DRELARP Edit 10 PDF

Kai Sorenson (Order #22082294)
This book is intended to work in tandem with living documentation provided on the Dystopia Rising
Larp Network website. In addition, this document is complimented by many local chapter support tools
that will be provided to franchise owners to provide as appropriate to their players. A new database,
new libraries of blueprints, new online classes, new tools for creating local threats, and classes
with the world designers to explain not only the mechanical aspects of the world but also explain the
design decisions that were made in the production so that educated and informed decisions can be made
at a local branch.
.
WRITERS AND DESIGNERS

Michael Pucci
Catie Griffin
Shoshana Kessock
Nicolas Hornyak
EDITING
Alex Kapitan, Radical Copyeditor
(www.radicalcopyeditor.com)
LAYOUT DESIGN
Meredith Gerber
Michael Pucci
ARTWORK
Helen Simmonds
Cryssy Cheung
REVIEW
Aesa Garcia, Ashley Zdeb, Bryan Barletta, Charles Cadwallader, Craig
Chrisman, Damien Burke, Dave Sides, Heather Surma, Ian Powell, Jason Doyle,
Jeff Moxley, Jillian Bendixen, Jim Flood, Juliet Meyer, Kai Norman, Krista
Sides, Liv Sun,Shan Lind, Mika Thomasson, Mikaela McLaughlin, Seth Peck,
Trey Collins
Previous Edition Contribution

Ben Przybylinski, Joshua Demers, Liam Neary, Matt Wallace, Megan Jaffe, Peter
Woodworth, Sean Jaffe
This book provides rules for boffer-style combat. Although these rules outline the safest experience
we can create, you are responsible for the risks that are associated with any physical activity and for
your own safety, including boffer weapon creation, safe and proper combat, and adjusting for terrain and
weather.
Dystopia Rising LLC, its employees, and related companies, assumes no responsibility or liability,
including but not limited to injury, damage or loss incurred by using these rules in a roleplaying game
setting. You are responsible for complying with all local, state and federal laws, regulations, and
statutes.
ISBN: 978-1-939785-54-1
Dystopia Rising is a trademark of A&M Holding, used with permission.
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any
form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods,
without the prior written permission of the publisher, except in the case of brief quotations embodied
in critical reviews and certain other noncommercial uses permitted by copyright law.

TABLE OF CONTENTS
INTRODUCTION 5 DEVOTED 60
INTRODUCTION TO DYSTOPIA RISING 5 ACCENSORITE 61
USE OF THIS BOOK 6 RED STAR 62
GAME NETWORK STRUCTURE 6 UNBORN 63
THE LOCAL WEEKEND IMMERSION DYSTOPIA EVOLVED 64
RISING EXPERIENCE 8 IRONS 65
FURTHER WORLD CONTENT 9 RECLAIMERS 66
TOOLS & RESOURCES 10 UNSTABLE 67
PHILOSOPHY OF PLAY 11
LEXICON 13 FAITHS IN THE
DESIGN TERMS 13 POSTAPOCALYPTIC WASTELAND 69
GENRE TERMS 18 CHURCH OF DARWIN 70
MATURE CONTENT & CULT OF THE FALLOW HOPES 72
SENSITIVE SUBJECT MATTER 19 FINAL KNIGHTS 74
LIGHT OF THE HEDON 76
CHARACTER CREATION 21 THE NUCLEAR FAMILY 78
NEW CHARACTER CREATION 21 THE TELLING VISIONARIES 80
BUILDING A CHARACTER WITH RETIREMENT SAINTHOOD OF ASHES 82
EXPERIENCE POINTS 22 TRIBES OF THE SEASONS 84
DESIGNING A CHARACTER THAT MATCHES KINGS & QUEENS 86
THE EXPERIENCE YOU WANT 23 CULTS 88
CREATING A BACKGROUND STORY 25
KEY STORY POINTS 25 CHARACTER GROWTH 90
SUBMISSION FORMAT 26 EXPERIENCE POINTS
SKILLS 27 GAINED PER EVENT 91
BASIC STARTING PROPS FOR EARNING EXPERIENCE POINTS 91
DYSTOPIA RISING: EVOLVED 28 TICKET PRICE LEVELS FOR
YOUR BASIC STARTING PROP KIT 28 DYSTOPIA RISING EVENTS 92
EVOLVING YOUR PROPS FORWARD 29 BUYING BODY & MIND 93
EQUIPMENT DIMENSIONS 31 SPENDING EXPERIENCE & TEACHING 93
EXPERIENCE POINT COST OF
LINEAGES & STRAINS 34 PURCHASING BODY & MIND 94
ELITARIAT 35 BUYING RESOLVE 95
DIGITARIAN 36 BUYING INFECTION 95
PURE BLOOD 37 BUYING SKILLS 96
SOLESTROS 38 TEACHING A CHARACTER 97
TOWNIE 39 RETIRING A CHARACTER 97
BAYWALKER 40
YORKER 41 SKILLS & CHARACTER SHEET 100
VEGASIAN 42 SKILL CATEGORIES 101
NOMAD 43 LEXICON OF MECHANICS-RELATED TERMS 102
DIESEL JOCK 44 COMBAT SKILLS 109
ROVER 45 CIVILIZED SKILLS 114
SALTWISE 46 WASTELAND SKILLS 121
GORGER 47 ANOMALY SKILLS 128
FULL DEAD 48 LORES 135
SEMPER MORT 49 RANKS OF ACHIEVEMENT 137
LASCARIAN 50
MUTANT 52
REMNANT 53
RETROGRADE 54
TAINTED 55
LANDSMAN 56
MERICAN 57
NATURAL ONE 58
QUIET FOLK 59

LARP EVOLVED 33
CONFLICTS & MECHANICS 146 EFFECTS THE WORLD CAN
CORE STATS 147 HAVE ON YOUR CHARACTER 171
MIND 147 THE LINE OF AGENCY 172
BODY 147 RESOLVE, FRACTURES, AND THE GRAVE 173
RESOLVE 148 EXPENDING RESOLVE 174
INFECTION 148 PORTRAYING A FRACTURE. 175
CONTACT-SAFE COMBAT 149 WHEN YOU CAN’T GO ON: FRACTURES 175
LEGAL STRIKING AREAS 149 STARING INTO THE ABYSS: FRACTURES
NON-COMBAT CHARACTERS 149 AND THE MORTIS AMARANTHINE 176
ENGAGING IN COMBAT WITH A NON-COMBAT FIGHTING FOR YOUR LIFE:
CHARACTER 149 GRAVEROBBER SCENES 177
STRIKE SPEED, LOCATION, AND FORCE 150 RECOVERING RESOLVE 177
CALLING DAMAGE, SKILLS, AND DEFENSES 150 DESIGNING A FRACTURE 177
SAFELY USING SHIELDS 151 FRACTURES AND REAL-WORLD
RANGED WEAPONS, DARTS, AND PACKETS 151 MENTAL HEALTH CONDITIONS 178
GENERAL RULES AND SAFETY 152 SAMPLE FRACTURES 180
CONFLICT BETWEEN CHARACTERS 153 ROLE OF STEERING WITH FRACTURES 181
INTRODUCTION TO CVC 153 WORKING THROUGH FRACTURES
CVC IN THE MOMENT 153 WITH SOCIAL INTERACTION 181
LONG-TERM CVC 154 REPAIRING FRACTURES
KNOWING YOUR LIMITS 155 AND MOVING FORWARD 182
CVC IN PRACTICE 155 DISEASES 183
CVC IN THE WASTELANDS 156 ANATOMY OF A DISEASE 183
THICK AS THIEVES 156 DISEASE CONTAINMENT:
VECTORS OF TRANSMISSION 185
CRAFTING & RESEARCHING A DISEASE 186
ITEM CARD MATERIALS 159 REMISSION VERSUS CURE 187
DESIGN THEORY 160 CURING A DISEASE 188
OBJECTS THAT NEED AN ITEM CARD 161 WEAPONIZING DISEASES 189
KINDS OF ITEM CARDS 162 OUTBREAKS 190
RESOURCE CARDS 162 EFFECTS OF OUTBREAKS AND
REGIONAL CARD 164 QUARANTINES ON
PROPS AND ITEM CARDS 164 MULTIPLE GAMES 192
PROPS WITHOUT MECHANICAL CARDS 164 HANDBOOK FOR THE
BLUEPRINTS AND PROCEDURES 165 RECENTLY DISEASED:
CRAFTING NEW ITEMS 167 ROLE-PLAYING ILLNESS 193
ITEM KEYWORDS 168 DISEASES AND HOW
LIST OF ITEM KEYWORDS 168 THEY ARE CREATED 194
TIPS FOR CREATING
DISEASES AND MUTATIONS 195
PLAYER-GENERATED
DISEASES 197
STORYTELLING A DISEASE PLOT 198
EXAMPLES OF WASTELAND
DISEASES AND MUTATIONS 199
CHARACTER DEATH 201
AFTER CHARACTER DEATH:
THE MORTIS AMARANTHINE 202
THE POST-DEATH SCENE AND RETURNING
FROM THE MORTIS AMARANTHINE 203
CLOSING CONSIDERATIONS 206
44
DYSTOPIA RISING
INTRODUCTION
The dead have risen, the bombs have
INTRODUCTION TO fallen, and the world of humans is
DYSTOPIA RISING broken.
The world now exists in a period
of recovery, where life has adapted to
Dystopia Rising is a game world that the higher temperatures, irradiated
takes place generations after the Fall soil, and toxic environments present
of humanity. It’s a world that focuses on on our planet. In a world that would
the stories of rebuilding communities, kill humanity, an entire legacy of
the action and horror of surviving in a Lineages has evolved from the ashes
nightmarish wasteland, and the drama of what the world once was.
and passions of what it means to be alive. The best and worst days of
Dystopia Rising is not a game that follows humanity are gone. We have seen a
hard science or facts; without question, time where the world was plunged
it weaves pseudoscience and horror- into the waves of dystopia, and now
fantasy aspects of the postapocalyptic we rise from the ashes to rebuild.
and survival horror genres together
to focus on the experience instead of
being limited by the definitions of hard
science.
This is a world built on a dark
past of a humanity that was nearly
completely wiped out due to its
own hubris. Prior to the timeline
of Dystopia Rising, in the last days
of the time of humans, there was a
period of time known as the dystopian
period or the Fall of humanity. The
time has come and gone when global
warfare pitted nations against one
another. The time has come and gone
when an elite circle of 1% strangled
the globe in social and economic
warfare.
The time has come and gone
when the masses were poisoned,
starved, and driven like cattle to the
slaughter. Gone is the time of the food
riots, the Rock Salt Conspiracy, and
the secret government organizations
that caused a global catastrophe.

LARP EVOLVED 55
No one is expected to know every
USE OF THIS BOOK detail and every fact about the Dystopia
Rising universe to participate in the
Dystopia Rising game. While some find
This book is intended to introduce the depth of the world enjoyable to dive
the world of Dystopia Rising, provide into, others aren’t interested in the extra
guidelines for best practices for content. To ensure that your local branch
participating in Dystopia Rising Larp fits into the Dystopia Rising experience,
Network experiences, and offer a your local game runners are responsible
mechanical guideline for contact-safe for ensuring their knowledge, skill
combat and character mechanical sets, and community leadership are as
design. honed as possible in order to provide an
This book is not intended to cover experience and consistent world lore that
everything that a participant should matches the canon materials released for
know for event and community the Dystopia Rising universe.
participation. Community guidelines, We suggest that this book be used to
best practices for hosting an event, learn techniques of play, to understand
network membership, and processes the basics of the Dystopia Rising
that relate to a particular Dystopia universe, and to create a character.
Rising event but not to participants’ When you would like to flesh out your
experiences over the duration of a game character and your involvement with
are not included in this book. All of your community more, take the time to
these items can be found on the Dystopia learn about the Dystopia Rising universe
Rising website or on a local branches from the other published world materials
website. and the online community support
Contact-safe equipment guidelines, materials.
technology, and support materials for
live events evolve quickly. Logistics,
check-in procedures, and processes GAME NETWORK
for getting started can also vary from STRUCTURE
location to location. All of these items
can be found on the Dystopia Rising
website, dystopiarisinglarp.com, as Dystopia Rising is the name of a
these are living documents that are fictional universe that several current,
periodically updated. and future, properties and projects
This book also does not provide the are based on. This includes (but is not
total world content and reading it will limited to) the Dystopia Rising Larp
not acquaint you with everything that Network, tabletop role-playing games,
exists in the Dystopia Rising universe. novels, graphic novels, video games,
Dystopia Rising is a world that branches scripts, tangential game worlds, and
over many tabletop books, novels, and other live experiences related to the
tangential games and experiences Dystopia Rising universe that are not
relating to the wide history and universe within the scope of the Dystopia Rising
that is Dystopia Rising. Larp Network franchises.
66
DYSTOPIA RISING
The Dystopia Rising Larp Network hosted by other branches. It is the intent
is a network of independently owned of the Dystopia Rising Larp Network to
businesses that run live events under take a series of individual communities
a shared Dystopia Rising narrative. and allow participants to take their
This allows the individual branches the characters (personas) from event to
ability to use the outlined properties event with as little mechanical difference
created by Dystopia Rising LLC to create between experiences as possible.
local businesses based on an existing Each individual branch works under
successful structure. In general, a single set of community guidelines,
the role of Dystopia Rising LLC is to follows and uses a single rule set, uses
build the foundation, resources, best the same business model, and abides by
practices, and training materials that state and federal laws related to existing
an individual franchise branch can use, as a business. Unlike social clubs and
and to oversee aspects of operation that other fandoms, this means that each
apply to the business and continuity of individual branch is directly invested
the entire network (instead of individual in its local community while the parent
events or branches). network focuses on resources and tools
What this means is that each that these branches can then use.
individual branch within the Dystopia This design is vital with regards to
Rising Larp Network is its own business the needs of local communities, not just
with its own local owners who are on a business level but also on a social
accountable for following the guidelines support level. The individual state and
provided by the Dystopia Rising Larp regional cultures, desires in game play,
Network as well as local legal guidelines community structures, and even the
while servicing their local community. costuming and props of each of our
Each branch maintains a team of games are at times drastically different
employees, both on-site and off, to from one another. Some individual
execute each event. Each branch pays games see combat as a focus while other
a small percentage of sales to Dystopia branches host events that involve nearly
Rising LLC, which in turn funds the zero combat and allow for more focus on
operation of the greater network as emotional development and questions of
a whole. Some of this funding goes morality. In some regions, participants
toward resource development, customer adore making costumes, and immersion
service, web services, and a number of into the world is the primary focus, while
other services that most independent players in other branches spend more
larp businesses would be hard-pressed of their time crunching systems and
to develop or afford on their own. The mechanics than engaging other players.
national team for the Dystopia Rising The team on the ground in each location
Larp Network provides resources for the ensures that the events being run are
individual business owners to use and individual, unique, and tailored to the
grow with. existing player base.
In the Dystopia Rising Larp Network,
participants can choose to travel from
their home branch to attend events

LARP EVOLVED 77
THE LOCAL WEEKEND Network experience while following a
shared series of rules, mechanics, and
IMMERSION DYSTOPIA standards that apply to both the operation
RISING EXPERIENCE of their local business and the expected
mechanical design of the experience
itself. In the instance that the national
What many people label as “Dystopia team of event runners are unable to
find clear answers to the intent or
Rising” is a weekend-long experience
that is hosted by local branch owners. implementation of experience guidelines,
Each local branch runs about 10 events rules, or scope of operation, the national
a year, with weekend events happening team has access to operation-specific
monthly. These local Dystopia Rising resources and the Dystopia Rising
experiences take place in the Dystopia design team.
Rising universe. Local branch leaders All participants in a local Dystopia
often apply local themes and regional Rising event buy into an experience
cultural identity to these events and are that includes periods of time when they
the people who oversee each experience. will participate as an Extra, help with a
Local Dystopia Rising experiences cleanup period at the end of the event,
are immersion events where individuals and follow other site-specific expectations
are considered “in character” for identified by the local branch. Much
the majority of a weekend. There are like a camping experience for adults
spaces where participants can step (in the postapocalypse), all participants
out of character, decompress, or take at a Dystopia Rising experience
time away from their event, but the have a responsibility to ensure the
“in-character space” defined by local cleanliness, presentation, and safety of
branches are intended to provide as their environment. Regardless of how
much time as possible for participants long a person has attended Dystopia
to portray their fictional personas and Rising Larp Network events, what title
live in the Dystopia Rising universe. or position they may have in the real
Staff and participants work together world, or what degree of physical ability
to make the space as immersive as they have, everyone helps in some way
reasonably possible; in addition, they or another. A phrase that we like to use
aim to keep engagements in the first regarding this shared responsibility is
person (embodying the voice and actions “everybody shambles.”
of a character directly) instead of in the Since local Dystopia Rising
third person (engaging as if participants experiences are monthly, or nearly
are playing a game and embodying monthly, friendships and community
someone else’s voice and actions). grow around local Dystopia Rising
All Dystopia Rising Larp Network branches. The staff of local Dystopia
branches are overseen by employees Rising branches are responsible for
hired by the branch owner. These listening to their local community to
employees are provided with resources, ensure that their community is safe and
training, materials, and support via healthy and to address the concerns of
materials provided to the owners participants in relation to their local
from the parent Dystopia Rising Larp community. This means that the owners
Network. To the best of their abilities, of local Dystopia Rising branches
all employees are required to provide may have to make decisions with the
an exemplary Dystopia Rising Larp greater health and safety of their local
88
DYSTOPIA RISING
community in mind, in addition to the the knowledge and world events of the
responsibilities they have as business Dystopia Rising universe having moved
owners or operators. While the Dystopia forward with time.
Rising Larp Network does have a set of At the time of writing this guide,
corrective actions that may be applied it has been over a decade since the
in instances of cheating, community original world was developed. Since
issues, or other undesirable actions, it then, how participants play, the focuses
is within the purview of a local branch’s
and interests participants have as
ownership (as business owners) to
gamers, and the understanding of
oversee their right to refuse service and
attendance at their local events. how participants as humans interact
While a staff’s primary public focus with each other also has changed.
is on events, there are aspects of being People engage with live action gaming
a employee that require availability experiences much differently now than
between events. Employees keep office they did in the past. As our culture
hours between events and provide evolves our games should as well.
contact information on their company’s You will find that this book has
business page. To allow themselves a limited world content and is instead
degree of division between their work focused on rule sets for engaging the
life and their personal life, branches living experience of Dystopia Rising.
provide specific ways for Dystopia Dystopia Rising is a fictional universe
Rising participants to communicate that exists in multiple different media—
with branch runners. including novels, tabletop role-playing
games, and comic books—and it will
FURTHER WORLD CONTENT continue to expand into other forms
of entertainment. Beyond the main
narrative of Dystopia Rising there is
also a precursor narrative known as
Dystopia Rising: Evolved uses both the “the Rock Salt Conspiracy,” which exists
Dystopia Rising and Dystopia Rising: as an augmented reality game and
Evolved tabletop materials for the pervasive narrative, and “The Sunless
world source content. During Dystopia Garden,” which looks at psychological
Rising Larp Network’s first 10 years of and emotional horror from the other side
operation, the content source material of the veil of death via the story device of
for the original Dystopia Rising tabletop the Mortis Amaranthine (or Grave Mind).
RPG was released. With that said, there are multiple
Dystopia Rising: Evolved is the ways to engage the Dystopia Rising
continuation of that universe and universe by simply focusing on the
the Dystopia Rising mythology. All primary Dystopia Rising world narrative.
of the first edition tabletop books are This book is primarily focused on the
considered the “history known at the networked weekend immersion Dystopia
time” for the Dystopia Rising timeline. Rising events. However, it is possible for
Books released for the Dystopia Rising: franchised branch owners and affiliated
Evolved storyline are considered to companies to also run other forms
be the current world knowledge for of experiences based in the Dystopia
the Dystopia Rising mythology, with Rising universe that use strikingly

LARP EVOLVED 99
different focuses, timelines, and/or
mechanical designs. Branches practice
TOOLS & RESOURCES
full transparency regarding focus,
story, system, intent, and design on
their websites for review prior to these There are a number of ever-developing
licensed events. Some examples of other play techniques that exist to help provide
events include hard combat events, free- for a safe and more enriching form of
form role-play events, micro-experiences, immersive experience. We do not pretend
and related forms of gaming. that what we write here will be the best or
The Dystopia Rising world can be an only techniques used in the future. With
incredibly complex reality that you dive this constant evolution of techniques
into, or it can be as simple as just wanting and best practices in mind, we will
to live in a postapocalyptic universe outline how to find the best engagement
many generations after the Fall. Choose practices instead of defining the absolute
your own level of investment as you go, steps that should be followed.
be respectful of the other players around This design concept is meant to
you who are all choosing to live in this teach people how to apply best practices
fictional world for a time and enjoy the instead of attempting define what all
experience. best practices are. You can find step-by-
step instructions and documentation on
current best practices for communication,
safety, and checking in with your fellow
players on the Dystopia Rising website as
well as your local branch’s site.
On the next page, we outline a few
play techniques as general gaming
philosophies for player and organizer
consideration. These philosophies of
play will provide the basic structure for
how future meta-techniques, rules, and
design tools are put into play.
10
10
DYSTOPIA RISING
PHILOSOPHY OF PLAY
ONE.
While it is not assumed that all participants will be able to be 100%
happy with every Dystopia Rising experience, it should be the intent
of all event runners and event attendees to create an experience that
is enjoyable for all. If something can be done within the reasonable
scope of an event to assist participants in having a healthier and
more enjoyable experience, then these actions should be taken. This
does not mean that any individual should be able to make unreasonable
demands that lie outside the scope of the experience, but it does mean
that all reasonable requests should be listened to, engaged with, and
considered for the betterment of all.
TWO.
Dystopia Rising events are a shared living experience. Shared living
experiences mean that each person who attends the event is equally
important and should be treated with an equal degree of respect and
consideration. Participants who engage more people and are inclusive
in their experience will find they have a wealth of new stories,
experiences, and friendships that grow from the event. Participants
who act in ways that are exclusive, selfish, self-serving, or harmful
will find that their experience will not be as enjoyable because they
will find fewer people willing to engage them (and potentially be asked
to leave or not return).
THREE.
No system of rules, words, or design is perfect. Outside of gaming some
of the most important political, religious, and social documentation
is argued for scope of context, intent, meaning, and applied legality.
In the end, there need to be individuals who can make decisions
regarding the interpretation of genre, rules, and mechanical
design. While these individuals (the collective franchise business
owners) will do their best to apply fair rules and foster enjoyable
experiences, there is also a degree of responsibility that falls on
the participants. If a participant is intelligent enough to find
loopholes, exploits, and abusive catches in the game or event rules
and designs, those players are also considered intelligent enough to
know that those loopholes and exploits should not be used. Mechanical
systems and social systems exist as an attempt to create a fair and
better event experience for participants and are not intended to be
a moralistic jungle gym to allow people to see “how much they can get
away with.”
FOUR.
There is plenty of room for interpretation within the Dystopia Rising
universe, but one of the core concessions that participants need to
accept when attending a Dystopia Rising event is that they are playing
by the world design, content, and stories that are part of the canon
of Dystopia Rising. While it is understandable and encouraged for
participants to have a love of a particular fandom or experience that

LARP EVOLVED 11
11
isn’t part of the Dystopia Rising genre, it is actively inconsiderate
(or damaging) to the experience of other participants when individuals
attempt to force their personal non-genre aspects on other players.
Having a love of video games, comics, and stories that others have
created in other media is great, but in this larp players agree to
create their own characters and their own shared stories in the
Dystopia Rising universe.
FIVE.
Dystopia Rising is a community organized around the concept of a
shared game world and network of locally run experiences. Individual
branch owners are empowered to make decisions for the health and
safety of the community of participants that attend their games. As
discussed further in the section below entitled “Mature Content and
Sensitive Subject Matter,” sexual assault, abuse, and discrimination
are strictly prohibited within Dystopia Rising experiences. As
provided by state and federal law, individual businesses may choose
to refuse services to any individual for any reasons not protected
by anti-discrimination laws. If an individual is refused service, it
is the standard practice to not make public announcements regarding
the reason for an individual refusal of service. However, if harm or
damage is brought to a community due to the reaction of a participant,
branches do have the right to disclose (and take legal responsibility
for the ramifications of that disclosure).
SIX.
Because laws and restrictions vary from location to location, each
branch has the responsibility to clarify on its website how mechanical
engagement functions and how the local experience differs from a
standard experience with respect to local guidelines. For example, the
definition of a private domicile relating to tents changes from state
to state, and the legal definition of a bow (as in bow and arrow) can
vary from firearm to sporting equipment (in laws related to negligence
and assault). Because of these variances in local law, local branches
are required to offer easily accessible documentation and transparency
regarding local legalities. It is expected that all participants will
follow local branches’ rules (such as tents being considered an out-
of-character space) as well as adhering to regional and state laws.
SEVEN.
The experience and the shared community that grows around the created
experience is the goal and “victory condition” of the Dystopia Rising
Larp Network. Mechanics, plots, and in-character materials are nothing
more than support columns for the experience. Oftentimes item cards or
mechanical representation are used in conjunction with the true living
experience in an attempt to augment the living experience. They’re also
used to provide a means of engagement that not all players may have the
ability to experience in their day-to-day lives, and to lessen the cost
of investment for materials that are transient or expendable. There
are also prop requirements for items and materials where a physical
representation must be provided by a player in order to engage in the
toyetic and physical aspect of play. While props and costumes do not
need to be expensive or of the highest quality, and concessions are made
to limit the financial stress of participation, a reasonable effort for
representation and presentation should be made out of respect for other
players, to make the shared experience better for all involved.
12
12
DYSTOPIA RISING
LEXICON
character happy (and not the player)

DESIGN TERMS has happened. Bleed can also be used to
describe how the mind-set and emotional
state of a character can transfer to a
Design terms are used to describe player in a more impactful way (such
larger, design-related aspects of the as an incredibly sad engagement for a
Dystopia Rising experience. While these character that leaves a player feeling
terms can have different definitions, it is depressed). Bleed should be monitored
important to know the scope of the use to ensure healthy play spaces and to help
of the terms relating to the content of participants remain in healthy mental
this book and additional Dystopia Rising and emotional states.
support materials. • Casting Shift (see also Extra, LC,
• Action Request: A number of skills and SC): This is a period of time in
require communication between the which a player heads to Logistics to
event team and a participant before an portray an Extra. During a Casting Shift,
event occurs. These skills may influence players should make sure to not bring
the direction of story, create specific any personal belongings other than
scenes that Guides will then organize, those that are necessary and be sure to
or require a certain degree of planning. wear clothing that is not their Leading
When a participant needs to communicate Character’s clothing.
to the team before an event, they put in • Content list: A content list is
an Action Request. An Action Request Dystopia Rising’s use of a technique
goes through an outlined medium (often known as innehållsförteckning, or
a web page form or email) and is then “ingredients list,” which was first created
handled by the employees who oversee by Nordic game designer Karin Edman.
a specific branch. This process ensures A content list is a series of focuses that
that there a standing log of all requests are expected to be regularly occurring
that are made so that if there is an at a local branch. It is not the same as
employee change for the branch, there a content warning in that a content list
are multiple individuals who have access provides a wide array of information
to your request. about the nature of an event’s intended
• Bleed: Bleed is the concept of design and not just items that the
emotions or strong drives crossing writers of an event may see as “warning
between a character and the participant worthy.” Since it is impossible to know
who is representing that character. Bleed what might be triggering for all potential
can be either positive or negative (or participants, we have decided that it is
constructive or destructive) and happens better that we provide a listing of content
regularly. Bleed can be as simple as a (or ingredients) that participants can use
player being happy due to the fact that to make educated decisions regarding
something that would only make their their participation at an event.

LARP EVOLVED 13
13
• Decompression area: An area that • Extra (see also LC and SC): This
is an out-of-character space that has is a character that is represented by a
been designated for relaxation and participant during a Casting Shift. A
decompression for participants who need Guide informs participants what sort of
a few minutes to decompress, unpack the persona they will be portraying based
experiences they have had, and recover on the content the writers produce for
before returning to play. Decompression the event and helps make sure their
areas are not out-of-character hang- time as an Extra is an enjoyable one.
out zones, but instead are more private These characters have a limited scope
environments that allow individuals who of interest, purpose, and history that is
may be experiencing intense emotions defined by the duration of an engagement
or negative bleed or simply need a few or a series of engagements written as
minutes to recover before returning to part of a staff-created plot and story.
play the space they need without any Extras are portrayed similarly to LCs;
questions asked. Dystopia Rising staff however, the interests and focus of the
members are for the most part not people portraying Extras are driven by
licensed emotional crisis personnel, story, plot, and enriching the experience
so they cannot assist participants with of participants actively portraying LCs
unpacking their experiences any more instead of making decisions based on
than a friend can. What staff can do the agency of the best interests of the
is provide a safe, quiet, space where character. Extras may reoccur; however,
participants can address their current they only do so if dictated by story and
emotion or headspace at their own plot requirements.
rate. Dystopia Rising staff members do • Genre: In the Dystopia Rising Larp
work with a number of crisis support Network, genre refers to content that
professional agencies. In the instance fits the history, function, and aesthetic of
that a participant is dealing with an the mythology and world content of the
immediate crisis, staff members can Dystopia Rising universe. Dystopia Rising
provide means of contact for professional has a rich history and a wide volume of
support as well as directly contact crisis content that encapsulates the guidelines
support hotlines to find out how they for genre for Dystopia Rising. This
can best assist a participant within the content includes, but is not limited to, a
scope of what is allowed as an event host. number of published tabletop role-playing
However, Dystopia Rising staff are not game books, novels, comic books, videos,
licensed therapists and should not be card games, and other media. There
treated as such. are also a number of online resources
• Experience Points: Experience provided by the network as a whole to
points are a measure of growth that are assist with props and costuming as well
awarded to a character for each event as resources produced by local branches
that they attend. Experience points to assist players in getting to know the
are expended when players want to local flavor of a game. Attempting to
add things to their character sheet to stick to genre is important due to the
represent learning new abilities or to fact that larping is a shared experience,
show growth for their character. and individuals who blatantly go against
14
14
DYSTOPIA RISING
the genre and the story of the universe branch, all individuals tasked to help
actively make the experience less players are called Guides at an event.
enjoyable for people around them and for This ensures that all team members
themselves. The genre of Dystopia Rising are treated equally and helps remove
can be summarized in an over-simplified hierarchal community structures.
form as “a world after the apocalypse • Home Game: When a participant
that intertwines post-human living, joins Dystopia Rising, the game where
rebuilding of society, large sections of they register their character for the first
nomadic irradiated wastelands, swarms time is considered their Home Game.
of undead, and the threats that are faced The team that oversees the operation of
by the new evolutions of humanity.” their Home Game are the participant’s
Dystopia Rising as a genre does not primary point for taking care of their
include supernatural creatures outside customer service, event management,
of zombies and the Lineages, does not and community needs. The online
include magic or other fantasy elements, community guideline outlines details
and is a world that has lower technology that Home Game employees will use for
levels without the existence of humans. community management, support, and
Dystopia Rising takes place hundreds of how transferal of a character to a new
years after the end of a period of time Home Game is handled.
known as “the Fall,” which refers to the • In character: While “in character,”
multiple generations of decline into players “live” within the setting of a
extinction that humanity faced due to world as characters while acting in a way
the Rock Salt Conspiracy, radiation, that ensures that as many participants
starvation, and the rise of “the Infection.” as possible (including themselves) are
The Fall is estimated to have happened having an experience that is as “real”
between the years 2010 and 2080 as possible. Keeping in character means
without exact knowledge of the details talking how a character would talk, acting
that ended the universe that we, as as a character would act, and living
players, currently know. It is known that within the mythology of a world without
between 2010 and 2080 there were a engaging aspects that would break
number of watershed events that caused anyone’s immersion in the experience.
the Fall. However, the exact point when Costumes, props, refraining from talking
“the apocalypse” tipping point occurred about items that fall outside the scope
cannot be locked down. of the world’s mythology, and avoiding
• Guide: A Guide for a Dystopia Rising using “game terms” as much as possible
event is any employee or team member are all ways to remain in character. The
at an event who is able to assist you goal for a game is to create an amazing
by answering questions, addressing shared experience that is enriching and
problems, or making the experience engaging for all involved. To do this all
of an event more enjoyable. Between participants need to not only be aware
events, branches have employees and of the game world that they have agreed
owners who will take care of your needs. to engage in but also be conscientious of
Regardless of an employee or team the immersion of those around them.
member’s level of involvement with the

LARP EVOLVED 15
15
• LC (see also SC and Extra): Stands ensure that all involved are able to find
for Leading Character. These characters a middle ground that enriches all stories.
are used by standard participants Negotiation is a technique that assists in
for the majority of their engagement the reduction of potential negative bleed,
with a game. These are characters allows players to steer their characters
that players portray with full agency in new directions to avoid potential
over the character’s decision-making unwanted engagements or conflict, and
process within the guidelines of produces more enriching experiences
community, shared story, and genre. for all involved. When individuals find
A player’s ability to have 100% agency they can’t negotiate a middle-ground
over their character shifts to a shared engagement, it’s suggested that the story
agency once a character engages other line and conflict be steered away from by
participants. This is the nature of shared all involved (not just one side) to ensure
storytelling, where all involved (staff and a better experience. Make sure to talk
participants) share the authority over with other participants and Guides before
scenes engaging participants within the emotionally-charged scenes rather than
framework of genre, safe community, after; this ensures that you and other
and fair play guidelines. participants have the experience that you
• Logistics: Logistics is a physical want.
location where players’ out-of-character • Out of character: “Out of character”
needs are taken care of, such as checking is a term used to describe aspects of an
into games, handling Casting Shifts, experience, needs, or mechanical design
taking care of issues and concerns with requirements that are not part of the
character sheets, and all other items world’s interaction. While things “outside
relating to the out-of-character logistical of game” are considered out of character,
needs of an event. Logistics is where it is important to note that mechanics
participants go with real-world needs or that are designed to help encompass the
to report to a scheduled Casting Shift. world as a whole (such as damage calls
When a character dies, a player reports and skill terms) are also considered out
to Logistics so that their decompression of character. The goal, when in play, is to
and post-death scenes can be handled create an experience where as much of
before returning to play. the world as possible creates immersion
• Negotiation: Negotiation in regard for all participants. While some players
to larp is the idea that people can may not mind discussing mechanics
discuss the desired direction of a story during play, surrounding participants
prior to actions being taken, determine might. A player may signify that they
what interests all of the players have are out of character to fellow players by
for their characters, and then act placing a hand on top of their head. Out
with the best intent to ensure that the of character players must make every
desired direction happens. Negotiation effort to attempt to be unseen and to
is a technique that allows all players to move through active play spaces without
have agency, to compromise and build disrupting their fellow players.
with one another to turn conflict into a
positive aspect of an experience, and to
16
16
DYSTOPIA RISING
• SC (see also Extra and LC): Stands a player isn’t inspired to engage with;
for Support Character. These characters it can also be as detailed as a group of
are overseen by an employee or event players discussing out of character what
owner. While SCs follow all guidelines sort of social, emotional, or story-driven
of standard LC growth and the game content the participants would like to
rules, the focus and direction of SCs is choose. Steering not only functions as a
restricted due to the fact that employees means to be aware of potential bleed and
(individuals portraying a SC) have ensuring that all involved have a more
a greater degree of knowledge and enjoyable experience, but also facilitates
understanding of the world, operations, both shared storytelling and the opt-
and story that occur. This greater in culture that makes for healthy larp
knowledge and understanding means experiences.
that the interests of an SC (as a character) • Transparency: Transparency in
will always take second place to the larp is the idea that event hosts will
interests of other participants. Support provide as much documentation and
Characters are restricted in what stories clear communication as possible prior
or engagements they may have, in order to an event to ensure that potential
to prevent conflicts of interest and to participants are able to make informed
not allow bleed of character actions to decisions regarding their decision to be
influence and affect a staff member’s involved. Transparency also is applied to
station and position as a business owner branches as a means of communication
or employee. related to the future direction of a branch,
• Steering: Steering is a concept that the focus of themes, potential issues,
players individually, as groups, and in and community goals. Transparency of
relation to staff use to help improve the a business is often restricted by legal
potential quality of their own experience guidelines or in instances where there is
and the experience of participants and sensitive subject matter (e.g., potentially
staff around them. Steering uses both affected parties); however, it should be a
negotiation and transparency to allow a goal that branches aim to always strive
participant to direct the actions of their toward.
character, to negotiate a mutually agreed-
upon direction for a character with
another player or a staff member, and to
identify that the actions and a direction
that a character takes are under the
purview of the participants who are
portraying the characters. Steering
can be as simple as talking to another
player and saying, “I’ve noticed conflict
and tensions between our characters
are ramping up. Are you okay with
continuing this conflict?” This can also
include actively avoiding engagements
that involve physicality or content that

LARP EVOLVED 17
17
• Mortis Amaranthine (Grave
GENRE TERMS Mind): When a Lineage dies within
the Dystopia Rising universe, their
body is knit back together by their
Genre terms are words that are specific Infection. During this process, their
to the Dystopia Rising universe that are mind experiences something called the
important to know before reading this Mortis Amaranthine. During this time
book to help with clarity. These terms period without a body, a person has a
are often defined in greater detail psychological experience when they may
further within the book. hear thoughts or see scenes that are not
• Creature: There are many monsters fully true. Anything that happens within
and irradiated animals that live within the Mortis Amaranthine is assumed
the wastes. During the event, these to be the product of a consciousness or
critters may be referred to as beasts, group consciousness rather than reality.
animals, or by other names. However, in • Raiders: Raiders are humanoid
this book we use the term Creature. This antagonists in the Dystopia Rising
refers to any being made with the Critter universe that are driven to destroy the
Creation Guide. existing Lineages based on their savage,
• Infection: In the Dystopia Rising primal drives.
universe, everything has Infection • Strains: Strains are individual
within them. This fungal infection gives genetic offshoots of Lineages, similar to
all living things the amazing ability the relationship of species to their parent
to regenerate. This means that when a genus. While Lineages have traits that
person dies, what is left of their body are shared between multiple Strains,
will sink into the ground. This body will each Strain has its own unique trait that
then knit back together, and they will is specific to all of its members.
be thrust back into the world. However, • Zombies: When the Mortis
each person only has a certain amount Amaranthine is no longer capable of
of Infection. This means that after they recreating an individual Strain, it
lose their last Infection, there is not produces what is commonly known as
enough left of them to come back and a zombie. Zombies are undead corpses
they instead enter the world as a Zombie. that are driven to consume infectious
• Lineage: Within the world of matter from the Lineages. Zombies are
Dystopia Rising, people have evolved biologically different than Lineages,
into something called Lineages. These branching into a new form of existence
Lineages all possess different types of outside of the sentient members of the
the Infection, which give them different Lineage evolution tree. While all zombies
traits. These Lineages, in turn, branch are attracted to living Lineages, they’re
into three different Strains that each more attracted to individuals that
are slightly different. possess Anomaly skills.
18
18
DYSTOPIA RISING
MATURE CONTENT &
SENSITIVE SUBJECT MATTER
In a postapocalypse narrative there are a number of incredibly sensitive subjects

that can be part of valid story narratives. In a world where rules are limited, social
constructs are shattered, and individuals are left to act as they will, there is the
potential for incredibly inspiring and incredibly damning situations. With this in
mind, there are some guidelines that all Dystopia Rising branches and participants
must follow regarding intense subject matter.
Event staff, players, and event runners are prohibited from engaging in actions,
speech, or role-play that directly involve sexual assault, sexual abuse, or nonconsensual
physical or sexual advances. Event staff, players, and event runners are also prohibited
from engaging in discrimination or discrimination role-play that is based on traits held
by players rather than characters, including race and ethnicity, class, disability, sexual
orientation, gender identity and expression, age, body size, religion, and nationality.
Content and engagements that involve real-world prejudice, parallels oppression, or are
used as a social weapon against players or staff are not allowed.
This is not to say that Dystopia Rising events do not include anything that might
parallel oppression. Individuals as designed in the Dystopia Rising world can choose to
dislike, distrust, or hate others based on any number of reasons, but we do not allow
narratives that focus on issues that people may be forced to deal with in their day-to-
day lives. The global world narrative of Dystopia Rising does not have innate Strain to
Strain prejudices or hatreds written into the world as a default, but in a postapocalyptic
world there are more than enough other reasons to have one character dislike or hate
another character.
Before engaging other players in this sort of role-play, a player should first reach
out to the player who will be on the receiving end of such engagements and talk out of
character to help with role-play steering and to minimize the potential for bad bleed. Once
the participants have talked as real-world adults figuring out what kind of experience
they would like, it is the responsibility of all involved to maintain open communication
during the duration of the experience to make sure the engagement is still going in
the direction that all want. For example, individuals who usually are interested in high-
conflict role-play might experience any number of real-world life events that result in
them not feeling up for that sort of engagement at that time. Sometimes people have
bad days or other things are going on in their lives that change what they want from a
role-play experience. Respect the player and engage the character.
Local branches are required to provide content transparency on their websites in
a manner that is easily accessible to all potential event participants. Each branch is
required to have a content list that provides details about what kind of experiences
the staff intends for participants to have at an event. These lists should be updated

LARP EVOLVED 19
19
regularly as the focus and theme of a local branch changes. While these lists can’t
describe all interactions that a participant will have, due to the fact that the participants
will be creating the story together, it does give a general scope of the intended focus.
Lastly, players and event hosts are all required to engage each other as adults
with the initial assumption that everyone has the best intent in mind. Creating an
immersive world means that there will be times when individuals go beyond the bounds
of what is acceptable, push each other’s comfort levels, or engage in ways that are less
than optimal. Unless someone acts in a grievous way, participants should engage each
other as adults and assume that the other people involved are also looking to make
the best shared experience possible. While there may be differences of vision on what
that experience can be, more times than not issues can be solved or de-escalated with
mature and constructive conversation. Not communicating or having conversations
that come across as attacks often escalate issues instead of solving them. If you do
not feel comfortable engaging with a player about a subject, please remove yourself
from role-play and experiences relating to that person and talk to a Guide for advice or
moderation. If communication is difficult between yourself and a staff member, ask for
assistance from another staff member at the event who you feel comfortable with.
20
20
DYSTOPIA RISING: LARP EVOLVED
CHAPTER ONE
CHARACTER CREATION
does. Instead, you are given eight

Character creation within Dystopia
experience points at your home game
Rising is based around the idea that
during your first game to spend any way
before a character enters play, you should
you wish during play.
focus on getting to know the game world
Dystopia Rising is designed in such a
that you are going to be joining and the
way that skills function as both an augment
local themes and designs of your local
to your own abilities as well as giving you
branch. To help remove the barrier of
advantages in certain modules and effects.
entry of needing to figure out how to
As skills are learned organically in play
mechanically design a character, there
from players and Extras who are willing to
are two forms of character design that
teach you, your focus at the start of play
you can follow.
should be “what do I want to experience?”
If you are a new player to Dystopia
instead of “how do I get into the experience
Rising (regardless of your level of
to start?”.
experience in the hobby of larping as a
New character creation begins with
whole), new character creation focuses
reading details about the Dystopia Rising
on creating a general character persona
universe, looking at images and photos
that works within the story of your
of the different Strains, and educating
local Dystopia Rising branch, deciding
yourself about the universe you are
what Strain you feel best matches the
entering. While you don’t need to read all of
experience you are looking to have (and
the content that exists, you should have a
the level of costuming you want to do),
basic understanding of the game world you
and, lastly, putting together the physical
are choosing to enter with other players.
supplies and props that you will need for
The second task of character creation
an event.
involves going to your local branch’s website
to find out details about your local game’s
NEW CHARACTER CREATION focus, potential restrictions for play, and
finding the best means to communicate
with your future Home Game employees.
Building a character is more about On the branch’s website there will be
finding out what experience you would information to provide transparency about
like to have and making sure that your the branch’s intended themes and focuses
expectations and understanding of and information that is vital for your local
the world of Dystopia Rising match as play. As an example, a branch located in a
closely as possible to the experience that desert region may point out that playing
you have. You do not spend experience characters based on fishing or aquatic
points on character creation, and you do living may be inappropriate for play.
not need to worry about what everything The third task is to find out what might

CHAPTER 1: CHARACTER CREATION 21
21
best match the initial experience (and are in the mood to play a different sort
costuming) that you would like. Your of secondary character. The process of
Home Game’s employees and community building a new character for established
are your best resource for this due to players is slightly different than the
the fact that while Dystopia Rising is the process for participants who are building
world that everyone is playing in, every new characters for the first time.
branch is its own unique flavor. Players who retire a character on
After you have chosen a Lineage the spot or have a character that has
and Strain (see Chapter 2 for more on permanently died get half of their earned
Lineages and Strains) and have an idea experience points (up to 50 points total)
of whom you would like to play, as a as a rollover from character to character.
general idea, you should go to your local These points are to allow established
branch’s website and fill out the new players the ability to make a new
player form located there. character with more development than
All characters have the ability to “I just walked into town.” Players who
use all Basic weapons in game play. All have played Dystopia Rising before may
brawling, firearm, ranged, and melee decide that they do not want to start from
weapons start as defaults that you have the beginning of a character’s experience
access to for free. Your skill with these and would rather skip instead to a point
weapons will be completely based on where a character has some mechanical
your own abilities, until you reach a development to it.
point when you decide how you would A player may choose to spend these
like to expend experience points. With experience points on character creation
this in mind, you should use crafting before bringing the character into play
guidelines for either making your own or, in the instance that a character is
basic equipment or, if you do not have being created at a game, may bring these
experience in making contact-safe experience points into play to spend during
equipment, consider purchasing a the event.
professionally made piece of equipment Players who have earned over 200
to match the visual identity of your experience points, submit an Action
character. Request for a retirement story arc
for their character, and complete the
BUILDING A retirement story arc will receive 75
CHARACTER WITH experience points for their new character.
RETIREMENT See the section “Retiring a Character” in
EXPERIENCE POINTS Chapter 4 for a list of the requirements
that must be met in order to finalize a
retirement story arc.
Once you are an experienced

participant in the Dystopia Rising
universe, you may find that you
need to create a new character due
to character death or character
retirement, or simply because you
22
22
DESIGNING A CHARACTER a narrativist design or a system-focus
THAT MATCHES THE simulation design. There are parlor
EXPERIENCE YOU WANT larps, blockbuster larps, American free-
form larps, and many other forms of an
ever-growing definition of what kinds of
engagement exist under the umbrella
Larping, as a whole, is a social of the term larp. In other words, saying
gaming experience that incorporates “larp” is a lot like saying “sports.” There
either competitive or collaborative are all types of larp that you can engage
aspects of play in a space that allows in.
for individuals to portray characters Dystopia Rising is primarily a
within a shared story and mythology character-versus-environment game
in real time. This is a very broad and that uses contact-safe combat, shared
generalized definition of larping due narrative storytelling, negotiated
to the fact that larp itself, as a concept, character-to-character conflict, and a
is a very broad umbrella of all kinds sandbox-designed mechanical system
of experiences. Larping is a medium to allow participants the ability to
for engagement and not a single set experience the Dystopia Rising world.
of rules or type of play. Larping can be What this means is that a large portion
free-form or pre-scripted; it can utilize of the antagonists that are produced

23
for Dystopia Rising are Extras who survival. The persona you are portraying
are portrayed when players are doing while at the event should have a
their shift in civics (the period of time personality, back story, and drive that
players spend playing story-needed not only is appropriate for the genre and
characters) instead of antagonism history of the Dystopia Rising world but
being driven primarily by participants also will assist you in having engaging
when they are portraying their primary experiences that encourage you to
character. interact with other participants. While
This does not mean that players movies about being a lone survivor off in
cannot steer toward more player the woods can be entertaining, you may
character-to-player character conflicts. not necessarily enjoy sitting by yourself
There is an entire section of this guide in the woods while brooding about how
that focuses completely on how to the world has moved on.
engage in player character-to-player When you design your character,
character conflict in such a way that build a persona that has reasons to
allows the characters to feel drama engage others with either economic,
without causing unnecessary (and religious, philosophical, or community
unpleasant) person-to-person drama interests. Design a character that has
(see the section “Conflict Between depth and character flaws and that can
Leading Characters” in Chapter 6). experience dynamic growth and allow
What it does mean is that when you progression (because characters that
are first designing your character, you have closed-circle backgrounds and have
should put some thought into how achieved all of their goals are
you want your character to be a part two-dimensional and boring). Consider
of your local branch’s in-character how your character will have an
community so that you can have the experience that engages not only you
best opportunities for the role-play, but also those around you. Lastly, work
experiences, and engagements that you with your local chapter’s employees and
want as a player. Guides to ensure that your character
Some players enjoy combat as one concept, design, and presentation not
of their primary experiences. For these only fit in the Dystopia Rising universe
players, engaging in combat is simple but also match the story of your local
since it relies primarily on ensuring branch.
that you engage in contact-safe combat
and use safety-approved gear. Following
our guide for safe combat and the basic
rules for engagement, combat becomes
a fast (but physically focused) portion of
the Dystopia Rising experience.
However, combat should not be the
only focus you have for your character,
as Dystopia Rising is a living experience
game that focuses on rebuilding
civilization and postapocalyptic
24
24
CREATING A BACKGROUND STORY
One of the most important parts of character creation in Dystopia Rising: Evolved
is the creation of your persona’s origin story, or background story. Your background
story helps define who your character was before they came into your local settlement
(before they came into play), informs what initial direction you have when you start
an event, and influences the direction and flavor of your experience going forward.
Given how important a character’s background is, it should not be a surprise that we
suggest working with your local branch’s employees to make a background story that
not only is enjoyable for you but also matches the local flavor of the world materials for
the Dystopia Rising universe.
When creating your background story, there are several key points that you should
consider and a submission format to keep in mind. While the list that follows is not
exhaustive regarding what your character’s story should include, these key points
are aspects that you can expand on going forward that will allow you to have a more
enriching player-to-player experience and also as a strong foundation for working with
event story teams for creating personalized storylines.
KEY STORY POINTS
• Where was your character born and raised? Try to keep the location local to your
home branch so that local staff can create stories with you that incorporate these
details. Branches cannot work with plots outside their local areas.
• Check your local branch’s content page and restrictions to make sure your
character fits the existing requirements and guidelines for your branch. Each branch
allows and disallows different Strains and character concepts to match the overall
shared experience that is designed for a local game.
• How did you and/or your family survive in the wastelands? Dystopia Rising takes
place generations after the apocalypse and most modern amenities and resources do
not exist. Identifying how you have survived as a group and as an individual when it
comes to getting food, water, rest, safety, and medical and mental health can really
define a character.
• What about your unique character makes them a part of the Dystopia Rising
mythology? Knowing the world you are going to play in is important. Dystopia Rising
is its own universe that has its own mythology and published history. Your character’s
background story should be one that fits in this world instead of another story world.
Basic knowledge of the game world goes miles and will make it easier for your character
to connect with other players.
• What motivates and drives your character to keep going forward? This should be a
combination of smaller short-term goals and more philosophical and spiritual drives
that will allow you to progress over the months and years of experiences to come.
• Faith can be an important aspect of your character—or not. Not every character
has a faith. If you do choose to incorporate one of the postapocalyptic faiths, then make

25
sure to read over the section in this book about them (see Chapter 3). Remember to
never incorporate real-world religion as part of your character’s faith; we want to be
respectful out-of-game to everyone who has faith in the real world.
• Leave yourself space to move, grow, and adapt. While the end goal may be for you
to portray a persona that becomes the apex of social, political, economic, religious, or
combative representation, you should consider this as “end game material” that you
play after your persona has risen and grown and journeyed to achieve these goals.
The hero’s journey is more entertaining to experience and playing a “late story”
persona only has meaning if you have a rich history of engagement to refer to.
S UBMISSION FORMAT
• Submit your background story via the medium provided by your local branch with
as much notice as possible. Your local chapter’s employees need to read and review
your content before the game happens. The closer you submit your story to the date
of an event, the more likely it is to be approved for the following event, rather than
the upcoming event. You can still play without a submitted background story, but you
should leave the specifics of your character’s story out of your engagements completely
until it is approved.
• Your background story should be submitted in bullet points and in key notation
format. While we highly encourage participants to write long background stories for
their characters (if they enjoy writing and have the time), your local branch staff need
to use your submission as a reference guide to be given out to hired writers. The
longer and more flowery your document, the less likely that your local staff will be
able to use your content for quick reference and story. Most Dystopia Rising branches
have between 75 and 300 active participants as of the writing of this book, with each
participant having potentially multiple characters at a time. This means that the sheer
volume of information that players can produce for story content can easily become
overwhelming.
• Read the format for submission, be patient regarding response times, and be willing
to answer questions or adjust your character’s background story as needed. While you,
as an individual participant, have the understanding of scope of your own concept,
the branch’s employees have a scope of overseeing how your background story fits
into the core world’s genre. They’re also knowledgeable about the local flavor of the
game, the existing back history of the settlement, and the shared pool of hundreds of
other submitted background stories. Branch employees may suggest that you change
locations, names, and events as to allow your story to have more relevant links to the
existing narrative.
26
26
SKILLS
Skills serve multiple purposes in Dystopia Rising: Evolved. Skills are abilities that you
gain in play that augment the natural abilities that you, as a person, have so that you are
able to enhance your character’s abilities above and beyond your real-world capacities.
Skills also serve the purpose of representing the sorts of actions that individuals might
take in a postapocalyptic world that we shouldn’t, as a civilized society, do in any setting,
much less as a form of entertainment.
In a sense, skills function as a way to provide participants the means to have contact-
safe engagements that are not solely limited to the realm of physical combat.
A second function of skills is to unlock unique mechanics, information, or engagement
in modules that provide participants with an easier or different means of engaging a scene
based on the mechanical growth that they have invested into their character sheet. One
example of this design is to have envelopes labeled “Proficient Education: Spend 5 mind”
containing information that is not available to other participants who do not have the skill,
the mind points to spend, or the desire to engage that scene. A second example of how
skills can work is to offer an easier means of solving tangible puzzle aspects of modules; as
a hypothetical example, any player could engage a mini-game to attempt to patch a hole in
a sinking ship module and would need to complete the mini-game within 30 seconds, but
a player who has the Basic Artisan or Basic Sailing skill would be allowed 60 seconds and
a player with the Proficient level of Artisan or Sailing skill would be allowed 90 seconds.
This design allows any skill to be usable by story-writing staff to have additional in-game
forms of engagement.
There are also skills that unlock the potential of equipment and provide direct
mechanical benefits. Skills such as Proficient and Master Combat skills unlock the
ability for participants with those skills to use the Proficient- and Master-level advantages
outlined on their equipment, if that equipment has been crafted to such a level to have those
advantages. Proficient and Master crafting skills allow for the advantage of blueprints at
the Proficient and Master level to be unlocked, and also allow participants to craft up to
the level they desire. Other skills produce resource cards, provide Body or Mind points, or
allow for mechanical advantages regarding physical and mental anomalies.
A final note on skills: Skills are written in plain language with the intent of expressing
the spirit of the rules to players in a simple and understandable way. This means that a
player who wants to bend, manipulate, or abuse the rules will have to add “technicalities”
to skill wording to attempt to gain a benefit that the skills are obviously outlined not to
provide. Dystopia Rising: Evolved believes that the act of attempting to force skills to work
in ways that they obviously are not intended to do is a form of trying to “legally cheat.”
No written content can ever be all-encompassing and perfect while also being brief and
functional as rules for a game. All documents can be argued and “technicallied to death”
by participants who are more interested in trying to gain a mechanical advantage than in
engaging the experience.
It is the responsibility of all employees, Guides, and participants at all levels to apply a measure of common sense to find
the simplest use of game skill mechanics. In the instance that local branch employees are unsure of how a mechanic
should work, they have been provided tools and means to not only communicate with each other, but also to contact the
network support team to find out what the intended spirit of the rules is.

27
YOUR BASIC STARTING PROP KIT
Since Dystopia Rising is a living experience, there are some physical items that you
are going to need in order to participate in the event. Fortunately, many of these props
have varied levels of investment required, which allows a participant to invest more
in their props and gear as time goes on (instead of having to make a large investment
at the start). The following props and materials are part of what is ideal for a basic
starting kit in addition to any medical, camping, hygiene, and personal health supplies
that you may need. (If you are unsure of what supplies you will need for an event,
consider looking into the provisions that your local branch has on site and reading
recommendations provided by camping service sites and customize the list for what is
reasonable to you.)
BASIC STARTING PROPS FOR

DYSTOPIA RISING: EVOLVED
• Contact-safe weapons that match the dimensions that you are looking to use for
your character. There are many sites online that sell contact-safe melee weapons and
provide instructions for how to make your own. The Dystopia Rising Larp Network
does not provide specific guidelines for contact-safe weapons construction because we
prefer contact-safe gear be produced by experienced professionals who know how to
make equipment with safety in mind. If you do want to make weapons yourself, we
suggest watching instructional videos and learning the craft first.
• Your character costume that identifies you as the persona you are portraying. Due
to the fact that the same person (you) may be portraying multiple personas over time,
it is important to create a visual identity that allows players to identify a character at a
glance. This kit (or costume) can evolve over time, but you should not change the way
your character dresses and acts drastically without using the Proficient Stealth skill
(which allows participants to disguise themselves) due to the fact that this muddles the
meta-concept of who are you playing instead of properly representing your character.
• A set of basic black clothes that you don’t mind getting distressed, dirty, and
damaged. You will wear these clothes during your shift as a casted character, with
additional costuming on top of this outfit. These basic black clothes should not be a part
of your character’s outfit, so as to provide a clear difference between your character
and any Extras you portray.
• Six refillable water containers that are safe to carry (not glass) and can contain at
least 12 ounces of liquid. These bottles will be used for any medicinal brews that you
happen to gain item cards for in game play, as all medicinal brews have a standard size
of 12 ounces. Bottles are not required to be filled with liquid if a player finds it difficult
to carry.
28
28
• Six unused plastic 10 ml syringes without needles. These plastic syringes are
inexpensive and are the standard sized physical representation for any injection-based
brews that your character may get while in play. It is okay if your syringes hold more,
but one service should be in each syringe. Injection brews are made at larger-than-
realistic size volumes to ensure that these injections are visible to Guides and other
players from a distance.
• A Supply Bag that you will carry on themselves that stores all scrap, herb, and
other item cards that your character is carrying. While you still are required to link
an item card to a physical representation for use, you do not need all items to all have
representations at all times—only the items you want to sell or use. This bag must
be large enough to close while holding all six refillable water containers and syringes
and all item cards, as well as any items are being used, sold, traded, or otherwise
interacted with. Your Supply Bag should be clearly labeled as a Supply Bag.
• One section of black fabric (such as a black fabric sheet) that you will wrap around
your out-of-character items that are stored out of sight of main play spaces. While you
should not bring items with you that you would not want potentially broken, damaged,
stained with fake blood, or lost, there are always items (such as changes of clothes)
that you will not want to be part of the in-character world. Wrapping your luggage or a
tote in black fabric with a note that says “out of character” lets Guides know that these
materials are off limits. Note that items that your persona might need in game play
must be stored in in-character locations.
EVOLVING YOUR PROPS FORWARD
After you have played Dystopia Rising: Evolved, you will want to invest in your
character kit over time. Your kit not only is how other players see you, but also helps
define the mind-set and the immersion that you as a participant will have. The more
realistic you can make your kit (while still being functional and safe), the better your
experience will become.
Not everything regarding kit expansion involves financial investment. Some parts
of expanding your kit are about investing time and effort into planning and designing
your kit to evolve and change as the persona you are portraying changes and evolves.
Below you will find some ways that you can evolve your kit over time to help make your
experience, and the experience of those around you, more engaging.
• Increasing the number and quality of the brew bottles and injectable physical
representations (syringes) that you have. As time goes on you may end up with more
brews and injections that you want access to at the same time. This is a living game, which
means that the things you use in character need to have a reasonable representation
that others can perceive. While not every prop needs to be handcrafted to perfection,
29
making a reasonable effort to maintain immersion is part of the experience.
• Tools and equipment that represent the labor focus of your persona. Each person
in the Dystopia Rising universe has some sort of job, and those jobs can be expressed
and give depth to your character at a glance with props that can help drive home where
you are staying for the weekend and what materials you have on you. When you are
adding labor-focused props, make sure to add materials that look realistic but do not
offer an obvious danger to those around you (e.g., hunters should not set real traps, as
an absurd but real example).
• Distressing your costume to show a lived-in aspect of the postapocalypse is a
fantastic first step for costuming but adding distressing and cosmetic aging to the
black clothing you wear during your time during civics is a great prop expansion when
spending time as an Extra. This way, even if your basic blacks are partially visible they
will show signs of surviving in the postapocalyptic world of Dystopia Rising.
• Genre-appropriate food containers and food. When eating food that breaks the
immersion of other participants due to labeling, food content, or design, you should do
your best to eat outside the line of sight of other participants and store this food in a
way in which others will not see the immersion-breaking items. The next step is to store
your food in reusable and genre-appropriate containers, which allows you the ability
to add to your experience by enjoying your food as part of the scene. Food containers
that are utilitarian, do not look mass-produced, or are made from materials that do not
require mass-production factories are a great way to help make your meals as much a
part of the experience as the rest of the world. Just make sure that you do have food
and water instead of going “super genre and starving.” We need you, the participant, to
be healthy first.
• Sleeping materials that are genre-appropriate and fit with the world setting. If you
are staying for multiple days in the Dystopia Rising universe, you will sleep. No, really;
you should sleep. It’s good for you. As you expand your kit, it’s a good idea to consider
your sleeping materials and where you sleep as an extension of your kit. Improving your
sleeping area could start with simply adding hand-knit blankets over your sleeping bag
or hanging up decorations that are handmade or salvaged pieces that represent your
character. You could then move forward with expanding your sleeping kit by including
living materials like pots, pans, storage, and containers that are genre-appropriate.
Maybe add a metal washtub, some hanging herbs to dry, and some mementos that your
persona might have lying around from past events and other personas who have been
a part of their lives. Eventually you may want to get to the point where you create your
own genre-appropriate sleeping area such as a canvas tent, yurt, or a postapocalyptic
trailer or RV.
30
30
• Exotic Weapon: Each Exotic Weapon
YOUR ARMORY: functions differently based on the blueprint
EQUIPMENT DIMENSIONS used to create the Exotic Weapon. Exotic
Weapons function as either a Melee Two
Handed striking weapon or a two-handed
Firearm weapon based on blueprint
The following is a list of minimum and outlines. Exotic Weapons include heavy
maximum dimensions for weapons to be
munition weapons, motorized striking
used at Dystopia Rising Larp Network
weapons, and oddity equipment that may
events. We do not provide standard crafting
serve more purposes than just combat
instructions for making your own contact-
related use. Exotic Weapons are heavily
safe weapons because the techniques,
dependent on crafting specific contact safe
technology, and processes for creating
equipment and props based on individual
safer contact-safe weapons are evolving all
blueprints. Ranged attack-based Exotic
the time. In addition, there are a number of
Weapons are not blocked by shields, while
companies and local artisans that produce
melee-designed exotic weapons are built to
approved contact-safe weapons and can
Melee Two-Handed weapon standards and
sell you appropriate equipment.
are blocked by shields. Exotic Weapons
Each local branch ensures that
cannot use skills that augment other
equipment is safe for use at their events,
weapons unless the skill specifically states
as all gear must go through a basic safety
that it may be used with Exotic Weapons.
test upon entering game play.
• Melee Small weapon: A single contact-
• Brawling weapons: Two contact-
safe melee weapon no smaller than 12
safe weapons no smaller than 12 inches
inches and no longer than 30 inches in
and no longer than 21 inches in total
total length. These weapons should be
length. These weapons should be used to
physical representations that look like
snap forward like a melee weapon, and
weapons and be able to cushion a strike
not held and punched with, to prevent
in the instance a swing accidentally lands
as much real bare-knuckle collision as
harder than lightest touch (see “Contact-
possible. Players are encouraged to build
Safe Combat” in Chapter 6 for more on
foam “knucks” around their hands to help
lightest touch combat).
represent these weapons as being hand-to-
• Melee Standard weapon: A single
hand weapons instead of melee weapons.
contact-safe melee weapon no smaller than
Visuals of batons being held in knuckles,
20 inches and no longer than 45 inches
small generic strikers, or other easily
in total length. These weapons should be
visually identifiable non-blade brawling
physical representations that look like
representations are viable. Brawling
weapons and be able to cushion a strike
weapons can be any color (we recommend
in the instance a swing accidentally lands
muted tones and not bright colors, so as
harder than lightest touch.
to fit better into the postapocalypse) but
must clearly not be a dagger or other small
melee weapon in appearance.

31
• Melee Two-Handed weapon: A single Combat” in Chapter 6 for more on lightest
contact-safe melee weapon that is no touch combat). Bullets do pierce shields,
smaller than 30 inches and no longer than and anyone holding a shield that gets hit
80 inches in total length. These weapons by a bullet takes the damage. What is legally
should be physical representations that allowed for physical representation of Bolt
look like weapons and be able to cushion a Action weapons varies from state to state.
strike in the instance a swing accidentally Please check the laws of the county you
lands harder than lightest touch. Melee are attending a game in prior to bringing
Two-Handed weapons should have at least your gear. Bolt Action weapons fall under
20 inches of striking area at the head the Projectile Weapon skill category, and
of the weapon before reaching any sort crafted weapons will state if they are a Bolt
of handle. Melee Two-Handed weapons Action weapon or a bow.
require the user to have both hands on it • Bow: The legality and legal definition
for blocking or striking. of a bow changes from county to county
• Thrown weapon: A contact-safe and from state to state. Some counties
weapon no smaller than 5 inches in require bows to be registered as firearms,
diameter and no larger than 13 inches some require bows to be registered
along its longest axis (for items thrown as lethal weapons, some list bows as
like baseballs or axes) or no longer than sporting equipment, and others define the
40 inches in length (for items thrown like equipment’s legal status based on the total
javelins or darts). No part of a thrown draw of the item being used. Combining
weapon can be an exposed and dangerous this fact with the common event of
area that could cause harm if it strikes, and shafts of “larp arrows” being damaged
the tip (if any) of a thrown weapon must and becoming real arrows in the process,
be at least 6 inches of flexible coreless we do not allow the use of real bows and
impact cushion. Thrown weapons will be larp arrows at Dystopia Rising. Bows are
examined incredibly critically due to the represented by either a bow without string
fact that once they are in the air the user or a heat-formed section of PVC that has
cannot adjust their trajectory or speed. been made into a nonfunctioning physical
• Bolt Action weapon: All firearms that representation of a bow. If you would like
project contact-safe foam projectiles must to block or do damage with the physical
be single-action (one trigger pull equals body of the bow itself, your bow must be
one shot). A player may also opt to use a designed in accordance to Melee Standard
physical representation for the firearm by guidelines, with contact-safe areas for
way of thrown red packets for the bullets. blocking or striking. Bows are assumed
While there is no limit on the number of in character to be a minimum of recurve
red packets or contact-safe projectiles or compound bow strength since the use
a person may have, an individual may of low-strength bows in a world filled with
not pick up their projectiles or packets mutants and armor-wearing monsters
during combat, and also must spend is limited. Bow physical representations
time reloading. A player may shoot six should be represented this way, to match
consecutive times and then should spend 6 the world setting standards. Bows fall
seconds reloading or 6 seconds getting six under the category of Projectile Weapon,
more packets to throw (see “Contact-Safe and crafted weapons will state if they are
32
32
a Bolt Action weapon or a bow. Arrows are
represented by blue packets with a cloth tail
attached so that they can be clearly identified
as different from “bullets” at night. Arrows
do not pierce shields, unlike bullets. A person
using a bow can pick up arrows while in combat
and continue to throw them constantly, one at
a time, whereas someone with a firearm needs
to wait to load six bullets before shooting.
• Shield: Shields must have a total surface
area that is less than 9 square feet. Holes and
carved-out sections will not deduct from the
total of 9 square feet of surface area. A shield
may not stand more than 4 feet tall or be wider
than 4 feet wide at its widest point. Shields
must have softened, padded edges to help
prevent damage to the contact-safe weapons
used during combat and to help prevent
accidental contact harm. Shields should
visibly look like they are capable of stopping
a melee strike (ultralight materials must have
a degree of reasonable realism in appearance).
Shields block strikes, thrown weapons, and
blue packet Ranged Attacks (arrows). They do
not block red packet Ranged Attacks (bullets).
As technology advances, these details may be

updated by the Dystopia Rising Larp Network; such
changes will be made readily available to the public.

CHAPTER 2: LINEAGES & STRAINS 33
33
CHAPTER TWO
LINEAGES & STRAINS
W

e can’t remember when the world fell. Too many generations have passed, and the
truth has been lost from one telling to another. What we do know, however, is that the
world ended in a hot glow of radiation as fire rained down from the sky. They didn’t
expect us to survive—but we did.
We evolved and adapted. Humans ceased to exist as our bodies developed differently,
depending on which Strain of the Infection they housed. The Strains of humanity
formed, becoming something more than the people that came before them.
As we’ve rebuilt the world, we’ve realized that some of the Strains are related to one
another. In fact, they’re so related that they are effectively the same except for slight
cultural and genetic differences. Through work and study, we’ve realized there are
seven main Lineages, each of which contain three Strains.
Of course, this information is still new in the world, and there are some Strains
that will argue tooth and nail that they’re not related to each other. However, science
doesn’t lie. Whether they like it or not, this is truth.
Below, you’ll find the seven main Lineages of humanity, followed by each of
their Strains. Each Lineage features some broad, overarching characteristics
that are present in each of its Strains, while the Strains branch into
hyper-defined traits.
Each Lineage has a mechanical advantage that counts as a skill, while each Strain
has a role-play trait. If the trait is not followed, then a character may lose a point of
resolve during game play.
Guides are encouraged to use and bring out these traits in game play with modules
and unique situations that allow each of the Strains to shine in their own way.
More information about each Strain and Lineage can be found in

Onyx Path Publishing’s tabletop book, Dystopia Rising: Evolved.
34
34
Elitariat
BODY: 8 MIND: 12
RESOLVE: 4 INFECTION: 4
Elitariat were born from the wealthy upper crust. Their forefathers were business
tycoons, innovators, and the cream of society—and they know it. Their wealth is built
on the backs of their parents and grandparents and great-grandparents, stretching
all the way back to before the Fall. Their ancestors sealed themselves away when
the Fall occurred, having enough influence, money, or information to be able to find
safety away from the chaos outside.
This Lineage is used to power, wealth, and getting their way. That said, they’re
also natural born leaders and innovators. Their flaws come from being perhaps too
used to being in charge, which can make them difficult to deal with as subordinates.
In general, Elitariats tend to be most comfortable with others doing their bidding.
However, they’re not above getting in the trenches with members of other Lineages
in order to set an example. And all of them tend to know their family line stretching
back for generations.
Most Elitariats wear well-tailored clothing that makes them stand out in the
position that they hold, whether it’s as a general, a researcher, or a business leader.
They prefer bright colors to subtle ones, and their outfits almost always make an
impression.
ADVANTAGE
An Elitariat with Basic Financial Influence may spend 5 Mind Points to gain 1 local
currency. An Elitariat with Proficient Financial Influence may spend 10 Mind Points to
gain 5 local currency. An Eliteriat with Master Financial Influence may spend 15 Mind
Points to gain 10 local currency. As an example:A total of 16 currency could be gained
if a character possessed and used all three skill levels. The use of this Advantage is
handled via the Public Works and may only be used once per level of Financial Influence
a character has per event (one use of Basic, one use of Proficient, and one use of Mast).

35
Digitarian
Researchers, scientists, and others

knowledgeable about the world, Digitarians are
truly the brainiacs of the Elitariat Lineage.
They come from generations and generations of
researchers and scientists who have plumbed
TRAIT
Due to the structure of their brains and
the depths of knowledge not only after the Fall,
a larger hippocampus and prefrontal
but also before it. It’s often a rite of passage for
cortex, Digitarians have the ability to
a young Digitarian to conduct research about
recall memories clearly and accurately.
the Fall of humanity—and discover the truth
This means that a Digitarian will hold
behind it.
a grudge for generations. They also
It’s said that Digitarians were the last
never forget something a family member
Strain of humanity to fall to the Infection.
has done, which means it can be years
Because of this, their families pass down pieces
before a Digitarian who has wronged a
of knowledge of what happened during this
family member finally works off their
turbulent time. Sealed in high-tech bunkers,
labs, and underground rooms away from the “debt” to the family. If someone wrongs
Infection, it took more time before they finally a Digitarian, that person immediately
succumbed and mutated to become what they becomes their enemy and they will work
are today. toward vengeance or negotiation to find a
Digitarians dress in what could pass for way to right the wrong that has been done
postapocalyptic SWAT team armor, or in clothes to them.
accented with bits and pieces of old-world
technology that has long ago rusted and become
more like decoration than anything else. Old
wires are used as trimming, circuits are
often turned into jewelry, and pieces of metal
are sometimes incorporated into armor. Many
Digitarians have a broken piece of technology
that has been passed down within their family,
generation to generation.
With their knowledge, Digitarians often feel
like they have a debt to the world as a whole.
Because of this sense of honor and debt, they
often take roles that help further humanity and
society as a whole.
36
36
Pure Blood
When people think of Elitariats, they

often think of Pure Bloods. Pure Bloods
are the most notable of all three Strains
in this particular Lineage. With brightly
colored outfits that are best described as
“postapocalyptic chic,” Pure Bloods are
sure to always make an entrance.
This Strain is known to have a high
degree of family loyalty, viewing their
parents and grandparents as individuals TRAIT
Pure Bloods always wear at least three
who helped pave the way for them.
Good at talking, politicking, and acting bright colors in their outfit and tend to
as businesspeople, Pure Bloods are avoid duller shades such as blacks and
stereotyped as having a lot of cash on hand. browns. This is largely because Pure
While Pure Bloods may often look like Bloods have trouble seeing different
peacocks; however, they can be shrewd and shades of colors, and thus will choose
ruthless when it comes down to it. If you try distinct colors instead.
and cross a Pure Blood, you won’t have to
look out for the Pure Blood—but you may
have to look out for the five assassins they
hired to stab you in the back after you’ve
left the city.
Members of many other Lineages
believe that Pure Bloods are loath to get
their hands dirty. The fact of the matter
is that they’re not above doing what needs
to get done if need be. However, they will
always look for a way to do things through
cat’s-paws first.

37
Solestros
Solestros share many of the characteristics

of Pure Bloods and Digitarians, but have
gotten their heads out of the clouds enough
to realize that Elitariats didn’t get where
they are by sitting around and letting others
do things for them. Highly charismatic and
willing to get down in the trenches with
members of other Lineages, Solestros are
TRAIT
While Solestros don’t possess the same
seen as battlefield commanders and leaders arrogance as Digitarians, they do see
in the field rather than as generals issuing themselves as natural leaders. Because
orders from an ivory tower. of this, they will often fight for a higher
Solestros tend to dress with practicality, position in whatever group they are a part
depending on their line of work. However, of. Solestros will also always try and “one
they still dress well, preferring to look up” a Pure Blood or Digitarian if they
efficient and sleek rather than flamboyant happen to be in their presence.
or weighted down with excessive clothing.
Many times they will add bits of jewelry
or small bits of flair to their outfits rather
than entire outfit choices that inhibit their
ability to do their everyday work.
Similar to the rest of the Lineage,
Solestros also carry something that has
belonged to their family. However, the item
they carry is usually practical. If their
family is a soldiering family, it will often
be a gun or sword. If their family is known
for medical research, it may be a medical
journal passed down and updated.
38
38
TOWNIE
BODY: 10 MIND: 10
Townies are the city slickers and the town-dwellers. When the world went to shit, their
ancestors stayed in major metropolitan areas, sheltering in place as the bombs fell
around them. They saw the importance of infrastructure in a dying world, and some
of them paid dearly for that.
The hardiest of them survived, though. While people died by the hundreds, a brave
few managed to beat the odds and survive within the bombed and destroyed remains of
cities. Here, they sheltered in mostly abandoned buildings and managed to make lives
for themselves.
Townies thrive in humanity, forming groups that stick together in order to better
survive. In fact, they feel out of place if they are alone in the wastes or happen to not
be within civilization. They are also hardened by their environment, wearing clothing
that is practical but still has some style. They’re used to large crowds and louder voices,
knowing when to show a hard outer shell and when to show vulnerability. After all, one
of the largest threats to humanity can be humanity itself.
ADVANTAGE
All Townies think they know best when it comes to their home. If a Townie
engages in Active Role-play outlining the local history, folklore, war stories, or
tactics for survival in the area to at least 5 non-locals (traveling players) and/
or new players (characters with less than 50 experience points) for twenty
minutes the Townie will regain 5 Mind at the end of this Active Role-play.
Examples: Tours of town, teaching classes to rookies, teaching local social customs,
teaching local scams, explaining local politics.

39
Baywalker
Baywalkers are clever—very clever. And

sometimes, that cleverness gets them into
trouble. Similar to many other Townies,
they appear hard-edged or stoic at first.
In addition, they often possess a wry, dry
sense of humor.
Interestingly, Baywalkers usually live
TRAIT
Baywalkers have a unique set of genetics
on the outskirts of larger cities, creating that cause their skin to retain scars more
small communities that thrive on the easily, even after passing through the
dockyards or in areas where the hustle and Mortis Amaranthine. Because of this,
bustle of the city has died down somewhat. many Baywalkers have multiple tattoos
Their most defining feature is their tattoos, that tell a bit about their life and history to
which normally tell the histories of their cover these scars. These tattoos are often
lives in ink. A Baywalker normally gets conversation pieces, and many Baywalkers
their first ink at an extremely young age will happily tell the stories of their ink to
and adds to it over time. Baywalkers who someone who asks about them.
don’t have ink have many scars that are
clearly visible. This is due to the unique set
of genetics they possess that cause their
skin to retain scars more easily.
Baywalkers dress practically for their
profession, preferring to have pouches
and pockets attached to their clothing to
make it easier to carry tools and items
around with them. However, they also tend
to dress lighter than their Yorker cousins,
making themselves more streamlined in
appearance. They also intensely dislike
loud, boisterous individuals, or people
who tend to let their passions rule them as
opposed to common sense.
40
40
Yorker
Yorkers are quintessential Townies, living

within the hollowed-out remains of cities and
learning to cope with cramped quarters and
confined spaces. Although they are just as
intelligent as Baywalkers and Vegasians, they
use their intelligence in a more brutal way,
preferring to leave wit behind in favor of tactics
and practical application.
Yorkers wear clothing that defines the
TRAIT
Due to their need to belong, Yorkers will
area that they live in and normally looks always be part of an organization or group
bulky. If a Yorker comes from the hollowed- of some kind and will be loyal to that group
out remains of Old York, they may wear to a fault. They will often proudly display
sewed-on cloth patches that show pre-Fall an outward symbol of that group. The only
sports symbols that appear over and over in exception is if that group betrays them, in
their area along with armor made from scrap which case Yorkers will often settle the score
metal from the region. If a Yorker comes from quickly.
Lost Angels, they may wear lighter clothing
and prefer adornments such as shaded
goggles that protect their eyes from the sun,
along with symbols that are inherent to the
city they come from.
Yorkers are also known for their fiery
tempers. While Baywalkers will plot revenge
for years, a Yorker will settle things quickly
and cleanly—sometimes in the middle of the
street. Because of this, Yorkers tend to dislike
individuals who are passive aggressive, or who
tend to not confront an issue head-on.
It’s also important to note that Yorkers
will naturally form up with a group, and
never feel quite right unless rolling with
a larger organization or gang. It’s not
uncommon to see masses of Yorkers either
living or traveling together due to the amount
of trust that they can build with one another.

41
Vegasian
Vegasians are often seen as duplicitous

and shady, but that’s just a product of
their ability to navigate the social waters
of a larger settlement. Often labelled as
“cowardly,” Vegasians simply know how
to survive a tricky situation. Hiding and
running are just two tools in a Vegasian’s
arsenal, and they’re far more likely to use
them than other Strains.
Vegasians usually dress in what they
view as more upscale outfits. However,
TRAIT
Vegasians have a heightened adrenaline
they’re not to be mistaken for Pure Bloods. response whenever something spooks
Pure Bloods will maintain classiness, while or scares them, which makes their
Vegasians will aim for the downright showy “flight” response stronger than those
and garish. in other Lineages. Because of this,
They prefer colorful clothing that Vegasians have a greater sense of
catches the eye, the better to grab the next self-preservation, and will never sacrifice
customer that comes their way. themselves for others.
In cities, Vegasians are usually the ones
that broker deals, talk up the wares they’re
selling, and get themselves into back rooms
to make more of a profit. While some may
claim they’re slimy, that’s only because
they’ve been wronged by a smooth-talking
Vegasian in the past. Vegasians are the
ones who are sure to ingratiate themselves
into any group or organization they’re a
part of—and make sure to get some profit
out of it.
42
42
Nomad
BODY: 9 MIND: 11
Nomads are the travelers and the wanderers, the people who never settled down
and instead decided to roam the wastes. When the world fell, these bands of roving
people took to the roads and the oceans, constantly traveling as they sought resources
and ways to survive. Their ancestors learned the best places to stop and the best routes
to travel. They met other travelers and soon an entire Lineage developed.
Nomads often wear clothing that’s easy to travel in, whether their transportation is
a ship, vehicle, or their own feet. Because of their constant traveling, they tend to look
similar to the rest of the group they travel with rather than looking like they belong to
any one geographical location.
As a general rule, most Nomads know how to ingratiate themselves into different
towns and societies. This means that they’ll learn the local customs and etiquette of
whatever place they pass through. However, they also have traditions that they pass
among the members of the local caravan or other group that they’re part of.
That said, Nomads also have their own culture within their group. While there is
some variance from group to group, many groups that travel the same routes have
picked up ideas from one another along the way.
ADVANTAGE
As long asAs long as a Nomad has a vehicle item card, they may choose to ignore
any “traveling to or from a game” local plot mechanics unless that plot specifically
outlines that it directly affects Nomads. In the instance that a plot mechanic kit does
target Nomads, a Nomad with a Vehicle may spend 1 Resolve to avoid plot mechanics
that affect players traveling to a game. This does not, however, prevent mechanics
caused directly by players targeting other players.
In addition, when a module takes place on a vehicle (Diesel Jock ride, Boat, Caravan,
or Airship), Nomads may spend 10 minutes Active Roleplay tending to the care,
upkeep, or navigation of the vehicle to regain 5 mind.

43
Diesel Jock

Diesel Jocks are the warriors of the road,
the ones that made bikes and other vehicles
out of rusted scrap and the remains of
engines in order to travel across the
wasteland. Their ancestors realized that
if you could travel fast enough, you could
outdrive any threat.
Diesel Jocks usually wear leather and
metal, using materials that will protect
TRAIT
Due to the fact that Diesel Jocks evolved
them from windburn and road rash should
on the road, they have a less defined sense
they ever fall off their rides. They’re often
of smell. Because of this, Diesel Jocks are
covered in oil and grease from working on
often covered in dust, grease, and dirt
their vehicles, and many of them are experts
from the road that they don’t wind up
at mechanics and engineering. They treat
noticing until long after the fact.
their vehicles with respect and reverence,
often naming them and acting as if they’re
a valued member of their group—which, in
some respects, they are.
This Strain is grittier and steelier than
the other Nomads. Rough and rugged from
the road, they form gangs and groups that
are thick as thieves. They also tend to be
blunter than other Nomads, and often more
violent.
However, this Strain will also make
sure to protect their own. A group of Diesel
Jocks will always band together if there’s a
threat from the outside.
44
44
Rover
R overs are the most hospitable and

socially graceful of the Nomads. Their
traveling caravans are legendary for
offering food and drink to those in need
on the road, and for offering a comfortable
place to stay when someone is in need.
Rovers usually dress in sturdy and
comfortable clothes that include natural
colors, tans, and browns, including good
walking boots for the road. After all, a TRAIT
Due to the need to be honest on the
good pair of shoes can be the difference
between a comfortable walk and a painful road, generations of Rovers eventually
bout of torture. Rovers also wear scarves developed the traits of being terrible liars
and pieces of fabric that act as a code to one and great judges of people. Because of
another, denoting things such as who the this, Rovers can never tell an outright lie
members of their family are, what they do when they give their word, though they
for a living, and what hardships they face. can tell partial truths and use selective
Rovers also often use this same code to word choices.
mark areas along the road for other Rovers,
so that they know whether a place is a good
place to stay or if they should try and find
somewhere else.
Because of their musculature, Rovers
can often walk far longer than members
of other Strains and Lineages. They also
often feel a restlessness that others don’t,
and most Rovers travel often to satisfy their
wanderlust.
Rovers also have a sense of honor
amongst themselves. They will never
break a deal they have made. By that same
token, though, they will get revenge on or
recompense from anyone who breaks a deal
with them.

45
Saltwise

When the world fell, groups of people took
to the sea as they fled to oil platforms and
massive, militarized ships. These people
showed the most drastic mutations over
time as they continued to sail across the
open ocean, developing a set of gills on their
necks in addition to their fully functioning TRAIT
Saltwise need to be near salt water due to
lungs, as well as the ability to change their
sex from male to female and back again. the prominent gills on their necks. If they
Due to the gills on their necks, Saltwise are not within 75 miles of the ocean, they
don’t wear scarves or anything that might become more lethargic and thirstier. They
cover them. They also dress in layered, loose normally carry some kind of container on
clothing that’s perfect for removal if they their person to constantly drink from, and
need to enter the water. Saltwise appear often show signs of dried skin.
androgynous to most people in terms of
their physical attributes and expression.
These days, Saltwise travel the oceans
to trade, fish, and visit port towns. They
are also sometimes hired as ocean-based
mercenaries to deal with threats on the
water.
There’s a great variety in Saltwise
appearances, with Saltwise near the equator
developing faint, iridescent coloring on
their cheek bones and temples. Those
who were born in the northern and very
southern reaches of the world have duller
colorings that range from tans to browns.
46
46
Gorger
BODY: 11 MIND: 9
Not everyone survived the end of the world, but some of those who died rose once
again. Gorgers are a unique Lineage in that they must feed on the Infection in other
Strains in order to continue living themselves.
The first of the Gorgers were the Full Dead and the Semper Mort, which were reanimated
in different ways. While they look different physically, they both are Strains that were
effectively created from corpses. Because of this, these Strains need to consume flesh
or blood on a regular basis in order to maintain the Infection within their own bodies.
The third branch of this Lineage is the Lascarians. Interestingly enough, Lascarians
are simply an evolved branch of the Semper Mort. Maintaining the ability to consume
the Infection from flesh, Lascarians have also developed other traits that make them a
distinct Strain within the Gorger Lineage.
As a whole, Gorgers are often mistrusted by other Lineages due to their need to
consume flesh or blood. Many times, they will have trophies of “hunts” hanging from
their clothing or belts, which makes them even more off-putting.
ADVANTAGE
Gorgers have the ability to spend 2 minutes of role-play consuming the flesh or
blood of an incapacitated or dead Target to regain 1 Body point. The dead Target
must have been dead for fewer than 10 minutes and can’t have already sunk
into the ground. If the Target is in Bleed Out, this acts as a coup de gras (see
“Lexicon of Mechanics Related Terms”). If the Target is not in Bleed Out, the use
of this Advantage is extremely painful to the Target and they lose 5 Body points.
This Advantage only works on members of other Lineages and Raiders. This advantage
may only be used up to 5 times on a single corpse per Gorger for a maximum of 10
minutes and 5 Body points regained, if the body is still present. Up to 6 Gorgers may
use this Advantage at the same time on one target (each causing individual damage
and having individual timers).

47
Full Dead

In addition, Full Dead often hear
Full Dead did not survive the end of the whispers in the backs of their heads.
world. They breathed their last when the Researchers believe that this may be false
bombs fell and the world darkened. And yet memories surfacing, or simply the very
the Infection—the thing that destroyed the faded memories of people dying during
world—is also what brought them back to the Fall. Whatever the case, Full Dead will
life. often appear “zoned out” at times, which
This Strain of the Infection reanimated is often when the whispers sound the
corpses across the world, implanting strongest to them.
memories of people who may or may not
have existed before the world ended. Full
Dead are, effectively, badly created copies
of people who existed before the Fall. They
TRAIT
Full Dead are, for all intents and purposes,
often wear dark colors and try to mimic walking, sentient corpses. Because of this,
pre-Fall clothing, with limited success. Full Dead are affected by any effects that
The fact of the matter is that the bodies would impact an undead creature and
they now inhabit are not the same as those also must consume the flesh of one living
that died during the Fall. They are simply creature per event in order to survive.
reanimated copies. This may explain why This acts as their Lineage’s advantage.
so many Full Dead have stories of “coming
to themselves” in the midst of a zombie
horde.
Because of their lack of functional
adrenal glands, Full Dead do not feel
emotions like members of other Strains
and see the world through a muted lens.
They are often described as stoic, though
many Full Dead learn to mimic emotions as
a survival instinct for living among other
Lineages. This is especially true because
with their corpse-like appearance and drive
to consume the flesh of Strains, much like
the undead do, members of other Lineages
distrust Full Dead.
48
48
Semper Mort

Before the Fall, some people attempted to
preserve their loved ones in ice in the hopes
that a cure for the Infection would be found.
While no cure was found, the Infection itself
invaded these frozen bodies, changing
them over time.
The hands of the Semper Mort mutated
to have bone-like claws that emerge from
the tips of their fingers. These claws
are often used for grasping and slicing
TRAIT
In order to survive, a Semper Mort must
prey. Their teeth are also all sharpened
drink the blood of a living Raider or
to points, giving them an almost shark-
member of another Lineage once per event.
like appearance. Because of their unique
This acts as their Lineage’s advantage,
origins, the Semper Mort must feast on
and can only be done on a willing Target
the Infection that lies within the blood
or a Target who has been incapacitated.
of members of other Lineages and some
Raiders. Any other food will not fill them,
and Semper Mort deprived of blood will
eventually starve to death.
Unlike Full Dead, the Semper Mort
fully live and breathe as members of other
Strains do. However, the freezing process
has taken its toll on their physiology. Their
long-term memories are usually severely
damaged, and most Semper Mort cannot
remember more than 5 years into their past.
This means that newly emerged Semper
Mort have no memories whatsoever, and
Semper Mort who live within a settlement
usually keep to a regular routine so as to
make it easier on them as they forget things
over time. It’s not unusual to find a Semper
Mort keeping a daily journal so they can be
reminded of their history on a daily basis.

49
Lascarian
With slightly sharper teeth and large

pupils, Lascarians look as if they’ve lived
underground for most of their lives.
Lascarians were spawned from the very
first Semper Mort that retreated to the
subterranean reaches of the world in order
to escape persecution from other Lineages.
Over time, they became their own Strain.
Lascarians can be found in abandoned
subway tunnels or even in underground
bunkers. While many people believe that
TRAIT
Lascarians cover all of their skin at all
there are vast, underground networks, times during daylight hours due to their
that’s usually not the case. Instead, soft- sensitivity to light. When outside during
spoken Lascarians usually wind up sleeping sunny days, Lascarians must cover their
in a room-like underground space during exposed skin when out of the shade and in
the day and emerge at night. direct sunlight. During summer months,
This Strain wears tattered clothes that Lascarians often switch over to gauzy,
vary widely, depending on what Lascarian lighter fabrics that still provide sun
group they’re with or where they’re from. protection.
However, all Lascarians cover all of their
skin if they emerge during daylight hours.
They are very susceptible to burns and
their eyes are extremely sensitive to light.
Lascarians also have the ability to
consume raw flesh. Unlike Semper Mort
and Full Dead, however, Lascarians prefer
to consume the flesh of creatures that have
recently died. Interestingly, Lascarians can
also consume what is considered “normal”
food for Lineages. However, they often
choose a corpse diet due to their bodies’
needs for certain nutrients.
50
50
51
Mutant
BODY: 12 MIND: 8
W hen radiation spread across the world, there were those who thought that
sentient life was over for our planet. However, these people didn’t take the incredible
adaptability of the Infection into account. This infectious material combined with
varied genetics to produce the most adaptable Lineage out there: Mutants.
Mutants are known for their extreme genetic adaptability to their environment.
Each Strain of Mutant shows varied genetics that reveal how they’ve specifically
adapted to their corner of the wasteland. Mutants, unlike other Lineages, show a
greater variety in their genetics and also a greater propensity to show outward changes
in their physiology.
The ancestors of Mutants were those who simply outlasted everyone else among
the harsh conditions of the wasteland. These were individuals who, over generations,
were able to survive just long enough to reproduce and develop resistance to radiation,
diseases, and other environmental factors of the wasteland.
Generally, Mutants dress in clothing that suits whatever environment they’re
living in. They often live on the outskirts of other settlements, eking out an existence.
ADVANTAGE
Due to their ability to quickly mutate within a few short generations, Mutants cannot
die due to a Disease. This does not mean that they cannot suffer from a disease
and experience the most extreme form of a Disease. It also doesn’t mean they can’t
turn into a Raider due to Bad Brain Disease. Mutants may spend 1 Resolve and call
“Mutated Immune System” to not be affected by a single source of Radiation damage
or contracting a new disease at the time of contact with the Contagion. This does not
prevent a disease that has taken hold from progressing.
52
52
Remnant
R emnants are often known as genetic

anomalies—mistakes. Some even claim
that Remnants are not a real Strain and,
in a sense, they’re right. Remnants display
so many genetic anomalies that it’s difficult
sometimes to identify two Remnants as
being part of the same Strain.
There are, however, some traits that
Remnants share in common. Remnants
TRAIT
Remnants always have an outward physical
always have an outward physical mutation mutation of some kind, and will always
of some kind. In addition, Remnants often have an obsession of some sort that must
are predisposed to an addiction of some be satisfied once per event, whether that
kind—whether it’s an addiction to religion, obsession is satisfied by drinking, attending
drugs, or even violence. Remnants will a faith ritual, or doing something else that
always seek to satisfy the hole that always is typically considered to be an obsession or
remains in their lives. addiction. Mutations must be approved after
Remnants are usually born from other an Action Request submission.
Remnants, or members of two different
Strains who have a child together. While
many think of Remnants as being strange,
their genetic diversity has helped give rise
to the creation and evolution of other Strains
and Lineages. Remnants are often looked
down on, yet many researchers believe that
Remnants may truly be the next step of
evolution for Lineages and Strains as a whole.
Remnants usually dress in clothing that
seems to be a patchwork of different styles
taken from other Strains. As an example, a
Remnant born from a Yorker and a Pure Blood
may dress like a Yorker but have trinkets and
jewelry accents.

53
Retrograde

Y ou’ll know a Retrograde when
you see one, that’s for sure. This Strain
developed out of the most irradiated areas
of the wasteland. They developed a genetic
anomaly that helps them in irradiated areas
but appears repulsive to those of almost all
other Strains. TRAIT
Because they evolved in an environment
The cells in Retrogrades are produced
at a rapid rate, and this extends to their filled with high levels of radiation,
skin. While newer skin cells are fresh, the Retrogrades always have rotted, decaying
older skin cells quickly decay. This causes a skin. Many often wear masks to cover
Retrograde to have a rotted, bloody, zombie- their faces so that members of other
like appearance. It’s not uncommon to find Strains do not mistake them for zombies.
a Retrograde who’s missing pieces of their
face, only to find the next day that these
sections have regrown and other sections
are missing.
Retrogrades normally dress for their
environment, wearing clothes that are
sturdy and practical for what they do. They
often wear masks, to show that they’re not
zombies but are instead a living Strain.
They also wear masks because when
Retrogrades pass through the Mortis
Amaranthine for the last time, they often
come out as truly horrifying monstrosities.
After the Retrograde dies for the last time,
the masks are meant to keep their zombies
from being able to bite friends and loved
ones. Needless to say, Retrogrades can be
mistaken as zombies and are sometimes
shot because of it.
54
54
Tainted
T he Tainted are thought to have

evolved from Remnants, but it is uncertain
when this occurred. What is certain,
however, is that the Tainted are the product
of genetic diversity and the evolution of the
Raider disease Bad Brain.
The Tainted are what happen when a
Strain co-evolves with a Disease. Instead TRAIT
The Tainted always have stage two of Bad
of the Disease being a hindrance, it has
actually become this Strain’s strength. A Brain Disease, but it will never progress
Tainted will never fully succumb to the and it can never be cured. This is because
Disease due to the immunity that they the Tainted are a Strain that was changed
carry. At the same time, though, a Tainted and genetically altered by the disease.
is also never truly free of its effects.
The Tainted are often mistaken for
Raiders, dressing in natural leather with
accents of bones and other trophies that
they collect. Fearsome in battle and socially
aggressive, the Tainted usually form
groups that rove the nearby countryside
rather than settling in any particular
location. There have also been instances
where Raiders have been witnessed being
less aggressive toward the Tainted and
vice versa. However, many believe that this
decreased animosity may be determined on
a case-by-case basis.

55
Landsman
BODY: 12 MIND: 8
W hen the world fell, there were hundreds of thousands of people who didn’t live in
cities or even in large towns. They lived in the rural landscape outside cities, making a
living by working the land and helping the food production industry, or patrolling forests
and national parks. Instead of fleeing, these individuals stayed on the outskirts, creating
small refuges within the wasteland.
This Lineage as a whole despises people who think they’re better than others, or who
act deceptively. They prefer honesty, hard work, and team effort. A Landsman always feels
more at home in a rural area than a bustling city, and will usually take the side of fellow
Landsmen rather than those of any other Lineage.
Landsmen tend to dress for the environment that they live in, though many prefer
homespun shirts and pants. Many of them create armor from leather and bits of metal they
find within the wasteland.
Landsmen are stronger than the average Lineage, and tend to have social quirks that
members of other Lineages describe as “awkward” or “strange.” However, it’s always good
to have a few Landsmen on your side, especially in the wasteland.
ADVANTAGE
Landsmen are all about their local community. If five Landsmen come together
as a group and spend 20 minutes discussing Landsmen community matters
(Quiet Folk), drinking as a group (Merican), or discussing group battle tactics
(Natural Ones), then all Landsmen participating with Active Role-play for the full amount
of time receive 5 Mind points that do not go above their Mind point total. During this Active
Role-play Landsman cannot usr any other skills during that time nor can this Advantage
be done while walking/fighting/sleeping. Keep in mind that participating Landsmen must
be clearly Landsmen during such a role-play session.
56
56
Merican
M ericans are everywhere. They can

be found to the south, to the north, and to
the east and west. With their blunt way of
talking and boisterousness, they’re more
often than not the loudest people in a room.
Mericans tend to have a larger forehead
than other Strains, which is why they often
wear a hat to cover it. This hat has become
a point of pride for most Mericans, and no
self-respecting Merican would go anywhere TRAIT
Mericans never go anywhere without their
without one. Depending on their locale,
Mericans’ hats might be made of straw, hat and will always come out as a shambler
cloth, leather, or other materials. The style upon losing their last Infection.
of hat also ranges widely, depending on
where the Merican is located.
In addition to their boisterousness,
Mericans tend to navigate between
extremes in terms of their emotions. It’s
not uncommon to see a Merican openly
weeping, laughing loudly, or appearing
almost unreasonably angry at a slight—all
within the span of a few hours.
Mericans are greatly influenced by
where they live, sporting the styles and
colors of that area. A Merican near Old York
may sport an old ball cap or fedora, while a
Merican from Lone Star may wear a cowboy
hat. It’s also worth noting that Mericans
are often very loyal to their settlement,
displaying pride in their particular town or
city.

57
Natural One
T he ancestors of Natural Ones were park

rangers and military survivalists. These were
the people who had learned to live off the land
as hunters and gatherers and did it well. Natural
Ones these days have become formidable when it
comes to living off the land and surviving in the
wilderness.
Natural Ones dress in materials that they’ve
TRAIT
Due to their paranoia, Natural Ones
scavenged from the area that they live in and not only view perceived outsiders with
around. They often dress in a combination of suspicion, but are also not likely to rely on
leather, scrap metal, and other materials that are complex equipment to defend themselves.
common in their area. They also usually wear Instead, they often equip themselves with
face paint to mark their history and the group knives, axes, rope, and other survivalist
they belong with, though historians believe items that can’t be broken easily.
that this tradition started from the militaristic
ancestors of Natural Ones who wore paint as
camouflage. They also almost always have a
weapon at hand as a way to defend themselves
when scavenging or exploring.
Natural Ones are often more likely to exhibit
symptoms of paranoia when it comes to those
they don’t know or who they don’t see regularly
as part of their community. A Natural One who
grows up around Retrogrades, as an example,
may view visiting Baywalkers with suspicion.
Natural Ones are also very community
focused. They normally form groups and squads
where they work together in order to survive.
58
58
Quiet Folk
O nce thought to be quiet Mericans

or their Remnant cousins, Quiet Folk
have long existed in the world as
the surprisingly demure relatives of
Mericans. Soft-spoken with overly large
eyes, Quiet Folk are the quintessential
small towners who want to make sure
that their settlement is doing just fine.
TRAIT
Quiet Folk are the quintessential culture
Quiet Folk usually dress in practical of insular post-apocalyptic small towns
and neat clothing, preferring to wear where community takes priority over
something that fits in with the local privacy. Quiet Folk will give new people
culture rather than something that the benefit of the doubt as a general rule.
stands out. They don’t like loud noises, are If it’s shown that an individual was lying
soft-spoken, and tend to err on the side of or untrustworthy, Quiet Folk will always
being too nice rather than ever lashing seek out others from their community
out at someone. Quiet Folk often gather in to let them know of the danger to the
groups, and Mericans and Natural Ones community—and what to do about it.
are both oddly protective of their quieter
cousins. It’s not uncommon to see a
group of Quiet Folk having a community
meeting while Mericans and Natural Ones
act as guards around the perimeter.
That said, there’s another reason
people are nice to Quiet Folk. There are
rumors of people who caused trouble
in a Quiet Folk towns and were never
seen again. Friendly, well organized
communities can very quickly become
a mob of large eyed killers stalking
through the wheat fields with every intent
of burning the offender alive. Of course,
those could only be rumors. Who would
ever think that someone as nice as a Quiet
Folk could ever be a danger to anyone?

59
Devoted
BODY: 10 MIND: 10
W hen the world fell, there were those who clung to their beliefs like a lifeline. Their
faith is what got them through the hardest of times, buoying them up when everything
seemed like it was about to crumble.
These days, the Devoted are known far and wide for their strong sense of devotion to
a singular cause, whether their faith is in humanity, in religion, or in the Grave Mind. In
fact, these individuals are so single-minded that they often are looked on as zealots.
While the Devoted were once classified separately, it’s apparent that the same areas of
their brains, the frontal lobes of the cortex, are enlarged, showing that the only reason
these Strains were classified differently was because the common theme of “faith” was
never thought of.
Most of the Devoted Lineage express their faith outwardly through their style of dress
and their actions. Accensorites wear outer symbols of their religion, Red Stars have items
and materials that can help humanity, and the Unborn often have items that relate to the
Mortis Amaranthine.
ADVANTAGE
The Devoted may meditate on their chosen faith, whether that’s a religion, humanity
itself, or the Mortis Amaranthine, for half an hour in order to regain 5 Mind points.
This advantage must be recorded on the player’s character sheet as “Devoted Meditation.”
Meditation can include many forms of Active Role-Play include speaking with others about
one’s chosen faith, organizing the members of the cell to help others, or debating the
state of life and death for 30 minutes, but cannot include using any other skills during
that time or walking/fighting/sleeping. Focusing on the core of one’s existence should
not be something done “on the run” or in a way that attempts to make one’s devotion as
unobtrusive as possible. If a Devoted is interrupted during this time period by combat or
something else, they must start over.
60
60
Accensorite
A ccensorites clung to their religion as

the world fell around them. They believed in it
so strongly that it became something more—
something essential. It helped get them through
the hardest times of their lives, and it was this
faith in their religion that helped change them.
A chosen religion means everything to an
Accensorite, a fact that becomes more apparent
TRAIT
With every 100 experience points earned,
over time. Most Accensorites are born to a Accensorites will exhibit a physical
specific faith. Over time, their dedication to that mutation that is a physical representation
faith grows and begins manifesting physically. of their faith. This can include strangely
The Accensorite begins exhibiting colored eyes, abnormal growths, or other
mutations that reflect their chosen faith, such as attributes. Mutations must be approved
white eyes, growths from the forehead that look after an Action Request has been
like horns, or webbed hands. These mutations submitted.
usually begin manifesting gradually and fully
emerge after puberty.
Accensorites dress in clothing that
expresses their faith. They also often
wear talismans and symbols to show what
religion they follow.
Accensorites will view any affront to their
religion as a personal insult, and it shouldn’t
be a surprise that many fights have started
because an Accensorite was offended by
something said. They also view members of
other Lineages as “lesser” beings and believe
themselves the chosen representatives of
their faith.

61
Red Star
W hile some believe in religion and

others believe in power, there are those who
believe in humanity. They believe in good
intentions and the power of humanity. They
believe in it so strongly that they now thrive
TRAIT
Red Stars believe in the goodness of
on it, becoming something stronger than
others and will do their best to assist other
before.
Lineages and Strains as a community.
Red Stars don’t believe in any religion,
instead putting their faith into the progress
Red Star cannot be baptized to a religion.
of humanity. They worked together to
They may use “Faithful” Anomaly skills
survive the Fall and have since built a
where they may replace (Faith) with
civilization out of the wastes. Human
the name of their community (Society
beings are strong enough to survive almost
Membership) instead of a Faith. Red Star
anything as long as they band together.
cannot use “Faithful” Anomaly skills
Red Stars dress in clothing that
on anyone, Society Member or not, that
signifies the Red Star group they’re part
is baptized to any Faith. See “Society
of. This can range as widely as militaristic
Membership” on page 105 for more details.
clothing to loose, flowing clothing. Usually,
Red Stars prefer natural tones or darker
colors.
Interestingly, Red Stars do not produce
dopamine unless they are around other
Red Stars. This means that when among
members of other Lineages, they appear
stoic and without a sense of humor. It also
means that, similar to Accensorites, Red
Stars have a hard time viewing members
of other Lineages as people they can be
friends with. However, many of them will
often attempt to “convert” other Lineages to
their way of thinking—the understanding
that humanity is the highest power.
62
62
Unborn
T he Unborn are one of the strangest

Strains that evolved after the spread of the
Infection. Carrying a more concentrated
Infection than other Strains, the Unborn have
skin that’s tinged green in color, and often
have dark green veins that show up along
their bodies. However, it’s their eyes that are
TRAIT
Because of their psionic connectivity to
most disturbing. They possess no irises or the Infection, the Unborn receive a blast of
pupils and instead are solid white in color. dopamine whenever they lie dying on the
The Unborn believe in the Infection and the ground. Because of this, an Unborn will never
Mortis Amaranthine. After all, the Infection is cry out for help when dying.
what saved humanity and allowed it to evolve.
The Infection is what gave human beings life
and allowed them to survive.
Because of this connectivity, the Unborn
are often psionic in some way, and when an
Unborn lies dying on the ground, they often
feel more at peace than when they are well
and whole and alive.
Unborn dress in natural materials,
similar to Natural Ones. They also tend to
embed local, precious or semiprecious gems
into their flesh as a form of jewelry. This is
made easier because of the excess of fungal
infection contained in their bodies.
Similar to other Devoted, the Unborn
appear alien to members of other Lineages
and they often have a hard time connecting
to others who are not Devoted or who
do not believe in the power of the Mortis
Amaranthine.

63
Evolved
BODY: 11 MIND: 9
O ther Lineages evolved from environmental factors and the Strains of the Infection
that they carry. However, Evolved were engineered—created for unique situations
that allow them to be experts in their field. Evolved are all similar in that they have
developed traits that set them apart from other Lineages and make them truly unique
in this fallen world.
Evolved often view themselves as being superior to other Lineages, possessing traits
that set them above all others. With their strange appearance and strange abilities, it’s
not surprising that other Lineages sometimes ostracize them.
While most Evolved were engineered, they have since taken power into their own
hands. While they may appear strange, they also are acknowledged as being the future
of the Strains. After all, it’s through them that humanity can evolve.
ADVANTAGE
Evolved have been engineered, which means that they are often naturally stronger
than other Lineages. Due to their unique physiology, an Evolved may ignore one use of
the Mangle Limb skill on one of their limbs per event at no cost. To do so, the Evolved
must call “No Effect; Evolved,” and record it on their character sheet afterward.
Evolved may expend 1 Resolve after the first free use of this advantage to gain the
benefit of the advantage additional times. Each expenditure of 1 Resolve results in one
additional use of this Advantage.
64
64
Irons
T he history of the Iron Strain is

long, stretching back generations to when
they were created to work in mines and
factories. Since then, though, Irons have
broken free and become something more,
stronger than ever before.
Irons are usually strongly built,
preferring sturdy outfits that will last
hard wear and tear. Many of them also
have tattoos inked into their skin that
show off their heritage. Unlike Baywalker
TRAIT
All Irons’ skin clearly glows red at their
tattoos, though, this ink may disappear ankles, necks, and wrists in dim or no
after Irons pass through the Mortis light. Because of their bioluminescence,
Amaranthine. Irons tend to avoid stealth related skills.
The feature that Irons are most known If an Iron uses Stealth, they should role-
for is their bioluminescence. At their play obscuring their glow.
wrists, ankles, and neck, a faint red glow
can be seen through the skin in dim light.
Many Irons find that this trait comes
in handy when exploring underground
areas, or when light is unavailable on a
moonless night.
Irons are strong-willed and have their
own code of beliefs. Their stubbornness
makes them strong allies and deadly
enemies.

65
Reclaimers
R eclaimers fled to the north when

the end came, sequestering themselves
away in pine forests and frozen tundra.
There, they had to become strong or risk
dying from the elements. This is where
the Reclaimer Strain was first born.
Reclaimers are known for their icy
and piercing blue or silver eyes. Their
TRAIT
Reclaimers have unique physiology
unique muscle structure, very similar that causes them to have piercing,
to an Iron’s, is such that their back often unnaturally blue or silver eyes and
becomes tired over long periods of time. leathery arms and legs where their
Because of this, they will often wear muscles are exposed.
bindings and straps around their torso to
help with the burden.
The flesh on a Reclaimer’s arms
and legs is leathery and thin. It’s not
surprising to see a Reclaimer’s entire
musculature poking through the skin.
Fortunately for Reclaimers, they are
missing most pain sensors in their arms
and legs, which allows them to run for
extreme distances and lift heavier loads
than they would otherwise be able to.
66
66
Unstable
T he Unstable were born from

experimentation with Remnants, crafted to
be the ultimate Strain across the wasteland.
They were born with the ability to control
the undead and anyone with psionic powers.
However, that power came at a high cost: Their
bodies degraded over time and eventually fell
apart. The first of the Unstable lived glorious
TRAIT
The Unstable will do what they can to
but short lives. survive but will never run from a horde
Yet some Unstable found their own way; of undead, since they do not view them
their bodies adapting to the environment and as a threat (the subconscious connection
becoming stronger. With their stronger bodies, calls to them even now). They also glow
though, the Unstable also lost their ability a faint blue at night near their joints,
to control psions and the undead. However, causing them to stand out in the dark.
they still exhibit some traits of the first of the
Unstable. They “bleed” blue liquid that clearly
glows in the dark from their joints and neck,
and they also usually have a strange pallor to
their skin and wear clothing with straps and
bindings, the better to offer support to their
joints.
The Unstable often have a superiority
complex, believing themselves to be the
pinnacle of all Strains and Lineages.
Interestingly, they do not view undead as
enemies, but instead as tools to use. They also
view psions as “lesser” in many ways—tools of
a higher power.
Many of the Unstable have taken power
into their own hands, as well. Their forefathers
were able to do amazing things, so they often
believe that they will be able to do the same
again, given time.

67
CHAPTER THREE
FAITHS IN THE
POSTAPOCALYPTIC WASTELAND
T he world fell. Bombs shattered the earth and radiation blanketed the world.
As humans looked up to the skies, they saw their destruction—and their faith
shattered. While the world fell, though, it did not end. Now the people of the
wastelands have rebuilt faith and hope in their own image.
Some saw the bombs fall and taught their descendants that they were living
in a dead world and that power had to be taken rather than given. Some saw the
Lineages and Strains evolve and embraced the idea that only the fittest survive
and that evolution was the key. Some helped those who could not help themselves,
and some began living in the moment—for they didn’t know what tomorrow would
bring. Over time, the faiths of the wasteland were born.
In the world of Dystopia Rising, no real-world faiths are used, out of sensitivity
toward players who practice these real faiths and a recognition that something
that is acceptable to one person may be offensive to someone else. Because of this,
the Dystopia Rising universe includes a number of fictional faiths. All players
are asked to be respectful of real faiths and not use them as content within this
fictional world.
The postapocalyptic faiths each have various and sometimes conflicting views.
They’ve spread out across the world, with some of them splintering into new
denominations. These faiths help bring people together as a whole, forming groups
that have learned to survive in the world in which they now live.
CHAPTER 3: FAITHS IN THE POSTAPOCALYPTIC WASTELAND

69
69
Church of Darwin
The Church of Darwin first began when an individual by the name of Savannah
fought back against the injustices that she saw in the world when it fell. Those who
were mutants or deformed were persecuted and killed, cutting off the way for evolution
and survival. Savannah preached to her followers that there was another way—a
path that involved the ability to adapt and survive with genetic diversity. She spoke
of embracing these changes and paving the way for a new wave of evolution under
Darwin’s teachings. Her name lives on within the Church, which has now expanded
across the wasteland.
Followers of the Church of Darwin believe in the light of radiation and evolution.
Those untouched by the glow of radiation are called “pure” and the “pure” should be
avoided. Almost all followers of the faith have some kind of radiation poisoning or
sickness in an effort to jumpstart evolution and push Strains and Lineages forward.
Each community within the Church of Darwin is usually led by a person known
as the “Curie.” There are several regional Curies within the wasteland who all support
their local flock. If several Curies meet together, each of them will yield to one for
the time being. If there’s a dispute over who should be the lead Curie, the Curies will
solve the dispute by demonstrating which of them is the strongest—through sheer
strength or will. The “Cassandra” within the Church of Darwin is a person who sees
visions of prophecy after being exposed to radiation. Cassandras often act as advisors
to their Curies. Beneath these two heads are members of the Civil Corps, who act as
warriors and scouts for their Curie. They often look for locations where ancient relics
and artifacts may be found that support the Church of Darwin’s views.
70
70
TENETS
The Light is the way and the truth.
Only exposure can help you evolve.
Purity of flesh is to be scorned. Evolution comes from mutation.
Seek out the places marked by radiation. Only here can we advance.
Oppose those who deny the light. Show them the way if you can.
Some call our visions mad. They have not seen the truth.
Darwin knew we must evolve to survive.
Savannah taught us the path.
Honor them with all you do.
MORTIS SUPREMUS
A subsect within the Church of Darwin, the Mortis Supremus believe only those
who are strong enough deserve to inherit the world. Their viewpoint is dangerously
similar to that of the Final Knights; they believe in culling the weak so that the
strong may push evolution forward.
NEW ARC REACTORS

The New Arc Reactors firmly believe in advancing the world through scientific
applications and technology. While they work on improving the world as a whole
with these technologies, many wonder whether they’re truly helping or if they’re
conducting scientific experimentation just for the sake of it.
ORGANUS SEMPRIS
The Infection flows through all living things, allowing them to evolve and
survive. The Organus Sempris believe in unraveling the mysteries of the Infection
and experimenting with it to spur evolution far beyond worldly flesh. Studying the
undead, Strains, and animals, this subsect is usually looked down upon by others.
TECHNO-EVOLUTIONARIES
The flesh is weak, or at least that’s what Techno-Evolutionaries believe. They have
turned to machines for strength in these challenging times. Through the use of
metal and machinery, Techno-Evolutionaries believe that humanity can evolve
beyond its worldly flesh as they experiment with limb replacement surgeries and
more.

71
71
Cult of the Fallow Hopes
The world fell—a time that was foretold by most of the major religions at the
time. There were tales of when the dead would rise—tales that told that when the
world ended, something new would begin. These religions perished with the Fall, but
something new rose in their wake. A man began to organize people to fight the undead.
He called the undead hell-spawn and claimed that radiation was hellfire. Each time his
legend was told, his name changed. However, he led his followers into battle to try and
fight back the tide of the living dead. The group eventually gathered in an abandoned
building and created order out of disorder. To this day, the Cult of the Fallow Hopes
maintains the strictest of structures.
Followers of the Cult of the Fallow Hopes believe in sending all those who are dead
back to the grave. They also believe that the core of Strains are the last vestiges of
humanity and should be protected—which means that anything that could change
them (including radiation and anything that could spur evolution) should be eliminated.
Those who choose to be tainted by radiation cannot be forgiven. Similarly, those who
choose to abuse their powers as psions cannot be forgiven.
The Cult of the Fallow Hopes is led by the Minister General, who usually controls a
geographical location and is the highest authority in all things military and religious.
Beneath the Minister General is the Colonel, who is the Minister General’s head of the
military and makes sure that members of the faith are well trained and outfitted. The
Chaplain is second in command to the Colonel and is an expert on all matters religious.
The Chaplain ensures that all others within the Cult of the Fallow Hopes—referred to
as Brothers, Sisters, and Siblings—know their mission and tenets.
72
72
TENETS
Seek the damned where they dwell.
Wipe the scourge from the Earth.
Follow your superior’s commands to the letter;
dereliction of duty lead us to this fallen world.
Remain faithful; a higher power is testing us and we must meet
the challenge through strength of arms.
Do not trust those who rely on the green glow.
They call it radiation, but it is the light of hellfire.
A person, even one tainted by hellfire,
may be redeemed if they find the light; all are given a second chance.
There is no third chance.
MARTERUM
Each Strain has been tainted by the Infection—at least that’s what the Marterum
believe. This subsect of the Cult of the Fallow Hopes believes that the only true way to
redeem oneself is to purge the world as best as one can and die a martyr’s death.
RECRUITMENT OFFICERS
Not every follower of the Cult of the Fallow Hopes can fight with weapons—some
fight with words. The Recruitment Officers make it known how the good work of
the faithful will one day rid the world of the plague of the Infection. The pen can be
mightier than the sword.
THE INQUISITION
There are shades of grey in religion, at least that’s what the Inquisition believe.
They take rad rods away from followers of the Church of Darwin to study how they
function. They probe psions to see how their brains work. They learn all they can
about the enemy in order to bolster the faith as a whole. They also are the ones that
make sure that Cult of the Fallow Hopes warriors who waver in their faith disappear.
THE WARRING HAMMER

The Warring Hammer believe in militarized structure, and it shows. They hold rank
and file closely and largely spend their time practicing combat and strategies against
their enemies. Acting largely as a mercenary-style group, members of the Warring
Hammer are often seen as the army behind the Cult of the Fallow Hopes.

73
73
Final Knights
T he day of judgment has come and gone, and everyone has been found wanting.
When the bombs fell from the sky, a priest looked upward and saw that even though he
had lived piously, he was damned. Struck blind by a nuclear blast, his sorrow turned
to rage. If he was damned, then he would rule over as much of the fallen world as he
could.
He gathered followers together and their journey soon became one of seeking out
the names of demons for power. The priest journeyed through burning deserts for
40 days, seeking enlightenment. When he returned to his followers, he was renamed
Brother Isaac, and said that he had learned the 33 names of power that would lead him
and his followers to victory. They would be called the Final Knights, for nothing would
come after them.
There are many ways to achieve power within the Final Knights. Some do so
socially while others do so economically or through brute strength. They also are sure
to subvert other faiths by poking holes in their doctrines. They believe that if one
cannot hold onto power, one is not deserving of it.
Communities of Final Knights are structured with a Pontifex at the head, who
is usually regional. However, the Pontifex only receives that title if they have true
knowledge of the names of the demon lords. Beneath them is a Lord, who usually knows
a decent amount of the secret knowledge given to Brother Isaac. The Lord is usually
responsible for several Deacons beneath them, who have taken their faith above base
worship and have begun to learn the full lore of the Final Knights. Beneath Deacons
are the Damned, which is the term used for all other Final Knights.
74
74
TENETS
This is Hell and we are Damned.
Power is the true role of the Damned; those who have none should
take it. If they cannot, they do not deserve it.
Thwart those who would promote the false truths of the divine.
Uphold the laws of Hell, and trust not those that claim knowledge of
the letter of those laws.
Bring suffering where you can.
Take power at all times.
ARCHITECTS OF THE FALLEN

Other religious documents are heresy—and there is power in knowledge. The
Architects of the Fallen seek out other religious documents and items from before the
Fall and rewrite them or destroy them. By this action, they rewrite history in their
own image and so gain power.
BONE COLLECTORS
Understanding that life is suffering is important—and spreading that lesson to as
many people as possible is even more so. The Bone Collectors integrate themselves
among towns and the general populace, forming relationships that they then betray
in order to teach their new pupils the ultimate lesson.
SHEPHERD OF THE LOST

These Final Knights believe in the importance of taking on a student and
having them understand the true nature of suffering before gaining power.
These individuals treat their students a bit like pets, shaping their futures and
putting them through numerous trials of suffering. Often, these students wind up
overthrowing their teachers in the ultimate act of understanding.
UNDYING MONKS
Within agony there is wisdom, within madness there is truth, and within suffering
there is strength. The Undying Monks put themselves through extreme excesses of
masochistic suffering so as to better understand their own mortality. This subsect
causes ripples of torment and destruction in their wake.

75
75
Light of the Hedon

Live each day as if it’s your last and take it for all that it’s worth. In the
postapocalypse, followers of the Light of Hedon truly believe in living for the moment.
No one is exactly sure when this religion emerged, but some believe it occurred
before the Iron uprising. At that time, Irons worked hard each week doing backbreaking
menial tasks before they were able to rest on the weekend. The weekend turned into
a holy period, with Saturday becoming a night in which they could engage in revelry.
All found themselves far more rested than they otherwise would have been as they
prepared themselves to go back to work on Monday. Some believe Irons themselves
created the religion. Others believe it was the work of cruel masters, encouraging
Irons to be ready for work on Monday. Still others believe it was the work of one woman,
who dubbed all of her followers as the Enlightened.
Those who follow the Light of Hedon are known as the Enlightened, and find
pleasure in all things. The seven sins of lust, gluttony, vanity, greed, envy, wrath,
and sloth are reveled in. During wild parties on Saturday nights, lust, gluttony, and
vanity are most indulged, with sloth following on Sunday. However, there’s a price for
indulging too much. While Hedons may excuse an act of wrath, outsiders may not.
The Enlightened have only a loose organization, and many of those who follow
the Light of Hedon see bossing others around as pointless as long as they’re in the
moment. That said, there is usually a regional Hierophant, who is tasked in organizing
the Enlightened. The Host is beneath the Hierophant, and is in charge of organizing
the holy Saturday Night revelry each week. The rest of the faithful are called the
Enlightened.
76
76
TENETS
Stop trying to plan. There is no tomorrow.
There may not be a later today.
Enjoy yourself while you can. There is no vice anymore.
The deities of temperance have left us.
Oppose no one, but do not let them prohibit you
from enjoying what you can.
Show others the pleasure of the now,
offer them a drink and a bed.
Each person who worries more about the now
will help you enjoy it more.
The Seven are the guide to supreme enjoyment.
Do not leave any out.
CHOSEN OF EXCESS
The Chosen of Excess take the Light of Hedon to an extreme, truly living within
the moment. They can be self-destructive with their philosophy, and many of them
attempt to completely embody several sins, or just one.
CRAFTERS OF SIN
Sometimes there can be pleasure even in everyday objects. The Crafters of Sin create
new and amazing items that would normally be viewed as “everyday” things for the
Enlightened to take pleasure in.
HOSTS OF SENSATION
Not all gain pleasure by partaking in the sins themselves. Some derive pleasure from
providing enjoyment to others. The Hosts of Sensation organize large parties, trade
routes, and events with dozens of people in the name of the Light of Hedon. They
provide entertainment to others for their own entertainment.
WRATH OF THE SEVEN

Even within the Light of Hedon, there’s a militant subsect. The Wrath of the Seven
take their orders from the local Host of Hedon. Acting as fighters and assassins, they
often take pleasure in death—which leads many of the Enlightened to view them as
heretical.

77
77
The Nuclear Family
Before the fall of the world, there was peace. There were white picket fences and
perfect families with perfect lives. That all changed when the first zombies appeared. Yet
there are still those who cling to this ideal and their faith that it will return in the future.
Followers of the Nuclear Family believe in the holiness of the Family Unit. Each
Family Unit is governed by a Father and a Mother, who can be of any gender. The Father
should be stern but fair, wise and kind, and provide the most comfortable life they
can for the family. The Father’s word on a matter is usually final. Their counterpart,
the Mother, is meant to give counsel and advice to the Father. The Mother should be
warmer with the Children, and often should be a balm if a Father’s punishments are too
harsh. The Children within a Family Unit should abide by what their Parents say. These
individuals do not have to be actual children but can instead be adults who are looking
for a group to guide them. Children’s responsibilities are to show that they have learned
the lessons of their Mother and Father and to strive to make their Parents proud.
In addition to these roles, there is also the role of the Coach. Often, a Coach is a
former Child who has broken away from their own Family Unit. They often act as a go-
between and neutral party between Family Units in the case of disputes.
78
78
TENETS
Faith is family.
Keep your family close, and faith is on your side.
Never argue with your Parents. They know what is best for you.
The Family does not falter nor waiver.
The Family endures, no matter what.
Love thy siblings, even when they snitch to Father.
It’s for your own good.
When you make a mistake, admit it.
If you don’t you only make matters worse.
Always treat others with respect.
The neighbors might be watching.
THE CHOSEN OF THE ATOMIC HOME

Members of this subsect have embraced a new age of the Nuclear Family. Made up of
families of mixed Strains and encouraging innovations and free thought, the Atomic
Home believe that the time of the Nuclear Family is now and not in the past. These
groups band together with interior loyalty and linked faith.
THE CARETAKERS
The Caretakers see the community as a whole rather than just individual Family
Units. They take it upon themselves to see to the welfare of the neighborhood, taking
pains to help heathens and faithful alike. They believe that the best way to spread their
faith is through continuous, outwardly positive behavior toward the neighborhood as
a whole.
THE NEIGHBORHOOD WATCH

The militant arm of the Nuclear Family, this group consists of Mothers and Fathers
who band together to eliminate threats to the neighborhood—anything from drug
trafficking to bad influences and more.
VALUED HOSTS
Valued Hosts are often looked down on by other subsects of the Nuclear Family. These
individuals oversee murders, the sale of drugs, and other unsavory aspects of society.
Their employees become their Children and are expected to follow what they say and
represent the Family Unit respectfully at all times.
Loyalty is everything to Valued Hosts.

79
79
The Telling Visionaries
T he Signal has always existed, and the Telling Visions are its heralds. Followers of
the Telling Visionaries believe in the power inherent within the Signal and the grand
creator, the Sponsor. Before the Fall, people were able to create Oracle Boxes to see the
Telling Visions. Father R. Clark was able to write the visions upon the air itself. Then,
the Sponsor left the air and the Fall happened.
Father Ramirez Walken was the first to teach the Visions after the Fall. There were
stories of fearless heroes who beat back the tide of evil. There were stories of triumphing
over the wicked and building a better tomorrow. These life lessons of life, love, loss, and
longing were told over and over to those who would listen and learn.
It is the duty of all followers to spread the word of the Signal and be as much of a
teacher as a student to others. The lessons they learn and teach do not make them either
“good” or “evil,” but instead give them a better understanding of the world around them.
The Director of Programming is usually a local community head for local followers
of the Telling Visionaries. This person is most knowledgeable about the faith and helps
newer members. Priests among the Telling Visionaries are known as Showrunners, and
non-priests are often referred to as Production Assistants, Key Grips, or Viewers Like
You.
80
80
TENETS
There is the alpha and the ohm-mega. The Signal is the
beginning and the end.
Collect the lost relics of the Telling Visions, and always
quest to find the Signal.
Destroy those who would impede the great Signal.
Do not allow others to witness your prayers without having
them pay to view.
Every member must carry a piece of Holy Wood upon them
as a sign of faith.
Respect the merchants and heed the words of their Sponsors.
Follow the visions of the Telling Visions and learn from their
enigmatic ways.
ACTORS GUILD
The Actors Guild don’t just believe in a single tale; rather, they believe in the person
who portrayed a character in that tale. They search for information from old scripts
and follow the same actor across several tales in order to glean hidden knowledge
about those character portrayals.
BROADCAST STANDARDS AND PRACTICES

A more militant faction, Broadcast Standards and Practices make sure that
Visionaries do not commit any heresies. They use overly dramatized actions and
scenarios in order to teach the viewing audience to follow the tenets of the faith—or
else.
THE FILM UNION

The Film Union act as the holy monks of the Telling Visionaries. Keeping archives
of religious objects and safeguarding vaults filled with documentation of the silver
screen, the Film Union oversee religious rites and make sure there is a proper
preparation of holy sites.
THE NEMESIS
The Nemesis are often seen as a dangerous cult within the Telling Visionaries.
However, their entire goal is to create heroes among the people of the world—by
pushing them to rise to the task. Members don the clothes and faces of villains
as they attempt to inspire people to be better. Unfortunately, there’s often a lot of
collateral damage. The Nemesis are seen as heretics by other followers of the Telling
Visionaries, since many members of the Nemesis are not only extremists but also
devote themselves to acts of violence in the name of their faith.

81
81
Sainthood of Ashes
Helping others, teaching others, and doing good in the world: This is what the followers
of the Sainthood of Ashes believe. Founded by people who wanted to bring light to the
world, the Sainthood of Ashes is one of the most altruistic religions within the wastes.
While the faiths that existed before the Fall are long gone, a core value from
them remained. That value is doing good for others in need. The first followers of the
Sainthood banded together to first help the faithful, and then to help all who needed it.
The world became their flock, and they did what they could in order to provide.
Followers of the Sainthood believe in only taking as much as they need and living
on what they can. Strangely enough, they are also known to collect as much knowledge
as they can and spread it across the wastes. Because of this ideal to help and do good,
many followers find it hard to stay in one place. It’s not unusual to see groups of them,
who call themselves Holy Men, Holy Women, and Holy People, traveling in bands across
the wastes.
All followers of the Sainthood believe in a higher power, an unclearly defined being
that is all-seeing, all-knowing, and wants people to do good for others. They also believe
in killing the undead and are second only to Fallow Hopes in their ability to rid the
world of these creatures.
82
82
TENETS
The higher powers give us the power to make choices. Choose for
good, always.
Never leave a fellow traveler hungry or hurt.
Karma always comes back around.
Educate in your wake! Be it gardening or gun-fighting,
knowledge is power.
Teach others to teach, so your touch might
linger after your feet have moved on.
If you can do without, do so.
Combat the undead wherever you can. Zombies are a parody of
dynamic life.
ENGINEERS OF HOPE
You need a strong foundation to build a house. The Engineers of Hope are crafters,
engineers, distillers, and others who make the world a better place through
technological improvements. They often look for pre-Fall technologies and invent
their own technologies in order to improve the lives of others.
HONORARIUM
Tragedy often strikes groups of people within the wasteland. The Honorarium make
sure that these people and entire settlements are taken care of. They travel the
wastes, helping those who have lost loved ones deal with that loss—and put down the
shells of the people who once lived so that their loved ones don’t have to.
PATH FINDERS
The roads that branch across the wasteland can be dangerous, which is exactly where
the Path Finders step in. They help make traveling safer, setting up supply caches
and road stops where people can rest as they travel. They also clear the road of any
undead that may be present.
SCRIBES OF THE ETERNAL TEACHER

So much knowledge was lost during the Fall, and the world is worse off for it. The
Scribes of the Eternal Teacher ensure that this won’t happen again. They record
current and past knowledge and spread it across the wastes so that information is
never lost.

83
83
Tribes of the Seasions
T here is a time for everything. There is Winter, which is a time for wisdom. There is
Spring, which is a time for growth. There is Summer, which is a time for labor, and there
is Autumn, which is a time for reaping. The seasons continued even after the world fell,
and these four times each have their place within the structure of the world.
Followers of the Tribes of the Seasons believe that everything happens for a reason.
Because of the power of each season, they do not care to be praised. Instead, each
person is expected to act as an agent of the seasons. Seasons have a longer or shorter
rule depending on location. For example, further to the south, agents of Summer may
be in rule for most of the year, whereas in the frozen north, agents of Winter may be in
charge longer.
Each Tribe has a leader that is elected to rule for that Tribe’s season. For example,
an Autumn Tribe may test their chosen warrior leader via combat, and a Winter Tribe
may test their chosen leader through trials of wisdom. Whenever a Season changes, the
next Tribe gains control of the area.
84
84
TENETS
The cycle of the seasons is proof that the world will continue and
that there are forces outside the suffering of this world that we
cannot understand.
Each season must rule in kind. If a season is without followers, then
none rule during that period and no decisions can be made.
Mark the turning of the seasons with the natural rites; never turn
another away from your ceremonies.
The seasons rule in every place that the seasons exist, be it forest
or be it city. Do not let the ways of the local people sway your faith.
Those of the Tribe may call on the aid of the other Tribes in turn
with their season.
Let our Springs be fruitful, our Summers productive, our Autumns
feared, and our Winters insightful.
CHILDREN OF FATHER NIGHT

The Children of Father Night are a mostly Lascarian subsect of the Tribes of the
Seasons. Worshipping the turn of Mother Luna and the cycles of the stars, the
Children of Father Night believe in hunting during the New Moon and paying respects
to the night via symbols of nighttime creatures such as owls, bats, and raccoons.
CROW EATER
The Crow Eaters are a more brutal faction of the Tribes of the Seasons. Following
Winter and Autumn, these militant individuals will often leave a battlefield strewn with
corpses for the crows to eat in the name of their Season. They also adorn themselves
with crow skulls in the belief that this will help ward off death during battle.
NATURAL ORDER
The Natural Order don’t necessarily dislike inventions, but they do believe there
are more natural and reliable advances that can be used to allow people to live
more fruitfully. They create water filters from charcoal and gravel, and they show
individuals how to create smokehouses to preserve fish. They show people that there
is a better way to live other than relying on technology that may break with time.
REDEEMED EARTH
Each choice that is taken is just part of the natural progression of a river. Each
decision that is made and each action that is taken is just another stone in the
riverbed of time. Members of this subsect of the Tribes of the Seasons weigh each
choice that they make carefully and try to predict what awaits in the future due to
those decisions.

85
85
Kings & Queens
At the dawn of time, music was created. There was the sound of wind whispering
through branches and the sound of the ocean rolling against the beach. And then the
Kings and Queens took this music to another level, creating sounds that range in the
hearts of everyone’s chests. No matter what confronted a person, someone else had
experienced it before them—and had expressed it through song.
Courtiers do not worship their Kings and Queens, for they are only mortal. Their
music, however, is what lives on and is eternal. People don’t choose who their Kings
and Queens are. Instead, the first song that truly speaks to a follower is what they
follow. Courtiers do their best to defend the songs of their Kings and Queens, and
worship is often expressed via performances.
Learning the history and the songs of the Kings and Queens is significant for
Courtiers. If Courtiers live in a large city and are extremely lucky, they may be able to
hold two or three unbroken vinyl records over the course of their lifetime. However,
these items are extremely rare and coveted by most Courtiers.
Courtiers usually organize themselves into bands led by a Front Man. The Front
Man is the decision maker and interprets the songs of their Kings and Queens. Bands
will often battle each other to test each other’s faith and devotion.
86
86
TENETS
The voice, words, and spirit of your leader is the voice, word, and
spirit of your band. Your leader interprets the voices of the King or
Queen you follow.
Faith is more than just following blindly. Prove the strength of your
faith by challenging the faiths of others.
Strengthen all, not to destroy.
Celebrate as the Kings and Queens would. Fight as they would. Live
as they would dream us to live. Die with the beat on your lips.
Recover the icons of your fallen skalds, but do not worship them.
The day the music died has come and gone, and
these icons are nothing but ghosts.
Let all who walk in your presence give respect to your
King or Queen.
Let your battle hymns be heard, as the mindless and soulless
undead are sent to their final rest. One day, we will be able to bring
these songs to the masses again, and one day you will be called.
THE KINGS OF ROCK

Known as the loudest and rowdiest members of the Courtiers, the Kings of Rock
are not necessarily male. Instead, they are the followers of the multifaceted rockers
of the pre-Fall skalds. Always looking for a drink and a cause, they make a splash
wherever they go.
THE QUEENS OF SOUL

The Queens of Soul are not necessarily female. Instead, the Queens of Soul follow
skalds with a deeper and slower rhythm. They interpret the words being presented
and look for deeper meaning, inspiration, and emotion. They realize that music
speaks to the soul rather than to the ear.
ROAD CREW
Not every Courtier can sing or play an instrument. The Road Crew focus on
keeping the music alive in other ways. They often build radio towers, create musical
instruments for their band, or focus on technology as a way to support their band.
They are often the unsung heroes of the Courtiers.
PRIESTS OF SOUND
The day the music died has come and gone, and the Priests of Sound make
sure that that this will never happen again. This secretive group tattoos
blueprints of how to create radio towers on their skin and stores away vast
amounts of technology and knowledge about the Kings and Queens of old.

87
87

While there are many faiths and subsects of faiths across the wasteland, there are
still those who have created new forms of worship. Cults have begun to spring up in
settlements, led by charismatic individuals who believe they know the “true way” to
worship.
Cults are often not beneficial or “good” for a settlement. More often than not, cults
are antagonistic and many settlements try to root out the followers of certain cults.
This is especially true for cults that follow the Grave Mind and view the Fall as a
blessing rather than a curse.
Each local branch of Dystopia Rising may have certain cults in play, which can
often be learned about on their websites or can be discovered in game play. Local cults
must be approved by a local branch employee. A player-created local cult must have at
least 10 members before it can be approved.
Keep in mind that cults are not meant to be silly or funny. Instead, they are
serious aspects of a faith that has spawned in a local area. Cults should be as
fleshed out as regular faiths with their own tenets, ideals, history, and knowledge.
88
88
CHAPTER 4: CHARACTER GROWTH 89
89
CHAPTER 4
CHARACTER GROWTH
The persona you play at Dystopia Rising is a character that continues forward with an
ongoing continuity from month to month. This sort of game play encourages stories that
allow for character change, evolution, and growth based on not only your character and the
world around them, but also the narrative that you share with other players. This character
growth can allow the person you are portraying to have complex emotions, memories, and
points of reference regarding history from their own perspective.
In addition, while a character can grow into a persona, it is important to remember that
the person playing the character and representing that persona is the one who ultimately
makes decisions on behalf of a character. While you can choose to immerse yourself into the
character’s perspective, if you find yourself engaging the world in a way that you no longer
find enjoyable you can work with other players to steer the narrative in a new direction
and change the viewpoints and opinions (and, in turn, the growth and direction) of your
character going forward.
You decide what is fun and what you are able to engage with, not a fictional persona that
you portray.
While your character grows with every experience and story, they too can gain some
degree of mechanical advantage over time that represents the experience and effort that
a participant has engaged with while playing the character. These mechanical advantages
are called “skills” and allow you, as your character, to enhance your ability to mechanically
engage the world beyond your own normal capabilities as the participant portraying the
character.
To purchase skills, you spend a resource known as “experience points.” Experience
points are awarded at a value for the number of events you pay to attend, linking the growth
of your character to the volume of time that you play. You earn your experience points when
you check in at a game, and those points are available for you to spend on learning new
skills (a process that happens in game play where you role-play learning from someone who
already has the skill you want to learn), and you will have those skills available either at
the next event or at the current event based on the “skill level” of the person teaching you
the new skill. Learning skills and teaching skills are explained further in Chapter 5.
The key thing to remember is that skills augment the story and your personal abilities
are not a “win condition” unto themselves. While in other forms of gaming the mechanical
definition of your character defines the full scope of what the character you are portraying
can do, in Dystopia Rising the skills simply augment your personal abilities due to the fact
that while we can enhance your skill sets without breaking your personal immersion or
experience, we cannot completely replace entire aspects of the game without forfeiting the
realism of the experience and the entertainment value of the event itself.
90
90
EARNING
EXPERIENCE POINTS
When you buy your tickets for a Dystopia Rising event you will be given a number of
different ticket options that provide different values based on what you find the most
beneficial for your event experience. Some ticket options are less expensive than the
standard ticket option, which offset the cost of the ticket with longer Casting Shifts
(civics). Regardless of which ticket option you purchase, all events provide the same
number of experience points for your character based on how long you have been
playing the character and if you are traveling to an event outside of your home game.
Cross-network or special events may follow guidelines that vary from the general
guidance above due to being in a higher cost location, having special event-specific
needs, or lasting for longer than a standard 3-day event (meaning Casting Shifts are
longer).
The following table outlines how much experience your character gains based on
how many events you have attended and if a game is at your home branch, at a travel
event, or at a major cross-network event. Please keep in mind that if you attend an event
and purchase the “10 hour attendance” ticket, you will be only awarded 1 Experience
Point for one of your characters, and if it is a home game it will count as an event
attended for your character for the sake of tracking how many Experience Points you
will earn going forward.
EXPERIENCE POINTS GAINED PER EVENT

NUMBER OF HOME TRAVEL CROSS-NETWORK
EVENTS ATTENDED EVENT EVENT EVENT
AS CHARACTER
1st–12th event 8 2 Varied

13th–24th event 4 2 Varied
24th event or more 3 2 Varied
The differences between different ticket price levels are focused on the duration of
your Casting Shift at each game you attend. While prices may change in the future,
general guidelines for the types of tickets that may be purchased for an event are
provided on the next page.

91
TICKET PRICE LEVELS FOR
DYSTOPIA RISING EVENTS
TICKET TYPE CASTING TIME NOTES
Casting opt-out 0 hours Limited number of tickets because all events
need a certain number of Casting Shifts to
ensure the quality of the game experience.
This is the highest priced ticket.
Minimum casting 2 hours Limited number of tickets, but more than
casting opt-out tickets, because all events need
a certain number of Casting Shifts to ensure
the quality of the game experience. This is the
second-highest priced ticket.
Standard casting 4 hours Unlimited number of tickets as long as space
allow.
Maximum casting 6 hours This is the second lowest cost ticket for an
event, provides access to the full event, and is
available in a limited quantity.
10 hour play 2 hours before or Allows attendance from the time the player
after 10 hours does check-in until 10 hours pass. 10 hour
of play passes only get 1 experience point for 1
character and must be off site after the 10
hours of play and 2 hour casting shift.
Casting only Variable hours Attending only to play casted characters
normally costs nothing, however certain
events with limited space or sites that charge
per attendee may have a cost. If a player does
a total of 12 hours of Casting time they will
receive full experience for one character.
Non-attendance 0 hours These tickets can be purchased by people who
want the growth of an event without being able
to attend. The cost of these tickets is the same
as Standard casting tickets and can only be
purchased for home events or cross-network
events after your first attended event.
Please note that casting shifts do not have specific physical requirements, and
players should work with their Guides to create a Casting shift that is not overly
demanding and is enjoyable for both the player and the game as a whole. Longer
Casting shifts can be broken up into multiple pieces, at Branch discretion, as well as
include assisting in ways other than portraying casted characters.
92
92
SPENDING
EXPERIENCE POINTS & TEACHING
Experience points represent a steady degree of progress for your character. You can
spend experience points on learning new skills, Mind, Body, Resolve, Achievements,
and—in limited scope—Infection (which requires in-character procedures), based on
the direction you would like your character to go and the experiences your character
has had. The cost of skills and traits go up depending on the number of skills you have,
and your character sheet should outline the cost for the next level of a skill in each
specific category.
BUYING BODY & MIND
Buying Body increases in cost based on how much Body you have purchased (not
your starting Body and your purchased Body put together). To purchase Body with
experience points, you should first perform a minimum of 30 minutes of engaging
role-play showing your character doing physical training to increase the total Body the
character has. A more accurate presentation of buying Body would include longer role-
play, such as focusing on physical agility and strength training over the duration of a
few hours or days; however, the minimum requirement for learning new levels of Body
is 30 minutes.
Similarly, buying Mind increases in cost based on how much Mind you have
purchased (not your starting Mind and your purchased Mind put together). To purchase
Mind with experience points, you should first perform a minimum of 30 minutes of
engaging role-play showing your character doing mental training to increase the total
Mind the character has. A more realistic presentation of buying Mind would include
hours of role-play focusing on mental endurance training over the course of a few
days; however, the minimum requirement for learning new levels of Mind (no matter
how many) is 30 minutes. Examples of mental training include reading, word games,
playing postapocalyptic chess, memorization, card games, and other mental-focused
activities.

93
EXPERIENCE POINT COST OF
PURCHASING BODY & MIND
1st–10th 11th–20th 21st–30th 31st–40th 41st–50th 51+
Body point point point point point points
purchased purchased purchased purchased puchased purchased
1 3 5 7 9 10
Experience Experience Experience Experience Experience Experience
Experience Points Per Points Per Points Per Points Per Points Per Points Per
Cost Point of Point of Point of Point of Point of Point of
Body Body Body Body Body Body

1st–10th 11th–20th 21st–30th 31st–40th 41st–50th 51+
Mind point point point point point points
purchased purchased purchased purchased puchased purchased
1 3 5 7 9 10
Experience Experience Experience Experience Experience Experience
Experience Points Per Points Per Points Per Points Per Points Per Points Per
Cost Point of Point of Point of Point of Point of Point of
Mind Mind Mind Mind Mind Mind
Mind points refresh at midnight and noon (referred to in Dystopia Rising as “the
12s”). Unexpended mind points do not carry over before and after the 12s for any
reason. Mind points are the only pool that refresh at midnight and noon.
Body, Infection, and Resolve do not refresh at the 12s. Recovering Body requires
in-character mechanical engagement via skills, items, or plot mechanics. Resolve is
recovered by either in-character mechanical engagement or at the start of an event.
Infection can only be regained by in-character mechanical engagement combined with
expending 10 experience points to purchase an additional Infection (more on this
under “Buying Infection”).
94
94
BUYING RESOLVE
Resolve is a trait that is used to determine the stability of the character you are
portraying and their ability to resist the influences of the Mortis Amaranthine. All
characters start with a core number of Resolve points that can be expended on Master
Anomaly skills, expended when consuming certain potent medicinal brews, and used to
replace both Body and Mind in any scene that takes place within the Mortis Amaranthine
(Grave Mind). When a persona you are portraying has reached 0 Resolve, they are
unable to use items that cost or lose Resolve, unable to use skills that use Resolve as
their expendable resource, and unable to use mechanics that require a certain value
of available Resolve to use. Resolve is purchased at the cost of 10 experience points
per Resolve point, with all characters having a maximum cap of a total of 6 Resolve
(starting Resolve plus purchased Resolve cannot ever be more than 6 points for any
reason). It is important to note that Resolve does not refresh at noon and midnight (the
12s) like Mind does.
As soon as a character’s Resolve reaches 0, that character gains a Fracture. See
the section “Resolve, Fractures, and the Grave” in Chapter 8 for details on Fractures.
Fractures change the direction of a persona’s role-play, mechanically reduce the total
available Mind points a player has and make it impossible to use Advanced Anomaly
skills.
BUYING INFECTION
All characters have a starting Infection Rate based on their Lineage. The Infection
Rate of a character is reduced each time a character experiences a death (regardless if
they go through the Mortis Amaranthine). When a character sheet has 0 Infection left,
the character is dead and no longer playable by the player.
There are ways for players to regain Infection via in-game mechanics. In order to regain
Infection on a character sheet, the character who has successfully gained an Infection
back must expend 10 experience points to regain a single Infection point. Each
mechanical engagement and scene that could cause a character to regain Infection
can only result in the gain of a single Infection point. In addition, a character can only
regain Infection at their home game or a cross-network event. The maximum Infection
any character can have is 8 Infection.

95
BUYING SKILLS
Skills are augments to your own natural abilities that allow you to do things in the
game world that you, as a player, are unable or not as easily able to do as your character.
You may spend a lot of time training, learning, and becoming incredibly talented as a
human; however, unless an end world scenario happens that turns you and the rest of
humanity into fungal hybrid mutants who are capable of taking a shotgun blast to the
face without dying, we need to have a mechanical system in place to outline the things
your character is capable of doing.
Skills are learned in game play from Leading Characters, Extras, or Support
Characters who have the skill that you are looking to learn. Each skill has a minimum
time requirement for an immersive role-playing experience that you and your teacher
must engage in based on the tier of the skill. When the skill will be available to use is
based on the teaching ability (skill-based) of the person you are learning from.
Skills are available in three tiers: Basic, Proficient, and Master. Each skill is a
part of one of four categories: Combat, Civilized, Wasteland, and Anomaly.
The cost of buying a skill in a category is based on the number of skills you have already
purchased in the same category, with each new skill costing more than the skill before it.
This allows you to prioritize what skills you find the most important to your experience and
gain these skills early on, while encouraging you to make a well-rounded character that
will earn skills from each category. The cost of Tier 1 skills starts at two experience points
per category and increases by two experience points for each additional skill you purchase in
the same category.
Tier 2 skills are available as soon as you have spent a total of 50 total experience points on
your character. At that point you will be able to buy a Tier 2 skill for any skill that you purchased
at Tier 1. All starting characters have Tier 1 Unarmed, Exotic Weapon, Firearms, Melee Small,
Melee Standard, Shield, and Thrown Weapon skills for free. As an example, once you have spent
50 experience points on your character you can purchase Proficient Firearms skills even if you
have not purchased a single skill from the Basic Combat skill category, since you already have
the Basic Firearms skill for free. If you wanted to purchase the Proficient Artisan skill, you
would need to not only have earned the required experience points but also have purchased the
Basic Artisan skill as a prerequisite. The cost of Tier 2 skills starts at three experience points
per category and increases by three experience points for each additional skill you purchase in
the same category.
Tier 3 skills function much the same as Tier 2 skills, where a player must have spent a
total of at least 180 experience points on their character before they are able to purchase
Tier 3 skills. You must have the prerequisite Tier 1 and Tier 2 skill of the same name
to purchase the Tier 3 skill. The cost of Tier 2 skills starts at four experience points per
category and increases by four experience points for each additional skill you purchase in
the same category.
96
96
SKILL COST BY TIER &
HOW MANY SKILLS HAVE BEEN PURCHASED
TIER MINIMUM COMBAT CIVILIZED WASTELAND ANOMALY
SPENT EXPERIENCE SKILLS SKILLS SKILLS SKILLS
1 0 2, 4, 6, 8, 10, 2, 4, 6, 8, 10, 2, 4, 6, 8, 10, 2, 4, 6, 8,
12, 14, 16, 12, 14, 16, 12, 14, 16, 10, 12, 14,
18, 20 18, 20 18, 20 16, 18, 20
2 50 3, 6, 9, 12, 3, 6, 9, 12, 3, 6, 9, 12, 3, 6, 9, 12,
15, 18, 21, 15, 18, 21, 15, 18, 21, 15, 18, 21,
24, 27, 30 24, 27, 30 24, 27, 30 24, 27, 30
3 180 4, 8, 12, 16, 4, 8, 12, 16, 4, 8, 12, 16, 4, 8, 12, 16,
20, 24, 28, 20, 24, 28, 20, 24, 28, 20, 24, 28,
32, 36, 40 32, 36, 40 32, 36, 40 32, 36, 40
TEACHING A CHARACTER
Any Leading Character, Support Character, or Extra can teach someone else any skill
that they have, as long as the student has enough experience points and the appropriate
prerequisites to learn the skill. Each lesson is unique not only to the skill, but also to
the person teaching it and to the person learning it.
Skills at different tiers take different amounts of time to teach. Tier 1 skills take a
minimum of 10 minutes to teach, Tier 2 skills take a minimum of 20 minutes to teach,
and Tier 3 skills take a minimum of 30 minutes to teach. If both student and teacher
are enjoying the role-play of the lesson, however, we encourage these lessons to last
longer.
As an example, you may decide to teach someone Basic Medical skill. This skill takes
10 minutes to learn, so you first show them the implements of your trade—needle,
thread, fake gunpowder, a flame, bandaging, and other medical supplies—and explain
what each one does. Then you take them out to an area where people are fighting off a
massive hoard of zombies, and you have the student act as your assistant as you drag
dying people off the field and show the student how to patch them up. You apply fake
blood and leave players who have been patched up with bandaging.
Taking students out to actually do the skill in a fun and enjoyable way makes the
experience much better for both involved. Instead of just explaining a skill to a student,
have them actually do the skill that is being taught.
At the end of any lesson, a teacher should write the skill on the student’s character
sheet and sign off with the teacher’s player number in the skill section. At the next 12,
the student will be able to use this skill, unless the teacher has a specialty skill that
allows students to learn the skill more quickly.

97
RETIRING A CHARACTER
There are three different ways that a character can be retired. A character can be
retired because the character’s Infection on their character sheet has hit 0, because
the player has chosen to be done with a character and simply stop playing the character,
or because the player has worked with their Home Branch’s employees to introduce a
retirement story arc.
In the instance that a character dies due to their Infection reaching 0, the player will
get 50% of their dead character’s experience points rolled over to a new character, up
to a maximum of 50 experience points. These experience points can be used in the new
character’s creation process.
To retire a character because you no longer want to play the character, all items that
the character has must be turned in to one of their Home Branch’s Guides prior to
retirement. The new character will be awarded half of all currency, scrap, herb, and
produce. Once these items are reviewed, a player will be rewarded 50% of their existing
experience points, up to a maximum of 50 experience points for the new character.
Being awarded the carryover retirement experience points toward a new character is
dependent on the player turning in their blueprints, item cards, currency, and other
mechanics-related cards.
For the final option for retirement, submitting an Action Request between events
to create a story arc for a character’s retirement, players who have earned over 200
experience points and complete a retirement story arc that they have worked with their
Home Branch’s employees on will receive 75 experience points to use toward a new
character. There are some required steps that must be followed in order to finalize a
retirement story arc:
1. A retirement story arc must be discussed with a player’s Home Branch’s employees
in the downtime, and must be a mutually created story that not only brings a sense of
completion to the character, but also provides a character retirement that will engage
and drive the story for other players.
2. A retirement story arc must be a minimum of 3 months in length and can take as
long as 6 months.
3. At the start of a retirement story arc all currency, items, resources, and in-character
materials that the character has must be turned over to a Home Branch’s Guide. A
character on a retirement story arc will be provided with some of their resources for
the continuation of play; however, most items must be turned in. Both the Guide and
the player should record what items are turned in just in case a retirement story arc is
canceled before the end. The new character will be awarded half of all currency, scrap,
herb, and produce.
98
98
4. Once a retirement story arc begins, a player must follow the retirement story all
the way through to the end. In the instance that the player decides not to follow the
retirement story arc until the end, the items that were turned in will be returned to
the player. Any items that expire between the start of a retirement story arc and its
cancelation will not be replaced.
5. The player must check in with the Guides and participants they interact with the
most on an out-of-character level to ensure that not only is the person who is retiring
their character not experiencing negative bleed but also that those who are impacted
the most by the character retirement are not being impacted by negative bleed.
6. The Home Branch’s employees and the player must follow and agree on all outlined
aspects of a retirement story arc (check-in, turning in of all goods, creation of a story
that is beneficial to the player and to the community, and clear communication and
direction in the downtime) at the start, middle, and end of the retirement story arc.

CHAPTER 5: SKILLS & CHARACTER SHEET 99
99
CHAPTER 5
SKILLS & CHARACTER SHEET
Skills are an out-of-character mechanic that are represented by a player’s

character sheet and allow the player to enhance their natural abilities and also
allow a degree of mechanical growth over time for their character. Skills also
help balance the playing field so that players can represent something outside
of their own real-world abilities. Skills are not the end-all to an experience, nor are
they used as a blanket answer for all situations; instead, they are intended to be a
device to assist players in doing more in the simulated world of Dystopia Rising.
Skills function in four different ways:
• Skill requirement: Certain pieces of equipment require you to have a particular skill
in order to use the item. While players start with all Basic Combat skills to allow them
to use any piece of equipment, players do not start with the ability to do things such as
brewing, crafting, farming, or other enhanced play mechanics. As skills are learned in
game play from other players or Extras, the ability to use those skills becomes available.
Many pieces of equipment do not have a cost to use them at the most basic levels.
• Skill proficiency: Equipment that is crafted in game play has four basic craft levels:
starter equipment, Basic equipment, Proficient equipment, and Master equipment.
Starter equipment is available at any time and does nothing more than base damage
for the equipment; it does not have any other mechanical benefit and is not able to be
turned into resources. Basic equipment requires you to have a basic level of a certain
skill to use the item. All characters start with Basic weapons skills. Equipment that
has been crafted in game play and is improved to the Proficient level can be used
by anyone with the base skill requirement, but to activate unique Proficient effects a
player must have at least the Proficient level of the appropriate skill and spend 5 Mind
points per use. Equipment that has been crafted in game play and is improved to the
Master level can be used by anyone with the base skill requirement, but to activate the
unique Master effects a player must have the Master level of the appropriate skill and
spend 10 Mind points per use. At the Master level, some equipment also unlocks an
Achievement mechanic that requires a specific Profession or Community Achievement
and costs 20 Mind points per use.
• Enhanced toyetic engagement: When modules go into play, skills can be linked
to appropriate toyetic challenges that allow anyone to engage the scene but gives an
advantage to those participants with the appropriate skills. For example, in a module
where the average participant has 30 seconds to try and pick a complex transparent lock,
a participant with the Basic Larceny skill would be allowed 60 seconds, a participant
with the Proficient Larceny skill would be allowed 2 minutes, and a participant with the
Master Larceny skill would be allowed 3 minutes and could additionally spend 10 Mind
points to have the Guide running the scene give instructions on how to pick the lock.
• Enhanced information: When modules go into play, additional information may
be available to participants with certain skills. Skills that are not commonly used in
100
100
combat regarding education, knowledge, and resource production are most commonly
used in this way. Modules should regularly be put into play that allow participants with
certain skills to gain additional knowledge or ask questions regarding certain skills.
All opportunities for participants to learn additional information should be clearly
and visibly marked prior to a module (using options such as “RESEARCH (SKILL)”
buttons) so that a player can choose to expend the required Mind points to gain
additional information. Without these markers, a player cannot just call out what skills
they have and ask for additional information, since all content and information will
already have been made available in a “what you see is what you get” engagement.
If you find that there are not many times when skills are being used to either offer
enhanced toyetic engagement or enhanced information, please inform the branch with
an Action Request. While you may have missed the opportunities to use skills in this
way, it is worth mentioning to Home Branch employees so that event writers make sure
that this sort of skill use is represented in their experience design.
SKILL CATEGORIES
There are four basic skill categories in the mechanical design of Dystopia Rising.
These categories are broken down into Anomaly Skills, Civilized Skills, Combat Skills,
and Wasteland Skills. As a player buys skills with experience points in each category, the
cost of the next skill in the same category increases. Once a player spends a total of 50
experience points, they can purchase the next tier of skills that they have the precursor
to. Once a player spends a total of 180 experience points, they can purchase the third
tier of skills that they have the precursor to.
If a player wants to purchase the Proficient level of a skill, such as Proficient
Awareness, for example, they need to have first purchased Basic Awareness and also
have spent 50 experience points on their character’s growth. The mechanical cost per
skill category and tier is outlined in the subsection “Buying Skills” in the “Spending
Experience Points and Teaching” section of Chapter 4, above.
Each skill category is defined by the nature of the skills found within the category:
• Anomaly skills are a series of skills that combine both psionic and faith-driven
skills that a participant can develop. Once a player purchases a single Anomaly skill
they will be affected by all negative mechanical effects and damage associated with
the tag word “Aberrant” in addition to any effects related to the character’s Lineage.
Anomaly skills are not subtle. When one is used, it’s apparent at a glance. This includes
if the skill is resisted, since there’s a visible marker that indicates which Anomaly skill
is used.
• Combat skills are three tiers of combat-related mechanical focus skills that have a
unique set of abilities at Tier 1 (since Basic Weapon uses are free for all characters),
proficiencies for combat abilities on Tier 2, and mastery of Combat Skills at Tier 3.

101
• Civilized skills are a series of skills that are developed in civilized areas of culture
or within communities, or are dependent on available resources for function and
use. Production, refining, social, and cultural skills are all found in the Civilized skill
category.
• Wasteland skills are skills that are developed, honed, and more commonly
used in territories where things are less civilized, and survival requires a degree
of resourcefulness and at times brutality. Skills that relate to traveling through the
wastelands, surviving the threats of the wastelands, or doing the unpleasant acts that
civilized culture frowns upon are all found under Wasteland skills.
LEXICON OF MECHANICS-RELATED TERMS
• Active Participation: Any skill that requires Active Participation by all involved
requires all participants to engage the subject matter, Active Role-Play, and be an
active member of the scene. Active Participation may be defined as social engagement,
physical engagement, or many other forms of activity. You cannot be considered to be
engaging in Active Participation if you are immobilized, Unconscious, or unable to be
actively involved in a scene.
• Active Role-Play: This ability requires role-playing, which must clearly portray that
you are engaged in a given activity. This sort of role-play may require props, materials,
and other forms of theatrical set dressing so that other participants can recognize what
you are doing at a glance.
• Area of effect: The area of effect is a 10-foot radius for the mechanics for a skill
or effect, centered on the user of the skill. No areas of effect outside of plot mechanic
zones reach more than 10 feet. Areas of effect do not pass through structural walls, but
they do bypass partial cover and nonpermanent structures.
• Bane: This is a type of damage that can be done to a specific Lineage or Aberration
(anyone with an Anomaly skill). If this Bane damage hits the correct Lineage or
Aberration, then they take double the damage called. For example, if 5 Townie Bane is
called and hits a Yorker, then the Yorker takes 10 damage. Similarly, if someone calls
5 Aberrant Bane and hits a character with an Anomaly skill, the character takes 10
damage. If the 5 Aberrant Bane hits someone without an Anomaly skill, then they only
take 5 damage.
• Bleed Out: Bleed Out occurs when a character’s total Body count reaches 0. At that
point, the individual portraying the character should fall to the ground and act as if they
are dying. An individual in Bleed Out cannot use any skills and cannot use any items
unless the item states otherwise, but may cry out, scream, or drag themselves slowly
and painfully across the ground as they call for help. Bleed Out lasts for 5 minutes total,
unless a mechanical item or skill is used that states otherwise. After those 5 minutes,
Bleed Out is finished and the person lies for 10 more minutes on the ground, dead,
before heading to Logistics for a death scene. We strive to create a game world that is
“what you see is what you get.” In real life when someone is bleeding out or dead, there
would be visible signs such as massive wounds and blood. This means that a player
102
102
cannot falsely pretend they are in Bleed Out. In the instance that you happen to be lying
down at any point, any character may ask “Clarify, are you in Bleed Out or dead?” and
you must answer truthfully unless a skill or mechanic states otherwise. A character
that is in Bleed Out may be “carried” by another character who is not in Bleed Out. Both
characters will move at a walking pace and only 1 character can be carried at a time.
• Body: This is the scale used to measure the amount of health that a character has,
and is also a damage modifier. Body damage does not affect a character’s Armor and
instead impacts a character’s Body points directly. Body does not refresh at midnight
or noon.
• Coup de gras: When you “kill” an enemy in game play, they will fall to the ground
and begin Bleed Out. In order to hurry up this Bleed Out, which varies between Lineage,
Zombie, Raider, and creature, you can step over to within 2 feet of the fallen enemy
and declare “coup de gras.” This will immediately end the enemy’s Bleed Out timer and
cause them to perish. Keep in mind that when you state “coup de gras,” you should
mime a finishing blow of some kind. Don’t actually hit the person since you’re within
close range, but feel free to swing your weapon toward them or point your firearm at
them while declaring the words. In addition, make sure to state “coup de gras” over the
course of 3 seconds; don’t try and say it as quickly as possible.
• Fear: Fear is a mechanical effect that prevents a Target from attacking the source
of the Fear. Fear is broken if the Target is attacked by a foe, affected by other non-Fear
mechanics with the aim of harming the Target, or forced to attack by another effect that
comes after the use of Fear. Fear does not make you leave the battlefield, but it does
prevent you from crossing the line from verbal and secondary support to engaging
combatant. While under the effects of Fear, you can still attack others on the battlefield
who were not the source of the Fear.
• Full Engagement: This ability requires two hands to use. Use of any other skills,
leaving the required role-playing area, dropping into Bleed Out, or engaging in combat
interrupts these abilities, at which point the materials and Mind points required by the
skill are lost, and role-play requirements must restart.
• Infection: This is a scale that determines how often a character can return after
dying after Bleed Out. After a character loses all of their Infection points, then they
return as a Zombie and the character is no longer playable. There are certain procedures
to regain Infection in play.
• Interrupt: When a skill is Interrupted, it immediately ends and the effects do not
take place. Depending on the skill, players may or may not lose the Mind points spent
if a skill is Interrupted. Interruptions may occur if a player using the skill decides to
engage in combat when the skill is being used, uses their other hand for something
else if the skill requires two hands to be used, isn’t actively role-playing or participating
while using the skill, or is Subdued in some manner.
• Line of Sight: An effect that affects a Target within sight of the user. The Line of
Sight skill does not stretch further than roughly 50 feet in an area with low visibility
(trees, corridors, etc.). If an area is a wide-open space, the effect of a Line of Sight skill
may be 100 feet with the assistance of a Guide. While it is reasonable that firearms
would work well beyond 50 or 100 feet, it is mechanically difficult to communicate the

103
use of a skill to a Target beyond these ranges. Yelling a skill over a 200-foot radius into
a crowd of people is not effective. Laser pointers (with safe use) may be used to assist
in outlining the Target’s mechanics with respect to Line of Sight skills.
• Mangle: Causes a targeted limb to become unusable until the mangled status is
healed or until one hour has passed. For example, you cannot use injectables with
a mangled limb. You may hold props loosely so as not to lose them (we don’t want
you losing your gear!), but you cannot use them at all otherwise. After one hour, the
regenerative state of a Strain’s physiology will repair the mangled limb.
• Mind: This is a pool of points that determines how many skills a character can use.
Mind points can be expended during the course of play to use various skills, and also
can be regained via mechanical items. Mind points are regained at midnight and noon
during an event, unless another mechanical effect specifies otherwise.
• Passive CvC: Not all acts of Character Versus Character (CvC) have a direct Target;
sometimes CvC can be indirectly triggered after a character is no longer present. One
example of passive CvC is placing a trap in a box and having a third party deliver the
box. The individual who sets the trap in the box or uses a skill marked as potentially
passive CvC must abide by the rules and guidelines of CvC, starting at the time of the
skill use (trap set) although they did not directly attack the Target who opened the trap.
If the person delivering the box knows about the trap, they too are considered active in
CvC and must follow CvC guidelines. In short, if you are unsure if your action is CvC,
then it is CvC. See the section “Conflict Between Leading Characters” in Chapter 6 for
more on CvC.
• Patient: A patient cannot use any skills and must stay seated or lying down while
a skill is used on them. The patient must be responsive to the role-play that is being
performed on them, unless they are Unconscious. If any other skills are used on the
patient, this interrupts the skill being used on them, but the user doesn’t lose Mind
points in this specific scenario. The time requirement simply resets.
• Poison: This is normally a Brew, Injectable, or Meal (see Chapter 7: Crafting and
Item Card Materials) that causes negative mechanical effects to a Target. Poison can
cause Body damage or may deliver Diseases. Plot-specific poison may be used to cause
other negative effects.
• Psionic Attack: The act of throwing a packet or physical marker representing use
of a psionic/faith power at a Target. A Psionic Attack cannot be physically Avoided with
skill use but a character can move out of the way of the attack. A Psionic Attack (white
packet or contact-safe psionics marker) is visible the moment the item is held by the
user. This means that while the packet itself is considered an out-of-character mechanic
to represent the propulsion of faith or psionic effects, the second the packet is visible,
there are in-character markers such as a glow of light or warping of reality (like a black
hole) that other players can see. You do not require the ability to have access to your
arms in character to use Psionic Attacks; however, no Psionic Attacks may be used if
under the effects of the Blinding skill. Psionic Attacks are considered successful if they
strike the Target, a weapon or a shield that a Target is holding, or any larger objects that
the Target is carrying. Shields do not block Psionic Attacks.
104
104
• Public Works: This is an in-character space where Guides can give you appropriate
item cards for skills that you use during play. When visiting the Public Works or when
waiting in line to see the Guide there, players should always aim to remain in-character
during the entire tme.
• Radiation (Rad): This is a mechanical damage effect normally associated with an
area or mechanical item. When it takes effect, it normally causes low ends of radiation
damage. Radiation damage in plot mechanic zones can be high (due to volume of
radiation) but most items carried by individuals will cause damage that is mechanically
lower than comparable forms of damage. Radiation damages causes an equal degree of
lost Mind as it does lost Body.
• Resolve: This is point pool that characters can expend to perform certain skills
and is used within the Mortis Amaranthine instead of Body. Resolve is not regained at
midnight and noon during an event.
• Ranged Attack: A successful attack using a bow, thrown weapon, exotic weapon
(ranged), or firearm that is not countered and hits a legal target location. Thrown
weapons must use shaped contact-safe thrown weapons. Firearms and exotic weapon
(ranged) use red packets or safe projectiles. Bows are treated as if they are assumed
to be recurve or compound in strength and use blue packets with cloth “tails.” Ranged
Attacks by firearms or exotic weapons that strike shields are considered hits. Ranged
Attacks by bows that strike shields are considered blocked.
• Society Membership: Society Memberships are recorded on a character’s sheet
to represent that a character is an official member of a gang, group, or organization
that exists in a local branch of the Dystopia Rising Network. Societies do not cost
Experience Points to join. Society Membership requires being recorded on a character
sheet by an existing member after completing listed membership requirements to be
an official member of a group. Societies outlined by a Society Membership are specific
to each branch (local game) and are not a part of any canon group or organization.
Branches are encouraged to create their own local variants and themes for groups
and organizations, as well as work with players to bring player created groups into
play. Religious subsects are not considered to be Society Memberships, but instead are
variants of faiths that exist. Approved cults, however, do require a Society Membership.
Societies can be social, economic, or cultural by nature, or they can outline certain
aspects of play that players are interested in. As an example, players looking to engage
in assassinations and seedier aspects of society may find that a branch has a local
organization for murderers and assassins. The traditions, steps of joining, and play
expectations of this group would be outlined on the local branch’s webpage for players
to consider before joining. This way if a branch would like to have an organization that
embraces fatal CvC as a potential for failing that group, players know what they are
getting into and can opt into that sort of experience.
• Soothe: To cause Fractures to become inactive for a period of time. While this does
not allow a character to do things that are restricted if that character has a Fracture,
it does allow the Target who has had their Fractures Soothed to be able to role-play
for a period of time as if they were not suffering from Fractures. This often allows a
character to identify that something is wrong (a moment of clarity).

105
• Sound of My Voice: A verbal or nonverbal (depending on the creature and skill)
effect that targets everyone within a 50-foot radius who can hear the call. Claiming to
not to have heard the call when you did hear it within the zone is against the spirit of
the rules (feel free to clarify the call if you see everyone taking an effect around you).
Sound of My Voice ignores walls, doors, and all other barriers, and may represent gas,
shrapnel, or other effects that ignore barriers. Sound of My Voice cannot be Avoided.
• Stealth: Unseen to the untrained eye, a character using Stealth must actively be
role-playing attempting to be stealthy. Stealth, as a skill, allows a player to enhance their
actual stealth skills by placing an arm up and in front of their mouth in a horizontal
gesture similar to holding an opera cloak in front of your face. While using any Stealth
skill you are required to attempt to be unobtrusive, unseen, and unengaged with your
environment. Directly standing in well-lit areas, being directly obvious about your
Stealth, or interacting with the environment (e.g., engaging in conversation, moving
objects, or dropping objects) causes your Stealth to immediately end. This skill is meant
to enhance the act of attempting to be sneaky and unseen, so minor accidental noises
like stepping on branches, small noises produced by your kit, or other effects (like
small movements of leaves) will not be heard or seen. Other players who want to let a
player using the Stealth skill know that they’re not being sufficiently sneaky or stealthy
may communicate this by saying “Huh, what was that?” in the general direction of the
person. Abuse of this statement or abuse of the skill beyond the reasonable scope of a
player’s best attempts to be sneaky and unseen is against the spirit of the rules. Stealth
skills are countered by the Awareness skill tree. Certain items or Enhanced Movement
may allow for Stealth for a limited number of steps or movement outside of direct
hiding. These skills, like Enhanced Movement, only last for a maximum of five steps, to
allow an individual to move from an area of cover to their destination. Rules for seeing
a player using skills or effects such as Enhanced Movement for short bursts still follow
Stealth skills and Alert. If a Target using a Stealth skill is made apparent via the use of
“Alert”, that Target cannot use a Stealth effect again for 5 minutes.
• Strike: A successful attack using a melee weapon, exotic weapon (melee), or brawler
that is not countered and hits a legal target location.
• Stunned: A character who is Stunned cannot use any equipment (save for armor
they are currently wearing or equipment that activates when the wearer is Stunned),
cannot use any skills, crumples to the ground, and is unable to move of their own
volition for 5 seconds. Equipment may not be stripped off of a Target of a Stun in this
time, but items in the hands of an individual who has been Stunned may be removed.
• Subdued: A character is Subdued when they are incapacitated. This could be having
all of their limbs mangled, being Unconscious, being tied up, being in Bleed Out, or
being in a state where they are not capable of using most skills. Anomaly skills and
certain other skills that say so may be used when a person is Subdued. However, a
person cannot move of their own volition when Subdued and cannot use any items,
unless the item specifically states that it can be used when a person is Subdued.
106
106
• Supply Bag: A bag that characters carry on themselves that stores all scrap, herb,
and other item cards that they are carrying. While you still are required to link an
item card to a physical representation for use, you do not need all items to all have
representations at all times; you just need physical representations for the items you
have on you that you want to sell or use. This bag must be large enough to hold all
six refillable water containers, all needle physical representations, and all item cards
at once and still close. You can only have one Supply Bag on you at any time, and you
cannot use other bags or items to disguise your Supply Bag. Supply Bags can have
reasonable modifications (for example, you may decide to create a hip pouch that’s large
enough to hold the items), but must have the words “Supply Bag” visible on them. While
you may have genre physical representations visibly attached to your costuming, you
should keep in mind your own and others’ personal boundaries and how they interact
with the Pick Pocket skill. In other words, make sure these physical representations
are not put in sensitive areas or other areas you wouldn’t want someone to attach a
clothespin to. Those who disguise themselves are encouraged to use a secondary Supply
Bag with their new costuming.
• Target: The intended recipient of the mechanical effects of a skill, either willing or
unwilling. For an individual to be a Target of an effect or skill, they must be present
during the entire duration of an effect or skills use and not just at the time of declaration
of the skill. In the instance that a skill has a required duration of time of engagement
to affect a Target, the person being affected by the skill or effect must either willingly
engage the user of the skill or effect for the duration of the time requirement, be
made unable to resist via mangled limbs or tied binds during the duration of the time
requirement, or be rendered Unconscious without the skill requiring consciousness or
Active Participation on behalf of the Target. If a skill or effect is instant and does not
have a required duration of time, the Target must be present and able to be affected by
the skill’s required means of delivery. You cannot Target yourself with a skill unless a
skill explicitly states that you can.
• Unconscious: A character who is Unconscious cannot use any equipment (save
for armor they are currently wearing or equipment that states it activates when the
wearer goes Unconscious), cannot use any skills, crumples to the ground, and is unable
to move of their own volition. Anyone moving an Unconscious Target may move the
individual at a walking pace (the Unconscious Target is unable to resist). Equipment
may be stripped from an Unconscious character and an Unconscious character has no
memory of events that occur while Unconscious. If you are unsure if there is something
your character is allowed to do while Unconscious, ask yourself “did I have to think to
do this.” If the answer is “yes” then chances are good that your character can’t do it.
An Unconscious character may be woken up if they receive any damage or if another
individual spends 30 seconds of Active Role-Play waking up the Unconscious Target. If
not disturbed, a person remains Unconscious for 10 minutes.

107
SKILLS LIST
CATEGORY COMBAT SKILLS CIVILIZED SKILLS WASTELAND SKILLS ANOMALY SKILLS
Tier 1
Avoid Basic Medical Basic Awareness Basic Biogenetics
Balance Basic Artisan Basic Enhanced Basic Pyrokinetics
Movement
Basic Combat Tactics Basic Agricultural Basic Foraging Basic Telekinetics
Basic Florentine Basic Education Basic Hunting Basic Telepathy

Blinding Basic Culinary Basic Malicious Basic Necrokinetics
Break Basic Larceny Basic Mental Endurance Basic Faithful Patterns
Choking Blow Basic Financial Influence Basic Sailing Basic Faithful Will
Interfere Basic Trade Connections Basic Salvaging Basic Faithful Spirit
Piercing Strike Basic Criminal Influence Basic Stealth Basic Faithful Miracles
Take Down Basic Social Influence Basic Trailblazing Basic Faith Vessel
Tier 2
Proficient Unarmed Proficient Medical Proficient Awareness Proficient Biogenetics
Combat
Proficient Combat Proficient Artisan Proficient Enhanced Proficient Pyrokinetics
Tactics Movement
Proficient Exotic Proficient Agricultural Proficient Foraging Proficient Telekinetics
Weapon
Proficient Projectile Proficient Education Proficient Hunting Proficient Telepathy
Proficient Florentine Proficient Culinary Proficient Malicious Proficient Necrokinetics
Proficient Melee Small Proficient Larceny Proficient Mental Proficient Faithful Patterns
Endurance
Proficient Melee Proficient Financial Influence Proficient Sailing Proficient Faithful Will
Standard
Proficient Melee Two- Proficient Trade Connections Proficient Salvaging Proficient Faithful Spirit
Handed
Proficient Shield Proficient Criminal Influence Proficient Stealth Proficient Faithful Miracles
Proficient Thrown Proficient Social Influence Proficient Trailblazing Proficient Faith Vessel
Weapon
Tier 3
Master Unarmed Master Medical Master Awareness Master Biogenetics
Combat
Master Combat Tactics Master Artisan Master Enhanced Master Pyrokinetics
Movement
Master Exotic Weapon Master Agricultural Master Foraging Master Telekinetics
Master Projectile Master Education Master Hunting Master Telepathy

Master Florentine Master Culinary Master Malicious Master Necrokinetics
Master Melee Small Master Larceny Master Mental Master Faithful Patterns
Endurance
Master Melee Master Financial Influence Master Sailing Master Faithful Will
Standard
Master Melee Two- Master Trade Connections Master Salvaging Master Faithful Spirit
Handed
Master Shield Master Criminal Influence Master Stealth Master Faithful Miracles
Master Thrown Master Social Influence Master Trailblazing Master Faith Vessel
Weapon
108
108
COMBAT SKILLS
TIER 1
• Avoid: With this skill, an individual may spend 5 Mind points and say “Avoid” to
negate a single Strike or Ranged Attack, so that the user does not take any damage or
suffer the mechanics delivered via that one Strike or Ranged Attack. This skill may be
used to negate effects that target equipment (like Break) as long as the user is actively
in possession of the Target of the attack (it can’t be used on other people if you are
holding them!). This skill can only be used on items in the user’s possession and on
their person that are being targeted with skill calls. This skill does not negate area of
effect damage. This skill cannot be used by a character who has been immobilized (tied
binds, Unconscious, paralyzed, etc.). This skill can be used regardless of the direction
that an attack comes from and may be used by individuals with at least one functional
limb. The exception is Proficient Malicious skill which may only be avoided if the attack
comes from the front.
• Balance: With this skill, an individual may spend 5 Mind points and say “Balance”
to negate the effects that influence them regarding an area of effect or single target
mechanic that causes them to lose their footing and fall down, get knocked back, or
otherwise become Stunned or moved against their will due to a loss of footing. Balance
may be used in some zones of mechanics based on Guide discretion; however, common
sense comes into play regarding zones of mechanics where the potential for solid
footing is not available at all (e.g., while free-falling, on areas with nearly no traction, or
in typhoon-like conditions).
• Basic Combat Tactics: With this skill, an individual may spend 1 Mind point and
make a single Strike or Ranged Attack on a Target who is ready for coup de gras while
saying, “Double tap, coup de gras,” ensuring that the Target of this skill stays dead (most
of the time). If the Target is some sort of undead knitting itself back together to get
up again, or some kind of mutated creature or Raider that could rise again after it is
apparently killed, using this skill will ensure that when the final coup de gras is used, if
the Target would have gotten back up to life (as often seen in horror films) the creature
will indeed stay dead. There are some very rare forms of undead and mutated creatures
that require multiple uses of Basic Combat Tactics to ensure that they remain down.
If the Target of this skill is a person who is only pretending to be dead by using a brew
or other item that gives a deathlike appearance, use of this skill will cause the Target
to scream in agony and immediately their faking of being dead comes to an end. Even
if the Target in question is under the effects of some mechanic that prevents yelling or
dulls pain, the process of having a living vivisection done to them, having their head
turned into a canoe, or finding the majority of their organic matter displaced will cause
the Target of this skill to flail and make some degree of noise of self-preservation.
• Basic Florentine: This skill has no Mind point cost. This skill allows a player to
use any combination of two melee weapons, exotic weapons, or firearms (that use one
hand) simultaneously. Without this skill, a player can only use one melee weapon or

109
one firearm at a time. A player may use a brawler in their off hand without this skill
while using a single melee weapon or firearm. A player using the Florentine skill may
engage with a maximum of a six-strike flurry with three strikes per weapon instead of
the standard single three-strike flurry before needing to reset their melee fight (see the
section “Contact-Safe Combat” in Chapter 6 for more details). This six-strike flurry only
applies when using a combination of melee and exotic weapons (guns fire as fast as they
will). This skill unlocks the ability to use Florentine skill items.
• Blinding: With this skill, an individual may spend 5 Mind points, say Blinding, and
make a successful Strike or Ranged Attack to the torso to cause an individual to become
disoriented and have their vision impaired for 10 seconds. This skill may be Avoided
or blocked like any other; however, if the skill use is successful the Target will not be
able to use any skills that experience points have been spent on or any Achievement
bonuses. While this does not prevent a Target from using Basic weapon skills that are
default at character creation, nor does it prevent a Target from moving or running
away while rubbing their eyes, it does prevent the activation of any Proficient, Master,
or Achievement equipment mechanics as well as the use of any learned skills (such as
Avoid, Balance, Anomaly skills, etc.). Equipment that requires the use of a skill that has
been purchased with experience points will not be usable during this 10-second period.
In addition, characters under the effects of Blinding are not able to describe later the
events that happened during the 10 seconds. This combination of disorientation and
being visually impaired prevents Targets from later describing sights, sounds, smells,
and events that occurred during Blinding. They will, however, remember all actions
taken and individuals present before and after the Blinding. Blinding is often used
to shut down users of Anomaly skills, to cover over the identity of assassins, and to
prevent Targets from using enhanced skills. Most undead are not affected by blinding.
• Break: With this skill, an individual may spend 5 Mind points, say Break (object
name), and make a successful Strike or Ranged Attack on a crafted target or the limb
holding a crafted target to render the object nonfunctional until repaired (if repair
is possible). When calling the Break skill the user must also call one of the following
variables: Armor, Shield, Weapon, Gizmo, Barricade, Door, Brew, Meal, Non-Mechanic.
They cannot swing at a Target’s Supply Bag to Break items that are being carried within
the Supply Bag, nor can they Break the Supply Bag itself (since it is an out-of-character
requirement for carrying inactive equipment). They can strike the arms that are
carrying or holding items to Break things like Brews or Meals, but the second an item
is being brought up to the mouth for consumption a Break skill user cannot attempt to
race to Break that item. Slapping the arm of someone raising an item toward their face
is how people get hurt, and common sense should take precedence over the desire to
Break someone’s sandwich. Using Break on a trapped non Supply-Bag container, trap,
or door that is trapped will trigger all attached traps. For locked containers, using Break
instead of Unlock will Break any items stored inside the container.
• Choking Blow: With this skill, an individual may spend 5 Mind points, say “Choking
Blow 5 minutes”, and land a single Strike or Ranged Attack to the torso to cause a
Target to be unable to speak, yell, make noises above a low gurgle, or do things that
require extensive degrees of throat control, such as whistling, for 5 minutes. Use of this
110
110
skill prevents Targets from using any skills that require social engagement or verbal
aspects as part of their use. Keep in mind that skills are out-of-game mechanics, so if
this skill is used on you, you should not then shout skills you use in order to gather
attention, since that goes against the spirit of the rules. The primary use of this skill is
to prevent a Target from calling for help. The secondary use of this skill is to get people
who don’t know when to be quiet to give the user 5 minutes of peace.
• Interfere: With this skill, an individual may say “Interfere” and take the negative
effects and damage that a single other Target within arm’s distance would have taken
from a single attack. The attack made on the original Target must be either a Strike or
Ranged Attack. No area of effect or mechanical effects delivered from non-aggressors
can be Interfered (e.g., you can not Interfere the damage from a poisoned bottle that
someone just consumed or an explosion that hit everyone within a 10-foot radius). In
addition, the person who uses Interfere must be a valid Target for the Interfere to work.
For example, you cannot Interfere a Mangle on someone’s leg if both of your legs have
already received a Mangle. The damage and negative effects of changing the Target from
another person within an arm’s length to yourself means that you are unable to use
skills or mechanical effects to prevent the damage and effects that you have redirected
to yourself. You cannot Interfere effects that are considered beneficial, such as healing
or recovering Mind points. Once you have used the Interfere skill to redirect an effect
to yourself, that effect may not be Interfered again; no skills, effects, or mechanics will
allow you (the new Target of the attack) to not take the damage and mechanical effects.
• Piercing Strike: With this skill, an individual may spend 5 Mind point to have a
single melee, unarmed, thrown, or projectile attack ignore armor. This skill represents
a Strike that finds the holes and gaps in a Target’s armor and strikes for Body damage.
When using this skill, the user must land a successful hit while calling Body as their
damage modifier in addition to any damage call they may use. This skill can be used
with damage augment modifiers, but if an attack has any damage modifier other than
Body, only the call “Body” is carried. For example, if when using Piercing Strike a player
combines Piercing Strike with an Applied Poison they have on their blade, that does 5
Bane to Townies. The call on the Strike becomes “5 Body” and the 5 Townie Bane is lost.
• Take Down: With this skill, an individual may spend 5 Mind points and make a single
successful Strike to the torso and say “Take Down.” If successful, this skill destabilizes
an individual and brings them off of their feet. While under the effect of Take Down
the Target of the effect must be seated (or flail to the ground if safely able to by their
environment). Once down, the Target of Take Down is Stunned for 5 seconds.
TIER 2
• Proficient Unarmed Combat: This skill has no skill prerequisite, as Basic Unarmed
Combat is a free skill all characters have. This skill allows an individual to spend 5 Mind
points for a single use of mechanics awarded by Unarmed Combat items that have been
crafted to at least a Proficient level. With Proficient Unarmed Combat a player using
brawlers may block with their brawlers without taking damage or effects from Strikes
that land on the brawlers. Strikes that land on the rest of the real arm (not the brawlers)
still count as legal Strikes.

111
• Proficient Combat Tactics: This skill has the skill prerequisite of Basic Combat
Tactics. With this skill, an individual may spend 10 Mind points and gesture to up to five
Targets within a 180-degree forward-facing arc, calling “Scatter Shot.” Up to five Targets
within 5 feet are affected by a single Strike or Ranged Attack as an automatic hit up
to a maximum of 20 damage per target. This skill may be combined with equipment
effects or other skills, applying the equipment effect or skill to up to five Targets within
the 5-foot arc. A single use of an add-on skill or equipment effect will strike all five
Targets within the targeted group for Scatter Shot. Skills and effects that do more than
20 damage may still be used with Proficient Combat Tactics, however damage done to
targets will be reduced to a maximum of 20 damage. Single-use items, no matter how
many of them a user has, may not be combined with Proficient Combat Tactics. Scatter
Shot cannot be combined with AOE or area effects.
• Proficient Exotic Weapon: This skill has no skill prerequisite, as Basic Exotic
Weapon is a free skill all characters have. This skill allows an individual to spend 5
Mind points for a single use of mechanics awarded by Exotic Weapon items that have
been crafted to at least a Proficient level.
• Proficient Projectile: This skill has no skill prerequisite, as Basic Projectile is a
free skill all characters have. This skill allows an individual to spend 5 Mind points for
a single use of mechanics awarded by firearm/bow items that have been crafted to at
least a Proficient level.
• Proficient Florentine: This skill has the skill prerequisite of Basic Florentine. This
skill allows an individual to spend 5 Mind points for a single use of mechanics awarded
by Florentine items that have been crafted to at least a Proficient level.
• Proficient Melee Small: This skill has no skill prerequisite, as Basic Melee Small
is a free skill all characters have. This skill allows an individual to spend 5 Mind points
for a single use of mechanics awarded by Melee Small items that have been crafted to
at least a Proficient level.
• Proficient Melee Standard: This skill has no skill prerequisite, as Basic Melee
Standard is a free skill all characters have. This skill allows an individual to spend 5
Mind points for a single use of mechanics awarded by Melee Standard items that have
been crafted to at least a Proficient level.
• Proficient Melee Two-Handed: This skill has no skill prerequisite, as Basic Melee
Two-Handed is a free skill all characters have. This skill allows an individual to spend
5 Mind points for a single use of mechanics awarded by Melee Two-Handed items that
have been crafted to at least a Proficient level.
• Proficient Shield: This skill has no skill prerequisite, as Basic Shield is a free skill
all characters have. This skill allows an individual to spend 5 Mind points for a single
use of mechanics awarded by Shield items that have been crafted to at least a Proficient
level.
• Proficient Thrown Weapon: This skill has no skill prerequisite, as Basic Thrown
Weapon is a free skill all characters have. This skill allows an individual to spend 5 Mind
points for a single use of mechanics awarded by Thrown Weapon items that have been
crafted to at least a Proficient level.
112
112
TIER 3
• Master Unarmed Combat: This skill has the skill prerequisite of Proficient Unarmed
Combat. This skill allows an individual to spend 10 Mind points for a single use of
mechanics awarded by Unarmed Combat items that have been crafted to a Master level.
By spending 10 Mind points and landing a successful Strike with a brawler to the torso
(no other means), a character with this skill can call “Knockout.” This causes the Target
of the skill to fall over Unconscious and remain Unconscious for 5 minutes or until the
Target takes any damage or any form of mechanical effect (after completion), or until
someone role-plays at least 30 seconds of working to rouse the Unconscious character.
• Master Combat Tactics: This skill has the skill prerequisite of Proficient Combat
Tactics. By spending 1 Resolve and making a loud rally cry that bolsters their allies,
the user may call “10-foot radius: All allies heal 20 Body and are immune to Fear 10
minutes.”
• Master Exotic Weapon: This skill has the skill prerequisite of Proficient Exotic
Weapon. This skill allows an individual to spend 10 Mind points for a single use of
mechanics awarded by Exotic Weapon items that have been crafted to a Master level.
• Master Projectile: This skill has the skill prerequisite of Proficient Projectile. This
skill allows an individual to spend 10 Mind points for a single use of mechanics awarded
by firearms/bow items that have been crafted to a Master level.
• Master Florentine: This skill has the skill prerequisite of Proficient Florentine.
This skill allows an individual to spend 10 Mind points for a single use of mechanics
awarded by Florentine items that have been crafted to a Master level.
• Master Melee Small: This skill has the skill prerequisite of Proficient Melee Small.
This skill allows an individual to spend 10 Mind points for a single use of mechanics
awarded by Melee Small items that have been crafted to a Master level.
• Master Melee Standard: This skill has the skill prerequisite of Proficient Melee
Standard. This skill allows an individual to spend 10 Mind points for a single use of
mechanics awarded by Melee Standard items that have been crafted to a Master level.
• Master Melee Two-Handed: This skill has the skill prerequisite of Proficient Melee
Two-Handed. This skill allows an individual to spend 10 Mind points for a single use
of mechanics awarded by Melee Two-Handed items that have been crafted to a Master
level.
• Master Shield: This skill has the skill prerequisite of Proficient Shield. This skill
allows an individual to spend 10 Mind points for a single use of mechanics awarded by
Shield items that have been crafted to a Master level.
• Master Thrown Weapon: This skill has the skill prerequisite of Proficient Thrown
Weapon. This skill allows an individual to spend 10 Mind points for a single use of
mechanics awarded by Thrown Weapon items that have been crafted to a Master level.


113
CIVILIZED SKILLS
TIER 1
• Basic Medical: With this skill, an individual can spend 1 minute of Full Engagement
role-playing that they are medically assisting a person who is in Bleed Out. At the end of
that 1 minute, the person is stabilized and their Bleed Out counter stops. They cannot
run or move quickly, and cannot use any skills when stabilized with Basic Medical skill.
Basic Medical skill also allows a person to use Full Engagement role-play as they check
out a person by taking their pulse, checking their eyesight, and other tactics for 1
minute (they cannot just stand and talk to the person). After this time, the person with
Basic Medical skill may ask if the person has any Fractures, what the total amount of
Body they currently have is and how much they have when uninjured, whether they’re
under the effects of any drugs or poisons, and if they have any Diseases. This skill
costs 0 Mind points each use. The user can also spend 1 minute checking a person to
determine if they are under an effect, dead, alive, or Unconscious. This skill level is
dependent on crafted equipment for additional medical effects.
• Basic Artisan: With this skill, an individual may craft items from blueprints that
require the Basic Artisan skill. By spending 5 Mind points and 20 minutes of Full
Engagement and Active Role-Play in a crafting area, an individual may follow the
prerequisites on the blueprint and craft the item on it. They can then turn in materials
to the Public Works to receive a card for that item. An individual may also craft the
items on a list located in the crafting area for the stated amount of materials and Mind
points. An individual may also spend 5 Mind points and 20 minutes of Active Role-Play
and Full Engagement in a crafting area to repair armor or a weapon that has been
damaged to regain full use. Specifically, this will repair a weapon or armor that has had
the Break skill used on it, and will return armor to full points.
• Basic Agricultural: With this skill, an individual may spend 5 Mind points and 10
minutes of Active Role-Play and Full Engagement in a farming area to gather one Basic
Herb, one Uncommon Herb, one Rare Herb, or one Named Herb. An individual may
choose to spend up to 60 minutes and 30 Mind points in one go, but it must be the same
Herb. Any interruption restarts the timer.
• Basic Education: With this skill, an individual may read and perform basic
mathematics. They may also choose to update their character sheet with three Lores
from the list in the section “Lores” below. Lores are used to unlock plot cards with extra
information on them in play. In addition, many blueprints are reproduced using this
skill (specifics are listed on each individual blueprint).
• Basic Culinary: With this skill, an individual may craft items from blueprints
that require the Basic Culinary skill. By spending 5 Mind points and 20 minutes of
Active Role-Play and Full Engagement in a culinary area, an individual may follow the
prerequisites on the blueprint and craft the item on it. They can then turn in materials
to the Public Works to receive a card for that item.
114
114
• Basic Larceny: With this skill, an individual may spend 5 Mind points and 2 minutes
of Active Role-Play and Full Engagement picking a lock to unlock a Basic lock. You do
not need a skill to relock locks. An individual may also utilize black clothespins and
set them on the pockets or bags of Extras, SCs, and LCs in the presence of a Guide.
If the person notices you setting the clothespin, they notice you picking their pocket.
The Guide can then go up to the individual and ask for one random item card from the
Supply Bag that has had a clothespin attached to it that is then delivered to the thief.
If the thief is aiming to steal an item clearly displayed on a person’s costuming, they
must aim to set a clothespin on the area close to that item while mindful of everyone’s
boundaries. For example, if a person has a physical representation of a brew attached to
their chest, it’s okay to set a clothespin on the arm nearest to that brew. Each clothespin
affixed costs 5 Mind points. This counts as a CvC action.
• Basic Financial Influence: An individual with this skill may use 5 Mind points and
1 minute of Active Role-Play examining a carded item to learn its mechanical effects.
This can be used to determine the expiration date of the item and all mechanical effects
that the item may have, including if any poisons have been added, the amount of points
on armor, and so forth. Any interruption resets the timer and the Mind points are lost.
• Basic Trade Connections: An individual with this skill may gain access to a
specialty “buyer’s list” at the Public Works. Once per event, they may purchase a single
item from the Basic Trade Connections list. In addition, an individual may trade up to
three Uncommon Herb for three Uncommon Scrap at the Public Works once per event.
• Basic Criminal Influence: An individual with this skill may be told during check-in
the time and location of criminal meetings, guild-specific meetings, or black market
meetings taking place. This skill also allows individuals to use equipment that requires
Basic Criminal Influence and to disarm and recover Basic traps after spending 5 Mind
points and 5 minutes of Active Role-Play and Full Engagement disarming them. Once
per event, an individual may also gain access to a Basic Criminal Influence buyer’s
list at the Public Works and may purchase one item from the Basic Criminal Influence
category.
• Basic Social Influence: An individual with this skill may learn up to five very
valuable pieces of information at check-in or at the Public Works once the event has
started, due to chatting and talking with people between gathers. This can include
times of meetings, information about the plot that month, and other useful details. An
individual with this skill is also recognized as a well-known face within town. During
any private meeting or event, a person with Basic Social Influence may simply spend 5
Mind points to gain access. This goodwill lasts for 30 minutes before an individual must
use the skill again to remain in attendance. The person using this skill should act like
they belong at the event and should ingratiate themselves into the environment so that
it seems like they belong and that they’re an okay person to have around. This does not
prevent repercussions later.

115
TIER 2
• Proficient Medical: This skill has the skill prerequisite of Basic Medical. An
individual with this skill may use Active Role-Play and Full Engagement while working
on a patient, using props and actively operating on them. After 5 minutes of role-play,
the person using Proficient Medical skill may use 1 Mind point to allow the person they
operated on to regain 2 Body. If the person with Proficient Medical skill wishes to use
more Mind points after the 5 minutes, the amount of Body regained also increases (e.g.,
2 Mind points for 4 Body and 3 Mind points for 6 Body). An individual may also spend
5 Mind points and 5 minutes using Active Role-Play setting a limb to heal a limb under
the effects of Mangle.
• Proficient Artisan: This skill has the skill prerequisite of Basic Artisan. With
this skill, an individual may craft items from blueprints that require the Proficient
Artisan skill. By spending 10 Mind points and 20 minutes of Active Role-Play and
Full Engagement in a crafting area, an individual may follow the prerequisites on the
blueprint and craft an item from Basic to Proficient. To craft an item from scratch
to Proficient it takes 5 Mind points from the Basic Artisan skill plus 10 Mind points
from the Proficient Artisan skill, for a total of 15 Mind points. They can then turn in
materials to the Public Works to receive a card for that item.
• Proficient Agricultural: This skill has the skill prerequisite of Basic Agricultural.
With this skill, an individual may spend 5 Mind points and 10 minutes of Active Role-
Play and Full Engagement in a farming area to gather any one Produce other than
Infectious Material. An individual may choose to spend up to 60 minutes and 30 Mind
points in one go, but it must be the same type of Produce.
• Proficient Education: This skill has the skill prerequisite of Basic Education. With
this skill, an individual may spend 15 minutes of Active Role-Play with as many people
as participate, to teach them all a skill that the teacher already possesses. After the 15
minutes, the person using the skill may spend 1 Mind point per person and write the
skill on the others’ character sheets with their player number next to it. The skill is then
available to be used by each person at the next 12s. An individual may also choose to
update their sheet with three additional Lores from the list in the section “Lores” below.
Lores are used to unlock plot cards with extra information on them in play.
• Proficient Culinary: This skill has the skill prerequisite of Basic Culinary. With
this skill, an individual may craft items from blueprints that require the Proficient
Culinary skill. By spending 10 Mind points and 20 minutes of Active Role-Play and
Full Engagement in a culinary area, an individual may follow the prerequisites on the
blueprint and craft the item on it. They can then turn in materials to the Public Works
to receive a card for that item.
116
116
• Proficient Larceny: This skill has a prerequisite of Basic Larceny. With this skill,
an individual may spend 5 Mind points and 2 minutes of Active Role-Play and Full
Engagement picking a lock to unlock a Proficient lock. You do not need a skill to relock
locks. A person with Proficient Larceny may also put a black clothespin on the pocket
or bag of an Extra, SC, or LC in the presence of a Guide. A person who sees you use the
black clothespin knows that you’re picking their pocket. Once the clothespin is affixed
the Guide will remove the item card of highest value (instead of a random item) located
in that bag or pocket and give it to the thief. This counts as a CvC action. Each affixed
clothespin costs 5 Mind points.
• Proficient Financial Influence: This skill has the skill prerequisite of Basic
Financial Influence. An individual with this skill can invest 4 local currency into one
of six local Financial Institutions during check-in. These groups are in-game extra
groups that LCs have the potential to influence during an event. These influences
will determine how well a Financial Institution does the following month and they will
receive a modifier of -3, -2, -1, 0, 1, 2, or 3. When a person invests in one of these
institutions, they pick one and then the Guide roles a six-sided die without letting the
player see the result. Players will not know the modifier, but instead will need to guess
based on the prior month’s role-play. The modifier is then added to the result of the die.
For a result of one, the person loses 4 local currency. For a roll of two, the person loses
2 local currency. For three, there is no change and the person gains back their 4 local
currency. For four, the person receives their 4 local currency back plus 1 more. For
five, the person receives their 4 local currency back plus 2 more. For six and above, the
person receives their 4 local currency back plus 4 more. An individual may invest in
a second Financial Institution for 10 additional Mind points at check-in. This number
cannot be increased.
• Proficient Trade Connections: This skill has the skill prerequisite of Basic Trade
Connections. An individual with this skill may gain access to a specialty buyer’s list at
the Public Works. Once per event, they may purchase a single item from the Proficient
Trade Connections list. In addition, an individual may trade up to three Rare Herb for
three Rare Scrap at the Public Works once per event..
• Proficient Criminal Influence: This skill has the skill prerequisite of Basic
Criminal Influence. This skill allows an individual to give up to three item cards at
5 Mind points per item to a Guide in Logistics before a criminal or black market
meeting occurs. An Extra will then be present at the meeting to sell the item on the
individual’s behalf and will not “out” them. If sold, they will receive the proceeds
from the sale. Once per event, an individual may also gain access to a Criminal
Influence buyer’s list at the Public Works and may purchase one item from the
Proficient Criminal Influence category. This skill also allows individuals to use the
Proficient Criminal Influence advantage on certain equipment for the stated amount
of Mind points, and to disarm and recover Proficient traps after spending 5 Mind
points and 5 minutes of Active Role-Play and Full Engagement disarming them.

117
• Proficient Social Influence: This skill has the skill prerequisite of Basic Social
Influence. With this skill, an individual may spend 10 Mind points while talking to a
person extensively during 30 minutes, engaging in Active Participation with the other
person as the individual attempts to resolve any issues that they may have. At the end
of 30 minutes, 1 Fracture is resolved if the Target and the user of this skill agree that
the Fracture was addressed and resolved. In the instance that the Target does not feel it
was, they may require more time and engagement to work on the Fracture. Remember
that once a Fracture has been gained, you cannot remove or suppress it for the first 2
hours after it is added to a character sheet.
TIER 3
• Master Medical: This skill has the skill prerequisite of Proficient Medical. An
individual with this skill may use Active Role-Play and Full Engagement while working
on a patient, using props and actively operating on them. After 5 minutes of role-play,
the person using Master Medical skill may use 5 Mind points to allow the person they
operated on to regain 15 Body. Deadlier Diseases require Master Medical to cure, and
more advanced equipment and procedures also require Master Medical.
• Master Artisan: This skill has the skill prerequisite of Proficient Artisan. With this
skill, an individual may craft items from blueprints that require the Master Artisan skill.
By spending 15 Mind points and 20 minutes of Active Role-Play and Full Engagement
in a crafting area, an individual may follow the prerequisites on the blueprint and craft
an item from Proficient to Master. To craft an item from scratch to Master it takes
5 Mind points from the Basic Artisan skill plus 10 Mind Points from the Proficient
Artisan skill plus 15 Mind points from the Master Artisan skill, for a total of 30 Mind
points. They can then turn in materials to the Public Works to receive a card for that
item.
• Master Agricultural: This skill has the skill prerequisite of Proficient Agricultural.
With this skill, an individual may spend 5 Mind points and 10 minutes of Active Role-
Play and Full Engagement in a farming area to gather one Produce, including Infectious
Material. An individual may choose to spend up to 60 minutes and 30 Mind points in
one go, but it must be the same type of Produce. An individual with Master Agricultural
skill may also utilize the Basic Agricultural skill to harvest herbs out of season.
• Master Education: This skill has the skill prerequisite of Proficient Education. With
this skill, an individual may spend 15 minutes of Active Role-Play with a student to teach
them a skill that the teacher already possesses. After the 15 minutes, the person using the
skill may spend 5 Mind points and write the skill on the student’s character sheet with their
player number next to it. The skill is available immediately to the student. An individual
may also choose to update their sheet with three additional Lores from the list in the section
“Lores” below. Lores are used to unlock plot cards with extra information on them in play.
118
118
• Master Culinary: This skill has the skill prerequisite of Proficient Culinary. With
this skill, an individual may craft items from blueprints that require the Master
Culinary skill. By spending 15 Mind points and 20 minutes of Active Role-Play and
Full Engagement in a culinary area, an individual may follow the prerequisites on the
blueprint and craft the item on it. They can then turn in materials to the Public Works
to receive a card for that item.
• Master Larceny: This skill has the skill prerequisite of Proficient Larceny. With
this skill, an individual may spend 15 Mind points and 2 minutes of Active Role-Play
and Full Engagement picking a lock to unlock a Master lock. You do not need a skill to
relock locks. Once per event, an individual with Master Larceny may spend 1 Resolve to
automatically pass into any locked room or building without the time needed for picking
the lock. This represents the individual’s true mastery of lock picking by unlocking the
lock instantly; others may also pass through the now-unlocked door.
• Master Financial Influence: This skill has the skill prerequisite of Proficient
Financial Influence. An individual with this skill may choose to create a group that
is a sister organization to one of the Financial Institutions used for the Proficient
Financial Influence check-in skill. They should inform their Home Branch with an
Action Request of this decision and state which Financial Institution they choose to
ally with. The individual with this skill then may choose to submit a plot request for
Master Financial Influence a month before a game. This submission will allow them to
help their sister institution and gain local monetary compensation up to 10 currency if
the mission is successful. This may include missions such as guarding precious cargo,
smoothing over relations with other Financial Institutions, or other tasks. This will
have a direct influence on the institution’s standings. If two individuals with Master
Financial Influence request a module in the same month, they will find themselves as
part of the same module. Individuals with Master Financial Influence may only request
one of these modules per month, and may include up to 10 others with some level of the
Financial Influence skill. An individual with this skill may also spend 10 Mind points to
trade up to 20 trade notes to the local currency, whether it’s a home game or a travel
game. They may also convert up to 20 of the local currency of the game to trade notes
for the same Mind point expenditure. This can only be done once per event at the Public
Works.
• Master Trade Connections: This skill has the skill prerequisite of Proficient Trade
Connections. An individual with this skill may gain access to a specialty buyer’s list
at the Public Works. Once per event, they may purchase a single item from the Master
Trade Connections list. In addition, an individual may trade up to three Named Herb for
three Named Scrap at the Public Works once per event..

119
• Master Criminal Influence: This skill has the skill prerequisite of Proficient
Criminal Influence. With this skill, an individual is considered one of the Inner Circle
in local criminal organizations and to have “made it” as a criminal. This skill allows
them to submit an Action Request at least a month before a game with a request to
receive a Master-level job that involves pulling a heist, committing a murder, or taking
some other nefarious action. These Master jobs involve 15 people maximum and may
require certain unique skill sets. Usually Master missions involve sneaking into a
guarded compound to unlock a safe and steal from it, eliminating people surrounded
by armies, and other Master-level schemes. An individual using this skill may only
include individuals who have some level of the Criminal Influence skill, and may only
make one request per month. If there are multiple requests, a larger module may be
run with everyone. The reward for completing a Master Criminal Influence mission is
Gizmo: Free X Criminal Influence Voucher, where X is the level of the skill of the person
receiving it. For example, an individual with Basic Criminal Influence would receive
Gizmo: Free Basic Criminal Influence Voucher. They may then go to the Public Works
to receive one free item from the Basic Criminal Influence category on the Criminal
Influence item list. After requesting a job, a person with Master Criminal Influence
may spend 5 local currency before the mission for an item that may help during the
mission, such as a skeleton key so that they don’t need to pause to pick a lock or an
Extra who can check for and disarm traps. Once per event, they may also gain access
to a Criminal Influence buyer’s list at the Public Works and may purchase one item
from the Master Criminal Influence category. This skill also allows individuals to use
the Master Criminal Influence advantage on certain equipment for the stated amount
of Mind points, and to disarm and recover Master traps after spending 10 Mind points
and 5 minutes of Active Role-Play and Full Engagement disarming them.
• Master Social Influence: This skill has the skill prerequisite of Proficient Social
Influence. With this skill, an individual may spend 1 Resolve while talking to a
person extensively for 30 minutes, engaging in Active Role-Play with the Target as
the individual attempts to resolve any issues that the Target may have. This does not
resolve Fractures. At the end of 30 minutes, the Target gains 1 Resolve.
120
120
WASTELAND SKILLS
TIER 1
• Basic Awareness: By Spending 5 Mind points and calling “Alert” while pointing
at a Target who is currently using a Stealth-based skill, an individual can negate the
use of that skill. If a Target using a Stealth skill is made apparent via the use of Basic
Awareness, that Target cannot use a Stealth effect again for 5 minutes.
• Basic Enhanced Movement: By spending 5 Mind points a player can use Enhanced
Movement, where the user may take up to five steps (for a maximum of 3 seconds) with
the Stealth gesture up (their arm in front of their face with their forearm parallel to
their mouth). This skill must be used from a place of cover and is intended to assist a
player in moving unseen from one area of cover to another despite direct lines of sight
or bright environments that would prevent normal use of the Stealth skill. This skill
may be used to move from a point of cover to a visible location (e.g., take five quick
steps from cover to attack someone). This skill cannot be initiated in plain sight unless
it is for the purpose of escaping an area. Individuals using Basic Enhanced Movement
to escape a conflict should not be chased while they take their 5 steps. This skill can be
used while “carrying” one target character in bleed out to move at full speed for the 5
steps instead of a walking pace. In the instance that Alert (Basic Awareness) has been
called to see someone using this skill, this skill cannot be used again for the purposes
of Stealth for 5 minutes. The use of Alert does not prevent usage of Basic Enhanced
Movement to carry a second person at full speed for 5 steps since people seeing you
carry your friend does not prevent you from carrying your friend. This skill cannot be
chained or linked with any other mechanic during movement.
• Basic Foraging: By spending 5 Mind points, an individual may spend 30 minutes
of Active Role-Play in local woods or wilderness areas to forage for items. After this
time, an individual may mark off the time and Mind expenditure and may choose to
receive either 1 Craftable Stone, 1 Tree Nuts, or 1 High Grade Lumber. An individual
may also use Basic Foraging to pick up any Foraging cards they find in play. This
allows for both the constant provision of materials while still having the opportunity
to find more while scrounging. Each Foraging card turned in costs 0 Mind points and
will yield 1 Basic Herb or Scrap.
• Basic Hunting: By spending 5 Mind points and 30 minutes of Active Role-Play
fishing in a nearby body of water with a net, fishing pole, or other fishing prop, an
individual may fish out 1 Fish or Shellfish. If this same skill is used in a nearby forest
for 30 minutes of Active Role-Play to set nonfunctional traps (don’t actually try to
catch local wildlife), the individual may catch 1 Meat.
• Basic Malicious: By spending 5 Mind points, an individual with Basic Malicious
skill may spend 5 minutes of Active Role-Play questioning a sentient Target. The
user should use interrogation or intimidation tactics or other items to enhance the
role-play of the scene. The user may not just talk calmly with the Target. After the 5
minutes, the use says “Interrogate” and asks the question. The Target must answer

121
one question truthfully. This skill is countered by Basic Mental Endurance, which
allows the Target to not answer the question. This counts as a CvC action when used
against an LC or SC. A Guide watching the scene may determine whether or not the
role-play is sufficient for the skill to work. An individual with Basic Malicious skill may
also expend 5 Mind points to tie up a Subdued Target, who will then not be able to move
of their own volition, use any skills other than Anomaly skills, or use any items at all,
unless stated otherwise on the item card. This skill requires a physical representation
of binding of some kind, such as a scarf or a rope. The individual using the skill must
actually perform the action of tying up the Target’s wrists before the effect can occur;
this process should take at least 3 seconds. Make sure to tie to the Target’s comfort
level and be prepared to simply drape the bindings across the person’s wrists, if need
be. This skill can only be used on a willing or Subdued Target.
• Basic Mental Endurance: By spending 5 Mind points, an individual may say
“Mental Endurance” to an Anomaly skill that Targets them. The Anomaly skill then has
no effect. This skill may be used in Bleed Out. Basic Mental Endurance may be used
each time an Anomaly skill targets you except for Master Pyrokinetics. An individual
may also expend 5 Mind points and state “Mental Endurance” after being tortured
with the use of Basic Malicious skill. This allows them to not answer the question that
is posed.
• Basic Sailing: By spending 5 Mind points, an individual with Basic Sailing can
sail a ship during any sailing modules during play. Sailing modules include ship-based
modules where individuals may need to engage in toyetic play. An individual with
Basic Sailing may also use items that require Basic Sailing and may purchase one item
off of the Sailing: Basic category from the list in Public Works once per event.
• Basic Salvaging: With this skill, an individual can spend 5 Mind points and 30
minutes of Active Role-Play in a wildness area searching for wreckage or other
items. After that time, they may go to the Public Works to receive either 1 Machined
Components or 1 Synthetic Fibers. This skill can also be used with Basic Salvage item
cards to produce resources (see Salvage Item cards on page 162 for more details.)
• Basic Stealth: By spending 5 Mind points, an individual with this skill may put up
the Stealth symbol while under cover after dark and away from bright lights and may
remain unseen as long as the Stealth symbol is raised. The user can walk around, but
must make every effort to be stealthy while using this skill and cannot talk or interact
with objects or Basic Stealth immediately ends.
• Basic Trailblazing: By spending 5 Mind points, an individual with Basic Trailblazing
may engage in any toyetic modules that involve “driving” Diesel Jock rides. A person
with Basic Trailblazing may also use any items that require Basic Trailblazing. In
addition, an individual with Basic Trailblazing knows where to find rare metals and
materials while on the road; they may spend 5 Mind points and go to the Public Works
once per event to collect either 1 Alloy Metal or 1 Conductive Metal.
122
122
TIER 2
• Proficient Awareness: This skill has the skill prerequisite of Basic Awareness. By
spending 10 Mind points and calling “By the Sound of My Voice, Alert,” all characters
using Stealth skills within that zone will have the use of their Stealth skill negated. If
a Target using a Stealth skill is made apparent via the use of Proficient Awareness, the
Target cannot use Stealth effects again for 5 minutes.
• Proficient Enhanced Movement: This skill has the skill prerequisite of Basic
Enhanced Movement. By spending 10 Mind points a player can use Enhanced
Movement and take up to five steps (for a maximum of 3 seconds) with the out-of-
character gesture up. This skill must be used from a place of cover and is intended to
assist a player in moving unseen from one area of cover to another despite direct lines
of sight or bright environments that would prevent normal use of the Stealth skill.
This skill may be used to move from a point of cover to a visible location (e.g., take five
quick steps from cover to attack someone). This skill cannot be initiated in plain sight.
Awareness (Alert) or other Awareness-related mechanics cannot negate the use of
Proficient Enhanced Movement (call “No Effect” in response). Players using this skill
are still affected by all environment restrictions such as physical barriers and area
mechanics (no opening doors, avoiding zone effects, moving across immobile areas,
etc.) This skill cannot be chained or linked with any other mechanic during movement.
• Proficient Foraging: This skill has the skill prerequisite of Basic Foraging. An
individual with this skill may spend 5 Mind points per card that they find when they
turn them into the Public Works to collect the named resource outlined on the card. If
individuals turn in cards as per Basic Foraging without spending the Mind points, they
simply receive Basic Herb or Basic Scrap. In addition, an individual with Proficient
Foraging may spend 10 Mind points and 30 minutes of Active Role-Play looking for
items in wilderness areas to receive 1 Combustible Materials or 1 Natural Fibers.
• Proficient Hunting: This skill has the skill prerequisite of Basic Hunting. By
spending 5 Mind points and 20 minutes of Active Role-Play drying out Produce with a
smokehouse, hanging up fish, or salting items, the user may combine two of the same
Produce that are about to expire (must not have already expired) and extend their
lifespan for 3 months. After doing the role-play, the user may go to the Public Works
and turn in the two Produce cards to receive one new card with a 3-month expiration
date.
• Proficient Malicious: This skill has the skill prerequisite of Basic Malicious. With
this skill, an individual may painfully break a person’s limbs. By spending 5 Mind
points and landing a successful Strike on a Target’s limb while calling “Mangle,” an
individual with Proficient Malicious skill can cause the Mangle effect on a person’s
limb. This skill can only be countered by “Avoid” if delivered from the front.
• Proficient Mental Endurance: This skill has the skill prerequisite of Basic Mental
Endurance. By observing and engaging in Active Participation with a sentient Target
for 10 minutes and spending 5 Mind points, an individual with this skill may learn
more about the Target’s skill set, short-term intent, and mind-set. The individual may
not ask the Target questions about prior motives, past events, or aspects the Target

123
cannot perceive. In all, the individual may ask one “yes” or “no” question about the
Target. Sample questions include “Do you plan to attack us this gather?” and “Are you
planning on killing someone here this gather?” This skill can be used multiple times,
but requires another 10 minutes of observation before each use. Using this skill to
actively seek out leverage against another character or cause social/mental harm
to that character is considered a CvC action. For example: “Do you intend to go to a
professional killers’ meeting this afternoon to talk about murder?”
• Proficient Sailing: This skill has the skill prerequisite of Basic Sailing. With
Proficient Sailing, an individual may use any equipment that requires Proficient
Sailing. In addition, an individual with this skill may spend 5 Mind points and state
“I’m the captain” while sailing a ship during a sailing module during play to ignore any
damage and skill effects being done to them for 1 minute. During this time, the user
cannot engage in combat or use any skills other than sailing the ship. An individual
with Proficient Sailing may also purchase one item off of the Sailing: Proficient
category from the list at Public Works once per event.
• Proficient Salvaging: This skill has the skill prerequisite of Basic Salvaging. With
this skill, an individual can spend 10 Mind points and 30 minutes of Active Role-Play
in a wildness area searching for wreckage or other items. After that time, they may go
to the Public Works to receive either 1 Plastics or 1 Mechanical Components. This skill
can also be used with Proficient Salvage item cards to produce resources (see Salvage
Item cards on page 162 for more details.)
• Proficient Stealth: This skill has the skill prerequisite of Basic Stealth. An
individual with Proficient Stealth may spend 10 minutes camouflaging themselves or
a Target with costuming appropriate to the local terrain. After 10 minutes, the user
may then immediately expend 10 Mind points after night falls and the Target may put
up the Stealth symbol three times total in the next hour. The Target cannot use the
Stealth symbol in artificial or bright light. If an individual uses the Awareness skill,
the Stealth skill is immediately cancelled and cannot be used again for another 5
minutes. Examples of camouflage costume changes include using camouflage fabric
and costuming appropriate to the local terrain (mottled whites if it’s snowy and mottled
greens if it’s forested) that actually helps the person blend into their environment in
real life. An individual with this skill may also do a full costume change, including heavy
makeup or face covering, and may spend 5 Mind points to be in disguise for a total
of 30 minutes. The user must make every attempt to keep players from recognizing
them out of character. While in disguise, the user must craft an alternate persona with
a different Strain, personality, and mind-set that does not mimic another LC, SC, or
Extra. At the end of the 30 minutes, the person may expend another 5 Mind points to
continue acting as the same persona for another 30 minutes. While in disguise, other
Extras, SCs, and LCs cannot recognize the character for who they are. The Awareness
skill does not counter the disguise.
• Proficient Trailblazing: This skill has the skill prerequisite of Basic Trailblazing.
By spending 5 Mind points at the beginning of game, an individual with Proficient
Trailblazing may skip any opening modules when visiting a home or away game and
enter directly into play as long as they have a ride of some kind. They may also use
124
124
any items that require Proficient Trailblazing. In addition, individuals with Proficient
Trailblazing know where to find rare metals and materials while on the road; they may
spend 5 Mind points and go to the Public Works once per event to collect either 1 Hard
Metal or 1 Radioactive Metal.
TIER 3
• Master Awareness: This skill has the skill prerequisite of Proficient Awareness.
By spending 1 Resolve and 10 minutes of Active Role-Play preparing ointments and
placing them around the eyes of a Target or self, the Target of Master Awareness
becomes immune to Blinding and Blinding zone effects for a full hour. When the Target
is affected by Blinding or a Blinding zone effect, the Target should call “No effect:
Master Awareness.” In addition, the Target can call “Master Awareness: Alert” while
gesturing at a single Target to negate a single Stealth skill use at no cost once during
the 1-hour period. Players are encouraged to create their own process and role-play
ritual for preparing for Master Awareness use. As a passive mechanic, characters with
Master Awareness can say “I think we’re not alone.” when a Target is using a Stealth
skill within line of sight. The character with Master Awareness cannot say where, what
direction, if it’s friend or foe, or even gesture to the area that a Target using Stealth
could be found, but this “6th sense” lets them know that they are being observed.
• Master Enhanced Movement: This skill has the skill prerequisite of Proficient
Enhanced Movement. By spending 20 Mind points a player can use Enhanced
Movement and take up to 10 steps (for a maximum of 5 seconds) with the out-of-
character gesture up. This skill must be used from a place of cover and is intended
to assist a player in moving unseen from one area of cover to another despite direct
lines of sight or bright environments that would prevent normal use of the Stealth
skill. This skill may be used to move from a point of cover to a visible location (e.g.,
take 10 quick steps from cover to attack someone). This skill cannot be initiated in
plain sight. Awareness (Alert) or other Awareness-related mechanics cannot negate
the use of Master Enhanced Movement. Players using this skill can ignore zones of
mechanics while in the out-of-character movement portion of the skill (e.g., floor made
of lava, poisoned gas area, radiation area, etc.). This skill does not allow players to
move through physical objects like walls or ignore locks on doors; however, it allows
them to access areas that have an unlikely means of entrance (e.g., a slightly opened
window) if that means of entrance is within the allowed 10 steps. Vertical distances
are estimated, with uncertainty of distance landing on the side of “no you can’t.” This
skill cannot be chained or linked with any other mechanic during movement.
• Master Foraging: This skill has the skill prerequisite of Proficient Foraging. An
individual with this skill may spend 15 Mind points and 30 minutes of Active Role-Play
looking through the local woods or other wilderness areas to find 1 Psionic Crystals.
• Master Hunting Skill: This skill has the skill prerequisite of Proficient Hunting.
An individual with this skill may spend 1 Resolve and spend 20 minutes of Active
Role-Play setting up an elaborate trap with physical representations that include a
sheet of paper that states the mechanics. Any creature that wanders onto the physical
representation of the trap’s trigger (which should look like an actual trap and should

125
be anywhere from 1 to 2 feet wide) will trigger the trap. Anyone within the area of
effect of the trap trigger will suffer 50 Body damage and be Stunned. After the trap is
set off, the effect ends. This trap does not work on members of Lineages or Raiders.
Actual traps that could actually harm someone or capture animals may not be used.
An individual with Master Hunting skill is also a master of tracking prey. At least a
month before an event, they may submit an Action Request to request a big game hunt
of a local creature. These big game hunts involve 15 people maximum and may require
certain unique skill sets. This hunt can include finding traces of the creature in the
local area that must be tracked before discovering its location, and results in multiple
appropriate Produce cards as a reward for a successful hunt. An individual with
Master Hunting skill may only request one of these modules per month; if multiple
individuals with the skill request it on the same month, they may be part of the same
module, but will be able to reap the same amount of reward if successful.
• Master Malicious: This skill has the skill prerequisite of Proficient Malicious.
With this skill, an individual becomes a master of singling out a Target for pain. After
spending 1 Resolve and pointing at a Target while saying “Death Stalk”, an individual
using Master Malicious skill may ignore 20 seconds worth of strikes and effects while
stalking toward the Target. They cannot deviate from walking toward the Target and
cannot attack or swing at others while walking toward the Target, and the Target must
be no more than 15 paces away. Once they reach their Target, they must strike the
Target and then will begin taking damage and skill effects as per normal.
• Master Mental Endurance: This skill has the skill prerequisite of Proficient
Mental Endurance. An individual with this skill has become adept at fortifying their
mind against Anomaly skills and projects that ability outward. After spending 20 Mind
points and 5 minutes of Active Role-Play to fortify their mind against Anomaly skills
without any interruptions, the user can declare in a loud, clear voice: “Area of effect: No
Anomaly skills.” This causes an area of effect where no Anomaly skills work (including
Master Pyrokinetics) for the next hour. The individual using this skill cannot move
from this area of effect during the hour, or the effect ends. When individuals within
this zone attempt to use Anomaly skills or when Anomaly skills are used on Targets
within this zone, the one using Master Mental Endurance should declare: “No effect:
Mental Endurance.” In addition, if any person under an Anomaly skill’s effects enters
this zone those effects immediately end.
• Master Sailing: This skill has the skill prerequisite of Proficient Sailing. An
individual with Master Sailing may spend 10 Mind points during a sailing module
during play and say, “Hard to starboard!” while sailing the ship. This causes any
enemies on the ship to temporarily be knocked off the ship for 1 minute as the person
with Master Sailing quickly turns the ship, unbalancing them. In addition, those with
Master Sailing may use items and equipment that require Master Sailing and may
purchase 1 item off of the Sailing: Master category from the list at the Public Works
once per event. An individual with Master Sailing may also submit an Action Request 1
month in advance to request a sailing module. Up to 10 others may participate in this
sailing module if they have any tier of the Sailing skill. The individual with the Master
Sailing skill may only request this module once per event. If multiple people request a
126
126
sailing module in the same month, then they will
participate in the same module. If the module is
successfully completed, each person will receive
Gizmo: Free X Sailing Voucher, where X is the
tier of the Sailing skill that they possess. For
example, an individual with Basic Sailing would
receive Gizmo: Free Basic Sailing Voucher. This
gizmo will allow them to go to the Public Works
an additional time during an event to receive
a free item from the Sailing category that the
gizmo is for. For example, a person with Gizmo:
Free Basic Sailing Voucher would receive one
free item from the Sailing: Basic category list.
• Master Salvaging: This skill has the skill
prerequisite of Proficient Salvaging. With
this skill, an individual may spend 15 Mind
points and 30 minutes of Active Role-Play in a
wilderness area searching for wreckage or other
items. After that time, they may go to the Public
Works to receive 1 Recovered Electronics. This
skill can also be used with Master Salvage item
cards to produce resources (see Salvage Item
cards on page 162 for more details.)
• Master Stealth: Once per event, an
individual with Master Stealth may spend
1 Resolve and declare “Never here.” They
should then immediately put the out-of-game
symbol above their head and go to Logistics.
They will then be “spawned” into the world in
a different location per Guide discretion. This
skill represents an individual throwing down a
smoke bomb or other device that gives them a
screen in order to get away.
• Master Trailblazing: This skill has the
skill prerequisite of Proficient Trailblazing. By
spending 10 Mind points at the beginning of
game play, an individual may use their ride to
carry up to three others into play, allowing them
to skip the opening module in a home or travel
game. In addition, an individual with Master
Trailblazing knows where to find rare metals
and materials while on the road; they may spend
10 Mind points and go to the Public Works once
per event to collect 1 Soft Metal.

127
ANOMALY SKILLS
TIER 1
• Basic Biogenetics: With this skill, an individual may spend 5 Mind points and make
a Psionic Attack to heal a Target by 5 Body. This effect is instantaneous and can be used
to stop Bleed Out counters. When using call: “Psionic: Heal 5.”
• Basic Necrokinetics: With this skill, an individual may spend 5 Mind points at
logistics and speak with the Guide overseeing a postmortem Mortis Amaranthine
(Grave Mind) scene. When a player has died and is passing through the grave, once
the prerequisite player care has been taken care of, Basic Necrokinetics can allow the
Target player to listen silently to (but not see or engage) another player’s post-death
scene. Prior to listening to the scene the user must speak to the person running the
scene, who will ask those entering the scene if they are willing to allow people to listen.
If a scene could be too private or the player within the scene does not feel comfortable
with it, they may say no, at which point the effects of Basic Necrokinetics fail and the
user of the skill is refunded their 5 Mind points, knowing that the scene is “lost within
the noise of the shared consciousness.”
• Basic Pyrokinetics: With this skill, an individual may spend 5 Mind points and
make a Psionic Attack to cause 5 Body damage. This effect is instantaneous and can
be used as a coup de gras. To call this effect, say, “Psionic: 5 Body.” This skill may also
be used on a blueprint, brew, or meal to cause the single item struck to be destroyed.
To use this effect call “Psionic: Break (Blueprint, Brew, or Meal).” If this effect is being
used on a target being held by a person, that person may counter with effects from the
Mental Endurance tree if they have the skills to do so. If the target is not currently
being held by a person, or that person does not have Mental Endurance, defense skills
cannot be used to counter a Psionic Attack.
• Basic Telekinetics: With this skill, an individual may spend 5 Mind points and make
a Psionic Attack to cause a Target to drop what they have in one of their hands and send
it at least one step toward the user of Telekinetics. If an item requires two hands to
carry or use, then the item in both hands is dropped. The downward force of this psionic
impulse is strong enough that it will break any tethering-like equipment that a Target
may have attached to their equipment to prevent it from hitting the ground. To call this
effect say, “Psionic: Drop (left hand/right hand) toward me.”
• Basic Telepathy: With this skill, an individual may spend 5 Mind points, make eye
contact, and make a Psionic Attack on a Creature (made with Support Guide) while
saying no more than three words. These three words may be basic instructions that
the Beast will follow until they are harmed (e.g., lose health or an effect), until the
instructions cause the Creature to act in a self-destructive way, until 10 minutes have
passed, or until they reach a point where the request is outside their capacities (e.g.,
asking a fish to fly, a goat to play a guitar, etc.). Be forewarned: It should be noted that if
a creature is instructed to attack someone, and the creature is wounded by the person
they are attacking, breaking the Telepathy most likely will not stop the wounded Critter
128
128
from attacking since it was just attacked. It should also be noted that some larger
or more dangerous creatures may have some limited means of Mental Endurance!
Remember, Creatures are still being represented by Extras, and while it may seem
funny to make your friends do embarrassing things, you should respect Extras’ comfort
levels and limitations. To call this effect say, “Psionic: Suggestion ([three words here]).”
• Basic Faithful Patterns: This skill has the prerequisite of choosing a faith to follow.
Upon buying this skill an individual chooses a faith or locally-approved cult that they are
inducted into, which is recorded on their character sheet. This skill allows an individual
to spend 5 Mind points, engage in at least 10 minutes Active Role-Play that includes
Active Participation between the user and the Target, and induct a willing participant
as a dedicated member of the faith or cult that the user of this skill is a member of.
While induction via Basic Faithful Patterns is not required for following the beliefs of
a religion, being inducted as a member of a faith and having the baptism recorded on
their character sheet opens an individual for additional effects and advantages.
• Basic Faithful Will: This skill has the prerequisite of being an active follower of a
faith or cult that the user was inducted into. By spending 5 Mind points and engaging
in a Psionic Attack at a Target who has been inducted into the same faith, the user of
this skill can soothe all Fractures that the Target is currently experiencing for 1 hour
with only a few words. This skill requires both a verbal component and Active Role-Play.
To call this skill say, “Psionics (Faith): Soothe Fractures.”
• Basic Faithful Spirit: This skill has the prerequisite of being an active follower of a
faith or cult that the user was inducted into. By spending 5 Mind points and engaging in
a Psionic Attack at a Target who has been inducted into the same faith, the user of this
skill can bestow a single use of physical endurance to the Target. This skill causes the
Target to be immune to the first use of any Mangle or Blinding effect until the next 12s.
This skill does not stack and requires both a verbal component and Active Role-Play. To
call this skill say, “Psionics (Faith): Immune first Blind or Mangle until next 12s.” The
user must also write their player number and the skill used in the appropriate area of
the Target’s character sheet.
• Basic Faithful Miracles: This skill has the prerequisite of being an active follower
of a faith or cult that the user was inducted into. By spending 5 Mind points and giving
a verbal prayer with their hands over a meal or brew, all of the following effects will be
removed from the single brew or meal for immediate consumption: damage done by
consuming, damage done by contact, Unconsciousness done by consuming, Stun done
by consuming, and other plot effects outlined to be removed by Basic Faithful Miracles.
This effect does not permanently remove the negative effects from the item card for the
meal or brew but instead temporarily removes them for immediate consumption.
• Basic Faith Vessel: This skill has the prerequisite of being an active follower of a
faith or cult that the user was inducted into. By spending 5 Mind points and engaging
in a Psionic Attack at a Target who has been inducted into the same faith, the Target of
this skill can ignore the first use of Break: Armor used on them until the next 12s.
This skill does not stack and requires both a verbal component and Active Role-Play. To
call this skill say, “Psionics (Faith): Immune first Break armor until next 12s.”

129
TIER 2
• Proficient Biogenetics: This skill has the skill prerequisite of Basic Biogenetics. By
spending 10 Mind points and making a Psionic Attack the user may cause a Target to be
knocked Unconscious. To call this skill say, “Psionic: Unconscious.” This effect does not
work on zombies or many other forms of mutated undead. This counts as a CvC action
when used against LCs or SCs.
• Proficient Necrokinetics: This skill has the skill prerequisite of Basic Necrokinetics.
By spending 10 Mind points and engaging in a Psionic Attack, the user can allow the
Target to temporarily gain access to a single available Lore (from the Lore list in the
section that follows) that the user does not currently have. The knowledge gained by
this temporary Lore is gained from whispers from the shared consciousness of the
Mortis Amaranthine (Grave Mind) and is available for 30 minutes from the time of use.
Users of this skill are encouraged to keep a prop journal with them that contains a list
of all lores. When this skill is complete the user (not the Target) gains a Fracture as they
have worked as an antenna and funnel for knowledges gained from outside the ability
of a mind’s id and ego. This skill may also be used, based on module design and written
restrictions, to gain information in specific Mortis Amaranthine–related scenes. Staff
members are encouraged to create and work with players to create modern and local
stories, Lores, and resources from recently dead individuals in the area. Players wanting
to use this aspect of the skill in this way should put in a plot request (instead of just
doing it on the fly) to allow staff to prepare a great story and experience.
• Proficient Pyrokinetics: This skill has the skill prerequisite of Basic Pyrokinetics.
By spending 10 Mind points and making a Psionic Attack the user may do grievous
harm to a Target. To call this skill say, “Psionic: 20 Body.” Use of this skill causes the
hands of the user to ash and char over time, which should be costumed appropriately.
• Proficient Telekinetics: This skill has the skill prerequisite of Basic Telekinetics.
The user may spend 10 Mind points and make a Psionic Attack on a Target, who will be
thrown through the air and land Stunned five steps opposite the direction of the user or
until they hit a much larger solid object (e.g., wall, tree, inbound train, etc.). People are
not enough to prevent a Target from being pushed back by Proficient Telekinesis. To
call this skill say, “Psionic: Knock back five steps and Stun.” Users of this skill may use
it on themselves to propel themselves without touching the ground for five steps. This
may be used to avoid five feet of ground plot mechanics (e.g., a floor of lava) or to propel
themselves when they are unable to use their limbs to move. Self-use still includes 5
seconds of Stun at the end.
• Proficient Telepathy: This skill has the skill prerequisite of Basic Telepathy. The
user may spend 10 Mind points, make eye contact, and engage in a Psionic Attack
on a Target, who must then speak without a filter (all internalized thoughts become
vocalized) for 5 minutes. While the Target of this skill has a great degree of agency
regarding what information they want to share for flavor text, any question that is asked
of the Target in the 5 minutes must be answered without limitation. This skill does not
cause traditionally mute characters to speak; however, targeted mute characters will do
their best to communicate. This skill can be countered by Mental Endurance skills and
130
130
partially by inflicting a Choking Blow on the Target. While a Choking Blow will prevent
verbal communication, the Target will still attempt to communicate using nonverbal
means. The Target cannot choose to “just not speak” if the effect is successful. To call
this skill say, “Psionic: Suggestion: Speak without filters.”
• Proficient Faithful Patterns: This skill has the skill prerequisite of Basic Faithful
Patterns and requires the user to have been inducted into a faith or cult and still follow
that faith or cult. The user may spend 10 Mind points and engage in a Psionic Attack on
a Target, who must then state what faith, if any, they have been inducted into and how
long they have been a member of that faith. This skill requires both a verbal component
and Active Role-Play of questioning the Target about their faith in order to cause them
to confess. If this skill targets a user of the same faith as the user, the Mind point cost is
refunded to the user and they may not use the skill knowingly on the same Target for 1
hour. This skill can be countered by Mental Endurance skills and partially by inflicting
a Choking Blow on the Target. While a Choking Blow will prevent verbal communication,
the Target will still attempt to communicate using nonverbal means. To call this skill
say, “Psionic: Suggestion: Declare your faith and devotion.”
• Proficient Faithful Will: This skill has the skill prerequisite of Basic Faithful Will
and requires the user to have been inducted into a faith or cult and still follow that
faith or cult. The user may spend 10 Mind points and engage in a religious benediction
of at least 20 minutes in length (longer is encouraged) with Active Participation with
the Targets of this skill. At the end of the role-play up to five participant Targets of
the benediction will have their Bleed Out timer extended to 10 minutes instead of
the normal 5 minutes, until the next 12s. This effect does not stack and requires the
Targets to be of the same faith as the user. This should be marked down on the back of
the Targets’ character sheets. This skill requires both a verbal component and Active
Role-play. To call this skill say, “Psionics (Faith): Extended Bleed Out.”
• Proficient Faithful Spirit: This skill has the skill prerequisite of Basic Faithful
Spirit and requires the user to have been inducted into a faith or cult and still follow
that faith or cult. By spending 10 Mind points and 10 minutes in Active Role-Play in
prayer, and engaging in a Psionic Attack at a Target who has been inducted into the
same faith as the user of this skill, the user can allow the Target to spend a Resolve
to call “Faithful Spirit: No effect 1 minute” to a coup de gras used on the Target. The
effects of this skill last until the next 12 or until the skill has been used. This skill
requires that the Target have Resolve available at the time of use; this skill does not
prevent standard Bleed Out nor does it allow for multiple sequential uses of Resolve.
Only 1 Resolve may be spent per Bleed Out in this way. This skill does not stack and
requires both a verbal component and Active Role-Play. To call this skill say, “Psionics
(Faith): Undying Spirit.” The role-play of the prayer should include explaining how the
Target of this skill can spend a Resolve.

131
• Proficient Faithful Miracles: This skill has the skill prerequisite of Basic Faithful
Miracles and requires the user to have been inducted into a faith or cult and still follow
that faith or cult. By spending 10 Mind points the user of this skill may heal a number
of their faithful at the same time. This skill has a verbal component and requires
Active Role-Play of delivering a benediction specific to their faith. To call this skill say,
“Psionics: By the Sound of My Voice all (Faith) heal 5.” Please note range limits of Sound
of My Voice and remember this effect will also heal antagonists that share the same
faith.
• Proficient Faith Vessel: This skill has the skill prerequisite of Basic Faith Vessel
and requires the user to have been inducted into a faith or cult and still follow that faith
or cult. By spending 10 Mind points and engaging in a Psionic Attack on a Target, the
user can cause them to become inundated with a debilitating volume of hallucinations
centered around the themes of a crisis of faith and otherworldly wrath for 1 minute,
making the Target incapable of using any Anomaly skills. To use this skill call, “Psionic
(Faith): 1 minute no Anomalies.”
TIER 3
• Master Biogenetics: This skill has the skill prerequisite of Proficient Biogenetics.
This skill cannot be used if the user currently has a Fracture (subdued or active). By
spending 1 Resolve, taking a knee or sitting, and raising a hand in the air, the user of
this skill can create a Area of Effect centered around them, within which everyone has
their Bleed Out timer halted and reset. Secondarily, zombies must exit this Area of
Effect if possible and cannot re-enter it. This effect prevents coup de gras from being
used within this range. Upon activation of this skill, any helpful skill effects that the
user was under immediately end. This skill does not make the user immune to effects
and if the user is moved, drops into Bleed Out, or uses another skill the effects of
Master Biogenetics cease. This effect lasts for as long as the user is able to keep their
hand raised over their head, stay unmoved, and repeat the phrase “Master Biogenetics:
You will not die, no zombies will approach” at least once per minute (or while Casted
zombies are closing in.) Players may not use artificial means to assist themselves in
keeping their arm in the air above their head (such as propping up their arm). Once
the arm drops, the effect drops as well and anyone within range who was in Bleed Out
immediately starts a new Bleed Out process. Anyone who was affected by coup de gras
while within the range of the effect starts a Bleed Out counter instead of being killed.
• Master Necrokinetics: This skill has the skill prerequisite of Proficient
Necrokinetics. This skill cannot be used if the user currently has a Fracture (subdued
or active). By spending 1 Resolve and engaging in a Psionic Attack on a willing or
Subdued Target, the Target becomes wracked with pain and Stunned for 5 minutes for
every Fracture and each progressed stage of a Disease a Target has, up to a maximum
of 30 minutes. During the duration of the removal of Diseases and Fractures the user
of this skill must engage the Target in role-playing a form of mental psychic surgery.
At the end of the time, the Diseases and Fractures are removed. For example, if the
Target has four Fractures and a Disease that has progressed to Stage 4, then the
Target would be wracked with pain and Stunned for 30 minutes instead of 40 minutes.
132
132
Standard time restraints on when a Fracture is gained and when it can be removed
still apply. Master Necrokinetics is not a Combat skill and cannot be used in the middle
of a skirmish. Before using this skill on an LC or SC, speak with them ahead of time
for steering purposes to make sure that they are okay with this change in role-play for
their character. The process for rebuilding an individual’s health and mind is in truth
agitating the Mortis Amaranthine and the connection that exists between the Infection
and the shared undead consciousness. If an individual has more than a total of three
stages of Disease (single Disease or shared Disease levels) or three or more Fractures
removed this way, this action must be reported to Logistics so that staff have the option
of transferring these Diseases and Fractures to zombie threats that are out in the world
(or other plot uses such as Disease Mutation and Outbreaks). This counts as a CvC
action when used against unwilling and Subdued LCs or SCs.
• Master Pyrokinetics: This skill has the skill prerequisite of Proficient Pyrokinetics.
spending 1 Resolve, all Targets within a 3 step range erupt into flames. This is a brute
force attack and does not allow the user to limit their targeting (meaning it targets
everyone within the area including friends, foes, and users themselves). This skill may
be used during Bleed Out and is a favorite to cause spiteful damage to swarms of
undead consuming the user. To use this skill say, “Psionic: 3 Steps—30 Body, Break all
brews.” This counts as a CvC action when used against LCs or SCs. This skill cannot be
defended against by Basic Mental Endurance, but can be countered by Master Mental
Endurance.
• Master Telekinetics: This skill has the skill prerequisite of Proficient Telekinetics.
spending 1 Resolve and engaging a Target with a Psionic Attack, the user of this skill
can call, “Break all armor and brews.” The counter for this skill is the Mental Endurance
skill tree, and this counts as one Psionic Attack, meaning that negating the skill once
causes it to be negated for all effects. This counts as a CvC action when used against
LCs or SCs.
• Master Telepathy: This skill has the skill prerequisite of Proficient Telepathy.
spending 1 Resolve and engaging a Target with a Psionic Attack, the Target becomes
overwhelmed with the sights, sounds, and visions that flood the mind until the mind
is incapable of handling any more and it shuts off. To call this attack say, “Psionic:
Blinding, Stun, 10 Body.” This attack counts as a single attack, and if the Target wishes
to resist with Mental Endurance (and has the skills to do so) only a single use is required
to negate all effects. This counts as a CvC action when used against LCs or SCs.
• Master Faithful Patterns: This skill has the skill prerequisite of Proficient Faithful
Patterns and requires the user to have been inducted into a faith or cult and still follow
that faith or cult. This skill cannot be used if the user currently has a Fracture (subdued
or active). This skill allows the user to spend 1 Resolve while within a Morgue to allow
a Target to enter the post-death Mortis Amaranthine (Grave Mind) scene of another. If
the Target entering the scene and the individual whose scene it is are both of the same
faith as the individual using this skill then the Target may expend the Resolve they

133
have, while in the scene, on behalf of the person who passed.
This skill may also be used to allow others to enter into other forms of Mortis
Amaranthine scenes, such as Graverobber procedures, for the same purpose (it does
not bestow the benefit of said procedures to the Targets of this skill).
• Master Faithful Will: This skill has the skill prerequisite of Proficient Faithful Will
faith or cult. This skill cannot be used if the user currently has a Fracture (subdued
or active). This skill allows the user to spend 1 Resolve to engage a Target who is
a deceased Strain of the same faith but has not yet rotted away (10 minutes post-
death) with a Psionic Attack to cause the Target to go through their postmortem scene,
to potentially gain multiple Fractures (scene will be more intense), but not lose an
Infection. Use of this skill causes the user to gain a Fracture unless they are willing to
spend a second Resolve at the time of use.
• Master Faithful Spirit: This skill has the skill prerequisite of Proficient Faithful
Spirit and requires the user to have been inducted into a faith or cult and still follow
that faith or cult. This skill cannot be used if the user currently has a Fracture (subdued
or active). This skill allows the user to spend 1 Resolve and engage a Psionic Attack
to cause extensive damage to a single zombie Target. To call this effect say, “Psionic
(Faith): 50 Body to zombies.” Remember, some undead (in particular, nasty ones) have
some degree of Mental Endurance. It’s a good idea to tire out the would-be Target of this
skill a bit first if they are a major threat.
• Master Faithful Miracles: This skill has the skill prerequisite of Proficient Faithful
Miracles and requires the user to have been inducted into a faith or cult and still
follow that faith or cult. This skill cannot be used if the user currently has a Fracture
(subdued or active). By spending 10 seconds Active Role-Playing channeling the most
powerful aspect of the user’s faith, the user may spend 1 Resolve and engage a Psionic
Attack to cause a Target to regain all Body and fix all mangled limbs. After using this
skill, the user takes a standard Stun due to backlash of the volume of power they have
just released. To call this skill say, “Psionic (Faith): Heal all Body, fix limbs.”
• Master Faith Vessel: This skill has the skill prerequisite of Proficient Faith Vessel
faith or cult. This skill cannot be used if the user currently has a Fracture (subdued or
active). This skill allows users to spend 1 Resolve to channel the psionic energies related
to their faith into their own bodies and trickle the healing energies out of themselves
to save others. Once this skill has been used the user gains 5 Psionic Attacks that
they may throw to call “Heal 10 Body recover 5 Mind” over the next 10 minutes. Once
the 10 minutes have passed or all 5 Psionic Attacks been used, the user is rendered
Unconscious and dropped into Bleed Out (with 0 health) wherever they are. While
Unconscious the user of this skill gains two Fractures.
134
134
LORES
Lores represent how knowledgeable your character is about a certain subject. While
most people have a basic knowledge of how the world works, Lores represent the
fact that your character has in-depth knowledge about certain subjects. Whenever
your character learns a Lore, it is recommended that you spend time finding out
information about that subject in character and within the supplemental Dystopia
Rising tabletop books.
Lores are used in game play as a way to open and unlock plot cards that are in
play. As an example, you may be helping conduct a surgery on an individual. As
you reach within the abdominal cavity of the dissection kit, you may find a card
that says “Lore: Medical.” If you have that Lore, you can open that card and find
out more information about what’s wrong with the individual you’re operating on.
Below is a listing of Lores and what they cover within the world of Dystopia Rising.
• Lore: Animals: This Lore covers knowledge about all kinds of animals and
animal life—both normal animals and mutated animals. This includes their
habits, mating seasons, behaviors, and the type of habitat that they frequent.
• Lore: Faith: This Lore covers knowledge about all faiths, cults, and subsects.
This includes rituals that may be conducted by the various postapocalyptic faiths,
as well as knowledge about their beliefs and rites.
• Lore: Lineages: This Lore covers knowledge about all of the Lineages and
Strains within the postapocalyptic wasteland. More specifically, this Lore allows
a person to know why Strains are grouped together as they are, and gives them a
higher understanding about why members of particular Strains behave the way
they do due to their unique genetics.
• Lore: Medical: This Lore covers knowledge of a Lineage’s body and how it
interacts with Diseases, poisons, and other negative effects. It also represents
knowledge of the location and functions of veins, bones, and organs within a body.
• Lore: Mortis Amaranthine/Infection: This Lore covers knowledge about
the Mortis Amaranthine (Grave Mind) and the Infection that is located in each
Lineage. It allows an individual to know more about how the Infection works
in members of Lineages versus Raiders, and also allows them to know how a
Lineage’s brain interacts with the Infection when dying.
• Lore: Nature: This Lore covers knowledge about natural elements such as rock
formations and plants within an area. This includes knowing where certain plants
grow, being able to assess the stability of mines and rock formations, and knowing
how natural forces may interact with certain areas (e.g., knowing more about
water currents or which areas may flood during a heavy rainfall).
• Lore: Post-Fall History: This Lore covers knowledge about the history of the
wasteland. While history in the postapocalypse is patchy at best, this Lore allows
a person to know more about the first emergence of certain Lineages, the rise and
fall of cities across the wasteland, and information about the actions of notable
persons within the world.

135
• Lore: Pre-Fall History: This Lore covers
knowledge of what is known of the world before
the Fall of humanity. This includes knowing
that there were higher technology levels, a much
larger population, and the fact that there were
no Lineages in the past. It also covers knowledge
that the Fall of humanity was largely due to
the introduction of the Infection by parties
unknown, the rise of the undead, and the use
of nuclear weapons. That said, this Lore doesn’t
cover information about how exactly technology
worked, very specific information about pop
culture, and other things before the Fall.
• Lore: Raiders: This Lore covers knowledge
about the various types of Raiders within the
postapocalyptic wasteland. This includes their
physiology, how certain types of Raiders evolved,
possible weaknesses (if any), and possible
knowledge of their movement patterns.
• Lore: Undead: This Lore covers knowledge
about the various types of undead within the
postapocalyptic wasteland. This includes how
certain types of undead evolved and their
possible weaknesses, as well as the ability to
determine whether an undead creature has been
engineered or is naturally occurring.
• Lore: Wasteland Science: This Lore
covers knowledge about mechanical, chemical,
and technological advancements in the
postapocalypse. This includes knowing more
about how vehicles function mechanically,
how certain pieces of technological equipment
function, and how different chemicals react with
a Lineage’s physiology when brewing.
136
136
HOW TO EARN A
RANK OF ACHIEVEMENT
There are two different ways to earn a Rank of Achievement depending on if it is

a Community Empowerment Achievement or a Professional Focus Achievement. All
Ranks of Achievement have the requirement that the awardee be a member of the
Dystopia Rising community in good standing without any current corrective actions
on their character sheet.
There is no limit to the number of Ranks of Achievement that a participant can
have; multiple Community Empowerment Achievements may be earned without any
requirement other than positive feedback from the Dystopia Rising community. There
is a minimum requirement of 6 months between when a participant purchases a
Professional Focus Achievement and the next time they can submit a plot request to
start the storyline to purchase a second Professional Focus Achievement (assuming all
other point and skill requirements have been met).
EARNING COMMUNITY
EMPOWERMENT ACHIEVEMENTS
For Community Empowerment Achievements, players from around the network can
submit one feedback form per month that rewards a player other than themselves for
going above and beyond as a positive example in one of six categories. Once a player
has received 15 Empowered Community Points in one of these categories during a
6-month period, the related Community Empowerment Achievement is added to that
player’s sheet. Employees and owners of individual Dystopia Rising franchisees are
unable to earn Community Empowerment Achievements since all items represented
by Community Empowerment Achievements are expected as aspects of their position.
Once a year, all Community Empowerment Achievements are removed from character
sheets and may be re-earned, because being a positive force is an ongoing effort and not
a one-time goal. If a person with a Community Empowerment Achievement receives a
corrective action above a warning, all Achievements are removed from their character
sheet for the duration of the corrective action.

137
EARNING PROFESSIONAL
FOCUS ACHIEVEMENTS
Professional Focus Achievements have a series of requirements that must be achieved

prior to requesting to have a story experience that could result in an Extra awarding
a character with a Professional Focus Achievement. To earn a Professional Focus
Achievement a character must first have expended 100 experience points on their
character. Participants looking to earn a specific Professional Focus Achievement
should have their role-play, engagement, and mechanical character growth represent
a persona looking to become a paragon of a certain aspect of society. In addition to
having expended 100 experience points, a participant must also have certain skills on
their character sheet at least at the Proficient level.
Lastly, to earn a Professional Focus Achievement a player must put in a plot request
to their local branch that outlines the Professional Focus Achievement that they will
be picking up as well as the general flavor of the story that they would like regarding
earning that achievement. The writing staff and the player requesting the Achievement
will work together to create a narrative that will happen over a number of months
where the participant will earn the Professional Focus Achievement from an Extra or be
rewarded the Professional Focus Achievement by proving through narrative and story
their mastery of a particular professional focus. This plot request is not intended to
determine if a character is “worthy” of a Professional Focus Achievement; instead, it’s
a way to provide story to make the adding of a Professional Focus Achievement more
enjoyable.
Once the story for a Professional Focus Achievement has been completed and a
participant is rewarded with the ability to earn a Professional Focus Achievement, the
player must spend 10 experience points on the Professional Focus Achievement in
question. If a participant is given a corrective action beyond a verbal warning, they will
lose access to all of their Professional Focus Achievements during the duration of that
corrective action.
138
138
LIST OF
RANKS OF ACHIEVEMENT
The following outlines the name of each Achievement and the required skill that is a
prerequisite for earning it. Titles of Professional Focus Achievements are used as an
honorific title related to a skill tree and the skill requirements of related equipment
bonuses. They are not intended to be a literal description because any profession, title,
or description can never encompass all potential routes and mechanical design focuses
an individual could use to describe a Professional Focus Achievement. If a Professional
Focus Achievement has a skill as a requirement, it is due to the fact that the equipment
that gives rewards for that Professional Focus Achievement requires the skill listed.
COMMUNITY EMPOWERMENT ACHIEVEMENTS
• Natural Leader: Rewarded for positive feedback based on fair play, inclusivity, and
creating social experiences that encourage and empower newer participants in being
involved with the shared narrative of the Dystopia Rising universe.
• Combat Veteran: Rewarded for positive feedback based on fair play, creating
engaging combat experiences, and assisting above and beyond in promoting safety
and inclusive engagement in the contact-safe combat aspect of Dystopia Rising. A true
Combat Veteran realizes they as an individual don’t need to win every fight and instead,
that the community as a whole all should have the best chance for victory.
• Wasteland Mentor: Rewarded for positive feedback given to individuals who
exemplify positivity and healthy community engagement between participants when
they are not in character or sometimes not at events but engaging members of our
community. Wasteland Mentors help one another outside of the wastelands as much as
they help one another within them.
• Oh Captain: Rewarded for positive feedback given to individuals who assist others
in steering their story, negotiating shared experiences, and guiding their role-play and
interpersonal engagements in a direction that makes for a more enjoyable experience
for as many people as possible.
• Friend to All: Rewarded for positive feedback given to individuals who reach outside
of their established friend circles and in-character groups to help others, be inclusive,
and build up the community as a whole. While each branch can be small or large, as a
larger community it is important to remember to respect and engage the friends you
do not yet know with compassion and an earnest effort to be inclusive.
• Compassionate Guard: Rewarded for positive feedback given to individuals who
actively ensure that the spirit of inclusivity is promoted both at and between events. A
player who has received positive feedback reports based on their willingness to assist
others in trouble, to be a bastion of positivity, and to help others both communicate and
listen with care and compassion can earn this Achievement.

139
PROFESSIONAL FOCUS ACHIEVEMENTS
RELATED TO WASTELAND SKILLS
• Avontuur (Proficient Salvaging): There are gifts buried in the wastelands and
deadly threats around the most valuable of materials. The Avontuur not only locates
lost and buried pre-Fall reliquary but also laughs in the face of certain death (while still
grabbing the prize). Go deep, go dangerous, or go home empty-handed.
• Bluejacket (Proficient Sailing): Oceans are not the only home for true sailors.
Rivers, lakes, and even marshes all require specific techniques in order to survive away
from the land. The Bluejacket has been trained not only in sailing techniques but also
in how to get the most out of a ship.
• Flanker (Proficient Enhanced Movement): Some people like standing in place
with a giant slab of shield and aiming for elbows, shoulders, and ankles with their
blades. For Flankers, staying in one place sounds like a slow death due to boredom and
fights of attrition. Move quickly, hit them from the side where they don’t see you, and
get out before they can adjust.
• Gear Head (Proficient Trailblazing): There are endless roads with endless miles
of terrain that need to be traversed. For the Gear Head, simply knowing the best routes
is for amateurs. Gear Heads can find many hidden waystations, know how to use and
develop specialized gear to travel in dangerous environments, and know how to refine
their equipment to make it work in nearly every environment.
• Inquisitor (Proficient Malicious): Everyone has information that they don’t want
out in the world. Secrets. Truths hidden behind lies. Private details. An Inquisitor makes
an art of drawing this information from the unwilling. Everyone knows how to hurt
people; however, it takes a unique mind-set to cause harm to a person without making
them unable to tell you what you want to know. Forcing someone to tell the truth, even
when their hearts are set on keeping silent, is the art of the Inquisitor.
• Mind Killer (Proficient Mental Endurance): What was once a small group of people
who hunted the psionically dangerous has become an entire tradition of fortifying one’s
mind against all forms of assault. This involves locking one’s mind against aberrations
to reality and repelling psionic-powered and Mortis Amaranthine–fueled changes.
• Scavenger (Proficient Foraging): The world is a ripe oyster ready to be plucked.
More accurately, the world is a garbage dump filled with rewards for those who are able to
separate the quality materials from the useless trash. Scavengers learn where materials
tend to be pushed up out of the earth most often, can find value in most seemingly
useless gear, and know how to use tools to repurpose all sorts of discarded resources.
• Shadow (Proficient Stealth): There are those who can walk unseen and unheard—
unnoticed unless they wish to be. They are shadows in the night, and their machinations
and goals are all their own. Shadows take stealth to the next level, moving quietly through
all types of terrain and able to slip in and out of locations unnoticed.
• Veteran (Proficient Awareness): After spending time in a town, Veterans begin to
notice things. They learn more about the people around them and can pretty much pin
someone as having good or bad intentions. A Veteran has been around the block a time or
two, and has a heightened sense of knowledge and awareness of the world around them.
140
140
• Wasteland Stalker (Proficient Hunting): There are those who hunt and track their
prey, and then there are those who truly know their prey. A Wasteland Stalker is a master
of understanding and learning about the monstrous creatures within the wastes, in
order to be able to better track and hunt them down. It’s said that a Wasteland Stalker
only goes after those most dangerous of animals and monsters.
PROFESSIONAL FOCUS ACHIEVEMENTS

RELATED TO COMBAT SKILLS
• Assassin (Proficient Melee Small): There are only a few select individuals who
become true masters of the knife, and they’re definitely not ones you want to get in a
knife fight with. Assassins are quick, nimble, and know exactly how to get under your
guard to place their weapons in your vital organs.
• Bad-Ass (Proficient Melee Standard): You ever see a person swing a weapon into
a zombies head nonchalantly while sipping some hooch and think to yourself: That’s a
badass? The Bad-Ass is someone who stands up for the little guy, knows how to look cool,
and has become a figure to look up to as, well, a badass.
• Blooded Lance (Proficient Melee Two-Handed): Some people know how to control
a battlefield with a lance. There are others, though, who have learned that keeping
someone at bay with a lance can be one of the most dangerous things you do. A Blooded
Lance is someone who has mastered a two-handed weapon on the battlefield. Working
with other postapocalyptic lancers, the Blooded Lance is truly formidable.
• Bone Breaker (Proficient Unarmed Combat): There are rumors across the
wasteland of people who can punch and kick hard enough that they can break someone’s
bones. These are Bone Breakers, some of the most hardened individuals when it comes
to unarmed combat. Known as being rougher around the edges, Bone Breakers are
strong, fast, and can knock a person down on their ass if need be.
• Death Chuckah (Proficient Thrown Weapon): Every child learns how to throw
something—whether it’s a ball, a rock, or a brick. However, only a person who practices
enough becomes deadly when it comes to chucking weapons. A Death Chuckah is
someone who has become lethal at chucking all kinds of objects—weapons, bricks, tables,
or anything they find lying around at the time.
• Marksman (Proficient Projectile): You don’t always stare death in the face.
Sometimes it hits you from a rifle held by a person located hundreds of yards away.
Marksmen are truly amazing sure shots, trick shots, and snipers. With a gun on their back
or at their hip, they’ve truly mastered the art of aiming at almost any Target.
• Battlefield Commander (Proficient Combat Tactics): In every battle there are
leaders; people who act as generals and commanders who take charge of a scenario with
intelligence and tactics. Battlefield Commanders are leaders in the fields of violence and
war, and have been hardened by numerous battles.
• Mercenary (Proficient Florentine): Mercenaries act as whirlwinds of death—for
the right price. No less effective than a battlefield commander, Mercenaries are known for
leaving death and destruction in their wake on a battlefield—as long as they’re paid for it.

141
• Phalanx Doyen (Proficient Shield): Some people are only passable with a shield.
Then there are those who know the ins and outs of shield tactics and are true masters of
blocking blows with one. The Phalanx Doyen is most often seen rallying shield users to
them in a shield wall, or regularly practicing with other shield users to form tactics that
make them truly deadly on a battlefield.
• Violence Technician (Proficient Exotic Weapon): Some weapons are not as
straightforward as others. Sometimes, weapons can take the form of a gun that launches
unusual projectiles or a bottle of acid thrown at an enemy. A Violence Technician has truly
learned the science behind violent actions and weapons. While their methods may not be
“normal,” they certainly are effective.
PROFESSIONAL FOCUS ACHIEVEMENTS RELATED TO

CIVILIZED SKILLS
• Artisanal Cuisinier (Proficient Culinary Skill): While many people can make an
edible meal, only a true artist can create a meal so delicious that you’ll be craving another
morsel as soon as you take the first bite. An Artisanal Cuisinier has truly mastered the
flavors in food, and knows not just how to make a delicious meal but also how to disguise
things within one.
• Entrepreneur (Proficient Trade Connections): There are those who know how to
make a quick buck, and then there are those who truly understand the art of investment
in trade routes. Entrepreneurs can take a single trade note and turn it into 50. They’ve
made financial connections in their own settlement and, sometimes, across the
wasteland as they trade goods from one place to another.
• Fiscal Mysticist (Proficient Financial Influence): A lot of people . . . don’t really
understand the art of making money. There are a lot of financial terms that cause their
eyes to glaze over. But Fiscal Mysticists know every single one of those words—and
how to use them. A Fiscal Mysticist seems able to turn money into more money, but it’s
not by magic. Instead, they’ve learned the ins and outs of investments and prices.
• Graverobber (Proficient Medical): Knowing how to heal and cure others of
their ailments and cuts is useful, but truly understanding the Infection and how to
manipulate it is what makes a Graverobber so valuable and dangerous. Usually stoic
and cold, Graverobbers are the best at what they do—saving others from the grasp of
the grave. However, what they do comes at a high cost and many of them wind up losing
pieces of their humanity along the way.
• Inner Circle (Proficient Criminal Influence): There is something whispered
about among criminal organizations across the wasteland—something known as the
“Inner Circle.” This elite group of assassins, criminals, and thieves don’t look at the
little picture. Instead, they look at the larger whole of their criminal organization and
decide what’s best for the group rather than any one single person. Located at the top
of the food chain in terms of the shadier aspects of the wasteland, the Inner Circle is
responsible for making decisions that plot the course between profit, death, and ruin—
and they never let others outside their organization know who or what they are.
142
142
• Overlord (Proficient Social Influence): Have you ever met a person who you find
to be so charismatic that you automatically decide to do what they say? Overlords are
masters at managing and controlling large groups of people to do their bidding. Acting
as cult leaders, heads of large organizations, and group managers, Overlords are people
who know that what they tell their subordinates might as well be law.
• Sage (Proficient Education): There is a difference between being intelligent and
being knowledgeable. A Sage, however, is almost always both. Sages seek out esoteric
knowledge throughout the wasteland, working to better understand the history of the
world and natural and unnatural phenomena. These individuals create books, collect
information, and are some of the most knowledgeable people in the wastes.
• Shepherd of the Land (Proficient Agricultural): Farmers aren’t usually given
accolades, but they are the ones who literally feed armies. They make sure cities
and towns don’t starve and that everyone is fed. A Shepherd of the Land takes that
philosophy to another level. Usually kind-hearted and well-meaning, Shepherds take it
upon themselves to care for the settlement that they’re part of, through growing food
and nurturing the land for current and future generations.
• Techno Savant (Proficient Artisan): Some people know how to make everyday
items, and then there are the true inventors of the wasteland. These individuals create
new items and technological marvels that help spur the world forward into the future.
Improving wasteland vehicles, creating new ways to filter water, and finding ways to
generate electricity are all things a Techno Savant may do.
• Villon (Proficient Larceny): Some individuals are good at stealing a wallet from
a pocket, and then there are those who will steal priceless artifacts from a guarded,
underground compound without anyone knowing. Villons are true masters of thievery
and the art of deception. Con artists, criminals, and thieves, Villons are truly masterful
in their less-than-savory deeds.

143
PROFESSIONAL FOCUS ACHIEVEMENTS RELATED TO
ANOMALY SKILLS
• Apocatastian Templar (Proficient Faith Vessel): Devoted to their faith and the
harnessing of psionic abilities to dedicate themselves to containing and releasing large
auras of energy through their devotion, acting as a militant leader of the dedicated,
and overwhelming heretics with the brute force of the energy they manipulate, the
Apocatastian Templar is focused on channeling and directing raw energies.
• Pernicious Savior (Proficient Faithful Spirit): Mastering the life force that
permeates an individual and mingling it with faithful psionic energy, the Pernicious
Savior can strengthen sentient beings or rip apart those unable to contain control of
their own life forces. Often Pernicious Saviors are judges and executors within faiths.
These individuals have devoted themselves to the workings of the psionic energies of
faith to force the mind to function over matter.
• Doctrinarian (Proficient Faithful Patterns): The connectivity of the act of faith
bonds people together in morality and teachings. Those that follow the route of the
Doctrinarian study the letter of the tenets of a faith, focus themselves on the history
of the religion, and ensure that the bonds that unite the faithful are kept solid and
unsullied in both life and in death. Doctrinarians are often leaders of local religious
sects overseeing the unity of a faith.
• Free Radical (Proficient Biogenetics): Organic systems are imperfect and in need
of steady adaptation for improvement. While there are organic means to trigger the
advancement of the living condition, the recreation of the Mortis Amaranthine always
returns things to how it was once “remembered.” A Free Radical seeks to break the
mold, to change the direction of their organics and their psionic impression, and to
change the future.
• Grave Attuned (Proficient Necrokinetics): There are whispers, murmurs, and
knowledge hidden all around us. The Grave Mind carries information and memories
within the Infection, which exists in nearly all things. The Grave Attuned is adept at
pulling this information from the imprints left behind, and gleaning knowledge from
the Infection itself.
• Incinerator (Proficient Pyrokinetics): There is nothing so pure, so clean, and
so all-solving than a liberal use of fire. Undead turned to ashes become little issue.
Infectious materials can be purged by flame, transformed, and created new. There is
little that the fires cannot touch and make better. Incinerators just want to watch the
world burn . . . forever.
• Mentalist (Proficient Telekinetics): There is a connectivity between all aspects
of the world, and the Mentalist seeks to master the ability to focus one’s mind and will
to manipulate, move, and control the connection that exists due to the shared Infection.
With new means of manipulation, new training, and new tools the Mentalist look to
adapt all the world to their will.
144
144
• Life-Binder (Proficient Faithful Will): The difference between life and death,
clarity and Fracture, and action and apathy is based on the connectivity of the will to
force one’s self, or another, to not give up. Life-Binders are individuals who can channel
the psionic energies of faith to ensure focus of mind, to not give up when things are at
the darkest, and to assist others in finding their way back to life.
Life-Binders often are teachers, doctors, or others who use faith to nurture growth.
• Saint (Proficient Faithful Miracles): To a Saint, the body is a temple. While we
may decorate the walls of the temple as we will and inhabit the temple in many different
ways, to the Saint the innate sanctity of life and health are the most important aspects
of faith and living.
• Thought Bender (Proficient Telepathy): The mind controls all things. While the
Infection and death itself do not have a sentience, the do allow a shared connectivity
between all sentient life that carry the Infection. The grave is not a single thought, or
even a majority of thoughts, but instead the collection of millions of disjointed sentient
beings clinging to shreds of existence. Reality is defined by the perception of the mind,
and those that train to master the minds of others, such as Thought Benders, can
control the reality others perceive.

CHAPTER 6: CONFLICTS & MECHANICS 145
145
CHAPTER 6
CONFLICTS & MECHANICS
Conflict resolution mechanics in regards to Dystopia Rising is a term that outlines the
means by which players, stories, and items engage one another to apply a mechanical
direction and navigation to the narrative without having all aspects of the experience
scripted and set in stone. Conflict resolution mechanics are the tools to determine if
you, as your character, are able to do things above and beyond what you as the player
are capable of, and how those actions can engage with other players and story elements.
Conflict resolution mechanics is the mechanical design system that sets difficulties
to tasks, determines the successful party when there is a non-steered conflict of intents,
and is used to determine how and why physical combat comes to a close (and how
participants get to that conclusion).
Conflict resolution mechanics in the Dystopia Rising Larp Network use a few core
concepts that are important to understand before engaging in conflict:
• Core statistics (stats): The core statistics for Dystopia Rising are Mind, Body,
Resolve, and Infection Rate. These statistics are used to determine how much of a finite
resource you have in order to cause mechanical effects to happen. In quick summary,
your Mind is the volume of focus and energy you have to enact skills, your Body is
a numerical value that represents the total number of hits that you can take (where
swung items count as one hit and ranged items count as five hits), your Resolve is how
many times you can push yourself to the “breaking point” before you gain a mental
Fracture, and your Infection Rate is the number of times your character can die and
come back before your character is no longer playable.
• Situation engagement: Situation engagement refers to steering, negotiation, and
the opportunity for opting in to experiences. As a reminder, steering is a technique
that involves being actively aware of the actions your character is doing in order to
help guide the experience and story in the direction that makes for the best shared
narrative, and negotiation is a process in which participants work together to find out
what resolution and direction each of the participants would like when it comes to the
direction and details of a shared experience. Opting in involves the idea that event staff
will give players the ability to choose whether or not to become involved in certain
stories and engagements.
• Contact-safe combat: Contact-safe combat is a rules system that provides a simple,
fast, and less dangerous way of hitting your friends with sticks and throwing things
at them to determine who wins or loses a physical combat. Instead of items that could
potentially hurt players, we use contact-safe weapons that minimize the potential for
harm when used properly, combined with a point system and a number of skills that
allow participants to augment their own personal abilities to show that their characters
have strengths and skill sets larger than their own.
146
146
• Conflict between players: Due to the personal relationships that players have, the
prolonged period of time that people will participate in an event as the same characters
with the same narrative, and the potential for negative bleed, there are a unique set of
rules and steps that must be followed when engaging in Leading Character to Leading
Character conflicts. This allows players to keep the antagonistic aspects of game play
contained and limit the number of potential issues that are carried out of the context
and scope of playing a game into the real world.
CORE STATS: MIND, BODY,

RESOLVE, AND INFECTION
MIND
Mind points are a measurable resource that players expend to activate certain skills.
Mind points represent the degree of investment individuals can give when it comes to
their own mental focus, prowess, and physical ability for characters to push themselves
forward. Each character has a maximum number of Mind points that they can have at
any time based on their starting Lineage as well as how many experience points have
been expended into Mind.
Unless story or environment dictates otherwise all characters start play with a full
Mind point pool. Mind points refresh to full at midnight and noon (the 12s) every day.
Mind points may also be recovered via expendable resources that are created using the
Culinary skill. If a character dies (loses an Infection), when that character comes back
into play they will be at 1 Mind point.
BODY
Body is a measurable resource that players lose when they are struck by a weapon,
hit with a mechanic that causes damage, or engage in environments or situations that
have mechanical effects that cause a loss of Body. When a character’s current Body
hits 0, they fall to the ground and are unable to do anything other than scream, call for
help, use injectables, and drag themselves across the ground in a slow and gruesome
way for a few feet (Bleed Out). After 5 minutes of screaming and begging for help (or
unless someone calls coup de gras on a person in Bleed Out) the character dies. The
player must remain at the location as a corpse for 10 minutes after dying to provide
the proper opportunity for people to look at the corpse, cry over the body, or poke it with
sticks before heading to Logistics for their post-death scene (see the section “Character
Death” in Chapter 8).
Body does not refresh at the 12s, and wounds carry on through an event unless
a character is tended to by a mechanical means to heal wounds. Unless story or
environment dictate, all characters start play with a full Body point pool. If a character
dies (loses an Infection), when that character comes back into play they will be at full
Body (unless a plot, Disease, or other mechanical effect causes otherwise).

147
RESOLVE
Resolve is a measure of how far characters can push themselves until they reach
their breaking point. Resolve is expended in Mortis Amaranthine scenes as a measure
to determine how much your character is “keeping it together.” It’s also used as the
expendable resource for many Tier 3 skills (including all Tier 3 Anomaly skills) and
is expended by items and brews that can have an effect on an individual’s moral
or mental clarity. Resolve costs 10 experience points per level of purchase and the
maximum cap of Resolve that any individual can have is 6 total Resolve (purchased
plus starting resolve). A maximum of 1 Resolve may be purchased per month and
should be accompanied by role-play focused on increasing your Resolve that transcends
a single training scenario and instead is a theme for your role-play during an entire
event. When an individual has a Resolve of 0, they gain a Fracture and are unable to
use any skills that require Resolve for the remainder of the event. Resolve may be
purchased at character creation at the cost of 10 experience points per Resolve if you
have retirement experience points.
Resolve does not refresh at the 12s, and expended Resolve remains spent for the
duration of an event. Unless story or environment dictate, all characters start play with
a full Resolve point pool. If a character dies, whatever Resolve they did not expend prior
and during their Mortis Amaranthine scene will be all that the character has left.

INFECTION
Infection is short for Infection Rate, which is a unit of measure for the number of
times a character is capable of dying and coming back to life. Each time a character
dies their Infection Rate goes down by 1, and the individual who has died gains more
visible traits of being nearly “gone for good.” These visible traits include green veins,
discoloration of the hands (think necrosis), and other personal expressions of “I am
becoming more undead than alive.”
Infection Rates do not refresh at the 12s, and when a character loses an Infection it
is a permanent reduction of that character’s Infection Rate. It is possible, via materials
brought into game play through medical procedures, for a character to have a chance to
regain an Infection. If a character engages a Mortis Amaranthine procedure that allows
them to regain an Infection (Resolve is heavily used in these scenes), purchasing back
an Infection costs 10 experience points per Infection point. It is possible to engage in
in-character procedures to purchase Infection above and beyond your starting Infection
Rate; however, at no time can a character ever have above 8 Infection (starting
plus purchased). Infection can be purchased at character creation at the cost of 10
experience points per Infection point if you have retirement experience points.
148
148
CONTACT-SAFE COMBAT
At Dystopia Rising, we use lightest touch combat. When attending a Dystopia Rising
Larp Network event, you are participating in an experience where consensual physical
contact will occur in combat simulations.
Lightest touch combat means that you only hit a person hard enough with a
preapproved latex or foam weapon for them to register the blow. The goal is for simulated
combat to be fun, safe, and an enjoyable experience without requiring special armor or
additional safety equipment.
The specifics of the lightest touch combat system are outlined below, including legal
striking areas, striking speed, and more. While we understand that adrenaline may be
high during combat and that you may make mistakes, any violation of these rules can
result in your contact-safe combat privileges being revoked. Be safe and fight on.
LEGAL STRIKING AREAS
• You may strike the chest, back, side, legs, shoulders, and arms of your Target. Be
respectful of Targets who have breasts or larger chests and modify strikes to the chest
appropriately.
• Strikes to the head, neck, groin, hands, and feet are not legal and are not allowed.
NON-COMBAT CHARACTERS
A player who is non-combat or has had their combat privileges suspended or revoked
must wear a bright orange headband to signify their status. At night, a non-combat
character must also wear a clearly visible orange glowstick. Players who are unable to
participate in combat are heavily encouraged at character creation to design characters
that are not focused on combat.
ENGAGING IN COMBAT WITH A NON-COMBAT CHARACTER
A non-combat character can still be attacked, but the attacker must never strike the
player. Instead, the attack must approach within melee striking range, or reasonable
missile range (approximately 10 feet) and then call damage (or Skills). Each strike that
is called automatically lands. Note that these attacks cannot be rattled off rapid-fire, but
must be delivered at a cadence that is reasonable to the type of attack being used. Non-
combat players cannot hold weapons in their hands, but can wear them at their side. If
the non-combat player is in contact with a weapon, including one in a sheath or holster,
they can call defensive Skills that are dependent on having a weapon in their hand.

149
STRIKE SPEED, LOCATION, AND FORCE
• You must be in control of contact-safe weapons at all times and all strikes need to be
with to be pulled to aim for a reasonable lightest touch.
• All strikes must be 90-degree swings save for two-handed weapons which may be
45-degree swings. Strikes that are more than 90 degrees may be unsafe and are not
allowed.
• When engaging in melee combat, no one may swing more than three strikes in
a row. After this three-strike flurry, you need to take a 1 second to disengage before
striking again. This keeps combat more realistic by preventing “drum rolling,” “machine
gunning,” or “flurry attacks.” If a person keeps striking and doesn’t take a full second to
disengage, then the hits don’t count.
• During a three-strike flurry, the first and second strike cannot strike the same
location on the Target. For example, you cannot strike the upper arm, the upper arm
again, and then the torso; however, you can strike the upper arm, the torso, and then the
upper arm again.
• If you would like to strike the same place twice in a row, you must pause for a second
before reengaging. This resets the flurry.
• If you’re surrounded by a group, striking two or three different people doesn’t incur
flurry rules. Flurry rules only apply if you strike the same person multiple times in a
row with the same weapon.
• If you possess the Florentine skill, then you may make six melee strikes in a row
(three with each blade) before you need to reset your flurry. This does not extend to
the Brawling skill; only three strikes are allowed between two brawlers before a reset
occurs.
• In the lightest touch system, if your blow is blocked then it is blocked. Do not try to
force your way past the parry; it’s unsafe and not allowed.
• All weapons need to be held upright and reverse-gripping is not allowed unless it’s
a two-handed weapon. Reverse-gripped weapons increase the likelihood of an accidental
punch strike.
• Weapon-strapping, ensnaring, or holding another person’s weapon is not allowed.
These methods increase the likelihood of damaging the other person’s weapon.
• Reaching your arm over someone’s shoulder to strike their back from the front
isn’t allowed, since it is just as likely that you will punch your Target in the face as it
is to land your back shot. It is acceptable to hit the back of a Target’s shoulders from
the front if it doesn’t require reaching your arm past their head (e.g., if the Target dips
their shoulder when holding a shield or aiming for a leg shot). Strikes that involve
having your arm between a shield user and their shield are not allowed, since it causes
a grapple on the shield and could potentially punch the shield user.
150
150
CALLING DAMAGE, SKILLS, AND DEFENSES
Anyone can use any weapon in a Dystopia Rising game and use it for what is known
as “base damage.” Since all weapons have the same set base damages, this means that
you don’t have to call out any modifiers or numbers for base damage. It’s important to
note that all bows, thrown weapons, and firearms do 5 Damage, and all melee weapons
and brawlers do 1 Damage. You do need to call out skills or damage when:
• When using a specialty weapon skill or regular skill, make sure to call the damage
or skill clearly so that both your Target and the Guide can hear it.
• When using a skill to counter a strike or effect, the defending player has roughly 3
seconds to respond with the defensive skill being used to negate the simulated attack.
• Two people cannot exchange a series of blows and then proceed to each call the
counters to those blows in a series of calls. Instead, any defensive call that you plan to
use must be said immediately after the related strike.
• You do not need to call the default damage of 1 Damage with a swung weapon and
5 Damage with a projectile or thrown weapon. You may call this damage if you do not
think the individual you are striking realizes they are being hit (as a reminder), but it
should not be your default to constantly call damage.
SAFELY USING SHIELDS
• Shields should be kept vertical and close to the body. Do not extend your arm to
block shots aimed at other people or push your shield out as a means of forcing distance
between you and another player. Do not slant your shield to look like a ramp toward
your mouth; that’s how you lose teeth. Shields should be used in a reasonable way that
does not sacrifice safety for advantage.
• Wrapping your arm around or holding another person’s shield is not allowed.
• Shield bashing, charging, or other similar tactics are not allowed.
RANGED WEAPONS, DARTS, AND PACKETS
• Red packets or foam projectiles that represent firearm rounds are considered to
have hit if they strike a shield, unless equipment skills are being used to cause these
shots to reflect. This is because bullets are assumed to go through most shields.
• There is no limit for how many packets or foam projectiles you can possess to
represent bullets, as long as your player number is written on each foam projectiles.
Players may carry up to a combined total of 60 bullets on them at any time with
remaining bullets stored in an out of character place. During combat you need to wait
until the end of combat to pick up your bullets from the ground. In addition, you need to
wait 6 seconds between every 6 shots that you make. If using the Florentine skill with 2
guns, you may fire 12 times (6 with each gun) before having a 12 second reset pause.
This is to simulate reloading, and players are encouraged to have clips or to spend time
organizing red packets by sixes in their hand before throwing. The reset pause requires
both hands and prevents use of other weapons or shields while reloading. A player can
walk, run, and use skills that do not require a wielded weapon while reloading.

151
• Blue packets with cloth tails representing arrows are considered to not have struck
the person if they strike a shield. There is no limit for how many blue packets with cloth
tails you can possess at game, but only 60 can be carried on a player at a time with the
rest stored in an out of character place. During combat, you may pick up arrows from
the ground and continuously throw them. Each throw should touch the bow physical
representation before pulling back to throw to represent nocking the arrow.
• Firing ranged combat mock weapons (representations of bows and firearms) may
only be used at a minimum range of two steps. Once someone is within two steps,
players must use packets instead of firing mock weapons to prevent potential harm.
• Any thrown weapon should be crafted in such a way that there are no dangerous or
hard portions to them. This means that arrows with solid shafts are not allowed, nor are
thrown weapons with exposed hard components or interiors that could cause harm.
• Players are strongly encouraged to look into the guidelines for bows, firearms,
sporting gear, and weapons in the local area where an event is taking place. Some
counties define bows that are capable of firing arrows as weapons or firearms. Some
areas in the United States have outlawed owning or carrying certain airsoft weapons,
as well as certain firearm-style toys if they launch a projectile. Be aware of the legal
definitions of weapons and the restrictions regarding your projectile prop weapons.
LOOTING A BODY
If a Target is Subdued, Unconscious, or Dead with the body still present, you may
choose to engage in Active Role-play to loot items from the Target. While you cannot
take costume pieces from a Target, you may search and take any item cards, blueprints,
currency, or other in-game generated items from the Target.
If an item is obvious and visible, you only need to engage in a few seconds of Active
Roleplay to take the item. If you are searching a body or looting supply bags, you must
spend 30 seconds of Active Role-Play looting the Target. Let the Target know what you
are doing, check in with your fellow player to see what their role-play comfort levels are
for touch, and if this is a Casted Character, take these couple of seconds to quietly thank
the player for the efforts they put in to make the scene enjoyable for fellow players.
GENERAL RULES AND SAFETY
• If at any point someone calls “Safety Hold” during combat, all those directly involved
in that combat scene should immediately cease movement. The phrase “Safety Hold” is
used as a way to signal that someone may have been injured or something unsafe may
be occurring. When the area is deemed safe, combat may continue with the phrase “3,
2, 1, continue!” called by one of the people involved in the “Safety Hold”. If the issue is
more serious (e.g., if someone is seriously hurt), a louder “Safety Hold” can be called
and those within the entire combat scenario should immediately cease movement.
• Person-to-person contact mid-conflict is not allowed.
• If you find that combat is not occurring within a safe area, call “Safety Hold” and
then move to a safer area before beginning again. Always err on the side of safety.
• Guidelines for mock melee, brawling, throwing, and range weapons are provided via
the Dystopia Rising Larp Network. These guidelines can and will change.
152
152
CONFLICT BETWEEN
LEADING CHARACTERS
The Dystopia Rising Larp experience is meant primarily as a Character Versus
Environment (CvE) game. This means that characters encounter threats in the world
and have to work together as a group to fight them. If people do not fight together, they
often die alone.
While the Dystopia Rising experience is primarily CvE, sometimes Character Versus
Character (CvC) encounters occur. After all, conflict is the basis for any good story in
literature and the same is true when you’re enacting a living experience at Dystopia
Rising. Because of that, there are steps that should be taken for any CvC encounters,
outlined below.
Note that purposely attempting to find loopholes, game the system, or circumvent
CvC rules is considered the same as actively breaching the rules of play.
INTRODUCTION TO CVC TECHNIQUES
Character Versus Character encounters occur any time you come into conflict with
another character. Examples include but are not limited to physically attacking another
character with a foam weapon, attempting to socially manipulate those around another
character so that they turn against them, and attempting to financially ruin another
character. The definition of CvC can be wide, which is why we won’t attempt to list every
possible example here. To sum it up, however, CvC can be broadly defined as engaging in
conflict with another character with the intent to harm that character in some fashion.
The point of the Dystopia Rising experience is to tell a story together with other
players, using your characters. That story may be one of triumph with friends or one of
making bitter enemies. The story may involve building up a community or breaking it
down. However, it’s important to note that this is a story you’re telling together—not
one that you are telling at the expense of others. Just because you might think it would
be cool to kill a bunch of characters doesn’t mean the players of those characters would
want to engage in that kind of story.
At the end of the day, we’re all here to enjoy a shared experience. Negotiating conflict
is important for avoiding hard feelings. Our aim here is consent-based role-play that
allows players to craft epic stories together rather than one player becoming the victim
of another. To sum up everything that is in our CvC guide, “Just talk to each other as
players before ramping things up and be aware that other people exist with as much
right to have fun as you have.”

153
CVC IN THE MOMENT
If you believe that you’re about to enter severe social conflict or a situation that might
cause combat with another character, the first thing you should do is check in with the
person portraying the character. An easy way to do this is to touch your left shoulder
with your right hand in the shape of a “C.” The person seeing the sign can respond with
a thumbs up or thumbs down. In the instance that the gesture is missed you can just
make the same gesture and ask, “Conflict?” This indicates to the other person that
imminent physical or intense verbal conflict is about to occur. If the person says “yes,”
or responds with a thumbs up then conflict may occur without the need for a Guide as
long as it does not involve the loss of an Infection or item theft. If the person says “no,”
then both must work together to deescalate the situation. This type of CvC negotiation
is primarily designed for beatdowns or social escalation in the moment not for items
scenarios like item theft.
A “yes” does not necessarily mean the player consents to character death. It’s
simply consent for conflict. If you believe a character death is imminent and you are
outside the Wastelands area, then deescalate the scene and find a Guide for the scene.
In the instance that players are in the area marked as “Wastelands” for a game then
check-in is not required to engage in any form of acceptable CvC. The size and location
of a Wastelands play space varies by Branch depending on how much interest the local
player base has in CvC activity.
If you’re not interested in conflict in the moment, that’s okay! Even the players who
normally are eager for conflict have days when they don’t feel like engaging in conflict.
However, declining conflict isn’t a way to forever avoid consequences for actions
that your character has taken. If you generally don’t like conflict, have a friendly
conversation with the other player to find out how you can avoid the situation in the
future. In the instance that a player engages in activities that would normally trigger a
CvC response and the player is unwilling to adjust their role-play to deescalate, players
can go to a Guide to explain the situation.
The goal of this system is to be proactive in encouraging players to talk to each
other as adults before they engage in a potentially emotionally charged scene. This is a
way to avoid having to repair potential social issues after the fact.
Remember: Default to common sense. You don’t need to necessarily check-in if
you or someone else makes a negative comment in the moment, or if the person you
are engaging with is your friend and you have negotiated things ahead of time, or if
someone leaves their goods out in the open where anyone can just pick a carded item
up. Negotiation is not a way to use systems for “being a courteous player” to “use a
meta technique so that I can’t lose item cards”, it is designed to encourage people to
talk before creating potentially emotionally charged situations.
LONG-TERM CVC
Conflict doesn’t just occur in the moment. It can happen over the course of several
months of play, escalating to a point of direct confrontation. If both people agree that this
is the story they want to tell together, then conflict over time can be great! However, if
154
154
you haven’t had a conversation with the other person, make sure to do so before things
escalate into conflict.
When reaching out to the player, mention that you’ve noticed that role-play is
escalating between your two characters and you want to see whether or not they’re okay
with conflict. Conflict means different things to different people, so make sure that you
both work on defining what sort of conflict you’re both comfortable with. The point of
this is to establish a baseline with the person before conflict has the chance to occur.
If a person is not okay with conflict, then both parties should work on deescalating
the situation to avoid conflict. This can be as easy as deciding to become allies instead of
enemies or avoiding one another and avoiding talking about one another.
Remember that you are reaching out to another player as a fellow player; your
character isn’t reaching out to another character. When discussing long-term conflict,
you are making sure that the players you are sharing your play space with are all
interested in being engaged in the same sorts of scenarios. If you do not feel comfortable
talking to another player out of character to discuss the potential of increased tensions
or conflict between your characters, you may be experiencing some negative bleed, there
may be some issues that need to be considered when it comes to the motivations of your
CvC, and/or there may be a need to consider the benefit of story versus the potential of
real-world player tension. If you can’t talk about CvC with someone without the potential
for real-world drama, then the pairing of the two of you for CvC probably won’t work out.
KNOWING YOUR LIMITS
Other players won’t necessarily know your limits if you don’t talk about them. If you’ve
already talked with another player about your conflict baselines and you are still not
comfortable with how CvC is going, be sure to reach out to the other player and let them
know. The other person should then work with you to come to a reasonable solution. This
is okay! Sometimes you may initially agree and think that you’re okay with CvC and then
later realize that you’re not. Letting the other player know and communicating that fact
is important.
If you think you may not like the repercussions of your actions, then the best thing to
do is to avoid conflict rather than engaging in a part of game play that you won’t enjoy.
It’s okay to not like CvC; there are a lot of other aspects of game play for you to enjoy!
If neither of the players involved in CvC or potential CvC can come to a resolution
that you’re both happy with, then reach out to a Guide for help and/or mediation.

CVC IN PRACTICE
Dystopia Rising participants are telling a shared story together. Because of this, you
should have an in-character reason for all types of CvC. It’s always against the rules to
take out-of-character conflicts or other content and bring them into game play.
If CvC escalates to one character attempting to take an Infection from another
character or the stealing of in character property outside of the Wasteland, a Guide

155
must be involved. Their presence ensures that all rules are followed during the scene.
In order to conduct CvC with Infection loss, a character needs to be in play for at
least 4 hours before and 4 hours after the incident without going to an out-of-game
area during this period. This is to give the other player the ability to respond with their
character in kind. After you’ve taken an Infection from another character, it’s assumed
you’ve raised the “CvC flag” and other players can respond with their characters in
relation to the incident.
Keep in mind that if you’re responding to a CvC event, you still need a Guide to be
involved to watch your own CvC. Also keep in mind that this should all be in good fun.
If a person isn’t comfortable with retaliation, this should be negotiated ahead of time.
At the end of the day, we’re here to tell a shared story together. If retaliation is part
of the story, make sure to talk with each other ahead of time to find out how best to tell
that story. If you enjoy being chased through the woods as you try to evade people, let
them know! If you want to tell a subtler assassination story, work with the person ahead
of time! This is a story we all tell together.
CVC IN THE WASTELANDS
All Dystopia Rising branches have an area termed “the Wastelands.” This area is
clearly marked and is usually an area outside the main play space. Information about
its location can be found on each Branch’s website. When someone enters this area,
it’s assumed that they’ve opted into CvC. A person cannot be forced to enter this area
either socially or physically. Instead, this area is meant to be a CvC free-for-all zone
where individuals may fight at will. The Wastelands are a harsh place, and it should be
assumed that no quarter is given or received there.
Please keep in mind that if you plan to enter this zone with the intent of taking
Infection from other characters, you should try to make sure that a Guide is present for
ease of potential conflict. Having a Guide is not required in the Wastelands but you will
need to present your character sheet and all item cards used post combat to a Guide.
The Wastelands is also where any groups, organizations, or societies that engage
heavily in CvC or shadier activities will often meet. Branches will aim for any CvC
focused groups to have their scenes in the Wastelands area. The size and nature of a
Wastelands area is dependent on the flavor and interest of a local Branch. If a Branch
has a high desire for CvC conflict, the majority of a game location may be marked as
Wastelands (the wrong side of town, the lawless area, etc.) If a Branch has low desire
for CvC conflict, the space allocated for the Wastelands may be minimal. This is clearly
outlined on the Branch’s webpage.
THICK AS THIEVES
Sometimes conflict with another person can also include thieving or stealing in-
game items. This is the postapocalypse, so it’s not surprising that thieving occurs—
especially when someone leaves items lying around. Before any thieving, it’s important
156
156
to distinguish whether the other player will be upset out of game due to losing items.
Always remember that the player is more important than the character; just because
your character is a master thief doesn’t mean you should try and steal every single item
from someone you know may become upset. You do not need to check in with another
player prior to using a thieving skill on their character, but you should prioritize the
mental and emotional health of the player representing the character you are stealing
from over your character’s fictional desire to steal.
We also acknowledge that people may not want others looking around in their
sleeping space where their personal items may be. Because of this, anyone looking to
steal in-game items from another individual may not steal items from that person’s
personal sleeping area (bed) or from any bathroom areas. If it is found that a player is
using their bed, out of character storage, or car as a means to keep in-game items that
they plan to use or sell in-game from being stolen, that player will be corrected by guides
and potentially have those items destroyed. This is intended to provide players with a
space where their real world personal items are off limits, it is not intended nor should
it be used as a place for storing in-game items.
If you are planning to steal an in-game item from another person, that item should
be carried on the person you’re stealing it from. This means that the Larceny skill tree
is extremely useful to pick up. However, a good old-fashioned mugging may also occur, or
an individual may take items that have been left lying around in the active play area.
Whenever thieving occurs, the thief should have been in play for at least 4 hours
beforehand and must stay in play at least 4 hours afterward. This is largely because,
similar to lethal CvC, the thief has raised the CvC flag. The individual who has been
stolen from has license to take a Guide with them in order to beat down the thief and
take back their item.
Because all item cards must be in a person’s Supply Bag, only the Supply Bag
should be searched by a Guide when a mugging occurs or when the Pick Pocket skill
is used. Supply Bags cannot be hidden under clothes or in sensitive areas due to the
fact that while a real-world thief would have no issue about ripping a person’s clothes
to get to a hidden Supply Bag, we do not want our players engaging in activities that
could cause either the thief or the Target to feel uncomfortable or violated in the real
world. This allows players to maintain their personal boundaries. If a person is trying to
steal someone’s weapon or another physical representation of an item attached to their
costuming when using the Pick Pocket skill, they should aim to attach a black clothespin
near that item. For example, if someone has a physical representation of a brew attached
to their costuming near their chest, it’s completely fine to attach a clothespin to their
back or arm in the general vicinity of the brew. However, it’s not appropriate to attach the
clothespin to their waist or legs far away from the brew.
If you steal the physical representation of a weapon, make sure to turn it in to the
Public Works after 30 minutes in play. This ensures that the owner of the weapon can
turn in their weapon card for the return of the physical representation, and also that
they can then use that physical representation with another weapon card if they have
one. The weapon should stay in play for 30 minutes so that there is a chance that
someone sees the thief in play with the stolen weapon.

157
If you want to play a thief, there are dozens of opportunities to steal from antagonist
Extras as well as targeting players who actively have their items on them. With mastery
of related skills, you can also submit an Action Request to craft modules that give
you and other players missions that allow you to show off your thieving skills against
Extras.
YOUR BRANCH’S EMPLOYEES ARE HERE TO HELP
If you’ve been involved in CvC and believe there may be an issue that neither you
nor the other player can resolve, make sure to submit an Action Request and explain
the full situation. It will then be up to the local branch’s employees to determine what
should occur going forward.
The local branch’s employees have the final say if you ask for their help in mediation.
Trying to circumvent their say afterward is the same as breaking the rules.
If you have an idea for an epic death and you’ve worked on it with your friend, feel
free to submit a player plot request with an Action Request! That way, the scene can be
even more epic for all parties involved and can include Extras.
MAKE IT EPIC
At the end of the day, we’re all playing a game together in the form of an ongoing story.
Negotiating with other people is a part of everyday life, and it’s something we should
keep in mind when we’re dealing with friends and others who play this game with us.
Consent is critically important.
When you’re conducting CvC, make it epic. Make the scene into something that
others around you will enjoy, and make sure all parties have fun with it. Craft an epic
fight scene, create a death speech, and get ready for a last stand.
158
158
CHAPTER 7
CRAFTING & ITEM CARD
MATERIALS
Item cards, printed-out blueprints, zone mechanics cards, and character sheets
are all out-of-character physical items that provide some mechanical design for the
Dystopia Rising experience. These materials often represent mechanics that would be
too difficult, too expensive, or too dangerous to represent in the game world. As much
as it could be fun to have an experience where you are in a fake respirator fighting
undead in a cloud of poisonous air, to many people (including insurance companies and
legal entities) it is better that these scenarios be simulated via mechanics and physical
representations instead of created with 100% realism for the participants. Similarly,
as much as we might wish we could provide participants with the ability to survive
a shotgun blast to the chest while moving objects with their mind, this is beyond our
ability and thus character sheets are used as a mechanical means to represent those
aspects of the Dystopia Rising universe.
In addition to physical representations and character sheets, Dystopia Rising uses
item cards to represent crafting materials, weapons, brews with mechanical effects, and
a number of other items that cannot be easily represented. Item cards are then matched
to appropriate physical representations.
If participants who wanted a suit of armor actually needed to build a real suit of
armor, some participants would be completely invested in this concept but for many
others the cost, investment of time, skills, and materials required to produce and
maintain a suit of armor would be prohibitive. In addition, for the sake of allowing
more participants the ability to be a part of the Dystopia Rising experience without
requiring them to engage in live steel combat, item cards are linked to specific contact-
safe weapons that are designed to allow for combat with less potential for injury. Lastly,
blueprints and resource item cards (scrap, herb, produce, etc.) function as a mechanical
registry for resources that are used for engaging in mechanical crafting, economic
systems, and Body and Mind expendable resource systems.
In short, item cards provide a register that record items that are dangerous, have
mechanical significance regarding the game world, or enhance players’ experience
without requiring an excessive investment of funds. Item cards should always
accompany a physical representation to ensure that the mechanical design aspect
that has been worked into the world does not decrease participants’ immersion and
experience.
CHAPTER 7: CRAFTING AND ITEM CARD MATERIALS

159
159
DESIGN THEORY
I tem cards and the crafting system are based around the following concepts. As the
system evolves over time, there may be variations to this design concept. The following
is designed to provide an understanding of why and how material crafting works.
• Item cards are used for materials that exist in game play that have a standing value
relating to in-game currency. Items that are regularly traded, bought, sold, or produce
unique mechanics require item cards.
• Item cards are used for items that could be considered to be “pushing the fringes
of genre.” The world of Dystopia Rising exists generations after the apocalypse and
different areas of the world have different technology levels. Equipment and materials
are traditionally low-technology as part of the Dystopia Rising core genre. Exceptions to
this low-technology concept normally have to be crafted in game play to create a degree
of investment for a participant to have that item (and the item’s worth). Just because
nearly anything can be bought online in the real world doesn’t mean your character
should have these items.
• Item cards are broken down into the general descriptions of resource cards,
blueprints/recipes, and item cards. Resource cards (scrap, herb, produce, etc.) are
used to make item cards. Blueprints/recipes are processes that can be used to turn
resources into item cards. Item cards are weapons, mechanical devices, crafted items,
meals, brews, and other forms of mechanical or world-defining equipment that are
created to provide mechanical advantages or additional role-play potential.
• Any item that is produced in character can only be purchased or sold for in-character
currency (fictional currency produced by branches) or other forms of in-character
trade, barter, or reward. Item cards and in-character resources are not available for
resale (exchanging for real-world currency).
• Blueprints are large item cards and are not unto themselves their own physical
representation. Participants are encouraged to use the backs of the printed blueprint
items to sketch schematics or to imprint design work to make blueprints look more like
a genre-appropriate prop.
• Blueprints use the mechanical design drive of using a mechanical processing
system to cause players to engage one another, have role-play experiences, and create
a fictional world economy. Blueprints and crafting systems are designed to translate a
general ratio of (Mind points + skill gate + resource value + time investment + crafting
participants) ≈ (time duration + number of uses + functionality). This way the item’s
longevity, the number of people who can use it, and the degree of the item’s effect are
determined by the number of Mind points, resources, people involved in its crafting,
time investment, and available skill growth investment required.
• Items have expiration dates to prevent participants from creating stockpile gluts
while simultaneously representing the decay of resources over time. While some objects
have expiration dates that are notably shorter than comparable real-world objects, and
other items are given expiration dates that are longer than comparable real-world
objects, the mechanical design of expiration dates ensures that participants have a
need for investing materials into production instead of allowing the materials to simply
sit around (thereby not fulfilling their purpose of causing players to engage each other).
160
160
OBJECTS THAT NEED AN ITEM CARD
As a general guide any item that produces a mechanical effect, an object that is
being “sold” for in-character currency to a Casted Character, or being used in relation to
a story or plot must have an appropriate item card to go along with it. This is to create
a degree of in-character economy and resource management that is involved with the
process of material production.
The second type of item that requires an item card is any object that is of higher than
standard technology levels or is an “exception” or “rarity” in the world materials of the
Dystopia Rising universe. While it is possible for a player to look up the function, steps of
production, and means to produce items like generators and transmitters, in the world
of Dystopia Rising the number of individuals who have access to “higher knowledge”
are few and far between. Without readily accessible means of mass communication or
education systems that support higher degrees of development, many aspects of higher
technology have been lost.
It is the responsibility of players to aim to have all props, materials, and locally
created stories fall well within the guidelines of what is acceptable for materials found
in the Dystopia Rising universe. Technicalities, exceptions, and unique viewpoints that
are outside the mainstay of genre should be avoided as to not negatively influence
the cohesion of the story for other participants. A wide array of world details and
story resources are outlined within the Dystopia Rising and Dystopia Rising: Evolved
tabletop role-playing games and shared media. Players should read and learn about the
game world that they are participating in and Guides should work with players to give
them guidance (and in some cases approval) to ensure that the items produced and
represented in game play are appropriate for the game world and their branch’s focus.
This design concept is not a hard and fast rule due to the fact that technology,
availability of resources, and development processes for real-world resources are
changing at an incredibly fast pace. Since the first Dystopia Rising Larp Network
documentation was released there have been many major social, technological, and
medical advances that are now treated as commonplace in our lives but do not exist
in the Dystopia Rising universe. Players are advised to keep all assumed technology
to postapocalyptic variants of early industrial revolution–period technology, with any
form of mechanized, chemical, industrial, or pseudo-science advances being items
that players try to develop via the blueprint and item card system. Alternately, players
can submit an Action Request to request to have access to a non-mechanic physical
representation of these items at their local branch.
You should assume that you do not have permission to bring physical representations
of notable technology to branches you haven’t specifically gotten permission from, and
you should reach out with an Action Request to branches you are traveling to before
an event to gain permission. Permission is easier granted with consideration before an
event; if a participant does not engage the employees of a branches they are traveling
to, they should assume that they do not have permission to bring these items into play.

161
161
KINDS OF ITEM CARDS
Item cards are handheld mechanics effects that can be used if you have the appropriate
skills and abilities to do so. Item cards must be signed by a staff member with their
appropriate player number, and must be created and designed in accordance with the
rules. Item cards require having a physical representation for all items involved to use
and are not intended to replace the goal of “what you see is what you get.”
Certain items, like scrap cards, herb cards, and salvage cards, should be kept in your
Supply Bag to ensure that there is a generalized physical representation for these raw
resources. Players are encouraged to carry some props within their bags to assist in
representing these items.
RESOURCE CARDS
• Scrap card: A piece of physical material that is often used for crafting. Scrap cards
are bits and pieces of materials with usable components in them that are commonly
used with Artisan skills.
• Herb/Produce card: A bundle of organic materials and plant matter that is
commonly used in brews and other forms of Culinary crafting, or a combination of
larger resources such as eggs, fruits, vegetables, and other forms of resources.
• Salvage/Forage card: These cards can be taken from repurposing the weapons
of other people (in particular, Raiders) or found in areas using the Foraging skill.
These cards will produce different materials based on which skill is used at the
time that the card is turned in to the Public Works. Foraging cards require the
Foraging skill to collect from the environment (found on ground in wild or during
scenes) but can be pointed out by anyone. IE: “Is that thing over there useful?”
Anyone can take Salvage item cards from a fallen casted character, but the Salvaging
skill tree is needed to turn Salvage item cards into the appropriate resources (outlined
on the card) at the Public Works. Higher threat antagonists often have higher quality
Salvage cards which produce higher quality resources.
Equipment Cards
• Armor card: A single piece of equipment that is worn to provide additional Body
levels to a characterr. This simplified means of armor means that damage that is not
Body damage goes to the armor first. If armor is broken or reaches 0 Body points,
the armor must be repaired before it can provide additional benefits. Armor should be
represented with 5% body coverage for every point of armor the equipment provides, up
to a maximum of 80%. When making a physical representation for your armor, make
sure that it looks like it could actually protect you from physical harm in battle. While
we encourage you to be creative in creating your armor, you should aim to make it
look like it was made from materials that could be found in the postapocalypse. Armor
provides a maximum of 20 additional Body points and never stacks.
162
162
• Brew card: Single-use materials that are used combined with physical representations
to gain or regain Body, Mind, or other mechanical effects. Brews can be consumed or
applied. Consumed brews take a minimum of 10 seconds to use. Applied brews require
10 seconds to put the brew on a Target and then are often triggered by a second action.
Item cards always define the time needed for brew use, these are just the minimums.
• Engineered item card: Engineered item cards are used for larger objects that are
not carried on a person, such as room augmentations or vehicles.
• Gizmo card: Single- or multiple-use items that have a limited number of uses before
they are expended and may require a number of different skills to cause an effect.
• Injection card: Single-use materials that are used combined with physical
representations to gain or regain Body, Mind, or other mechanical effects. Injections are
instantaneous. Cannot Target anyone other than self without consent unless combined
with a weapon or unless Target is Incapacitated (injection without consent counts as a
CvC action) .
• Meal card: Single-use materials that are used combined with physical representations
to gain or regain Body, Mind, or other mechanical effects. Meals require 10 minutes of
Active Role-Play to consume.
• Non-mechanic card: Non-mechanic cards can be crafted with the Basic Artisan skill
and have no mechanical advantage. These cards are most often used to create items
outside the scope of what is provided by the game or generic items to sell or provide to
Casted Characters or as a requirement for story mechanics.
• Shield card: An item card that has the mechanical advantages for shields based on
the skill of the user and the crafts level of the crafted shield.
• Trap card: A single-use item that has a specific mechanical effect that is triggered
when the trigger effect is achieved (e.g., the crafted item is opened or moved, a door is
opened, etc.). Traps can be applied by anyone but require the Criminal Influence skill
set to disarm.
• Weapon card: An item card that has the mechanical advantages for different sorts
of weapons that provide benefits based on the skill of the user and the crafts level of the
crafted weapon.
REGIONAL CARD
• Local plot item card: Physical items that are tied into a local story that is assigned
to a single branch. These item cards are only valid at the game they are assigned to and
cannot be brought into play (for sale, trade, or showing off) at other branches. Regional
item cards that change the mechanics of play to produce more resources or materials
cause the items produced by those cards to also be put on local plot item cards. All local
plot item cards have an expiration date of 6 months and cannot last longer for any
reason. For example, if a local plot item card for “Super Rich Soil” results in each use
of Agricultural skills producing five times the normal resources as the Basic skill, all
of the resources produced by this card would also be on local plot item cards, and all of
the brews and meals produced with those resources would also be put on local plot item
cards.

163
163
PROPS, PHYSICAL
REPRESENTATIONS, AND ITEM CARDS
The Dystopia Rising game world follows the mantra of “what you see is what you get,”
or WYSIWYG, as closely as possible. After all, it’s a lot cooler to swing over a small body
of water on a rope swing to get to the other side than someone narrating that that’s
what you’re doing. That’s why players are required to use props for their item cards.
During the course of a game, your character may get item cards with mechanical
benefits, such as brews, injectables, and more. Your starting kit requires that you have
a Supply Bag with a certain number of bottles and injectables that you can then change
out with item cards. These props are known as physical representations, or “phys reps.”
These are props that are used to represent the item card. The item card itself has the
mechanical benefits, but the physical representation is what players will actually see.
However, you may acquire item cards not covered by your starter kit. You may pick
up more brews and want to sell them for in-game currency, or you may eventually pick
up small augmentations for certain areas. For any mechanical item card that you plan
to actively use, you should have a physical representation for it. When a person looks at
you, they should easily be able to see what sort of items you are using. This means that
your weapons and other items that you plan to use in play or sell should have physical
representations. It’s worth noting that you will only receive a mechanical benefit if you
have a physical representation for your item card.
When crafting, farming, or doing other actions that produce item cards, it’s more
realistic and fun to interact with props. For example, it’s a lot more engaging to work
on tending an actual herb garden rather than poking at the ground with a stick when
you’re using the farming skill. By the same token, it’s more fun to work on crafting
postapocalyptic jewelry rather than banging on a table in a repetitive motion.
With this in mind, physical representations are needed for crafting. Game runners
will set up craft spaces for you to use that have props. However, we encourage players to
bring their own items to augment the space. In addition, these craft areas don’t cover
certain crafting area augmentations. If you have an augmentation, make sure that you
have a physical representation of it and consider how to make it fun to interact with.
PROPS WITHOUT MECHANICAL CARDS

W hile you will need an item card for anything you decide to sell for in-game
currency to Casted Characters or when being used in relation to story mechanics, it’s
completely okay to have props and items not associated with an item card for your
own personal use or to trade or sell for in-character money between players. This can
include postapocalyptic jewelry, small trinkets, non-mechanic food and drinks, or even
larger props for scene dressing. However, keep in mind that items must be appropriate
to the genre settings and aesthetics (final say is Branch approval).

164
164
BLUEPRINTS AND PROCEDURES
Blueprints and procedures are full-page item cards that carry instructions for how to
craft in-character items or outline how to do in-character processes that involve using
resources, work spaces, specific sorts of role-play, certain skills, and certain play areas to
create a mechanical effect. Blueprints serve a number of purposes; however, the primary
drive behind the blueprint system is to create a living economy where resources are
produced, refined, crafted into usable equipment, and then used by another participant.
This system causes an engagement where individuals use their mechanical and real-life
skills to produce resources, allows trade and barter for materials required for certain
processes and crafting goals, provides a role-play experience where crafters can dive
into the living experience of being an artisan in the postapocalypse, and results in an
object that has mechanical benefit. Resources supply means of production and demand
for product.
For an individual to craft an item from a blueprint or follow a procedure, they must
have the blueprint during the entire process of crafting, they must have the required
resources, they must have the required Mind points (in a single use unless otherwise
specified), and they must engage in role-play that reasonably represents what they are
doing to all of the other players around them.
There are four different sorts of blueprints:
• Artisan blueprint: An Artisan blueprint is a full-page item card that provides

instructions for the crafting of materials related to the Artisan skill tree. Items such as
weapons, armor, gizmos, and engineered materials all fall under the general descriptor
of an Artisan blueprint. Artisan blueprints are available for use across all branches and
require resources that are available to be produced at all branches. Artisan blueprints
require props that are either contact-safe (for combat props), have a certain percent of
body coverage (for armor props), have certain reasonable physical prop requirements
(for gizmos and engineered items), and/or have specific mechanics that are made
available by having different levels of the skill linked to the skill level of the item being
crafted.
• Culinary blueprint: Culinary Blueprints cover all brewed, distilled, cooked, or
chemically refined processes related to the Culinary skill tree, such as brews, meals,
poisons, injectables, and other primarily single-use resources that provide Mind, Body,
or mechanical effects. For an item created by a Culinary blueprint to be used there
must be a reasonable physical representation that ensures that at a glance anyone
observing an individual using the item can easily identify what they are doing. Meals
require either a real meal or at least genre-appropriate packaging that an individual
is eating or role-playing eating from. Brews require the appropriate type of container
(injectable or brew bottle) for them to be used, in keeping the WYSIWYG or “reasonable
representation without unnecessary detraction” goal of the Dystopia Rising gaming
environment.

165
165
• Regional blueprint/procedure: Regional
blueprints are Artisan, Culinary, and other
Procedures specific to a certain game’s story
arc. Items created by regional blueprints may be
traded and used in any branch, but the crafting
and use of the blueprints and procedures
themselves are limited to the game that they are
assigned to. A regional blueprint has a specific
branch’s name on it, and it can only be used at
that branch or at cross-network events.
• Procedure: A procedure is a series of
instructions to cause a specific mechanical effect
based on the user having the required skills,
resources, time, and environment. Procedures
are often linked directly to Ranks of Achievement
and have specific requirements for causing the
effect outlined. As with crafting, the fact that an
individual is performing a procedure should be
apparent at a glance by someone passing by, and
when an individual is the Target or performing a
procedure they can use no other skills or engage
in any other activities that detract from the
procedure itself.
166
166
CRAFTING NEW ITEMS
Crafting new items requires the appropriately matched skill, a blueprint for the
unique item you want to craft, the resources required for the production of that item
(as outlined on the blueprint), and time invested in Active Role-Play crafting as your
character. Each branch is required to provide a mechanical crafting area, a cooking and
brewing area, and a farming area that provide props for players to use in those zones
to have a more immersive experience while crafting. Players are also encouraged to
bring their own props, decorations, and tools to these crafting areas to help build a more
realistic and enjoyable crafting experience.
When crafting or producing resources, players are given a minimum amount of time
that is required to role-play the act of producing or crafting these resources; however, the
role-playing of the experience, and having other participants being able to identify what it is
you are doing at a glance, are more important than the time requirements. When crafting,
producing resources, and engaging in production aspects of game play you are still actively
role-playing and engaging in the experience of being a laborer in the postapocalypse. Do
not pantomime your actions or make vague gestures with minimal effort; instead, throw
yourself into the role-play of being a laborer as much as possible. You may only do up to
two hours’ worth of work when crafting, producing resources, and engaging in production
aspects of game play before going to the Public Works to receive your cards.
Once you have completed the production or crafting of a new item, you must head to the
Public Works, where a Guide will be able to produce the appropriate item card to accompany
your physical representation. Please have your physical representation available at the
time of production. If the item you are crafting will not be used for a month, then have your
required Supply Bag available so that the item card can be placed directly into it. Without
an appropriate physical representation or Supply Bag, you cannot be issued an item card.
Blueprints have multiple crafting levels. This means that a player with a master crafting
skill can either craft an item from non-existence to a master level in one sitting or choose
to only craft up to the basic or proficient level of that item. Keep in mind that each crafting
level of an item has additional resources, Mind, and time that must be expended to create
that level. In addition, a crafter must have the appropriate level of a crafting skill (basic,
proficient, master) to craft the appropriate item level.
As an example, if a crafter wants to craft an item to the basic level in one sitting they
would pay the basic time, Mind, and resource costs. If later a crafter wanted to improve that
item from its basic status to a master crafted item (assuming they have the required skills
and resources) they could then sit down and expend the Mind, time, and resources listed
for both the proficient and master crafting levels to turn in their basic crafted item card
and get a master crafted item card. This process, in most instances, does not provide the
item with a new expiration date.
This system allows a crafter to craft for shorter periods of time if they would like or
crafter for longer periods to prevent having to make multiple trips to the Public Works for
item cards. In addition, this system allows crafters to take steps (such as waiting until after
their mind points refresh or using items that refresh mind) to split the cost of the multiple
tiers into multiple smaller expenditures.

167
167
ITEM KEYWORDS
There is specific language used on item cards and blueprints to define which items
interact with one another and what shorthand effect the items have. This system allows
for a specific type of item, when required for other material purposes, to be requested by
the keyword to ensure that the correct items are allowed. For example, if making a medical
procedure requires two intoxicating brews and also requires a hallucinogen, the procedure
will say “Brew: Hooch x2, Brew: Hallucinogen.” If a brew used in this example is both a
hooch and a hallucinogen it will fulfill one of the two hooch requirements and also the one
hallucinogen requirement.
Crafting procedures may also ask for specific brews, items, or resources by name
that cannot be swapped out with other keyword-related items. For example, if a procedure
requires “Brew: Uncle Todd’s,” you cannot replace the Uncle Todd’s brew with similar
Medicine keyword items.
LIST OF ITEM KEYWORDS
• Applied: Any applied items require Active Role-Play of applying the item to another
item for the effect to take place. Applied items normally take liquid form.
• Armor: Any item that can grant armor points and is a type of outer, armored clothing.
Most damage first goes to armor before it goes to a character’s body. Armor that is worn by
a character should be represented by a physical representation of that armor. You cannot
wear multiple suits of armor at the same time unless otherwise stated by the card.
• Bow: A contact-safe weapon that shoots arrows (blue packets) and requires the
Projectile Weapons skill to use. Due to varying state law as to what legally constitutes
a weapon, make sure that your physical representation of a bow is not strung and that
you use blue packets for your arrows. If you have any questions about your bow physical
representation, be sure to check with the local branch regarding the laws in that state.
• Consumed: An item that needs to swallowed or eaten to gain its effects. A
recommended physical representation is something you like to eat or drink. For
consumed brews, in particular, consider using water as your physical representation in
order to stay hydrated during an event.
• Craft level (Basic, Proficient, Master, Unique): The craft level on a blueprint
is twofold. It first tells you what level of skill an Artisan must have in order to craft
the item. For example, a person with Basic Artisan skill can only craft an item up to
the Basic craft level. A person with Master Artisan skill, however, can craft an item
up to the Master craft level. These craft levels also unlock special abilities that link to
the appropriate skill. For example, a piece of Melee Small equipment crafted up to the
Proficient level will allow someone with the Proficient Melee Small skill to access the
equipment’s stated effect for a required amount of Mind points. A person with the Basic
Melee Small skill can still use the equipment but cannot use the specialty effect that is
unlocked by the Proficient Melee Small skill. When an item is crafted up to the Master
level, it also unlocks the Unique ability. This ability is linked to Ranks of Achievement
and can only be used by an individual with the listed Rank of Achievement.
168
168
• Firearm: A contact-safe weapon that uses a foam dart gun or similar shooter as
a physical representation and requires the Projectile Weapons skill to use. Bullets for
firearms are represented by approved foam darts or red packets.
• Gizmo (single use, multiple use): An item that varies in terms of its physical
representation and what is required in order to use it. Gizmos cannot be added or
combined with other items unless specifically stated. For multiple-use gizmos, players
should mark off each use on the item card.
• Hooch: Any item with the term “hooch” in it includes an intoxicating effect, similar
to drinking alcohol. Feel free to role-play to whatever level you think “drunk” is for your
character, and have fun with it!
• Hallucinogen: Any item with the term “hallucinogen” means that an individual who
ingests the item experiences hallucinations for the stated amount of time. Feel free to
role-play what you think your character would experience in this situation, and have
fun with it!
• Herb (Basic, Uncommon, Rare, Named): Items that can be used to craft a variety
of other items. If a blueprint simply states that “herb” is required, without other
specification, then any herb can be used.
• Inhaled: Any inhaled items require the Active Role-Play of “inhaling” smoke or
vapor of some kind. While you can role-play this by using a hookah, players are required
to keep state smoking laws and local campfire laws in mind. While there does not need
to be actual smoke, the Active Role-play of what is going on should be obvious.
• Injected: Any injected items cause an instantaneous effect and require the use of
a syringe physical representation. Instead of calling out the name of the item, simply
role-play stabbing the syringe into your arm or other location for the effect.
• Instructions: The directions on a blueprint or other item that allow you a fuller
grasp of the crafting requirements of the item or the item’s use.
• Knucks: Contact-safe items that are used with the Unarmed Combat skill. Knucks
are most often represented with foam knucks on a person’s hands to help represent
them as being hand-to-hand weapons instead of a melee weapon that is being held.
Batons held in knuckles, small generic strikers, and other visually easy-to-identify non-
blade brawling representations are also viable. Crafted “Knucks” items are a pair of two
Unarmed Combat Skill weapons (one for each hand) that can be used by one person and
cannot be split to be used by multiple people at the same time.
• Medicine: Any item that has a curing or curative effect. Medicine can take the form
of brews, injectables, or other items.
• Melee (Small, Standard, Two-Handed): A contact-safe weapon that is used to
strike an opponent at melee range. Melee weapons can be used by anyone.
• Poison: Any item that has a harmful or detrimental effect, usually taking away Body
or Mind points. Poison can take the form of brews, injectables, or other items.
• Produce (Named): Produce can normally be used to craft meals or other items
and can take various forms, including eggs, fruit, and so forth. However, if a blueprint
simply calls for “produce,” any type of produce can be used.
• Scrap (Basic, Uncommon, Rare, Named): Scrap can take the form of metals,
natural resources, and recovered materials, as well as Basic scrap, Uncommon scrap,
and Rare scrap. If something calls for “scrap,” any type of scrap can be used.

169
169
• Shield: An item that can be used by anyone to block weapons attacks. A shield has
a physical representation associated with it. Shields do not block bullets (red packets)
but do block arrows (blue packets).
• Thrown weapon: A contact-safe round or javelin-like item that can used by anyone
and thrown to cause damage. Thrown weapons should be physically represented by
contact-safe items that best represent what’s being thrown.
• Tools (Artisan, Culinary): Items that can be used in conjunction with either the
Artisan or Culinary skill. Tools should have a physical representation and normally
provide benefits for the skill that they’re used with.
• Trap (container, contact, remote trigger): An item that can be crafted and then
set by anyone in order to cause mechanical effects to a Target. All traps should be
associated with a physical representation. There are several different types of traps
that are triggered in different ways: contact traps require the Target to step in the
trap or apply pressure to it in some way, container traps are triggered when a box or
other item is opened, and remote trigger traps are triggered by the user with a remote
detonator within a line of site of the trap. Traps do not require any specific skill or
Mind point expenditure to set. Traps require 10 minutes of Active Roleplay per craft
level of the trap for setting traps. Traps crafted to the basic level require 10 minutes
of Active Roleplay setting the physical representation. Traps crafted to the proficient
level require 20 minutes of Active Roleplay setting the physical representation. Traps
crafted to the master level require 30 minutes of Active Roleplay setting the physical
representation. Traps that have a Master Achievement mechanic to them may have
that Master Achievement mechanic activated instantaneously if the person setting the
trap has the appropriate Achievement and spends 20 Mind while setting the trap. If the
Master Achievement mechanic is activated when set, the player setting the trap needs
to record their player number and the word “activated” next to the Master mechanic
listed on the item card before recording the expenditure on their character sheet.
• Vehicle (air, land, sea): Vehicles do not require a physical representation, but
they do require the Sailing or Trailblazing skill to use them. Those with vehicles
are encouraged to mention them during the course of play from time to time, and
incorporate them into their role-play (even if you must “park” them outside of town)!
You can also have “keys” for the vehicles. Any air vehicles are assumed to be hot air
balloons at the highest technology level.
170
170
CHAPTER 8
EFFECTS THE WORLD CAN HAVE ON
YOUR CHARACTER
The in-character world of Dystopia Rising is unique in that some parts of the
postapocalypse seem better than the present-day real world, while others are
significantly worse. Due to the fact that Dystopia Rising is a living experience involving
real people, players normally don’t need to worry about aspects of day-to-day life that
their characters would realistically have to consider. For example, characters don’t
usually need to worry about getting clean water, having toilets, or being able to eat,
since the players also have these needs. While there occasionally may be mechanics that
influence the role-play of characters regarding these basic essential needs, the real need
and desire for them aren’t actually taken away from participants.
In the postapocalyptic world of Dystopia Rising, the mutated nature of your
character’s Lineage and Strain make it so that they can often survive things like
being shot, stabbed, or blown up. Even if they do become horrifically wounded, there
are doctors who can stimulate the infectious regrowth of a person so that wounds
heal in minutes instead of months. You can brew and make meals that will provide
revitalization or medicinal benefits in less than an hour instead of weeks of fermenting,
hours of distilling, and months or years of aging.
These aspects make the world more playable and enjoyable to the player than if
everyone were required to stick to the nitty-gritty mechanical expectations that might
otherwise exist within the world of Dystopia Rising.
There are even social aspects of the Dystopia Rising universe that far surpass what
we have in the present-day real world. Sexism and racism are all but eradicated since
the need for unity and survival surpasses the need to divide and control people based
on social constructs.
This is where we must make very clear what the world of Dystopia Rising has that
defines it as Dystopia Rising. A dystopia is a state where everything has gone bad and
the absolute worst-case scenario has happened. Rising means to ascend from a certain
point. So, by definition, Dystopia Rising is the story of rising up from the point in time
when things were at their worst and rebuilding a future defined by the actions of the
participants.
But Dystopia Rising is a brutal world at times. There are wars. There is murder.
There are diseases. There is heartbreak. You will experience lost family members,
broken spirits, and complex relations. There will be times where you are alone, in the
dark, and you know that there are dozens of undead around you, ready to kill you.
You will have fights that you cannot win and need to run from, you will have to make
decisions that have no right answer, and there will be times when you will look out to
the horizon and see nothing but dangers that could take your life. Sometimes you will
feel like you have won, but without a doubt there will be times when it feels like your
character has lost. There will be times when you will feel your heart break because you
are entwined in a story that fills you with morose drama and brutal savagery.
CHAPTER 8: EFFECTS THE WORLD CAN HAVE ON YOUR CHARACTER 171
171
There will be times when you smile, and you laugh, and you have a good time, but
there will also be times when you cry or get angry because there was no way to win.
If you would like to enjoy the world of Dystopia Rising, you need to understand that
for the duration of a story you will have some amazing experiences and in the end
your character will die or fade away so that you can tell a new story. Dystopia Rising
is not about winning or getting to the end; it is about the story you get to help create
and experience within the world. If you are someone who needs to win to enjoy your
experience, this may not be the game world for you. Because even in death, Dystopia
Rising is about the story and not the victories and losses.
THE LINE OF AGENCY
Agency is the concept that each participant in an event has the authority to choose
their own experience and the actions that their character will take. Agency allows players
to make out-of-character decisions about what could be the most enjoyable experience
for them to have at an event and to guide and direct the actions and decisions of their
character based on what they want. Agency is a constant reminder that the character
a participant is portraying is not a real person and instead is an almost puppet-like
character that moves and responds based on the player’s wants and needs.
In a shared storytelling experience, there are limitations to the agency that a player
has when it comes to their character. First, by deciding to go to a Dystopia Rising event
you are choosing to limit the agency you have over your character by the folklore, story,
and genre of the Dystopia Rising universe. In addition, by participating in a shared story
experience with a community of other participants, you are agreeing that your agency
will be limited by the community tools provided by the Dystopia Rising Larp Network to
help everyone’s experience be more inclusive and as socially safe as possible.
Consideration for what degree of agency a participant has doesn’t end with the
overall game world and the way we engage people as community members. Agency
is also a shared aspect of play. When you have agency over your own character and
another participant has agency over their character and the interests and story desires
for both participants cause conflict, you must not only be aware of your own degree of
agency but also respect the right to agency that other participants have. A shared story
and a shared experience means shared responsibility and consideration for agency.
Most conflicts can be easily navigated through negotiation, communication between
players, compromise, and remembering to interact as people with the best intents of
making a better shared experience.
Lastly, there are some limits on a player’s agency within Dystopia Rising related to
the environment, the threats of the world, and the horror and environmental issues that
come with a postapocalyptic setting. When undead threats, Raiders, Diseases, and other
story antagonists are released into the world, participants must follow the mechanical
combat guidelines to determine what effect the world has on their character.
The world, the mechanics of scenarios, and the overall design of living in the
wasteland can cause unexpected character change, death, or mechanical effects you
172
172
may not initially consider as part of your agency over your character. But as long as
the interactions are within the scope of the Dystopia Rising Larp Network core world
material, themes, and genre, by choosing to play in the game world you understand
that every character has a limited life span and will experience hardships within their
life story. Any items that differ from the standard theme of Dystopia Rising, vary from
the standardized local genre, or have plot mechanics that affect certain zones of play
are required to be presented as either a transparent declaration of custom mechanics
and themes that focus on the experience of the entire event (particularly if an event
requires additional consideration before attending) or, if a mechanical or thematic
change only direct influences a module, a sheet providing a zone of mechanics must be
posted so that participants can choose to opt in to the experience or walk away.
Neither additional pre-event transparency or zones of mechanics posts are required
for threats due to zombies, Raiders, Diseases, deadly creatures, or antagonistic Strain
Extras. These concepts—that there are dangerous things in the Dystopia Rising
universe that could kill you at any time—are a default and are part of the core genre of
the game.
RESOLVE, FRACTURES, AND THE GRAVE
In Dystopia Rising there are three ways of tracking your character’s progress during
game play: Body, Mind, and Resolve. Resolve is a way to reflect a character’s stability
and health at any given time. It represents the character’s ability to psychologically
withstand the rigors of the wasteland and its traumas. From facing down psychologically
damaging situations to going howling into the arms of the Mortis Amaranthine, a
character’s Resolve is a representation of their emotional fortitude as they take on
whatever the wasteland has to offer.
Each character begins with a set value of Resolve based on their Strain and can only
have a maximum of 6 Resolve even when purchased with experience points (at a rate
of 10 experience points per point of Resolve). Resolve can be expended four ways: use
of Tier 3 anomaly skills, ignoring a character’s Strain Trait and costume requirements,
the continued use of addictive substances in the game, and during Grave Mind and
Graverobber scenes.

173
PUSHING YOUR LIMITS: EXPENDING RESOLVE
All Tier 3 Anomaly skills are activated with the use of Resolve. These skills represent
the expenditure of the character’s will to create wondrous effects outside the norm.
Even with the heartiness and mental strength of most post-Fall survivors, these
Anomaly skills constitute a strain on the mind, reflected by Resolve. Using a skill every
once in a while has a cost; use it too often and characters can find themselves driven
to the brink of mental and emotional exhaustion. Press over the limit, and there can be
consequences.
Another way Resolve is reduced during play is when a character actively resists
their Strain-specific Traits. During game play, characters are required to include their
Strain Traits in their role-play and costuming. When a player wishes to ignore their
character’s Strain Trait or does not wear the appropriate costuming to portray their
character’s Trait, that character will lose 1 Resolve. This Resolve will be docked by
a staff member and remain subtracted from the character’s Resolve throughout the
game session. This indicates the strain on the character to resist the effects of their
Strain’s Trait and the effort they must put in to do so.
Should the player appropriately costume for their character’s Strain for the next
game, they will enter game play with full Resolve intact. However, if the player comes to
the next game session without appropriate costuming again, they will enter play with
an additional Resolve (for a total of 2) subtracted from their total. For every game the
player does not represent their Strain Trait and costume appropriately, they will lose an
additional Resolve for the session.
The use of certain addictive substances can have the effect of sapping a character’s
Resolve, and resisting those side effects can require the expenditure of Resolve as well.
Such substances will be clearly marked for any Resolve cost so that players can make an
informed choice as to whether or not they want to role-play ingesting these substances.
The fourth and final way to expend Resolve is during one of the most dramatic and vital
scenes in the entirety of Dystopia Rising: entering the Mortis Amaranthine, or Grave
Mind, after death. The specifics of how Resolve interacts with a Grave Mind scene are
laid out below.
During play, should a character’s Resolve hit 0, they have been emotionally and
psychologically shaken to the point where they can no longer go on the way they were
before. Players should role-play out what they believe their character would do when
they’ve reached their breaking point, unable to go on. Once a character’s Resolve hits 0,
they cannot use skills that require Resolve again for the remainder of the event (even
if they somehow regain additional resolve.) After the Fracture is added to a character’s
sheet they return to 1 Resolve, but skills that require expending Resolve may not be
used with Fractures.
Instead of being knocked into Bleed Out as one is if one’s Body is brought down to
0, a character whose Resolve is brought down to 0 receives a Fracture.
174
174
WHEN YOU CAN’T GO ON: FRACTURES
A Fracture is an emotional or psychological reaction to events

a character has experienced. Their trauma can manifest in NOTE:
any number of ways, each different based upon the character’s DO NOT NAME
YOUR FRACTURE
psychological makeup and the specifics of the difficult event. No
AFTER
two Fractures are alike and players should tailor their Fractures to REAL-WORLD
their character’s unique psyches. MENTAL HEALTH
While Fractures add interesting role-play elements to game play, CONDITIONS
it’s important to note that characters with a Fracture operate with AND TRY TO BE
their Mind pool cap reduced by 2 per Fracture. This is done to reflect RESPECTFUL OF
the extra effort it takes to continue surviving with an emotional OTHERS WHEN
or psychological burden weighing so heavily on the character. The PORTRAYING A
FRACTURE.
more Fractures one takes, the more the Mind pool is reduced, until a
character can become too psychologically compromised to function
(or use skills) properly. In addition, when a Fracture is gained by a
character it cannot be suppressed or removed for at least 2 hours. This allows players
enough time to engage the role-play of a Fracture, and also ensures that Fractures are
not taken lightly.
As an example, if a character uses Telekinesis too often during a fight, their Resolve
is reduced to 0 and they receive a Fracture and they will not be able to use Resolve
powered Skills for the remainder of the event. Their Mind point cap is also reduced by
2 until the Fracture is dealt with during play. The player would then decide how their
character would express the Fracture, such as becoming desperately attached to their
friends, afraid they will die and leave the character alone.
Thankfully, there is a way to remove Fractures. Fractures are self-resolved during
role-play with other characters and do not require monitoring during play by a staff
member. Instead, a character using Proficient Social Influence can spend 10 Mind
points to help a character with a Fracture heal their trauma. At the end of an event,
that Fracture may be considered healed after the character enjoys some role-play with
their local Social Influencer. However, a player may also keep a Fracture on until the
next game if they are interested in continuing the storyline toward a longer resolution.
It’s important to note that keeping a Fracture means the character will have less
Mind points in their pool throughout game until the Fracture is resolved. In addition,
Fractures cause additional psychological fatigue when stacked on top of each other,
removing more Mind points until the character deals with their traumas and removes
those multiplying Fractures.
Aside from gaining a Fracture through the expenditure of Resolve through Tier 3
anomaly skills, there are two other ways a character’s Resolve can be reduced to 0. The
first is the use of addictive substances whose side effects sap a character’s Resolve;
resistance to those side effects requires the expenditure of Resolve as well. The final
way to develop a Fracture is perhaps one of the most dramatic in the entirety of Dystopia
Rising. In fact, the loss of Mind points due to already having a Fracture can contribute
to this last way to gain another Fracture: going through the Grave Mind.

175
STARING INTO THE ABYSS: FRACTURES
AND THE MORTIS AMARANTHINE
In Dystopia Rising, dying and being sent into the Mortis Amaranthine is a terrifying
psychological experience for a character. Whatever happens inside the Mortis
Amaranthine can leave a character scarred psychologically and can seriously impact
their role-play after they return, having lost an Infection.
Characters who enter the Mortis Amaranthine after dying will automatically receive
a Fracture. How that Fracture manifests itself and how long it sticks around after the
Mortis Amaranthine encounter remains in the hands of the player. However, there is a
way to face down the Mortis Amaranthine and stave off the psychological damage.
When a character goes into the Mortis Amaranthine, the player will go through
a Mortis Amaranthine scene in which a Guide leads their character through an
often disturbing but intense scene meant to reflect the journey through death and
(potentially) back to life. The process is traumatizing in itself, and characters will often
be challenged inside the Mortis Amaranthine before they can escape and rejoin their
friends in life. When inside these scenes, a character’s remaining Resolve upon the
time of their death serves as their Body, allowing them to withstand the trauma of the
Mortis Amaranthine so they can escape unscathed. Should the character’s Resolve hit
0 within the Mortis Amaranthine, they would automatically receive a Fracture upon
exiting, along with any other repercussions based on the scene.
Resolve can also allow a player to circumvent a Mortis Amaranthine scene altogether.
There are many reasons for why a player (and their character) might want to avoid
going through a protracted Mortis Amaranthine interaction. For example, if there is a
big crisis going on in game play and a character dies, they might want to return to play
faster so they can help their friends and comrades survive. Rather than go through a
Mortis Amaranthine scene and risk receiving a Fracture, a player may instead take the
time to go out of character, cool down after their death, and then go to Logistics to log
that they have chosen to expend Resolve in order to skip the Mortis Amaranthine scene.
They may then return to play without incurring a Fracture or the psychological head
trip the Mortis Amaranthine can provide. Note: the character still loses an Infection
and emerges with just 1 Mind point and full Body if they choose to skip the Mortis
Amaranthine scene by expending Resolve.
Resolve is also important in another kind of scene a player can become involved in
inside the Mortis Amaranthine: a Graverobber scene.
176
176
FIGHTING FOR YOUR LIFE: GRAVEROBBER SCENES
When a character has gone through the Mortis Amaranthine too many times for their
Strain, they may be on the edge of dying and not returning. But before they take their
final ride, they may have a chance at regaining an Infection by voluntarily entering
the Mortis Amaranthine with the guidance of a Graverobber, armed with all the proper
requirements such as blueprints, outlined procedures, and items. During Graverobber
scenes, a character’s Resolve will become their Body inside the Mortis Amaranthine,
where they face down challenges presented during the scene and must overcome them.
If they survive the scene with at least one Resolve remaining, the character will return
with their Infection returned; however, if they lose all Resolve inside the Graverobber
scene, there can be dire consequences.
All Graverobber scenes are different and are individually crafted by Guides for the
players involved. The unique challenges presented during those scenes will differ from
scene to scene. However, one constant is the inclusion of Resolve as the standing metric
for Body while inside the Mortis Amaranthine.
RECOVERING RESOLVE
Should a character’s Resolve be reduced to 0 during play, there are a couple of ways
in which it can be restored. First, upon receiving a Fracture, a character’s Resolve is
returned to 1. The character has not fully recovered from hitting their breaking point
but can at least function. However, they must be careful to not lose that 1 Resolve
during play or else they will receive another Fracture.
For a more permanent solution during play, a character may seek out a player
with the Proficient Social Influence skill, who can return 1 point of Resolve with the
expenditure of 1 of the skill user’s Resolve. Note: Resolve does not refresh at the 12s
like Mind, but instead refreshes at the beginning of the next game.
DESIGNING A FRACTURE
Fractures in the Dystopia Rising universe are not reflections of real-world mental
health conditions or traumas. Just as the world of Dystopia Rising is far different from
the real world, the unique psyches and emotional makeups of the Strains are just as
divergent. Instead, Fractures are a direct response to the disruption of a character’s
mental well-being when confronted by excessive emotional and psychological stress. The
resulting Fracture should be tailored to match the stress they confronted, especially
suited to their particular experiences and the factors in their life.
The steps of designing a Fracture include:
1. Step back and take a moment. When coming out of role-playing an intense situation
in the game that has caused a character’s Resolve to drop to 0 and a Fracture to occur,
it’s important to recognize that this is a major psychological moment for a character.

177
Take a second to consider what’s happened and how it can affect the character and the
player. Some of the scenes that can lead to a Fracture happening can also be intense
out of character. Taking a moment to reflect on what’s occurred can give a player
perspective in and out of character and help clear the mind to plan the next steps
appropriately.
2. Inspect the events. Once a player has taken a moment for perspective, they should
examine the events that led up to the Fracture taking place. Maybe they spent a little
too much time drowning their sorrows in some very addictive hooch. Maybe they drove
themselves to exhaustion using too many Tier 3 Anomaly skills in an effort to help
their town. Perhaps they flung themselves too recklessly into combat and ended up
dying screaming on the ground, pitched into the arms of the Mortis Amaranthine. Each
of these circumstances craft a different story for the character’s psychological and
emotional break and can help inform just how the Fracture will manifest.
3. Determine the cause and effect. After taking the time to inspect the timeline and
events leading up to the Fracture, the player can then decide what kind of effect that
psychologically stressing cause created. The Fracture should relate to the character’s
psyche, the circumstances of the Fracture, and the experiences of their life or the people
around them. Tying the Fracture to important events or people in the character’s life
allows for great role-play to develop going forward and helps continue the story from
what happened to what will occur in the future.
FRACTURES AND REAL-WORLD

MENTAL HEALTH CONDITIONS
When creating a Fracture for a character, it would be very simple draw from real-
world examples of mental health conditions and psychological traumas. Mass media
has provided enough superficial representations of mental health conditions of
varying degrees that most people could conceivably believe they know how to role-play
conditions like depression or dissociative identity disorder (most commonly known as
multiple personality disorder) during a game.
However, Fractures are not direct analogies to real-world mental health conditions
for a number of reasons. One of the most important includes the fact that representing
these conditions can be deeply distressing to members of the game community around
you. While you might believe the condition in question is a perfect fit for your character,
you never know the personal experience of the players around you and what their real-
world experience might be with that condition. Additionally, mental health conditions
are complex diagnoses that are hard to portray authentically unless one has experience
with that condition or does extensive research. Either way, the chances of accidentally
portraying the condition in question in a disrespectful manner is high; therefore, it’s
worth avoiding the potential for such a problem altogether.
Instead, Fractures follow the above pattern of development based on a character’s
personal experiences, which can build toward better character development and role-
play in the long run.
178
178
Rather than thinking of a real-world mental health condition or trauma response
when designing a character’s Fracture, instead consider asking the following
questions:
• How would my character react to this trauma? Each survivor in the wastelands is
different, their lives made up of unique experiences, their identities built on factors
like their upbringing, their Strain, their religion, and more. Ask yourself: how would
your character respond to trauma if they were so psychologically and emotionally
exhausted that they were unable to go on? How would that manifest in their behavior?
• How will this Fracture change my character’s behavior? It’s one thing to consider
the internal changes a character can go through when they take a Fracture, but
it’s another to consider how their outward behavior will change. Will they speak
differently? Dress differently? Making Fractures visible to others will encourage more
than just internal role-play about the trauma and give others a chance to interact with
your character in a new and interesting way during play.
• How would you like to play this Fracture? While it can feel very true to character
to think only about how your character might respond to a trauma, it’s also important
for a player to feel comfortable role-playing out the Fracture. Will this new inclusion
into your character’s behavior be fun for you to play?
• How will this Fracture help make good role-play? After considering how your
character’s new Fracture will affect you as a player, think about how the character’s
new behaviors will impact those you’re playing with. Will these new behaviors create
more avenues for fun and interesting role-play with other characters?
• How will this Fracture help you as a player get into the larger game? It’s important
to note whether or not playing your Fracture may take your character away from
the larger events and modules put out by Guides. If you’re not interested in being
taken out of more active play, consider adjusting the way your character’s Fracture
manifests itself.
• How will this Fracture help generate or perpetuate existing stories? The game
going on around you has so many stories outside of what is being generated by the
Guides. When creating your character’s Fracture, consider how you might weave it
into the events already going on in game play. This can make resolving the Fracture
through role-play even more satisfying and rewarding, not only for you as a player but
for everyone else around you involved in your personal storylines.
• How will you seek resolution for the Fracture in question? While creating a
complex Fracture can be fun and you may choose to have the effects stick around for
some time, even beyond a single game, thinking about an exit strategy to complete
the Fracture’s story arc can be helpful. You don’t have to have a concrete ending in
mind—you could instead let the culmination come along on its own—but you also
wouldn’t want to get stuck without resolution if such a role-play doesn’t naturally
occur.

179
• What is the aftermath of the Fracture? Whether a long-term or short-term
psychological plot, the development of a Fracture can have lasting effects on a
character’s development and story arc in game play. Consider how your character will
process what’s happened to them and what you might want the outcome to look like.
None of these questions are prescriptive, meaning they might not all be applicable
to the way you role-play your character. Instead, think of them as guidelines for helping
you create a Fracture for your character that will bring a meaningful experience to
your game. Use whichever questions help and put aside the rest. If you find yourself
having trouble discerning what to do with a Fracture, you can seek out inspiration from
talking to fellow players or ask advice from Guides to make the role-play both fun and
well-thought-out.
SAMPLE FRACTURES
Below are some sample Fracture scenarios. These are by no means a prescriptive
list and should instead be used as inspiration for creating your own Fractures based on
your character’s unique situation.
• A Baywalker gang leader comes out of a Mortis Amaranthine scene riddled with
guilt over the death of several soldiers under his command. Rather than stay and wait
for the gang members to come out of the Mortis Amaranthine behind him, his Fracture
manifests as a separation between him and his own gang. He might seem outwardly
callous and distant, set apart from the people he once called comrades, out of fear of
letting them down once more.
• A Diesel Jock took a Fracture while using all her Tier 3 Anomaly skills to help
save an entire building full of people from zombies. Exhausted and delirious with
mental fatigue, she begins to believe she is a savior, chosen for a higher purpose in
her settlement and maybe even the world. She develops a swagger and an overinflated
sense of self, preaching about her own personal philosophies as if they are gospel and
throwing herself into dangerous situations in the name of growing her legend.
• A Remnant doctor has been drowning her sorrows over lost patients in whatever
hooch and drugs she can get her hands on. The effects of said drugs have caused
her to develop a Fracture. As she sinks lower into her sadness, she begins to believe
she’s become a spokesperson for the Mortis Amaranthine, a harbinger of doom able to
decide who lives and who dies. She begins to speak about the Mortis Amaranthine as a
colleague when working on characters, offering false prophecies of death and doom, all
in the name of the Mortis Amaranthine’s terrifying embrace.
180
180
THE ROLE OF STEERING WITH FRACTURES
One of the ways Resolve and its loss, and the resulting Fractures, can be helpful
during play is in allowing players to steer their characters towards wanted role-
play. Steering allows a player to select their character’s actions in a way that aims
them toward desired scenes and storylines. Steering lets a player cultivate their
role-play experience, aiming toward the kind of story arc they’d like.
While the loss of Resolve may sometimes be outside of a player’s hands, choosing
to take a Fracture can absolutely help a player steer their character. By crafting a
Fracture based on the direction a player wants to go with their character’s story, the
player signals not only to their fellow players but also to their Guides just what kinds
of interactions they’re interested in experiencing. Those Fractures can create new and
interesting role-play situations that can carry a character toward the desired story
and even create whole new plots between characters—or even just internally—to give
players the kind of experience they’re looking for in a game.
One tip to make this happen is to weave the steering into already-established events.
You can use the basis of the Fracture (the situation where the character lost all their
Resolve and got the Fracture to begin with), as a springboard to develop the Fracture’s
effects (as laid out above). During Fracture development, however, consider how
the Fracture’s effects will impact the character’s role-play on a whole new level. Ask
yourself how this Fracture will help your character get to the kind of story you’d like
to experience. You might even consider asking those around you who you role-play with
often how this Fracture might bring all your characters in the direction you’d like.
WORKING THROUGH FRACTURES WITH

SOCIAL INTERACTION
Characters work through their Fractures by seeking out (or being found by)
another character who has the Social Influence skill. This person can help the Fractured
character work through their current condition so they can regain their composure
and end the effects of the Fracture by the end of the game. Social Influence scenes
are meant to give both characters a chance to repair a mechanics problem and also
promote meaningful role-play for both characters.
When playing the Social Influence character helping another through their trauma,
it’s important to remember you (and your character) are (probably) not mental health
professionals. Instead, try and determine the best way to help the character confront
the causes of their Fracture—the events leading up to its development and the way
the effects have manifested—and craft the role-play around that strategy. For some
characters, that might mean sitting down at the bar to talk things over. For others, it
might involve confronting the Fractured character’s fears by leading them back into
battle or facing down what drove them into the Fractured state to begin with. Each
situation is unique, and a player whose character has the Social Influence skill ought
to consider each situation individually rather than applying a one-size-fits-all kind of
response.

181
REPAIRING FRACTURES AND MOVING FORWARD
As noted above, Fractures may be worked through by the end of a single game or kept
up for the purposes of ongoing role-play at player discretion. Fractures are healed when
the character with the Fracture role-plays with a character using the Social Influence
skill. This role-play can be done in any form and does not require staff involvement.
However, even if the Fracture is worked through by the end of game and the player
chooses to not carry over its effects (and the subsequent Mind point reduction) into the
next game, the ramifications of having had the Fracture should inform future role-play.
Though the character might want to put their trauma behind them, Fractures
provide great opportunities for turning points in a character’s story or important
moments that can evolve characters psychologically and emotionally. Using a Fracture
as a key moment in your character’s story gives weight to the events happening and
provides forward momentum for play, even when your character has reached their
lowest point. Losing Resolve and getting Fractures, therefore, do not need to be seen as
negative experiences or setbacks for a character; rather, they are unique opportunities
to transform a character and bring them into a whole new chapter of their ongoing
story in the Dystopia Rising world.

182
182
DISEASES
There are worse things in the wasteland than zombies. PLEASE DO NOT ACTUALLY
Sometimes death and destruction can come from within. SPIT, SHARE BLOOD,
Illness and disease can spread through a settlement and SHARE FOOD OR WATER,
OR USE OTHER MEANS
among characters quickly, carried by any number of OF ACTUAL FLUID
vectors. Soon, anyone with medical training is in a race EXCHANGE TO TRANSMIT
against time to identify, treat, and cure the sickness before IN-CHARACTER DISEASES
AND ILLNESSES. THIS IS
it takes survivors for a visit to the Mortis Amaranthine. HOW OUT-OF-CHARACTER
DISEASES AND ILLNESSES
ANATOMY OF A DISEASE SPREAD, AND, FRANKLY,
SOMETIMES CAN BE
REALLY GROSS AND
INAPPROPRIATE.
When there is so much danger throughout the wasteland,
what makes Diseases so frightening? The answer comes
down to the effects Diseases can have and their means of progression. Unlike external
threats, a Disease affects its host from the inside and cannot be avoided once the
character is infected. Instead it must be treated before it progresses, or the effects will
become worse. Go too long without treatment, and the results can be fatal.
Diseases have a number of different components in Dystopia Rising. These include:
• Name
• Transmission vectors
• Description
• Stages of illness
• Duration between stages
• Mechanical impact
• Resolution
The name of a Disease often can provide a hint as to what it does or at least what it
affects. When you hear Bad Brain, you at least understand what organ the Disease will
harm. Recording and remembering names of Diseases also helps medical professional
characters categorize and study them so they can keep track of the vectors of transmission,
stages, and treatments in game play.
Next, a Disease spreads throughout the wasteland on several vectors. These
transmission vectors, such as bodily fluids, water, and touch, allow the Disease to go from
host to host, infecting groups of survivors. Medical professionals can stop a contagion
from reaching dangerous levels within a settlement if they can figure out how it is being
transmitted and stop the spread before it gets out of hand. Transmission vectors are
discussed in more depth in the next section.
Diseases also have a description that tells both players and Guides just what the
Disease does. A description does not include mechanical effects but instead describes the
symptoms players should role-play once infected with the Disease. The description should
include where the Disease comes from, as well as how well-known it is, where it might
have originated, and several helpful role-playing hints to give players some way to ground

183
their own play experience while still being infected. The description may also include the
basics of how medical professionals can study the illness to create a course of treatment.
The description of the Disease might also include tips about role-playing its progression.
Illnesses in the Dystopia Rising universe, much like in real life, have stages. Each illness
has five stages, categorizing the way the illness affects the character over time. The
description of each stage should explain not only the illness’s physical or psychological
results, but what steps the medical professionals treating the illness will need to take.
Stages last for a specific duration, after which the character’s illness progresses to the
next stage. Each stage of a Disease has its own treatment requirements that, if completed
before the illness can progress, can potentially contain or even cure the Disease. However,
if the Disease progresses, the treatments often become more difficult and/or more costly
to administer, both in Mind points and ingredients. Each stage may also require additional
research to find the next step of treatment, which can take time while characters are
already on the clock to stop the Disease from spreading.
The stages of a Disease must have clear durations so that medical professionals, the
infected, and Guides alike can know when the Disease has progressed to its next stage.
This is important because Diseases usually have a mechanical impact on the infected
character outside of the role-play consequences. Diseases may over time impact a
character’s Mind or Body points or the way in which they utilize certain skills. Each
Disease’s mechanical impact is different based on its construction, however, and it should
be clear for the infected character’s player and Guide to understand as soon as the Disease
goes into play. The mechanical impact usually becomes worse as the Disease progresses
from stage to stage, which is another reason the mechanical effects over time must be
spelled out clearly in the Disease’s description.
Finally, the last component of a Disease is its resolution. The resolution carefully
outlines what happens if a Disease is treated at different stages of its progression,
whether it will go into remission for extended treatment, and how (if possible) it can be
cured. Additionally, it lays out what happens if the illness cannot be cured past a certain
point (e.g., if it reaches Stage 5). Should a Disease be incurable after a certain point, this
resolution section will give helpful role-play hints about the last stages of the illness, how
they can be played out, and what the character will be like in the time before their death.
These components of a Disease should be clear to players and Guides alike when they
go into play. Confusion over any of these parts of a game Disease can lead to confusion over
mechanical effects, what symptoms to role-play when, or even treatments other players
must undertake in character to rescue the infected. Therefore, the components of Diseases
should be forward-facing to the community once they become a known commodity in the
Dystopia Rising universe, able to be researched, studied, and categorized for treatment.
184
184
DISEASE CONTAINMENT: VECTORS OF TRANSMISSION
As described above, there are several ways a Disease can be transmitted from character
to character. This Disease transmission vector is included in each Disease’s description
and can be unique not only from Disease to Disease, but also can evolve through the
stages of a single Disease during play. It is important for the vectors to be explained
clearly in the Disease description and made available to everyone in different branches to
understand so that the means by which the Disease spreads is carefully catalogued and
tracked, especially during major plots. The most common vectors of transmission are:
• Bites or wounds: when a character is attacked by a zombie or a wasteland creature

infected with a particular Disease, should they be bitten or wounded by the creature the
Disease can be transmitted to the character during the attack.
• Bodily fluids: a character comes into contact with blood, saliva, or other bodily fluids
of an infected person or creature.
• Water or food: a character may become infected by ingesting water, prepared
beverages, or food (both raw or prepared) which are infected.
• Touch: a character comes into skin contact with a person, item, or location that is
carrying or infected with a Disease.
Less common vectors of transmission are:
• Airborne: a particular Disease is carried by the wind and movement of air itself and
infects characters when inhaled.
• Environmental: certain Diseases thrive in particular weather or environmental
conditions (e.g., bodies of water, carried in by storms, etc.) and can infect a character who
comes in contact with these environmental conditions.
• Anomaly Skills: some unique Diseases are transmitted by the use of anomaly abilities,
and infected psionics or faith anomaly skills will pass the illness to both other anomaly
and non-anomaly having characters alike. These less common vectors of transmission
usually only come up as part of a plot created by Guides that involves specifically created
zone requirement cards that indicate affected areas. These tools would be employed by the
Guides and affect larger areas of game play.
When considering what transmission vectors to use, please bear in mind the following:
• Always consider safety first when writing a Disease’s vectors. Make sure, for
example, that all physical representations of infected foods or drinks are not actually
harmful. Do not attempt to represent environmental factors in any way that is actually
dangerous (such as putting things in waterways) or would be harmful to the real-world
environment in any way.
• Only use simulated fluids (such as blood) when utilizing them as Disease vectors.
• When creating a Disease’s vector, make sure it doesn’t limit a character’s ability to
access vital places in your game (such as areas where bathrooms, kitchens, or sleeping
areas might be) or limit players’ ability to access fun parts of the game (such as places
characters use to evacuate heavily trafficked play zones).

185
RESEARCHING A DISEASE
Diseases can come out of nowhere and, if characters aren’t careful, can turn into
plagues across the wasteland very quickly. This is where research comes in. Characters
may first inform Logistics and then Active Role-Play examining a patient with a Disease
by using Lore: Medical. This may include checking the patient’s heart rate; interviewing
them; checking their skin for any signs of rash, blisters, or other anomalies; and
checking for other symptoms. After 20 minutes examining the patient, the doctor may
spend 5 Mind points to learn more about the Disease. For each 5 Mind points spent
the doctor may learn vectors of transmission, stages, and treatment conditions. Often
characters will work together to pool their resources so they can discover everything
they need to know about a Disease to set up a treatment plan. When a Disease has an
Outbreak or is introduced into play both Logistics and the Public Works will have access
to a current, updated Disease database to answer questions.
Keep in mind that medical role-play requires consent: Role-playing treatment of a
Disease often involves a medical professional character examining other characters
for symptoms and treating patients in an attempt to save their lives. It’s important to
obtain consent during play to make sure players are comfortable being examined and
being involved in medical role-play. Any experimentation scenes should involve making
sure a player is comfortable being touched at all. Some Diseases may also involve
intense content and touch upon potential phobias. Being clear about a player’s ability
to exit a scene at any time is key to having safe and enjoyable role-play experiences.
Each treatment plan must outline how medical professionals will engage in
attacking the Disease. Having received information from Guides about the Disease
itself, they must come up with a plan for treatment that includes the following elements:
• Time: The length of time needed to treat the Disease.

• Components: What resources (and in what quantities) medical professionals will
need in order to treat the illness.
• Mind point expenditure and skill use: What skill must be used to treat the Disease
and how many Mind points must be used (and how) to treat the Disease.
• Treatment frequency: How often a patient requires treatments (e.g., once every
three games or once every 12 hours), and whether the Disease must be treated over
time or in multiple stages.
• Stages of Disease treatment: How to recognize the progression of the Disease and
how treatment must change should the Disease progress to the next stage.
• Remission versus cure: Whether or not a Disease can be cured completely or if it
will remain inside a character’s system and require extended treatments, as well as
what will happen should they miss a treatment.
• Role-playing requirements: What is required of medical professional characters
when role-playing treatments. Note: Should a scene require physical content or intense
medical experimentation role-play, the treatment plan must include a warning so that
consent is obtained from patient players beforehand).
186
186
This research, as well as the evolving treatment plan, is recorded in a Disease logbook
kept at Logistics (for out-of-character access) and the Public Works (for in-character
access) during any game in which a Disease is involved in the plot. Guides should
maintain the logbook during their shifts, keeping track of any research being done so
it can be shared with multiple players as time goes on. This logbook can also track the
settlement-wide spread of Diseases to allow Guides to see just how far contagion has
gone and how many Leading Characters are infected. If a Disease is used in multiple
games, this logbook should be maintained from game to game to keep the research log
available and to continue tracking the use of the Disease from month to month.
Note that all research and information about a particular Disease must be uploaded
by staff and made available to other games within the network before the Disease goes
into play. This resource must be made available in case players with a particular Disease
travel to another game and carry that Disease there.
REMISSION VERSUS CURE
Diseases in Dystopia Rising, like those in the real world, can have two separate
results at the end of research and the institution of a treatment plan: a Disease may
be cured or go into remission. A Disease in remission means the illness still exists
within the character’s body after the treatment. The character must then have follow-up
treatments over time, the intervals of which are laid out in the treatment plan for the
Disease written up by the researchers. While a Disease is in remission, any mechanical
effects associated with the Disease end and the character is treated as though they are
back to normal. However, should the character miss a treatment, the Disease may come
back and progress as before.
If a Disease returns in this way, it reactivates at the stage it had reached when it
went into remission. It then begins to progress once more, going into the next stage at
the next interval as if it had never been treated.
Players whose characters go into remission versus being cured must understand
the requirements for their ongoing treatment and record them on their character sheet
for an ongoing reminder. Though the symptoms of the Disease (and their corresponding
role-play requirements) go away while the character is in remission, they will return
should the character miss a treatment. Therefore, record all mechanical effects and
role-play hints should the need arise to use them again.

187
CURING A DISEASE
While treating a Disease can require resources, time, and energy (or Mind points, in
this case), the curing of a Disease should be a big deal. Finding a cure for a Disease
is a major victory for characters, as it represents surviving a harrowing brush with
death from sickness. When Guides are creating a Disease, the cure (if known) should
be included in the Disease description, and it should involve extensive requirements
and potentially even sacrifices. Looking at the resources already needed for treatment,
they should expound further upon the next logical step to create a cure for the Disease
altogether. In addition, they should consider what might make the most rewarding and
intense experience for those involved in the plot, while providing an ending that will be
satisfying.
Finding a cure requires the same medical role-play as above, but the characters
must first research the treatment of the Disease and implement their treatment plan
effectively on a patient before they can begin researching a cure. This requires the
additional expenditure of 5 Mind points after a person has been treated with a treatment
plan and 20 minutes of role-play examining the patient while using Lore: Medical. This
allows a doctor to move from treating the Disease to creating a full-on cure.
A Disease may come into the game with a cure already written out as part of the
Disease description. In other cases, the description may note that a full cure has not
been discovered yet and will be researched as part of an upcoming plot. In that case, the
characters infected with the Disease will be in for extended treatments as the Disease
is put into remission until a cure can be found. Players can then embark on the role-
playing experience of trying to race to find a cure to save their friends from a contagion
ravaging their settlement.
Once a cure is discovered by characters, it should be recorded at Logistics and
players should be encouraged to record that information in character to share. This
way the work done is not only preserved for the game and continued throughout the
network, but also can be shared with other characters to encourage additional role-play
opportunities.
A character who is cured cannot be reinfected by the same Disease, although they
may be susceptible to Mutations of the Disease in question.
188
188
WEAPONIZING DISEASES
Due to the means by which Diseases can be transmitted, players and antagonists may
utilize Diseases as weapons during combat and throughout plots, introducing them into
a population or in a fight against an enemy.
A Disease is weaponized when a character uses its vector of transmission to inflict
the Disease on someone else; for example, coating weapons in infected blood or other
fluids, injecting others with diseased blood or water, or capturing an airborne Disease
and researching a way to turn it into a bomb. All of these are reasonable ways to turn
weapons into carriers of a Disease by harnessing the vectors properly.
Should a Leading Character choose to weaponize a Disease, either against another
Leading Character or an enemy group or individual, they must first figure out how to
weaponize the Disease vectors to their advantage. Please note that this is a CvC action.
Characters must have Lore: Medical and Lore: Wasteland Science to craft a Disease,
similar to the requirements for treating a Disease. In addition, they must present a plan
at Logistics as to how they plan on weaponizing the Disease in question. Weaponizing
a Disease takes time, and may include many hours of testing and research before
successful; the process should include presenting notes and actions to Logistics. In all,
a person must spend at least 2 hours or more of Active Role-Play figuring out how to
weaponize a Disease. The weaponization must match the vectors already in the Disease.
For example, weaponizing Bad Brain might involve locating a sample of infected
Raider blood and finding a way to either turn it into an injectable or to coat a weapon
with it. A Guide must then make note of the weaponized Disease form in play and provide
a local plot item card for the weaponized disease that indicates what the effects are on
the person being purposefully infected. Should a character be properly exposed to the
Disease, the information on the card will be added to that player’s character sheet and
they will be treated like they have been infected by any other means. Whether or not they
are aware they have been infected on purpose, of course, will come down to just how
stealthily the weaponized Disease has been utilized.
Three important points to note about weaponized Diseases:
• Should a character utilize a weaponized Disease against another character without
being cured or inoculated against the Disease (see the section that follows for more on
inoculation), they will become infected by the Disease upon exposure to the vector just
like their Target.
• Utilizing a weaponized Disease against another Leading Character is considered CvC
conflict and must be addressed as such. A Guide must be present when the action is
taken to adjudicate it accordingly.
• Weaponized Diseases are tracked on a local plot item card and cannot be transported
from game to game. While Diseases can be carried to individual games once they
are contracted by players, the process of weaponizing Diseases is very much a local
writer-driven story that may not have a standardized mechanical focus or process for
production. Due to this, any materials (including items that have been incorporated with
weaponized Diseases) are considered local plot items and must remain within the game
where they were produced.
189
OUTBREAKS
A terrifying part of real-world diseases is the possibility of an outbreak, where an illness

swarms though a population when there is no adequate treatment or cure available. The
disease vectors simply overwhelm resources or spread so quickly there’s no keeping up.
In the often-resource-strapped wastelands, with doctors racing to face down sickness, an
Outbreak can be a terrifying threat to the community.
Outbreaks occur in games when a Disease is put in play that has been tagged with a
note about Outbreak mechanics. The employee in charge of plot may choose to allow an
Outbreak of the Disease if it meets certain criteria. Those criteria must be outlined in the
Disease description and uploaded to the network for all employees to see. The employees
of a branch must also submit the fact that they are intending an Outbreak possibility
in their Disease to their fellow branch employees for review before instituting it in play.
Outbreak plots are subject to approval by the employees in charge of plot, who must review
the plan and make sure it is planned carefully. To institute an Outbreak plot, a local
branch must:
• Select the intended Disease: Whether it be an existing Disease that has been uploaded
into the network database or a new Disease, the employees in charge of story must choose
what Disease they want to potentially Outbreak.
• Set the Outbreak criteria: A Disease will only Outbreak if it reaches certain stages
and meets certain criteria while in play. One of the branch’s employees must select those
criteria and put them into their new Disease write-up, making sure they are very clear
what will trigger the Outbreak.
• Submit the proposed Outbreak to their fellow branch employees: A branch’s
employees must approve Outbreak plots to allow a balanced play experience to be possible
for everyone, including players whose characters are not infected.
• Provide opportunities for treatment: Employees should not favor the Outbreak as
a plot possibility but instead provide opportunities for players to beat the Disease, while
still planning for the worst—and an Outbreak is definitely the worst.
• Institute ways to track the criteria: Should an Outbreak possibility be included
in a plot, the branch’s employees must also indicate a way for players to help track how
far the Disease has spread. For example, all infected characters whose Disease reaches
Stage 3 may have to come into Logistics and log in with the Guides to keep a running
tally of how many characters are infected (if that is one of the criteria). If a threshold
of characters being infected is reached, then an Outbreak can be declared.
• Outline ways in which an Outbreak can be treated: Present in-character options
for containing an Outbreak as part of the research done into the treatment and cure of
the Disease in question. Include that information early in the treatment information so
players will have access to it in case of an Outbreak.
• Support solving the Outbreak with materials to resolve the Disease: Continue
to make resources available in character for medical professionals and research
characters to resolve the plot and treat or cure the Disease.
Some basic ideas for criteria to include as part of a Disease submission include:
190
190
• Maximum threshold for diseased characters: When a certain number of settlement
members become infected, the Disease is considered an Outbreak.
• Time requirement: Should the Disease not be treated or cured by a certain time,
then an Outbreak can occur.
• Outbreak by Mutation: Should a Disease Mutate before being cured, it can trigger
an Outbreak. A good way of making an Outbreak challenging is to put several criteria
together, so that all criteria must be met before the Outbreak occurs. For example, a
Disease may need a minimum number of infected characters, be transmitted in a new
way through Mutation, and have everyone reach a certain stage of the Disease before
an Outbreak.
Once an Outbreak has occurred, the Guide in charge of this story must tell the
medical professional characters that the Disease has reached an Outbreak level. A
tracker should be instituted at Logistics to show how many characters have become
infected. Additionally, the severity of the Disease jumps to the next stage immediately, as
the concentration of sick people helps breed further Disease. The medical professionals
are now racing the clock to treat and cure the illness before it overtakes the whole
settlement. Should they find the treatment for the Disease and treat or cure enough
characters (whose treatment or cure should be logged in at Logistics), then the Outbreak
is considered under control and the settlement can stand down from Outbreak status.
In the case of an Outbreak, treatment and a cure become paramount to keep things
from getting worse. The medical professionals would need to institute containment
procedures to help keep the Disease from spreading. Containment consists of two
different stages: inoculation and treatment.
• Inoculation is a simple use of Basic Medical skill for 5 Mind points once every
12 hours on uninfected characters. This simulates the characters’ continued medical
treatment to boost their immune systems so they won’t get infected during the
Outbreak. It stems the tide of the characters becoming infected but can also strain
medical resources further. Characters who miss an inoculation can become infected if
they are exposed to the Disease.
• Treatment of a Disease in an Outbreak stage operates the same way as treatment
when a Disease is operating as normal. However, medical professionals must make sure
to keep track of how many characters are infected so they can keep the numbers down
and thereby fight the Outbreak.
If the Disease in question is very contagious, which is to say it has vectors of
transmission that include touch, bite/wound or airborne, then there is one final element
that can help stem the tide of an Outbreak: quarantine.
Quarantine requires that infected characters be sequestered away from other
characters in a particular location. This can be an intense role-playing experience,
allowing players to experience the harrowing sense of being confined in a race for
a cure. However, if not managed properly, it can lead to characters being confined
away from having fun in the game. Therefore, should medical professionals believe a
quarantine is necessary to keep a Disease from spreading so they can inoculate and
treat it, they must:
• Three medical professional characters must all agree that a quarantine is necessary.

191
• All three must go to Logistics and declare they are setting up a quarantine.
• The three must tell a Guide where they intend to set up the quarantine. This location
must have adequate access out of character to food, water, shelter, bathroom facilities,
and so forth. No player is to be made to go without these resources.
• The three are required to stay in the quarantine zone at all times for the sake of
assisting with the role-play and the experience. Guides should regularly check in to
adjudicate any CvC action that might occur inside the quarantine.
• Local Guides should also be informed of a quarantine and may introduce plot
elements to that area to enhance the role-play experience.
It’s important to note that quarantine should not be used as a punishment for
infected characters, but rather as a fun and intense plot element to be utilized to
add to the game experience. Therefore, players cannot be forced into quarantine. The
quarantine is instead an opt-in element meant to provide additional role-play. There,
medical professional characters have the opportunity to study the Disease in action.
The medical professional characters and the infected characters should work together
to solve the problem, lending each other resources and support to make for thrilling
role-play. Once a treatment or a cure is discovered, the characters in quarantine should
be treated immediately and released, their progress reported to Logistics to decrease
the numbers and potentially end the Outbreak.
EFFECTS OF OUTBREAKS AND

QUARANTINES ON MULTIPLE GAMES
As it might take more than a single game session to discover a treatment or cure for a
Disease, once the Disease hits the Outbreak stage or a quarantine begins the effects of
these events can carry over into more than one month. Leading Characters are asked
to note on their character sheets before submission whether their characters were
infected, what stage their Disease was at when game play ended, and whether they were
inside the quarantine zone at the end of game play.
Additionally, an Outbreak and quarantine, once instituted, should be reported to other
games in the network. Since characters travel, players from a settlement experiencing
an Outbreak might come to another settlement and word would have spread about the
possibility of infection. Such characters should not be negatively targeted by either
Guides or players. Instead, plots for one settlement assisting the other should be
encouraged, with resource sharing and gathering materials the traveler can bring back
to their settlement as a fun addition to the other game’s plots.
Should an Outbreak last more than one game, the strain on the town will begin
to take its toll. Trade with outside sources should become harder, with fewer traders
entering town as well as trade deals from outside sources taking more resources.
Guides should balance carefully showing scarcity without cutting off the resources
needed to allow the Disease to be treated and cured. However, the strain should be felt
on the entire settlement, whose livelihood and survival now rests on the importance of
containing the plague.
192
192
HANDBOOK FOR THE RECENTLY DISEASED:
ROLE-PLAYING ILLNESS
Disease is a terrifying enemy for anyone, just like it is in the real world. Yet in a world
where resources are scarce, and weakness can lead to death at the hands of enemies or
the hostile wasteland environment, rampant disease can be a scourge, wiping out whole
populations and creating a major distraction during crisis times.
When role-playing the spread of a Disease or being infected with one, a player ought
to consider what it might be like to feel ill in a stressful, unsafe environment. The
normal levels of anxiety over threats like zombies and raiders become even more
stressful when a character knows they are going in sick. Each Disease in game play
has role-play requirements included in the Disease description, so a character will be
interacting with the rest of the game while displaying these ailments. They ought to
impair and hurt the character, distracting them from their tasks and hampering them
in their duties.
Settlements can also become dangerously fearful and anxious about the spread of
a Disease. Nobody wants to get sick, so paranoia about a contagion can run rampant.
Even if a character is not infected, just being around someone who is should create
some level of fear. Role-play out what your character might feel being presented with the
chance of becoming infected themselves, or in the face of watching comrades and loved
ones fall ill and progress to worse stages of a Disease before their very eyes. It can be
a harrowing experience for everyone involved and provide some poignant and intense
role-play.
It’s also important of course to bear in mind that role-playing such illness should
remain engaging and enjoyable while still being awful in character. It’s important to still
have a good time, even while pretending to feel awful. If the role-play of the Disease is
becoming too stressful or leading in a direction you as a player are not enjoying, reach
out to the storytelling staff to adjust your play so you can continue to enjoy the experience
while seeking a way to treat or cure your character.

193
DISEASES AND HOW THEY ARE CREATED
There are several ways for a Guide to put a Disease into play at their game. They must
first choose between three kinds of Diseases available in the Dystopia Rising universe:
known Diseases, new Diseases, and Mutations.
There are some standard Diseases known throughout the Dystopia Rising network,
illnesses that have been identified in play and have understood treatments. These known
Diseases, while sometimes difficult to contain and cure, are a known quantity. They
have already been researched and the treatments are well-known. Medical professional
characters may already have had experiences dealing with the illness and can easily
deal with the spread. These Diseases are also already available across the game network,
known by branch employees no matter where they are. A good example of this is Bad
Brain Disease, which, while it may strike a single game in a given month, is a well-known
problem pretty much anywhere there are Raiders.
Sometimes, however, a writer might want to create something new to fill a niche no
known Disease can fill. They could then create a new Disease to fit their needs. To create
a new Disease, the writer in question must submit the Disease with an Action Request
before it enters play so the branch’s employees can check to make sure it’s not too close
to a Disease already in play. Submitting the Disease also ensures everyone involved
understands the mechanical and role-play requirements for the Disease, so the Guides can
guide the players through things like Disease research during game play. When this new
Disease goes into play, it will remain in the database to become part of the larger Dystopia
Rising universe, available to be used across the network.
Finally, a writer might have the idea to take a familiar Disease and transform it into
something new and terrifying. To do that, they would write up a Mutation, a way in which
the Disease has evolved and changed to beat the treatments already established in game
play. The writer must write up and submit the mutation to their branch’s employees
before it goes into play, including all the ways in which this Mutation is different than the
original Disease. They should keep to the themes of the original Disease and show how the
Mutation evolved from its predecessor. The effects of a Mutation should be much worse
than the original Disease and the treatments, while potentially similar, should be more
costly. A great way to create a Mutation is to, for example, change a transmission vector,
or accelerate the Disease’s stages based on stressors or stimuli from the environment.
Anything can make a Mutation worse, but it should always make sense in terms of the
story, and let the players track the original Disease to the Mutation during their research.
As mentioned, all of these Diseases—known, new, or Mutation—will be available to all
Guides before they go into play, all carefully laid out in the same format.
194
194
TIPS FOR CREATING DISEASES AND MUTATIONS
There are a few things to keep in mind when considering creating a Disease or a Mutation:
• Originality: Is the Disease/Mutation being created too similarly to a Disease already in
the network database? If it is similar, use what is already available instead of reinventing
the wheel.
• Replication: Can this sickness be recreated the same way across all the games in
the Dystopia Rising network? If the Disease is very specific to a location or one of its
elements, it might be too specialized and not usable elsewhere.
• Ingredients: Does the description and all of the elements of the Disease match
thematically? The treatments should be appropriate to the Disease itself, and the stages
should seem to progress organically.
• Fictionalization: Is the Disease too much like a real-world illness? While some Diseases
may have some similarities, the Diseases in Dystopia Rising are fictions of the wasteland
and not direct translations of real-world sicknesses. Create a new fictional element rather
than replicating one that might have negative associations or connotations to players in
the game.
• Respect: Are there elements of the Disease that might be offensive to particular
players? Consider what kinds of symptoms a character might need to role-play during the
game and whether or not those symptoms might be embarrassing or uncomfortable, or
offensive or disrespectful, such as using mental health conditions as a symptom during
one of the stages. Diseases should be painful and uncomfortable in character, but they
shouldn’t make a player uncomfortable out of character.
Diseases can be a fun threat for survivors to combat. But eventually, big brains and
lots of hard work will figure out how to treat a particular Disease. When a Disease has
become understood, a branch employee may initiate a Mutation. To do so, the employee
in charge of story must:
1. Check the old Diseases available and make sure the Mutation being created isn’t too
close to another Disease already available in the network.
2. Familiarize yourself once more with the original Disease, to ensure the research has
been done to the fullest extent and the players have conquered or nearly conquered it.
3. Consider what environmental factors might have created the Mutation. Just
like in nature, Diseases in the Dystopia Rising universe don’t simply Mutate by
themselves. Factors like herd immunity among survivors, specific mass treatments, or
environmental factors (such as the introduction of zombie blood into the mix or even
weather and local natural events) can shape a Mutation as it happens.
4. Write up a proposal adjusting the Disease and upload it to the network database.
These Mutations should be clearly marked. For example, a proposed Mutation to Black
Lung should be labeled “Black Lung Mutation A.” A letter designation is included in
case someone wants to make another Mutation later.

195
5. Make sure the new regimen for treatment of the Mutation is laid out in the Disease
proposal. Be clear as to how the research and treatment of the Mutation is new in
contrast to the old Disease treatments, so players will be able to differentiate and
identify the Mutation clearly as separate from the original Disease.
6. Be sure to indicate solid role-playing differences for the Mutation that differentiates it
from the original Disease. For example, should the original Disease require red weeping
sores, perhaps the Mutation has those sores but also black pustules around them, or
bleeding from the ears and nose. Make sure costume and role-play requirements are
included so Guides will know how to equip their Extras during play.
7. Create an origin point for the Mutation to take place: Mutations are often
spontaneous and arrive in the middle of an already infected population. Figure out just
who patient zero will be for the new Mutation. Then, let it loose among the population.
Please note, in nature Mutations happen often and Diseases may Mutate differently
depending on multiple locations. It’s entirely possible one game in the network might
have a particular Mutation of a Disease, while another branch of the network might have
its own. This is why it’s very important to ensure these Mutations are clearly labeled and
their differentiations from one another are well catalogued and laid out in the network
database. Nothing could be more confusing or frustrating to a player doing research on
a Disease to get the wrong information because two Mutations were mistaken for one
another by accident. Clear records at Logistics and well-explained information by Guides
to players are key to keeping Mutation plots exciting and fun.
196
196
PLAYER-GENERATED DISEASES
Just when you thought Diseases couldn’t get more terrifying, there is another way
a Disease can be included into the Dystopia Rising universe. Players may choose to
have their characters research ways to create new Diseases, either by creating new and
terrifying illnesses on their own through a combination of ingredients and vectors or by
taking advantage of an already existing Disease and causing a Mutation to occur.
If you are interested in creating a Disease, there are a few steps to follow:
1. Declare your intention to a Guide. Once you decide to create a Disease, you must go
to Logistics and speak to a Guide regarding your intention. You should lay out where
you got the base for making the Disease (either building it from scratch or by building
off an existing Disease) as well as exactly what you’d like the Disease to do. The Guide
will consider this information and create a potential path for player action to develop the
Disease if the mechanics are approved.
2. Prepare a Disease description. You must then set down a Disease description, laid out
just the way a writer would, cataloguing everything from the name of the new Disease to
the manner in which it can reach its resolution.
3. Submit the Disease with an Action Request. You would then hand over the Disease
description to the local branch’s employees who will review the Disease to make sure it
isn’t redundant to one already within the system and that it is something executable
within the game rules. The employees will then take the Disease description and upload
it to the network database for review, marking it as a player-generated submission and
noting which branch of the network will begin the Disease.
4. The Disease is approved and enacted. Once the Disease is approved by the collective
branches, a Guide will work alongside you to integrate it into the game. Note that the
Disease may begin in your hands, but once a Disease is introduced into the game it
becomes usable by Guides as part of the plot and even available to other places in
the network. The information for the Disease will also become available for research
immediately, the same as any other Disease, making it treatable and curable just as any
other Disease would be given the resources expended.
Note that approval for player-created Diseases takes more than one game. Branch
employees should endeavor to set realistic expectations for when a player will get a
response for Disease approval and aim for it to take no longer than two games so as
not to frustrate a player in their goals. Meanwhile, the player’s character must role-play
going through and researching the Disease in question, spending their time working
diligently to craft their designer contagion.

197
STORYTELLING A DISEASE PLOT
Introducing a Disease, Outbreak, or quarantine plot into a game can be an exciting,

tense, and thrilling experience. However, it’s also important to balance out the impact
that such a wide-spreading plot can have upon the game as a whole versus its enjoyment
for those involved. There are several elements to bear in mind:
• Scope of effect: A Guide must keep an eye on just how far and wide a Disease has
spread throughout the settlement’s population, how fast it is spreading, and how far
the research has come in slowing down the Disease. If a Disease is reaching Outbreak
proportions, is it going too fast for the players to keep up with the research, treatment,
and potential cure?
• Scope of reach: Once a Disease is in play, how much of the game’s plot has been
taken over by the Disease? A Disease can be a simple plot but can also start to dominate
play. Are there opportunities for other things to go on or has an Outbreak, for example,
brought more players into the experience? Making sure there are other opportunities
elsewhere for play is paramount to keep players who wish to opt-out of the bigger
Disease plot engaged and happy.
• Balance of resources: One way a Disease plot can get out of control is when medical
professionals do not have access to the resources they need to face down and treat or
cure the Disease. A Guide must keep an eye on how exhausted the town’s professionals
are getting, whether they have the material components they need, and so forth. Should
these elements seem out of proportion, the Guide must be ready to decelerate the
Disease plot or adjust by providing more opportunities for research, more ability to
refresh Mind points, or more material components. When all else fails, additional Extra
support may be provided to help get ahead of the problem.
• Careful record keeping: A Disease plot, especially one focused around an Outbreak
or quarantine, needs meticulous record keeping to track the progress of the research
and treatment so the players know when they have successfully beaten back the threat.
Notes must be kept at Logistics during game play, and between games the players and
Guides must report to branch employees. These employees should make sure other
games are notified in case characters travel from one settlement to another.
• Respectful representation of illness: It is easy for a tense plot such as one about
illness and Disease to stray into uncomfortable territory, including discrimination
against characters for having an illness. Maintaining an eye on respectful play, as well
as a watchful eye for bullying and harassing behavior is key. Additionally, Guides should
be posted to quarantine areas to allow for assistance in the tenser moments of play, with
all Guides and staff in general reminded to keep a watchful eye.
• Making sure players are having fun: Should a Disease plot become very intense,
Guides should consider whether or not the plot is hampering players’ ability to have
fun on their own. Guides should coordinate with one another to allow space for all plots
to run together, even when an Outbreak plot is going on. The looming shadow of illness
can be fun, but there must also be space for players to do other things during the event
to allow everyone to have a good time.
198
198
EXAMPLES OF WASTELAND DISEASES AND MUTATIONS
BAD BRAIN DISEASE

• Transmission vector: Bite or wound (Raider bite or blood)
• Description: A terrifying Disease occurring when a character is introduced to
Raider saliva or blood through a wound such as a bite. Once infected, the patient begins
to suffer from bouts of irrational behavior and anger, which escalates in later stages to
incoherence, violent outbursts, the urge to eat flesh, and eventually complete inability
to speak while turning on friend and foe alike. The Disease, if left untreated, will turn
the infected into a Bad Brain Raider and leave them lost in a frenzy of violence until
death at the end of Stage 5.
• Stages: Each stage compounds the last.

o Stage 1: No symptoms
o Stage 2: Uncontrolled moments or spurts of anger and irrationality
o Stage 3: Uncontrolled rages and incoherence; inability to speak clearly
o Stage 4: Violent outbursts that do not differentiate friend or foe; urge to eat flesh
o Stage 5: Character death/transformation into a Raider (note: this stage lasts
only one month, character death at end of game)
• Duration between stages: 2 months
• Resolution:
o Identifiable with Basic Medical skill.
o Treated at Stage 1–2 with Basic Medical skill, 10 Mind points, 20 minutes
role-playing blood transfusion.
o Treated at Stage 3–4 with Proficient Medical skill, 20 minutes role-playing
blood transfusion.
o Treatment at Stage 5 is not known. Patient dies.
o Remission versus cure: Disease cure is known, treatment will cure patient.
o Return from Mortis Amaranthine cures Disease: Yes.

199
PARASITIC BAD BRAIN DISEASE
(MUTATION OF BAD BRAIN DISEASE)
• Transmission vector: Bite or wound (by other diseased individual; victim must be
knocked into Bleed Out and then bitten for the Disease to be transmitted)
• Description: An offshoot of Bad Brain, this terrifying Mutation developed when a
Bad Brain Raider was infected with tiny bugs, which then transmitted into someone
infected by Bad Brain. These bugs carried the poison in their blood and upon the
townsperson entering Stage 4, once they bit another individual, the parasite was
transmitted. The Disease no longer needs a Bad Brain Raider to spread, but can spread
from infected host to host, spreading Bad Brain in a more virulent form as it goes.
• Stages: Each stage compounds the last.

o Stage 1: Uncontrolled moments of anger followed by fugue states and
memory loss
o Stage 2: Irrational outbursts and rage; predatory behavior followed by fugue
stages
o Stage 3: Violent outbursts against friend or foe; attempts to eat flesh
o Stage 4: Frenzied attacks send infected attempting to attack and send others
into Bleed Out to be infected
o Stage 5: Character death (note: death occurs at the beginning of the next
12-hour period)
• Duration between stages: 1 month
• Resolution:
o Identifiable after Mutation research with Basic Medical skill.
o Inoculation possible before Stage 1 infection.
o Treated at Stage 1–2 with Proficient Medical skill, 20 minutes role-playing
blood transfusion.
o Treated at Stage 3–4 with Proficient Medical skill with patient stabilized and
restrained, 20 minutes role-playing blood transfusion.
o Treatment at Stage 5 is not known. Patient dies.
o Return from Mortis Amaranthine cures Disease: No.
PARASITIC BAD BRAIN DISEASE (OUTBREAK CAPABLE)
• Additional Outbreak rules: Outbreak occurs when:

1. 25 characters have reached Stage 3 of Disease or 15 characters have
reached Stage 4.
2. 2 months have elapsed and 25 characters are still in Stage 3 or 15
characters are still in Stage 4.
200
200
CHARACTER DEATH
When a character’s Body point total reaches 0 they fall to the ground in a state called
Bleed Out. While in Bleed Out they have 5 minutes to have their wounds tended to.
During this Bleed Out period they cannot move, attack, or use skills. This means no use
of weapons, equipment (unless stated that it can be used in Bleed Out), or mechanical
devices other than injectables. A character in Bleed Out may call out in pain, moan, and
make other death noises, unless a mechanic causes them to stop speaking. At the end
of the 5 minutes, if they have not received medical assistance the character will have
died and lost an Infection.
This 5-minute Bleed Out count can be shortened. If while you are in a state of Bleed
Out a character comes up to you and calls “coup de gras” or another mechanic that ends
your Bleed Out timer, your character immediately dies and loses an Infection.
If a coup de gras is used or 5 minutes of Bleed Out pass without any healing skills
or other items being successfully used on you, your character has lost an Infection and
for a period of time is dead. While you are dead you must wait for 10 minutes, being as
realistic as a corpse as possible where you died. This 10 minutes allows LCs and Extras
the ability to interact with your corpse before the infected body rots, breaks apart,
and is absorbed into the ground. During these 10 minutes characters may loot, eat,
or otherwise interact with your corpse. Remember, you are not playing a human, and
the sudden and brutal dissolving of the post-mortal flesh is something that people have
come to accept as a part of life. While this doesn’t make the emotional reaction of what
has happened any less potent, it does make it a part of your regular acceptance of the
world. It should also be noted that Raiders and zombies do not rot at the same speed as
Strains. Raiders and zombies may decay in anywhere from 0 seconds to 5 minutes. If
you are looking to harvest materials from the undead, you will want to hustle.
After the 10 minutes of postmortem time you should immediately head to Logistics,
where your character’s death will be recorded and a special scene will be narrated for
you after providing you with some decompression time. While character death is not
considered a “lose scenario” in Dystopia Rising because it results in new story and new
story direction, sometimes participants just need a few minutes to allow the adrenaline
to wear off. If items were on your person, those items come with you. Any items looted
from you need to be taken before the 10 minutes you spent post–Bleed Out as a corpse.

201
AFTER CHARACTER DEATH: THE MORTIS AMARANTHINE
After a character has taken a death, and the player goes to Logistics, a few things
happen. First, the team members on duty are informed that a character death has
happened. The team members will inform the Guide that the death has occurred, and a
Mortis Amaranthine scene will be prepared.
Next, the Infection change is recorded on the player’s character sheet and in the
database and the Guide overseeing the post-death scene (or the Guide present for the
CvC action) makes sure the player is provided the ability for decompression to allow
adrenaline and emotions to settle.
Once the participant is ready, the Guide takes them to a secluded location and has
the character close their eyes. The player then describes the last moments of their
death, and the Guide in turn gives shared verbal (and visual) narration in regard to
the experience of what it is like to die in Dystopia Rising. A personal scene occurs, the
nature of which is partly outlined in the section below, after which the player returns to
play.
During the post-death scene, if the participant reaches 0 Resolve (due to spending
it during the scene or prior) then the participant and the Guide will work on designing
a Fracture for the character based on the experience and the role-play direction the
player wishes to aim for. The player will then be walked back to where they will re-enter
play (often the morgue), and instructed as to what their first experiences will be once
they return to play. The player will return to play at full Body, however, they will return
with only 5 Mind points unless the player spends a Resolve when leaving, which will
allow them to come out of the scene with full Mind points. If a character does not lose
an Infection in the process, they cannot spend a Resolve to return from the post-death
scene with full Mind points.
There are instances when a character death happens during a period of time
when Logistics is not open. More times than not, if Logistics is not open, then the
character death happened due to Character Versus Character actions. If CvC actions
have occurred, then a Guide is already on hand to adjudicate the CvC action. That Guide
will oversee the recording of changes that occur on a player’s character sheet, and the
player will be given the option of having their post-death scene once Logistics opens
or having the Guide run their scene. In either instance, the Guide will ensure that the
player who has taken a character death is taken care of before they leave.
202
202
DYSTOPIA RISING
THE POST-DEATH SCENE AND RETURNING
FROM THE MORTIS AMARANTHINE
The Mortis Amaranthine (or Grave Mind) and the post-death experience, as a concept,
is an aspect of the Dystopia Rising universe that permeates everything from the
mythos of how the world fell all the way through the very existence of the Strains that
live in this postapocalyptic world. Whenever a character has lethal wounds pulled back
together with some effort and bailing string, whenever a psion uses their ability for
mental focus, whenever an undead consumes the flesh of the living, the Infection is
involved.
The Infection is an organic-born host that exists symbiotically within modern-day
survivors and the environment itself. It is often argued that what is commonly known
as the Infection is a blood-born fungal entity, a viral inhabitant that affects the body
like a retrovirus, or some condition that pre-Fall humanity accidentally engineered.
What is known is that within each Strain is a degree of this Infection, and when a
member of one of the Strains dies it is eagerly consumed by the Mortis Amaranthine.
The Mortis Amaranthine is not a series of physical locations as much as it is a
conceptual state of being, due to its omnipresence combining aspects of the death of
one’s ego, the concept of “I,” and the existential shock of having your own identity melted
and merged into a larger “awareness.” There are rotted organic entities, immeasurable
in size, which exist in spaces anywhere from a few yards to a few miles beneath the
surface of the Earth that are a part of the makeup of the Mortis Amaranthine; however,
the Infection in all walks of life carries as much of the Mortis Amaranthine as these
biomasses. Unless a way was found to completely destroy the Infection as a whole,
damaging the fungal masses beneath the surface would do nothing more than slow or
influence the regrowth of Strains after they died.
Often the Mortis Amaranthine has locations of higher psionic and re-creation
activity that coincide with the location of “morgues.” Morgues are locations where
creatures that have been reconstructed by the Mortis Amaranthine return to the
surface. Morgues have a tendency to occur in areas where high population (read: food
sources) of the infected exist. In areas that have a large psion presence, oftentimes
there will be a multitude of locations where the Mortis Amaranthine expels individuals
post-death.
The heart of the importance of the Mortis Amaranthine, beyond how it connects
to the existence of the world, relates directly to what happens when an individual who
carries a degree of the Infection (all Strains, most Raiders, and the undead) dies. The
Infection within the individual body works as the potent bond that keeps the flesh
together, despite the radioactive environment, water that is poisonous by real-world
modern-day standards, and the continued existence of a people who routinely deal with
near-death situations.


LARP EVOLVED 203
203
It is theorized that the Infection is an
extension of the Mortis Amaranthine as a whole,
and with that, anything that carries a portion of
the Infection within it is part of a loosely linked
network that ties back to the Mortis Amaranthine.
The Mortis Amaranthine, as an unliving psionic
entity, pushes the infected Strains into the world
the same way that a starfish pushes its stomach
out to eat.
This codependent existence creates a unique
situation for the world. For creatures with the
Infection, environments become terminal when
Infection-carrying materials within their bodies
either cannot support life any longer or their
bodies have lost too much of the Infection-carrying
blood from their system. When a Strain or Raider
or undead dies, the Mortis Amaranthine reacts by
reabsorbing the corpse into itself. Feeling a part
of its system fail, the fallen individual triggers a
reaction that is not unlike when white blood cells
and platelets react to a cut on a human body. It
looks to repair what damage has been done.
The Mortis Amaranthine, a conceptual
existence that permeates all things and exists
on an inhuman intelligence level, absorbs the
deceased Infection-carrying portion back into
itself. Here, the Mortis Amaranthine temporarily
stores the consciousness of the individual in the
shared undead consciousness that exists within
the psionic link of all infected creatures, and
the Mortis Amaranthine attempts to repair the
damages that have been done to the formerly
living individual.
Unfortunately for those who have died, having
your consciousness linked across millions of
undead minds as well as having it traipse through
the primal subconscious of the mentally diseased
Raiders while the concept of the ego dissolves
is not healthy for the mind. Being aware, and
sentient, as your flesh is deconstructed and
reknit causes immeasurable pain and the nearly
unfathomable experiences of existing in a near-
pure-thought form often causes the mind to
Fracture.
204
204
DYSTOPIA RISING
The experience that the individual has when they are dead is often dependent on
the circumstances in which they died. In addition to the flavor of the individual’s last
moments of life, the experience that they have is often completely colored by how their
mind attempts to comprehend and maintain its sense of id and ego while having its very
existence melted away. Visual effects, memories from the long dead, harsh emotions,
and personification of the individual’s negative emotions may bombard the person
who is being reknit. The Mortis Amaranthine does not communicate with the absorbed
sentience within it, much like a person walking does not communicate with each grain
of sand they step on. If a person experiencing a Mortis Amaranthine scene hears voices,
those voices are generated in the dead experiencer’s head and often are the darkest
aspects of mental fragments engaging from a third-person removed state.
Each time the Mortis Amaranthine reknits a fallen Infection carrier, the individual
returns changed. Much like a mirror that has been broken and glued back together,
the individual that has died has metaphorical cracks that are filled in by the Infection.
Oftentimes appearing as dark veins filled with the Infection, scars, or skin discolorations,
individuals who return from the Mortis Amaranthine do so with a number of Fractures.
At times they report feeling a presence within the Mortis Amaranthine “take
something” away from them, such as portions of the brain or emotional connections.
This explanation of personification is the mind’s attempt to comprehend and describe
a completely alien and horrific experience.
When a character emerges from the Mortis Amaranthine, they do so at full Body
unless otherwise instructed by the overseeing staff member. The Mind points that a
character returns with are at 5 unless there is a plot or effect that otherwise influences
or changes this standard. Any Diseases, poisons, psionic effects, and chemical
augmentations that the player had on them are removed unless otherwise instructed
by the Guide overseeing the post-death scene.
Players should keep in mind that the Mortis Amaranthine is not a place that people
willingly wish to enter. From dullards to Graverobbers, entering the Mortis Amaranthine
is a situation that may result in the permanent end of a character’s life. Characters that
take entering death itself lightly may find that the Mortis Amaranthine takes more than
one Infection from them, or that the Mortis Amaranthine rips their mind apart. The
Mortis Amaranthine intends on absorbing all thought, and all flesh, into itself so that it
may be fed and evolve. Those that do not fight to live, or enter the Mortis Amaranthine
unprepared, may never come back out.

LARP EVOLVED 205
205
CLOSING CONSIDERATIONS
Larping is an amazing and transformative hobby, allowing people to have experiences
that are outside the scope of their normal day-to-day lives. Larping can provide all sorts
of activities, such as allowing participants to fight zombies in the woods at night, setting
up complex trade networks, and engaging in high stakes political roleplay. Larping
allows a participant to pretend to be someone else while engaging in experiences that
range from physical to mental to social.
This hobby also provides a space where it is okay for people to succeed and fail.
By becoming a character at a larp, people can explore parts of their personality, social
perspectives, and aspects of life in a lower risk environment. Larping provides an
excuse for people to make time to play, share stories, and sometimes chase each other
through a field while swinging foam weapons.
Larp can bring people together across any number of otherwise unconnected social
circles and give a reason for people to learn about, and from, each other. It can provide
a common social arena that allows people to discover new friends, build new families,
and have amazing experiences that will shape who they become in the future.
With all that said, it is vital to remember that larping is still a hobby. A participant is
surrounded by real people when they engage in this activity. Just because participants
have larp in common with each other, does not mean that they have already built a lasting
social bond or have knowledge enough of each other to be able to make assumptions.
For real communities, friendships, and lasting bonds to grow, participants who larp
need to step beyond the limitations of the experience of game. Larp should be used as a
hobby that builds friendships and bonds instead of being used as the only medium for
how a person experiences having friendships and bonds.
Larp changes. Event organizers for larps run experiences for a while and then they
stop. Individual branches for larps open and close over time for a number of reasons.
With time, story focuses change, mechanics change, and cultural norms of society
change.
In addition to all of the changes that happen with larp itself, over time everyone
who participates in the hobby of larp changes. What a person found enjoyable in a larp
in their twenties may not be the same as what they would find enjoyable in their 30s.
In addition, the time that a person can invest into the hobby can change as their life
changes.
It is important to remember that community exists outside of larp as a hobby.
Larp is not and should not be the most important thing in a person’s life. Instead,
participants should take the opportunity to build friendships outside of the hobby while
enjoying this wonderful shared experience.
206
206
DYSTOPIA RISING
“People don’t need a
reason to be awful to
each other. They just
need to survive. But
people don’t need a
reason to survive, either.
They just need each other.
Figure that one out, you’ve
got a shot at
understanding
why we’re
all still
here.”
A NEW STORYPATH SYSTEM RPG COMING
207
SOON FROM ONYX PATH PUBLISHING
LARP EVOLVED 207

DRELARP Edit 10 PDF

Uploaded by

Document Information

Original Title

Copyright

Available Formats

Share this document

Share or Embed Document

Sharing Options

Did you find this document useful?

Is this content inappropriate?

Copyright:

Available Formats

DRELARP Edit 10 PDF

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

Kai Sorenson (Order #22082294)

WRITERS AND DESIGNERS

Previous Edition Contribution

Kai Sorenson (Order #22082294)

Kai Sorenson (Order #22082294)

Kai Sorenson (Order #22082294)

Kai Sorenson (Order #22082294)

Kai Sorenson (Order #22082294)

Kai Sorenson (Order #22082294)

character happy (and not the player)

Kai Sorenson (Order #22082294)

Kai Sorenson (Order #22082294)

Kai Sorenson (Order #22082294)

In a postapocalypse narrative there are a number of incredibly sensitive subjects

Kai Sorenson (Order #22082294)

does. Instead, you are given eight

Kai Sorenson (Order #22082294)

Once you are an experienced

Kai Sorenson (Order #22082294)

KEY STORY POINTS

Kai Sorenson (Order #22082294)

Kai Sorenson (Order #22082294)

BASIC STARTING PROPS FOR

EVOLVING YOUR PROPS FORWARD

Kai Sorenson (Order #22082294)

As technology advances, these details may be

Kai Sorenson (Order #22082294)

More information about each Strain and Lineage can be found in

Kai Sorenson (Order #22082294)

Researchers, scientists, and others

When people think of Elitariats, they

Kai Sorenson (Order #22082294)

Solestros share many of the characteristics

Kai Sorenson (Order #22082294)

Baywalkers are clever—very clever. And

Yorkers are quintessential Townies, living

Kai Sorenson (Order #22082294)

Vegasians are often seen as duplicitous

Kai Sorenson (Order #22082294)

R overs are the most hospitable and

Kai Sorenson (Order #22082294)

Kai Sorenson (Order #22082294)

Kai Sorenson (Order #22082294)

With slightly sharper teeth and large

R emnants are often known as genetic

Kai Sorenson (Order #22082294)

T he Tainted are thought to have

Kai Sorenson (Order #22082294)

M ericans are everywhere. They can

Kai Sorenson (Order #22082294)

T he ancestors of Natural Ones were park

O nce thought to be quiet Mericans

Kai Sorenson (Order #22082294)

A ccensorites clung to their religion as

Kai Sorenson (Order #22082294)

W hile some believe in religion and

T he Unborn are one of the strangest

Kai Sorenson (Order #22082294)

T he history of the Iron Strain is

Kai Sorenson (Order #22082294)

R eclaimers fled to the north when

T he Unstable were born from

Kai Sorenson (Order #22082294)