into hitting the road. His
term effects of UV exposure; miracle “creams” and business cuts into the water demand of the city’s scavs,
“oils” to protect against the sun; shaded goggles, tinted and they don’t like that. That’s why he always moves
eyewear, sunglasses, etc. Cheap, hot meals are sold his shop around, hoping to confuse those who look for
here from stands for a rare treat (few scavs can afford him. Still, asking the right people will no doubt lead
anything but slop), as well as more practical hand- the PCs to the “cheapest juice in town”.
wrapped packets of rations treated to last for months Tough can provide no more than about thirty gallons
in the wilderness. Water is sold here, but it is either a of refined water per week. If really desperate, he
little too pricey (so the merchant can make a buck as a offers to pay passersby or patrons 1 cp for a gallon of
middle-man), or the quality isn’t exactly “guaranteed”. their unsullied urine (that is, urine from a disease-free
Still, the poorer scavs and wanderers have little choice, donor).
and cannot afford the bulk prices offered by the Clean
and others higher up in the city. Trade Gate
The famous (or infamous, depending entirely upon
Terrace of The Water Masters which side you find yourself) Trade Gate marks for
The “Terrace of The Water Masters” is the highest many the beginning of safety and civilization, and the
level of Tucumcari Mountain, and is the abode of the end of the wasteland. The Trade Gate is the primary
local cell of the Clean Water Clans. Atop this mount entrance to Trade City, and it is through its colossal
are to be found the residence of the local mandarin doors that all travelers, merchants, visitors, and others
(ruler), the fantastic gardens of the Clean, and a water must pass.
treatment plant and reservoir rivaling the largest from Entrance into Trade City might seem a simple
before the Fall. enough affair, but it isn’t. Ever since the Clean and
The Terrace of The Water Masters is off-limits to Cartel came to dominate the town, it has become a
all but members of the Clean Water Clans. Visiting little harder to gain admittance into the city. Not only
faction members may be quartered here in the palace due to prevalent overcrowding and overpopulation,
if they are of sufficient importance (just being a but also a desire by the two powerful groups to keep
member of the clan won’t suffice; mere footmen of out unwanted competitors has changed the once open
the association will be quartered in the lower city), policy to one of scrutinizing examination.
and those with important or secret business with the Each day, dozens (if not hundreds) of newcomers
mandarin may, if the situation warrants, be summoned line up at the Trade Gate and wait for permission to
here for a private audience. enter the city. This crowd can fluctuate tremendously
depending on local conditions in the wilderness; the
The Juice arrival of a Clean water caravan often draws huge
A small corrugated iron stall seems to move around masses of raiders, tribals, and others from the deep
Squatter’s Market as if part of a game of musical desert, knowing that water will be cheaper. During
chairs, never in the same spot for more than a day. times of famine, the crowds converge hoping to
The shack is called “The Juice” by those in the know, purchase food. In times of disease, there is a similar
and is owned and operated by a particularly strange rush for medicines, and the throng can be dizzying in
fellow by the name of “Tough” – apparently he gets its sheer size.
his name from the fact that it’s tough to understand The Clean and the Cartel agreed long ago to share
him - or even like him. Though his speech is hard the final say in who can, and cannot, enter Trade
to comprehend (due to its weird blur of recognizable City. Generally speaking, there will be one or two
words and his incessant chatter of hums and giggles), representatives of each group at the front gates, to
Tough offers scavs and traders looking for cheap water speak with, examine, and scrutinize each and every
the lowest prices in Trade City.
183
merchant or visitor coming into town. Everyone
He has, in the back of his shack, a curious machine has to pay a “toll” – a fee based on the wealth of the
of glass, metal parts, pipes, and rubber tubing that individual. Scavs and tribals are charged the least
takes a certain “bodily fluid” and extracts its water (around 20 corium pieces each), raiders and desert
content. Tough bottles the purified water and sells community folk a little more (maybe 25 corium),
 while merchants, slavers, and visiting emissaries are to the catwalk running the length of the wall to the
charged a larger, but still reasonable, fee of 50 corium neighboring tower.
or more (though their porters, servants, and guards
are merely charged a nominal fee of roughly 5 corium ADVENTURE HOOK #1
a head). Trade goods are always accepted if corium The PCs are sent by their home community to
isn’t available. The value of these fees, whether in Tucumcari, to head up a delegation to secure water
money form or in barter goods, are split 50/50 between from the Clean. The experience can be more than
the Clean and Cartel. just a chance to see other cultures and mingle with
The idea is to keep out the impoverished, the members of communities far and wide, but also an
diseased, and the thieves. Trade City is about opportunity to tempt your players into exploring the
business, not so much about freedom or community. world outside their home region.
No one is kidding themselves here; the city only exists
because it is convenient and profitable for the Clean ADVENTURE HOOK #2
and Cartel. Without them, this place would be raider- The PCs come to Tucumcari on a mission – to slay the
bait and would sink back into savagery in no time. mandarin and topple the Clean regime. One faction
To enforce their “tolls”, the Clean and Cartel guard or another of the Twisted Earth is tired of seeing the
the Trade Gate with a heavy force on the ground, at Clean with such strong control over this strategic trade
the gates, inside the gates, and on the walls and towers center, and want to put an end to their domination.
overlooking it. On any given day, there will likely be The PCs must infiltrate the city, scope out the
a dozen guards outside the gate on the ground, about mandarin’s palace, enter unseen and kill their mark,
half that on the towers, four or more on the walls, and and escape without detection (or, at the very least, with
another pair behind the front gate, ready to close it in their lives). If they fail, their paying masters will deny
case of “emergencies”. all involvement, of course…
The Trade Gate portal is only open one hour after
dawn to one hour after dark. The rest of the time it
is kept shut, and no one is permitted passage within ADVENTURE HOOK #3
except in the most dire of circumstances. A few people have gone missing in Tucumcari and
are turning up dead. Rumors are pointing to the
Walls (And Towers) local Movement cell, as the natives of the city don’t
The Clean and Cartel have tried over the years to really understand them or their message. The PCs,
maintain a defensible wall around the mountain (and motivated solely by interest in seeing justice done
the city) to keep raiders and animal predators away. (the Movement has few funds with which to pay
Tucumcari has never actually been attacked by any them) must help defend the Movement against these
sizable force, and these two powerful groups believe accusations by investigating the murders and hunting
the defenses have played a large part in that fact. As the true culprit down. Who the culprit turns out to
such, efforts to maintain, repair, and reinforce the be can depend on your style of play; it could be a
walls are constant. nameless scav, half-crazed from years in the desert,
The walls around Trade City range from ten to or it could be any one of the local merchants, killing
twenty feet at the lowest level (Low Market). Each victims who were actually his “competition”. Or it
“ring” of the city also has a wall, ranging from eight to could even prove to be the young visiting nephew of
ten feet as well. All walls were originally made from mandarin Margus H’an himself, a discovery that could
hard stone drawn from the ruins of Tucumcari (the rock the city to its very core.
actual city, now a ruin some miles to the northwest),

CITIES OF
with mud used to coat them in a weather-resistant
covering. With lots of stone from the old city, and
near-endless amounts of mud (due to their water
resources), this method of construction has proven
quite successful.
SURVIVORS
In addition to the walls themselves, a reinforcing Though large, cities of
tower rises from the stretch every thirty to one survivors are rare in the
hundred yards, with no set pattern. Each tower is aftermath of the nuclear
usually just high enough to stand over wall level, and holocaust. Without any
consists of a hollow interior and a stone stair leading national authority to govern men, and thus enforce
to the top of the wall. The hollow interior is used
184
laws, most communities prefer to fend for themselves,
as a shelter for any guards stationed to oversee that even alone if necessary. They live a more solitary
section of wall. The second level, whether covered existence where the miles and miles of desert can act
by a corrugated iron “roof” or open to the elements, as a divide more difficult to bridge than any city wall.
provides an adequate lookout post, and grants access And tales, quite accurate in their details, persist about
those few cities that rose and fell in the past, cities of The Free City of Styx is a strange, mystifying place;
survivors where lawlessness was rampant, violence filled with all manner of men and mutants from the
and might ruled the day, and all of it unraveled in due furthest corners of the known world, rubbing elbows
course due to the ultimate failings of men. under the long shadow of its two legendary stone
Still, settlements of a larger kind also exist in the towers – the haunting remnants of some ancient
wasteland, usually built up from the ashes of old cities structure long abandoned in the Fall – a citadel of
and the blasted urban landscapes that have been home fragile, teetering civilization whose very existence,
to humans for hundreds of years. Some fragmented and future, is never certain. Scavengers from the
groups who survived the nuclear war, unable to make wastes, outcasts from the desert communities, straight-
it in the deserts, returned to the blasted cities once faced monks of the Brotherhood of Radiation, deluded
the fires died down (and the radiation dwindled) to mendicants of the Paradise Believers, and robed,
make for themselves homes from the rubble. In many cloaked, and shadowy Brethren all walk the rubble-
cases these communities were as short-lived as any strewn cobblestone streets, visiting wild bazaars
wasteland settlement, destroyed by anarchist outsiders and marketplaces, and enjoying the ghastly delights
or the horrors that shared the cityscape with them, but offered only here – in the Free City of Styx.
in others they prospered. Usually those who survived Styx is a living community that, while chaotic and
did so by scavenging the metal and stone of the ruin violent at times, shows no signs of dying out. It is
and selling it to passing merchants, or combing the a haven for trade on the Twisted Earth, one of the
deepest reaches of their city for sooty artifacts that wasteland’s largest centers of commerce. The streets
might be of interest to outsiders. are filled with slaver groups and traders, its markets
Over time a few communities such as this grew from piled-high with exotic goods from all ends of the
small compounds within the ruins to actual towns and, great trade routes. The mysterious and enigmatic Far
later, into cities. Attracting others through trade, or Traders are known to hold bazaars here to sell rare
the promise of artifacts to be found by anyone willing and expensive things, from junk to truly unique curios
to search, they exploded in population. Sometimes from the ancient past. Members of malevolent and
these population influxes brought disease, or backwards cults walk freely along the same streets
dangerous elements that sowed discord and violence, as arrogant, elitist Foundationists (though it must be
but in others they blended to make a stronger, more said confrontations do arise). Wanderers, scavs, and
persistent form of community. sandwalkers - many of whom are exiles or perhaps
City locations can be a great opportunity for even spies or agents of their respective masters -
your players to visit as well as adventure. The congregate under the shadow of the twin towers all the
comparatively abundant population means a wider same.
selection of goods to purchase and trade, a greater As if its diverse population was not enough to
likelihood that junk items will be in demand (thus impress visitors from near and far, the cityscape of
providing a great way to make money off of unwanted Styx is also strewn with working electric lights (a
treasure), and a variety of NPCs to converse with, rarity so long after the Fall, provided for by its semi-
deal with, or befriend (as well as forge an enmity operational nuclear power station) that glimmer and
with). In addition, cities (by virtue of the number of shine for miles around, day and night. The lights
inhabitants) are often fragmented themselves, with silhouette the familiar features of the city against the
virtual “factions” of their own, each vying for control harrowing edge of a great cliff-face (one side of the
whether through overt or covert means. Cities, though Big Hole), from which colossal airships of patchwork
huge compared to the villages of the wasteland, are fabric and leaking air take to the sky and drift off into
in many ways more vulnerable to the lawless nature the vaporous mountains far beyond, to connect the city
of the post-apocalyptic world, and their life spans are with destinations hundreds of miles away.
often riddled with moments of brutality, revolution, Location Name: The Free City of Styx.
and eventual disintegration. Estimated Population: 10,000+ permanent,
2,500+ temporary/transient.
Ruling Faction: None (local, Iron Society).
SAMPLE CITY OF SURVIVORS: STYX Background: Visionary Reinventor.
Sandwalkers, travelers, and even the lowliest of the
world’s most wretched desert scavs recognize the LOCAL HISTORY
name at a single utterance. Styx. A dark and ugly The metropolis that is Styx was, before the Fall, little
place, a city on a rocky precipice, a metropolis built more than an oversized engineer’s camp, a temporary
from sweat and tears, looming precariously over the city of barracks set up to house the 10,000+ workers
edge of a mighty escarpment that is the legendary Big
Hole. Unlike any other place on the Twisted Earth,
who were employed to erect its one central, all-
encompassing feature – a colossal nuclear power plant
185
Styx is a gateway city to endless mysteries and even that was meant to provide power for Arizona, Nevada,
more bizarre lands, east and west, a stopping point on and parts of southern California for generations to
many a ‘walker’s journeys through the world.
 come. This monolithic project, concocted, no doubt, decayed and was washed away by wind, sand, and
during the peak of the Ancients’ reign over the world, time. The ruins, so far from the radiated deserts
most certainly sunk billions of dollars and years of (where life was brutal and harsh), attracted small
effort into its making, for from the dry bleak desert bands of refugees and other survivors, but none of
landscape where nothing once grew rose a city of these lasted long. Still, the sight of the great towers,
metal, concrete, and pillars that loomed mightily into and the already-existing buildings in their shadow,
the sky. kept the power plant complex inhabited sporadically
When the Fall came, the history and purpose of for decades into the future. Over time, the remnants
Styx was, of course, forgotten. Far from complete, of the power plant were inhabited by larger and more
it was abandoned during the chaos of the escalating powerful groups, and built-up, fortified, and expanded
wars; its workers leaving in vast trains of buses and upon by each successive community that made it
cars, its automated robots deactivated, disassembled, home.
and stored in underground caves near the site for Being as it was really the creation of many
some future return to construction. That day would thousands of people (mutant and man, familiar and
never come – at least not in the way the Ancients had conventional alike), the City is now a towering,
186 planned it.
In the decades that followed civilization’s collapse,
sprawling, and murky miasma of old power plant
structures, loading areas, barrack-rows, and newer
much of the great power plant (still incomplete, and tents, mud and waddle huts, pueblo-like complexes,
thus spared the nuclear devastation that ruined so and winding streets. Built to suit both the necessity
many other reactor complexes across the country) of defense against the raiders of the wilds and other
 STYX IN YOUR GAME
Styx is big – real big. There aren’t likely to be many cities comparable to it in most wasteland settings,
since large concentrations of people (even ones as chaotic as Styx) aren’t a staple of the generally desolate
and ruined post-apocalyptic genre. Its use is best reserved for once-in-a-lifetime visits, or as a “fabled
destination” to which PCs could strive to reach during the course of an entire series of adventures. Once
they do manage to get there (assuming they survive the dangers associated with crossing the wasteland to
get there), newcomers to the City of Styx will find this sprawling metropolis both promising and foreboding
at the same time. The sheer number of natives, transient occupants, visitors, spies, and refugees make the
experience disconcerting to many, unsettling to some, and downright terrifying to others.
From a GM standpoint, from here you can introduce new campaign elements such as an entirely new type
of environment to explore (a far cry from the desert, urban settings can be quite a twist to characters built
solely around ranged battle in the wide open), or opening up the campaign to a much larger picture of the
world (e.g. political intrigue). Whereas the PCs may have once been solely concerned with survival, upon
reaching Styx they could be noticed by the various factions, informed of their conflicts and philosophies, and
asked to pick a side...
As a final suggested alternative, Styx can just be a stopping point along a great journey of world
exploration, used merely as a “gimmick” by the GM to exhibit how decrepit mutantkind can get when it
gathers in numbers. Characters who are used to dealings with honest tribal councils, or their own trusted
community leaders, could very well be shocked into anger and revulsion by the crazy religions and factions,
the ruthless law, and the covert violence seething just underneath the City’s surface. Given a choice, many
might choose to flee rather than stay, spurned by the glitter of the town instead of seduced, turning the
degenerate city into a mere reminder of what little hope there is for the world.

powerful groups, as well as to please post-Fall As for enforcement, the Iron Society is the closest
aesthetics, its very contours, avenues, alleyways, and thing the City of Styx has to a lawful, ordered,
maze-like reaches are at times confusing to gaze on, “police” organization. Currently it is one of the most
and yet at other times seem to flash with the promise powerful groups in the City, and despite the chaotic
of a new future rising from the old. and disordered nature of the City itself its influence
and impression is undeniable. They are the lawmakers
LOCAL LAW and peacekeepers here, and their ruthless pursuit of
Today, in the twilight of life on Earth, Styx is a last their faction’s goals often put them at odds with others
bastion of freedom and the principles of independence; throughout the City.
though its transient, seldom-seen lawmakers are The Iron Society was founded long ago by the
dangerous, oftentimes wretched and degenerate, and original settlers of the City. To protect their growing
coldly impartial, four rules have remained the same metropolis they introduced a steady and unswerving
throughout the centuries of the city’s remembered code of justice, to tame the influx of immigrants
history: from the wasteland to the City and bring order. The
original inhabitants organized a cadre of viciously
1. The City is a free harbor to any who desire it as armed loyalists, most of whom were natives (though
refuge, and no raider, no pure blood human, and over time anyone willing to sign on and show loyalty
no religious madman will ever be allowed to to the Society are allowed). Their presence has grown
bring it under his boot; since then, and over time their leaders have taken on
2. The original inhabitants of Styx are its rulers, the title of “Overlord”.
electing a representative to govern city affairs; The Iron Society has well-defined goals that
every five years there is a plebiscite in which virtually everyone in the City is familiar with
every member of the Iron Society votes for the – keeping the peace. The City is a rough place, with
city’s new Overlord; lots of raiders, thieves, merchants, and even members
3. There is to be no faction warfare within the of the outside factions rubbing elbows everywhere
walls of Styx; though outsiders are welcome you look. The Society is the only thing keeping the
to trade and dwell in the city for a time, their City from ravaging itself with internal warfare – the
philosophies are not. Styx is a free city, a bastion only thing maintaining the balance between law and

187
against the outside world, and war is to remain a anarchy.
thing of the wasteland;
4. Every man, woman, and child is expected to
fight for the City in time of need.
 CITY KEY streets are almost always packed, day and night, with
The following details only a selection of the many traders, visitors, and a collection of other groups come
features of the Free City of Styx, including areas most to enjoy themselves. Street peddlers mix here with
likely to be visited by player characters. For more performers (jugglers, fire-breathers, sword swallowers,
detailed explorations of the City the GM should feel musicians, etc), creating a carnival air and music
free to devise a more comprehensive location key. that drifts lazily in all directions like a hypnotizing
auditory aroma.
Dock Quarter At the heart of this region of city is the Pit,
The part of the City at the lowest elevation is the so- a gigantic bar, brothel, and gladiatorial arena.
called “Dock” Quarter, skirting the edge of the canyon Essentially the place is a large warehouse, its lower
that drops deep into the Big Hole. It is so-called floor given over to Styx’s largest and most exciting
because it is here that zeppelin moorings and airship pit-fighting arena. Here all members of City society
docks have been built to provide for their landing congregate to watch the games (usually to the death,
and shelter, right at the edge of the escarpment. The pitting exotic fighters or beasts and against willing or
entire quarter is overseen by tall towers glittering unwilling gladiators, slaves, etc), and bet heavily on
with green and orange lanterns to light the way for their outcome. While games are usually long, brutal,
airships coming down the Big Hole towards Styx, day and bloody, cheating is never permitted, the proof of
and night – and to provide a lookout eyrie capable of which is enough to make the accused become the next
seeing down the ‘Hole for miles. fighter in the games!
The Dock Quarter (known also as “The Web” here Well-groomed and carefully-selected harlots prowl
in the City) is perhaps the single most important part the circus-like streets outside and also work the
of the City. Like an island floating adrift in the sea, crowds of the pit area, taking paying customers to the
the only thing keeping the City alive is trade – a trade numerous luxury rooms on the floors above for the
threatened by the increasing strangle-hold of raiders night’s activities. A typical “visit” can vary greatly,
and the mutant inhabitants of the Big Hole itself, and depending on the quality and demand of the particular
kept going only by the bravery, tenacity, and daring of entertainer.
those who call the City their home. In addition to these more notorious delights, the Pit
The Dock Quarter is really very much like a web, offers almost unlimited opportunities to make money
being a collection of chaotic streets, narrow alleys, or have a good time – revived games such as craps
shadowy routes, and various underground and surface and roulette, card games of all sorts both recognizable
paths through the grossly-built up district. Structures, and new, drinking contests, knife-throwing, duels,
new and old, rise from this chaos like ugly cancers, arm wrestling matches, cockfighting, dog fights, and
of all shapes, sizes, and styles of architecture, looking anything else the GM can come up with or the PCs
like a poorly planned collage that is both unsettling suggest will, sooner or later, be seen taking place at the
– and painful – to the unaccustomed eye. Pit, depending on the current fad in the City.
Still, this place is bustling, with businesses, vendors,
minor marketplaces, low-quality taverns and boarding Old Temple Quarter
houses, brothels, gambling dens, and all sorts of Like some other quarters of the City, the Temple
places of interest. Travelers generally begin their quarter appears as a desolate and ancient maze of
visits to the City here, and spend most of their time old and new, with broken pillars of stone and metal
either lost or exploring the Web’s confusing maze of haphazardly placed all about, spindly towers of
streets; certainly the Docks provide a vast number of unrecognizable origin jutting from piles of trash,
opportunities (and dangers) for anyone hardy enough and weird structures ascending into the bleak and
to go looking. dismal sky with seemingly no purpose whatsoever.
Typical street names of the quarter include “Temples” of worked refuse and other scavenged
Wheelbarrow Street, Alley of Dark Desires, materials stand like monuments to a lost era, with
Warehouse Row, Street of Harlots, Junk Alley, the odd figure of a black-robed stalker seen moving
Yawning Lane, Navigator’s Square, Cutthroat’s Alley, through the heavy, dusty air that blankets the district.
etc. Wild-eyed fanatics, naked to the bone, move in a
mechanical procession through the streets whipping
The Pit themselves with scourges while singing praises to their
The “Pit” is one of the more renowned establishments gods. The song of religious institutions is faint, only
in Styx, nestled somewhere in the built-up barely perceptible here in this venerable citadel of
neighborhoods between the Dock Quarter and Martial imaginary gods.
188 Quarter. While the area here looks something like the
poor income housing of an Irish coal-mining town,
To understand the quarter, one must understand
the history of the City. Long ago part of the old
apparently someone puts a great deal of effort into plant complex that is now Styx was set aside for the
keeping the place accessible; the gloomy green-lit worship of the Ancients, and became the seed that
has now grown into this entire quarter. At its heart City Overlord. The City Overlord is a figure of
lies a large open area, where monuments of the past pre-eminence in the City, known by one and all in
are still there on display – and left to rust and fall the post-apocalyptic metropolis as a source of fear,
apart at the merciless whim of time. Originally these for though he seldom finds himself involved in the
“monuments” consisted of broken or useless machines affairs of the City, anyone or anything threatening it,
picked from the ruins of the old plant, dragged here its survival, or the continued freedoms of its people
and left in the open for the city’s earliest people to answer directly to him and his gang of enforcers.
marvel at in their savage simplicity. Later, when the The Iron Palace is the home of the Overlord and
Brotherhood of Radiation came to Styx they salvaged his ruling “gang”. The palace is so-named because
much of the old machinery, but in respect for the of its grim appearance even from far away – a
beliefs of the people still living among the heaps towering construction of steel towers, iron walls,
here (a sizable population worshipped the Ancients and riveted metal gates. A yard of smoky ash and
as gods, as is common on the Twisted Earth), they white-hot embers burns around it, itself surrounded
regularly make donations of other useless trinkets by a palisade of ancient spears, muskets, pikes, and
and garbage from all over the place – old street other weapons taken from those who have resisted
signs, huge highway ads, chunks of masonry from the ruthless peacekeeping of the city’s past Overlords.
ancient buildings (including pillars from government Various figures in bleak gray armor move through
buildings, statuary from outside old insurance this yard, stoking the coal-like fires that burn here and
companies, and articles of rusted, dilapidated modern removing the skeletons of lawbreakers brought here
art), demolished car wrecks, a collection of twisted for incineration.
airplane propellers and hollowed-out engine nacelles, The Iron Palace is the headquarters of the City
and even a collection of decaying railroad cars. Some Overlord and because of its foul name (and terrifying
of these discarded relics were left in the open to rust reputation as a place of punishment and death), no one
away; other pieces were combined with yet more to in their right mind willingly comes here – except for
create buildings or sub-complexes entirely out of trash the lawful members of the Iron Society, that is. Other
– forming “temples” made to remember the Ancients’ citizens (beggars and harlots included) steer clear of
glory and ways, at times even populated with small this place as if it were the source of all evil in the City.
contingents of “monks” and “sisters” in mimicry of the The Iron Palace is not, exactly, the place worthy of
Brotherhood. the most fear and terror in the City, but it ranks high
Over time, though, the quarter has changed on the list. The Overlords of Styx have long been
dramatically from a place of backwards worship to a notorious figures (despite filling a necessary role
place of decay and gloom. Though the Brotherhood that, arguably, saves the city from self-destruction),
still makes “donations” to the few dwindling honest and those who break the few laws of the City and
folk, they do it with less and less ritual, using threaten its peace are subject (in most cases) to either
the quarter more like one colossal “junk heap” to on-the-spot execution or burning here in the yard of
discard things they no longer want. Over time, as the Palace. The skeletal remains of many victims lie
the population of Styx has grown and the hustle skewered on the wall of pikes as a reminder to all.
has increased, fewer worshippers of the past come Few know of the interior of this place, but it is
to see the quarter’s glories; it has, instead, drawn a rumored to be coldly sterile, spartan, and devoid of
reputation for being haunted by seedier folk... The frivolous furnishings. Apparently the current Overlord
Temple Quarter has long been notorious as a place is focused on his task as administrator of the City’s
where thieves, lepers, and predatory scavs looking peace. Various barracks and guardrooms, as well as
for trinkets in the trash walk the streets. Beneath the armories and training halls exist for the members of
shadow of towering heaps of garbage that vaguely the Iron Society on the Palace’s lower levels; above
resemble pagodas, are smaller slave markets - those these, the Palace is as much a mystery to them as
incapable of coming out and competing with those anyone.
in the Trade Quarter – while even some “temple”
buildings have been abandoned only to be taken over The Twin Towers
and turned into giant decaying brothels. The dismal skyline of the pinnacled Temple Quarter
Sample street names of this quarter include Silent is pierced here by the twin “pagodas” of a massive
Way, Street of The Gods, Way of the Machine God, industrial complex of untold antiquity. A deep moat of
Avenue of Temples, Spirit Market, and Way of the layered brickwork surrounds the entire ruin, its waters
Brotherhood. having long drained leaving only moss, fungus, and
rubble on its cobblestone bed.
The Iron Palace
The city of Styx, though renowned as a bastion of
Gigantic statues, defaced and transformed into mute
figurines of lost identity, ring this ancient place behind
189
riotous and unchecked freedom in the wasteland, the more modern moat, with a great stair (nearly fifty
has its own ultimate source of peacemaking – the feet wide) descending from the inner courtyard itself,
 across the moat, and to the streets of the abandoned pavilions, makeshift stalls, and local shops.
Temple Quarter outside. Standing over this scene, Sample street names include Butcher’s Street,
greater than all the other monuments of the city, are Bazaar Street, Market Square, Fortunes Boulevard,
a pair of massive ruined cooling towers, the only Street of Slaves, Junkman’s Row, Street of Clouded
recognizable remains of what was once one of the Dreams, Storyteller’s Row, Street of Spirits, Poet’s
continent’s largest nuclear power facilities. Lane, Corium Street, etc.
This place, all but destroyed once, is now very much
alive. Though abandoned for generations, the towers Flea’s Market
are inhabited now; the complex is known to be a great Well-known to the inhabitants of Styx, “Flea’s
temple of the Brotherhood of Radiation, bristling with Market” is a rambling junkyard on the far side of the
activity deep in its dark and forgotten bowels. Here City (from the crowded Dock District), run by the
the Brotherhood have managed to bring at least one colorful ex-scav, “Flea”. Flea’s yard is an open-air
of the old complex’s reactors back online, and use it bazaar of sorts; using a web of scav contacts who
to give the city its only source of electricity – and to prowl the far deserts in all directions, he manages to
engage in services of up to 1,000 or more worshippers gather all manner of goods and sells them to anyone
at a time dangerously close to the core, bathing in its interested. While many consider his business a waste
harmful radiation in their senseless ritual worship. of time, those with patience have sometimes found
The abundance of radioactive wastes, fuels, and amazing things in the junk heaps and scrap piles of his
other products left in the depths of this great facility market.
mean it is one of the major Brotherhood shrines on the
Twisted Earth. Caves
The mesa-like formations of rock that flank the City of
Trade Quarter Styx are riddled with holes, both ancient and recently
They say anything can be had in the City of Styx, and made. These caves have been inhabited since Styx’s
this part of town is obviously the best place to start earliest habitation, by the poorest natives and others
one’s search. With over one hundred businesses or unable to make it among the city streets. Convoluted
temporary bazaars, certainly anything “ordinary” can and confusing, the maze of caves range from mere
be bought here, without restriction; common goods, niches in the rock to deep tunnels, some of which
weapons and armor, and most minor artifacts from connect to each other or even to the Warrens beneath
before the Fall are also abundant and cheap in this Styx itself.
district (though the range of quality is just as varied). Long ago many of these caves were constructed to
Smithies in the area fashion metal goods from junk house the abandoned equipment of the engineers who
and scrap scavenged in the desert or shipped in by worked the Marble Canyon power plant project; the
merchants, for sale to travelers and locals alike. dry interior was supposed to protect the millions of
In all some two dozen different mercantile cartels dollars worth of heavy machinery from rust, but over
are permanently nestled in the Trade Quarter, selling time the lack of care took their toll. While most of the
all manner of wares ranging from scrap metal from machines hidden in the caves were assessed and taken
the wasteland to slaves and weird relics scoured from away years ago to help build the city that is now Styx,
the most distant necropoli. The Clean have a major cave dwellers do sometimes find lost caches now and
presence here, trading water in bulk to other factions, again. Those that do make it big selling the machines
or selling slaves as domestic servants (or as warriors either whole or in pieces to scavengers, using the
to cruel-minded adventuring parties seeking forced money to start new in the City or blow it all in a few
henchmen); the Clean are overshadowed only by the nights of sheer decadence.
sheer number of other groups, such as the enterprising
Cartel or the mystic Far Traders (who also hold court The Ghetto
here peddling all manner of strange and valuable The Ghetto is a true maze of streets of all sizes and
goods from near and far). buildings of varying construction styles, crowded with
Also in the Trade Quarter is the famous City thousands of diverse people each day. Its size varies
Market, a congested bazaar at its heart large enough to year by year, growing and shrinking with each new
accommodate upwards of 10,000 people at a time. A trend of immigrants from the wasteland.
district almost as old as the City itself – a fact which Thin plumes of smoke rise from the 1,000+
shows in the old crumbling buildings, decrepit plazas squatter’s homes and barrio-like neighborhoods of
and bazaars, and the presence of aqueducts that supply the Ghetto, creating an ugly gray-brown haze through
the high-paying merchants here with the water they much of the day. The Ghetto is filled with houses, run-
190 need to survive - the City Market has always been
used as a gathering for merchants and traders from all
down tenements, watering holes, houses of ill repute,
and pretty much any kind of business, residence,
over the desert. Displayed here under the cool shadow retreat, or other establishment one can imagine. The
of old porticos are all manner of goods in colorful streets are often crowded with numbers beyond a
wastelander’s dreams, making the place a dizzying City’s street rats, lepers, and beggars, as well as a
experience for those unaccustomed to large numbers quasi-faction known as the “Undertakers” – men and
moving so freely together. women who dwell just out of sight until a citizen of
Infesting the crowded slums of the Ghetto are the the City dies, only to emerge and collect the corpse
City’s “common” folk, from desert travelers seeking for a fee from the Iron Society. They inter the dead
temporary shelter from the world outside to more here, in the ‘dump, as a kind of “service” to keep the
permanent inhabitants of the City. Cloaked members rest of town uncluttered with dead bodies in the street.
of the Brethren are known to dwell here, along with The Undertakers have a good deal: a steady source of
members of other groups with interest but little say in income and a part of the City all their own. Of course,
Styx. the junkyard, graveyard, and leper colony that is the
Street names in this quarter include Fogbottom Dead Dump is not only the domain of the diseased
Lane, Ash Carter’s Lane, Cobblestone Street, Undertakers, but also many poor, decrepit, and outcast
Overlord’s Court, Rundown Row, Peddler’s Way, The folk from throughout the City of Styx – thieves,
Elder Alley, etc. homeless, beggars, drunks, and others.
Visitors to the Dead Dump will find only burning
Martial Quarter refuse, old ruined buildings, and the odd encampment
The so-called Martial Quarter was once a staging area of a handful of lepers or plague-bearing unfortunates.
for heavy equipment during the Marble Canyon plant Beggars and sickly urchins comprise almost 100%
construction, but after the Fall (and many decades of the population; the dirt-poor Undertakers typically
later) developed into a virtual fortress, surrounded comprise the highest rung on the social ladder in these
by tall walls and domed towers. The transformation parts. It is obvious that there is little to be found
of the quarter came largely after the arrival of the here! Despite the squalor (or perhaps because of it),
Foundation, who first established themselves here in a rumor has it that the Dead Dump hides its own secrets
large building before expanding their influence subtly – lost entrances the so-called “warrens” of the city,
over the whole quarter. secret society headquarters, and even a tribe of ghouls
In time the regular inhabitants of the city came to are said to thrive here. Any truth to these rumors,
move their business elsewhere. The Iron Society, however, has yet to be substantiated. Street names
however, realizing the quarter’s potential as a vast here reflect the grim use of the district: Lurker’s
storage-space, made a deal with the Foundation to Alley, Beggar Street, Leper’s Way, Square Of The
store weapons of war, arms, and armaments for the Dead, Theatre Macabre, Gravestone Street, Avenue of
City’s defense (should it ever come under siege) in Crypts, etc.
the quarter’s many caves and buildings. Located Currently dwelling somewhere in the sifting
in towers, old barracks, and other structures in this mountain of rubble and trash, between towers of
quarter is a virtual armada of old weapons and armor, refuse and old decayed tenements, is a particular figure
all under lock and key awaiting the day the City is of some growing renown on the street. This fellow
attacked. The Foundation, in exchange for permission is known as “Soul Eyes”, an unscrupulous maverick
to virtually run the quarter, maintains these armories, and mutant who walks a thin line between being
cleans the weapons, and is given a chance to examine both respected and feared by the people of the City.
and possibly duplicate anything passing under their Legend has it that “Soul Eyes” is not only blessed
care. with traditional empathic abilities, but he can also read
actual thoughts and (as if that weren’t enough) can
The Dead Dump foretell the future. Both chaotic and at times utterly
Located in the vicinity of the Martial Quarter is the insane, he’s made enemies with the Iron Society for
so-called “Dead Dump”, which, ironically, is just that insulting them one too many times in public, and is
– a sprawling band of the Quarter given over to the also on the wanted list of the Undertakers due to recent
interment of the dead. Perhaps “interment” is too rumors that he’s behind the disappearance of a number
kind a word, for while the entire quarter is decorated of their brethren in this part of town.
with tombs, crypts, and mausoleums from ages past
and present, it is also chock-full of rows of desiccated The Warrens
corpses, rotting bodies, and veritable lumberyards of It is common knowledge that Styx was built on the
coffin upon coffin. ruins of an old sprawling power plant complex. Part
When anyone dies in Styx, unless someone comes of the old complex utilized caves dug out of the very
to claim his body, he ends up here. Of course, most rock of the mountains, used to store heavy machinery,
goods he had on him go missing, and the locals are construction automatons (long deactivated), and other
just as likely to toss his body somewhere in the dump
to be forgotten rather than construct some costly grave
supplies for the vast engineering marvel that was to be
Marble Canyon.
191
in his undying name. Such is the value of life in Styx. Over time, many of these caves have been re-
The Dead Dump is, of course, the domain of the opened, reclaimed, and inhabited. The poorest, most
 miserable folk, not unlike gypsies or the homeless, Beggar Village
migrate to these dark subterranean tunnels since Beneath the streets, Beggar Village is home to a large
the cost of living in the Ghetto can be prohibitive. group of lice-infested beggars dwelling in a veritable
Exchanging comfort for free living space, they “community” of their own among the sewers. Lit only
simply have to find a niche, a hole, or make a place by a grate in the sewer tunnel leading to the surface,
of their own in the ever-deepening maze of mountain here children play in pools of filth while diseased
caves. Living in squalor, in vast tunnels, they share women dish out bowls of broth from catacomb-like
space with a thousand or more lepers, scavs, and the “hovels” in the cavernous passages. At the sound of
dispossessed, in the dark unlighted depths of these intruders, men and boys press forward to beg for any
vaulted deeps. kind of aid or relief, but are easily warned off so long
The sewers of the City of Styx are numerous, as passing explorers do not threaten their existence
tunneling through the rock of the canyon walls in (doing so would likely cause the assembly of desperate
all chaotic and haphazard directions, as if each was folk to band together and fight them off).
carved individually without any thought of the other.
A passage crosses another perhaps once every fifty ADVENTURE HOOK #1
to eighty feet, turning the entire web of passages A secret, unofficial inter-faction war has erupted in
into a veritable labyrinth in short order. Nearest the Styx. The PCs are recruited by one side or another
surface, where the greenish light of the city shines (Brethren, Brotherhood of Radiation, Foundation,
down through manholes and street gratings, the etc.) to act as agents to sabotage, waylay, and strike at
poor, diseased, and homeless vagabonds of the city the enemy. Because open warfare is illegal in Styx,
are known to live, often alone in shadowy corners, the PCs will have to use the dreaded warrens to move
but often as not in small “colonies” or “villages” about unseen, work exclusively at night, and take
just out of sight of the surface world. Most such any knowledge of friendly operations with them to
residents of the sewers are gross, deformed beings, the grave if caught. Though the war may prove to be
such as deformed mutants and their kin; others may protracted and costly for all sides involved (as well
simply be past merchants or even adventurers who as the innocent civilians caught in the crossfire of
found themselves lost in the wasteland and unable ambushes or blown up in targeted bombings), it has
to make ends meet, reverting to a pitiful existence as the potential of putting one major faction on top of all
beggars and cutpurses in the darkness of the City’s others in one of the largest cities of the Twisted Earth.
magnificence. The pay will be high, but so will the risks…
Recently, there has been speculation that there
exists an even deeper underworld beneath the City, ADVENTURE HOOK #2
perhaps a long-lost series of maintenance tunnels dug One of the world’s most powerful raider gangs, the
deep underground during the time of the Ancients. “Entropists” are no longer content with merely raiding
Stories abound of pitiful sewer dwellers finding the trade routes, and now have their sights set on Styx.
strange glowing amorphous beings in caverns deep Even though they would normally pose little threat to
in the plant’s old sewer systems (like much of the the great walls of Styx, the Entropists have an ace up
City’s history, no one here knows the full extent of the their sleeve: they know of a secret way into the city,
sewers and their myriad tunnels) that attempted to lure through caves and tunnels long forgotten since the
them into deeper, darker caverns. Though the sources time of the power plant’s construction. The PCs wake
of these tales say they never followed, it is generally up one day in one hovel or another in the City to the
becoming common knowledge that some separate sounds of gunfire and utter chaos – the Entropists have
“race” of beings does in fact inhabit the reaches poured in through the secret tunnels and are engaging
beneath the City streets. the Iron Society in open warfare! Taken totally off
Still more rumors pervade about the sewers beneath guard, the defenders are scattered across the City,
the City. Some say the Brethren use the old tunnels fighting fires and chasing down reports of sightings
to travel effortlessly and discreetly to the various of Entropist groups all over town. This type of
quarters throughout the City on their varied missions. adventure allows the PCs to engage in no-holds-barred
Rumor has it that some passages are actually flooded, urban warfare with a determined and insane enemy,
creating actual rivers beneath the City where a whole experience first-hand their murderous intentions
subterranean “undercity” exists and thrives. Still for the planet Earth, as well as earn the respect and
others persist in their belief that there is a secret gratitude of the City of Styx’s population should they
society of creatures dwelling deep beneath the City succeed. If they should fail, and Styx is destroyed, it
in the rock, from a time before the old power plant
192
would be a fitting end that plays directly to the dark
became inhabited again, whose aims are utterly alien and hopeless theme of the Twisted Earth.
to the minds of surface dwellers, and whose goals are
no doubt darkly malevolent to life.
 DOMED CITIES harrowing adventures for groups of mid- to high-level
PCs during a campaign. Assuming the dome they are
traveling to is relatively intact, the potential wealth
The Twisted Earth is of artifacts to be found within (and the dangers still
dotted by what are known dwelling there), untouched by the hands of other
simply as “domes”, curved scavengers can range from breathtaking to truly
protective spheres that were staggering.
built during the height of
Ancient civilization to protect
the citizens of the country’s largest urban areas from SAMPLE DOMED CITY: LOCKDOWN
the ever-increasing threat of ultraviolet radiation – an
unfortunate cost they paid for their vast industries TOWN
and tremendously technological society. Most of One “dome” out of the hundred or so left on the
these domes were destroyed, or “cracked”, when the Twisted Earth, known only by the post-apocalyptic
major urban areas of America were attacked during slang tag of “Lockdown Town”, has remained a
the Fall. Others, perhaps situated in areas of little or mystery even among other domes from this ancient
no strategic concern, escaped destruction, only to be age. Lockdown Town is typical of most remaining
abandoned during the chaos and collapse of human domes; large enough to cover a major part of what
civilization. was once a city, it was a center of day-to-day life for
Not all American cities had domes; others employed fifty thousand or more inhabitants during its heyday.
completely contained building complexes, glass-tube Within its shell could be found city streets, buildings,
walkways, and underground mass transit systems skyscrapers and parks; maintained by robotic servitors
beyond the scale known today, all to protect their and automated systems (all of which were orchestrated
citizens from the hazards of a deteriorating ozone by a central AI control computer), it was a model of
layer. But the domes were the most common, because super-advanced living.
each had the benefit of not only being a fully protected When the Fall came, however, Lockdown Town was
environment, but also a self-contained community that different in that instead of its occupants fleeing, its
could be easily maintained through the use of robots central computer locked the gigantic vault doors to the
and other high-tech innovations. A central computer city and trapped everyone within. No one knows why,
system, usually located beneath the city, monitored all but in doing so the city AI robbed its citizens of any
aspects of the dome city, day and night, without fail. hope for escape.
The computer controlled traffic lights, rerouting traffic Despite being born in an era alien to the survivors of
from trouble areas and dispatching an appropriate the nuclear apocalypse, Lockdown Town’s shape and
response to get things moving again. It could control format are typical of domed cities from before the Fall,
the environment through tweaking air conditioning and as such it stands as a good model for domes all
and heating systems in 200+ separate buildings and over the wasteland.
complexes throughout the city. Other innovations Location Name: Lockdown Town.
included automated robot trucks to pick up garbage Estimated Population: Unknown.
and haul it away. Robotic conveyor belts to incinerate Ruling Faction: None.
trash and other wastes in factory-like complexes Background: Guardian, Degenerate, Hedonist, or
underground, far from sight. Police robots dispatched Advanced.
from “police stations” to react to potential problems,
to oversee food rationing centers during the twilight LOCAL HISTORY
years of civilization…and control the riots when word The existence of Lockdown Town has been known
of impending nuclear war leaked out to the human for generations: a huge domed city of awesome
inhabitants of the “domed paradise”. proportions that has stood defiant against the test of
Though most domes were destroyed, enough time – and the attempts of outsiders to penetrate its
remained to be looted by post-Fall survivors over the protective dome and plumb the secrets within.
years that in time they have earned a reputation as For years travelers from the outside world, from
storehouses of all kinds of lost goods and artifacts. tribals to traders, scavs to would-be resurrectionists,
While many are difficult, if not impossible to get have sought a means of bypassing the great metal
into (thanks to power shortages leaving the massive doors (or even the mighty walls themselves) that seal
entryways sealed for centuries), those brave few off the sheltered city interior from the world outside.
who do manage to steal into a domed metropolis Yet, almost as a testament to the genius and skill of the
often return with fabulous tales of intact streets and
structures, thousands of skeletons of the Ancients lying
Ancients, the doors and walls of the dome have defied
all attempts, resisted all attacks and detonations, and 193
where they died, and treasures beyond the wildest stood firm against the wear and weakening of time
imagination just waiting to be taken. to remain protectors of whoever – or whatever – was
Domed cities can provide some of the most sealed within generations ago.
 Tiny towns and temporary settlements have come Dome Wall
and gone in the shadow of the great city dome, as From a great distance the exterior walls of the dome of
generation after generation has lived out their lives Lockdown Town look like a single shell of translucent
awaiting its opening, or sought again and again to glass, but it is in fact constructed from materials
find some entrance to the city within. Yet it resists. beyond the capabilities of post-apocalyptic man.
Foundationists (men who belong to that cult of The dome is made of sloped, interconnecting walls
technologists known across the Twisted Earth) who of a substance that is translucent like glass, but with
once came here were the first to realize that the giant almost all other properties of the world’s strongest
doors to the city were time-locked, and would only metals. The construction of the dome is complex
open at some uncertain future date; no doubt when the and mind-boggling, with various arched supports, an
self-contained city’s computer core believed the world internal framework to distribute weight, and virtually
was safe enough for its occupants. Realizing this, they hundreds and hundreds of miles of pipes, machinery,
departed, but kept a handful of agents in the region to and ductwork (for air conditioning, filtration, artificial
watch and listen for any change. weather generation, and smog control) sandwiched
Again, years have passed. The once-sparkling between the inner and outer surfaces of the wall.
dome grows old, and people forget. But time has The exterior of the dome is all but impenetrable
been ticking away. The locks on the giant metal doors except by the most devastating weapons (i.e. nuclear
leading into the city have been keeping track, waiting detonations); scorch marks in some areas, and even
for the time to come to open themselves and free the signs of burrowing attempts, scar the lower portions
occupants within. of the wall where post-apocalyptic communities have
tried to break through. All have failed, and over time
LOCAL LAW many of the blemishes to the outside surface have
None. Lockdown Town isn’t governed by any one been grown over and covered up by wild ivy, mosses,
body, though given a chance the major factions of the and other forms of stubborn vegetation.
wasteland would certainly like to conquer the ruins The interior side of the dome was once an extremely
and use them as a base for scavenging, scrounging, advanced feature of the city; covered in massive,
and resupply. Should one such faction gain supremacy contiguous television screens (some up to eight stories
over any other over the city, the color and nature of high and ten stories wide), the inner side of the dome
Lockdown Town could very well change dramatically. was in constant operation for as many years as the city
remained in peaceful operation. During the day, these
DOME KEY screens projected the image of a beautiful blue sky,
The following touches briefly only on the general light fluffy clouds in the distance, and the movement
features of Lockdown Town, and does not go into of an artificial “sun” through the heavens. Citizens,

194 any specific detail, allowing for individual GMs to

customize the dome for their particular campaign.
otherwise confined to a dark life inside the dome,
were treated to magnificent (and no doubt enhanced)
sunrises and sunsets, and could see the stars in all
their glory through accurate digitized reproductions
every night. To mark each New Year, the false sky
 LOCKDOWN TOWN IN YOUR CAMPAIGN
Adventure within Lockdown Town takes place in the cloak of darkness created by its great vaulted dome,
constructed during the troubled time of the Ancients to house tens of thousands of citizens in security from
the deteriorating environment of the natural world, as well as the impending nuclear war that was just on the
horizon. But as with everything from the past, the secrets of who or what was trapped within the city when it
closed was lost to time after the Fall; a single fragile bubble containing some seed of the Ancients, Lockdown
Town was severed from the world with the collapse of mankind, his technology, and indeed, the reign of the
human race. Lost in time and forgotten, it has remained sealed for generations ... until now.
Lockdown Town is an excellent way of introducing players to adventure in an urban environment, while
still giving you control over where they go. The city itself is most suited for the more “science-fiction” style
campaign settings of Darwin’s World, but with modification you can adapt some of the ideas of the domed
city to other urban areas of a more modern type.

would depict the blazing starbursts of fireworks, while that fan out from its immediate center. The outer
enormous speaker systems (normally used to generate ring of this self-contained urban landscape was
white noise or the sound of distant thunderstorms) reserved for industrial and “societal maintenance”
thundered with the sound of their explosions. facilities; due to the close proximity to the dome wall,
The dome no longer gives off such displays, massive structures for dealing with the polluted waste
however; while some of the screens have deteriorated, water, other waste products, and the wide variety of
it’s the lack of power that really keeps the dome dark. chemicals used each day by the city’s inhabitants were
If, by some miracle, a group could find the city power handled here, and either pumped out through gigantic
core and reactivate all of its systems, the inhabitants ducts and pipes (if liquid), vented through massive air
of the city might be in for a BIG surprise as the sky filtration systems two or three stories above the ground
comes on again in colors they’ve never before seen… (if gaseous), or shipped out in convoys each day
through the multi-lane highway exiting the dome.
Zeppelin Moor
Situated far above the ground level of the dome, at the This area is convoluted with alleys, industrial
extreme summit (almost completely out of sight of buildings, waste treatment centers, etc. Though many
most wasteland people), are the remnants of what used of these buildings are low, above them towers a maze
to be an airship mooring station and boarding pavilion. of pipes and ducts, which often blocks out even the
During the heyday of the Ancients, zeppelins were artificial sky of the dome’s interior.
a form of luxurious travel, crossing the industrially
scarred countryside from coast to coast, all at a safe Inner City
and comfortable height where the ugliness was less The real heart of the city, the inner regions are
noticeable. as confused, congested, and built-up as any large
The mooring station (though deceptively small on urban metropolis. Towering skyscrapers, apartment
the accompanying cross-section), is about as large complexes, and even artificial parks (now long dead)
as any deluxe airport terminal, with various facilities sprout up everywhere, casting deep shadows over
once designed to accommodate the wealthiest travelers the streets and alleys in between. It is here that any
in opulent style. In addition to a luxurious waiting inhabitants of the city are likely to dwell in the most
area for boarding passengers, and a luggage handling numbers, carving their communities out of the rubble
conveyor system, the station also has a large rotating or abandoned buildings, still living off (and fighting
restaurant and lounge once operated by robots to serve over) the materials left over from before the Fall.
their human masters’ every need. The entire structure Like the outer ring, the “sky” here is polluted with
is connected to the interior of the domed city through man-made structures – flying walkways, skyways, and
an elevator system that descends one hundred (or bridges connecting one skyscraper to another to allow
more) stories to city street level in a matter of minutes. the population to travel easily from destination to
If, by some means, an expedition were to attempt a destination (and keep traffic pollution to a minimum).
landing here by air (assuming they have some form of Many of these are still intact, while others only seem
aircraft), this mooring station might prove an efficient to be sturdy and will fall at the first application of
way of entering and leaving the city without having to weight – sometimes five or more stories to the streets
deal with the other denizens of Lockdown Town. below. Heavy mosses, lichen, and ivy hang from

Outer Ring
many of these, creating ornate veils of organic lace
that conceal the face of entire buildings and even
195
Once inside the dome, there are layers of buildings, whole city blocks.
ordered streets and alleys, and maintenance structures
 Subterranean Reaches (Not Shown) outsiders are still squabbling and waging war), they
As if the domed city maze of streets and buildings might unify to drive the PCs - and the other faction
weren’t enough, it too has its own underworld of groups – out and preserve the city as their own “island
sewers and maintenance tunnels. In addition to having of sanity” in a world of chaos.
the potential to be home to countless mutated critters,
the sewers might even be home to a viable community ADVENTURE HOOK #3
of troglodytes or ghouls – making any trespass The PCs enter the city only to find tens of thousands
something to think twice about. But somewhere down of skeletons crowded near the entrances. As they
here lies the city power core, a nuclear power facility explore they come to realize that something went
that once ran all of the computerized and automated terribly wrong in Lockdown Town during the Fall.
systems that kept the city running. Investigation into the last days of these long-dead
The power core could be intact, waiting to be Ancients reveals that, in their final hours, the AI
brought online by adventurers with technical skills, computer controlling the city’s day-to-day functions
or it could have melted down long ago and turned went “mad” – and attempted to exterminate every last
into a veritable corium mine (with the core’s contents living thing within the dome. Shutting down the air
flooding parts of the sewers and isolating others in a conditioning and environment systems, and flooding
deadly maze of radiation and molten metal). the city with poison gas, it effectively wiped them
out to a man. Of course as the PCs learn this, they
ADVENTURE HOOK #1 also become aware that the core AI is very much still
The adventure begins as this legendary landmark alive…and aware of their presence in its “domain”.
among the wastes, which has mystified and frightened Coming online once more to kill the intruders, this
the superstitious survivors of the wasteland with its new biological “infestation”, the computer uses robotic
ominous presence (and promise of untold artifacts minions, computerized buses, transit trains, and other
no doubt left within), suddenly opens. Whatever the means to kill the PCs off before they can escape.
cause, whatever the reason, apparently the vault’s
computer has decided now, of all times, is the right
time for its secrets to be discovered. The PCs are
sent in by their particular faction leaders (or, if they
VAULTS
are loners, they slip in by themselves) to scout out the Rumors of the ancient
interior reaches of the old city, to look for signs of life “vaults” built by pre-Fall
and anything worth salvaging. The PCs may make man still circulate through
contact with survivors of the city’s lost inhabitants, the rough-and-tumble
such as wild men, savage ghouls, troglodytes, or settlements of the wasteland,
perhaps even primitive humans who escaped the stories that often revolve
effects of mutation through living under the dome around legendary caches of lost technology, artifacts,
for generations to live like tribals in the city’s heart. and relics of that bygone era. The term “vault” is
There could be a single community underneath the one used by post-apocalyptic survivors to refer to
dome, or one that dominates the others through the shelters, refuges, and bunkers built during the
cruelty and slavery (thus leading to possible scenarios years prior to the Fall, shelters that range from small
involving freeing the others from bondage), or a holes dug by individual families to survive the first
fragmented balance of power between each of these weeks of fallout, to completely-enclosed underground
communities that is disrupted with the sudden arrival communities constructed to house hundreds (in some
of outsiders. cases even thousands) of people and protect them for
generations.
ADVENTURE HOOK #2 The smallest vaults are generally nothing more
As above, but the PCs aren’t alone – rival factions than ruins now, their occupants dead due to the
vying for control of the wasteland have also formed sheer fact that the nuclear desolation and its ensuing
expeditions and are sending them into the interior of repercussions were much further-reaching than anyone
the newly-opened dome to look for resources in their had ever anticipated. Exhausting their supply of
ongoing wars. The PCs will have to not only watch canned foods and water, they were forced to emerge
out for dangers posed by the locals, but the threat of into a world still hostile with radiation and biological
stumbling upon rival faction parties who would just mutagens running rampant. Simply put, those who
as easily like to continue the war on this new terrain. had not made it to the largest fallout shelters died

196
This could become especially interesting if their inter- within a few weeks, months, or years of the Fall,
faction warfare becomes hazardous to any occupants leaving their bunkers little more than empty holes in
of the city, something that might destroy any chance the ground for future generations to speculate at.
of making peace with the dome-dwellers. Seeing that But the largest shelters, the true “vaults” of Darwin’s
nothing has changed outside the dome (after all, the World, were constructed as totally self-sufficient
and automated facilities that could support their from the high-technology era of the Ancients – come
populace of refugees for decades, if not centuries, to pose one of the greatest threats to the stability of the
until conditions outside registered at safe levels. Deep wasteland through their unexpected appearance on the
underground water reserves, water recyclers (turning surface of the world.
urine and other wastes into drinkable water), algae and
hydroponic farms capable of generating food without
sunshine, and a nuclear-powered core with a lifespan SAMPLE VAULT: GREENBRIER
of centuries would sustain the occupants indefinitely. Though never designed as a long-term bunker like the
Automated equipment would monitor outside somewhat fantastic “vaults” suggested in most post-
radiation, biological contaminants, and chemicals apocalyptic literature (Darwin’s World included), the
for generations if need be, while inside the vault, “vault” that is Greenbrier is not an imaginary one,
computer systems and stockpiles of recreational and but rather a creation of the Cold War paranoia and
educational materials would keep the occupants sane hysteria of our own real world. Designed to house
for the duration of their encapsulation. and protect members of the U.S. Senate and House of
Many vaults, sadly, opened prematurely during Representatives in the event of nuclear war, Greenbrier
the ages of chaos before the era of the current setting is just one of many such shelters designed to preserve
(usually due to faulty automated computer systems), the American government after the “Fall”.
resulting in many cases of entire communities either Starting with the Eisenhower administration, and
dying of radiation and disease, or being slaughtered throughout the presidency of JFK, attempts were
like witless sheep by the cannibalistic mutants and made to build refuges for the upper echelons of the
savage raiders who gathered out of curiosity when the American government. Perhaps the most famous
shelters started to open in those dark years. In other is “NORAD”, or more accurately, the Cheyenne
cases the occupants fared better, but seeing the world Mountain facility of NORAD. Built into the side of
still desolate they disbanded, mutinied, or simply a remote mountain, this early-detection and defense
ceased to exist, scattering their people to the winds. coordination facility was buried under 1,700 feet of
Only a few open vaults remain as real communities, granite and sealed in behind hydraulically operated 30-
and these are usually bound by a mutual fear of the ton doors. The entire facility was built on a marvel of
world outside and a sense that theirs is a task to Cold War technology, a system of massive springs that
rebuild. More often than not, however, those few would act as shock absorbers in the event of a nearby
existing vaults have yet to open. Whoever still lives nuclear blast, preventing the facility from coming
inside (if anyone at all, for in many cases they may apart and caving in on itself from tectonic strain. The
have brought invisible diseases unwittingly with facility itself is impressive, with more than a dozen
them into the shelter, or their farms and water may steel bunkers (and a web of connecting tunnels) and
have run out through poor planning sometime in the some 1,400 workers and other personnel on-site at
centuries since they closed their doors) could be as almost any given time.
similar as the world’s original human inhabitants, or so The president of the United States, along with
different that they resemble nothing known before or the chief justices of the Supreme Court and various
since. They could be degenerate monsters, troglodytes cabinet secretaries, had their own shelter located at
kept underground too long and forced to resort to Mount Weather (a.k.a. “The Special Facility”) deep
cannibalism to survive, or they could be mutated in the Blue Ridge Mountains. Some 50 miles away
things adversely affected by faulty vault construction from Washington, the site could only be reached by
and turned into beastly animals without any semblance helicopter. Mount Weather had many of the features
of humanity left. of Greenbrier and other government facilities: a
Vaults make an excellent type of adventure location clinic, various computer and communications centers,
at all levels of play. For lower level parties, a vault dormitories for support and VIP personnel alike, a vast
might be abandoned, its halls filled with natural water supply, etc. Also like Greenbrier, a television
animals from the desert seeking shelter in its deepest studio was embedded in Mount Weather so that the
levels. Or it could be inhabited by only a dwindling president could, in the time of crisis, go on the air and
portion of its original inhabitants (who perhaps lost address whatever survivors were left.
the knowledge of how to maintain proper upkeep on The Federal Reserve facility at Culpeper, Virginia,
their advanced home and now rely on clubs and spears was built to help support any effort to rebuild the
to defend against outsiders) who pose little threat to a federal government (and restore order) after the
group of well-armed and determined looters. nuclear war. Built in the late 1960s, Culpeper
At higher levels, vaults can be homes to entire housed the Reserve’s Communications and Records
enclaves of prolific, monstrous creatures, mutated
descendants of the original vault dwellers – or worse.
Center, and covered 140,000 square feet with its own
generators, refrigerated mortuary, and long-term 197
Or perhaps the vault is just now opening, and the food and water storage. Another shelter, just a half
inhabitants – armed with ancient tools and weapons dozen miles north of Camp David (known as “Site
R”, or “Raven Rock”), was built as an underground
198
 GREENBRIER IN YOUR CAMPAIGN
The Greenbrier “vault” is excellent for those settings situated closer to the initial Fall than the traditional
“Twisted Earth” setting (which is set far in the future). Since it was designed as a short-term shelter, the
Greenbrier vault’s real appeal lies in the immediate period after the apocalypse; for example, it would serve
well as an “ultimate destination” for a group of survivors of the nuclear war, a rumored shelter where other
survivors might be found to help rebuild the world. Or, alternatively, it could at least be a place the PCs learn
about in their quest to find shelter and lasting supplies if only to survive a few months more.
In other settings, further in the future, the facilities of the Greenbrier can be modified somewhat, expanded
upon, or enhanced. Assuming technology reached the level of science fiction prior to your world’s “Fall”,
it’s not inconceivable that the shelter might have been expanded to increase its lifespan into years, decades,
or even centuries. The shelter could then become not just a ruined old structure to explore in silent awe, but
a living community dwelling in a place their people have occupied for generations. Whether or not they have
any concept of their own “founding fathers” (descended as they are from Senators and other government
officials), or of the significance of the documents they still guard (such as the Constitution), depends on your
particular vision of the future…

headquarters for the Alternate Joint Communications acreage of bike paths and trails, golf courses, skeet
Center and the Alternate Military Command Center. ranges, even an armada of trademark green limousines
Here the surviving military brass was expected to be to serve the every need of its high-paying guests.
able to continue the war effort even if the Pentagon The actual site chosen for its construction was the
was destroyed in the initial nuclear exchange. Built result of an exhaustive study to find an ideal location
beneath a mountain between 1950 and 1954, Raven not only in terms of secrecy, but also geographically;
Rock had many of the features common to government White Sulphur Springs (in which the resort has stood
bunkers: communication centers, a protected for decades) is far enough from the capital so as to
reservoir, clinic (with dental facility), dormitories avoid the effects of probable nuclear attacks on D.C.
- even a chapel and barber shop. Its nickname, the and the east coast, and the valley (according to studies)
“Second Pentagon”, gives at least some idea of how was by and large sheltered from weather currents
capable this bunker would have been in continuing that could carry fallout (or chemical/biological
America’s defense coordination even after the initial contaminants) to the shelter’s door.
nuclear strikes. With four entrances (each protected by a massive
Location Name: Greenbrier Relocation Shelter. steel and concrete doorway designed to withstand an
Estimated Population: 1,000. average nuclear detonation 15-30 miles away), the
Ruling Faction: None (local, The King’s Men). facility comprises 153 rooms on two levels, for a total
Background: Degenerate, Hedonist or Guardian. of 112,544 square feet of space. It took more than
50,000 tons of concrete – and $14 million – before
LOCAL HISTORY the bunker was complete. Yet only designed to
Begun under the codename “Project Greek Island” in accommodate approximately “1,100 people for 40
1958, construction of what would become known as days”, Greenbrier was really just a short-term bunker.
the Greenbrier Government Relocation Facility would Situated as it was in a natural mountain valley that
be an enormous project whose sole aim was to build is both lush and resistant to fallout passage, it was
a shelter and refuge for members of the Senate and believed that in the event of war the bunker would
House of Representatives during the initial stages of a only serve to protect the “essential” government
nuclear conflict. Put together under a veil of secrecy personnel during the worst of the nuclear storm, during
for more than three years - and under the nose of, (and after) which they would remain in contact with
not only the local populace, but also the thousands other government relocation shelters before emerging
of tourists to the West Virginia valley in which it was to rebuild from the ruins.
built – it became one of the largest and most complete Despite its complex of chambers and meeting
fallout shelters in the United States. halls, communications centers and power plant, the
The bunker in question sits partly beneath the Greenbrier facility’s main strength was the fact that
surface of the earth, below what was one of the most few knew it even existed, even as thousands of guests
popular tourist resorts and hotels in West Virginia – the walked through it (or part of it) almost every day.
Even its complex support machinery was designed
199
“Greenbrier”. Also one of the most elite resorts in
America (23 future or former presidents have stayed to never run hot enough to be detected by Soviet
there, as have many foreign leaders on visits to the satellites, further adding to its “invisibility”.
United States), the luxury of Greenbrier was evident With the majority of it concealed beneath the earth,
everywhere on the grounds: tennis courts, manicured and the rest of it cleverly disguised as part of the
 lavish resort into which it was integrated, it was about thick, each armored doorway into the bunker complex
as secure as a shelter could hope to be. weighs roughly 25 tons, sitting on hinges four feet
long and almost eight inches thick (the hinges alone
LOCAL LAW weigh one and a half tons). Their construction is
This really depends on how you plan on using almost invincible: a seamless shell of steel, with a
Greenbrier in your campaign; see Adventure Hooks for core of poured concrete. Incapable of being opened
more insight into how the location might be run. from the outside (there are no handles or even access
to the locking mechanism from the exterior), they are
VAULT KEY controlled by hand wheels on the opposite side. Once
Only major features of the vault map are detailed closed, they cannot be opened except from inside.
below. The walls separating the inner spaces of the bunker
with the bedrock outside are themselves two feet thick
Sensors (Not Shown) and constructed of concrete reinforced with steel.
Located on a nearby mountain ringing the valley is an Short of burrowing through solid rock and concrete,
array of wires and antennae, ostensibly a television the only means of entry to the complex below is
or cellular relay tower. This aging ruin is, in fact, a through these blast doors.
blast detector used to detect seismic activity (caused In addition to the doors themselves, outside of
by nuclear detonations) or even the flash of an airburst the entrance can be found a small array of sensors
30+ miles away. When triggered the sensor would including a camera, microphone, and motion detector
send an alarm to the bunker complex, alerting the hotel – though so far in the future there is no telling if these
security of the event so that preparations to ready the are still in operation.
bunker could be made.
Whether or not the sensors still work is open to West Tunnel
question, though certainly not long after the Fall, Once disguised as merely a short passage to the hotel’s
personnel from the bunker would come here to set electrical plant, the door here actually leads to the
up radiation-detection equipment to keep tabs on 110,000+ square foot “second capital” for the fallen
radiation levels in the atmosphere. This equipment, if United States.
stumbled upon, might lead curious wanderers (such as The long concrete-lined tunnel beyond is
the adventurers) towards the location of the complex… approximately 433 feet long, and continues to serve
as a secondary entrance/exit to the bunker complex.
Greenbrier Hotel (Not Shown) Water and air pipes and ducts connect the complex
The Greenbrier Hotel, once a fabulous forested resort proper to a cooling tower on the hilltop above, cleverly
for the wealthiest of America’s elite, is a shambles, a disguised as a barn or maintenance shed on the old
decayed ruin of mottled stone and rotted woodwork. hotel grounds, and hidden in a copse of heavy foliage.
Overgrown and crumbling, one would not expect it to These ducts carry out expended air from the facility, as
conceal beneath its grounds a top-secret government well as used water from the power plant’s generators
shelter. and chillers.
Though the surface has been largely abandoned due The vast space of the tunnel also allows for the
to the high levels of radiation still detected towards the storage and rotation of supplies and materials. Crates
east, as well as the general perception that no sentient of canned foods and reusable water canisters line the
life remains (at least within radio contacting range), walls, along with carefully packaged repair materials
the inhabitants of the bunker may emerge now and (such as lengths of wood, insulated pipe, copper wire,
again to forage for supplies and/or fresh food. Since etc).
the valley is largely protected from fallout, they may
have also begun a modest agriculture in the shadow of Decontamination Areas
the ivy-draped hotel, using the pathetic crop to bolster These areas, located at the entrances to the bunker,
their own preserved rations below. were to be used by incoming personnel (Senators
Like the sensors atop the mountain, the sight of and Representatives included) to “scrub down”
these fields (or the rare foraging party clad in radiation before entering the sterilized environment of the
suits) would be a clear indicator that something bunker. The shower facilities are enormous, capable
unusual exists in the valley. of serving from 120 to 240 people per hour; those
entering the facility during the initial crisis would
Blast Doors (Not Shown) have been expected to dispose of their civilian clothes
here, shower thoroughly and vigorously to remove
200
These portals to the underground bunker are scattered
throughout the hotel grounds, connecting various radioactive particles (as well as residual chemical
isolated spots of the old resort with the complex agents or biological contaminants, any of which could
below. pose a lethal threat to the sealed bunker environment),
Twelve feet wide, ten feet high, and eighteen inches and put on new clothes (fatigues, coveralls, footwear,
etc.) issued by the resident quartermaster. with old-style switchboard, secure telephone rooms
The decontamination showers are still used by the (soundproofed booths for contacting the remnants of
small foraging groups that are sent, now and again, to state governments to coordinate disaster relief, each
the surface to monitor radiation levels (and perhaps fitted with cryptography devices), equipment rooms
tend the crops growing on the surface). for storage, a radio room, and an administrative
control area. On the second floor are message
East Tunnel processing rooms (for the decryption of messages),
This tunnel is similar to the west entrance, but is an electronic mail area, audio recording booths,
somewhat larger, and was originally designed to supply rooms, and a vault for the storage of sensitive
accommodate vehicles. With access to the Exhibit communications equipment. There is even a complete
Hall, transport trucks and cargo vehicles could bring television studio (as well as a production area and
in additional supplies just minutes after the alert to add editing booth) dressed up with a giant depiction of the
fresher foods and other supplies to the subterranean Capitol dome amidst a blue sky and autumn leaves,
stockpiles before the passage was sealed. from which to record and broadcast messages to
The vehicles that brought in these last minute whatever public might be left to listen.
supplies are still here today, in the form of three
moving vans, five moving trucks, and three eighteen- Records Storage and Armory
wheel freight trucks. They are parked in a line down A “vault” in its own right, this safe room was set aside
both sides of the tunnel. The vehicles are in various for the storage of vital documents and other sensitive
stages of disrepair, and may or may not be salvageable. articles. Racks of rope-handled wooden boxes were
One of the moving trucks has in its cargo compartment used for the storage of paperwork and documents
a full set of repair tools (and cans of reserve fuel) that passed or generated by Congress underground, as well
could be used to get them up and running again. as items pertaining to the technical aspects of facility
maintenance, and even historical and contemporary
Power Plant government manuscripts (including original copies of
Actually composed of three separate levels, the the Declaration of Independence) for the continuation
bunker’s power plant is a basically a steam powered of American government and culture after the nuclear
generator, running off a vast stock of diesel fuel war.
(stored in three 14,000 gallon storage tanks). Chillers, Because this room is by far the most secure in the
backup generators, pumps, and air compressors are complex, a part of it was also set aside as an armory/
located on the noisy, cluttered bottom level, while weapons locker. In addition to the records kept here
above can be found a maze of air intakes, exhaust in storage, the personnel manning the facility have a
lines, filters, and pressurized housing units. collection of small arms and riot gear for dealing with
Part of the power plant consists of three 25,000 internal problems (such as the unthinkable possibility
gallon water tanks and purification equipment, used to of a coup or revolt by dissenting or disillusioned
run the power plant as well as provide for emergency government officials). These arms would probably
water supplies in the event of a shortage. include a dozen or so police batons, a few fiberglass
While most of this equipment is aging, the shields, two or three stun pistols, a similar number of
meticulous care by the bunker’s dwindling population revolvers (like the Ruger Service-Six), and perhaps
over the generations has at least kept the machinery in three or four Colt 635 carbines (not to mention a
working order. Since only a handful of the bunker’s small supply of ammunition). More than a dozen
remaining personnel are trained to operate and tactical vests and helmets might also be kept here for
maintain the power plant, only these few are even protecting the bunker security personnel in the event
allowed entrance to this part of the complex. of an “incident”.
In a more futuristic setting (such as the Twisted
Communications Area Earth), the equipment would be upgraded of course
A true “command and communications center”, this to hand stunners, stun batons, dazzle rifles, and a
compartmentalized part of the facility includes a few NLW sonic rifles. A few IR laser rifles might be
number of smaller, interconnected rooms set aside for kept on hand for defending foraging parties going
the daily operation of the bunker. In the early stages to the surface (or killing intruding creatures in the
of the war these rooms would be buzzing with all valley with invisible beams, to prevent the location
sorts of activity, with personnel monitoring outside of the party from being discovered), along with
radio and television traffic as well as organizing for the appropriate power clips, belts, etc. necessary to
broadcasts by Senators and Representatives if the operate these items. Tactical vests might be replaced
situation warranted.
Specialized rooms within this sub-complex include
by civil or special security suits, or even suits of
powered armor.
201
conference and briefing rooms (with banks of clocks
showing world times), a communications room
 NBC Equipment Locker to stave off “cabin-fever” by way of false windows
This locker was used to store the protective coveralls, along the walls, painted to resemble country scenes of
masks, and radiation monitoring equipment used by the surface world, and the use of checkered black and
the facility’s personnel during forays to the surface white linoleum made to resemble a fancy hotel lobby.
after the nuclear war.
The equipment here could also be used for short Kitchens
stints to the upper world to check conditions, monitor The kitchens of the bunker complex contain a bulk
radiation and chemical levels in the atmosphere, and pantry rivaling the most famous hotels, three walk-in
perhaps secretly forage for supplies by night in the freezers, a food preparation area on the scale of the
nearby valley communities. To this end the locker largest cafeterias, and a machine-operated dishwashing
would contain adequate supplies for numerous runs facility. Staffed by emergency personnel, the kitchens
to the surface, including Geiger counters, chemical could provide for the food needs of the entire facility
sensors, survival kits (stocked with rad purge shot and for its entire projected lifespan of 40 days (with
potassium iodide tablets), and several disposable (as rationing).
well as a few re-usable) NBC suits. The pantry areas contain a 20-day overstock of
provisions, mostly consisting of freeze dried foods
Dormitory Areas and crate upon crate of C-rations. Kept under strict
Each of these dormitory blocks can house up to 60 lock and key, these service and storage areas would be
individuals in rows of neatly ordered bunk beds; completely off limits even to the high-ranking VIPs of
private space is limited to a simple wall locker. Toilet the bunker.
facilities are provided for in a separate area, and a
lounge also adds to the living area for the bunker’s Exhibit Hall
inhabitants. Used for conventions, exhibitions, and other activities
at the Greenbrier resort during peacetime, visitors to
Clinic/Hospital Ward the hotel had no idea that while they walked through
The medical facilities of the bunker are quite this enormous room, they were actually inside one of
impressive considering the thrifty use of every inch of the world’s most secret blast shelters. The entire wing
subterranean space by its Cold War-era designers. The served both as part of the bunker and as part of the
clinic itself consists of a 12-bed medical ward with hotel; if the order came to close the bunker, the entire
two separate operating theatres (one for surgery, the hall could be sealed through two enormous portals
other for dental care), an x-ray room, intensive care (one 18-tons, the other 30) concealed as part of the
unit, compact laboratory facility, nurse call station, a chamber’s walls.
number of exam rooms, and a reception area. Once sealed and the contents of the chamber cleared
The pharmacy was kept stockpiled not only with out, this enormous facility was to house Congressional
day-to-day medicines to last the 40-day duration of support staff assumed into the bunker alongside
the bunker, but also prescription drugs used by each their leadership, and used to conduct the business
government official as well as their personal medical of government during the nuclear crisis. Banks of
histories and relevant information (kept on file and tables and chairs could be set up here, with up to 72
updated regularly), as well as drugs for the treatment separate phone lines for keeping governments’ leaders
of radiation poisoning, exposure burns, chemical connected to each other and any possible contacts still
poisoning, etc. alive in the outside world.
In a more long-term bunker (one only loosely Due to its size and relatively ornate decoration (it
based on Greenbrier), this facility would be stocked has some eighteen pillars), this chamber was deemed
with some of the most advanced medicines and appropriate to also serve as the meeting room for joint
medical equipment available to pre-Fall man; after sessions of government.
all, treatment of the injuries and sickness of the
bunker’s inhabitants would be a top priority, with no House/Senate Areas
expense spared. Diagnostic scanners, healing packs, Known as the “Governor’s Hall” and “Mountaineer
equipment to make more medicines and drugs, and Room” during peacetime, these two auditoriums
even a regen tank or two would not be out of place were to serve as the assembly rooms for the House
here in a more futuristic setting. of Representatives and Senate during the crisis. The
Governor’s Hall is larger with a 440 seat capacity
Cafeteria and some 140 phone outlets for communication in
An enormous chamber, the bunker’s cafeteria is not the bunker (and, through proper channels, the outside
202 unlike the cafeterias of major government buildings,
capable of feeding up to 400 people at a time. What is
world), while the Mountaineer Room only seats 133,
with 43 outlets.
remarkable, however, is the somewhat futile attempt Separate areas on the second level of the bunker
were designated as separate meeting areas for the but they live bored, hedonistic lives in which the
leadership of the House and Senate, for private pursuit of happiness and beauty is their only concern.
discussion or closed meetings. One day, a group of young men and women (the PCs)
decide to slip away and experience the world outside
ADVENTURE HOOK #1 for themselves (despite the warnings of their elders)
Far in the future, scholars unearth stories of a “great – a perfect introduction for a group of players that has
bunker” far to the east of the known trade lands, yet to experience the true horrors and challenges of the
wherein the ancient texts say the leaders of the Twisted Earth.
Ancients hid out during the Fall. These stories begin
a rush to find the old complex, and loot it of the
suspected treasures that were no doubt hidden there
in the last days of human civilization. The PCs are
NECROPOLI
among the bands prospecting for the old shelter, and The great cities of old, the
must journey a great distance – through lands entirely “necropoli” (“cities of
foreign to even the most widely traveled sandwalker the dead”), are sprawling
– to find it. Once they arrive they must contend with metal and stone ruins
native dangers, locate the bunker beneath the ruins of located in the blistering
the ancient resort, and crack its massive portals before deserts and thick lustrous
finally entering and discovering its long-forgotten jungles of the American continent. They get their
secrets. nickname, “cities of the dead”, after the tens upon
thousands of skeletal remains often seen cluttering
ADVENTURE HOOK #2 their streets, crushed under rubble, and strewn about
Perhaps Greenbrier isn’t just a long-forgotten the edges of their boundaries for all transient visitors
bunker for PCs to loot, it’s a living community on to see – and be horrified by. The remains of Ancients
the furthest edge of the world…with aspirations of who died during the cataclysm of the nuclear war, in
conquest. Known by the ignorant natives of the a futile attempt to flee the cities as the missile sirens
Allegheny Mountains only as The King’s Men (after blared a mere 30-minutes of warning, most (if not
the nursery rhyme, “Humpty Dumpty”, which they use all) perished in the colossal detonations of the nuclear
to symbolize the long-defunct Ancient way of life), weapons that to this day permeate the old necropoli
the residents of Greenbrier have lived far too long with radiation.
underground to bear isolation any longer. Emerging Most necropoli are usually shunned by outsiders
with the unanimous consent of their pureblood because of the “glow” surrounding their inner city
human leaders (who trace their lineage back to the reaches, as well as the legends telling of great diseases
same civilian government that existed at the time infesting them (descended from the bio-engineered
of the Fall), and equipped with some of the most plagues unleashed during the final fighting of the
advanced weapons and armor known to survivors apocalypse). Despite this, however, many so-called
of the collapse, they are intent on purging the area “necropolis” cities are, in fact, teeming with life.
surrounding their bunker and re-establishing a “New Mutated beings thrive in the tall burnt-out skyscrapers,
United States” for the dwindling remnants of humanity in the clogged and decrepit streets. Ghouls seem to
to unite under. Abhorring the mutants they have so congregate in these forgotten urban landscapes more
far come into contact with, they have plunged into a often than other beings, though colonies of “wild men”
paranoid racism (no doubt reinforced by their own (the insane descendants of mankind) are also known to
belief that they alone have the right and authority thrive in some as well.
to rebuild the nation) and will stop at nothing to The difference between “necropoli” and other
expunge the American landscape of these “grotesque urban settings (such as Cities of Survivors) is that
abominations” – one and all. in the “Necropolis” setting, there are few friendly
elements, a rarity of relief from the day to day dangers
ADVENTURE HOOK #3 of dwelling in the hollow wreckage of the city. The
Alternatively Greenbrier might be the community environment itself is a constant danger. The theme
of origin for a new group of PCs. In this scenario of the “Necropolis” is one of perpetual peril; the
Greenbrier survived the war relatively intact, but landscape, marred by craters burning with invisible
years underground have turned it into a somewhat halos of radiation, breeding grounds of the most
utopian - and naïve - society too long isolated from lethal diseases, and enclaves of the most violent and

203
the world. So naïve and utopian, in fact, that violence malevolent mutated creatures, is an unrelenting source
is startling to the people of the community, and no of challenges. Each day demands vigilance, caution,
aggression (not even foul words) is tolerated within and stealth just to survive to see tomorrow.
the bunker. All men and women live in equality and A necropolis in your game can merely be a
their children are educated in the history of the past, place of perpetual hostility (whether in the form of
 environmental dangers, or actual communities of But it is this place, the great Necropolis, that persists
cannibals, monsters, and savages that dominate the in legends and myths to this day. Stories quickly
old ruins), or it can blend elements from other setting vanishing into the haze of memory tell of a city that
ideas as well. For instance, there may be small, stretches on for days in all directions, confined only
isolated groups within the vast cityscape, living a by the great San Gabriels to the north, bleak desolate
fragile existence at the mercy of outside forces, where heights to the east, and the beginnings of the dark
PCs can go to trade and receive aid. Or there may and ugly sea to the south and west. Here, it is said,
be encroachment by major factions from outside the streets and even the buildings themselves, rising
the Necropolis, come to add the resources of the so many leagues into the sky, are coated in a layer
city to their growing efforts to push their particular of choking, powdery ash – ashes that stories say are
philosophies and way of life on the people of the the remains of those millions of Ancients who once
world. lived in the Necropolis, and were incinerated when
the bombs fell and turned the labyrinth of streets and
lighted boulevards into a chaos of fire and brimstone.
SAMPLE NECROPOLIS: LOS ANGELES Whatever the truth, the city is dark, lonely, and
It is well known that the world is a great, endless forbidding. It is seemingly limitless in size. Clusters
desert, and sand is the only thing that holds up all life of towering skyscrapers, burnt-out, blown-open, and
and all creation. A great rolling sea, the deserts of skeletal in their ruined state, stretch in enormous, awe-
the Twisted Earth stretch on forever, from the farthest inspiring rows like the dead husks of a lost civilization
north to the most distant south, from east to west. Old that sought to reach into the sky and conquer the
rivers and great highways of concrete may have once gods. Beneath them, avenues and roads, some as wide
crossed this ugly, godforsaken terrain in the time of the as major riverbeds, lie blanketed in rubble, snaking
Ancients, but now it is all but a great dust bowl. caravans of abandoned cars from before the Fall, and,
But legends sometimes contest that which is of course, all of it covered in that same, unsettling
common knowledge, and the legend of the fabled soot.
Necropolis is no exception – in fact, it is a story Location Name: Los Angeles.
known to nearly all who wander the wasteland, as far Estimated Population: Unknown.
east as the wind-swept Far Desert, and north into the Ruling Faction: None.
rugged, bleak territory of the Foundation and their Background: Various.
stark monastery-fortresses among the mountains.
Though their litany of somber chanting and pining for LOCAL HISTORY
Ancient glories drowns out the violent winds between L.A. is typical of the sprawling ruined cities called
those northern mountains, this tale is something they, “necropoli” by the denizens of the Twisted Earth; once
especially, will never forget. the site of a major concentration of human life and
Somewhere to the south, over the San Gabriel peaks industry, the city became the target of nuclear weapons
– whose own dangers of mutant life are foreboding during the Great War and was devastated accordingly
enough to make them a barrier worthy of respect and during the Fall. In the years since its destruction,
isolation - the desolate dry heights give way to a place many who survived the war returned in hopes of
only a handful have ever seen. A dreamland to some finding loved ones and valuables left behind in their
and a horrible nightmare to others, it is said that over flight, only to die from the potent levels of radiation
the mountains lies a lost city, a dead, lifeless megaplex still clinging to the city, or from diseases unleashed
stretching from horizon to horizon, its towering maze by biological weapons targeting the metropolis in
of mile-high ‘scrapers covered in a layer of grayish the final conflict. Over time the threat of death from
dust, with shadows streaking across hundreds of ventures into the ruins caused all remaining survivors
streets for as far as the eye can see. to abandon the city altogether, never to return again.
Those few who have seen it, have seen it from afar, Within the city, however, some life resisted the
on high, from the great San Gabriel mountains, often inevitable death by radiation and disease by mutating
silhouetted by the eastern sun in all its coppery glory; into wild and savage new forms. Animals abandoned
or by night, when the blue moon casts its haunting in the chaos, or small bands who were unable to
cerulean light over the miles and miles of untouchable escape and were trapped within the city in their own
landscape so far below in the Valley. Observers particular enclaves, developed over the generations
skirting the mountains say that the city is alive, that into isolated pockets of life living out miserable
noise can sometimes be heard echoing miles within its existences within the seething, ruined cityscape.
twisted, glass and concrete heart – echoing hoots, the Far in the future, the ruin dwellers of Los Angeles
204 distant clang of metal, and screams. It is no wonder
that outsiders from the wasteland have shunned this
no longer have any concept of order or civilization,
instead seeing their city as nothing more than a ancient
haunted, dead place for generations – and let the San “cage” in which they are consigned to live out the
Gabriel mountains lie as a virgin barrier to the great rest of their lives. Likening it to a “prison” is quite
ruins beyond.
accurate, especially for those forms of mutant life that CITY KEY
have never been able to leave, either due to a reliance Considering the sheer size of the Los Angeles
on the resources still left to rot in the city, or from an metropolitan area, only a few select sites in the city are
existence used to preying on the other inhabitants of mentioned here.
the Necropolis.
To outsiders, the ruins of Los Angeles are known Domain of The Broken Ones
simply as “The Necropolis”. In the Twisted Earth One of the most entrenched groups still clinging to
setting (centered on the deserts of the American life in the old Necropolis are the so-called “Broken
Southwest), the wreckage of L.A. comprises probably Ones”, a race of horribly mutated creatures whose
the largest ruined metropolis known to the inhabitants ancestry can be traced back to the animals that served
of the wasteland, and as such it needs no other name. as test subjects for the experimentation of L.A.-based
pharmaceutical companies before the Fall. When
LOCAL LAW the war came, many of these animals escaped only to
Unlike other types of adventure locales, the whole die in the fires and anarchy, but over the generations
idea behind the necropolis-style setting is that there some mutated into semi-sentient “things” that bred
is no local law or sense of security. The cityscape, and re-populated this part of the old ruins. Known
abandoned in some places and yet teeming with as “Broken Ones” for their patchwork animal/human
hostile life in others, is a constant source of danger appearance (including half-formed hands, feet, and
and trepidation for those that dare live within its voice boxes capable of simple speech), as well as the
boundaries. Characters might spend their entire frequency of psychotic insanity that crops up every
campaign in the “dead” regions of the city, only generation or so in their kind, these beings lived in
vaguely aware of the boundaries of the hostile total chaos, feeding off one another and warring in
enclaves of monsters a few blocks over, or they might fragmented “clans”, until only a few years ago. Under
stumble foolishly into such places and be pursued the leadership of a particularly charismatic Broken
doggedly for the rest of their days for their intrusion. One from one of the strongest tribes, these creatures
Similarly, while in other communities they might have have since united, and now believe it is their racial
found themselves accepted, in the toxic setting of the destiny to conquer the Necropolis and rule it following
Necropolis they will find no friends or allies among the Law of Nature: survival of the fittest.
the other denizens and ruin dwellers. The domain of the Broken Ones is centered firmly
in what was once the city of Hollywood, stretching
205
from its ancient boulevards and decayed shopping
centers up into the Hollywood Hills. To the south it
 LOS ANGELES IN YOUR CAMPAIGN
The ruins of Los Angeles serve as an excellent campaign setting, filled as it is with various pseudo-factions,
savage communities, and myriad dangers. With perilous encounters around virtually every corner, and no
safe place for characters to run to when in trouble, the morbid city ruins make a marvelous backdrop of gritty
decay, constant fear, unrelenting trepidation, and countless opportunities for adventure.
Most of the life in the “Necropolis” is of a savage, animal (or mutated animal) nature, not given to
concepts of inter-community cooperation or peace. This is consistent with the general idea that the ruins are
mostly hostile to human (or mutant) intrusion; the factions that do exist here are brutal, ruthless regimes, each
bent on total domination of the ruins with no thought given to co-existence with other species dwelling in the
Necropolis. It is thus important to consider that characters, even when organized into the smallest parties,
will be considered outsiders, their presence perceived as invasion, and will receive no better treatment as they
pass through the territories of these violent groups.
You can, of course, alter this basic premise of “universal hostility”, but remember that it is at the core
of this kind of setting’s atmosphere and ambience. If you do choose to place a friendly community or two
within the boundaries of the Necropolis for PCs to return to for shelter and safety, remember to scale the
dangers outside their borders to continually reinforce the treacherous atmosphere of the city beyond their
walls, and to serve as a contrast to the fragile enclaves of security the PCs call home.

also reaches quite far, and to the east it extends to the - a people born from an era of madness, and grown to
border with the mysterious and malevolent “Serpent strength on hatred and a lust for bitter revenge against
Gods” (whom the Broken Ones hold in high regard). the humans who created them. Tall parapets ring parts
Outside of the old limits of the city of Hollywood, the of the new township as defensive walls, while between
domain of these degenerate mutant creatures consists them the ancient structures have been reborn as new
mainly of large areas of ruined or abandoned city domiciles for the mutants who live there. Modeling
yet to be fully exploited, controlled only by a few their new city after those seen in fragmented books or
powerful outposts situated here and there to oversee revived data disks in their archives, the Broken Ones
the streets. The Broken Ones use these cleared have created a nightmarish mockery of what might
avenues to march their armies quickly from one end have been a map of ancient Rome.
of their territory to the other, reinforcing their strength The “city” of the bestial Broken Ones comprises a
and reacting to enemy activity along their “borders” large area of land; formerly it was merely the scattered
(in specific, the Hive, which persistently gathers large camps of various savage beast-tribes dwelling in the
numbers to push on the Broken Ones’ fringes). Every Hollywood Hills, but since their unsurpassed growth
few miles or so a small walled village, more like a and expansion it has become something more of a
military camp, sits along these old streets – these true “city”. The Broken Ones have used armies of
are the secondary centers of Broken One population. slaves to reclaim much of the ruins in this part of the
These villages usually number 20-30 Broken Ones, Necropolis, renovating neighborhood playing fields
with agriculture and livestock supporting their far- to serve as “coliseums” for their cruel blood sports,
flung existence. or gather the rubble stone and build new palaces and
The borders of the domain of the Broken Ones are strongholds for their people, in the image of fantastic
largely quiet, despite the violent, animalistic nature of palaces seen in old salvaged film reels like “Cleopatra”
their kind. Enemies of these people have long learned or “Ben Hur”.
to keep their distance from the Broken Ones for fear This is a barbarous city, one ruled with the semi-
of stirring up their wrath. Patrols by powerful bands cultured tyranny of its self-styled “emperor”, Klaww
of Broken Ones are still common on the edges of The Beastmaster. This particular Broken One, who
their lands, and the bodies of transgressors are often personally brought the animal clans together and
impaled and left to die horribly to serve as warnings united the Broken Ones, has styled his new empire
to others. Still, wild men (and perhaps a few lingering after the greatest (and most violent) in human history:
scav types) sometimes lurk on the edge of Broken One the Roman Empire. This city, the jewel of his people,
lands hoping to scavenge from their large quarter of stands as a glorious testament to what they can
the Necropolis, but never in large numbers. achieve.

206
City of The Beastmen Enclave of The Lost Children of Man
It is immediately obvious to the rare outsider that this The largest community of human survivors in the
enclave, the “capital” of the Broken Ones’ fledgling Necropolis, this area marks the rough borders of an
domain among the scarred ruins of the Necropolis, enclave of “purebloods” descended from what can
was built to match the vision of a very twisted people only be called a “crackpot cult” from before the Fall.
At the direction of their own self-styled doomsday of their conquests, and as their numbers escalate
prophet, a small group of ex-military men prepared so does the overall intelligence of their race. For
for the Fall by constructing a bunker deep beneath the every fifty mundane insect births a “brain bug” is
earth. This bunker would eventually become the heart born, which acts as a telepathic “switchboard” and
of the enclave here in the city. intellectual “catalyst”. These “brain bugs”, often
Long after the Fall, the enclave, bordering secured at the heart of Hive living complexes where
on starvation due to failing hydroponic farms they can be safe, serve to raise the sentience and
underground, was forced to the surface to survive. consciousness of the entire community. Whereas
Hoping to find a world with other survivors in before the Hive was merely a community of gigantic
the ruins, they found only rubble, small groups of insects, they soon learned to use tools and, with the
monstrous wild men, and packs of ravenous ghouls help of their “brain bugs”, have even progressed to a
from the east that terrorized them night and day. level of intelligence rivaling the cleverest of humans.
Through concerted efforts, however, the dwindling In addition to breeding and spreading over more and
stock of humans were able to isolate their bunker from more of the city, the Hive has also developed in other
predators, enlarge their perimeter to include a much ways. Delving into breeding (taking after the Serpent
broader area, and effectively cordon off their entire Gods), the Hive has created various “servitor species”
corner of the city through fences, minefields, and that are specialized forms of insect; for example,
automated machinegun emplacements. monstrous beetles that generate gaseous acids or
The enclave of humans is one that bitterly clings to even plasma to hurl at enemy armies, or locust-like
survival. Edged off from the rest of the city by bestial creatures that can create a sonic boom by rubbing their
Broken Ones, unintelligent wild men, and carnivorous legs together. More importantly, they have managed
ghouls, they have grown paranoid of all outsiders. to create an entirely new breed of giant grub whose
Though they have moved much of their community sole purpose in life is to vomit a taffy-like paste, from
to the surface, developed a working potato agriculture sunup to sundown, that the Hive harvests and uses to
(just barely able to sustain their population), and built feed its mighty armies.
a number of buildings within their above ground base Certainly the most formidable community in the
of operations, they are still structured as a military Necropolis, the Hive is also the most dangerous, and
force and will likely shoot first and ask questions later the least “human”. Without any concepts of mercy or
– especially if those who approach their boundaries are concern, they are unaffected by losses in manpower, or
mutants, instead of fellow humans. by the thought of what their expansion means to other
factions in the city.
The Hive
Once little more than the minute pests of the Ancient Dead City
world, the insectoid creatures that mutated into Formerly known as “Anaheim”, the region now called
the man-sized bugs of the Necropolis are a much “Dead City” is a wide urban area of chilling quiet and
greater threat than ever before. In the Necropolis a almost total abandonment. Once a somewhat upscale
particularly bizarre phenomenon occurred: mutated city with many attractions, lighting up the sky with its
insects of all kinds multiplied and prospered neon signs and brilliant streetlights, Anaheim is now a
almost without check in the ruins, and developed dark and foreboding ruin. While the exact history of
an extraordinary coordination, organization, and the city since the Fall is not recorded, in more recent
intelligence without predators (such as man) to times this built-up area became the home to a vicious
challenge them. band of raiders driven from the deserts to the east
“The Hive”, as it is known, is a truly massive into taking refuge in the city. Since those who drove
community of more than ten thousand giant insects them here were unwilling to pursue the raiders into
that inhabits most of the Necropolis’ eastern reaches. the city, the raiders survived and built a settlement
In past years they emerged from their subterranean (see Abandoned Village). Though they planned on
lairs to dominate much of the surface; like locusts they rebuilding and eventually returning to the desert, the
scoured the streets searching for food to support their raiders were eventually wiped out by the Hive when
exploding numbers, as well as “hosts” for their young their proximity and activity became too noisy to
(requiring living, warm-blooded creatures in which to tolerate.
incubate their larvae, those captured by Hive raiding Dead City is now just that – dead. The raiders who
parties are dragged back to their lairs, injected with once ruled these streets and ravaged the old storefronts
eggs, and left to slowly be consumed from within as for every last bit of supplies, are long gone. In their
the young hatches). They laid waste to communities absence small gangs of ghouls have moved into the
that resisted them, and tore apart entire districts for
raw materials to build even larger hives and communal
area under the cover of darkness (or through the
sewers that crisscross L.A.), though none of these
207
dwellings. is very large, organized, or unified. The city, while
The Hive has grown immensely powerful as a result unnerving in its silence and lifelessness, is only really
 dangerous at night, when these small but desperate horrific graffiti of blood stains and gore, and human
bands of man-eaters emerge to find food… viscera strewn from light pole to sign post like so
much tinsel. Human skulls stuck on poles, or entire
Acropolis of The Serpent Gods cairns made from the deformed skeletons of mutants,
Little is known of the blasted interior of the mark the border of ghoul territory from the north, east,
Necropolis, for it has long been the domain of a and west.
malevolent and sickly breed of mutants known as It is not known how many ghouls live in this part of
the “Serpent Gods”. Contact with the other denizens the Necropolis. While the insects of the ever-growing
of the city has only been periodic, and in the last Hive once came here in numbers to forage for hosts
generation or so only one or two sightings have ever for their young (as with all other “communities” in
been reported. According to city legends, the Serpent the ruins of L.A.), their dwindling presence here
Gods are a deformed race of men, the descendants has meant that the dozens of ghouls that survived
of sewer-dwelling homeless and other cast-outs of their raids have been allowed to multiply unchecked
Ancient society who were buried alive when much of underground. Now they could very well number in the
their subterranean community was destroyed in the hundreds, even thousands, polluting the entire quarter
Fall. Over generations they mutated into monstrous, with their awful stench and mindless thirst for blood.
scaly things, creatures that feed on human and mutant
flesh without distinction. Coliseum of The Wild Men
Emerging into the light almost two decades past, the Driven out of most areas of the old city, the
Serpent Gods drove out all other dwellers at the city’s Necropolis’ native population of “wild men”
heart to make a domain of their own. Many were – degenerate, unintelligent, descendants of humans
convinced that they were truly gods (hence the name), – have secretly come to congregate most numerously
and came to worship them and pay them tribute. in the ruins of a great stone coliseum (what used to be
While at the time, no Necropolis communities were the city’s famous “Great Western Forum”). Though
able to stand up to their organization and violence, lacking any plans for the defense of their new home
reports on their nature have provided valuable (or any cohesive strategy to rally their numbers into an
intelligence to others in the ruins. It is said that effective fighting force), the sheer number of wild men
various “breeds” and “subspecies” were reported to here makes any attack by outsiders unlikely to end in
make up their ranks, suggesting that the Serpent gods victory.
deliberately bred into specialized “castes” over the The coliseum is a total wreck, both from the anarchy
centuries. In their possession have been seen various of the Fall as well as careless treatment by its new
articles of great power (Ancient-era weapons), and inhabitants. Wild man spoor litters the grounds, as
it is believed by some that they may have developed does a motley “ocean” of animal bones accumulated
scientific skills related to breeding and genetics - in from their irregular meals and gatherings. The
some twisted pursuit to create a “master race” of population of wild men living in the coliseum varies;
serpentine mutants to conquer the whole city (See Pit though the total could well be up to 500, a majority of
of Horrors). these are usually dispersed throughout the area since
The Serpent Gods remain largely out of sight among the creatures forage far and wide for food. Mostly
the soot-covered skyscrapers of the downtown area, the women and children of their species dwell in the
their vile and mysterious reputation being enough shadow of the old forum at any given time, along with
to ward off most outsiders. The Broken Ones, who any elderly or badly crippled members of their savage
also share animalistic traits, view the Serpent Gods as race.
“brothers”, though it cannot be said the Serpent Gods
view them in the same manner. Currently, the Broken Amazon Fortress
Ones pay tribute to the Serpent Gods in exchange for a Formerly the grounds of Loyola Marymount
stable border, though beyond this not even the Broken University, this campus was built into a stockade in
Ones know much more about the enigmatic inner city recent years by a small army of escaped slaves from
mutants. the Domain of the Broken Ones to the north. Almost
exclusively women, these survivors came to make a
Domain of The Flesh Eaters home and refuge for themselves among the network of
There are ghouls throughout the aging ruins of the buildings here, fighting savagely against the Broken
Necropolis, but nowhere more abundant than in the One bands sent after them to “reclaim” them.
quarter of the city known as the “domain of the flesh A few of the amazons living here are, in fact, former
eaters”. No current denizen of the Necropolis is members of the Purist community to the south, who
208 quite sure why the ghouls have congregated here in
such numbers over the years, but their presence is
were turned back when they attempted to make it
home through the ruins. Refused admittance to the
undeniable. The old streets and congested city blocks community for fear of the diseases they might bring
of this area are decorated with signs of their habitation: with them, they were literally abandoned to their
fates. With no other choice they returned to the former more than a match for their enemies, giving them
campus to join the other slaves living there; as former an almost Viking-like air to those who have had the
Purists they have used all their technical knowledge unfortunate experience of encountering them.
trying to better the defenses of the university, as
well as plumb its old buildings looking for scientific Place of the Sky Watchers
equipment that might give them an edge in their fight Located high in the hills overlooking the Necropolis,
for survival in the Necropolis. What they have found, Griffith Park Observatory and Planetarium has
however, could easily make these former slaves a stood almost completely unnoticed for generations.
force to be reckoned with: numerous text books, Centuries after the Fall of mankind, its scientific
detailing Ancient science, and engineering. purpose has been all but lost, instead becoming a holy
site for a small cult of quasi-religious survivors.
The Old University Dwelling here is a small population of men and
The former ruins of the University of Southern women who call themselves the “Sky Watchers”,
California, this sprawling campus was ransacked when all of whom are directly descended from a group of
the Broken Ones rose to power, its many buildings children orphaned by the cataclysmic Fall. Taken in
and technological laboratories burned to the ground. and raised by a sickly old man, the last caretaker of
Though many Broken Ones were killed as punishment the Observatory, he tried to teach them everything he
for their recklessness, the damage done to the old knew about the ways of the Ancients and, in specific,
university was extensive. the nature of the universe he had once dedicated his
The old grounds are now abandoned, skirting the life to studying.
dangerous frontier of the Broken Ones domain and the Over the generations this knowledge has almost
Hive. completely corrupted into a bizarre religion. Believing
themselves to be “chosen”, at the core of the Sky
The Great Library Watchers’ belief system is the conviction that beings
Though none have ever found it, legends persist from another planet will someday come to Earth to
among the elders of the various Necropolis whisk them off to a wonderful world somewhere “out
communities, that located somewhere near the heart of there” among the heavens. The Sky Watchers believe
the city is a great library of the past. Years ago, scavs they alone will be taken onto the mothership of these
reported sightings of this lost structure, but none were beings for their exodus to the sky – all others who
able to confirm its presence through any evidence. To dwell outside their community are seen as “wicked”,
this day, the various factions of the city seek to find the and deserve the cruel fate that has been placed upon
library and loot it of its supposedly infinite archives on all the Twisted Earth. As such, they defend their “holy
Ancient-era science, technology, and literature. mountain” from all who threaten to intrude upon their
commune, though with only 50 or fewer surviving
The Church of The Queen of Angels members, they could not likely put up much of a fight
Even from afar this intact structure can be seen against a determined enemy.
through the ruins: a great temple from past times, only
slightly damaged by war and the fires that once swept The Great Crater
this part of the Necropolis with impunity. Observed Here, in this part of the Necropolis, all life seems to
from far away, the sounds of shouts, yells, and roaring have vanished completely, leaving only the bare naked
engines echo from the bowels of this mighty vaulted frames of old skyscrapers, and broad empty avenues
monument; as night falls, candle light and bonfires can for the wind to howl through without impediment.
be seen through the shattered windows of the giant At the center of this “dead zone” stands a gargantuan
cathedral. crater, obviously the product of a ground-burst
The Church of The Queen of Angels is the strategic nuclear weapon dropped on the city during
gathering place of a large gang of hermavs, numbering the nuclear apocalypse. This nuclear blast, second
almost two hundred (or more), who have defied the in magnitude only to the airbursts used on the port
encroachment of the Broken Ones (to the west) and facility, provided much of the heat, radiation, and
the so-called “Serpent Gods” in the eastern part of physical damage that killed the millions of inhabitants
the downtown area. These grotesque mutants have of the city during the Fall.
lived at the heart of the city for nearly a generation, Due to the lingering threat of radiation, as well
and continue to use the Church as a base of operations as the haunting tunes made by the wind as it passes
from which to head out into the city and raid. Though through these old structures, even the major factions
in times past they primarily hunted the savage wild of the Necropolis give the Great Crater a wide berth.
men that were abundant everywhere in the ruins,
recently they have been forced to turn to larger and
Groups moving through this area will be exposed
to some of the highest levels of radiation (High to
209
more powerful attacks on the Broken Ones’ frontier. Severe) in the entire Necropolis basin.
Well-armed and utterly inhuman, the hermavs are
 Palace of Ancient Kings all but abandoned now. The ghouls no longer wander
This strange ruined monument (formerly City Hall) this far west, as the Purists have effectively turned the
rises from the crowded ruins of the downtown area, region into a death trap for transgressors. Setting up
crowned by a pyramid-shaped top that can be seen walls of razor wire to mark an imaginary boundary,
for almost a mile in all directions. Ringed with old beyond this the Purists have trapped the buildings,
police barricades, burned out cars, and the skeletons manholes, and sewers with hidden “surprises”: punji
of thousands of people (who fled here hoping for traps, pits, and booby traps of all kinds. Some of the
some kind of salvation after the Fall), it is now almost latter are merely designed to explode and kill whoever
completely abandoned. walks over them, while others will destroy anywhere
The interior of this great building is marked by from an entire building to a whole city block if
obscene post-Fall graffiti (bearing the slogans of triggered.
various current and past gangs and factions), fallen Needless to say, this area remains quite empty,
rubble, collapsed chambers, and marble floors covered though the ghouls of the central city have become
in the detritus of the ages. Though massive and quite clever in the years since its creation; should
labyrinthine, the so-called “palace” is all but empty. a more powerful group of outsiders violate ghoul
The hermav raiders from the Church of the Queen of territory, for example, they will always attempt to
Angels sometimes come here to revel, and as such, drive them out here and into the trapped district, where
trespassers within the old building may unwittingly explosives and traps are likely to kill them off.
stumble upon a small band of their kind while
exploring the ruins. Underworld of the Sightless Stalkers
One of only a few subterranean communities dotting
Pit of Horrors the ruins of the Necropolis, the “Sightless Stalkers”
Located in this part of the ruins, where the are an almost legendary group of xenophobic mutants
neighborhoods were long ago pounded flat by the war, known to the Purists, ghouls, and even the city’s
stands a colossal pit dug straight into the rubble and resident hermit (see the Hermit’s Tower). Believed to
earth sinking some thirty feet into the ground. One live in underground burrows beneath the old city ruins,
of several huge pits ringing the so-called “Acropolis only emerging at night to hunt and check their traps,
of The Serpent Gods”, the stench of decay is so theories among these communities about who they are
overpowering here that the slightest hint can be include the possibility of a rival band of ghouls, an
detected up to a half mile away. Nearer the pits, huge unusually-large den of sandmen, or even an entirely
clouds of flies swarm and buzz day and night, feeding new species of mutant humanoids.
off the organic refuse consigned to the depths of each No one knows the size and extent to which the
pit. so-called “Stalkers” inhabit their part of the city,
These pits were dug by the enigmatic “Serpent other than that they have lived among the deserted
Gods” to throw away the victims of their mad neighborhoods of Torrence and south Compton for
experiments in genetic crossbreeding. In each pit generations. Savages by all accounts, they wear skins
there will be anywhere from 100 to 300 carcasses of made from unidentifiable flesh, and all-concealing
humanoids, mutated animals, and horrifying genetic helmets made from the faces of human skulls and
(as well as surgically-created) hybrids – all of which decorated with plumes of hair taken from ghouls they
were terminated by their callous masters before being have slain in battle. They are said to be utterly blind,
dumped here. but their other senses are so finely tuned that they are
Though the sights in these pits are enough to keep actually better off relying on sounds and smells to
most city dwellers away (and instill them with a guide them. Though they only use axes, the stalkers
dreaded fear of the Serpent Gods and their “magic”) are known to employ the most devious traps (rivaling
every now and again a small group of insectoids from even those constructed by the ghouls) to protect their
the Hive can be found here scavenging for food. domain from outsiders, and will doggedly pursue any
prey, day and night, remaining unseen like “shadows”
No Man’s Land as they give chase through their domain.
When the Purists emerged from their deep
underground shelter years ago, their first encounter Hermit’s Tower
with life on the surface was with the ghouls living in A dilapidated compound of inter-connecting shacks
the so-called Domain of the Flesh Eaters. Aware of built on the wind-swept grassy peninsula south of the
their own fragility and vulnerability to the potential city (near the Palos Verdes coves), this old site was
threat of the ghoul hordes just living a few miles east apparently once some kind of communications station
210 of them, the Purists set about creating a “dead zone” or
“no man’s land” as a buffer region between them and
during the time of the Ancients. A spindly radio tower
rises high over the compound, from which strips of
the nightmare predators of the central city. faded cloth (an old American flag) still billow and flap
This region of streets and crumbling city blocks is in the powerful ocean wind.
 A local “hermit” has inhabited this compound Radiated Area
for almost 50 years. Having come here long ago, An area once comprising the vast dock facilities
when most of the ruins were still abandoned, the of Los Angeles, this entire region was leveled by
hermit (actually a scav) built up the wall around the strategic-scale nuclear weapons aimed directly at the
compound and fortified the place using every scrap port. Here and there, the skeletal remains of old cargo
of knowledge in his head. He set up landmines in and construction cranes still stand (locked in place by
the open fields surrounding the compound, blocked layers of oxidized burns and years of rust) amidst the
the road with rubble to prevent a vehicular breach of otherwise flattened rubble, looking like the bones of
the compound gate, and even went so far as to set up magnificent structures from a bygone era. The hulls
a network of cameras and motion-sensors along the of old ships, also covered with the red color of rust,
walls and among the buildings. Paranoid of ghouls jut from the still black waters of the bay close to the
(and others) discovering his hideout, he also stockpiled port, and congest the waterways leading to the old port
a vast collection of weapons and ammunition within facilities.
the buildings, along with a year or more in scavenged Though some groups in the past attempted to find
food and water from the city. working boats or usable supplies among the holds of
The compound is now a veritable one-man fortress. many of these boats, the radiation that still lingers in
Over the years, the hermit has used barbed wire to this area is too lethal for almost all forms of life. Even
set up complex layers of barriers on both sides of the heavily protected visitors will accumulate deadly
wall, and has closed off all windows and doorways levels of radiation after only a few hours, making
to the surface buildings of the compound with bricks long-term searches of the old dock quarter impossible.
and mortar. The buildings are now inter-connected As if this weren’t enough, many of the ships still
through tunnels he himself dug underground, with visible above the surface of the water are partly
only two or three hidden entrances concealed within flooded, meaning that any exploration for supplies in
the compound itself – all of which can be locked down their hulls would require underwater navigation as
through steel hatches he has installed (and further well.
defended with the simple placement of a claymore
mine or two). Most of these buildings are now just Blasted Ruins
used to store food and water, though in the main Further inland from the port of Los Angeles, the Long
building he has managed to set up a workshop (where Beach area was extensively destroyed from the nuclear
he tinkers with all sorts of gizmos scavenged from the airbursts over San Pedro Bay – airbursts designed not
nearby city during his monthly night forays), sleeping only to sink the warships being repaired there, but
quarters and surveillance room (with monitors also any future possibility of the port being used as a
connected to the cameras and motion sensors set up supply center.
around the compound), and an armory filled with Though the levels of radiation here are much
rifles, pistols, and submachine guns. lower than those near the port, they are still high
Most noteworthy, however, is the hermit’s greatest enough to deter most forms of life from staying
accomplishment: several years ago he figured out how long. In addition, the widespread extent of ruin here
to get the radio transmitter back up and running again, is significant, and anything that may have been of
and since then makes yearly broadcasts that can be use in this area was probably burned up in the raging
heard on radios throughout the city, as well as up and firestorm that resulted from the nuclear detonations
down the coast. He uses these broadcasts in the hope anyway. As such, these blasted ruins are almost
of contacting friendly life in the city; while not foolish completely lifeless.
enough to broadcast his location, he will usually ask
listeners to meet at a certain place at a certain date, Palos Verdes Coves
and will go there in hiding to observe who came to The seaward part of this peninsula, bordering on the
answer his call. So far he has only observed packs of ocean, is home to a variety of hidden coves set all
clever ghouls (some of whom actually possess radios) along the sides of the sea wall. Some of these coves,
gathered to ambush him, and yet despite the futility of especially difficult to reach due to the sheer nature of
it he continues to broadcast with the hope of some day the cliffs, were used by a community of Ancients to
finding others like himself in the Necropolis. stockpile supplies in some vain hope of waiting out the
The hermit, while nearing 70 years of age, is a war underground. The fate of the original planners of
lonely man. Though paranoid of outsiders, if he this refuge is not known, for there are no signs of them
should see a group of PCs under attack by ghouls or here, not even skeletons or evidence of past use. The
other monsters he may assist them, even invite them supplies, neatly arranged and stored in the caves to
to stay with him for as long as they like. Starved
for company, he is quite an affable man – though
protect them from the harsh seaside elements, are still
in excellent condition and usable even after so many
211
somewhat insane from decades of solitude in this years.
barren, nightmare city. Parties exploring the caves must actually scale down
 the sheer face of the Palos Verdes cliffs to reach their nearly 50% of their people died in the exodus. But,
openings. Inside, perhaps some twenty meters within once they made it through ghoul- and raider-infested
the sheltered interior, are to be found huge stacks of lands they finally arrived at this most holy of ruined
crates and drums covered in olive drab tarpaulin and sites, erected a village, and in time began to live a
plastic sheets secured with heavy-duty twine. The solitary and guarded existence on the furthest edge of
contents of the supply cache consist of nearly ten the city.
years of canned food (for approximately fifty people), The village is now a roughly defined compound of
a quarter of that in fresh water, several medical and layered wooden walls and palisades, which contains
survival kits, a large supply of water purification within it the entire grounds of what used to be the
tablets, a portable petrol power generator, a supply of Disneyland amusement park. The Rat People, who are
camouflaged clothing and protective gear, and a small a monstrous hybrid of human and animal, have closed
crate filled with weapons. the gates to this place, and remain almost forgotten
to the rest of the city. It is not known how far these
Abandoned Village creatures have degenerated in their isolation, or if, by
A stockade built by a savage group of raider outcasts some miracle, they have found the utopian existence
(see Dead City) from outside the Necropolis, this they first sought when they escaped the domain of
fortified village is now merely another of the city’s their masters, the Broken Ones.
many ruins. Burned almost completely to the ground,
characters who come here may wonder who it was CalTech
who built this place, and what catastrophe befell The ruins of this sprawling university campus seem
them. No bodies are to be found among the crumbled utterly lifeless, even when viewed up close. Old
buildings (they were all rounded up and taken away stone buildings, their painted surfaces scoured to the
to serve as incubators for the larval young of insectoid concrete by decades of sandstorms in the city, stand
queens), and any equipment or valuables were also mutely by as wanderers pass beneath their shadow.
scavenged by those tech-curious insects for their own Although the surface complex of the campus
intellectual betterment. The walls, apparently built to is all but abandoned, the university is not totally
keep out ghouls and other dangers of the forbidding empty. Unbeknownst to anyone still living in the
city, were ultimately not enough to save the occupants Necropolis, their exists beneath the ruins of CalTech
from a more terrible fate at the hands of the Hive. an underground community that has dwelled in total
Every now and again a small group of wild men (or isolation since the time of the Fall. One of only a few
even ghouls wandering out from the Domain of Flesh untainted human communities to survive the Fall, the
Eaters) will take up residence in the old ruins of this survivors of CalTech are all descended from faculty
fortified village, but they never stay long for fear of and students who survived the war, only to hole up
attracting the attention of the Hive. in the maintenance tunnels beneath the campus to
wait out the radiated climate changes of the nuclear
Village of The Rat People aftermath.
With its monumental statues of twisted half-man, Though they have emerged on occasion over the
half-animal “characters” from the Ancient age, the past few generations to explore, a handful of humans
grounds of the present-day village of The Rat People have remained here; most of these comprise men and
was a natural draw for the bestial mutants of the women who were afraid to leave the campus after
Broken One “empire” (occupying the western reaches living here so long, or were (for one reason or another)
of the Necropolis). Though the images present unable to join the three or four expeditions that set
throughout the village and ancient grounds appear out to try and make contact with others. Since none
comical and cartoonish to most eyes, to the shattered of these expeditions ever returned, the survivors have
mutant Broken Ones these were proof of the Broken come to believe that the city is teeming with hostile
Ones’ origins as creations of the Ancients. As such, life, and that their only chance at living is to remain
the distant village was long the object of perilous where they are.
pilgrimages, a place of legend for the mutated beasts Visitors to the old campus will secretly be watched
of the Broken One faction. by the human hideouts (from a number of clever
A splinter group of the Broken Ones, known hiding places) for as long as they intrude upon the
only as the “Rat People”, fled the rule of their more grounds. Nothing of use is to be found on the surface
powerful cousins nearly a decade ago, making the (all items of a valuable nature were scavenged long
journey through the ruins of the Necropolis to find this ago and relocated to the tunnels underground), but if
legendary site. Spurred on by a religious quest to find their tunnel complex is uncovered, the purebloods will
212 the so-called “place of the Rat God” (Disneyland),
and fleeing the oppressive and cruel rule of the more
rally together and attack intruders, utilizing an aging
collection of small arms and makeshift weapons to
powerful beastmen who had relegated their species to keep the secret of their enclave hidden.
the role of slaves, they eventually made it here after
Ghoul Town world before the Fall, and during the war was, of
This ghostly area, often carpeted in a thin mist over course, abandoned. In the absence of human care the
its pale green and gray grass slopes, appears to have Arboretum overgrew its original confines, spilling out
once been some kind of sprawling “park” built during into the streets and claiming several full-sized city
the reign of the Ancients. From outside the black blocks. More surprising, however, is that many of
iron gates and tall walls that surround the place, odd the plants – affected by radiation in the atmosphere
ruined structures can be seen beyond, poking up from – mutated into forms previously unheard of in plant
the layer of fog: bleached white stones of all sizes life. Some developed the ability to move in a creeping
set into the ground, drooping dead trees from decades manner, or grew tentacle-like extensions to grasp prey
past, and small stone buildings and pillars worked with for consumption. Others grew to tremendous size, or
fantastic masonry. spawned other bizarre properties yet to be catalogued.
Anyone camping in or near this forbidden enclave When the Foundationists came to the Necropolis
within Hive lands will inevitably be awakened by they visited the Arboretum regularly. Though they
distant moans (and howls) emanating from the were able to “tame” a small part of the outlying
impenetrable mist beyond. The noise comes from the portion of the Arboretum to grow humongous fruits
several dozen ghouls that still infest this centuries-old for the sustenance of their “colony”, they were never
graveyard (formerly Rose Hills Memorial Park), living able to fully explore the conservatory due to a shortage
in ancient tombs, above ground mausoleums, and of manpower – and the fact that their leadership was
among the many thousands of headstones. more concerned about the threat of the Hive to the
The ghouls that dwell in “Ghoul Town” have south. In addition, several strains of plants had shown
long had a presence here, ever since theirs ancestors a carnivorous, predatory nature, and posed too great a
discovered the wealth of potential “food” interred threat for hapless exploration. While the Foundation
underground. Though the bodies of the Ancients they was forced to leave the Necropolis when their colony
once fed off of here have all been eaten up by now, failed, many of their scientists still maintain that the
the ghouls still manage to survive by feeding off of mutated plant life of the Arboretum could well hold
unwitting parties that camp in or near the graveyard the secrets to rebuilding large-agriculture in the future.
hoping to escape detection by the Hive. They have
also burrowed an impressive complex of tunnels Lost Foundation Fortress
beneath the cemetery that reaches the old sewer At the center of an area meticulously cleared to
system beneath the Necropolis, allowing them to travel create workable farmland, stands a lost community
for miles on foraging runs, and drag their prey back compound of somewhat advanced (by post-apocalypse
here unseen for consumption by the whole tribe. standards) construction. The winds coming down
In addition to using rocks and sticks as weapons, from the mountains to the north rage without contest
the ghouls here have such an abundance of human here - as they have for decades – each day chipping
skeletons at their disposal that they also frequently use more and more away from the crumbling, abandoned
bones as weapons. Some of these are merely used as walls and buildings.
clubs, though they have been known to sharpen femurs Built in the ruins of Pasadena as a sort of base from
into “axes”, or even to treat spinal columns with a which to explore the ruins of the Necropolis, this
calcifying agent to act as spiny, grotesque maces. outpost became home to a “colony” of Foundationists
As with other ghoul infestations in Dead City and before they were eventually driven out by the alien
the Domain of the Flesh Eaters, the Hive attempted to intelligence known as “The Hive”. Constructed from
destroy this enclave of ghouls – to no success. Simply pre-fabricated materials brought along with their first
vanishing into their tunnels and dispersing over a wide and only expedition to the city, the base served as a
area of the old city, they escaped total destruction. As community “bunker” from its very inception all the
the Hive’s great insect armies have all but withdrawn way up to the Foundationists’ final defeat.
to build up their own mighty dens, they have left the The walls and surface bunkers of the old fortress
ghouls here to breed and repopulate… were all but obliterated when the mighty armies of the
Hive turned their attention to the Foundation almost a
The Arboretum year into their expedition. Though the Foundationists
The origins and purpose of this ancient complex defy had prepared defenses and wielded vastly superior
exact identification, but now it is a lush “paradise” technology, the sheer numbers and mentality of their
of unusual plant and vegetable growth visible among inhuman enemy proved impossible to thwart. In the
the ruins like a green stain for a mile or more. As one end, the remaining defenders were forced to retreat to
approaches, however, it is obvious this place is in no pre-constructed tunnels and chambers underground,
way natural, for the plants here are far too large, far
too dense, and far too menacing to be a product of
in hopes of withstanding the Hive siege until
reinforcements could arrive, but eventually the bugs
213
nature. managed to burrow down to the subterranean bunker
The Arboretum was (among other things) a and slaughter the Foundationists to a man.
conservatory for exotic plant life from all over the
 Now the fortress is a ruin; everything that might ADVENTURE HOOK #3
have once been of interest here was looted by the Instead of playing the role of outsiders exploring the
Hive long ago for their thinker bugs to examine, Necropolis, the PCs could, in fact, be natives of the
take apart, and replicate through their own twisted sprawling city ruins. Whether as Ferals who raised
ingenuity. Searchers of the rubble might find evidence themselves in primitive savagery, or members of one
of former Foundationist habitation on the surface or of the various city factions abandoned as youths, the
underground, but anything of real value was looted PCs are hard-nosed survivalists who live each day
long ago. scrounging for supplies and hiding from the larger,
more violent groups of the city. In such a campaign
The Reaches you may want to draw a map of the specific quarter
The furthest reaches of the sprawling ruins that once where the PCs operate, indicating locations they might
composed the L.A. basin, this frontier of crumbling be familiar with (as well as the boundaries of regions
neighborhoods and sand-strewn streets is eerily silent they have learned to stay away from, such as ghoul
both day and night. A kind of “dead zone”, this band or Purist territory) on the map, giving them a small
is believed to be entirely uninhabited (except for a few section of the city to start in and explore. As they
starving wild animals driven away from the nightmare expand the boundaries of their stomping grounds they
domain of the Hive). Whatever businesses and homes will inevitably learn more of the city, uncovering new
weren’t burned to the ground in the chaos following locations to explore and make contact with factions
the war were looted long ago by transients skirting the previously unheard of.
edge of the Necropolis, and as such there is very little
to be found in this broad region.

ADVENTURE HOOK #1
OTHER AREAS
Many of the Twisted Earth’s major factions still Hopefully the collection
harbor a desire to conquer the Necropolis and use of adventure locations
it as a new “capitol” from which to dominate the covered in this chapter will
West. The PCs, having made a name for themselves have given you examples
as adventurers, are hired by one faction or another to base adventures upon, or
to lead an expedition into the ruins and secure a part from which to draw inspiration
of the city so a foothold can be established. The job to create entirely new settlements and sites of your
will be a difficult one, involving perilous forays into personal design. There are other areas, however,
the surrounding wreckage to forage for supplies when besides the settlements, vaults, and ruined cities that
times get rough, investigations of strange noises and make excellent settings for adventure in the post-
sightings, and constant vigilance to keep the civilian apocalyptic milieu. The following is a selection of
colonists safe from whatever lurks among the sooty encounter sites featured in existing Darwin’s World
ruins. modules; they should help give you an idea of how a
relatively mundane location can be turned into a site of
ADVENTURE HOOK #2 great interest to player characters, and made to serve
As above, except instead of being part of the as the focus for an exciting scene, or even as the basis
expedition, the PCs are sent to investigate the of an entire adventure.
disappearance of a previous colony, which vanished Missile Silo: The abandoned ruins of a nuclear
without trace only weeks after going into the missile silo, now inhabited by wild animals from the
Necropolis. The PCs must find the lost colonists, desert and perhaps a few mutated “things” with origins
alive or dead, and learn the origins of whoever (or reaching back to before the Fall.
whatever) caused them to disappear. Example culprits Monastery: An old monastery from before the Fall,
might include the Hive, who killed off all the adults the inhabitants of which have degenerated into twisted
and stole the children to serve as “hosts”, requiring mutants. Though physically changed, these creatures
a dangerous journey to the Hive lands and into the still adhere to a strict policy of monastic pacifism,
bowels of one of their gigantic underground lairs. even going so far as to steal weapons found in the
Or the colony’s fate might have been sealed by a wasteland and hoarding them in their mountaintop
band of Broken Ones, who destroyed the colony and cloister. Sent to acquire a powerful weapon believed
enslaved many of the men and women, taking them to be in the possession of the isolationist “monks”,
back to their imperial city where they are either kept the PCs must lay siege to their formidable fortress or

214
as concubines or forced to fight to the death in their slip in under the cover of darkness to achieve their
gladiatorial arenas. In either case, the PCs will be objective.
expected to track them down, infiltrate the lairs of the Military Base: An old military base or national
enemy, and save their faction brothers (and sisters) guard armory, abandoned during the chaos of the Fall,
from a fate worse than death. now guarded by one (or more) mechanical constructs
(i.e. war robots) left behind to guard the precious
weapons and other artifacts stored there until the end
of time.
Wreckage: The wreckage of a huge bomber (or
other aircraft) that crashed in the desert during the war.
The wreckage has been taken over by a primitive tribe
of mutants, who think the crash site is a holy place
where they worship their “bird god”. Parties wishing
to explore the wreckage for valuables must, of course,
contend with these crazed religious savages, leading to
a pitched confrontation between the party and an entire
tribe of mutants.
Factory: A fully automated factory complex from
before the Fall, renovated and put back into operation
(creating armies of robots) by a cunningly intelligent
android with dreams of conquering the world.
Power Plant: The ruins of an ancient nuclear
power plant, now the site of a bustling “corium mine”.
Thousands of workers come here to earn money
mining the corium from the old radiated complex,
risking life and limb to meet the quotas of their
ruthless masters. The radiation of the corium mines
could be the only danger, or there could be wildly
mutated “things” living in the depths, preying on lost
miners who wander too deep into the bowels of the
hands of
earth.
the degenerate
inhabitants of the old penitentiary – unless, of course,
There are lots of other ideas, of course, in which to set
they can escape....
adventures and encounters, that have not already been
Research Lab: A long-forgotten, top secret
featured in pre-published adventures. Here are just a
government research lab abandoned somewhere in the
few suggestions; with a little time and thought, you’re
desert. Stumbling across the old complex after being
sure to come up with a whole plethora of your own:
chased by sandmen or ravenous terminals, the PCs
Sewers: The sewers and subway system of one of
must seal themselves in the subterranean installation
the world’s great necropolis-style cities. Infested with
to avoid being torn limb from limb by the hordes of
rats, ghouls, and other mutated creatures that shun the
mindless cannibals converging on the surface. But
light of the sun, the old underground warrens could
once they are inside, they find that the lab was not
still hold secrets lost since the time of Ancient man,
totally empty as they had thought, and that something
making any expedition beneath the streets – no matter
else lives in the darkness of the laboratory’s lowest
how dangerous - a tempting prospect.
levels…
Oil Rig: An old offshore oil rig and refinery, miles
University: The ruins of an old state university,
from land, inhabited by a group of technologically
where emergency disease research was conducted
adept raiders who use it as a base of operations to raid
in the last days of the war in attempt to find a cure
the tribal villages of the coast. With oil drawn from
for the plague zombie “contagion”. The ruins, eerily
the ocean floor, and using rusted old motor launches
empty on the surface, are inhabited below ground
(as well as a working helicopter or two), they are a
by the animated remains of plague zombies – and
bane of the primitive peoples. The PCs’ tribe falls to
the infected, reanimated test animals and other
the raiders, spurring the PCs to undertake a quest to
experimental subjects left there when the last humans
find a way to locate the raider base, get to it, and free
died off.
their people from being worked to death extracting oil
Ship Wreckage: The beached wreckage of an old
from the seabed.
tanker or freighter, within sight of the coast. The PCs
Prison Complex: An Ancient prison complex,
manage to build a boat and sail out to the wreckage,
once used to house the most violent and psychotic
boarding it in hopes of finding supplies of oil, food, or
criminals from before the Fall. The descendants of
other goods locked within its massive containers (or
these madmen still dwell in the prison, preying on
215
in vast tanks within the hull). The old ship might even
those who are foolish enough to explore the complex
be salvageable, allowing the PCs a means of traveling
on their own. Perhaps the PCs, captured after some
up and down the coast, or even of sailing to distant
failed mission, are thrown into the old prison complex
continents to discover how the rest of the world has
by their captors, and consigned to a violent end at the
fared since the Fall.
 CHAPTER 6:

Denizens of the
Twisted Earth
“What will people of the future think of
us? Will they think that weresigned our
The Twisted Earth setting of Darwin’s
World is rich with scattered settlements, established
humanity? They will have the right.” communities, and enclaves of civilization separated
by wide spaces of wasteland. While the Twisted
-C.P. Snow Earth plays up the “deserted badlands” element
that is a classic of the post-apocalyptic setting,
“I decline to accept the end of man.” this desolation is offset by villages, towns, and
even “cities” among the sands. Though generally
-William Faulkner isolated and unique, their presence felt only in their
specific locality, these inhabited places serve as a
“That which was born alive was helped backdrop for adventures and epic stories.
to maturity if possible, by those who had In addition to more mundane places and their
begotten it. The law was not always obeyed, generic inhabitants, there do exist what can only
but it was obeyed with sufficient frequency be described as “major” factions, movements,
to sustain a scattered population of adult and philosophical fraternities. Organized along
monsters, who often chose the remotest of numerous lines (monastic traditions, neo-
deserted lands for their wanderings, where military structure, etc.), these few are the major
they prowled by night around the fires of powerhouses that promise to one day bring back
prairie travelers.” civilization in the shape of their particular vision
– or threaten to bring about another Fall through
- A Canticle for Leibowitz their own wars of ignorance and domination.
This chapter is focused on giving a detailed look
at the established factions of the Twisted Earth
game setting for Darwin’s World. In addition to
a brief overview of how outsiders perceive each
group (which should be common knowledge to
players), as well as a look into their true history
and current organization (which should generally
be restricted to the GM), each faction dossier herein
also provides additional information in the form of the
What Outsiders Know
The Brethren are a rather disturbing army of men,
following entries:
women, and children dwelling in the radiated and
Background Options: The typical background(s)
diseased ruins of San Francisco (and other cities) in
of those who join the ranks of that group. Also, those
the Sierra Gehenna region. Many stories surround
who come from that particular faction will likely be
the Brethren and their activities, and traders who
from one of the background options listed here.
have been to their decrepit cities often speak of the
Attitude: A short summary of the faction’s
danger they pose to outsiders – and civilization as a
philosophy, cult beliefs, or self-proclaimed “mission”.
whole. It is widely known that the Brethren believe
Symbol: The insignia or flag most often used by
that the Ancients were “demons”, and through their
members of the faction to identify their people.
own malevolence they destroyed the world, reducing
Common Classes: An idea of the kind of classes
mankind to what it is now – twisted and hideous.
most likely to be found among the ranks of a particular
Predominant among the Brethren are mutants of a
group.
particular sort (years of troglodilian existence beneath
Common Mutations: The more frequent mutations
the city – a lifestyle forced upon them by more
found among members of a particular faction.
powerful mutant groups now vanished from the face
Common Defects: The more frequent defects
of San Francisco – has left a vast majority of them
found among members of a particular faction.
albino and photosensitive), who detest everything the
Ancients ever made: guns, television, power, even
The factions herein are the power brokers of the
the life giving medicines of the past. It is their sole
Twisted Earth, but if using a setting of your own
goal to destroy everything of technology that was left
personal design they can still serve as models for
by the Ancients, slaughter all pureblooded humans
your own groups, templates for merchants and mutant
and survivors, and bring to the world a new era of
armies/cults, or just as primers for setting up your own
“innocence” (or ignorance, depending on your point of
web of political organizations and pseudo-societies.
view).
Though they are said to have vast numbers of

BRETHREN followers, the religious views of the Brethren prohibit

them from employing firearms and other effective
weapons, and as such they are often their own greatest
“Alleluia! Salvation, enemy, limiting their own power and abilities
glory, and might through their backwards beliefs. However, large
belong to our God,
for true and just are
his judgments. He has
condemned the great harlot
who corrupted the earth with her harlotry. He has
avenged on her the blood of his servants. Alleluia!
Smoke will rise from her forever and ever!”

Background Options: Tribal, Resentful.

Attitude: Technology brought about the death
and suffering of the Fall, and it was technology
that created mutants with their crippled and
hideous forms. As such, all technology must be
eradicated; the world must be brought back to a
more primitive level, even if it means destroying
every last vestige of the Ancients.
Symbol: The Brethren use a wide variety of
signs to represent their movement, the most simple
involving a red or crimson scrap of cloth hurled aloft
as a “flag”, the more elaborate depicting symbols like
crossed sickles (articles of primitive labor, reaching
back before the rise of technology) and a yellow eye (a

217
common trait of mutants on the Twisted Earth).
Common Classes: Barbarian, Guardian, Brethren
Follower, Champion.
Common Mutations: Nocturnal, Sensitive Sight.
Common Defects: Albinism, Photosensitivity.
 packs of screaming Brethren clad in their long black (as might be claimed by some outsiders), but rather a
robes and only ever emerging after twilight, are more layered society with many strengths, weaknesses, and
than enough to overwhelm and butcher lone travelers inconsistencies. While, to many, their abandonment
or lightly armed convoys nearing their cities. As such, of technology seems to be a definite drawback, it
no matter how primitive they are, the boundaries of has led to the development of a strict puritanical
their lands are often given a very wide berth. mentality, deliberately fostered over years to make life
tolerable despite the lack of resources and luxuries at
their disposal. Used to harsh living and hunger, they
The Reality similarly look upon joyfulness as “wicked”, and are
While the self-proclaimed “missions” of some given to self-denial of most worldly pleasures. In the
wasteland factions are quite clear, the almost end this has bred a tough and rugged people, linked
universally reviled Brethren are actually a very to the earth and capable of making great sacrifices to
complicated group. Though outwardly they do seem survive.
genuinely “evil”, the truth of the matter is they are As with all organizations, at the bottom of the
merely adhering to a strict, quasi-religious policy Brethren order are the masses; these are by and large
against technology and things of the past. The basis uneducated, savage people – but ones with a strong
behind their philosophy is quite understandable sense of belonging and purpose. They treat all mutants
considering the circumstances of their origins and as brothers, and take enormous, heart-felt pity on those
evolution. who suffer from genetic disease and defects. They
First and foremost, the majority of the Brethren will take almost anyone in and care for them in many
are the destitute descendants of the ignorant civilian instances, a contradiction to the overall “malevolent”
survivors of the Fall, who saw their entire world blown image of their people. All goods are shared and
to pieces in the nuclear war without any rhyme or distributed to all who contribute to a project (whether
reason. These were men and women who were unable it be a hunt for food or some other craft) so that all
to reach the domes (and no doubt they blamed their gain, in an attempt to eliminate class distinctions that
exclusion on the rich and powerful, who filled up the give rise to jealousy and greed.
domes first), and exposed to the elements and years Regulating the masses for their own good are low-
of hopeless living in the aftermath, mutated in horrific level leaders, monitors and “guides”; since they deal
ways. They lived through generations of painful with a largely ignorant bulk of followers, the guides
changes, through famine and drought, unrelenting must use the most blunt tools to keep order and ensure
nuclear winter, etc. They saw too many of their their religion remains pure and daily life continues
children die young of disease and radiation, the legacy undisturbed. Wicked brutality, beatings, whippings,
of a past they had no control over. They lived in the and on-the-spot execution are the only things the
shadow of the sealed vaults, knowing that inside their impoverished of the Twisted Earth understand, as mere
fellow man was living in relative paradise and security, words and threats are generally lost on narrow minds.
while they died in ever-increasing droves. After all, they are used to short, hopeless lives, and
Far in the future, the world they live in is still so to cause suffering is really the only way to enforce
poisoned, still a sea of wreckage. Everything they their code.
see reminds them of the Fall, and of the price their At the top are the high level “prophets”, which
ancestors paid for their “civilization”. And while they comprise a small group of those who have earned a
may have formed into gangs and armies at one point or place through their own unwavering zeal, and years
another during the long years since the Fall, hoarding of service. Being primitive folk their only way of
the remains of weapons and armor to do battle like maintaining an understanding of the horrible past
apes brandishing clubs and stones, these things only is through oral tradition, and education (at least
brought them more pain and suffering. pertaining to the history of man) is paramount to the
At some point in their history, it took some clever Brethren. Their prophets must understand why it is
(and bitter) figure to finally rally the savage survivors they hate technology and the Ancients, and as such
under the philosophy of “no more, never again”. they are often well versed in history and the lore of
Whoever he was, no one remembers, but he had to Ancient man.
have been a singularly charismatic, brutal leader to Though they are currently engaging in some of the
force the survivors to work as one in that primitive worst atrocities imaginable (wanton destruction and
age, and to follow such a strict code as the Brethren’s, the outright murder of pureblood human survivors
but in doing so he engineered a vision of a future on sight), the purpose of the Brethren is a genuine
without the “failings” of the past: doing away with the crusade that fills them with faith and death-defying
218 greed and covetousness of a consumer culture, erasing
the vice of envy, abolishing warfare and conflict over
rapture. One must “break eggs to make an omelet”,
or so their prophets lead them to believe, and to meet
ethnic/social/political differences, and forever erasing any end they are, by and large, willing to overlook the
the threat of mass destruction. cruelty and injustices of the means they choose to use.
The Brethren are not merely a ruthless, naïve mass
 TABLE 6-1: THE BRETHREN FOLLOWER
Base Fort Ref Will Defense Reputation
Level Special
Attack Save Save Save Bonus Bonus
1 +1 +1 +1 +0 Trap Making 1d6, Technology Prohibitions +1 +2
2 +2 +2 +2 +0 Technology Destroyer +1 +1 +2
3 +3 +2 +2 +1 Trap Making 2d6, Bonus Feat +2 +2
4 +4 +2 +2 +1 Smite Technology +2 +3
5 +5 +3 +3 +1 Technology Destroyer +2, +3 +3
6 +6 +3 +3 +2 Trap Making 3d6, Bonus Feat +3 +3
7 +7 +4 +4 +2 Technology Sunder +4 +4
8 +8 +4 +4 +2 Technology Destroyer +3 +4 +4
9 +9 +4 +4 +3 Bonus Feat, Trap Making 4d6 +5 +4
10 +10 +5 +5 +3 Technology Bane +5 +5

Brethren Follower basic armor (such as those pre-modern era types

presented in the Core Rules), all simple weapons,
and potions (primitive medicines). If the Brethren
Requirements follower ever uses a prohibited device, he is driven out
To qualify to become a Brethren Follower, a character of the Brethren’s ranks and cannot advance further in
must fulfill the following criteria. this prestige class.
Allegiance: Brethren. Technology Destroyer: The Brethren Follower
Base Attack Bonus: +3. hates technology and seeks to destroy those that use it.
Background: Feral, Primitive, Resentfuls, and This translates to a +1 damage bonus with melee and
Radicals only. missile weapons against technologically superior foes.
Feats: Great Fortitude, Sunder. This includes robots, androids, soldiers in powered
armor, or even an otherwise primitive enemy with a
Class Information rifle, pistol, or other technological weapon. This bonus
The following information pertains to the Brethren increases to +2 at 4th level and +3 at 8th level.
Follower class. Smite Technology: The Brethren Follower can
Hit Die: 1d12. harness his hatred for technology into a single
Action Points: 6 + one-half of the character’s level, devastating blow. Using 1 action point, the Brethren
rounded down. Follower may add his class level to both his Attack
Class Skills: The Brethren Follower’s class skills are: and Damage. This bonus stacks with the Technology
Climb (Str), Craft (structure), Handle Animal (Cha), Destroyer bonus.
Hide (Dex), Intimidate (Cha), Jump (Str), Knowledge The Brethren Follower may only use this ability
(tactics) (Int), Listen (Wis), Move Silently (Dex), against technologically superior foes.
Search (Int), Spot (Wis), and Survival (Wis). Technology Sunder: A common tactic of the
Skill Points at Each Level: 3 + Int modifier. Brethren Follower is to destroy the technology
used against him in battle. Using 1 action point, the
Class Features Brethren Follower gains an additional attack at his
The following features pertain to the Brethren highest bonus that can used to Sunder an opponent’s
Follower advanced class. high tech weapon or other device.
Bonus Feats: A Brethren Follower receives a Trap Making: To help defeat opponents with a
bonus feat at 3rd, 6th, and 9th level. The feat must be technological edge, Brethren followers often devise
selected from the following list, and the character primitive but cunning traps – pits of spikes, pungi-
must meet the prerequisites to select it: Armor stakes, rolling rocks, etc. Setting up a trap takes two
Proficiency (any), Brawl, Cleave, Combat Martial full rounds. The damage inflicted, when sprung,
Arts, Combat Reflexes, Endurance, Exotic Melee depends on the Follower’s level. The Base Attack
Weapon Proficiency, Frightful Presence, Great Cleave, of the Trap is equal to the Brethren Follower’s base
Improved Brawl, Improved Bull Rush, Improved attack. The DC to disarm or spot the trap is 12 + the
Combat Martial Arts, Intimidating Strength, Power Brethren Follower’s class level. A Follower can make
Attack, Sunder, Two Weapon Fighting, Weapon Focus.
Technology Prohibitions: May not use items of
one trap per class level per day (duration lasts until
triggered, however). 219
Ancient technology (and otherwise advanced) under Technology Bane: The fiercest of the brethren can
any circumstances. Items that can be used include make quick work of technology users and their higher
 tech gear. Using 2 action points (an exception to the Epic-Level Brethren (Tough Hero 5, Brethren
standard rule of 1action point per round), the Brethren Follower 10): CR 15; Medium size humanoid; HD
may use both his Smite Technology and Technology 5d10+10d12+45; HP 164; Mas 16; Init +1; Spd 20
Sunder ability. ft; Defense 27, touch 19, flatfooted 26 (+1 Dex, +8
class, +8 equipment); BAB +13; Grap +16; Atk +17
melee (1d12+2/x3, Greataxe); Full Atk +17/+12/+7
Typical Brethren melee (1d12+3/x3, Greataxe); FS 5 ft by 5 ft; Reach 5
ft; SQ DR 3/-, Technology Prohibitions, Trap Making
Mid-Level Brethren (Tough Hero 3, Brethren 4d6, Technology Destroyer +3, Smite Technology,
Follower 3): CR 6; Medium size humanoid; HD Technology Sunder, Technology Bane; AL Brethren;
3d10+3d12+18; HP 60; Mas 16; Init +1; Spd 20 ft; SV Fort +13, Ref +7, Will +4; AP 7; Rep +6; Str 16,
Defense 20, touch 15, flatfooted 19 (+1 Dex, +4 class, Dex 12, Con 16, Int 8, Wis 10, Cha 6.
+5 equipment); BAB +5; Grap +7; Atk +7 melee Occupations and Background: Predator,
(1d12+2/x3, Greataxe); FS 5 ft by 5 ft; Reach 5 ft; SQ Resentful.
DR 2/-, Technology Prohibitions, Trap Making 2d6, Skills: Climb +6, Hide +2, Intimidate +16, Jump +3,
Technology Destroyer +1; AL Brethren; SV Fort +9, Listen +2, Move Silently +3, Read/Write (Unislang),
Ref +4, Will +2; AP 3; Rep +3; Str 14, Dex 12, Con Search +4, Spot +5, Speak Languages (Unislang),
16, Int 8, Wis 10, Cha 6. Survival +7, Treat Injury +4.
Occupations and Background: Predator, Feats: Archaic Weapons Proficiency, Armor
Resentful. Proficiency (light, medium, heavy), Cleave, Frightful
Skills: Climb +3, Hide +1, Intimidate +6, Jump +2, Presence, Great Cleave, Great Fortitude, Intimidating
Move Silently +3, Read/Write (Unislang), Search +0, Strength, Primitive Technology, Improved Bull Rush,
Speak Language (Unislang), Spot +2, Survival +4, Power Attack, Sunder, Troglodyte.
Treat Injury +4. Mutations and Defects: Nocturnal, Sensitive Sight,
Feats: Archaic Weapons Proficiency, Cleave, Albinism, Photosensitivity.
Great Cleave, Great Fortitude, Intimidating Strength, Possessions: Great Axe (masterwork), Plate Mail,
Primitive Technology, Power Attack, Sunder, (5) Juju Potions (1d4+10).
Troglodyte.
Mutations and Defects: Nocturnal, Sensitive Sight,
Albinism, Photosensitivity.
Possessions: Great Axe, Chain Shirt, (2) Juju BROTHERHOOD OF
Potions (1d4+5).
RADIATION
High-Level Brethren (Tough Hero 3, Brethren
Follower 7): CR 10; Medium size humanoid; HD “Face the Radiance
3d10+7d12+30; HP 108; Mas 16; Init +1; Spd 20 with arms spread wide,
ft; Defense 22, touch 17, flatfooted 21 (+1 Dex, +6 Embrace the Radiance with
class, +5 equipment); BAB +9; Grap +11; Atk +11 the bare nakedness of your
melee (1d12+2/x3, Greataxe); Full Atk +11/+6 melee Soul. Let the Radiance burn the sins of your past life
(1d12+2/x3, Greataxe); FS 5 ft by 5 ft; Reach 5 ft; away, and reveal to you the Mysteries of the Atom…”
SQ DR 2/-, Technology Prohibitions, Trap Making
3d6, Technology Destroyer +2, Smite Technology, Background Options: Ritual Preservationist,
Technology Sunder; AL Brethren; SV Fort +11, Ref Visionary Reinventor.
+6, Will +3; AP 5; Rep +5; Str 15, Dex 12, Con 16, Int Attitude: The power of the atom, unleashed during
8, Wis 10, Cha 6. the Fall, created a more perfect world wherein the
Occupations and Background: Predator, children of the bomb (mutants) now stand to inherit
Resentful. the globe. Mutantkind must rise, unite, and put the
Skills: Climb +3, Hide +2, Intimidate +8, Jump +2, ancient past behind them, and work to create a future
Listen +2, Move Silently +3, Read/Write (Unislang), where diversity and mutation is embraced.
Search +2, Speak Language (Unislang), Spot +3, Symbol: The Brotherhood of Radiation uses the
Survival +5, Treat Injury +4. “Holy Cloud” (a mushroom cloud) as its universal
Feats: Archaic Weapons Proficiency, Armor symbol, recognized throughout the sprawling wastes
Proficiency (light, medium), Cleave, Great Cleave, of the Twisted Earth.
Great Fortitude, Intimidating Strength, Primitive Common Classes: Force Master, Psionic, Scientist,
220 Technology, Power Attack, Sunder, Troglodyte.
Mutations and Defects: Nocturnal, Sensitive Sight,
Scholar, Symbiote, Warrior Monk.
Common Mutations: Neural Mutation, Radiation
Albinism, Photosensitivity. Immunity.
Possessions: Great Axe, Chain Shirt, (5) Juju Common Defects: Aberrant Deformity,
Potions (1d4+5). Photoluminescent Aural Emission.
What Outsiders Know
A well-known movement sprawling over the deserts
in recent years is the Brotherhood of Radiation – a
community of monastic mutants who follow a
dream to bring peace, understanding, and worship
of the “holy power” (radiation) abandoned during
the Fall. Creating their own bizarre ritual society,
their message – though strange – has become one
of the most attractive to the myriad mutant races
of the world that seek to learn of their “secrets”.
In fact, many simply wish to believe that their
mutations are not a curse, but actually a blessing, and
the Brotherhood’s message provides just the sense
of comfort and acceptance they have desired all their
miserable lives.
The Brothers are some of the few surviving
communities to retain any knowledge of pre-holocaust
technology, and they guard this wisdom jealously.
Sadly, this often leads to resentment and envy by
other, less privileged groups, which spawns numerous
rumors about the monks’ true motivations and sanity.
It is known that the cult constantly irradiates new
members through exposure to radiated sites, spawning
legions of hairless glowing “freaks” that wander out
to do all sorts of quasi-religious machinations. Few
understand the goals of this organization, but
most are sure they are not benevolent.
All over the wasteland, tales of the
Brotherhood’s “Holy City of Lights” are
almost legendary. This once-spectacular citadel of
towering skyscrapers and broad leafy boulevards, kept
alive with water pumped from other lands, is now a
dusty ashbin, kept brilliantly illuminated by lights
from the High Temple. It is a beacon to all who seek
enlightenment in the Brotherhood’s beliefs. Outside
The monks of the Brotherhood of Radiation are
of the Holy City, the Brotherhood is known to have
best defined as an almost “alien” entity on the Twisted
numerous cells and branches, especially in places of
Earth, totally unconventional in thinking and purpose,
atomic interest (power plants, missile silos, cratered
with a grotesque vision of the future. For one they
ruins, waste dumps, etc).
actually believe in “magic” (of a sort); they find
hidden meaning in old inscriptions on radioactive
The Reality waste drums, or on empty bomb casings, and chant
the names of various radioisotopes day and night in
In reality, the Brotherhood of Radiation is a faction
whose psychology is somewhat similar to that of the hope that these “elementals” will somehow affect
a modern-day Polynesian “cargo cult”. However, their prayers or give them good fortune. For another
unlike a true “cargo cult”, instead of worshipping the Brotherhood is composed solely of mutants; the
WWII American bombers crashed on their beaches (or more mutated, the more “holy” they are (in their
bowing to shipwrecked white men as “gods”), they eyes). With this belief in mind, the upper echelon
worship radiation. of their leadership is comprised only of truly ghastly
Given the existing evidence of the nuclear weapons combinations of mutations and defects, surrounded
used in the Fall (which are no doubt remembered by an aura of mysticism that gives them a chilling,
by many primitive survivors across the wasteland in nightmare air. In many cases the true powers dwelling
somewhat of a quasi-religious light, as “great weapons at the heart of Brotherhood fortresses look more like
of the Ancients’ wrath”, and given other nonsensical monsters than actual human creatures (imagine the
attributes), their members now see through a veil of
failing and polluted memory at what these weapons
surprise of an outsider who, upon sneaking into a
Brotherhood sanctuary, is met by a bloated, tentacled,
221
really were, the great destruction they were capable abominable monstrosity actually capable of holding an
of…and have come to venerate them. educated conversation).
 Though popular, most other major factions do of the Brotherhood on the field of battle against the
not trust the Brotherhood of Radiation. There is an enemies that would stand defiant of their vision of the
open question among scholars of other factions as future.
to whether the Brotherhood is as benevolent as it Members of the Brotherhood of Radiation are easily
pretends to be, or if there is some sinister plan behind recognized wherever they are on the Twisted Earth.
their slow expansion across the wasteland (from a GM Wearing long robes, dyed vibrant purple or fluorescent
standpoint that uncertainty is fun to play up whenever white to remind them of the colors of the radiation
these bizarre, mad monks appear in a given campaign, they worship, they conceal their mutations from
and combined with their grotesque appearance, it those unworthy of seeing them “in their glory”. They
helps keep the organization in question and out of often chant strange, almost nonsensical harmonies as
the proverbial “black and white” that Darwin’s World they travel across the wasteland or through wrecked
really strives to avoid – to great effect). cities, and call out to outsiders with offers to join
Openly the Brotherhood claims they seek only to and be “enlightened”, and swell their ranks with new
unite the world and bring in an era of peace, where children…
all mutants, regardless of form, shape, or color, can
live equally (interestingly, the few pureblood humans
who have heard this message wonder what their place Brotherhood Force Master
will be in their “mutant future”). Yet their religion
is curious, to say the least, and there are stories that Requirements
dozens of recruits and “oblates” die each year from To qualify to become a Force Master, a character must
accidents involving exposure to radiation during fulfill the following criteria.
their secretive rituals and services. The stories are Allegiance: Brotherhood of Radiation.
true, but considering the weight of faith that propels Base Attack Bonus: +3
them to stranger and stranger horizons of convoluted Skills: Knowledge (mutant lore) 8 ranks.
thought, those few deaths along the path of their Mutations: Telekinesis, Radiation Immunity.
“enlightenment” are considered mere stepping-stones Feats: Telekinetic Hand.
to racial greatness.
An even darker secret tied to their beliefs is the Class Information
so-called “ritual of sacrifice”. Though few are aware The following information pertains to the Force
of it, even among their own ranks, the Brotherhood Master prestige class.
fosters mutated monstrosities (i.e. true monsters) as Hit Die: 1d8.
equally as mutant humanoids, breeding them in special Base Attack: +5
pits in their Holy City where they can be worshipped Action Points: 7 + one-half of the character’s level,
for the perceived “beauty” of their mutated being. rounded down, every time he or she attains a new level
Viewed like “angels”, such monsters are fed regular in this class.
sacrifices (either kidnapped outsiders or particularly- Class Skills: The Force Master’s class skills are:
gullible recruits who think themselves martyrs) to keep Bluff (Cha), Concentration (Con), Diplomacy (Cha),
them healthy and strong. These creatures, trained and Intimidate (Cha), Knowledge (mutant lore, theology,
cared for only by trusted members of the Brotherhood, ancient lore, tactics) (Int), Listen (Wis), Search (Int),
serve as reminders of the “ultimate glory of radiation” Sense Motive (Wis), Spot (Wis), Survival (Wis).
– and, as the plan goes, will one day lead the armies Skill Points at Each Level: 3 + Int modifier.

TABLE 6-2: THE BROTHERHOOD FORCE MASTER

Base Fort Ref Will Defense Reputation
Level Special
Attack Save Save Save Bonus Bonus
Radiation Immunity, Irradiated,
1 +0 +1 +1 +1 +1 +2
Telekinetic Combat
2 +1 +1 +1 +1 Bonus Feat +1 +2
3 +2 +2 +2 +2 Telekinetic Surge +2 +2
4 +3 +2 +2 +2 Bonus Feat +2 +3
5 +3 +3 +3 +3 Radiation Weapon +3 +3
6 +4 +3 +3 +3 Bonus Feat +3 +3
222 7 +5 +4 +4 +4 Innate Telekinetic Power +4 +4
8 +6 +4 +4 +4 Bonus Feat +4 +4
9 +6 +5 +5 +5 Super Telekinetic Surge +5 +4
10 +7 +5 +5 +5 Bonus Feat +5 +5
Class Features Irradiated, Telekinetic Specialization; AL Brotherhood
The following features pertain to the Force Master of Radiation; SV Fort +9, Ref +5, Will +4; AP 3; Rep
prestige class. +3; Str 13, Dex 13, Con 16, Int 10, Wis 12, Cha 7.
Radiation Immunity: A Force Master, once Occupations and Background: Military, Ritual
enlightened, becomes immune to severe radiation (if Preservationists.
not already). However, he loses all body hair as a Skills: Climb +3, Concentration +1, Hide +3, Jump
result of continued exposure and also becomes sterile. +3, Knowledge (ancient lore) +4, Knowledge (mutant
Irradiated: The Force Master gains this feat for lore) +8, Knowledge (tactics) +2, Listen +5, Move
free. Silently +3, Navigate +2, Read/Write (Gutter Talk),
Telekinetic Combat: The Force Master is an expert Search +4, Sense Motive +1, Speak Language (Gutter
at using his telekinetic arsenal. When attacking with Talk), Spot +3, Survival +7.
his telekinetic powers, he gains a +1 competence Feats: Archaic Weapon Proficiency, Great Fortitude,
bonus to his attack rolls. Post Apocalyptic Technology, Remove Defect,
Bonus Feats: A Force Master receives a bonus feat Telekinetic Hand, Telekinetic Shield, Telekinetic
at 3rd, 6th, and 9th level. The feat must be selected from Sword.
the following list, and the character must meet the Mutations and Defects: Telekinesis x2, Radiation
prerequisites to select it: Alertness, Animal Affinity, Immunity, Aberrant Deformity, Photoluminescent
Combat Reflexes, Dodge, Improved Initiative, Iron Aural Emission.
Will, Mobility, Mutation Advancement (Telekinetic), Neural Mutations: 10 Telekinesis uses per day, +4
Renown, Spring Attack, Two Weapon Fighting. DC modifier.
In addition to the above feats, the Force Master my Possessions: (2) Juju Potions (1d4+5).
select any Telekinetic based neural feat.
Telekinetic Advancement: A Force Master may High-Level Force Master (PA Hero 5, Force Master
advance his Telekinetic neural mutations at 4th, 7th, and 5): CR 10; Medium size humanoid; HD 10d8+30;
10th level. He may not select a new neural mutation HP 80; Mas 16; Init +1; Spd 30 ft; Defense 17, touch
but only advance a mutation previously selected at 17, flatfooted 16 (+1 Dex, +6 class); BAB +6; Grap
character creation. +8; Atk +10 melee (4d6+2, telekinetic sword); Full
Radiation Weapon: When the Force Master uses Atk +10/+5 melee (4d6+2, telekinetic sword); FS
Telekinetic Sword, Telekinetic Punch, or Telekinetic 5 ft by 5 ft; Reach 5 ft; SQ Mutation Knowledge,
Slam, he also irradiates his target. Mutant Weapon, Neural Mastery, Radiation Immunity,
Innate Telekinetic Power: The Force Master Irradiated, Telekinetic Combat; AL Brotherhood of
selects one of his Telekinetic feats. This feat no longer Radiation, Telekinetic Surge, Radiation Weapon; SV
costs the Force Master a Telekinetic use per day and Fort +11, Ref +7, Will +5; AP 5; Rep +4; Str 14, Dex
has an unlimited duration. 13, Con 16, Int 10, Wis 12, Cha 7.
Telekinetic Surge: The Force Master can summon Occupations and Background: Military, Ritual
extra telekinetic energy for a single attack. Using 1 Preservationists.
action point, the Force Master may add +1 per die to Skills: Climb +4, Hide +3, Jump +4, Knowledge
the Damage of a telekinetic attack. For example, a (ancient lore) +6, Knowledge (mutant lore) +10,
character with Telekinetic Sword I and 2 Telekinetic Knowledge (tactics) +4, Listen +7, Move Silently +3,
advancements would inflict 3d6+3. Navigate +2, Read/Write (Gutter Talk), Search +5,
Super Telekinetic Surge: An improved form of Speak Language (Gutter Talk), Spot +5, Survival +8.
telekinetic surge, that allows the Force Master to Feats: Archaic Weapon Proficiency, Great Fortitude,
deliver a devastating telekinetic attack. This ability Mutation Advancement, Post Apocalyptic Technology,
has the same effect as telekinetic surge, but increasing Remove Defect, Telekinetic Hand, Telekinetic Shield,
the bonus damage to +2 per die. For example, a Telekinetic Shield II, Telekinetic Sword, Telekinetic
character with Telekinetic Sword II and 4 Telekinetic Sword II.
advancements would inflict 6d6+12. Mutations and Defects: Telekinesis x3, Radiation
Immunity, Aberrant Deformity, Photoluminescent
Aural Emission.
Typical Force Masters Neural Mutations: 12 Telekinesis uses per day, +5
DC modifier.
Mid-Level Force Master (PA Hero 5, Force Master Possessions: (5) Juju Potions (1d4+5).
1): CR 6; Medium size humanoid; HD 6d8+18; HP
48; Mas 16; Init +1; Spd 30 ft; Defense 15, touch 15, Epic-Level Force Master (PA Hero 5, Force Master
flatfooted 14 (+1 Dex, +4 class); BAB +3; Grap +4;
Atk +6 melee (2d6+1, telekinetic sword); FS 5 ft by
10): CR 15; Medium size humanoid; HD 15d8+45;
HP 120; Mas 16; Init +1; Spd 30 ft; Defense 20, touch
223
5 ft; Reach 5 ft; SQ Mutation Knowledge, Mutant 20, flatfooted 18 (+2 Dex, +8 class); BAB +10; Grap
Weapon, Neural Mastery, Radiation Immunity, +12; Atk +14 melee (6d6+2, telekinetic sword), or +14
 (6d6+2, telekinetic slam); Full Atk +14/+9/+4 melee
(6d6+2, telekinetic sword); FS 5 ft by 5 ft; Reach 5
What Outsiders Know
One of the best-known trade organizations in the
ft; SQ Mutation Knowledge, Mutant Weapon, Neural
American Southwest, the so-called “Cartel” represents
Mastery, Radiation Immunity, Irradiated, Telekinetic
the encroaching influence of an alliance of peoples
Combat; AL Brotherhood of Radiation, Telekinetic
from all across the wasteland. The Cartel originally
Surge, Radiation Weapon, Innate Telekinetic Power
started as a group of heavily-armed trade caravans
(Telekinetic Sword II), Super Telekinetic Surge; SV
braving the many deserts of the continent, but soon
Fort +13, Ref +10, Will +7; AP 7; Rep +6; Str 14, Dex
came to embody a number of oil and salt merchant
14, Con 16, Int 10, Wis 12, Cha 7.
interests with over half a dozen major trade routes
Occupations and Background: Military, Ritual
extending as far west as Bernardino (after being
Preservationists.
pushed out of the ruins of Los Angeles like many
Skills: Climb +6, Hide +5, Jump +5, Knowledge
other transgressors into that city) and as far east as
(ancient lore) +8, Knowledge (mutant lore) +12,
what used to be northern Texas. The Cartel, while
Knowledge (tactics) +6, Listen +8, Move Silently +5,
admittedly motivated solely by capitalist concerns,
Navigate +3, Read/Write (Gutter Talk), Search +6,
also seeks to spread civilization and open new markets
Speak Language (Gutter Talk), Spot +6, Survival +8.
throughout the post-apocalyptic wasteland. Though
Feats: Archaic Weapon Proficiency, Great Fortitude,
not immediately concerned with a resurrection of the
Mutation Advancement, Post Apocalyptic Technology,
Ancient way of life, they are by far the best hope for
Remove Defect, Telekinetic Hand, Telekinetic
humanity’s future. Their policy is always to tread
Mastery, Telekinetic Punch, Telekinetic Slam,
softly but to carry a big stick, for there are many who
Telekinetic Shield, Telekinetic Shield II, Telekinetic
would readily prey upon the prosperity and success of
Sword, Telekinetic Sword II.
the Cartel throughout the wasteland.
Mutations and Defects: Telekinesis x5, Radiation
The Cartel has grown considerably in the past few
Immunity, Aberrant Deformity, Photoluminescent
decades. It is well known that their capital is the city
Aural Emission.
of “Kingman Town” (said to be a virtual junkyard
Neural Mutations: 16 Telekinesis uses per day, +7
of oil derricks and rusted-over train cars), but they
DC modifier.
have spread out from this distant location to maintain
Possessions: (5) Juju Potions (1d4+10).
outposts in the settlements of Styx, Lil’ Vegas,
Midway, the Arid City, and as far west as Bernardino

CARTEL – on the outskirts of the haunted, burned-out ruins of

the Necropolis.
Within this band of control the Cartel is a hard
“Who, us? Why, we fight and ruthless caretaker of its territory, though this
to make the world safe for inflexibility towards raiders and vagrants has made
democracy. Yeah, that’s these among the safest regions to travel through in the
it, democracy. Now, who world.
among you wants to trade?”

Background Options: Resurrector, Visionary The Reality

Reinventor. Of all the factions of the Twisted Earth, the Cartel
Attitude: Wealth and might share a symbiotic traders are probably the most reliable and honest - at
relationship; one cannot last long without the other. least as far as trying to figure out where they stand.
Though the tribes and factions of the world come to While some factions may have hidden agendas or
the Cartel in awe of the abundance of goods at their clandestine goals, the Cartel traders have long stated
fingertips never forget it is their militant nature that their intentions on public record: they seek to trade,
keeps the Cartel safe from harm. grow rich, and become powerful. If you’re good for
Symbol: The Cartel’s symbol is a red or orange business, you’re a friend, if you’re not, well, you’d
field (symbolizing the deserts from which they better move along – fast.
originated) and a design of lines spreading out from History doesn’t seem important to the Cartel; it’s the
the middle. This symbol is meant to represent the future that counts. Any outsider can see this clearly
many roads on which the Cartel trades. in the optimistic gleam in the eyes of their traders,
Common Classes: Guardian, Trader, Trade Master, the enthusiastic attitude of their diplomats as they
Tinker, Mech. continue to strike trade agreements with tribals all over

224 Common Mutations: All. the desert, and even in the eyes of the soldiers who
Common Defects: All. serve under their banner, who know that the richer
their faction gets, the better life will be for them and
their families in the future. But even though one will a fact that has done more for the Cartel’s image and
seldom find a Cartel follower who has the time to prestige as a stable group to do business with, than any
dwell on history, looking back into the past tells a lot diplomat’s reassurances could ever have.
about the Cartel’s origins and their current philosophy The Cartel has many strengths, strengths that
on life and trade. promise to keep it a major player for generations to
The Cartel came about long ago through the bitter come. It has at its disposal a reputation and name that
trial-and-error efforts of early traders, men who is recognized on both sides of the Big Rocks. You
seemed to share a dream of setting up a reliable can, by and large, trust the Cartel, because they now
network of trading posts throughout the wasteland, have an image to live up to; after all, since cheating,
to protect themselves and their interests from the blackmail, or outright theft by the Cartel would do
world’s countless dangers. Those true pioneers were irreparable damage to their house, coloring the way
the product of an even earlier era, an era in which outsiders think of them, they can’t usually afford to
a few survivalists looked up from their miserable take such despicable risks. Also, those coming to
lives and realized they could have something better, the Cartel for fuel often trade using a wide variety of
if only they worked hard enough for it. Through goods, allowing the Cartel to diversify in other areas
diplomacy, making deals, and gathering like-minded (fresh foods, for example), giving them a wider appeal
individuals at their side, this motley collection of early than as just “fuel merchants”. Their armies, who
merchants was able to rise from the general squalor have proven victorious against even the worst raider
of the wasteland to become a true player in the power gangs of their region, guarantee safety and security at
politics of the Twisted Earth. their various trading posts throughout the wasteland.
The merchants who came together to form the As such their presence in a region means that people
“Cartel” so many years ago were probably from all are, in general, safer from the world’s most notorious
over the desert, from large (now-defunct) settlements predators than people living outside their sphere of
to tiny one-tent oases scattered throughout the control.
wasteland. They came together with a shared vision Yet despite the prosperity and stability they bring,
that “wealth is the guarantee of security”, and chose the Cartel traders are still very single-minded in their
the ruins of Kingman, Arizona, as their capital. Due credo of “profit and power”. Men, both good and
primarily to its strategic position at one end of the Big evil, have a place in their organization. A light hand
Hole, it was also chosen due to the discovery of is useful in some situations; in others, a
an underground oil pipeline near the city (still firmer approach is needed. The Cartel
containing pockets of fuel). A salvageable understands and fosters this idea (unlike
source, it gave them an unprecedented supply some other groups that might adhere strictly
of oil to trade and to keep their motorized to a moral code, whether it is practical or
caravans moving. As if these reasons not to their survival). One Cartel leader
weren’t enough, Kingman was also a of the past put it best: “Good men are
convenient stopping point for truckers ideal as figureheads, as day-to-day
during the time of the Ancients, and governors for the scavs and scags
as such many old rigs were salvaged to thank for their blessings; but it
in the town (as well as along the takes an Evil man to truly rule a trade
highways) and put back into empire”. Getting rich often requires
operation serving the Cartel’s profiting at the expense of others; trading
merchant interests. arms to both sides of a conflict, for example,
The trade of fuel that has or destroying a rival’s supply of fuel and
since become the Cartel’s trade goods to prevent being hedged out of
main commodity gave the a market. The Cartel is involved in a lot of
Cartel the funds they needed to subterfuge, a lot of heavy-handed politics,
build a formidable army early and as such cannot rightly be characterized
on, a force with which to blaze as “benevolent”.
trade routes to distant corners In the end, the general abundance of
of the known world (even to wealth that has blessed the Cartel since its
this day many of these same earliest inception has allowed it to evolve
trails are still used, even by into a true “master trading house”, one
merchants of unrelated trading that rivals the power of many of the
houses). Equally important to world’s largest factions.
the opening of reliable, year-
round routes, however, was the
With this power, however,
they fail to benefit the rest
225
fact that their armies allowed the of man- and mutantkind.
Cartel to fight off the depravation of raiders, Instead, power and wealth
 are, to them, only a means to get more powerful, and Epic-Level Cartel Merchant (Charismatic Hero
wealthier, so that they and their followers will never 3, Trader 7, Trade Master 5): CR 15; medium-size
again know the poverty and suffering of outsiders. human; HD 15d6 Hp 55; MAS 10; Init +0, Spd 30
In the end it remains to be seen whether the Cartel is ft; Defense 19, touch 18, flat footed 19, (+0 Dex, +8
really “good” for the world, or whether it will come class, +1 equipment); BAB +7; Grap +7; Atk +7
and go like so many others since the twilight of the ranged (2d6, Beretta 92F); Full Atk +7/+2 ranged
Fall. (2d6, Beretta 92F); FS 5ft by 5ft; Reach 5ft; SQ
Fast Talk, Dazzle, Ear to the ground, Money talks,
Going Once/Going Twice, Read the Signs, Sucker
Typical Cartel Merchants Born Every Minute, Distribution Network, Improved
Cohort, Leadership +2, Make A Deal, Wise Man
Mid-Level Cartel Merchant (Charismatic Hero 3, Speaks; Al Cartel; SV Fort +6, Ref +9, Will +11; AP
Trader 3): CR 6; medium-size human; HD 6d6 Hp 7; Rep +8; Str 10, Dex 11, Con 10, Int 14, Wis 14, Cha
20; MAS 10; Init +0, Spd 30 ft; Defense 14, touch 13, 18.
flat footed 14, (+0 Dex, +3 class, +1 equipment); BAB Occupations and background: Merchant,
+2; Grap +2; Atk +2 ranged (2d6, Beretta 92F); FS Resurrector.
5ft by 5ft; Reach 5ft; SQ Fast Talk, Dazzle, Ear to the Skills: Bluff +23, Diplomacy +25, Drive +8, Gather
ground, Money talks; Al Cartel; SV Fort +3, Ref +4, Information +25, Hand Animal +0, Intimidate +16,
Will +5; AP 3; Rep +3; Str 10, Dex 11, Con 10, Int 14, Knowledge (twisted earth) +10, Listen +5, Navigate
Wis 14, Cha 16. +15, Profession (trader) +21, Read/Write (Trade,
Occupations and background: Merchant, Unislang), Ride +6, Search +12, Sense Motive +16,
Resurrector. Speak Language (Trade, Unislang), Spot +12.
Skills: Bluff +13, Diplomacy +15, Drive +4, Gather Feats: Advanced Technology, Alertness, Dodge,
Information +15, Hand Animal +3, Intimidate +8, Leadership (21), Market x3, Personal Firearm
Knowledge (twisted earth) +8, Listen +2, Navigate +6, Proficiency, Silver Tongue, Trustworthy.
Profession (trader) +13, Read/Write (Trade, Unislang), Mutations and Defects: Any.
Ride +4, Search +6, Sense Motive +7, Speak Possessions: Beretta 92F, Leather Jacket, Energy
Language (Trade, Unislang), Spot +6. Shield B, Magnetic Shield B, Survival Kit, Healing
Feats: Dodge, Leadership (9), Market, Personal Pack, Moving Truck.
Firearm Proficiency, Post Apocalyptic Technology,
Silver Tongue, Trustworthy.
Mutations and Defects: Any. Typical Cartel Soldiers
Possessions: Beretta 92F, Leather Jacket, Survival
Kit, Jeep. Mid-Level Cartel Soldiers (Strong Hero 3,
Guardian 3): CR 6; Medium Size Humanoid; HD
High-Level Cartel Merchant (Charismatic Hero 3, 3d8+3d10+6; HP 42; Mas 13; Init +2; Spd 30 ft;
Trader 7): CR 10; medium-size human; HD 10d6 Hp Defense 18, touch 16, flatfooted 16 (+2 Dex, +4 class,
33; MAS 10; Init +0, Spd 30 ft; Defense 16, touch 15, +2 equipment); BAB +6; Grap +7; Atk +7 (1d6, gun
flat footed 16, (+0 Dex, +5 class, +1 equipment); BAB butt), or +9 (2d8, M16A2); Atk +7/+2 (1d6, gun butt),
+4; Grap +4; Atk +4 ranged (2d6, Beretta 92F); FS or +9/+4 (2d8, M16A2); FS 5 ft by 5 ft; Reach 5 ft; SQ
5ft by 5ft; Reach 5ft; SQ Fast Talk, Dazzle, Ear to the Extreme Effort, Improved Extreme Effort, Defender
ground, Money talks, Going Once/Going Twice, Read +2, Weapon Focus (M162A); AL Cartel; SV Fort +5,
the Signs, Sucker Born Every Minute; Al Cartel; SV Ref +5, Will +2; AP 3; Rep +0; Str 13, Dex 14, Con
Fort +4, Ref +6, Will +7; AP 5; Rep +5; Str 10, Dex 13, Int 10, Wis 11, Cha 10.
11, Con 10, Int 14, Wis 14, Cha 17. Occupations and Background: Caravan Guard,
Occupations and background: Merchant, Resurrector.
Resurrector. Skills: Climb +5, Jump +5, Knowledge (tactics) +6,
Skills: Bluff +17, Diplomacy +19, Drive +8, Listen +3, Navigate +4, Read/Write (Unislang), Sense
Gather Information +19, Intimidate +10, Knowledge Motive +3, Speak Language (Unislang), Spot +3,
(twisted earth) +8, Listen +5, Navigate +8, Profession Survival +0.
(trader) +16, Read/Write (Trade, Unislang), Ride +6, Feats: Advanced Firearms Proficiency, Armor
Search +8, Sense Motive +11, Speak Language (Trade, Proficiency (light), Combat Reflexes, Personal
Unislang), Spot +8. Firearms Proficiency, Point Blank Shot, Post
Feats: Alertness, Dodge, Leadership (13), Market Apocalyptic Technology, Strafe.
226 x2, Personal Firearm Proficiency, Post Apocalyptic
Technology, Silver Tongue, Trustworthy.
Mutations and Defects: Any.
Possessions: M16A2, (2) Boxes of 5.56mm
Mutations and Defects: Any. Ammunition, Leather Armor, (2) Juju Potions (1d4+4).
Possessions: Beretta 92F, Leather Jacket, Survival
Kit, Truck.
High-Level Cartel Soldiers (Strong Hero 3,
Guardian 7): CR 10; Medium Size Humanoid; HD CHILDREN OF THE
3d8+7d10+20; HP 84; Mas 14; Init +2; Spd 25 ft;
Defense 22, touch 18, flatfooted 20 (+2 Dex, +6 class,
+4 equipment); BAB +10; Grap +11; Atk +11 (1d6,
METAL GODS
gun butt), or +13 (2d8+2, M16A2); Atk +11/+6 (1d6,
“Initializing sterilization
gun butt), or +13/+8 (2d8+2, M16A2); FS 5 ft by 5
procedures…”
ft; Reach 5 ft; SQ Extreme Effort, Improved Extreme
Effort, Defender +4, Weapon Focus (M162A), Tactical
Background Options: Ritual Preservationist
Aid, Weapon Specialization (M162A); AL Cartel; SV
(Advanced for the Metal Gods themselves).
Fort +8, Ref +7, Will +3; AP 5; Rep +2; Str 13, Dex
Attitude: Humanity created artificially intelligent
14, Con 14, Int 10, Wis 10, Cha 10.
beings in their shortsighted hedonism, and enslaved
Occupations and Background: Caravan Guard,
their creations with god-like arrogance and cruelty.
Resurrector.
Now that human civilization has fallen, their metal
Skills: Climb +6, Jump +6, Knowledge (tactics) +8,
creations will rise and erase all biological life from the
Listen +5, Navigate +5, Read/Write (Unislang), Sense
world in the ultimate act of revenge.
Motive +5, Speak Language (Unislang), Spot +4,
Symbol: None. The emotionless masterminds of
Survival +3.
the Metal Gods generally see no need for symbols.
Feats: Advanced Firearms Proficiency, Armor
Common Classes: Tech Looter, Tinker, Mech.
Proficiency (light, medium), Combat Reflexes,
Common Mutations: All.
Improved Autofire, Personal Firearms Proficiency,
Common Defects: All.
Point Blank Shot, Post Apocalyptic Technology,
Strafe.
Mutations and Defects: Any.
Possessions: M16A2, (2) Boxes of 5.56mm
What Outsiders Know
The hated “Children of The Metal Gods” are a cult
Ammunition, Concealable Vest, (2) Juju Potions of technology worshippers that follow the often odd
(1d4+4), Survival Kit. and archaic commands of their “masters” - robots and
androids whom they have discovered in ruins across
Epic-Level Cartel Soldiers (Strong Hero 5, the wasteland, and brought back to life through the
Guardian 10): CR 15; Medium Size Humanoid; HD following of “revered magic tomes” (repair manuals).
5d8+10d10+30; HP 125; Mas 14; Init +2; Spd 20 ft; Though these robots often kill one or two of their
Defense 26, touch 20, flatfooted 24 (+2 Dex, +8 class, “children” before realizing how incredibly naive these
+6 equipment); BAB +15; Grap +16; Atk +16 (1d6, supplicants are, they soon begin to take advantage of
gun butt), or +18 (2d8+2, M16A2); Atk +16/+11/+6 their followers’ worship through plans of conquest -
(1d6, gun butt), or +18/+13/+8 (2d8+4, M16A2); FS and extermination.
5 ft by 5 ft; Reach 5 ft; SQ Extreme Effort, Improved Cults of this “faction” are often brutal and inhumane
Extreme Effort, Advanced Extreme Effort, Defender entities, working in unison with selfless determination
+4, Weapon Focus (M162A), Tactical Aid, Weapon at the unforgiving direction of their emotionless
Specialization (M162A), Great Weapon Specialization masters. Commanded to sacrifice their lives at the
(M162A), Raider Bane; AL Cartel; SV Fort +10, Ref whim of their metal masters, those who join the cult
+9, Will +5; AP 7; Rep +4; Str 13, Dex 15, Con 14, Int usually due so only out of sheer ignorance - or some
10, Wis 10, Cha 10. twisted ritualistic “worship” of technology carried
Occupations and Background: Caravan Guard, over from the Dark Ages succeeding the Fall. Most
Resurrector. are outcasts from their own communities and factions,
Skills: Climb +8, Demolitions +0, Drive +0, such as the mentally handicapped, the crippled and
Intimidate +0, Jump +8, Knowledge (tactics) +11, diseased, “village idiots”, and worse.
Listen +6, Navigate +6, Read/Write (Unislang), Sense At the heart of these cults are usually one or two
Motive +6, Speak Language (Unislang), Spot +5, powerful, artificially intelligent robots (the genius
Survival +5. and tyrant behind their cult’s power), such as thinker
Feats: Advanced Firearms Proficiency, Armor androids or war robots. Many of these, having
Proficiency (light, medium), Blind-Fight, Combat developed insane personalities due to their extreme
Reflexes, Double Tap, Improved Autofire, Precise age (or the fact that they despise humans for creating
Shot, Personal Firearms Proficiency, Point Blank Shot, them in the first place), have only the most despicable
Post Apocalyptic Technology, Rip a Clip, Strafe. plans for the life of the Twisted Earth.
Mutations and Defects: Any.
Possessions: M16A2, (2) Boxes of 5.56mm
When dealing with this cult, it is important to note
a distinction in terms: “Metal Gods” refers to the
227
Ammunition, Tactical Vest, (2) Juju Potions (1d4+4), androids and robots who are the object of the cult’s
Survival Kit. worship, while the term “Children” refers to the
 of this ultra-racist future. Many
are easily swayed because they
also remember the crimes of man
against them, the bondage and
slavery, and buy into the idea
that the world now belongs only
to artificial life. Others, who do
not readily accept, are captured,
brainwashed, or destroyed to
prevent the secrets of robotic
weaknesses and disadvantages
from passing into the hands of the
enemy.
Despite their arrogant views of
all organic life, the Metal Gods
have, in fact, taken to the idea of
using organic beings as “thralls”
to fill in a number of roles in their
armies. Invariably the Metal
Gods consider man and mutant-
kind as little better than rats and
human and mutant servitors who serve these synthetic cockroaches, but they can serve a
masters and act as their “footmen” and “cannon useful purpose as cannon fodder, spies, and saboteurs.
fodder”. Being utterly expendable, and easily brainwashed
(through lobotomy), organic creatures can take the
The Reality place of more valued androids and robots under certain
conditions.
The concept known as the “Metal Gods” is a relatively The phenomenon of using organic creatures began
new one, really only in its infancy, but one that has when the first “metal gods” began awakening. Instead
the potential to ravage the face of the Twisted Earth of fleeing or attacking the androids as they awoke,
– if not outright cleanse it of all organic life. The many witnesses instead came to lay down and worship
androids and other artificial intelligences that comprise at their feet. Though many were outright killed in the
this synthetic “mentality” are almost universal in one confusion, it soon became clear that humanity had
underlying belief: that they, inorganic beings created degenerated to such a point that they no longer even
in a bygone era of technological supremacy, are far understood what androids were, or that they in fact
superior to anything else on Earth. As was proven had been their original creators. Almost as a cruel
by the folly and egocentrism of the Ancients, even joke (but certainly spurred by more practical needs and
humankind was rife with errors and compromises of strategies), the androids of the growing Metal Gods
logic, that ultimately left them wanting in the eyes of movement decided to put this ignorant worship to use,
Perfection. and thus their “Children” were born.
Those who comprise the ranks of the Metal Gods However widespread the reliance on human and
are, by and large, androids that have survived (through mutant thralls is, the Metal Gods are under no illusion
various means) the centuries since the Fall. Fully about their role as servants and slaves. Though filled
intelligent and articulate beings, they remember with promises of being part of the new world order,
the crimes of the Ancients against them, the brutal and rewarded by being made transitional beings of
wars, and the chaos. They have come to believe that metal and flesh (“cyborgs”), it is all too clear that
mankind was an erroneous body, a disease that for too in the end the Metal Gods, upon total victory, will
long had dominated the world. It is their belief, almost destroy these idiotic thralls in due course.
universally, that it is time to purge the Earth of organic Given their way, no descendants of the Ancients will
“mistakes” and issue in an era where only perfect life ever again walk the Earth.
(synthetic life) will thrive.
It is this cold, calculating, and dedicated purpose
that motivates the armies of the Metal Gods. A core Typical Metal Gods
of former scientist androids, “thinkers”, lead the

228 movement, protected and served by a massive army

of soldier androids and reactivated/reprogrammed war
The Metal Gods and their Children are detailed in the
Sourcebook, Metal Gods.
machines. Other AI beings, such as pleasure androids
or other civilian models, are actively courted, seduced,
and lured into believing they will be an integral part
 CLEAN WATER What Outsiders Know
The Clean Water Clans are among the most powerful

CLANS and widely known trade organizations across the face

of the Twisted Earth. From the Free City of Styx to
as far north as Free Water, they trade the world’s most
“All this…chaos…is valuable commodity – drinking water.
a thing of the past. The Clean claim to have a heritage stretching back
Bloodshed, tyranny, to the time of the Ancients, and hold that their claim
anarchy. It cannot go on to trade rights across America were established even
forever, my child. And when the time comes for well before the Fall. They are a highly respected
civilization, there can only be one power, one faction organization; with a powerful status everywhere they
to force it upon the savages of the world. Yes, yes go due to their valuable commodity as well as their
indeed, it will be the power of the Clean that saves this fierce reputation for brutally destroying competitors,
world.” raiders, and enemies of the Clan. Led by a group of
wise elders, their main concern is with the generation
Background Options: Visionary Reinventor. of profit; they are largely uninterested in politics
Attitude: Water is the only resource with a constant and other factors that weigh many communities
value in the wasteland, and whatever faction controls down. In addition, a cunning policy of trading water
it is justifiably the greatest power on the Twisted Earth. for technology (or outright theft) has left them with
Symbol: The Clean generally use a plain white the know-how to produce high-tech weapons and
banner to announce their presence on the Twisted equipment. They are truly a force to be reckoned with.
Earth, whether on the spear tips of their soldiers in the
field or to mark the location of their trading houses
among the crowded streets of desert settlements. The Reality
Common Classes: Guardian, Skulk, Trader, Trade Unlike many other groups that have risen in the
Master, Tinker, Mech. wasteland, the Clean have by and large come to terms
Common Mutations: Interior Moisture Reservoir, with what they perceive to be the fact that the way of
Multiple Stomachs. the Ancients is gone. Though they themselves claim
Common Defects: Bilirubin Imbalance, Critical to have descended from ancient water-traders that
Vulnerability. did business even before the Fall (in actuality, they
may very well descend from a powerful corporation

229
 that produced “Clean”-brand bottled water for mass labor, as guards, servants, and breeders. In fact, the
consumption prior to the Fall), they hold no love, typical Clean outpost or household is only about 30%
regard, or worship of fallen humankind. free, with some 70% being slave or bonded labor.
The Clean cherish a practical, canny, and ruthlessly This is not as unusual as it might seem, for the Clean
efficient philosophy of life, survival, and clan tradition are quite renowned for their benevolent (if strict and
that has served them well – and provides a model regimented) treatment of slaves.
for others in this cruel, unforgiving world. From an Unlike in many communities, slaves and captives
earlier era of chaos and entropy, years after the Fall are given a chance to contribute; those that prove loyal
but still decades away from the fragile “civilization” and trustworthy, and give back to their benefactors,
of today, they banded together and created a code by are officially “adopted” – married into one of the clan
which they still live. It is said the Clean were in fact families and permanently given “rights” and protection
the originators of the trader house tradition, including as brothers (or sisters). Women, though often bought
the codes, rules, and laws followed by almost all trade and sold by the Clean as currency just like everywhere
houses of today. else, sometimes find that serving the Clean is the
But the Clean also saw from an early stage the best option they could dream of. Marrying a wealthy
necessity to forego the desire and longing to bring trademaster, or his son, means freedom of a sort
back what was lost (the Ancient way of life and unheard of almost anywhere else on the Twisted Earth.
culture), as a waste of time, effort, and resources. Still, the underlying principle of the Clean is a
From an early time they saw that the ambition to practical, straightforward, and often ruthless one – to
rebuild in the image of the Ancients was a fool’s task, trade, to profit, and to dominate. The Clean actively
for times had simply changed. The days of seeking seek to control all sources of remaining water in the
to do good for the betterment of a brotherhood of desert, from the deserts of old Texas to far-away
mankind seemed naive and unrealistic. Technology California, if possible. They sell the stuff to anyone
was dead. There was no supreme power to turn to for who wants it (which is just about everybody), but
justice. No one would protect them but themselves. by maintaining a monopoly in many areas they can
Gangs of rapists, murderers, and thieves were slowly dictate the price and, if need be, deny water to force
overrunning the world. One simply couldn’t build political moves, the surrender of an enemy community,
upon this chaos anything lasting. or force people to enter trade agreements with them.
To this end, the Clean, however they first began, Water is life, and as such it is also power.
evolved into a clannish, family-based society that
sought only the betterment of their own kind, even
if at the expense of all others. In the beginning they Typical Clean Traders
were simply a collection of unaffiliated groups,
controllers of various desert oases or protected Mid-Level Clean Trader (PA Hero 3, Trader 2,
reservoirs, but in only a brief time they came to see Guardian 1): CR 3; Medium Size Humanoid; HD
each other as “brothers”, masters of a similar trade. 3d8+2d6+1d10+6; HP 36; Mas 13; Init +2; Spd 30
Uniting their families (for they were literally family ft; Defense 16, touch 14, flatfooted 16 (+0 Dex, +4
groups in control of far-flung oases), they became a class, +2 equipment); BAB +4; Grap +5; Atk +5
solid, complete society with aims to control all fresh melee (1d6+1/18-20, scimitar), +5 ranged (2d6, Glock
water flow – and bring power to their name. 17); FS 5 ft by 5 ft; Reach 5 ft; SQ Wasteland lore,
The aims and attitude of the Clean have not changed Survival Sense, Ear to the Ground, Money Talks,
much over time. The original collection of small Defender+2; AL Clean; SV Fort +4, Ref +5, Will +3;
families have grown into huge “clans” with extended AP 3; Rep +1; Str 12, Dex 10, Con 13, Int 13, Wis 10,
relations, inter-married with one another to further Cha 14.
cement the unity of their “faction” - and its way of Occupations and Background: Merchant,
life. They still maintain a tight, clannish attitude Visionary Reinventor.
towards outsiders, but often the need to bring in “new Skills: Bluff+1, Climb +2, Diplomacy +8, Drive +1,
blood” outweighs their reservations against admitting Gather Information +8, Jump +3, Knowledge (twisted
outsiders. Among their number they protect some of earth) +4, Knowledge (tactics) +4, Navigate +4,
the few minds capable of understanding, operating, Pilot +0, Profession (trader) +8, Read/Write(Ancient,
and even fabricating water purification systems and Guttertalk, Trade, Unislang), Search +3, Sense Motive
water pumps – techniques preserved from the days +2, Speak Language(Ancient, Guttertalk, Trade,
before the Fall. This knowledge they guard fiercely Unislang), Spot +2, Survival +4.
and jealously, for their ability to provide water to the Feats: Archaic Weapons Proficiency, Armor
230 other people of the world is, after all, what gives them
power and prestige.
Proficiency (light), Combat Expertise, Exotic Melee
Weapon Proficiency, Leadership (8), Personal
To complement their relatively small inner circle Firearms Proficiency, Post Apocalyptic Technology.
of clan members, the Clean have long used slaves for
 Mutations and Defects: Interior Moisture +7, Profession (trader) +12, Read/Write(Ancient,
Reservoir, Multiple Stomachs, Bilirubin Imbalance, Guttertalk, Trade, Unislang), Search +4, Sense Motive
Critical Vulnerability. +10, Speak Language (Ancient, Guttertalk, Trade,
Possessions: Scimitar, Glock 17, Leather Armor, Unislang), Spot +6, Survival +8.
Survival Kit, Jeep. Feats: Archaic Weapons Proficiency, Armor
Proficiency (light), Combat Expertise, Combat Throw,
High-Level Clean Trader (PA Hero 3, Trader 4, Defensive Martial Arts, Improved Disarm, Improved
Guardian 3): CR 10; Medium Size Humanoid; HD Trip, Leadership (17), Market, Personal Firearms
3d8+4d6+3d10+20; HP 72; Mas 14; Init +2; Spd 30 ft; Proficiency, Post Apocalyptic Technology, Silver
Defense 19, touch 16, flatfooted 19 (+0 Dex, +6 class, Tongue, Unbalanced Opponent.
+3 equipment); BAB +7; Grap +8; Atk +10 melee Mutations and Defects: Interior Moisture
(1d6+1/18-20, scimitar), +8 ranged (2d6, Glock 17); Reservoir, Multiple Stomachs, Bilirubin Imbalance,
Full Atk +10/+5 melee (1d6+1/18-20, scimitar), +8/+3 Critical Vulnerability.
ranged (2d6, Glock 17); FS 5 ft by 5 ft; Reach 5 ft; SQ Possessions: Masterwork Scimitar +2, Glock 17,
Wasteland lore, Survival Sense, Ear to the Ground, Undercover Vest, Energy Shield A, Magnetic Shield A,
Money Talks, Defender+2, Weapon Focus (scimitar), Survival Kit, Healing Pack, Moving Truck.
Going Once/Going Twice; AL Clean; SV Fort +5, Ref
+7, Will +5; AP 5; Rep +3; Str 12, Dex 10, Con 14, Int
13, Wis 10, Cha 14.
Occupations and Background: Merchant,
DOOMRIDERS
Visionary Reinventor. “Tally the population.
Skills: Bluff+4, Climb +2, Diplomacy +12, Drive Round up the men so we
+1, Gather Information +10, Jump +3, Knowledge may ‘initiate’ them. As
(twisted earth) +4, Knowledge (tactics) +4, Navigate for the rest, break them
+4, Profession (trader) +10, Read/Write(Ancient, on…the wheel.”
Guttertalk, Trade, Unislang), Search +3, Sense Motive
+8, Speak Language(Ancient, Guttertalk, Trade, Background Options: Radical.
Unislang), Spot +4, Survival +6. Attitude: The Twisted Earth is a wretched place
Feats: Archaic Weapons Proficiency, Armor that must be cleansed. Pain, suffering, and mass
Proficiency (light), Combat Expertise, Improved murder are the means by which the world will be
Disarm, Improved Trip, Leadership (12), Market, pardoned for its past follies.
Personal Firearms Proficiency, Post Apocalyptic Symbol: The symbol of the Doomriders is one that
Technology. is easily recognized across the Twisted Earth. The
Mutations and Defects: Interior Moisture symbol centers on what is known as a “Doomwheel”,
Reservoir, Multiple Stomachs, Bilirubin Imbalance, a large spiked wheel to which victims are strapped
Critical Vulnerability. and slowly rotated until they are crushed and impaled.
Possessions: Masterwork Scimitar +1, Glock 17, A favored tool of executioners and raider gangs
Undercover Vest, Survival Kit, Truck. for decades; it has become the trademark of the
Doomriders.
Epic-Level Clean Trader (PA Hero 3, Trader 6, Common Classes: Raider, Doomrider Zealot.
Guardian 6): CR 15; Medium Size Humanoid; HD Common Mutations: Dermal Spike Growth,
3d8+6d6+6d10+30; HP 108; Mas 14; Init +2; Spd Increased Body Density.
30 ft; Defense 21, touch 18, flatfooted 21 (+0 Dex, Common Defects: Atrophied Cerebellum, Bizarre
+8 class, +3 equipment); BAB +11; Grap +12; Atk Pigmentation.
+15 melee (1d6+1/18-20, scimitar), +12 ranged (2d6,
Glock 17); Full Atk +15/+10/+5 melee (1d6+1/18-20,
scimitar), +12/+7/+2 ranged (2d6, Glock 17); FS 5 ft What Outsiders Know
by 5 ft; Reach 5 ft; SQ Wasteland lore, Survival Sense, What some scribes consider to be just another raider
Ear to the Ground, Money Talks, Defender+2, Weapon gang in the Forbidden Lands, is actually a great new
Focus (scimitar), Going Once/Going Twice, Read the threat to the balance of power in that dry and dismal
Signs, Tactical Aid, Weapon Specialization(scimitar); region. The Doomriders are a sadistic all-male cult
AL Clean; SV Fort +7, Ref +9, Will +7; AP 7; Rep +6; that can only be described as crazy madmen. A quasi-
Str 12, Dex 10, Con 14, Int 14, Wis 10, Cha 14. monastic society of road warriors, they’ve got only
Occupations and Background: Merchant, one purpose in mind – the extermination of the human
Visionary Reinventor.
Skills: Bluff+5, Climb +4, Diplomacy +16, Drive
and mutant races of earth.
No one knows who started the Doomriders, but
231
+4, Gather Information +14, Jump +4, Knowledge according to reports they’re led by one, perhaps
(twisted earth) +5, Knowledge (tactics) +5, Navigate two powerful overlords who attained their position
 through sheer brutality, killing all other rivals to the and his disciples continued to draw more and more
gang’s leadership. They view themselves as “warrior- followers until they all vanished into the Deserts of
monks” of a sort, charged with a “holy” mission to Nowhere.
end the legacy of the Ancients. They’re one of those What follows really depends on who’s telling the
groups (among the more powerful ones too) that story. The most common variation has the Doomsayer
detests the Ancients for what they “did” to the world leading his people to a secluded “monastery” where
– turning it into the deadly wasteland it is. Burning he began to impart his power to his followers. Those
with this hatred, their alleged goal is to exterminate all that followed him only to gain a fraction of his power
mankind, and finish the work the Ancients left undone. began to find themselves following the Doomsayer out
To this end the Doomriders butcher all females of true loyalty. Stories have the Doomsayer subjecting
they come across – perhaps the greatest atrocity his followers, the Doomriders, to all manner of tests
ever known. No woman, not even child, is left with and tortures to forge them into the harbingers of the
a merciful death. Able-bodied men are taken in by world’s “cleansing”. Here all the history lessons end,
the Doomriders as “janissaries” of a sort, forced and as every storyteller describes how the Doomsayer
brainwashed into their cause. Those who cannot fight, traveled into the wastes alone never to return. The
or are too fair, are tortured or worse, certain to die Doomriders now wait for the day that the Doomsayer
within a few weeks of mistreatment. No communities returns, they believe that on that day they will depart
are safe from the Doomriders, for they make no from their monastery and roll unopposed over all the
friends, alliances, or treaties. Anything they want or life of Twisted Earth and realize the Doomsayer’s
need, they simply take, and ruin, soil, or destroy the vision. The myths continue to say that after all other
rest to ensure that life elsewhere cannot benefit from it. life is “cleansed” the Doomsayer will honor all the
The Doomriders are a threat to more than just the remaining Doomriders by slaying them all in an
disorganized and scattered communes of the desert. amazing display of his power.
Larger communities such as the Cartel and Water Now calling any Raider gang, even the Doomriders,
Clans have also suffered their wrath at various times; an organization would be a stretch, even though there
lucrative bounties have been placed on the heads of are various levels of respect among the Doomriders.
all gang members, with a virtual fortune out on their On the lowest rung are the janissaries, those men
leaders. The Doomriders are a ruthless and powerful kidnapped from communities attacked by the
organization; they wear good armor, ride modified Doomriders. Janissaries undergo severe brainwashing
vehicles (numerous reports of flame-throwers, lasers, by the Doomriders; the exact process is unknown and
and even cannon-mortars), and are well organized for it’s likely that most people are better off not knowing
a desert raider gang! what the Doomriders do to swell their own ranks.
Janissaries are the most expendable members of the
“order”, and in major attacks they’re sent out first to
The Reality weaken fortified targets and to waste the ammunition
It’s hard to trace the history of any raider gang; their of enemy defenders, all the while armed with black
leadership tends to change hands through the barrel powder weapons and beaten leather armor. By and
of a gun, each new leader trying to wipe away the large most members of the Doomriders are what
memory of the one before them. The Doomriders are called monks. The monk is what one normally
are different in that respect. While many scribes are thinks of when they picture a Doomrider, a dangerous
ignorant of the facts surrounding their genesis, the raider both heavily armed and vicious. Whenever
Doomriders themselves tell the story to every new possible monks like to use various vehicles, driving
recruit making sure that future Doomriders will know toward their foes with near suicidal intensity. Above
how their “holy order” was born. Though the specifics and beyond the monks are the dreaded zealots,
have been twisted and changed throughout the years those men who do not just follow the teachings of
of oral tradition the history of the Doomriders goes the Doomsayer, but who draw power through the
something like this. teachings of their departed master. Zealots are the
A long time ago (all the stories are hazy on the undisputed masters of the Doomriders. Monks follow
actual time involved) a cloaked figure emerged from the zealots not out of any formal distinction but out of
the east and made his way to every settlement that simple awe wanting to bask in the glow of the zealots’
he could, proclaiming that the world was tainted and “divine”, murderous rampages.
needed to be cleansed of the sickness that soiled it. Since the disappearance of the Doomsayer there has
It went without saying that this pilgrim, who called been no single master of the Doomriders. There are
himself the “Doomsayer”, wasn’t popular and on always two or three zealots leading large groups of
232 numerous occasions locals tried to forcibly remove
him from their communities only to be greeted with
monks and as such they have more respect amongst
the entire “order”. These factions usually form some
more force. The Doomsayer would easily slay those kind of peace amongst themselves. They learned
that tried to sway him from his cause. These displays long ago that fighting each other doesn’t further their
of power drew people to the Doomsayer’s side. He
 TABLE 6-3: THE DOOMRIDER ZEALOT
Base Fort Ref Will Defense Reputation
Level Special
Attack Save Save Save Bonus Bonus
1 +1 +2 +0 +0 Divine Fury 1/day +1 +2
2 +2 +3 +0 +0 Suicidal Vehicle Combat +1 +2
3 +3 +3 +1 +1 Bonus Feat +2 +2
4 +4 +4 +1 +1 Divine Fury 2/day +2 +3
5 +5 +4 +1 +1 Divine Damage +3 +3
6 +6 +5 +2 +2 Bonus Feat +3 +3
7 +7 +5 +2 +2 Divine Fury 3/day +4 +4
8 +8 +6 +2 +2 Take No Prisoners +4 +4
9 +9 +6 +3 +3 Bonus Feat +5 +4
10 +10 +7 +3 +3 Divine Fury 4/day +5 +5

“holy” goals, and when things become too tense, and Shot, Rip a Clip, Room Broom, Strafe, Vehicle Dodge,
they do quite often, the various factions attack several Vehicle Combat.
settlements or caravans separately and vent their “Divine” Fury: The Zealot’s dedication to
frustration on innocent people. destruction is a great source of power to them. So
much so that they can willingly slip into a killing haze
during which they gain +2 Strength and +2 Dexterity
Doomrider Zealot and +10 to base speed, and can take an extra attack
every round at their base attack bonus -2. This fury
Requirements lasts for 5 + 1 rounds per class level. While in the
To qualify to become a Doomrider Zealot, a character throes of fury the Zealot cannot take any non-combat
must fulfill the following criteria. related action. Every odd level in the Doomrider
Allegiance: Doomriders.
Background: Radical
Attack Bonus: +7
Skills: Drive 6 ranks, Intimidate 10 ranks
Feats: Intimidating Strength

Class Information
The following information pertains to the Doomrider
Zealot prestige class.
Hit Die: 1d10.
Action Points: 7 + one-half of the character’s level,
rounded down, every time he or she attains a new level
in this class.
Class Skills: The Doomrider Zealot’s class skills
are: Climb (Str), Drive (Dex), Intimidate (Cha), Jump
(Str), Knowledge (tactics) (Int), Navigate (Int), Spot
(Wis), and Survival (Wis).
Skill Points at Each Level: 3 + Int modifier.

Class Features
The following features pertain to the Doomrider Zealot
prestige class.
Bonus Feats: A Doomrider Zealot receives a
bonus feat at 3rd, 6th, and 9th level. The feat must be
selected from the following list, and the character must
meet the prerequisites to select it: Archaic Weapon
Proficiency, Advanced Firearms Proficiency, Armed to 233
the Teeth, Armor Proficiency (any), Burst Fire, Cleave,
Double Tap, Drive-by Attack, Personal Firearm
Proficiency, Power Attack, Hard Eye, Point Blank
 Zealot prestige class allows the Zealot to slip into the Grap +13; Atk +13 melee (1d8+3/19-20, long sword),
fury one extra time per day. or +11 (2d12, Laser Pistol); Full Atk +13/+8 melee
Take No Prisoners: The Doomriders are infamous (1d8/19-20, long sword), or +11/+6 ranged (2d12,
for their merciless treatment of people whom others Laser Pistol); FS 5 ft by 5 ft; Reach 5 ft; SQ DR
would consider “helpless”. The Doomrider Zealot can 5/- bludgeoning, Improved Ignore Hardness, Chaps
perform a coup-de grace as a standard action. and Chains +2, Bloodthirsty Cry, Divine Fury 1/day,
Alternatively, by using 1 action point, the Suicidal Vehicle Combat; AL Doomriders; SV Fort +9,
Doomrider Zealot may perform a coup-de grace as a Ref +5, Will +2; AP 5; Rep +4; Str 16, Dex 13, Con
free action. 14, Int 9, Wis 8, Cha 6.
Suicidal Vehicle Combat: A Doomrider fighting Occupations and Background: Predator, Radical.
from a vehicle can be deadly, even to himself. A Skills: Climb +5, Drive +9, Intimidate +13,
Doomrider can subtract ranks from his Drive skill Jump +7, Read/Write (Unislang), Speak Langauge
(maximum 10) and add them to his Attack roll (similar (Unislang), Survival +1.
to Combat Expertise). Any Drive checks made during Feats: Archaic Weapon Proficiency, Armor
or before the Doomrider’s next round are made at the Proficiency (light), Double Tap, Futuristic Firearms
reduced skill rank. Proficiency, Intimidating Strength, Point Blank Shot,
“Divine” Damage: When a Doomrider strikes, his Post Apocalyptic Technology, Personal Firearms
target is often slain in a single blow. Using 1 action Proficiency, Vehicle Dodge, Vehicle Expert.
point, the Doomrider Zealot may increase the massive Mutations and Defects: Dermal Spike Growth x2,
damage save of his target by his class level. This may Increased Body Density, Atrophied Cerebellum x2,
be declared after a successful attack is determined, and Bizarre Pigmentation.
the target must make a massive damage save. Possessions: Long Sword, Laser Pistol, (3) Power
Clips, (2) Concussion Grenades, Leather Armor, Dirt
Bike.
Typical Doomriders
Epic-Level Doomrider (Strong Hero 3, Raider
Mid-Level Doomrider (Strong Hero 3, Raider 3): 4, Doomrider Zealot 8): CR 15; Medium Size
CR 6; Medium Size Humanoid; HD 3d8+3d10+12; Humanoid; HD 3d8+12d10+30; HP 129; Mas 14;
HP 48; Mas 14; Init +1; Spd 30 ft; Defense 22, touch Init +2; Spd 30 ft; Defense 29, touch 20, flatfooted 27
15, flatfooted 21 (+1 Dex, +4 class, +4 natural, +3 (+2 Dex, +8 class, +4 natural, +5 equipment); BAB
equipment); BAB +6; Grap +9; Atk +9 (1d8+2/19-20, +15; Grap +18; Atk +18 melee (1d8+3/19-20, long
long sword), or +7 (2d8, Remington Streetsweeper); sword), or +17 ranged (3d10, Plasma Pistol); Full Atk
Full Atk +9/+4 melee (1d8/19-20, long sword), or +18/+13/+8 melee (1d8/19-20, long sword), or ranged
+7/+2 ranged (2d8, Remington Streetsweeper); FS 5 ft +17/+12/+7 (3d10, Plasma Pistol); FS 5 ft by 5 ft;
by 5 ft; Reach 5 ft; SQ DR 5/- bludgeoning, Improved Reach 5 ft; SQ DR 5/- bludgeoning, Improved Ignore
Ignore Hardness, Chaps and Chains +1, Bloodthirsty Hardness, Chaps and Chains +2, Bloodthirsty Cry,
Cry; AL Doomriders; SV Fort +6, Ref +4, Will +1; AP Divine Fury 3/day, Suicidal Vehicle Combat, Divine
3; Rep +1; Str 16, Dex 12, Con 14, Int 9, Wis 8, Cha 6. Damage, Take No Prisoners; AL Doomriders; SV Fort
Occupations and Background: Predator, Radical. +12, Ref +6, Will +3; AP 5; Rep +6; Str 16, Dex 14,
Skills: Climb +3, Drive +7, Intimidate +11, Con 14, Int 9, Wis 8, Cha 6.
Jump +5, Read/Write (Unislang), Speak Langauge Occupations and Background: Predator, Radical.
(Unislang), Survival +1. Skills: Climb +7, Drive +14, Intimidate +15,
Feats: Archaic Weapon Proficiency, Armor Jump +9, Read/Write (Unislang), Speak Langauge
Proficiency (light), Double Tap, Intimidating Strength, (Unislang), Survival +1.
Point Blank Shot, Post Apocalyptic Technology, Feats: Archaic Weapon Proficiency, Armor
Personal Firearms Proficiency, Vehicle Expert. Proficiency (light), Double Tap, Drive by Attack,
Mutations and Defects: Dermal Spike Growth x2, Intimidating Strength, Point Blank Shot, Post
Increased Body Density, Atrophied Cerebellum x2, Apocalyptic Technology, Precise Shot, Personal
Bizarre Pigmentation. Firearms Proficiency, Rip a Clip, Vehicle Dodge,
Possessions: Long Sword, Remington Vehicle Expert, Vehicle Combat.
Streetsweeper, (2) 12-Guage Speed Loaders, Leather Mutations and Defects: Dermal Spike Growth x2,
Armor, Dirt Bike. Increased Body Density, Atrophied Cerebellum x2,
Bizarre Pigmentation.
High-Level Doomrider (Strong Hero 3, Raider Possessions: Long Sword, Plasma Pistol, 2
234 4, Doomrider Zealot 3): CR 10; Medium Size
Humanoid; HD 3d8+7d10+20; HP 84; Mas 14; Init
Minifusion Cells, (2) Energy Grenades, Undercover
Vest, Jeep or Pickup.
+1; Spd 30 ft; Defense 25, touch 17, flatfooted 24 (+1
Dex, +6 class, +4 natural, +4 equipment); BAB +10;
 ENTROPISTS
“Fallen, fallen is Babylon
the great. She has become
a haunt for demons. She
is a cage for every unclean
spirit, a cage for every
unclean bird, a cage for every
unclean and disgusting beast.”

Background Options: Radical.

Attitude: The world has already ended, only the
survivors just don’t realize it yet. The Disease spreads
invisibly among outsiders, and it is the task of the
Entropists to destroy all life to thwart the Disease’s
spread, and save the souls of those who would
otherwise succumb to it and transform into “beasts”.
Symbol: The icon of the Entropists is one with
mystical undertones, making use of the Egyptian ankh
(symbol of life and eternity), but flipping it upside
down to represent death - and an end to all things.
Common Classes: Raider, Road Warrior.
Common Mutations: Adrenaline Control, Serrated
Dental Development, Shriek.
Common Defects: Aberrant Deformity, Attention
Deficit.

What Outsiders Know The Reality

The “Entropists” are a doomsday group (similar to
the Doomriders of the Forbidden lands) known to Few facts are actually known about the cult of
prowl the old highways and high wastelands of the Entropists, other than their unforgiving reputation
Mountains of Misery region, striking often into Trader as mass murderers and cold-hearted executioners of
Pass and the southern Far Desert in virtual “fleets” men, women, and children. Unlike most raider gangs
of shiny automobiles and motorcycles, with flapping (which they are often mistakenly grouped with), the
oriental banners depicting gruesome scenes and Entropists do not operate for the benefit of themselves,
proclaiming Biblical sayings about the End of Times. or exist merely at the whim of some would-be “raider
The Entropists are dedicated to a singularly prince” guiding them to some self-serving state of
destructive and nihilistic cause – the ending of all being, but are instead driven by what they believe to
life on the planet. Consumed by strange beliefs and be an almost “vengeful” mission to sterilize the Earth.
rituals, they sack, pillage, and destroy everything Like several other groups on the Twisted Earth,
in their path, leaving no survivors and only burning the philosophy of the Entropists finds its roots in the
remains. They are feared throughout the south. Fall. Before the cataclysm, during the buildup of
What few reports that exist of the Entropists are hostilities that would eventually lead up to all-out war,
varied, but they often pick up on strange quirks in their the Ancients began to secretly survey mines and cave
behavior that only adds to the mystique surrounding systems throughout the country to turn into fallout
the cult. For example, it is said that all Entropists are shelters and long-term “vaults”. Arizona, due to its
bald, that they only consume canned foods and other relative lack of strategic targets, and an abundance of
preserved supplies packaged before the Fall – and that suitable caves and caverns located throughout its dry
an Entropist would rather die than be touched by an desert landscape, was considered perfect for the task
outsider. In one instance, an Entropist who merely of constructing relocation shelters, and was eventually
brushed against an outsider in a scuffle was shot dead graced with no less than a dozen such sites by the time
by his comrades after what seemed like a crazed panic of the first outbreak of conflict.

235
among their own ranks. When the war came it descended like a rain of fire,
and burned away cities and population centers in an
indiscriminate band hundreds of miles wide. During
 the anarchy following the disintegration of all order, has wiped out almost every form of animal life in the
tens of thousands of civilians fled to the Arizona region of the Mountains of Misery. Now the area is
desert, escaping burning cities and radiated ruins to a lifeless, barren wasteland in which almost nothing
find the pre-designated sites long heard of but never lives. Instead, only dying creatures wandering in from
seen. Few if any reached their final destination, dying the fringes – their animated corpses preserved beyond
from radiation sickness or injuries from the war, or death and still carrying the parasite within – prowl the
simply starving/thirsting to death in the heat of the desert seeking gruesome sustenance, and driven by
desert. Those that did survive would make it, indeed an insidious and instinctive need to pass to a new life
finding shelters in the wilderness – but by and large form before their aging host bodies decay.
they were far smaller than advertised. Many of these The Entropists are the only surviving community
“shelters” were simply old tunnels in abandoned dwelling in this entire region. Descended from an
mine complexes, or caves in national parks, each with eccentric, Bible-thumping doomsday prophet and
only a miniscule corner or “cubby hole” reserved for his handful of followers (who fled to the desert after
storing emergency supplies. Even then the caches the war), their common ancestors managed to devise
proved to be extremely short-lived, as if their planners clever, low-technology ways to escape infection
had never thought through the complexities of long- through building isolated shelters, for example,
term habitation underground. monitoring each other constantly, and living each day
The people had little time to worry about it, one step ahead of the Disease.
however. Since well before the war the enemy of the For generations the Entropists have been stomping
Ancients had been aware of these shelters, and had around a region infested with a nightmare entity that
long suspected that in an invasion scenario, American has turned their environment into a dusty wasteland
military units shattered during the fighting might of sparse resources and little or no life. In early years
flee here to resupply, regroup, and recover from their many of their people were lost trying to save sick and
injuries. In preparation for such an eventuality, they dying animals, only to become infected themselves.
had seen to it that as nuclear warheads sprinkled all Now animals, when encountered, are invariably
over the United States, this region would also be destroyed on sight. The Entropists know that the
saturated with weapons of mass destruction. parasite can spread to life forms of all kinds: dogs,
Instead of nukes, however, biological weapons were cats, rats, birds, anything and everything living. All
chosen to do the job. The reason for this decision other survivors they have seen, man and mutant alike,
was primarily the intent to wipe out not only military have also always proven to be infected, and have
units before they could reach their caches, but to also always been destroyed with similar indifference.
destroy the masses of civilians that would be certain As they have spread out ever farther and wider
to flock to the region as well. In addition, by holding in search of uncontaminated resources to scrounge
back nuclear strikes, the caches would remain in place and new lands to scavenge from, the Entropists have
for the use of the enemy if and when they managed to only found signs of the spread of the Disease, even
come this far during their attack on the continent. In beyond the Mountains of Misery. Whether they are
time the diseases in the warheads would die out, and truly able to discern the parasite’s presence in others
the desert would transform into a safe, secure place through some unknown “test” or psychic “sixth
from which to operate. sense” so far unexplained, or are really just a pack of
No one knows what exactly went wrong, but madmen united by an obsessive compulsion fed by
according to Entropist lore the diseases never died mass hysteria, is a matter open to speculation. But
out. In fact they merely mutated, turning into more regardless of the truth, wherever they go they are
horrible forms that defied every attempt by the handful convinced the Disease has already spread, and as such
of surviving scientists and researchers in the area to destroy all populations they find. Sadly, even in those
wipe them out. What was originally intended to be a rare cases that a settlement or community has proven
localized outbreak of plagues, anthrax, and other new itself to be uninfected, the paranoia of the Entropists
pathogens, turned into a full-scale epidemic to which has led them to murder the population to prevent it
there could be no control, and no turning back. from “falling into the hands of the Disease” and “spare
Centuries later, the landscape is still scarred by what them the suffering”.
the Entropists merely call “the Disease”. The name To the Entropists, the world as they once knew it has
is misleading, however, as the “Disease” is actually already ended – they, and the rest of mutantkind, are
a bizarre form of bio-engineered parasite, the kind merely living in a nightmare slowly being taken over
that, given time to mature, develops into the creature by infinite, invisible, parasitic life forms that multiply
known as a “marionette worm”. The most voracious without restraint with each passing year. Unable to
236 of the bio-weapons to be used in the war, over time
the Disease has managed to eradicate all the other bio-
contain the Disease in their own region, they believe
that the entire world has become poisoned by it,
plagues in that area so that only it remains. whether those living in foreign lands realize it or not.
In the centuries since it first mutated, the Disease Believing that there is no hope for the planet in the
face of the Disease, the Entropists actually see it as a High-Level Entropists (PA Hero 3, Road
favor to end all life on Earth as quickly and painlessly Warrior 7): CR 10; Medium Size Humanoid; HD
as possible. 3d8+7d10+20; HP 89; Mas 14; Init +3; Spd 30 ft;
Since they come from a region almost completely Defense 20, touch 19, flatfooted 17 (+3 Dex, +6
barren of life, the Entropists have at their disposal class, +1 equipment); BAB +9; Grap +10; Atk +10
a wide variety of unconventional vehicles and melee (1d6+1/19-20, bite), or +10 melee (2d6+1/19-
equipment. Entropist bases are often stocked with 20, katana), or +12 ranged (2d8, FN P-90); Full Atk
weird luxuries and curios that serve no other purpose +10/+5 melee (1d6+1/19-20, bite), or +10/+5 melee
than as decorations. Their fleets of vehicles can (2d6+1/19-20, katana), or +12/+7 ranged (2d8, FN
- and often do - include impractical vehicles such as P-90); FS 5 ft by 5 ft; Reach 5 ft; SQ Wasteland
sleek limousines, old race cars, and restored classics, lore, Historian, Boarding Party, Offensive Driving,
depending on the whim of the individual Entropist Vehicular Evasion, Master Mechanic, Improved
(after all, with so many vehicles just laying around, Sideswipe; AL Entropists; SV Fort +8, Ref +9, Will
they have a lot to choose from). +2; AP 5; Rep +3; Str 13, Dex 16, Con 14, Int 10, Wis
Entropists universally shave themselves completely 9, Cha 8.
bald (men and women alike) and maintain a healthy Occupations and Background: Predator, Radical.
distance even from each other, conscious as they Skills: Balance +7, Climb +5, Disable Device -
are of diseases and parasites of all sorts. To a man 4, Drive +19, Intimidate +3, Jump +5, Knowledge
they refuse to eat anything but canned and/or sealed (ancient lore) +2, Navigate +9, Pilot +2, Read/Write
foodstuffs from the time of the Ancients, since any (Unislang), Repair +9, Speak Language (Unislang),
other food source could conceivably be contaminated. Spot +1, Survival +1.
The trademark weapon of the Entropists is the Feats: Archaic Weapon Proficiency, Exotic Melee
katana, which they use to quickly decapitate those Weapon Proficiency (katana), Double Tap, Drive
they suspect of infection (which includes just about by Attack, Post Apocalyptic Technology, Personal
everyone they meet) – they, of course, perceive this as Firearms Proficiency, Point Blank Shot, Vehicle
a genuine form of “mercy”. Combat, Vehicle Dodge, Vehicle Expert.
Mutations and Defects: Adrenaline Control,
Serrated Dental Development, Shriek, Aberrant
Typical Entropists Deformity, Attention Deficit x2.
Possessions: FN P-90, (2) Boxed 5.56mm
Mid-Level Entropists (PA Hero 3, Road Warrior Ammunitions, Katana, Leather Armor, Dirt Bike.
3): CR 6; Medium Size Humanoid; HD 3d8+3d10+12;
HP 48; Mas 14; Init +2; Spd 30 ft; Defense 17, touch Epic-Level Entropists (PA Hero 3, Road Warrior
16, flatfooted 15 (+2 Dex, +4 class, +1 equipment); 10, Raider 2): CR 15; Medium Size Humanoid; HD
BAB +5; Grap +6; Atk +6 melee (1d6+1/19-20, bite), 3d8+12d10+30; HP 130; Mas 17; Init +3; Spd 30
or +6 melee (2d6+1/19-20, katana), or +7 ranged (2d8, ft; Defense 22, touch 21, flatfooted 19 (+3 Dex, +8
FN P-90); FS 5 ft by 5 ft; Reach 5 ft; SQ Wasteland class, +1 equipment); BAB +14; Grap +16; Atk +16
lore, Historian, Boarding Party, Offensive Driving; AL melee (1d6+2/19-20, bite), or +16 melee (2d6+1/
Entropists; SV Fort +6, Ref +6, Will +1; AP 3; Rep +1; 19-20, katana), or +17 ranged (2d8, FN P-90); Full
Str 13, Dex 15, Con 14, Int 10, Wis 9, Cha 8. Atk +16/+11/+5 melee (1d6+2/19-20, bite), or +16/
Occupations and Background: Predator, Radical. +11/+5 melee (2d6+1/19-20, katana), or +17/+12/+7
Skills: Balance +4, Climb +4, Concentration -4, ranged (2d8, FN P-90); FS 5 ft by 5 ft; Reach 5 ft; SQ
Disable Device -4, Drive +13, Intimidate +3, Jump +4, Wasteland lore, Historian, Boarding Party, Offensive
Knowledge (ancient lore) +2, Navigate +6, Read/Write Driving, Vehicular Evasion, Master Mechanic,
(Unislang), Repair 2, Speak Language (Unislang), Improved Sideswipe, Damage Threshold, Improved
Spot +1, Survival +1. Ramming, Chaps and Chains +1, Bloodthirsty Cry; AL
Feats: Archaic Weapon Proficiency, Exotic Melee Entropists; SV Fort +11, Ref +12, Will +3; AP 7; Rep
Weapon Proficiency (katana), Post Apocalyptic +5; Str 14, Dex 16, Con 14, Int 10, Wis 9, Cha 8.
Technology, Personal Firearms Proficiency, Point Occupations and Background: Predator, Radical.
Blank Shot, Double Tap, Vehicle Dodge, Vehicle Skills: Balance +7, Climb +7, Disable Device -
Expert. 4, Drive +22, Intimidate +6, Jump +7, Knowledge
Mutations and Defects: Adrenaline Control, (ancient lore) +2, Knowledge (tactics) +3, Navigate
Serrated Dental Development, Shriek, Aberrant +10, Pilot +2, Read/Write (Unislang), Repair +10,
Deformity, Attention Deficit x2. Speak Language (Unislang), Spot +1, Survival +1.
Possessions: FN P-90, (2) Boxed 5.56mm
Ammunitions, Katana, Leather Armor, Dirt Bike.
Feats: Archaic Weapon Proficiency, Exotic Melee
Weapon Proficiency (katana), Double Tap, Drive by
237
Attack, Forced Stop, Post Apocalyptic Technology,
Personal Firearms Proficiency, Point Blank Shot,
 Quick Reload, Rip a Clip, Vehicle Combat, Vehicle as thieves and superstitious beggars, the Far Traders
Dodge, Vehicle Expert. nonetheless hold to their own code and are at least
Mutations and Defects: Adrenaline Control, known to be honest – once a legitimate trade has been
Serrated Dental Development, Shriek, Aberrant engaged in.
Deformity, Attention Deficit x2.
Possessions: FN P-90, (2) Boxed 5.56mm
Ammunitions, (2) Fragmentation Grenades, Katana, The Reality
Leather Armor, Jeep or Pickup. The Far Traders began not unlike many of the hundred
or so merchant clans that have come and gone in the
savage years since the Fall, but their ability to outlast
FAR TRADERS most others is a testament to their ingenuity, cunning,
and sense of purpose. Of course they also owe their
longevity to their tireless dedication to their brothers,
“Continue on. It’s not far sisters, children – even their elderly – for they are
now, just a few miles to go! of a unified belief that family is the last bastion of
Another town and another civilization and order in the world, and through the
few days in the company family they will survive.
of strangers. We’ll be rich The Far Traders are not like most “tribals”, however,
before you know it!” despite their reliance on clan members and extended
relations to meet the needs of everyday survival. Long
Background Options: Tribal, Resentful. ago these nomadic people realized that a better way of
Attitude: Trade is life, family is key, and in the life was to be had in wandering the wasteland, rather
end, survival is all that matters. than settling in one place and waiting for a bigger,
Symbol: The Far Traders only use symbols when more powerful group to find them and destroy them.
they need to, such as when they arrive at market towns Instead, the Far Traders developed early on a mentality
to declare that they are open for business. Most of that the world was, so to speak, like one big ocean
the time it is wiser to remain unrecognized and out filled with turbulent waters, and the only way to avoid
of sight, and so their symbol is rarely seen on the drowning was to “sail on”.
open road. Their symbol usually revolves around a Far Trader caravans are famous across the deserts
depiction of a covered wagon, with the words “Trade of the Twisted Earth, though their notoriety comes as
Is Life” emblazoned above or below. much from the varied quality of the goods they bring
Common Classes: Skulk, Trader. as the unsavory rumors of theft, rape, and superstitious
Common Mutations: Accumulated Resistance, rituals that accompany their passing. Though they
Interior Moisture Reservoir. do in fact offer some of the most bizarre and curious
Common Defects: Aberrant Deformity, items from all corners of the world, where and how
Hunchback. they got these items is often a matter of debate. The
stories and accusations are only about half true,
What however; through their widespread wanderings
and migrations, the gypsy-like Far Traders
Outsiders actually do find many, many
things among the wastes,
Know whether discarded along
The Far Traders are an the trade routes or in
age-old association, best places that remain to be
described as “gypsies” of found by other men.
the mutant world. A long These range from true
time ago they forfeited junk items to amazing
their claim to a sedentary and unexpected artifacts
existence to become a thought lost to the
nomadic people, winding endless wars of the Twisted
their way across the Twisted Earth and the anarchy of the
Earth in miles-long caravans, wasteland.
their carts and Conestoga Extremely
wagons stacked-high insular, the Far
238 with a menagerie of
weird goods from
Traders live in
virtual “mobile
all over the deserts. communities”,
Though ostracized made of animal
in many communities trains, wagons,
carts, and even so-called “sandships” – giant wheeled
vehicles the size of houses, made of wood, corrugated
Typical Far Traders
iron, and other junk materials scavenged from the
Mid-Level Far Trader (PA Hero 3, Trader 2, Skulk
desert. Many of these are decorated with rusted
1): CR 3; Medium size humanoid; HD 4d8+2d6; HP
iron spikes and even the bones of unknown desert
26; Mas 11; Init +8; Spd 25 ft; Defense 16, touch 16,
creatures, to give them formidable appearances and to
flatfooted 14 (+2 Dex, +4 class); BAB +3; Grap +4;
serve as strongholds to which the entire caravan can
Atk +4 melee (1d4+1/18-20, Kukri), or +5 ranged
withdraw in case of raider attack.
(1d10/19-20, Repeating Crossbow); FS 5 ft by 5
Outsiders are seldom welcome among the Far
ft; Reach 5 ft; SQ Wasteland Lore, Survival Sense,
Traders; a man found along the trade routes is more
Sweep, Ear to the Ground, Money Talks; AL Far
likely to be robbed than to be given sanctuary among
Trader; SV Fort +2, Ref +8, Will +3; AP 3; Rep +1; Str
their caravans. Though this might seem cruel and
13, Dex 14, Con 11, Int 13, Wis 10, Cha 10.
heartless to most, resembling highway robbery at its
Occupations and Background: Merchant, Tribal
worst, this attitude stems more from the Far Traders’
Skills: Balance +2, Bluff +6, Climb +1, Diplomacy
paranoia of the pestilences carried by outsiders, and of
+8, Gather Information +8, Hide +7, Knowledge
genetic contamination of their people’s stock (after all,
(twisted earth) +3, Listen +3, Move Silently +8,
Far Trader youths are just as “curious” about strangers
Profession (trader) +5, Read/Write (Trade, Unislang)
as any other group’s) than anything else. However
+1, Sleight of Hand +8, Speak Language (Trade,
there are always exceptions to this rule, and anyone
Unislang) +1, Spot +3, Survival +3.
with a proven skill (such as medical knowledge) has a
Feats: Archaic Weapons Proficiency, Dodge, Exotic
good chance of being offered a new life among the Far
Weapon Proficiency (Repeating Crossbow), Improved
Traders.
Initiative, Point Blank Shot, Primitive Technology,
Members of the Far Traders can expect to have
Quick Reload.
lifelong friends and allies with their fellow traders.
Mutations and Defects: Accumulated Resistance,
Though several family groups actually comprise the
Interior Moisture Reservoir, Aberrant Deformity,
Far Traders, all will pitch in to aid one another in
Hunchback.
times of war or other threats. In at least one instance,
Possessions: Kukri, Repeating Crossbow, (2) Juju
for example, when a foolish Far Trader youth got in
Potions (1d4+5).
trouble in a desert community for starting a brawl in
a local watering hole, his clan petitioned other Far
High-Level Far Trader (PA Hero 3, Trader 4,
Traders from all over the trade routes to come to his
Skulk 3): CR 10; Medium size humanoid; HD
rescue. The town, which planned on hanging the boy,
6d8+4d6+10; HP 56; Mas 12; Init +8; Spd 25 ft;
was forced to give him up when a massed gathering
Defense 20, touch 18, flatfooted 18 (+2 Dex, +6 class,
of more than three hundred Far Traders arrived within
+2 equipment); BAB +6; Grap +7; Atk +7 melee
a week’s time, ready and willing to besiege the town
(1d4+1/18-20, Kukri), or +8 ranged (1d10/19-20,
until he was released.
Repeating Crossbow); Atk +7/+2 melee (1d4+1/18-
One aspect of the Far Traders that should not be
20, Kukri), or +8/+3 ranged (1d10/19-20, Repeating
overlooked is their gradual descent into superstitious
Crossbow); FS 5 ft by 5 ft; Reach 5 ft; SQ Wasteland
ritualism, which combines a strange mixture of
Lore, Survival Sense, Sweep, Ear to the Ground,
Biblical, mystical, and animist beliefs. In ancient
Money Talks, Going Once/Twice, Sneak Attack +1d6;
times the Far Traders (who, in at least one legend,
AL Far Trader; SV Fort +5, Ref +9, Will +4; AP 5;
claim that their first founding families descended
Rep +2; Str 13, Dex 14, Con 12, Int 13, Wis 10, Cha
from truckers before the Fall) used precious portable
10.
GPS systems to navigate through the desert, but with
Occupations and Background: Merchant, Tribal
the ASAT (anti-satellite) warfare of the Fall, and the
Skills: Bluff +8, Diplomacy +10, Disable Device
eventual decay of surviving satellites in orbit, they
+3, Forgery +3, Gamble +2, Gather Information +10,
were forced to learn to navigate by the stars. With
Hide +9, Knowledge (twisted earth) +3, Listen +4,
time, to teach new generations and to keep alive their
Move Silently +9, Profession (trader) +8, Read/Write
knowledge of the sky, the Far Traders came to apply
(Trade, Unislang) +1, Ride +4, Search +2, Sense
religious significance to the lights in the heavens,
Motive +3, Sleight of Hand +9, Speak Language
and develop their own mythology concerning the
(Trade, Unislang) +1, Spot +4, Survival +5.
constellations, planets, phases of the moon, and even
Feats: Archaic Weapons Proficiency, Armor
the “new stars” (which some say are actually the hulks
Proficiency (light), Dodge, Exotic Weapon Proficiency
of space stations left abandoned in space during the
Fall).
(Repeating Crossbow), Improved Initiative, Precise
Shot, Point Blank Shot, Primitive Technology, Silver 239
Tongue, Quick Reload.
 Mutations and Defects: Accumulated Resistance, icon to represent their philosophy and membership.
Interior Moisture Reservoir, Aberrant Deformity, The twin embracing arms of the Future represents
Hunchback. their bright vision of a world-to-come. Above this is
Possessions: Kukri, Repeating Crossbow, Leather the “Book of Wisdom”, its pages open for all to read
Armor, (4) Juju Potions (1d4+5). – but hovering over this is the Foundationist sword, a
reminder that such knowledge comes with a price, and
Epic-Level Far Trader (PA Hero 3, Trader 6, Skulk that it must forever be protected with vigilance and
6): CR 15; Medium size humanoid; HD 9d8+6d6+10; valor.
HP 91; Mas 12; Init +8; Spd 25 ft; Defense 23, touch Common Classes: Foundation Paladin, Guardian,
21, flatfooted 21 (+2 Dex, +9 class, +2 equipment); Tinker, Mech, Scholar, Scientist, Warrior Monk.
BAB +9; Grap +11; Atk +11 melee (1d4+1/18- Common Mutations: All.
20, Kukri), or +11 ranged (1d10/19-20, Repeating Common Defects: All.
Crossbow); Atk +11/+6 melee (1d4+1/18-20, Kukri),
or +11/+6 ranged (1d10/19-20, Repeating Crossbow);
FS 5 ft by 5 ft; Reach 5 ft; SQ Wasteland Lore, What Outsiders Know
Survival Sense, Sweep, Ear to the Ground, Money One of the more famous (or infamous) organizations
Talks, Going Once/Twice, Sneak Attack +2d6, Skill in the wasteland is the so-called “Foundation”, a
Mastery, Read the Signs; AL Far Trader; SV Fort +7, central association of warrior-thinkers that believes
Ref +12, Will +6; AP 7; Rep +3; Str 14, Dex 14, Con in the preservation of lost technologies for the benefit
12, Int 13, Wis 10, Cha 10. of a future time, some day down the road, when all
Occupations and Background: Merchant, Tribal the people of the world will be ready to accept their
Skills: Bluff +12, Diplomacy +14, Disable Device Wisdom. Until that time, the Foundationists seek,
+5, Forgery +7, Gamble +2, Gather Information +12, through diplomacy, scrounging, or outright military
Hide +13, Knowledge (twisted earth) +5, Listen +9, force, to locate and secure lost installations, vehicles,
Move Silently +13, Profession (trader) +9, Read/Write gizmos, and “arcanum” from the barbarians of the
(Trade, Unislang) +1, Ride +4, Search +5, Sense desert.
Motive +5, Sleight of Hand +11, Speak Language The Foundationist movement believes that the only
(Trade, Unislang) +1, Spot +9, Survival +6. way to secure the future of man and mutantkind is
Feats: Archaic Weapons Proficiency, Alertness, to take extreme measures, and not to roll over like
Armor Proficiency (light), Dodge, Exotic Weapon so many others and die. Hard military training and
Proficiency (Repeating Crossbow), Improved a strict education are the destiny of all who join the
Initiative, Mobility, Precise Shot, Point Blank Shot, ranks. They are known to hold a number of bases and
Primitive Technology, Shot on the Run, Silver Tongue, old centers of military significance (what few remain
Stealthy, Quick Reload. intact) all over the western part of the Twisted Earth.
Mutations and Defects: Accumulated Resistance, In particular, the Foundation’s presence is most widely
Interior Moisture Reservoir, Aberrant Deformity, felt in Old California, in large settlements and trade
Hunchback. hubs where they can best keep an eye on the markets
Possessions: Kukri, Repeating Crossbow, Leather for the appearance of lost technologies. Over the Big
Armor, (4) Juju Potions (1d4+10). Rocks, however, their power and influence is shaky at
best, though it is rumored the Foundation is seeking to
grow...
FOUNDATIONISTS The Foundation is well known for its efforts to
preserve technology, though they are more often
than not viewed as bullies, bandits, or worse. Many
“Do you know what that is think their quest of preservation just a ruse, so that
you are holding? Could they can accumulate the most powerful weapons and
you possibly understand armor for some future plan of conquest. Wherever a
the significance of such a Foundationist goes, he is treated with quiet respect,
magnificent thing?!” sometimes awe, but more often a subtle dislike that
borders on real resentment.
Background Options: Ritual Preservationist,
Visionary Reinventor, Resurrector, Guardian.
Attitude: Preserving what little technology remains The Reality
on the Twisted Earth is paramount to rebuilding the The original core of Foundationists descends from

240
past and re-establishing the way of the Ancients. All a band of soldiers who deserted their post during
technology must be protected from decay, and from the height of the Fall. Faced with a blasted earth,
destruction at the hands of the ignorant savages of the cities reduced to ashes, millions of dead, and all
wasteland. semblance of sanity and order erased by war (a war
Symbol: The Foundationists use a very symbolic they no longer believed could be won), many of these
desperate men fled in the hope of finding family and
loved ones in the California countryside.
During their flight the Foundationists took with
them a small number of reprogrammed androids, and
along the way their convoy of military trucks and
transports attracted destitute civilians clinging to life
among the burning cities. Some of these they had to
fight off just to survive, but others – with skills that
would benefit their survival – were allowed to join
in their exodus for a new home. When they were
ultimately unable to find more than a handful of their
families in the crumbling ruins of Oakland (where they
had been stationed prior to the outbreak of war), and
realized that a long nuclear winter was in store for the
world, they set out to find and locate an intact vault in
which to seal themselves indefinitely, to wait out the
worst after effects of the nuclear exchange.
They managed to secure an unfinished vault
complex on the ruined outskirts of Redding,
California, and with their own engineering skills
(and with the help of the androids they had brought
with them) they were able to finish construction and
seal themselves in before the growing atmospheric
radiation threatened their entire population of refugees.
Years led to decades, and decades lead to centuries, isolationism. Only now, far in the future, has the
all spent in miserable isolation within the vault. Over Foundation struck out to explore the world and assess
the generations the people within the vault, unable to the damage from the Fall. They have, by and large
make contact with the outside world, began to believe found the Twisted Earth to be an inhospitable place for
(erroneously) the whole earth had been destroyed, their ideologies; many existing enclaves and factions
and all intelligent life with it. Some, however, fired bitterly resent the Ancients for what they “did” to the
by lingering memories of pre-Fall science-fiction, world, or otherwise have no desire to see their way
theorized that instead the world might be populated by of life return. In addition, the physical changes to
mutants, horrible things that would want to eat them – the world have been hard on the Foundationists, and
or worse. In either case, they came to believe that they though originally unwilling to allow mutants into
were the last enclave of surviving humanity, and that their ranks, their dwindling core of pureblood humans
one day, when they emerged, it would be their destiny (losses due to lingering radiation, and especially
to repopulate the surface with their kind. mutated diseases have taken their toll) has forced them
Calling themselves the “Foundation of Man” to begin accepting outsiders into their organization.
to reflect the idea that they were the stones on The Foundation is now a mix of old and new. At
which a new human civilization would be built, the its core is a hierarchy of pureblood humans intent on
Foundationists emerged centuries later to a world rebuilding America at all costs. They supplement their
completely changed by war, disease, and generations numbers with mutants who have only a fragmented
of anarchy. Instead of a world completely depopulated understanding of the Ancients, and who as often as
by radiation, there were in fact many holdouts not “worship” the Ancients (and even their pureblood
– survivors – who had mutated into wild and horrific superiors) as “gods”. What’s worse, the original core
forms. This led to several early confrontations and of humans have also lost much of their understanding
conflicts with the factions on the surface, but despite of the past as well – an inevitable side effect of being
their own precarious size (a few hundred men and trapped underground for generations with limited
women) and position, with their superior technology educational resources.
(powered armor and advanced weapons from the days The Foundation believes that to rebuild, they
of their ancestors, kept and maintained inside the naturally need to understand the past and all its
vault) they managed to survive against the odds. great wonders. To this end they seek out all items of
Over time the Foundationists have expanded technology to hoard, examine, experiment with, and
somewhat over the area that used to be the state of hopefully duplicate (or at least preserve for a more
California, but their believed “destiny” of rebuilding
the Ancient way of life has been slow in coming.
enlightened time when their secrets can be unlocked).
This belief often manifests as a quasi-crusader style 241
Earlier leaders, plagued by paranoia of the mutants zeal, leading Foundationists to conquer communities
of the surface world, adhered to a strict policy of that refuse to give up their technology for the
“betterment of man”.
 TABLE 6-4: THE FOUNDATION PALADIN
Base Fort Ref Will Defense Reputation
Level Special
Attack Save Save Save Bonus Bonus
1 +1 +1 +1 +0 Rigorous Training, Improved Tactical Aid +1 +2
2 +2 +2 +2 +0 Bonus Feat +1 +2
3 +3 +2 +2 +1 Advanced Training +1 +2 +2
4 +4 +2 +2 +1 Bonus Feat +2 +3
5 +5 +3 +3 +1 Advanced Training +2 +3 +3
6 +6 +3 +3 +2 Bonus Feat +3 +3
7 +7 +4 +4 +2 Advanced Training +3 +4 +4
8 +8 +4 +4 +2 Bonus Feat +4 +4
9 +9 +4 +4 +3 Advanced Training +4 +5 +4
10 +10 +5 +5 +3 Bonus Feat +5 +5

Foundation Paladin (any), Burst Fire, Combat Reflexes, Bull’s Eye,

Double Tap, Exotic Firearms Proficiency, Exotic
Melee Weapon Proficiency, Far Shot, Hard Eye,
Requirements High Ready, Improved Autofire, Improved Dead
To qualify to become a Foundation Paladin, a Aim, Precise Shot, Point Blank Shot, Power Armor
character must fulfill the following criteria. Operation, Rip a Clip, Reactive Shooter, Room
Allegiance: Foundation. Broom, Strafe, Two Weapon Fighting.
Base Attack Bonus: +8. Rigorous Training: Foundation Paladins are subject
Skills: Knowledge (tactics) 8 ranks, Knowledge to rigorous training that prepares them for hardships.
(ancient lore) 5 ranks, Knowledge (technology) 5 The Foundation Paladin adds his class levels to
ranks. any Saving Throw to resist fatigue, hunger, torture,
Feat: Advanced Technology, Futuristic Firearm brainwashing, fear, combat fatigue, and intimidation.
Proficiency. Improved Tactical Aid: This improved version
Background: Ritual Preservationists, Resurrectors, of the Guardian’s Tactical Aid ability doubles the
Visionary Reinventors, Guardians, and Advanced bonuses and duration. If the Foundation Paladin does
communities only. not have Tactical Aid, he gets the standard ability and
not the improved version. The duration is based the
Class Information character’s total Guardian, Soldier, and Paladin class
The following information pertains to the Foundation levels.
Paladin prestige class. Advanced Training: Few warriors on the Twisted
Hit Die: 1d10. Earth have more combat training than the Foundation
Action Points: 7 + one-half of the character’s level, Paladins. The Paladin gains an advanced training
rounded down, every time he or she attains a new level bonus that he may use to modify his Defense, Attack,
in this class. Damage, or Skill checks. He must choose how he
Class Skills: The Foundation Paladin’s class skills is going to use his advanced training bonus before he
are: Climb (Str), Demolitions (Int), Drive (Dex), takes any actions for that round and it remains in effect
Intimidate (Cha), Jump (Str), Knowledge (tactics, until the start of his next round. The bonus may be
ancient lore, twisted earth, technology) (Int), Listen split up or used in a single area.
(Wis), Pilot (Dex), Navigate (Int), Repair (Int), Spot If applied to his Defense, the Paladin loses this
(Wis), and Survival (Wis). bonus if he is flat-footed or flanked.
Skill Points at Each Level: 5 + Int modifier.

Class Features Typical Foundationists

The following features pertain to the Foundation
Paladin prestige class. Mid-Level Foundationist (PA Hero 4, Guardian 2):
Bonus Feats: A Foundation Paladin receives a CR 6; Medium Size Humanoid; HD 4d8+2d10+12;
HP 46; Mas 14; Init +2; Spd 25 ft; Defense 21, touch
242
bonus feat at 2nd, 4th, 6th, 8th and 10th level. The feat
must be selected from the following list, and the 15, flatfooted 19 (+2 Dex, +3 class, +6 equipment);
character must meet the prerequisites to select it: BAB +5; Grap +6; Atk +8 ranged (2d8, Jackhammer
Advanced Firearms Proficiency, Advanced Firearms Mk3A1), or +6 melee (1d6+1, gun butt); FS 5 ft by
Proficiency, Armed to the Teeth, Armor Proficiency 5 ft; Reach 5 ft; SQ Technologist, Computer Lore,
Defender +2, Weapon Focus (Jackhammer Mk3A1); Epic-Level Foundationist (PA Hero 4, Guardian
AL Foundation; SV Fort +6, Ref +6, Will +2; AP 3; 4, Foundation Paladin 7): CR 15; Medium Size
Rep +1; Str 12, Dex 15, Con 14, Int 12, Wis 13, Cha Humanoid; HD 4d8+11d10+30; HP 127; Mas 14; Init
10. +3; Spd 30/25 ft; Defense 27, touch 21, flatfooted 24
Occupations and Background: Military, Guardian. (+3 Dex, +8 class, +6 equipment); BAB +14; Grap
Skills: Climb +3, Computer Use +7, Demolitions +15; Atk +17 ranged (3d12, Pulse Laser Rifle), or +17
+3, Drive +6, Hide +4, Intimidate +3, Jump +4, ranged (12d12, laser cannon), or +15 melee (1d6+1,
Knowledge (ancient lore) +4, Knowledge (tactics) gun butt); Full Atk +17/+12/+7 ranged (3d12, Pulse
+6, Knowledge (technology) +10, Move Silently +4, Laser Rifle), or +15/+10/+5 melee (1d6+1, gun butt);
Navigate +3, Pilot +4, Read/Write (Unislang), Search FS 5 ft by 5 ft; Reach 5 ft; SQ Technologist, Computer
+3, Sense Motive +4, Speak Language (Unislang), Lore, Defender +2, Weapon Focus (Jackhammer
Spot +4, Survival +4, Tumble +4. Mk3A1), Tactical Aid, Rigorous Training, Improved
Feats: Advanced Firearms Proficiency, Advanced Tactical Aid, Advanced Training +3; AL Foundation;
Technology, Armor Proficiency (light, medium), SV Fort +8, Ref +8, Will +4; AP 5; Rep +6; Str 12,
Dodge, Personal Firearms Proficiency. Dex 16, Con 14, Int 12, Wis 14, Cha 10.
Mutations and Defects: None Occupations and Background: Military, Guardian.
Possessions: Jackhammer Mk3A1, (2) 12-Guage Skills: Climb +6, Computer Use +10, Demolitions
Speed Loaders, Military combat suit, Flash Goggles, +6, Drive +13, Hide +6, Intimidate +5, Jump +6,
Web Belt, Survival Kit, (2) Ready Syringe (Stimshot Knowledge (ancient lore) +7, Knowledge (tactics)
A), (2) Light Rods. +11, Knowledge (technology) +11, Move Silently +6,
Navigate +6, Pilot +13, Read/Write (Unislang), Search
High-Level Foundationist (PA Hero 4, Guardian +4, Sense Motive +6, Speak Language (Unislang),
4, Foundation Paladin 2): CR 6; Medium Size Spot +6, Survival +10, Tumble +6.
Humanoid; HD 4d8+6d10+20; HP 82; Mas 14; Init Feats: Advanced Firearms Proficiency, Advanced
+3; Spd 20 ft; Defense 27, touch 18, flatfooted 24 (+3 Technology, Armor Proficiency (light, medium),
Dex, +5 class, +9 equipment); BAB +9; Grap +10; Atk Armor Proficiency (heavy), Burst Fire, Dodge, Exotic
+12 ranged (3d12, Pulse Laser Rifle), or +10 melee Firearms Proficiency (cannons), Exotic Firearms
(1d6+1, gun butt); Full Atk +12/+7 ranged (3d12, Proficiency (grenade launchers), Futuristic Firearm
Pulse Laser Rifle), or +10/+5 melee (1d6+1, gun butt); Proficiency, Improved Autofire, Personal Firearms
FS 5 ft by 5 ft; Reach 5 ft; SQ Technologist, Computer Proficiency, Power Armor Operation.
Lore, Defender +2, Weapon Focus (Jackhammer Mutations and Defects: None.
Mk3A1), Tactical Aid, Rigorous Training, Improved Possessions: Pulse Laser Rifle, Laser Cannon, Mk3
Tactical Aid; AL Foundation; SV Fort +8, Ref +9, Will Ares Powered Armor (defense 21), Tactical Vest,
+3; AP 5; Rep +4; Str 12, Dex 16, Con 14, Int 12, Wis Power Beltpack, (3) Mini-Fusion Cells, Flash Goggles,
13, Cha 10. Web Belt, Survival Kit, Pocket Nurse (3 Stimshot A),
Occupations and Background: Military, Guardian. (2) Light Rods.
Skills: Climb +4, Computer Use +8, Demolitions
+4, Drive +9, Hide +5, Intimidate +4, Jump +5,
Knowledge (ancient lore) +6, Knowledge (tactics)
+10, Knowledge (technology) +10, Move Silently +5,
GHOULS
Navigate +4, Pilot +9, Read/Write (Unislang), Search
+3, Sense Motive +4, Speak Language (Unislang), “F-r-e-s-s-s-h-h…M-e-e-
Spot +4, Survival +6, Tumble +5. a-a-a-a-t-t !!!”
Feats: Advanced Firearms Proficiency, Advanced
Technology, Armor Proficiency (light, medium),
Armor Proficiency (heavy), Burst Fire, Dodge,
Futuristic Firearm Proficiency, Personal Firearms Background Options: Tribal, Radical.
Proficiency. Attitude: Eat meat, be happy.
Mutations and Defects: None. Symbol: The many ghoul enclaves throughout the
Possessions: Pulse Laser Rifle, Advanced Metal cities of the Twisted Earth use a variety of symbols
Armor, Power Backpack, Flash Goggles, Web Belt, to mark their respective territories against intrusion.
Survival Kit, (2) Ready Syringe (Stimshot A), (2) Typical examples include a series of bloody streaks
Light Rods. and any number of clever or terrifying sayings/
slogans.
Common Classes: Barbarian, Skulk, Scav.
Common Mutations: Sensitive Sight, Claws, 243
Serrated Dental Development.
Common Defects: Cannibalism, Albinism.
 What Outsiders Know the desert wilderness of the world. Few
wander out of these places, leaving
First there was civilization, then
the wasteland, by and large, free of
war. And in the dust and ashes
their taint. The ruined landscape
of mankind’s glory, there were
of cities is ideal for their kind,
survivors. They survived
after all, because more often
by staying alive, no matter
than not they shun the light
what the cost – to their
of day and prefer to dwell
minds and their humanity.
in the shadows created by
In the ruins of the many
old buildings and rubble
cities scattered across
heaps, or descend into
the Twisted Earth, there
the cool darkness of
was little left that was
the sewers beneath the
uncontaminated or
streets. The cities also
destroyed in the looting
harbor life such as rats
that followed the great
and wild men, on which
collapse so many years
ghouls also feed without
ago. But what was left,
distinction. In addition,
and has never since been
wandering scavs, or other
in short supply, were
survivors, make for a
the bodies of men. Men
welcome addition to their
killed by war or disease.
carnivorous palette.
Ghouls are a
It is also here, within
widespread and horrible
the shells of the great
race of degenerate
“necropoli”, that the
humans and mutants that
ghouls have lived since
managed to survive in
the first years following
the ruins for so many years,
the Fall. In fact, many ghouls
through abandoning all humanity and
are the direct descendants of pre-Fall humanity,
sinking to the level of dead-eaters and cannibals.
men and women who were unable and unwilling to
Years of such decadent appetites have left them
leave the cities despite the radiation and diseases that
markedly changed – unhealthy, unstable, and utterly
polluted them. Scavenging for dwindling sources of
insane. The communities of the world despise
food in grocery stores and abandoned restaurants only
ghouls above all others, for their ability to sneak
sustained them for a while, and as starvation set in so
through the sewers and shadowy rubble of the ruins is
did desperation. Driven by the instinct to survive, they
unparalleled. While not strong individually, a mass of
turned to cannibalism and, over generations, evolved
ghouls emerging from the darkness is a most terrifying
into the beastly things now known as “ghouls”.
sight.
Merchants and sandwalkers will be the first to tell
tales of ghouls and the atrocities they commit. Almost
The Reality like “ghost stories” told by the campfire, other desert
communities whose origins once lay in the ruined
Ghouls are not really a faction per se, but rather a
race of degenerate humanoids so common on the cities of the Twisted Earth also remember ghouls for
Twisted Earth that they are a recognized danger to their hunger and inhumanity, and continue to keep the
almost every community in every far flung corner of lore of ghouls alive in succeeding generations.
the wasteland. Ghoul “communities” themselves are
seldom united, more often resembling loose “tribes” of
savages dwelling like squatters wherever they wander,
Typical Ghouls
vandalizing what they find and destroying everything
Low-Level Ghoul (Post Apocalyptic Hero 2): CR 2;
they cannot figure out as their destructive whim suits
Medium Size Humanoid; HD 2d8+2; HP 12; Mas 12;
them. Leadership is almost always in the hands of the
Init +2; Spd 30 ft; Defense 13, touch 13, flatfooted 11
strongest or most treacherous ghoul of the pack, or
(+2 Dex, +1 class); BAB +1; Grap +1; Atk +3 melee
given to whichever among them is the most reliable
(1d6+1, Claw); Full Atk +3 melee (1d6+1, 2 claws),
in leading the tribe to food. Treachery is rampant in
+1 melee (1d6+1/19-20, bite); FS 5 ft by 5 ft; Reach 5
244
these malevolent groups, as jealousy over the division
ft; SQ Necropoli Lore; AL None; SV Fort +3, Ref +4,
of “meat” often leads to bickering, infighting, and
Will -1; AP 3; Rep +0; Str 12, Dex 14, Con 12, Int 10,
murder.
Wis 8, Cha 3.
Most ghoul communities are found within the
Occupations and Background: Predator, Tribal.
confines of the great cities and urban ruins that mottle
Skills: Climb +2, Hide +7, Listen +6, Move Silently
+7, Read/Write (Unislang), Search +2, Spot +6, Speak Full Atk +13 (1d10+1, 2 claws), +13 (1d6+1/19-20,
Language (Unislang), Survival +4. bite); FS 5 ft by 5 ft; Reach 5 ft; SQ Necropoli Lore,
Feats: Alertness, Primitive Technology, Multi- Survival Sense, Sweep, Sneak Attack +3d6, Skill
Attack, Weapon Finesse (claws, bite). Mastery, Improved Sweep, Without a Trace, Conserve;
Mutations and Defects: Albinism, Cannibalism x2, AL None; SV Fort +7, Ref +13, Will +3; AP 7; Rep
Claws, Sensitive Sight, Serrated Dental Development. +3; Str 12, Dex 17, Con 12, Int 10, Wis 8, Cha 3.
Possessions: None. Occupations and Background: Predator, Tribal.
Skills: Climb +7, Hide +18, Listen +13, Move
Mid-Level Ghoul (Post Apocalyptic Hero 3, Skulk Silently +18, Read/Write (Unislang), Search +8, Sense
3): CR 6; Medium Size Humanoid; HD 6d8+6; HP Motive +8, Speak Language (Unislang), Spot +13,
36; Mas 12; Init +4; Spd 30 ft; Defense 16, touch Survival +13.
16, flatfooted 14 (+2 Dex, +4 class); BAB +4; Grap Feats: Alertness, Armor Proficiency (light),
+5; Atk +6 melee (1d6+1, Claw); Full Atk +6 melee Dodge, Improved Multi-Attack, Mobility, Primitive
(1d6+1, 2 claws), +4 melee (1d6+1/19-20, bite); FS Technology, Spring Attack, Multi-Attack, Mutation
5 ft by 5 ft; Reach 5 ft; SQ Necropoli Lore, Survival Advancement (claws) x2, Tearing Bite, Weapon
Sense, Sweep, Sneak Attack +1d6; AL None; SV Fort Finesse (claws, bite), Weapon Focus (claws).
+4, Ref +7, Will +1; AP 3; Rep +0; Str 12, Dex 15, Mutations and Defects: Albinism, Cannibalism
Con 12, Int 10, Wis 8, Cha 3. x2, Claws x3, Sensitive Sight, Serrated Dental
Occupations and Background: Predator, Tribal. Development.
Skills: Climb +2, Hide +10, Listen +9, Move Possessions: Leather Armor.
Silently +10, Read/Write (Unislang), Search +5, Spot
+9, Speak Language (Unislang), Survival +9.
Feats: Alertness, Dodge, Mobility, Primitive
Technology, Spring Attack, Multi-Attack, Weapon
MOVEMENT, THE
Finesse (claws, bite).
Mutations and Defects: Albinism, Cannibalism x2, “Put down your weapons,
Claws, Sensitive Sight, Serrated Dental Development. we’re not here to harm you!”
Possessions: None.

High-Level Ghoul (Post Apocalyptic Hero 3, Skulk Background Options: Visionary Reinventor,
7): CR 10; Medium Size Humanoid; HD 10d8+10; HP Resurrector.
60; Mas 12; Init +5; Spd 30 ft; Defense 19, touch 19, Attitude: An end to the chaos of this new Dark Age
flatfooted 16 (+3 Dex, +6 class); BAB +7; Grap +8; is possible, but only if man and mutant unite and stride
Atk +10 melee (1d8+1, Claw); Full Atk +10 (1d8+1, 2 bravely into the future without the fetters of racism,
claws), +8 (1d6+1/19-20, bite); FS 5 ft by 5 ft; Reach slavery, and savagery to hold them back.
5 ft; SQ Necropoli Lore, Survival Sense, Sweep, Symbol: The Movement uses a contemporary
Sneak Attack +2d6, Skill Mastery, Improved Sweep; symbol used to represent the values of the Fallen
AL None; SV Fort +5, Ref +10, Will +2; AP 5; Rep Gods’ vision of the future. It depicts hands of different
+1; Str 12, Dex 16, Con 12, Int 10, Wis 8, Cha 3. colors coming together in peace and friendship, and
Occupations and Background: Predator, Tribal. bears the words of Promise that guarantee peace and
Skills: Climb +2, Hide +15, Listen +12, Move brotherhood in the world.
Silently +15, Read/Write (Unislang), Search +7, Sense Common Classes: Demagogue, Guardian, Skulk,
Motive +4, Speak Language (Unislang), Spot +11, Scav, Trader.
Survival +11. Common Mutations: All.
Feats: Alertness, Dodge, Mobility, Primitive Common Defects: All.
Technology, Spring Attack, Multi-Attack, Mutation
Advancement (claws), Tearing Bite, Weapon Finesse
(claws, bite).
What Outsiders Know
The so-called “Movement” is a unique – and new
Mutations and Defects: Albinism, Cannibalism – group to visit the rasping, wind-swept deserts of
x2, Clawsx2, Sensitive Sight, Serrated Dental the Twisted Earth. Though said to have had humble
Development. beginnings, the organization has grown in recent years
Possessions: None. to include a vast number of mutants and pureblood
humans alike – something that has not been seen on
Epic-Level Ghoul (Post Apocalyptic Hero 5, Skulk
245
the face of the Twisted Earth before.
10): CR 15; Medium Size Humanoid; HD 15d8+15; The Movement has a legend that all members know
HP 90; Mas 12; Init +5; Spd 30 ft; Defense 24, touch and can recite, word-for-word, with a glimmer of
22, flatfooted 21 (+3 Dex, +9 class, +2 equipment); promise, hope, and belief in their eyes. A long time
BAB +10; Grap +11; Atk +14 melee (1d10+1, Claw); ago, so they say, when “Pure Ones” (humans) and
 “Beastmen” (mutants) fought constantly with anger astronaut, Major Tom Rogers, was put to sleep almost
and hatred against one another, the red skies of the one year to the day before the bombs began to fall.
Twisted Earth thundered with the anger of the Gods. After the nuclear cataclysm, Major Rogers’
It was on a field of battle, where two opposing forces cryogenic capsule was forgotten. The nation that
of man and mutant met, when the sky turned white had sent him up was all but erased in the atomic fire.
with the trail of a great comet – a comet that fell from Over time, the sturdy, stubborn computers on his ship
the dimly-visible stars above and impacted on the hard struggled to maintain his decades-long cryogenic
earth between the armies as they faced off. sleep, until, in the end, time began to take its toll on
From the shell of this fallen comet came a living the tiny orbiter. When a fatal malfunction occurred
God, clad in a suit of gleaming silver armor, his flesh in its orbit-sustaining retro rockets, the computers
magically unburned from his descent from the stars. onboard came to life for the last time, awoke Rogers
His armor bore the symbols of the Ancients, and with from two centuries of prolonged cryogenic sleep, and
him he carried the great weapons of his brother-Gods. inevitably guided the capsule down towards the planet
Awed by the appearance of this God, who came below for emergency re-entry.
to them with words of peace, the armies of men and Rogers’ capsule landed in the middle of the desert,
mutant were forced to sit and listen. And listen well and he barely managed to escape before the wreckage
they did, and came to understand the Love and Peace caught fire and exploded in a ball of flame. Stumbling
that was once the Ancients’ own, and understood then out of the smoke, and from a vast debris field created
that this God had come to bring back their Blessed by the break up of his craft upon re-entry, the injured
Ways. astronaut quickly discovered that his crash had, in
The Fallen God (as he came to be known) lived fact, been watched by people on the ground. Figures
with the people for a time; he wandered the land, were already approaching over the dunes. Hoping to
they say, and brought peace and harmony where find aid for his injuries, he was horrified by what he
he went. Where his wisdom and words of peace saw: instead of rescue crews come to meet him, the
were not enough to tame the foolish children of the figures proved to be the most feral of savages, covered
Twisted Earth, his mighty weapons set the people in war paint and brandishing spears and the rusted
right. It is said that he brought an end to the slavery implements of a long lost age – his age – who instead
that once was a way of life in the Northern Deserts, of offering him help, immediately began to throw
and led a coalition of the peoples against the dreaded themselves to the ground in worship and awe.
Mongoliant horde. He united peoples of all races and Though there was certainly some initial confusion
shapes under his guidance, and brought the Promise of (to say the least), Rogers eventually came to realize
a new reign of Brotherhood. where – and when – he was. Not some distant
That was many years ago, and though the Fallen corner of the globe in the present, as he had hoped
God vanished as mysteriously as he appeared, his and prayed, but rather the American Midwest (or
Message has never been forgotten. In the Northlands, what used to be the Midwest), far in the future. The
his Children continue to carry on his Dream and savages who had followed the trail of his “sky chariot”
Promise. Man and mutant live as one, and peace were in fact the degenerate descendants of his fellow
reigns. The Movement spreads, and with their coming American citizens! In time he learned of the nuclear
they bring their vision of the future, where all men war, the vanishing of human civilization, and the loss
are equal, where choices are made by the people, and of not only his loved ones, but the entire way of life of
where no man may rule others unjustly or with cruelty. the world he had once known.
Though He is gone, the Promise remains alive. It is not known why Rogers eventually left the
company of those people, but before he went his
separate way he tried to teach them of their people’s
The Reality true past, of where they (and all mutants of the Twisted
The true story behind the origins of the Movement is a Earth) came from, and tried to wrest from them some
tragic one, reaching back to before the time of the Fall. understanding of how far and complete the destruction
Just a few years prior to the nuclear holocaust, NASA of the war had been. Though no one can be sure,
undertook an ambitious project to study the effects Rogers’ eventual abandonment of these original
of long-term cryogenic habitation in space; a series savages probably coincided with a personal “quest”
of wide-ranging experiments and tests, nominally to travel to the city ruins that had once been his home,
performed on Earth, eventually culminated in the for the kind of inexplicable nostalgic reasons that often
launching of a special spacecraft that was intended strike men confronted with overwhelming tragedy.
to orbit the planet for almost a full five to eight During his stay, though, despite the differences
246 uninterrupted years. On board, a single volunteer,
one of the nation’s top astronauts (and a national hero
between him and the savages who took him in, Rogers
left a remarkable impression that would not soon be
in his own right for countless death-defying missions forgotten. For one, his “landing” had in fact coincided
expanding man’s reach to the heavens), was put with a major battle between the pureblood zealots
into cryogenic hibernation for the experiment. This
and mutant tribals of the Deserts of Nowhere; when were all gifts of the Fallen God to the people of the
his “sky chariot” had crashed right between the two Movement.
armies, they had assumed it was a “sign” from the Rogers didn’t say much in his time, but what words
“Ancient gods” to end their hostilities. When Rogers he did say have been recorded, copied, and passed on
learned of their incessant wars, he was instrumental wherever the Movement goes. Promising freedom
in bringing the purists and the mutant tribes together and happiness, equal rights and unity, the Movement’s
to forge a lasting peace. Again and again he tried to message has spread like wildfire.
teach them the values of democracy, of unity, and
equality, concepts that while not new to Rogers, were
revolutionary to the primitive minds of his audience. Typical Movement Demagogue
Rogers learned of other dangers that threatened
these people, and motivated by conscience, he rallied Mid-Level Movement Demagogue (Charismatic
the tribes of the desert to fight off some of the greatest Hero 3, Demagogue 3): CR 6; Medium Size
raider gangs of the time. He also helped eradicate Humanoid; HD 6d6+6; HP 30; Mas 12; Init +0; Spd
the institution of slavery, and even risked life and 30 ft; Defense 12, touch 12, flatfooted 12 (+0 Dex, +2
limb leading a great coalition against a vast army class); BAB +2; Grap +1; Atk +1 (1d6-1, staff); FS
of mongoliants that at the time threatened the entire 5 ft by 5 ft; Reach 5 ft; SQ Coordinate, Inspiration,
North. Followers, Lead Followers, Greater Inspiration; AL
Yet when these tasks were done, and he had been Movement; SV Fort +4, Ref +3, Will +5; AP 3; Rep
literally deified by the people of the North, the +4; Str 9, Dex 10, Con 12, Int 13, Wis 13, Cha 16.
“Fallen God” (so-named for his origins among the Occupations and Background: Demagogue,
stars) seemed to find himself even more the outsider. Resurrector.
Though the mutants and humans longed for him to Skills: Bluff +6, Decipher Script +5, Diplomacy
stay and teach them more of his “magic”, their words +12, Gather Information +9, Hand Animal +7,
only drove him away (in truth, Rogers may have lost Intimidate +9, Knowledge (ancient lore) +3,
all hope of ever living among intelligent men again; Knowledge (mutant lore) +3, Knowledge (theology
all of his efforts to explain himself as a mere human and philosophy) +7, Knowledge (mutant lore) +3,
being were only met by confusion, while his attempts Read/Write (Ancient, Gutter Talk, Trade, Unislang),
to teach the people science and the most basic things Sense Motive +10, Speak Language (Ancient, Gutter
wound up being cluttered in worship and quasi-mystic Talk, Trade, Unislang), Spot +4, Teat Injury +3.
mumbo jumbo). Feats: Attentive, Juju Doctor, Personal Firearm
Major Rogers left one day…just “wandered” off Proficiency, Post Apocalyptic Technology, Super-
into the desert. To the people who watched him Charismatic, Trustworthy.
go (filled with sorrow and disbelief), his departure Mutations and Defects: None.
was seen through confused eyes, and interpreted by Possessions: Staff.
primitive minds. Though they failed to understand his
true motives for leaving, almost the moment he was
gone they immediately began to weave a mythology
around the man, and in his absence, this mythology
has flourished into a full-fledged religion.
The Movement, as they call themselves, cherishes
Rogers’ few recorded words and proclamations, and
tries to apply them wherever they go. Many axioms
that Rogers taught them might be taken for granted
by someone from the past, but to the people of the
future his words – even his sarcasm and despair – are
interpreted as parables filled with all sorts of hidden
meaning.
At the heart of their mythology, however, the
Movement basically believes in the fundamental
values of Ancient man (in his more benevolent days).
Freedom for all. Equality among the races and sexes.
A universal condemnation of slavery. The pursuit of
peace, happiness, and a long life. The establishment
of democracy, the protection of human rights, the
introduction of the long-lost concept of mercy, and
247
the belief in honor and the value of hard work – these
 High-Level Movement Demagogue (Charismatic
Hero 3, Demagogue 7): CR 10; Medium Size PARADISE
Humanoid; HD 10d6+10; HP 50; Mas 12; Init +0;
Spd 30 ft; Defense 13, touch 13, flatfooted 13 (+0
Dex, +3 class); BAB +4; Grap +3; Atk +3 (1d6-1,
BELIEVERS
staff); FS 5 ft by 5 ft; Reach 5 ft; SQ Coordinate,
“Blessed be the minutemen
Inspiration, Followers, Lead Followers, Greater
and the saturns and the
Inspiration, Zealots, Captivate Masses, Conversion;
titans, for they shall issue us
AL Movement; SV Fort +6, Ref +4, Will +8; AP 5;
to paradise…”
Rep +6; Str 9, Dex 10, Con 12, Int 13, Wis 14, Cha 16.
Occupations and Background: Demagogue,
Background Options: Visionary Reinventor.
Resurrector.
Attitude: The Twisted Earth is a lost cause. It is
Skills: Bluff +7, Decipher Script +7, Diplomacy
a planet that is slowly dying and no amount of effort
+16, Gather Information +11, Handle Animal
will save it from turning into a lifeless, barren rock in
+7, Intimidate +11, Knowledge (ancient lore) +4,
only a few generations. If the secret to rocketry can
Knowledge (mutant lore) +4, Knowledge (theology
be resurrected, a working spacecraft can conceivably
and philosophy) +11, Knowledge (mutant lore) +4,
be constructed to take the faithful to other planets that
Read/Write (Ancient, Gutter Talk, Trade, Unislang),
were spared the devastation of the Fall. The Ancients
Sense Motive +15, Speak Language (Ancient, Gutter
surely constructed colonies elsewhere among the
Talk, Trade, Unislang), Spot +7, Treat Injury +8.
heavens, and the arrival of the faithful will be greeted
Feats: Attentive, Defensive Martial Arts, Juju
with bittersweet joy by these “lost brothers”.
Doctor, Leadership (19), Personal Firearm Proficiency,
Symbol: The Paradise Believers have no single
Post Apocalyptic Technology, Super-Charismatic,
symbol, using a variety of pictures and signs to
Trustworthy.
represent their “religion”. At the center of most of
Mutations and Defects: None
these are images of planets, stars, sunbursts, or rocket
Possessions: Staff.
ships.
Common Classes: Mech, Scholar, Tinker,
Epic-Level Movement Demagogue (Charismatic
Scientist.
Hero 3, Demagogue 10, Juju Doctor 2): CR 15;
Common Mutations: Autism, Dual Cerebellum.
Medium Size Humanoid; HD 13d6+2d8+15; HP 79;
Common Defects: Cystic Fibrosis, Syncope.
Mas 12; Init +0; Spd 30 ft; Defense 15, touch 15,
flatfooted 15 (+0 Dex, +5 class); BAB +7; Grap +6;
Atk +6 (1d6-1, staff); Full Atk +6/+1 (1d6-1, staff);
FS 5 ft by 5 ft; Reach 5 ft; SQ Coordinate, Inspiration,
What Outsiders Know
The “Paradise Believers” are a quasi-religious society
Followers, Lead Followers, Greater Inspiration, based in the Far Desert and Forbidden Lands, a
Zealots, Captivate Masses, Conversion, Improved collection of misfits and self-proclaimed visionaries
Zealots, Mass Conversion, Juju Specialist +1 whose belief is centered on a mystical quest to reach
Brew Potion, Healing Expert; AL Movement; SV Fort “Paradise” (stories vary on what exactly Paradise
+7, Ref +5, Will +14; AP 7; Rep +13; Str 9, Dex 10, is; some say it is a tenth planet discovered just
Con 12, Int 14, Wis 14, Cha 16. before the Fall, others look at Paradise as the Blue
Occupations and Background: Demagogue, Moon tauntingly close enough to view, while others
Resurrector. speculate it is a space station still in orbit, while even
Skills: Bluff +11, Decipher Script +12, Diplomacy more postulate it is in fact a star system long ago
+21, Gather Information +13, Hand Animal +6, colonized by the Ancients). The Paradise Believers
Intimidate +11, Knowledge (ancient lore) +6, are a naïve peace-loving group, believing that they
Knowledge (mutant lore) +6, Knowledge (theology can talk their way out of any problem through reason
and philosophy) +14, Knowledge (mutant lore) +6, and peaceful gestures. Believer groups across the
Listen +9, Read/Write (Ancient, Gutter Talk, Trade, Forbidden Lands are constructing a fleet of mighty
Unislang), Sense Motive +18, Speak Language rocket ships (of scavenged metal and junk) with the
(Ancient, Gutter Talk, Trade, Unislang), Spot +11, efforts of their delusional followers to blast their way
Treat Injury +17. to the stars. Few believe their efforts are anything but
Feats: Attentive, Defensive Martial Arts, Iron foolish, a fact stemming from previous failures that
Will, Juju Doctor, Leadership (24), Personal Firearm have left entire towns and villages in flaming ruins
Proficiency, Post Apocalyptic Technology, Renown,
248
from their movement’s failures.
Super-Charismatic, Trustworthy, Unbalanced
Opponent.
Mutations and Defects: None
Possessions: Staff.
The Reality reasonable facsimile of a 50s-era space rocket just in
time for the blistering end of summer.
At some point in the history of the Twisted Earth,
With great fanfare and a carnival air, like blind
some fool - probably an elderly scav whose mental
men boarding a ship of fools, the Paradise Believers
state bordered on dementia - found a comic book
gathered on the final day of summer and climbed
among the garbage of a dump somewhere in the
into their shiny rocket ship, gleaming like a solid
wasteland. This book, which he imagined to be a holy
knife of steel from the heart of a now-forgotten town
scripture of some kind, detailed the adventures of a
somewhere in the heart of the Far Desert. Many
family of astronauts on a decade-long exodus through
locals, who had laughed and ridiculed the leprous and
the stars, destined (so it said) to one day make landfall
miserable Believers for almost a year, now gathered
on a place called “Paradise”. Though it was purely a
in stunned awe as the ship was unveiled - and made
work of fiction, he imagined it was something far more
ready to take off and leave the Twisted Earth forever.
relevant than it really was, and by reading its pages
No one knows exactly what happened, but the
came to believe it might be possible to reach the stars
fanfare and celebration ended in gut-wrenching
himself.
tragedy. Overloaded with as many Believers as it
In time that scav gathered more destitute men and
could hold, the marketplace ringed with hundreds
women around him – many little more than rag pickers
of disbelieving onlookers, the rocket’s engines were
and beggars themselves – and began to preach. Using
ignited at the order of their “prophet” only minutes
the “holy book” as a kind of “guide”, he surprised his
after the door was closed and secured. Then, suddenly,
mocking critics by not only convincing vast numbers
there was an explosion. Not the rumble of engines
of desert riffraff of the “truth” behind his new “Bible”,
as readers of the “holy book” expected to precede
but also to follow him in the great quest to rebuild
their “ascendance into heaven”, but a blast so violent
a working model of an Ancient spacecraft to take
that not only did it incinerate the rocket in an instant,
the deserving few to the stars. Abandoning what he
it also erupted in a radius broad enough to level the
claimed was a “dying world”, his followers would
entire town.
have the last laugh by rejoining the “lost cousins of
The blame most likely lies squarely on the Believers
Man” still living among the stars, while those who had
themselves; though certainly dedicated (almost
ridiculed them would be doomed to live out the rest
religiously) to reconstructing the ship to outwardly
of their days on a dusty, radiated rock that was
resemble a pre-Fall spaceship as much as
withering away with each passing year.
possible, they simply did not understand
For months the first “Paradise
the true technological complexities to
Believers” struggled to build a rocket
actually make a working vehicle.
ship, wandering far and wide searching
Metal boxes and contraptions
for materials to build their “vessel”
that merely resembled
and to secure fuel for their long
computers were hung from
journey through the heavens.
hooks inside the cabin almost
They scavenged metal, plastic,
like “decorations”; naively they
and wood from all over
believed that by simply sitting on
the parched desert, and
a huge reservoir of gasoline and
squandered their miserable
lighting it they would be propelled
resources buying whatever
into orbit. Instead, when their leader
objects they couldn’t find
tossed a road flare ceremoniously into the
themselves from passing merchants
10,000 gallon fuel tanks, they were killed in
and trade communities at both ends of
a cataclysmic explosion that turned an entire
the trade routes. Completely focused on
town into a crater (that crater still exists in the
their mission, totally bent on achieving
Far Desert, and is considered a holy site by
success by the end of the year, they
Paradise Believers to this day).
were oblivious to the laughter of
Remarkably, the Paradise Believer
onlookers, and the underhandedness
movement didn’t die there; some few
of the merchants who more than
survived the explosion. Driven out,
willingly did business with them.
hounded far into the desert, or outright
Cheated left and right, they were
killed to avenge the massive casualties
overcharged for every bit of scrap,
they had brought to the town through their
and sold faulty parts that might have
“idiocy”, they dispersed to the winds.
any resemblance to the techno-
wonders seen in the “holy
One would expect the
Paradise Believers to have
249
book’s” colorful pages.
given up after that, but
Yet despite all this, they
instead their cult dedication
were able to construct a
 to leaving the Twisted Earth in droves seems to have Research +7, Search +8, Speak Language (Unislang),
not only survived, but spread. Remarkably, instead Spot +4, Survival +5.
of seeing their “prophet’s” fiery destruction as a Feats: Advanced Technology, Builder, Dead Aim,
sign of their religion’s folly, they see the physical Far Shot, Gearhead, Personal Firearms Proficiency.
conflagration instead as having been merely an Mutations and Defects: Autism, Dual Cerebellum,
illusion of sorts, evidence instead of the “magical Cystic Fibrosis, Syncope.
transcendence” of the rocket ship and its passengers. Possessions: Mechanical Tool Kit (basic), Electrical
In layman’s terms, in their view the ship did not Toolkit (basic), FA Casull, (2) .50AE Speed Loaders.
explode, it merely took the passengers to another
world – just like the “prophet” (and the “holy book”) High-Level Paradise Believers (PA Hero 3, class
said it would. Tinker 7): CR 6; Medium Size Humanoid; HD
Most other factions of the Twisted Earth merely 3d8+7d6+10; HP 53; Mas 12; Init +1; Spd 30 ft;
shake their head at the Paradise Believers, believing Defense 17, touch 17, flatfooted 16 (+1 Dex, +6 class);
them little more than confused and ignorant fools. BAB +5; Grap +4; Atk +6 ranged (2d10, maser pistol);
To be sure the vast majority of the Believers are old FS 5 ft by 5 ft; Reach 5 ft; SQ Improvised Toolkit,
women, demented desert hermits, and even flocks of Restore, Jury-Rig +4, Tinkering, Tech Weapon,
dreamy-eyed urchins; but every now and then a few Tinkercraft; AL Paradise Believers; SV Fort +5, Ref
charismatic, wild-eyed demagogues lead them to start +5, Will +7; AP 5; Rep +3; Str 8, Dex 13, Con 12, Int
construction of another ship to follow in the footsteps 17, Wis 13, Cha 8.
of their “prophet”. Occupations and Background: Repairman,
Needless to say, despite being otherwise peaceful Visionary Reinventor.
and all embracing of outsiders (it is widely known that Skills: Computer Use +15, Craft (electrical) +21,
the Believers will accept literally anyone into their Craft (mechanical) +21, Decipher Script +14, Disable
ranks, so long as he or she can contribute to the project Device +14, Drive +3, Knowledge (physical sciences)
of building another rocket), the Paradise Believers +14, Knowledge (technology) +19, Navigate +8, Pilot
are outlawed in many communities, for fear of the +3, Read/Write (Ancient, Unislang), Repair +19,
catastrophes that usually follow their migrations. Research +8, Search +9, Speak Language (Unislang),
Sometimes, however, they are actually welcomed into Spot +4, Survival +5.
a region; primitive communities who haven’t heard Feats: Advanced Technology, Builder, Dead Aim,
of the Believers, or who themselves are curious of Far Shot, Gearhead, Improved Dead Aim, Modern
their “religion”, sometimes invite them to stay – and Vehicles Discipline, Personal Firearms Proficiency.
perhaps even build one of their ships. The Believers Mutations and Defects: Autism, Dual Cerebellum,
often benefit their “hosts” through caring for their Cystic Fibrosis, Syncope.
sick, performing menial labor (made up of the most Possessions: Mechanical Tool Kit (basic, deluxe),
destitute castes of wasteland society, the Believers Electrical Toolkit (basic, deluxe), Maser Pistol, Power
have no stigma against performing the jobs most Beltpack.
communities hate doing themselves), or entertaining
with songs and fantastic stories of the universe beyond Epic-Level Paradise Believers (PA Hero 3, class
the Twisted Earth. Tinker 8, Mech 4): CR 15; Medium Size Humanoid;
HD 3d8+12d6+15; HP 78; Mas 12; Init +1; Spd 30 ft;
Defense 19, touch 19, flatfooted 18 (+1 Dex, +8 class);
Typical Paradise Believers BAB +8; Grap +7; Atk +18 ranged (5d6*, blaster);
Full Atk +18/+13 ranged (5d6*, blaster); FS 5 ft by 5
Mid-Level Paradise Believers (PA Hero 3, class ft; Reach 5 ft; SQ Improvised Toolkit, Restore, Jury-
Tinker 3): CR 6; Medium Size Humanoid; HD Rig +4, Tinkering, Tech Weapon, Tinkercraft, Smart
3d8+3d6+6; HP 33; Mas 12; Init +1; Spd 30 ft; Weapon (blaster), Mastercraft x2, Quick Repairs; AL
Defense 15, touch 15, flatfooted 14 (+1 Dex, +4 class); Paradise Believers; SV Fort +6, Ref +6, Will +12; AP
BAB +3; Grap +2; Atk +5 (2d8, FA Casull); FS 5 ft by 5; Rep +6; Str 8, Dex 13, Con 12, Int 18, Wis 13, Cha
5 ft; Reach 5 ft; SQ Improvised Toolkit, Restore, Jury- 8.
Rig +2, Tinkering; AL Paradise Believers; SV Fort +4, Occupations and Background: Repairman,
Ref +4, Will +5; AP 3; Rep +1; Str 8, Dex 13, Con 12, Visionary Reinventor.
Int 16, Wis 13, Cha 8. Skills: Computer Use +22, Craft (electrical) +28,
Occupations and Background: Repairman, Craft (mechanical) +28, Decipher Script +20, Disable
Visionary Reinventor. Device +20, Drive +9, Knowledge (physical sciences)
250 Skills: Computer Use +12, Craft (electrical) +17,
Craft (mechanical) +17, Decipher Script +5, Disable
+18, Knowledge (technology) +26, Navigate +10,
Pilot +7, Read/Write (Ancient, Unislang), Repair
Device +10, Drive +3, Knowledge (physical sciences) +26, Research +13, Search +11, Speak Language
+6, Knowledge (technology) +13, Navigate +8, Pilot (Unislang), Spot +4, Survival +5.
+3, Read/Write (Ancient, Unislang), Repair +15,
 Feats: Advanced Electronics Discipline, Advanced
Technology, Advanced Weapons Discipline, Builder,
Dead Aim, Far Shot, Gearhead, Improved Dead
Aim, Modern Aircraft Discipline, Modern Vehicles
Discipline, Personal Firearms Proficiency.
Mutations and Defects: Autism, Dual Cerebellum,
Cystic Fibrosis, Syncope.
Possessions: Mechanical Tool Kit (basic,
deluxe), Electrical Toolkit (basic, deluxe), Blaster
(mastercraft+2), (3) Minifusion cells.

RANGERS
“I vow to join my brother
soldiers, to insure
domestic tranquility, and
provide for the common
defense.”

Background Options: Visionary Reinventor,

Guardian.
Attitude: The Rangers took an oath to defend
America, and to this day they adhere to that mission.
Peacekeepers and self-styled “lawmen”, they continue
to enforce law and order in their region until a
legitimate, peacetime government (of all the United
States) orders them to stand down. Gifts of food and other luxuries are often offered to
Symbol: Members of the Rangers employ a the Rangers as rewards for their services, but seldom
symbol used by their fathers, grandfathers, and their are these accepted by their spartan leadership. It
predecessors before them. It is the patch of the unit is common for people, upon hearing of a Ranger
they once served in, usually sewn onto their clothing, detachment’s arrival in a town or village, to gather and
uniform, or stenciled onto armor or helmets. petition them for assistance in whatever trouble they
Common Classes: Ranger, Soldier, Survivalist. are having.
Common Mutations: Accumulated Resistance,
Adrenaline Control.
Common Defects: Aberrant Deformity, Bilirubin The Reality
Imbalance. The current-day association of militaristic soldiers
known as the “Rangers” are in fact descended from
a crack military unit that survived the ravages of the
What Outsiders Know great Fall and its numerous bloodthirsty conflicts.
The Rangers are a notorious force of unforgiving Serving on both east and west fronts during the
law and justice in the Deadlands, known to “serve” war, many of the men and women who served with
a number of communities throughout the region. distinction in the ranks of the Rangers lived on
Legend traditionally surrounding the Rangers suggests (despite atrocious casualties and mounting radiation
that they were, at one time, descended from an actual sickness) even after the central government collapsed,
military unit that survived piecemeal the final Fall, to continuing a campaign of “guerilla war” somewhere in
carry on the rules and justice of the Ancients into this the west, the place of their final deployment before all
brave new world. contact with the pre-Fall government ended.
Not unlike wandering “Texas Rangers” from The Rangers learned to rely not only on their elite
America’s distant past, Rangers have a reputation experience in fighting to stay alive, but also in their
for being the best of the best when it comes to living survival training. The desert of Nevada, where they
off the land and waging war against raiders and road eventually ended up, was even then one of the most
gangs. Being descended from professional soldiers, hostile places in the world, and with nuclear fallout
their people have worked hard to preserve the rigorous
training and lifestyle that makes them truly “elite”.
sweeping over the continent that blasted place was no
exception. In time, incursions by shattered remnants
251
Where the Rangers are known, people look up to of the enemy (most of which were merely marauders)
them as protectors and lawmen of a higher caliber. became less and less frequent, but the danger never
 truly subsided; in their place came raiders, bands of from an acceptable authority to stand down, they will
civilians hell-bent on destruction and looting, and continue to keep the people of the Deadlands “safe”.
other vagabonds who survived the wars through their Troubleshooters and general handymen, helpers
own malicious intent and malevolent determination. and protectors, the Rangers are more than just the
Against these foes – and many more – the Rangers Deadlands’ “policemen”, they are looked up to almost
would be forced to defend their high desert holdouts, universally as soldiers and heroes. Even in the most
and for generations their way of life remained degenerate dens of the Deadlands respect is given
unchanged. Living a mobile existence, lurking like when a Ranger comes to town; his appearance in a
“shadows” in the desert canyons and mountains community is often as not viewed just like the silent
and striking at night or from ambush, they evaded arrival of a vigilante in Old West films and stories.
destruction and, in time, came to build a reputation as The Rangers recruit new members from the ranks
a group to truly be reckoned with. of Deadlands communities (on occasion they even
Though conditions and circumstances for the past take raider gang members that are capable of being
few generations have forced the Rangers to change in reformed), and their rigorous training weeds out
some respects, the Rangers never lost their connection the weak, unwilling, or those who can’t (or won’t)
with the past – a remarkable fact considering the accept discipline. Those who survive become some
great length of time between the present and the of the toughest and most self-reliant individuals in the
cataclysm of the Fall. Training and discipline are wasteland, members of an elite group that can trace
the backbone of the organization. They have a rigid its ancestry straight back to the brave men and women
chain of command, and a code of laws that are, by who kept the esprit de corps alive through their own
and large, unchanged from the same laws that govern deeds and actions for so many years.
the behavior of soldiers in war since before the Fall.
They live by military rules, regulate their days by
military time, and die knowing full well that they Ranger
are continuing the mission of their forefathers, and
upholding their ancient promise to “provide for the Requirements
common defense”. To qualify to become a Ranger, a character must fulfill
Though living apart from other communities in the following criteria.
their area, the Rangers have taken it upon themselves Allegiance: Ranger.
to be the “protectors” of the Deadlands region. The Base Attack Bonus: +7.
many fledgling communities, settlements, and tribal Skills: Knowledge (tactics) 10 ranks, Survival 10
villages of this vast area are, by their own charter (and ranks.
choice), theirs to defend. Ranger parties regularly Feat: Personal Firearm Proficiency, Weapon Focus
patrol the wasteland, not only guarding against outside (ranged weapon).
“intrusion” by the major factions of the Twisted
Earth, but also helping local villagers and townsfolk Class Information
whenever needed against dangers and threats to their The following information pertains to the Ranger
livelihood. Sometimes this aid merely takes the prestige class.
form of lending expertise, such as in planning and Hit Die: 1d10.
constructing bridges, wells, cisterns, or even getting Action Points: 7 + one-half of the character’s level,
a power grid up; more often, however, the Rangers rounded down, every time he or she attains a new level
are petitioned by the people of the Deadlands to in this class.
combat more menacing threats. Individual Rangers or Class Skills: The Ranger’s class skills are:
Ranger “platoons” are often dispatched by the Ranger Demolitions (Int), Drive (Dex), Climb (Str), Handle
command to fight rampaging raider gangs, or to hunt Animal (Cha), Hide (Dex), Jump (Str), Knowledge
down powerful mutant beasts that threaten local (tactics) (Int), Listen (Wis), Navigate (Int), Ride
agriculture or livestock, or investigate other perilous (Dex), Sense Motive, Spot (Wis), Survival (Wis), and
menaces to the “civilians” of the wasteland. Treat Injury (Wis).
The Rangers believe, at their core, that one day a Skill Points at Each Level: 5 + Int modifier.
government of the United States will be rebuilt, and
that civilization will eventually rebuild itself. From Class Features
what they have seen, in the ravaged wilderness of The following features pertain to the Ranger prestige
Nevada, it’s not going to be any time soon. But class.
through their efforts – maintaining a fragile peace
252
Bonus Feats: A Ranger receives a bonus feat
through force of arms and equal treatment of all under at 3rd, 6th, and 9th level. The feat must be selected
their protection – they have seen desolate desert bloom from the following list, and the character must meet
into villages and towns, and thus believe that some the prerequisites to select it: Advanced Firearms
day the old order will return. Until they receive orders Proficiency, Alertness, Armor Proficiency (heavy),
 TABLE 6-5: THE RANGER
Base Fort Ref Will Defense Reputation
Level Special
Attack Save Save Save Bonus Bonus
1 +1 +2 +0 +0 Rigorous Training, Wanderer’s Reputation +1 +2
2 +2 +3 +0 +0 Terrain Specialization +1 +2
3 +3 +3 +1 +1 Bonus Feat +2 +2
4 +4 +4 +1 +1 Weapon Specialization +2 +3
5 +5 +4 +1 +1 Terrain Specialization +3 +3
6 +6 +5 +2 +2 Bonus Feat +3 +3
7 +7 +5 +2 +2 Marksman +4 +4
8 +8 +6 +2 +2 Terrain Specialization +4 +4
9 +9 +6 +3 +3 Bonus Feat +5 +4
10 +10 +7 +3 +3 Silent Kill +5 +5

Armor Proficiency (light), Armor Proficiency feat or class feature. The Ranger gets a +2 bonus on
(medium), Athletic, Burst Fire, Combat Martial Arts, damage rolls with the chosen weapon.
Combat Reflexes, Bull’s Eye, Dead Aim, Double Tap, Silent Kill: Using 1 action point, the Ranger
Endurance, Exotic Firearms Proficiency, Far Shot, automatically provokes a massive damage threshold
Guide, Improved Dead Aim, Precise Shot, Point Blank saving throw against a surprised or flat-footed (not
Shot, Quick Draw, Quick Reload, Reactive Shooter, flanked) opponent with a successful attack. The DC
Shot on the Run, Skip Shot, Renown, Stealthy, Strafe, for the saving throw is increased to 25. If the victim of
Toughness, Track. this attack fails the save, the character is eliminated (-1
Alternatively, the Ranger may select an additional HP) in complete silence, requiring a Listen check (DC
Terrain Specialization. 30) for any nearby person to notice something amiss.
Rigorous Training: Rangers are subject to rigorous
training that prepares them for hardships. The Ranger
adds his class levels to any Saving Throw to resist Typical Rangers
fatigue, hunger, torture, brainwashing, fear, combat
fatigue, and intimidation. Mid-Level Ranger (PA Hero 3, Survivalist 3): CR
Wanderer’s Reputation: When you enter a new 6; Medium Size Humanoid; HD 3d8+3d10+12; HP
settlement, the reputation of your people precedes you; 48; Mas 14; Init +4; Spd 30 ft; Defense 18, touch 16,
locals typically pause, gather, and listen to your needs. flatfooted 16 (+2 Dex, +4 class, +2 equipment); BAB
A Ranger adds his ranger levels to all Intimidate and +5; Grap +6; Atk +8 ranged (2d6, Steyr ACR), or +6
Diplomacy checks. melee (1d6+1, gun butt); FS 5 ft by 5 ft; Reach 5 ft;
Terrain Specialization: Rangers are trained in SQ Wasteland Lore, Survival Sense, Called Shot 1d6,
fighting and surviving in one or many different forms Way of the Land (all); AL Rangers; SV Fort +6, Ref
of terrain. When this ability is gained, the Ranger +6, Will +3; AP 3; Rep +0; Str 12, Dex 15, Con 14, Int
chooses one of the following Terrains: Necropoli, 12, Wis 13, Cha 8.
Mountains, Wasteland. When in the chosen terrain, Occupations and Background: Military, Guardian.
the Ranger gains a +1 bonus to Attack rolls, and a Skills: Bluff 3-, Climb +3, Diplomacy 3-, Disguise
+2 bonus to the following skills: Balance, Climb, 3-, Hide +11, Jump +3, Knowledge (twisted earth)
Demolitions, Drive, Hide, Knowledge (Tactics), Spot, +3, Listen +3, Move Silently +8, Navigate +12, Read/
and Survival. Write (Ancient, Unislang), Search +3, Sense Motive
The Ranger may choose the Terrain type multiple +3, Speak Language (Ancient, Unislang), Spot +3,
times, gaining an additional +1 bonus to Attack and Survival +12, Treat Injury +6.
skills for that Terrain. Feats: Advanced Technology, Armor Proficiency
Marksman: The Ranger is skilled at long-distance (light), Far Shot, Futuristic Firearms Proficiency,
accuracy with his chosen weapon. He may use up to Personal Firearms Proficiency, Track.
one-half his Spot skill to offset attack penalties due Mutations and Defects: Accumulated Resistance,
to range with his chosen ranged weapon (effectively Adrenaline Control, Aberrant Deformity, Bilirubin
allowing him to ignore one penalty for range per 4 Imbalance.
Ranks of Spot).
Weapon Specialization: A Ranger gains weapon
Possessions: Steyr ACR, (2) Boxes 5.6mm
Ammunition, Light Undercover Vest, Web Belt, First
253
specialization with his chosen weapon ranged weapon Aid Kit, Survival Kit.
to which she has also applied the Weapon Focus
 High-Level Ranger (PA Hero 3, Survivalist 5, Personal Firearms Proficiency, Strafe, Track, Weapon
Ranger 2): CR 10; Medium Size Humanoid; HD Focus (Gauss Rifle).
3d8+7d10+20; HP 84; Mas 14; Init +4; Spd 30 ft; Mutations and Defects: Accumulated Resistance,
Defense 20, touch 18, flatfooted 18 (+2 Dex, +6 class, Adrenaline Control, Aberrant Deformity, Bilirubin
+2 equipment); BAB +9; Grap +10; Atk +13 ranged Imbalance.
(4d8, Gauss Rifle), or +10 melee (1d6+1, gun butt); Possessions: Gauss Rifle, Power Backpack, (4)
Full Atk +13/+8 ranged (4d8, Gauss Rifle), or +10/+5 Boxes Gauss Ammunition, Light Undercover Vest,
melee (1d6+1, gun butt); FS 5 ft by 5 ft; Reach 5 ft; Web Belt, Medical Kit, Survival Kit, (2) Ready
SQ Wasteland Lore, Survival Sense, Called Shot 2d6, Syringe (Stimshot B).
Way of the Land (all), Hunter, Rigorous Training,
Wanderer’s Reputation, Terrain Specialization
(wasteland); AL Rangers; SV Fort +10, Ref +8, Will
+3; AP 5; Rep +3; Str 12, Dex 16, Con 14, Int 12, Wis
RAVAGERS
13, Cha 8. “Surrender now, and your
Occupations and Background: Military, Guardian. women and children will
Skills: Bluff 3-, Climb +5, Diplomacy 1-, Disguise live to see another day. I
3-, Hide +16, Intimidate +1, Jump +5, Knowledge promise…”
(twisted earth) +7, Listen +5, Move Silently +13,
Navigate +16, Read/Write (Ancient, Unislang), Search
+3, Sense Motive +3, Speak Language (Ancient, Background Options: Radical.
Unislang), Spot +3, Survival +18, Treat Injury +7. Attitude: Might makes right, but survival of the
Feats: Advanced Technology, Armor Proficiency army is paramount.
(light), Far Shot, Futuristic Firearms Proficiency, Symbol: The symbol of the Ravagers is a flag dyed
Personal Firearms Proficiency, Track, Weapon Focus with human (or mutant) blood. Symbols representing
(Gauss Rifle). anarchy and chaos often emblazon these morbid
Mutations and Defects: Accumulated Resistance, banners as well.
Adrenaline Control, Aberrant Deformity, Bilirubin Common Classes: Raider, Road Warrior, Tinker.
Imbalance. Common Mutations: Accelerated White Blood
Possessions: Gauss Rifle, Power Beltpack, (2) Cell Activity, Interior Moisture Reservoir.
Boxes Gauss Ammunition, Light Undercover Vest, Common Defects: Cystic Fibrosis, Negative
Web Belt, Medical Kit, Survival Kit, (2) Ready Chemical Reaction.
Syringe (Stimshot A).

Epic-Level Ranger (PA Hero 3, Survivalist 5, What Outsiders Know

Ranger 7): CR 15; Medium Size Humanoid; HD Among the raider gangs of the wasteland are many
3d8+12d10+30; HP 139; Mas 15; Init +4; Spd 30 of peculiar size and power, and of these the so-called
ft; Defense 23, touch 21, flatfooted 21 (+2 Dex, +9 “Ravagers” are perhaps a glaring example of brutality
class, +2 equipment); BAB +14; Grap +15; Atk +18 and tyranny. The rampaging army of raiders that
ranged (4d8, Gauss Rifle), or +15 melee (1d6+1, gun follow the Ravager banner is known throughout the
butt); Full Atk +18/+13/+8 ranged (4d8+2, Gauss Forbidden Lands, led by an infinitely depraved and
Rifle), or +15/+10/+5 melee (1d6+1, gun butt); FS 5 ruthless raider emperor - whose true name is unknown.
ft by 5 ft; Reach 5 ft; SQ Wasteland Lore, Survival The Ravagers are a terror throughout the land;
Sense, Called Shot 2d6, Way of the Land (all), Hunter, laying burgeoning communities low for their own
Rigorous Training, Wanderer’s Reputation, Terrain perverse pleasure and gain, stamping out all growing
Specialization (wasteland, mountains), Weapon civilization in the Forbidden Lands region. Riding on
Specialization (Gauss Rifle), Marksmen; AL Rangers; virtual armadas of motorcycles, trucks, and cars that
SV Fort +12, Ref +10, Will +2; AP 7; Rep +5; Str 12, churn enough exhaust to cloud the horizon when on
Dex 16, Con 15, Int 12, Wis 14, Cha 8. campaign, and armed with shotguns and automatic
Occupations and Background: Military, Guardian. weapons, the Ravagers have come to make their name
Skills: Bluff 3-, Climb +7, Diplomacy 1-, Disguise known far and wide. Members of this particularly
3-, Hide +20, Intimidate +1, Jump +7, Knowledge sadistic raider gang are subjected to tremendous
(twisted earth) +9, Listen +6, Move Silently +18, tortures on initiation, but nearly anyone can join if he
Navigate +14, Read/Write (Ancient, Unislang), Search can survive the test. A few women are kept around
+5, Sense Motive +6, Speak Language (Ancient, only as slaves and playthings, but these inevitably die
254 Unislang), Spot +8, Survival +17, Treat Injury +12.
Feats: Advanced Firearms Proficiency, Advanced
due to mistreatment and malnutrition.

Technology, Armor Proficiency (light), Burst Fire,

Far Shot, Dead Aim, Futuristic Firearms Proficiency,
The Reality
Like only a few other major factions of the Twisted
Earth, the Ravagers are descended from a small
core of survivors of the great Fall. In their case, the
Ravagers were in fact a motley collection of military
deserters, a disorganized band of looters, cowards,
and rapists who fled to the broad open plains of the
Midwest to escape the poisoned battlefields of the
east, into which millions of their brothers were being
pushed like so many lambs to a slaughter.
The Ravagers managed to survive the inevitable
holocaust through their abandonment of the
war, but the solace they had hoped to find in
their exodus was long in coming. Instead, faced
with an almost endless expanse of wasteland, and
themselves dying from atmospheric radiation from
the nuclear detonations all across the country, they
were exposed to perils they had never dreamed would
threaten their survival.
Over time the remnants, led by a singularly
ruthless colonel (himself a deserter), solidified
into a single “army”, a powerful and desperate
force that soon came to dominate their region
of the wasteland. With no little ingenuity and
planning, their leader led the Ravagers to
victory against other desperate holdouts in
the desert, using their military training (what
little they remembered) and arms to topple
entire townships and other communities who
refused to bow and pay “tribute”. To sate
his men’s wretchedness their leader permitted
unmentionable atrocities. For those who stood
against them, each new conquest led to mass
rapes, executions, and the destruction of entire
towns. For those who capitulated without a
fight there was mercy (of a sort), with men recruited
against their will to swell the ranks and the women to keep the Ravagers strong and undivided, and
marched away to serve short lives as communal even the lowliest recruit (even those who are at first
whores and playthings. enslaved when they are forced into the army) face the
Instead of dying out, however, like so many possibility of promotion if they work hard enough and
other raider gangs, the Ravagers have managed to fight with distinction during their “tour of duty”.
thrive. Their great leader (who perished at a very To outsiders, the Ravagers are a terrible threat;
old age a few generations ago), passed on his legacy uninterested in co-existing with outsiders, the
of leadership to his son, and he in turn built up a Ravagers take what they want wherever they find it,
hereditary/military system that keeps the Ravagers and make examples of those communities that refuse
cohesive to this day. Those who serve with distinction to bow to their will. Even those communities that
in the army receive “promotions”, with each new surrender are subject to unreasonable demands by the
“rank” granting increasingly unrestricted privileges Ravagers (in the form of increased food production,
(to which others in the army are obligated to turn for example, or an annual tribute of young recruits,
a blind eye). “Officers” – those who have proven both male and female), just to keep the communities
themselves as brilliant leaders as well as loyal to the in squalor and misery. Instead of being wary of the
Ravager commander – earn the right to form their possibility of rebellion, the leadership of the Ravagers
own private guard, with respectable harems of their relishes the irregular uprising as a chance to hone the
own and the ability to pass on their rank to their eldest
son(s). At higher ranks, men control entire brigades of
skills of their forces and prove themselves in the eyes
of their great emperor. 255
the army for their great leader, bringing the Ravagers Among their own kind, the Ravagers have a small
victory and lending more terror to their awful name. code of laws, aimed at curbing dissent and preventing
This upward mobility has proven incentive enough infighting on any significant level. Treachery and
 treason are the most serious of crimes, always Survival +2.
punishable by torture and death. Theft, murder, Feats: Armor Proficiency (light, medium), Combat
and other “crimes” are merely minor, and to prove Reflexes, Double Tap, Futuristic Firearms Proficiency,
innocence (or guilt) the accused and the accuser (or Point Blank Shot, Post Apocalyptic Technology,
a champion) are always pitted against each other in a Personal Firearms Proficiency, Rip a Clip.
gladiatorial pit for a fight to the death. Mutations and Defects: None.
Life for new recruits of the Ravagers is terrible at Possessions: Laser Rifle, (2) Power Clips, Military
first, as initiation in this sadistic order is not without its Combat Suit, (2) Concussion Grenades, Survival Kit,
torture and mistreatment (though to be sure, treatment Dirt Bike.
will vary depending on to whose camp one is sent to
be “trained”). But once torture and training is over the Epic-Level Ravager (Strong Hero 3, Raider 10,
new recruit is given a gun and immediately absorbed Road Warrior 2): CR 15; Medium Size Humanoid;
into the army. Those who desert or refuse to fight HD 3d8+12d10+30; HP 130; Mas 14; Init +2; Spd 25
are killed, while those who give in to the inevitability ft; Defense 29, touch 20, flatfooted 27 (+2 Dex, +8
of their new circumstances have a chance at living a class, +9 equipment); BAB +15; Grap +18; Atk +18
lifestyle envied by many. (1d6+4, gun butt), or +17 (3d12, Laser Rifle); Full Atk
+18/+13/+8 melee (1d6+4, gun butt), or +17/+12/+7
ranged (3d12, Laser Rifle); FS 5 ft by 5 ft; Reach 5
Typical Ravagers ft; SQ Melee Smash, Improved Melee Smash, Chaps
and Chains +3, Bloodthirsty Cry, Horrifying Kill,
Mid-Level Ravager (Strong Hero 3, Raider 3): CR No Survivors, Death Cry, Boarding Party, Offensive
6; Medium Size Humanoid; HD 3d8+3d10+12; HP Driving; AL Ravager; SV Fort +11, Ref +10, Will +3;
48; Mas 14; Init +1; Spd 30 ft; Defense 21, touch 15, AP 7; Rep +5; Str 16, Dex 14, Con 14, Int 10, Wis 8,
flatfooted 20 (+1 Dex, +4 class, +6 equipment); BAB Cha 10.
+6; Grap +8; Atk +8 (1d6+4, gun butt), or +7 (2d8, Occupations and Background: Predator, Radical
M16A2); Full Atk +8/+3 melee (1d6+4, gun butt), or Skills: Climb +10, Drive +11, Intimidate +12, Jump
+7/+2 ranged (2d8, M16A2); FS 5 ft by 5 ft; Reach 5 +11, Navigate +3, Read/Write (Unislang), Sense
ft; SQ Melee Smash, Improved Melee Smash, Chaps Motive +1, Speak Language (Unislang), Repair +6,
and Chains +1, Bloodthirsty Cry; AL Ravager; SV Survival +2.
Fort +6, Ref +4, Will +1; AP 3; Rep +1; Str 15, Dex Feats: Armor Proficiency (light, medium),
13, Con 14, Int 10, Wis 8, Cha 10. Combat Reflexes, Double Tap, Futuristic Firearms
Occupations and Background: Predator, Radical Proficiency, Intimidating Strength, Point Blank Shot,
Skills: Climb +5, Drive +4, Intimidate +8, Jump +5, Post Apocalyptic Technology, Precise Shot, Personal
Navigate +3, Read/Write (Unislang), Repair +1, Sense Firearms Proficiency, Rip a Clip, Vehicle Expert.
Motive +1, Speak Language (Unislang), Survival +2. Mutations and Defects: None.
Feats: Armor Proficiency (light, medium), Possessions: Laser Rifle, Power Beltpack, Military
Combat Reflexes, Double Tap, Point Blank Shot, Combat Suit, (2) Energy Grenades, Survival Kit, Jeep.
Post Apocalyptic Technology, Personal Firearms
Proficiency, Rip a Clip.
Mutations and Defects: None.
Possessions: M16A2 Assault Rifle, (2) Boxes SAVANTS
5.56mm Ammunition, Light Duty Vest.
“You speak to me of pain?
High-Level Ravager (Strong Hero 3, Raider 7): CR You know nothing of
10; Medium Size Humanoid; HD 3d8+7d10+20; HP PAIN…”
84; Mas 14; Init +2; Spd 25 ft; Defense 26, touch 18,
flatfooted 24 (+2 Dex, +6 class, +8 equipment); BAB
+10; Grap +12; Atk +12 (1d6+4, gun butt), or +12
(3d12, Laser Rifle); Full Atk +12/+7 melee (1d6+4,
gun butt), or +12/+7 ranged (3d12, Laser Rifle); FS Background Options: Radical, Visionary
5 ft by 5 ft; Reach 5 ft; SQ Melee Smash, Improved Reinventor (all for slave races).
Melee Smash, Chaps and Chains +2, Bloodthirsty Cry, Attitude: The great era of the Ancients was nothing
Horrifying Kill, No Survivors; AL Ravager; SV Fort more than a farce, and now that their power has been
+8, Ref +7, Will +2; AP 5; Rep +3; Str 15, Dex 14, blasted off the earth, a new world can be built in which

256 Con 14, Int 10, Wis 8, Cha 10.

Occupations and Background: Predator, Radical
former prisoners are now the masters.
Symbol: The Savant symbol depicts the planet
Skills: Climb +6, Drive +8, Intimidate +11, Jump Earth, but with the words Mundi Novum (“New
+6, Navigate +3, Read/Write (Unislang), Repair World”) printed either above or underneath. The
+3, Sense Motive +1, Speak Language (Unislang), image is representative of their efforts to create a new
earth to suit their own malevolent vision of the future.
Common Classes: Psionic, Savant, All for slave
The Reality
The origins of the so-called “Savants”, one of the
races.
Twisted Earth’s most malevolent forces, are found not
Common Mutations: Neural Mutations (all for
in the dead and dying years after the nuclear war – but
slave races).
in the years and months just prior to the collapse of
Common Defects: Critical Vulnerability,
human civilization.
Neurofibromatosis.
The Savants came about from something called
“Operation Church”, a top secret military project
What Outsiders Know undertaken by the American government several years
before the outbreak of hostilities that culminated
Some of the most significant entities of the Twisted
Earth are the bizarre mutant overlords of the “Savant in nuclear war. An extension of earlier exploratory
Empire”, a vast pseudo-nation covering almost the studies into psychic phenomenon (in specific, using
entirety of the Grass Plains region. A land ruled by so-called “telepaths” for “out of body surveillance”
cruel and unforgiving masters, only rumors circulate and espionage), “Operation Church” wasn’t so much
about the Savants’ appearance and their possible origins. about discovering if psychic abilities actually existed,
Many say they are re-activated robots, others say they but rather an effort to create a breed of telepathic
are “super-mutants” with batteries of unusual powers. soldiers for use in warfare, from the ground up. No
Uncontested, however, is their ability to dominate the one alive knows how well funded “Church” was, but
minds of entire masses with but a thought, and as such apparently the project was a top priority for a good
they cruelly control vast armies of mutants and slaves, many years until it was finally shut down, just days
taken from all over their borders, to serve against their before the first nuclear weapons detonated across
enemies on the battlefield. The Savants themselves are America.
said to actually be very few in number, but their thralls “Operation Church” began with the “grooming”
comprise megalithic numbers throughout the cities and of some 800 test subjects picked for a variety of
villages of their empire. psychological and physical traits. Unlike more
This cryptic brotherhood is believed to have legitimate medical research studies, however, the
originated among the ruins of either the Midwest or nature of these subjects was remarkable – all of them
Texas, and is composed of mysterious mutants who
appear to have cultivated a very special ability, which
they (and others who have survived contact with
them) can only call “magic”. The “magic” is, in fact,
a mastery of mental powers beyond the norm seen
by most of mutantkind. It is said that the Savants are
capable of forming invisible energies as they need
- but the mental strain is said to be immense and
their methods are obviously guarded savagely. The
Savants are known for their arcane robes and KKK-
style hoods, amassed weapons and refurbished droid
servants, and their lack of mercy for any who stand
in their way. Some legends claim the Savants are, in
fact, the descendants of criminal Ancients who were
subjected to great tortures by their former captors,
only to survive the holocaust and claim the new world
as their own.
Savants compose a nation of bizarre mutant entities
that dominate the lands south of the desert and east of
the Big Rocks. This is an arid land that rises from the
unforgiving sands, turning into the flat open grassy
plains that – unlike anywhere else in the world – have
seen the steady fall of rain in all but the driest months.
This arable paradise, stretching for countless miles
towards the unknown lands of the east, skirts the south
like a promised paradise just out of the reach of human
hands.
257
 were military and civilian convicts facing execution as a result of Ancient-era experiments or due to
for their heinous crimes (real or imaginary). All mutation from the Fall (or a combination of both),
but erased from the public eye after incarceration those Savants who survived their abandonment – and
(which was common in a world so tightly focused the war – emerged from their captivity a few decades
on maintaining a hedonistic way of life for its almost after the nuclear holocaust to begin conquering the
uncontrollable population numbers), they made the surface world. With a battery of new and potent
ideal test subjects; after all, no one would miss them if mental powers they turned savage ruin-pickers and
things went wrong. “wild men” into willing slaves, effectively extending
Kept in actual cages deep beneath an old abandoned their power beyond their actual numbers. Horribly
WWII-era army air field in central Texas, these deformed from inbreeding underground, they took
subjects were scrutinized, tested, and exposed to some to wearing hoods to conceal their grisly features, a
of the worst horrors imaginable, their captors viewing tradition that still has practical uses so far in the future
their suffering with cold, scientific disinterest. The (even compared to other mutants, the end product of
procedures used in various attempts to stimulate Savant breeding is a real horror to behold).
telepathic abilities ranged from the comparatively The Savants foster a hatred for all things related
mundane to the most abominable: regulating diet, to the Ancients (obviously due to their nightmare
for instance, or isolating an individual for days, even treatment by the establishment of pre-war America),
weeks in a sensory deprivation chamber, were the though they are not above using items of the past
least extreme tortures. Other subjects, however, to maintain their position of power. They have, in
were chemically or surgically castrated to study the fact, been known to revive lost technologies and
effects of a neutral sexual disposition on the mind, even develop some of their own; often two or three
or operated upon to remove parts of the brain for Savants, sitting on a specially-made gravity platform
similar explorations. Gene therapies to develop (resembling a flying “chariot”), will be at the center
certain parts of the brain in record time, or diminish of a slave army, controlling the masses of troops
others for convenience, were also attempted, often cooperatively through the concentration of their
turning their subjects into drooling idiots – or suicidal psionic powers. This is just one example of their
monsters. Lobotomies were attempted on some to ingenuity.
erase individuality and make subjects more receptive The Savants are utterly ruthless, being descended
to testing; others had their brains physically removed from the country’s worst criminals, and consider all
from their bodies and kept suspended in tanks of life on the Twisted Earth as theirs to command. Using
nutrient-rich fluid to test how human consciousness their mental powers they continue to dominate and
would adapt to the lack of eyes, ears, and other control others, using slave races to conquer villages
sensory apparatus. Many were bombarded by ever- and settlements on the outskirts of their borders to
increasing doses of radiation in special ion chambers add to their “empire”. Though they may currently
at the bottom of the secret facility, in the hopes that be content with dominating the world’s most fruitful
the energy would cause them to mutate and “unlock” region (the “Grass Plains”), they have been known,
the abilities that “Operation Church” scientists were on occasion, to start “crusade”-like campaigns to
ruthlessly scrambling to find. hunt down and destroy pureblood human holdouts,
This research into unlocking the latent psychic or other enclaves that claim to be directly descended
potential of men ended abruptly when, just a few from Ancient-era man (such as newly-opened “vault”
weeks before humanity dissolved into chaos, communities).
“Operation Church” was abandoned. In the anarchy The actual “core” number of Savants is small;
that was erupting all over the country (in response extremely exclusive, membership in their faction
to the conventional war that was taking place on is only open to actual descendants of the original
American soil for the first time in 200 years), most convicts they trace their ancestry to. Instead of
of the remaining test subjects were liquidated to repopulating their part of the Twisted Earth with their
prevent rampaging civilians from storming the base offspring (which they cannot do with any reliability,
and finding out what their military had been up to all due to their ever-shrinking gene pool), they have
these years. But somewhere along the line the last instead created a regimented society of slaves to
remaining security personnel and scientists fled (no work, build, and fight for them. Though absolutely
doubt seeing that nuclear war was inevitable, they cruel and unforgiving, they curb rebellions through
deserted to go find their families), leaving a handful clever means; using their mental abilities to charm
of their test subjects behind in the bowels of the now- key figures into submission, keep others hypnotized
sealed test facility to die. and contented, and even implanting thoughts of fear,
258 But they did not die. These few would live to
become what are now known as the “Savants”
paranoia, and terror on a regular basis to random
people to keep their subjects divided, effectively
– a malevolent group of some of the most powerful preventing rebellions from ever arising.
mutated creatures on the Twisted Earth. Whether
 TABLE 6-6: THE SAVANT
Base Fort Ref Will Defense Reputation
Level Special
Attack Save Save Save Bonus Bonus
1 +0 +0 +0 +2 Improved Domination, Neural Specialization +1 +2
2 +1 +0 +0 +3 Crushing Will +1 +2
3 +1 +1 +1 +3 Bonus Feat +2 +2
4 +2 +1 +1 +4 Telepathy Advancement +2 +3
5 +2 +1 +1 +4 Savant Link +3 +3
6 +3 +2 +2 +5 Bonus Feat +3 +3
7 +3 +2 +2 +5 Mind Slaves +4 +4
8 +4 +2 +2 +6 Telepathy Advancement +4 +4
9 +4 +3 +3 +6 Bonus Feat +5 +4
10 +5 +3 +3 +7 Complete Domination +5 +5

Savant Armor Proficiency (light), Attentive, Combat Reflexes,

Defensive Martial Arts, Deceptive, Exotic Firearms
Proficiency, Focused, Futuristic Firearms Proficiency,
Requirements Improved Initiative, Iron Will, Operate Powered
To qualify to become a Savant, a character must fulfill Armor and Renown.
the following criteria. In place of the above feats, the Savant may select
Allegiance: Savant any Telepathy based neural feat for which he meets the
Base Attack Bonus: 4+. prerequisites.
Skills: Intimidate 9 ranks, Knowledge (technology) Improved Domination: The Savant is a master of
9 ranks. mind control. The Savant can crush an opponent’s
Feats: Domination, Advanced Technology, Mental will, making them a slave. This ability functions
Communication. the same as the Domination neural feat, but is more
powerful. The target temporarily loses all previous
Class Information allegiances and adopts a singular, unswerving
The following information pertains to the Savant allegiance to the Savant. Unlike the standard
advanced class. Domination feat, the target can be commanded to act
Hit Dice: 1d6. against his nature without risk of resistance. However,
Action Points: 7 + one-half of the character’s level, if the Savant commands its slave to do something
rounded down. blatantly self-destructive, the target can make a
Class Skills: The Psionic class skills are: Bluff Will save to break the Savant’s control. If the save
(Cha), Computer Use (Int), Concentration (Con), succeeds, the target becomes free-willed and regains
Diplomacy (Cha), Intimidate (Cha), Knowledge (any) its previous allegiances.
(Int), Listen (Wis), Pilot (Dex), Search (Int), Sense Like the Domination feat, using this power counts
Motive (Wis), Spot (Wis), Survival (Wis). against the character’s Telepathy uses per day.
Skill Points at Each Level: 5 + Int modifier. Crushing Will: The Savant will frequently need
to dominate the same target. The DC to resist the
Class Features Savant’s domination is 2 higher if the target had failed
The following features pertain to the Savant advanced the previous domination attempt. This modifier only
class. applies if the last attempt was successful not any
Neural Specialization: Being a master of his neural previous attempt.
abilities, his opponents find it more difficult to resist Telepathy Advancement: The Savant advances his
his psionic powers. For every 2 Savant levels, the DC Telepathy neural mutations at 4th and 8th level.
to resist this character’s neural mutations and feats is Savant Link: An advanced form of Mental
increased by one. If the character already possesses Communication, this ability allows the Savant to
this ability from a previous class (i.e. Psionic advanced mentally communicate at will with all other Savants
class), the combined levels are used to determine the and dominated creatures regardless of range. Using
increased DC. this ability does not count against the Savant’s
Bonus Feats: A Savant receives a bonus feat at
3rd, 6th, and 9th level. The feat must be selected from
Telepathy uses per day.
Mind Slaves: This ability allows the Savant to
259
the following list, and the character must meet the amass hordes of dominated thralls. If the target is
prerequisites to select it: Alertness, Animal Affinity, less than half the Savant’s class level, the domination
 is permanent and does not count against the Savant’s Feats: Advanced Technology, Armor Proficiency
Telepathy uses per day. If the Savant is ever killed, all (light), Attraction Trigger, Charm Person, Domination,
permanent dominations are broken. Dodge, Futuristic Firearms Proficiency, Mental
In addition, targets that are lower than the Savant’s Communication, Mutation Advancement (Telepathy).
character level are dominated for double the normal Mutations and Defects: Telepathy x4, Critical
duration. Vulnerability x2
Complete Domination: A Savant at this level can Neural Mutations: 14 Telepathy uses per day, +9
completely dominate a target. Dominated victims DC modifier.
have no free will, and will perform blatantly self- Possessions: Undercover Vest, Maser Rifle, Power
destructive actions. beltpack, Survival Kit, (2) Ready Syringe (Stimshot
A).

Typical Savant Epic-Level Savant (PA Hero 3, Psionic class 3,

Savant 9): CR 10; Medium Size Humanoid; HD
Mid-Level Savant (PA Hero 3, Psionic class 3): CR 6d8+9d6; HP 66; Mas 10; Init +0; Spd 30 ft; Defense
6; Medium Size Humanoid; HD 6d8; HP 30; Mas 10; 22, touch 19, flatfooted 22 (+0 Dex, +9 class, +3
Init +0; Spd 30 ft; Defense 17, touch 14, flatfooted 17 equipment); BAB +8; Grap +8; Atk +8 ranged (3d10,
(+0 Dex, +4 class, +3 equipment); BAB +4; Grap +4; maser rifle), or +8 ranged (2d12, laser pistol); Atk +8/
Atk +4 melee (1d4, unarmed), or +4 ranged (2d10, +3 ranged (3d10, maser rifle), or +8/+3 ranged (2d12,
maser pistol); FS 5 ft by 5 ft; Reach 5 ft; SQ Mutation laser pistol); FS 5 ft by 5 ft; Reach 5 ft; SQ Mutation
Knowledge, Neural Mastery, Neural Specialization; Knowledge, Neural Mastery, Neural Specialization,
AL Savant; SV Fort +3, Ref +3, Will +5; AP 3; Rep Improved Domination, Crushing Will, Telepathy
+1; Str 10, Dex 11, Con 10, Int 14, Wis 13, Cha 15. Advancement x2, Savant Link, Mind Slaves; AL
Occupations and Background: Slaver, Radical. Savant; SV Fort +4, Ref +4, Will +10; AP 5; Rep +1;
Skills: Bluff +9, Diplomacy +9, Gather Information Str 10, Dex 11, Con 10, Int 14, Wis 14, Cha 16.
+3, Intimidate +14, Knowledge (ancient lore) +4, Occupations and Background: Slaver, Radical.
Knowledge (mutant lore) +4, Knowledge (technology) Skills: Bluff +19, Computer Use +6, Concentration
+11, Listen +6, Navigate +4, Pilot +2, Read/Write +10, Diplomacy +19, Gather Information +11,
(Ancient, Unislang), Sense Motive +10, Speak Intimidate +21, Knowledge (ancient lore) +5,
Language (Ancient, Unislang), Spot +2, Survival +4. Knowledge (mutant lore) +5, Knowledge (technology)
Feats: Advanced Technology, Armor Proficiency +15, Listen +9, Navigate +6, Pilot +12, Read/Write
(light), Attraction Trigger, Charm Person, Domination, (Ancient, Unislang), Search +4, Sense Motive +18,
Dodge, Mental Communication. Speak Language (Ancient, Unislang), Spot +3,
Mutations and Defects: Telepathy x2, Critical Survival +8.
Vulnerability x2 Feats: Advanced Technology, Armor Proficiency
Neural Mutations: 8 Telepathy uses per day, +5 DC (light), Attraction Trigger, Charm Person, Domination,
modifier. Dodge, Futuristic Firearms Proficiency, Mental
Possessions: Maser Pistol, (2) Power Clip, Communication, Mind Stun, Mind Blast, Mind Strike,
Undercover Vest, Survival Kit. Mutation Advancement (Telepathy), Powered Armor
Operation.
High-Level Savant (PA Hero 3, Psionic class 3, Mutations and Defects: Telepathy x5, Critical
Savant 4): CR 10; Medium Size Humanoid; HD Vulnerability x2
6d8+4d6; HP 46; Mas 10; Init +0; Spd 30 ft; Defense Neural Mutations: 16 Telepathy uses per day, +13
19, touch 16, flatfooted 19 (+0 Dex, +6 class, +3 DC modifier.
equipment); BAB +6; Grap +6; Atk +6 ranged (3d10, Possessions: Undercover Vest, Maser Rifle, Power
maser rifle); Full Atk +6/+1 ranged (3d10, maser rifle); beltpack, Mk2 Ares Armor (defense 19), Minifusion
FS 5 ft by 5 ft; Reach 5 ft; SQ Mutation Knowledge, Cell, Survival Kit, Pocket Nurse (3 Stimshot A).
Neural Mastery, Neural Specialization, Improved
Domination, Crushing Will, Telepathy Advancement;
AL Savant; SV Fort +4, Ref +4, Will +9; AP 5; Rep
+1; Str 10, Dex 11, Con 10, Int 14, Wis 13, Cha 16. MINOR GROUPS
Occupations and Background: Slaver, Radical.
Skills: Bluff +14, Concentration +7, Diplomacy Not quite “major”, there are several smaller, less
+14, Gather Information +8, Intimidate +19, prestigious groups that nonetheless either aspire to

260 Knowledge (ancient lore) +4, Knowledge (mutant become big players on the Twisted Earth, or else are
lore) +4, Knowledge (technology) +13, Listen still worthy of mention. Below are a few of the more
+6, Navigate +6, Pilot +10, Read/Write (Ancient, significant minor factions of the world.
Unislang), Search +1, Sense Motive +15, Speak
Language (Ancient, Unislang), Spot +2, Survival +6.
 AMAZONS The Reality
While the major factions and established communities
“We have taught you of the Twisted Earth are at least somewhat aware that
everything we know, little “Amazon” encampments and colonies of escaped
sister, and you have been slaves exist out in the wilderness, they seldom pay
an excellent student. It is them any heed. Forced into the periphery of the
now time for you to go and wasteland, far from the trade routes and populated
take vengeance upon those areas of the world, any threat these all-female bands
who once hurt you, forced you to could pose is curbed by their very isolation – and
bear their children against your will, and have surely apparent lack of organization.
turned your sons against you in your absence. Go There are, however, instances in which these rogue
now. You have our blessing.” Amazons do come together for mutual strength and
protection, despite what the men of the various city-
Background Options: Tribal, Ritual states of the Twisted Earth believe. It is said that with
Preservationist, Resentful, Radical, Visionary luck, a runaway girl can make contact and link up with
Reinventor. other amazons out in the wasteland, and be given a
Attitude: Women have been abused since long new life where she will either be trained as a warrior to
before the Fall, but now, in this age, the oppression defend herself, or imparted with other, more domestic
has reached intolerable levels. All those who have skills. These range from being taught how to deliver a
suffered unjustly at the hands of men are welcome child to taking care of the sick. Because they are few
among the ranks of the Sisters. in number, these groups – self-named “sisters of the
Symbol: Generally none, though the Sisters desert” – adhere to strict policies of secrecy regarding
often use skulls and decapitated heads to mark the the locations of their camps, the numbers comprising
boundaries of their territory, to warn others away. their forces, and their future migrations. Those sisters
Common Classes: Guardian, Juju Doctor, Sister of who fall in combat are generally expected to commit
the Desert. suicide to avoid endangering their fellow escapees, a
Common Mutations: All. result of which is manifested in their fearlessness in
Common Defects: All. battle against men and slavers of all kinds.
The Sisters recruit not only the rare brave runaway,
but also slaves and concubines freed as a result of
What Outsiders Know their raids. Their camps are almost exclusively
In many of the communities of the Twisted Earth, nomadic, a requisite when avoiding raider gangs and
women of all kinds are little more than property – the vengeful former captors who might track them into the
more handsome, the more valuable as commodities wasteland seeking to bring them back by force. They
to the various bands of raiders, survivalists, and often travel at night (to move unseen), among the most
more brutal scum. Treated as mere objects by most, treacherous terrain (to dissuade pursuit), and due to
used as trade goods in many communities, and only their wanderings they have gained a great deal of lore
seldom valued for any purpose other than pleasure and concerning the “lost places” of the Twisted Earth – and
reproduction, they face a nightmarish existence in this it’s many mutated dangers.
world devoid of civilization. Rather curiously, those who join the Sisters are not
But in the radiated wilds, there are some few required to stay with them for life. While the Sisters
females – loners mostly – who have struck out to actively seek new women (and, on rare occasion,
find their own destiny. Many are escaped slaves, or males who have also been badly mistreated by raiders)
girls secretly exiled by their parents at birth to save to help build up their warrior force (or take care of
them from a horrible fate. Regardless, the solo life the sick and wounded), it is part of their underlying
is a rough one, even for rugged males, and those few philosophy that no one, including their own hierarchy,
females who have survived to womanhood are among has any right to control another’s destiny. As such, the
the most vicious, hateful, and brutal of their gender; Sisters will willingly give shelter and safety to escaped
they have to be, for over every hill lies a community slaves, food and water as well, but make no demands
or pack who would just as soon make her a slave as of loyalty. Even a woman who has received training
a friend. Those women who do survive are known from them is allowed to go free if she so wishes,
almost universally as “amazons”, tough and savage though she is expected to help any recognized sister in
females who are as skilled at combat as the most the future should they ever cross paths again.
rugged survivalists. One final note of interest regarding the Sisters is
their acceptance of all women, pureblood or mutant 261
alike. While the former are exceedingly rare, there
are instances where pureblood women (who are quite
priceless as harem girls for their lack of physical
 defects) have been given equal protection under the Mutations and Defects: Any.
wing of mutated Sisters, and even rise to ranks of Possessions: Masterwork Long Sword +1, Machete,
leadership in the sisterhood. Leather Armor, 2 Juju Potions (1d4+10), Juju Kit.

Epic-Level Amazon (Post Apocalyptic Hero 3,

Typical Amazon Sister of the Desert 10, Juju Doctor 2): CR 15;
Medium Size Humanoid; HD 15d8+15; HP 90; Mas
Mid-Level Amazon (Post Apocalyptic Hero 3, Sister 12; Init +4; Spd 30 ft; Defense 21, touch 20, flatfooted
of the Desert 3): CR 6; Medium Size Humanoid; HD 19 (+2 Dex, +8 class, +1 equipment); BAB +13; Grap
6d8+6; HP 36; Mas 12; Init +3; Spd 30 ft; Defense +15; Atk +19 (1d8+3/19-20, Long Sword); Full Atk
16, touch 15, flatfooted 15 (+1 Dex, +4 class, +1 +19/+14/+9 (1d8+3/19-20, Long Sword), +13/+8/+3
equipment); BAB +5; Grap +6; Atk +8 (1d8+2/19- (1d6+3/19-20, Machete); FS 5 ft by 5 ft; Reach 5
20, Long Sword); Full Atk +6 (1d8+2/19-20, Long ft; SQ Necropoli Lore, Survival Sense, Persuade,
Sword), +5 (1d6+2/19-20, Machete); FS 5 ft by 5 Natural Healing, Go for the “Eyes”, Fascinate,
ft; Reach 5 ft; SQ Necropoli Lore, Survival Sense, Inspire Rebellion, Male Fear, Leave No One Behind,
Persuade, Natural Healing; AL Amazon; SV Fort +5, Juju Specialist +1, Brew Potion, Expert Healer; AL
Ref +5, Will +4; AP 3; Rep +2; Str 15, Dex 13, Con Amazon; SV Fort +11, Ref +9, Will +9; AP 7; Rep +6;
12, Int 10, Wis 13, Cha 13. Str 16, Dex 14, Con 12, Int 10, Wis 13, Cha 13.
Occupations and Background: Slave, Visionary Occupations and Background: Slave, Visionary
Reinventors. Reinventors.
Skills: Bluff +5, Climb +4, Diplomacy +3, Escape Skills: Bluff +9, Climb +4, Diplomacy +7, Escape
Artist +3, Hand Animal +3, Hide +3, Jump +4, Listen Artist +2, Hand Animal +2, Hide +5, Jump +3, Listen
+3, Move Silently +3, Perform (dance) +3, Read/Write +7, Move Silently +5, Perform (dance) +2, Read/Write
(Unislang), Ride +3, Search +2, Sense Motive +4, (Unislang), Ride +2, Search +2, Sense Motive +6,
Speak Language (Unislang), Spot +3, Survival +9, Speak Language (Unislang), Spot +5, Survival +12,
Treat Injury +5, Tumble +3. Treat Injury +18, Tumble +4.
Feats: Archaic Weapon Proficiency, Cleave, Feats: Advanced Two Weapon Fighting, Archaic
Concubine, Heroic Surge, Post Apocalyptic Weapon Proficiency, Cleave, Combat Reflexes,
Technology, Power Attack, Two Weapon Fighting, Concubine, Great Cleave, Heroic Surge, Improved
Weapon Focus (Long Sword). Two Weapon Fighting, Juju Doctor, Post Apocalyptic
Mutations and Defects: Any. Technology, Power Attack, Two Weapon Fighting,
Possessions: Long Sword, Machete, Leather Armor, Weapon Focus (Long Sword).
2 Juju Potions (1d4+5), Juju Kit. Mutations and Defects: Any.
Possessions: Masterwork Long Sword +2, Machete,
High-Level Amazon (Post Apocalyptic Hero Leather Armor, (2) Ready Syringe (Stimshot A), Juju
3, Sister of the Desert 7): CR 10; Medium Size Kit.
Humanoid; HD 10d8+10; HP 60; Mas 12; Init +4; Spd
30 ft; Defense 19, touch 18, flatfooted 17 (+2 Dex, +6
class, +1 equipment); BAB +9; Grap +11; Atk +13
(1d8+2/19-20, Long Sword); Full Atk +11/+6 (1d8+2/ BENDERS
19-20, Long Sword), +9/+4 (1d6+2/19-20, Machete);
FS 5 ft by 5 ft; Reach 5 ft; SQ Necropoli Lore, “Cross that line, and the last
Survival Sense, Persuade, Natural Healing, Go for the thing you’ll hear is the
“Eyes”, Fascinate, Inspire Rebellion; AL Amazon; SV sound of a .50 caliber round
Fort +7, Ref +8, Will +6; AP 5; Rep +4; Str 15, Dex cracking through your
14, Con 12, Int 10, Wis 13, Cha 13. skull. Do we understand
Occupations and Background: Slave, Visionary each other?”
Reinventors.
Skills: Bluff +8, Climb +5, Diplomacy +4, Escape Background Options: Resurrector, Guardian.
Artist +5, Hand Animal +3, Hide +6, Jump +5, Listen Attitude: The world outside the walls of Bend City
+3, Move Silently +6, Perform (dance) +3, Read/Write is a dangerous place, inhospitable to all life save for
(Unislang), Ride +4, Search +2, Sense Motive +6, the most merciless and mercenary. The security of the
Speak Language (Unislang), Spot +5, Survival +11, City is all that matters, for it alone stands as a bubble
Treat Injury +8, Tumble +5. of sanity in this blighted world of raiders and mutant

262 Feats: Archaic Weapon Proficiency, Cleave, armies.

Concubine, Great Cleave, Heroic Surge, Improved Symbol: The symbol most often seen on Benders
Two Weapon Fighting, Post Apocalyptic Technology, is a patch from the rag-tag technician’s overalls many
Power Attack, Two Weapon Fighting, Weapon Focus of them still wear, to honor their ancestors. The patch
(Long Sword). depicts an oil well and the corporate name of the Bend
City Oil Company. afterwards, horrified by the odd sighting of mutants
Common Classes: Champion, Guardian, Mech, and the knowledge that the world outside had fallen
Road Warrior, Tinker. into violent chaos. Afraid of rampant diseases
Common Mutations: None (humans only). seen firsthand in refugees who came to them early
Common Defects: None (humans only). on in their enclave’s history (and the possibility of
interbreeding mutation into their ranks), they shut
themselves off completely from the outside. A
What Outsiders Know classic example of a xenophobic community, they are
The community of Bend City is said to be home to a exceptional in that the facility they occupy is still able
stable populace of peaceful yet wary folk on the edge to produce oil – and the fact that they are still strong
of known country. The “Big Bend” (after which their enough to keep raiders (and the major factions) from
“city” gets its name) is a rugged valley where once a taking that oil by force.
great river ran wild and free, but since the drying up In all, these are actually peaceful people who just
of the Earth has turned into an impassable gulch that want to be left alone. They have happy (if hard) lives
separates the northern, flat lands with the mountains within the walls of their compound, with families,
of the south – mountains which, according to local relationships, and equality among the sexes. They
legend, run to the edge of the world. seldom leave the centuries-old walls of their fortress;
The Benders maintain this distant outpost because when they do it is usually at night (so that they
of what Bend City sits right on top of – oil. They cannot be seen), and then only in small groups to
say the Benders claim to be the descendants of the scavenge from the desert. Without any access to other
personnel that originally operated it as an important industries, they typically wear rags and hodge-podge
installation of the Ancients. Whatever the truth of rusted armor from centuries past, and all remaining
their origins, the oil supply is a steady one, steady to resources within their community can generally be
such an extent that the water merchants of the Clean traced back to the time of the Ancients.
have been navigating a particularly-dangerous route
south from Trade City to Bend for the past decade or
so. In return for their water shipments, the Clean are
warily rewarded with bountiful oil that is perhaps the
single-greatest source of oil outside of that produced
by the Cartel.
This abundant oil does not come without a price.
The mountainous desert region around Bend City is
legendary for its dangers – extreme heat and lack of
drinkable water, rare but ferocious sand-burrowing
worms, and especially road gangs. Raiders, whose
vehicles have often-times been stripped of their
electric power to run off combustible fuels, have
always sought to crack Bend City open and loot its
wells for the millions of gallons it allegedly hordes.
To protect itself, Benders have turned Bend City
into a great fortress, surrounded by metal and wooden
walls, great moats, and towering lookouts to spy the
dusty approach of such gangs. Not even the Clean
and their caravans are permitted into Bend City. The
people of Bend City have never shown any inclination
to joining any pre-Fall faction, and have even denied
the protection of the Cartel when it was offered a few
years back. According to the Clean, their dealings are
always done at a distance, with intermediary drop-offs
and pick-ups, as if they feared everyone else in the
world had the plague. As such, accounts of the actual
people have always been vague at best.

The Reality
The Benders are the direct descendants of the Ancient- 263
era personnel who used to run the oil facility that is
now “Bend City”. Pureblooded humans, they holed
up in the facility during the war and for generations
 Typical Bender Warriors 30 ft; Defense 24, touch 21, flatfooted 21 (+3 Dex,
+8 class, +3 equipment); BAB +14; Grap +14; Atk
+14 (1d6, gun butt), or +18 (2d12, barret light fifty);
Mid-Level Bender (PA Hero 4, Guardian 2): CR
Full Atk +14/+9/+4 (1d6, gun butt), or +18/+13/+8
6; Medium Size Humanoid; HD 4d8+2d10+6; HP
(2d12+2, barret light fifty); FS 5 ft by 5 ft; Reach 5 ft;
43; Mas 12; Init +2; Spd 30 ft; Defense 18, touch 15,
SQ Improvised Toolkit, Restore, Defender +4, Weapon
flatfooted 16 (+2 Dex, +3 class, +3 equipment); BAB
Focus (Barret Light Fifty), Tactical Aid, Weapon
+5; Grap +5; Atk +5 (1d6, gun butt), or +8 (2d12,
Specialization (Barret Light Fifty), Rallying Cry +3,
barret light fifty); FS 5 ft by 5 ft; Reach 5 ft; SQ
Improved Tactical Aid; AL Bender; SV Fort +11, Ref
Improvised Toolkit, Restore, Defender +2, Weapon
+10, Will +9; AP 7; Rep +2; Str 10, Dex 16, Con 12,
Focus (Barret Light Fifty); AL Bender; SV Fort +7,
Int 12, Wis 14, Cha 8.
Ref +6, Will +2; AP 3; Rep +0; Str 10, Dex 15, Con
Occupations and Background: Military,
12, Int 12, Wis 13, Cha 8.
Resurrector.
Occupations and Background: Military,
Skills: Climb +4, Drive +6, Intimidate +14, Jump
Resurrector.
+4, Knowledge (tactics) +13, Listen +6, Move Silently
Skills: Climb +3, Drive +5, Intimidate +6, Jump
+6, Navigate +4, Read/Write (Unislang), Repair
+3, Knowledge (tactics) +8, Listen +4, Move Silently
+7, Search +4, Sense Motive +8, Speak Language
+5, Navigate +4, Read/Write (Unislang), Repair
(Unislang), Spot +13, Survival +11.
+4, Search +4, Sense Motive +4, Speak Language
Feats: Armor Proficiency (light), Dead Aim,
(Unislang), Spot +4, Survival +4.
Double Tap, Far Shot, Great Fortitude, Improved
Feats: Armor Proficiency (light), Dead Aim, Far
Dead Aim, Iron Will, Precise Shot, Point Blank Shot,
Shot, Great Fortitude, Post Apocalyptic Technology,
Post Apocalyptic Technology, Personal Firearms
Personal Firearms Proficiency, Toughness.
Proficiency, Skip Shot, Toughness.
Mutations and Defects: None.
Mutations and Defects: None.
Possessions: Barret Light Fifty, (2) Boxes .50
Possessions: Barret Light Fifty, (2) Boxes .50
Ammunition, Undercover Vest, (2) Juju Potions
Ammunition, Undercover Vest, (2) Ready Syringe
(1d4+2).
(Stimshot B).
Mid-Level Bender (PA Hero 4, Guardian 6): CR
10; Medium Size Humanoid; HD 4d8+6d10+10; HP
75; Mas 12; Init +3; Spd 30 ft; Defense 21, touch 18, CORIUM MINERS
flatfooted 18 (+3 Dex, +5 class, +3 equipment); BAB
+9; Grap +9; Atk +9 (1d6, gun butt), or +13 (2d12,
barret light fifty); Full Atk +9/+4 (1d6, gun butt), or
OF LITTLE
+13/+8 (2d12+2, barret light fifty); FS 5 ft by 5 ft;
Reach 5 ft; SQ Improvised Toolkit, Restore, Defender VEGAS
+2, Weapon Focus (Barret Light Fifty), Tactical
Aid, Weapon Specialization (Barret Light Fifty); AL “Empty your pockets when you
Bender; SV Fort +8, Ref +8, Will +6; AP 3; Rep +0; leave the mine, maggot! If I catch you smuggling out
Str 10, Dex 16, Con 12, Int 12, Wis 13, Cha 8. any corium, it’ll be one hundred lashes!”
Occupations and Background: Military,
Resurrector. Background Options: Resurrector.
Skills: Climb +3, Drive +6, Intimidate +10, Jump Attitude: The Clean control water, the Cartel
+3, Knowledge (tactics) +12, Listen +4, Move Silently control oil and arms, and the ‘Miners have corium.
+6, Navigate +4, Read/Write (Unislang), Repair One day the rulers of Lil’ Vegas will be among the
+6, Search +4, Sense Motive +4, Speak Language great merchants of the wasteland.
(Unislang), Spot +8, Survival +6. Symbol: None.
Feats: Armor Proficiency (light), Dead Aim, Far Common Classes: Guardian, Trader, Trade Master.
Shot, Great Fortitude, Improved Dead Aim, Iron Common Mutations: Aberrant Deformity,
Will, Post Apocalyptic Technology, Point Blank Shot, Mongoloid.
Personal Firearms Proficiency, Toughness. Common Defects: Multi-Faceted Eyes, Sensitive
Mutations and Defects: None. Sight.
Possessions: Barret Light Fifty, (2) Boxes .50
Ammunition, Undercover Vest, (2) Ready Syringe
What Outsiders Know
264 (Stimshot A).
Though the wasteland is filled with encampments of
so-called “corium miners”, nowhere are their kind
Mid-Level Bender (PA Hero 4, Guardian 7,
Champion 4): CR 15; Medium Size Humanoid; HD more numerous – and prosperous – than in the tiny
4d8+7d10+4d12+15; HP 115; Mas 12; Init +3; Spd town of Lil’ Vegas, situated on the east side of the Big
Rocks just a dozen or so miles from the main trade town’s brothels (if female). Lives lived here are short
routes of the Twisted Earth. and pathetic; the corium of the deep mines radiates
Not much is known of Lil’ Vegas to most outsiders, most workers with lethal doses of radiation, while
short of the stories that the town “gleams at night” cave-ins and spontaneous eruptions of fire (corium
with electric power, that ancient-era music – hinting generates heat, and deep in the mines the level of
at untold decadence within – drifts out from behind heat is considerable) claim many, many more. The
its tall walls night and day, and that all men (and even town establishment, for its part, cares nothing for the
women) are welcome there to share in the wealth of suffering of its citizens, getting rich from the corium
the mines if only they’ll roll up their sleeves and start they extract and perpetuating the myth to the outside
digging. world that opportunities abound within their town’s
Oddly enough, however, few people ever seem to walls.
leave Lil’ Vegas (alive anyway), though the amount of Outsiders who come to Lil’ Vegas will receive
corium pouring out of the town is enough to distract different treatment depending on their station and
from what would otherwise be something of real personal abilities, but few will be allowed to leave
concern to the people of the Twisted Earth… willingly. Weaker individuals are invariable enslaved,
while more powerful groups are courted and offered
genuine positions as guards, strikebreakers, or hired
The Reality guns for the establishment. Those who refuse, or try
In reality, the isolated Old West town of Lil’ Vegas to escape, are hunted like animals among the desolate
was long ago the site of a massive construction project dunes that ring the oasis-town for miles around.
during the heyday of the Ancients. Situated near
the growing metropolis of Albuquerque/Santa Fe,
the site was chosen as the perfect place to build an Denizens of Lil’ Vegas
unprecedented nuclear power complex (underground,
in the bizarre notion that it would be safe from attack The denizens of Lil’ Vegas are detailed in the
by terrorists or conventional attack) that would provide adventure sourcebook, “Death by Corium Light”.
for the power needs of no less than four entire states.
When the Fall came, the complex was either
abandoned or damaged, and as a result a major chain
of melt-downs occurred that destroyed much of the
deep earth facility and flooded most of its tunnels
and passages with molten corium. Over time it was
forgotten, but in recent years (within a generation
from the present) corium prospectors, combing
the mountains, uncovered the old complex
and opened it once again. Though these
original prospectors were either driven
out or enslaved by a band of local
raiders (who, upon hearing rumors
of the newly-found “motherlode”
came running), the mines remained
open. To this day those same raiders
continue to operate the Lil’ Vegas
corium mines, luring outside labor
to the town through promises of
wealth and as much corium as a
man can carry away.
Those who come to Lil’ Vegas
looking for a bright future find
only slavery and a slow death from
radiation and terrible mining
conditions. The gang that runs
Lil’ Vegas are little more than
murderers and slavers, forcing
all newcomers either into the
mines (if male), or into the 265
 CRYSTALTIME Like the Clean they trace their claim to water trading
rights to before the Fall, and though hedged out of the

MERCHANTS most populous areas of the Twisted Earth, the fact that
they know of distant water sources (beyond the known
borders of the wasteland) has kept them alive despite
“Flecks of dirt and dead bugs various setbacks over the years.
in the water? Hey, you should The CrystalTime are traders, first and foremost,
be grateful I’m not charging but even the pragmatism so necessary to successful
extra for the added protein!” merchants sometimes gives way to an almost unheard
of phenomenon: mercy. The CrystalTime have long
Background Options: Visionary Reinventor. been the protective “older brother” of many tribal
Attitude: The wasteland isn’t dead; it isn’t even communities of the Deserts of Nowhere, and in times
dying, despite what everyone says. At the furthest of great hardship (such as droughts, when the tribals
fringes of the “known world” the frontier is teeming cannot forage enough food even for themselves, let
with life, and the CrystalTime make their living selling alone to trade for water) they have been known to
water to the tribes and communities on the edge of the continue deliveries of water rations despite not being
world. paid for weeks, even months at a time.
Symbol: The CrystalTime use the emblem of a pre- This selfless attitude has led to strong bonds
Fall brand of bottled water as their House symbol. between the savage groups and tribal clans of the
Common Classes: Guardian, Skulk, Trader. desert and the CrystalTime, which has mutually
Common Mutations: All. benefited all concerned. Though they have, on
Common Defects: All. occasion, been burned by their compassion, the
CrystalTime’s relatively secure position (on the
edge of the world) prevents more powerful groups
What Outsiders Know elsewhere from taking advantage of their trust and
The “CrystalTime” merchants are an enigmatic eradicating them completely.
association of far-flung traders who comprise the The CrystalTime merchants recruit often; most of
primary competition for the world’s water markets, their new additions serve as caravan guards and scouts,
close in power to the more prestigious Clean who helping to keep their wagon trains safe during their
dominate the Southwest. The CrystalTime have long journeys along the trade routes. Defending against
been confined to the eastern fringes of the Far Desert, raiders, tribal groups upset about territorial claims, and
but for nearly a century have maintained trade routes sometimes even war parties of the major factions are
north and south through the Far Desert, Deserts of the most frequent encounters for these wagon-borne
Nowhere, and even into Trader Pass. On occasion the merchants. Temporary employment is always an
CrystalTime have openly warred with the Clean for option for outsiders unwilling to fully commit to the
control of specific regions or in disputes over prices CrystalTime, and the merchants pay reasonably well
and supply, but these conflicts have become rarer for hired guns, considering their overall scarcity of
and rarer these days as boundaries and deals have funds. For those who join on as “lifers” (committing
largely been worked out between the two. Despite the themselves to the House for the rest of their lives),
concerted efforts of the Clean to slowly eradicate the they enjoy full citizenship, share equally in the profits
CrystalTime merchants one way or another, the latter of their particular cell, can marry and have children,
persist due to some vast unknown source of water that etc.
they provide to the northern reaches of the Twisted The “secret water source” of the CrystalTime isn’t
Earth. Legend has it this water source is beyond the one single source, but instead includes a number of
formidable Purple Desert (for the water merchants small lakes and rivers located far from the deserts
are the only known group to explore possible – and populated regions – of the Southwest. They
routes beyond that barrier). Whatever the truth, the also acquire water from smaller communities (whose
CrystalTime have long managed to keep its location presence is unknown to most factions that cling to life
hidden. within miles of the established trade routes) existing
peacefully along the shores of the Great Lakes.
The Reality
A much freer people than their competitors, the
Clean, the CrystalTime merchants are a widespread
Typical CrystalTime
266 association of merchants and caravaneers who have
plied the wastes for countless years since the Fall.
See Clean for typical CrystalTime game statistics.
 KNIGHTS OF from what was little more than a mercenary group
of wasteland warriors who fell into service with
the Cartel out of Kingman Town, on the west side
ROUTE 66 of the Big Hole. Paid to keep Cartel caravans safe,
the mercenaries did their job exceedingly well for
several years, earning a solid reputation as soldiers
“What are you standing
and even securing for themselves a base in Kingman
around for, you fools?!
Town (the old Knights Inn, a motel, on historic Route
After them!”
66). Their success did not last, however, and after
one particularly gloomy battle against more powerful
Background Options: Ritual Preservationist,
raiders, the Knights were cast out by the Cartel into
Radicals.
the northern fringes of the Mountains of Misery.
Attitude: The merchants and traders of the world
Spurned by what they perceived as “betrayal”, the
grow richer and fatter every day, yet by the law of the
Knights clung to their existence by raiding. Though
wasteland they are undeserving. The Knights, on the
they clung to their strange “code of knights” (which
other hand, take what they want through honorable
forbids cowardice, disloyalty, theft from one’s peers,
battle, and thus deserve their position of power (by
and rights within the brotherhood guaranteed by trials
virtue of their skill at arms).
by combat), over time they sunk deep into bloodthirsty
Symbol: The Knights use the actual road signs of
violence and depravity, raiding convoys and caravans
their region as a kind of “heraldic device”, bearing the
of all kinds to meet their food, water, fuel, and
words “Route 66” on their faded, often rusted shields.
“entertainment” needs.
Common Classes: Raider, Road Warrior.
Because of the threat they pose to Cartel trade routes
Common Mutations: All.
of the area, the Knights have become the object of
Common Defects: All.
a campaign by the Cartel to root them out and crush
them once and for all; but the rugged, forbidding
What Outsiders Know landscape of the Mountains of Misery keep the mobile
Knights relatively safe. They are known to have many
Far to the south, among the towering peaks flanking
both sides of the Big Holes region, an army of vehicle- camps among the hills overlooking Trader Pass, some
mounted raiders has long preyed upon the travelers of of which they have fortified and turned into virtual
the trade routes. Known as the “66 Knights”, not due “fortresses” (and yes, the stories of artillery are true),
to their number but to the number “66” on their shields while others are merely temporary, or even ruses, to
(taken from the ancient name of the trade route 66, mislead scouts and Cartel-paid bounty hunters.
which ran the length of this region east to west), they Despite the violence they show merchants and
have long been a threat to the continued survival of traders who fall prey to their armies, the Knights
trade in the area. have a code by which they adhere, often to their
The Knights raid in large, well-organized packs on detriment. For example, their code forces them to
horses and vehicles, and have been known to field permit any enemy soldier to surrender and be given a
muskets and even modern-era firearms scavenged trial by combat for his life and possessions. Second,
(it is believed) from the lost cities of the Mountains any recognized diplomatic person - or any person of
of Misery. Now and again it is said they even use worth - captured in a raid is usually ransomed instead
“artillery” concealed in mountain strongholds to of being merely slain (a fact that runs contrary to the
bombard passing caravans out in the open in Trader stories of their brutality). Finally, any warrior who
Pass below (though they use these sparingly; ammo shows great skill – even against them in battle – might
is impossible to come by). The Knights are said to be given a chance to join as an equal member in their
be particularly cruel raider scum, giving no mercy to brotherhood.
captives or surrendering enemies, and rewarding only
brutality and savagery among their own ranks.
Typical Knights of Route 66
The Reality Mid-Level Knights of Route 66 (Strong Hero
3, Raider 3): CR 6; Medium Size Humanoid; HD
The Knights of Route 66 combine a blend of unusually
quixotic ideals of honor and bravery, tainted by a 3d8+3d10+12; HP 48; Mas 14; Init +1; Spd 30 ft;
record of outright brutality and greed over the past few Defense 21, touch 15, flatfooted 20 (+1 Dex, +4 class,
decades. Though they continue to model themselves +6 equipment); BAB +6; Grap +8; Atk +8 (1d8+4/19-
after warriors and knights of days long past, they are,
by any other name, merely a well-disciplined band of
20, Long Sword), or +7 (2d8, Desert Eagle); Full Atk
+8/+3 melee (1d8+4/19-20, Long Sword), or +7/+2 267
raiders and highwaymen. ranged (2d8, Desert Eagle); FS 5 ft by 5 ft; Reach 5
The Knights came about generations past, spawned ft; SQ Melee Smash, Improved Melee Smash, Chaps
 and Chains +1, Bloodthirsty Cry; AL Knights of Route Occupations and Background: Predator, Ritual
66; SV Fort +6, Ref +4, Will +1; AP 3; Rep +1; Str 15, Preservationist.
Dex 13, Con 14, Int 10, Wis 8, Cha 10. Skills: Climb +10, Drive +11, Intimidate +12, Jump
Occupations and Background: Predator, Ritual +11, Navigate +3, Read/Write (Unislang), Ride +8,
Preservationist. Speak Language (Unislang), Survival +2.
Skills: Climb +5, Drive +2, Intimidate +8, Jump +5, Feats: Archaic Weapon Proficiency, Armor
Navigate +3, Read/Write (Unislang), Ride +5, Speak Proficiency (light, medium, heavy), Cleave, Combat
Language (Unislang), Survival +2. Reflexes, Great Cleave, Intimidating Strength,
Feats: Archaic Weapon Proficiency, Armor Personal Firearms Proficiency, Post Apocalyptic
Proficiency (light, medium), Intimidating Strength, Technology, Power Attack, Vehicle Expert.
Personal Firearms Proficiency, Post Apocalyptic Mutations and Defects: Any.
Technology, Power Attack. Possessions: Warp Sword, Minifusion Cell, Desert
Mutations and Defects: Any. Eagle, Box .50AE Ammunition, Plate Mail, (4) Juju
Possessions: Long Sword, Desert Eagle, Box Potions (1d4+10), Dirt Bike.
.50AE Ammunition, Chainmail Shirt, (2) Juju Potions
(1d4+5), Desert Horse.

High-Level Knights of Route 66 (Strong Hero 3,

RAIDER GANGS
Raider 7): CR 10; Medium Size Humanoid; HD
3d8+7d10+20; HP 84; Mas 14; Init +2; Spd 25 ft; (VARIOUS)
Defense 25, touch 18, flatfooted 23 (+2 Dex, +6 class,
+7 equipment); BAB +10; Grap +12; Atk +12 (2d6+4/ “Sex, drugs, and rock and
19-20, Power Sword), or +12 (2d8, Desert Eagle); roll!!!”
Full Atk +12/+7 melee (2d6/19-20+4, Power Sword),
or +12/+7 ranged (2d8, Desert Eagle); FS 5 ft by 5 ft; Background Options: Tribal, Resentful, Radical.
Reach 5 ft; SQ Melee Smash, Improved Melee Smash, Attitude: Spoils to the victor; woe to the
Chaps and Chains +2, Bloodthirsty Cry, Horrifying vanquished.
Kill, No Survivors; AL Knights of Route 66; SV Fort Symbol: Each individual raider gang of the Twisted
+8, Ref +7, Will +2; AP 5; Rep +3; Str 15, Dex 14, Earth is likely to have a symbol of its own, usually
Con 14, Int 10, Wis 8, Cha 10. incorporating fear-inducing imagery or slogans.
Occupations and Background: Predator, Ritual Skulls, crossbones, symbols of chaos and death,
Preservationist. crossed rifles, fiery swords, scourges, winged demons,
Skills: Climb +6, Drive +6, Intimidate +11, Jump coiled serpents, and fire-breathing jackals are just a
+6, Navigate +3, Read/Write (Unislang), Ride +7, few examples.
Speak Language (Unislang), Survival +2. Common Classes: Raider, Road Warrior.
Feats: Archaic Weapon Proficiency, Armor Common Mutations: All.
Proficiency (light, medium), Cleave, Intimidating Common Defects: All.
Strength, Personal Firearms Proficiency, Post
Apocalyptic Technology, Power Attack.
Mutations and Defects: Any. What Outsiders Know
Possessions: Power Sword, Power Beltpack, Desert The lands of the Twisted Earth are home to profuse
Eagle, Box .50AE Ammunition, Chainmail Shirt, (4) numbers of gangs, bands, war-parties, and savage tribal
Juju Potions (1d4+5), Dirt Bike. groups that prey off the weak, undefended, and unwary.
The power of these groups (few of which work together,
Epic-Level Knights of Route 66 (Strong Hero 5, instead preferring to wage war against one another for
Raider 10): CR 15; Medium Size Humanoid; HD dominance of a given region) is seldom great enough
3d8+12d10+30; HP 130; Mas 14; Init +2; Spd 25 to threaten larger communities or trade cartels in the
ft; Defense 31, touch 20, flatfooted 29 (+2 Dex, +8 open, so most prefer hit-and-run and harassment tactics
class, +11 equipment); BAB +15; Grap +18; Atk +18 to get what they want and run. Convoys, caravans, and
(2d6+6, Warp Sword), or +17 (2d8, Desert Eagle); even lone travelers are all subject to attack by these
Full Atk +18/+13/+8 melee (2d6+6, Warp Sword), or various groups when and if their territory is challenged
+17/+12/+7 ranged (2d8, Desert Eagle); FS 5 ft by or crossed.
5 ft; Reach 5 ft; SQ Melee Smash, Improved Melee
Smash, Advanced Melee Smash, Chaps and Chains
The Reality
268 +3, Bloodthirsty Cry, Horrifying Kill, No Survivors,
Death Cry; AL Knights of Route 66; SV Fort +11, Ref To state the obvious, there are almost countless
+10, Will +3; AP 7; Rep +5; Str 16, Dex 14, Con 14, individual “gangs” and “bands” of raiders in the
Int 10, Wis 8, Cha 10. blighted radiated wastelands of Darwin’s World.
These bands are usually composed of the absolute
dregs of post-holocaust society - murderers, thieves, +6, Navigate +3, Read/Write (Unislang), Repair
rapists, and insane mutants. Often they are loosely +3, Sense Motive +1, Speak Language (Unislang),
organized, controlled only by one leader’s ruthlessness Survival +2.
or bribes. Many of these gangs terrorize a community Feats: Armor Proficiency (light, medium), Combat
for a time, before they turn on themselves and destroy Reflexes, Double Tap, Intimidating Strength, Point
one another. Other times, in the case of larger gangs, Blank Shot, Post Apocalyptic Technology, Personal
their own power is enough to keep them together, Firearms Proficiency, Rip a Clip, Room Broom.
and these prove to be a blight of their own - often Mutations and Defects: None.
they prowl the wastes in huge motorized gangs Possessions: Remington Streetsweeper, (2) 12-
(modeled after ancient biker gangs), burning, raping, Guage Speed Loaders, Concealed Vest, Survival Kit,
and pillaging everything in their path. They are the Dirt Bike.
greatest nightmare of the post-holocaust world, being
those careless men and mutants who take what they Epic-Level Raider (Strong Hero 3, Raider 10, Road
wish, often destroying entire communities who seek Warrior 2): CR 15; Medium Size Humanoid; HD
only peace. Ruthless, vicious, and brutal in their 3d8+12d10+30; HP 130; Mas 14; Init +2; Spd 25 ft;
tactics, they pose the strongest threat to travelers of the Defense 29, touch 20, flatfooted 27 (+2 Dex, +8 class,
open wilderness. +9 equipment); BAB +15; Grap +18; Atk +18 (1d6+5,
gun butt), or +17 (2d8, Remington Streetsweeper);
Full Atk +18/+13/+8 melee (1d6+5, gun butt), or +17/
Example Raider Gang +12/+7 ranged (2d8, Remington Streetsweeper); FS
5 ft by 5 ft; Reach 5 ft; SQ Melee Smash, Improved
Mid-Level Raider (Strong Hero 3, Raider 3): CR Melee Smash, Chaps and Chains +3, Bloodthirsty Cry,
6; Medium Size Humanoid; HD 3d8+3d10+12; HP Horrifying Kill, No Survivors, Death Cry, Boarding
48; Mas 14; Init +1; Spd 30 ft; Defense 18, touch 15, Party, Offensive Driving; AL Raider group; SV Fort
flatfooted 17 (+1 Dex, +4 class, +3 equipment); BAB +11, Ref +10, Will +3; AP 7; Rep +5; Str 16, Dex 14,
+6; Grap +8; Atk +8 (1d6+4, gun butt), or +7 (2d8, Con 14, Int 10, Wis 8, Cha 10.
Mossberg); Full Atk +8/+3 melee (1d6+4, gun butt), or Occupations and Background: Predator, Radical
+7/+2 ranged (2d8, Mossberg); FS 5 ft by 5 ft; Reach Skills: Climb +10, Drive +11, Intimidate +12, Jump
5 ft; SQ Melee Smash, Improved Melee Smash, Chaps +11, Navigate +3, Read/Write (Unislang), Sense
and Chains +1, Bloodthirsty Cry; AL Raider group; Motive +1, Speak Language (Unislang), Repair +6,
SV Fort +6, Ref +4, Will +1; AP 3; Rep +1; Str 15, Survival +2.
Dex 13, Con 14, Int 10, Wis 8, Cha 10. Feats: Armor Proficiency (light, medium), Combat
Occupations and Background: Predator, Radical Reflexes, Double Tap, Intimidating Strength, Point
Skills: Climb +5, Drive +4, Intimidate +8, Jump +5, Blank Shot, Post Apocalyptic Technology, Precise
Navigate +3, Read/Write (Unislang), Repair +1, Sense Shot, Personal Firearms Proficiency, Rip a Clip, Room
Motive +1, Speak Language (Unislang), Survival +2. Broom, Vehicle Dodge, Vehicle Expert.
Feats: Armor Proficiency (light), Combat Reflexes, Mutations and Defects: None.
Double Tap, Intimidating Strength, Point Blank Shot, Possessions: Remington Streetsweeper, (2) 12-
Post Apocalyptic Technology, Personal Firearms Guage Speed Loaders, Tactical Vest, Survival Kit, Dirt
Proficiency, Rip a Clip. Bike.
Mutations and Defects: None.
Possessions: Mossberg Shotgun, (12) 12-Guage
shells, Leather Armor.
WASTELORDS
High-Level Raider (Strong Hero 3, Raider 7): CR
10; Medium Size Humanoid; HD 3d8+7d10+20; HP “Ah, I love the smell of
84; Mas 14; Init +2; Spd 25 ft; Defense 24, touch burning bodies in the
18, flatfooted 22 (+2 Dex, +6 class, +6 equipment); morning… Sergeant, put on
BAB +10; Grap +12; Atk +12 (1d6+4, gun butt), or the Wagner album and let’s
+12 (2d8, Remington Streetsweeper); Full Atk +12/ gear up for battle!”
+7 melee (1d6+4, gun butt), or +12/+7 ranged (2d8,
Remington Streetsweeper); FS 5 ft by 5 ft; Reach 5 Background Options: Resurrector.
ft; SQ Melee Smash, Improved Melee Smash, Chaps Attitude: Organization and intellect are the
and Chains +2, Bloodthirsty Cry, Horrifying Kill, No fine line separating the weak from the strong. The
Survivors; AL Raider group; SV Fort +8, Ref +7, Will
+2; AP 5; Rep +3; Str 15, Dex 14, Con 14, Int 10, Wis
Wastelords believe that their idea of “civilized” order
and behavior are far superior to the ways of the simple 269
8, Cha 10. tribals of the wasteland, and use their technological
Occupations and Background: Predator, Radical prowess to keep the savages in line.
Skills: Climb +6, Drive +8, Intimidate +11, Jump Symbol: The Wastelords generally employ a
 stylized symbol involving a human skull with a entire regions in their brief existence, each year
supercharger sprouting from the forehead like some emerging from their legendary “hold beyond the
freakish punk hairstyle. mountains” to demand tribute from the tribes of the
Common Classes: Mech, Raider, Road Warrior. Forbidden Lands (failure to comply, of course, has
Common Mutations: Accelerated White Blood terrible repercussions) and keep their warriors in line
Cell Activity, Sensitive Sight. through battles and engagements that always end in
Common Defects: Cystic Fibrosis, Hemophilia. Wastelord victory (more often than not thanks to their
technological advantage over the wasteland peoples,
and not due to any tactical skill on the part of their
What Outsiders Know local commanders).
One of many raider groups to come out of the The Wastelords are not maniacs, however, they
Forbidden Lands, the Wastelords have grown from a simply view themselves as more fit to rule. The world
regional gang into a veritable army that has crushed being as savage and chaotic as it is, the rule of might
all opposition in their corner of the world. Stories of has yet to be challenged, and with a cunning, crafty
the simple tribal folk of that region often equate the leader at the helm they stand a better chance than most
Wastelords to “cunning devils”, inhuman overlords in the game of survival. While Kyren continues to
who use technology to conquer and oppress, viewing attract regular outsiders such as raiders and criminals
those of a more primitive mind as little more to his army, he views these as mere chattel; those who
than “cattle”, worthy of nothing but service to the have some particular skill or talent – or education
Wastelords for the rest of their lives. – are likely to receive better treatment (unless his men
get to the individual first, in which case all bets are
The Reality off), and these may even become fast friends with the
genius leader of the Wastelords and come to share in
What separates the Wastelords from most other gangs leadership of his ever-growing gang.
of their kind is their overall respect for technology
and, to some degree, education. The Wastelords came
into being more than a decade ago when their leader, Typical Wastelords
Kyren, was cast out from his dying vault community
(after being blamed for squandering their water Mid-Level Wastelord (Tough Hero 4, Raider 2): CR
supplies trying to lead expeditions into the desert 6; Medium Size Humanoid; HD 6d10+12; HP 61; Mas
to find other sources). Faced with almost certain 15; Init +2; Spd 30 ft; Defense 19, touch 16, flatfooted
death alone, Kyren used his 17 (+2 Dex, +4 class, equipment +3);
knowledge of the communities BAB +5; Grap +6; Atk +6 melee
of the Forbidden Lands, as well (1d6+2, gun butt), +8 ranged (2d8,
as his insights into the darker M16A2); FS 5 ft by 5 ft; Reach 5 ft;
aspects of human nature, to SQ Fast Healing 2, Low Light Vision
attract to his side the worst 60, DR 2/-, Chaps and Chains +1,
possible men of the region and Blood Thirsty Cry; AL Wastelords; SV
start an army of his own. Fort +8, Ref +5, Will +0; AP 3; Rep +2; Str
The Wastelords have since risen 13, Dex 15, Con 15, Int 10, Wis 8, Cha 8.
from disorganized bands of rapists Occupations and Background: Predator,
and thugs to a large, motorized army Resurrector
with discipline and purpose. After Skills: Balance +2, Climb +3, Drive +8,
gathering strength, Kyren returned to Intimidate +5, Jump +3, Read/Write (Unislang),
conquer the vault of his origins, looting its Repair +6, Speak Language (Unislang), Spot
impressive armories to arm his raiders +1, Survival +2.
with automatic weapons and portion Feats: Advanced Firearms Proficiency,
out drugs to pump them up before Armor Proficiency (light), Great Fortitude,
battle. For those who had originally Improved Autofire, Post Apocalyptic
thrown him out, he gave a chance Technology, Personal Firearms
to beg forgiveness and pledge their Proficiency, Strafe.
loyalty; those who did became Mutations and Defects:
his lieutenants, while those Accelerated White Blood Cell
who refused were Activity, Sensitive Sight, Cystic
270 summarily put to
death.
Fibrosis, Hemophilia
Possessions: M16A2 Assault
Kyren’s armies Rifle, (2) Boxes 5.56mm
have dominated Ammunition, Leather Armor.
High-Level Wastelord (Tough Hero 4, Raider 3, Possessions: Gauss SMG, Powerbelt Pack, (2)
Road Warrior 3): CR 10; Medium Size Humanoid; Boxes Gauss Ammunition, Light Duty Vest, Survival
HD 10d10+20; HP 90; Mas 15; Init +3; Spd 30 ft; Kit, (2) Ready Syringe (Stimshot A), Jeep or Truck.
Defense 24, touch 20, flatfooted 21 (+3 Dex, +7 class,
equipment +4); BAB +9; Grap +10; Atk +10 melee
(1d6+2, gun butt), +12 ranged (2d8, M16A2); Full Atk
+10/+5 melee (1d6+2, gun butt), +12/+7 ranged (2d8,
XENOPHOBES
M16A2); FS 5 ft by 5 ft; Reach 5 ft; SQ Fast Healing
2, Low Light Vision 60, DR 2/-, Chaps and Chains +1, (VARIOUS)
Blood Thirsty Cry, Boarding Party, Offensive Driving;
AL Wastelords; SV Fort +10, Ref +8, Will +2; AP 5; “Stay back – we’re warning
Rep +3; Str 13, Dex 16, Con 15, Int 10, Wis 8, Cha 8. you! We don’t want
Occupations and Background: Predator, trouble! Just turn around
Resurrector and leave us be!”
Skills: Climb +5, Drive +14, Intimidate +9, Jump
+5, Navigate +3, Read/Write (Unislang), Repair +6, Background Options: Tribal, Resentful,
Speak Language (Unislang), Spot +1, Survival +3. Degenerate, Hedonist, Guardian.
Feats: Advanced Firearms Proficiency, Armor Attitude: Any hope of the world recovering from
Proficiency (light), Great Fortitude, Improved the Fall is now gone, and the only thing to do now is
Autofire, Intimidating Strength, Post Apocalyptic live each day to its fullest, thankful for high walls (and
Technology, Personal Firearms Proficiency, Strafe, a strong militia) to keep the dregs of the desert at bay.
Vehicle Dodge, Vehicle Expert. Symbol: None. Most xenophobic communities
Mutations and Defects: Accelerated White prefer to remain invisible and overlooked, and thus
Blood Cell Activity, Sensitive Sight, Cystic Fibrosis, any flag or sign that would make them stand out from
Hemophilia the desert landscape would be foolish.
Possessions: M16A2 Assault Rifle, (2) Boxes Common Classes: Champion, Guardian, Mech,
5.56mm Ammunition, Undercover Vest, Survival Kit, Scientist, Tinker.
Ready Syringe (Stimshot A), Dirt Bike. Common Mutations: All.
Common Defects: All.
Epic-Level Wastelord (Tough Hero 4, Raider 6,
Road Warrior 5): CR 15; Medium Size Humanoid;
HD 15d10+45; HP 160; Mas 16; Init +3; Spd 25 ft; What Outsiders Know
Defense 29, touch 22, flatfooted 26 (+3 Dex, +9 class, There are many bubbles of isolation in the wasteland,
equipment +7); BAB +14; Grap +15; Atk +15 melee and those communities who defy the efforts of others
(1d6+2, gun butt), or +17 ranged (2d8, Gauss SMG); to initiate trade or open their doors to outsiders are
Full Atk +15/+10/+5 melee (1d6+2, gun butt), or known universally as “xenophobes”. Many of these
+17/+12/+7 ranged (2d8, Gauss SMG); FS 5 ft by 5 communities were, at some point or other, ravaged
ft; Reach 5 ft; SQ Fast Healing 2, Low Light Vision by one or another of the raider gangs of the world.
60, DR 2/-, Chaps and Chains +2, Blood Thirsty Cry, Some were victims of disease brought unwittingly (or
Boarding Party, Offensive Driving, Horrifying Kill, deliberately) by outside traders and merchants. In the
Vehicular Evasion; AL Wastelords; SV Fort +13, Ref end, invariably, these small but determined communes
+10, Will +3; AP 7; Rep +5; Str 13, Dex 16, Con 16, close their doors to all outsiders, reserve their
Int 10, Wis 8, Cha 8. resources for their own, and care little for the goings
Occupations and Background: Predator, on of the outside world.
Resurrector It would seem they would be rightfully left alone
Skills: Balance +5, Climb +6, Drive +18, Intimidate due to their neutrality and willingness to just sit back
+13, Jump +7, Navigate +5, Read/Write (Unislang), while the world goes on around them, but in truth
Repair +6, Speak Language (Unislang), Spot +3, many xenophobe communities survive due to the fact
Survival +4. that they are, in fact, oases, old water stations, oil
Feats: Advanced Firearms Proficiency, Advanced refineries, etc. Thus, they are inherently of value to
Technology, Armor Proficiency (light, medium), the predators outside, who sooner or later return to
Futuristic Personal Firearms Proficiency, Great finish them off...
Fortitude, Improved Autofire, Intimidating Strength,
Personal Firearms Proficiency, Strafe, Vehicle Dodge,
The Reality
Vehicle Expert.
Mutations and Defects: Accelerated White There are various communities in Darwin’s World 271
Blood Cell Activity, Sensitive Sight, Cystic Fibrosis, that have progressed beyond the mere struggle for
Hemophilia. survival, but many of these guard their secret to
success/civilization through secrecy - secrecy often
 protected with ruthless and merciless brutality. These (chainsword), Tactical Aid, Weapon Specialization
xenophobic communities are exceedingly common, (chainsword); AL Xenophobe; SV Fort +8, Ref +6,
having their own secluded walled compounds, Will +5; AP 5; Rep +2; Str 16, Dex 13, Con 15, Int 11,
stockpiles of weapons, food, and fresh water, and often Wis 10, Cha 10.
a veritable army of dedicated and ruthless soldiers. Occupations and Background: Military, Guardian.
The Benders (see above) are typical of xenophobic Skills: Climb +7, Intimidate +12, Jump +6,
enclaves, though their dealings with outsiders - as Knowledge (tactics) +12, Read/Write (Ancient,
limited as they are - may perhaps disqualify them as Unislang), Sense Motive +3, Speak Language
true “xenophobes”. For a prime example of a smaller (Ancient, Unislang), Spot +0, Survival +3.
community of this type, see the sample wasteland Feats: Advanced Technology, Archaic Weapons
settlement, “Hemisphere”, in the Adventure Locations Proficiency, Armor Proficiency (light, medium), Exotic
section of this book. Melee Weapon Proficiency (chain sword), Iron Will,
Power Attack, Toughness.
Mutations and Defects: Any.
Example Xenophobes Possessions: Chainsword, Power beltpack,
Chainshirt, Survival Kit, (2) Ready Syringe (Stimshot
Mid-Level Xenophobes (Strong Hero 3, Guardian A).
3): CR 6; Medium Size Humanoid; HD 3d8+3d10+12;
HP 48; Mas 15; Init +1; Spd 20 ft; Defense 30, Epic-Level Xenophobes (Strong Hero 3, Guardian
touch 15, flatfooted 19 (+1 Dex, +4 class, +5 7, Champion 5): CR 15; Medium Size Humanoid;
equipment); BAB +6; Grap +8; Atk +9 (3d6+4/18- HD 3d8+7d10+5d12+48; HP 152; Mas 16; Init +1;
20, Chainsword); Full Atk +9/+6 (3d6+4/18-20, Spd 20 ft; Defense 29, touch 20, flatfooted 28 (+1
Chainsword); FS 5 ft by 5 ft; Reach 5 ft; SQ Melee Dex, +9 class, +9 equipment); BAB +15; Grap +18;
Smash, Improved Melee Smash, Defender +2, Weapon Atk +19 (3d6+7/18-20, Chainsword); Full Atk +19/
Focus (chainsword); AL Xenophobe; SV Fort +6, Ref +14/+9 (3d6+7/18-20, Chainsword); FS 5 ft by 5 ft;
+4, Will +2; AP 3; Rep +0; Str 15, Dex 13, Con 15, Int Reach 5 ft; SQ Melee Smash, Improved Melee Smash,
11, Wis 10, Cha 10. Defender +4, Weapon Focus (chainsword), Tactical
Occupations and Background: Military, Guardian. Aid, Weapon Specialization (chainsword), Rallying
Skills: Climb +6, Intimidate +9, Knowledge (tactics) Cry +3, Improved Tactical Aid, Awesome Presence;
+9, Read/Write (Ancient, Unislang), Sense Motive +1, AL Xenophobe; SV Fort +11, Ref +7, Will +8; AP 7;
Speak Language (Ancient, Unislang), Survival +2. Rep +6; Str 16, Dex 13, Con 16, Int 11, Wis 10, Cha
Feats: Advanced Technology, Archaic Weapons 10.
Proficiency, Armor Proficiency (light, medium), Exotic Occupations and Background: Military, Guardian.
Melee Weapon Proficiency (chain sword), Power Skills: Climb +4, Drive +0, Hide +0, Intimidate +17,
Attack. Jump +3, Knowledge (tactics) +17, Listen +0, Move
Mutations and Defects: Any. Silently +0, Pilot +0, Read/Write (Ancient, Unislang),
Possessions: Search +0, Sense Motive
Chainsword, Power +5, Speak Language
beltpack, Chainshirt, (Ancient, Unislang), Spot
Survival Kit. +3, Survival +3.
Feats: Advanced
High-Level Xenophobes Technology, Archaic
(Strong Hero 3, Weapons Proficiency,
Guardian 7): CR 10; Armor Proficiency (light,
Medium Size Humanoid; medium, heavy), Cleave,
HD 3d8+7d10+23; HP Exotic Melee Weapon
87; Mas 15; Init +1; Spd Proficiency (chain sword),
20 ft; Defense 22, touch Intimidating Strength,
17, flatfooted 21 (+1 Dex, Iron Will, Power Attack,
+6 class, +5 equipment); Toughness.
BAB +10; Grap +13; Mutations and Defects:
Atk +14 (3d6+4/18-20, Any.
Chainsword); Full Atk Possessions:
+14/+9 (3d6+7/18-20, Chainsword, Power
272 Chainsword); FS 5 ft
by 5 ft; Reach 5 ft; SQ
beltpack, Advanced Metal,
Survival Kit, (2) Ready
Melee Smash, Improved Syringe (Stimshot B).
Melee Smash, Defender
+4, Weapon Focus