149 further. He uses every non-lethal means at his disposal to attempt escape. If necessary, his bodyguard Dragonbane begins sniping at the Legionnaires from a nearby roof. The pouch contains a TW Holo-Display Communicator. An Electronics or Repair roll reveals broadcast capabilities have been deactivated but a recorded message awaits the heroes. Expending 3 ISP or PPE allows them to play it back. Whether the heroes do this in public or in private is their choice. The city boasts numerous lodgings of varying quality, from practically medieval inns to high-rise hotels similar to the pre-Rifts days. If he trailed them this far, Bloodmist attempts to find a way to spy on the heroes as they watch the message. When the heroes play the recording, read or paraphrase the following: Light flickers from the heart of the holo-display, shimmering into shape as the ghostly illusion of a being in heavy, deep-hooded robes. Clawed fingers peek through the long sleeves, and the washedout appearance of the illusion makes it nigh-impossible to perceive the color of the figure’s scaled skin. “Trust that you will profit from this exchange,” says the hooded man. “I am… well-placed… in the Stormspire hierarchy—in a position to offer Castle Refuge access to top-secret devices. Unfortunately, I cannot openly sell them to you; our… arrangement… with Alistair Dunscon prevents this. “It is in our mutual interest to defy Dunscon. He’s… bad for business. “What I offer is the means to shift an entire structure through dimensions. With this, your precious Castle Refuge could disappear like a Fadetown if it came under attack. Smaller structures could shift in space as well as dimension. Something like that could ride the ley lines to anywhere you want—like, say, Dunscon’s backyard. “The trick is that I can’t give this to you. Not directly. Plausible deniability, you know? I need you to steal it, so I’m giving you all I can on the central spire. Come and get it.” A detailed, full-color illusion of the central spire replaces the illusion of the hooded figure. Clearly marked upon it are security systems—both mundane and magical—as well as guard patrols and other deterrents. While Renn Distro has not written out a full plan of attack for the heroes, he has certainly given them everything they need to create their own. The spire stands 14 stories tall and the device the heroes seek sits in K’zaa’s private vault on the 13th floor. Security measures begin in earnest on the tenth floor and include TW-powered aura scanners, laser grids, security guards, and MDC vault doors. The illusion then reveals the device— named the Plinths of Tepeth’saal—as four bowling ball-sized, gold-ringed obsidian spheres. Charging the spheres with five ISP or PPE causes them to adhere to a horizontal or vertical surface, extending out into 10’ tall antennas. Anyone who infused an antenna with ISP or PPE may then make an Arcane Skill roll to activate an improved version of the greater teleport power. Everything within the boundary formed by the four antennas may be teleported 20 miles per 5 PPE or ISP spent, or 30 miles with a raise. E Dragonbane: See page 168. Break In, Break Out Renn Distro is in fact K'zaa in disguise. By adopting the subterfuge, K'zaa distances himself from the act of handing over the device. He still tries to directly and indirectly aid the heroes in their attempt to seize the Plinths. Michael Logan (Order #41085069)
150 Run this heist as a staged Quick Encounter (see Savage Worlds). The Legionnaires must find their way into the spire, past the security measures to the 13th floor, into the vault, and out again undetected. If they fail any one stage, the remaining stages become dangerous encounters. Once they have formulated their plan for each stage, the players can roll and the GM can narrate the results. Since the heroes were instructed to bring no badges, uniforms, or other identification that would link them to the Tomorrow Legion, a Critical Failure indicates that they were overheard mentioning the Legion or left something incriminating at the scene. A failure might mean that (unknown to the heroes) Dragonbane is forced to cover for them, perhaps granting them access through an otherwise impassable checkpoint. If any player declares they’re using Notice as their skill roll for a stage of the heist, a raise gives them the nagging feeling they’re being watched. As per the Quick Encounter rules, the heroes succeed each stage if there are at least as many successes and raises as there are heroes in the group. Inside the vault, the Plinths of Tepeth’saal sit in a padded traveling case neatly marked on a shelf. As soon as one of the heroes reaches for them, a housefly buzzes past the Legionnaire. It transforms swiftly and suddenly into Bloodmist. The Hellcat attempts to use his terrifying aura to frighten off the Legionnaires, resorting to threats and Intimidation if this doesn’t work. If someone rolled a Critical Failure during the heist, then those threats are to bring the whole of Dunscon’s forces down on the Tomorrow Legion. Otherwise, they’re of a personal nature, promising tortures beyond the heroes’ worst nightmares. The GM can run this encounter as a combat encounter within the Quick Encounter, or run a full combat. Either way, Bloodmist is a challenging opponent but he is not suicidal. While the Raksasha is eager to fight, he knows it’s in his best interest to steal the Plinths and get out. If the heroes begin to overwhelm him, he transforms into mist and retreats, abandoning the Plinths if need be. If the heroes find themselves outmatched, Dragonbane comes to their aid. Following the fight with Bloodmist, the Game Master can continue with the last stage of the Quick Encounter as the heroes break back out of the spire. Clever players may use the Plinths to teleport out of the vault, taking part of the vault floor with them. In any case, K’zaa’s influence on the day’s guard schedule and other security measures means the heroes face far less of a challenge leaving the spire than getting in. E Bloodmist: See page 157. THE SIEGE OF SOULHARVEST The Game Master should run several additional adventures to give the heroes time to advance further in Rank and for construction to be completed on Refuge Tower. During this time, the heroes might harass Soulharvest forces or forge additional alliances. After several months of game time, construction finishes and the Tomorrow Legion stands ready to take the fight to Soulharvest. If any of the players invested in Battle and Leadership Edges, their characters are invited to help devise strategy. Otherwise, they’re only summoned to the mission briefing to prepare for the assault. Michael Logan (Order #41085069)
151 If the heroes surrender the Plinths of Tepeth’saal to their superiors in the Legion, work begins on an expansion of Castle Refuge—a teleporting tower to be used as a mobile field command post. Refuge Tower will allow the Tomorrow Legion to move further afield in the hunt for allies and allow them to strike at distant foes. In the war against Nxla and his creepy legions of Soulless Xombies and vile Harvesters, it gives the Tomorrow Legion the chance to launch a surprise assault on Soulharvest. Once complete, Refuge Tower stands seven stories tall. Like Castle Refuge, its construction integrates technology and magic—including ceramics, concrete, and advanced metal alloys. The ground level serves as a motor pool for surface vehicles and hanger for larger air transports. Refuge Tower’s power plant sits on the second floor, surrounded by maintenance and engineering. The third level contains the logistics offices and labs, concealed behind heavy weapons platforms that can be retracted or deployed as needed. The teleportation chamber, where the calculations and rituals needed to activate the Plinths of Tepeth’saal are housed, commands most of the fourth floor, alongside another battery of retractable weapons platforms overlapping the third floor’s blind spots. The fifth and sixth levels contain the barracks and officers’ private quarters. The top floor contains the communications and war rooms, as well as another battery of weapons platforms. A radar array sits on top of the tower. Teleporting Refuge Tower any significant distance requires a serious output of Power Points (1 Power Point for every two miles), meaning it can rarely be attempted by a lone caster (the 550-odd miles to reach Soulharvest, for example, costs 225 Power Points). Once Refuge Tower arrives at its destination, massive pylons based on the Glitter Boy’s deploy and anchor the structure. Refuge Tower: Size 15 (Gargantuan), Crew 50 + 200*, Toughness 100 (65) Notes: ECC, LL, MDC Armor, STS, Signal Booster (see Empires of Humanity); the tower’s garage/ hangar can hold and service a number of vehicles with combined Sizes of no greater than 15. Weapons: 4 × Dual-linked Heavy Ion Cannons 4 × Dual-linked Heavy Lasers 4 × Heavy Missile Launchers 4 × Dual-linked Heavy Rail Guns 8 × TW Lightning Bolt Cannons 12 × TK-Mini Guns *Refuge Tower contains quarters suitable for a full company including support personnel but can accommodate over 2,000 humanoids (standing room only) in an emergency. REFUGE TOWER Michael Logan (Order #41085069)
152 THE CROW’S CHOICE The Legionnaires join their peers in the Special Unit and the commanding officers of the regular battalions in the War Room of Castle Refuge. If the heroes helped secure an alliance with Arzno or Dweomer—or the potential allies found in Blood & Banes, such as the Deathbringer Psi-Stalkers, Knights of the White Rose, Reid’s Rangers, or Tundra Rangers—then representatives from those groups are also present. After a few minutes gossiping with friends, the high command of the Tomorrow Legion marches into the room and takes their seats. The Council of Hope and a delegation from Psyscape follows them, sitting on a dais behind the officers. “My fellow Legionnaires,” begins General MacGruder, “Our world faces an existential threat. For months we and our allies in Psyscape have tracked the growing power of the cult of Nxla. Despite our best efforts, they still grow in strength. Now, after much debate, the Council of Hope has cleared the Tomorrow Legion to take definitive action. “We are going to teleport the newlycompleted Refuge Tower into Soulharvest and destroy the cult’s seat of power.” After the initial gasps of surprise die away, MacGruder continues. “We face a terrible choice, though. As we all know, it is possible to restore Soulless Xombies to life through a ritual separating their souls from Nxla—but the ritual places damned-near impossible demands upon an attacking army. Nearly four thousand of those things call Soulharvest home. We can fight a defensive action once we reach Soulharvest and try to save as many souls as we can, but that places all who go at terrible risk. “We can, instead, fight hard, fast, and without mercy—but that dooms thousands to be bound to Nxla forever. “It’s an impossible choice, but I’m not going to ask you to fight without giving you some say. Simple majority wins, and we’ll plan our tactics around that decision. Do we fight to free the souls of Soulharvest? Yea or nay? Before we vote, though, I ask that those Legionnaires with the most experience battling Nxla offer their opinion.” General MacGruder gestures to the heroes, asking them to speak up. Any player who wants to may give a speech in defense of their position. The vote narrowly passes in favor of the position taken by the majority of the heroes or by the winner of an opposed Persuasion roll, if two or more heroes argue for different positions. AN IMPOSSIBLE MISSION Preparations for the assault fill the next two weeks at Castle Refuge. Depending on how the vote went, the Legionnaires work on nonlethal ways of restraining the Soulless Xombies and shoring up Refuge Tower’s defenses or they work on the field headquarters’ offensive capabilities and practice battlefield tactics. Techno-Wizards and other characters with the Major and Minor Item Creations should be allowed to construct and stockpile gear that might help in the assault. Devices incorporating barrier and entangle can be used to restrain Xombies if the redemptive path is chosen, while offensive devices might be added to the tower’s weaponry or distributed among the Legionnaires. Heroes without that capacity might instead participate in training, using this time to educate the Tomorrow Legion about Nxla and his cult. A few Michael Logan (Order #41085069)
153 A “Dreaded Old One” or just an insanely powerful alien intelligence? It hardly matters, considering whatever Nxla is, he terrifies even the Splugorth. That doesn’t mean some intrepid (and perhaps utterly insane) group of heroes might not try to cross over into his dimension and shut down his influence once and for all… or at least for 1000 years. The first step is to find a way to get to Nxla’s home dimension. A particularly capable Ley Line Walker or Shifter taking time to research to manipulate a Rift can do this. Once there, the heroes face a nigh endless horde of minions and Soulless Xombies. Someone among them must then perform a very specific ancient ritual. If successful, the ancient horror loses control of enough souls to lock him in his home dimension for a millennium. Of course, he’s going to become aware of such a ritual in his own dimension, and the heroes will most certainly have to fight him directly before it’s all over. What they face is a faceless, many-armed, many-eyed 800’ tower of pure evil. They must survive against the enormous physical avatar of a god long enough to disconnect him from other realities—a truly epic task. The ritual to anchor Nxla is a Complex Dramatic Task (see Savage Worlds). The caster may use Occult or their Arcane Skill, and the penalty for the ritual is −4 as Nxla and his entire reality strain against the caster’s efforts. As well, a total of 10 PPE and/or ISP must be spent each round the ritual is underway. This can be contributed by the main caster or compatriots supporting the caster using Occult or their own Arcane Skills. Waves of Soulless Xombies throw themselves at the heroes during the entire process. On the first round, roll 3d8 for how many are present. Roll 4d8 on the second round, and 5d8 for each subsequent round for how many more arrive to join the battle. By round two, 2d4 Harvesters arrive, and another 1d4 keep showing up each round after that. Finally, by the start of the third round, Nxla arrives! He will stop at nothing to crush the heroes, steal their souls, and end this effrontery to his plans. If by some miracle they complete the ritual successfully, a blast of eldritch energy emanates in all directions from the caster, releasing the souls of the Soulless Xombies, as well as 100,000 more in the area. The minions simply die, their life force cut off from the source of their immortality, and the physical manifestation of Nxla collapses into dust and goo. Though his presence cannot be truly undone, he will be no more than a spiritual presence in his own world for a thousand years. Now the heroes just need to figure out how to get home… E Nxla: See page 162. Harvesters (see above for numbers): See page 164. Soulless Xombies (see above for numbers): See page 166. ANCHORING NXLA Michael Logan (Order #41085069)
154 days before the planned attack, General MacGruder calls the heroes into his office. “Right now, we’re following the same plan as Psyscape did centuries ago, which is to hunt down and eliminate the Harvesters, and kill or redeem as many Soulless Xombies as possible. Reducing the numbers of Nxla’s minions reduces the intelligence’s ties to Earth—lowering the risk it will gather the numbers needed to transport itself to our world. Reducing Nxla’s total number of minions on Earth to even a few hundred will set back its plans by decades. “A more daring solution, but one with higher reward, would be to invade Nxla’s home dimension and take the fight to the intelligence’s door. Once in the creature’s realm, it’s possible to damage Nxla by performing a powerful ritual. It's simple in execution but demands enough PPE or ISP to require multiple contributing participants, making it extremely difficult to execute without interruption. “Psyscape’s records indicate Nxla attacks any invaders mercilessly, both with its physical presence and supernatural abilities, and with its legions of loyal Harvesters and Xombies and all the force they can bring to bear. Only an incredibly well-prepared expeditionary force has any hope of standing against Nxla on its home turf. “If successful, the ritual would force Nxla to release its grip on 100,000 souls— freeing not only those Xombies currently on Earth, but also those on other worlds. That loss of souls would ground Nxla in its own dimension, preventing it from invading Earth or any other realm for at least 1,000 years. “Breaching Nxla’s dimension is tantamount to suicide. I cannot order you to undertake this mission, but I must ask: Will you do it?” If the heroes refuse, MacGruder acknowledges their past bravery, shakes their hands, and expresses his gratitude that they will fight in the assault on Soulharvest. If the heroes accept, they are promoted one rank. MacGruder then briefs the team on the mission. See the sidebar Anchoring Nxla on page 153. NOS MORITURI TE SALUTAMUS The attack on Soulharvest occurs on the Night of the Godless Moon, a necromantic holiday as the Harvesters and their allies gather in Keelie, one of the larger settlements in the Soulharvest forest. Magestar offers the use of the Orb of Mists to help the Tomorrow Legion’s Ley Line Walkers land Refuge Tower in Keelie to launch an all-out assault. Refuge Tower manifests in a clearing just large enough to encompass it on the western edge of Keelie, blocking a well-worn path leading deeper into the Soulharvest forest. A ring of thousands of Soulless Xombies surrounds the village, their bloodthirsty moans echoing in the night. Harvesters engaged in harvesting the souls of even more victims fill the village green, the constant stream of energy to Nxla’s dimension creating a slender, yet visible Rift hovering 20’ above the green. A Ley Line Walker or Shifter can easily force it open further to accommodate heroes who accepted the Anchoring Nxla mission. Run the attack on Soulharvest as a Mass Battle (see Savage Worlds). Nxla’s minions number nearly 7,000 and the Tomorrow Legion cannot hope to match their numbers alone. Only two of Castle Refuge’s three battalions can be committed to this battle, the rest must stay behind to defend in case the Legionnaires do not return. Nxla’s side begins with ten Force Tokens. The Tomorrow Legion’s token count depends on what efforts the heroes have taken to recruit allies over Michael Logan (Order #41085069)
155 the course of the Plot Point Campaign and their other adventures. The Legion itself contributes 3 Force Tokens in the form of two battalions of 1,200 soldiers each. Psyscape contributes another 3 tokens in the form of 2,000+ veteran and trainee Psi-Warriors. The heroes gain 1 additional Force Token for every two allied forces they’ve recruited to the attack or befriended during the campaign. These allies may include: the Arzno Mercenary Corps, City of Dweomer, the Lyn-Srial, Magestar, or some Native American tribes (such as the Nez Perce and Sioux) from this volume; the Knights of the White Rose, Reid’s Rangers, the Tundra Rangers, and various barbarian and mutant tribes from Blood & Banes; and MercTown, Kingsdale, and even Archie Three or the Republicans from Empires of Humanity. The Game Master should exercise his or her own judgment in this matter. Recruited allies can allow the Tomorrow Legion to come to battle with up to 10 Force Tokens of their own. Attempting to redeem the Soulless Xombies grants the minions of Nxla a +2 bonus for tactical advantage during the battle, as their forces seek only to slay or be slain. Clever planning on the part of the players may offset this with a +1 to +4 bonus. Fighting mercilessly gives the Tomorrow Legion and its allies a +2 tactical bonus instead of Nxla’s forces. For all their undead strength, the Soulless Xombies lack the Legionnaires’ superior weapons and fortifications. General MacGruder directs the battle from his Glitter Boy, firing on the enemy below from a weapons platform on Refuge Tower’s top floor. Vasser commands the opposition. If the heroes haven’t chosen the Anchoring Nxla mission, then they may either Support General MacGruder per the Mass Battle rules or sally forth to battle Vasser directly. If Vasser is killed Michael Logan (Order #41085069)
156 or preoccupied, command of Nxla’s minions falls to lesser Harvesters who possess only a d6 in Battle. If the Tomorrow Legion fights to redeem the Xombies, then the first six Force Tokens Nxla’s minions lose are Soulless Xombies. The Legion and its allies entangle Xombies and trap them behind barriers, while squads of arcanists and mystics perform the ritual to restore their souls. Restored victims are then funneled into Refuge Tower for their defense, while more Xombies are rounded up. Though the Harvesters eventually realize the Legion’s strategy, the heroes keep Nxla’s minions penned in. As Castle Refuge simply lacks the resources, Psyscape takes custody of captured Harvesters, transporting them to prisons in the Astral Plane where they cannot endanger Rifts Earth again. Psyscape and any participating allied powers agree to assist Castle Refuge in the recuperation of the former Soulless Xombies. Decorations and rewards from the Tomorrow Legion, Psyscape, and possibly other allies await the heroes. E General “Hellion Hank” MacGruder: As a Glitter Boy (see Savage Foes of North America) with Battle d12 and all Leadership Edges. E Vasser: See page 165. E Harvesters (1 per hero): A band of Nxla’s most favored act as Vasser’s bodyguards; see page 164. Soulless Xombies (3 per hero): See page 166 COMPLICATIONS The high-powered adventure of Rifts® for Savage Worlds offers players the opportunity for not just traditional power gaming, but also power politics. Essential to the mission of the Tomorrow Legion is the idea of building a coalition against the darkness, making political maneuvering as much a basis for the core Savage Rifts® experience as explosive action. Game Masters and players engaging with this aspect of the setting may wish to consider the following complications while playing through Souls of Darkness: Dweomer—How do the anti-psychic Lords of Magic react when an entire city of psionics-users reveals itself to the world? Though draconian, the government of Dweomer shares more in common with Castle Refuge than it does the True Federation—but will the Tomorrow Legion’s alliance with Psyscape prompt the Lords of Magic to declare the Legion an enemy? If so, what of Magestar, caught between loyalties? Secret Harvesters—If the heroes do not dare to anchor Nxla, then secret Harvester sects throughout North America begin to recruit their own allies and harvest more souls. Stopping this decentralized network of cells may prove trickier than battling Soulharvest. The True Federation—Soulharvest technically resides within True Federation territory, wherein Lord Dunscon openly courts the loyalty of necromancers and death cultists. Does this prompt him to target the Tomorrow Legion for reprisal when he learns of their actions against Nxla? Can he instead be manipulated into attacking the Harvesters himself when the Legion reveals the cult’s nihilistic plans run counter to Dunscon’s ambitions? Michael Logan (Order #41085069)
157 CHAPTER ELEVEN T he focus of this chapter is on creatures and beings with arcane and psionic aspects, or those of importance to the regions and factions discussed in this book. There are a few other monsters and beings of the regions in question that may appear in other sources. ROGUES’ GALLERY These are the monsters and other entities who represent leadership and challenges within the kingdom ruled by Lord Dunscon, as well as the greater region known as the Magic Zone. Many related creatures and beings can also be found in Savage Foes of North America. The True Federation Alistair Dunscon’s High Council stands together (despite their rivalries) against any force that challenges the ruler of the True Federation. E BLOODMIST Also called Dunscon’s Blade and the Hellcat, Bloodmist is Dunscon’s oldest companion, in more ways than one. The Raksasha spent thousands of years honing his powers before meeting the vengeance-fueled Shifter. He remains at his lord’s side whispering advice, serving as Dunscon’s bodyguard and spymaster. The Hellcat genuinely respects Alistair Dunscon and serves him loyally. The ruler of the Federation of Magic serves as a perfect tool of chaos, instigating fear and hate throughout his realm and beyond. The Raksasha revels in this turmoil, fomenting intrigue among both Lord Dunscon’s enemies and Bloodmist’s rivals at court. Some accuse him of manipulating Dunscon. Instead, Bloodmist uses the intelligence his spies gather to fan the flames of Alistair Dunscon’s hate. Bloodmist prefers intrigue to combat, playing cat-and-mouse games of deception and intimidation with his opponents. He is an expert assassin who is rumored to have even trained a Sunaj clan. ARCANE FRIENDS & FOES Michael Logan (Order #41085069)
158 Attributes: Agility d12, Smarts d10, Spirit d12, Strength d12+2, Vigor d12 Skills: Athletics d8, Common Knowledge d10, Faith d12+2, Fighting d12, Intimidation d10, Notice d12, Persuasion d10, Psionics d12, Research d8, Shooting d8, Stealth d12, Taunt d8 Pace: 6; Parry: 8; Toughness: 34 (16) Hindrances: Overconfident (Major), Stubborn (Minor), Vow (Major—Serve Lord Dunscon) Edges: Arcane Background (Magic), Arcane Background (Psionics), Assassin, Danger Sense, Frenzy (Imp), Investigator, Master of Magic, Master Psionic, PsiBlade, Psi-Shield, Rapid Recharge (PPE only), Streetwise, Strong Willed. Gear: Enchanted demonic armor (+8 Armor, MDC). Bloodletter (rune dagger, see below). Powers: Magic: Banish, blast, blind, bolt, deflection, detect arcana, entangle, illusion, protection, speak language, summon ally, zombie. PPE: 25 Psionics: Conceal arcana, empathy, healing, illusion, mind link, mind reading, puppet, smite, speak language, telekinesis. ISP: 25 Special Abilities: Bloodletter: Bloodmist’s favorite melee weapon is an intelligent rune dagger (Str+2d6+6 Mega Damage), possessing a Smarts of d6 and Spirit of d6. It has Spellcasting at d8 and 10 PPE with which to cast healing and zombie as actions independent of Bloodmist’s actions. Claws: Bloodmist's retractable claws do Str+d6 Mega Damage. Demonic Hide: Raksashas gain +8 Armor (stacking with armor worn) and +6 Toughness. Fast Regeneration: Except for wounds caused by a Weakness, Michael Logan (Order #41085069)
159 Bloodmist makes a natural healing roll every round. Fear (−2): Raksasha cause Fear checks at −2 when encountered. Fearless: Immune to Fear effects and Intimidation. Infernal Form: Immune to Cold, Disease, Heat, and Poison. Metamorphosis: For no ISP cost as an action, Bloodmist may roll Psionics to take on the form of any living being indefinitely as a combination of disguise and shape change. This ability allows the Raksasha to accurately imitate specific individuals (−4 to opposed Notice checks, resisted by the demon’s Persuasion, if it has studied the target). Mist: Bloodmist can turn into mist at no Power Points cost. This requires an action and a Psionics roll. Perfect Night Vision: Ignore all Illumination penalties. Size 2 (Normal): Bloodmist is more than 8 feet tall. Weakness (Holy Weapons): Bloodmist suffers +4 damage from attacks from opponents with the Champion or Holy Warrior Edge (including Cyber-Knights and true Mystics); wounds from such attacks cannot be regenerated. Weakness (Silver): Silver weapons have the same effect as Holy Weapons. E BROK REDMAN The Demon General comes from a faction of militaristic greater demons, muscular and bat-winged bronze-skinned humanoids standing over 12 feet tall. Brok serves as Lord Dunscon’s military strategist and the closest thing the Kingdom of Dunscon’s military has to a commanding officer. He also serves as an unofficial go-between from Dunscon to the many demons who inhabit his lands, keeping the demons in line through brute force when necessary. The opposite of his friend, Bloodmist, in many ways, Brok shouts where the Raksasha whispers, and he prefers direct confrontation to deception. The Demon General chafes—quietly—against the skulduggery of Lord Dunscon’s longterm plans, desirous of battle against the Coalition even though he begrudgingly admits the True Federation is not yet ready. Brok Redman is easily the Raksasha’s equal in cunning and can be just as subtle as the spymaster. He is not, however, blindly loyal to Lord Dunscon, disagreeing with many decisions and disparaging the presence of Mestoph Denali and Cracius on the High Council. Unlike the other council members, Brok Redman forgoes technological weaponry, preferring to rely on his own inner strength. His weapon of choice is a fiery whip—a symbol of his race’s power and mastery over other demons. Attributes: Agility d12, Smarts d10, Spirit d12, Strength d12+6, Vigor d12+4 Skills: Fighting d12+2, Intimidation d10, Knowledge (Battle) d8, Notice d10, Spellcasting d12+2 Pace: 8; Parry: 15; Toughness: 43 (23) Edges: Arcane Background (Magic), Brawny, Block (Imp), Champion, Charge, Elan, Frenzy (Imp), Master of Magic, Master (Fighting), Master (Spellcasting), Sweep (Imp). Gear: Enchanted whip (see below), Enchanted demonic armor (+9 Armor, MDC), giant enchanted flaming sword (Str+2d12, AP 16, Mega Damage, +4 Fighting), enchanted demonic bracers (Parry +4). Powers: Banish, blast, bolt, burst, detect/ conceal arcana, disguise, dispel, growth/ shrink, invisibility, puppet, quickness, smite, speak language, summon ally. PPE: 40 Michael Logan (Order #41085069)
160 Special Abilities: Abyssal Nature: Brok suffers halfdamage from non-magical attacks (round down). Demonic Hide: Demon lords gain +14 Armor (which stacks with their demonic armor) and +3 Toughness. Combat Hardened: Greater Demons gain +2 to recover from Shaken. Enchanted Whip: Brok’s flaming whip (Str+2d6 Mega Damage, AP 16, Reach 2) grants +4 Fighting and imposes a −1 Parry. Instead of doing an extra d6 damage on a raise, the target’s Parry is reduced by −2 until her next action. Fast Regeneration: Even against attacks that can hurt him, Brok recovers quickly and it requires extraordinary effort to truly slay him. He makes a Vigor roll every round to heal damage—even after being “killed.” A success heals one wound, two with a raise. Brok's Weaknesses (below) prevent this effect. Fear (−2): The appearance and supernatural aura of the Greater Demon causes all opponents to make a Fear check at −2. Fearless: Nothing in the Megaverse® frightens a Greater Demon, and they’re also immune to Intimidation. Infernal Form: Demons are immune to disease, poison, normal fire, heat, and cold. Infravision: Brok reduces all Illumination penalties by half (round down) when fighting beings with body heat. Large: Attackers gain +2 to hit the very sizable Greater Demon. Size 6 (Large): At more than 12 feet tall and weighing a couple of tons, Brok is massive. Gains a Wound level. Weakness (Holy Weapons): Demons are vulnerable to weapons and attacks wielded by those who are considered holy opponents, such as those who have the Champion or Holy Warrior Edge. Cyber-Knights and Mystics who follow any kind of “path of light” spiritually fall into this category. Such attacks inflict +4 damage and wounds caused by such attacks cannot be regenerated. Weakness (Silver): Silver weapons and attacks have the same effect as Holy Weapons, inflicting +4 damage and negating demonic regeneration. E CRACIUS THE CUNNING With no other portfolio than of advisor, the craven and conniving Deevil is never far from Alistair’s side. Like the other High Councilors, Cracius joined Alistair Dunscon during the human’s journeys through time and space, attracted by his charisma and viciousness. Cracius cheerfully puts aside the eons-old enmity between Deevils and other demons to work with Lord Dunscon, though Cracius still attempts to one-up the spymaster and general. Hairy, horned, and hulking, Cracius’ appearance completely belies his intelligent and urbane demeanor. Cracius the Cunning is the only member of the council who is a full-time advisor— consulting with Lord Dunscon on how to deceive, entice, and corrupt the True Federation’s enemies. The brutish-looking demon feeds Alistair Dunscon seductive speeches promising revenge for Tolkeen. Cracius is the least martially-talented member of the High Council. He instead manipulates Mestoph Denali into acting as his weapon when needed; he enjoys watching her in battle almost as much as he enjoys keeping his hands clean. If pressed, he can defend himself—headbutting with his ram-like horns if nothing else—and keeps an arsenal of minor magical and technological weapons for an emergency. Michael Logan (Order #41085069)
161 Attributes: Agility d10, Smarts d6, Spirit d10, Strength d12+2, Vigor d10 Skills: Athletics d8, Common Knowledge d8, Fighting d8, Intimidation d10, Notice d8, Persuasion d10, Shooting d6, Spellcasting d8, Stealth d10, Survival d8, Taunt d10, Thievery d10 Pace: 10; Parry: 6; Toughness: 16 (5) Hindrances: Driven (Minor—Corrupt others), Ruthless (Minor), Vow (Major— Serve Lord Dunscon) Edges: Arcane Background (Magic), Fleet-Footed, Menacing, Provoke, Thief, Work the Crowd. Powers: Bolt, elemental manipulation (fire only), heal, lower Trait (no boost, only “curses”). PPE: 15 Gear: Usually none. Special Abilities: Bite/Claw/Horns: Str+d6 Mega Damage, AP 4. Demonic Hide: Cracius has +5 Armor and +2 Toughness. Fear: All demons cause Fear checks when first encountered. Human Metamorphosis: With an action and a Spellcasting roll, Cracius may take on the appearance of a normal-sized human indefinitely per the disguise power. Infernal Form: Immune to Cold, Disease, Heat, and Poison. Invisibility: As the power but used an Innate Ability without a roll (at the base −4 level). Cracius uses this to ambush or avoid foes, but rarely remain invisible once combat is underway, instead relying on his horrific presence to unnerve foes. Leaper: Cracius can jump twice as far as normal and add +4 to damage when making a Wild Attack instead of the usual +2. Low-Light Vision: Cracius ignores Dim and Dark Illumination. Size 2 (Normal): Deevils clock in around 8 feet tall and 400 pounds. Slow Regeneration: Except for wounds caused by a Weakness, Deevils make a natural healing roll once per day (which may be done as a free action in combat). Weakness (Holy Weapons): Cracius suffers +4 damage from attacks from opponents with the Champion or Holy Warrior Edge (including CyberKnights and true Mystics); resulting Wounds cannot be regenerated. Weakness (Silver): Silver weapons have the same effect as Holy Weapons. E MESTOPH DENALI Serving as Dunscon’s chief enforcer, Mestoph Denali is one of the rare Elite (or Hidden) Corrupt; she retains her original appearance rather than being constantly trapped in the form of a nightmarish monstrosity. Once named Bridget Daniels, Mestoph Denali claims she offered herself to the Liberator 200 years ago. Somehow, she retained more of her former, human self than those who came after, rising to a position of respect and power (and perhaps some leadership) among the Corrupt. Attending council and diplomatic meetings posing as a beautiful, favored courtesan, Mestoph heads Lord Dunscon’s enforcers, leading fellow Corrupt and Darkhounds in brutal sudden raids against dissenters and spies within the Kingdom of Dunscon, including the extermination of entire villages who shelter enemies of the state. On such raids, she carries an arsenal of energy weapons and vibro-blades, but her trademark weapon is her Black Halberd—a magical polearm she can throw, and that returns to her hand. Mestoph Denali hates everyone, projecting the mistakes and pain— garnered since she sold her soul to the Liberator—onto a never-ending list of Michael Logan (Order #41085069)
162 enemies, both real and imagined. Both the weak and the powerful remind her of her former powerlessness, so she exults in their misery and defeat. She even hates Lord Dunscon, though she keeps this secret, worried Bloodmist will somehow discover her treacherous heart. Attributes: Agility d8, Smarts d6, Spirit d8, Strength d10, Vigor d10 Skills: Athletics d10, Fighting d10, Intimidation d8, Notice d6, Shooting d8, Spellcasting d8, Stealth d6, Survival d10, Taunt d6 Pace: 8; Parry: 7; Toughness: 20 (12) Hindrances: Bloodthirsty, Mean, Vow (Major—Serve the Liberator) Edges: Alertness, Ambidextrous, Arcane Background (Magic), Brawny, Charge, Fleet-Footed, Quick, Two-Fisted Powers: Blind, boost/lower Trait, fly, invisibility, smite, stun. PPE: 10 Gear: Black Halberd (Range 4/8/16, Str+d12+4 Mega Damage, AP 12); 2 × Vibro-Longswords (Str+d10 Mega Damage, AP 10), NG-E4 Plasma Ejector (Range 24/48/96, Damage 3d12+3, RoF 1, Mega Damage, It Burns). Special Abilities: Armor +12: What looks like strange leather-wrapped, spiky plate mail is actually the Corrupt’s body. Black Halberd: Despite being a polearm, this enchanted weapon can be hurled (Str+d8+4; Range: 4/8/16; AP 4, Mega Damage, Reach 1, 2 hands). The Black Halberd does +2d8 damage against opponents with the Champion or Holy Warrior Edges. Claw: Str+d4. Euphoric Bloodlust: In combat, Mestoph automatically enters a state granting her the benefits (and penalties) of the Berserk Edge. She must make a Smarts check at −2 to come out of it, and only when the battle is over. Note this state does not prevent her from using weapons or casting spells! Fast Regeneration: Mestoph rolls Vigor to recover wounds each round. She also gains +2 to recover from Shaken. Fear: Mestoph causes a Fear check when she is encountered. Fearless: Nothing in the Megaverse® frightens a Corrupt, for they’ve already bonded to the most terrifying entity there is. PPE Vampire: Whenever Mestoph kills someone, she automatically gains 2 × her Spirit die in PPE. Special Senses: Mestoph can see even in pitch darkness, ignoring −6 Illumination penalties. She detects thermal signatures, and can see invisible entities with no problem. Supernatural Form: Half-damage from normal fire, heat, and cold; immune to all diseases and poisons Transforming Visage: When in human form, Mestoph Denali has the Very Attractive Edge. In her natural state, Mestoph has the Ugly Hindrance. She also causes a Fear check when she makes this transition. Weakness (Holy Attacks): As supernaturally evil beings, the Corrupt take +4 damage from holy attacks and weapons. Weakness (Life Energy): Food and drink mean nothing to Mestoph. She must slay and consume the life energy of a sentient being to feed. Soulharvest Nxla and its allies pose very dire— arguably existential—threats to the Tomorrow Legion, and perhaps the world. E NXLA Nxla is the ancient evil Psyscape fought on Earth so many generations ago—a vile and unstopping force of pure evil, Michael Logan (Order #41085069)
163 an alien intelligence bent on turning the Earth into another of its realms of necromantic horror. Nxla’s body consists of a writhing, monstrous pillar standing 200 stories tall, covered with lidless eyes of all shapes and sizes—from those the size of a rat’s to others ten feet in diameter—as well as a variety of horrific spines, festering wounds, pus-engorged nodules, and other disfigurements surpassing any nightmare. A half-dozen giant humanoid arms 200 feet long protrude from all sides while a dozen massive tentacles 500 feet long writhe and pulsate as if to some unheard disharmonious music. To prepare its way, Nxla recruits and empowers powerful necromancers who carry out the will of their inhuman master in exchange for seats of power in the being’s shadow once it achieves the takeover of a planet. For now, Nxla remains contained in its own home dimension, a hellish landscape of undeath. Before it can manifest on Earth, it requires a massive collection of unholy sacrifices supplied by its minions. Attributes: Agility d12, Smarts d12+2, Spirit d12+4, Strength d12+20, Vigor d12+4 Skills: Athletics d8, Battle d10, Common Knowledge d10, Fighting d8, Intimidation d12, Notice d12, Occult d12, Persuasion d10, Spellcasting d12+2, Stealth d6 Pace: 4; Parry: 6; Toughness: 79 (34) Hindrances: Arrogant, Enemy (Major— Psyscape) Edges: Arcane Background (Magic), Counterattack (Imp.), Elan, Killer Instinct, Master of Magic, Master (Spellcasting), Sweep (Imp.) Powers: Blast, bolt, boost/lower Trait, damage field, darksight, deflection, drain Power Points, fear, healing, intangibility, protection, puppet, sloth, slumber, summon ally, zombie. PPE: Unlimited. Gear: None. Special Abilities: Fast Regeneration: Nxla draws from the millions of souls he’s captured over the millennia, granting him a Vigor roll every round to heal damage, even after being “killed.” If the “Anchoring Nxla” ritual is successful (see page 153), this ability is terminated. Fearless: Nxla ignores Fear effects and Intimidation. Godlike Form: Nxla has +34 MDC Armor, +15 Toughness. Immune to all Hazards. Hardy: Nxla doesn’t gain a Wound from suffering a second Shaken result. Hundreds of Eyes: Nxla can see in all directions with perfect clarity and comprehension, making him immune to Gang Up bonuses. He ignores Illumination penalties and can see through any illusions or invisibility automatically. Lumbering: The avatar of Nxla is incapable of running or jumping. Massive Attack: Using its massive form to slam the ground with a Fighting roll, Nxla’s avatar may attack all targets in a Large Burst Template for Str+4d6 Mega Damage AP 12, adding its Size (minus the target’s Size). Non-vehicular targets may Evade. Reach: Though he can barely move, Nxla has a Reach of 10 in this form. Size 20 (Gargantuan): +3 Wounds. Rearing over 800’ in height (the size of a 200-story building), Nxla’s avatar is almost inconceivably massive. Tentacles (6): Dealing Str +2d6 Mega Damage, AP 12, Nxla can bring up to six of his nigh-endless tentacles to bear on his foes in a round (see Tentacles in Savage Worlds). Michael Logan (Order #41085069)
164 Terror: Nxla’s avatar projects a terrifying aura, everyone who views him to make a Fear check at −4. Unstoppable: Nxla never suffers more than 1 Wound from a single attack; make any Soak rolls before applying this limit. Weakness (Holy Weapons): Nxla suffers +8 damage from attacks from opponents with the Champion or Holy Warrior Edge, as well as any weapons with appropriate blessings or Trappings. Wounds from such attacks cannot be regenerated. Weakness (Psionics): Nxla suffers double damage from any psionic attacks and energy, providing ample reason for why he hates Psyscape and wants to scour Rifts Earth of all psionic practitioners! HARVESTER Those who willingly give themselves over to Nxla pray they become Harvesters. Harvesters are granted significant power so as to collect as many souls as possible for their dark master. Harvesters are necromancers, but even more vile than the usual practitioner. They fuel their power with the captured souls of their victims, as well as feeding Nxla so he may invade this world and make it his own. Attributes: Agility d8, Smarts d10, Spirit d10, Strength d8, Vigor d8 Skills: Athletics d6, Common Knowledge d6, Fighting d8, Healing d6, Intimidation d10, Notice d8, Occult d8, Persuasion d8, Shooting d6, Spellcasting d10, Stealth d8, Survival d6 Pace: 6; Parry: 6; Toughness: 15 (8) Hindrances: Arrogant, Bloodthirsty, Vow (Major—Serve Nxla) Edges: Arcane Background (Magic), Level Headed, Master of Magic, Rapid Recharge, Wizard Powers: Bolt, boost/lower Trait, drain Power Points, fear, healing, invisibility, protection, slumber, warrior’s gift, zombie. PPE: 25 Gear: Adventure Survival Armor (+4 Armor, +1 Toughness, +2 vs all Hazards), NG-33 Laser Pistol (Range 12/24/48, Damage 3d6, RoF 1, AP 2), TW Longsword (Str+d10+2, AP 4, Cost 1 PPE +1 Fighting and Mega Damage) Special Abilities: Armor of Death: The energies flowing through a Harvester grants him +4 Armor, which stacks with worn armor. Commune with Lost Souls: Harvesters have a form of divination that entails their connection with souls, spirits, and astral beings. The ability costs no PPE. Each use requires a Vigor check to resist Fatigue, with a cumulative penalty of −1 for each subsequent use until the Harvester gets at least six hours of sleep. Ley Line Sense: Harvesters have the Ley Line Sense of the Ley Line Walker (see Ley Line Walker in The Tomorrow Legion Player’s Guide). They also have the Expanded Awareness ability. The Power of Nxla: Harvesters gain a +2 to Spellcasting rolls for the following powers: bolt, lower Trait, drain Power Points, fear, slumber. Soul Harvesting: Harvesters possess the ability to drain PPE (but not ISP) as per Siphoning PPE in The Tomorrow Legion Player’s Guide. The Harvester rolls his Spellcasting, and he always arranges to kill victims (by stabbing them through the eyes) to gain more. Harvesters can use this extra energy to supplement their own PPE (up to double their personal pool). Unused PPE over a necromancer’s normal maximum fade at the rate of 1 PPE every round (six seconds); this energy fades into Nxla’s realm, representing Michael Logan (Order #41085069)
165 the soul being harvested to his purposes. If a Harvester is wounded when performing this ritual, he heals one wound per five PPE gained. Soul Searching: Harvesters can read the minds and spirits of others, mind reading is an Innate Ability with no PPE cost. They gain +2 when they specifically try to determine what a being desires most in the world. Soulless Xombie Command: A far greater version of the zombie power, enabling a Necromancer to summon up a small army for extended periods of time. It takes an hour to perform the ritual (which can be done concurrent with the Soul Harvesting ability), and considerable blood sacrifice is required. At the end of the ritual, the Harvester expends 1 PPE for each Xombie he wishes to create out of the people he’s harvested. There is no upward limit, save how much PPE he must expend, although there must be a victim at hand. Xombies are under the absolute control of the Harvester who created them. Weakness (Psionics): Nxla’s vulnerability to psionics is passed on to his followers. Harvesters suffer +4 damage from psionic attacks and −2 to defend against other psionic abilities. E VASSER, CHOSEN OF NXLA Once a Rogue Scholar with a respected library in New Lazlo, Vasser left the comfort of his academic life to spend time in the field, getting his boots dirty and gaining some real-world experience to go with his book knowledge. What he found in the wilds of North America was the futility of human existence in a world gone wrong. Unprepared for the level of pain and suffering he witnessed, Vasser’s crisis of world view led him to the realization only those truly willing to do anything to ensure their existence deserved to survive. It was with this in his heart he sought out the dark arts in Soulharvest, and five years ago became one of the first in Nxla’s first round of newly-recruited Harvesters, and one of the intelligence’s most effective advocates. One of Nxla’s first devotees on Rifts Earth, Vasser is considerably more powerful than most of his brother and sister Harvesters, expecting to “rule in Hell” when the monstrous god crosses over. In the meantime, he maintains his studies to better serve his lord with a complete understanding of all arcane and other matters. Attributes: Agility d8, Smarts d12, Spirit d10, Strength d10, Vigor d8 Skills: Academics d10, Athletics d6, Battle d8, Common Knowledge d8, Fighting d10, Healing d6, Intimidation d10, Occult d12, Notice d10, Persuasion d8, Research d12, Science d8, Shooting d8, Spellcasting d12+2, Stealth d8, Survival d6 Pace: 6; Parry: 7; Toughness: 27 (14) Hindrances: Bad Eyes (Minor), Curious, Mania (Major—Total Lack of Empathy), Vow (Major—Serve Nxla) Edges: Arcane Background (Magic), Arcane Marksman, Charismatic, Command, Command Presence, Extraction, Investigator, Level Headed (Imp.), Master (Spellcasting), Master of Magic, Master Tactician, Rapid Recharge, Scholar (Occult), Wizard Powers: Bolt, boost/lower Trait, deflection, dispel, drain Power Points, fear, healing, invisibility, protection, sloth/speed, slumber, warrior’s gift, zombie. PPE: 35 Gear: TW Combat Mage Heavy EBA (+6 Armor, +3 Toughness, +2 Str die types, darksight, farsight), TW Storm Rifle (Range 30/60/120, Damage 3d8+2, RoF 1, AP 4, havoc as alternate attack), TW Draining Blade (Str+d8, AP 8, 2 PPE adds +2 damage and target resists Michael Logan (Order #41085069)
166 Fighting with Spirit to oppose lower Trait vs. Vigor and sloth). Special Abilities: Armor of Doom: The energies flowing through a Vasser grant him +8 natural Armor, +4 Toughness. Commune with Lost Souls: See Harvester entry. Humanity Lost: The depravity of the Harvester’s path removed Vasser’s capacity for empathy completely. He is immune to the power of that name. Ley Line Sense: See Harvester entry. The Power of Nxla: See Harvester entry. Soul Harvesting: See Harvester entry. Soul Searching: See Harvester entry. Soulless Xombie Command: See Harvester entry. Weakness (Psionics): See Harvester entry. SOULLESS XOMBIE Though they are walking corpses and like many undead types in a lot of ways, the Soulless Xombies are special, as a fragment of the dark eldritch god animates them. Possessing no will, desire, or emotions, a Xombie responds only to the direct control of Nxla or his Harvesters. The general response to a Soulless Xombie is to kill it, but those in the know realize this actually serves Nxla’s ultimate purposes. Soulless Xombies are the backbone of the Nxla invasion. They are servants, laborers, and shock troops in the intelligence’s legion. Most Harvesters have five to eight Xombies under their direct control, with the most powerful and influential commanding twice that many. Those not under the specific command of a Harvester wander the woods of Soulharvest or other areas in the Magic Zone like mindless robots until they encounter any living being or creature, which they instinctively attack. Xombies are dangerous foes who feel no pain or fear. They are supernaturally strong, can withstand an incredible amount of punishment before they are disabled, and are continually regenerated by the dark magic that empowers them. When under the direct control of a Harvester, they are even more dangerous, as their puppet-master can coordinate their actions to act unpredictably and think creatively. Utterly destroying the body of a Soulless Xombie permanently kills the creature beyond any regeneration. However, it also removes the slight chance for restitution of the lost soul to the Xombie’s body. To restore a lost soul back to its original body (thereby reverting the Xombie to its original, mortal, non-possessed state) requires a taxing ritual. The first task is to physically restrain the Xombie, which is difficult for even powerful heroes given the Xombie’s incredible strength. The second is to gather enough Potential Psychic Energy to fuel the restoration, which typically requires many willing powerful magical practitioners and close proximity to a ley line or nexus at a peak moment of power. With those elements collected, the participants may attempt the ritual, which calls the Xombie’s soul back from Nxla’s realm and reinstates it into its proper body. The ritual is a Complex Dramatic Task using Occult, with difficulty at −4 and a cost of 5 Power Points per Xombie restored. As many as 40 souls can be restored with a single ritual, provided enough PPE can be channeled. The ritual may only be attempted once every six days. Nxla can detect attempts to restore a soul and does not take such affronts to its power lightly. It uses its full available force to try to prevent the restoration. This typically includes Harvesters, Michael Logan (Order #41085069)
167 Soulless Xombies, and other necromantic or demonic allies. Attributes: Agility d6, Smarts d4, Spirit d4, Strength d12+4, Vigor d10 Skills: Athletics d10, Fighting d8, Notice d4, Stealth d4, Survival d8 Pace: 6; Parry: 6; Toughness: 9 Gear: None (though some may be encountered with light body armor). Special Abilities: Fast Regeneration: The icy black shard of Nxla inhabiting the undecaying corpse grants a Vigor roll every round to heal damage. Fearless: Mindless undead are immune to Fear and Intimidation. Hardy: If a Soulless Xombie is Shaken, another Shaken result doesn’t cause a Wound. Raw Strength Attacks: Xombies attack with relentless strength, enhanced by the soul shard of a god inside them. Their fists do Str+d6, AP 6, Mega Damage due to the power of Nxla flowing through them. Resilient: Though Extras, Soulless Xombies can take two Wounds before they’re Incapacitated, Undead: +2 Toughness; +2 to recover from Shaken; no extra damage from called shots (except to the head); Immune to Disease, Poison, and environmental conditions. Weakness (Psionics): As minions of Nxla, Xombies suffer +4 damage from all psionic attacks and energies. Stormspire The master of Stormspire and his bodyguard make unpredictable allies at best and ruthless enemies at worst. E K’ZAA, LORD OF STORMSPIRE Known as a Lizard Mage in the dimension from which he comes, the undisputed Lord of Stormspire wields impressive magical might, but acquiring influence and wealth most interests him. K’zaa may be ruthless, selfish, and more than happy to destroy anyone who gets in his way— yet he is also affable, loyal to friends and business partners, and generally well-liked by his followers. His skills as both a sorcerer and a Techno-Wizard make him one of the most sought-after arcane experts in the Magic Zone, as well as one of the most dangerous beings in the region. Attributes: Agility d10, Smarts d12+2, Spirit d12, Strength d12, Vigor d8 Skills: Athletics d6, Common Knowledge d10, Driving d6, Electronics d6, Fighting d8, Intimidation d10, Occult d10, Notice d10, Persuasion d10, Piloting d6, Repair d10, Research d10, Science d10, Shooting d8, Spellcasting d12, Stealth d6, Taunt d8, Techno-Wizardry d12 Pace: 6; Parry: 6; Toughness: 22 (10) Hindrances: Arrogant, Cautious, Loyal, Vengeful (Minor) Edges: Alertness, Arcane Background (Magic), Arcane Background (TechnoWizardry), Charismatic, Connections, Controller, Master (Spellcasting), Master (Techno-Wizardry), Master of Magic (both Magic and Techno-Wizardry), One With Magic, Rapid Recharge, Streetwise, Strong Willed, Wizard Powers (Magic): Banish, blast, blind, bolt, boost/lower Trait, damage field, disguise, dispel, drain Power Points, entangle, healing, intangibility, invisibility, protection, smite, summon ally, teleport, warrior’s gift. PPE: 50 Powers (Techno-Wizardry): Barrier, darksight, deflection, detect/conceal arcana, environmental protection, farsight, speak language, stun, telekinesis. PPE: See above. Gear: Enchanted Armor (+6 Armor, +4 Toughness), Paralysis Staff (Str+d4, lower Trait vs. Agility and Strength, sloth, both on successful strike). K’zaa has access to all TW and magic items. Michael Logan (Order #41085069)
168 Special Abilities: Arcane Machinist: Up to seven times per day, as an action (instead of 1d20 minutes), K’zaa may make a Techno-Wizardry roll to produce a magical gadget replicating any power available to Techno-Wizards. The device has its own pool of 17 PPE; with a raise the device gets 24 PPE. The item can only be activated with its own PPE and once used up (or at the end of the session), the device burns out or otherwise becomes unusable. Claws and Teeth: If push comes to shove, K’zaa will tear a person’s head off with his natural weaponry. He can do Str+d6 damage. Machine Maestro: K’zaa can interface with any electronic or mechanical device with a touch, giving him +2 to all related noncombat skill rolls where machinery is involved. This includes bypassing security, picking locks, operating vehicles, using sensors, etc. When interfacing with an arcane (almost always TechnoWizard) device, the bonus is +4. Natural Toughness: K’zaa’s race enjoys enhanced Toughness +3. One With Magic: K’zaa is of Legendary stature, granting him a number of effects from having the One With Magic Edge. This includes +4 MDC armor; the Ley Line Rejuvenation and Ley Line Sense abilities of a Walker; reduced aging and Slow Regeneration; and the ability to use his protection spell with no PPE required. E DRAGONBANE One of the first Dragon Juicers created, Philip Montgomery has served K’zaa for over a decade. He acts as the mage’s bodyguard, personal assistant, and chief of security, and while he’s not particularly bloodthirsty, killing doesn’t bother him. If K’zaa must go into hiding—or, worse, confront Lord Dunscon directly—his loyal bodyguard will remain at his side. Dragonbane is the first successful Dragon Juicer the Lizard Mage created and maintains his quiet, ferocious loyalty to the dimension-traveling reptile. Dragonbane usually has little to do around Stormspire. Few people are foolish enough to challenge his powerful master, so he spends most of his time sparring to hone his skills. When he does leave the city, he hunts dragons or dinosaurs; the latter for fun and the former when K’zaa needs to get rid of a nuisance. Attributes: Agility d12, Smarts d6, Spirit d8, Strength d12+2, Vigor d12 Skills: Athletics d8, Common Knowledge d8, Fighting d12, Intimidation d8, Notice d8, Persuasion d8, Shooting d12, Stealth d8, Survival d8 Pace: 16; Parry: 9; Toughness: 22 (10) Hindrances: Death Wish, Overconfident, Vow (Major—Serve K’zaa) Edges: Acrobat, Block, Brawny, Burn Brighter, Burn for Glory, Burn for Tomorrow, Burn Past the Pain, Charge, Combat Reflexes, Counterattack (Imp.), Combat Sense (Imp.), First Strike (Imp.), Fleet-Footed, Frenzy (Imp.), Giant Killer, Gymnastic Mastery, Level Headed (Imp.), Overrun, Quick, Split the Seconds Gear: Improved Dragon Skin Combat Armor (+6 MDC, +3 Toughness); TW Force Cannon (Range 50/100/200, 3d12 Mega Damage, RoF 1, AP 12, fires only Heavy Bursts), rune-enchanted magic great axe (Str+3d6+3, Mega Damage, AP 21, d12 raise damage). Special Abilities: Armored Hide: +4 MDC Armor, stacking with his worn armor. Burn (4): After a decade as a Dragon Juicer, Philip’s used a bit of his Burn. Michael Logan (Order #41085069)
169 Dragon Blood Dependence: Dragonbane must have a steady supply of Dragon Blood or face a rapid decline that ends in death. Dragonborn Senses: Dragonbane gained Infravision and Expanded Awareness from the dragon blood. Healing Factor: Dragonbane can make a natural Healing roll once per day. Inherently Magical: Dragonbane possesses a natural pool of 10 PPE and can use any Techno-Wizard devices. Super Endurance: Dragonbane requires only half the normal amount of sleep and gains +2 on all Fatigue checks. Super Speed: Uses a d10 running die. Uncanny Reflexes: Dragonbane is −2 to be hit and +2 to Evade. MERCENARIES & SPECIALISTS DRAGON JUICER Transformed by secret magical processes and dependent upon one of the most dangerous substances in the world to obtain, Dragon Juicers more often than not work for powerful arcanists and similar beings. Some may find themselves in partnership with clever dragons keen to create an ally out of a predator, but most prefer to work for folks who help them hunt down their unnatural prey. Unsurprisingly, many Dragon Juicers are found in the Magic Zone, where both employment and their favored targets can be found readily. Attributes: Agility d8, Smarts d6, Spirit d6, Strength d12, Vigor d10 Skills: Athletics d10, Common Knowledge d6, Fighting d10, Intimidation d6, Notice d6, Persuasion d6, Shooting d10, Stealth d8, Survival d6 Pace: 8; Parry: 7; Toughness: 20 (9) Hindrances: Death Wish (Minor), Overconfident, Vow (Major—Hunt Dragons) Edges: Brawny, Combat Reflexes, First Strike, Frenzy (Imp.), Quick Gear: Dragon Skin Armor (+6, +3 Toughness); Wilk's 457 Pulse Rifle (Range 24/48/96, 4d6 damage, RoF 3, AP 3, Heavy Pulse) TW Longsword (Str+d10+2, AP 4, +1 Fighting, Mega Damage). Special Abilities: Armored Hide: The transformation gives the Dragon Juicer +2 MDC Armor; stacks with worn armor. Blood of Dragons: Dragon Juicers may make a natural healing roll daily to recover Wounds, or Injuries once all Wounds are healed. Burn (4): Dragon Juicers may add a Burn Die to any Agility, Strength, or Vigor-based Trait roll. The Burn Die is a d6 that cannot Ace, and if the Burn Die result is a one, he reduces his Burn Rating. Dragon Blood Dependence: Must have a supply of adult dragon blood. Dragonborn Senses: Have detect arcana as an Innate Ability with and Infravision, halving Illumination penalties against warm targets. Drug-induced Tranquility or Euphoria: Do not gain the benefits of Quick or the Uncanny Reflexes on the first round of unexpected combat. Inherently Magical: Natural pool of 10 PPE and can use TW devices. Super Endurance: Require only half the amount of sleep, +2 vs Fatigue. Speed: Dragon Juicers have Pace 8, and use a d8 running die. Uncanny Reflexes: Dragon Juicers are −2 to be hit and +2 Evade. Michael Logan (Order #41085069)
170 DWEOMER BATTLE MAGI Should anyone in the Tomorrow Legion run afoul of Dweomer’s defense forces, they will likely find themselves in battle with more than one of these formidable warrior-sorcerers. Note the powers marked with a (*) can only be cast on the Battle Magi, but he casts them as a free action. Attributes: Agility d8, Smarts d8, Spirit d8, Strength d8, Vigor d8 Skills: Athletics d6, Battle d6, Common Knowledge d8, Fighting d10, Intimidation d8, Occult d6, Notice d8, Persuasion d6, Shooting d8, Spellcasting d10, Stealth d6, Survival d6 Pace: 6; Parry: 7; Toughness: 12 (4) Hindrances: Loyal, Vow (Major—Serve the Three) Edges: Arcane Background (Magic), Arcane Marksman, Extraction, Frenzy, Magi of Dweomer Powers: blast, bolt, boost*/lower Trait, deflection*, environmental protection, protection*, smite*, speed*. PPE: 25 Gear: Battler Armor (+4, +2 Toughness, darksight), TW Firebolt Pistol (Range 12/24/48, Damage 3d6, AP 6, RoF 1), TW Flaming Sword (Str+d12 Mega Damage, AP 6). A Battle Magus may also pilot any Automaton except the Colossus. DWEOMER HIGH MAGI High Magi spend most of their time in Dweomer City, overseeing not just the construction of magical gear and vehicles, but also city planning and development. When the Lords of Magic mobilize for war, however, the High Magi are mobilized to pilot the Colossus Automatons. Attributes: Agility d6, Smarts d10, Spirit d10, Strength d6, Vigor d8 Skills: Academics d8, Athletics d4, Common Knowledge d6, Fighting d4, Notice d8, Occult d10, Persuasion d6, Piloting d10, Research d10, Shooting d6, Spellcasting d10, Stealth d6 Pace: 6; Parry: 7; Toughness: 11 (5) Hindrances: Loyal, Pacifist (Minor), Vow (Major—Serve the Three) Edges: Arcane Background (Magic), Controller, Magi of Dweomer, Major Item Creation, One With Magic, Rapid Recharge, Wizard Powers: Arcane protection, banish, barrier, deflection, dispel, healing, illusion, light/ darkness, protection, slumber, summon ally, telekinesis, teleport. PPE: 40 Gear: Lord Magi Armor (+5, +4 Vigor vs. airborne toxins and disease), Mage Staff (Str+d4+2; +1 Fighting, +2 Parry, and Mega Damage for 1 PPE for five rounds). In the field, a High Magus controls a Colossus Automaton. DWEOMER LORD MAGI Any serious conflict with Dweomer forces includes at least one of these very powerful leaders, directing from the perch of a terrifying combat Automaton. Michael Logan (Order #41085069)
171 Attributes: Agility d6, Smarts d10, Spirit d10, Strength d6, Vigor d8 Skills: Athletics d6, Battle d8, Common Knowledge d6, Fighting d6, Intimidation d8, Occult d6, Notice d10, Persuasion d8, Piloting d8, Shooting d6, Spellcasting d12, Stealth d6 Pace: 6; Parry: 7; Toughness: 11 (5) Hindrances: Loyal, Vow (Major—Serve the Three) Edges: Arcane Background (Magic), Arcane Marksman, Controller, Magi of Dweomer, One With Magic, Rapid Recharge, Wizard Powers: Banish, blast, bolt, dispel, healing, invisibility, protection, sloth/speed, slumber, summon ally, telekinesis, teleport. PPE: 40 Gear: Lord Magi Armor (+5, +4 Vigor vs. airborne toxins and disease), TW Shard Pistol (Range 15/30/60, Damage 3d4, RoF 3, AP 1, 3RB, lower trait vs. Vigor), Mage Staff (Str+d4+2; +1 Fighting, +2 Parry, and Mega Damage for 1 PPE for five rounds). In the field, a Lord Magi has any one of the Automatons listed in this book. Alternately, he might have either the Battle Lord or Earth Thunder from Savage Foes of North America. LYN-SRIAL SKY-KNIGHT Questing evangelists of the Lyn-Srial way of wisdom, compassion, and mercy, Sky-Knights leave the safety of TrythSal behind to bring their principles to the benighted lands of Rifts Earth. They wander the New West, interceding in conflicts to bring about peaceful resolution and battling the forces of evil when no other recourse exists. When confronting sapient foes, Sky-Knights seek to resolve the conflict through dialogue and negotiation first before resorting to combat. Attributes: Agility d8, Smarts d6, Spirit d8, Strength d10, Vigor d8 Skills: Athletics d6, Common Knowledge d6, Faith d8, Fighting d10, Healing d6, Notice d10, Occult d6, Persuasion d8, Shooting d8, Stealth d6, Survival d4 Pace: 4; Parry: 8; Toughness: 11 (4) Hindrances: Code of Honor, Heroic, Pacifist (Minor) Edges: Arcane Background (Miracles), Champion, Holy Warrior, Master of Magic Powers: Bolt, entangle, fly, healing, light/ darkness, protection, smite PPE: 15 Gear: Light Enchanted Armor (+4, +1 Toughness), enchanted halberd (Str+d8+2 Mega Damage, AP 3, +1 Fighting, Reach 1, two hands), Wilk’s 447 (Range 24/48/96, Damage 4d6, RoF 1, AP 2). Special Abilities: Flight: Fly at Pace 12 and “run” for extra movement as usual; use Athletics when maneuvering. Four Arms: Lyn-Srial ignore 2 points of Multi-Action penalties each turn Low Light Vision: Lyn-Srial ignore penalties for Dim and Dark lighting. Regeneration: Lyn-Srial make a natural healing roll daily to recover Wounds, or Injuries once all Wounds have been healed. MAGIC ZONE MERCENARY Dunscon and his allies happily arm “mundanes” with enchanted weapons and armor and use them as both security and cannon fodder against opposition forces. These warriors are decently trained and paid fairly well, giving the True Federation another source of troops in the buildup towards the war that threatens on any number of fronts. Attributes: Agility d6, Smarts d6, Spirit d6, Strength d6, Vigor d6 Skills: Athletics d6, Common Knowledge d6, Driving d4, Fighting d8, Notice d6, Michael Logan (Order #41085069)
172 Persuasion d4, Shooting d8, Stealth d6, Survival d4 Pace: 6; Parry: 6; Toughness: 15 (7) Gear: Heavy Enchanted Armor (+7, +3 Toughness, EBA), enchanted melee weapon (Str+d8+2 Mega Damage, AP 4, +1 Fighting), Laser Rifle (Range 15/30/60, Damage 4d6, RoF 1, AP 3), 2 × grenades (Range 5/10/20, 5d6 Mega Damage, LBT). PSI-WARRIOR While the Psi-Warriors trained in Psyscape generally stay to join the war against Nxla, those who learn their arts in Potomkane and Xanatoa enjoy more freedom to choose their own paths. Most go forth to battle supernatural evil as lone wanderers championing the oppressed. Some few tread a darker road, extorting payment from those they rescue or becoming oppressors themselves. They rarely travel in bands, but unbreakable bonds form between those who do. Regardless of their morality, PsiWarriors maintain a code of honor that emphasizes courage, glory, individualism, justice, loyalty, opposition to the supernatural, and a disregard for wealth. Even the worst Psi-Warriors treat the rewards they extort as but a fleeting trifle and would never decline a challenge to single combat. Wandering the margins of society, Psi-Warriors make great allies and implacable foes. Attributes: Agility d10, Smarts d8, Spirit d8, Strength d8, Vigor d10 Skills: Athletics d8, Common Knowledge d6, Fighting d10, Intimidation d6, Notice d8, Occult d6, Persuasion d6, Psionics d10, Shooting d8, Stealth d6, Survival d8, Taunt d6 Pace: 6; Parry: 9; Toughness: 16 (7) Hindrances: Code of Honor, Loyal, Vengeful (Major) Edges: Acrobat, Arcane Background (Psionics), Major Psionic, Martial Warrior, Master Psionic, Psi-Blade, PsiShield, Psi-Weapon Manipulation, Rapid Recharge, Soul Drain, Woodsman Powers: Boost/lower Trait, deflection, environmental protection, healing, protection, sloth/speed, smite, warrior’s gift. ISP: 25 Gear: Gladiator Medium EBA (+7 Armor, +2 Toughness), Psi-Pike (Str+2d8 Mega Damage, AP 3, Reach 2, Two Hands), NG-45LP Long Pistol (Range 15/30/60, Damage 3d8, RoF 1, AP 3). Special Abilities: Fasting and Self-Denial: PsiWarriors gain +4 on all Vigor checks dealing with cold, heat, hunger, sleep, or thirst Hazards. SHAMAN Cultures throughout Rifts Earth—from the First Nations and Native American tribes to the Simvan to the Werecats of Mexico (see Rifts® North America: Blood & Banes)—practice varieties of shamanism. Some Shamans devote themselves to a particular aspect of the natural world such as animals, the elements, and plants while others pursue a specific link to the spirits. These latter might dedicate themselves to the art of healing, become generalists by channeling their abilities through masks that allow them to assume and discard roles as needed, or even become living embodiments of the liminal space between the material and spirit worlds. The statistics below describe a more generic shaman devoted to communing with nature and the spirits. Attributes: Agility d6, Smarts d8, Spirit d12, Strength d6, Vigor d8 Skills: Athletics d6, Common Knowledge d10, Faith d10, Fighting d6, Healing d10, Notice d8, Occult d10, Performance d8, Persuasion d8, Riding d6, Shooting d6, Stealth d6, Survival d8, Taunt d6. Pace: 6; Parry: 5; Toughness: 11 (4) Michael Logan (Order #41085069)
173 Hindrances: Vow (use only preColumbian technology), Vow (serve his or her tribe and the spirits) Edges: Arcane Background (Miracles), Healer, Minor Item Creation, Rapid Recharge, Scholar (Occult), Woodsman Powers: Arcane protection, banish, beast friend, bolt, boost/lower trait, deflection, detect/conceal arcana, dispel, divination, elemental manipulation, environmental protection, healing, relief, smite, summon ally. ISP: 30 Gear: Light Enchanted Armor (+4 Armor, +1 Toughness), Spirit Bow (Range 30/60/120, 4d6 Mega Damage, RoF 1, +1d6 damage and AP 6 against supernatural evil), Spirit Spear (Str+3d6, Mega Damage, +1d6 damage and AP 6 against supernatural evil), riding horse, owl spirit mask (as Magic Optic System), panther spirit cloak (as Shadow Cloak). SPIRIT WARRIOR As with Shamans, Spirit Warriors may be found among many of the animistic and shamanistic cultures of Rifts Earth. Most in North America come from the First Nations and Native American peoples, where they wander the Native American Preserves battling monsters and supernatural evil. Attributes: Agility d8, Smarts d6, Spirit d8, Strength d8, Vigor d8 Skills: Athletics d8, Common Knowledge d6, Faith d8, Fighting d10, Healing d6, Notice d6, Persuasion d6, Riding d6, Shooting d8, Stealth d6, Survival d8 Pace: 6; Parry: 8; Toughness: 11 (4) Hindrances: Heroic, Vow (do not use post-19th century technology), Vow (Protect indigenous Americans) Edges: Arcane Background (Miracles), Champion, Counterattack (Imp.), Danger Sense, Holy Warrior, Martial Artist, Woodsman Powers: Boost/lower Trait, burst, damage field, fly, invisibility, protection, smite. ISP: 15 Gear: Light Enchanted Armor (+4 Armor, +1 Toughness), Spirit Bow (Range 30/60/120, Damage 4d6, RoF 1, Mega Damage, +1d6 damage and AP 6 against supernatural evil), Spirit Spear (Str+3d6, Mega Damage, +1d6 damage and AP 6 against supernatural evil), owl spirit mask (as Magic Optic System), riding horse. Special Abilities: Regeneration: Spirit Warriors make a natural healing roll once per day. MONSTERS & CREATURES ALU Alu—also known as “demon hounds” — are the front-line warriors and scouts of the hordes of Hades. Ferociously cunning, they are fond of setting traps, ambushing opponents, and manipulating others to lead them to their prey. Alu are often employed as expert trackers, bodyguards, and enforcers by their demonic superiors. Their homeland is the rocky, desolate desert of Taut in the Hades dimension— a demonic realm, to which they are unswervingly loyal. Attributes: Agility d10, Smarts d6, Spirit d8, Strength d12+4, Vigor d10 Skills: Athletics d10, Common Knowledge d6, Fighting d10, Intimidation d6, Notice d8, Persuasion d4, Shooting d6, Stealth d8, Survival d10 Pace: 10; Parry: 7; Toughness: 21 (6) Hindrances: Enemy (Major — Dyval demons), Ruthless (Major), Vow (Major — Obey the lords of Hades) Edges: Assassin, Brawny, Bruiser, FleetFooted, Frenzy, Woodsman Michael Logan (Order #41085069)
174 Gear: Usually none, though some will wear armor and carry weapons when at war — especially members of organized warbands such as those from Calgary, Kingdom of Monsters. Special Abilities: Bite/Claws: Str+d8 Mega Damage, AP6. Demonic Hide: Alu have +6 Armor and +2 Toughness. Fear: All demons cause Fear checks when first encountered. Infernal Form: Immune to Cold, Disease, Heat, and Poison. Infernal Vision: Alu ignore all Illumination penalties and can see the invisible. Invisibility: An Innate Ability used without a roll (at the base −4 level). Alu use this to ambush or avoid foes, but rarely remain invisible once combat is underway, instead relying on their horrific presence to unnerve foes. Keen Sense of Smell: Alu have an incredibly powerful sense of smell. They gain a +2 bonus on Notice checks using smell, as well as +2 on all Survival (tracking) rolls. Leaper: Alu can jump twice as far as normal and add +4 to damage when making a Wild Attack when coupled with a leap, instead of the usual +2 (needs room to leap, GM’s call). Size 3 (Normal): Alu are 12 feet tall and weigh 500 pounds. Slow Regeneration: Except for wounds caused by a Weakness, make a natural healing roll once per day — even if Incapacitated. Weakness (Holy Weapons): Suffer +4 damage from attacks from holy weapons or holy opponents such as those with the Champion or Holy Warrior Edge (including Cyber-Knights and true Mystics); wounds from such attacks cannot be regenerated. Weakness (Silver): Silver weapons have the same effect as Holy Weapons. BLOOD HAWK Possibly a mutation of the original raptor native to this world or an alien monster from another dimension, the Blood Hawk is a blood red, leathery mockery of the creature once known to North American forests and plains. Add in glowing orange eyes, vicious armor-rending claws, freakish strength and toughness, and a terrifying shriek, and the Blood Hawk is a nightmare for travelers across the lands. A group of them can threaten all but the most well-armored prey, combining gang-up tactics (they often attack in small flocks of 3d8 in number) with their limited psionic abilities. A typical Blood Hawk stands around two feet in height with a five-foot wingspan. Attributes: Agility d8, Smarts d4 (A), Spirit d8, Strength d10, Vigor d10 Skills: Athletics d8, Fighting d8, Notice d8, Stealth d6, Survival d6 Pace: 4; Parry: 6; Toughness: 11 Special Abilities: Beak and Talons: These beasts attack with vicious efficiency, doing Str+d6, AP 4. Hawkeyed: A Blood Hawk gains +2 on all sight-based Notice checks and can see well at extreme distances. The +2 bonus also applies to Survival rolls made to track targets across open ground. Leathery Hide: The demonic hide of a Blood Hawk provides +4 Toughness. Psionic Senses: Blood Hawks have the detect arcana power, which they can use an Innate Ability with a Spirit check. They primarily use this to sense if a foe has enough magical or psionic power to withstand them. Wings: Blood Hawks fly at a pace of 10 with a Run die of d8. Michael Logan (Order #41085069)
175 DARK BEHEMOTH Bulky four-legged creatures the size of small trucks, Dark Behemoths greatly enjoy burrowing beneath potential prey and attacking their targets with ambush tactics. These powerful predators lash out from their burrows and lairs, snatching unsuspecting victims with their mighty jaws (one mouth on each side of the head) and face tentacles. While sated, Dark Behemoths generally live and let live. Hungry ones are nearly unstoppable in their pursuit of something to eat. Attributes: Agility d8, Smarts d4 (A), Spirit d6, Strength d12+4, Vigor d12 Skills: Athletics d6, Fighting d8, Notice d8, Stealth d8, Survival d6 Pace: 10; Parry: 6; Toughness: 32 (16) Special Abilities: Bite: The supernatural jaws of a Dark Behemoth do Str+2d8, AP 16, Mega Damage. Burrow (10”): Dark Behemoths can disappear and reappear on the following action anywhere within 10”. Tentacles (2): Dark Behemoths sport 6 –12 small facial tentacles that work together as two separate knots. An attack that severs a tentacle effectively severs all the tentacles in that knot. Nightvision: Dark Behemoths ignore penalties for Dim and Dark conditions. Powerful Form: +16 MDC Armor and +4 Toughness. Size 4 (Large): Dark Behemoths are usually the size of a large SUV. Tremor Sense: A Dark Behemoth can make a Notice check to determine if anything is moving within its Spirit × 2, based on ground vibrations. DARKHOUND These terrible, twisted beasts look much like someone tried to combine a Dog Boy with a werewolf, and the evidence suggests this may not be far off from the truth. Hulking canine beings with dark fur, glowing red eyes, and bestial natures, the Darkhounds roam the Magic Zone in packs, seeking out powerful psionic and magical entities to attack without mercy. Rumors abound about Dunscon allowing vile arcane experiments to be performed on Dog Boy captives in attempts to create a loyal cadre of similarly capable beings in service to him. Though he denies any connection, the fact these beasts serve him directly, yet they avoid attacking Coalition forces (and especially actual Dog Boys) lends credence to the rumor. Darkhounds are used mostly to bring to heel or destroy supernatural beings and arcane practitioners who refuse to serve Dunscon. Attributes: Agility d10, Smarts d4, Spirit d8, Strength d12+1, Vigor d10 Skills: Athletics d8, Common Knowledge d6, Fighting d10, Intimidation d8, Notice d8, Persuasion d4, Stealth d8, Survival d8 Pace: 8; Parry: 7; Toughness: 18 (8) Hindrances: Bloodthirsty, Loyal, Vow (Minor—Serve the Federation) Edges: Alertness, Berserk, Brawny, Charge, Fleet-Footed, Frenzy (Imp.) Gear: Piecemeal Armor (+4); vibrolongsword (Str+d10, AP 10, Mega Damage) Special Abilities: Fearless: Whatever created the Darkhounds, they were bred to feel no fear at all. Keen Sense of Smell: Darkhounds possess a great sense of smell, like their normal canine counterparts. This gives them an additional +2 on all Notice checks where smell could come into play, as well as +2 on all Survival rolls to track. Latent Coalition Loyalty: Darkhounds only reticently attack Michael Logan (Order #41085069)
176 Coalition forces, and especially avoid combat with Dog Boys. If forced to defend themselves, they will, but otherwise they tend to avoid conflict with the CS. Some Darkhounds packs are said to have even helped Coalition troops against supernatural forces, quickly running away after the battle. Low Light Vision: A Darkhound’s keen vision allows it to ignore Dim and Dark lighting penalties. Natural Weapons: Str+2d4 Mega Damage, AP 4. Darkhounds’ claws and fangs are ferocious and deadly. Psychic Sense: Darkhounds have the inherent ability to detect arcana, interpreting it as a scent. They use the Notice skill (with their Keen Sense of Smell bonus) to detect the presence and location of any psychic or magic energies, beings, or items. They can also use Survival (also with the Keen Sense of Smell bonus) to track a specific magical or psionic e nt it y. T h i s sense works to detect anything psychic, magic, or supernatural, i n c l u d i n g invisible and astral beings. Psychic Sense doesn’t work inside sealed armor or vehicles. Thick Hide: The magic that originally created Darkhounds imbued them with significant resistance to damage. +2 Toughness, +4 Armor. Weakness (Ley Line Sensitivity): Darkhounds lose their Psychic Sense when on or close (within 2" or 4 yards) of a ley line. Ley line storms cause them a level of Fatigue from severe headaches and distress as for a psychic, but their Fatigue requires an hour to recover after the storm ends. DEEVIL Ugly humanoid demons with ram’s horns, pig snouts, fangs, and goatlike legs, Deevils are the footmen of the demonic realm of Dyval, notorious for their treachery and ability to tempt others into evil. Attributes: Agility d10, Smarts d6, Spirit d8, Strength d12+2, Vigor d10 Skills: Athletics d8, Common Knowledge d8, Fighting d8, Intimidation d6, Notice d8, Persuasion d10, Shooting d6, Spellcasting d8, Stealth d10, Survival d8, Taunt d8, Thievery d10 Pace: 10; Parry: 6; Toughness: 16 (5) Hindrances: Driven (Mi nor — Corr upt others), Ruthless (Minor), Vow (Major— Obey the lords of Dyval) Edges: Arcane Background (Magic), Fleet-Footed, Thief Powers: Bolt, elemental manipulation (fire only), heal, lower Trait (no boost, only “curses”). PPE: 15 Gear: Usually none. Special Abilities: Bite/Claw/Horns: Str+d6 Mega Damage, AP 4. Demonic Hide: Deevils have +5 Armor and +2 Toughness. Fear: All demons cause Fear checks when first encountered. Human Metamorphosis: As an action with a Spellcasting roll, Deevils may take on the appearance of a normal-sized Michael Logan (Order #41085069)
177 human indefinitely per the disguise power. Infernal Form: Immune to Cold, Disease, Heat, and Poison. Invisibility: As the power but an Innate Ability used without a roll (at the base −4 level). Deevils use this to ambush or avoid foes, but rarely remain invisible once combat is underway, instead relying on their horrific presence to unnerve foes. Leaper: Deevils can jump twice as far as normal and add +4 to damage when making a Wild Attack instead of the usual +2. Low-Light Vision: Deevils ignore Dim and Dark Illumination penalties. Size 2 (Normal): Deevils measure around 8 feet tall and 400 pounds. Slow Regeneration: Except for wounds caused by a Weakness, Deevils make a natural healing roll once per day (which may be done as a free action in combat). Weakness (Holy Weapons): Deevils suffer +4 damage from attacks from opponents with the Champion or Holy Warrior Edge (including CyberKnights and true Mystics); resulting Wounds cannot be regenerated. Weakness (Silver): Silver weapons have the same effect as Holy Weapons. E DEVIL UNICORN Just sapient enough to be deliberately, maliciously cruel, Devil Unicorns maraud throughout North America. They resemble their namesakes only in having a single horn erupting from their foreheads; otherwise Devil Unicorns look more like huge, bony-hided lizards with nightmarish, skull-like visages. Devil Unicorns hunt for sport as well as food, often capturing humans and D-Bees to take back to their lairs and torture for days. Thankfully, the monsters usually hunt alone—though even then, their horrible laughter is heard far too frequently across the continent. Attributes: Agility d10, Smarts d4, Spirit d8, Strength d12+7, Vigor d10 Skills: Athletics d8, Common Knowledge d4, Fighting d10, Intimidation d10, Notice d8, Persuasion d6, Stealth d10, Survival d8, Taunt d10 Pace: 10; Parry: 7; Toughness: 36 (16) Hindrances: Mean, Ugly Edges: Brute, Frenzy (Imp.), Humiliate, Menacing, Rabble Rouser, Woodsman Special Abilities: Aquatic: Pace 4. Devilish Hide: +16 MDC Armor, +8 Toughness. Fear (−2): Cause Fear checks at −2 when encountered. Fearless: Belligerent in the extreme, Devil Unicorns cannot be affected by Fear effects or Intimidation. Claws/Bite: Str+2d6, AP 12, Mega Damage. Claws grant +2 to climbing (Athletics) rolls on all but sheer surfaces. Horn: Str+d12, AP 20, Mega Damage. If the Devil Unicorn charges at least 6” before attacking, it adds +8 to its damage. Size 5 (Large): 26 feet long including its tail, weighing up to 2 tons. Gains a Wound level. Tail Lash: Str+d4. The creature may make a free attack against up to two foes to its side or rear at no penalty. FAERIE FOLK, MINOR As hazardous as the Magic Zone and other lands of mystical might can be, they also provide shelter to beings of beauty and whimsy. Minor Faerie Folk of various races call Rifts Earth home. Though differing greatly in size and appearance, these beings are united in a disinterest in other sapient species that Michael Logan (Order #41085069)
178 almost borders on disdain, seeing “Big Folk” only as subjects for pranks. True Faeries appear as attractive, butterfly-winged humanoids no more than six inches tall. Common Faeries tend toward autumn colors in their hair and wings, Green Wood Faeries have verdant skin and keep to dense forests, and Night-Elves possess gray-green skin and a darker, more serious personality than their cousins. Pixies possess no wings and stand nearly a foot tall. Common Pixies are playful and silly even by Faerie Folk standards while Frost Pixies possess light blue skin and are immune to the cold. Though Sprites stand only four inches high, they harass intruders into their territory more boldly than the other races, stealing small valuables and pulling hair. Tree Sprites descend from the branches at dawn and dusk, Water Sprites haunt gentle pools and streams, and WindPuffs flit about in flowery meadows. Their madcap, playful personalities and lack of interest in relating to other beings leads less scrupulous arcanists to treat minor Faerie Folk as animals, fit only to be the ingredients in alchemical experiments. The Splugorth capture Faerie Folk to use as living batteries for their technology. Attributes: Agility d10, Smarts d8, Spirit d6, Strength d4, Vigor d8 Skills: Athletics d8, Common Knowledge d6, Fighting d6, Occult d8, Notice d8, Persuasion d10, Performance d8, Spellcasting d10, Stealth d8, Thievery d6 Pace: 4; Parry: 5; Toughness: 3 Hindrances: Clueless, Impulsive Edges: Very Attractive Special Abilities: Flight: Even the wingless Pixies possess a flying Pace of 12. Inherent Magic: All minor Faerie Folk possess the following powers: beast friend, confusion (befuddling dancing lights), darksight, entangle (ensnaring vines, gripping ice, etc.), invisibility, puppet (Faeries invariably use this to lead their victims in a Faerie Dance, stealing their clothes and equipment while they cavort), slumber, and speak language. NightElves and Frost Pixies know bolt. Faeries often Support each other to be more effective casters. In the PPE rich biome of Rifts Earth, Faerie Folk possess effectively unlimited PPE. Size −3 (Very Small): The various sorts of Faerie Folk range from four to 12 inches tall. Weakness (Salt): Salt does damage to Faeries, dealing +4 damage. Even a pinch deals 1d4+4 damage, quite deadly to such small creatures. E FIEND The demonic captains of Dyval, fiends are supernatural predators that appear as humanoid coal-black shadows with eyes and a mouth that glow with infernal light. They feast on the psychic emanations of their victims, delighting in torture, sorrow, sadism, and murder. The most powerful of them, Archfiends, go clad in hooded robes of black or gray and armed with powerful bladed weapons. Attributes: Agility d12, Smarts d8, Spirit d10, Strength d12+6, Vigor d12 Skills: Athletics d10, Common Knowledge d10, Fighting d12+2, Intimidation d12, Notice d12, Persuasion d10, Shooting d6, Spellcasting d10, Stealth d10, Survival d8, Taunt d18, Thievery d12 Pace: 10; Parry: 6; Toughness: 37 (16) Hindrances: Bloodthirsty, Vow (Major— Obey the lords of Dyval) Edges: Ambidextrous, Arcane Back— ground (Magic), Danger Sense, Frenzy (Imp.), Master of Magic, Quick, TwoFisted, Unholy Warrior Michael Logan (Order #41085069)
179 Gear: Often use human arms and armaments. Commonly use enchanted demonic armor (+8 Armor, MDC), enchanted blades (Str+2d8, AP 10, Mega Damage, +2 Fighting). Powers: Banish, bolt, blast, deflection, elemental manipulation, heal, illusion, invisibility, protection, sloth/speed, zombie. PPE: 30 Special Abilities: Bite/Claw: Str+d6 Mega Damage, AP 4. Demonic Hide: Grants +8 natural MDC Armor and +8 Toughness. Fear (−2): Cause Fear checks at −2 when encountered. Fearless: Immune to Fear and Intimidation. Fast Regeneration: Except for Wounds caused by a Weakness, Fiends make a natural healing roll every round. Humanoid and Animal Metamorphosis: As an action at no PPE cost, Fiends may roll Spellcasting to take on the form of a humanoid or animal indefinitely per shape change. Hardy: Fiends do not suffer a Wound from being Shaken twice. Infernal Form: Immune to Cold, Disease, Heat, and Poison. Mystic Awareness: Has detect arcana as an innate sense, seeing supernatural beings in line of sight with a Notice roll. Perfect Night Vision: Ignore all Illumination penalties. Size 5 (Large): Fiends stand 15 feet tall and weigh 1000 pounds. Weakness (Holy Weapons): Fiends suffer +8 damage from attacks from opponents with the Champion or Holy Warrior Edge (including Cyber-Knights and true Mystics); Wounds from such attacks cannot be regenerated. Weakness (Silver): Silver weapons have the same effect as Holy Weapons. FOREST WARDEN The humanoid plants colloquially called Forest Wardens dwell throughout the Dark Woods’ western border. Coming from a world without animal lifeforms—let alone sapient ones—and traumatized by the Rift disaster that tore them from their home, the Forest Wardens regard most other beings with hostility. Strangers to the forest may be set upon and massacred for cutting firewood or even plucking flowers; larger forces come under preemptive attack simply for being in the wrong place. The Wardens only exempt from their wrath beings they identify as part of the ecosystem, such as the exiles who have put down roots in the Dark Woods. Attributes: Agility d8, Smarts d6, Spirit d6, Strength d10, Vigor d10 Skills: Athletics d6, Common Knowledge d6, Fighting d8, Intimidation d6, Notice d6, Persuasion d6, Shooting d6, Stealth d8, Survival d8 Pace: 6; Parry: 6; Toughness: 12 (2) Edges: Woodsman Gear: Salvaged melee weapon (Str+d8, AP 4, Mega Damage), salvaged ranged weapon (Range 15/30/60, Damage 4d6, RoF 1, AP 3). Special Abilities: Armor +2: Their bark provides some protection against weapons. Brachiation: The long limbs and tendril-like fingers of Forest Wardens allow them to easily move by swinging from tree branches, negating difficult terrain penalties in forested environments. Environmental Weakness (Fire): Forest Wardens take +4 damage from fire and suffer a −4 penalty to resist fire-based Hazards and Michael Logan (Order #41085069)
180 powers. Forest Wardens must check to see if they are set aflame when hit with fiery powers or weapons (see Hazards in Savage Worlds). Infravision: Forest Wardens halve Illumination penalties (round down) when attacking targets that radiate warmth. Regeneration: Forest Wardens make natural healing rolls once a day and may regenerate lost limbs. Size 3 (Normal): Forest Wardens stand 7’ to 11’ tall. Different tribes of Forest Wardens strongly resemble different species of trees. Sunlight Dependency: Forest Wardens need an hour of sunlight a day. If they don’t absorb enough ultraviolet rays, they become automatically Fatigued each day until they’re Incapacitated. A day after that, they perish. Each hour spent sunning themselves restores a level of Fatigue. Full environmental protection armor blocks their ability to absorb sunlight. GHOUL One of the more common monsters to serve Lord Dunscon and his empire of darkness, ghouls are either found in direct service to a necromancer, or they roam the lands beyond the City of Brass looking for the enemies of the Federation. If they attack, they intend to kill, then drag the corpses off to rot a bit before they eat. They also attack in great numbers, choosing to gang up on targets as much as possible. If they face too many targets they cannot hurt, they run away. Attributes: Agility d8, Smarts d4, Spirit d6, Strength d10, Vigor d8 Skills: Athletics d6, Common Knowledge d6, Fighting d8, Intimidation d6, Notice d6, Persuasion d4, Stealth d8, Survival d6 Pace: 8; Parry: 6; Toughness: 12 Hindrances: Mute Edges: Fleet-Footed Special Abilities: Claws: Str+d4 Mega Damage, AP 2. Night Vision: Ignore Dim and Dark Illumination penalties. Tough: Ghouls possess very tough hides, giving them +4 Toughness. Undead: +2 Toughness; +2 to recover from Shaken; immune to disease and poison; no extra damage from called shots. Weakness (Fire): Ghouls are especially vulnerable to fire, taking +4 damage from normal or magical sources. GLITTERMOUNT The TW equivalent of the ubiquitous Robot Horse, Glittermounts take their name from their polished metallic form… and the sparkling dust they leave behind as they gallop. Glittermounts resemble living beings more than vehicles in many ways, possessing a surprisingly dutiful magical “artificial intelligence” roughly equivalent to a real horse. Glittermounts are coveted by their riders, and those few for sale cost 7 to 10 million credits. The rider may use the Glittermount’s or her own PPE to cause the Glittermount to cast its powers. Attributes: Agility d8, Smarts d6 (A), Spirit d8, Strength d12+4, Vigor d12 Skills: Athletics d8, Fighting d8, Notice d8, Stealth d8, Spellcasting d8 Pace: 12; Parry: 6; Toughness: 26 (12) Hindrances: Loyal, Mute, Vow (Major— Obey bonded rider) Edges: Fleet-Footed Powers: Blind, bolt, fly, light. PPE: 15 Special Abilities: Construct: +2 Toughness; +2 to recover from being Shaken; called shots do no extra damage; doesn’t Michael Logan (Order #41085069)
181 breathe, immune to disease, poison, and radiation. Slow Regeneration: Glittermounts make a natural healing roll once per day and can heal Injuries. Kick: Str+d6 Mega Damage, counts as a magical weapon. Nightvision: Glittermounts ignore Dim and Dark Illumination penalties. Polished Silver Plating: +12 MDC Armor. Size 4 (Large): 800 pounds of chrome equine. Gains a Wound level. GOLEM Golems are humanoid Automatons with gems for eyes, hearts of iron, and bodies formed from clay. Animated by ancient rituals and guided by runes and inscriptions placed within their body, these constructs are nearly indestructible. They obey only their creator and will follow her last command until they are destroyed. Attributes: Agility d6, Smarts d6, Spirit d10, Strength d12+4, Vigor d12+2 Skills: Athletics d6, Common Knowledge d6, Fighting d10, Intimidation d8, Notice d8, Persuasion d4, Shooting d6, Stealth d8 Pace: 6; Parry: 7; Toughness: 30 (12) Hindrances: Loyal, Mute, Vow (Major— Obey creator) Gear: Often none. Special Abilities: Almost Indestructible: Golems gain +12 MDC Armor and +4 Toughness from their rune-embedded clay bodies. Even if blown up or chopped to bits, an Incapacitated golem regenerates completely within 2d6+12 hours unless its iron heart is removed from its chest cavity. Bash: Str+d6, AP6, Mega Damage. Construct: +2 Toughness; +2 to recover from being Shaken; called shots do no extra damage; doesn’t breathe, immune to Disease, Poison, and Radiation. Fast Regeneration: Golems make a natural healing roll every round. Fear (−2): Golems cause Fear checks at −2 when encountered. Fearless: Immune to most Fear effects and Intimidation. Hardy: Does not suffer a Wound from being Shaken twice. Size 3 (Normal): Golems stand 12 feet tall and weigh 2000 pounds. Warded: Golems are created by ancient and powerful magics which make them invulnerable to banish, dispel, and most arcane mind control effects like illusion, puppet, slumber, stun, etc. They gain +4 to rolls to resist other magical effects. GREAT CANYON WORM Ubiquitous to the buttes, canyons, and plateaus of Arizona, Mexico, Nevada, New Mexico, and Utah, the alien Great Canyon Worm stakes out a place for itself as one of the most common and dangerous scavengers in the New West. While they can burrow, Great Canyon Worms prefer to crawl along the surface— making them a rodeo favorite, as they try to buck off riders rather than dig into the earth and escape. Attributes: Agility d8, Smarts d4(A), Spirit d8, Strength d12+8, Vigor d10 Skills: Athletics d6, Fighting d6, Notice d10, Stealth d8 Pace: 6; Parry: 5; Toughness: 18 (4) Edges: Alertness, Berserk Special Abilities: Armor +4: Like oversized prehistoric machaeridian worms, calcitic shells protect Great Canyon Worms’ segments. Bite: Str+2d6, AP 6, Mega Damage. Environmental Resistance (Heat): Great Canyon Worms take −4 damage Michael Logan (Order #41085069)
182 from heat and fire and gain a +4 bonus to resist heat-based Hazards and powers. Environmental Weakness (Cold): Great Canyon Worms take +4 damage from cold and suffer a −4 penalty to resist cold-based Hazards and powers. Nightvision: Though lacking eyes, the Great Canyon Worm’s hyperattuned senses of smell and touch allow it to ignore penalties for Dim and Dark conditions. Size 7 (Large): Great Canyon Worms grow from 25 to 40 feet long. Thrash: Primarily scavengers, Great Canyon Worms attack living creatures largely by mistake. When they do, they usually use their bite to grapple, thrashing around once they have a target Bound or Entangled. In addition to the usual Strength damage from grappling, victims held by a Great Canyon Worm also suffer +d6 damage from being battered against the ground and obstacles. LAND RAY Oddly similar in appearance and movement to the seaborne manta ray of Earth’s oceans, the Land Ray is a psionically-powered, amphibious predator who hunts both fresh water bodies and across the land. Telekinesis helps the creature swim and fly with equal speed, and it has a psionicallyenhanced whip of a tail it uses to carve up even MDC-armored targets. Though sometimes encountered singly or in pairs, most Land Rays are encountered as a group of 3d6 when they attack. Attributes: Agility d10, Smarts d4 (A), Spirit d10, Strength d10, Vigor d8 Skills: Athletics d6, Fighting d10, Notice d8, Psionics d10, Stealth d6 Pace: 2; Parry: 7; Toughness: 12 Edges: Danger Sense, First Strike, Frenzy (Imp.), Master Psionic Powers: Deflection, protection, smite, telekinesis. ISP: 30 Special Abilities: Amphibious: Survive equally well in fresh water and on land (though they cannot breathe in salt water). Nightvision: Land Rays ignore penalties for Dim and Dark conditions. Psionic Senses: Land Rays have detect arcana as an Innate Ability. Size 2 (Normal): These are sizable beasts with a wingspan of over ten feet. Telekinetic Movement: Land Rays possess both a flight and swimming Pace of 12, with a d10 Run die. Tough Form: Thickly muscled and possessing a solid hide, Land Rays gain +4 Toughness. Of course, they use their protection power to dramatically enhance their defenses. Whip Tail: This vicious natural weapon does Str+d6 Mega Damage, AP 6. Against particularly tough foes, the Land Ray uses its smite ability to turn this into a truly devastating weapon. LEATHER WING Greatly resembling the pterosaurs of Earth’s Mesozoic Era, Leather Wings hunt the skies of the New West—sometimes flying hundreds of miles from their nests in search of food. These flying predators swoop down out of the skies to pick off their prey. Some more daring people, like the Simvan, make mounts out of the ferocious Leather Wings. Attributes: Agility d12, Smarts d4 (A), Spirit d8, Strength d12+2, Vigor d10 Skills: Athletics d8, Fighting d8, Notice d8, Stealth d8, Survival d10 Pace: 6; Parry: 6; Toughness: 14 (2) Edges: Alertness, Frenzy (Imp.) Michael Logan (Order #41085069)
183 Special Abilities: Armored Hide: Their thick, leathery hides provide +2 Armor. Camouflage: The sandy-colored bodies and sky-blue heads of Leather Wings blend in to desert horizons, giving the beasts +4 to Stealth rolls on sunny days. Claws/Beak: Str+2d6, AP 4, Mega Damage. Flight: Leather Wings have a Flying Pace of 24. Power Dive: A Leather Wing that dives at least 6” and makes a Wild Attack gains +4 to its damage instead of +2. Size 5 (Large): Leather Wings stand up to 20’ tall with wingspans of 60’. OGRE Ogres travel from numerous magical worlds to reach Rifts Earth, naturally drawing them to similar regions. They gravitate to communities with familiar power structures—such as Lord Dunscon’s kingdom—where they can make use of their specific gifts. Brok Redman actively recruits all he can to the forces of the True Federation, ensuring they’re well trained and armed accordingly. Attributes: Agility d6, Smarts d6, Spirit d8, Strength d12+1, Vigor d10 Skills: Athletics d6, Common Knowledge d4, Fighting d10, Intimidation d8, Notice d6, Persuasion d4, Shooting d6, Stealth d4, Survival d6 Pace: 7; Parry: 7; Toughness: 20 (5) Edges: Brawny, Frenzy (Imp.), Sweep Gear: Heavy Enchanted Armor (+5, +3 Toughness, full environmental protection), enchanted heavy melee weapon (Str+d10+2 Mega Damage, AP 3, +1 Fighting), Mini Rail Gun (Range 75/150/300, 2d10+2 Mega Damage, RoF 3, AP 6). Special Abilities: Long Stride: Ogres move quickly with a longer stride, gaining +1 to their Pace. Night Vision: Ogres see very well in the dark, ignoring penalties for Dim and Dark conditions. Size 2 (Normal): Much bigger than humans, ogres are at least seven and a half feet tall. Tough: Ogres are just inherently resilient beings, gaining +2 to their Toughness. Ugly and Frightening: Ogres suffer a −2 penalty to Persuasion rolls when dealing with most other species. The fact most of them are cannibals doesn’t help. PANTHERA-TEREON One of the most successful mammalian predators in North America, the Panthera-Tereon ranges from the New West to Dinosaur Swamp. They resemble huge, black-maned, saber-toothed lions and—though they occasionally hunt in small prides—usually are solitary hunters. Panthera-Tereon hunt only to feed and leave the rest of a herd alone after tackling their prey; unfortunately, the “herds” they predate upon include livestock and humanoids. Michael Logan (Order #41085069)
184 Attributes: Agility d10, Smarts d6 (A), Spirit d10, Strength d12+3, Vigor d10 Skills: Athletics d10, Fighting d10, Notice d8, Stealth d8, Survival d10 Pace: 8; Parry: 7; Toughness: 17 (4) Edges: Fleet-Footed, Frenzy (Imp.) Special Abilities: Armored Hide: Thick hides provide +4 Armor and +2 Toughness. Claws: Str+2d6, AP 4, Mega Damage. Low Light Vision: Panthera-Tereons ignore penalties for Dim and Dark lighting. Pounce: If a Panthera-Tereon can leap at least 1” and makes a Wild Attack, it adds +4 to its damage instead of +2. Size 4 (Large): 22’ long from head to tail, weighing 1200 pounds. Terrible Bite: The saber teeth of a Panthera-Tereon bite for Str+2d8 Mega Damage, AP 8. Their favorite tactic is to pounce and grapple, then rend their target with their fearsome fangs. PLUMED SERPENT Highly intelligent and very territorial, the Plumed Serpents who primarily reside in the western portion of North America stand on par with most dragons in terms of potential threat. A single Plumed Serpent takes up residence in an area, claiming the surrounding territory (as much as 500 square miles) as its domain. Though these beings don’t always molest or challenge travelers, they consider anyone passing through their realm subject to their commands and whims. Some may exact a fee, while others outright attack and take what they wish. Still others may be of a more benign nature, willing to work with and aid similarly-minded beings in exchange for a service or shared information. These giant, bird-like beings grow to between 60 and 70 feet in length and are covered in iridescent feathers, including a magnificent mane that gives them their name. Attributes: Agility d10, Smarts d8, Spirit d10, Strength d12+8, Vigor d12 Skills: Academics d8, Common Knowledge d8, Fighting d10, Intimidation d10, Investigation d8, Notice d10, Occult d10, Persuasion d8, Psionics d10, Shooting d10, Spellcasting d10, Stealth d8, Survival d6, Taunt d8 Pace: 6; Parry: 7; Toughness: 39 (16) Edges: Alertness, Arcane Background (Magic), Arcane Background (Psionics), Charismatic, Danger Sense, Frenzy (Imp.), Level Headed, Master of Magic, Master Psionic, Strong Willed Powers (Magic): Boost/lower Trait, deflection, dispel, entangle, environmental protection, light/darkness, intangibility, protection, slumber, speak language. PPE: 25 Powers (Psionic): Confusion, detect/conceal arcana, healing, invisibility, mind link, mind reading, puppet, telekinesis. ISP: 30 Special Abilities: Armored Hide: Plumed Serpents have +16 MDC Armor with +6 Toughness. Burrow (6”): Plumed Serpents can disappear and reappear on the following action anywhere within 6”. Claws/Bite: Str+3d6, AP 6, Mega Damage. Fast Regeneration: Plumed Serpents make a natural healing roll every round. Fear (−1): In his natural form, a Plumed Serpent is a terrifying creature to most folks. Flight: The Plumed Serpent has a flying Pace of 18. Lightning Breath: Plumed Serpents can breathe a bolt of lightning at Range 12/24/48 and Damage 4d6 (Mega Damage), using their Shooting skill. Alternately, they can do 2d10, Mega Damage in a Cone Template Michael Logan (Order #41085069)
185 starting from their mouths. Every target within the cone may Evade. Metamorphosis: The Plumed Serpent may change his shape and size as an action, appearing as a human. He can maintain any such form indefinitely, even while sleeping. He attains the size and appearance of his chosen human form, but he retains most of his own abilities except those only usable in Plumed Serpent form (Armored Hide, Burrowing, Claws/Bite, Fear, Lightning Breath, Tail Lash). Nightvision: Plumed Serpents ignore penalties for Dim and Dark conditions. Size 9 (Huge): Plumed Serpents are very long and powerful creatures in their natural form. Tail Lash: A Plumed Serpent can sweep all opponents in his rear in a 2’ long by 4’ wide rectangle. This is a Fighting attack which ignores size penalties, doing Str+d8 (Mega Damage). PSI-GOBLIN Another species Lord Dunscon targeted to bring to Rifts Earth during his travels through the Megaverse®, the Psi-Goblins serve by the thousands as special defenders and enforcers for his kingdom. Even more wander the lands of the Magic Zone, pretending to be independent, yet clearly serving his greater goals as well. Vicious, greedy, bloodthirsty, and full of rage at most beings in existence, the Psi-Goblins are perfect servants for the depraved evil of Dunscon and his cabal. Possessing inherent supernatural abilities and strong psionic gifts, the Psi-Goblins terrorize all who live in and around the Magic Zone. Attributes: Agility d8, Smarts d6, Spirit d8, Strength d8, Vigor d10 Skills: Athletics d8, Common Knowledge d4, Fighting d8, Intimidation d6, Notice d6, Persuasion d6, Psionics d8, Shooting d6, Stealth d8, Survival d6 Hindrances: Greedy (Minor), Jealous (Major), Quirk (Cruel) Edges: Arcane Background (Psionics), Major Psionic Pace: 6; Parry: 6; Toughness: 12 (4) Powers (Psionics): Bolt, detect/conceal arcana, entangle, protection, smite. PPE: 20 Gear: Salvaged armor (+4, +1 Toughness), advanced melee weapon (Str+d6 Mega Damage, AP 2), Laser Rifle (Range 24/48/96, Damage 4d6, RoF 1, AP 2). Often use hover cycles, jet packs, and motorcycles. Special Abilities: Bio-Regeneration: Psi-Goblins make a natural Healing check once per day and can heal Injuries. Night Vision: Ignore penalties for Dim and Dark conditions. Shadow Meld: When in Shadow, a Psi-Goblin gains +4 to Stealth checks. Size −1 (Normal): Psi-Goblins are small of stature. Ugly and Vicious: Psi-Goblins suffer a −2 penalty to Persuasion rolls when dealing with most other species, due to their vicious, bloodthirsty tendencies. E RAKSASHA Arrogant, conniving, and cunning, Raksashas serve their demon masters in Hades as assassins, spies, and provocateurs, sowing chaos throughout the Megaverse®. They enjoy toying with lesser beings and engage in elaborate intrigues to engender tragedies for their own amusement. The natural form of a Raksasha is a towering humanoid with the head of a big cat (usually a tiger or lion) but they often use their shape change power to assume other forms. Michael Logan (Order #41085069)
186 Attributes: Agility d12, Smarts d10, Spirit d12, Strength d12+2, Vigor d12 Skills: Athletics d8, Common Knowledge d10, Faith d12+2, Fighting d12, Intimidation d10, Notice d12, Persuasion d10, Psionics d12, Research d8, Shooting d8, Stealth d12, Taunt d8 Pace: 6; Parry: 10; Toughness: 32 (16) Hindrances: Overconfident (Major), Stubborn (Minor), Vow (Major—Obey the lords of Hades) Edges: Arcane Background (Magic), Arcane Background (Psionics), Danger Sense, Frenzy (Imp), Master Psionic, PsiBlade, Psi-Shield, Rapid Recharge (PPE only) Gear: Enchanted demonic armor (+8 Armor, MDC). Most Raksasha prefer to duel with PsiBlades and Psi-Shields but will utilize humanoid weapons as needed. Powers: Magic: Banish, blast, blind, bolt, deflection, detect arcana, entangle, illusion, protection, speak language, summon ally, zombie. PPE: 25 Psionics: Conceal arcana, empathy, healing, illusion, mind link, mind reading, puppet, smite, speak language, telekinesis. ISP: 25 Special Abilities: Claws: Their retractable claws do Str+d6 Mega Damage. Demonic Hide: Raksashas gain +8 Armor (stacking with armor worn) and +6 Toughness. Fast Regeneration: Except for wounds caused by a Weakness, they make a natural healing roll every round. Fear (−2): Raksashas cause Fear checks at −2 when encountered. Fearless: Immune to Fear effects and Intimidation. Infernal Form: Immune to Cold, Disease, Heat, and Poison. Metamorphosis: As an action for no ISP cost, a Raksasha may roll Psionics to take on the form of any living being indefinitely as a combination of disguise and shape change. This ability allows the Raksasha to accurately imitate specific individuals (−4 to opposed Notice checks, resisted by the demon’s Persuasion, if it has studied the target). Mist: With an action and a Psionics roll Raksashas can turn into mist at no Power Points cost. Perfect Night Vision: Ignore all Illumination penalties. Size 2 (Normal): Raksasha are 8 –10 feet tall. We a k n e s s ( H o l y Weapons): Suffer +4 damage Michael Logan (Order #41085069)
187 from attacks from opponents with the Champion or Holy Warrior Edge (including Cyber-Knights and true Mystics). Wounds from such attacks cannot be regenerated. Weakness (Silver): Silver weapons have the same effect as Holy Weapons. SHADELING Native to the Magic Zone and somehow tied to that region (though some few have been seen near the Calgary Rift, as well), Shadelings may be the restless souls of evil wizards or possibly dark magic itself given a strange form of life all its own. While rare, Shadelings have been known to guide travelers away from dangers— giving rise to the idea the lost spirit of a spellcaster is somehow trying to atone for his past deeds—most of these featureless dark humanoid forms (shimmering with a kind of “black light” energy) act in a purely malevolent fashion to all they encounter. Though capable of speech, most Shadelings make guttural noises or speak in purely monosyllabic form at best. Attributes: Agility d6, Smarts d4, Spirit d8, Strength d6, Vigor d8 Skills: Athletics d6, Common Knowledge d4, Fighting d8, Notice d6, Persuasion d6, Spellcasting d10, Stealth d8 Pace: 8; Parry: 6; Toughness: 6 Edges: Arcane Background (Magic), Master of Magic Powers: Bolt, burst, confusion, detect/conceal arcana, fear, havoc, light/darkness, protection, telekinesis. PPE: 30 Special Abilities: Deadly Touch: Though a Shadeling cannot pick up or manipulate things, its touch is still deadly to most beings. Using the Touch Attack option (+2 Fighting), a Shadeling delivers 5d6 Mega Damage. A touched target must also make a Vigor check at −2 or be Stunned. Energy Form: Existing purely as a floating being of energy, a Shadeling is immune to most physical attacks. At the same time, it cannot interact with the physical world in a normal fashion, either. It takes half damage from fire, heat, and energy attacks (including ion, lasers, particle beams, and plasma), and is immune to cold, poison, disease, and radiation. All magical attacks and effects impact a Shadeling normally. Fast Regeneration: Shadelings make a natural healing roll every round and can heal Injuries. Fly: The Shadeling can fly at its Pace, with a Run die of d8. Nightvision: Shadelings ignore Dim and Dark Illumination penalties. SHADOW BEAST Otherworldly supernatural predators of the most vicious kind, Shadow Beasts are tall with dark fur, long arms, a skeletal noseless face, dark pits for eyes, and lipless mouths full of sharp white teeth. Drawing their energy from night and darkness, their most frightening ability allows them to completely merge with shadows, becoming undetectable. Combined with their innate love of hunting and killing, these characteristics make them the favorite assassins of Shifters and other wielders of dark magics throughout the Megaverse®. Attributes: Agility d12, Smarts d6, Spirit d6, Strength d12+4, Vigor d10 Skills: Athletics d8, Common Knowledge d6, Fighting d10, Intimidation d10, Notice d10, Persuasion d6, Stealth d12, Survival d12 Pace: 10; Parry: 7; Toughness: 26 (12) Hindrances: Bloodthirsty, Overconfident, Ruthless (Major) Michael Logan (Order #41085069)
188 Edges: Assassin, First Strike, Fleet-Footed, Free Runner, Frenzy (Imp.), Quick, Woodsman Gear: Usually none. Special Abilities: Bite/Claws: The Shadow Beast's natural weapons inflict Str+3d4 Mega Damage, AP 12. Demonic Hide: +12 Armor and +4 Toughness. Fast Regeneration: Except for wounds caused by a Weakness, make a natural healing roll every round. Fear (−2): Cause Fear checks at −2, when encountered emerging from shadows −4. Fearless: Immune to most Fear effects and Intimidation. Infernal Form: Immune to Cold, Disease, Heat, and Poison. Leaper: Can jump twice as far as normal and adds +4 to damage when making a Wild Attack while pouncing instead of the usual +2 (unless in a closed or confined space where he cannot leap). Perfect Night Vision: Ignore all Illumination penalties. Shadow Meld: As an action Shadow Beasts can completely merge into even the smallest shadows (as invisibility with the True Invisibility Modifier). Any attempt to detect or attack the Shadow Beast is made at −8. Using most means of scrying or other detection to find the Shadow Beast is impossible (this includes divination). Even those using detect arcana suffer a −4 penalty to see the beast (but exalted detect arcana works at no penalty). Shadow Beasts use their shadow melding abilities to ambush or avoid foes, maintaining their invisibility as much as possible even once combat is underway. While immersed in shadow or dancing in and out of darkness, the Beast gains +2 to Fighting, Intimidation, Stealth, and Survival (tracking) checks, but the penalty to attack or detect it is reduced to −4. Size 3 (Normal): 12 feet tall and weighs 500 pounds. Weakness (Holy Weapons): Suffer +4 damage from attacks from opponents with the Champion or Holy Warrior Edge (including Cyber-Knights and true Mystics). Wounds from such attacks cannot be regenerated. Weakness (Light): Weapons with light-based trappings have the same effect as Holy Weapons. WORM WRAITH There’s not much in the New West creepier than a Worm Wraith: a being comprised of many dozens of snake-sized worms forming a humanoid shape, usually draped in cowboy-style gear. What’s even more horrifying is each and every Worm Wraith is an extension of one or more alien intelligences with a dark, hidden agenda. No one is sure what the Worm Wraiths are up to in the long term, but it’s certain they seek to kill any sapient being they come across. They can (and do) feed on just about any living creature, though they just as often attack a town or caravan with no apparent purpose except leaving bodies in their wake. Silent, vicious, and terrifying, Worm Wraiths plague the lands far west of the Mississippi like marauding bandits, even though all they tend to take are weapons, ammo, and riding animals (which they dominate into service). Their primary goals seem to be fear and death. Attributes: Agility d10, Smarts d8, Spirit d8, Strength d12+2, Vigor d10 Skills: Athletics d8, Common Knowledge d6, Fighting d10, Notice d8, Persuasion d6, Riding d8, Shooting d10, Stealth d10, Survival d12 Michael Logan (Order #41085069)
189 Pace: 6; Parry: 7; Toughness: 23 (9) Edges: Alertness, Ambidextrous, Arcane Background (Psionics), Brawler, Danger Sense, Marksman, Martial Artist, TwoGun Kid Gear: Light Combat Armor and Reinforced Duster (+5 Armor, +2 Toughness), Two Wilk’s-Remi 130 “Six-Shooter” Laser Pistols (Range 15/30/60, Damage 3d6, RoF 1, AP 3), Bandit BigBore SawedOff Shotgun (Range 10/20/40, Damage 1– 3d8+3, RoF 1–2, Mega Damage). Powers: Empathy, fear, mind link, object reading. PPE: 15 Special Abilities: Fear: Worm Wraiths cause Fear when encountered. Fearless: Immune to most Fear effects and Intimidation. Nightvision: Worm Wraiths ignore penalties for Dim and Dark conditions. Riding Beast Domination: No horse would normally dare let such a horror near it, but Worm Wraiths possess a form of puppet that forces the poor creatures to serve them. Some Worm Wraiths acquire robot horses, as well. See Savage Foes of North America and Blood & Banes for more on robot horses. Spy Worms: A Worm Wraith can detach two to four of its worms to slither off and gather information for it. They have the main body’s Pace, Athletics, Notice, and Stealth abilities, but no other capabilities. They can travel any distance, gathering information for the host, but this information isn’t shared until they return to reattach. The worms always travel in pairs, though only one must return to impart the knowledge gained. Worm Form: The strange amalgamate body of a Worm Wraith gives it +4 Armor and +4 Toughness. It’s also impervious to environmental Hazards. Worm Wraiths don’t need to breathe, though they do eat. Worm Wraiths suffer only half damage from any fire source. Worm Wraiths make a natural healing roll once per day, so long a single worm remains from the original body. Michael Logan (Order #41085069)
190 INDEX A Adept 31 Alu 173 Arcane Marksman 29 Armor 39 Artisans Society 104 Arzno 47, 60 Arzno TWA-1230JR Jackrabbit 40 Arzno TWA-1250RB Raging Bull 41 Arzno TWA-1500 Incursion EBA (TW): 39 Arzno TWA-1600 Exterminator EBA (TW) 39 Arzno TWV-2100 Sandstorm Hover Craf 42 Arzno TWV-4500A Kamikaze Fighter 43 Automatons 35 B Battler Armor 40 Blood Hawk 174 Bloodmist 157 Brethan D’zir 97 Brok Redman 159 The Brotherhood of Battle 99 The Brotherhood of Creation 99 The Brotherhood of Magic 99 Brotherhood of the Walkers 103 Budget Mercenaries 102 C Cactus People 22 Savage Tale 129 City 89 City of Dweomer 94 Cloud Magic 34 Colossus 35 Conjurer 31, 32 Controller 32 Coran D’zir 97 Cracius the Cunning 160 Cult of Dragonwright 123 The Cult of Light 100 D Dan Ironforge 78 Dark Behemoth 175 Darkhound 175 The Dark Woods 53, 119 Deevil 176 Devil’s Gate 73 Devil Unicorn 177 Dragonbane 168 Dragon Juicer 169 The Dragon Roosts 100 Dragon’s Blood 90 Dream Vision 29 Dwarves 24 Dweomer Battle Magi 170 Dweomer High Magi 170 Dweomer Institute 104 Dweomer Lord Magi 170 E EDDie’s Engraving, Etchings, and Tattoo Parlor 105 Edges Background 28 Combat 29 Iconic 29 Power 29 Professional 31 Weird 33 Elemental Attunement 29 Elves 24 F Fadetowns 74 Faerie Folk 177 The Federation of Magic 85 Fiend 178 Fire Demon 36 First Citadel 127 Forest Warden 179 Fred’s Familiar Farm 105 G Ghoul 180 Glittermount 180 Golem 181 Great Canyon Worm 181 Greater Dragon Savings & Loan 100 Grey Seer 32 The Grey Seers 79 Grim Reaper Cult 90 Michael Logan (Order #41085069)
191 INDEX H Hamlet of Clavicle 120 Harvester 164 Harvester of Souls 116 Have Mages 102 The House of Diamonds 105 Hugh Manning 78 I Ice Drake 37 Iconic Framework Dragon Juicer 7 Elemental Fusionist 10 Nega-Psychic 12 Zapper 15 Indian Mound Nexus 73 Infiltrator 38 K Kara Zane 77 Kilairgh 38 Kingdom of Dunscon 86 K’zaa 167 L Land Ray 182 Lazlo 53, 122 Leather Wing 182 Leizak D’zir 97 Life sign harmony 29 Lord of Stormspire 167 The Lords of Magic 96 The Lower Ohio River Valley 72 Ltd. 103 Lyn-Srial Sky-Knight 171 M Magestar 76 Magic Fabrics Studio 105 The Magic Mall 104 The Magic Zone 49, 71 Magic Zone Mercenary 171 Magi of Dweomer 28 Major Item Creation 30 M.A.R.S. Battle Magus 17 Combat Mage 18 High Magus 19 Lord Magus 19 Psi-Druid 20 Psi-Slinger 20 Psi-Warrior 21 Shaman 21 Spirit Warrior 22 Mestoph Denali 161 Minor 177 Minor Item Creation 30 Mission Profile Table 55 The Mystical Sisterhood 104 The Wanderers Society 104 Mystic Movers and Shakers 102 The Mystic Triad 77 N Native American Preserves 62 The Native American Preserves 48 Nostrous 89 Nxla 116, 162 O Ogre 183 One With Magic 33 Orcs 25 P Panthera-Tereon 183 Places of Power 34 Plumed Serpent 184 The Potion Palace’s 105 Power Amor 40 PPE. See Potiential Psychic Energy PPE Batteries 40 Psi-Enclave 105 Psi-Ghosts 26 Psi-Goblin 185 Psi-Warrior 172 Psi-Weapon Manipulation 31 The Psychic Academy 113 Psychic of Psyscape 28 Psynex 112 Psyscape 109, 111 R Raksasha 185 Refuge Tower 151 Michael Logan (Order #41085069)
192 INDEX Ruins of Tolkeen 53, 125 S Savage Tale Misled to Slaughter 81 Savage Tales Colossus Hunt 106 Worm Food 67 Shadeling 187 Shadow Beast 187 Shaman 172 Shining Light Healing Center 105 The Society of Sages 79 Soulharvest 109, 116 Soulless Xombie 166 Souls of Darkness 133 Spirit Warrior 173 The Spirit West 47, 57 Splugorth Colonies 127 Stormspire 92 T Techno-Wizardry Complex 105 The Dark Woods Flora & Fauna 119 The Federation of Magic History 85 The Magic Zone Background 71 Flora & Fauna 72 The Spirit West Flora & Fauna 59 Geography 58 Totem Warrior 33 Trailblazer Assault ATV 43 Tri-Magus Magicians 102 Tryth-Sal 48, 66 V The Vanguard 80 Vasser 165 Vehicles 42 Vronwor 27 W Warlock 29 The Warlock League 103 Weapons 42 Wildcatter’s 103 Will Travel 102 Worm Wraith 188 Michael Logan (Order #41085069)
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Michael Logan (Order #41085069)