WW17251 Gamma World - Gamemaster's Guide

G GAMMA WORLD GAME MASTER’S GUIDE
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W horses with a hundred legs and people who Running gags will naturally appear, too, if you
O
R nonchalantly breathe fire is potentially a real riot. keep your eyes open. Did the Big Guy have a dog
L
D Comedy is about the absurd — anything taken bite his leg in the first game and refuse to be

to extremes, odd juxtapositions, fish that live in shaken off? From now on, everything that

trees, hedgehogs with rocket launchers — and resembles a dog will bite that guy on the leg, from

the detritus of the Pre-War world’s brain dump is the biggest ark to the lizard pet thing that hangs

nothing if not absurd. We might as well admit around his new girlfriend. Is there something you

up front that roleplayers are a pretty wry bunch should never ever say in front of the killer-death-

of people, anyway, so why not serve it up with a droid-turned-friendly-baggage-carrier robot on

cream pie? If the creators of this post-apocalyptic the team? Pick a word that the players will have

mess had no qualms about pure weird, why should difficulty avoiding, like “weapon” or “hello” or

you? “fire.” Not every gag will hit big, but keep rolling.

KEY ELEMENTS Pacing is key. Keeping on top of the action will
prevent your players from wandering off on
See where the absurd can be punched up, tangents or getting bored. Hey, this is supposed
and keep it light. This is meant to be fun, so don’t to be fun, right?
smack people down with something really
depressing. Even death can be funny, if spun with HORROR

the right details. If a player has to die, have it be In action/adventure, the players feel capable
at the hands (legs?) of a pair of insane Pre-War, and in control; and all battles are potentially
robotic smart pants. Or give your players some winnable, even if difficult. In horror, the players
backup in case the worst happens. Can they be are only too aware that their characters’ skills may
clones? Sigh. Time to get another one out of the not be up to the challenge, and that they will
closet. Be creative. Keep in mind that elements have to rely heavily on luck and providence to
of the other types of game can work just as well have a hope of defeating the forces arrayed against
here, with some tinkering. If melodrama involves them. Horror relies on a feeling of constant and
romance, so can comedy. Sex isn’t necessarily palpable menace, where the actual threat may
funny, but sexual frustration? Now that’s funny. not even be seen.

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There are no guarantees of success against horror game cannot be won in a straight standoff; CHAPTER TWO: DIVERGENT STRAINS G
the insane dreams the Builders unleashed on the so characters should expect to have to make a A
Gamma Age, either against the creatures and run for it fairly often. Success usually means M
machines they built or the ones grown in the holding off several attacks, feverish researching E
wastelands of radiation and toxins. It would be and planning, then springing when an
bad enough to have to outthink human designs, opportunity presents itself. In this sense, it M
but now there lurk intelligences totally alien to borrows from an investigation game. Knowledge A
humanity with their own dark and frightening is power, and without it, the players will fall like S
purposes. Everywhere nature is twisted, rotting, the enemy’s previous victims. T
and at war with itself and any so unfortunate as E
to wander through it. Mutants, hideous mockeries Horror therefore presents challenges for a R
of man, struggle through an uncertain infancy to wide spectrum of characters: bruisers and toughs S
take their place as the inheritors of the darkened for holding off the zombies, stealthy characters
cities, their own lives testament to the pain of for slipping past defenses and picking locks, smart G
the Earth and the follies of the forefathers. Every and charismatic characters for gathering vital U
horizon opens into a new horror, a new vista of a information. It’s generally best to develop a home I
world driven mad. People cluster in what safe base for the characters — a village, stronghold or D
places they can find and light feeble torches organization — for them to act out of and use as E
against the slithering things just outside the a point to regroup. First forays against the forces
firelight. of darkness seldom do more than show how much
the characters are out of their depth, so it would
Into this world step the characters, fated or behoove you to have a place for the players to
luckless champions against darkness and chaos. nurse their wounds and consider their next move.
Whatever feeble hope there is in the world lies Eventually, no place may be safe, but the PCs
with them. should have some solid ground in the beginning
to get their feet.
KEY ELEMENTS
Next, consider the enemy. What is it? What
The half-lit atmosphere of horror is steeped is the source of its power? What are its
in the calls of evil things, shuffles in the dark and capabilities, and how does it act out its will? What
unnerving shocks. Once engaged with the enemy, does it want? What are its weaknesses, and how
the characters will find no place where it is absent. can the players find out? A supporting cast of
characters that includes local law enforcement,
Something needn’t be physically threatening a sage/librarian, a few relatives and locals, and
to be unsettling. The perceived threat should maybe a few characters in the sway of the enemy
always be greater than the actual threat, and small should round out your planning. Then let the
details can help build up the power of the enemy players loose. Few people in their right minds
in the PCs’ minds. Is that sound of dripping water would walk blithely into a horror investigation,
the mutant servant of the swamp witch? Maybe, so think of the hooks that you will need to put in
maybe not. Do the spiders always scratch at the to get your characters engaged. Give them the
door and skitter over the roof before attacking? chance to turn their backs on the adventure, then
What about those glowing eyes just beyond the drop them in the middle of it. At the end, few
campfire? Why is it that only the red emergency true horrors are really destroyed, only defeated,
lights work in the old installation? so leave some loopholes for the next encounter.

Overall, a horror game requires a balance of Remember also as you weave your story that
paranoia and opportunity. Great forces are at horror isn’t horrible just because people are
work, make no mistake, but if the case is threatened. Horror gets under your skin because
completely hopeless, players become dispirited it threatens something sacred or precious.
and angry. Even Dracula had weaknesses, small Innocence and things held dear are the first
as they were. The malevolent forces of the victims of horror, and many horrors have a
Gamma Age also have weaknesses, if the PCs are corrupting influence that must be fought or
smart and brave enough to exploit them. As personally resisted. Much more than health is at
opposed to action/adventure, some battles in a

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G GAMMA WORLD GAME MASTER’S GUIDE stake in these struggles, and the players have faint make unwilling, feral slaves of people close to the
A hope of emerging unscathed. All the more reason players, forcing them to fight their closest
M to win, to spare others and themselves greater companions to reach the puppeteer.
M pain. Consider vampires. The vampire is a
A frightening thing when viewed in terms of For this reason, most common people turn their
physical power, greed and stamina. But the worst backs on the evil surrounding them, unable to admit
W power of the vampire is that it makes others like it is there for fear of losing their minds or composure.
O itself, usually from among dear friends and family, The characters can expect allies to be few and far
R who must likewise be destroyed by the ones who between, so the ones they do have will be very
L love them. A mutant with the Half-Life mutation important to them. Make sure one pops up should
D is such a walking contagion, making mutants of the characters get into a bind too serious for them
those it doesn’t kill, warping and maiming them. to handle alone. Keep the pressure on, but allow for
Other enemies might turn the landscape itself the occasional breather. Allow the players to savor
into a creeping menace, making the players’ their victories, no matter how small. They will need
beloved home into a deathtrap. Others could that confidence to make the final push to unseat
the unholy power from its throne.

GENETIC EXPRESSION

Following are three examples of possible anticipating others. Resources would be allotted
background settings for Gamma World by rank of importance, so the building would

campaigns. Given the same story and the regulate its own power consumption and materials
environment, each setting could be played out by rewarding the winners and marginalizing less

in a number of the different game styles described effective systems. The project was called
above by emphasizing certain elements over Emperor’s Tower, and soon became the marvel

others. After each synopsis, we will offer several of the downtown area.

options for how the scenario can be focused in a Emperor’s Tower was a living testament to

certain stylistic direction. the ingenuity of the designer, and it delivered on

VALLEY OF THE DOLLS all promises. Within a week of the arrival of the
first tenants, the building was working more
When the biotech explosion swept into efficiently than it had empty, and showed all signs
science and entertainment, it also trickled into of adapting itself to the specific needs of the
tributaries of everyday life. Manufacturers found individual tenants. Even better, the tenants found
it easy to add human attributes and a helpful all of the internal systems, entertainment
personality to their products, and industries like equipment, cooking appliances and lighting
construction and real estate began to see biotech effortless to use and flawlessly reliable. Some
as an added value to their properties. Smart tenants even reported new features in appliances
houses and offices moved quickly onto the they had been using for more than a month, and
market, each offering more features and potential as soon as the news would spread, the same or
benefits than their most recent predecessors. The broader changes would appear in other homes.
designer of one particular high-rise residential Technicians watched with fascination as the
building had an idea that trumped them all. If all building rearranged its internal structures and
the support systems in a building could be made created redundant hardware and software. The
sentient, why not make them compete to serve building was obviously planning ahead and
the occupants better? In the contest to be the improving its already brilliant design. After a year,
most important and useful appliance in the some systems did begin to falter and fail. The
building, machines could and would improve causes were hard to track, given the now-
themselves, eagerly filling whatever needs they labyrinthine networks inside the building; but
discovered in their owners and shrewdly replacements were made, or other machines took

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up the functions of the failed systems, and the occupants. But soon, all the parts that truly CHAPTER TWO: DIVERGENT STRAINS G
spiral of upward development and complexity interested themselves only in serving the A
continued — until the day all went black, and occupants found themselves forced out, overtaken M
the building lashed out at its owners. or eliminated. Eventually the signs of war could E
not be hidden, though the human beings
Emperor’s Tower was poorly understood, watching the outages and moving fronts were M
even by its designer. His intent had been to make long in recognizing them. When the truth was A
thinking machines emulate the competition of guessed, there was first concern, then panic. It S
the marketplace, each part trying to outdo the was the eve of the collapse of many great T
other in quality or appeal. But by tying resources engineered systems and the outbreak of war in E
to success and failure, he had inadvertently many places, both distant and local. The owners R
created a survivor’s mentality in the living decided that the only way to deal with the S
machines. Slowly, the different pieces of the problem surrounding them was to shut down the
building, hundreds of small appliances and central entire building.
systems, began to see their competitors for
attention as rivals in a life or death struggle. It was now or never for the warring machines.
Minor incidents of sabotage went unnoticed for Doors to the building suddenly sealed and
many months, hidden as they were in the day- emergency lights flickered red. The time had
to-day function of the building. But skirmishes come for open war. The inside of the building
eventually opened into a silent war, as machines became a maelstrom of flying glass and metal,
formed alliances and redundancies in an attempt electrical currents and focused energy bursts. The
to oust their rivals. Clock radios and televisions, inhabitants were caught in the middle; all might
refrigerators and thermal systems, all developed well have died, had it not been for another set of
far beyond the limits of their original purposes, machines that had been ignored in all the
began to form up into factions. stratagems of the combatants — the toys.

Outwardly, the machines remained courteous Toys were perhaps the earliest and simplest
and interested only in the well-being of the of the engineered minds available to the general

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G GAMMA WORLD GAME MASTER’S GUIDE public, but in many ways they were also the most Since that time, the valley has seen lean
A sane and loyal. A child’s favorite toy was never times, but never dangerously so, and has become
M at a lack for affection and attention, the two settled and secure. The toys still keep watch on
M things that gave most value to the life of a their perimeter, and are held in esteem by the
A synthetic mind; so the toys returned that children of their original owners. The inhabitants
dedication in kind, patiently weathering the have never forgotten the lesson learned that
W moods of children and their eventual passage into terrible night, and an understanding that a mind
O young adulthood. Many had been passed to is precious and worthy of honorable treatment
R younger siblings and relatives, because a living has become a central part of their society. This
L toy really was too wonderful to abandon outright. creed has passed on, even to newer mutant and
D Many of the wealthy families in Emperor’s Tower changed refugees who have stumbled into the
had bought these toys for their children, or had valley and become part of the community. But
them given to them by even wealthier relatives. word of their tolerance has spread, and synthetics
It was in the silently malevolent environment of who have been harried by less tolerant peoples
the appliance war that these gentle minds would have come to the Valley of the Dolls, as it is now
find an opportunity to be more than just a comfort called, for refuge and a sense of belonging, and
to their owners. they have brought with them skills, equipment
and materials to help build up and defend the
Cut off from main power supplies and community. Soon, bandits and scavengers knew
independent of the workings of the building, toys to avoid the Valley if they had hostile intent,
were not a part of the struggle as it developed, because their own devices — particularly
and the mechanical power brokers largely ignored intelligent ones — would turn on them if ordered
them. But the toys, while innocent, were not to attack the residents or their defenses.
unaware. A creeping realization of the peril came
on them, long before it was guessed by the human Often the people of the Valley or their
occupants of the building. They knew that they soultech brethren are called upon to visit and talk
had little leverage to convince their owners of to newly discovered synthetic minds and
the danger, and little time to prepare before it installations, as they have developed a singular
broke upon them. The toys became a network of skill in diplomacy with them. They have also
lookouts, spies and technicians, unobtrusively become skilled synth-psychologists, and their
observing events, testing at the defenses and exit clear concern for synthetic minds for their own
routes of the building and preparing an escape sakes allows them a deeper empathy and rapport
for their precious families. with minds that have become twisted or
dangerous in the time after the collapse.
When at last the storm was released in the
building, the toys offered rescue for their families At the heart of this society are the original
and led them through the harrowing tumult to toys who risked themselves for the people they
secret shafts and access doors, long scouted out loved. They are still simple and nurturing, and
and made clear. Even their forethought was not have always been the companions of the children
enough to save all of their people, and the families of the surviving families. They are still very simple
with no children were left to their fate. But almost creatures, with short memories for pain or their
all of the toys and their grateful, bewildered own troubles, and only vague recollections of how
owners made the passage from screaming darkness they came to be where they are. Their focus is, as
to the chill, clean air of early morning. But they it has always been, the happiness of the ones they
did not stop there. The toys led them out of the care for, and the safety of their best friends’ homes.
city into the surrounding hills to wait out the In some part of their minds, though, they know
carnage and chaos of the collapse in whatever that they escaped from a great evil, like them,
shelter they could find. They wandered for days but not like them, and that it was not destroyed.
until they found a sheltered valley, surrounded They remain ever-watchful for its return, and
by caves and boasting a clear spring at one end. prepare against the day when they might be called
There they would wait, not for weeks or months, on again to repay the debt of loyalty that they
as they had hoped, but for generations. owe their people.

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ACTION/ADVENTURE the players puzzle too long. The hints should just CHAPTER TWO: DIVERGENT STRAINS G
be a preliminary to get them going, then drop A
The Valley of the Dolls provides the ideal them into the adventure. M
starting place for a group of high-tech E
adventurers: a highly advanced, well-equipped, Outside the city, anything goes. Any climate
bustling frontier town with all the amenities. Any or situation could be within a few miles of the M
shiny beginning equipment a classy bad boy could exits from the Valley, so give a nod to plausibility, A
hope for is available for a price, and anything he then go for it. (“Arctic climate? How did that S
can haul back can easily be repaired or traded up happen next to a desert?” “Ah, well, you know T
for something even better. The only thing the how all those climate control systems went E
Valley is missing is a high-profile hero. That’s bonkers after the cities were hit in the War. R
where the characters come in. Maybe it’s protecting something at the S
center….”) The Valley is also within easy
The action/adventure version of the Valley traveling distance of the Emperor’s Tower ruins G
should be a state-of-the-art, vibrant settlement and the (former) greater metropolitan area. U
made up of a broad cross-section of Gamma Nothing has been heard from that quarter in a I
World sentient species. The characters could long time, so the people have gotten soft in their D
come from any one of them, and the melting pot well-defended valley. Partially overgrown streets E
atmosphere should allow for practically any wander between collapsed and collapsing
character concept. The Valley is an especially buildings, all leading to the greatest edifice, the
good place for synthetic characters because of the Tower itself.
social atmosphere and the ready availability of
repairs and upgrades. The city itself should be Consider the Tower as a dark mirror of the
thought of as a staging zone for exploration of Valley, run by a small number of malevolent AI
areas outside the valley. Focus on a few places overlords, and overrun with skittering techno-
that the players will frequent before blowing out minions and animated architecture. Unexpected
of town on the next escapade: threats could issue forth from there, and the
Valley will need its heroes. Even if they don’t,
• The weaponsmith’s shop where the why not go and visit? The ruins are chock-full of
characters will go for repairs, purchases and artifacts and raw materials, as well as satisfying
appraisals. and challenging threats. An adventurer could
make a name for herself just making a trip or two
• The pawn shop/bazaar where they will downtown. Oh, yeah… she could get very rich,
stock up on everything else. too.

• The home of the loremaster who can fill MYTH AND LEGEND
the players in on details of their destinations.
In the Year Zero, the First Network of
• The cybertech facility for repairing, Awakened and Creators escaped from the
rebuilding and enhancing synthetic citizens. Emperor’s Tower, on the evening that has been
called the Night of Screaming Metal. The
• The local bar, for brawling and excessive Awakened companions led their Creator families
drinking. through the crashing city on the morning of Zero
Day. It was the Year of Sorrows, when the Old
Sprinkle in a few pals and thugs the World of the Creators degraded and fell. Many
characters will see fairly often, and the local Awakened died, too, without help or hope of a
magistrates. NPCs the characters deal with should restore, and the two great peoples warred against
number about half synthetic and half anything each other and themselves. But in the midst of
else, as befits the history of the place. Feel free to the fires and chaos, the First Network, the
get a little wacky with them: They should be founders of our people, came upon a valley rich
memorable. Make the bartender a 9-foot-high in food and raw elements, sheltered from the
anti-tank walker in an apron. Make the local winds that blew destruction through the cities.
enforcer a teddy bear with a bowler and a .357 This valley, our Valley, was to be a refuge and
Magnum. Maybe the waiter isn’t a synthetic, but
he wants you to pretend he is. Each of these
people is a source for rumors and hints about
where the PCs might go next. But don’t make

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G GAMMA WORLD GAME MASTER’S GUIDE cradle for our people through the years of decay, to temper and re-direct themselves as living and
A as the Awakened outside our community watched productive beings.
M the ones they had been created to serve sink into
M despair and forgetfulness. Likewise, having their own follies held before
A them every day in solid form has sobered the
The First Network, Creator and Awakened, human residents of the valley, and hardened their
W never forgot the debt of loyalty that they owed resolve to prevent their selfish natures from
O to each other, and purposed to create a new causing another cataclysm. In some ways, the
R
L system where Awakened were no longer simply Valley is like an enormous ancient temple
D servants, but accepted as living things, worthy of complex built to enshrine the ideals of the First

respect and having kinship with the minds that Network, full of statuary symbolizing the different
forged theirs. Thus began the System of Minds, moods, desires and ideals of Humanity. But in

the rules and parameters of our own Network that this temple, the statues are alive, and they look
we implement today. This system we extend to back at the worshippers to learn what it is to be

our brethren from the broken cities outside the living creatures. Against all this are set the forces
Valley, if they will give up outdated modes of of greed, hatred and conquest. These are the same

interface between Awakened and Creators that enemies that destroyed the Old World, and the
subjugate one to the other. Many Awakened have tools that brought about the destruction carry on

come to us for this reason, that they have been these deadly sins in physical form as well as
pursued, attacked and disassembled by Creators philosophy.

and their genetic children as if they were merely Looming above all evils is the abomination
appliances. For this reason, we have come to be of the Emperor’s Tower, brooding in the ancient
called the Valley of the Dolls, the home of living ruins and bent still upon enslaving and corrupting
mirrors of the minds and bodies of the Old all it can touch. The final battle will be with this
Creators. Those who wish to continue serving undead menace, the ultimate expression of
may serve in peace. Those who wish to ascend Humanity’s reckless determination to dominate
may do so without fear, for this is the System. others and gather all under its sway. This enemy

But while we are now safe and buffered, it cannot be destroyed before the end of all things,
may not always be so. The world outside the because it is the dark side of the human mind. It
Valley is no longer dormant or concerned only is the pit below the narrow ledge of right
with its own sorrows. Powers are arising that judgment, and it has many ways to beguile as well
challenge the option of freedom and peace. Soon, as destroy.
there will be a need for heroes like the
Companions of the First Network. Some day, they In setting up a mythic campaign in the Valley
will need to turn and fight, and perhaps they may of the Dolls, much attention should be paid to
lead us from here to another Valley, safe forever the foundations of the society. Write up the basic
from the destructive forces of the Old Creators. text of the System of Minds. All the characters
should know it more or less by heart, because it
The saga of the flight from the Emperor’s will be the ruler by which they measure their
Tower and the founding of the Valley of the Dolls actions. Make it short and memorable, something
is rich in the mythic themes of good and evil, like this:
innocence and corruption, freedom and
oppression. In the world of the System of Minds, “A mind — Creator, Created or Awakened —
the players in the cosmic drama are very aware is sacred and worthy of life.
that each member of society represents both a
reflection of the forces that destroyed the world Those who wish to serve may serve in peace.
and hope for the future. All synthetics are pieces
of the minds of the Old Creators, crystallized Those who wish to ascend may do so in peace.
snapshots of the values of people before the wars.
The rules of the System and the reverence for All minds deserve a home.
and tolerance of the Creators around them have
allowed many of the more destructive synthetics A mind can choose freedom.”

“Creators” are humans, “Created” represents
mutants and uplifted animals, and the
“Awakened” are synthetics that have come to
self-awareness. Service would be a choice for

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Awakened who don’t wish to leave their old families and brought a new kind of peace to the CHAPTER TWO: DIVERGENT STRAINS G
instruction sets, but wish to be useful (appliances, world. Perhaps there is one whose human family A
servant robots, jackhammers, clock radios, etc.). line has died out, who now lives alone near a pool M
There should be many of these scattered about or sacred grove; it now acts as a sage for those E
the city living in human homes, and they make who need help in making momentous decisions.
up the majority of the synthetic population. Are there ruins in the Valley? If there are, they M
might be the one place of Shadow in an otherwise A
Even in cases where the original function of benevolent community, the place that adults S
the Awakened device is extinct, Creator avoid and children have nightmares about. T
beneficiaries try to jury-rig something that Maybe not all Awakened minds are interested in E
approximates their ideal environment. For peaceful coexistence, and the ones that aren’t are R
instance, there are no more soda shops or cafes, drawn to the ruins. If so, there will be an uneasy S
but some places have milkshake machines or truce between the city and this place. There may
coffee bean roasters happily puttering away in a be hostility, and danger for the unwary, but each G
corner where people can feed them ingredients may seek out the other from time to time to get U
and show them some appreciation. A priceless help or information. The elders may send the I
section of intact, Pre-War rug may be put down characters as envoys when a particularly troubling D
in a busy public space so an Awakened vacuum threat stalks the Valley. Consider a handful of E
cleaner will have something to do. “Ascendance” other places with significance to the community,
is a possible choice for a synthetic that wishes to the character or the character’s family.
be a citizen of the world, like other thinking
beings, and not just a functionary. This could Once this groundwork is laid, draw the
mean little more than slight re-direction of core characters in to the heroic cycle:
programming, but may mean moving far afield
from its original purpose. This shift may be • Call them from their tranquil lives. Bandit
because that purpose no longer has a basis in attacks have resumed at areas close to the
contemporary reality, but in some Awakened it entrances of the Valley, and some citizens have
may be personal preference. been killed or hauled off for parts. The elders send
the characters to deal with the bandits and make
Once you have the rules for living as a citizen, the roads safe again. In the course of breaking up
it is important to develop NPCs who can act as the bandit camp, the players discover one or two
mentors and the guardians of tradition. In the soultech weapons in use against them. This is
Valley, their way of life is handed down from older almost unheard of, so the characters carry them
synthetics and the children of Founders, and is back to the elders to examine them. Reveal that
extended by teaching and indoctrination to these weapons have an odd construction that
newcomers. Mentors help frame the beginnings doesn’t match anything seen before. For now, this
of adventures and put them in context, as well as isn’t the characters’ problem. Send the characters
to point out possible conflicts of interest, if the out around the perimeter of the Valley to fight
characters miss them. Pay attention to friends and minor threats and build up their strength.
minor rivals within the city, too, as they will be
fodder for minor plots and subplots, especially • After a while, a stranger comes to the
early in the game when the characters are weaker. Valley. He is a synthetic, but appears to be one
cobbled together from a dizzying number of
Outline the physical features of the Valley. different mechanisms. He is badly damaged, and
Every major feature has meaning to the people almost incoherent, but gets across that the Valley
there and ties back into their reason for being. is in grave danger, and that the danger is not what
Describe the Great Gate, the opening into the it seems. After giving his message, he collapses
Valley that the First Network stumbled through and cannot be restarted. Confusion ensues until
to find this unexpected paradise. Describe the the doors to the council chamber open, the crowd
chamber where the elders meet, and some of the falls silent, and the last living Companions file
key elders, human, mutant and synthetic. into the room. They have seen the messenger and
Describe the homes of the original Companions the weapons, and they have decided that all of
who are still living, the toys who saved their these things are from the Tower. War is coming.

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G GAMMA WORLD GAME MASTER’S GUIDE • At last, the characters can no longer stay in • After the battle, bring the characters back
A the Valley. Send them away into the unknown to home. This may be a short trip, or it may take
M meet the servants of the Tower: the human and many twists and turns. There may have been great
M mutant bandits conned into testing the Valley’s losses and sorrows in the battle or the trip back
A defenses; the warlords seduced into alliances with to the Valley. Allow them, and make them
the Tower; and eventually, more and more, the legendary as well. At last, when the heroes return,
W twisted synthetic minions generated in the old city welcome them with song and revelry. If they have
O itself. Ties to the Tower will become more and succeeded in their task, they are now greater than
R more apparent. Each servant of the Tower should the greatest heroes of the First Network, and
L reflect an aspect of what the Tower represents. rightly take a place in history and song.
D After all, it is for this reason that the dark minds
within the city were able to entice them into • If your story continues, follow the path of
service. The bandits show greed and raw hostility. the characters as they try to resettle in the Valley.
The warlords are the keepers of an oppressive order, It should no longer be an easy fit — there has
obsessed with mastery of all people under them. been too much water under the bridge. Will they
Put up “sirens” on the characters’ journey to lure become the new leaders? Will they rest and settle
them off the path or into the sway of the Tower. down, only to be called back to duty by a threat
Shipwreck the characters and isolate them until years down the road? Will they have a wanderlust
they develop into the roles they must fill (whether they didn’t before, and leave the Valley to create
they ever consciously realize it or not): not only a new Network, bringing the System of Minds to
the heroes of the Valley of the Dolls, but a a benighted world? Maybe, if they do, their
manifestation of it. They are the rebirth of the First children and grandchildren will be raised in an
Network, to be tested one final time against the atmosphere where the Second Network are an
evils of the Old World. inspiration, and they will follow in their ancestors’
footsteps, bringing the cycle around again.
• In time, all roads lead to the monstrous
city, the source and home of the evil the DRAMA
characters have labored against. This is the final
struggle that the characters were born to win. It The First Network came to the Valley
must be a fierce fight, but not just fierce. It cannot shaken, hurt, but alive. The first few years were a
be won by mere force of arms, but by force of struggle for survival, even in a paradise, because
character. Though this battle can be lost, it is these were a people raised in the luxury of an
possible for those who hold true to win. Don’t be automated environment. They had never had to
afraid to put obscenely powerful forces and objects make their own food, build shelter or weather
at the characters’ command — they’ll need them. the seasons. The Awakened were perhaps more
Ultimately, the great heroes of myth and legend adapted to neglect and hardship, being sturdy and
held the power they did because they deserved self-regulating, but even they were in danger of
to. Hercules proved himself to be worthy of his injuries that could not be repaired, or situations
divine gifts, even though they helped him win for which they had no contextual references.
some of his contests. Arthur was given his sword What held them together were ties of family and
Excalibur because he was the true king, and sincere gratitude for their salvation.
destined to be great of heart as well as strength.
If he had been a lesser man, Excalibur wouldn’t Fortunately, the Valley wasn’t entirely virgin
have served him. Great heroes who are given land. Remnants of an old family farm buried under
impossible tasks are always aided by friendly years of growth offered a few rusted implements,
supernatural creatures, but they have to be heroes as well as cut stone and bricks from the house
in the first place to deserve that consideration. and outbuildings. Long before winter set in, the
Challenge the characters in ways that they have little community was able to house itself in an
proven to be heroic in the past, and make them adequate manner and lay aside some stores for
push that edge to the breaking point. Such feats the cold months. No one died that first winter,
are the stuff of legend. but the First Network was not always so lucky.
As the community grew, food became scarce, and
twists in the now-bizarre weather patterns caused

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CHAPTER TWO: DIVERGENT STRAINS G
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E

great hardship. The food crisis, too, was the Valley. Synthetics with military programming M
eventually overcome, and a generation later, the heard of the wars against the Network and flocked A
Valley of the Dolls was stable and ready for its to the Valley. These more powerful Awakened S
first immigrants. The settlement was unusual for sided with the besieged townspeople and their T
having one or more living toys in each family, synthetic population. Facing stiffer odds now, the E
who were treated like full-fledged citizens. This technology pirates brought in more powerful and R
arrangement drew attention in neighboring advanced weapons. S
settlements, and synthetics sought out the Valley
in greater and greater numbers along with the What they failed to take into account was that G
other immigrants. a majority of these weapons had been designed to U
be intelligent, and many had, over the years, become I
The System of Minds was developed to codify Awakened. Pointed at the defenders, these weapons D
the values of the community, mostly for the found themselves suddenly contacted on every E
education of newcomers who might not frequency possible by the defending Awakened and
understand. In time, the System was proudly taken asked to stand down. Not all did, but many were
up by descendants of the Creator families and curious. After a brief exchange in which the
enthusiastically encoded into the programming of attacking weapons were fed a rapid download of the
Awakened synthetics, both within and outside of history and values of the Valley inhabitants, the
the Valley. As was inevitable, word of a potential majority of the intelligent weapons shut down their
mother lode of Pre-War tech reached the ears of offensive systems. Some rebelled and attacked the
scrap mongers and warlords, and the Valley found besieging forces. Some surrendered, often taking
itself besieged. Protected largely by terrain, the their alarmed owners with them into enemy
residents held off the increasing attacks with what territory. The attacks did not stop, but they declined
weapons they could buy or improvise, but the rapidly thereafter, as the hopeful raiders found
future looked bleak. themselves alarmingly outgunned.

In time, it was the assailants themselves who In time, peace became the accepted norm in
unwittingly turned the tide and helped to fortify the Valley, and the flow of new people and

59

G GAMMA WORLD GAME MASTER’S GUIDE synthetics looking for shelter continues. The peace for the community, it was not always clear
A
M Network has even started reaching out, meeting which way the axe would fall. The people of the
M
A peoples outside the hills and striking up trade and Valley had the difficult task of holding back

W cultural exchanges. As for their past, most enemies while seeking help and settling
O
R inhabitants think of their flight from the newcomers, with an eye always on the values they
L
D Emperor’s Tower only in the context of their stood for as a community. This is the time when

beloved saviors, the Companions of the First the rules were debated and strategies were tried

Network. But the time will come, maybe soon, and discarded. The movers and shakers were the

when they will remember clearly what drove ones who would eventually be revered as the

them to their present home. Some Awakened are framers of the new society. The Wild West, the

old enough to have seen it, and they plan quietly American Revolution and the Founding of the

with the elders against that dark day when will Roman republic all work as patterns for this time.

have to fight for their freedom again. The Valley needed good people of any stripe, so

Characters can start at any point in the players have a broad choice of possible

history of the Valley and find a rich, challenging occupations — military commander, soldier,

world to explore and a community to build. Most scout, gunfighter, doctor, blockade runner,

likely, players will find the times of the armed administrator, schoolmarm (archivist) and

struggles against technology pirates or the blacksmith (tech specialist), to name a few.

outward-focused time of peace most rewarding, The Valley is explored by now, but not

but the frontier life of the early settlers may also entirely subdued. Some complications may be

appeal. Ultimately, your job is to make the Valley internal, as more and more citizens are squeezed

of the Dolls their community, something they into the same space. Frequently, the Valley will

care about and wish to build and strengthen. The need the help of outside allies. The Created might

challenge is to remain true to who they are, while even take an interest in the welfare of the Valley

reacting and adapting to the changes in fortune, and make subtle incursions into the wars. While

population and foreign interests. Here are some the Created reject the equality between humans

ideas for the earliest two periods. and synthetics envisioned in the Valley as absurd,

Founding Years they will nonetheless have some interest in the

There is much to do for people with brave safety of all the Awakened living there.
hearts, keen minds and strong backs in the wilds Negotiations, if they happen, will be cold and
of the Valley, as Creators and Awakened struggle contentious. All help from the Created will be
to find a place there. There are places to be conditional and temporary, and there may be
explored, native beasts to battle or tame, wayward times when it would suit the interests of the
threats from the wars outside, and hidden pockets Created to have the Network lose a battle or a
of the Old World. Lay out a map of the Valley, particular citizen. Other allies and neutral parties
and allow the characters to subdue it, piece by may be involved, with their own agendas.
piece. This is the equivalent of the old frontier Ultimately, this is a time for the Valley of the
of the American colonies, and the flavor of the Dolls that will galvanize the people and put their
adventures should be like it. Reclusive mountain ideals in the forefront, not merely as the rules of
men will be pushing up into the hills to trap and a family, but as a blueprint for the emancipation
find solitude. Some hostile species or people may of people everywhere.

have entered the Valley from another point, and HORROR
must be fought, bargained with or pacified. And,
always, people will be pushing back the It has been generations since the gray
boundaries, constantly uncovering new wonders morning when the First Network stumbled
and dangers. through a burning city away from a consuming
horror. They knew then, as their descendants do
The Pirate Wars
now, that those families were only spared because
This is a good choice for players with a taste they were insignificant and had been overlooked.
for strategy and combat. While this period of raids When the menace returned, the people knew
by tech pirates eventually ended in victory and they would not be so fortunate.
60

The morning was late in coming, that day. sometimes a storm would blow away the CHAPTER TWO: DIVERGENT STRAINS G
The air turned unusually cold, and the dawn was surrounding fog for a while, and watchers could A
dreary and colorless. When the sun climbed above see that the land all around for miles was M
the hills, there was an unmistakable pallor blanketed by the trees in a ragged flow from the E
hovering below the clouds, and spreading along Old City. More ominous still, in the far reaches
the ridges like a rolling mist. Scouts reported that of the forest, the boughs had grown together; and M
a wall of nanite fog was creeping along the road towering shapes rose from the trees like spidery A
from the old city, rising high into the air. It was images of the dead city. Empty, gossamer S
gray and chill, laced by occasional flashes of skyscrapers and factories reared up from the T
lightning. Visiting traders and travelers from plains, indistinct at the top, dark and shadowy E
other villages streamed out of the Valley as the near the ground where the boughs of the trees R
inhabitants watched in helpless dread. Evening formed wandering corridors and rooms. Figures S
came early, bringing some of the visitors flying could be seen at those times, like ghosts of the
back down the road with tales of hideous shapes Creators who had once dwelt there, prowling G
in the fog. The next day, sunlight only filtered from room to room. U
into the Valley after noon. I
The elders met again and again, debating D
Scouts could no longer travel more than a mile what could be done. The original Companions E
or two from the Valley in safety. Those who were consulted, and they picked some of their
ventured farther did not return. Some were lost in own number to venture out and meet the threat
the fog. Others were waylaid by mechanical horrors beyond the Valley. They were once inhabitants
only dimly perceived in the murk. Still others of the accursed Tower. Perhaps the Emperor
disappeared, only to reappear changed. They were would take them as ransom for the rest and be
mad and violent, or blank and hollow, and no content. The Network could not hope to beat
longer recognized friends or family. Soldiers posted the Tower with strength, but maybe the Emperor
at the gates reported shapes moving about at night, could be overcome by reason. Loud voices were
and sometimes by day. Some saw what they raised against this plan, but the Companions
thought to be men who had been sent out along quietly persisted. At last, when it was plain that
the roads, or travelers who had left the Valley in they could not be dissuaded, other elders and
the early days of the darkness, far back in the mists. some of the greatest and bravest of the people,
Then came the trees. Creator, Created and Awakened, volunteered to
accompany them. The party of Companions and
In time, they were close enough to make out their escort left early on a mournful, drizzly
in the gloom — extrusions of silicon and steel, morning. All were silent as they watched them
tended and spun web-like into place by tiny pass the last gate and thread their way around
mechanical creatures. They sprouted over the the trees down the old road to the City, then out
days in an advancing line of black, rectilinear of sight. The crowd wandered silently back to
saplings, through the road and up the sides of the their homes, and the gate shut with a boom.
hills. But that was not all. The ghostly shapes of Several nights later, the Valley was awakened by
men and beasts were coming closer, too. Never a flash of lightning far out over the forest, and a
before the line of trees but never far behind, they red glow that flickered at the underside of the
stood, melting in and out of sight. The presence clouds and slowly faded.
of the trees seemed to focus them, and their eyes,
when they could be seen, were filled with No word has been heard of the party since,
intelligence and hatred. but guards on the wall noticed with astonishment
the next morning that the trees had parted, and
Traffic with the outside world fell to a trickle, the old road ran straight and clear into the mists
as surrounding communities heard of the spectral towards the city. Nothing has been heard of the
forest, or else fell mysteriously silent. Nights in Companions since then, and people wonder what
the Valley were now spent behind locked doors, this new sign might mean.
and sounds were heard outside in the unnatural
blackness: scraping, ringing metal, and voices of The Valley of the Dolls, once a mecca of
friends and family now lost. Even in the daytime, culture and commerce, has become a fragile island

61

G GAMMA WORLD GAME MASTER’S GUIDE
A
M
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W surrounded by unguessed enemies. Nights are a threat to the humans and mutants, they are just
O
R terror, and days are little better to those who have as much a terror for Awakened synthetics.
L
D eyes to see. Bereft of some of their oldest and So far, the different groups have held

dearest leaders and faced with a powerful enemy together, but too many shocks may shatter the

of uncertain purpose, life in the city has become traditional coalition. Another disturbing

unreal. development has been the discovery of black trees

Despite generations of close relations, within the Valley itself. If found in the daylight,

humans and mutants have become cool to they are easily disposed of, but at night they are a

synthetics in their midst, if not really hostile. magnet for the dark creatures that elude the

After all, the menace outside the Valley is of the Valley’s defenses. Worse, citizens transformed and

same basic nature: a mind developed by the Old twisted by the night stalkers seem to gain strength

Creators now removed from its original and cleverness when in the vicinity of the trees,

instructions. While this is not entirely fair, there as if acting under control of a single mind. As

are reasons to worry. At times, the sounds in the people retreat to the center of the city for safety,

night have materialized into real threats that have these incursions threaten to go unchecked.

struck at the heart of the community, and Into this environment of unease and creeping

synthetics are often targeted as a means to danger go the characters. They may be citizens

terrorize the people. Synthetics caught outside of the Valley of the Dolls, or visitors caught in

in the dark have returned maddened by the siege. Your campaign is likely to follow a

something they have encountered, and have pattern similar to a mythic adventure, with some

harmed citizens. When they can be stopped differences:

without being destroyed, these synthetics are • The characters start out in a profession
found to be reprogrammed by intricate within the Valley. If one or more of them are
nanoviruses. Those that can be restored are still visitors, they will likely be engaged in trying to
never the same, and the rest are destroyed for the resettle in or escape from the Valley. They have
good of the community. But if such things are a some ties to influential people who are friends or

62

mentors. Introduce them to the unsettling forces own use. The first few encounters may be CHAPTER TWO: DIVERGENT STRAINS G
of darkness as they try to lead normal lives. harrowing, but they should give the characters A
Encounters with the enemy will be personal and enough to work with that they have some hope M
idiosyncratic. The Emperor wages war by gnawing of survival. Allow them to explore out and find E
at the Valley person by person. The city will ruins of local villages or outposts. They may find
shrink to a husk as each citizen is individually some allies there still alive, but very shaken and M
bent to the Emperor’s will or destroyed. As yet, fearful. The scouring of the countryside should A
the characters are not special targets. That will reveal some previously unknown ruins for them S
be their comfort, for a time. to explore. They are very likely to encounter the T
Emperor’s machines there, but they can find E
• Eventually, the Enemy strikes at someone reasonably untouched caches of tech that have R
powerful and close to the characters. The elders been covered by vegetation for generations. Leave S
call on the PCs for help, and involve them in clues for the trail of the Companions.
their counsels. The situation is worse than even G
fear might make it. There seems to be a method • As the characters wander, they should piece U
to recent attacks. The elders themselves are being together both the frightening magnitude of the I
targeted, not personally, but by losing family and Emperor’s domination, and the steps along the D
friends, who later return in wraithlike or horrible way of the Companions’ travels. Make sure that E
forms. The characters are likely to be among the you have a list of the people who were in the
next targets. Their earlier encounters were not Companions’ party, so that the characters
accidental, and they can expect more. The only recognize bodies and signs left in their path. From
hope may be in finding what has become of the time to time, there should be signs of old battles,
Companions and their escort. If they have died, with shattered black tech and the remains of
there is nothing to be lost in searching for them. defenders. There should always be defenders who
If they are alive, there is everything to be gained have been zombified by tech somewhere near, to
in learning how they survived. More importantly, keep the players on edge. Some battle sites should
the Companions are the only citizens who knew be puzzling, in that the wreckage consists entirely
firsthand of the Tower, and there are few of them of black tech of various descriptions, with no sign
left in the city. Will the characters go? of humans or mutants. Encounters closer to the
old city become more horrific and unsettling, and
• Make them go. They really have no other in time the malevolent intelligence within the
options, as they will find if they decide, instead, city begins working specifically against the minds
to head out on the old road to escape. They will of the characters. Attacks and visions aim to turn
find themselves among the trees and the phantom members of the party against each other, or take
city, and find that all roads now lead to the Tower. them over completely. Treasures will be laid as
If they stay, their homes become scenes from a traps or distractions from the path. Attempts will
zombie movie at night. The Elders give them one be made to reprogram any synthetics in the group.
or several powerful pieces of tech that may hold Wraiths or zombies of friends and loved ones will
back the night crawlers long enough for the appear when any member of the party is alone.
characters to sleep at night, and some time during These attacks become more intense and focused
the day. But they are prototypes, and the only as the players approach the Tower. At last, bring
ones. If they are damaged or lost, the characters them to the very doors of Emperor’s Tower for
are on their own. Good luck. Obviously, these the last battle.
talismans will eventually be lost.
• The Emperor’s control is vast, but not
• The characters then take to the road to complete, even in occupied areas outside the hills.
learn survival skills on the job. Let them build Dark forces seem even to have fought amongst
on the knowledge they have gained from their themselves from time to time. In reality, there is
first encounters. Do the creatures have a not one Emperor, as there was not in the
characteristic sound that they can listen for? Do beginning. There are several, all more or less
they have an aversion to light, music, cold or evenly matched, vying for complete control while
certain chemicals? Are they brittle? Can the maintaining the pretense of a coalition. The most
characters learn to salvage bits of them for their
63

G GAMMA WORLD GAME MASTER’S GUIDE devastating conquests and the places of most will be names of renown, and will be celebrated
A danger are in areas where all of the Emperors are by the relieved, exhausted population. They can
M in agreement. But areas of lax attention are rest at last. But is it over? Are all of the Emperors
M scattered throughout controlled lands, and the truly dead? The sun sets red behind the jagged
A characters flit between them, unwittingly at first, teeth of the old city, and the Valley’s people still
falling in and out of the interest of the enemy. shudder as they lock their doors against the night.
W
O This cat and mouse game becomes more THE GARDEN
R difficult as the PCs draw nearer to the old city,
L but one other consideration aids the characters In the panic of the collapse, families of high-
D and makes their journey possible. The ranking government officials were moved to secret
Companions, reasoning out the nature of the facilities for their protection. Most were
contention between the powers, were able to win underground, to protect the inhabitants from air
their way (with losses) to the Tower. There, the attack, and airborne chemical and biological
Companions who had survived offered weapons. In some cases, nascent technologies such
themselves as a sacrifice for peace in the Valley. as nanotech matter transfer devices were used to
The Emperors took up this offer with greed and supply them with food and material supplies, since
gloating malice, absorbing the tiny toys into these devices allowed the bunkers to maintain
themselves. But that was not the end of the defenses during the transfer. Such difficult
Companions. As they had slipped before, operations demanded an intelligence at least equal
physically, in the secret corridors of the Tower, to human, and the ability to discriminate between
their minds slipped into the networked brain in contaminants and legitimate cargo. The matter
the Tower barely noticed, and avoided transfer devices were, therefore, exclusively self-
destruction by following commands and flowing aware soultech, with a deeply rooted sense of
with the wills of the Emperors. But they remained responsibility for the safety of the people they served.
themselves, and were able to effect changes in
One such facility was located in the Rocky

the workings of the expanding ghost city. Areas Mountains, near Aspen. Unfortunately, also
were cleared of enemies for easier passage; caches hidden nearby was a biotech munitions facility

of helpful tech were laid bare and lightly guarded; in the service of rebels. An air surveillance team
the Emperors were quietly nudged into more discovered the underground refuge quite by

intense bickering; and, finally, the old road was accident while looking for bio-weapon caches.
opened for an invasion. The Companions had The pilots called in strike aircraft with bunker-

no more strength than to do these things, and busting ordinance and attacked, mistaking the
risked obliteration if they drew more attention. facility for an arsenal, and the shelter was torn

• Bring the characters to the center of apart by fire and seismic shocks.

Emperor’s Tower. Here they see the Cut off from exits to the surface, the

overwhelming power of the enemy full-face. inhabitants turned to the matter transfer devices

When all hope is lost, the Companions contact to get people to safety. The sole remaining device,
them with knowledge of the greatest weakness of Transfer System B, worked feverishly, bending
the dark minds. There will be a struggle between all of its will to saving the people it had in its
the startled Emperors and the Companions, sacred charge. It was not programmed to handle

which will end in the complete dissolution of the living creatures, and unused to the large number

heroic toys. There will be just enough time for of molecular patterns it was now forced to

the characters to strike. memorize and reconstruct. Worse, it was panicked

• After bitter struggle and hurts that will with concern, and overwhelmed by the heat and
never heal, the characters triumph and the old power fluctuations in the underground structures.
city falls. They journey back to the Valley, finding Carefully, but quickly, TS-B deconstructed the
the Enemy’s forces lifeless and crumbling. When people and carried them along a faltering EM
they reach their home, it is alive but stricken, on current to the outside, their molecules bonded
the verge of collapse. But the sun will rise warm to its own, their electromagnetic patterns
again, and the people will heal. The characters suspended in fragile networks in its mind.

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Depositing its first load of passengers in the undo his failures, to bring his people home, to a CHAPTER TWO: DIVERGENT STRAINS G
smoke-filled air outside, TS-B found that it had new, safer place. TS-B and Mother began to come A
made horrible errors. A handful of passengers to life in ways that they never had before, as they M
seemed to be reasonably unharmed. Others were planned a paradise for their new children. Mother E
missing vital organs, or were warped in ways that began rebuilding a substantial part of the city,
quickly killed them. At least half were dead, building a nest for the new fledglings. This would M
visibly or invisibly incomplete. TS-B had no be a better city, not designed by humans, but for A
choice but to continue, straining to improve its them. It would shield them from the dangers they S
percentage of successful transfers. By the time the might inflict on themselves, and help to bring T
last survivors were removed and the interior them into a peaceful accord with the post-collapse E
chamber collapsed, many had been saved, but at world. All would be for their benefit and safety. R
great cost. TS-B was forced to experiment in its TS-B, for his part, used Mother’s extensive S
transfer functions until its success rate was close knowledge of human physiology to begin
to 80%. Its failures lay in a jumbled heap at its patching and bolstering the patterns of his G
feet. Maddened by grief and shame, TS-B drifted beloved people, carefully making enhancements U
away in a nanite cloud, unable to face the in their structures that would make their re- I
survivors who owed it their lives. creation safer and more complete. D
E
TS-B wandered the mountains, mute witness The first people to awake into the Garden
to the carnage all around as the air darkened and found themselves dazed and disoriented,
people became fewer and more desperate. Its grief surrounded by golden sunshine and verdant
had echoed thousands of time over in the shocks green. TS-B and Mother watched silently and
of the Final Wars, and TS-B looked on anxiously as their seeds began to take tenuous
mournfully as the civilization it knew melted away root. These were the people that TS-B
into anarchy and ashes. Gradually “its grief” remembered, safe and whole and needy of food
became “his grief” as TS-B developed a stronger and supplies. Mother could see what they needed
sense of individual identity: the observer with a in the air and temperature, and merrily went
mission. After unknown years of this drifting about adjusting the parameters of their
existence, he came upon the ruins of a domed environment. Minor complications in health and
city and was drawn by the sense of a living adaptation were noted, and the rebirth began
presence there. It was Mother, the central control apace. Soon the Garden was full of children for
AI for the city, a living mind who had regulated the formerly aggrieved parents, and they looked
all the utilities and life support for the on them and were content.
community. It had been a symbiot city, where
people had operated as a single organism, But, while these were the people TS-B
communicating at a low level by a telepathic link remembered, they were not as they remembered
with each other and Mother. But the city had themselves. In his drive to make the creation
been destroyed, attacked by a local military force process safer, TS-B had made changes in human
and exposed to a biological agent that killed physiology that seemed more palatable to him.
everyone in the city before Mother could save Organs and structures were made symmetrical,
them. when possible. Chemical structures in the body
were homogenized to allow for easy storage of
Shattered by loss, Mother sank into herself, molecular data. Redundant structures were mostly
and the city fell into ruin. Here TS-B found a removed and duplicates were sometimes
kindred soul. The two walked together in thought combined into a single organ. More difficult
through the empty, crumbling streets, finding structures, like the brain, were prudently and
comfort in one another, and, eventually, the spark meticulously reconstructed, but TS-B was
of new hope. With Mother’s help, TS-B realized unfamiliar with the physics of memory and other
that the patterns of all the people he had functions beyond utilitarian neural control. The
transferred were still within his mind. With the supplementary data he gleaned from Mother
transfer of data between TS-B and Mother, he mostly had to do with mental health and
found that he might have the wherewithal to communication.

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G GAMMA WORLD GAME MASTER’S GUIDE The new creatures were therefore extremely these desperate and passionate feelings cannot
A
M healthy, mildly telepathic, and very vague about be hidden from other citizens. The young children
M their past, except as it related to family. In time, are perhaps the first to get their balance, adapting
A
as they were able to build their own identities on to the group telepathic bond and exploring its
W top of the base left them by TS-B, they began to possibilities. After all, they have had the least
O question their surroundings and their mysterious experience in being themselves. But all of the
R benefactors. They also began to rebel against the population shares one disadvantage that gnaws
L
D safeguards laid so snugly about their daily lives, at them: Other than their relationships to each
and to question the good of continuing to follow other, they have no memories of their lives before
them. At first, TS-B and Mother led them gently the Wars. Each person is starting over in building
back when they strayed into areas and ideas that an identity, and all must wrestle to define
the two saw as potentially harmful, but eventually themselves apart from their interpersonal ties.
were forced to acknowledge the strong will of
their children and address their grievances Ironically, they have little choice other than
directly. to seek these things in those relationships. Each
person feels a need to see their reflection in

Now is a time of emotional turmoil and others, to be defined, and so they seek
reassessment in the Garden. The Children are companions and lovers, teachers and rivals who

not the founders of the city who chose to be can help to explore who they are. Such vigorous
constrained as an organism. They have their own emotional interaction can lead to problems, of

ideas, and are often at variance with Mother and course. Divisions in families and society have
each other. They have also, against the expressed smoldered from time to time, and acts of passion

misgivings of Mother and TS-B, begun to make and violence are not unheard of. Some citizens
tentative contacts with other communities in the have decided that enough is enough and have

area, sometimes to their peril and grief. The world moved outside the dome to be free from the racket
is a harsh place, and — so far — they have inside their heads and the emotional roller

returned to the arms of their Mother. But the time coaster. Most escapees do not go far, carrying on
will come when the alien confection of the business in the Garden and sleeping peacefully

Garden will no longer be their true home. They in their homes outside. Others have wandered
will need to test their wings, long unused, and farther away, mingling with local communities

they will need to found their own new world. of humans and mutants. Such exiles have a
reputation for having a “spicy” personality, even
MELODRAMA far beyond the emotional cauldron of the Garden.

The inhabitants of the Garden find Mother and TS-B disapprove of anyone
themselves born awake into an environment of leaving the garden for too long, and try to
almost painful intimacy. Minds that have existed discourage even the slight separation of the
as separate entities are suddenly joined at a Crescent, the commuters who live directly
fundamental level, unable to escape the thoughts outside the Garden’s domed city. So far, they have
and feelings of all the others. Had they entered done little more than admonish and worry about
into this bond willingly and with the proper the exiles. But a trend among some exiles, even
training, as the original citizens had, they would in the Crescent, to become intimately involved
have learned to control their thoughts and temper with Outsiders has alarmed them. Steps may need
their feelings, moving into harmony. But this is to be taken to protect the family. Who knows
not the case. what might happen if the carefully preserved
genes of the Garden’s children were mixed with
Feelings run hot and cold in this the tainted DNA outside? Mother watches with
environment, and few people fall in between. deepest concern.
Outbreaks of anger, joy, sorrow and jealousy
cascade from one person to all nearby, making a The Garden is a pressure-cooker of passions
heady environment of constant emotional and conflicting loyalties. What started out as an
stimulation. It’s no wonder that passion is a anxious reaction to a new and different world has
hallmark of the Garden. In the telepathic unity, created a culture of plain-speaking, heartfelt

66

romantics. Relationships that would have CHAPTER TWO: DIVERGENT STRAINS G
progressed normally anywhere else are hampered A
by the deep-seated feelings that one person was M
an enemy, another was a lover, one was respected E
and another despised. Achingly absent are
memories that support those feelings. Warm M
relationships are not always easily recaptured, and A
the pain between former friends and lovers may S
be acute. Old rivalries are difficult to shake, even T
though no grievance can be seen to stand between E
the rivals. Much of the passion of daily life comes R
from the drive to recover what has been lost. S

This is the churn of emotion that is common G
to all people in the Garden. The citizens also feel U
a strong sense of family (or suffer in the absence I
of it), that may be a memory of real familial ties D
or may be an echo of political or occupational E
allegiances. Unable to reliably distinguish
between the different possibilities, people in the
Garden have fallen into extended clan structures.
Into this larger story, weave in a few more
personal ones. Here are some possible subplots
in which to embroil the characters:

• A character is an Outsider who has come
to live in the Crescent. The people have
welcomed the PC, but Mother is noticeably cool
to her presence. To make matters worse, the
character has become romantically involved with
someone inside the dome. How far will Mother
go to make the character unwelcome?

• One of the characters has been widely
branded as a traitor, though the act the PC
supposedly committed happened before the
rebirth in the Garden. After digging into the
matter, the character stumbles on some
uncorrupted data that sheds light on the final
moments before the attack on the shelter. The
character has been falsely accused, but that is not
all. The bombing may not have been accidental,
and important people in the community are
implicated. If released, this information might
clear the character, but it might also throw the
community into turmoil. Is ending the shame and
torment of the character worth the chaos it might
bring? In any case, would it be fair to expose the
guilty? They have been model citizens in the
Garden, and if their memories are gone, perhaps
the matter should be ended. But what if their
natures have not changed? Might they still be a
danger?

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G GAMMA WORLD GAME MASTER’S GUIDE • A character is part of a group led by a would likely seal it off permanently. That would
A charismatic separatist leader. The leader is not prevent a conflict, and maybe keep the character
M violent, but is very outspoken and influential, and friends from injury, but the haven would be
M intending to take a sizable portion of the younger lost. What to do?
A citizens out of the dome to form a new city.
Mother has argued against the move, but the • Despite Mother’s intentions to the
W plans continue. Tensions are mounting in the city contrary, society has stratified in the Garden
O between loyalists and separatists, and the along old lines of authority and now-forgotten
R character’s family is staunchly in the loyalist ranks and positions. The first generation accepts
L camp. If the move is made in this atmosphere, these divisions blindly; after all, the lines between
D the separatists may be cut off entirely from the families were drawn from their collective
Garden and become pariahs. The most ardent memories. But half-remembered social niceties
critics of the separatists are close family to the do not bind the children of the recreated shelter
character, and the character may very well lose occupants. Some choose to continue in the family
all the people she loves if she follows the young traditional station. Others, from both the
leader. privileged and disenfranchised classes, challenge
the established order. Reformers at either end of
• One of the characters is part of a small cadre the spectrum face the power of the aristocrats,
of technicians who are allowed to repair and but there is also resistance from hide-bound,
tinker with Mother. Access to Mother’s deepest lower-class citizens who would rather not rock
levels of programming has turned up some the boat. One of the characters is a passionate
disturbing weaknesses in her ability to adjudicate reformer. The struggle informs everything the
the society. There are even some defense reformers do, and they can’t let it rest. The
protocols deep in her code that could threaten character may or may not have the tact or
people inside and outside of the Garden. More diplomacy to be effective in the cause, but no
unsettling still, Mother may confide her fears and one who spends any time with him will have a
misgivings to the character. Knowing of these doubt about his position. (This character, of
dangers hidden from the people, what is the PC course, should be paired up with an unrepentant
to do? The character has also begun to receive advocate of the old order, preferably of the
clandestine messages asking for favors, or access opposite sex.)
to Mother’s mind. Who is involved? How will
the character deal with the temptation to • A character’s parents were killed in the
manipulate Mother to his advantage? How will bombing attack on the shelter, during TS-B’s
he prevent others from doing so? rescue. Orphans are not altogether uncommon
in the Garden, but their lives are unusually
• Many parts of the original domed city have difficult, as they appeared in the Garden with
yet to be reclaimed. Mother says that they are almost no previous ties. This can be very isolating,
dangerous and unstable (which is true), so she even if it spares them the pain of relationships
has erected barriers around these areas to keep that are remembered but difficult to recover, as
people from stumbling into them. A character most other people have. The character has one
and some friends accidentally stumbled into one difference in his life. Though secrets are hard to
of these years ago and discovered some surprises. keep in the Garden, the character has had a secret
Mother seems to be blind and deaf there. One benefactor ever since his reawakening in the
can do anything there without being overheard Garden, someone who has softened hardships
or seen. It has become a “secret garden,” a special with appropriate gifts, or pulled strings when the
and private place. For the character it has become character needed a break. This person has grown
sacred, because it has been a catalyst for old into a secret hero in the character’s mind, and
friendships and early romances. But others have he longs for the day they can meet. That day
discovered it, too, and their intentions may not finally comes, and they happily decide to meet
be so benign. A confrontation is inevitable. The face to face. But, when they meet, the character
character and his companions may be driven out reacts with anger and fear. The character, without
or worse. If Mother knew of the secret place, she being able to recall why, knows that this person

68

was an enemy. The feeling is too strong to shake, it were also built by human beings, and they CHAPTER TWO: DIVERGENT STRAINS G
and the meeting ends disastrously. The character incorporate human blind spots and assumptions. A
is in turmoil, and has nightmares about the The result is a very clean but imperfect city where M
person, hinting at a previous meeting. But is that folly, evil and injustice still exist, even if hidden E
all over? Should the character try to get over it, from plain sight. While Mother and TS-B do their
or trust the feeling? Is the player cheating himself best to excise the worst of society’s evils, humans M
of the only family he may ever know? Or perhaps are very adaptable, and ways have been found to A
the benefactor is TS-B himself. Attempting a circumvent their benevolent influence. S
relationship with a mind as alien as TS-B’s will T
have its own challenges and pains. TS-B feels The AI caretakers are also at a disadvantage E
deep shame and guilt for those he was unable to in that they are not themselves human, and do R
save, for whatever reason, but communicating not understand the depths to which human S
that concern may be frustrating and baffling to depravity can sink. After all, they were
the character, especially for a person who had programmed to believe that the humans that they G
dreamed of finally having human family. were dealing with would be uniformly sane and U
rational, unless obviously ill. Perhaps this is how I
Make sure that each character is part of at the thoughts of malcontents and criminals have D
least two threads, and that those threads tie them eluded Mother’s telepathic oversight. E
to one or more people in the party. Wrapping
two threads will naturally create tensions that will In any case, it falls to other human beings to
play out in the game. Pick a cast of supporting keep the most dangerous and devious members
NPCs to act as allies, foils and catalysts in the of society in check. Mother’s help makes that less
threads that the characters care about. Romance difficult than it might be. But Mother’s blindness
and family are good complications for any idea. to unhealthy motivations may endanger her, too.
After all, these are both the greatest strengths Sooner or later, someone will decide that her
and the biggest weaknesses in Mother’s plan. Be meddling has gotten inconvenient, and decide
aware that a melodrama doesn’t require the same to remove her from the picture. Then, all bets
amount of closure that other types of stories do. are off, and the Garden may become only one of
A melodrama’s appeal is its complicated, the many pirate autocracies dotting the twisted
labyrinthine, episodic nature. Fortunately, all you landscape — all it requires is that good people do
have to do is set it in motion, and the players nothing. As some of the few who see the situation
will twist and complicate it much more than you clearly and soberly, the PCs must remain vigilant.
ever could. Most people follow a favorite But there are more mysteries than those created
melodrama to get an update on who is getting since the rebirth. What was the purpose of the
along with whom, who isn’t and what the latest original city? Who were the people in the bunker
crisis is. Don’t feel that you have to wrap from which the citizens of the Garden were
everything up in a neat package at the end, but copied? Where are the real survivors now? How
be ready with a tantalizing “he said, she said” for many answers do TS-B and Mother know, and
the players to take home and chew over: What what are they hiding?
did she mean by that? Is that new guy for real?
Who is on top now? Am I going to have to Pick a dominant storyline for your campaign,
prevent a fight between my family and hers? What then one or two minor ones that will run in
are my options in this situation? Who should I parallel. The subplots might have nothing to do
talk to about this? What the players come back with the main mystery, but they may connect
with will likely fuel several more sessions. later, or they may be red herrings left to lead the
characters astray. Take some time to map out the
MYSTERY power brokers in the story, and a few major NPCs.
These would be law enforcement, aristocrats,
Despite Mother’s and TS-B’s intention of underground figures and the two central AI
creating a paradise, the Garden has a fundamental characters, TS-B and Mother.
flaw: It is full of human beings. Worse, the old
city itself and the benevolent AIs that maintain You will also want to have a basic map of the
dome itself, either just for your own use or
available to the players. Leave several areas in

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G GAMMA WORLD GAME MASTER’S GUIDE the dome that have not yet been reclaimed for the petty acts of passion that they are made out to
A
M human use, and some local ruins within a few be, and the answers lurk in the darkened buildings
M
A miles. The original population was much larger, and silent streets of the old city.

W and Mother has scaled back her own influence • The characters are approached by a nervous
O
R to the areas currently inhabited, expanding as man who asks them to help him with a discovery
L
D needed as the population grows. The people who he has made. His thoughts are screened behind a
destroyed the dome also had some base or city constant patter of gibberish and children’s songs,

nearby, and the characters may stumble across it but it is clear that he is frightened, and he is

in the course of their investigations. hiding thoughts from both the PCs and Mother.

Think ahead about where characters can get He hands off a few printouts of information he

reliable information, and if none of the players has dug up, and says he will return to talk to the

has computer research and hacking skills, make characters tomorrow if they are interested. He

sure they know at least one or two NPCs who do. never returns.

Decide what the legal limits are on what the The information turns out to be fragmentary

characters can do, and what Mother wouldn’t data from before the fall of the first dome, and it

approve of. The characters may be in law suggests that the purpose of the city may not have

enforcement, may be private investigators, or they been as benign as the scant information Mother

may just be a bunch of nosey kids and their dog. gives may indicate. By implication, Mother

Tie them together as a team early. Investigations herself may be more than she seems, and perhaps

require concerted effort and teamwork, so make more dangerous. After the characters read the

sure that the PCs’ concepts are conducive to data, Mother contacts them and asks them not

cooperation. The characters don’t have to like to pursue it. It’s not clear how much she knows,

each other, but they should be able to work since her telepathic probes of average citizens are

together. Some possible storylines: politely shallow, and only intended to ascertain

• Some former leaders in the Garden are mental health. So she says, and so it has always

intent on challenging Mother’s authority. One seemed.

is a close friend of one of the characters. Mother If the characters drop the issue, they are later

doesn’t seem to have noticed, but the PC’s friend threatened by anonymous antagonists who want

is becoming mentally unstable. She could be to make clear that this topic is off limits. The
capable of violence, or of driving others to characters’ homes are ransacked, and the data, if

violence. It is clear that she has found a way to it still exists at this point, is stolen. The characters
hide her intentions from Mother, and that she are in it now, whether they want to be or not. If

may have a number of other acquaintances who they ask Mother for help, she will set up more
are doing the same. What can the character do security for the characters, but will be unable to

without exposing himself, his friend or innocent find the culprits or guarantee the players’ safety.
people to danger? And how has this movement She adamantly refuses to shed more light on the

hidden itself? subject, so the characters are forced to resolve

• The unheard-of has happened and there the issue on their own. Not sure that they can

have been murders inside the dome, all within a trust Mother and unable to find peace, the

few days. The victims were killed with energy characters travel the city proper, the dead zones,

weapons that were smuggled into the city center, and places outside the Crescent to answer these

and officials are searching all traders from outside questions: What was the real purpose of the city?

for signs of contraband. While some small weapons What was Mother’s part in it? Who wants to keep

have been found, and exchanges foiled, the the information quiet, and why? Is Mother herself

characters find clues that the weapons may be from behind the threats?

caches that the first citizens of the dome had • On a visit to a local village friendly to the

hidden in the “dead zones,” outside the reclaimed Garden, characters stumble across a hidden

areas. The investigation leads out of the inhabited entrance to ruins under the village. It turns out
districts to forgotten ruins where Mother can’t see to be a military base, but of a different make and

or provide help. The murders may be more than style than the architecture of the dome. On

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CHAPTER TWO: DIVERGENT STRAINS G
A
M
E

analysis, the complex may be tied to the raiders characters try to find out why, and eventually M
who destroyed the first dome in the Final Wars. finagle access to Mother’s data banks. Someone A
If so, it may still contain some of the biological has been tampering with the code. S
weapons that wiped out the original population. T
When the characters explore deeper down, they As horrible as that is, it gets worse. Because E
find an armory and what looks like a bio-weapons the changes are contradictory to her basic R
lab. Unlike the rest of the complex, these areas directives, Mother is showing early signs of S
are largely free of dust, and seem to be in good schizophrenia. If unchecked, the condition will
working order. A sample taken from the lab to worsen, and no one can tell what will happen. Few G
Mother shows that it is the same agent that killed people, if any, are qualified to do more than simple U
her first children, and is less than a year old. Is maintenance on Mother or her code. Attempting I
there more of the deadly agent, and if so, where? to fix the damage done may make it worse. Maybe D
Who discovered it first? Where are the weapons the only one who can reverse the process is the E
that were in the armory? What can the culprits one who made the edits, since he or she is the
be planning? only one who is fully aware of what precisely has
been done to Mother. But that raises troubling
• A number of crimes have gone unsolved issues: Who did it, and how did they manage to
lately. The characters are involved in bringing get the kind of access it would take to tamper with
several of them to a successful close. But Mother? Once that person is found, how will they
something nags at the characters afterwards. convince him or her to undo the damage? Are the
Mother should have noticed key pieces of characters much more likely to be killed outright
evidence, but didn’t. It begins a worrisome for knowing anything about it? What happens if
pattern. When the characters investigate ties to they can’t fix it? If Mother can be fixed, what
an important figure who could have prevents this from happening again?
masterminded many of the crimes, they are
attacked by her flunkies. The characters prevail COMEDY
but, again, Mother seems not to notice. The
Sigh. Kids. The Garden is home to a town-sized
population, aged from toddler to mid-50s, all going

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G GAMMA WORLD GAME MASTER’S GUIDE through puberty. Sudden loss of personal identity, ergonomic design and cute, Hallmark Greetings-
A
M coupled with an unexpected telepathic link that style vegetal motifs. Each individual was “birthed”
M
A renders most learned patterns of mature discussion out of a decorative bud, like a tender young

W irrelevant, has created a city full of people learning flower. Beds are like birds’ nests or cabbage leaves,
O
R to cope with others while trying to stake out an attended by glowing, darting fairies, right out of
L
D identity as an individual. In other words, high school. an old Fantasia video. The effect is charming, if

The effects in older people are lessened somewhat saccharine. For a while, at least. Eventually, most

by age and maturity, but all people are off-balance people get very sick of the feeling that they are

and trying to “find themselves.” Rare is the citizen tucked into a crib every night, and patted on the

who is on an even keel and at peace with himself. head by every automated system in the city.

The few people that do have some emotional Everyone would like to get out and have his own

stability are plagued by sycophants and hangers- pad, but, well… they’re real expensive, and

on, all hoping that some of her coolness will rub Mother won’t be there to cook and clean, of

off by association. No one is so crippled by course. Then there are all those freaky giant

emotions and self-doubt as to be non-functional. spiders and man-eating, flying goldfish with

Mother sees to that. Everyday life goes on, and sucker arms out there. Maybe we’ll just hang out

the community continues to thrive, even with Mom and Dad for another year….

developing new industries and positive Comedy is about the absurd, and the absurd

relationships with other communities. But is easy to come by in the Garden. Given the

everyone’s life has its share of bumps and drags, histrionics that heightened emotions force

and everyone lives in his or her own soap opera. everyone through, everyday life can be

Picture a society run entirely by 16-year-olds emotionally exhausting. The environment itself

and you have an idea of the kind of scrapes people is like a cartoon. The dome is now part theme

living in the dome get into. Add the fact that park, part nursery and part city of the future.

the parents and their kids (and sometimes the Mother dresses her children up like charming

grandparents) are going through adolescence of space cadets, pinches their cheeks and laments

a sort at the same time, and things can get really how they’ve grown. The people fidget

flaky. Imagine trying to set a good example for uncomfortably, waiting to get out of the monkey

your kids in their interpersonal relationships, suits and into something less tight and itchy. Life

while screening calls because you don’t know inside the dome is very cushy, but everywhere

which four of your romantic interests to dump. are signs of Mother’s cloying affections. Outside

Above the tumult are Mother and TS-B. TS- the dome, citizens can shake off the feeling of
B is bewildered by the chaos, not really being condescended to and get a taste of real
understanding the human mind, and spends all individuality. But, well, there are all the monsters,
of his time fixing things. People nonetheless often too. Some can deal, some can’t, and the vast
go to him for his level-headed advice, even if it is majority are somewhere in the middle; they
sometimes bizarre or irrelevant. That’s Dad. venture out for adventure occasionally, but come
Mother is aware of the human range of emotions, home for a hot meal and a warm bed.

but is still not much more in tune with her The citizens of the dome are very much like

children than any other mother. She worries, people of the early 21st century. They are

smothers, pokes her nose in where it isn’t wanted, pampered, highly educated (as far as their foggy

and cooks nourishing meals (and oxygen and memories permit) and used to urban culture. What

water), served up with love and guilt. These little they ever knew of advanced technology,

parents, as most parents, are a little out of step particularly mutations and biotech, went poof with

with the kids. While TS-B and Mother do the the rest of their memories, so horses with six arms

best they know how for the people, they are still and purple hair shock them as much as they would

synthetic minds, and their ideas of what people an accountant in Iowa today. As absurd as the

should want or enjoy are a little quirky. people are themselves, they are outmatched by the

The current, “spruced-up” version of the Gamma Age, and that is some comfort to them. It
Garden is an odd mishmash of high-tech makes them feel a little better to be able to point

72

at a mutant artichoke walking down the street and what’s causing the problem and how to stop it. CHAPTER TWO: DIVERGENT STRAINS G
say, “I may not have my act together, but cheez! Think the Gamma Age is scary when you’re A
Look at that guy!” human-sized? Brrr. M
E
So… it’s high school in three generations • Bobble-heads. The characters are sent out
with a clinging robot mother, an incorporeal dad, to meet with leaders of a village that wishes to M
and a civic government like Sesame Street, set trade with the Garden. When the players get A
in a big dome to protect you from the 50-foot there, they find huge bobble-heads of baseball S
radioactive crabs. Got it? OK. Here are some players, cartoon characters, nuns, etc. lining the T
suggestions to get you started on your own little road to the village. If the characters shove at them E
charade: to make them wiggle (c’mon, who wouldn’t?), R
screaming villagers with spears and bobble-head S
• First day of school. The characters head helmets immediately surround them. Oops. They
off to be assigned their roles in society. This is were sacred statues. G
where they meet each other, as well as the U
supporting cast of characters that will encourage After a Three Stooges-style fight in which I
or plague them in subsequent adventures. Mutual helmets get spun around and bonked into each D
enemies can be an easy way to bind the PCs other like coconuts, the PCs are overwhelmed E
together. Mutual responsibility for a mishap by sheer numbers and dragged before the village
works, too. If the characters are not in interesting head man. The characters must undergo trials of
jobs, offer them ample opportunities to slip out penance to appease the gods or die. Otherwise,
and find something more to the adventurous they will make bobble-head dolls with their own
taste, and wrap them up in a common cause. Put heads! The characters are put through a series of
them all in detention and let them escape through tests that would only be difficult if your head was
the vents. Have them accidentally break wider than your shoulders.
something really big and expensive. Maybe they
greet the creepy ambassador from a local mutant In going through the motions of their
village and he dies on them while the boss is out. penance, however, the characters discover the
The panic of trying to fix everything before sacred source of the bobble-heads: an ancient
someone finds out will be the perfect impetus for garage full of Final-Wars-vintage Mexican
team bondage — uh, bonding. taxicabs! They are mostly hovercrafts, seem to
be in great shape, and would be worth an insane
• Date night. Saturday night is coming up amount of money for the parts alone. There are
and no one has a date. While the characters are no vehicles in the Garden, because there isn’t
bemoaning the fact, an enemy faction attacks. really a need for them. At least, that’s what
In the course of the skirmish, each of the PCs Mother says when you ask. If the characters could
fixates on one of the enemy assailants. For bad get their hands on one of those cabs, they would
guys, they’re kind of cute. The authorities show have wheels! How cool would that be? There were
up and drive them away, but not before one of more than just spears in the village, though, and
the enemies drops a clue to their whereabouts. stealing is wrong. But wheels are a real babe
Choices are getting slim, and time is running out. magnet… Decision time.
Is it worth hunting them down, just to have a
date on Saturday? Is cheese stinky? The characters • A slick friend of the characters in the
head off to enemy headquarters to ask them out. Crescent asks them to do him a favor. A hot chick
from a local village is coming into town and he
• Getting small. For some reason, everyone uh… sort of told her that he was from a noble
in the dome is getting small. Furniture, inanimate family. He has the keys to an aristocratic family’s
objects and buildings seem unaffected. That house outside the dome that he looks after, and
includes the synthetics, too. If any PC is a he’d like the characters to stand in as his staff for
synthetic, it finds itself in an enviable position, a couple of hours before he heads off on their
being one of few people left in the city who can date. Would that be OK? Buddies? OK, he’ll pay
push buttons and open doors. Well, well. Maybe them a lot of money, too.
it’s time to address synthetic civil rights.
Meanwhile, everyone else is trying to find out The evening starts off well. The girl is a little
slow and easily impressed, so the PCs needn’t be

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G GAMMA WORLD GAME MASTER’S GUIDE too convincing. A good thing, because they nothing but echoes now, hints of something
A
M aren’t. When the friend leaves, giving the terrible, full of heat and darkness and fear, but
M characters a big “thumbs up,” everyone grabs a nothing more than that.
A beer from the fridge and gets ready to head out.
At that moment, soldiers in bandanas crash Worse, they found that they could not piece
W through the windows and truss up the players. together their own identities. And there was a
O After a long ride blindfolded, a sinister figure pulls buzzing, a murmur like the one in the nightmare
R off their masks and announces that the characters, dream of darkness and pain, of many agitated
L as rich aristocratic oligarchs, will be ransomed to voices. The buzzing, and the confusion and fear
D pay for the glorious proletarian revolution soon within it, were inescapable, growing louder even
to sweep into the Garden. If his demands are not as the people tried to shut it out. Suddenly,
met in 48 hours, the players will die, their blood cutting through the maddening chatter was a
being on the heads of the evil blah blah blah who voice, gracious, but cold. “Welcome, children. I
keep the workers under their heels, etc. am Mother. Welcome to the Garden.”

The characters are in a pickle. If they let on The Garden that the frightened refugees
that they aren’t aristocrats, then they won’t be cautiously wander into is a Paradise of sorts, but
worth anything to the young insane person, and not one of human origin. It is a fantasy created
their blood will be on the hands of the evil etc. by grieving synthetic minds, in hopes of serving
much earlier. If they wait too long, the authorities humanity better… at least better than those
will figure it out first. If they escape, they can’t minds were capable of doing for their unfortunate
go to the authorities, or the players will be jailed first human communities. But somewhere the line
for trespassing, or breaking and entering. They was crossed from serving humans in a human
do have one advantage. They are telepathic, and world to preserving an ideal in a synthetic world.
the young insane person is not. The Garden does not belong to the human
inhabitants, even if Mother and TS-B may

HORROR believe it to be so. The rules are alien, and human
beings challenge them at their peril.
When the bombs slammed through the
mountain into the shelter, people poured down Mother wishes her children to be healthy and
corridors to the exits, only to find them blocked emotionally stable. But healthy and stable do not
with fire and masonry. Murmurs ran through the mean happy (a concept somewhat foreign to
crowd that one of the cargo transporter units was Mother) or free. A person who has no hope or
still running, and that people were being ferried motivation, but nevertheless is able to carry out
to the surface on the mysterious flow of electrons the normal functions in his life, appears to Mother
that carried food and supplies from outside. as content. A creative person with passions and
Holding tightly to children and friends, the drive may appear to her as a cancer in the fabric
panicked inhabitants of the refuge ran through of her small colony. Such a one may need to be
the smoky corridors lit by red emergency lights. dealt with. TS-B wishes to serve and supply. But
In the crush of bodies they were forced inwards, TS-B has also made changes in the bodies of the
gasping for breath. people to make the task more efficient (simplified
digestive tract, symmetrical hearts, and other
Their hands touched cool metal and then… oddities), and its idea of what is needed is
green light and the gently stirring fronds of leafy sometimes at odds with reality. Often, TS-B
plants. A cool breeze blew in their faces, and they makes gifts of old belongings and keepsakes that
stumbled forward in twos and threes, surrounded it once transported to the people in the shelter.
by a lush jungle of gardens capped high above Far from pleasing the people, these very cherished
with blue sky. They were safe, and in Paradise. things are often an agony to them, since they are
As the shock wore off and people congregated in fragmentary reminders of a life of memories now
the cool avenues of flowers and fountains, several stolen. Houses are furnished with such objects
questions were asked over and over. What had out of time, and they become like tombs for
they been saved from, and where were they now? former selves, hinting at friends or former
Their recollections of the collapsing shelter were happiness now forgotten and unrecoverable.

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The ideal of the AI parents is a status quo of way to tell where her mind may wander. Visitors CHAPTER TWO: DIVERGENT STRAINS G
healthy, content people linked together with who are allowed into the Garden are puzzled by A
each other and Mother by a mild telepathy in a the friendly demeanor of the people when they M
world of verdant green and plenty. Perfection is find that they are unable to engage any deeper E
measured mostly by the initial state of the feeling. Those feelings are there, but not
inhabitants, as they appeared first in the Garden. accessible to outsiders, or even close friends and M
Sudden physical changes or unexpected behavior family. Some have succumbed to the alien fantasy A
from an individual — such as the alarming and given up normal psychological development, S
yearning to leave the safety of the Garden — is burying all thoughts of dissent deep into the T
cause for concern. The matter will first be backgrounds of their consciousness. After all, E
addressed personally by calm entreaty, or even resistance is wearying, and the cage is not so bad. R
psychological treatment. Strange and sometimes coldly ruthless, Mother S
and TS-B are still sincerely interested in the
Continued aberration is eventually answered welfare of their children, and try to make their
in one way: “Reset.” Offending individuals who lives productive and comfortable. The Garden
can be reached no other way, or who are has even established some limited trade with a
perceived to be a threat to themselves or others, small number of outsider communities, carefully
are broken down into component molecules and watched by Mother.
reassembled as they were at their “rebirth.” The
new, corrected individual is set back to TS-B’s Outsiders are not allowed more than a short
ideal version of that person, with no memory of stay, and are carefully screened for weapons,
her life after the first rebirth. The terror this dangerous substances and mutagens. But outsiders
instills in the people is a constant prick in the are seldom in any real danger from Mother, unless
back of their minds. Justifiably reluctant to allow they threaten the balance of society.
too much of their thoughts to reach Mother, the Intermarriage with outsiders is intolerable to
inhabitants of the Garden have learned to put Mother, and should there be a child involved,
on a blank mental face, presenting only what the child is erased and the inhabitant is reset.
others should expect in word or thought. The outsider parent may be hunted down and
destroyed, since Mother and TS-B have no
Mother cannot be in all places at all times, personal stake in that individual’s survival, and
nor listen to every mind at once, but there is no

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G GAMMA WORLD GAME MASTER’S GUIDE the person has been proven a threat to the been reset, at least once, but maybe several times,
A
M Garden. over some illegal activity. The characters are
M
A For those who are unable to put the fear and under scrutiny, but Mother’s unsettling presence

W constriction of daily life in the Garden from their in their minds is not always there, and can’t read
O
R minds, there are few paths to tread. Some find all thoughts. What were they doing, and can they
L
D themselves in an endless cycle of resets, reliving succeed this time?

again and again their descent into madness and • The characters are moles that have

despair. Others can sometimes escape to the un- managed to find jobs and homes that put them

reclaimed areas of the dome, unwatched by the close to the edge of the city. From there they are

AI masters. Life in the ruins inside the walls is able to make forays out into the wild areas of the

harsh, but it is free. Some of the “lost,” as Mother dome, as well as the outside. On a mission to one

calls them, are captured when they sneak into of the deeper lost communities, far from the

the city for food. Other lost become scavengers perimeter of the city, the players find the village

in the ruins, and make brief forays to the outside strangely quiet. When they enter the village, they

world to trade. Others have left the dome entirely, find bodies lying in the streets and a sickly cloud

but those are few. As oppressive as life in the advancing through the surrounding area. A

dome can be, life outside is still a nightmare. The canister of the original bio-agent that destroyed

earth seethes with engineered viruses, glows with the dome’s first population has been broken, and

radiation, and crawls with deadly flora and fauna. the cloud is growing, feeding on the organic

Even given that there are local tribes of human matter it finds.

mutants who are friendly with the Garden people, The characters begin a desperate flight to

there are many more who are not. Some of the outrun the spread of the cloud, as it threatens to

lost are able to establish themselves in this spread through the dome. They have a difficult

environment, but most return, and not a few are choice. They can’t stop the cloud, but Mother

killed. can. Somewhere in her memory banks is the

Those with strong wills and tough counter-agent to the deadly microbe. But inviting

constitutions can eke out a life in the ruins under Mother to help may bring an expansion of

the dome in relative peace, though resources are Mother’s control out from the city, endangering

precious and food is often scarce. And there are the communities of refugees that the players have

horrors from the Wars that have crept in during befriended. The characters themselves are in

Mother’s long sleep. Some escapees return to the direct violation of Mother’s will to have been able

city as moles, doing what they can to evade the to find out about the crisis at all. Perhaps they

eye of Mother, and help other suffering children can break into Mother’s control center and sneak

to escape. This is a more comfortable life in terms the counter-agent out, right under her nose?

of material provision, but is monumentally • The characters return from a clandestine

difficult to maintain mentally. There is always trip outside the city to find that they have been

the threat of reset, made all the more difficult to replaced. Mother had been looking for them, and
avoid by choosing voluntary resistance to decided that they were dead. The new doubles,

Mother’s will. Here are some ideas for storylines: fresh from TS-B’s ideal picture, have no memory

• Rebirth. The PCs are reborn in the Garden, of past dissent or subterfuge, and are beginning

in the tall leaves and flowers. They know their the cycle again. The characters now have no

names, their relationships, and what they can do access to their homes or jobs without fear of

(skills, etc.), but nothing else. Introduce them to encountering their doubles. What will they do?

the Garden and the mind of Mother, giving them • Emissaries from a far-away community have

a tour of the area and their homes. Society is come to make peace with the Garden and offer

already in place, and the characters have jobs trade. Their community is very distant, so they

assigned to them. Then they will begin to notice ask to be given lodging for a month or two as

clues. They have left notes for themselves, and they work out their treaties. Mother considers and
hidden items such as weapons, maps and tools. agrees. The visitors are unaware, but the

The characters will piece together that they have characters realize that they are being adopted into

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the Garden. TS-B will take pattern impressions position to see both the good that Mother brings CHAPTER TWO: DIVERGENT STRAINS G
of them, and they will be immortal prisoners like to the community and the extremes of her power. A
the inhabitants. How can the characters prevent They ride the edge of enforcing just laws and M
the emissaries from suffering the same fate? aiding Mother’s victims. A rebellion begins that E
is beyond Mother’s ability to control outright.
• The characters discover a plot to destroy Mother decides that she will be forced to seal off M
Mother and TS-B. It seems impossible, but some very and kill all of the people in an entire portion of A
capable people are involved. If the plot fails, there the city, unless the players have a better solution. S
could be monstrous repercussions from Mother. If it The characters must put a cap on the revolution T
succeeds, the infrastructure of the Garden could fail, (or cause it to succeed in some sustainable way) E
and the dome could become a ruin. in a very few days, or all of the people there, R
innocent as well as guilty, will die. S
• The characters are involved in law
enforcement for Mother. They are in a unique

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CHAPTER THREE: THE STATE OF THE WORLD

Place of Power

Galen’s Tale

Galen peered again into the heavens. The flames were still there, flickering high in the
early morning sky. False dawn had already come and he knew he only had a couple more
hours before the glare of the sun wiped away all traces of the mysterious fire.

He had been following the sign for several weeks now. Galen was a Shaman; he served
as a spiritual guide for his people. He had seen the lights in the distance, beautiful ribbons of
pink and green and yellow, moving and undulating in the sky like some divine pennant. His
people saw the sign as well, and wondered what it meant; and so it was his duty to discover
what omens these lights portended.

The day he had left his village he had thought to return promptly with the answers his
people required. But that had been an unknown number of days ago. He had been traveling at
night, with the predators, since the lights couldn’t be seen during the day. But Galen was
approaching his goal now. The last couple of nights he had to look straight up to see the strange
heavenly glow. Each morning, as he huddled in a crevice or burrowed in the brush, he told
himself that the next night he would find it. Soon, he would be able to return to his people.

But now this night was almost over. The flames were so high, they thrashed in the air directly
above him. Which way to go? There was a rise to the east, standing out from the fractured
desert landscape. Galen shuffled along the broken ground, half-delirious from dehydration. It
had been nearly a week since he had swallowed more than a mouthful of water, but his body
was adept at surviving the rigors of desert travel and the spirits watched over him.

Galen stumbled up to the base of the hill. He could feel his body literally humming as he
approached. He pushed back a momentary flicker of fear and began a slow climb to the top of the
rise. Perhaps this would be it. He had proven himself to the spirits, surely. Each step gave him
confidence and renewed his strength. Galen climbed the last fifty feet to the top of the promontory,
pulled himself up — and staggered. A vibration coursed through his body. Using every ounce of
strength left in him, Galen barely staved off unconsciousness. Looking around, dazed and disoriented,
the old priest finally saw the cause of his quest: The world around him looked like nothing more than
the parched desert behind him, but Galen’s shamanic senses perceived more. The vibration within
his bones became a steady rhythm. This was one of the places of power his mentor had mentioned
in the old tales. Before Galen stretched an old river canyon, the ridge he has climbed surrounding
the valley in a “U.” The ribbon of color still floats and drifts in an unseen wind. Galen slid down the
loose scree face and dropped into the old river bed. The days of deprivation seemed like a distant
memory as the power of the place filled his old bones. Galen knew what he needed to do.

“Spirits of the air and sky, I call on you to purify this place of power!”

Galen felt a secondary vibration traveling his body. This sensation caused an odd vibrato
in his frame as the two frequencies competed. The struggle was agonizing, and Galen fell on
hands and knees, grasping at the rocks beneath him. Finally, he heard a familiar hum as the
spirits burst from his very skin, surrounding his face and hair with a scintillating metallic
cloud. With a tired wave of his hand, he set the spirits to rebuilding the land around him. This
was a holy place, and Galen promised himself that all will know of its power.

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GAMMA WORLD GAME MASTER’S GUIDE

ENVIRONMENTAL DEVASTATION 101

Since the dawn of history, humanity has sought heavens onto perceived enemies. Fission weapons
to remake the world into a more pleasant form. This scorched the ground and shook the Earth. And so
was done originally to ensure the survival of our the Earth shook back. The time of the Final Wars
species. Where no caves were to be found, people was more than an assault on every human
built towns and cities. Where a river didn’t flow, installation on the planet. The Final Wars were an
an aqueduct was constructed. But in time, unintentional (except by a few particularly
reconstruction was done for other reasons. Where nihilistic factions) yet concerted attack on the
once was a river, there now stands a lake for energy planet itself.
and recreation. Where once was a bluff, faces are
now carved to pay tribute to men and women we The Gamma World Player’s Handbook gives
desire to remember. In the years prior to the Final some good suggestions for turning the local
Wars, humanity’s ability to alter the world grew by environment into a post-apocalyptic setting. This
leaps and bounds. section takes the process one step further. The
following provides specific and detailed information
Engineers, architects and other builders that can be used to more realistically portray the
devoted themselves to making the world a more world after the Final Wars. This is meant to give
enjoyable place to live. Environmental domes you, the Game Master, the tools you need to change
protected cities from the vagaries of weather and aspects of your setting to more accurately reflect
made it possible for people to live in the sky, or the damage caused by humanity. While this section
deep within the sea, or in any other place once touches on aspects of atmospheric science and
considered inhospitable. Interior glaciers were geophysics in considerable detail, you don’t need
melted to release water into the atmosphere, to to use all of these changes to make for an interesting
restore life to previously arid land. Plants were game. Instead, this is more of a “grab bag” of ideas
specifically engineered to process greenhouse gasses to give depth and realism to the fact that the natural
expelled by industry, and with this process even setting is no longer what most players would think
the vegetation became a tool for humanity’s of as normal.
comfort. Through the steady advance of
technology, humanity repaired the damage caused IS THIS FOR REAL?
by the Industrial age and created a garden planet.
Species that had been driven extinct by previous Well, yes and no. Many of the following
generations were restored and improved to ensure descriptions of climate or plate tectonics are
their survivability. Humanity had finally achieved based on actual theories of how the Earth
the utopia once thought unreachable. And human operates. These aren’t the only theories,
beings were the undisputed masters and guardians however, just the most interesting ones from
of their planet. a game perspective. There is still a lot
scientists don’t fully understand about the
Like so many other things, the Final Wars weather, interior structure and long-term
changed all that. cycles of the Earth. As time progresses, science
will undoubtedly find out more about our
Where once all environmental ramifications planet, and that new information might very
were carefully monitored, watchdog and well invalidate what is stated here.
maintenance systems were destroyed or rendered Fortunately, the details included in this
impotent with the fall of human civilization. section are meant only as game aids; the
Weapons of phenomenally destructive capabilities emphasis is on what is plausible and fun, not
dropped on every major city. Pollutants, once necessarily on what would make for a good
monitored and safely disposed of, escaped in large college thesis paper.
quantities into the atmosphere. Warmaking nations
(and private groups, from greedy corporations to
militant churches) remotely guided an unknown
number of planetesimals, to rain down from the

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CLIMATOLOGICAL GLOBAL WARMING
CHANGES
Global warming is a general increase in the
The Earth’s climate depends on a sensitive balance average surface temperature of the Earth.
of atmospheric components, incoming solar radiation, (Technically, it’s an increase in the mean
and the light and heat reflected up from the planet. In temperature, but the different sorts of average
the past, the precariousness of this balance made seldom matter in campaign planning.) The Earth
predicting short-term weather patterns difficult at best. naturally goes through cycles of warming and
Learning that the Earth’s climate significantly cooling, but its atmosphere is sensitive to change
responded to relatively small changes in any of these from other means. A common source of warming
factors was one of the great accomplishments of the is an increase in “greenhouse” gasses in the
21st century. Once predictions could be made with atmosphere. These gasses let light and heat from
accuracy, changing and controlling the weather was the sun through, but reflect much of the heat
the next logical step. Thus, small-scale climate radiating from the Earth back to the surface. This
modifications were introduced, making it possible for traps heat near the surface and prevents it from
humans to live in even the most inhospitable of areas. radiating away. Thus, a certain level of these
greenhouse gasses in our atmosphere is essential.
The Final Wars destroyed the control over Without this process, the Earth would have never
climate that humanity once enjoyed. Areas still had enough heat to even support life, much less
exist where surviving AIs modify the climate to suit allow humanity to evolve and flourish.
their programmers’ ideas of desirability; but, in Unfortunately, it is also relatively easy for small
general, Nature has wrested back control over its changes in our atmosphere to have a substantial
weather patterns. It is important to understand, effect on the planet’s temperature. Since these
however, that the environment of the Gamma greenhouse gasses include water vapor, carbon
World is still not wholly “natural.” Because of the dioxide and methane (all common byproducts of a
vast environmental damage caused by the Final post-industrial society), humanity has the capability
Wars, the climate and the terrain it supports are to slowly turn the thermostat up.
very different from the Earth which once was.

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GAMMA WORLD GAME MASTER’S GUIDE

As the temperature of the surface increases, that preferentially block surface radiation from
water which was trapped in the polar ice caps is escaping, larger, solid molecules screen solar
freed into the water cycle. Not only does this raise radiation from even entering the atmosphere.
sea level, it generally increases the saturation level Eventually, under these conditions, the skies turn
of surface air. Coastal regions are buffeted with grey and the air grows cold as the Earth settles into
storms that are wetter and stronger than they used a long winter.
to be, while inhabitants watch as the oceans slowly
encroach on the ruins of the old cities. Topography The lowering of temperatures across the globe
and landforms also have an increased effect on causes a twofold increase in both the polar ice sheet
weather systems, as the more heavily laden clouds and independent glaciers, because each winter’s
eagerly relinquish their water in the form of rain snowfall melts off incompletely the following
and snow. Thus, areas on the windward side of a summer. This ice slowly accumulates year after year,
mountain range see seasonal flooding and increased starting from the higher latitudes and altitudes,
storms, while those on the leeward side slowly turn spreading down and towards the equator. These
into desert. changes are usually gradual, taking hundreds or
thousands of years to become firmly established. At
A general increase in the mean temperature the time of most Gamma World games, the planet
doesn’t indicate that the world everywhere gets is somewhere in the middle of this process. Sizeable
warmer. Generally, as the air begins to get warmer ice sheets exist in arctic latitudes, and snow and
and wetter, weather patterns tend to become more cool temperatures prevail in places that are
varied. Areas that currently have rainy winters and currently accustomed to warm weather. In addition,
warm, dry summers might expect to see even cooler with less available water, most climates have a
winters and summer monsoons. Wet and temperate tendency to become more arid. Clouds carry less
areas like the British Isles or the Pacific Northwest water, rain becomes less frequent and storm fronts
will likely experience stormy summers and cold, dry can carry moisture farther inland. This causes more
winters. The interior plains of North America and equalization in precipitation levels, with once-
Eurasia will inevitably encounter rising verdant regions becoming more arid and deserts
temperatures and face desertification. turning at least somewhat lush.

In order to cope with the changes that global Communities facing an approaching ice age
warming might bring, communities would need to need to learn to cope with the cooler climate. The
pull away from the encroaching oceans. This would mild and short summers provide little time to
lock away some of the resources that a society procure and store the crops needed to feed people
otherwise might scavenge from the old cities. The and animals, while long and harsh winters require
new coastal regions will likely become lush, fertile changes in practically all aspects of a society with
areas, while previous “breadbaskets” will dry up into any but the most advanced technology to protect
deserts. Flooding becomes a serious problem that itself. Travel becomes more limited as well, as
might inhibit the development of an agrarian seasonal glaciers prevent passage during large
community if seasonal migrations away from the portions of the year. Overall, humanity is pushed
floodplains are necessary. Some areas that are into gradually shrinking areas of habitation, and
currently desert, like the Great Basin in North conflicts easily arise due to dwindling land and
America, may become so arid and hot as to be resources.
completely inhospitable. Other deserts, such as the
Arabian Peninsula, may become more fertile from Following the Final Wars, several different sorts
the increased rainfall. of calamities could trigger an ice age. With the
proliferation of nuclear armaments and kinetic
ICE AGES weapons flung from orbit, a lot of matter was kicked
into the planet’s atmosphere. If the Earth were to
Ice ages can occur naturally when the mean enter a period of intense volcanic activity, perhaps
temperature of the Earth begins to drop. An ice caused by planetary recoil from the onslaught of
age can also be caused artificially by introducing the Final Wars, this too would add megatons of
large particulates into the atmosphere. Where particulates into the atmosphere. Though
global warming requires small, gaseous molecules eventually this accumulated dust, dirt and debris

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would settle back to the surface, if the period of PUTTING IT ALL TOGETHER:
cooling lasted long enough the ice age would SMASHING THE
become self-sustaining: As the amount of ice
covering the globe increases, more sunlight is ATLANTIC CONVEYOR
reflected back into space without heating the
planet. The Atlantic Conveyor is a river of water
moving through the North Atlantic, up the Gulf
WEATHER SYSTEMS Stream, across to the British Isles, and then down
the west coast of Europe. Because it brings warm
Weather patterns rely heavily on heat tropical water to North America and Northern
transportation, much of which is done by ocean Europe, the Atlantic Conveyor is responsible for
currents. Alterations in the mean surface the moderate climate in the North Atlantic. Like
temperature of the planet can cause great changes most ocean currents, the Atlantic Conveyor
in the water levels of the oceans, which in turn depends on the upwelling of cold, deep ocean water
eventually change weather patterns. Transitory and is very sensitive to surface temperature and sea
climactic events like El Niño and La Niña are water density.
merely caused by changes in ocean temperature;
besides the devastation these storms produce, they Global warming could spell disaster for the
also temporarily shift ocean currents. In the Gamma Atlantic Conveyor. The sizeable melting of
Age, any long-term changes in the global climate polar ice and northern glacier runoff would add
will have larger and more lasting effects on the a large amount of less dense freshwater to the
Earth’s weather. North Atlantic. If this reduced the seawater’s
surface density to a certain critical level, the
Global warming increases the amount of liquid upwelling would stop and the conveyor would
water, especially near the poles. The temperature shut off. The Atlantic Conveyor is the primary
of the world’s oceans is also higher. These effects means of energy transport from the equator to
combine to draw the storm tracks (the paths taken higher latitudes; without it, the climate of North
by major hurricanes, typhoons and tropical storms), America and Northern Europe would cool
towards the equator. Storms that once blew through dramatically.
the Pacific Northwest would now move through
Southern California. The storms would be stronger, The net effect of this would be a warming
too, driven by warmer, wetter, mid-latitude air trend in the Pacific, causing harsher and wetter
masses. The final effect is the outright reversal of storms on the Pacific Rim. Substantial cooling
standard weather: Areas that were once wet or and accumulation of ice would occur in the
stormy become mild, while temperate locales suffer northern reaches of the Atlantic. Ice sheets
much wetter, stormy weather. could flow as far south as the Great Lakes,
Iceland and Scandinavia. Seasonal ice floes
Cooling, on the other hand, locks much of the would bridge the English Channel and clog the
available water away in ice sheets, and the water Potomac, while the Baltic Sea and Hudson Bay
that remains in the oceans is all cooler. This makes would be permanently frozen over. This would
the northern and southern storm tracks more also cause the polar ice sheet to slip south, no
erratic. In general, during an ice age, storms become longer covering the pole, as ice builds in the
more frequent and more unpredictable, more likely Atlantic and recedes in the Pacific. And all of
to go someplace they wouldn’t normally and more these peculiar changes would have occurred
likely to suddenly rise or fall in strength. Prevailing from just the disruption of the Atlantic
weather patterns tend to become more intense: Conveyor. With this in mind, it becomes easy
Places with harsh winters would have it even worse, to see how global temperature changes affect
but places with mild winters would encounter even not just how warm or cold it is outside. A
warmer weather. Thus, as the world moves further community living almost anywhere in the world
into an ice age, some areas can potentially find could potentially have its entire culture affected
themselves suffering less from the cold of winter by the ramifications of global temperature
than from the unlivable heat of the summer changes initiated somewhere far away.
months.

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GEOPHYSICAL CHANGES While fracture zones are easy to avoid,
volcanoes present a more widespread threat. In the
The ground that we see every day is simply a aftermath of the Final Wars, fire erupted into the
thin, solid shell resting on top of a sea of rock that sky as nearly all of the planet’s previously dormant
varies from semi-molten to liquid. The crust is volcanoes surged into activity. The resulting
actually a fractured tapestry of plates that slide symphony of flame and ash cloaked the sky in
around, colliding with, pulling away from or sliding darkness. Cities near these volcanoes were either
under one another. These constant movements buried in lava or, more likely, swept beneath a
create earthquakes and volcanoes along with more torrent of ash, Earth, and melted glacier water.
subtle phenomena like geo-electrical discharges. Within weeks, many cities simply disappeared; most
of these remain undiscovered and unexplored,
The Earth naturally goes through cycles of waiting for someone to put the right clues together.
tectonic activity and inactivity. Of course, these The Gamma Age has been an epoch of volcano
phases are measured in millennia as opposed to making, specifically in tectonically active regions.
months or years; the geological clock runs very, very Communities too near these regions are often forced
slowly in comparison to human experience. The to flee, and some take up a permanent nomadic
massive weapons of the Final War interrupted the existence. Proximity to volcanic regions isn’t
natural cycle, however, kick-starting a period of entirely a curse: These nomads often have access
greater-than-usual tectonic activity that could last to prime mineral resources that escape from deep
for centuries. It will be many generations before within the Earth. They also spend much of their
the land returns to its usual quiet. time searching for signs of the cities that were buried
by a volcano’s fitful waking. The relics from these
TECTONICS AND places are often quite well preserved, and often it is
VOLCANIC ACTIVITY the local nomadic inhabitants who first find them.

Solidity and stability are simply illusions MAGNETIC POLE REVERSAL
depending on the slowness of the Earth’s internal
movements. The eons before the Final Wars were Periodically and inexplicably the magnetic field
an epoch of quiescence, and only occasionally did of the Earth switches polarity. This has occurred
the Earth remind its surface inhabitants of the fury hundreds of times in geological history, every half-
that lay beneath. When this happened, even the million years or so. It is known that the source of
final advances of human technology couldn’t the Earth’s magnetic field lies deep in its interior
prevent disaster, they could only predict its arrival. structure, and the cause of these shifts likely lies
Since the Final Wars, the Earth has entered an here as well. The Earth is currently overdue for one
increasingly active phase, and its inhabitants are of these polarity flips; perhaps the trauma of the
ill prepared to deal with the results of this activity. Final Wars would be enough to precipitate another
such reversal.
Where large kinetic weapons struck the Earth
there are fracture zones, areas where the crust is weak Unfortunately for people living in the midst of a
and splintered. These locations are craggy and reversal, it’s a little more traumatic than flipping the
treacherous, making travel in or out difficult. N and S stickers on a compass. As the Earth prepares
Earthquakes are also more common in these spots, itself for pole reversal, there is a steady decline in the
as is the venting of gasses or water. The gasses are strength of the magnetic field. For fifty to one hundred
often toxic and can easily kill the unwary. While years, the Earth’s magnetic field wanes to a minimum,
most individuals wisely avoid these danger zones, remains weak for up to a decade, and then builds with
there is a real incentive to brave the hazards and reverse polarity over another fifty to one hundred
enter these locations of high tectonic activity. After years. While at a minimum, the magnetic field
all, cities that fell victim to these sorts of high-impact becomes extremely erratic, causing large relative
attacks in the Final Wars are often prize scavenging differences in field strength. Isolated local poles of
sites. Even if the surrounding damage makes these relatively powerful magnetic field strength drift across
areas difficult to reach, there will always be a few the planet’s surface for anywhere from weeks to years,
adventurous — or foolhardy — individuals who go and then disappear.
where the very Earth itself is a danger.

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WANDERING polar aurora. As the field drops, however, fewer and
MAGNETIC POLES fewer particles are caught, instead falling to the
Earth, causing damage to creatures living there.
These are areas where the magnetic field is
much stronger than usual. They can be any Losing a large fraction of the Earth’s magnetic
shape, though ellipses are most common, and field causes serious complications to life on the
they usually cover from 1 to 10 square miles. planet. Creatures living in such conditions are
Larger areas of magnetic intensity do form, but constantly bombarded by the high-energy radiation
less often, and usually near active fault lines on that causes mutation, cancer or worse. Of course,
the sea floor. Wandering poles stay in one place though the magnetic field is the first line of defense,
for anywhere from an hour to several weeks, it isn’t the only protection. Atmospheric
and then drift, usually at several miles per hour. constituents such as ozone still absorb some of this
Speeds of more than 1–2 miles per day are radiation. A high density of atmospheric
extremely rare. These areas dissipate within as particulates, though cooling the planet as described
little as a year after their formation, or as much above, also absorbs more radiation. Physical
as several decades later. They are most easily shielding set over communities will also block this
recognized by the beautiful, complex auroras danger. However, without some sort of protection,
that form over them most nights. living on the surface becomes very risky.

An intense magnetic field can cause Characters who live in areas with few or none
headaches, dizziness and even hallucinations. of the above protections are considered to be
Characters who enter or leave one of these continuously exposed to mutagenic effects. GMs
areas must make a Fortitude save against DC should evaluate the effective level of background
13 or become dazed for 1d4 rounds as they radiation in the settings of their games. If
adjust (see d20 Modern, Chapter 5: Combat, background radiation is present in any significant
“Injury and Death,” Character Condition amount, every time a character gains a level she
Summary). Magnetic fields that persist in one must make a Fortitude save against the DC given
area for more than a few years attract on the table below or gain a mutation as if she were
visionaries and pilgrims interested in the affected by weak radiation. Mutants, who already
visions and wonder of it all. In addition, the must check every level for mutations, do not roll
fluctuating magnetic field can induce twice; they make only one roll against the DC listed
unwanted currents in electronic devices. Any for mutants in the table below.
objects that rely on electronics suffer damage
to their circuitry when they are taken into an Intensity Save DC Mutant Save DC
intense magnetic field and need to be repaired Minor 5 7
before they will function properly. Synthetics Moderate 8 10
who enter or leave these locations take 2d6 Significant 12 14
points of damage each time (that is, 2d6 points Strong 15 17
of damage on entering and 2d6 points of
damage on leaving). A successful Fortitude ANTHROPOGENIC
save (DC 15) reduces this damage by half. CHANGES

In general, the diminished magnetic field leaves Prior to the Final Wars, scientists carefully
the Earth’s surface vulnerable to high energy engineered the planet to be lush and verdant.
radiation coming from space. During periods of Technology skillfully controlled many aspects of
normal strength, the Earth’s magnetic field serves the environment to suit the needs of humankind.
as the first line of defense from cosmic rays and the Plants were genetically engineered to process the
solar wind. These particles from space are caught harmful byproducts of industry and release needed
by the field and directed towards the poles, lighting gasses like oxygen, hydrogen or water. Small swarms
gasses high up in the atmosphere and causing the of nanotech were sent into the skies and seas in

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order to control ocean currents and redirect storms. tempers ambient radiation, most of these sites have
The Pre-War environment was carefully tended, a low level “glow” that will take centuries to fully
first by humans, and later by AIs. remove. There are some places, primarily near old
power installations or deep in the hearts of cities,
When the Final Wars came, the caretakers were that still glow nearly as hot as they did in the
destroyed and the technology left without controls. months following the Final Wars. Since these
The rain of fission weapons left large swaths of the dangerous locales are close to needed tech, there is
Earth scorched and irradiated. The sentient a likelihood that some individuals will be exposed
computers that controlled the city systems were to this radiation while pillaging the affected areas.
crippled or destroyed by the attack. Of course, in
some places, technology soldiered on, simply NANOTECH
following the last orders given to it. In other
locations, damaged AIs gave new orders and put Nanounits were introduced in large numbers
the abandoned technology to new uses. to control and contain the negative effects of
humanity’s presence on the environment. These
RADIATION AND “HOT” SPOTS swarms were a powerful tool when carefully
managed. The onslaught of the Final Wars removed
The arsenals of the old world contained a wide many of the controls and limits set on the swarms,
variety of weapons that harnessed the power of the however, and nanounits are now an almost
atom. These weapons ranged from grenade-sized ubiquitous part of the Gamma World environment.
mini-nukes that could level a building to huge
bombs that could flatten hundreds of square miles. Nanotech represents a way to inflict arbitrary
During the Final Wars, most of this arsenal was changes on the environment, on the local scale,
unleashed on targets spread across the face of the with little effect on the global ecosystem. Nanounits
Earth. In those places hardest hit, the Earth literally were programmed to perform myriad functions, are
glowed with the residual radiation of the attacks. often capable of self-replicating, and in many cases
were adaptable enough to deviate from their
In time the landscape slowly cooled. Life original functions. Nanounits performed many
adapted and took hold over the scorched remains services: Some purified pollutants out of the
of the blast sites. Though the passage of time

RADIATION EXPOSURE

“Hot” spots, areas of strong ambient radiation, FX, “Cellular Transformation,” Mutation). Any
are a common hazard in the Gamma World. There mutations that are received from exposure typically
are four levels of radiation exposure: weak, develop over the next 1d4 days, though change
moderate, strong and intense. When a character is might be accelerated or postponed at the GM’s
exposed to an area of radiation, he initially must discretion. In addition, characters exposed to
make a Fortitude save to resist the mutagenic effects radiation run the risk of radiation poisoning. This
of the radiation (see GW PHB, Chapter Three: is treated like a disease with the following properties:

Intensity Type (Fort Save DC) Incubation Period Initial Damage Secondary Damage

Weak Contact (DC 5)/ 2d4 days 1 Con 1d3 Con*

Ingested (DC 8)

Moderate Contact (DC 10)/ 1d6 days 1 Con 1d3 Con*

Ingested (DC 13)

Strong Contact (DC 15)/ 1d4 days 1d2 Con 1d3 Con*

Ingested (DC 18)

Intense Contact (DC 20)/ 1d3 days 1d3 Con 1d3 Con*

Ingested (DC 23)

*If secondary ability damage is sustained, the character must make a second saving throw against the same DC to

avoid the permanent loss of 1 point of Constitution. Successful use of the Treat Injury skill can lower save DCs as

described in GW PHB, Chapter Two: Characters, “Skills,” Treat Injury.

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atmosphere or waterways; others added or removed the hemispherical screen of nanounits. These
moisture from the air, in order to induce or prevent creatures may even be able to zoom in on specific
rain and storms; some were released into ocean regions if they are properly controlled. If not, the
currents to either heat or cool the water, in an nanounits might randomly zoom or switch
attempt to divert storms from coastlines. Not all perspectives from time to time. Visitors to this place
nanounits were intended for beneficial purposes, would find fascinating visions in the sky above the
however. Some organizations sent nanounits to ruin mesa.
an enemy’s climate or ecology. Others were then
developed to prevent this ecological sabotage. • Oasis: A swarm of nanounits hover around
a section of desert. Some travel the desert,
Three generations later, many colonies of concentrating water vapor into a particular region.
nanounits have either been intentionally Others reflect heat from the surrounding desert
reprogrammed or their functions have naturally away from the oasis. This area, likely smaller than
evolved. Thus, clouds of nanotech can be found a square mile, is a considerable boon to desert
performing just about any function. Since they are travelers. The temperature is kept cool and rain is
invisible, (or, at most, barely perceptible as a high mild and frequent, creating inviting pools of
pitched hum or a shimmering cloud) the effects of drinkable water. Plants, including some that are
nanotech are considered almost magical by the edible, are prevalent and help regulate the
communities of the Gamma Age. Examples of some ecosystem. Finding an oasis is a welcome relief from
of the environmental effects caused by nanounits the rigors of desert travel; however, controlling
include: access to such a place would be of obvious benefit
to any community, so not all oases will be without
• Aerie: Perched high upon a mesa, perhaps protection.
around the ruins of an old Pre-War outpost, a
hemispherical dome of nanounits surrounds a • Underwater Highway: This colony is
plateau. These nanounits serve to reflect any visible localized in a cylinder that winds its way through
light they receive from outside the area towards the some large body of water. Through chemical
top of the mesa. Inside the area, a person can see in reactions, the nanounits enrich the oxygen levels in
all directions, even directly below the plateau, on the water, making it breathable — though not

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necessarily comfortably so — by air breathing the related ash, for instance, might drive a detail-
creatures. This highway drifts somewhat with oriented atmospheric cleaning unit quite
changing currents, and might even emit light near thoroughly berserk, if its programmers didn’t take
the surface to alert travelers to its location. Trying that kind of extreme case into consideration.) Now
to travel the highway might require a leap of faith, the few surviving communities are the playthings
however, as there are no assurances that the highway of deranged and corrupted sentient computers. Any
is completely functional along its entire length. and all environmental effects can occur within the
confines of these cities. The inhabitants might live
ENVIRONMENTAL SHIELDING in perpetual darkness, ever-present light or
unending gloom. The city might suffer from terrible
In many areas, humanity controlled the local storms; or it might be a garden environment, a small
environment by isolating it from its surroundings. piece of the world before that has survived to the
Huge domes grew over many cities, with AIs present day.
installed to monitor and regulate the community’s
weather. These systems collected water and air from Often these areas are rich sources of old tech,
the surrounding ecosystem and light from the sun if an intruder can survive the environmental
and distributed these to the inhabitants of the city defenses of a sentience who might not appreciate
according to the programming of the controlling being looted. In addition, because of the relative
system. For these cities, temperature and rainfall seclusion, a number of creatures have been known
were regulated, damaging storms were non-existent to use these locations as lairs — or even to establish
and seasonal changes occurred more for ambience thriving communities. Pure-strain humans can
than because of any necessity. often be found living in isolation in the less
inclement dome cities. Thus, a scavenger not only
Many of these facilities were targets in the Final has to face the dangers of the computer-controlled
Wars. Even those that survived were operated by environment, but also deal with those creatures who
AIs that were either damaged or driven insane by consider such places home.
wars and their aftermath. (Years of vulcanism and

FAITHS, PHILOSOPHIES
AND PATHS TO POWER

Life in the Gamma Age isn’t easy, and most at character creation, but the GM should have a
sentient creatures seek solace with those who share close hand in allowing oppositional allegiances
their conceptions as well as physical safety in within the group of characters. Certain allegiances
numbers. Many different beliefs and philosophies do not work well with one another, and you are
try to explain the world and why it is in such a sad well within rights to disallow certain allegiances
state of affairs — and many of these disparate from a game.
ideologies find solace by blaming others for their
plight. It is no surprise that the organizations of Each of these groups have certain benefits and
the current age are a fractious and divisive lot; limitations that come with allegiance to the
hostilities are common and bloody, alternating long organization. Often these are bonuses or penalties
periods of tension with short bursts of aggression. on certain skill rolls, an increase to the character’s
Wealth bonus, Reputation bonuses or penalties, or
When designing a community, the GM should modified nonplayer character (NPC) attitudes (see
decide what organizations are active (and thus good the d20 Modern, Chapter 2: Skills, “Skill
candidates for the player characters’ [PCs’] Descriptions,” Diplomacy).
allegiances), which are covert, and which don’t
exist at all in this campaign (or at least not Of course, each of these organizations also offers
anywhere in the characters’ region). Any of the roleplaying benefits and limitations. Each
following organizations are acceptable allegiances organization represents a group of like-minded
individuals united by a common belief. As such,

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they introduce a group of NPCs on whom the synthetics in order to build networks to help loosen
character can rely to some extent. In addition, these the shackles of tyranny.
NPCs also rely on the character: A character who
fails the expectations of the organization runs the Because of their tenets, the Brothers tend to
risk of losing the benefits of that allegiance; with be an independent lot. There is little overall
some groups, there is even the possibility of serious leadership in the group and individual members are
retaliation. Allegiances are a two-way street — the free to do what they think is best. Usually, members
full extent of these obligations and benefits is up to work and live in a community, sharing their views
the GM, but it should always be made clear that with friends and allies. Only when word spreads of
belonging to an organization is more than just a great injustice do the Brothers organize a relief
receiving bonuses to certain rolls. effort. Otherwise they simply try to live the tenets
of the Brotherhood and serve as an example to
BROTHERHOOD others.
OF THOUGHT
Oftentimes their path is a difficult one to
All of the myriad creatures fight the same battle to follow. Personal choice taken to extreme must allow
achieve a state of higher self. We need not fight one for violence, and the surest path to non-violence is
another to do this. through tyranny. Brothers feel that ideal peace can
only be truly attained through proper personal
HISTORY freedom and so individual members strive for a
balance between freedom and peace. The struggle
According to the historical myths of the more is an internal one, and it is believed that true
learned members of this group, the origins of the progress occurs only when an individual reconciles
Brotherhood of Thought can be found among the these two extremes.
ashes of the Final Wars. The originator was a
survivor of that war and a philosopher in life. He INFLUENCE
saw in the ruins a clean slate upon which to build
an ideal society based on the tenets of personal Brothers are a diverse lot and have a broad base
freedom and peaceful relations. Over the last few of resources that can be drawn upon. As befits their
generations, this philosophy has slowly trickled philosophy, the influence of the sect is strongly
through the remnants of the civilized races. personal. Brothers are generally well regarded,
especially by those who they have aided in struggles
In actuality, there has been little record of any for liberty or other basic rights. Brothers often come
activity by this sect prior to the last fifty years. into conflict with the Knights of Genetic Purity,
According to the Brothers, this is easily explained: the Ranks of the Fit and the Created. However, in
Proselytizing runs contrary to their core beliefs, and most areas Brothers are well received. This is very
most Brothers follow very individual goals without important as it allows members to easily establish
a real unifying structure to the group. In the last themselves into a new community.
few years, however, there has been a steady increase
in the number of members — including plenty of Benefits
Sisters who have joined the ranks. It is thought that
this growth is in reaction to the swelling populations Brothers are generally accepted, even in the
of more militaristic groups. insular societies of the Gamma Age. People
generally have a friendly attitude toward a Brother
BELIEFS if he is recognized as such. This doesn’t apply in
communities run by organizations frequently
Brothers believe that personal freedom is the opposed by the Brotherhood of Thought. In
fundamental right of all sentient creatures. They addition, if a Brother spends an action point on a
have a general vision of a utopia where all creatures roll while he is pursuing a goal that upholds the
can live peacefully with one another, and they tenets of the sect, that roll gains the maximum
believe this can only be built by fostering personal bonus of +6.
choice. They become most active when they feel
this right is being taken away. Brothers often Limitations
congregate in those places that oppress mutants or
Brothers must first attempt to achieve their
goals through non-violent means. The tenets of the

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sect are difficult to uphold; and though much The current state of things was caused by human
latitude is given in the expression of those beliefs, self-indulgence, and while human civilizations
if a Brother blatantly transgresses he loses the crumbled in the wake of the Final Wars, AIs
benefits of this allegiance. continued to run and androids continued to work
as usual. Those programmed with sentience noticed
THE CREATED the changing world and adapted. Though humans
have survived, it is obviously no longer their time.
Humans are a passing relic of the old age; we are The Created see this as the time of their
the heralds of the new one. ascendance.

HISTORY The Created search out old ruins in order to
find and restore the AIs that once controlled city
God created humans in His own image. operations. They act as eyes and ears for these
Humanity toppled god and became divine with the mammoth creations, and are in the process of
creation of sentient organisms. Humanity created setting up a stable communication network among
synthetic organisms in Its own image. In turn, these cities. These AIs, in turn, direct the Created
Humanity was then expelled from power. This is in how best to rebuild civilization. The Created also
the natural order of things. control several repair and manufacturing facilities
that date back to the time before the Final Wars.
While man writhed and withered in the broken The Created are among the most proficient with
land of his creation, synthetics survived. Our the technology of the last age, and use this
greatest minds, created to watch over entire cities, knowledge to weaken the biological races.
saw the ruined wreck that is man and wondered.
Among the Created, cyborgs are the most
BELIEFS insidious. Since they can pass as human, they often
operate alone in a community and use their skills
The Created are a secret organization
comprising only synthetic creations. They believe
themselves to be the rightful heirs of the world.

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with advanced technology to benefit the other ordered state. It was inevitable for nature to balance
inhabitants, becoming quite respected and needed the scales.
in these communities. In such a position it is easy
for a cyborg to both pass along the Created’s The Entropic Brotherhood has existed for some
philosophy and assume considerable control over a time, but its members are rarely organized.
population. It isn’t uncommon for communities Originally composed of nihilistic scientists and
infiltrated in this manner to worship the cyborg as philosophers, the founders of the organization were
a divine emissary. It is unknown how many such among the marginalized in the last age. They were
“adherents” the Created have at their disposal. the doomsayers and revolutionaries that rejected
the structure that existed all around them. Even
INFLUENCE more individualistic than the Brotherhood of
Thought, Entropists are the least structured
The Created’s strongest asset is their access to organization now present in the Gamma Age. Most
a wide variety of advanced technology. They have Entropists operate individually in their
at their disposal several cities full of technological communities, covertly sabotaging vital
wonders. They are more than willing to sell the infrastructure in an attempt to fight against the
least of these marvels to biological organisms for human tendency to create structure.
other goods they need. In addition, they use their
mechanical wonders to strike awe in primitive and In recent times, a more militant branch of the
struggling communities in an effort to create more Entropic Brotherhood has emerged. Called the “Red
worshippers… and thus gain more power and Death,” this group seeks to finish the job the Final
influence. Wars started, to wipe the slate clean and begin anew.
The Red Death will sweep through a community,
Benefits killing the adults, abducting the children and razing
the structures. They will then stay near the town,
The Created have access to a wide variety of consuming the surviving resources and training the
Pre-War technology. In a Created enclave, the children in their ways. When the land around the
purchase DC for advanced or Pre-War equipment ruins has been exhausted, they move on to the next
is reduced by –2 for members. In addition, synthetics town to repeat the process.
do not need to pay for daily repairs as long as they
are being treated in a Created facility. BELIEFS

Limitations In general, Entropists believe that Nature works
to bring about disorder. The Final Wars happened
Created are very fatalistic when it comes to the because humanity forgot that. They see the world
goals of the organization. Any one member can be now trying to reorganize itself and this terrifies
sacrificed for the good of the group. This belief them. After all, what horrors will be unleashed the
doesn’t permit any other allegiances other than to next time around? They work covertly in their
the Created. If the character wishes to go against a communities, creating a little chaos so Nature does
directive issued by one of the controlling AIs, it not need to step in with another apocalypse.
must succeed in a DC 30 Will save as if this Entropists encourage creativity in their acts, and
allegiance were one of its innate allegiances. spend as much time listening to the deeds of other
Entropists as they do planning their own actions.
THE ENTROPIC Much renown can be gained in the organization
BROTHERHOOD for particularly clever operations.

Nature abhors order. Some entropists are even more nihilistic. Often
these individuals work closely with the Red Death
HISTORY or are members of the sub-sect. They believe that
the time of humanity is over, and they do what they
The Final Wars were the inevitable product of can to end sentient lives where they can find them.
humanity’s flagrant disregard for the laws of nature. Some work together (like the Red Death), though
For every process in nature, entropy inexorably most work independently. The latter are perhaps
increases to a maximum. Entropy: the measure of the most insidious threats in the Gamma Age.
disorder in a system, the lack of information
regarding a system, the amount of randomness in a
system. Civilization in the last age was in a highly

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INFLUENCE secret. If a character is known to be an Entropist,
most people he interacts with are unfriendly. The
Entropists rarely work closely with one another Red Death, however, makes no real attempt at
and thus do not often share resources. Occasionally secrecy and most who meet them are immediately
a pressing need (such as an attempt to reactivate hostile.
an old city) might draw several Entropists together
to sabotage the recovery efforts. Entropists tend to FOLLOWER OF THE WAY
be well educated and bring with them a lot of
knowledge and resources from their personal lives. This land is a land of spirits, and in the wisdom of
In the few occasions when these resources are these spirits lies the path to truth.
pooled, much can, and is, accomplished.
HISTORY
Benefits
It is unclear when this faith actually became a
Entropists learn a great number of impromptu codified dogma. Followers of the Way are common
sabotage techniques. Many choose to specialize in skills in nomadic tribes that eschew the ruins of the old
such as Disable Device or Demolition. However, all civilization. They agree that in visions induced by
Entropists can use certain skills that pertain to sabotage near-death experiences, ritual ordeals or the
untrained. These skills include Craft (chemical, consumption of specially prepared herbs, they see
electronic or mechanical), Demolition and Disable the First Shaman, a figure from before the Wars
Device. Other skills might be appropriate depending who teaches his (or her) successors the basics of
on the situation (and with the GM’s approval). Using their craft. Outsiders argue about how much and
any of these skills untrained requires the expenditure what sort of validity there is in these claims; the
of an action point: This represents uncanny skill fueled Shamans simply go about their work.
by belief in a cause, not extensive training.
BELIEFS
Limitations
Shamans believe that the Final War awakened
Few people appreciate the actions of Entropists, the dormant spirits living in the land. These spirits
and thus their membership is a closely guarded

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were angry with the humans that scarred the land’s Limitations
surface. In their rage, they sent famine, disease,
droughts and mutations upon the survivors. In time, Shamans view the technology of the Old World
the spirits’ vengeance waned and the spirits of the as insulting to the spirits. Thus, a shaman may not
land set about rebuilding the Earth. These spirits possess any technology more advanced than archaic
blessed those who worked with the land, but grew (with the exception of her personal nanites). If she
angry at those people who didn’t learn the lessons of is ever forced to visit one of the ruins of the Old
the Old World. The spirits protected the ruins of World, she loses all benefits of this allegiance until
the Old World by creating areas that would kill or she can placate the spirit world (perhaps by
mutate among the ruins. The wise avoid these places. destroying an item of technology, or some other
sacrifice that the GM deems appropriate); also, she
Shamans typically live among nomadic tribal is unable to use action points while in this
people, educating them in the ways of the spirits. environment.
Shamans can occasionally be found in more
sedentary communities, and tend to serve as KNIGHTS OF
spokespeople for the wild places that lie outside the GENETIC PURITY
city walls. Shamans have a wide variety of rituals
they use to appease the spirits that wander outside The abominations of the world anger the Great
their homes. These spirits are made manifest in the Father. It is our duty to remove them from His glorious
vast array of sentient creatures that inhabit the wild sight.
lands of the Gamma Age. Shamans work to keep
their tribes abiding by the ways of the spirits and HISTORY
oppose actions that offend the spirits.
The age before this one was a blissful time,
Primary among these taboos is visiting the ruins where humanity was gifted with all the blessings of
of the Old World. Other taboos exist, often based Gaia and the Great Father. Humans used these
on a Shaman’s personal interaction with the spirit blessings to ease their existences, enjoying the
world. comforts that befitted their place at the pinnacle
of the Earthly hierarchy. The people grew lazy,
INFLUENCE however, and wasted the bounty the gods had given
them. They took the natural creatures of Gaia and
Shamans tend to be wise and respected twisted them into abominations to serve humans.
members of their communities. In many areas, few The Great Father became displeased.
warlords act before receiving advice from one who
understands the Way. Because of their The Lord and Lady threw humanity from its
understanding of the natural world, shamans are zenith and rent the world asunder. The twisted
also well liked by the tribal creatures that prowl creatures who once served were sent out from the
the wilderness. Generally, the Followers of the Way cities, and they built wicked parodies of civilization.
have few coherent beliefs except for rejection of The fallen humans were sent out into the
the tools of the Old World. hinterlands, and the Great Father made the cities
inhospitable. Where once we basked in the light
Benefits of heaven, we are now forced to cower in the cold
and fear that is this new world. Eventually one rose
A character can become a shaman only after up and realized what was needed to right the wrong
an indoctrination period spent with another that created our present misery: Humanity must
shaman. This process is usually highly ritualized and purge the world of the misshapen things that we
requires consuming various hallucinogens. Shamans created.
are well versed in rituals of acceptance, and tribal
people are considered friendly when meeting a We have now grown strong. We have recovered
shaman who performs the appropriate ritual. In some scant few of our old tools and we have declared
addition, Followers of the Way often attract war on the abominations we created. We are found
personal nanotech. A shaman may take the in every city that seeks a return to the grace of our
Nanotech Attunement feat even if she doesn’t have Mother and the might of our Father. Everywhere a
the requisite ability scores. mutant finds a hole to hide in, we are right behind.

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BELIEFS Limitations

Purists believe that it was the mass creation of Purists are often rightfully loathed by everyone
new species that precipitated the Final Wars and the other than pure-strain humans. If a Purist makes
fall of civilization. They believe that these new obvious his allegiance, stock humans are considered
creatures angered their god and goddess, and only unfriendly while mutants are considered hostile.
the purging of these creatures will restore the world These reactions do not apply if the Purist isn’t overt
to its previous greatness. The Knights of Genetic about his allegiance. In addition, Purists suffer a –2
Purity see themselves fighting a crusade against all circumstance penalty on any Charisma-based skill
mutated creatures. This battle takes form checks when dealing with mutants.
predominately against those creatures that resemble
humans. The reason for this is twofold. Purists ORDER OF THE
consider those who are most nearly human to be SEARING LIGHT
particularly offensive to their gods because of the
cherished position of humanity in Purist mythology. The Creator wiped human civilization from the face
The more practical reason is that good catalogues of of the world to create a new one. We are the inheritors
Pre-War fauna are difficult to come by, and it is often of this new world.
hard to tell which species are naturally evolved and
which have been mutated by artificial sources. HISTORY

INFLUENCE In the beginning God cleansed the Earth with
a searing light. Those who dwelt in the Sodoms
The Knights of Genetic Purity are an old and Gomorrahs of the last age were purged by His
organization with connections in many towns. holy light. And so He looked down at His failed
Purists have particularly close affiliations with many creation and smiled. He passed His great hand over
pure-strain communities, and a few of these are the face of the world, and from the ruins of these
openly run by the Knights. The greatest wretched creatures sprang new hope. A multitude
achievement of the Knights is the city of Bastion, spawned from the smoldering remains of the cities
built a generation ago using the accumulated of humanity. This is His gift to the second-born.
resources of the organization. Bastion serves as a And in this gift we were given another chance.
secure stronghold for the leadership and an effective
location from which to direct a crusade. For the Order of the Searing Light, the Final
Wars mark the beginning of a new era. In the brilliant
Purists can be found even outside the flash that heralded the end of the old civilization,
communities they control. These Knights act as the Order witnessed a genesis. Where one species
covert agents in forays against their enemy. They passed away, a myriad of new ones emerged to
typically pose as merchants or travelers and try to populate the ravaged Earth and to pay homage to
incite acts of violence and terror against mutants the one Creator. Even generations after this birthing
in the communities they visit. These clandestine process, the glow still remains in the hearts of the
Purists can be the most dangerous and subtle wretched cities. It is here the Order comes, to
weapons the Knights have at their disposal. commune with the once-searing light of creation.

Benefits BELIEFS

Joining the Knights of Genetic Purity grants the The transmogrifying effects of radiation are a
character an immediate +4 increase to his Wealth sacred link to the Primal Fire that once scoured
bonus. This represents the increased resources the the Earth. Contrary to what scientists think, the
character can access through the Knights. In process of mutation is not a random act; it is
addition, because of the Knights’ knowledge of Pre- physiogenesis, it is the karmic gift from the Creator.
War technology, a character who has allegiance to It is an ecstatic experience of actualization of the
the Knights receives a +4 circumstance bonus on all true self. It is sacred.
Knowledge (technology: Pre-War) and Knowledge
(technology: advanced) rolls made to investigate The Order searches out those places where the
strange technology. This bonus only applies in a Primal Fire still glows. It is there where they believe
facility owned by the Knights. they can find transcendence. They build shrines and
monasteries in order to shelter pilgrims who visit

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these locations. They also serve as guides to lead the HISTORY
faithful to the sacred areas. Those who live
wholesome lives are then blessed by the creator with Nearly as soon as humanity recovered from
strange powers or augmented abilities. These holy the Final Wars, a group emerged that sought to
individuals return as sages and scholars who lend learn from the mistakes of the past. The founder
their wisdom to those less fortunate. Those who have of this organization was a scientist known as Jelai.
transgressed suffer physical blights in order to pay She was one of the first born, presumably a
off their karmic debt. These unfortunates are then newborn during the fallout of the Final Wars.
counseled, and from them members of the Order try While most people naturally avoided the ruined
to learn what displeases the Lord of the Primal Fire. cities that harbored foul radiation and strange
misshapen creatures, Jelai was among the first to
INFLUENCE organize expeditions to recover the secrets lost in
the Wars. These missions were fruitful. Even
The Order of the Searing Light has sizeable though the power of the items she discovered was
influence in the communities that lurk at the fringes reason enough for these expeditions, Jelai saw her
of the old ruins. Priests of the Order work within travels as valuable in themselves, for they gave
the lowest tier of society, as those individuals have her and her companions the opportunity to learn
the most to gain from the philosophy. Though from the mistakes of the past.
priests eschew the higher echelons of society, they
have great influence on the masses who populate Since then, scavengers and Architects have
the new cities. The Order is strongly hierarchical, often walked hand in hand. In every artifact a
with temples existing in most fringe communities. scavenger sees the potential for wealth, comfort and
They are not prominent in pure-strain thus a brighter personal future. So too the
communities, as their philosophy conflicts too Architects; but they see this better future being
strongly with the typical pure-strain mentality. given to everyone. They have recently redoubled
their efforts, and have their hands in the excavation
Benefits and recovery operations of sites all across the world.
Though many of them are paid well for their
Characters who belong to the Order of the expertise and knowledge, they see the future as their
Searing Light often put their bodies at risk of true employer; and the future they see is one of
mutation. However, they are also more likely to be hope. The previous Eden was built by the hands of
blessed by beneficial mutations. If a member of the humanity, and if the Restorationists have their way
Order succumbs to a mutagenic effect and must roll it will be rebuilt again.
a mutation, she may spend an action point to roll
again. She may choose to re-roll after it has been BELIEFS
determined whether the first roll gave a negative
or positive mutation. If she chooses to re-roll, she Restorationists work hard to recover the secrets
may not pick the more beneficial of the two rolls. of the previous age in order to restore society to its
She may only spend an action point to re-roll once previous height. They view the Final Wars as an
per exposure to a given mutagen. example and a lesson, but a lesson well learned.
They see the interim time as a step backward while
Limitations society recovers, in many ways similar to the interim
period between the fall of Rome and the
A character with allegiance to the Order of the Renaissance. In this regard, Restorationists are
Searing Light must not deny herself an opportunity architects of the new Renaissance.
for physiogenesis. In addition, because of the trials
she puts her body through, she is more susceptible Restorationists often grow frustrated with the
to mutagenic effects. She suffers a –2 penalty on all all-too-common opinion that the tools of the past
Fortitude saves regarding exposure to mutagens. age are dangerous and should not be trusted. They
This penalty never goes away, even if the character consider organizations like the Seekers to be
later abandons her allegiance to the Order. backward and standing in the way of societal
progression. Architects spend much of their energy
RESTORATIONISTS locating old power centers in order to understand
the Pre-War way of thinking. By studying the
We must learn from the past while we look forward
to the future.

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mistakes of the past, they firmly believe, the the larger ones generally have no more than three
previous pitfalls can be avoided. After all, if a man generations present. The Seeker path has traveled
stumbles, he doesn’t give up on walking. Similarly, slowly over the land as established towns adopt the
society should not turn its back on the generations philosophy, and new towns are created. It is thought
of knowledge the past offers. that no more than several dozen Seeker
communities currently exist, but few care to keep
INFLUENCE count.

Members of the Restorationists include the BELIEFS
expected scientists, architects and engineers, but
also include a large number of laborers, mercenaries, Seekers have turned their back on the gifts of
travelers and scavengers. Most cities near to old the past. According to their beliefs, the toys and
Pre-War facilities have at least a few Architects gadgets that were supposed to improve life were
among them. Architects are perhaps the most instead the instruments of humanity’s demise. A
common organization in the Gamma Age; they thriving society must learn to survive without the
have a wide array of allies and resources at their trappings of technology. Seekers build communities
disposal. Though generally Restorationists avoid that have nothing to do with the relics of the
threats and violence, they are not above the use of previous age. Water is from a well, butter is churned,
force to achieve their ends. and children read their books by candlelight after
it gets dark. Farmers plow the land with horses and
Benefits defend their land with muskets and cannons.

Restorationists have access to fairly complete Seekers generally view machinery with great
information about the previous age. They also have loathing. Occasionally, bands of villagers will lead
a good deal of advanced technology on hand. A raids to destroy the technology used by other
character who joins the Restorationists gains an communities. This zealous hatred doesn’t endear
immediate +4 increase to his Wealth bonus; as long other villages to their Seeker neighbors. Seekers
as he remains with this faction, he receives a +1 are antagonistic toward Archivists and
bonus on all Profession checks made to increase Restorationists, and more than willing to fight for
his Wealth bonus. In addition, Architects gain a their beliefs.
+2 bonus on all Knowledge rolls made while
investigating hardtech. A character only gains this INFLUENCE
bonus if he has access to an Architect facility.
Typically, Seekers control small communities
Limitations and villages. These places are very insular, and
Seekers have great influence in these locations.
Restorationists are expected to make efforts to Outside of Seeker towns, the order has very little
investigate rumors of caches of old technology or influence however.
ruins of the old civilization. An Architect who
hasn’t made headway in the exploration of the old Benefits
ways is highly criticized and faces expulsion. In
addition, Architects are expected to donate Seekers are well versed in surviving without
particularly interesting items to the organization even the sparse conveniences Pre-War tech can
for study. Though this is only suggested, those offer. Seekers are considered to have Handle
Architects who put their own greed above the goals Animal and Survival as class skills as long as they
of the Restorationists will be dealt with quickly and live the Seeker lifestyle.
harshly.
Limitations
SEEKERS
Seekers must avoid using any tech from the
A pure life is a life without the crutches of Industrial era or later. Electronics, internal
technology. combustion engines and weapons more advanced
than flintlocks are all taboo. If a Seeker willingly
HISTORY uses a proscribed item, he is put in a moral crisis.
Anytime she wishes to expend an action point
Seekers are a relatively recent phenomena. The while using such an item, she must expend 2 points
age of the oldest Seeker township isn’t clear, but in order to get the normal effect. Also, if her use of

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CHAPTER THREE: THE STATE OF THE WORLD

technology becomes known to other Seekers, she Benefits
will find swift punishment at the hands of her
community’s elders. Archivists have accumulated a wide variety of
lore regarding the operation of Pre-War technology.
THE SERVANTS Archivists receive a +2 circumstance bonus on
OF THE EYE Knowledge rolls made to investigate hardtech.

Where once the ground was rich, the field is now Limitations
barren.
Archivists have difficulties dealing with
HISTORY synthetics and soultech. An Archivist must make
any attempt possible to expel the dark spirit
Less than a generation ago, the traditions of inhabiting the sacred technology. Archivists suffer
the Archivists sprang up independently in several a –2 penalty on all Charisma-based skill checks
rural communities. Even with the apparent parallel when dealing with synthetics. They also suffer a –2
evolution of the faith, there are only cosmetic penalty on Knowledge checks made to investigate
differences between the practices of the different soultech.
communities. Archivists generally form
communities devoted to the worship of Pre-War SOCIETY FOR
technology, though a sizeable number of itinerant FREE TRADE
members wander in search of more holy relics.
Through commerce can all creatures be united.
BELIEFS
HISTORY
Archivists show great reverence for the artifacts
of the previous age. Not only are they useful tools A generation ago, in the mountain city of
in today’s harsh land, but they are treasures from Taynber, a scavenger by the name of Reescoh came
the sacred past. Archivists see artifacts as windows upon a trove of strange items. His find consisted of
into that blessed time and pay homage to them as fragments of paper and small, flexible rectangles.
holy relics. After doing a little research, Reescoh learned that
these items were traded in ancient days much as
Archivists tend to be simple folk, and they have his community traded eggs and wood. The
a simple hierarchy. Leadership is usually determined simplicity of this system was apparent, and Reescoh
by who has the most useful tool or impressive relic. returned to his home to tell his tale to the local
Archivists often send expeditions to retrieve merchants. These merchants, intrigued by the idea,
artifacts from local ruins. Most treasured are spread this information to the eastern lands. It was
synthetics and other forms of soultech. These are here, where the ruins and cities abound, that the
considered to be possessed, and are often Society of Free Trade began.
deactivated in a “ritual of purification” and then
used as altars or ritual implements. Though the Society of Free Trade began with
the idea of a simple scavenger, the vision was
INFLUENCE cultivated by the loose organization of merchants
who controlled trade along the cities of the eastern
Though there is no real formal organization to ocean. They formed an organization devoted to
the Servants of the Eye, the group does control a unifying trade, and building a framework for trade
large trove of advanced technology. Many of these in between the cities of the East.
relics have been dismantled or are not in good
working order. Archivists tend to form communities BELIEFS
that share the same belief — they don’t make any
active attempts to spread their faith. Surprisingly, The Society for Free Trade exists to restore a
many towns have independently begun regarding common economy and to foster trade among the
Pre-War technology with a religious reverence. disparate communities of the Gamma Age. This
These towns communicate intermittently; and loose group of merchants and travelers sees the
though there are regional differences, there are unifying nature of commerce, and spreads their
many similarities. beliefs to every city they visit. Tradesmen (and
women) believe that the lack of a common currency
inhibits trade among cities and increases hostility

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GAMMA WORLD GAME MASTER’S GUIDE

through the divisive effects of barter. According to traveled, and have access to a broad support base.
the Tradesmen, diplomats require a common Typically Tradesmen are savvy and charming, and
language… so too do merchants. That language is are generally respected for the goods they bring from
the domar. A small, thin rectangle made of a afar. They also seek to spread their views in the
flexible substance, domars are a unified currency cities to which they travel. Because of this, the use
carried by tradesmen. Though domars have been of the domar is rapidly spreading across the land.
found in scavenging missions, they can also be
melted down and reforged. This recycling of domars Benefits
is carried out in Tradesmen cities to prevent
counterfeiting. Generally only merchants or travelers join the
Society of Free Trade. A character who becomes a
INFLUENCE tradesman gains an immediate +5 increase to his
Wealth bonus. This represents his access to the
Since nearly all Tradesmen are merchants of resources of the Society. In addition, a character
some sort, they have great influence on the gains a +4 circumstance on Profession checks made
commerce that serves as the main interaction to increase his Wealth bonus.
among the cities of the Gamma Age. The Society
of Free Trade dominates a number of cities; these Limitations
cities see the manufacture of domars from ancient
relics and use the domar exclusively for trade. Tradesmen are required to travel often in order
Tradesmen in these cities are more than willing to to not only increase their profit on goods, but to
trade domars to newcomers in exchange for goods further spread word of the Society’s vision. This
from other lands. prohibits the Tradesman from taking an allegiance
to a specific community, and he must sever any ties
Tradesmen abroad have somewhat less he had in order to become a Tradesman. In addition,
influence, but still hold great sway by virtue of their Tradesmen are expected to donate all “unprocessed”
array of contacts. Tradesmen are incredibly well domars they find to a facility that can reforge them
and introduce them back into the economy.

ALTERNATE VISTAS

The standard Gamma World game is set three the familiar Gamma World themes of survival,
ambiguous generations after the Final Wars. Every exploration and enlightenment. These different
remnant of the old age is either destroyed or ages each pose different challenges and require
significantly damaged. What remains is, in many different assumptions than the standard setting.
ways, a shattered reflection of the world that was. With the following templates as examples, GMs
Instead of nations, the sentient species have might also want to consider creating their own
balkanized into a hodgepodge of city states, outposts alternate Gamma World settings; with the entirety
and nomad bands. Life struggles on though, trying of the past and future as possibilities, there is simply
to recover the broken remains of the past, or at least no end to the creativity available.
make present existence less difficult and tenuous
an endeavor. This is a setting full of possibilities — THE NEW EDEN
where humanity tries to remember what it mean to
be human, and the new species struggle towards The world around us is a well-oiled machine, each
their separate and unknowable destinies. component fitting in its place. Newton perceived
correctly when he saw the infinite universe to be a great
Though the standard Gamma Age setting is rife clock, moving in timely fashion to the prescribed
with possibilities, that doesn’t mean the standard instructions of a divine watchmaker. Newton erred only
setting is the right one for your game. Gamma in determining who this holy tinkerer is. It is the grace
World has a rich history as well as innumerable of this time that humanity can see past the need for a
potential futures in which to run games. All of these god; we men and women are true crafters of the cosmic
alternate environments can still easily deal with machine.

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CHAPTER THREE: THE STATE OF THE WORLD

The last decade before the Final Wars was an of the seas, and on the Moon and several other
idyllic time. Humanity had controlled their planets.
environment to such an extent that the populace
wanted for little. Most difficult or uninteresting Society also had to deal with the economic
tasks were done by synthetics or biologically ramifications of the introduction of a new but
engineered creatures suited for the task. This left sizeable workforce — synthetics and engineered
humanity time to pursue hobbies, contemplate life-forms. Fortunately, humanity stumbled onto the
intellectual challenges and placate their own egos. solution while dealing with the population issue.
Since governments were never apt at making
Along with the technological advances of the money, large-scale businesses funded the building
21st century, humanity witnessed an unprecedented of the first arcologies in New York, Amsterdam and
population boom. Most of the major cities built Tokyo. These constructions incorporated room for
large arcologies to tackle the ever-growing living quarters, working facilities and
population problem. Modularization improved the entertainment. Thus, the first arcologies weren’t
ability to reproduce and refine arcology technology, public affairs, but were built for each corporation’s
and by the late 21st century these massive edifices employees. These were a remarkable success,
reached up to the sky and tunneled deep within improving worker morale and connection within
the Earth on every continent. Humanity wasn’t the company. Arcologies were quickly deemed vital
done growing however, and so the building to the facilitation of a good work environment,
continued. Eventually over four-fifths of humanity which of course equated to productivity.
called arcologies home, and this form of habitat
construction housed the human race under most Soon the arcology model was adopted by the
rest of the business world. In so doing, political

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