Multiverser®
The Game System Game System™
Concept and Design by
E. R. Jones
M. Joseph Young

Simplified Evaluation Version by
M. Joseph Young
Christopher R. Jones
Multiverser ©1997 E. R. Jones & M. Joseph Young
Additional Material ©1999 Valdron Inc.

This is an evaluation version of the Multiverser® role playing game system.  In many ways it has been "crippled"--much of what can be done with the full rules cannot be done with this set.  It is only intended to give gamers a rough idea of the mechanics of Multiverser, to assist in their evaluation of the full game system.

To reduce the size of this package, several important sections have been excised from the text, and players have been limited to the characters and scenarios included within the package.  Additionally, at certain points the referee will be referred to other material which is already posted on the Internet.  Also, much of the explanatory material is omitted.  The reasons why particular rules are used one way or another are not given here, but are included in the full version.  Multiverser was created to be fully flexible, and referees are encouraged to modify the rules within the game as they wish; however, it is useful to have a full understanding of the rules you intend to change, so that you will understand the consequences of those changes.  Explanatory material also helps in remembering rules, since within the framework of the game they are logical; thus it may be easier to remember all the rules of the longer full version of the game than of this stripped version.

All material included in this book is drawn from Multiverser:  The Game, ©1997 E. R. Jones and M. Joseph Young, and is used by permission.  No permission is given to use this material beyond its stated purpose of providing a basis for evaluating the game system.

Acknowledgments and other introductory materials have been excluded from this version.  Many sections of the Introduction are already posted on the Internet at http://members.aol.com/NagaWorld/mvroutli.html.  This may be read online or downloaded in HTML format.  There is a section of disclaimers which is available from Valdron Inc. on request.

Attributes
INITIAL ATTRIBUTES

Although Multiverser® is usually played as an "I" game, in which the player plays a facsimile of himself, in this version three sample characters have been created.  Players should each select one of those characters.  If there are more than three players (and a referee) involved in this test game, the others may play duplicate characters.  It is recommended that the referee limit himself to three players, and that each of  the three characters be represented.  Rules for converting players into characters are included in the full version.  

Characters are defined by fourteen attribute scores, four averaged scores, four area biases, and any number of skills.  This attributes section attempts to define the first and second of those; the others are explained further in the text.

Although it is possible, players are discouraged from drawing characters from other game systems to play.  Multiverser can convert any character from any game or story into its own system.  There are specific rules which apply in those cases, which are not included here.

Like most scores used to define this game, attribute scores have two numbers, a level, 1, 2, or 3, and an intensity from 1 to 10.  If attributes change, the intensity is altered; if the intensity exceeds ten, it is reduced by ten and the level increased by one; if the intensity is reduced below one, it is increased by ten and the level reduced by one.  Attributes fall below 1@1 (level one intensity one, or "one at one") only in rare extreme instances; they never exceed 3@10.  (The reason for the level and intensity system as opposed to a purely decimal system will eventually become apparent.)  The scale is not linear; the higher the level is, the greater the value of each intensity.  This version does not permit attribute scores to change.

Nearly all of a character's attribute scores will be at level one.  For most scores, normal human is 1@5, and exceptional is 1@10.  Scores at the two level are the rare individuals--2@1 should be 1 in 50, 2@2 should be 1 in 100, 2@5 should be 1 in 1000, and 2@10 should be 1 in 50,000 or more.  For attribute scores, the two level indicates maximum human attribute.  Something beyond normal means is required to attain level three.

ATTRIBUTE CHECKS

As mentioned, there are times when a character will need to make an attribute check, that is, roll dice to compare to an attribute score to determine the outcome of a particular situation.  For all attribute checks in Multiverser®, a roll of less than the attribute indicates success.  A die roll equal to or greater than the attribute is failure.  Attribute checks are classed as simple, difficult, and special.

In order to do an attribute check, it will first be necessary to decimalize the attribute score.  Decimalization is accomplished by multiplying the level by ten and adding the intensity; thus 1@1 becomes 11, and 3@10 becomes 40.  Die or dice rolls are compared to this decimalized attribute when an attribute check is made.

Simple attribute checks are for ordinary situations or tasks for which the attribute is significant to success or failure.  Note that walking on a smooth, dry (level flat horizontal) surface is generally considered automatic (barring special circumstances or negative bias).  Walking on a frictionless surface, or in zero gravity, or on a narrow log bridge requires care and agility, but anyone should have a reasonable chance of success.  Simple attribute checks roll 2d20.  (For creatures with level 0 attributes, success is possible for any score of at least 0@3.)

Difficult attribute checks are for almost impossible tasks.  Convincing someone of things which are patently false is such a task.  For a few people, this is always impossible; in no case is it automatic.  Difficult attribute checks roll d30+10.  This provides no chance of success for 1@1.

Special attribute checks are tailored for the situation, usually in advance by the referee or universe designer.  The full version gives the referee the basics of how to design dice curves in Appendix 3:  Basic Dicing Curves.  They are not included in this version.

A successful die roll--one less than the decimalized attribute score--is always success.  However, in many circumstances the roll should indicate relative success.  For example, a character exposed to poison is entitled to a resistance roll.  Relative success is the difference between being unaffected by and unaware of the poison as opposed to feeling woozy, vomiting, and going on without serious effect.  The highest successful roll is best in all cases in this limited version, and generally in the full version.

Relative failure is also a valid concern, especially in attribute checks, where there are no botch results.  If a character fails an attempt to persuade a group of creatures to follow him, there is yet a big difference between those who see the point but are unpersuaded due to other considerations, those who ignore the character entirely, and those who are angered by the audacity of the character to suggest such a thing.  In this case, relative failure gives the referee a handle for determining the result.  In all relative failure situations, the highest possible roll is the worst result.  The best result is the one which, like the character's effort, almost succeeded, i.e., was only a few points too high.  Thus for a character with a persuasion of 1@5, a roll of fourteen is success, while a fifteen or greater fails.  But a fifteen, a near miss, might result in a minority of those he wished to persuade still considering the possibility, and a twenty-five, a moderate miss, in his targeted listeners ignoring him, and a thirty-five, utter failure, in the others believing the character may be crazy and dangerous.

In the alternative, the referee may rely on a general effects roll.  This is especially useful when the chance of success or the chance of failure is small, and the referee wishes to determine how successful or disastrous the result is.  General effects rolls use 3d6 (3d10 in the full rules) to create a bell curve, with the low end being better (for the player character) and the high end being worse; complete details are given in the section on skills.

Checks will often be against single or repeated single events, and the character should roll once for each event.  However, the referee will sometimes have to determine for how long a check is good if the character is facing an ongoing situation.  Locked in a tank of water with little or no air, the time for a normal human (level 1 attribute) might be a minute.  Swept overboard into the surging sea, ten minutes is more appropriate.  Adrift alone in the calm ocean, an hour between checks is reasonable.  Whatever is reasonable for a level 1 attribute, the time between checks is doubled for level 2 attributes, and tripled for level 3.

A character who fails an attribute check may be able to try again.  Such repeat attempts must be reasonable in the circumstance.  A character may always try again if there is a substantial change in the circumstance; if the character has failed to bend or break the bars of his cage, but one of his companions uses a sonic device to weaken the metal, another check is in order.  However, there are many things which a character can try to do again after only the passage of a reasonable time and the conditions for a second attempt.  A character who fails an agility check and so falls from a log bridge, but is caught by the safety lines he used can then attempt to cross the same bridge again by making a new check.  A character trying to recall the formula for acceleration at mass to pass into hyperspace who learned this formula in pilot training in the Dar Koni mercenary corps six universes ago who fails his ed lev check one day can try to remember it the next day.  As a rule of thumb, a character who fails a simple check can make a repeat attempt after a reasonable time reflecting the nature of and time involved in the attempt; a character failing a difficult check normally cannot make a repeat attempt unless the circumstances are significantly altered.

If the referee feels that a particular check should be easier or more difficult than would be indicated by the check itself, he may modify the check by adjusting the attribute up or down to an effective attribute.  If a character's effective attribute exceeds 3@10 for purposes of any given check, success is automatic.  Failure is automatic on any difficult check for which the effective attribute is not at least 1@2, and on any simple attribute check for which the effective attribute is below 0@3.

In the descriptions of each attribute, the suggestions for simple checks and difficult checks against that score are by no means complete, but are meant to give the referee a better notion of how each attribute might be applied in play.

ATTRIBUTES DEFINED

PERSUASION is the attribute of being able to convince others to your way of thinking.  This score is used when attempting to convince others to follow your plan or buy an object or idea.  Success indicates that the character was able to create and express a reasonable argument; the subject may still get an intellect check to disbelieve it, or a will power check to ignore it.  A simple persuasion check would be used for reasonable courses and likely notions.  A difficult check would be used for disadvantageous choices and implausible suggestions.  It is also a relevant attribute to the learning and use of psi-biased skills.

CHARISMA is the art of winning friends and influencing people more generally.  A simple check is used as a test for loyalty of friends and associates in crisis situations.  A difficult check is used for efforts to overcome negative reactions or win the favor of anyone predisposed to be antagonistic toward the character, such as any who would regard the character as alien, monster, or enemy.

ANIMAL MAGNETISM (an-mag) is that nebulous something which some people have which attracts others to them.  It is sex appeal, but is not gender-biased.  It includes good looks, but you can be as ugly as a catoblepas and still have it.  Body language, reputation, and the resultant self-confidence all contribute something to it.  The simple check is used for determining initial reactions and winning friendship.  The difficult check covers the attraction of paramours and seduction attempts (which may face a will power check).  It is a relevant attribute for mag-biased skills.

STRENGTH covers all muscular strength, from fingertips to legs.  Specific parameters are given in the chapter on equipment.  The simple check is used for breaking through normal doors, smashing ordinary furniture, tipping large objects, and pushing cars or pulling carts.  The difficult check covers all determinations of lifting such as portcullises and cars, and such super-human feats as breaking heavy doors and bending bars.  Comparative strength checks may be used to determine simple contests of strength (such as arm wrestling) if both contestants have strength of the same level and within a few intensities.  It is a relevant attribute for bod-bias skills, and is a factor in calculating Martial Strike Value.

STAMINA is the physical side of the ability to keep on keeping on.  It is used to determine how long a character can engage in physical activity without wearing out.  The simple check measures the ability to hang on against tremendous forces, such as not being swept off a ship by the waves washing over the deck in a storm, or blowing away in hurricanes or gale force winds.  The difficult check determines survival in such hostile or fatal situations as drowning, thin air, and extreme heat or cold.  It is a factor in determining Damage Value.

RESISTANCE is a measure of a character's natural immune system, extended to cover unusual forces such as radiation and magic.  The simple check is used to avoid the effects of poison, disease, radiation, and magic.  In any situation in which a creature or device is said to steal life energy or life levels or energy levels or energy or life (all considered names for the same intangible in this system), the difficult check would apply.  It is a factor in determining Damage Value.

DENSITY is a game concept for the mass per unit volume of a creature.  Ordinary humans have a density of 1@1.  Density is principally used as a factor in determining Target Value and Damage Value.  The simple check may be used in unusual non-combat crushing situations (such as being inside a collapsing building) or surviving extreme atmospheric pressure.  The difficult check is used to determine resistance to the crushing force of acceleration (inertia) or mass (gravity) beyond normal tolerances.

FLEXIBILITY is a measure of the sort of muscle tone created by stretching exercises.  Anyone who can touch his toes while standing with knees straight is a 1@5; chewing toenails (or otherwise putting foot to mouth (literally, not figuratively)) is a 1@8, and putting feet behind head is a 1@10.  Greater flexibility than this enters the low level 2.  The simple flexibility check is used for difficult movements and fitting or working in small areas.  As to the difficult check, it would apply to dodging obstructions while falling, or to those absurd situations of landing between the spikes in a spiked pit.

AGILITY covers the bulk of coordination and dexterity, that not otherwise specified by Flexibility or Hand/Eye.  The simple check is used for many kinds of physical tests especially involving balance or climbing, while the difficult check is for the same types of things in the extreme circumstance.  It is a relevant attribute for bod-biased skills, and is a factor in determining Target Value.

HAND/EYE is the coordination necessary to connect what your senses say with how you act.  It is used for all such applications as targeting and meticulous small work such as in jewelry making and electronics.  The simple check is used for sports and games, and for catches.  The difficult check is used for situations requiring fabulous catches.  It is a factor in calculating Ranged Strike Value and Martial Strike Value.

INTELLECT is the rawest of intelligence scores, the closest to I.Q. in the game.  The simple intellect check is commonly used for recognizing illusions, hallucinations, and holograms as unreal.  The difficult check solves advanced problems under very limited circumstances.  Intellect is a relevant attribute for tech-biased and mag-biased skills.

INTUITION is the ability to guess correctly.  It incorporates an ability to observe subliminal cues such as body language and minor sensory information, and reach conclusions from them.  It is used sometimes when characters must draw conclusions without adequate evidence for reasoning.  A simple check can be used to discover information, locations, directions, where there might be clues if the character notices and understands them.  The difficult check should be used where a question of foreign or alien culture or intention is involved, because a great deal of information must be extrapolated from minimal and vague clues.  Most often, intuition checks are used for surprise situations, and for the character's likelihood of noticing something in his environment.  It is a relevant attribute for tech-bias, psi-bias, and mag-bias skills, and is a factor in calculating Target Value, Ranged Strike Value, and Martial Strike Value.

EDUCATION LEVEL (Ed Level or Ed Lev) is the amount of schooling an individual has completed, or its equivalent.  Education is used for chance to know information.  The simple check is used for ordinary information, and the difficult check for rare or arcane information.  No check is permitted for information which the character cannot possibly know, such as indigenous history he has not heard or read.  If a player actually knows something, the check is only used if there is a disparity between the player and the character (as in this evaluation version, or in the full version if the player's or character's ed lev has changed since character creation).  It is a relevant attribute for tech-biased skills.

WILL POWER is the mental aspect of the ability to stick to something.  The simple check may be used to counter attempts at control, such as hypnosis, suggestion, possession, or drug manipulation however generated.  It also may enable a character to endure or press on despite pain or obstacles.  If a character is struck by an attack the effect of which is to cause pain or pleasure or confusion so as to incapacitate the character, a will power check may be able to overcome it.  (This may depend upon the nature of the attack and the skill check of the attacker.)  The difficult check may be used for many of these things, and to counter direct psychic attack.  Generally, psionic attacks not clearly countered by some other means are countered by this check.  It is a relevant attribute for psi-biased skills and for bod-biased skills, and is used to calculate Damage Value.

AVERAGED ATTRIBUTES

There are occasions on which more than one attribute may seem relevant to a situation.  In most of those situations, it will be appropriate for a character to rely on the best of his relevant attributes; in rare circumstances, the referee may believe that the character will stand or fall on his worst.  But in some situations it will be appropriate to rely on an averaged attribute score.

To create an averaged attribute score, it will first be necessary to decimalize the relevant scores, as described above.  It is then possible to sum the scores and divide to find an average decimalized score.  In reversing the decimalization process, remember that there is no zero intensity for attributes:  20=1@10, 30=2@10, and 40=3@10.  Any fraction of at least 0.5 (one half) is rounded up to the next higher intensity; any lesser fraction is dropped.

Four averaged attribute scores are used so frequently that they should appear on the character sheet.  These all relate to combat situations.  They are called Target Value, Damage Value, Ranged Strike Value, and Martial Strike Value.

Target Value is a measure of how difficult a character is to hit with a weapon or other physical attack.  It is comprised of three underlying scores:  Density, Agility, and Intuition.  Target Value is subtracted from the opponent's percent chance to hit.

Damage Value is the amount of injury a character can withstand.  It is not a linear attribute.  Intensities at level 2 and 3 are respectively worth 2 and 3 times as much as those at level 1.  It is comprised of four underlying scores:  Stamina, Resistance, Density, and Will Power.

Ranged Strike Value is used for all missile-like attacks, from throwing rocks to firing the energy weapons of a space cruiser.  It is comprised of only two scores, Hand/Eye and Intuition.

Martial Strike Value is used for all close combat--hand-to-hand or man-to-man.  It is comprised of three scores:  Strength, Hand/Eye, an Intuition.

A detailed explanation of how these scores are used is found in the chapter on combat.

These scores fully define the attributes of the character.

CHANGING ATTRIBUTE SCORES

Under the full version of the rules, attribute scores may be increased or decreased during play through a great variety of ways, including magical and technological methods, character exercise programs, and events during the campaign.  However, attributes do not change in this limited version.

Skills
INITIAL SKILLS

When the character sheet is initially created, the player and the referee should also catalogue as many of the player's skills as possible.  However, this version of the system has gutted the hundreds of pages of skill listings representing thousands of skills in order to streamline these rules.  Players will be limited to those skills included within this version.  As with attributes, skill ability levels are measured in levels and intensities.  Level 1 skill is amateur level; nearly all of a character's skills will be at level 1.  Level 2 skills are professional level, skills at which the character clearly excels; characters will have very few level 2 skills when they begin.  Level 3 skills are expert level, skills at which the character is an acknowledged authority.  Level 3 skill usually implies the ability to do things others think impossible.  Player characters will rarely start with any level 3 skills, and these will usually be few in number and closely related to the player's life's work.

In most skill areas, advancing skill ability levels will also indicate a narrowed definition of field.  Weapon skill is an ideal and carefully defined example.  A character may have level one skill in rifles and shotguns which permits him to use any such weapon at the appropriate level and intensity.  However, level two skill is limited to a particular type of such weapon, such as M-16 rifle or 12 gauge double-barreled shotgun.  Any level two skill at such a weapon implies 1@10 skill in the general area.  Furthermore, level three skill is limited to a specific weapon, usually designated as the one which the character owns and with which he has achieved this level of skill.  Such skill with one weapon implies 2@10 skill with all weapons of that specific type plus 1@10 skill with all weapons of that general class.  This example may be applied to other skills by analogy.

This concept may on occasion be reversed, giving rise to a related field bonus or a skill pyramid.  When a character attempts to do something similar to a skill he has, the referee may allow a typical (@5) intensity at the skill ability level (SAL) below that of the related skill as an assumed skill.  (The skill pyramid suggests that the character has an unlisted skill at the lower SAL; the related field bonus is used when a character is not assumed to have the distinct skill, but is applying principles in one area to tasks in another, as for example when a character skilled in repairing electronic devices attempts to repair a computer.)  This is distinct from those skills which are clearly incorporated in higher skills, as for example jumping low hurdles is obviously included in jumping high hurdles.  In those cases, the easier skill is presumed to exist at the same SAL, usually with a sit-mod bonus reflecting the lower difficulty.  (Sit-mods, or situation modifiers, are explained below.)

Within each level are ten intensities, 1 through 10.  Intensity 1 is the minimum intensity of that level, and 10 the maximum; intensity 5 should be regarded as the normal intensity for persons at that skill ability level, i.e., 1@5 should be the typical amateur, 2@5 should be the typical professional, and 3@5 should be the "typical expert".  Thus, 1@1 is the minimum skill at which a task normally may be successfully performed, while 3@10 is the maximum skill, implying near complete knowledge in a field area coupled with such applicable technical skill as to make any consideration of improving it laughable.

The character's skill level and intensity in a skill are not to be confused with the bias level and intensity of the skill itself.  The former, the character's skill ability level, is a measure of the character's ability to perform a specific task.  The latter, the skill bias level, represents the difficulty of the skill generally, and the relative development of a world in which such a skill exists; this also translates to become the character's area bias level, an indication of a character's understanding of an entire bias area based upon the highest biased skill the character understands.  It affects the ability to learn new skills.  A character who understands time travel will have less trouble comprehending the operation of a steam engine than a character who comprehends the steam engine will have grasping the mechanics of time travel.  This is called the relative bias principle.

Skill ability levels will change during play, even in this limited version.

Skills are normally listed on the character sheet with the character's skill ability level first (e.g., 1@1), then the name of the skill (e.g., Cure Self--dangerous level), followed by the bias level of the skill (e.g., 2@1) and the skill's bias area (e.g., Mag).  It is also useful to note in which world the skill was initially learned.  Thus the example of a listed skill:  1@1 Cure Self--Dangerous level Mag 2@1 NagaWorld.  The referee or the character may also wish to add a line of reminder notes as to exactly how the skill works within the story (e.g., character must use holy water for this spell) or in game mechanic terms (e.g., relative success heals damage equal to success roll divided by 10 (shorthanded "healing =RS/10 damage points")).

It is clear that player characters will have large numbers of skills.  To help control the size of character sheets for both player and non-player characters, listings called "packages" have been created.  The concept of the package is generally to include a large variety of skills related in such a way that a character is likely to have predictable skill ability levels in all of them.

LEARNING SKILLS

New skills may be added to a character at almost any time.  If a character wishes to learn a new skill in the context of the game, the method for learning new skills comes into play.  (A referee may determine that the learning of a particular skill is automatic in the context of the game.  1@1 skill in local language is generally learned automatically in a short time if the character is living among the natives and they communicate with him that way.)

A character's primary assets in learning a skill are his area bias (his ability to understand the skill), decimalized (level times ten, plus intensity), added to his best relevant attribute score (native ability, his raw talent to learn the skill), decimalized.  From this total, he subtracts the decimalized bias level of the skill he wishes to learn.  This gives his base (percent) chance to successfully learn the skill, basic learning.

Three other factors may be relevant to learning a skill:  (1) examples, (2) instructors, and (3) teachers or trainers.  A character may decide to teach himself a skill based on briefly observing another creature perform it.  (Full version rules permit learning a skill on the basis that in theory such a skill should be possible, but since skill lists have been drastically reduced, players are limited to skills included in this version of the game.)  However, if he has the opportunity to closely observe another performing the skill, whether or not the example intends the observation, he may add the decimalized skill ability level of the example to his chance to learn.  Note that close observation may vary in its requirements according to the nature of the skill.  Psi skills will frequently require some sort of telepathic contact with the example to observe the brain functions involved, while many tech skills may use as examples the finished devices if these are available for study.

Another individual with the skill may endeavor to teach the skill to the character.  This instructor must have the skill at at least 1@1 to teach it.  If so, the character may add one-half of the instructor's best relevant attribute score (decimalized, rounded up) to his percent chance to learn.  If the instructor has training skill in this skill or teaching skill, this also is decimalized and added to the character's percent chance to learn.  This does not apply to characters who are self-taught; teaching and training skills are only useful to train others in what the teacher already knows.

If the character has multiple instructors, he may use one as an example, the same or another for the instructor's BRA (best relevant attribute), and either or a third for the teaching or training SAL (skill ability level).  He gets the best score in each area.  He may not use, for instance, two examples, but only the best example, the best instructor BRA, and the best teaching or the best training SAL.

To this adjusted chance to learn is added the area bias (level only, as a percentage) of the universe in which the learning is taking place.  It is easier to learn some skills in some worlds than in others.  The bias is a closely guarded secret about the world which will not be revealed by the referee; therefore, once the adjusted chance to learn is established, the dice should be rolled, and the referee should adjudicate the results based on his knowledge of the bias variable.  There are special concerns for negative bias worlds, but these are excluded from this system.

Skill Acquisition Chart
+Character's Decimalized Area Bias
+Character's Decimalized Best Relevant Attribute
+Example's Decimalized Skill Ability Level
+1/2 Instructor's Decimalized Best Relevant Attribute
+Teacher's Decimalized Teaching Skill Ability Level
+World Area Bias Level
-New Skill Decimalized Skill Bias Level
=Unmodified Chance to Learn New Skill

This chance will frequently be further modified by situation modifiers, called sit-mods, considered relevant by the referee.  These are discussed elsewhere, but generally represent the referee's view that the skill being attempted is easier or harder than the baseline for skills of that type.  Sit-mods may be given for the techniques used, the equipment involved, the conditions present while it is performed, and even for the efforts of others to aid or prevent success.

Under some circumstances the attempt to learn a new skill is impossible, while under other circumstances it will be "automatic", in that if the character goes through the motions of learning a skill he will learn it.

Although relative failure rules rarely apply to skill learning, they may apply in any situation in which the learning process involves an attempt to perform the skill.  Relative success rules also apply in that way.  These rules may be used to determine how well the character performs the skill on a successful learning attempt, or how badly he fails.  The roll closest to the maximum successful roll is the best result, whether success or failure.  Relative failure cannot result in a botch (q.v.) if a botch is not indicated by the learning attempt roll.  The referee may prefer to use a general effects roll, q.v., if he requires a wider spread of successful or failed results to adjudicate the result.

A successful roll greater than 50% will result in a skill acquired at 1@2, and a successful roll greater than 80% indicates acquisition at 1@3.

Basic skills can be learned in as little as hours, even minutes, if foundation information is there.  Anyone who can fire a shotgun can learn to fire a blaster easily.  The basic concepts are similar.  Even without foundation, most skills could be learned in a day.  Therefore, a character should be permitted to roll for successful skill learning on the first day.  If desired, the referee may use the relative success rule or a general effects roll to determine how long the character had to work at it on that day.  Failure indicates that the character worked a full reasonable time without success.

Failure does not mean that the character cannot learn the skill, but that he must work a reasonable additional time at grasping the skill.  Repeat attempts to acquire a skill usually may be rolled on consecutive days.  Success probability does not change unless one of the normal factors changes, e.g., he gets a better teacher.  Repeat attempts implicate the risk of chance to botch, q.v.  Botches which are not "fatal" usually prevent the character from working on that skill for a few days, or at least reduce the success probability (and possibly increase the chance to botch again) for a time.

Botches and general effects rolls are explained in greater detail below.  None of this has any impact on special rules regarding Multiverser® characters acting in another game world, but those rules are not included in this version.

SUCCESSFUL USE OF SKILLS

A new skill learned will normally be known at 1@1.  It may not be the case that successfully learning the skill indicates a successful first use.  This depends upon such reasonable factors as the nature of the skill, the learning process used, and the situation.  If the learning effort involves creating a scale model, or practicing in a controlled situation, successful use of the skill must still be rolled.  It is also possible to successfully learn some skills informationally--reading, watching, studying--and still need a success roll on a first attempt.

Under most circumstances, whenever a character attempts to do anything, he must make a skill check.  However, success is frequently automatic in order to speed the play of the game.  Here are examples of the cases in which skill checks are not made, and accompanying examples of situations just different enough to require a skill check.

A character does not make a skill check when practicing a known skill under normal practice conditions.  It is the referee's discretion as to whether a situation is different enough to warrant a check.

The character does check if he is forced to use the skill in parameters identical to practice but not actually practice.  Also, if a character attempts to practice while his judgment may be impaired for any reason, he makes a skill check (possibly sit-modded).  Checks are also made if the character changes the parameters of the practice area.  Such intentional or necessary changes may at the referee's discretion be significant enough to warrant a check but not so as to warrant an increase in skill ability level.

Characters do not check for ordinary use of ordinary skills which they have performed successfully for years if conditions are reasonably similar, even if skill ability level is only 1@1.  For example, standing and walking are both skills.  Most of us have performed these all of our lives, and are in the middle professional level; however, our experience is limited to normal gravity and normal ground.  On shifting ground, such as shipboard, a character may be thrown to the floor, and have difficulty walking until he gets his "sea legs".  Even slight increases or decreases in gravity require the character to compensate.  Walking with magnetic or Velcro shoes in zero gravity is again different.  Walking and standing in zero gravity without aid is even more difficult.  In all such situations, the character should make periodic checks until he has made several consecutive successful checks.  Three consecutive successful checks should be adequate for simpler variations, up to seven for the most difficult; that many checks without a failure indicates that the character has adjusted his technique to the conditions.

Returning to familiar conditions after such an adjustment also requires adjustment.  Disembarking after a sea voyage will require the character to check for his "land legs"; returning to the ship after a few days shore leave will require one or possibly two consecutive successful checks to restore the previous adjustment.

If in the referee's judgment the attempted skill use is minor compared to the character's ability, the skill check is ignored.  If a character is rated for a standing broad jump of nine feet six inches and he wishes to jump across a two-foot wide stream where there are no extenuating circumstances, the jump is normally automatic.  Such a jump would be heavily bonused anyway, so success is almost certain, possibly automatic.  A roll in such a case is only made if needed for relative success.

Some skills enhance aspects of certain attributes.  For example, Counter Poison skill gives the character the opportunity to produce antitoxins to neutralize harmful chemicals inside him.  However, all characters attacked by poison might be afforded a Resistance check which if successful indicates that the character has thrown off the effects of the poison.  If this success is deemed total, the Counter Poison check obviously becomes superfluous.  However, if the check is not successful or only partially successful, Counter Poison affords the character a "backup" check to eliminate any poison effects.

The exercise of a skill requires that the character have that skill.  If he does not, his chance to perform the skill is equal to his chance to learn it under the current conditions.  (However, see skill pyramids, skill umbrellas, and related field bonuses.)  The fact that for this one situation the result may be higher than that for a skilled character is explained as beginner's luck.  This will not be possible in world in which the character would not be able to perform the skill at 1@1.

Assuming the character has the skill, he begins with his decimalized skill ability level (SAL).  To this he adds his decimalized best relevant attribute (BRA).  Thus, the combination of his training and practice with his innate ability give a base percentage between 22% (1@1 skill plus 1@1 attribute) and 80% (3@10 skill plus 3@10 attribute).  This is further adjusted by the referee with situation modifiers and twice the lesser of the world area bias level or the character's area bias level, things which might not be known to the character in detail.  Percentile dice are rolled against the result (which the player might not be told), and successful use of the skill is indicated by any roll equal to or less than the stated percentage.  Any greater roll indicates failure.

The inclusion of the world area bias level doubled (an adjustment from -30 to +30) indicates that skills within a bias area are easier or more difficult according to how heavily biased that world is toward or against skills of that bias area.  However, the character is limited in this regard to his own area bias level in performance of the skill.  This does not apply to a skill learning situation; in learning skills, the full world area bias level applies, but only once.

Situation modifiers (sit-mods) are discussed specifically in the skill lists.  Generally, anything which affects the character's chance of success at a skill adjusts the target number.  There are rare adjustments which affect the die roll itself, not included in this version.  Due to the number and variety of sit-mods possible, they are not discussed here except to indicate their effect on success.

Skill Performance Chart
+Character's Decimalized Skill Ability Level
+Character's Decimalized Best Relevant Attribute
+Lesser of World or Character's Area Bias Level Doubled
=Bias-Adjusted Chance of Success
±Situation Modifiers (Sit-mods)

There are no limits placed on situation modifiers; they can make skill success impossible or automatic.

Again, it is obvious that automatic success and automatic failure are both possible.  It is not necessary to roll in automatic success situations unless the referee wants the roll for relative success results, or does not wish the player to know that it is an automatic success situation; however, in an automatic failure situation, it is necessary to roll due to relative failure results and the chance to botch.

Skills may be impossible to perform in certain worlds for other reasons related to bias.  These are only partly explained in this version, but are fully detailed in the complete version of the rules.

Relative success rules apply to skill checks more often than to attribute checks.  The highest possible number which is a successful roll is a better result than the lowest possible successful roll.  Success must always be success, but the referee can allow a greater or lesser success according to the roll.  For example, if the objective of the skill is to tumble out of a fall to avoid injury, and the probability of success is 70%, a roll of under 10% might indicate that the character is sore, possibly winded, sprawled awkwardly on the ground, but not injured; a roll near 30% would have the character sitting on the ground; a roll of above 55% brings the character safely to the ground, through the roll, and back to his feet (or other desired position) ready to act; any roll above 70% indicates that the tumble failed, and the character is injured.  (A roll of 98% or more would in this case be a botch, q.v., resulting in more serious injury.)

Relative failure rules may also be applied to skill use.  This will determine the difference between the jumper who has failed to catch the far side of the gorge and is sliding down the steep cliff face looking for something to grab, and the jumper who came nowhere near the target and is plummeting through the air in the middle of the gorge.  Closest to the successful roll (i.e., the lowest roll which is a failure) is the best result.  Highest rolls are the worst; there should be a continuum of result from "missed it by that much" through chance to botch.  Again, a general effects roll may be used, but neither a general effects (GE) roll nor a relative failure roll can create a botch where it is not indicated by the dice.

TIME FACTORS

In most cases, the success roll indicates that the character completed the skill within a reasonable time; in most cases, the precise time required for success will not be that important.  However, in many situations--combat, pursuit, flight, emergencies--the time required for success can be critical.  Thus there are a few simple guidelines for the time required for a skill success.

There are three general types of time factors connected with skills.  Some skills require a time-based rate of continuation:  if a character is running, the referee needs to know how fast.  Skills used extensively in combat have a repeat factor, indicating how many times they may be used in a minute.  A character with fast draw skill in Colt .45 revolver can draw and fire that weapon within the first second of the minute.  But he cannot fire all six bullets at a target in that first second; he must release the trigger, permit the mechanism to reset, aim, and fire again, all of which takes time.  Other skills are what are called time-based actions.  A specified period of time is required to perform the skill before results are known.  Each of these will be considered in turn.

Running and other forms of travel are time rate skills.  Within the skill listing should be a distance over time factor.  It is typical for normal persons to run about 7 miles per hour; it is not uncommon for ordinary humans to reach 25 miles per hour, and  conversely, some for reasons of physical infirmity, debilitation, or incapacity cannot normally exceed 1 or 2 miles per hour.  Whatever the time rate, it should be noted with the skill.  Of course, in flight, pursuit, and other emergency situations, we can all run a little faster (and jump a little higher) than we did out at the track when we were running against the clock.  With time rate skills, success means the stated speed was achieved.  If the situation warrants, the referee may assume a relative success factor indicating a 1% increase over that stated rate for each 1% rolled, that is, someone who runs 10 mph actually runs 10.1 mph on a roll of 1, 11 mph on a roll of 10, and 20 mph on a successful roll of 100 (that is, assuming at least a 100% chance of success).  Conversely, relative failure may be used to indicate how much slower than the listed speed the character actually achieved (with the referee determining whether that rate might be fast enough for the purpose despite failure).  Botch results (below) would indicate any of several other possibilities, including that the character slipped, fell, twisted an ankle, sprained a muscle, or lost sight of the objective before starting.

In time rate skills, level has no effect on time or distance; however, it does increase the time necessary between checks.  The character attempting to maintain the speed of his 15 second dash rate for a longer period (e.g., to escape pursuit) who is level one must check every 15 seconds, with increasing negative sit-mods each time; the level two skilled character may go twice as long, checking only every 30 seconds, while the level three skill permits periods thrice as long, or 45 seconds between checks.  The negative sit-mods still increase with each check, but the checks are further apart, so the character will probably run farther at that same rate of speed before being forced to slow down.  See the section on running in the bod skills chapter for more on "chaining" time rate skills, that is, repeating performance of the same skill after the defining time has passed.

Repeat factors are usually connected to weapons and similar combat attacks, but are also used for non-equipment functions in similar critical situations.  Repeat factors may also be used for any skill which in the referee's judgment is performed almost instantly (in under ten seconds by an amateur), but cannot be performed repeatedly without some brief delay.  As is implied, a repeat factor is the number of times per minute a skill may be attempted (assuming no botch occurs).  It is most commonly used in combat, where it is extensively explained, to determine how many times per minute a character may attack with a given attack form.  Relative success has no effect on repeat factors.  However, level does.  A character multiplies the repeat factor inherent to a skill or piece of equipment times his own skill ability level in using it to determine the number of times per minute he can use it.  If an amateur fires a laser pistol with a repeat factor (RF) of 5, that indicates that it takes him a full 12 seconds (60/5) to do this.  But the professional reduces that time to 6 seconds (60/(5x2)).  The expert fires the weapon again in a mere 4 seconds (60/(5x3)).  So although the repeat factor for the weapon is 5 shots per minute, the professional (level 2) can squeeze off twice as many, or 10 shots per minute, and the expert (level 3) can fire thrice as often, 15 shots per minute.

Time-based actions are those which require a specified amount of time to perform.  They may include start-up sequences on high-tech equipment, pronunciations and rituals of most more complicated spells, concentration period for particularly potent psionic effects, and even certain body skills such as shape shifting.  In every case, the skill listing should include a normal time for success at this skill.  Relative success may be used, with a (successful) roll of 50 indicating that the skill was completed in precisely the stated time, higher rolls indicating a shorter time (by a percentage equal to the roll minus 50) and lower rolls indicating a longer time (by a percentage equal to 50 minus the roll).  Failure in this case is always failure to perform the skill at all.

With time-based actions, level is again critical.  In this case, the time required is divided by the level.  For example, if an amateur chooses to cast a complex ritual spell with a 60 second time factor (TF), it takes him 60 seconds.  The professional reduces the time by half, to 30 seconds.  The expert casting the same spell reduces the time further, to one third of the time factor, or 20 seconds.  He can perform this ritual three times in the time that an amateur can perform it once, if he so desires.  Because of this division factor, time factors are in multiples of 6, such as 12 seconds, 30 seconds, 1 minute, et cetera.  This saves trouble in determining the modified time factor for higher level characters.

Whenever the referee is faced with a question of time requirements for successful performance of a skill in an emergency situation where none of these time factors are available, he may rely either on relative success to determine whether it was successful quickly enough, or fall back on the use of a general effects roll, below.

CHANCE TO BOTCH

Whether learning a new skill or attempting to succeed with a known skill, the chance to botch is present whenever the chance of success is not above ninety percent.  Chance to botch means that the character may not merely fail but actually and seriously hurt himself or cause some significant serious accident in the process.  Chance to botch means not only did he not learn to operate the gun properly, he also shot himself; not only did he not fly, he also fell.  Obviously, there are certain situations in which failure means serious injury, but a botch in these cases intensifies the injury.

Once the referee knows the chance of success, he can easily discover the chance of failure (by subtracting the chance of success from 100).  One tenth, or ten percent, of the chance of failure, rounded down, is the chance to botch.  Thus if the chance of success is above 90%, the chance of failure is below 10%, and there is no chance to botch.  From 81% through 90%, the chance of failure is 19% to 10%, and the chance to botch is 1%.  For convenience, botch rolls are the highest numbers possible, so in this case a roll of 00 (100) would indicate a botch.  Since the chance of success at learning skills can be at least as low as -164%, the chance of failure can reach at least 264%, and the chance to botch then 26%, or any roll of 75 or more; there is no negative limit on skill use success rolls, therefore no maximum chance to botch.

The nature of a botch should be reasonable considering the nature of the attempt.  Some devices are inherently dangerous; many devices can explode.  Devices can also break.  Skills can backfire, inflicting the desired effects on the wrong object or the wrong effects on the desired object.  Skills which put the character in a hazardous position (such as flying) can result in falls, trips, twists, and breaks.  Even if a learning attempt involves no more than reading a book, it is possible to conceive of a dangerous botch situation, such as the character learning an incorrect conception of the skill which will result in a serious accident when an attempt to use the skill is made.

A botch only indicates that something has gone seriously wrong.  The referee should determine the nature of the botch without reference to any safety precautions a character did or did not take, not allowing such precautions to influence his decision as to the nature of the botch.  A character's precautions or compensating actions may yet prevent injury.  To assure fairness in this, the referee may list several possible botch scenarios and dice between them.  If the character's prior precautions mitigate the result, the referee should determine the effect of the precautions after the botch is defined.

After the referee determines the nature of the botch, he should inform the player of what is happening if there is reason for the character to notice.  In few cases will the referee actually begin by announcing that the roll indicates a botch.  First the player should be given the opportunity to recognize the danger and devise a response.  Responses can include using other skills to avoid the consequences, or any other action which appears possible in the circumstance except a second attempt to use the botched skill.  It may also be possible for a character to try more than one response.  The referee must determine how much time is available for a response and what actions can be done within it; the player must guess as to what he might have time to do.

Botches are serious.  If it seems reasonable, a botch should present the possibility of a "fatal" injury, that is, it should have a chance of causing the character to scriff out.  However, many botches do not have severe result possibilities, causing only minor physical or mental injuries, or the loss or destruction of equipment or devices.  It is possible for a resourceful character to escape the detrimental effects of many botches altogether.

GENERAL EFFECTS ROLLS

In many cases, the referee will need to determine whether the events in the game are aiding or thwarting the efforts and desires of the characters.  If the referee does not already know what the results of an action or event will be, a general effects roll gives him the basis for a decision.

With a general effects roll, the lowest roll is the best result, and the highest roll is the worst.  The best result is defined as the one which best aids the character's objectives (even if better than he wished, hoped, or can tolerate), and the worst roll is the one which most successfully thwarts the character's desire and/or causes him the most trouble.  Thus, normally a low roll indicates that an area is entered peaceably and a high roll indicates aggressive behavior on the part of the indigs; but if the character is looking for a fight, the low roll indicates an attack by the indigs, and the high roll indicates their cooperation, cowering, or flight.

Remember that although general effects rolls can be used for relative success, relative failure, and degree of botch, no general effects roll can turn one of these results into another.  In such cases a modified or two-dice general effects roll is recommended.  These are discussed below.

This general effects roll table is based on a 3d6 roll.  The 3d10 roll is preferred in the full version rules, but the 3d6 roll is an included alternative.

General Effects Table

 3 Well beyond hopes or expectations.
 4 Best hopes.
 5 Remarkably good but not unexpected.
 6 As good as expected.
 7 Good but below expectations.
 8 Barely good enough.
 9 Not desired but generally favorable result.
10 Neutral result or no effect.
11 Neutral result or no effect.
12 Not thwarting but generally unfavorable result.
13 Just bad enough.
14 Not as bad as anticipated.
15 As bad as anticipated.
16 Remarkably bad but not totally surprising.
17 Worst fears.
18 Beyond worst fears or nightmares.

The specific definition of each result when applied to the situation is left to the referee.

The modified general effects roll, sometimes called the two-dice general effects roll, takes three main forms.  In each case. two dice are rolled, and the third one pre-determined by the referee.  In a situation for which success has already been assured, and only the degree of success is in question, the third "unrolled" die is assumed to be a one, yielding a result from 3 to 13.  Conversely, if a failure (or botch) has been has been determined, the third die is assumed to be a six, yielding results from 8 to 18.  On rare occasions, the referee may choose to use a "safe" GE roll by making the third die equal to 3, yielding results from 5 to 15.

RELEVANT ATTRIBUTES

Each of the four bias areas--Tech, Psi, Mag, and Bod--has three relevant attributes, character attribute scores which affect the character's performance in learning and using skills in that area.  Relevant attributes are those thought to be most applicable to a bias area.  Therefore, they are not the same, and characters will vary in their own ability to learn and perform skills according to their personal strengths and weaknesses.

The tech bias area involves characters in physical law pertaining to chemistry and physics.  It is extremely device oriented, and requires learning and understanding the laws of the physical universe.  The three relevant attributes for tech are Intellect, Intuition, and Education Level.  Any one of these can modify success in the tech area.

The psi bias area is based on a theory of inner human power which some learn to tap.  Persuasion, Intuition, and Will power are the relevant attributes.

The mag bias area allows characters to control and direct supernatural power from outside the universe.  The relevant attributes are Animal Magnetism, Intellect, and Intuition.

The bod bias area is the area of personal physical prowess.  If a character uses his own body to accomplish the task, by force or finesse, it is a body skill.  Strength, Agility, and Will power are the relevant attributes.

Different characters use different attributes to do the same things, and therefore do them differently.  The referee should use these distinctions to color the player's perceptions of the game.  Which attribute is used has no effect on the outcome, only the way in which success is perceived.

INCREASING SKILL LEVELS

Skill ability levels may be increased by practice.  The amount of practice required increases with level.  The time requirement for improving a skill one intensity at level one is sixty (60) hours over one hundred (100) days.

Specific details of any such activity are adjudged by the referee.  In certain circumstances, the character will be designing his own training program, and the referee will have to consider whether it is adequate; if it offers no challenge at all, the player should be informed that his character is not benefiting from it (you're not tired, you didn't even work up a sweat, you learned nothing from that material).  If the program should be of some benefit, comparing it to the defined standards should permit the referee to determine what benefits will be gained in what time frame.

Raising a level 2 skill one intensity is 22, or four, times as difficult as raising a level 1 skill one intensity; raising a level 3 skill one intensity is 33, or twenty-seven, times as difficult as raising a level one skill one intensity.  So if a specific activity or course of action is adjudged sufficient to increase level 1 intensities, it must be doubled in two respects (double doubled) for level 2, and tripled in three respects (triple tripled) for level 3.  

If a skill ability level (SAL) is increasing from intensity 10 of a lower level to intensity 1 of a higher level, the activity must be sufficient for increases at the higher level.  From 1@10 to 2@1 requires a double doubled activity; from 2@10 to 3@1 requires a triple tripled activity.

An activity may be doubled (or tripled) in not more than one "easy" way.  An "easy" doubling is one which does not noticeably affect game play.  Such a program would take a level 1 skill character twice as long, or be physically impossible.

The same program may increase several skills if it reasonably meets the requirements for each.

Credit may be accumulated.  A character who works sixty hours over one hundred days gains one skill mark, or mark.  A single skill mark is equal to an intensity increase at level one.  If the character continues at this rate (3 hours every 5 days), he will gain a level 2 intensity in 400 days or a level three intensity in 2700 days.  These marks can be mixed with other marks toward skill improvement.  However, notwithstanding efforts to complete double doubled or triple tripled activities, no activity raises any skill more than one intensity within its time and activity framework.  No program will raise any skill more than one intensity at a time:  participation in the advanced program will not result in credit for multiple levels gained in its own time frame.

A character may benefit by being taught by another character with the skill.  Such teaching will reduce the time necessary for credit in half, that is, to 30 hours over 50 days.  Teachers and trainers (those with such skill) can reduce the time frame in half again, that is to 15 hours over 25 days for one skill mark, if they make a successful teaching/training skill check.

Skills are also improved one skill mark (1 intensity at level 1, 1/4 at level 2, 1/27 at level 3) each time the skill is successfully used in a new situation.  That is, if the character uses the same skill in a way substantially different from anything he has done before, he gains one mark.

There may be special rules governing the acquisition of skills or the improvement of skills in particular universes.

SKILL LISTS

Skills in each area are ranked by bias.  Bias is a way of establishing which skills are easier to learn and perform and which ones are harder.  It is easiest to learn new skills which are more basic than the ones you already know.  It is easier to improve on existing technology than to discover new technology.

There are certain kinds of skills which are level 0 and/or intensity 0.  These skills have special aspects which are more fully explained in the full version of the rules.  Zero intensity (@0) skills are those which are purely informational.  They represent knowledge or understanding at a specific bias level, but without inferring any application capacity.  In some cases, these skills represent the ability to perform tasks related to the skills in the level which do not implicate the nature of the level.  Zero level (0@) skills include those which manipulate by relating other skills to a desired goal.  Other zero-level skills may involve the acquisition of information.  Zero level zero intensity skills (0@0) are those which involve manipulation of information which results in a desired configuration of information.  The specific detail of the effects of 0 level or intensity skills is covered in the section on bias.

Skill discrimination and generalization are frequently left to the discretion of the referee, according to the needs of his campaign.  This is more fully explained in the full version, and is not important in this limited version, since it is not expected that players will add any skills to the game system.

Each bias area has devices.  Devices are objects separate or distinct from the character (even if attached, hard-wired, fused, or joined) which accomplish a task.  Technology is extremely device-oriented:  nearly every skill pertains to a device.  However, there are magic and psionic devices.  There are even body devices, separate organisms which can be used as tools in various ways.  A device is classed by the way it works, not by what it does.  Rules about the operation of devices are included in the bias area explanations.

Negative bias in an area has specific effects on what is possible in that world.  This version of the game does not include negative bias.

Combat
GENERAL OVERVIEW

Combat is an integral and essential part of RPG's.  Every game system has its own wrinkles in the combat field.  The step-by-step method adopted here provides for any wrinkle presented thus far.

Surprise is considered first.  Although surprise does not always lead to combat, if it does the effect it has on combat is significant.  What is said here about surprise will apply equally well to non-combat surprise situations.

Combat is based on a physical model, considering initiative and timing from the perspective of the martial or ranged battle.  Other aspects of combat are hung within this framework.  Any battle which does not involve physical attacks at all is treated after the main section on combat.

Physical damage has been simplified to a set of damage categories.  Character skills and attributes and weapon quality can all raise the damage done by the weapon, and poor weapon quality, defender skill, and certain equipment can lower the damage done.  Psionic and magical effects are considered separately.

A single roll hit and damage system has been adopted.  Since the chance of attack success is a percentage, a successful roll becomes a percentage of the possible damage actually done.  It speeds combat by reducing the number of necessary die rolls, and has the further effect that combatants of greater skill have greater damage potential, while those with limited skill are not only less likely to hit but also less likely to do significant levels of damage.  Maximum damage becomes rare, and minimum damage is more common.

Under the full system rules, combat may be modified when Multiverser® interfaces with another game system.  This limited version of the rules does not have that capability.

SURPRISE

Surprise is divided into ordinary surprise and special surprise.  Ordinary surprise is the normal surprise reaction to encountering the unexpected.  Special surprise occurs when one character or side uses skill to intentionally surprise another.  Most of the rules are the same; those that are not make enough sense as to be easily remembered.

The first rule is anticipation negates surprise, or no one is surprised by what he anticipates.  There are four tests to determine anticipation, and three of them are simple common-sense determinations of fact.  The character is clearly anticipating if any one of these facts is true:  1) the character knows or correctly guesses with accuracy reasonable to the situation the nature and timing of the event; 2) the character takes precautions indicating readiness for an event of this nature at this time although he does not know or guess the nature or timing; or 3) the event is non-threatening and common to the setting even if the character has no immediate knowledge and takes no precautions.

SPECIAL SURPRISE

Skills may be used to create special surprise.  Ambush (Tech 0@3) and Stealth (Bod 0@6) are efforts to surprise another by eliminating anticipation of an initial encounter.  All of the above rules apply to negate special surprise as clearly as ordinary surprise.

It is possible for both sides to succeed at special surprise.  It is also possible for a character using special surprise to suffer ordinary surprise.  Obviously, both sides may suffer ordinary surprise if the situation allows, and either or both sides may suffer no surprise.

ORDINARY SURPRISE

If surprise might exist, each group for which it might exist must make a best intuition simple check, that is, each group must roll 2d20, and compare the sum of the dice to the highest intuition in that group.  If the die roll is less than the intuition, that character is not surprised, and may alert his group to the presence of the other or the change in the situation.  That character has tiny clues that something is amiss, and so raised his mental readiness to anticipate something unusual.

If the character so alerted does not inform his companions (for whatever reason), their intuition scores are similarly compared to the same die roll (that is, 2d20 is rolled once for the entire group), and they similarly are surprised or alerted by similar clues.

Special surprise has the effect of eliminating the intuition check for characters entering the surprise situation.  However, if special surprise fails (but is not botched), ordinary surprise is still possible.  That is, the ambush attempt might not have eliminated the musty smell of our sweaty fighter, but the approaching group still might not notice it.

Surprise still might not occur, whether special or ordinary, if a member of the surprised group has skills such as awareness (Bod 0@3).  Such a character notices more, and so is harder to deceive or surprise.  Although the conception of the skill is that it intensifies the intuitive awareness of the character (and so could be treated as a bonus to his attribute to avoid surprise intuitively), for convenience it is treated as a skill check after surprise is determined.

A character who makes such an awareness check is not surprised.  This counters both ordinary and special surprise, and affords the user adequate time to warn his companions.

OVERCOMING SURPRISE

The effect of surprise is that the surprised character or group is limited in their actions for the next minute.  That side makes no initiative roll and no attacks, and starts no time-based actions.  They are entitled to activate "instant" defenses at the appropriate time.

Under the full system rules, a character on the surprised side may partially overcome surprise by the use of certain skills not included in this limited version.

COMBAT SEQUENCE

In conducting a combat situation, a twelve-step basic sequence is followed.  Everything which the character can do in combat fits into this sequence at some point.  Although it initially appears complicated, several of the steps will be disregarded in most combat situations, coming into play only when at least one side has and chooses to exercise specific skills.  Some of these steps are not possible within this limited version of the game.  Following this outline, the steps will be taken individually, and fleshed out with detail explaining each step.

1) Each side announce intended actions and special defenses.
2) Roll for skills which affect attacks.
3) Calculate hit success for all characters using repeat factor attacks.
4) Each side roll for initiative.
5) Roll steal initiative attempts.
6) Ratio attacks evenly.
7) Initiative stealers act in turn.
8) "Instant defenses" activated.
9) First attacking side launch first attack only and initiate time-based actions.
10) Calculate time frame.
11) Second attacking side initiates time-based actions.
12) First attacking side finishes its first volley, and all attack sequences are completed.

The sequence is then repeated from the beginning.

SIMPLIFIED COMBAT

The simplest combat situation is always two ordinary men attacking each other with simple martial weapons, such as swords; special skills and techniques will complicate this, bringing in additional steps between the basic ones.  In this section, the simplest combat will be addressed first, followed by the complications which are added as other skills and equipment are added.

The details of each step are given below as the steps are described more completely.  At this point, all that is sought is an understanding of when specific steps are included.

Step 1--Each side announce intended actions and special defenses--is always present to some degree.  Although we expect our two fighters each to attack the other, it is entirely possible that one will decide that it is time to stop attacking, to change weapons, to strike and run, possibly to surrender.  Thus, even if the intended action is to continue the fight, the characters involved will announce that intention.

On the first minute of combat, it is necessary to move to step 3--Calculate hit success for all characters using repeat factor attacks.  Given that our combat is continuing, step 3 will not be necessary again, because the calculation will only be necessary if one side chooses to do something which will change the result.  Our fighters have been given few options at this point; only the decision to strike and run will cause such a change--an option not included in this version.

Step 4--Each side roll for initiative--is included everytime.  However, if one opponent cannot hit the other, it is not possible for that attacker to take the initiative, and this step is not necessary.

Our attackers each have one attack, so we move to step 9--First attacking side launch first attack only and initiate time-based actions--and of course, there are no time-based actions to initiate, so it is only the attack which is rolled.  This is followed by step 12--First attacking side finishes its first volley, and all attack sequences are completed.  Of course, the first attacking side has finished its first volley, and the additional attack sequences are merely that the other fighter strikes back.

Thus in this simplest of combats, on the first minute step one requires that the two fighters agree to fight, and on subsequent minutes that they agree to continue.  Step three is required only on the first minute to determine the probability of attack success, and step four normally is required to determine who attacks first.  The side which attacks first does so as step nine, and the other side returns its attack at step twelve.

For our first complication, let us consider that there are special modifiers for size, movement, range, and cover.  Range modifiers only apply for ranged weapons; if one of our fighters is using a bow, a thrown dagger, a grenade, or a gun, the distance between the combatants becomes a factor.  Size modifiers have been defined such that the majority of ordinary opponents, from dwarfs to horses, will not be affected; however, if for example a character chooses to attack his opponent's eyes, there would be a penalty for the size of the target.  Since movement requires a difference in motion of ten miles per hour to create a penalty, our combatants would have to be fighting on horseback or motorcycles for this factor to matter.  Cover is the most common modifier used, but in the type of combat we are describing this is usually limited to armor; the character should have the cover value of his armor listed on his sheet readily accessible to the referee for this purpose.

For the next complication, let us suppose that one of the fighters is trained in an oriental martial arts combat technique for use with the sword.  This has several effects, but the most significant of these is that it will usually affect the chance of attack success of at least one side; that is, it will either increase the likelihood that the user of the skill will hit his opponent, or decrease the likelihood that his opponent will hit him.  This makes it a skill which affects attacks.  Step 2--Roll for skills which affect attacks--must be added before step three, as the chance of attack success is now dependent on the success or failure of the martial arts skill check.

Although martial arts are not included in this limited version of the rules, there are many kinds of skills which can require such a roll.  They include the use of targeting devices, and magically or psionically bonused attacks.  Many of these skills will only need to be rolled once, to determine whether they are working for the present combat, but some will need to be rolled every minute, to determine how well they are working for this minute.  If any character chooses to use any skill which will increase his chance to hit his opponent or decrease his opponent's chance to hit him, that must be rolled as step two, before step three.

If our other fighter is trained in a special combat technique which enables him to strike first, to "steal the initiative" any time he loses the initiative roll, we add step 5--Roll steal initiative attempts, and step 7--Initiative stealers act in turn.  However, such skills are excluded from this simplified version.

Up to now, our two combatants have had only a single attack each.  But let us suppose that our martial artist has a second level strike value and a style repeat factor of two; as will be seen below, he can attack four times per minute.  We will give our other fighter a skill ability level of three, three attacks in a minute.  Now we need to include step 6--Ratio attacks evenly, in order to determine who attacks when.  If our combatants had the same number of attacks, this would not particularly matter, since attacks would still alternate within the minute; but since one opponent has one more attack than the other, it is necessary to determine when that extra attack is included.

Although step seven includes the activation of "instant defenses", we have thus far ignored these.  However, our martial artist may also have a psionically generated force shield which he uses for cover value, and our other fighter could be equipped with a gravitic repulsor field controlled by a switch on his belt.  It would be necessary to know when these defenses come into existence if one of our fighters had the ability to steal the initiative, and might attack before his opponent has his defense in place.  This would require the inclusion of step 8--"Instant defenses" activated.  Since it is not possible to steal initiative in this limited version of the system, it will suffice for the referee to know that instant defenses are activated before attacks, and normally may be changed at the beginning of each minute of combat if desired.

It is possible that one of our two opponents has chosen not to use the sword, but to use a very different type of skill; it is also likely that our combat will involve not merely two swordsmen, but two swordsmen and several other individuals working with each of them, doing other things.  Some of these things may involve time rate skills or time-based actions.  In such cases, it will be necessary to include step 10--Calculate time frame--because it may be important to know when these things will be finished.  It may also be necessary to include step 11--Second attacking side initiates time-based actions--to determine at what second actions by the side without the initiative are begun.

This should help the referee determine with some accuracy which steps matter to any particular combat situation, and to streamline combat during game play.

1) Each side announce intended actions and special defenses.

Before anything is done in combat, the referee must know the intentions of all combatants.  What characters intend to do will affect how the combat proceeds, and how effective their actions will be.  Players must inform the referee, and the referee must determine the actions of non-player characters before the combat proceeds.

Announcement of intentions should include the use of any skills which affect combat, choice of weapon or attack form, use or activation of defenses, intended target for first attack, any planned movement, initiation of time-based actions, attempt to communicate, and non-combat activities.  The announcement of intentions is binding on both sides unless the actions of any character significantly interferes with the intentions of any character acting afterwards.  If Michael announces his intent to engage the opposing commander in martial combat, but the commander's lieutenant steps into the breach, Michael may not attack the commander, but may instead attack the lieutenant.

The referee should assure that neither side is privy to the other side's intention before announcing its own.  In most cases this is simply done, since one side will usually be non-player antagonists controlled by the referee (who must be fair about deciding such character's actions without reference to any special knowledge he has of the players' skills or intentions).  When it is player against player, the referee may require players to write their intended actions on paper so that neither side knows the other's intent before declaring its own.  If the referee fails to control such knowledge, he should disallow any declared action which in his judgment was selected specifically due to knowledge of the opponent's declared actions.

Sides are not ultimately bound by their decisions; at any time during the fight a character may attempt to change weapons or break off the attack, or may switch to initiating time-based actions or new instant defenses.  The announcement of intent only declares what actions the character will be taking first.

The combat sequence represents one minute of activity.  Rules for fighting in another game system with Multiverser® modifications are not included in this limited version of the rules.  Again, declaration of intent only covers actions at the beginning of the minute, and in no way prevents the character from changing his action at a reasonable time in response to his opponent's perceived actions.

2) Roll for skills which Affect attacks.

There are a number of skills which improve a character's chance to hit, or improve a defender's target value.  It is necessary to know whether the skill is successful before initiative is determined.  Most of these skills are checked either only once per combat or only until successful.  Skills are detailed more fully under the appropriate skill descriptions.

Many of the skills which improve attacks are targeting skills or devices.  A gun with a scope is usable effectively without the scope.  Some targeting equipment increases the range (reducing the range penalty) for each category, but others bonus a character's hit probability if correctly activated and used.  Most targeting devices, once activated, remain in effect for the remainder of the combat; therefore, once a successful skill check is made, the bonus applies until the combat ends or a botch is rolled on an attack which uses that bonus.  (Some particularly complex targeting systems may require a skill success roll for each attack, or at least for each minute of operation.)

There are other skills which change the attack success probability.  Once successfully rolled, they remain in effect for the remainder of combat or until a botch is rolled.  These skills need to be rolled at this point.

In contrast, the referee need not roll certain "responsive" adjustments to an attack which do not have to be announced until needed.  For example, evasive tumbling and certain other defensive maneuvers do not need to be announced until the defender knows that he is being attacked.  Although these maneuvers may if successful reduce the attacker's chance to hit the defender, they are not rolled until an attack is attempted, and do not affect initiative.

Any defenses which are absolute, i.e., which make it impossible for any attacker using this means of attack to hit any defender using this skill to defend, are treated as not affecting chance to hit at all, but as preventing damage.  Absolute defenses therefore do not affect initiative.

Other skills exist which similarly adjust the attack success probability.  In every case, the character must state that he wishes to use the skill (usually when announcing intentions) in order to make the roll.  (The referee does not have to keep track of which rolls players may make.)

3) Calculate hit success for all characters using REPEAT FACTOR attacks.

A combat attack is a skill success roll with particular sit-mods and defined relative success.  Those defined in the number of uses per minute are repeat factor attacks; it is common with these attacks that the character can fire the first one almost instantly (within six seconds once the equipment is in hand), but cannot fire again until the weapon or attack form is ready to use again.

Combat skills work like any other skills.  The base probability for the attack is the character's weapon skill plus his appropriate relevant attribute.  (Improvised weapon skill has been omitted from these rules.)  If the character has no skill in the chosen weapon or attack form, the base probability is the best relevant attribute.  Normally, attacks which use weapons (clubs, sword, guns, grenades, rocks) are tech-biased, and those which use body parts (hands, feet) are bod biased; bod biased attacks are not covered in this version of the rules.  Psi-biased and mag-biased attack forms are usually obvious; however, the referee should distinguish between those attacks which generate an attack from psionics or magic and those which are tech-biased weapon attacks with psi- or mag-biased success or damage modifiers.  Magic swords and psionic staves are the latter:  the weapon does damage by striking the opponent, and if the magic or psionic works, the damage is increased.  Note that there are two basic ways of handling such intensifiers, as either a sit-mod (in which case the activation is rolled like a targeting device before success is calculated), or as a weapon damage modifier (in which case the success is rolled when a successful attack is made, to determine whether or not the damage is successfully intensified and by how much).  But in all these cases, the tech-bias best relevant attribute is used to determine a weapon strike, and the psi- or mag-biased best relevant attribute is used for the damage intensifier or success modification roll.

As with any skill check, the lesser of the world bias level or the character bias level in that bias area is doubled and added to this.  The character gets the advantage if both are high, but is limited in advantage by whichever is lower.

To the (decimalized) best relevant attribute and skill ability level and the lower of the world or character area bias level doubled is added any targeting skill bonus and the attacker's appropriate strike value.  If the weapon is being used as a ranged weapon, the ranged strike value is used.  If the combat is martial, the martial strike value is used.

The defending character always gets the benefit of his target value.  This is subtracted from the attacker's success probability.  The defender may also be advantaged for size, range, movement, and cover.

SIZE

Sit-mods for size apply only if the target is not normal-size.  Normal-sized targets are defined as being between three square feet--about the size of a large gnome--and 27 square feet--roughly the broad side of a horse.  The dimensions of the target are not considered unless the referee considers the target unusual.  A fifty-foot length of one-inch diameter rope falls within the normal target size (just over four square feet), and yet should require a penalty on any ranged or piercing attack.  It is recommended that the referee identify a portion of the longer dimension which the attacker could reasonably be targeting and calculate the size of that portion of the target (five feet is normally reasonable).  (Note that slicing, chopping, blunt, and other attacks in martial combat are not so affected, as they can easily strike at the target in its longer dimension; cutting a rope with a sword or an ax is considerably easier than cutting it with a bullet or an arrow.)

Size modifiers have been simplified for this limited version of Multiverser.  If the target is smaller than three square feet, but not smaller than one-quarter square foot (36 square inches, 6x6, 3x12), it is "small", and is targeted at a penalty of -15%.  Below that down to ten square inches, the target is "tiny", and the penalty is -35.  Targets smaller than ten square inches are "miniscule" attacked at -55%.

If the target is larger than normal-sized, the attacker is bonused.  It is possible that the size of the target will create an automatic hit situation, like shooting at the broad side of a barn.  If success is greater than 100%, it still requires a success roll for the relative success calculation of damage.  Again, size modifiers are simplified in this version of the game.  Any target from twenty-seven through fifty square feet is "large", +5%.  "Huge" targets, up to one hundred square feet, are hit at +15.  All targets larger than that receive a +30 bonus.

Position is a special case of size.  When a character assumes a kneeling or prone position, it is his intent to reduce the size of the target he presents to his attacker.  Only prone positions more or less facing directly toward or away from the attacker will effectively reduce target size (barring availability of cover).  Man-sized prone targets are "small".

RANGE

Range modifiers affect the success probability of ranged combat only.  The Multiverser® system recognizes five range categories, point blank, short, middle, long, and extreme.  This limited treatment eliminates the shortest and longest of these.  (Definitions of these ranges are omitted, since this version of the game is intended for use only with the included worlds and equipment.)

Short range is the unmodified range, the range for which range does not alter attack success probability.

Middle range shots are at -10%.

Long range attacks are at -25%.

The ranges for any given weapon will be expressed as a series of three numbers separated by colons such as 20¢:30¢:50¢.  The three numbers are short, medium, and long range maximum distances.

MOVEMENT

Movement can also modify attack success, although with martial combat the target will escape if movement is great enough to affect combat (unless attacks are being made in high-speed attack runs, such as jousting or demolition derby).  Normal attacks assume relative movement between attacker and target of not more than 10 miles per hour.  Above this, the attacker is penalized 5% plus 10% for each 10 mph, that is 15% from 10 to 20 mph, 25% from 20 to 30 mph.

The special cases pursuit and strike and run are excluded from these rules.

COVER

Cover includes armor; everything which is said about cover generally applies to armor specifically.

Although armor most commonly has the effect of reducing the success probability of an attacker, under the full rules some armor absorbs part or all of the damage generated.  Other protections may give absolute immunity to damage of a particular type.  Only armor which reduces success probability of attack is included in this limited version of the rules.  "Armor" may be tech-, mag-, psi-, or bod-biased.  

Certain types of armor have protective value against certain forms of attack, but very few protective coverings deflect everything.  The referee should clearly define such protections on a common-sense basis as the occasion arises, giving full consideration to the player's reasonable expectations.

Since characters may create armor or use cover even in this limited version, extended rules are needed.

The effect of cover is a factor of the percent of cover (from the attacker's perspective) times the density of the cover.  The referee determines these two factors and multiplies them to determine the percent penalty to the attacker's success roll.  These charts give the referee some guidance in determining these values.

Percent of Cover
Interposing Wall* +100%
Jointed Full Plate Armor +95%
Full closed-plate chain mail +80%
Head uncovered -10%
Face (only) uncovered -5%
Shoulder to waist chest or back cover +12%
Front or rear loin shield +8%
Upper or lower single arm bracer +2%
Upper or lower single leg bracer +3%
Single fingered glove +2%
Single low boot +2%
Windowed Vehicle +50%
Slitted full helmet +9%
Open-faced helmet +6%
Hard hat, Jingasa, or other top-of-head covering +3%

*Interposing walls may not provide 100% cover to attacks which may be thrown over the top, such as grenades.  In such cases, the cover is little more than concealment.  Note also that interposing walls do not provide 100% cover if the target is exposing part of himself to view or attack the attacker.

Densities of Specified Materials

Leather 1@1 to 1@2
Wood 1@2 to 1@5
Glass 1@3 to 1@8
Bone 1@3 to 1@6
Plastics 1@2 to 2@2
Soft Metals 1@6 to 2@5
Soft Stone 1@5 to 2@10
Polymers 1@10 to 2@10
Hard Stone 3@1 to 4@6
Hard Metal 2@6 to 4@8
Gem Materials 3@8 to 5@1
Sci-Fi materials 3@10 to 6@10

The referee should set a material according to condition, quality, and details of the material within its home world.  Mythical and special materials are classed according to listed materials of similar density or hardness.  No material exceeds density 6@10, reserved for incredibly hard unworkable materials such as white dwarf alloy.

If armor (portable cover) is constructed in layers, each layer receives full value.  A standard layer of any material is generally one-eighth to one-quarter inch (about half a centimeter) thick.  Every quarter inch additional thickness adds 25% of the normal thickness value.  So a leather vest (chest and back) of 1@2 is 2.88%; if it is an inch thick, that is plus three quarter inches, or plus 75%:  2.88x75%=2.16, +2.88=5.04, or 5% bonus.  This applies to armor only, not other forms of cover.

The full rules include examples and illustrations, but this should be adequate to thumbnail any efforts by players to create armor or use cover within this abbreviated game.  Similarly, attacks against armor and weapons are omitted from these rules.

There will be other modifiers to the attacker's chance of success.  Some are due to skill use.  Certain weapons may receive modifiers for type or quality, or factors may be introduced for the efficacy of certain types of weapons against specific types of armors.  For the referee to appropriately make such adjustments, he must understand how the system works; however, this is beyond the scope of this limited version.

Concealment is a special case of cover omitted from this version.

Certain attack forms may be launched against multiple opponents.  Such attacks are treated as area attacks, and are distinguished from targeted attacks.  An area attack is any attack form which is able to hit more than one of the opponents presently targeted.  This is true even if there is only one opponent, or if the opponents are spread too far apart to actually hit more than one; if the area targeted is large enough that more than one opponent of this type reasonably could be within it, it is an area attack.  The same attack form may be an area attack against smaller opponents and a targeted attack against larger opponents.

With an area attack, several rules are different.  Such an attack is not targeted at any particular creature, so several of the normal combat sit-mods are ignored.  Strike value and target value are eliminated.  Range modifiers are still in effect, but size modifiers and cover values are eliminated, and movement modifiers are also eliminated unless the movement of a creature will carry it out of the target area.  Targeting skills and equipment which modify range are still effective, but those which sit-mod chance to hit are not.  Repeat factors are not modified for strike value.

Area attacks should be treated as grenades and explosives.  The damage category listed will be effective only within the central area (perhaps ten feet).  Beyond that, damage category penalties accrue.  These damage category penalties are not limited in the normal fashion, and have no effect on the balance of damage category bonuses and penalties otherwise.  They only reflect the fact that the attack form is most severe in the center, and lessens toward the outside.  If the character hits the center of the area with a fatal attack, he has intrinsically hit the nearest sections with a lethal attack, and the section beyond that with a dangerous attack.  The referee may arrange these penalties however he desires; it is recommended that there be one damage category penalty for each 25% of the total radius of the area affected.  One success roll determines the damage for all areas.

A general effects roll may be used to determine how many opponents are within the area attacked.  If it is reasonable under the circumstances, an eighteen should indicate that all opponents were missed, and a three should indicate that all opponents are as close to the center of the attack as possible.  (This does not mean that all were hit if the number exceeds those who could reasonably fit in the area; nor does it mean that all who were hit took full damage, but only that the maximum number which could reasonably fit in each damage area of the attack happened to be there.)

Characters within the area should be afforded some advantage for their normal defenses.  Skilled defenses still function normally, except for those which operate by avoidance, such as evasive tumbling.  Avoidance defenses will either confer a damage category penalty or have no effect, as appropriate.  Every creature or potential target object within the area is permitted a simple check against its target value, and success permits it an additional damage category penalty.  This is a normal damage category penalty; remember that if the balance of damage category bonuses and penalties excluding those for location within the targeted area results in more than three penalties, the additional penalties are converted to damage points off the die roll (discussed below).

If it appears that a given creature within a targeted area will take damage, cover value is considered last.  If cover involved would be effective against the type of attack form used, the amount of damage is reduced by a percentage equal to cover value, rounded down.

4) Each side ROLL FOR initiative.

Each side takes the best chance of attack success on its side, and rolls d100.  Comparative relative success is then used to determine who attacks first.  The highest result which would be a successful attack roll has the initiative, and will be able to attack first.  If only one side rolls a success, it will have the initiative.  If neither side rolls a successful number, relative failure is used, and the side with the lower failed roll has the initiative.

There is no simultaneous attack:  one side always attacks first.  All ties are settled by another d100 roll.

If there are more than two sides, the process is the same.  Ties are only rolled between those who tied.

5) Roll steal initiative attempts.

To shorten and simplify this version of the rules, it is not possible to steal initiative.  Steal initiative and fast draw/iajutsu skills are included in the full Multiverser® game rules.

6) Ratio attacks evenly.

The number of attacks for each side is calculated, and ratioed evenly through the period.  Attacks in Multiverser® are per minute.

The number of attacks which a character gets per minute is determined by multiplying several factors reflecting the type of weapon and the skill(s) and attributes of the attacker.  In every case where the "level" is indicated in connection with attacks per minute, it means level only, without intensity:  Ranged Strike Value 2@5 is level 2.

Every weapon has a repeat factor (RF).  Most primitive weapons are repeat factor 1.  Very few have fractional repeat factors.  High tech weapons may reach as high as 30, although there are other limitations on such weapons.

The weapon repeat factor is multiplied by the character's Strike Value level, either ranged or martial as appropriate to the attack form (ranged for missile fire), a value of 1, 2, or 3, to reflect the character's overall innate combat skill.

Skill ability level is a factor.  If the character is fighting weaponless and/or with a martial arts style, the treatment is slightly more elaborate, but not included in this limited version.

To recapitulate:

Attacks per Minute Factors
Weapon Repeat Factor, up to 30
Ranged or Martial Strike Value Level, 1 to 3
Weapon Skill Level, 1 to 3

Any factor which does not apply is a one.

These examples may clarify the principles:

Primitive Martial Weapon (Long Sword) Repeat Factor 1
Martial Strike Value 1@4 Level 1
No Weapon Skill 1
Attacks per Minute (1x1x1) 1

Primitive Ranged Weapon (Long Bow) Repeat Factor 2
Ranged Strike Value 1@9 Level 1
Weapon Skill Ability Level 1@10 1
Total Attacks per Minute (2x1x1) 2

High Tech Ranged Weapon Repeat Factor 30
Ranged Strike Value 3@1 Level 3
Weapon Skill Ability 3@8 Level 3
Attacks per minute (30x3x3) 270

High tech weapons have intrinsic limits.  Notwithstanding this, the theoretical attacks per minute should be calculated, and the character given the advantage of his speed.  Thus a theoretical 270 attacks per minute is 54 attacks in the first twelve seconds; if that is all of the attacks he can manage, he fires them quickly.  The intrinsic limits on high-tech weapons must be strictly observed.  For example, an automatic rifle will have a cartridge of fifty bullets; when empty it will require from 8 to 24 seconds (depending on the skill of the user) to replace it.  A belt-driven machine gun has no intrinsic ammo limit, but it requires two skilled users to operate it:  targeting skill determined by the gunner, attacks limited to the slower of gunner or loader; furthermore, once 200 rounds are fired the barrel must cool for 2 minutes before firing another 100 rounds, or 3 minutes to fire another 200 rounds.  (Advanced models will cut off automatically, early models will just break.)  Laser rifles will use a preset 1 to 20 energy units per shot, but the largest power supply holds only one hundred such units, and it is too big to carry two, and requires time to change over connections.  For all high-tech weapons, the intrinsic limits must be identified for the maximum shot limit.

Once the number of attacks for the best on each side is determined, they are ratioed so that as nearly as possible attacks will alternate.  If one side has thirty attacks and the other has 2 attacks, if the thirty side has the initiative the attacks should be 10-1-10-1-10; reverse the initiative, and it becomes 1-15-1-15.

Large numbers of attacks may be quickly calculated with a shortcut method in the full game version.

7) Initiative stealers ACT in turn.

Steal initiative and fast draw skills are not included in this version of the game.

Rules for concealed and invisible opponents are omitted from these rules.

8) "Instant defenses" activated.

At this instant, before the ordinary combat begins, all persons may activate instant defenses.

Defenses which were activated previously, either at a previous moment during combat or in anticipation of combat, normally will have remained in effect to this time, and will continue in effect unless there is reason for them to fail, such as having a limited duration, being adequately attacked by the opponent, or being shut down by the user.  If a character wishes to change defenses or add another (compatible) defense, this change is made at this point.

Without exception, instant defenses--those which require activation, distinct from constant defenses such as armor which are always in effect--require a skill success check to activate.  (Under conditions which might be adverse to the use of specific constant defenses, such as low bias, a check should be made upon entering the first combat since putting it into use in this world to determine if it is working.)  This applies even to zero-intensity activation skills (push this button), because it creates the opportunity for system failure in low-bias scenarios.  All such defenses are activated together.

There is no theoretical limit to the number of instant defenses which can be activated, but there is a practical limit which the referee should impose based upon how each defense is activated according to the practicality of the combinations of motion, sound, and thought.

9) First attacking side launch first attack only and initiate time-based actions.

The first attack of the side who won the initiative is launched.  Attack probabilities are probably already correct.  If it matters, the character with the greatest number of attacks goes first.  It will not normally matter.

Time-based actions are those which require at least several seconds to initiate.  A button, a trigger, a thought, a word, a blow, a shot--these things may happen in under a second; therefore, all such attacks and actions are considered instantaneous, with the time differences discounted as negligible.  However, a start-up sequence, a brief ritual, a poem, a loading process, all of these things require time.  The side with the initiative begins such actions (if desired) in the first second of the minute, and the clock runs from there.  Any skill which takes the amateur six seconds is instant, but skills which are reduced to six or fewer seconds for higher skill remain time-based.

The attack dice (percentile) are rolled.  If the result is equal to or less than the number calculated, the attack is successful; any greater roll fails.  Relative success and relative failure rules now apply.

Relative failure is simple in this case:  a miss is a miss.  The referee may describe near misses and wild shots for color based on the roll.  Botch results still exist, but due to the life-and-death nature of combat, most such botches should be limited to the temporary loss of that attack mode:  weapon jams, or character drops weapon, or character loses balance costing next attack, or character hits solid object causing pain in the hand which requires character to hold, shake, or blow on that hand for a moment.  Only if the character is using an attack which presents a clear and present danger to himself should the botch be more serious.  Thus, explosives, grenades, and demolitions gear may explode in the character's hands; guns, power supplies, and powder horns may not do so unless induced to do so by some means from the enemy.  (Such things may explode on a botch in a non-combat situation, such as sniper action or show shooting.)  Outside of the botch, a near miss normally indicates failure to hit the target, although it commonly may indicate deflection by armor or cover; with certain attack forms, a far miss may indicate that the "magic didn't work", the character was not able to activate this skill at this time.  The gun, wand, psi blaster, may go off but miss; but the gun may misfire without jamming, the wand may fail, the psi blaster may glow and not blast.  Of course, some attacks do not readily lend themselves to this interpretation:  if the punch misses, it is hard to say whether at that moment the puncher failed to use his skill or if his skill was not adequate against the target.

Relative success is used to determine damage.  Weapons are divided into damage categories of those doing similar damage.  The successful attack roll both indicates that the attacker hit the target, and is the percentage of the possible damage actually done.  Thus, if a weapon can do ten points of damage and the roll is 30% (and is successful), it does 3 points of damage.  Fractional damage is rounded up except in the case of annoying weapons, so a roll of 31% with the same weapon would do 4 points of damage.  A chart is included in the full rules, although the math is usually faster than looking up the chart.  Examples and descriptions are omitted, since with this version characters will be using weapons listed in the character and world descriptions.

Annoying weapons do one point of damage if the attack roll is greater than 50; otherwise (50 or lower) the weapon does no damage.  Some of these weapons may have special uses.  Bare fists and other body-based attacks are annoying weapons.

Damaging weapons do 5% of the die roll, rounded up, a minimum of one point and a maximum of five.  Small rocks and stones are included.

Dangerous weapons do 10% of the roll, from one to ten points.

Lethal weapons do 20% of the roll, or one point for every five percent rolled.  This one-to-twenty damage value applies to small explosives such as grenades.

Fatal weapons do 50%, or half the roll.  A roll of 1 or 2 provides one point of damage, 49 or 50 (if a hit) does twenty-five points, and 99 or 100 (if a hit) does fifty.

Annihilating and Obliterative weapons have been omitted from this version of the rules.

The damage category for a weapon is based on the damage possible for the ordinary user.  There are a number of skills and conditions which make it possible to shift the damage category up or down.  Such shifts are called damage category bonus and damage category penalty.

If the attacker's combat skill (weapon or attack method being used) is at least skill ability level 2@1, the attacker receives one damage category bonus.  Usable combat skills in this version include weapon skill and the skill ability level of skills used as attacks.  Normally the attacker will be using weapon skill (usually tech-biased, but possibly otherwise if the device is mag-, psi-, or bod-biased).  Weaponless combat is omitted from these rules.  If the combat skill used is at ability level 3, the attacker gains the same damage category bonus (i.e., only one damage category bonus for skill above level 1) plus a damage point bonus, explained below, equal to the skill ability intensity.

A strike value of level 2 will also confer a damage category bonus, and a strike value of level 3 will add to that damage category bonus a damage point bonus equal to the strike value intensity.  Remember that ranged strike value applies only to missile fire, and martial strike value applies only to martial combat.

Quality weapon bonuses and hidden defect rules for weapons have been omitted from this version of the game.

Defender resistance skill may confer damage category penalties.  In the Multiverser® system, immunity and invulnerability to a form of damage indicate that if the immunity/invulnerability skill success roll is made, the character appears to have been hit but takes no damage from the attack.  (Immunity rolls may be made every time the defender would accrue damage of that type until successful once, and thereafter the immunity remains in effect for the duration of the combat.)  In contrast, a successful resistance skill check increases the tolerance of the defender, demonstrated by conferring one, two, or three damage category penalties to the attack.  Particular resistances may be one of three types under the full rules, but for this version will always be skilled resistance, which reduces damage by a number of damage category penalties equal to the skill ability level of the defender.  Resistances may be of any bias area, and it is possible to combine any number of resistances of any and all types; thus there is no theoretical limit to the number of damage category penalties which may be accrued for resistances.

The total number of damage category penalties is subtracted from the total number of damage category bonuses.  The weapon damage category is moved up or down that number of categories, e.g., a lethal weapon becomes fatal if the value is 1, dangerous if the value is -1.  There are two limitations to this shift:  first, no weapon increases beyond fatal (under this limited version) or decreases below annoying.  Second, no weapon can be shifted from its normal category by more than two increases or three decreases once all bonuses and penalties are included.  Any additional increase is changed to ten (10) damage point bonuses, and any additional decrease is changed to ten (10) damage point penalties.

Damage point bonuses are added to the die roll for damage purposes only (that is, not affecting whether a hit is scored) before the damage is determined.  Similarly, damage point penalties are subtracted from the die roll for damage purposes only.  Thus, the percent of total possible damage with the weapon is adjusted for these additional factors.  The greater the possible damage, the greater the effect of each point.  The result may be greater than 100%:  the truly skilled user can do more damage than the normal maximum limits of the weapon with the right shot.  (This is implicit in the entire damage system.)  It is also possible for the result to be no damage if the result is zero or lower.

Damage riders come in three types, intrinsic, secondary, and dependent.

An intrinsic damage rider indicates that the attack form does more damage than indicated by a single damage category; it is all the same kind of damage.  The amount of damage in an intrinsic rider is determined by the same roll as the base damage category damage, and any damage category or damage point bonuses or penalties which apply to the base damage category also apply to the rider in the same way.

A secondary damage rider indicates two types of damage being done.  Certain incendiary grenades have a kinetic blast which hurls a flaming liquid.  Although the same roll is used to determine the amount of damage for both the base damage (e.g., kinetic blast) and the rider (flaming liquid), since different kinds of defenses are used against them, damage category and damage point bonuses and penalties may be very different, and there may be defenses against one portion of the damage which do not protect against the other.

A dependent damage rider relates to a secondary skill use which controls the amount of damage independently of the attack success roll.  For example, certain magic and psionic devices are treated as ordinary tech-biased weapons with mag- or psi-biased riders.  An attack success roll is made as a tech skill to determine whether the attacker hits, and then a second skill success roll (not targeted) is made to determine whether the magic or psionic damage bonus is successfully included.  The damage of the rider is determined by this second roll, once the attack is successful.

Normally, attacks are assumed to injure a defender generally, to find a random weak point in the defenses of a particular defender.  Although hit locations are sometimes important, the Hit Locator Chart has been omitted from this version, along with the rules for incapacitating or crippling injuries.

For any combat which causes a verser to scriff out, all damage and injury is removed by the scriff travel.  Rules related to crippling injuries are included in the full game system.

Once the force of the impact which actually reaches the character, creature, or object is determined--the actual damage after all other considerations--the damage value level comes into play.  If the damage value level is 1 (or 0), each point of damage reduces the character by one intensity.  If the damage value level is greater than one, the total damage is divided by the damage value level, and all fractions are discarded.  Thus, if the total damage is 10 points, a character with a 1@5 DV takes 10 intensities, leaving (15-10=)5 intensities; the character with a 2@5 DV takes (10/2=)5 intensities, leaving (25-5=)20 intensities; the character or creature with a 3@5 DV takes (10/3=3.333, integer=)3 intensities, leaving (35-3=)32.  Because of this process, if an attack which does 119 intensities of damage (after all other considerations) is launched against a character with a 3@10 DV, 119/3=39.667, discard the fraction=39; and since 40-39=1, the character is still alive.

Attacks against extremely large targets (such as buildings) are frequently no-miss attacks even at extreme ranges.  The referee should encourage the player to specifically define his target area, such as doors, support beams, windows, or specific body parts, so as to reduce the size bonus.  If the player does not do so, all attacks against large objects are subject to a GE roll.  High rolls result in essentially cosmetic damage, such as the destruction of drain spouts, gargoyles, shutters, and trim on buildings, or broad surface injury to hair, scales, or skin on creatures.  Middle range rolls are ordinary damage, such as craters or holes in walls, deep wounds in creatures.  Low GE rolls indicate structural damage, such as support beams, foundations, bones, critical organs.  Rolls between the extremes and the midpoint should proportion the damage between given types, partly structural, or partly cosmetic.

10) CALCULATE time frame.

Since many times the success of time-based actions depends on the character completing them before being hit or killed, in any combat in which time-based action is initiated by either side, the number of attacks must be carefully placed on a compatible time frame.

Already the referee has ratioed the attacks of all sides by taking the individuals on each side with the most attacks and alternating them, fitting other attacks on that framework.  By summing those attacks, the total number of attacks for the minute results.  Dividing that into the 60-second minute (or dividing the minute into it) gives the number of seconds per attack (or attacks per second).

That enables the referee to determine which attacks will be launched while time-based action is progressing, and which side is attacking during what part of the minute.  The referee should now note exactly when in the combat the time-based action of the side with the initiative will be complete.

Appendix 6:  Notes on Combat Time Frame gives more detail on creating the combat minute in the complete rules system.

11) Second attacking side initiates time-based actions.

The second side may begin time-based actions between the first and second attacks, regardless of whose attacks they are.

Since the time frame has been calculated, it is possible now to know at what time in the minute the second side begins its time-based actions.  The penalty on time-based action for the second (and succeeding) side(s) is only one attack; thus, if a side is not attacking at all it can still act at this point in the minute.  As with the first side, the referee may determine which attacks will be launched during this base time, and when in the minute the action will be complete relative to other events happening in the same minute.

If only one side is attacking, all other sides start time-based actions here; the precise moment is that second which is half way between the first and second attacks of the minute, regardless of whose attacks they are.

12) First attacking side finishes its first volley, and all attack sequences are completed.

Remaining attacks and other actions are played out easily at this point, alternating according to the framework already laid down, and including the consequences of the completion of time-based actions.  Characters may, of course, change actions in response to changes in the situation, subject to the referee's determination of time requirements.

Once all attacks are completed, the sequence returns to the first step.

SUMMARY

1) Each side announces intended actions and special defenses which at the outset of the minute or combat period they expect to use.

2) Roll for skills which affect attacks, such as magic bonuses, targeting equipment, defenses.

3) Calculate hit success for all characters using repeat factor attacks.  Remember to include modifiers for range, size, cover, and movement.  These sit-mods are added to or subtracted from the sum of the attacker's ranged or martial strike value, best relevant attribute for the bias area of the attack form, skill ability level in the weapon used, and the lesser of world or character area bias level doubled, and the defender's target value is subtracted.

4) Each side rolls for initiative.  All ties are settled by an additional roll.

5) Steal initiative skills are not included in this version.

6) Ratio attacks evenly.

7) Initiative cannot be stolen in this version.

8) "Instant" defenses are activated for all other participants.  Remember that activation will require a skill success check.

9) First attacking side launches first attack only and initiates time-based actions.

10) Calculate time frame by summing attacks and dividing against the minute or combat period.

11) Second attacking side initiates time-based actions.  The time frame is used to determine both how long behind the first side the second side acts (one attack) and what happens concurrently with time-based actions.

12) First attacking side finishes its first volley, and all attack sequences are completed, with the results of time-based actions coming in as appropriate.  All actions are completed on the calculated time frame.

DAMAGE VALUE RECOVERY

There are many skills in each bias area which make it possible to recover lost intensities of damage value at various accelerated rates.  Without the use of such skill, lost damage intensities from most causes (those which do not attack underlying attributes) are recovered by ordinary rest.  At level one, one intensity of lost damage value is recovered for each continuous twelve hours rest.  Rest includes sleep, quiet activities which are not strenuous (not studying complicated activities or attempting to learn skills or build anything), eating prepared foods.  Minimal activities such as a small amount of cooking, maintaining a fire from available fuel, changing clothes, operating @0 equipment, and similar activities may be performed while resting, but activities as strenuous as cooking for a large group, looking for or cutting firewood, pitching tents or other camp gear, repairing technological equipment, using @1 or higher psi or mag skills, exercising, or traveling standard distances are all beyond what can be done during the rest period.  As with skills, the rate of recovery increases with level.  For damage value, this is accomplished by dividing the necessary rest time by the level.  Thus, a character or creature with a level 2 damage value recovers one intensity every six hours, and a character or creature with a level 3 damage value recovers one intensity every four hours.

Some attack forms reduce attributes directly, but these have been excluded from this version of the game.

ATTACKS ON COVER

Rules for attacks on cover and vehicles are omitted from this version of the rules.

NON-PHYSICAL COMBAT

Occasionally combat will take place in which no physical attack form is being used at all.

Generally, physical attacks will have repeat factors.  They are attacks which do physical damage or which otherwise interfere with the opponent's physical state or which in some way hurt him or his ability to fight which can be performed within the first second of combat assuming combat readiness.  Firing a gun, striking with a martial weapon, and kicking are all such attacks.  Disarming and most other martial arts maneuvers (not included in these rules) are likewise physical attacks.  These and many more are all attacks which are capable of being performed in the first second, and therefore initiative is crucial to their use.  Furthermore, in almost all cases of physical combat, the attacker must aim at the defender (even if only by eye), and his strike value is part of the equation.

With certain kinds of attacks, the usual adjustments for size, range, cover, and movement will not apply, and the factors generally included in target values are meaningless.  For such attacks, it is appropriate to replace target value with either Resistance (almost always for magic) or Will Power (almost always for psionics, and for any effort to force the defender to do what he would not do that is not an external physical force).  The calculation for initiative is otherwise the same.

However, if all characters are using time-based actions, no initiative is necessary.  It will be assumed that all time based action starts at zero of the first minute.  Thereafter, time is tracked on a second-by-second basis, keeping track of during which second the action was begun and on which second it will be completed if not interrupted.  All time-based actions successfully performed have their effects in the second of completion, unless otherwise defined.

If more than one time-based action will be completed in the same second (either because they have the same adjusted base time or because they were begun at different times and their completion times happened to coincide), they have simultaneous effect.

The first exception to this is based on steal initiative, not included in these rules.

The second exception applies to circumstances in which the effect of one time-based action is to reduce or negate the effect of another.  If it is possible for the two actions to have partial effect, the effect should be balanced to favor the character with the superior success roll (comparative relative success).

If one action would if successful be so potent as to completely eliminate the other action regardless of the degree of efficacy of either, then that action is effected, eliminating the other.  Otherwise, the action of the character with the greater comparative success roll is effectuated, and the other is negated.

In all cases in which magic or psionics (or certain similar other powers) is used directly against a character, as opposed to being used to generate forces which are used against the character, the defending character makes a check against one of his attributes.  A character so attacked might also have skills to rely on which would negate such effects, but it is up to the player to use them if he wishes.  As mentioned, checks against attacks which attempt to affect, deceive, or take over the defender's mind or body are made against will power, while checks which attempt to injure or otherwise affect a character without in any way taking control of him or overriding his own control of his self are made against resistance.  When in doubt, the referee should permit the character a save against the greater of the two attributes.

The nature of the save depends on the nature of the attack.  Some skills are so powerful and therefore so difficult that most of the chance of failure is built into heavy negative sit-mods to the skill itself; these will always require a difficult check, and if the skill success roll is above 50, the successful check may merely reduce the effect..  Other skills are so minor in their effects that a simple check will always be called for regardless of the degree of success.  For most skills, RS=Simple/Difficult/None:  on a relative success roll of up to 50, a simple check is the defense, but a difficult check will be necessary above 50, and no check is possible above 80, assuming that such rolls are successful uses of the skill.

The referee should now be combat ready.  Additional charts and tables, along with gaming shortcuts, are included in the full version of the rules.

Tech Skills
CONCEPT OF TECHNOLOGY

Technology, or Tech, is the use of science and tools to change the environ, to provide other tools or basic needs.  As long as the science upon which the technology is based still works, technology itself works.  It is, however, quite possible for the character to be unable to use technology due to greater difficulty in a particular world or inability to remember some essential detail.

Technology is the most heavily device-oriented bias area:  most skills relate to the creation and use of devices, from the wheel to the time machine.

The referee should not err in thinking that just because a tech skill is generally easy means the character has a high skill ability level in it.  Rather, consider that a greater skill ability level represents a proven ability to perform the skill in more difficult situations.

TECH DEVICES

Tech devices continue to be functional in any universe in which the physics or chemistry supporting them is valid.  Such natural law has a strong tendency to remain consistent from universe to universe, with only minor variation.  It is frequently the case that technology from outside a primitive world works adequately well, even if it is beyond the understanding of the user.  For example, operating a television only requires knowing which button to push.  Consequently, many tech devices are operated as a zero intensity (@0) skill, protected against several of the rules (described fully under bias, below) which make skills and device use impossible.  Such @0 skills are very dependable in that regard; but since they do not involve any understanding of how the technology works, they do not confer bias level to the character.

If operation requires understanding sufficient to monitor the system, it is at least an intensity one (@1) skill.  Intensity one skills do confer bias level to the character (q.v.).  Further, such operation infers the ability to identify malfunctions adequately to prevent major damage to the equipment.  Also, intensity 1 operators may be able to manually bypass failing automatics.  Disadvantages of @1 skills exist in negative bias worlds, excluded from this version of the rules.

Unless otherwise stated, a listed tech skill indicates the intensity necessary to design such a device.  Building from a design is one intensity lower, modifying is lower by two, repair by three, and sabotage by four; none of these skills is lower than intensity one.  This is called the standard repair rule.  Sabotage might be possible without skill, or with sabotage skill in a related tech area.  Success rates for sabotage of incomprehensible technology should be at -50 on the sit-mod.  Operation of a device is not more than five intensities below design unless it is clearly an @0 skill.  Also, the distance between design and operation is considerably lower for lower level or lower intensity skills than for higher level and higher intensity skills:  anyone with adequate understanding to use a club very likely has adequate understanding to make one.

Technological skills lend themselves to the concept of the skill umbrella.  Under this concept, the referee may determine that a character's skill is similar enough that it may be used in the current situation .  All such "umbrella'd" skills should receive a sit-mod of at least -10.  The alternative related field bonus is excluded from these rules.

Each level represents the discovery of new principles.  Increasing intensity represents greater understanding of those principles.  Further explanation of how skills are fit into the system is included in the full version.

Major areas covered by technology include:  Fire, Leatherwork, Pottery, Wheels, Woodwork, Cloth, Rope, Inclines, Levers, Stonework, Pulleys, Gears, Metallurgy, Water Power, Lathes, Precision Tools, Explosives, Steam, Pressure, Motors, Electricity, Synthetics, Electronics, Computers, Space Travel, Robotics, Nuclear Power, Genetics, Artificial Intelligence, Mind/Machine Interface, Energy Fields, Star Drives, Matter Transmission, Time Control, and Scriff Technology.

Specific skills in some of these areas are described in the edited skill lists, character file, and worlds.

As universe bias level rises, skills in that bias area become easier, and as it lowers, those same skills become more difficult.  It is also clear that as the bias falls the possibility of equipment malfunction increases.  The explanations for this are included in the full rules, as well as the effects of negative bias.

None of this affects the chemistry or physics of the body of any living thing.  Also unaffected are the direct effects of magic and psionics, although secondary effects may be influenced.

"Floater" skills are used in the full version, but replaced here by fixed versions.

"Convenience" listings called "packages" are included.  These listings incorporate a number of related skills which a character can hold all at the same (usually amateur) level.  Such skills often will be listed as "@X" skills.  This indicates that the skills included are of various bias levels, but are all related and held at the same skill ability level.

The referee may use the skill pyramid rule.  Certain skills are similar enough that to be good at one is to be at least capable at the other.  The referee may allow that a character with one skill automatically has certain similar skills at one level lower, and skills similar to those a level below that.  Such skills may be either @10 or at the same intensity as the primary skill, and it is reasonable under this rule to have such implied skills at level 0 (and if appropriate doubling the time required for performance).  This is similar to the skill umbrella, and the two rules may be used however the referee prefers.

The complete rules include extensive skill lists which cover all areas of technology in detail.  These have been removed from this version; most skills which are included in the game are listed with the characters who have them or the worlds in which they are introduced.  Those listed here are more common, held by multiple characters and/or used in several worlds.

1990's Basic Technology Package
Tech X@X
This package covers most of the technological skills common in the late twentieth century--nearly everyone can operate a radio, a washing machine, a cigarette lighter.  Specifically, it includes Basic Fire Skills T1@1, Soft Sculpture/Clay Molding T1@1, Operate Lighter T1@2, Operate Match T1@2, Use Oven T1@3, Wheels Package T2@X, Stitch & Sew T2@1, Use Standard Hand Tools 3@X, Wedges T3@1, Ramps T3@1, Operate Locks & Keys T3@2, Operate Scissors & Cutters T3@5, Operate Bicycle T4@1, Non-wheeled Pulley T4@1, Wheeled Pulley T4@2, Block & Tackle T4@3, Operate Calipers & Micrometers T6@1, Operate Explosive-driven Slug Thrower T6@1, Use Lens T6@2, Operate Scopes T6@2, Operate Air Gun T7@1, Operate Automatic Transmission Vehicle T8@0, Operate Electrical Switches T9@0, Operate Electrical Appliances T9@0, Operate Telephone T9@0, Operate Electronic Entertainment Equipment T10@0, Computer Game Play T11@0.  If the character attempts to use any tech device not otherwise covered, the referee should roll against this skill for convenience.  Most of these skills will be considered self-explanatory in this package, although they are detailed in the full version.

Ambush
Tech 0@3
This is the ability to use or alter the environment to create concealment combined with vantage.  It includes specific combat use of hiding for the purpose of creating special surprise as well as hiding to spy or merely to be undetected.  As all 0@ skills, it presumes that the character will be able to combine other unspecified skills (usually technological), in this case to mask any sensory information that he or his team will be producing so that anyone approaching will not detect his or their presence.  Use of the skill involves specifying what will be done to mask specific sensory information.  The baseline assumes a skilled character alone in adequate conditions.  There should be negative sit-mods for additional characters or poor conditions.  Positive sit-mods should apply for ideal conditions and for any sensory information which need not be masked--e.g., if the ambusher is invisible or if the approaching creature is blind.  A botch indicates that the ambusher either incorrectly believes that he cannot be seen or that something disastrous has happened (fighter drops his shield on the hard stone floor) which clearly reveals the presence, possibly the location, of the group.  It is possible for characters to develop limited skills in these areas, such as the specific ability to hide in the forest or the city, or the ability to remain completely silent for a period of time, or to mask any scent which would reveal presence (e.g., to ambush herd animals who are sensitive to the body odor of predators).  These should all be positively sit-modded according to the importance of that sensory information, and the effectiveness and difficulty of the skill.  If the creature to be ambushed receives sensory information against which no precautions are taken (such as the ability to see radiated body heat), the ambush skill is not negated, but negatively sit-modded according to the significance of that sensory information to the surprise factor.

Basic Fire Skills Package
Tech 1@1
This convenience listing includes Maintain Solid Fuel Fire, Transfer Fire, Contain Fire, and Extinguish Fire, at the stated skill ability level.

TECH LEVEL 3:  INCLINES; LEVERS

Incline and lever concepts use leverage to spread work over distance; these are the next great tool concepts, and include a surprising variety of ordinary applications.

Use Standard Hand Tools
Tech 3@X
This convenience listing incorporates all the standard 3@ tool use skills at one SAL.

Simple Wedges
Tech 3@1
A stone, wood, or metal device with a narrow or pointed end gradually widening to a fat end makes possible the spread of two objects (or the splitting of one such as wood) by reducing the amount of force necessary, transferring the motion by increasing the amount of distance the back of the wedge must travel for a resultant spread in the gap (that is, it moves forward more than it widens, trading distance for force).  Rarely, it can be used in the reverse mode, trading short-distance force for long-distance spread.  In addition to the type of wedge used to split wood, these include spears, arrows, chisels, and awls, along with similar tools and weapons which puncture or separate without the inclusion of a lever.  Tool and weapon uses should be distinguished, and types of tools and weapons should be distinguished at the professional level.  Note that an expert with a tool narrows the field to a defined type of tool, such as stone chisel, but an expert in a weapon narrows the field to an individual example of that weapon.  As with all tool-oriented skills, tool and material damage and injury are good botch possibilities.  Remember that weapon botches in combat are limited to the temporary elimination of an attack mode, such as dropping the weapon, or jarring the arm such that temporary pain prevents use for a moment.

Simple Levers
Tech 3@1
Tools which use a single lever for a single action are at this bias intensity.  The use of a lever as a pry bar (without a wedge or pointed end) to pull apart is very common.  Wrenches and seesaws are other types of @1 applications.  Typical tool botches are possible.

Striking Levers
Tech 3@1
Nearly all clubbing and crushing weapons--clubs, maces, hammers--as well as tool hammers are simple levers.  As with all simple levers, the use requires the same level of understanding as the creation, but the two may be separate skills.  Note also that creation of a device may require skills in the material use.  These skills are limited, generalized, discriminated, and otherwise defined as 3@1 simple wedges, including botches and the distinctions between tools and weapons.

Leveraged Wedges
Tech 3@2
Many common tools and weapons place a wedge at the end of a lever, combining the forces of these two tools.  Axes, picks, shovels, some can openers, crowbars, and nail pulls (such as claw hammers) are all designs of this nature.  These are otherwise similar skills to 3@1 striking levers and simple wedges.

Knives & Swords
Tech 3@3
The creation and the use of multiply-edged weapons requires this level of understanding of the combination of incline and lever technology.  These devices involve the use of levers to drive wedges in several ways, creating both chopping and piercing actions.  Note that creation may require the technologies involved in the higher technology materials (stone knives and swords are possible and effective, but slower and less effective than metal ones).  Botches follow the rules for blunt weapons and axes.

(E) Electricity Package
Tech 9@X
This convenience listing incorporates all standard electricity skills common to the late twentieth century, and such tool use skills as are reasonably necessary.  These include Create Battery 9@1, Wiring & Switches 9@1, Electromagnetism 9@1, Create Electromagnetic Generator 9@2, Electric Heat 9@2, Electrical Overload Fuse 9@2, Electric Light 9@3, Circuit Breaker 9@3, Meter 9@3, Resistor 9@3, Electrical Repair 9@3, Sound & Pressure Electrical Generation 9@3, Sound Transmission & Reproduction 9@4, Electric Motor 9@4, Electrical Transformer 9@5, Electrical Capacitors 9@5, Electrical Inductors 9@5, Electrical Filters 9@6, Frequency Generators 9@6, Termostat 9@6, Thermistors 9@7, Thermocouples 9@7, Radio Frequency Generators & Receivers (e.g., crystal sets) 9@8, Photoelectrical Generators (e.g., light meters) 9@8.

SPECIAL TECH SKILLS

These skills are technological, but may be indicated at different levels.  They are called "floater" skills, since they may appear at various levels.  Correctly understood, these skills exist at every level, but will only be listed on the character sheet at the highest bias level at which he holds the skill.  It is assumed that he has the same skill at all lower levels, with a skill ability increasing by one skill mark for each bias level decrease.

General Science
Tech ?@0
Every character has some grasp of basic science principles at least as high as the level of his highest @1 tech skill.  It is not possible to know or to learn any skill which is not an @0 skill which is of a higher level than the character's general science skill bias level.  He may know science beyond his skills.  Most versers start with a general science of at least 9@0 (electricity) and not greater than 13@0 (AI, M/M Interface).  The skill ability level reflects grasp of those principles.  It has very little effect on game play.  The referee may permit specialized science skills, e.g., for a character who is professional at electronics without the additional support in other areas of science.  However, the only way to increase general science is by increasing ed lev in a world with a higher science, and making a successful general science check.  This will move the character's general science up to that of the universe tech bias.  For reference, here is the list of subjects at each level included in this evaluation version:
     Level     Skill Areas
       1       Control of Fire, Leatherwork, Pottery
       2       The Wheel, Woodwork, Cloth and Rope
       3       Inclines, Levers, Stonework
       4       Pulleys, Gears, Soft Metals
       5       Water Power, Hard Metals
       6       Lathes, Precision Tools, Explosives
       7       Steam and Pressure Power Systems
       8       Motors and Motor Fuels
       9       Electricity, Synthetics
      10       Electronics
      11       Computers, Planetary Travel
      12       Robotics, Nuclear Power, Genetic Engineering

Medical/First Aid
Tech ?@1
This is the ability to respond to any physical infirmity of the body, from wounds to diseases and poisons.  The character is limited by bias level and by skill ability level:  skill ability level determines how well he can perform his highest skills and, as with all special skills, it increases one mark for each level below that necessary for the task (those who are competent brain surgeons are superb bandagers).  Unlike other special skills, this is an @1 listing, indicating that a roll at this level provides specific ability to cure the problem.  Note that if the referee has determined specific injuries, specific skill use might be required to cure it; even so, a success at this skill means the patient's life has been saved by some means.  This list shows what can be done at what levels within the game:
       1       Sterilize by heat; salt wounds; mud pack bandages; external body temperature control.
       2       Bandages; splints; stitch wounds; tourniquets; simple prosthetics (wooden legs, hooks).
       3       Amputations; Excision of surface infection; reduction of fractures; dentistry.
       4       Mechanical prosthetics; traction.
       5       IV. fluids; nutrition.
       6       I.D. Microorganisms; Vaccines; Cellular structure; herbalism; general surgery.
       7       Control circulation/major bleeding; cardiology; breathing/artificial resuscitation.

Psi Skills
CONCEPT OF PSIONICS

Psionics is the use of internal power, of the mind or soul, to change the environment without any direct physical contact, the supposed inner power that sentient life forms possess.

It is easy to confuse psionics with magic.  Both work outside our understanding of natural law.  Both tap unseen forces and cause change without physical contact.  Yet the two are distinct.  While magic draws its power from the supernatural--that which is outside, beyond the universe--psionic power is very much contained within the universe.  It is in fact entirely contained within the individual.  Any power which is principally from within, from living creatures, is psionic.

Psionics is relatively uncommon in the worlds of the multiverse.

Psionics is low on devices.  Although they do exist and can be created, they require psionic skill to operate, and rely on the psionic power of the user.  Very rarely are self-powered psionic devices found.

It is assumed that player characters do not possess such skills at the beginning of the game; it will be possible for them to learn such skills later.

PSI DEVICES

Psionic devices are not included in this evaluation version.

Although psionic foci may be used in Multiverser, these are uncommon and not included in this version.  Also omitted are rules for tailoring skills; this version of the rules assumes that players and referees will use skills exactly as presented in these materials.  Multiverser allows skills to defined in any way imaginable by adjusting the difficulty of performing the skill.

These are the major areas covered in psionics:  Communication, Telepathy, Devices, Defenses, Clairsentience, Detections, Telekinesis, Body Control, Psychic Healing, Manipulate Physics, Attacks, Manipulate Chemistry, Physical Forces, Retrocognition, Precognition, Teleportation, Alterations, Time Manipulation, Creations.

As universe bias level rises, skills in that bias area become easier, and as it lowers, those same skills become more difficult.  This, and the effect of negative bias, is explained in the full rules.

PSIONIC BOTCHES

There are a number of typical botch scenarios which are common to psionic skills; almost every psionic skill has the potential to cause botches of these types.

Brain burn results from mental overload.  It is possible for the brain burn to affect another character involved in the skill (such as telepathy) as well or instead.  It manifests itself as complete immediate temporary loss of all psionic skills of at least bias level 1@1 accompanied by an incapacitating headache for a period of days.  Mild brain burn generally lasts d10 days, while severe brain burn may last as long as 3d10 days.  When the effect passes, all psionic skills are returned to normal levels.  Brain burn headaches may be accompanied by appropriate associated symptoms where consistent with the skill botched, such symptoms as would limit the character's normal abilities in areas for which the skill could be viewed as an improvement.

Neural breakdown indicates that the synapses of the brain have malfunctioned.  This can result in reduced intellect, intuition, education level, will power, persuasion, animal magnetism, and/or charisma, or insanity (not treated in this version of the rules).  Effects in this limited version are severe but temporary.  (Indigs may suffer severe permanent effects, but should make an appropriate attribute check to avoid death from shock.)

Psionic shock wave is the generation of a wave of psionic energy centered on the botching character and spreading outward which briefly overloads the nervous systems of all creatures in the area causing actual physical pain and injury to their bodies.  The character himself and those within ten feet take the most damage (usually lethal damage, possibly a damage category more or less); for each doubling of the radius of the circle around the character, the energy dissipates slightly, reducing damage by one damage category.  Certain skills may mitigate damage.

Again, only skills which are common to characters or settings in this package are included here.

Mag Skills
CONCEPT OF MAGIC

Magic comes from the supernatural realm.  Magic is supernatural, coming from outside all known universes in the multiverse.

Since in Multiverser® there is no fiction, it is necessary for all supernatural descriptions to be in some sense true, and yet to have a consistent enough supernatural that magic learned in one universe may be tapped in others.  Multiverser® presents an ultimate truth which explains all perceived truths.

The explanation of the various types of supernatural realms and the way they fit together in Multiverser is omitted from this version.  Here is a summary of the conception of the supernatural in the game.

The Creator God made all that is.  He created the multiverse, creating different universes in different ways.  He also created an uncounted number of supernatural beings, properly called "gods".  He gave these gods tasks relative to his creation.  To some he gave the task of creating entire universes in any ways they wished (thus giving truth to the many varied creation accounts throughout the world in a way which explains similarities and differences in the creative choices and borrowings of each god so creating).  To some he gave the task of ruling singly, in pairs, or in committees of many gods.  To some He gave no such tasks.  Within their own universes, pantheons were descriptions of committees of gods.  Pantheism is the reality in universes in which a god created a universe within himself.  Dualisms were originally ruled by two cooperating gods.  Monotheistic worlds were ruled either by the Creator God himself, or by one singly appointed god.

There was a supernatural disagreement.  Some of these god/creatures chose to oppose the Creator God.  Some chose to stay with the Creator God.  Some have deferred the decision.  Those who remain faithful to the Creator are known as the alliance; those opposed to him are the anarchs; the undecided are referred to as neutrals.  This is called affiliation.

The opinions of those in each affiliation vary significantly, but this is more than the referee need understand for this demo game.

Being always just and fair, the Creator did not take action against those who turned against Him.  He permits them to rule their domains for the time allotted--the totality of time in that universe.

Alliance powers generally support each other and the common goal of exalting the Creator, and although anarch powers fight among themselves, they are united in their opposition to the Creator.  Neutral powers tend to cooperate in the name of peaceful non-judgmental coexistence.

It is not logically possible for there to be in any way a Creator God defined as omnipotent, omniscient, and omnipresent, and have a universe in which atheism is true.  In some universes, deism is true--God or one of His created gods gave the universe its starting push, and it has since run itself with no involvement from Him--and the absence of any involvement by any supernatural power creates an effective atheism, a world in which there is for practical purposes no god.

The full version of the rules permits adventures in the supernatural realm, but this information is not included in these rules.

All magic works through the expectations of the character.  The purpose of ritual et cetera is to focus the expectations of the character.  A brief phrase, a brief motion of the hand, a small object--at least two of these things are expected in the baseline for such skills.  More elaborate ritual bonuses success.  Less ritual penalizes it.

Skills which appeal to a greater power, a god, spirit, devil, or other immortal who dwells in the supernatural are called "holy magic".  Holy magic has a greater chance of success.  However, immortals expect that those who call upon them will represent them well, and they will take action against those who do not.  Spells which require the caster to draw upon raw supernatural energy and direct it into the desired task are called "arcane", and are more limited by the caster's abilities.  However, there are no attached obligations in such magic, and the character is less involved in the supernatural battle.  Characters may know magic from both holy and arcane sources, and may even know the same skill from different sources at different skill ability levels.

Multiverser® uses the probability of success and chance to botch as limitations on the repeated use of magic skills.  A skill which has been successfully used once may be used again if all components are still available.  Even if a skill has been failed, the character's chance of success does not worsen, because he is as likely to realize his mistake and correct it as he was to think of it in the first instance.

ARCANE MAGIC

Arcane magic is generally simpler in terms of game mechanics:  the great variety of modifiers which apply to holy magic do not affect arcane magic.  Therefore, it is easier to understand the mechanics of arcane magic first.

The full rules provide explanations of how to balance ritual against power in designing magic skills; these are omitted here, as this version of the game is for use only with the skills included within it.

The time that it should take an amateur to perform the ritual (due to either the incantations or the gestures) is part of the limitation on the skill.  The professional will do this twice as fast, and the expert three times.  Some skills will have a repeat factor instead of a base time; the skill would be considered for practical purposes immediate during combat.

If a skill is used to affect an area, it has a baseline area.  Unless otherwise stated, the baseline area is a volume of one thousand cubic feet, that is, a cube ten feet on each side.  If no duration is given, the duration is the shortest necessary to be effective.  For most attack forms, this is six seconds.  Otherwise, durations of ten times the time factor are normative, that is, a six second time factor gives a one-minute effect, and a one-minute time factor produces a ten-minute effect.

The character needs to do at least two of three things:  say something, do something, and use something.  The verbal component should fill most of the required time; however, there is no penalty for shorter spoken portions if there is an action component which will fill the remaining time.  However, the time does not begin until the first word is spoken.  The verbal, action, and material components can be anything.  The crafting of specific skills including the effects of such components are covered under the full rules, but in this version the few skills which characters will use are fully defined.

The referee should assess in specific cases how the necessary actions involved in performing a magic skill limit the character's ability to perform other skills.  Generally, a skill which requires only spoken words will not interfere with the character's ability to perform any other skill but those which require different words or very high mental concentration.  (Most psionic skills require low mental concentration, which is why multiple psionic skills can be maintained at the same time.)

HOLY MAGIC

The most natural form of magic is holy magic:  the mortal petitions a god or power, and that god releases supernatural power into the natural realm in response to that petition.  It is the province of priests and prophets and the realm of the chosen faithful.

Everything that has been said of arcane magic so far applies equally to holy magic; this section explains the particular variations within holy magic.

The word holy does not mean good.  "Holy" carries the meaning of "set apart".  Although we have the tendency to connect the concept of holiness to God, the term does not intrinsically require such a connection.  A character or an object or an incantation or ceremony can be holy to the devil, or any other power.  There is alliance holy magic, neutral holy magic, and anarch holy magic.  Characters will have holy magic of only one affiliation.

To perform holy magic, a character must have skill in either 1@0 religion or 1@0 occult knowledge.  Either of these skills indicates that a character has both knowledge and belief concerning supernatural things.  All use of holy magic is sit-modded by adding half of the character's decimalized skill ability level in one of these two skills.  Religion is always connected to a particular affiliation.

Every universe is characterized by the affiliation of the highest appointed ruler, alliance, neutral, or anarch.  Magic of the same type will be easiest, while magic most opposed will be hardest.  Neutral magic is never as easy as either of the extremes, but never opposed as strongly.  This chart compares the type of magic to the type of ruler, showing bonuses and penalties for each combination:

Holy Magic Affiliation Adjustments

World is->     Alliance     Neutral     Anarch

Magic is
Alliance        +10           -5          -10
Neutral          -5           +5           -5
Anarch          -10           -5          +10

Additionally, the referee should sit-mod holy magic according to its relationship to the gods who are providing it.  Any character who is on a quest assigned by a god receives +10 to holy magic related to that type; a quest assigned by a mortal agent of a god confers a +5 bonus to such magic.  Beyond that, the referee should consider the kinds of things a god is likely to do, and the situations in which he is likely to do them.  On rare occasions, a referee may otherwise bonus a skill use for its harmony with the desires of the gods; usually, sit-mods for variation from the ways of the gods will be penalties.

The alliance powers generally wish to help others.  There will always be a penalty against magic used directly against living mortal creatures to do harm.  (This does not apply to anarch spirits or creatures of darkness such as vampires and demons.)  Also, the alliance expects certain generally approved conduct, and will penalize a character who has failed to live in a right manner in recent events.  Some alliance powers may require ritual atonement or penance to restore full power to such skills.  However, alliance powers rarely take sacrifice, and those who do prefer sacrifice of wealth above all, farm produce or work product next, and non-sentient animals least.  Human/sentient sacrifice is generally condemned by alliance powers.  Beyond this, as the scripture says, "to obey is better than to sacrifice":  the alliance gods will not be fooled by those who attempt to use sacrifice as a means to buy the right to do evil.

The anarch powers love to do harm, and will do so readily, except against the agents or minions of other anarch powers.  It is not that their bonds are so strong, but rather that few will risk the vengeance of another anarch power (since anarch powers do not play fair, and may pretend to forgive or overlook only to blindside later).    Many love to receive sacrifices, even of the lives of their own followers; the more grief the sacrifice will cause the better they like it.  A stolen object is a better sacrifice than one acquired properly.  They dislike healing and restoring, and even when they do it they will usually leave scars or other marks of the injury.

Neutral powers are likely to anything, good or ill, except place themselves in direct opposition to any other power.  They tend to be non-confrontational in the main.  Specific neutral religions may have their own quirks, such as protection of trees or other natural environs, exaltation of technology, or the advancement of a chosen people or species.  There will be sit-mods against any use of neutral holy magic which goes against the special interests of the character's religion or of the primary neutral power of the current universe.

There is no magic which the side will never do, only things which are unlikely.  Sit-mods as great as -30 are not uncommon, and for particularly inappropriate ideas, -50 is not impossible.

Those with 1@0 religion skill gain half of their skill ability level as a bonus on holy magic use.  Those who do not believe in the activity of the supernatural are not capable of learning any magic, holy or arcane.  Even devices which work for anyone at any time will not work for such characters.  However, those who actively disbelieve the activity of the supernatural may use half of their skill ability level in such a skill as a sit-mod against magic skills used against them.  It only applies to magic used directly against them, and not to the effects of magic in the area.  An illusion skill which affected the mind of the victim would be penalized, but one which created the image in the real world would not.  These skills include Mag 0@1 atheism, 0@1 agnostic naturalism, and 1@0 religion:  deism, which are described as needed.

On character sheets, the source of each mag skill is identified by an added symbol:  mag* for arcane skills, mag+ for alliance holy magic, magO for neutral holy magic, and magv for anarch holy magic.

MAG DEVICES

Magic devices are conduits between the supernatural and the natural realm, permitting supernatural power to flow freely from the one to the other.  Many work like a stroboscopic flash system:  they charge with supernatural energy and store it, ready for a rapid release of the power in a controlled form on command; then they recharge to be ready for the next use.  Any item in Multiverser® either has a single use remaining or an unlimited number of uses restricted only by the skill success roll to use it.

No device can perform a magic function which is above the bias curve of the current universe.  (Note that this is unlike psionic devices.)  However, because of the conduit and storage capabilities of such devices, these devices can do the job faster (with less ritual) and at higher power levels (more damage or greater effect).  If the bias is insufficient to support the operation skill of the device, it will not function at all.  If operation of the device is possible, but the magic being called from the device is above the bias curve, any roll which would be successful is an automatic botch result.

No mag device will function for anyone not having the skill to use it; explanations and exceptions exist in the complete rules, but are omitted here.  Such skill determines whether the device is functioning in the new universe.

Designing and building mag devices are essentially the same skill.  They cannot be sabotaged or repaired.  They can be broken either physically or by magical or psionic alteration, and are then normally useless.  However, the destruction of a magic item by any means other than the normal discharge of its last potential use or the direct supernatural intervention to drain the energy remaining within results in the random release of the remaining supernatural energy into either an intensified expected result or a powerful botch scenario.  Serious injury to the character effecting the physical destruction of the device should be the minimum botch scenario which the referee will consider.  Again, exceptions are omitted from this version of the rules.

Characters lacking skill to use a device may make an attempt to use it by rolling a skill check without a skill ability level.  Such a successful roll will cause the device to operate, but will not give the character skill at operating it.  A learning success roll must still be made to learn to use the device in the future.  It is usually better for a verser to roll a learning roll, but in a crisis situation, the referee should distinguish a careful consideration of the operation of the device from a desperate attempt to make it work.

As with each of the bias areas, each level represents the discovery of new principles.  This is a view of the major areas covered in magic:  Blessings, Devices, Curatives, Object Manipulatives, Energy Manipulatives, Force Shields, Moving Forces, Informations, Detects, Illusions, Energy Creations, Enchantments and Controls, Summonings, Telekinetics, Teleportives, Necromantics, Animations, Physical Creation, Alter Reality.

In the mag bias area more than in any other, skills are frequently combined into larger skills.  The rules for this are included in the complete rules.

MAGIC BOTCHES

There are a number of typical botch scenarios which are common to magic skills.  Almost every magic skill has the potential to cause botches of these types.

Misfire is to hit the wrong target.  Although this can happen with other bias areas, magic is especially prone to it, since supernatural energy can alter anything in any way at any time.  This is more common with arcane magic, but may be included in holy magic scenarios as well.

Backfire is similar, except that the skilled user is the one hit.  If he is the intended target, backfire would hit his opposition.  If it is not a confrontational situation, backfire will not be appropriate.

Reverse effect is the loss of control of the power such that the exact opposite result will occur from the one intended.  Again, it is more common with arcane magic.

Explosion as per the psionic explosion table is also possible.  It may occur with any kind of magic, but if used for alliance holy magic, it should be limited to the lower end of the tables (a modified GE roll of 2d6+1 is appropriate).  The referee may also wish to so limit such results in neutral and anarch magic if the powers called upon have a vested interest which would be compromised by an explosion of the level indicated.

Unexpected result botches mean that any other spell is cast instead, usually something else known to the skilled character.  This may be distinguished from absurd result, in which the magic is released into surprising, humorous, and/or dangerous outcomes.  In both of these cases, the referee should liberally use his imagination, since anything is possible on a magic botch.

Magic anomaly is a very popular botch, but is not included here.

Gate is the term that has been applied to magic portals which connect areas which cannot normally be reached from the present location.  As a botch it almost never connects to another part of the same universe.  Although there are many places to which these may connect, under these rules they will lead to another universe.  (Gates may be intentionally created; that skill is separate from this botch.)  Opening the gate does not necessarily cause the character to pass through it, nor guarantee that anything will come from the other side; however, these are both possibilities.  Normally, a gate created on a botch will be opaque, that is, no one on either side will be able to see through the gate to gather information on where it leads.

The character might summon a spirit of some sort.  These could haunt a character or area for an extended time, but need not be malicious or dangerous.  Although frightening others is the usual result for an area haunt, an individual haunting is more likely to nag, cajole, insult, question, or even flatter the character, while generally unseen to all others.

TARGETING MAGIC

In most cases, skills which affect target characters or creatures require a targeted skill check.  Such targeted skill checks require that the skill check be modified by one of the character's strike values.  In most cases this will be the ranged strike value, indicating the attempt to target the character from a distance.  In cases in which the skilled character must touch the target creature, the martial strike value is used.  In those cases, the attack should be bonused +20 for the necessity of contact.  However, the target will always get its target value in these cases.  In rare cases, skills using ranged strike value also include the target value and possibly the cover value of the target, such as force generatives which strike the creature.  If a strike value is included but the target value is inappropriate, the strike value should be offset by an appropriate attribute of the target character.  This will normally be the target's resistance; in the case of skills which may be construed as opposing the character's self-determination, will power may be the appropriate counter; on very rare occasions, an intuition or intellect score may be used to signify the character's ability to perceive the unreality of the situation.  Also, in most cases the target character will be allowed an attribute check to avoid the effect of the attack, whether or not the skill is targeted.  However, it is possible to develop versions of skills which would normally be targeted but do not require an attack, such as skills which affect a person who touches a certain object or crosses a threshold or otherwise clearly enters the area affected.  With these skills, strike value is not required, and no offset is included; the attribute check to counter the effect remains.

For ranged attacks, if no ranges are given, standard baseline ranges are 50¢:75¢:100¢.

Bod Skills
CONCEPT OF BODY

Nearly every life form has a body.  Even non-corporeal life forms frequently have non-physical bodies of some sort, or at least skills which mimic those of a physical body.  The bod bias area covers skills which come from the physical structures of a material body.

Although a life form involves many skills with close ties to the other bias areas (leverage, chemical reactions, the control the mind has over the body, reason and morality), the body is regarded as independent, and no bias or blocks in other bias areas will at any time block body skills.  Even if leverage is impossible, arms and legs will work; if wedge technology fails, claws and teeth will still cut and bite.  The bod bias is independent of other areas.

Bod skills will work about the same in most worlds.  However, there is a peculiar quirk in bod skills which is not common to the other bias areas.  Generally, any sentient creature can (within the multiverse at large, even if not within its home world) learn any skill at some skill ability level.  In the bod bias area, this is not always true.  Although a character may learn wondrous techniques which will enable him to do many things thought not humanly possible, some skills will require modified or entirely new body parts which the character cannot merely grow at will.  There are undoubtedly skills in every bias area which will enable a character to obtain such body parts on either a permanent or a temporary basis.  Thus, even skills which are "simple" on the bias curve, such as seeing infrared and ultraviolet light, hearing ultrasonic and subsonic sound, and similar skills, require more than just a skill success roll.  Although the rules attempt to distinguish that which is normally humanly possible to learn from that which is not, the referee may often have to make such judgments for himself, especially for characters who have already been somewhat modified physically, achieved remarkable levels in physical attributes, or are not earth-origin Homo sapiens.

The bod bias area is the least involved in devices, but devices do exist.  They are called symbionts; parasite and symbiont rules are omitted.

This is a view of the major areas covered in body:  Sensation, Manipulation, Mobility, Walking, Running, Parasitism, Tumbling, Symbiosis, Jumping, Acrobatics, Martial Arts, Flight, Shape Change, Regeneration, Physical Immunities, Physical Invulnerabilities, Morphing, Non-physicality.

VELOCITY

Many skills in the body bias area definitively involve the velocity of motion; that is, running as fast as a jet fighter is a different skill from running on the high school track team.  All skills which definitively involve the speed of movement will include one of these velocity range categories in the skill name.  In most cases, the referee will wish to copy the name and also define the precise velocity on the character sheet which the character is able to maintain, as well as any other limits intrinsic to the character.

Walking speeds are velocities from two to seven miles per hour.  Very few skills are limited below this.

Running speeds are between four and twenty-five miles per hour.

Traffic speeds are the speeds of vehicles on the ground in the late twentieth century, excluding those especially designed for extreme velocities beyond what the unskilled driver can control.  Twenty to one hundred miles per hour is the range for such skills.

Flight speeds start at about 85 miles per hour.  The top end of flight speed exceeds supersonic, which is roughly one thousand feet per second (near twenty thousand miles per hour, referred to as mach one).  These skills include orbital velocities.  For skills which have a higher velocity category (escape velocity), mach three should be the maximum for flight speed.  That may not permit all aerodynamic flight on planets with excessive gravity, and the referee should consider whether in the nature of the skill flight is called for.  Creature flight does not require flight speed, as aerodynamic principles are applied in a variety of different ways.

Escape velocity is not needed by any creature in this version of the game.

BODY BOTCHES

As might be expected, botches in the body realm almost always result in physical injuries to the character.  Of course, such physical injuries will be limited by the nature of the skill attempted, and by any precautions which the character took against them.  It is possible to break a neck, snap a spinal cord, smash a skull, or completely mangle a body falling from a ten-foot high tightrope above a six-foot high safety net, but it takes quite a bit of doing.  Falling while walking, as a botch, can sometimes sprain an ankle, even break an arm, but rarely proves to be fatal.  The referee should always consider whether the botch is too extreme to be believable under the circumstances.  (At the same time, it can be great fun dreaming up ways in which a character was able to kill himself while doing something relatively innocuous.  Most of the careful versers are versed out not by opponents in combat but by their own eagerness to try something they have never done before or do something more dangerous than they realized, killed by a botch; the better the botches, the more fun that moment can be.)

The referee should also be aware that with many body skills a character can injure himself quite nicely without a botch.  Many skills--falling safely from a height, absorbing the impact of a blow--have just such a failure result in view; it is what skill success is intended to avoid.  Such injuries should be less serious in the main than botch results would be for the same skill.

To assist a referee in assigning degrees of injury, this general effects table is offered to establish a guideline.  For failure which results in injury, barring any obvious results, a GE roll should be made.  For botches, a modified (2d6+6) roll will achieve the expected results.

 3 Roll out of failure inside six seconds unharmed.
 4 Unharmed, one minute to resume activity (e.g., getting up).
 5 Slight pain and minor scrapes, recovery in three minutes.
 6 No measured damage, but wound requires tending.
 7 Damaging level of injury (d100/20).
 8 Unconscious for d100/5 minutes, but unharmed.
 9 Unconscious for d100/5 minutes, damaging level injury.
10 Dangerous level (d100/10) injury.
11 Dangerous level (d100/10) injury.
12 Dangerous level injury with sprain (affected limb temporarily useless).
13 Dangerous level injury with broken limb.
14 Lethal level injury (d100/5).
15 Conscious but dying in d100/10 minutes.
16 Comatose and dying in d100 hours.
17 Fatal level injury (d100/2) and unconscious d100 minutes.
18 Instant death, never knew what happened.

The referee may adjust the chart and include variations, with a view to the type of injury likely with the skill attempted.  Crippling results rules have been omitted from this version of the rules, so any crippling type injury should be treated as limiting a character's abilities until it has healed (based on damage intensities).  This does not replace the referee's responsibility to choose between several botch scenarios.

Human Standard Body Package
Bod X@X
Unlike most @X packages, this one represents defined SAL's in the skills included; if it is listed, no SAL is given with it, as it indicates that the SAL of each skill is listed as it appears on this list.  (The SAL is given before the skill, and the bias level and intensity are listed after it.)  The list is:  2@3 Manipulate Object B0@1; 1@1 Generate Pheromone Signal B0@2; 2@7 Generate Sound Signal B0@2; 2@3 Sitting B1@0; 2@1 Rise to All Limbs B1@1; 1@5 Multi-legged Crawl 2mph B1@3; 2@5 Stand Erect B2@1; 2@1 Walk at Walking Speeds 3mph B2@4: 1@10 Jog 3mph B3@3; 1@5 Dash 300¢ B3@4; 1@5 Sprint 990¢ B3@5; 1@5 Run 71/2 mph (one mile/eight minutes) B3@6; 1@1 Ground-based Rolling B4@1; 1@5 Reaching Jumps 10² B5@1; 1@5 Low Obstacles 12² B5@1; 1@3 Running High Jump 4¢ 6² B5@3; 1@5 Standing Long Jump 6¢ B5@3; 1@2 Running Long Jump 9¢ B5@3.

Human Standard Sensory Package
Bod 0@X
Unlike most @X packages, this one represents defined SAL's in the skills included; if it is listed, no SAL is given with it, as it indicates that the SAL of each skill is as it appears on this list.  (The SAL is given before the skill, and the bias level and intensity are listed after it.)  The list is:  2@5 Touch and Pressure Sensitivity, B0@0; 1@5 Chemical Sensitivity (Taste), B0@1; 1@7 Gas and Particulate Sensitivity (Smell), B0@1: 2@2 Pain, B0@2: 1@6 Heat Sensitivity, B0@3; 1@5 Cold Sensitivity, B0@3; 2@1 Photosensitivity, B0@4; 1@8 Auditory Perception, B0@4; 1@6 Balance, B0@4; 2@5 Focus, B0@5; 1@2 Tactile Imaging, B0@5; 1@8 Pitch Discrimination, B0@6; 1@8 Stereo Directional Sense, B0@7; 2@5 Color Perception, B0@8; 2@8 Depth Perception, B0@8

(S) Awareness
Bod 0@3
These skills have been discussed under the combat section, which should be compared for their effects on surprise.  In all other circumstances, these represent an innate attention to detail resulting in a high probability that the character will notice things others would not be likely to observe.  Normally, the character should have to pause and announce his effort to be more aware.  The standard botch is to be oblivious to some danger or important detail, although transference to the next surprise situation may be the only option open in some circumstances.

BOD LEVEL 3:  RUNNING; PARASITISM 

Running (R) is motion using any gait in which the creature is sometimes in contact with the ground and sometimes not.  In humans (and other bipeds) it is defined as that gait in which the character has at any time either one or no feet on the ground (as compared to walking, in which the character has either one or both feet on the ground); however, for Multiverser® purposes, it includes skipping and other gaits in which the character leaves the ground.  At this level, the distinction of erectness is ignored; many four-legged animals are also regarded as running when they employ gaits which have them at any time in the air, such as a horse's gallop.  The referee should distinguish at what point the movement ceases to be running and becomes leaping, as a flea, cricket, or grasshopper, by this distinction:  motion based on repeated separation and contact with the ground over distance is running, while that which relies on long springs or leaps which are commonly made individually is 5@ jumping.  It is not possible to run only one step.

Running skills are normally checked when the bias is low, when there are opposing circumstances (running on a moving vehicle, running through dense brush or over rough ground, exhaustion or fatigue), or when the success is important in terms of achieving or maintaining the target velocity.  (Such examples as running in pursuit or fleeing rush to mind.)  Failure can mean an inability to run at all if circumstances suggest this as an option, or it can mean merely that the character failed to reach the desired speed.  Since running is a time rate skill (see the section on Time Factors in the chapter on Skills), success indicates that the character was able to achieve the velocity stated under the skill listing on the character sheet, and each 1% of the successful roll indicates a velocity 1% greater than that stated; conversely, failure may indicate a successful run which failed to achieve the stated velocity.  In these cases, the referee should already know the distance which must be run and the time in which it must be completed, and can easily calculate whether the run was successful in achieving its objective.  That is, it is possible for a character to successfully run, but not be fast enough to reach the objective (success is still failure), or for a character to fail to reach his normal speed and yet still reach the objective in time (failure is still success).  As with all relative failure situations, the referee may at any point distinguish that roll which is inadequate performance of the skill from that which is failure to perform the skill at all.  The listed distance or velocity for running skills on the character sheet should be the character's typical or average, not his best.  Best times will be met or exceeded by the relative success formula.

Running skills may be chained.  A character who dashes 100 yards who rolls a success may attempt to immediately repeat it.  First, he must make a successful difficult stamina check, then he must take a -10 penalty on the next running skill check.  This may be repeated (with increasing penalty) until a failure or botch.  When chaining, relative success velocity increase only applies to the first run.  Running skills of different types may be so chained.

The most common botch in running skills is falling, although circumstances may dictate other results, such as failure to adequately stop, or pulled ligaments and tendons.  Injury should be limited by the achievable velocity--no one kills himself running into a wall at five miles per hour--unless there is something else (such as falling over a ledge) which can happen or it is conceivable that the character could shift into the wrong skill (such as a character capable of running at flight speeds who attempts to run at running speeds and long overshoots the mark).

(R) Jog
Bod 3@3
Jogging is a type of slow running normally done for exercise which achieves slightly bonused walking speeds (3-8 mph).  It is used over distances of several miles without penalty, and although normally used for exercise it may be used as a mode of movement by characters with no better available choices at the moment (higher skills curved out or no other running skills for the longer distances).  These are slightly faster than walking, but less tiring than running.

(R) Dash
Bod 3@4
Time rate skills are generally given in the amount accomplished in a specified time period.  A dash is the distance traveled in 15 seconds, if the character plans to run at full velocity for those 15 seconds.  It is usually the fastest rate of speed a character can achieve (although some creatures who cannot run for 15 seconds can scamper at incredible speeds for very short distances).  Player characters should be allowed to state their time in any dash distance they know for the referee to use to calculate this; for example, if a player can dash 50 yards in 10.00 seconds, he should be listed as dash 75 yards; if the same dash requires 12.00 seconds, the listing should be dash 62.5 yards.  (The calculation is distance run times fifteen seconds divided by actual time.)  Normal high school male students can have skill definitions of about 100 yards or meters, or 300 feet, in this skill; any player who does not know his rate may take this as the default rate.  If the referee wishes to discover (e.g., for purposes of non-player character creation) the best speeds in the world, atlases, sports almanacs, and books of records are recommended as sources.

(R) Sprint
Bod 3@5
This is the baseline for distances run in one minute.  These skills are not the fastest speed at any distance, but the average speed which may be maintained for this longer period.  They are otherwise as 3@4 dash.  The default rate for this skill is 330 yards or meters (990¢) in one minute.

(R) Run
Bod 3@6
While 3@4 dashes and 3@5 sprints are the ones most commonly used for flight or pursuit, it will happen that characters or creatures will need to run extended distances, and thus will need movement rates for such running.  This listing covers running for any time up to one hour, with velocities limited to running speeds.  The referee may distinguish skills in this area, such as for those who can run a mile, but who cannot run for an hour.  These are otherwise as 3@5 sprint.  Default rates include 71/2 miles per hour over shorter distances (eight minutes to run a mile).  Few characters will begin with running skills capable of exceeding the first mile.

(R) Marathon
Bod 3@7
If the character or creature is able to maintain a (two-legged) running gait for any time greater than an hour, it should be listed under this intensity.  Players who are able to do so should be able to give some idea of how far they have run in what time from having run such marathons before; no character who has never run such an event should be granted such a skill, except by training or otherwise acquiring it under skill acquisition rules.  If a character manages to enter a marathon in a Multiverser® world, the referee should independently investigate the best and average times in such well-known marathons as Boston.  Remember that four-legged running otherwise like this is a 3@1 skill.

Bias
WHAT BIAS IS

Bias is one of the basic concepts of the game.  Every world, creature, and skill has "bias"--or accurately, is biased.  This chapter should answer additional questions about bias.

There are four bias areas, tech, psi, mag, and bod.  Each skill belongs to exactly one of these four bias areas.  The bias level connects the skill to other skills which are based on similar principles or concepts; the bias intensity distinguishes simpler applications of those concepts and principles from more difficult or complicated applications.  The bias of the skill aids in determining how difficult any skill will be to learn, given what a character already understands.  But it does much more, making it possible to quickly determine what is possible in universes which are less or more favorable to skills in a certain bias area.  This is determined by the bias of the universe.

Each character also is biased.  A character lists his bias in all four bias areas.  It indicates his strengths and weaknesses in terms of what kinds of skills he understands.  A character from our world will have a high bias toward technology, and a low bias toward magic; he will find technology easy to understand, but will have difficulty mastering magic.  This is reflected in the skill learning process and the skill performance check, in which the bias of the character is one of the limiting factors in success.  The bias of a character is the bias level of his highest biased skill in the bias area, except that @0 (zero intensity) skills do not count in defining bias.

Each universe is similarly biased in all four bias areas.  This represents the tendency of the universe to resist or assist efforts to perform skills in each bias area.  The bias of the universe is a limiting factor in both learning and performing skills in the bias area.  The bias of the universe is not lower than the level and intensity of the highest skill which is performed by any creature which is indigenous to that universe, that is, any creature which was a natural member of that universe.  The bias of the universe also defines the bias curve, the primary definition of what skills are and are not possible in a universe.

BIAS CURVES

In every universe, a bias curve is established by the bias of the universe.  This curve is defined by the bias level and intensity of the stated bias, and creates a "line" across an imaginary bias "chart" by which the intensity increases as the level decreases, and the level increases as the intensity decreases.  So for a bias of 7@5 (which defines a curve of 12, as described below), a curve is defined under which skills of 6@6, 5@7, 4@8, 3@9, and 2@10 are all possible for any and all creatures currently within that universe.  No skill at any level above that line will work.  Thus a 3@10 skill would be impossible (the check may be made, but there is no successful roll, no real failure, and no botch:  the player will be informed that he cannot determine how to try this at this time), because the bias curve sets the limit at 3@9 in that bias area in that universe.  Similarly, a 6@7 skill would be impossible.

The bias curve runs the other way as well.  Although no indig may have skills above the level and intensity of the bias definition, characters and creatures from outside the universe may use skills above this number but within the bias curve, including versers, visitors and travelers from other universes by other means, supernatural visitors, and in some cases time travelers from another period in the universe's history.  Above the defining bias, the intensity decreases for each increase in level.  Thus, for our 7@5 bias world, level eight skills are possible up to 8@4, and skills at higher levels up to 9@3, 10@2, or 11@1.

At the top of the bias curve, it levels out such that any skill at any level @1 (or @0) is always within the bias curve.

To determine what skills are within the bias curve, the referee should think of a stated bias as "defining a curve of" a specific number.  That number is equal to the stated bias level plus the stated bias intensity.  In our example, a 7@5 bias "defines a curve of (7+5=)12".  This defining number is used to compare to skills at other bias levels.  If a skill is 3@5, 3+5=8, which is within the curve; a 9@3 skill is also within the curve, because 9+3=12.  However, an 10@3 skill is above the curve, because 10+3=13, greater than 12.  Skills above the curve may not be performed, unless they are @1 or @0 skills.  Thus 14@1 is within the curve even though 14+1>12, because it is an @1 skill.

BLOCKING SKILLS

A skill brought into a universe by a verser or other outsider which is above the bias curve will not work, and cannot be made to work within that universe.  Skills which cannot be performed because they are above the bias curve of the universe are curved out.  Since the curve flattens out at intensity one, @1 and @0 skills can never be curved out.  This is the most common way in which skill use is prevented, but there are other ways in which this is accomplished.  Skills become impossible when the bias of a universe becomes negative.  Negative bias is not included in this version of the game system.  Skills may also be power blocked, also omitted from this version of the game.

In many cases, the effects of low bias are described as creating a mental block.  It is most common that the referee will tell the player only that he cannot think how to do that right now, or that his skill check failed.  (No skill check on a biased out skill can botch, except that a magic device whose operation skill--how it is activated--is possible but whose function skill--what it does--is not will always botch when successfully activated.)  However, for variety, the player could be told that he is not sure whether he is doing it correctly.  This could be expressed either as the statement that the player is certain he did it right and doesn't know why it didn't work, or as the feeling that he must be missing an important step or element of the skill which which will be necessary for him to attempt the skill.

CHANGING BIAS

Biases in a universe are fixed for great expanses of time.  Usually a bias changes slowly over eons; rarely is there anything which a character can do about it.  Although it is not impossible for bias to change, nor for characters to influence such changes; rules for this are omitted from this version.

SETTING BIAS

Published Multiverser® campaigns have the four biases listed as part of the description of the universe.  Rules for establishing the bias of other worlds are included in the complete system; this version is intended for use with the attached worlds only.

ZERO AND NEGATIVE BIASES

It is possible that a particular bias area is neutrally or negatively biased, but this is not covered in these rules.

Worlds
UNIVERSES, SUB-UNIVERSES, AND RELATED UNIVERSES

There are many types of "worlds" in Multiverser.  Universes, sub-universes, and related universes, the border supernatural, Multiverser® worlds, story worlds, and game worlds are all covered in detail in the full rules.  Since the referee will not be creating his own worlds for this reduced version, much of that is omitted.  A few words will be said about the creatures which may inhabit these worlds.

The word "world" is used as a general term to describe any universe, sub-universe, related universe, or collection of sub-universes and/or related universes.  Sub-universes and related universes are mentioned in these rules, but not defined here; for purposes of this demonstration game, all universes are comprised of a single sub-universe and have no related universes.

MULTIVERSER® WORLDS

There are three main types of universes in which characters will adventure.  The simplest and most common of these are Multiverser® worlds.  A Multiverser® world is a universe or collection of sub-universes and/or related universes, with or without connections to a border supernatural realm, created under Multiverser® rules as a background for Multiverser® adventures.

The worlds included in this set are all Multiverser® worlds.  Multiverser® worlds may be hybrid, drawing from story worlds and game worlds any elements, aspects, systems, or rules to limit the character or the scenario.  The principle distinctive features are the tendency for events to be driven by the player (in story worlds, associates and antagonists move the story forward), and the primary use of Multiverser® attributes and skills (in game worlds, the game system takes over in these areas).

INDIGS

Most of the worlds in which the character finds himself will have life, perhaps even human life, in it.

One of the advantages of the Multiverser® system from a creature creation perspective is that the referee will not be rolling handfuls of dice to create the creatures.  In creating a creature, the referee gives it attribute scores appropriate to the nature of the beast.  Strike values, target values, and damage values are calculated from those numbers.  A few skills are detailed to cover movement, combat, and any other features of the creatures which are necessary.  For most creatures, this is enough; whether there will be one or a thousand, the creature is complete.  For special characters and creatures, there may be some variation.  This is especially true of sentients playing a major role in the scenario.

For some creatures, human norms are not appropriate limits for many of the attributes.  It has already been said that 3@10 is the maximum attribute any creature can have while in physical form in any world.  The minimum attribute for player characters is 1@1.  However, some humans and many creatures have attribute scores below this.  It is necessary for the referee to understand the values of these attribute scores.

ZERO-LEVEL ATTRIBUTES

Each of the attributes has its own particular connections and effects.  The chapter on attributes gives an overview of these effects and connections from level one to the maximum; however, they have effects at level zero, some of which are slightly different from those described there, others of which are the same with less effect.  Certain attributes, especially non-physical attributes, do not apply to non-sentient creatures in the same way as to sentient creatures, because the lack of intelligence makes it impossible for the attribute to express itself in the expected ways.  This section will reconsider each attribute in turn and discuss the effects and values of intensities at level zero and in non-sentients.

PERSUASION ceases to have its usual connections in non-sentient creatures.  A non-sentient creature is unable to communicate adequately to convince others.  Persuasion becomes the ability of a creature to intimidate or otherwise influence other creatures--is it unusually fierce or frightening in appearance or manner, such as the catoblepic dragon or the American bison?  The creature need not be carnivorous or even truly dangerous to be intimidating.  As such, the zero level of the attribute reflects the same as the upper levels, whether interpreted in its sentient or its non-sentient sense.

CHARISMA in non-sentients is more a definition of personality than a view of popularity.  Animals may be more or less likable due to character, and yet not have the ability to gain "friends" or influence others in any meaningful way.  Charisma may still be high in such creatures, indicating that they get along well with most other creatures.  At the zero level, creatures become somewhat repellent.  0@10 would be considered bland, unnoticed.  From 0@9 to 0@7, the creature would be considered ornery (mules).  Creatures between 0@6 and 0@4 are nasty (vipers).  From 0@3 to 0@1, the term vicious would be commonly used (wild dogs, venomous gothins).

ANIMAL MAGNETISM is difficult to define in animals.  It is less a matter of physical appearance (which is included), and more a matter of attraction.  Creatures with unusual body structures may still have high an-mag, and humanoids may have very low ones.  Occasionally creatures are found with a zero level attribute here.  Such creatures would be described as repellent or repulsive.

STRENGTH in animals is the same as strength in humans.  It is common for larger animals to have higher strengths.  Most pack animals (such as horses) range from 3@1 to 3@3.  Zero level strength is merely weaker than level one strength.  It is possible for a human to become so debilitated that his strength drops into this level.  The specific effects of strength are discussed in the chapter on Equipment in the section on encumbrance.

STAMINA is not significantly different in any life form.  Zero-level stamina is generally found in smaller or more frail life forms.  Such unusually fragile creatures must make stamina checks frequently when the environmental conditions are slightly out of the norm for their existence.

RESISTANCE below level one generally indicates very fragile life forms whose weaknesses are so broad that they are more easily defined by a lower resistance than by naming vulnerabilities.  A creature with a zero-level resistance should make resistance checks considerably more often, such as when exposed to non-harmful creatures which might be carrying generally innocuous infectious microbes which could be fatal if there is inadequate immune response.  Humans with acquired immune deficiency syndrome or other debilitating diseases such as cancer or leukemia have resistances falling into the zero level.

DENSITY may be low in very small creatures (such as insects and worms which are easily crushed).  Liquid and gaseous creatures also have densities at level zero.  0@1 to 0@3 densities are probably gaseous; 0@4 to 0@8 probably represent liquid existences, from very thin to thick ooze.  Fragile but solid creatures may have densities from 0@6 up.

FLEXIBILITY is frequently low in creatures made of more solid material, as well as creatures with carapaces and shells (although many shelled creatures are very flexible other than the shell).  Creatures with flexibilities from 0@1 to 0@3 move very little; large trees are at the high end of this, with immobile stone life forms at the bottom.  From 0@4, minimal movement increases toward the level of the stiff movements of golems.

AGILITY at level zero is not uncommon among slow multi-legged or slithering creatures (millipedes, slugs, jellyfish) who do not need much balance to stand erect, or who drag their bodies along the ground.  Such creatures are generally slow, and have difficulty righting themselves if tipped or flipped.  Creatures which do not move from one place (trees, coral) have agilities at 0@1, unless they have manipulative abilities which need to be considered.

HAND/EYE in the zero level represents a clumsiness in manipulating objects which is below that of the worst of humans.  Predatory carnivores never have such low hand/eye; they would be unable to hunt adequately to survive.  Some herbivores have hand/eye as low as 0@6 (oxen, sea urchins, clams); only creatures with little or no object manipulation ability have hand/eye below this.

INTELLECT defines that which is sentient from that which is not.  1@1 indicates sentience.  0@10, as close as you can get, indicates an ability to perceive some of what sentience means.  Such creatures can be taught to emulate certain aspects of sentient life, perhaps even to use language concepts to communicate simple ideas.  At 0@9, the creature is trainable to respond to spoken commands.  It does not understand the commands, but recognizes that the general sound of the command represents an expected response which will please the speaker, possibly eliciting a reward or avoiding a punishment.  At 0@8, a creature is trainable to respond to physical contact commands, such as reins or goads, reacting in the anticipated way to avoid the pain of disobedience.  A creature at 0@7 can within its own needs analyze its environment to adapt to small changes rapidly; below this, small changes in environment might kill a creature, as it will take several days for a creature of 0@6 intellect to recognize that there has been a change to which it must adapt.  At 0@5 or lower, a creature will never adapt to a change; unless its present conduct is adequate, the environment changes back in time, or it has offspring with appropriate innate adaptations, it will die out.  However, it is still able to respond to changes consistent with its environment, such as the approach of a predator, a seasonal change of climate, or normal variations in food and water supplies, down to 0@3.  At 0@2, it is barely able to keep itself alive, and at 0@1, the life form has nothing we would recognize as cognitive process, functioning in a purely pre-programmed reactive way as the seasons call for it to act, as for example trees.

INTUITION is actually very high in many animals; it is the realm of certain aspects of instinct in creatures which cannot think about their situations.  Still, it is possible for creatures to have low intuition in the zero level.  Such creatures do not notice much of what goes on around them.  They should be required to make surprise checks for things which they knew a moment ago were there, as they seem unable to predict what is likely to happen next.

EDUCATION LEVEL below 1@1 exists in humans; it does not exist in player characters, since 1@1 is the minimum level to read and write, the first grade education.  0@10 indicates the ability to identify letters and numbers used in the character's culture, and to understand the concepts of writing and counting without the ability to do it.  0@9 represents being able to recognize that certain symbols are letters or numbers, possibly to distinguish some of each as different from the others (that is, "3" is a number, "B" is a letter, but "L" is either a letter or a number).  At 0@8, the character does not understand such symbols, but knows shapes and colors, and knows the language related to the symbols, such as being able to say the alphabet or count to ten.  At 0@7, the character uses language effectively, but does not have the concepts of written language, shapes, or colors.  At 0@6, language use is extremely primitive, with a few naming or action words used individually, and occasional two-word combinations, including caveman grunts and other australopithecine behaviors.  An ed lev of 0@5 indicates a familiarity with the environment which is fairly complete.  At 0@4 the creature knows only that which is necessary to survival, such as where to find food and water, and what things are dangerous to it.  0@3 creatures are deficient in these at some level, and 0@2 creatures more so.  Any life form with an ed level of 0@1 knows nothing.  Most plant life is in this category.  The ed level of creatures who do not naturally use language should be placed according to the level of understanding of reality.  Creatures capable of giving meaning to colors and abstract shapes who cannot name them due to low intellect or a non-verbal communication system are at 0@8, and those capable of using more complex symbolic systems such as picture signs may be as high as 0@10.

WILL POWER is stubbornness in non-sentient life forms.  Zero level will power is rare in sentient life forms, but does occur in for example broken slaves and some androids and artificially intelligent service robots.  Such creatures will not put forward their own ideas (usually not even if encouraged to do so), and are easily convinced to do whatever anyone succeeds in communicating.  They have a strong tendency to follow those who do not drive them off, and to do whatever seems to please the one they are following; they may easily be driven or frightened off.  A creature with a 0@1 will power does nothing but what it does by pure instinct or what it is told to do.

Zero-level averaged attributes may occur in creatures with zero-level attributes underlying them.  These occasionally have special interpretations.

Damage Value at level 0 is decimalized, but it is treated as damage value at level 1 for damage purposes.  Recovery of 0 level damage value is at half the rate as recovery of level 1 damage value, one intensity per twenty-four hours.

Ranged Strike Value and Martial Strike Value at level zero are decimalized and used just as at higher levels.  The level is not used as a multiplier to attacks in the usual way.  Creatures with a zero level strike value divide the number of attacks otherwise calculated by two.

Scriff
THE FABRIC OF THE MULTIVERSE

If at this point, you don't understand the scriff, don't worry:  there is considerably more information about this mysterious substance in the full rules, but it may help to understand a few points here.

The scriff has been described as the "fabric of the multiverse"; it's an image with an uncertain meaning.  It seems to be neither matter nor anti-matter in any traditional sense, nor any form of energy, but to be something else similar to both and yet completely unique.  Somehow along the edges of the universes, holding them together and keeping them apart at the same time, this substance exists.  It somehow defines the shape and the limits of each universe, keeping it contained and controlled, and separate from any other universe.  At the same time, it holds all universes together such that they are connected in permanent relationships.  Somehow the scriff touches every point in every universe as if in the next spatial dimension beyond those within the universe.  Yet it always remains outside the spatial dimensions of those universes.

PROPERTIES OF SCRIFF

Scriff, when it leaks into a universe, appears as a heavy shiny golden-hued cohesive liquid, very like mercury but for the color.  It is often confused for a form or isotope of mercury in the earliest studies.  Once this idea is abandoned, it is usually replaced with the notion that this is a new elemental metal not previously known which like mercury is liquid at normal environmental temperatures.  Eventually other ideas are developed, depending on the biases of the universe.

Scriff reacts to sudden surges of energy in a particularly annoying way:  it vanishes.  Among versers, it is generally known that scriff is the material which carries them between universes, so it is a short step to recognizing that the scriff is actually leaving the universe.

THE SCRIFF EXPERIENCE

The phrases "scriff out" and "verse out" have been used; that means that the molecular structure of the character and all of his appropriate equipment is carried to another universe and reconstructed whole and healthy.  But the experience from the character's perspective is much more--and since the character will experience it, it is important for the referee to explain it to the player so that he will understand it.

The verser character in one sense never dies; upon being stressed to the point of death, he disintegrates completely, passes through the scriff, and reintegrates in another world.  Such disintegration is painful in the extreme.  Mercifully, the pain and shock of death usually renders the first-time verser unconscious, and he never feels it.  Of course, the rub for the verser is even though death is not the end, there is nothing less painful or terrifying about the experience.  Versing is nearly as uncertain as death.  It is even more painful.  The character who dies experiences every bit of the pain of that which killed him, frequently more so than someone who only dies once, as familiarity with the pain has made him able to remain conscious longer during such pain.  It is followed by the pain of having every molecule of the body ripped apart.  The shock to those with less experience is severe.  All first-time versers arrive in the next world unconscious, and awaken stiff and with some residual ache from the experience.  The pain alone is enough to want to avoid.

On this point, it has happened that some versers who get cocky, believing that they cannot die, have entered a new universe, looked around for a few minutes, and selected the surest and quickest method of "moving on to the next world" they could imagine.  (This usually involved lowering a multiblaster to the head and pulling the trigger.)  (This is rather insulting to the referee, who has undoubtedly chosen a universe which he believes has potential for an interesting game.)  Unfortunately, actually killing yourself is much harder than those who have never tried would imagine.  Any effort to do so should require a difficult will power check; failure of this check indicates that the character "lost his nerve", and could not go through with it.  There are other disincentives to such action in the full rules, but this should suffice for this version.

Although in the full game system versers progress from arriving unconscious to higher levels of consciousness, since these characters will only be versing three to five times each, those rules have been omitted.

A concept of the last stable form is important to the full system, but in this version crippling injuries will be ignored.

Scriff within a character has another effect within a universe.  It is because the character and his equipment are both infected with scriff which is somehow related ("attuned to each other" is the way the old versers have put it) that the character is aware of the location of his lost equipment.  This is explained further in the chapter on equipment.  It works similarly with associates, discussed below.  It also has some effect with other versers.

Whenever the character is "near" (at the referee's discretion, it may vary from about 100¢ indoors to within the same sub-universe) another verser, a successful difficult intuition check will make him aware of the presence of the other verser, and a subsequent successful simple check the direction of such verser.  The referee may use this ability (with or without a real check, rolling dice and ignoring the result) as a plot device to make the character aware of the presence of another.  The player may use this ability to identify or locate other versers.  The distance at which the ability works should be roughly correlated to the relationship between the versers.  A verser may always sense the presence and direction of his own associates (and an associate the presence and location of the principal and other associates of the principal), although if there are more than one he cannot tell which is which.  This does not require a check, and is limited only by the boundaries of the current sub-universe.  Other versers on the same cycle (that is, the other player characters in this game) can be sensed within ten miles.  Versers met before can usually be sensed within two or three miles, and versers who have a relationship with others who are associates or on the same cycle are also in this category.  There are additional rules in the full version.

SPECIAL DAMAGE

In some universes there are creatures which injure in ways which are not measured in damage value.  There are special rules for these, but they will be defined as needed in the descriptions of worlds.

ASSOCIATES

A non-player character who becomes connected with a player character will be referred to in these rules as an associate.  The term includes any character or creature who has a connection to another character or creature such that the associate would be willing to go wherever the other (principal) character or creature goes.  If the principal character or creature is a verser, the associate might also become a verser, going with the principal into other universes.

Finding associates in any given world is not all that difficult.  The player will discover that there are characters (indigs, possibly others) in most worlds who will follow him around in that world surely enough.  The concept extends to his horse, his dog, hired servants, friends, assistants.  In some worlds, some characters will acquire a substantial retinue.  The question which arises is whether any given associated character will become a verser when the verser leaves.  The rules which cover the different relationships and circumstances are left to the full version of the game.  For purposes of this version, the referee should determine under his own discretion whether a verser has a relationship with an indig (indigenous individual life form) which would likely result in the indig following the verser into another world.

THE GATHER

The versers will enter the verse within a short time and distance of each other.  This enables the players to join forces and solve many of their problems in a cooperative fashion.  Each will meet his fate and verse out of this universe to another.  It is normal for the second universe to be unique to the individual, that is, each verser will go to his own universe alone, and begin to explore and solve his problems on his own.  They would normally each move from world to world, learning, growing, and facing new problems.  They collect equipment, develop skills, possibly gain associates, and probably begin to form a philosophy of the multiverse and their place within it.  Some may choose to develop psionics, or magic, or body or tech skills.  Some may seek expertise in one weapon, such as a sword, while others diversify.  These decisions will stem in part from the personality of the player, and in part from the unique situations faced.  This limited version of the rules will only deliver the characters to one other universe each.

Then will come the gather.

The gather is very like the first universe entered; in this version, the original universe will be used for the gather.  Each of the versers on the cycle will arrive, and each will arrive in turn independently of the others.  All may enter in the same location, but it is more likely that each will arrive in a new place, possibly far enough apart that the descriptions will not suggest that they are in the same universe.  Each will normally assume he is alone (and the referee should not discourage this assumption) until he encounters evidence that one of his companions has been here.  Eventually they will find each other.

Particular recommendations for running gathers are abbreviated here.  The ability of characters to realize the presence of each other is based on the rules offered under the section on the scriff experience, above.  Of course, player characters will probably know each other from their first visit here.

Eventually, they will start being blown out of the universe into other universes; for purposes of this demo, that will be the end of the game for each of them.

Certain other aspects of the scriff have been eliminated from these rules, both for brevity and because they are generally more relevant in the extended campaigns Multiverser® normally creates.

Equipment
EQUIPMENT IN THE VERSE

In Multiverser®, the concept of equipment is so broad that it is difficult to define.  Anyone or anything which goes with a verser by its own choice is an associate; this would include people who choose to follow, as well as animals such as horses, dogs, cats, and other domestic animals.  "Equipment" is anything which the character does or might take with him without reference to whether it "wants" to go.  This would include weapons, clothing, protection, gear, devices of all types, and possibly also horses, dogs, cats, and other domestic animals which are taken by the decision of the verser without any reference to whether the creature "wishes" to go.  Under these limited rules, no sentient creature may be equipment, although there are carefully defined exceptions under the full rules.

In theory, any object could be equipment.  It could be a technological, magic, or psionic device, even a living body.  Its normal state could be solid, liquid, or gaseous.  It could be any size, shape, or have any other properties.  In fact, there is no theoretical reason why a character could not include among his equipment a helicopter, a battleship, a spaceship, lint, cheese wedges, old junk mail, soda cans, a moon, or even a star:  as long as it is a complete separate object, it can be equipment.

However, there are a number of distinctions and limitations placed on characters which control what equipment they do have and what equipment they can have.  This chapter will explain these limitations.  There is a set of limits on what a character can take, and a different set of limits on what a character can carry, and another set of limits on what a character can lift.  Starting equipment follows slightly different rules from collected equipment.  Equipment may be contested or uncontested.  That which belongs to a character is distinct from that which belongs to an associate.  All of this will be examined.

What a character can take is the equipment which will move with him from world to world.  It is within this category that vehicles, large animals, and other very large pieces of equipment normally fall.  Any equipment which the character expects to take into the next world must in one way or another fall within the limits of what he can take.  The limits on this are defined in the next three sections, including the section called weight limits.

What a character can carry is based on strength, and refers only to the ability to pick something up and travel any significant distance.  What a character can lift is also strength-based, and indicates only that the object can be picked up, possibly moved a short distance.  The weight limits for these concepts are given in the section on encumbrance at the end of this chapter.

EQUIPMENT ON PERSON

Following the accident which launches a character into the verse, he will appear in the next universe unconscious.  The referee should then describe what a character feels, or hears, or whatever sense the character uses.  Permit the player to get a quick look around, enough to begin to consider that he is in a new universe.  Then introduce the player to his equipment.

The character automatically has any equipment which is "on person".  This can, at the referee's discretion, include a vehicle which he is directly and immediately involved in operating.  Thus, if the character is driving a car, it might go with him; if he is a passenger, it will not.  In no case should "on person" equipment include objects which are not mobile and are not being carried by the character which cannot be considered "worn".  A character sitting in a shelter cannot take such a shelter as "on person" equipment, but if he is carrying the shelter, it might be.  Although in this demo characters will begin with the equipment indicated on character sheets, the referee will have to understand the concept of on person equipment when characters verse to other worlds.  This on person equipment is the first part of the character's equipment.

STARTING EQUIPMENT

In addition to on person equipment, the character is permitted to begin with 200 pounds of equipment; the equipment which is on his person is not counted in that weight limit.  At any time that the character verses out there will be a weight limit imposed on what he can take, but whatever equipment is at that moment on his person once again will not count in calculating that weight.

Equipment will be scattered about him on the ground; none of it will be somewhere where it might be lost or damaged (on the first verse out only), such as in water or fire.

WEIGHT LIMITS

The amount of equipment a character can bring into the verse on the first scriff-out is two hundred pounds.  This does not include the weight of the character himself, nor of any on-person equipment.

As the character travels through the verse, the amount of equipment which can travel with the character increases with each verse-out.  The equipment weight limit increases by ten percent each time the character moves to a new world by versing through the scriff.  This increase in weight limit permits the character to pick up new equipment.  Charts which define these values are included in the full rules; since the players will be visiting very few worlds, this limited chart will suffice:

World 1:  200#
World 2:  220#
World 3:  242#
World 4:  266#
World 5:  292#

In determining equipment by weight limit, be aware of the connections of the equipment.  The character cannot include in his equipment items which are permanently or semi-permanently attached to larger items which he cannot take.  If an item is plugged in to a wall socket or another item, that is not a permanent connection; however, if the plug is secured by a screw which must be separately undone, the connection is semi-permanent, and the item cannot be taken unless the object to which it is connected may also be taken.  In determining whether an item is or is not attached to another item, the referee may ask whether the design of the connection is intended to make separation a normal aspect of the use of the item, or whether the connection is designed to prevent disconnecting the equipment in normal use.  This test will normally answer whether the item is semi-permanently attached or not attached.

After entering the first world, a verser who is over his weight limit may select what will not go with him.  Equipment may be disowned at any time by the conscious decision of the owner.

CONTESTED EQUIPMENT

There are rules for determining the ownership of equipment which is claimed as property of more than one character; for purposes of this demo, the referee should allow the character in possession to keep the item or, if no character is in possession, the character with the best claim to ownership.

ASSOCIATE EQUIPMENT

The equipment of verser associates is treated in all ways like that of principal versers.  However, the referee should always be clear what belongs to the verser and what belongs to his associate.  Associates killed before their principle will verse out with all of their own equipment.  (If a verser is killed, all of his associates verse out with him immediately.)  Also, weight limits cannot be combined to take one larger object.  A vehicle which exceeds the weight limit of the principle cannot be taken, even if within the combined weight limits of the principle and any or all of his associates.

ENCUMBRANCE
Finally there is the matter of encumbrance:  how much can a character lift, and how much can he carry?  This is dependent upon his strength.  Again, the level of the character's attribute is as important as the decimalized attribute, and the referee will need to consider it carefully.

A chart is included, defining the various encumbrance limits for each level and intensity of strength from 1@1 to 2@10.  Explanations of the system are edited, and values for strength outside human norms are omitted, for space.

Strength     Unencumbered   Normal  Encumbered   Maximum  Simple  Difficult
1@1          11#                22#       44#    88#    176#
1@2          12#                24#       48#    96#    192#
1@3          13#                26#       52#   104#    208#
1@4          14#                28#       56#   112#    224#
1@5          15#                30#       60#   120#    240#
1@6          16#                32#       64#   128#    256#
1@7          17#                34#       68#   136#    272#
1@8          18#                36#       72#   144#    288#
1@9          19#                38#       76#   152#    304#
1@10         20#                40#       80#   160#    320#
2@1          42#        84#    168#      336#   672#   1344#
2@2          44#        88#    176#      352#   704#   1408#
2@3          46#        92#    184#      368#   736#   1472#
2@4          48#        96#    192#      384#   768#   1536#
2@5          50#       100#    200#      400#   800#   1600#
2@6          52#       104#    208#      416#   832#   1664#
2@7          54#       108#    216#      432#   864#   1728#
2@8          56#       112#    224#      448#   896#   1792#
2@9          58#       116#    232#      464#   928#   1856#
2@10         60#       120#    240#      480#   960#   1920#

Each character has weight limits in a number of encumbrance categories.  The lowest of these categories is the weight which a character can ignore, that weight which will not have any effect on the character if he is carrying up to that much.  Weights up to this limit will not affect the character's movement, or his ability to perform any other skill, or implicate any skill checks for unusual situations.  It is called the "Unencumbered Limit".  This assumes that the weight is not in any way awkward or displaced, but that the character is able to lift it in such a way that he remains balanced and can distribute the weight adequately, such as on his back or within his arms or in his clothing.

Weight limits are additional to the weight of the character or creature.  All creatures can carry their own weight at the gravity of their own universe, plus the additional weight stated for their strength.  As a game fiction, any character attempting to exist in higher gravity will need to make the necessary density check to move; although his equipment will all increase in weight (multiplied by the number of gravs), his own increase in weight is ignored in calculating what he can lift or carry.

Each strength level also has a category of "maximum encumbrance".  Any creature carrying up to his maximum encumbrance is prevented from performing body skills beyond the most basic, is slowed to one fourth his normal velocity in all bod movement skills, and must make regular stamina checks to continue beyond a number of minutes equal to his decimalized stamina.

For any strength, there are two lifting category limits.  Any character can lift up to his maximum encumbrance without a check.  A character may lift up to twice his maximum encumbrance on a "simple check" (2d20, must be less than the character's decimalized strength).  Such a lift permits the character to walk or otherwise move a short distance; think of it as moving a very heavy rock in the yard by lifting it, walking a few steps, and dropping it elsewhere.  Up to twice the maximum for a simple check may be lifted on a "difficult check".  This category is the maximum that the character can lift barring any special skill at lifting, and normally suggests extreme circumstances which release adrenaline into the blood, giving that emergency boost of strength; movement can be not more than a few steps.  Think of it as trying to lift the car that falls on a family member.

At the weight category called "encumbered", movement is reduced to half the rate as "unencumbered", and all more complex bod skills are impeded by a -20 sit-mod.  Also, stamina checks must be made to continue after a number of minutes equal to his decimalized stamina times his stamina level.

At the weight category called "normal load", movement is reduced to 3/4 normal, and complex bod skills suffer a penalty of -10; stamina checks are not required.

Although numbers are given for the categories, no character with a strength below 1@2 can make an unmodified successful difficult check, and no creature with a strength below 0@3 can make an unmodified successful simple check.  If the referee believes circumstances should permit a bonus on success, the character/creature may make the check as if at a higher strength, but for the weight limit indicated.  That is, a bonused difficult check will be successful if it would be successful for an effective strength one or more intensities higher, but the limits remain as for the actual strength of the character.

Afterword

Those are the rules.  It should be possible from these rules alone to run this Multiverser® demo campaign.

This package also includes three prepared characters and four brief worlds.  A few words of introduction might be helpful.

In order to streamline this material, most of that which is needed to create characters and creatures has been stripped.  Instead, the package contains three characters, and each player should choose one of those characters to play.  It is hoped that each player will be able to run a character with which he can relate to some degree.  The referee may approve changes to the characters, add equipment within reason, and make other alterations; but each character has been designed with the worlds in mind.  Robert Phillip Walker is a young soldier, designed and equipped for combat.  The Reverend John Baker Edwards is a Pentecostal minister, and believes in "magic", in the power of God to work miracles through him.  Anna Maria Esposito is a jet pilot for a computer corporation, flying executives to their destinations in small jet aircraft; she also has a bit of a colorful past, which gives her a few surprising skills.  There is more information on each of the character's sheets, and the referee is encouraged to review these and keep copies at hand during play.

The game should begin in The Valley.  This world has the greatest level of openness, in the sense that characters can choose from the greatest variety of directions, staying together or splitting up.  Each character will awaken, surrounded by his (or her) equipment, alone somewhere in this valley.  They will sense the presence of each other shortly after they have arrived.

The other three worlds were intended for the characters to visit individually; however, if one character is well ahead or one well behind the others, there is no reason why characters a second character cannot be introduced into any of these.  Remember, however, that because of the nature of this evaluation version you will need to find ways to move characters out of their worlds eventually to bring the game to its conclusion.  Each brings particular strengths and weaknesses which would make any of the settings more interesting.  If the point or nature of the entrance to the world is significant, it will be given in the world setting.  Robert Phillip Walker should be sent to Quest for the Vorgo, a battle against undead creatures in the most magical of worlds.  The Reverend John Baker Edwards goes to The Race Wars, where he will have to consider what course of action is best for himself and the world.  Anna Maria Esposito lands in The Farmland (B), where things will be a bit difficult and disorienting, but her skills will prove invaluable.

Once the characters have been versed out of their solo worlds, they are expected to return to the Valley; as they gather here, the game comes to an end.  If the referee wishes, he may allow them to play it out until they have again been versed from here, but that will be the end of the game for them.

We hope that you will find everything you need to discover the possibilities of the Multiverser game through this version.

If you need help, contact us.  We can be reached by writing to Valdron Inc., P. O. Box 1036, Newcastle DE, 19720-1036.  More directly, you can e-mail us through the Internet at Valdron@Email.com.  Every effort will be made to respond quickly to your questions and comments, no matter how they are sent.  In fact, we look forward to hearing from you.

One more thing:  you do need our formal permission to use this material, so here it is.  The holder of this material is given specific permission to copy or quote any portion of it for any purpose directly related to the play of Multiverser® play in the included worlds.  Any copies and quotations may be by any means, provided that all such copies bear the Multiverser® name and copyright notice.  No other permission to quote or copy from this material is given to the purchaser for any other purpose, or to any other person for any purpose.

This permission includes entering the information in a controlled private data base, modifying charts and tables, and creating rules-based tables such as general effects tables for specific applications, and botch lists.  All such information remains the property of the authors insofar as game information is included, and cannot be transmitted, transferred, or used outside the game refereed by the holder without specific permission of the authors.

All other rights reserved.

It should be apparent that there are many aspects of the full version of the rules which have been omitted.  After all, this has been reduced to less than one eighth the size of the full version of the rules.  Frequently throughout the rules there have been references to aspects of the game which have been ignored for reasons of space, and an effort was made to eliminate the need for many areas of play.  Much of the material on space and time travel, explanations of integrating different actions in the same minute, systems for playing insanity, devices in the magic, psionic, and body bias areas, measurement conversions, useful tables, foundations of dice probabilities, and so much more.

We hope that you will enjoy this game, and see the potential it has.  You can order Multiverser on line--buy the Referee's Rules for $49.95 (plus shipping & handling), and receive The First Book of Worlds with it free.  Orders can be placed from the Valdron web site at http://members.aol.com/NagaWorld/purchase.html, or from one of our on-line retailers, listed at http://members.aol.com/NagaWorld/pagesrpg.html#retail.

You can also order by mail if you send check or money order for $49.95 plus shipping and handling to:

Valdron Inc
P. O. Box 1036
Newcastle DE 19720-1036

Shipping and handling is $4.50 in the United States, $15.00 to Canada, and $20.00 to all other international locations.

The Valley
Created by M. Joseph Young

A quiet village surrounded by farmlands, a monastic order living on the mountainside, and a mountain river filling a deep blue fresh water lake all make for an idyllic paradise.  But around the edges of utopia there are hidden dangers.
World Area Bias Levels
Tech        3@10
Psi         10@1
Mag        5@1
Bod      13@2
Alliance
In Multiverser, "gather" worlds have special qualities.  They are designed to be character-driven, so that players can choose their adventures; to have places of danger and places of safety, where new skills can be learned and where they can be used.  Although this is a gather world, it is considerably limited compared to most, since it is created for use with the demo version of the game; however, it should make an interesting place to begin, and still have something to which the players will want to return.

The indigs in this world are clearly not human at all.  They are bipedal, walking upright, structurally very similar to humans; but they are slight, standing between four and five feet tall, and are descended from avian stock.  There is little to suggest this.  Apart from being small with somewhat long necks and relatively large heads for their size, their features are quite human; but they are covered with a vestigial feather-like blue and green fuzz over their entire body but for their faces, which are flesh-like in a range of colors.  The children are born alive (i.e., they don't lay eggs), but are fed chewed food by their parents until they are able to eat solid food (i.e., mothers don't nurse their babies).  They wear very simple clothes, but have no visible genitalia and no nipples; the character will have some difficulty telling males from females at first, unless he realizes that the coloring of the males is brighter and more decorative.

The bod bias is earth normal, so the character will have standard abilities in that area.  The psi and mag biases are high enough to allow a few skills.  Even the tech bias curve is high enough to support most of the characters' skills and equipment, although the bias level is low, so such use will not be easy.  (Remember that characters include twice the lesser of their bias level or the world's bias level in their chance of success.  In this case, tech skills are at +6.)

For convenience, the indigs speak English.  This will be the case with all the worlds in the demo version, so that characters do not have to learn new language skills.

The Village

It's the simple life here in the valley.  About five hundred people live in simple stone huts with grass roofs; they are all related to each other, and know each other well enough to tell you how they are related in great detail.  They live like family, working together to farm the land and fish the lake, sharing what they have, taking care of each other.  Of course, they work hard and have high mortality rates.  Despite having many children, the population changes very little.  Almost every week a child is born; almost every week someone dies.  The young have the highest mortality rate; as they reach young adulthood this drops significantly, rising as old age encroaches.  A typical pair of indigs will have eight young; six of them will die of diseases in the first fifteen years of life (three to five in the first two years), and the remaining two will find mates to raise their own families.  After ten years of fertility, the couple will cease having young and will continue to care for those they have (as well as others in the extended family).  By forty years old, all of their offspring will have chosen mates, and they will help as grandparents; they begin to weaken with increasing illnesses, and few live past fifty, none past seventy.  Still, they continue to work as they are able until death.

The player characters have it within their ability to save some of these lives, and should have the usual chance of success.  However, if one of the characters does save a life, it will result in parents bringing their sick children to be healed (rather indiscriminately--they are unlikely to think that only one of the strangers has the power to heal).  Granted that most of the sick children would recover anyway, saving a dozen would have little impact on the world.  However, at some point there will be an impact on the population overall.

As mentioned, most of the work is dedicated to farming and fishing.  The fields are dedicated to fruits and vegetables which can be eaten with a minimum of preparation--grinding grain is unknown, and cooking is limited to heating on a fire.  Plows are made of lashed sticks, pulled by hand.  The seasons are noticeable, but seasonal change is minimal, and planting is staggered so that there is always something to eat.  Fishing is done with rope nets from boats.

The versers will be welcomed into this community.  Although they are strange, and the children will be afraid of them, the indigs are intelligent enough to recognize intelligent beings, and willing to share what they have.  However, they will expect that the newcomers will contribute to society, in essence to become part of the family and do some of the work.

Overall, the village is a safe area.  As long as the versers remain here, little will happen.  However, it can be a starting point for other adventures.  The villagers know of most of the other places in this description (detail dependent upon distance and danger).  However, they won't leave the safety of their valley village, except to visit the monastery.

The northern slope of the valley is home to a monastery; the villagers bring food to the monks, and regard them part of the community.  To the west, a waterfall pours in over a high pass.  The southern slopes are littered with loose debris, and subject to landslides.  To the east there is a high pass which leads out of the valley.

The Monastery

This is very like a small village in itself; but in the players' experience it will seem most like an eastern monastic order.  It sits on the mountainside on the north side of the valley so that the sun will shine on it most of the day.

There are about thirty individuals living here, of a wide range of ages and both genders (although to the player characters, both the age and the gender of the indigs is difficult to determine).  They maintain a well-ordered life and study intense mental disciplines.  If any or all of the player characters wish to participate in the monastic life, they will be accepted and trained in these psionic skills; there will be some formal interview and evaluation, but since each of the three included characters has a second level BRA in psi, they will be accepted as students if it appears that they are willing to stick to the course.  However, they should expect this to involve them in months (game world time) during which they will not adventure, but will remain within the monastery and devote themselves to learning and using these abilities.  This will be less of a problem if all three characters do this, or if all player characters remaining in the world either pursue this or remain in the village; but if at least one character is adventuring during the period of study, the referee should allow that character one day of adventuring for each day the students are involved in studying.

The teaching process involves telepathic contact, a type of Project Thought, P1@2.  The character will thus have the benefits of an example and an instructor.  However, for convenience the training program is "formalized", that is, a character who enrolls in the program will receive its benefits in its time frame, and need not roll dice for the standard skills.  The course is kept simple; every thirty days the character will improve and/or gain skills.  All new skills are gained at SAL 1@1.

On day 1, the character will be taught Telepathy to Humans P1@3.  This skill enables the character to contact the mind of any creature whose mind is essentially human; this includes the indigs in this world.  It does not allow mental contact with anyone whom the referee deems "humanoid" (having distinctly different thought patterns and brain structures, but still similar), "alien" (having entirely different thought patterns and brain structures), or "animal" (below intellect 1@1 as a species).  The skill will create two-way thought communication between the user and another character.  The other character must be within sight (or in the case of invisible characters, at a place where he would be seen were he visible) unless that character has been contacted before, in which case he can be contacted again as long as he is in the same world.  Once established, the contact remains until one of the parties breaks it off or something happens which disrupts it.  Such disruption may occur if the character is injured or damaged, or if concentration is interrupted; in such cases the disruption does not occur if the character is able to make an immediate successful skill check to maintain it.  A character who turns his attention to something else without stating that he is maintaining the telepathy may be assumed to have dropped it.  Once the student learns telepathy, he becomes part of the community activities.

On day 31, the SAL on the telepathy goes to 1@2.

On day 61, the telepathy SAL goes to 1@3, and the character is taught 1@1 Clairvoyance P3@6.  Clairvoyance enables the character to see in his mind any place in the world which he can define positionally in relation to some other place.  Once the skill is established, it can be moved spatially at any speed, but requires another skill check to jump to another place.  It remains in effect until dropped or disrupted, as telepathy.

Day 91, 1@4 Telepathy to Humans P1@3, 1@2 Clairvoyance P3@6.

Day 121, 1@5 Telepathy to Humans P1@3, 1@3 Clairvoyance P3@6, 1@1 Single Telekinetic Pulse P4@1.  The TK Pulse is a quick nudge or tap usually used on a moving object to change its course, or to unbalance or dislodge an unstable object, although it is frequently learned by mentally batting around pebbles or other small objects.  Each single-touch use requires a separate success roll; relative success is used to determine the degree of the effect.

Day 151, 1@6 Telepathy to Humans P1@3, 1@4 Clairvoyance P3@6, 1@2 Single Telekinetic Pulse P4@1, 1@1 Heavy Object Telekinesis P4@3.  The Heavy Object TK is unlimited in size, and lasts as telepathy until interrupted.  The object may be moved at up to running speeds; if velocity matters, velocity=RS/10 mph, that is, the skill check divided by ten (rounded up to the nearest whole number) is the speed.  If the object is dropped or placed on another surface, the telekinesis is deemed terminated.

Day 181, 1@7 Telepathy to Humans P1@3, 1@5 Clairvoyance P3@6, 1@3 Single Telekinetic Pulse P4@1, 1@2 Heavy Object Telekinesis P4@3.

Day 211, 1@8 Telepathy to Humans P1@3, 1@6 Clairvoyance P3@6, 1@4 Single Telekinetic Pulse P4@1, 1@3 Heavy Object Telekinesis P4@3.

Day 241, 1@9 Telepathy to Humans P1@3, 1@7 Clairvoyance P3@6, 1@5 Single Telekinetic Pulse P4@1, 1@4 Heavy Object Telekinesis P4@3.

Day 271, 1@10 Telepathy to Humans P1@3, 1@8 Clairvoyance P3@6, 1@6 Single Telekinetic Pulse P4@1, 1@5 Heavy Object Telekinesis P4@3, 1@1 Control Thermal Energy Source P7@2.  Control Thermal Energy Source is used to dampen fires by reducing the rate at which the fire burns and so causing them to burn out.  The same skill could increase fire output (using fuel faster); this would be a different use.  Relative success measures the degree of change as a percentage of its present energy level, and it generally takes its full effect over the course of a minute, after which another use of the skill may be made to affect it further.  That is, a successful roll of 25 indicates a 25% reduction (or increase) in heat.

Day 301, 1@10 Telepathy to Humans P1@3 +1 Mark, 1@9 Clairvoyance P3@6, 1@7 Single Telekinetic Pulse P4@1, 1@6 Heavy Object Telekinesis P4@3, 1@2 Control Thermal Energy Source P7@2.

Day 331, 1@10 Telepathy to Humans P1@3 +2 Marks, 1@10 Clairvoyance P3@6, 1@8 Single Telekinetic Pulse P4@1, 1@7 Heavy Object Telekinesis P4@3, 1@3 Control Thermal Energy Source P7@2, 1@1 Fixed Force Shield P10@1.  This psionic Force Shield variant is designed to deflect kinetic attacks at an angle and reduce velocity.  The effect is to reduce the impact by one damage category and shift the trajectory of flying objects by a few degrees.  Used as a personal defense shield, it results in -10SM for cover value and -DC damage.

Day 361, 1@10 Telepathy to Humans P1@3 +3 Marks, 1@10 Clairvoyance P3@6 +1 Mark, 1@9 Single Telekinetic Pulse P4@1, 1@8 Heavy Object Telekinesis P4@3, 1@4 Control Thermal Energy Source P7@2, 1@2 Fixed Force Shield P10@1.

Day 391, 2@1 Telepathy to Humans P1@3, 1@10 Clairvoyance P3@6 +2 Marks, 1@10 Single Telekinetic Pulse P4@1, 1@9 Heavy Object Telekinesis P4@3, 1@5 Control Thermal Energy Source P7@2, 1@3 Fixed Force Shield P10@1, 1@1 Project Psionic Skill Mental Pattern P1@2.  This last skill is the one used to teach psionic skills to others; it is a variant of project thought which in essence transmits the mental pattern followed for the use of a skill.

At this point the training has no official direction.  The character will continue to advance by one skill mark every thirty days in each of these skills as long as he continues to work with the monastery.  Remember that from 1@10 to 2@10 requires 4 marks (120 days) per intensity, and from 2@10 to 3@10 requires 27 marks (810 days) per intensity.  It also assumes that the character is spending the equivalent of half an hour per day for each skill--three and a half hours of practice each day for the seven skills on the list.  Although it is typical for such practice to be on alternate days, it is logical for the character to practice three skills for an hour each one day, and four the next.

But the monks here will all be learning and practicing new skills.  Under the full rules, the player character would be encouraged to explore new possible skills; but in the evaluation version player characters cannot create skills.  Therefore a list of several psionic skills is provided here, on the theory that some of the more experienced monks will have developed these skills, and the character can learn from them.  In each case, there should be some role playing, as the player character interacts with the other monk.  The referee should decide whether the player character has convinced the other to provide instruction, example, both, or neither, and calculate the chance of skill learning accordingly.  The modifiers for the SAL of the example and BRA of the instructor should be estimated, being mindful that 1) only characters with 2@ BRA's are accepted for training, and 2) it takes almost 400 days of practice for a skill ability level to reach 2@1.  In any event, monks will not teach these extra skills to anyone who has not finished the program, although players could try to learn from observation.

Clairaudience P3@5; works in all ways like Clairvoyance, but that it enables the character to remotely hear.  If the player presses for more skills than those here, the referee may similarly include Clairolfaction P3@7 (remote smelling), Clairgustation P3@7 (remote tasting), and Clairtacticity P3@8 (remote feeling).  With Clairtacticity, it is quite normal to differentiate specific aspects of the tactile sense, such as shape, texture, temperature, and hardness, and that pain might or might not be a component (if it would be on physical contact).  Clairtactile senses which are limited are bonused; those limited to one aspect of touch (e.g., temperature only) are at +20.

Delicate Telekinesis P4@5; this enables precise control of small objects, for such applications as sewing, circuit work, and gem cutting.  It is otherwise limited as Telekinesis, in that the object must be viewed either directly or remotely.  The referee might also include High Velocity Telekinesis P4@4 (velocities above that which could be easily maintained by carrying), Telekinesis of Multiple Objects P4@7 (enabling disconnected objects to be moved simultaneously in complex interactive ways; the referee should penalize for complex motion), Liquid Telekinesis P4@7 (permits quantities of water or other liquids to be moved telekinetically), and Gaseous Telekinesis P4@7 (which would be used on smoke, moving it and playing with it).

Several curatives would probably be in use.  Heal Damage to Self P6@1 and Heal Damage to Other P6@3 focus on replacing lost intensities of damage at the dangerous level RS/10 (that is, the success roll divided by ten rounded up is the number of points recovered).  Botches in these skills almost always increase injuries by a similar amount.  The monks might also be learning Heal Self of Disease P6@2 and Cure Disease in Other P6@4, which should be sit-modded up to -30 for diseases worse than the common cold.  Curatives of others generally require physical contact, but may work without contact at a penalty (in sight -10, clairsentience -20, telepathic contact only -30).

In the full version, the referee and the player would be encouraged to add more skills to this scenario; however, for this demo, this is all they know.

The Lake

The village itself is on the shore of a mountain lake.  Water pours in from a high pass to the west, creating a beautiful waterfall in the morning sun; but the lake is fed by quite a few streams which carry runoff from the surrounding mountains through the fields.

Along the southern edge of the lake the water pours out into a small river which cuts a channel in the base of the southern foothills.  The water then passes under the mountains, cutting a cave system which can be entered at this point.

There is an assortment of unfamiliar but edible fish living in the lake; fishermen using small boats and nets catch a few hundred a day, which become the main protein for the village and the monastery.

The Meteor Storms

At random intervals ranging from a few days to several weeks the area experiences a meteor storm.  Beyond the valley, the planet is largely cratered from such bombardment, and there is a serious likelihood of injury or death to anyone caught unprotected in it.

It was not always so.  The planet was once a thriving pre-medieval world.  However, the next planet in the system collided with a comet, and being geologically unstable it was entirely destroyed.  Some of the debris from this accident smashed one of the moons, creating irregular rings around the planet.  As these shift, some of the debris enters the atmosphere, and much of it reaches the ground.

The valley is protected from these bombardments by the monks.  Several of them are always clairvoyantly searching the skies for warning.  Others are dedicated to maintaining a telepathic web, so that all the monks can be informed as soon as any one perceives the danger.  They quickly gather in their meeting room, and while sitting together in silence build interlocking force shields over the valley, and shift the largest of the meteors telekinetically.  The largest pieces of the debris are deflected beyond the mountains, and the remainder pours onto the southern slopes.

The Plains

Beyond the mountain pass to the east is a wide plain.  From the pass a city can be seen in the distance, about fifty miles away.

Of course, this land is not protected by the efforts of the monks.  Thus it is pockmarked with craters and has areas of burned ground and very little surviving vegetation.  Whenever there is a meteor storm, characters or creatures on the plain are subjected to the bombardment described above.

But there are other dangers on the plain.  Burrowing avians and lizards have survived the general devastation of the planet, and as larger land animals have disappeared these have increased in size and expanded their diet.  Amidst the broken ground are numerous burrow entrances; some of these are rather large, exceeding three feet in diameter.  Many unusual animals may be seen near them, but most will disappear underground if approached.

Among them there is one deadly enough and brave enough to kill a man.  It was always a burrowing carnivore, a flightless bird, but has grown larger in the absence of any need to escape surface carnivores.  It is further described below.

The Old City

In the midst of the plain is the remains of an ancient city.  Because the walls were made of stone but most of the roofs were wood or grass, many uncovered stone structures have survived the bombardment; there is also some material suitable for building fires.

A few of the larger buildings still provide some shelter; built with stone floors on upper levels, they have survived the bombardment of smaller debris, and there is a good chance that characters could take shelter here.  Only one of the larger meteorites would destroy these buildings.

In the center of the city stands a cathedral-like building which has withstood the ravages of time—its sloped stone roof has deflected most of the boulders which hit it (although there are a few holes), and it has been spared serious structural damage from larger debris.  However, it has become a shelter for many animals, including quite a few of the burrowing carnivores, one of which has grown to great size.

The Caves

The mountain lake drains into a small river which flows southward and cuts a cave under the mountains.  There is a path alongside the river which may be traversed single file; within thirty feet, there is insufficient light for human eyes, and another light source will have to be provided.  Also at that point, the sound of a waterfall may be heard ahead.  Fifty feet from the entrance, the water falls fifty feet, and the path ends at a sheer drop.  This drop is easily negotiated with climbing gear.

The river runs underground about ten miles, and then exits from beneath the mountains to the south.  In that distance, it winds, widens, narrows, and shifts.  Rather than attempt to provide a map of this distance, a Multiverser® trick will be used:  the map will be created as needed.  For each 100 yards, roll d6; since the light sources available to the player characters will not illumine that far, it is not necessary to know the path too far in advance:
1 River heads west southwest and widens into a larger cave; a cave area d6 is rolled.
2 River heads southwest.
3 River heads south southwest; a river area d6 is rolled.
4 River heads south southeast; a river area d6 is rolled.
5 River heads southeast.
6 River heads east southeast and widens into a larger cave; a cave area d6 is rolled.

The referee can roll the die (or dice) for each section, and note it on a sheet of paper.  This will enable him to backtrack through the same path if the players turn back.  176 sections of 100 yards equals ten miles of river, but that level of accuracy is not necessary.  If it's not working well for the game, the referee could shorten the distance by as much as half, emptying the river into an unknown valley which passes between two mountains and out onto the plain.

If a "river area" is indicated, another d6 is rolled to determine the nature of the river here.  A 1 indicates some type of rapid or waterfall; all other rolls indicate normal river flow.

If a "cave area" is indicated, another d6 is rolled to determine the nature of the cave:
1 River widens to a lake; there is a giant amphibian carnivore in the lake.
2 River widens to a lake; an avian carnivore inhabits this lake.
3 River widens to a lake; a small horned lizard prowls the shores.
4 River widens to a lake; a large water snake inhabits the lake.
5 The cave is flooded, and characters must wade through the water.  GE rolls should determine conditions (which might include abrupt drops in the floor and carnivores in the water).
6 The river remains narrow, within a channel in a large empty cave.

As always, die rolls are ideas which should be modified for variety as the referee sees fit.

Once the river breaks ground, it continues southward, slowly curving toward the east, passing around the eastern side of the old city.  It is about 100 miles distance by river, but only about 70 miles by direct route.

Mountain Pass

To the east, there is a pass through the mountains.  It's a ten mile difficult walk, and once the characters have started up the slope they are beyond the protection of the monks' shielding.  If there is a meteor storm, they will have to find cover.

Such cover exists mostly in the form of small caves.  Some of these have been carved by rain and wind, or were originally cracks in the mountain weathered smoother; others are side impact craters.  None are very deep (although an ambitious referee could create a large complex if desired).  They are also generally populated by small lizards and burrowing animals unless they have been occupied by a larger carnivore (most likely the avian).  Thus, running from the meteors will often mean entering combat.

From the top of the pass, the eastern plain is visible.  In the distance can be seen the old city.  It is still five miles down the mountain (and down is not easier than up) to reach the plain.

Creatures Featured

Reference has been made to a variety of creatures; they are described here.  Sensory skills are abbreviated and compressed; the referee should use his judgment regarding such aspects as which creatures can see color or distinguish pitch.  The Awareness skill is operating whenever the creature is awake and not involved in combat or eating.

The Avian Carnivore is a burrowing flightless bird.  On land it runs at up to 40 miles per hour, but it is also capable of shifting its leg joints such that it can move at 15 miles per hour in tunnels as small as three feet in diameter.  It strikes with its beak and its powerful clawed legs.  It prefers the beak, but will use the legs if it must fight two opponents at once.  It generally runs down it's prey, but commonly hides in burrows and ambushes from there.  The Special Avian is a larger version of the normal one.

The Carnivorous Amphibian is very like a giant frog.  It is three feet high and about four feet across, with a large mouth and many teeth.  Like a frog, it swims well, and has a long tongue with which it lashes out to grab prey.  The tongue is not sticky, but rather strong and flexible; the creature attempts to grab a limb, and drag its prey back to its mouth.  It can strike 15¢ (5 yards), and will often strike from the water (using Ambush skill).  Comparative relative success strength checks are used; each failure by the character moves him one yard closer to the creature, while each failure by the creature moves the character a yard further out.  The character escapes if he can move six yards away, or if the creature rolls a 40; if the character rolls a 40, he slips and is dragged into the creatures mouth.  If the amphibian is injured, it must make a simple will power check to continue to hold its prey; failure indicates that it has given up the meal.

The Small Aggressive Horned Lizard, although carnivorous, would not prey on anything so large as a human.  However, the creature is skittish and attacks if it feels threatened or cornered.  It charges on its opponent, stabbing with its bony horn; but it will flee if it sees a clear path of escape, and will not pursue fleeing opponents.  Since it uses its stealth ability to hide and escape more often than to attack, it may be unnoticed.  The indicated bite attack is a last resort weapon; if the creature is caught, it will bite in an effort to escape.

The Water Snake is a constrictor; it attempts to catch and crush its prey, and then swallow it whole.  Of course, a verser who is crushed to death will vanish in a pile of dust, so the snake will be robbed of its dinner.  It can neither taste nor hear.  It attacks by stealth, silently approaching its victim, and is as agile on land as in water.  Its strikes with its mouth initially to grab prey, and then proceeds to wrap around it to inflict its suffocation attack for the next minute; on a failed difficult stamina check, the prey is rendered unconscious.  The (modified to dangerous) damage done by the grab is incidental; the snake will not repeatedly bite, except if it is pulled off (relative success strength checks.

Other creatures are fast or otherwise protected (shells) to make it difficult for carnivores; however, the player characters should have no trouble catching and killing these for food should they choose to do so.  Note that there are no mammals in this world, and no surviving creatures which do not burrow; but there are a great variety of reptiles and avians (and a few amphibians) filling the niches normally filled by mammals.

               Avian     Special     Amphibian     Horned     Water
                          Avian                    Lizard     Snake
Persuasion      2@3        2@6          2@1         1@6        1@10
Charisma        0@2        0@2          1@1         0@9        1@1
An Mag          0@8        0@8          1@2         1@5        1@1
Strength        2@6        2@9          2@6         1@7        2@4
Stamina         2@8        3@2          2@8         2@1        2@2
Resistance      2@2        2@5          2@2         2@2        2@2
Density         1@4        1@5          1@1         1@2        1@1
Flexibility     1@10       1@10         1@4         1@6        3@1
Agility         2@4        2@4          1@2         2@6        2@1
Hand/Eye        2@7        2@7          2@8         2@5        1@10
Intellect       0@7        0@7          0@7         0@9        0@7
Intuition       2@7        2@7          2@5         2@8        2@5
Ed Lev          0@5        0@5          0@3         0@4        0@4
Will Power      3@1        3@4          1@8         2@1        2@10
RSV             2@7        2@7          2@7         2@7        2@3
MSV             2@7        2@8          2@7         2@3        2@3
TV              2@2        2@2          1@6         2@2        1@9
DV              2@4        2@7          2@1         1@9        2@1
BRA Tech        2@7        2@7          2@5         2@8        2@5
Psi             3@1        3@4          2@5         2@8        2@10
Mag             2@7        2@7          2@5         2@8        2@5
Bod             3@1        3@4          2@6         2@6        2@10
Bias Tech       0@3        0@3          0@3         0@0        0@0
Psi             0@0        0@0          0@0         0@0        0@0
Mag             0@0        0@0          0@0         0@0        0@0
Bod             7@7        7@7          7@7         7@7        7@7

Ambush T0@3     1@5        1@5          2@7
Touch           2@5        2@5          2@5         2@5        2@5
Taste           1@5        1@5          2@3         1@5
Smell           1@10       1@10         2@5         2@5        3@1
Pain            1@5        1@5          1@5         1@5        1@5
Awareness       2@3        2@5                      1@8
Sight           2@9        2@9          1@8         1@8        1@3
Hearing         2@3        2@3          1@3         1@5
Stealth B0@6                                        2@3        2@7
Slither                                                        2@5
Swim                                    3@1         1@5        2@10
Climb                                               1@5
Walk (Erect)    2@1        2@1
Sprint
(one minute
run)            2@3        2@1                      1@8
Distance       3520'     3080'                     1760'
              (40mph)   (35mph)                   (20mph)
Body Bending                                                   2@8
Incapacitation:
Suffocation attack                                             2@3
Damage                                                       Lethal
                                                         + Stamina Check
                                                            or pass out
RF                                                             1/4
Calc                                                           90x1
                                                               +2DC
Grab Attack                             2@8                    2@1
Damage                                  None                Annoying
RF                                      1/4                    1/4
Calc                                    95x1                   88x1
                                                               +2DC
Horn                                                2@1
Damage                                            Annoying
RF                                                  1/4
Calc                                                84x1
                                                    +2DC
Bite            2@8        3@2          2@1         1@5
Damage        Dangerous Dangerous      Lethal     Annoying
RF               1          1           1/2         1/2
Calc           100x4      108x6         88x2        78x1
               +2DC       +2DC+2        +2DC        +DC
Kick            1@8        1@6
Damage         Annoy     Damaging
RF               1          1
Calc           90x2       92x2
               +DC        +DC

The "Calc" field shown with attacks is a convenience for the referee; it presents the results of the several calculations which can be performed based solely on the information given.  The first number is the sum of the creature's or character's appropriate strike value, best relevant attribute, skill ability level, and bias (for creatures in their native world where they are not limited by the world area bias)--the chance to hit (at short range for ranged attacks) before the opponent's defensive values (e.g., target value, cover, defensive skills) are subtracted.  Following this is a multiplier for the number of attempts (attacks) that can be made in one minute.  (Rules for the maximum number of attacks which can be made when different attack forms are used have been omitted from this version; the referee should use his discretion as to what combinations are possible and how they will interact.)  Below this is a damage adjustment.  +DC indicates that the damage category is increased by one; +2DC or any other number indicates the number of damage category bonuses received.  A following number (or an independent number) such as +2 indicates the number of "damage points", points added to the die after determining whether the attack was successful to increase the damage.

Quest for the Vorgo
Created by M. Joseph Young

We were looking for a simple world which could be easily run from our limited demo rules, but which would be different from the other worlds, to show a bit of the variety of what is possible with Multiverser.  We took our inspiration from a popular movie, but although Multiverser has the ability to translate movies and books into game settings, we avoided doing that and instead just took the basic idea:  a modern man is dropped into a world in which the indigs are using magic to fight undead monsters.

World Area Bias Levels
Tech            5@8
Psi               0@1
Mag           14@7
Bod           12@9
Neutral

This world is created for Robert Phillip Walker, the agnostic soldier.  Although it is acceptable under the game rules for the character to change his religion, this description will at times consider the situation as it relates to an agnostic character.

This is in many ways a story world; there is a plot line into which the referee will attempt to hook the player character.  Suggestions for how this is to be done are included in the description; however, if the player chooses to go against the story, the referee should be ready to move with him.

The world is a place of magic and psionic power; the technology of the indigs is limited, but the tech bias is actually high enough to support the player character's weapons.  Evil supernatural powers are trying to conquer the world and destroy the living, but mortals are fighting back.  The enemy is growing in numbers, and the future of the world looks bleak.  Into the midst of this, the player character--a man of considerable combat skill coupled with advanced weapons from another world--arrives.

A note on the enemy.  The character will be attacked by animated corpses in various states of decomposition which would seem like ghouls, zombies, skeletons, and possibly mummies.  But the referee should not say that this is what they are.  Rather they should be described as corpse like, putrid, decaying, skeletal, giving the player what his character perceives rather than the conclusions he should draw.  Remember, to the character, the notion that dead people could come back to life is at best unlikely and probably impossible.  Bob Walker will first think of these in terms of living creatures whose appearance is strange and disgusting, and will generally discount any explanation which relies on magic, unless he has moved away from agnosticism at least into curiosity.

The Arrival

The character comes into the plot line immediately; he verses into the right place at the right time.

The mortals in this world are defending themselves by the use of magic, but they have come to believe that they need help.  A powerful ritual is being conducted in a secluded holy place to call upon their gods to send them a hero.  While they are conducting this, the player character will verse in on the dais.  Of course, the indigs will immediately assume that the unconscious visitor is the summoned hero, and will eagerly welcome him when he awakens.  At first they will assume that he knows why he is here, and will provide him with food and accommodations and such comforts as are reasonable.  Then they will ask if he has a plan, and when he seems unaware of his mission, they will proceed to instruct him; they will even argue with him if he says they are mistaken--after all, they called for a hero, and he mysteriously and miraculously appeared in their midst, complete with strange and wondrous artifacts.

The holy place is a chapel within a mott and bailey castle.  This medieval fortress design (still extant in the design of the Tower of London) is one of the most defensible structures of the pre-gunpowder age.  The heart of the fortress is a tower on top of a hill.  Hills were often built (artificially) specifically for this purpose.  Often several such towers would be built on the hill, along with other buildings, of which our chapel is one.  The entire hill is a grassy area (the bailey) surrounded by a defensible stone wall.  Although they were often surrounded by moats, this one is not.

The priests and magi, some professional soldiers, and a few other important people live within the walls.  Peasants live in a village beyond the walls, but in times of trouble retreat within the castle and help defend it.

The Mission

Assuming the player character accepts his role as hero, he will be asked to undertake a quest, a mission into the territory of the enemy, to retrieve an important object, the Vorgo.  That will be explained in a moment.

The player is of course free to take another path; but the enemy regards him the summoned hero also.  If he stays with the humans, they will become more pushy, then disappointed, then irritated and disgusted with their cowardly hero.  However, if he leaves the inhabited area, he will become a target of the undead enemy, and will find increasing numbers of such creatures attacking him.

The Vorgo will be described by the indigs as a very powerful device unlike anything else they have known.  It will be described as round, heavy, and its size will be indicated as about a foot across, and unusual and beautiful.  But in the end they will say that although they cannot describe it better, they can tell him exactly where it is.

The Vorgo is a conduit for supernatural power; it enables those who possess it to amplify their magic significantly.  (They won't explain this to him unless he presses the matter, but will instead tell him that he is wasting time and should prepare to recover it.)  Currently the enemy is using it to generate undead at an accelerated rate, and the magi hope that by capturing the Vorgo they will slow or even stop this, and might be able to use it to undo that which was done.

However, when the character finds the Vorgo, he will be disappointed.  It is a bowling-ball sized piece of highly polished granite heavily laced with mica, beautiful to look at but not something the character would associate with any practical use.

Directions to recover the Vorgo will be concise.  The character will be directed to follow the road from the castle leading west.  He will have to travel half a day (it is twelve miles distance), and will pass two crossroads.  There will be a stone and iron fence around the enemy's "staging ground" (a cemetery, but they won't describe it that way) on the south (left) side of the road.  The gate will be unlocked, and it is unlikely that anyone will bother someone entering that way.  The building he wants (a mausoleum, but again it will not be described that way) is the largest visible from the gate, about two hundred yards straight in from the gate.  He will probably have to force the door.  Once inside, he will find the Vorgo sitting on a pedestal in the main room.  The character will recognize the cemetery and mausoleum once he is there.

The directions will also tell him that the enemy will try to prevent him from leaving once he takes the Vorgo, but that they probably won't leave their staging ground during daylight as they generally fight at night.  He won't see any enemies when he enters--only graves and crypts.  But once he starts to leave with the heavy sphere, the dead will begin to awaken, and converge on his position.  However, they won't leave the cemetery grounds in the daylight, so if he can reach the gate he will have the rest of the day to get away.

The magi have no particular idea of how this is to be done, and will accept whatever the character suggests.  If he says he will go alone, they will not argue with him; but if he asks to be accompanied by others, they will readily agree.  Up to two of the magi will go, along with up to ten trained soldiers; not more than a dozen peasants will go, and only if he appeals to them directly for their help.  The peasants will not enter the cemetery in any event.

The Battle

If the character succeeds in bringing the Vorgo back to the magi, the undead will mount a full assault to recover it.  Their advance guard will lead the cemetery at sunset, and the main army will follow three hours later.

The Enemy

There are many ways to create undead monsters in Multiverser; in this world, they are magical creatures, animated by the Vorgo.  For these lists, they have been given names based on their appearance.  The referee should refrain from using such names, but permit the player to recognize the differences and give them such names as he wishes.

In each case, the creature is a corpse, the remains of a human.  As the level of decay increases, the monster is recognizably different both in appearance and in abilities.

Zombie:  The bodies of the recently dead have suffered little decay, and look fairly human.  However, they also look rather mindless, and are quickly recognized by the smell of death about them.  These are particularly vulnerable.  They take normal damage from all attack forms, and are easily hit due to low attribute scores.  There are not a lot of these, but they will form much of the advance force, as they move most quickly.

Ghoul:  These bodies form the majority of the enemy.  There is a range of decay represented here, but generally these have visibly rotting flesh, often visibly hanging from the bones.  Because the flesh is unimportant but acts as padding for the bone structures, these creatures have a resistance to blunt weapons.  They are the strongest of the undead, and will form the melee troops.

Skeleton:  Little or no flesh remains on the bones of these creatures; they are mostly open space.  Because of this, they have a resistance to slicing and piercing attacks, as the probability that such an attack would solidly hit a bone is lower.  These are the most agile of the enemy, and will be primarily missile support.

Specter:  At this point, decay has become so bad that the bones themselves do not hold together.  These creatures are translucent bodies of magical energy in which are contained a few scraps of flesh and bone; they tend to glow slightly.  Because of their seeming non-corporeality, they have an immunity to all kinetic attack forms.  However, there are bits of material within them which are necessary to their continued existence, so they cannot pass through solid objects (although with their superhuman flexibility they can squeeze through some tight places).  Remember that with a Multiverser immunity, the attack is rolled normally; if a hit is scored, the attack hit the opponent, but the opponent may make his immunity roll.  In this case, a failed roll indicates that the attack connected with a piece of the debris within the field, doing damage.  Because of this, this particular immunity should be rolled for each individual attack.  Of course, a successful roll indicates that the attack passed through the magical body without harming it.  These creatures have no resistance to energy attacks of any type except fire.  There are very few of these.

            Zombie     Ghoul     Skeleton     Specter
Persuasion   1@5        2@1        2@5          3@1
Charisma     0@9        0@6        0@4          0@3
An-mag       1@1        0@4        0@9          0@8
Strength     1@2        2@8        1@1          1@6
Stamina      1@2        2@2        1@4          2@4
Resistance   1@8        1@10       2@1          3@2
Density      1@1        1@1        1@3          0@4
Flexibility  1@2        1@2        1@1          3@1
Agility      1@1        1@5        1@10         1@5
Hand/Eye     1@1        1@5        2@5          1@8
Intellect    0@10       1@1        1@5          2@1
Intuition    1@1        1@4        1@5          1@10
Ed Lev       0@6        0@7        0@8          0@9
Will Power   1@1        2@8        1@10         2@9
RSV          1@1        1@5        1@10         1@9
MSV          1@1        1@9        1@7          1@8
TV           1@1        1@3        1@6          1@3
DV           1@3        1@10       1@7          2@2
BRA Tech     1@1        1@4        1@5          2@1
Psi          1@5        2@8        2@5          3@1
Mag          1@1        1@4        1@5          2@1
Bod          1@2        2@8        1@10         2@9
Bias Tech    3@3        3@3        3@3          3@3
Psi          0@0        0@0        0@0          0@0
Mag          0@0        0@0        0@0         13@8
Bod          2@4       12@6       12@3         12@9
T3@1 Javelin                       1@5          1@5
Calc*                              56x1         61x1
T3@1 Blunt
Weapons      1@5        1@5        1@5          1@5
Calc*       43x1       54x1       53x1         60x1
T3@2 Ax                 1@5                     1@5
Calc*                  54x1                    60x1
T3@3 Knife   1@3        1@8        1@3          1@5
Calc*       41x1       57x1       51x1         60x1
T3@3 Sword              1@8        1@1          1@5
Calc*                  57x1       49x1         60x1
P2@0
Indecision   2@5        2@5        2@5          2@5
M1@9 Operate Vorgo                              1@5
M13@8 Create Zombie                             1@5
M13@8 Create Ghoul                              1@5
M13@8 Create Skeleton                           1@5
BX@X Human Standard Sensory Package
              X         X          X             X
B2@1 Stand
 Erect       2@1       2@6        1@4           2@1
B2@4 Walk    2@1       2@1        1@8           2@1
Velocity     4mph      3mph       2mph          2mph
B12@3 Resistance to Cutting & Piercing
                                  2@1
B12@6 Resistance to Blunts
                       2@1
B12@9 Invulnerability to Kinetics
                                                3@3
B12@9 Resistance to Fire                        1@5

*The "Calc" field is a convenience for the referee.  The first number indicates the sum of the creature's SAL, BRA, Bias (doubled), and Strike Value; the second is the number of attacks made with that weapon.  The referee must still subtract the defender's defensive values, including TV and any numbers for cover, range, size, or movement.

Magic Skills

Multiverser magic skills are customized so that whatever the skill description, it can be created within the game system by including an adjustment for the chance of success.  These skill descriptions include the chance of success modifiers, which are added to the chance of success as a sit-mod (actually, as the sum of several sit-mods).  A negative sit-mod is, obviously, a penalty against the chance of success.  Ritual descriptions are given so that the referee can assess whether there is any reason why a character could not perform the skill (gagged or bound in such a way that required words or actions are impossible) or whether performance of the skill would have consequences (such as being noticed shouting strange words).

Religion M1@0 indicates an understanding of the supernatural realm which is vital to the performance of holy magic.  As explained in the rules, if a skill is used as holy magic, half of the SAL of one of these skills is added to the chance of success.  There is no comparable skill for bonuses to arcane magic.

Operate Vorgo M1@9 (+39):  This skill requires 5 minutes of loudly chanting specifics of the intended outcome in an ancient language with both arms raised over the magic device; it will create or unmake undead, as expressed in activation ritual.

Laying on Hands (damage cure) M2@1 (+13):  The spoken ritual is soft, in the native tongue of the caster, and clearly states the curative nature of the magic; the caster must touch the injured person with either hand for thirty seconds, to achieve a dangerous level of healing.  This skill is only known as a holy magic skill, and only by alliance characters.

Cure All Injuries M2@7 (+87):  The five minute ritual is exhausting, and the caster must rest for ten minutes thereafter; the loudly spoken words clearly state the curative intent in the language of the caster, who must press his body against that of the victim, and sprinkle the victim with clean water from a silver bowl; it can only be done in the sanctuary.

Pass Through Wall M3@9 (-18):  An eighteen-second ritual makes it possible for the character to walk through any wall or obstacle of stone, iron, or wood by staring at the obstacle, holding both hands toward it, and walking toward it with a dance-like shuffle step; he can only move ten feet per minute, and must pass through the wall within three minutes, although he may pause inside if desired.

Control Candle Flames M4@2 (-38):  This increases and decreases the flame size of all small flames within 40', controlling total light output; the words which clearly specify what is to happen are the only necessary ritual, but won't work if the sound is prevented, and takes six seconds to effect a change in light level which will last six minutes before returning to normal.

Direct Flames M4@2 (-46):  Building-sized fires within a quarter of a mile distance can be directed (movement at RS/5 m.p.h.); the damage category of the fire is not affected, but is normally damaging; five minutes of ritual gives twenty-five minutes of control; loudly-spoken words in an ancient language focus on the fire and its direction, and the ritual requires a dance-like movement which is exhausting, requiring a thirty-minute rest after completion; a candle is necessary, and is used up in the process

Unmake Undead M4@8 (-10):  To dispel the magic which maintains undead creatures, this thirty-minute ritual involves chanted words about dispelling magical forces in the character's native language while waving the right hand across the target's direction as if erasing a blackboard; it affects the specifically targeted creature within ranges of 40¢:60¢:80¢ plus the nearest like creatures within range in numbers dependent on relative success:  RS/10 zombies, RS/20 ghouls, RS/50 skeletons, or 1 specter.  This skill may be performed with the Vorgo at twice the rate of success with a five minute ritual.

Anti-aggressive M5@1 (-21):  Up to ten opponents within ten feet of the skilled user (or other person on whom the skill is used) will be affected such that they will not attack the user for two minutes unless they make a successful difficult will power check; the twelve-second skill is filled with words of peace in a foreign language, and clean water is sprinkled in the area with either hand.

Magical Clairvoyance M7@2 (+8):  After an eighteen second period of concentration during which the character closes his eyes and smears ashes on his forehead with both hands, he is able to see any defined person, creature, object, or place within his mind for three minutes, shifting his view as fast as he would be able to do so were he standing and walking in the area; he cannot employ any sense other than sight.

Illuminate M9@1 (+1):  Raising a stick of some sort with the left hand and speaking a nonsensical sequence of ordinary words, the skilled character causes light to emanate from the tip of the stick to a radius of thirty feet; this light lasts ten minutes after a six-second start-up, and once illumined the stick may be carried or set down without affecting the light.

Light Lamp M9@2 (+9):  The skilled user can ignite the wick of a candle or lamp, or light a torch within 10':20':40' by staring at it intently for twelve seconds; if used on an object not treated to be flammable, it is an annoying attack which could ignite combustible materials if the roll is 50 or greater.

Fire Strike M9@2 (-2):  The right hand points at the target, and flame extends from fingertips to ranges of 30':60':90' as a brief expression of the nature of fire is forcefully spoken; the damage category is dangerous, with an RF 1/3.

Flame Burst M9@2 (+19):  A small ruby is thrown with either hand after being held and rolled in that hand for three minutes; it bursts into flame (being destroyed in the blast), doing lethal damage within a 5' radius, dangerous from 5' to 10', damaging from 10' to 15', annoying from 15' to 20'; no words are spoken, and the stone may be thrown to ranges of 15':30':45'.

Dispel Alien Being M11@3 (+6):  Four minutes of forcefully chanting these ancient words of rejection with both hands raised in the air dispels creatures which are not natural life forms of the present universe within 300'; those failing a will power check must flee and make a resistance check to avoid being driven from the universe completely.  The referee should be aware that the verser is not a natural life form of the present universe, and will be affected just as the undead.

Call Deliverer M11@9 (+15):  This twenty-four minute ritual calls a fighter/informer from another world through prayers for deliverance; although it has no specified movements or materials, it must be performed in a sanctuary, and confers no control over the one summoned.  This is the magic which was being performed when the verser arrived.

Fly M12@7 (+7):  The user of this skill may fly at RS/20 mph after a 48 second ritual gets him airborne; he cannot carry more than one hundred pounds, and must make additional skill checks for stunts and velocity changes; the magic remains in effect until the character lands, unless a botch is rolled.  The words in the caster's native tongue speak of air and flight, and the feather of a bird is eaten.

Cause Pain M13@1 (+9):  This skill is used only by the undead, rolled as bonus effect after martial strike with a body part; it causes pain by direct attack on the pain receptors such that the victim must make a will power check (RS=Simple/Difficult/None) to take any action beyond writhing in pain for RS/10 minutes, but it is limited to RF1; no words or materials are involved.

Animate Furniture (Dependent Temporary) M13@1 (-7):  The 48 second ritual causes wooden furniture to perform simple tasks on direct command, such as walking to a designated place, picking up objects, or adjusting shape minimally (such as chairs tilting back or table legs bending or straightening to adjust the height or pitch of the table top), provided the object is with ranges of 10':15':20' at the moment the command is given; only one object may be controlled by one casting, but the object remains animate for up to 8 minutes if desired.  The left hand performs the required motion while speech in a dead language describes the action required; the spell will not work if the sound is prevented.

Animate Dead M13@8:  This is the spell performed by the Vorgo; no one else knows it.

Create Fog M14@1 (+3):  Fog is created in an area 16,000 cubic feet in volume (typically 8' deep in a square area roughly 15 yards on each side), reducing visibility (-10 penalty to targeting by sight, simple intellect or intuition checks required to avoid getting turned around); the two minute ritual chants words about obscuring vision in a dead language, and both hands are involved, while the edge of the affected area must be within ranges of 10':15':20'.

Create Oil M14@2 (+5):  5 gallons of vegetable oil suitable for lubrication, cooking, and flaming missiles may be created at the skilled user's location in 90 seconds by these words about the vegetables from which oil is derived, in the skilled user's language, with no required movement or material.

Key Indigs

There are quite a few important people in this scenario, including priests, magi, the lord of the castle, and his castellan.  There are also soldiers and peasants, and the referee will need to understand their abilities.

Although the referee could certainly increase the numbers, the scenario offers five characters with magical abilities:  a wizard and his apprentice, a priest and his pupil, and a sage.  It is these characters who were involved in the ritual in the sanctuary at the moment the verser scriffed in, and they are most convinced of his calling as deliverer.

The sage has studied the ancient texts on the vorgo, and it is he who will continue to study it once it is captured.  He performs both alliance holy (M+) and arcane (*) skills; his ability in religion only bonuses his holy magic skills.  Skills not known to the mage or apprentice are only found in holy magic versions; for those which are known by both magi and priests, the sage knows the arcane version.  The Operate Vorgo skill is arcane.  Note that alliance holy magic receives a -5 penalty for use in a neutral world, but that this is balanced by the +9 religion bonus.

The mage and his apprentice perform all skills as arcane skills.  The serve primarily as advisors to the lord, and the referee should limit their availability to the character without explaining the reasons in detail.

The priest and his pupil are responsible for the chapel; obviously, their magic is always alliance holy magic, receiving the bonus for their religion SAL (+13 for the priest and +11 for the pupil) and the -5 penalty for the neutral world.  These will have as first responsibility tending the wounded and dying, and may be required to assist the lord or the sage, and so will not be at the player character's beck and call.

The lord of the castle is an excellent fighter who has developed a certain arrogance and overblown self-importance.  He will not attempt to retrieve the vorgo because he is too important to his people to risk his life on so dangerous a mission; but he is not a coward, and will fight bravely in open combat and lead soldiers onto the field.  Initially he will view the verser as beneath him, as one views someone else's servant or pet.  He will speak with the sage, magi, and priests about him directly in front of him, and assume that they have control of him:  "Have him retrieve the vorgo and return it to you for study."  The referee should assess the lord's likely responses to the character's actions and explanations of himself.

There will be a few soldiers who are a bit above the norm.  The most notable of these is the castellan, who serves as chief of the guard.  He is also a brave and skilled fighter, but will not leave the castle walls during this crisis because the protection of the castle is his responsibility.  He tends to be deferential to his betters anyway, saying "Yes, m'lord" when talking to the castle lord, the sage, the mage, or the priest (but not the apprentice or the pupil unless they approach him as bringing messages from their respective masters).  If the verser establishes himself as one of the leaders here, the castellan will similarly defer to him; otherwise, the castellan will regard the verser as one of his men, and issue orders with the expectation that they will be followed.  Although he will detail soldiers to assist any of his masters, he will not release more than half of his remaining men from the protection of the walls for any but the lord of the castle; and he will not in any event abandon his post unless the castle is clearly lost.

Other exceptional soldiers may be created by increasing attributes and skill ability levels a couple of points.  Remember to adjust averaged attributes (martial strike value, ranged strike value, target value, and damage value) to reflect changes in the underlying attributes.

A castle of this size would have a regular contingent of not more than a score of professional soldiers, the lord's "regulars".  They are treated as "one each" soldiers, given identical abilities for convenience which the referee can adjust for variety if he wishes.  However in this crisis the lord will have conscripted additional men from the countryside including sheriffs and their deputies, veterans, and promising squires sufficient to double the number of men available.  These "conscripts" will have a lot more variation in skills, and the referee should feel free to create individuals with particular skills equal to those of the regulars (such as a veteran), and those who have no skill at all in a particular weapon (a sheriff's deputy has probably never seen a ballista).  Unless the character is specific about his requirements, the castellan will probably detail conscripts to him, keeping the regulars for his own needs.  The reactions of soldiers to the verser will be based on the apparent attitudes of their leaders until they have sufficient information to form their own judgments.

All soldiers wear armor which combines plates in critical areas with leather and chain on joints, including a brimmed helmet which protects the top of the head and a chain coif which covers the ears and neck.  This provides a cover value of -25%.

The peasants are important to this scenario, but are not fully detailed; there will be about 200 of them seeking refuge in the castle, and they will be admitted by the castellan.  They have varying attributes with a few at level two (related to their trade), and a wealth of non-combat skills, some at the professional level.  The resourceful character will undoubtedly be looking for blacksmiths and metal workers, carpenters and stonemasons, and other craftsmen.  Whatever he seeks should be available; GE rolls may determine how skilled the individuals are and how many are in the area, but common medieval trades should be represented.  (The Farmland scenario has some detail regarding the types of trades found in a similar milieu, and the referee may reference that for more information here.)  Thus if the character wishes to build a rampart or battlement, he should be able to find people who can do it.  However, his materials and time are limited once he undertakes the initial quest.  If he delays that quest while working on improved castle defenses, he should be given a month to prove his ideas and an additional month to complete the work if it appears promising.  He should have three chances to convince the lord.  If the lord makes a successful intuition check, he will see the advantages of the verser's work automatically, and detail others to help him; the difficulty of this check should be determined by the referee's assessment of how obvious the benefits are.  Alternatively, if he convinces the mage, the sage, or the priest of the value of his work, the lord will accept their advice on the matter and give the verser time to prove himself.  Failing that, the character may appeal to the lord directly, and if he wins a comparative difficult check--his persuasion against the lord's will power--he has convinced the lord to give him the opportunity.

Also, the peasants have not the time, the desire, nor the skill to teach their skills to the character.  They will work for him, but will not teach him how to make them obsolete.

Peasants will fight, generally only in defense of the castle itself.  They generally use tools of their crafts--the majority will be fighting with pitchforks and scythes, while some would use hammers, cleavers, and other implements.  Here they are detailed for the bow and the quarter staff, common weapons of peasants of the age.  The referee may substitute other weapons for the staff if he desires, the only significant difference being that certain of the enemy are protected against edged weapons and others against blunts.

Actions taken by the verser to gain the confidence or respect of these characters should be assessed by the referee with reliance on a GE roll when in doubt.  Remember that although the gun makes a lot of noise, reactions to that noise will not be certain--they've never seen an explosion--so a GE roll should be used to determine the overall reaction in the light of the character's expectations.  Will they prostrate themselves on the ground, freeze where they stand, flee in terror, give the character their attention, search the heavens for the source of the sound, rush to arm the battlements, or attack the character?  Character actions with uncertain effects will not always bring the results desired, nor always backfire.

The first chart presents the primary characters involved in magic.  Tech skills have been ignored for brevity; if forced to martial combat, each should have a low amateur ability in some available weapon (but will rely first upon magic).  The referee should assume that these have a working knowledge of the technology of the day, but consider it beneath them to become involved in such things.  Similarly, they have basic education suitable to their milieu, and so have a reasonable ability at such basic skills as language and history.  Their bod skills have been listed as standard, but may be modified as it suits the referee.

            Mage    App.  Priest Pupil  Sage
Persuasion   1@8    1@5    1@8    1@5    1@6
Charisma     1@5    1@5    1@5    1@5    1@3
An-mag       1@5    1@5    1@5    1@5    1@5
Strength     1@4    1@7    1@6    1@7    1@4
Stamina      1@6    1@7    1@6    1@7    1@6
Resistance   1@8    1@5    1@8    1@5    1@8
Density      1@1    1@1    1@1    1@1    1@1
Flexibility  1@5    1@5    1@5    1@5    1@5
Agility      1@5    1@6    1@5    1@6    1@5
Hand/Eye     1@8    1@8    1@8    1@8    1@8
Intellect    2@4    2@1    2@2    1@10   2@5
Intuition    1@10   1@8    2@8    2@1    1@10
Ed Lev       2@5    2@1    2@5    2@1    2@8
Will Power   1@10   1@6    1@9    1@6    2@1
RSV          1@9    1@8    2@3    1@10   1@9
MSV          1@7    1@8    2@1    1@9    1@7
TV           1@5    1@5    1@8    1@6    1@5
DV           1@6    1@5    1@6    1@5    1@7
BRA Tech     2@5    2@1    2@5    2@1    2@8
Psi          1@10   1@8    2@8    2@1    2@1
Mag          2@4    2@1    2@8    2@1    2@5
Bod          1@10   1@7    1@9    1@7    2@1
Bias Tech
Psi          0@2    0@2    0@2    0@2    0@2
Mag         14@2   14@1   14@2   14@2   14@2
Bod          5@3    5@3    5@3    5@3    5@3
Teaching P0@1
             2@2    1@1    2@8    1@9    2@1
Religion M1@0
             1@7    1@6    2@5    2@1    1@8
Operate
 Vorgo M1@9                              1@1
Laying on
 Hands M2@1                2@5    1@8
Cure All
 Injuries M2@7             1@10   1@2
Pass Through
 Wall M3@9   2@2    1@4    1@5    1@1    1@5
Control
 Candle
 Flames M4@2 1@8    1@2    1@9    1@2    2@2
Direct
 Flames M4@2 2@1    1@8                  1@5
Unmake
 Undead M4@8 1@8    1@4    2@4    2@1    1@8
Anti
 -aggressive
 M5@1                      2@1    1@8    1@3
Magical
 Clairvoyance
 M7@2        2@2    1@6                  2@1
Illuminate
 M9@1        2@3    1@5    2@1    1@5    1@5
Light
 Lamp M9@2   1@8    1@5    1@8    1@5    2@1
Fire
 Strike M9@2 9@1    1@7    2@2    1@3    1@2
Flame
 Burst M9@2  2@4    1@8    2@2    1@3    1@3
Dispel Alien
 Being M11@3 2@1    1@4    2@3    1@10   1@8
Call
 Deliverer
 M11@9       1@5    1@1    1@8    1@1    1@1
Fly M12@7    2@5                         1@6
Animate
 Furniture
 M13@1       2@3    1@7    1@6           2@1
Create
 Fog M14@1   2@1    1@4    2@1           1@5
Create
 Oil M14@2   1@5           2@7    1@10   1@6
Human Standard Sensory Package
 BX@X         X      X      X      X      X
Human Standard Body Package
 BX@X         X      X      X      X      X

Many of the basic non-combat tech skills are ignored on this list.  Obviously, peasants have a wealth of skills unrelated to combat; it is here that you will find your metallurgists, leatherworkers, stonemasons, and much more.  Similarly, the lord and his soldiers will have some knowledge beyond combat (cooking in the field, for example), and these skills should be presumed by the referee.

            Lord   Caste Regular     Conscr Peasant
Persuasion   2@3    1@10   1@7        1@5    1@4
Charisma     2@1    1@7    1@5        1@5    1@5
An-mag       1@10   1@7    1@7        1@6    1@5
Strength     2@4    2@1    2@1        1@10   1@8
Stamina      2@5    2@3    2@3        2@1    1@9
Resistance   2@2    2@1    1@7        1@8    1@8
Density      1@3    1@3    1@3        1@2    1@1
Flexibility  2@2    2@2    2@2        1@8    1@5
Agility      2@5    2@5    2@5        2@1    1@5
Hand/Eye     2@5    2@4    2@3        2@1    1@5
Intellect    2@1    1@8    1@5        1@5    1@5
Intuition    2@9    2@8    2@8        2@2    1@5
Ed Lev       2@1    1@10   1@3        1@1    0@10
Will Power   2@2    1@10   1@8        1@7    1@5
RSV          2@7    2@6    2@6        2@2    1@5
MSV          2@6    2@4    2@4        2@1    1@6
TV           2@2    2@2    2@2        1@8    1@4
DV           2@1    1@9    1@8        1@7    1@6
BRA Tech     2@9    2@8    2@8        2@2    1@5
Psi          2@9    2@8    2@8        2@2    1@5
Mag          2@9    2@8    2@8        2@2    1@5
Bod          2@5    2@5    2@5        2@1    1@8
Bias Tech    5@1    5@1    5@1        5@1    5@1
Psi          0@2    0@2    0@0        0@0    0@0
Mag          0@1    0@1    0@1        0@1    0@1
Bod          5@3    5@3    5@3        5@3    5@3
Ambush T0@3  2@4    2@4    2@1        1@10
Flaming
 Missiles
 T1@3        2@2    2@5    2@1        1@5    1@5
Longbow T2@1                          1@5    2@1
Calc                                  69x4   55x2
                                      +DC
Ballista T4@2
             2@3    2@8    2@5        1@10
Calc         89x2   92x2   89x2       74x1
             +2DC   +2DC   +2DC       +DC
Quarter
 Staff T3@1  1@5    1@5    1@5        1@6    1@8
Calc         80x2   77x2   77x2       69x2   59x1
             +DC    +DC    +DC        +DC
Long Sword
 Use T3@3    3@3    3@1    2@8        1@10
Calc         98x6   93x6   90x4       73x2
            +2DC+3 +2DC+1  +2DC       +DC

If the verser convinces the lord to call upon his neighbors for assistance, this will be successful.  However, the lord will have to send one of his five advisors (sage, mage, apprentice, priest, pupil) for each other lord he wishes to contact.  Traveling on light horses, it will take a day to reach the nearest, two days for the most distant (there will not be more than five on whom the lord could call in time), and the same time to return.  It will take an additional one half to two days for the troops to arrive.  Although the referee could determine the locations of each castle and determine the travel time necessary, it will be more convenient to use a GE roll to determine whether the troops arrive early, on time, in the nick of time, almost too late, or as the battle is ending.  Only a roll of eighteen should result in no troops arriving from that castle before the battle has ended, but a seventeen will indicate that the troops do not arrive until things are at their worst.  In any event, troops will arrive from each castle within four days of the emissary being sent to request them.

Each lord called upon will lead his own troops, twenty regular soldiers and a like number of peasant archers, all of whom are similar to those of this castle in all respects.  He will also bring several carts of supplies, including food, water, and ammunition (several hundred rounds).  Particular needed items should be assessed by GE roll, and a ballista might be included on a good roll.

Combat Details

Much of the combat will involve personal weapons; however, there is the potential for the use of siege engines and defenses, and these should be considered.

The swords and axes used in this scenario are all dangerous weapons, RF1.  Knives, staves, any other blunt weapons, and all personal missile weapons are damaging, and all are RF1 but bows, which are RF2.  Archers in the field will carry 30 arrows; those on the walls will have access to a hundred rounds before they must be replenished, and may be replenished numerous times before the castle is in danger of running short.  The referee should assume that there are more than ten thousand arrows in storage within the castle walls, as they are used for practice and needed for combat and so are always kept in supply.  8 javelins is the limit for those in the field, and the last will always be kept for use as a martial weapon; within the walls, these will be similarly heavily stocked, with well over a thousand available for use.  (The human troops do not use javelins individually, but as missiles for their ballistae, below.)

The ranges on these weapons are 60¢:120¢:200¢ for the bow, and 20¢:40¢:60¢ for the javelin, the knife, and any other small weapon which the referee deems a missile.  Note that the ax is a large battle weapon, too heavy to be effectively thrown.

The ballista is the primary siege engine in this setting, and the undead don't have any.  These will be placed on the castle walls and used much as cannon in a later age.  The ballista is very like a giant crossbow which fires a heavy spear, and several variations have been developed over time.  Two will be in use here.  One fires a single heavy missile about two inches in diameter and five feet in length.  This is a fatal weapon with an RF of ½.  The other fires multiple javelins, hurling five damaging weapons in the same area, also with an RF of ½.  Both should be treated as area attacks, unless they are targeted against a single individual; in the latter case, the single multiple missile version should be rolled once for each missile, with -10 sit-mods assessed against each successive missile, since only one will be targeted to hit, and the others are only aimed in the general area.  Either style requires two operators; it uses the hit probability of the better, but is limited to the repeat factor of the worse.

The area of the attack of the single-missile ballista is oblong, such that each affected area is elongated in the direction of the missile's path, but constricted to either side and in front of the target area.  (The missile will generally be fired from the walls, and thus will have to descend to the target area.  It is thus less likely to hit an opponent in front of that area, but likely to cause severe injuries to numerous persons beyond that point.)  Each area extends 10¢ in the direction of the missile's path beyond, but only a few feet in any other direction.  For purposes of the GE roll, there could be as many as four man-sized targets in each area, and so on a best roll (3) there will be four hit for fatal damage, four for lethal, four for dangerous, and four for damaging.  Of course, on a worst roll (18), there will be no opponents hit by the missile.  Of course, if the lines are clearly not that deep at the point targeted, fewer opponents will be hit in the rear areas.

The area of the attack of the multiple-missile version is round, ten feet in radius.  Although as many as twenty opponents could be within this area, the attack is unable to hit more than five, all at the damaging level.  If there are fewer than five in that area (a GE roll worse than 8, barely good enough), additional targets in the next ten feet may be hit for annoying damage.  (A GE roll of 13, just bad enough, should indicate that there were not five targets in the total area, and an 18, beyond worst fears or nightmares, would indicate that no enemies were in the area.)

The walls are also fortified with large suspended cauldrons.  These are quite effective for pouring fire on those besieging the walls, as the fire is a lethal area attack with a 10¢ radius beneath the cauldron, and 10¢ areas affected around that with decreasing levels of damage.  However, the undead will avoid the walls, and if the flaming oil is poured too close to the door

The undead generally are poor climbers, and will not attempt to scale the walls.  They will first attempt to besiege the castle and wait for fighters to break out to meet them in the open field.  If this is done, they will engage the fighters on the field and attempt to take the door before it is closed against them (a two-pronged action).  If this fails or they are not met in the field in the first day, they will begin an assault on the castle.

The heart of this assault will be a battering ram against the main doors.  The ram is not more than the trunk of a heavy tree, between one and two feet in diameter, about thirty feet long  Zombies will man the ram; there will be twelve operating it when it attacks, but once the numbers are reduced below eight they will be forced to abandon the ram and retreat for reinforcements.  This will delay them for half an hour.  If repelled in this manner twice, they will fall back for four hours and return to take up the ram again, this time with a covered gallery, a framework with skins or cloths lashed to it to provide cover against arrows and liquids.  This provides a cover value of (80% cover times 1@2 average density) -10 on all attacks.  (In the full version of the rules, it would also provide concealment, which has been omitted from this version.)  If the gallery is destroyed, the undead will fall back and build another.  (Skills in this area have not been detailed for this version.)

The ram is a fatal weapon, for convenience operated with blunt weapon skill in this setting.  It has an RF½, but if used with the gallery is reduced to RF1/3.  If the humans capture or damage the ram, it will take the undead an hour to replace it.

The defense of the castle thus relies on the defense of the gates.  These are heavy oak doors 8² thick with two 10² square oaken crossbars securing them, reinforced with iron bands and secured by multiple iron hinges bolted to the stone of the arch.  (The more sophisticated defenses of iron portcullises enclosing entries lined with arrow slits and murder holes are absent from this design, although the character might devise such a defense if he has it built before he undertakes the quest.)  The combined wood and iron structure has an average density of 2@5; thus the target value of the door is 0@8, and the damage done by the ram is divided by two with fractions discarded.  There is also a +15 bonus for attacking a "huge" target (64 square feet for an 8¢x8¢ doorway)  The ram will be blunt (not pointed), and thus impact an area of roughly thirty square inches.  It will take 167 points of damage (after reduction for damage value) before the door itself is damaged adequately that there are holes in it of slightly less than the ram's diameter, but a total of 266 to break the bars.  The referee must assess the effects of additional reinforcement made to the doors.

Because of the strength of the doors, it will take six men a full minute to open them and two minutes to secure them properly.  At any time that they are opened, the undead will attempt to breach them.  Thus the referee should be aware of where his undead troops are positioned and how long it would take them to reach the gate; he should also be mindful of how long it would take to perform such actions as retrieving the dropped ram (about two minutes) and admitting reinforcements (about a minute once they reach the open gates).  If he has adequate notice and available manpower, the castellan will detail soldiers to defend the gate at any time that it is opened, in the expectation that they would be able to repel any who get through it before it is secured.

Regarding human reinforcements, the undead will be scouting for these, and will attempt to engage them, prevent them from reaching the castle, and dog their heels so as to be able to enter behind them.  The character might consider creative strategies, such as lowering ladders and ropes to bring in men and equipment without opening the gates, but the referee should not suggest it.

Backstory

How did all of this happen, anyway?  At the beginning of the setting, no one will know; but as the sage studies the captured vorgo, he will be able to fill in the blanks and complete the story.

A certain nobleman was the last of his line.  Fearing that his family would end with him, he sought a way to prevent that.  He became aware of the vorgo, and secretly gained possession of it.  After much study, he determined many of its secrets, and found a way to achieve what he thought was the answer to his problem.  Placing it in his family crypt, he enspelled it such that upon his death it would be activated, and begin bringing to life, as he thought, the bodies immediately around it.  He would be interred within a few short days, be brought back to life, and then shut off the process, leaving only a few stray decaying relatives to consider.

Whether it would have worked, restoring him to life as he expected rather than creating another zombie, no one can say.  He was lost at sea, his body never recovered and so never interred.  Upon his death, the vorgo was activated; but without him to turn it off, it continued to operate thereafter.  It animates one body every eight hours, as originally instructed.

Within the first few hours of recovering this, the sage will instruct that no bodies are to be kept within the walls of the keep.  Although every effort will be made to keep men alive, those who have died must be either cast from the walls or immediately incinerated and any remains cast from the walls.  However, there is the chance that a fallen soldier could arise as an undead within moments of his death, or the skeletal remains of a body on the funeral pyre could attempt to escape the flames before being consumed.  These results could be used if the referee is relying on GE rolls to determine the enemy's movements, or could be included as a plot device is the player fails to pay attention to men dying on the walls.

Ending the Story

The most exciting Multiverser stories end with the verser dying as he saves the world, and there is a great deal of potential for this here.  However, it doesn't happen often, and it is quite possible that the verser will survive the war and so remain in the setting after the danger has passed.

The easiest way would be for the mage to quite innocently cast his Dispel Alien Being skill; if this is successful, the verser could be driven from the universe if he fails two checks.  However, if it fails, it is unlikely that the mage would make another attempt without checking that the verser was out of range (although the priest could innocently use the same skill before being made aware of the danger).

If the verser leaves the castle to explore the world, he could be individually attacked by a specter which has not yet been tracked down and unmade.  By this time, the character might be running low on ammunition (especially if he has given his pistol to one of the other characters), and so would not be so formidable an opponent.  Still, the referee should increase a few of the skills and attributes of this particular specter to assure success--if this tactic is repeated, it will appear to be a blatant effort to kill the character.

He could also become embroiled in a battle or combat somewhere else in the world, if the referee wishes.  Petty monarchies were always at war with each other over territory or supposed insults, and the character could be targeted on the assumption that he was part of the enemy forces, or captured and executed as a spy, or hit by incidental ballista fire.

If the character chooses to remain in the castle, he will be offered a position with the guards and taught to use the primitive weapons of the day.  If he nags the mage, priest, or sage (or all of them), they will agree to teach him the secrets of their magic, although at first they will be reluctant (the mage and priest because they have students already, the sage because he is too busy to take a student) and will take some persuading.  But that's only the first hurdle.  The character has been written as an agnostic, and so does not believe in the supernatural source of magic.  Up to now he probably hasn't considered whence the power comes, and it hasn't mattered.  But unless he believes that there is a supernatural source for the power, he can't tap into it.  If the character attempts to learn a magic skill, permit him to go through the motions, and then ask him what he believes about the source of the power (have one of the characters ask him this:  "where does the magic originate?").  If his explanation does not include the supernatural, a realm beyond the physical world, any learning roll automatically fails; if he does describe a supernatural source, he gains a 1@1 SAL in religion, and that is the description of his faith.  Thereafter he may learn magic of any sort; and the chance to botch may be the cause of his departure from this world.

If all else fails, the referee should bring a pair of creatures into the area, and have the indigs encourage the character to stop them.  You could use the abilities of the special avian carnivore from The Valley, possibly with slight modifications and a change of appearance.  One of the large cats from The Race War would also be possible.  The character should be told that there is one, and once he finds and engages it he should be blind-sided by the second.

The Race War
Created by M. Joseph Young

Created for use in the Multiverser® limited demonstration game, an effort has been made to keep a simple idea simple:  two countries are at war, and the verser lands in the middle.  But what should he do?
World Area Bias Levels
Tech            4@3
Psi               0@0
Mag            0@2
Bod          13@2
Alliance

In any war, each side presents itself as the good side, the side with solid moral reasons for fighting.  This is no exception.  However, this war is not more or less than a fight over territory.  Population is growing, but space is limited, so each side is trying to take more land from the other.  Each side views it as a battle for survival.

The two sides are more than nations; they are distinct races.  In this world, modern man never evolved; the two races are both genus homo species homo sapiens, but both visibly unlike the verser.  To the east, the world is populated by Neanderthal man; Cro-Magnon man inhabits the west.

It is important for the referee to understand the relationship between these two races.  The indigs are all humans, genetically compatible with modern man and with each other.  They have very pronounced racial differences.  Neanderthals are stronger and well built, and their larger cranial capacity suggests that they are more intelligent.  They survived the worst climates in earth's history, so they had very high stamina.  By contrast, Cro-Magnons were taller but lighter, and their primary distinction was their vast artistic development.  These are the cave painters, and they decorated most of their possessions, their tools and weapons.  This suggests that they had much higher intuition and better dexterity-related attributes.  As to appearance, Neanderthals have sloping foreheads to a strong brow ridge; their weak chins hide powerful jaws and teeth, and they have large projecting noses (to warm the cold air).  They have large bones and large muscles, standing erect to somewhat over five feet and stocky.  They are hairier, well adapted to the colder regions and ice ages.  Cro-Magnons are closer to six feet tall, slender, with high foreheads lacking brow ridges, and strong chins.  These men reflect a tropical origin, with smaller noses, less hair, and lighter bodies.  They look very like modern humans, and it is likely that the Neanderthals will see the verser as a Cro-Magnon, but the Cro-Magnons will see him as a stranger.

Each side will refer to itself as "humans" and to its opponents by various derogatory names (some with no clear derivation, "brutes" and "glogs" for the Neanderthals, "wraiths" and "shimmies" for the Cro-Magnons) which indicate the belief that they are sub-human; but one of the best solutions to the war between the races is for the two sides to realize that all of them are human, and that each can contribute to the future of a unified human race.  (A footnote on this is in order.  The anthropological community is deeply divided over this issue; some maintain that Neanderthal is a different species which died out, while others claim that he was completely human and became part of the gene pool of man.  This world module has chosen to follow the latter theory without endorsing it in reality.)

The known world of these people is very small.  Although the referee is left with the task of determining the details of the map, the entire continent should not be larger than Australia--about 2500 miles (less than 5000 kilometers) east to west and 1500 miles (less than 3000 kilometers) north to south, 3.75 million square miles.  To a degree, a continent smaller than this would force the character into the scenario; however, it must be large enough to support both races and a significant amount of wildlife--two hundred thousand square miles should be the minimum.  This small continent is the only known land form in the world; humanity lives only here.  However, the oceans have never been explored.  Having no internal sea (akin to the Mediterranean), there was no need to develop seagoing vessels.  The indigs have never considered the possibility that there might be land beyond the water, or that there might be a way to discover it.  This provides another possible resolution to the war, discussed below.

The northern section of the continent contains a range of mountains within sight of the coast; that coast is tropical and wet, but quickly gives ground to the mountains.  South of the mountains are dense tropical rain forests shared with animals typical of south American jungles--predatory cats, assorted primates, mid-sized herbivores such as deer and boar, and an assortment of birds.  The flora is similarly lush, with a great variety of fruit.

Further south, the forests thin and give way to open grasslands.  Large areas of this have been cultivated or given to organized grazing.  The jungle animals will venture into this area foraging for food, but have largely been driven back into and adapted to the woodlands.  Breezes prevail from the south; moist air carried from the oceans drop as rain in the northern mountains; several rivers collect in the forests and cross the grasslands to the shores.  The common variations in geography are found throughout the continent--marches, meadows, woods, plains.

The battle is being fought between two rivers; the rivers create strong defensible boundaries, so life is more peaceful behind them.

The world has entered the bronze age; they have learned to alloy soft metals, which they use to build weapons and armor for their war.  Such weapons are inferior to later iron and steel weapons, but since both sides are using similar materials, it makes little difference to their battles.

Although the Neanderthals are harder to kill, they are easier to hit.  They excel in martial combat, but are weaker in ranged settings.  The Cro-Magnons are aware of their advantage in ranged combat, and are also harder to surprise, so they keep the war at a distance.  Should the war continue unabated, eventually the Cro-Magnons would defeat the Neanderthals, at great loss to both sides; however, the balance is close enough that a single verser could turn the tide in either direction.

These men are not to be treated as cavemen.  They are humans of roughly normal levels of intellect and adequate language structures despite the fact that they are very different and have limited technology.  They should talk normally and understand most of what the character says, as long as it isn't beyond their technology or highly cultural.

There are hundreds of unmentioned skills in this world; with the full version of the game, the referee would be able to easily fill in areas related to fire, leatherwork, cloth, tools, pottery, stonework, and more.  However, within this demo these should be presumed without detail.  Because of the relative bias rule, any unnamed skill the player character wishes to learn from the indigs should be considered automatic once he has found someone willing and able to teach it to him; dice rolls should be made to determine the SAL of the skill, and to keep the player from realizing the no-fail situation.  Since the tech bias is lower here than in any other world in this demo game, any skills learned here will be possible in any other world.

Exploration Option

Due to the limitations of this demo version, many skills related to seamanship have been omitted.  Although under the full rules the referee could establish a large variety of skills related to ship building and operation (depending on the needs within his campaign), ships can be fully constructed and operated with a handful of skills, including T2@1 Knots, T2@2 Carpentry, T2@2 Make Rope, T2@2  Sailmaking, T3@1 Operate Simple Ships, T4@2 Wheeled Pulley, T4@3 Block & Tackle, along with simple tool and metal skills already common to the setting.  Since Sailmaking is a specialized application of existing cloth skills (weaving, stitching), all of these may be treated as new applications of existing skills.

Because these limited rules do not allow players to create skills (as permitted in the full rules), the referee should introduce the skills within the indigenous population in response to the player character's ideas.  They will already have small boats and river barges (generally the fastest mode of cargo transportation in primitive cultures, and useful for river and coastal fishing) with oars, keels, and rudders; but the concept of sails will be alien, and these boats will generally be built with a shallow draft to avoid grounding.  If the character wishes to take to the high seas, he'll have to convince the indigs to create large deep draft ships, preferably with sails (optionally with oars).  (Square rigging provides best speed with the wind, best for traveling the high seas with the trade winds; but lateen sails are needed for tacking, that is, triangular shaped moveable sails enable the ship to angle into the wind which drives it, useful for maneuvering.)

More complicated than explaining the design concepts of ocean vessels will be convincing the indigs of their use.  It has never occurred to the indigs that there might be land beyond "the world", the continent on which they live.  Although they watch the stars, they have no astral navigation concept, no sextants or spy glasses.  Once out of sight of land, these people are lost.  But if the character is to have any hope of finding a "new world", he will have to convince indigs to sail at least that far.  The referee should not make this easy; but it should not be impossible, either.  It will help if the character has already impressed the indigs in some way; they are more likely to believe incredible notions from someone who has already done incredible things.  This should bonus the character's persuasion for checks, or possibly reduce the check from difficult (d30+10) to simple (2d20).  The referee should also place a couple of islands just beyond sight of the mainland, so the character can use these to maintain morale.

Beyond that point, the referee has several options.  He could create a map of the world, mark trade winds and land forms on it, and track the movements of the ship to see whether it comes within sight of land; but it's not necessary to do so much work.  Rather, the referee should rely on general effects rolls to determine the present situation of the ship.  As always, with GE rolls, the referee should interpret the results within the context of the game; that is, the same roll will mean different specific results at different times, but these guidelines should help.

 3   Large Continent discovered.
 4   Outlying islands discovered (continent not in sight).
 5   Deep ocean habitable islands (e.g., volcanic islands).
 6   Shore birds spotted (land near).
 7   Strong prevailing trade winds with current.
 8   Strong current with little wind
 9   Strong winds against the current.
10   Continue from last roll.
11   Continue from last roll.
12   Strong current against the wind.
13   Driven aground at an island.
14   Tidal wave from seismic activity.
15   Water hazard--iceberg or underwater ridge.
16   Slow travel.
17   Driven by storms for a day.
18   Ship becalmed for several days.

The referee should extrapolate situations.  For example, if shore birds are spotted and followed, land of some sort should be discovered; if the ship is caught in a storm, additional GE rolls should determine damage to the ship and injury to the crew.

It will also be necessary for the character to determine ways to pack large quantities of food and water.  Salting and smoking are the only meat preservation techniques known, and both will increase the fluid needs of the crew.  Such meat can be kept in the cool of the hold for a couple of weeks, although jerky can last months.  Fresh fruits and vegetables will last from a few days to a couple of weeks, and there is neither material nor information for canning.  Flour can be stored practically indefinitely,  and used for on-board baking (if a safe oven is built); dry biscuit and cracker can also be kept for weeks.  Fresh water is a necessity; large casks will have to be built in which to contain this.  Cooking will require fuel; the indigs principally use wood, which is very inefficient in terms of the weight and space required to store it, although it can easily be replenished along the way.  They also have coal, which is a more efficient fuel but requires mining skills to restock.

There will be rodents, probably rats or mice, on the ship; it is unlikely that this can be avoided.  They will hide in the hold and attempt to raid the food.  Loose food will be eaten and contaminated by them; food stored in wooden containers will be protected briefly, but over time the creatures will gnaw holes in the wood.  Closed metal containers will be necessary to protect the food (especially flour and bread products); the indigs will suggest this if asked to help, although they have no experience at sea.

A sailing vessel requires much less food and water than an oar-driven one.  The crew of the sailing ship can be from twelve to eighteen hands (possibly fewer than a dozen if the ship is extremely well designed), compared to twenty to thirty oarsmen minimum to move the ship by manpower.  Further, oarsmen will require more food and water each due to the difficulty of their labor (important if the ship uses both sails and oars).

GE rolls may also be used to determine the availability of additional supplies.  If land is discovered, the roll should be modified in favor of both food and fresh water.  Even without land, good rolls could suggest schools of tuna or other fish, large sea creatures (octopus, squid), and rain to provide fresh water.

The statistics given for the Neanderthals and Cro-Magnon men are for typical examples.  These are humans, and their attributes will vary greatly; there will also be a great variation in skills, which have not been detailed.  All will have some facility in fire skills, leatherwork, woodworking, and stonework.  They will have weapon skills used for hunting which some have improved through combat use.  The referee should feel free to create exceptional examples, especially in the combat arena (but also among craftsmen) by adding a few intensities to chosen attributes, accompanied by strong skill ability levels.  The best Neanderthals will still be stronger, hardier, and smarter than the best Cro-Magnons, and the best Cro-Magnons will be more agile and more intuitive than the best Neanderthals.  There will also be a tendency toward specialization in their strong areas.  Few Neanderthals will have become highly skilled in missile weapons, and few Cro-Magnon men will have professional levels in martial skills, just because they are more likely to excel the other way.  However, there will be some crossover in this regard--but again, the best Neanderthal swordsman will be better than his Cro-Magnon counterpart, and the best Cro-Magnon archer will be shooting his opponent's missiles out of the air.

         Neanderthal   Cro-Magnon   Large Cat    Fast Cat    Large Ape
Persuasion   1@6          1@5         2@2          1@9          2@1
Charisma     1@4          1@5         0@9          0@9          1@1
An Mag       1@5          1@5         1@7          1@8          1@5
Strength     1@8          1@4         2@5          1@10         2@8
Stamina      1@8          1@4         2@2          2@1          2@4
Resistance   1@7          1@4         1@8          1@7          1@10
Density      1@3          1@1         1@3          1@2          1@3
Flexibility  1@4          1@7         2@4          2@7          1@9
Agility      1@4          1@8         1@9          2@1          2@1
Hand/Eye     1@3          1@8         2@10         2@10         1@10
Intellect    1@7          1@5         0@9          0@9          0@10
Intuition    1@2          1@8         2@9          2@6          2@1
Ed Lev       0@7          0@7         0@5          0@5          0@5
Will Power   1@8          1@5         2@1          1@8          2@5
RSV          1@3          1@8         2@10         2@8          2@1
MSV          1@4          1@7         2@8          2@5          2@3
TV           1@3          1@6         1@10         1@10         1@9
DV           1@7          1@4         1@9          1@7          2@1
BRA Tech     1@7          1@8         2@9          2@6          2@1
Psi          1@8          1@8         2@9          2@6          2@1
Mag          1@7          1@8         2@9          2@6          2@1
Bod          1@8          1@8         2@5          2@1          2@8
Bias Tech    4@2          4@2         0@3          0@0          0@0
Psi          0@0          0@0         0@0          0@0          0@0
Mag          0@0          0@0         0@0          0@0          0@0
Bod          5@3          5@3         7@1          7@1          7@1
Ambush T0@3                           2@3
Stealth B0@6                          2@8
Climb B1@3                                         2@5          2@1
Four-legged Sprint B3@1               2@1          3@5
Distance (1 minute)                  2640'        5280'
                                    (30mph)      (60mph)
Four-legged Run B3@1
                                                                1@8
Velocity                                                       20mph
Pounce B5@4                           3@3          2@8
Distance                              90'          30'
Calc                                  100          88
Bite B7@1                             3@1          2@8          1@9
Damage                              Annoying    Annoying     Annoying
RF                                     1            1            1
Calc                                  98x6         88x4         84x2
                                     +2DC+1        +2DC         +DC
Punch                                                           2@5
Damage                                                       Annoying
RF                                                               2
Calc                                                            90x8
                                                                +2DC

The animals listed have been driven into the jungle areas, but spread into the grasslands in search of food.

The large cat is comparable to a tiger or lion.  It stalks its prey, moving in close and then pouncing for the kill.  It would consider a lone man a viable target.

The fast cat is akin to a cheetah or leopard, a smaller animal which runs down its prey and cripples it before killing it.  These will hunt in small groups, but will not attack a man if there is alternative prey.

The large ape is very like a gorilla, omnivorous but preferring to graze the vegetation available.  The live in communal groups moving through an area in search of food, and will generally ignore a man unless they feel threatened.  Such a perception of threat might exist if the man moves into the midst of the group, especially if in doing so he comes between smaller younger animals and their larger stronger protectors.

Other primates and large herbivores have not been listed; these will generally pose no threat to the verser.  If he chooses to hunt these creatures, they generally have target values of about 1@6 and damage values closer to 1@8 for the larger ones, 1@4 for the smaller.

The Farmland (B)
Created by M. Joseph Young

A quiet agrarian setting seems the perfect place to relax and explore.  But sometime after the character settles in, the world will be attacked by high-tech alien invaders, challenging him to defend the world with the aid of simple farmers and tradesmen.

World Area Bias Levels
Tech            14@9
Psi                 0@1
Mag              0@2
Bod             15@5
Neutral

This world is a reduced version of a beta-test world intended for inclusion in The Second Book of Worlds.  Much has been omitted for brevity, and the original version contains two separate worlds with very different concepts, one of which is not included here.

Although the tech and bod biases of the world are rather high, the biases of the people are much lower.  Most have tech biases in the low fourth level, able to use a block-and-tackle; the "technological giants" of the day build gear system drives powered by water wheels.  The world has no real magic; although holy men of an alliance faith are common, and neutral and anarch holy men exist in hiding, they are without any real power.  But the common people believe in magic although they don't know any.

The world is a collection of villages separated by miles of farmland.  About nine in ten men are farmers, working their own spread of land with their own hands.  Women live and work with their husbands, brothers, male cousins, or male children.  It takes several days to walk from the outer farms to the nearest village, and the trip will only be made once or twice each year by some.  Farmers and their families plant and harvest crops, raise, kill, and dress livestock, bake bread and pastries, make beer and wine (distillation is unknown, but mead and ale are available).  Soap, candles, cloth, rope, cheese, and butter are all made on the farm, as well as brooms, baskets, barrels, furniture, and even houses.  They are almost entirely self-sufficient.

In town, there are perhaps a dozen families doing those few things which the farmers cannot do for themselves: a blacksmith (forging tools from imported pig iron), a silversmith (tableware, candlesticks, jewelry), a tinsmith (light pots, pans, cheap tableware), dry goods dealer (importing that which is not made locally), a tailor (suits and dresses for special occasions, imported fabrics, buttons, straight pins, sewing needles), a potter (dishes, pitchers, large jars), grocer, butcher, baker (get product from farmers and prepare it for non-farmers), cobbler (shoes, boots, and leather goods), and pastor are all possibilities.  All of the townspeople and any farmers who can walk to church in less than an hour will attend each week.  The referee may fill this in with a few others (innkeeper, woodcutter, miller, cabinetmaker), remembering that there must be enough work for the character to make a living.

The world is a place of barter.  There is no coin of the realm; everything is worth what can be gotten in trade for it.  It is not at all uncommon for someone to accept a cheese wheel in payment for a pitchfork, only to give the cheese wheel to the baker for several loaves of bread.  People shop by saying, "I need that, will you give it to me for this?"  The character with good bargaining skills should be given the benefit of his skill; however, if locals feel they have been short changed by a local, they will be more careful in the future, and if by a stranger, they will not do business with him again.

The player character may have some trouble finding a niche in such a world, especially the female player character.  Almost everyone does what his father did, most of them on land inherited from his father.  The character's efforts should be carefully evaluated, and GE rolls should be made for opportunities.  For her, favorable GE rolls may indicate such things as a widower seeking a homemaker, an opening for a barmaid or maid at an inn, an apprenticeship as a seamstress, or possibly an available building for a bed & breakfast; for males, options include unclaimed land on the outskirts of the village which may be cleared, claimed, and farmed; an elderly farming couple with no surviving children who need help farming their land, and are willing to pass it on to the person who helps them work it; a local tradesman with no sons willing to apprentice someone to the business to take his place (although he may expect the apprentice to marry his daughter in a few years); a trade for which the character is already trained with no business currently in town, or a farm fallen into decay and disuse after the death of the last surviving heir.  Neutral GE rolls indicate no clear opportunities in this village.  Bad GE rolls include being mistaken for a rumored troublemaker or gypsy type (not a real gypsy, but a wanderer of that type); being run out of town for suspected interference with local trade (such as attempting to sell jewelry in a town with a goldsmith); being accused of theft of local farm produce.  The character will almost certainly have to move on to another village on a bad roll.

There are at least three other types of activity going on:  shipping, mining, and manufacturing.  In this reduced version of the scenario, the referee should try to steer the character away from these, or create his own materials if needed.

Shipping involves mostly young men with strong backs driving wooden wagons with iron axles pulled by beasts of burden over often muddy dirt roads.  At each stop, they trade cargo for meals, food for the road, and other products.  Remember that the value of product is in large part based on how difficult is it to get here.  Certain crops grow well in some areas but not so well in others.

Mining is done in mountainous areas, where the rocks have been forced nearer the surface and farming is not so easy.  These are hard-working short-lived men who pull ores and minerals from the ground.  Smelting and other simple processing is done on site.  Typical mined products include iron, copper, tin, lead, silver, gold, gemstones, coal, and several other metals.  Limestone, granite, and marble are quarried for use near the mines, especially for building, but little of this is shipped due to the weight.

Manufacturing is in isolated areas, usually by water power.  Products may include glass products (jars for canning), thread and cloth, polished shell buttons, steel straight pins, cutting implements, and assorted dry goods.  These are shipped. 

Mining and manufacturing workers have a somewhat communal arrangement.  The company feeds, houses, and clothes them and their families and gives them a small amount of the products of their labor in exchange for their work.  Shippers similarly have more of a communal life, sharing what they gain.

There are several classes of "beggars".  The most respected are minstrels who carry news in song.  There would also be actors who travel and entertain; these perform religious and moralistic stories, but in other locations (mining country) bawdy tales.  Although there has been no war for perhaps twenty to thirty years, there are a few elderly crippled war veterans surviving on the kindness of strangers.  There are also gypsy-type fortune tellers involved in various disreputable and deplorable dealings; they are generally pressured to leave the area in a polite but firm manner.  (Such fortune tellers are collecting information from everyone they meet, reading people's faces, and making guesses.)  These are only slightly less despicable than the thieves and highwaymen, who are usually whipped (possibly, if the referee likes, put in stocks on public display) before being driven off; it need not be proved that they have recently robbed anyone or stolen anything, but only that they do such things generally.  (A verser who does not find a niche for himself quickly will probably be taken for a beggar class, and it would be wise for him to demonstrate that he is among the more respected classes of beggars.)

This should be ample information for the presentation of the basic farmland world.

Alien Attack

The planet is about to be attacked by alien invaders who see it as a wonderful world to colonize once they subjugate and enslave the primitive life form currently dominating it.  Only the character has any hope of understanding the situation and saving the world, and only if he manages to organize the people of the world to work with him.

Several things are important to the success of the scenario.  First, it is important that the character realizes that things are changing before it's too late; there has to be some kind of warning.  Second, although any alien with level 14 technology is going to be extremely difficult to beat, they must not be invincible.  The character must be able to discover ways of fighting the enemy which he can easily teach to low-tech farmers and tradesmen.  Third, it is important that the character not be taken for a madman.  The referee must give him materials which the character correctly believes will convince others that they are going to be attacked by living mortal creatures in flying machines from another very physical world, and not by demons or supernatural monsters.  Here are some thoughts which will help to assure these things.

Months before the aliens attack, a reconnaissance flight should pass very close over the character's location.  The character and those with him should hear it, and he at least should get a good look at it.  The description should emphasize that the ship has visible weaponry; if there is any doubt, it might be appropriate for the aliens to fire on some structure close by (a way of testing human fortifications).  Minstrels should begin to sing of "visits of the mysterious roaring birds" and "attacks of the giant winged demons" and the disappearance of remote farmers at the same time as the crops in the fields were mysteriously flattened.

The hardest part about fighting the aliens will be bringing down their ships.  However, these are light fast attack ships.  The weapons are only capable of a base lethal damage (although the repeat factor is high and the long range category is quite far).  They have no plating or shields to defend themselves, as this could not be effective under the heat shielding, and the heat shielding would not be effective under it.  They attack primitive worlds, and do not expect weaponry which will be a serious threat to them.  But the ships should have to check for operational condition even after small amounts of damage.  A bent rudder control rod, a stuck wing flap, a damaged engine, a hole depressurizing the cabin, even a damaged heat tile, any of these things could bring the ship down.

If the player is stuck for ways to fight spaceships, have non-player characters make some weak suggestions.  For example, indigs will recommend using a catapult or a ballista against the ships.  Due to a ship's velocity, the chance of hitting it with one such weapon is minimal; however, a bank of catapults and ballistae should stand a good chance of hitting the enemy, and some chance of bringing him down.  Also, a rig which simultaneously fired several well-timed ballistae directly upward attached to an anchored net could create enough of a navigational hazard that the pilot would be unable to escape the trap.

Out of their ships, the aliens are rather ordinary combatants.  Although under the full version of this world aliens vary as much as humans, for this setting "one each" opponents will be used.  They have hand-held ranged energy weapons in the dangerous category, but attributes in the upper first level, and most skills are at amateur level (they are professional fighter pilots, not professional soldiers).  Personal armor is made of polymers, not better than comparable metal armor, with cover value of -15. They will have some specific weakness which the character can exploit.  A modified GE roll will determine the efficacy of any particular attack form, using the table below, and adjusting the modification according to the difficulty of reproducing the necessary equipment given the limited manufacturing base.  For example, fire is an attack form with which farmers are quite familiar, so 2d6+3 would yield results from (5) lethal damage with dangerous rider to (15) causes momentary pleasure.  On the other hand, cold requires refrigeration technology (a difficult undertaking from this manufacturing base), and so 2d6+2 (fatal damage with lethal rider to noticed but no effect) might be better; higher biased attack forms would be 2d6+1, not worse than momentary hesitation, and possibly instant death for the aliens.  (On the other hand, if the character starts pulling absurd stunts like playing his Beatles tapes at them, the chart permits a roll of 2d6+6 to run from stun for RS/20 minutes to speeds healing, so the referee does not have to allow every bit of nonsense to be an effective attack form, but can give the character the chance.)  Once an attack form has been tried once, the results of the roll should be recorded so that that attack form will always have the same predictable effect when used in the future.  If the character tries something which is innovative and could have any result (such as attacking with water), a standard GE roll could be used if the referee is uncertain how to modify the base roll.

ATTACK FORM EFFECTS

 3  Instantly kills the alien (no damage category penalties).
 4  Fatal damage with lethal secondary rider.
 5  Lethal damage with dangerous secondary rider.
 6  Lethal damage.
 7  Dangerous damage.
 8  Stuns for RS/20 minutes.
 9  Repels and halts attacks for RS/10 minutes.
10  Same as human.
11  Same as human.
12  Causes itching or irritation of no damage.
13  Causes momentary hesitation.
14  Attack form noticed but no effect.
15  Causes momentary pleasure.
16  Attack form pleasurable.
17  Invigorates, removing fatigue.
18  Speeds healing.

One of the others who sees the alien craft should go with the character, such as the local pastor.  Also, one of the minstrels should hear of him, and come to hear his version of the tale to tell in song.

An alien will land to attempt to capture indigenous life forms (sentient or otherwise) during the early survey.  The player character should be given the opportunity to capture or kill the alien, and to capture the ship.  To simplify this version of the game, the piloting, computer, and weapon skills of the character are directly transferable to the equipment on this ship.  Also, the fighter craft are completely independent, so the enemy will not know that a ship has been captured by the indigs.

The character should correctly conclude at some point that there is the equivalent of an aircraft carrier in orbit above the planet.  The ships which he sees are generally short-range craft, not equipped for longer journeys.  Others will ask about "that new wandering star in the sky".  It should appear just before the battle begins, and should be in an orbit which has it pass around the earth more than once each day (which causes its apparent position visibly to shift relative to the stars during a single night, and assures that it will be seen every clear night everywhere in the world).  Destruction of this ship will bring a quick end to the war.  Give the character every opportunity to destroy it, but try to make it a suicide mission.

Alien attributes:  Aliens have attributes in the normal human ranges.  Since these are professional fighter pilots (operating orbit to ground craft), they have above average hand/eye (2@2), density (1@3), intuition (2@1), and resistance (1@10).  Martial strike value is 1@9 (1@5 strength); the aliens do not have martial weapons, but can attempt to learn to use them if taken from indig attackers.  Ranged strike value is 2@2.  Target value is 1@6 (agility 1@5).  Damage value is 1@6 (1@5 stamina, 1@5 will power).

Alien skills:  These creatures have skills in piloting and in operating ship's weapons in the professional levels.  Because these are one-man ships, the pilot is also the gunner, and he cannot both fire at maximum ability and fly at maximum ability at the same time--that is, if he is forced to engage in special maneuvering such as a difficult pursuit or evasion course or a near-ground route through uneven terrain, he must take a penalty on both his shooting and his flying skill checks or give up doing one to focus on the other.  (Obviously, on a shooting skill failure, he missed.  On a flying skill failure, relative failure or a general effects roll should be interpreted in view of the complications involved to include moderately off course, forced to slow, forced to break off pursuit or veer off sharply, forced landing, or crash; a botch should heavily favor a crash.)  Of course, should the character gain control of such a ship, he will suffer similar penalties.

Fighter pilots qualify in the sidearm, but it is a formality.  Pilots have a 1@5 skill in such weapons.  We envision an undefined energy weapon (tech level 14), but the referee should feel free to define weapons as he prefers; this is especially important if the character has hit upon energies against which the alien is particularly weak, since it is likely that they would use similar energies in their own weapons.  The weapon has a dangerous damage category, ranges of 40¢:80¢:160¢, and an RF of 4.  They wear a full coverage mixed polymer protective suit (to protect for a short time if they must abandon in space) having a cover value of -15, but after two hours the helmet must be removed, as the air supply will have been consumed; this reduces the cover value to -13.

Basic technologies such as fire, levers, ramps, wheels, and pulleys are completely second nature to them; they don't even think of these as technology.  On the other hand, pottery, rope making, stonework, and steam engines are ancient technology unfamiliar to them.  Similarly, metal work, explosives, pressure systems, motors, and electricity are all the province of specialists, repair technicians back at the base.  Pilots will have only amateur repair skills in systems directly related to ships similar to their own, and no knowledge of how to create systems of any type.  Their computers and electronics are not much different from ours.  Combat robots have not been developed.  They do both organ farming and mechanical replacement organs, but don't clone or build androids (they have slaves from conquered worlds).  Energy field weapons and hyperspace star drives are used (NLS and light speed drives are also in use; fighters do not have such drives on their ships).  Energy shields are not yet efficient enough to use for ships.

Alien spacecraft:  Ships are nearly circular but reminiscent of a manta ray, thicker on a diameter in line with the normal flight path, with the lateral edges of the disc functioning more like wings.  Engines are clearly visible toward the rear, and guns toward the front, and there is a transparent cockpit-type area significantly forward of the center.  Because of the difficulty of fighting a spaceship with primitive ground-based weaponry, the full version size bonuses are given for attacks on the ship to permit the player every advantage.  It's thirty feet in diameter; that creates a size bonus of +170 for attacks launched against it from above or below; however, attacks directly at the front or back gain only a +26 bonus, as the center section is about ten feet thick and the sides are considerably thinner.  Lateral attacks (from the sides) do slightly better, about +60 with many of the hits impacting on the thicker central section.  However, there will usually be a movement penalty.  Although these ships can stay airborne at velocities as low as fifty miles per hour (a -40 penalty to attacks), they are capable of escape velocities, and generally do attack runs at between one and two hundred miles per hour, a movement penalty from -90 to -190 on attacks from above, below, or alongside.  (Note that if an enemy ship is flying directly toward or away from a target, there is relative movement between the two of less than ten miles per hour, and therefore no penalty.)

If the alien is not surprised by an attack, he may make an evasive maneuvering check against his piloting skill.  Unmodified, the chance of success is 74 (BRA ed lev 2@1, SAL 2@5, bias level 14x2=28), and the single skill check becomes a sit-mod (RS=SM) against all attacks that minute.  The referee should penalize this check for any condition which should make evasion more difficult, including that the pilot is currently firing on or pursuing a target, that the pilot is engaged in other difficult maneuvers, or that the attack is particularly difficult to avoid.  Note that he cannot use this defense if surprised.

The ships have twin guns, each RF4 fatal 90:270:810 yards, but in strafing runs (firing at multiple targets while overflying) the movement penalty applies, and it will normally be better to treat such attacks under the rules for "throwing lead".  Although both guns may be fired, only one can be aimed at anything smaller than a large truck, so normally only 16 attacks will be possible.  Of course, if the pilot is flying directly at a target there are no movement penalties (unless the target is moving fast enough to create them).

Modified repeat factors are limited by targeting.  Characters may use weapons without targeting, "throwing lead".  The character makes a skill check without strike value, target value, or other targeting modifiers, to determine that the attack works correctly; the weapon (such as an automatic rifle) fires at its own maximum rate, and a GE roll determines the results within the parameters.  Normally at most a seven is required for actual opponent injuries, and at least a fourteen for significant worsening of the character's position.

The bulk of the exterior hull of the ship is a metalized polymer, a sci-fi material.  It has a target value of 1@5, and a damage value of 4@5 (divide all damage by 4, discard fractions, and 45 points is equal to 36 cubic inches of material, four cubic inches for every five points).  The hull is six inches thick, so eight points of damage could make a one inch square hole through it.  (A fifty caliber bullet (a half an inch in diameter) doing eight points of damage before reduction for damage value would penetrate it.)  The cockpit itself is primarily a clear polymer with a lower density, and is only four inches thick; however, shots at the "cockpit glass" are treated as shots at a normal sized target (no size bonus for the ship), and shots at the alien within add a cover value of -40 for the glass to the -15 for the suit worn inside.  (However, any successful hit on the alien automatically breaches the glass, and the alien will be forced to reduce speed to below one hundred miles per hour to avoid cabin pressure problems, and will have to land to make repairs before leaving the atmosphere.)

The referee should also use the rules for attacks on structures, allowing a GE roll to determine whether a hit has done cosmetic, ordinary, or structural damage.  It should be assumed that a ship cannot withstand more than one thousand points of ordinary damage.  To determine whether the ship is disabled (and forced to land or crash), the amount of damage should be compared to this for a percentage; however, cosmetic damage should only count half as much, and structural damage should be doubled.  (If the referee takes the total damage done to the ship and divides by ten, this will yield the percent probability that the ship is crippled.  Once he has rolled the dice once, that should create the target number for that ship, and once the damage has reached that (ten times the die roll in total points, that is, a roll of 11 indicates a target of 110 points) it is disabled.  A single roll of the die prevents the anomaly that because of multiple rolls a target hit many times for a small amount of damage is more likely to be disabled than a target hit once for a high amount of damage.)  Of course, if the character devises attack forms which can be effectively targeted against critical areas (especially engines and cockpit), the referee should consider such damage structural, and allow it the doubled value in determining whether the ship is disabled.  Remember, although these are not even interplanetary craft, they are designed to withstand the normal hazards of surface to orbital flight, including small meteors.

Other systems have not been detailed.  These include communications, scanning, surveillance, propulsion and power, and life support.  If the character takes an interest in these systems, a GE roll should determine what he finds.

There are not more than three hundred attack ships assigned to this mission, and there could be as few as fifty.  The referee need not set the number immediately, but should observe how well (or how poorly) the player is doing at combating them.  If the player cannot defend the earth against as few as fifty ships, have the aliens conquer the planet, and begin a resistance movement on the ground which they must suppress.  Whether or not the player character becomes involved in such a resistance, it is simple enough to have the aliens believe that he is.  If the player character manages to mobilize the planet sufficiently to destroy three hundred spacecraft, give him the day:  he is the hero of the hour, and the world looks to him for its future.  See what he does with it.  (At this point, he's bound to make enemies no matter which way he turns, but he can leave the world a better--or worse--place.)

For purposes of the demo game, once the character is killed he verses back to the starting world.

Robert Phillip Walker

A.K.A.:  Bob

ATTRIBUTES

 1@5  Persuasion
 1@7  Charisma
 1@4  Animal Magnetism

 2@1  Strength
 2@1  Stamina
 2@1  Resistance
 1@3  Density

 1@5  Flexibility
 1@10 Agility
 2@3  Hand/Eye

 1@5  Intellect
 1@8  Intuition
 1@10 Education Level
 2@2  Will Power

AVERAGED ATTRIBUTES
   2@1  Ranged Strike Value
   2@1  Martial Strike Value
   1@7  Target Value
   1@9  Damage Value

BIAS LEVELS
   7@1  Tech
   0@0  Psi
   0@0  Mag
   7@2  Bod

BEST RELEVANT ATTRIBUTE
    1@10 Tech (Ed Level)
    2@2  Psi (Will Power)
    1@8  Mag (Intuition)
    2@2  Bod (Will Power)

BACKGROUND:  Enlisted in the army, Bob is standard infantry, but in the third year of his commitment he's very good at it and is thinking about re-enlisting.  He is 20 years old, and his unit is sweeping through an area which might be occupied by rebels in some perennially violent country where they've been assigned to the U. N. Peacekeeping force.  No stranger to combat, he has ribbons for marksmanship and valor.  There was something wrong with the new Global Satellite Positioning System tracker, and he gave it a sharp bang to try to get it to read more clearly.  He remembers feeling a surge of electrical current come through his hand, but nothing after that.  Bob is an agnostic; as such, he doesn't believe in magic, and can't use any.  Physical description is unimportant beyond the basic good health and physique of a soldier, and the referee and player should agree on any details.

SKILLS:

TECH
     1@5     1990's Basic Technology Package (Basic Fire Skills Package, Soft Sculpture/Clay Molding, Operate Lighter, Operate Match, Use Oven, Wheels Package, Stitch & Sew, Use Standard Hand Tools, Wedges, Ramps, Operate Locks & Keys, Operate Scissors & Cutters, Operate Bicycle, Non-wheeled Pulley, Wheeled Pulley, Block & Tackle, Operate Calipers & Micrometers, Operate Explosive-driven Slug Thrower, Use Lens, Operate Scopes, Operate Air Gun, Operate Automatic Transmission Vehicle, Operate Electrical Switches, Operate Electrical Appliances, Operate Telephone, Operate Electronic Entertainment Equipment, Computer Game Play)     Tech     X@X
     1@7     Ambush     Tech     0@3
Ambush, if successful, as the effect of creating Special Surprise, negating the ordinary intuition check in a surprise situation
     1@2     Arson Technique      Tech     1@3
     1@1     Flaming Missiles      Tech     1@3
     1@8     Firebomb      Tech     1@6
     1@5     Knots     Tech     2@1
     1@3     Operate Small Boat      Tech     3@1
Part of his basic military training, applied principally to inflatables but may be used generally
     1@1     Simple Wedges (chisels, awls, arrows, spears) weapon use     Tech     3@1
     1@3     Striking Levers (hammers, clubs, maces) weapon use     Tech     3@1
     1@1     Leveraged Wedges (axes, picks, shovels, crowbars) weapon use     Tech     3@2
     2@1     Knife weapon use--standard issue combat knife     Tech     3@3
Carries one knife issued by the military; professional skill with that design, 1@10 amateur with any other design.
     1@5     Operate Timer      Tech     6@1
Used with explosive devices
     2@3     Operate Grenade      Tech     6@1
Professional with Standard issue
     3@1     Operate Large Hand-carried Explosive-driven Slug Thrower:  M-16 rifle      Tech     6@1
Expert with his own weapon
     2@8     Operate Small Hand-carried Explosive-driven Slug Thrower:  9mm Automatic Pistol
                         Tech     6@1
     2@1     Repair Explosive-driven Slug Thrower      Tech     6@2
Able to make repairs on his own weapons; note that this is not an @1 skill and may be biased out.  Clearing jams is a repair.
     1@9     Operate GSPS system     Tech     10@0
     1@1     General Science      Tech     11@0
     1@4     Medical/First Aid      Tech     7@1

PSI
                  Language (specify)      Psi     0@0
     1@5     Self Control      Psi     5@0
Has been trained to endure physical adversity such as fatigue, hunger, thirst, and temperature extremes; following a failed stamina or will power check in such situations, a successful skill check at -5 will permit a second attempt at the check.

MAG
     1@1     Literature     Mag     0@0
     1@1     History     Mag     0@0

BOD
     X@X     Human Standard Sensory Package (Includes typical levels for all skills related to Touch, Taste, Smell, Hearing, Sight, and Balance)     Bod     0@X
     X@X     Human Standard Body Package (Manipulate Object; Generate Pheromone Signal; Generate Sound Signal; Sitting; Rise to All Limbs; Multi-legged Crawl 2mph; Stand Erect; Walk at Walking Speeds 3mph; Jog 3mph; Dash 300¢; Sprint 990¢; Run 71/2 mph (one mile/eight minutes); Ground-based Rolling; Reaching Jumps 10²; Low Obstacles 12²; Running High Jump 4¢ 6²; Standing Long Jump 6¢; Running Long Jump 9¢)     Bod     X@X
     1@5     Awareness     Bod     0@3
If the character might be surprised, such as by ambush, he is permitted to roll against this skill to negate surprise, on the theory that he has been trained to be attentive to detail.
     1@8     Balance     Bod     0@4
(This is improved over the standard sensory package; the character should use this number instead of that if a balance check is required.)
     1@9     Stealth     Bod     0@6
The character is trained in hiding and moving silently in a combat or potential combat situation.  A successful use of this skill eliminates the intuition check of the one approached, creating a special surprise situation.
     1@7     Undulating or Slithering     Bod     1@1
This movement is very slow, but lower to the ground than a belly crawl, enabling the character to pass under very low obstacles or move behind very low concealment.
     1@5     Limb-assisted Swimming     Bod     1@2
     1@7     Belly Crawl     Bod     1@2
     1@7     Multi-legged Crawl     Bod     1@3
     1@8     Climb     Bod     1@3
This climbing skill is best on ropes and barricades
     2@1     Walk at Walking Speeds 5 mph     Bod     2@4
Although the same SAL as the human standard body skills, training has given this character a faster velocity, so this skill replaces that.
     1@9     Jog 6 mph     Bod     3@3
     2@1     Run 7 ½ mph     Bod     3@6
The character is more skilled at running, although the velocity is the same; this replaces the SAL of the standard human body skills package.
     1@5     Marathon     Bod     3@7
The character can run over twenty miles without stopping, at 6 ½ mph average speed.
     1@5     Ground-based Rolling     Bod     4@1
Replaces the SAL of the human standard body package.
     1@5     Tumble from Erect Position     Bod     4@3
     1@5     Tumble to Erect Position     Bod     4@4
     1@7     Evasive Tumbling     Bod     4@8
In combat, the character may use his tumbling skills to move out of the way of incoming attacks.  If successful, the roll becomes a sit-mod (RS=SM) against all attacks in that minute directed at him.
     1@6     Low Obstacles     Bod     5@1
Replaces the SAL of the human standard body package.
     1@5     Balance Beam Walking     Bod     6@1
     1@8     Bars & Ropes Hanging/Moving/Swinging     Bod     6@2
     1@1     Balance Beam Speed     Bod     6@6
     1@4     Tactical Movements:  Regain footing     Bod     7@2
If thrown to the ground, the character can return to his feet in six seconds.  (Without skill, this would take at least eighteen up to sixty seconds, depending on conditions.)  The skill does not work if an opponent is holding the character down.
     1@4     Positional Training:  Lying down     Bod     7@2
The character can continue combat without returning to his feet, if this skill check is successful.

Equipment

M-16 Semi-automatic Rifle     Back     Home
Range 50¢:200¢:800¢, RF6, Dangerous, 50-bullet clip, 18-second clip change, fires single or multiple shots
9mm Semi-automatic Pistol     Belt holster     Home
Range 60¢:150¢:300¢, RF6, Dangerous, 10-bullet clip, 18-second clip change, single-shot
Standard issue army duffel     Shoulder     Home
Standard issue army backpack     Back     Home
10 M-16 clips (includes one in gun)     Duffel     Home
10 Pistol clips (includes one in gun)     Duffel     Home
4 Fragmentation Grenades     Vest     Home
Range 30¢:60¢:90¢, RF1, Damaging + Damaging secondary rider, 10¢ radius
3-quart canteen with water     Belt     Home
Military field uniform     Worn     Home
Extra field uniform          Backpack     Home
Week dried field rations     Backpack     Home
Field knife with compass, 10 waterproof matches, 1 ½¢ Cable Saw, 6¢ 10# Fishing Line, 4 quarter-ounce fishing weights, 3 fishhooks
               Belt sheath     Home
Water test kit               Backpack     Home
10¢ Nylon Rope          Duffel     Home
Wallet, Military ID Card     Pocket     Home
Plastic Dog Tags          Neck     Home
Bedroll               Backpack     Home
2 sets foam sonic protection earplugs     Vest pocket     Home
Combat vest               Worn     Home
Combat helmet          Worn     Home
Vest & Helmet together provide cover value totaling 6%
Basic First Aid kit          Backpack     Home
Diver's Wristwatch          Left wrist     Home
Flashlight               Duffel     Home
Basic Toiletries (soap, toothbrush, toothpaste, washcloth, towel, comb)     Duffel     Home
Personal cook kit          Duffel     Home
Eating Utensils          Duffel     Home

World List

1)   In first world

The Reverend John Baker Edwards

A.K.A.:  Pastor Jack

ATTRIBUTES

   2@2  Persuasion
   1@9  Charisma
   2@1  Animal Magnetism

   1@6  Strength
   1@5  Stamina
   1@9  Resistance
   1@1  Density

   1@5  Flexibility
   1@7  Agility
   1@10 Hand/Eye

   2@2  Intellect
   2@3  Intuition
   2@4  Education Level
   1@8  Will Power

AVERAGED ATTRIBUTES
   2@2  Ranged Strike Value
   1@10 Martial Strike Value
   1@7  Target Value
   1@6  Damage Value

BIAS LEVELS
   9@3  Tech
   0@1  Psi
11@3 Mag
  6@2  Bod

BEST RELEVANT ATTRIBUTE
   2@4  Tech (Ed Level)
   2@3  Psi (Intuition)
   2@3  Mag (Intuition)
   1@8  Bod (Will Power)

BACKGROUND:  Pastor Jack is in his early thirties, a happily married father of two young children and well-loved pastor of a fairly large Pentecostal/charismatic church in a suburban area.  Because his magic is alliance holy magic, he must conduct himself in an appropriate manor or take increasing penalties on any effort to use those skills (reflecting the deterioration of his relationship with his God).  He is not barred from using force in self defense, defense of others, or in hunting for food or other survival needs; but he should expect excessive violence, wanton killing, and especially violence toward innocent sentient life to create such penalites.  He should also avoid breaking the Ten Commandments, and should attempt to act in a kind and respectful manner as much as reasonable.  He was helping to install a new sound system in the church which would be able to handle the rock band for the Sunday evening service when the new state-of-the-art mixer was dropped; reaching out to wipe off some gold liquid which leaked out, he received a nasty shock, and blacked out.  Physical description is unimportant beyond the fact that he is in good health and good shape; the referee and the player should agree on whatever details they prefer.

SKILLS:

TECH
     1@5     1990's Basic Technology Package (Basic Fire Skills Package, Soft Sculpture/Clay Molding, Operate Lighter, Operate Match, Use Oven, Wheels Package, Stitch & Sew, Use Standard Hand Tools, Wedges, Ramps, Operate Locks & Keys, Operate Scissors & Cutters, Operate Bicycle, Non-wheeled Pulley, Wheeled Pulley, Block & Tackle, Operate Calipers & Micrometers, Operate Explosive-driven Slug Thrower, Use Lens, Operate Scopes, Operate Air Gun, Operate Automatic Transmission Vehicle, Operate Electrical Switches, Operate Electrical Appliances, Operate Telephone, Operate Electronic Entertainment Equipment, Computer Game Play)     Tech     X@X
     2@5     Knots     Tech     2@1
Very familiar with the use of knots and ropes for mountain climbing and spelunking, his favorite hobbies.
     1@5     Steering/Turning Axle      Tech     2@3
     1@7     Operate Small Boat      Tech     3@1
Part of his outdoor hobbies include canoeing and small boats, so he has experience with a variety of these.
     1@2     Electrical Repair      Tech     9@3
Can make simple repairs of wiring and electrical equipment which is not electronic
     1@2     General Science      Tech     12@0
     1@1     Medical/First Aid      Tech     7@1

PSI
     2@2     Teaching      Psi     0@1

MAG
     1@7     Linguistics     Mag     0@0
     1@5     Socio-political Economic Theory     Mag     0@0
     2@1     Literature     Mag     0@0
     1@8     Music     Mag     0@0
     1@5     History     Mag     0@0
     2@3     Philosophy/Theology     Mag     0@1
     1@5     Acting     Mag     0@2
     2@7     Religion     Mag     1@0
     2@2     Ceremonies NOS     Mag     1@1
Includes marriage, burial, baptism, and a few other basic services, plus a blessing on the oil used for healing.  Pentecostalism, although highly supernatural in its beliefs, is not highly sacramental; rituals are informal, and although the blessing of God is expected from these it is not thought that they "confer grace" in a sacramental sense.  The oil blessing ritual involves three minutes of prayer during which time nothing else can be done, plus pouring the oil into the bottle in which it is normally carried.
     1@7     Bonus Skill Checks     Mag     1@4
This prayer ability is skill successes.  The pastor is praying that the Lord would assist the individual in his efforts; if successful, the prayer confers a sit-mod equal to one tenth the skill check roll (SM=RS/10) on this skill added to the attempt on the other skill.  The most common botch is a penalty of the same amount.  It is a sixty second prayer, spoken aloud.
     1@2     Remove Fear     Mag     1@5
This skill combines prayer with exhortation, praying that the Lord would free the subject from fear and quoting scriptures of encouragement.  This takes one minute, after which the subject will be unafraid for at least five minutes.
     1@8     Atonement     Mag     1@7
Through fasting and prayer, the character or someone who seeks his assistance seeks forgiveness for significant wrongs done.  It requires a day of fasting during which the character is devoted to prayer, and on the next day all physical attribute checks are at -1 and all bod skill checks are at -5.  The character should rarely do anything requiring this level of penitence, and it should only be required if his conduct is significantly contrary to the principles of his faith such that the referee has assessed a continuing penalty against his holy magic (minor infractions should be limited to single skill penalties unless they are frequently repeated).
     1@2     Curse/Remove Curse     Mag     1@8
This prayer ability will lift curses placed on a character.  It requires ten minutes of prayer, and the cursed character must be anointed with blessed oil, but gains a +15 sit-mod against any magical ill effect placed on a character.
     1@1     Torture Spirit Power     Mag     1@10
This prayer ability is a blessing on possessed individuals which tends to weaken the hold of demons to assist in exorcising them; it does dangerous damage to any creature of supernatural origin (including undead) which is not of an alliance affiliation (that is, the good guys), and additionally causes pain such that the attacked creature must make a will power check (RS=simple/difficult/none) in order to take any action the next minute.  It requires one minute of prayer and loudly spoken commands that the evil depart.
     1@9     Limited Damage Repair     Mag     2@1
This prayer for the injured includes anointing with oil blessed by the ceremonial prayer.  This generally takes one minute, and will restore a dangerous level of damage (RS/10) at the amateur level.  (Damage category of healing increases once at professional level and again at expert level.)  The most common botch is additional injury in the damaging level.
     1@5     Remove Fatigue     Mag     2@1
Similar to the Limited damage repair, the anointing with oil reduces fatigue.  A character with a level one stamina can stay awake for 24 hours, engage in light physical activity for 12 to 16 hours, engage in concentration such as reading or studying for 6 to 8 hours, and do heavy labor for 2 hours before fatigue becomes a problem; the referee will assess conditions which cause this to vary.  Certain skills are intrinsically tiring, including combat over ten minutes.  The affect of fatigue is to create penalties against all skill use and attribute checks; this skill counters fatigue, reviving the character to the same degree as a full night's sleep.  This skill will also counter magical and psionic attacks which cause drowsiness, and the effects of drugs or poisons (not included in this version).  It will not counter the effects of hunger or thirst.  It requires one minute.  A typical botch is to cause exhaustion such that the subject or the caster falls asleep.
     1@4     Save Life     Mag     2@1
This is akin to the limited damage repair, and uses the same oil and a similar ceremony, but specifically prevents the death of the individual, maintaining him at one intensity of damage value.  (It is used only on those who are dying, and so must be used immediately to work.)  It requires one minute; the most common botch is causing injury to the skill user.
     2@1     Detect Lie     Mag     7@2
This skill enables the character to determine whether someone is attempting to intentionally deceive him through spoken or written words or other communications.  It does not reveal the veracity of that which is communicated, but only whether the individual communicating it believes it to be true.  It also will not determine the truth of stories or plays which the teller/actor is not intending to have believed, or information passed on without prejudice--it is strictly limited to a determination of whether the individual is purposely lying, and not whether what he says is in fact true.  The skill requires the user to pay close attention to the character, both by watching him and listening to his words, while quietly praying for understanding; the skill receives a +20 sit-mod, and if successful will reveal whether the subject believes that what he is communicating is false.  Botches typically give misleading results.  This roll may be made by the referee.
     2@2     Communicate Off-World     Mag     7@7
The character may pray for guidance, and receive a sense (not a verbal direction) of what he should do and where he should go.  It is a three-minute prayer during which the character must close his eyes and raise his hands toward heaven as he requests wisdom and direction.  If the roll is successful, the character will have a sense of which way to go; on a high relative success roll, he may also have some vague sense of what to expect.  On a botch, the character has been misled by his own feelings and will have a clear sense in the wrong direction.  This roll will be made by the referee.
     1@4     Know Character     Mag     7@9
If the character considers the matter prayerfully and intently for three minutes, he can determine whether an individual is an honest and decent person, including such aspects as whether he is trustworthy, kind-hearted, or well-intentioned.
     1@5     Non-aggressions     Mag     10@4
If this thirty-second prayer for peace is successful, a select target character will feel no aggression toward the skilled user for at least five minutes.  This is a targeted skill, using the character's ranged strike value offset by the target's resistance, with ranges of 40¢:60¢:80¢.  Particularly aggressive character types (warrior races, carnivores, top soldiers) are afforded a will power check (RS=Simple/Difficult/None) as well.
     1@1     Dispel Off-world Sentient     Mag     11@3
The character has been trained in exorcisms and spiritual combat, but has no real experience in that area.  The supernatural creature is forcefully commanded to leave, and so is driven from the area if it fails a will power check, and/or driven from the universe (or destroyed) if it fails a resistance check (RS=Simple/Difficult/None.  The commands must be loudly and forcefully stated for a full minute for each such creature ordered.  In addition to demons, this skill will dispel undead; it does not work on spirit creatures of an alliance affiliation.  Either the character's holy symbol (cross) or his Bible must be boldly presented in performing this skill, with either hand.

BOD
     X@X     Human Standard Sensory Package (Includes typical levels for all skills related to Touch, Taste, Smell, Hearing, Sight, and Balance)     Bod     0@X
     X@X     Human Standard Body Package (Manipulate Object; Generate Pheromone Signal; Generate Sound Signal; Sitting; Rise to All Limbs; Multi-legged Crawl 2mph; Stand Erect; Walk at Walking Speeds 3mph; Jog 3mph; Dash 300¢; Sprint 990¢; Run 71/2 mph (one mile/eight minutes); Ground-based Rolling; Reaching Jumps 10²; Low Obstacles 12²; Running High Jump 4¢ 6²; Standing Long Jump 6¢; Running Long Jump 9¢)     Bod     X@X
     1@8     Limb-assisted Swimming     Bod     1@2
     2@5     Climb:  Mountaineering/Spelunking     Bod     1@3
     2@4     Walk at Walking Speeds (3mph)     Bod     2@4
     1@2     Ropes Hanging/Moving/Swinging     Bod     6@2

Equipment

Cross (type, materials, and chain/rope selected by player     Neck     Home
Bible, in leather case     Backpack     Home
Swiss Army Knife          Duffel     Home
Street Clothes (Slacks, sport shirt, undergarments)     Worn     Home
Wallet (Driver's license, Credit cards, Pictures, tracts)     Pocket     Home
125¢ Climbing Rope     Duffel     Home
75¢ Climbing Rope          Duffel     Home
50¢ Climbing Rope          Duffel     Home
Climbing Harness          Duffel     Home
40 Pitons               Duffel     Home
12 Climbing Anchors     Duffel     Home
Climbing Shoes          Duffel     Home
12 Packs Resin (for hands)     Duffel     Home
Use of Resin adds +5 to climbing skill checks
6 Chemical heat packs     Duffel     Home
Climbing Clothes (Including heavy and light jackets, sweat suit, undergarments)
               Duffel     Home
Duffel bag for climbing gear     Carried     Home
Advanced first aid kit     Duffel     Home
Watch with Compass     Left Wrist     Home
Book Matches               Duffel     Home
Pair short-range headset walkie-talkie radios     Duffel     Home
Flashlight               Duffel     Home
Harmonica               Duffel     Home
Paper (250 sheets notebook) and pens (5 black)     Carried     Home
Gold Wedding Band     Left Hand     Home
Grappling hook          Duffel     Home
Key ring with 8 keys     Pocket     Home
Oil bottle, 4 oz. Blessed cooking oil     Pocket     Home
Small funnel, for use with oil     Carried     Home

World List

1)   In first world

Anna Maria Esposito

A.K.A.:  Ann, Ann Marie

ATTRIBUTES

   1@4  Persuasion
   1@5  Charisma
   1@9  Animal Magnetism

   1@8  Strength
   1@10 Stamina
   2@1  Resistance
   1@1  Density

   2@1  Flexibility
   2@4  Agility
   2@5  Hand/Eye

   1@10 Intellect
   2@3  Intuition
   2@2  Education Level
   2@1  Will Power

AVERAGED ATTRIBUTES
   2@4  Ranged Strike Value
   2@2  Martial Strike Value
   1@9  Target Value
   1@8  Damage Value

BIAS LEVELS
  11@3 Tech
   0@0  Psi
   0@2  Mag
   8@2  Bod

BEST RELEVANT ATTRIBUTE
   2@3  Tech (Intuition)
   2@3  Psi (Intuition)
   2@3  Mag (Intuition)
   2@4  Bod (Agility)

BACKGROUND:  Anna grew up in a tough urban area, and was a member of a street gang where she picked up some interesting skills.  Fortuitously, she was able to go to college, and to get her pilot's license.  She is qualified in a variety of small aircraft and flies a corporate jet for a major computer company; she frequently asks the company's top executives, "Where would you like to go today?".  It was an experimental new computer device in this jet which contained the scriff; when she attempted to shut it off when it appeared to be malfunctioning, she received an electric shock, and awoke no longer in the plane.   An atheist, she does not believe in magic (and cannot use it, expecting there to be a technological explanation for it), but gains half her atheism SAL (=9) as a sit-mod against any magic used directly on her.  Her physical description is not essential, and the player and referee should agree on any details they prefer.  She is imagined to be in her mid to late twenties.

SKILLS:

TECH
     1@5     1990's Basic Technology Package (Basic Fire Skills Package, Soft Sculpture/Clay Molding, Operate Lighter, Operate Match, Use Oven, Wheels Package, Stitch & Sew, Use Standard Hand Tools, Wedges, Ramps, Operate Locks & Keys, Operate Scissors & Cutters, Operate Bicycle, Non-wheeled Pulley, Wheeled Pulley, Block & Tackle, Operate Calipers & Micrometers, Operate Explosive-driven Slug Thrower, Use Lens, Operate Scopes, Operate Air Gun, Operate Automatic Transmission Vehicle, Operate Electrical Switches, Operate Electrical Appliances, Operate Telephone, Operate Electronic Entertainment Equipment, Computer Game Play)     Tech     X@X
     1@3     Improvise Martial Weapon     Tech     0@5
Characters can observe and feel the best way to use random objects as weapons.  Such objects which are not weapons should be classed as similar objects which are designed to be weapons.  A -10 sit-mod always applies, and non-weapon objects also take a -10 damage mod.
     1@7     Fuse (Fire)      Tech     1@4
     1@3     Firebomb      Tech     1@6
     1@5     Ignite Fire from Electrical Current      Tech     1@6
     1@4     Striking Levers (hammers, clubs, maces) as weapons     Tech     3@1
     1@1     Pick Locks      Tech     3@2
In her misspent youth, she learned to jimmy a few locks and latches; it requires three minutes to attempt.
     1@5     Hard Shell Bombs      Tech     6@2
Helped design and build a few primitive pipe bombs; has some knowledge of simple chemical explosives and the construction of fused devices.
     2@9     Operate Aircraft--small jet     Tech     7@2
     1@8     Electricity Package (Covers all electrical use which is not electronic or science fiction)     Tech     9@X
     2@1     Computer Programmer Package (11@0 Computer Theory, 11@0 Computer Game Play, 11@1 Read & Write Program, 11@3 Create Computer Security, 11@3 Bypass Computer Security)     Tech     11@X
     1@4     General Science      Tech     12@0
     1@5     Medical/First Aid      Tech     2@1

PSI
               Language (specify)      Psi     0@0

MAG
     1@2     Law     Mag     0@0
     1@4     Socio-political Economic Theory     Mag     0@0
     1@5     Literature     Mag     0@0
     1@5     History     Mag     0@0
     2@1     Survival:  Urban     Mag     0@1
     1@7     Atheism     Mag     0@1
     1@2     Acting     Mag     0@2

BOD
     X@X     Human Standard Sensory Package (Includes typical levels for all skills related to Touch, Taste, Smell, Hearing, Sight, and Balance)     Bod     0@X
     1@5     Thief Package (0@3 Awareness, 0@4 Increased Auditory Perception, 0@4 Increased Balance, 0@6 Move Silently, 0@6 Hide, 0@6 Escape, 0@8 Pilfer, 0@8 Jimmy Door; on sensory skills, these will allow a second skill check)     Bod     0@X
     X@X     Human Standard Body Package (Manipulate Object; Generate Pheromone Signal; Generate Sound Signal; Sitting; Rise to All Limbs; Multi-legged Crawl 2mph; Stand Erect; Walk at Walking Speeds 3mph; Jog 3mph; Dash 300¢; Sprint 990¢; Run 71/2 mph (one mile/eight minutes); Ground-based Rolling; Reaching Jumps 10²; Low Obstacles 12²; Running High Jump 4¢ 6²; Standing Long Jump 6¢; Running Long Jump 9¢)     Bod     X@X
     1@9     Climb Fences     Bod     1@3
     1@3     Fall Shock Absorption     Bod     4@6
Used when parachuting, a successful roll prevents injury on landing; applied in other situations such as falls, it creates a damage category penalty.  In one grav, all falls are annoying up to and including 5¢; above that they become damaging, plus one damage category of damage per ten additional feet fallen; that is, falls up to 15¢ are damaging, those above 15¢ to 25¢ are dangerous, up to 35¢ are lethal, to 45¢ are fatal, and in this demo version receive a die mod equal to the distance in feet above that, treated as a damage category bonus for each ten feet.
     1@5     Balance Beam Walking     Bod     6@1
The ability to move at walking speeds along a narrow board or similar object
     1@4     Balance Beam Speed     Bod     6@6
The ability to move at running speeds along a narrow board or similar object
                 Special Dodging     Bod     7@4
The successful use of this skill creates a sit-mod against all opponent attacks for the current minute, equal to the number rolled (RS=SM); it indicates that the character is moving in unpredictable patterns keeping her out of the way of many attacks.
     1@5     Slowed Descent     Bod     8@1
This is the ability to use a parachute successfully
     1@4     Steerable Glide     Bod     8@2
This is the ability to control direction while parachuting

Equipment

Laptop Computer          Carry case     Home
Cell Phone               Purse     Home
Pager               Belt Clip     Home
6 Floppy Discs          Comp. case     Home
Woman's business suit     Worn     Home
Overnight bag               Carried     Home
Computer Case          Carried     Home
Electronic Sports Watch/Calculator     Left Wrist     Home
Dress Watch               Overnight bag     Home
Gym Bag               Carried     Home
Workout clothes (shorts, T-shirt, light undergarments, socks, shoes)     Gym Bag     Home
Relaxing Clothes (Jeans, shirt, undergarments, casual shoes)     Overnight bag     Home
Passport               Overnight bag     Home
Spare Laptop Battery     Comp. case     Home
Pen Light               Purse     Home
Purse, small leatherette     Carried     Home
Latest Tom Clancy novel     Overnight bag     Home
Make-up kit (Blush compact w/mirror, nail polish & remover, eye liner/shadow, mascara, lipstick)
               Purse     Home
Toiletries (razor, deodorant, feminine products, shampoo, conditioner, soap, toothpaste, toothbrush, moist towlettes, mini-hairdryer, floss, some over-the-counter medicines)     Overnight bag     Home
Night gown               Overnight bag     Home
5 Paper clips               Comp. case     Home
Towel               Gym Bag     Home
Coffee mug (Image of jet, with "Where would you like to go today?")     Overnight bag     Home
Wallet:  Credit cards, ID, Discount cards, Video rental chain membership     Purse     Home
Hair brush               Gym bag     Home
Jumbo pack mint chewing gum     Purse     Home
Instant coffee jar, 12 sugar packets, 12 artificial sweetener packets, jar creamer     Overnight bag     Home
Paper (legal pad) & Pens (3 blue)     Comp. case     Home
Jewelry:  6 pierced earrings (2 worn), necklace, pin     Overnight bag     Home
Bandanna (gang colors, souvenir)     Gym bag     Home
Pair ankle weights, 2# each     Gym bag     Home
Pair wrist weights, 1# each     Gym bag     Home
Small Pillow               Overnight bag     Home
8 keys on decorative ring     Purse     Home
White-out               Comp. case     Home
Pilot's license               Overnight bag     Home

The referee and player may agree on additional equipment and supplies consistent with the character's identity, lifestyle, background, and situation.  Such decisions must be made at the beginning of play (to avoid players announcing that they have just what they need when a situation arises), and must remain within the 200 pound initial equipment limit.

World List

1)   In first world