A TRANSHUMAN CYBERPUNK

ROLEPLAYING GAME
BY MARK WHITTINGTON
 // V1.1 Digital Edition //

func credits() {
let createdBy = Mark Whittington
let designLayout = Mark Whittington
let art = Dan Morrison & Mark Whittington
}

func thanks() {
// Before we are all lost, remember those that came before you:
let eastbourneSquad = Mark, George, Jon, Arran, Lex,
John, Dave, Tom
let asylumSquad = Simon, Ross, Steven, Andy, Anthony, Nicholas
let conSquad = Max, Glenn, John, Kim, Claire, Erno, Neil,
Richard, Chris, Sam, Henry
let hangoutSquad = Lloyd, Dan, Rob, Chex
let additionalThanks = to everyone that supported Black Code,
and gave this newbie help and advice.
let wife = Tilly, for believing
}

func fonts() {
let setIn = Eveleth, Pragmatica and Botanika Mono
}

func tools() {
let madeWith = Scrivener, Adobe Creative Cloud, Stock from
Pexels and a boat-load of Matcha
}

run all funcs

©2019 Mark Whittington www.dicemachine.com

INTRO 6 CONTRACTORS 16
MAKING A CONTRACTOR..................18
WELCOME TO THE DAY BEFORE THE
Dexterity Skills...................................22
FUTURE DIES........................................9
Strength Skills...................................22
Where are we?....................................9 Endurance Skills................................22
How does this all work? ................... 11 Wits Skills...........................................22
A quick note on Humanity:................14 Empathy Skills...................................23
Intelligence Skills...............................23
CAPABILITY #TAGS.............................28
Dexterity #TAGs.................................30
Empathy #TAGs.................................32
Endurance #TAGs..............................34
Intelligence #TAGs.............................36
Strength #TAGs.................................38
Wits #TAGs.........................................40
ASSET #TAGS - FRAMES...................42
Bio Frame #TAGs - General..............44
Bio Frame #TAGs - Light...................46
Bio Frame #TAGs - Medium..............48
Bio Frame #TAGs - Heavy.................50
Bio Frame -TAGs - Negatives ..........52
Mech Frame #TAGs - General..........54
Mech Frame #TAGs - Light...............56
Mech Frame #TAGs - Medium..........58
Mech Frame #TAGs - Heavy.............60
Mech Frame #TAGs - Negative.........62
ASSET #TAGS - RESOURCES...........64
ASSET #TAGS - CRAFTING...............67
Crafting #TAGs - General..................67
Ranged Weapon #TAGs ...................70
Ranged Weapon #TAGs - Negative..71
Melee Weapon #TAGs ......................72
Melee Weapon #TAGs - Negative.....73
Vehicle #TAGs.................................... 74
Vehicle #TAGs - Negative..................76
General Kit #TAGs.............................77
General Kit #TAGs - Negative...........78
Tech Kit #TAGs..................................78
Med Kit #TAGs...................................80

2
GEAR 82
LET’S GO SHOPPING.........................84
Debt...................................................84
ALTERNATIVE ECONOMIES...............85
BLOK.................................................85
NKTR.................................................86
Tabs, Dabs and Juices......................86
DogTags............................................87
EQUIPMENT.........................................88
Basic Ranged Weapons....................88
Basic Melee Weapons......................89
Basic Vehicles...................................90
Basic Kits...........................................90
Armour...............................................91
Grenades...........................................91
Equipment.........................................92
PREBUILT FRAMES.............................94
KITBASH Usr42..................................94
Promethean Avanté...........................95
NuYu Swoosh....................................96
Araknid Widow...................................97
NEO Militarius GLADIUS....................98
Adamus Narciss 2.0..........................99
3
CODE 100
HOW DO GAME THO?......................102
Making a Skill Check.......................103
Difficulty..........................................104
Welcome to the gun range.............105
Opposed Checks............................106
CRITs and Momentum....................106
SO WHAT DO THESE SKILLS DO?.. 107
Dexterity Skills.................................107
Strength Skills.................................107
Endurance Skills..............................107
Wits Skills.........................................108
Empathy Skills.................................108
Intelligence Skills.............................108
The finer points of Seduction.........109
COMBAT............................................. 110
Initiative........................................... 110
Having a go..................................... 111
Range.............................................. 112
You hit! What now?.......................... 113
Special Properties and CRITs......... 114
Getting Hurt..................................... 114
Falling Unconscious and Dying....... 115
On Mechs and Hybrids................... 115
Software Damage........................... 116
Getting fixed up.............................. 116
So, you want do a hack?................ 118
GETTING BETTER-ER....................... 118
WORLD 120
HOW THE HELL DID WE GET HERE?.122
SO WHAT’S LEFT?.............................125
THE BLOOM.......................................127
PLACES OF INTEREST
WITHIN THE BLOOM.........................129
The Caul..........................................129
Pantheon Bar & Grill........................130
Haven..............................................130
SilkMarket........................................ 131
The Deeps ......................................132
Yunkka.............................................133
Fracutalé.........................................133
Beastville.........................................134
The Weald.......................................134
Vessick Towers................................135
I........................................................136
Caduceus Tower.............................137
Re/Furb...........................................137
Calamity..........................................138
CORPLEXES BASED
IN THE BLOOM..................................139
MCP.................................................139
Mirror...............................................140
Contractor, Inc................................ 141
KilR..................................................142
Kitbash............................................142
MEMEPLEXES IN THE BLOOM........143
Bloomers.........................................143
Gaians.............................................144
4
THE GRID...........................................146
PLACES OF INTEREST
IN THE GRID......................................150
Retromancer...................................150
Ancient Wu’s Pre-loved Tech
& Data Store....................................150
Trillium HQ....................................... 151
TechNoir.......................................... 151
Tokyo Firestorm..............................152
HangRail Station 357......................153
Djinn’s Steam Box...........................154
Beresford Towers............................154
The Bowels......................................155
The Vault..........................................156
CORPLEXES BASED
WITHIN THE GRID.............................157
Promethean ....................................157
NuYu................................................157
Sturm...............................................159
MEMEPLEXES IN THE GRID............160
Plaque.............................................160
Edgers.............................................160
Gleamers.........................................161
TEMPLE..............................................163
PLACES OF INTEREST
WITHIN TEMPLE................................166
Goddess Lounge............................166
Ascension Rise................................167
The Vermilion Baize.........................168
Voltzenboltz.....................................169
493rd Church of EDEN....................169
CORPLEXES BASED
WITHIN TEMPLE............................... 171
Saracen........................................... 171
Volstock........................................... 171
Cleric Medical................................. 172
Neo-Militarius..................................173
Coggers.......................................... 174
Street Kata...................................... 174
Bleach............................................. 175
THE HIVE............................................177
PLACES OF INTEREST
WITHIN THE HIVE.............................. 181
Arbouralis........................................ 181
Spun Sugar.....................................182
Leafmall 13......................................182
Gateway 4.......................................183
Amazon Pryme................................184
CORPLEXES BASED
WITHIN THE HIVE..............................185
Aphid Biotech..................................185
Araknid ...........................................186
CutePupa........................................186
Krysalyd...........................................187
MEMEPLEXES WITHIN THE HIVE....188
Drones.............................................188
Animus.............................................189
The Sign..........................................189
WELCOME TO THE TOY BOX...........190
SmartPads.......................................190
The Feed.........................................192
Crystal Wafer...................................193
Weavers...........................................193
Crafting............................................195
Debt.................................................198
Gravitics .........................................199
HangRails .......................................199
Weapons.........................................200
Food & Drink...................................202
Brave new world..............................203
5
SECRETS 204
WELCOME TO THE BEST JOB IN THE
WORLD...............................................206
Before you start..............................206
#TOOMANYTAGs.............................207
Skinning...........................................207
Contractor, Inc................................207
The Badge.......................................208
Contracts.........................................209
Quick Contract Generation.............209
Antagonists..................................... 212
NPC #TAGs...................................... 213
Sample NPCs.................................. 214
THE BLACK CODE............................218
DNA.....................................................220
Comics ...........................................220
Cinema............................................220
TV....................................................221
Art....................................................221
Books..............................................221
RPGs...............................................221
Music...............................................221
END FUNC.........................................222
HANDOUTS 224
INT
RO
func Intro() {
let quote = “Life is all about evolution. What looks like
a mistake to others has been a milestone in my life.
Even if people have betrayed me, even if my heart was
broken, even if people misunderstood or judged me,
I have learned from these incidents.
We are human and we make mistakes,
but learning from them is what makes the difference.”
let attrib. = Amisha Patel
}

run func

7
Rash slid across the hard tarmac as the bullets buzzed and
popped above her. She was built for speed, and the ceramic
slide-plates and her gravitic boots kept her moving. As a
messenger, her contracts usually involved avoiding traffic and
the occasional time limit... this was something different. Corplex
mercenaries were after the case. Well armed and well trained.
She knew her way around the Bloom, perhaps better than
anyone who wasn’t born here, but outrunning a Saracen hit team
was going to be a challenge. She could hear the fizz of gravitic
engines above. They had the rooftops covered.
Weaving through the crowds, keeping her head down, she had
to do something. Something fast. She eyed the security case.
Armoured, but a cheap lock.
The DataPollen blew, covering the city in wisps of green,
updating The Feed. The crowds slowed suddenly as their
SmartPads beeped and pinged informing of updates. Rash took
her chance.
Speeding up the wall in a high arc, she flung the case as far
and high as she could, then slowed her trajectory by slamming
into a neon Chyk’n Mylk® sign. Sparks and glass flowered as she
slipped through a window into the building.
The whine of gravitics and sweep of searchlights went past,
chasing the case.
Catching her breath, she glanced at the small vial in her hand.
Black liquid seemed to flow strangely inside as she tilted it back
and forth, as if it wasn’t paying attention. She popped open the
storage compartment in her arm and stowed the vial inside.
“Let’s get you home.” She said.

8
Welcome to the day before the
future dies.
Black Code is a Roleplaying Game set in a future where
humanity and technology are intermingled so closely we
don’t know where we are going next, vast corporate powers
manipulate that technology for their own ends, and something
dark is lurking in the sewers and alleys waiting...
You will need 3-6 players who want to be badass Contractors
trying to stop the world falling to pieces (or at least profit off
the turmoil) and 1 extra special player to be the badass CM
(Code Master or Mistress or Meglodon if you feel the need to
label stuff) who is the facilitator of the game. The CM comes
up with the plot and action, the other players tell the CM what
they want to do, the CM tells them what happens, if there’s
an element of chance involved: there’s dice rolling. You get it.
You’ve all done this before.
This book is broken into 5 sections:
Intro - You’re already here, the baby pool before you go for a dive.
Contractors - How to make a cool character to go mess stuff up.
Gear - Toys to play with and how to buy them.
Code - The rules and how to do things.
World - Details of the future and all the interesting places you’ll be
breaking into or out of.
Secrets - The CM’s section. Don’t read this if you’re a Player. Or do
and you’ll have to run your own game for other people, doofus.

Where are we?

It’s many years since a global collapse “ended the world”.
Codeplagues - wirelessly distributable computer viruses
weaponised nanotechnology into deadly self-replicating
swarms of destruction. A worldwide “Grey Goo” apocalypse all
but destroyed the world as we knew it.

9
The last city is known as Darwin. A massive nanite-
constructed conurbation that is constantly growing new
buildings, protected by an energy field known as The Caul
that destroys rogue nanotech from outside. Beyond The Caul
is Wasteland, an endless grey desert…
Those that leave the city do not return.
Technology has made leaps and bounds. It is a relatively
simple matter to upload your consciousness into a new body
or Frame. Frames are either Mechanical (Mech), Biological
(Bio) or a combination (Hybrid). Frames are seen as the hot
new desirable products, you change or upgrade them as
often as you change your phone. Most items in Darwin are
Woven, a form of 3D printing: you basically buy a template
and they are created by nanotech weavers while you wait.
Not built to last and a bit blocky, but they work fine. Specialist
items are Crafted, these take time & effort and skill to create
by hand, cost a fortune and often have unique abilities.
Society is broken into two main forms: The Corplex and The
Memeplex. Corplexes are massive corporate conglomerates
that sell & control everything. Corplexes mainly concern
themselves with managing their own Arcologies and selling
their products and ideology across Darwin. Memeplex is a
label for subcultures, religions, racial & political groups, gangs,
etc. In the world of Black Code you would belong to a Gamer
Memeplex for example.
Darwin consists of the main city sprawl known as The Bloom
that is seen as a little lower class, and Corplex Arcologies
that are their own little megacity societies that have sectioned
themselves off:
Temple - a Corplex Arcology that houses a society of mostly Mech
Frame citizens that believe technology is holy;

10
 The Hive - a Corplex Arcology that believes that Bio Frames and
genetic modification hold the key to humanities future;
The Grid - a Corplex Arcology that still clings to capitalism, and the
citizens believe transforming themselves into Hybrid Frames with
both cyberware and biotech is the key to survival.

The player’s characters are Contractors - independent

professionals that hold a license to freely travel between the
Arcologies in Darwin that are hired by Corplexes, Memeplexes
and individuals to handle problems... Using an app. Basically
Uber for freelance trouble... specialists.
Oh, yeah I nearly forgot: people have been disappearing,
strange events have been happening and something dark
is lurking on the streets of Darwin. It’s all about to go very
wrong.
How does this all work?
This game is a toolkit for roleplaying in the dark future. As
a player we give you a whole bunch of options to create
whatever character you like, with a light system that’s got
just enough “crunch” to make decisions matter. As a CM, the
background is a buffet - if you don’t want to take in the whole
transhuman thing you can just use one of the Arcologies - to
focus on traditional cyberpunk for example, just set your game
in The Grid.
All the rules are covered in detail in the Code chapter, but let’s
cover the basics before we jump into making characters. Take
a look at the character sheet and wonder at the mathematical
beauty of the hexagon while we jump in.
The Capability Grid shows your strengths and weaknesses.
Each hex filled gives a point to spend in your skills and
completely filling a grey area give you #TAGs - powers
and abilities that make you special. This gets filled up with

11
points when you make your character, and when you gain
experience through play.
The system uses 4d6. That’s four six-sided dice. You’ve
probably got a million already but go on, treat yourself to four
new ones. I’ll wait.
Skills are rated from 1 to 4. Whenever you want to try and
use a skill, what we like to call “making a Skill Check” you roll
4d6 and take three of them (which three depends on your Skill
level), add them together and the total will tell the CM whether
you succeeded or failed. Note any sixes you roll - these might
be important later on and are called CRITs.
For each point in the appropriate Skill you can take the
highest dice first before taking the remaining lowest dice up
to three. That’s a hell of a sentence so lets break it down:
If you have no points in the Skill you roll 4d6 and add
together the 3 lowest dice. Bummer.
If you have a Skill of one you roll 4d6, add the highest die
and two lowest dice together.
If you have a Skill of two you roll 4d6, add the two highest
dice and lowest die together.
If you have a Skill of three you roll 4d6, add the three
highest dice together.
If you have a Skill of four you roll 4d6, add the three
highest dice together. If you succeed you get a free extra
CRIT - You’re so much more of a badass than those “Skill
three” newbs.
CRITs do cool things like make your equipment have extra
effects or add to the next roll for skills you’re specialised
in - we’ll cover that in a later section but for the moment just
remember roll four dice, take three and add them, 6s are
great.

12
Hardware is a representation of how tough your Frame is.
When your Hardware drops below your Threshold value
you are in trouble: -1 Skill to all Checks and you will lose 1
Hardware a round. You will also need to make a Disruption
Check (Tough) at the beginning of your turn to act.
Resistance is armour, it reduces all damage you take by this
amount.
Software is your mental strength, innate ability to fight off
infections, avoiding being hacked, etc. Probably best not
to worry about this as it won’t come up often… *innocent
whistle*. It works in the same way as Hardware though you
make a Disruption Check (Will) when in Threshold.
#TAGs are the building blocks of your character. These will
be situational bonuses for skills, and cool powers or abilities
for your character. On the rear of the sheet you will see your
Assets: your stuff. Frame, Resources and Crafting are all
the things you can own and they can have #TAGs as well.
Note if you get too many #TAGs you will also pick up negative
-TAGs as well - sorry about that.
That’s pretty much it for the quick tour - now you know where
the toilets are and where to hang your coat it’s time to jump
in. Where next? Contractors (p16) will show how you build
a character so that’s pretty cool. Gear (p82) Tells you about
money and what to spend it on. Maybe you want to see how
all this dice stuff works in practice so Code (p100) is your
next stop for the rules. If you just want to swim in all this great
background then World (p120) is the place. Secrets (p190)
is for CMs that want to run a game, Players might want to skip
that if you don’t want some minor background spoilers. Hey,
do what you like. It’s your game now.

13
A quick note on Humanity:
The world of Black Code is a weird and wonderful place, when
you can modify or change your body at will a lot of the old
world bullshit sort of isn’t important any more. No one cares if
you have a pee-pee or a woo-woo or a multi-factional 8 way
sex port. Or if you like or don’t like playing with those things.
The astute among you may have also noticed that there isn’t
a little box on the character sheet that says “Sex” or “Race”
- because your “Style” is whatever you want it to be. You do
you.
However, the Corplexes controlling the Temple aren’t big fans
of smelly Bios wandering around its metal utopia, and the Hive
Corplexes don’t like dirty, un-recyclable Mechs spoiling its
fleshy nirvana, so frameism does exist... But, they’re the bad
guys - Contractors are better than that. What do you know?
The future maybe isn’t so dark after all.

14
15
CONT
RACT
ORS
func Contractors() {
let quote = Attitude is more important than the past,
than education, than money, than circumstances,
than what people do or say. It is more important
than appearance, giftedness, or skill.
let attrib. = Charles R. Swindoll
}

run func

17
Making a Contractor
Creation is pain, so let us hold your hand as we go through this
together - for the first time, maybe print out a character sheet
and refer to it during the following steps. Don’t worry - we got
you.
Choose a Name, an Archetype, and a Home Turf. Your Name
can be whatever you like, some Contractors use their full name,
some a cool sounding nickname. Archetype is your primary
capability focus, where most of your aptitude or training is:
Messenger - Expertise in Pilot, Ranged and Sleight. You rush around
and deliver stuff and your best Capability is Dexterity.
Warrior - Expertise in Feat, Melee and Threat. You stomp around and
hurt stuff and your best Capability is Strength.
Hunter - Expertise in Track, Stealth and Tough. You stalk around and
hunt stuff and your best Capability is Endurance.
Charmer - Expertise in Charm, Initiative and Perform, You swish around
and influence stuff and your best Capability is Wits.
Healer - Expertise in Medicine, Notice and Will. You ponder around and
heal stuff and your best Capability is Empathy.
Engineer - Expertise in Know Strategy and Tech. You waddle around
and build stuff and your best Capability is Intelligence.

These are broad categories - there’s a lot of mix and matching

so don’t worry - your Healer can carry a big gun we wouldn’t
do that to you.
Your Home Turf is where you live in Darwin, and may in some
way influence your choice of Frame later on, also some #TAGs
will only give you boosts in your Home Turf. Choose from the
Bloom, the Grid, the Hive or Temple. There’s more info about
these in the World section.

18
 TL;DR:
Name: Your Handle, Moniker, Alias. Doesn’t need to be
your real name - you are who you want to be, right?
Archetype: The kind of Contractor you are based on your
highest Capability. Dexterity: Messenger, Strength:
Warrior, Endurance: Hunter, Wits: Charmer, Empathy:
Healer, Intelligence: Engineer. Everyone fits in a
box - it’s the future.
Home Turf: Where you are from. The Bloom, the Grid, the Hive
or Temple

Let’s have an example, which is a great time to switch to italics:

I want to make a cute little Mech girl who’s really fast. I see
her as always moving, so I decide her Name is Fidget.
Speedy people have a high Dexterity so the Archetype of
Messenger sounds perfect for Fidget.
She’s a Mech, and while there are Mechs all over Darwin I
think Temple is great for her Home Turf.
Fill in your Hexes on the Capability Grid. Each segment
coresponds to a Capability, either Dexterity, Strength and
Endurance - think of these as your Hardware or Empathy, Wits,
and Intelligence - these are your Software. These represent
your character’s aptitudes or training in those Capabilities.

STRENGTH STRENGTH
The Warrior The Warrior

Grey Hexes
give you #TAGs
er

when you fill 12 points to spend on

EN e H
e
se Y

se Y

Th
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ng
es ERIT

es ERIT

the section Dexterity Skills and

DU UN
RA TE
e XT

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3 Dexterity #TAGs
NC R
Th DE

Th DE
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Later sections need

more Hexes filled to
gain you a #TAG
Th

Th

EN r
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Ch ITS

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W

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19
IN e E
m

Th
er

er
 Dexterity - Your reactions, speed, hand eye coordination.
Strength - Your raw power, physicality and the ability to use it.
Endurance - Your tenacity, patience and the ability to ignore physical
stress.
Wits - Your magnetism, manipulation and knowing when to make a
move.
Empathy - Your attachment to the world, living beings and mental
endurance.
Intelligence - Your recalling and using information, and fixing stuff.

Humans are complicated, and these are ambiguous definitions

at best - don’t worry too much about it and fill in those cool
Hexes.
Fill Hexes in from the centre outwards in rows. Hexes are either
white or grey: either type of hex gives you a Capability Point to
buy ranks in the three Skills under that Capability; grey Hexes
also gain you a Capability #TAG when you fill all the linked grey
Hexes.
You get 12 Hexes in your primary Capability, 8 Hexes in
two other Capabilities and 4 Hexes in the three remaining
Capabilities.
Fidget is fast so I fill in 12 Hexes in the Dexterity segment,
this means I get 12 points to spend on Dexterity Skills and
I also fill up 3 Grey areas so I can pick 3 Dexterity #TAGs
You primary Capability is important! It also gives you
Momentum on that Capabilties’ Skills. - this means you can
save CRITs on those skill rolls to add to the next roll in that
Skillset. For the moment just tick the momentum box in that
Skillset.
Spend Capability Points to improve your Skillset. All Skills start
at zero. The first rank in a Skill costs 1 Capability Point, the

20
second rank 2 points, the third rank 3 points and the forth
rank 4 points. So buying a Skill at 3 costs 6 Capability Points.
Skills increase your chance of succeeding Skill Checks. So you
COULD be a Min Max Mary and take Ranged Skill at 4 and
have two 1s for the other two Skills… Who needs Pilot right?
Any unsused capability points are saved - you’ll earn more
through experience.
I figure Fidget is the kind of girl who whirls around a big
gun, so I buy Ranged at rank 3 which costs 1+2+3 =
6 points. Sleight is great for running, jumping climbing
up walls, etc. So I get that at rank 2 for 1+2 = 3 points.
I buy a rank of Pilot for 1 point too - just in case. That
leaves 2 points left over - we’ll save those. I also tick the
Momentum box as Dexterity is Fidget’s primary Capability.
DEXTERITY Skills MOMENTUM

pilot 6

ranged 6

sleight 6

TL;DR:
Hexes: 12 in your best Capability, gives you 12 points to
spend on that Capabilities 3 Skills, Momentum for
that Skillset and 3 Capability #TAGs. 8 in your two
next best Capabilities, gives you 8 points to spend
on those Skills and two #TAGs each. 4 in everything
else, gives you 4 points for Skills and a #TAG for
each.
Skills: Cost 1+2+3+4 as you go up.

21
Dexterity Skills
Pilot - Control and knowledge of vehicles. Riding bikes, driving cars and
flying gravitics.
Ranged - Shooting and throwing. Mostly used in combat.
Sleight - Agility and manual dexterity. Climbing, jumping, dodging,
pickpocketing, etc.
Messengers have Momentum in Dexterity Skills
Strength Skills
Feat - Lifting heavy things and wrestling.
Melee - Fighting in close combat, both unarmed and with weapons.
Threat - Intimidation, being scary. Social Checks where fear is a factor.
Warriors have Momentum in Strength Skills
Endurance Skills
Track - Following, shadowing, trailing.
Stealth - Moving unseen and unobserved. Not just dressing in black and
hiding in shadows, but also not being noticed in a crowd. Defence skill
against Notice.
Tough - Feats of physical endurance, pain tolerance, etc. Being injured
enough will require Tough Checks to act.
Hunters have Momentum in Endurance Skills
Wits Skills
Charm - Being likeable and amiable and skilled in the finer points of
seduction. Social Checks where being liked is a factor.
Initiative - When you act when the chips are down.
Perform - Creativity and pretending. Music, Art, Acting - Social Checks
where deception is a factor.

Charmers have Momentum in Wits Skills

22
Empathy Skills
Medicine - Healing, diagnosing injury and ailments in Bio and Hybrid
frames. Also covers forensics and chemistry.
Notice - Awareness and perception. Also a defence skill for opposing
Stealth and Perform when being used to deceive.
Will - Self worth and mental endurance. Defence skill for opposing
social Checks where willpower is a factor (Threat, Seduction, Charm).

Healers have Momentum in Empathy Skills

Intelligence Skills
Know - Erudition and streetwise. Know Checks can give you background
info on the subject at hand, might be only applicable to your home
Corplex. Also used to pick out the correct information when searching a
load of data or researching.
Strategy - Logical thinking and strategic projection. Piecing information
together to surmise the probable outcome. Strategy Checks can also be
used by the CM to hint at possible paths if the players get stuck.
Tech - Repair and fault diagnosis of Mechs, The non-gooey bits of
Hybrids and other machines. Also covers physical/electronic security
and hacking.

Engineers have Momentum in Intelligence Skills

Work out your derived Speed, Hardware and Software
scores. Speed is how many metres/turn you can move and
is the number of Dexterity hexes you have. Hardware is how
much physical damage, stress and exhaustion you can handle
and is the total of your Strength, Dexterity and Endurance
Hexes. Hardware Threshold is when you start to feel it
and half your Hardware Value. Software is how much mental
pressure, electricity, infection, clowns, etc. you can handle
and is equal to the total of your Wits, Empathy and Intelligence
hexes. Software Threshold is when you start to go crazy
and is equal to half your Software Value. Note: you may get

23
#TAGs later on that modify these totals.
After buying all Fidgets Skills I add up her derived scores.
Her DEX is 12 so that’s her speed, not too shabby. Her
DEX 12 + STR 4 + END 4 = 20 Hardware. Half that means
her Hardware Threshold is 10. Her WIT 8 + EMP 4 + INT 8
= 20 Software so 10 Software Threshold.

TL;DR:
Speed: Go-ness = DEX in Metres/Turn
Hardware: Hit Points = STR+DEX+END.
Hardware Threshold: Bleeding = 1/2 Hardware.
Software: Sanity = WIT+EMP+INT.
Software Threshold: Drooling = 1/2 Software.

Choose Capability #TAGs. (p28) For each full grey area in the
Capability grid (i.e. hexes 2 & 3 are an area, 7 & 8 are an area,
9 & 10 are another) you may pick a relevant #TAG. Each #TAG
confers a cool power or ability to the character. These are
basically things you’ve picked up with experience, training or
making the right connections. Anything that gives a +2 bonus
to a Skill Check is added to the total when you roll. Anything
that gives +1 to a Skill is works like an extra Skill Rank.

24
 Fidget has 3 Dexterity #TAGs. I pick
#GREASEDLIGHTNING, #THEQUICKANDTHEDEAD and
#SLICKWILLY and note them in the first three #TAG boxes.
I continue to pick more #TAGs for her other Capabilities
and note them down.
Choose Asset #TAGs. (p42-81) Flip to the back of the sheet -
A character fills in 10 hexes on their primary Asset grid (either
Frame, Resources or Crafting) 8 hexes on their secondary
Asset grid and 4 on their last Asset grid.
Pick a Frame: can either be Bio (either a normal human, made
in the usual way or an artificially grown Biological replacement),
Mech (an artificial, Mechanical replacement) or Hybrid (you
have chosen to improve your body with both Mech and Bio
enhancements like cyberware and genesplicing).
You must also choose a Frame Size: either Light, Medium or
Heavy.
Frame #TAGs (p42) are systems and implants that affect what
your body can do. For each grey area filled in you may choose
a Frame #TAG from the appropriate Frame Type General pool
or Frame Size pool. So if I’m a Large Bio I can pick from the
Bio General Pool and the Bio Heavy Pool. Hybrids are always
Frame Size: Medium, but choose from BOTH Bio and Mech
General pools ONLY. For every 3 Frame #TAGs chosen, you
must always choose an appropriate Frame negative -TAG.
Come up with a Frame Style name and a cool description
of what your frame looks like. Fill in the Frame Type, Size and
Style on the front of the character sheet too as a reminder
when describing yourself. If any #TAGs change your Speed or
Tolerances, remember to note that on the front of the sheet.
I picked Frame to be Fidget’s primary Asset so fill in 10
hexes, which nets her 3 Frame #TAGs. I see her as a small
and light Mech, so I fill in Mech for Frame Type, Light for

25
 Frame Size and come up with the name “Cherubim C-35”
for Frame Name. I come up with a cool description and
add it to the Style box.
As she’s a Light Mech I can choose from the Generic
Mech and Light Mech #TAG pools. I pick #DRIVE
(noting that the Speed bonus is doubled because
of the #GREASEDLIGHTNING #TAG I picked earlier),
#SELFREPAIR and #BASE2. Three #TAGs means I have to
pick a negative -TAG too, So I pick -SUPALIGHT
Resource #TAGs (p64) are things you can use, people you
know, etc. Resource #TAGs are tiered, so in order to receive
the second tier (T2) in a Resource #TAG, you must have
previously picked the first (T1), etc. note there are no negative
Resource #TAGs. Come up with a description of your clothes,
style etc. If you don’t have any of the *CASH #TAGs you’re on
basic income and working hand to mouth to make ends meet.
Note: Resource #TAGs are limited to T1 for starting characters.
Crafting #TAGs (p67). Black Code characters have one
Crafted item, either a Weapon, Kit or Vehicle. Choose a
baseline Item from the appropriate printed item list - this it
the Type. As before, filled grey areas mean you can pick
a #TAG from the general pool or Crafting Type pool. For
every 3 Crafting #TAGs chosen, you must always choose an
appropriate negative -TAG. Come up with a unique name and
description of your pride and joy. Write the “improved” stats for
your item either in the Gear or Weapon section on the front of
the sheet for ease of use during play. You’ll only forget.
I like the idea of a small Mech girl wielding a gigantic cannon
like it’s a toy. I spend 8 hexes on Crafting, which gets me Two
#TAGs. I pick a Large Automatic as the base weapon and
choose #HOLLOWPOINT and #QUICKDRAW.

26
TL;DR:
Grey Areas in the Grids = #TAGs: These are powers, abilities
or things that make your character awesome. Stuff on the front
of the sheet is what your good at, stuff on the back is what
you’ve spend your money on.
Frame: Your body. Pick a Type and Size: Bio, Hybrid or Mech;
Light Medium or Heavy. These affect the Frame #TAGs you can
pick
Resources: Contacts and cash, etc.
Crafting: Pick a Weapon, Vehicle or Kit, add #TAGs to make it
unique.

Black Code uses a “skinning” system. Things can look

HOWEVER YOU WANT, but any in-game effects need #TAGs,
and size is decided by Frame Size. For example, a Mech Frame
can be described as having giant arms, but you won’t do
any extra damage until you get a #TAG like #OVERCLOCKED
or implant a Large Impact weapon with #SEXMACHINE.
Remember the size of your Frame though - those negative
-TAGs are there for a reason.
This is really where you can go wild. Mechs can look like
anything, and some are specifically designed to look just like
humans or animals. Bio have a huge range of Frames, so you
can be everything from a normal-looking average person to
a little kitty or maybe a shark that flies around on gravitic fins
and breathes through a tube… Your Hybrid can make one of
their arms a shiny gold claw just by describing it that way. The
possibilities are endless.
As a note for CMs, Players are the driving force with their
characters, and don’t be afraid to keep track of these #TAGs
to flavour your sessions. If Delia’s character is a mobster from
the criminal underworld, thats going to be a little spice you can
add to your campaign broth. And give her some cops to deal
with.

27
 Lloyd wants to make a Mech character that’s a small
ball that rolls around and stuns people with electricity,
because: Lloyd. He puts 10 points into Frame, and
chooses a Light Mech Size. He takes a look at the pools
and picks #TINYTIM, #ROLLERBALL and #DRIVE and
-SUPERLIGHT for his negative. So far so good. For his
Crafted Item he puts 8 points in, getting him Two #TAGs,
and chooses a Large Entangling Melee weapon (reasoning
Grab is a good representation of being stunned by
electrocution), picking #HEAVYMETAL to increase the stun
effect and #LEAVEITTOCLEAVER to represent the bolt
arcing out to someone else. Perfect. The CM gives up and
goes home.
Oh and if you want to have multiple crafted items, that’s fine -
just print out one of the sheets with extra grids on at the back
of the book.
TL;DR:
You can make pretty much whatever you want, skin your creation
as you like description-wise and work with the CM to put
together the game effects. Cool eh?

Last but not least, choose Gear. Everyone gets a SmartPad,

a couple of sets of clothes (if you don’t have *CHIC or *CASH
Resource #TAGs: they’re old, borrowed or stolen) and some
small nick-nacks your character would have. Everything else
has to be bought from the Gear section with Resource #TAGs.

Capability #TAGs
These are what make your character unique: little tricks and
knacks you have picked up with experience or what fame and
reputation you’ve built up during your life.

28
29
Dexterity #TAGs
#1SHOT1KILL
You’re not the kind of girl that needs two tries.
+2 to Range Checks when firing a single shot or throwing a weapon. No
effect on weapons with Burst.
#2FAST2FURIOUS
You were born in a car.
+2 to Pilot Checks when using vehicles to do something really stupid.
#BABAYAGA
Your reputation precedes you.
May use reputation to automatically win a Threat Check to intimidate, get
past bouncers, avoid imperial entanglements, etc. In exchange the CM
will add a new NPC to the campaign who’s after you. Good luck!
#BAGO’GUNS
They run out of ammo so quick.
May ignore the Initiative penalties to draw or change weapons.
#CENTERAXISRELOCK
Flick, snap, click.
May ignore the Initiative penalty to reload weapons.
#CLOWNCOLLEGE
It takes a special type of person to jump off a building to entertain a crowd.
May use the Sleight Skill instead of Perform to fake an injury, perform
stunts, juggle, etc.
#DOUBLETHEPLEASURE
Who cares if it’s impractical in real life combat - it’s cool!
May ignore the Skill and Initiative penalties for using a Small Weapon in
each hand.
#DOUBLETOP
Who needs guns?
+2 to Ranged Checks when throwing.
#EZEKIEL25-17
You’re on a first name basis with your dry cleaner.
+2 to Ranged Checks at Close range (adjacent to your target).

30
#FORSHOW
You’re not over-compensating for anything.
+2 to Ranged Checks with Small Shot weapons.
#GREASEDLIGHTNING
Built to run.
Speed bonuses from Frame #TAGs are doubled.
#HARDCOREPARKOUR
The floor is lava.
+2 to Sleight Checks when moving over (or falling off) terrain.
#HIGHNOON
You know, like using a gun properly.
Ranged Check CRITs add +1 Damage this turn if you are using a single
Small Shot weapon with both hands.
#LEAFONTHEWIND
Watch how you soar.
+2 to Pilot Checks to escape or avoid dying when off the ground.
#MISSDAISY
You’re insured, right?
Pilot Check CRITs add to +1 to Vehicle Ram Damage this turn.
#PALMDITCHSTEALSWITCH
You have nothing up your sleeves.
+2 to Sleight Checks for concealing, moving or revealing small items
unobserved.
#QUICKORTHEDEAD
Act before you think.
May use the Sleight Skill for Initiative Checks.
#SLICKWILLY
Go go go.
Sleight Check CRITs add +2 to Speed for next turn.
#TOPGUN
You’ve got that loving feeling.
May use Pilot Skill instead of Charm - but if you fail you look like a REAL
slimeball.

31
Empathy #TAGs
#3BLOCKSINBEIJING
You know all the symptoms.
+2 to Medicine Checks when dealing with infections.
#70HOURWEEKS
You work through the pain.
May roll the Will Skill instead of Tough for Hardware Disruption (Tough)
Checks.
#ANYONEGOTAPEN?
You can improvise in emergency situations.
May use anything to hand as a Medical kit. May involve modifiers to skill if
doing something complex (CM call).
#BAMF
You’re rarely intimidated.
CRITs on Will Checks vs Threat give +1 to all Social Checks for the rest of
the scene.
#BEDSIDEMANNER
Their mother always wanted them to date a doctor.
+2 Charm Checks if they know you’re a healer (white coat, Medkit,
reputation, etc.)
#COUCHPOTATO
People tell you about their mother.
May roll Medicine Checks to heal Software Damage (CM call on time -
1d6 per day).
#DONTYOUDIEONME
You can bring people back from the brink.
May reroll (once) Medicine Checks to resuscitate if they are at -Threshold.
Must say something pithy and quotable.
#GRACE
You can ignore distractions. Like gunfire.
Ignore penalties to Medicine Checks in combat.
#HIPPOCRACY
I mean it’s more of a guideline than an oath.
+2 to Medicine Checks when trying to hurt someone (poison,
“interviewing”, etc.)

32
#HYPERAWARE
You pick up the details in the background.
+2 to Notice Checks if not looking for anything specific.
#ITSNOTLUPUS
Your bedside manner isn’t the best.
May use the Medicine Skill instead of Threat to intimidate. Doctors are
scary, yo.
#JUSTONEMORETHING
You notice the vital thing.
May reroll a Notice check if everyone missed something (CMs call).
#NOTACULTIST
I mean honestly, you’re really not.
May use the Will Skill instead of Perform to lie.
#SHERLOCKED
It’s elementary.
CRITs on Notice Checks give +1 Know and Initiative Checks for the rest of
the scene.
#SLAPPATCH
Your stitches are really neat.
CRITs on healing Medicine Checks heal +1 Hardware.
#STICKITTOTHEMAN
You fight for the little guy.
+2 Will Checks against Corplex Executives .
#THEMARKER
They owe you a favour.
You can “Make a Call”. No matter where you are or what you’re doing
someone will come and rescue you and your friends. Come up with some
history about who they are and why they owe you. You now owe them.
This keeps going.
#WIKIPEDE
You read a lot.
+2 to Know Checks.

33
Endurance #TAGs
#BLADESINTHEDARK
You’re a sneaky bastard.
May use the Stealth Skill instead of Melee or Ranged if target is unaware
of you or you have higher Initiative total than the target.
#BOUNCEBACK
It’s hard to keep you down.
CRITs on Tough Checks increase your Initiative total by +2.
#CANTSTOPWONTSTOP
Someone else would give up.
+2 to Tough Checks for extended activity - long distance running, staying
awake, etc.
#CIGARETTECASE
Fortunately, you had that thing in your pocket.
Once per session, when you drop to 0 Hardware, you may automatically
succeed the next Hardware Disruption (Tough) Check and increase your
Hardware to 1. You also have a cool scar.
#DIGSDEEP
You have thick skin.
Thresholds are 1/4 of Hardware and Software instead of 1/2. You still die
at -1/2 your Hardware or Software.
#FOOTWORK
You’ve walked these streets all your life.
May use the Track Skill instead of Know.
#GTFO
You’re really fast.
+4 Speed.
#HOMEGAME
You know all the alleys.
+2 to Stealth Checks in your Home Turf.
#IMMOVABLE
You’re hard to slow down.
Initiative loss from Weapon or Grapple hits is halved.

34
#NEVERGIVEUP
You have a lot of willpower.
Ignore first failed Disruption check per scene.
#OFFADUCKSBACK
Your armour is a little thicker
Resistance bonuses from Frame #TAGs are increased by +1.
#OLDGHOSTS
You were a real tearaway in your younger days.
You may automatically succeed a Know Check about a criminal NPC.
They know you though, roll a Charm Check to gauge your current
relationship (<12 bad, 13-15 meh, 16+ good) and work out with the CM
what happened.
#PAPERTIGER
Let’s hope you kill them on the first turn.
CRITs on Stealth Checks increase your Damage rolls by +1 for the next
turn you attack against the target.
#SAYWHATAGAIN
You like these odds.
+2 to Threat Checks if they outnumber you.
#SMOOTHJAZZ
You’ve read too many detective novels.
+2 to Track and Notice Checks if you’ve recently consumed alcohol.
#SPECIALSETOFSkills
You will find them, and hurt them.
+1 to Track Skill if there is a personal reason (CM call) why you need to
find the target.
#TRACEEVIDENCE
You can learn a lot about a person.
CRITs on Track Checks increase your next Know and Notice Checks
concerning the target by +1 for this and next scene.
#WORKINGSTIFF
Everyone should work in a bar for a while.
+2 Charm Checks with menial or serving staff.

35
Intelligence #TAGs
#5TURNSAHEAD
You’re a master planner.
May use the Strategy Skill for Initiative Checks. Cannot be taken with
#QUIETMIND
#MACGYVER
You never had the right tools.
May use anything to hand instead of a Tech Kit. May involve modifiers to
skill if doing something complex (CM call).
#COUNTERPLAY
You play the person not the game.
+2 Skill to Strategy Checks if you know the opponent.
#DISCIPLINEDOTS
You read all the manuals.
You have to +2 to Tech Checks for a repair speciality (Mech repair,
SmartPads, Hybrid implants, Melee or Ranged weapons etc.) May take
more than once. Repair only.
#DOUBLEJEOPARDY
Trivia is your game.
Know Checks may be used to remember all sorts of useless facts.
#DUCKTAPE
Your soldering is really neat.
CRITs on Tech Checks to repair heal +1 Hardware
#FLASHBACK
Of course you brought it.
Once per session on a successful Strategy Check may “have prepared for
that unexpected eventuality”.
#FSOCIETY
You have no boundaries.
+2 to Tech Checks when violating end user license agreements (Hacking,
Breaking & Entering, etc.).
#GEEKCRED
You are well known in your field.
+2 to Social Checks when dealing with “your people”.

36
#HOARDER
You will find a use for it someday.
Always has a load of old junk that can be used for Tech stuff. May need
Tech Checks to convert or repair.
#INTRUSIONSPECIALIST
You can plan a heist in your sleep.
+2 to Strategy Checks to plan a break in, CRITs may be saved and spent
during the operation to give you an easy break (sleeping guard, unlocked
door, etc).
#QUIETMIND
You know where they’re going to look.
May use Strategy Skill for Stealth Checks. Cannot be taken with
#5TURNSAHEAD.
#RETROMANCER
They don’t make them like this any more.
+2 to Tech Checks when building or repairing old tech. CM Call.
#FIREWALLXL5
You know how to write secure code.
+2 Tech Checks vs hacking or virus attacks
#THEKNOWLEDGE
You know all the shortcuts.
CRITs on Know Checks add to Track rolls on the subject / in the area for
the scene.
#TOTALREKALL
You never forget anything.
You have eidetic memory. CM has to remind you of stuff if you didn’t take
notes, and you can make retroactive Notice Checks after the fact.
#UPLINK
You always have a signal.
Has a constant connection to the local strata of current or abandoned
communication networks. May share connection with party over about a
block or so. You still have to wait for DataPollen of course.
#WHERETHEHEARTIS
East, west, home’s best.
+2 to Know Checks about your Home Turf.

37
Strength #TAGs
#3:16
You can tie them into knots.
+2 to Feat Checks to Grapple.
#BRICKSHITHOUSE
Tough as nails.
Hardware bonuses from Frame #TAGs are doubled.
#CHUNKFRIEND!
You need someone to lean on.
Pick a buddy in the group when you first meet. +2 to Tough and Will
Checks when they are with you. Aww.
#CROSSFIT
No pain, no gain.
+2 to Hardware Disruption (Tough) Checks.
#DOYOUEVENLIFT
I mean why do it if no one knows?
+2 to Feat Checks if someone is watching, Brah.
#FEARISTHEMINDKILLER
You’re a big bully.
CRITs on Threat Checks give you +1 on your next Melee Check against
the same target.
#FORAPRO
You’re the kind of person that’ll cut a bitch.
+2 to Melee Checks with Small Slashing weapons.
#GETPUMPED
You’re an endorphin junkie.
CRITs on Feat Checks add +1 to Will Checks in this and next scene.
#HITSLIKEATRUCK
Mercy is for the weak.
CRITs on Melee Checks give +1 Damage to the attack.
#HOWGAUCHE
You are trained to parry attacks.
Can use one of your melee weapon attacks to negate damage from one
attack before your next turn if you make a Melee Check higher than their
attack total. Cannot be used against IMPACT damage.

38
#IKNOWKUNGFU
Your hands are lethal weapons.
Unarmed Melee and Grapple attacks gain +1d6 Damage.
#INOWKNOWWHYYOUCRY
You have a protecting nature.
+2 Hardware Resistance when you place yourself in harm’s way to protect
another person.
#LETSROCK
Bigger the better.
Halve the Initiative penalty for Large Weapons.
#MYNAMERINGSOUT
Omar coming!
+2 to Threat Checks in your Home Turf.
#OORAH
You have friends or family in the service.
+2 to Charm Checks when dealing with Military or Security forces.
#SOUNDBODYSOUNDMIND
You meditate every day.
May use the Feat Skill for Software Disruption (Will) Checks.
#THIRSTY
You like to see them bleed.
Damage that puts your opponent into Hardware Threshold increases your
Initiative total by +2.
#WARPSPASM
You lose it when injured.
+1 to all Melee Damage when in Hardware Threshold.
#WINDMILLIN
Whirling it about really does make it more effective.
CRITs on Melee Checks add +1 to your Initiative total if you are using a
Melee weapon with both hands.

39
Wits #TAGs
#ALPHASTRIKE
On 3. 1... 2... 3...
You may allow other players to use the total of your Initiative Check. Then
their total is affected by their modifiers.
#CAMPAIGNOFDISINFORMATION
You would make a fine politician.
+2 to Perform Checks to deceive. If you are caught out in an obvious
falsehood, Checks for the “scene” will be -1 Skill.
#CRACKERJACKTIMING
OK let’s go!
CRITs on your Initiative Checks give +1 to someone else’s Initiative total.
#FAMEGAME
People ask you for selfies.
Once per session you may use your fame or reputation to get tickets /
into a vip area / not need an appointment, etc. You may be expected to
do something awesome with Perform.
#FIRST
Hit ‘em before they hit you.
+2 to Melee or Range Checks if you have the highest Initiative total.
#IFLOOKSCOULDKILL
You have a withering glare.
Opponents get -1 to Will Skill if you “get your face on”.
#IKNOWAGUY
You’re a people person.
Once per session (or more if the CM is having a real bad day) you can
create a contact on the spot. Charm Check (<10 bad, 12-13 meh, 14+
good) determines their current feelings towards you.
#JUSTAFLESHWOUND
You have a stiff upper lip.
Ignores modifier to social Skills (Threat, Charm, Perform) when in
Threshold.
#LIKEAGLOVE
You fit in almost everywhere... you think.
Ignores modifier to social Skills (Threat, Charm, Perform) due to
appearance. Whether it’s because of your style or you don’t give a hoot is
up to you.

40
#LITTLEBLACKBOOK
You’re DTF.
+2 Charm Checks to those of an applicable sexual orientation.
#LITTLEBLACKDRESS
You always have the right thing in your wardrobe.
Always looks appropriate for an upcoming situation. May involve shopping,
sewing, returning to wardrobe or theft.
#OUTOFNOWHERE
You strike from the shadows.
+2 Initiative Checks if you are unnoticed at the beginning of combat.
#PIKACHU
I choose YOU.
You decide who goes first among matched Initiative scores. Including the
bad guys.
#PRESENCE!
Witness me!
Once per session you may make everyone reroll Initiative. Must do
something to make everyone look at you.
#REALITYBUBBLE
You think you’re impervious.
CRITs on Charm Checks give you +1 Resistance for the turn you are
attacked in the same scene.
#RENAISSANCE
You’re a talented individual.
+2 Perform Checks for a speciality (Pick one - Art, Music, Acting, Dance,
Comedy, etc.) May take multiple times.
#SILVERHAND
You can work the crowd.
CRITs on Perform Checks make you the centre of attention and give you
+1 to Charm and Threat for the scene.
#SUPEREGO
You’re simply the best.
The first time you roll Charm in a scene you get +2 to Charm Checks for
the rest of the scene if you succeed. -1 to Charm Skill if you fail.
#THEYREWITHME
You can get your friends in.
Successful Charm Check gives OTHER members of the party (not you) +2
to Social Checks (Threat, Charm, Perform) for the scene.

41
Asset #TAGs - Frames
OK here’s where it gets super cool. These are all the powers
and abilities your body has. You spent your cash, you went to
the boutique and got this stuff installed. Come up with how it
looks and you’re away. Included in the description are a few
suggestions of what the tech actually is, but you can make your
own decisions if you like - you’re a grown up, right?
Remember to pick from the right pools: Depending on if you
are a Bio or Mech you can pick from that General pool, and the
appropriate pool for your Frame Size (Light Medium or Heavy).
Hybrids can pick from both Bio and Mech General pools only.
#TAG bonuses stack, so if you really want to go for “the full
regeneration build” that’s fine - it’s what the system is for.
If this is all a bit too much hassle, in the Gear chapter there’s a
selection of “prebuilt” Frames ready to go - as long as you’ve
spent 10 asset Hexes on your Frame you can just pick one of
them and they have three #TAGs and a -TAG all ready to write
down.

42
43
Bio Frame #TAGs - General
#CLOUD9
Enhanced Pherom glands. Gene tailored pores. Hair pollen.
+2 to Charm Checks due to pheromones. Anyone that ‘speaks’ Pherom
knows what you’re up to and it doesn’t work on Mechs.
#FLEXIBLE
Stretchy bones. Double way joints. Hydrostatic skeleton.
+2 to Sleight Checks and Perform Checks (dancing, etc.).
#FOREWARNED
Grafted limb. Prehensile tail. Congenital twin.
Extra Limb - May carry a small weapon and make an extra attack at half
the usual penalties. If this tag is taken twice you may ignore the penalty
for small weapons or carry another large weapon at the usual modifier
to multiple attacks - It combines with #DOUBLETHEPLEASURE so if you
want to blow three #TAGs, you can carry two large weapons and make
two attacks with no penalty - you munchkin.
#GOTANOSEFORIT
Canine DNA splice. Tailored receptors. A trunk.
+2 to Notice Checks for smell.
#HARDERBETTER FASTERSTRONGER
Animal DNA, Total body gene therapy. Vat-grown muscle replacements.
+1 Hardware Resist, +2 Hardware, +2 Speed. If you’re a Hybrid and
get #WORKITMAKEITDOITMAKEUS too - congratulations you broke the
system, I hope you’re happy.
... Just kidding, you get an additional negative -TAG. Way to go, bro.
#IDIDYOUREYES
Antennae. Replacement or extra eyes. Split pupils.
Notice Checks can be made at telescopic / microscopic ranges.
#ITJUSTWONTDIE
Gene tailored endorphins. Microbe doctor hive. Overclocked metabolism.
May regenerate 1d6 Hardware per round (with a successful Tough
Check).

44
#PEDIPALPS
Lots of tiny fingers. Tailored mouth parts. Prehensile Hair.
Extra ‘manipulators’ to carry stuff. Cannot be used to make attacks. Gives
a mean massage.
#PRACTICALLYPERFECT
Total gene therapy. Vat grown replacement body. Juice cleanse.
Genetically tip top. 20/20 vision, good hearing, no genetic illnesses or
diseases.
#SLIMER
Custom Skin. Tailored glands. Genetically modified saliva.
You generate a personal “goo”. +2 Slight Checks for movement and +2
Feat to Grapple. Ew.
#SOMETHINGINTHEAIR
Tailored glands. Gene spliced tongue. Antennae.
May ‘speak’ and ‘hear’ Pherom (pheromone communication).
#STICKYPADS
Implanted Claws. Lots of tiny hairs. Sticky skin.
Can crawl on walls and ceilings.
#THEREALTHING
Custom organs. Gene tailored digestive system. Vat grown implant.
May ingest NKTR liquid. Replaces food and doubles all healing recieved.
#THEYRENATURAL
Grafted claws. Tentacles. Fist carpace.
Weapons can be grown into your body. Pick a printed melee weapon
from the list, or you can choose your crafted item: ranged, kit, vehicle
(personal size only), etc. as long as it has the #FLESHPOT #TAG.
#UPTOTHEGILLS
Gills. Tailored Lungs. You’re a fish.
Can breath underwater.
#WEBHEAD
Expellable filament gland. Webslingers. Genetically modified saliva.
Can fire out long sticky ropes. (50m).

45
Bio Frame #TAGs - Light
#BENDLIKETHEWILLOW
Skin Carapace. Flexible Bones. Cockroach DNA.
1/2 damage from falling, grapples or being rammed. Cannot take the
-Brittle Negative.
#BUZZWORDS
Implanted wings. Bird DNA. Insect DNA.
You have little wings and can fly for about 30 mins before you need a
couple of hours rest and a cookie.
#FASTERTHANASPEEDINGBULLET
Gene tailored muscles. Fly DNA. Non-neutonian skin.
Can use your Sleight Skill Rank as Hardware Resistance if moving.
#FLASH
Cheetah DNA, implanted muscles. Juiced endorphin gland
+4 Speed.

46
#HIVEMIND
Clone. Vat grown twin. Bee DNA.
There’s another one of you. An identical duplicate. You share thoughts
and memories, debt and you only earn hexes as one character but must
spend them as if you are separate entities) oh and any Software damage
effects both of you. If you spend more than 12 hours apart you have -1
skill to all actions until reunited. Must take an additional negative Bio tag.
May take multiple times. Usual CM veto applies, but give them an extra
break on this one... Maybe buy them a pizza.
#ITSBEHINDYOU
Enhanced legs. Gene tailored sensorium. Cat DNA.
+2 to Stealth Checks.
#JUSTTROLLING
Modified blood. Microbe doctor hive. Tapeworm DNA.
+1 to heal effect rolls. Either your own natural heaing, regeneration or
healing performed on you.
#PHOTOSYNTHESIS
Plant gene splice. Implanted bowel replacement. Tailored skin.
Energy can be gleaned from only water and light. You don’t need to eat.
#SHORTROUND
Gene therapy. Vat grown replacement. Condensed musculature.
You’re very small. +2 Difficulty to be hit in combat.
#SOCUTE
Vat grown replacement. Bioculpting. Pokemon DNA.
Your frame looks like a kid or small animal, etc. +2 to Social Checks
(Charm, Perform) if the disguise is appropriate.
#SPRINGLOADED
Enhanced sensorium. Tailored nerves. Amphetamine gland.
+2 to Initiative Checks.

47
Bio Frame #TAGs - Medium
#CARAPACE
Thick skin. Carapace. Tailored adrenal gland.
+1 Hardware Resist.
#CCCAMOUFLAGE
Butterfly DNA. Mimic splice. Tailored skin.
Organic disguise (diaphanous layers of “wings”, malleable flesh etc.) that
can look like clothes. Can change colour and style at whim. Or just go
naked with floaty bits flying around you.
#ILIKEBIRDS
Extendable glide membrane. Implanted Wings. Squirrel DNA.
You can make controlled glides. Works like a wingsuit.
#LIFEHACKER
Vat grown organs. Brain implant. Custom endocrine tailoring.
You have total control over your organs. You can pretend to be dead,
fake (or fight) an illness or infection, pass any kind of blood test, not be
drunk (or be REALLY drunk), filter poisons and venoms, you can lose
and gain weight whenever you like (subject to the usual time factors and
ingestion). Kick physical addictions whenever you like. You don’t even
need medication for natural healing. CM call on dealing with really bad
stuff though.
#MEATISBETTERTHANMETAL
Vat grown muscles. Rhino DNA. Dense bones.
+5 Hardware.
#NOFILTER
Gene therapy. Bioculpting. Photoshop gland.
Sometimes they do great work. You are a masterpiece. +2 to Social
Checks (Charm, Perform, Threat) if looks are a factor.
#POLYMORPH
Chameleon DNA, Juiced melanin glands. Mutable bone structure.
You can change your face, hair and skin at will. Generic “not you” is easy,
have to make a Perform Check at 12+ Difficulty to match someone
specific.

48
#SIZEDOESNTMATTER
Heavy / light bones. Modified musculature. Vat grown replacements.
Your #TAG options include the Light OR Heavy Bio list, but you have to
take a negative -TAG of the same type for each “off Medium” #TAG you
pick. This is in addition to the three #TAG rule.
#SKUNKANANSI
Tailored Pherom gland. Musk sprayer. Skin graft.
You can “mark” a target with pheromones. +2 to Track Checks for that
target if you’re on their trail or within a block or so.
#TOOMS
Stretchy bones. Hydrostatic Skeleton. Octopus DNA.
You can stretch your body and limbs at will. The further you stretch the
thinner you are. +2 Feat Checks to grapple and you can fit through
letterboxes etc, with Sleight Checks. You can make a Perform Check at
12 Difficulty to match a Light or Heavy Frame Size.
#TROLLFACE
Modified blood. Microbe doctor hive. Tapeworm DNA.
+2 to heal effect rolls. Either your own natural healing, regeneration or
healing performed on you.

49
Bio Frame #TAGs - Heavy
#BULKPURCHASE
Tailored muscles. Implanted skeletal sheaths. Keto.
+7 Hardware
#CATBUS
Vat grown replacement Frame. Too many implants to count. Appa DNA.
You have multiple legs. Can carry 4 passengers. May run at +1 Speed
per round (max +6) then must move your full speed every round until you
slow down at -2 speed per round until you are at your base speed.
#CHARGE
Vat grown muscles. Bull DNA. Forehead carapace.
If you move your full speed you gain +1d6 Damage and the IMPACT
property to Melee Attacks
#GHOSTINTHESHELL
Overclocked creatine gland. Thick Carapace. Implanted bones.
+2 Hardware Resist.

50
#GOLEM
Super overclocked adrenal gland. Vat grown Frame. Replaced all the muscles
and added a few more.
Your initiative totals are halved. +1 to Feat Skill +1d to Melee or grapple
damage. Whenever you fail a Software Disruption (Will) Check you go
berserk and run amok (you hulk out and the CM gets to batter your
friends a little).
#IMJUSTASPOREBOY
Vat grown implant. Tailored DNA. Really bad spleen modification.
Spore launchers that work just grenades. Pick one type. 5x in stock
regenerate 1 per day.
#NOGAIN
Tailored nerve gates. Brain implant. Spinal shunt.
Ignore Hardware Threshold. You don’t feel pain, bleed. You still go
unconscious at 0 Hardware and die at your usual -Hardware though.
#SAYHELLOTOMYLITTLEFRIEND
Giant vat grown implant. Really weird DNA splice.
Internal storage space. Big enough for a Light Frame. Can “extract” giving
them temporary +2 Speed with a muscle spasm.
#SUPERHEAVYWEIGHT
Overclocked adrenal gland. Vat grown muscles. You’re just an absolute unit.
+1 Damage to all Melee Weapons. They’re just bigger.
#TWOFER
Overgrown glands. Space for extra Implants.
May pick two extra #TAGs from the General Bio pool. Remember you
have to take a negative for every three Frame #TAGs you have, including
this one.
#UNDERTHEBRIDGE
Modified blood. Microbe doctor hive. Tapeworm DNA.
+3 to heal effect rolls. Either your own natural healing, regeneration or
healing performed on you

51
Bio Frame -TAGs - Negatives
-ELEPHANTITIS
Big and Heavy.
(Heavy Frame only) CMs call on Check modifiers and ‘pathing issues’. You
break stuff a lot.
-FRIENDZONE
Don’t worry Sweetie, it’ll happen one day.
(Heavy Frame only) -1 to Charm Skill unless they have the -FRIENDZONE
-TAG. Awwww.
-TREACLETOES
You’re slow. Like really slow.
(Heavy Frame only) -2 Initiative totals. Speed is halved.
-BRITTLE
Never ate your greens.
(Light Frame only) x2 damage from falling, grapple and ramming.
-SLENDERMAN
Organic sculpting didn’t work out the way you wanted.
(Light Frame only) -1 to Charm Skill when not hanging out with other
weirdos.
-SUPERLIGHT
You don’t weigh much.
(Light Frame only) Light enough for anyone to pick up. -1 to Feat Skill
when grappling.
-BADGENES
Something really went wrong.
Natural Healing takes twice as long. NKTR is half as effective.
-CHOKEONIT
You just can’t cut it outside the Hive.
Every day outside the Hive you have to make a Tough check or have -1D
modifier to all Endurance, Strength and Dexterity Skills because the air
makes you sick. You can wear a silly-looking NKTR “breather” if you want.

52
-LOGICAPHILIA
You love Mechs.
Can’t get enough of them. You don’t know what it is but something about
them really appeals to you. +2 to Charm, Perform and Threat Checks
made against you. Maybe you can find the right someone who’s into
meat?
-MESOHUNGY
You have to eat. A lot.
2x food than a normal person. If you have #PHOTOSYNTHESIS you can
either eat like a normal person too or you have to drink 2x as much and
need almost constant light. If you ever ‘miss a meal’ you get a -1 Skill to
all actions until you eat.
-POORIMPULSECONTROL
Glitchy nerves.
Occasional spasms and flutterings. Will Checks to keep it straight. CM call
on effects.
-THECLONEZONE
You’re not a beautiful and unique snowflake.
There are more of you out there. One of them probably has a goatee.
-THEITCH
You need something else.
Drugs, alcohol, weird sex, etc. -1 Skill to everything if you don’t get what
you need every couple of days or so. Or every week if it’s REALLY weird
(CM call).
-UNCANNYVALLEY
They got everything right. The eyes, the cheekbones, etc. But the whole
package just doesn’t look right.
-2 to Charm and Perform Checks unless appearance isn’t an issue.
Y’know, like it should be.

53
Mech Frame #TAGs - General
#2NDAMENDMENT
Cyberarm. Extraneous manipulator. Prehensile cable.
Extra Limb - May carry a small weapon and make an extra attack at half
the usual penalty. If this tag is taken twice you may ignore the penalty for
small weapons or carry another large weapon at the usual modifier to
multiple attacks.
#ASSAULTANDBATTERY
Battery pack. Nanofactory upgrade. Replacement bowel.
You run on electricity, rather than food processing nanites. You require
charging every day or so. You can go into a semi-aware sleep mode to
preserve power.
#BASE2
Ear upgrade. Speakers and microphones. Translation program.
Can understand and transmit Stabdat (STandard Audiovisual Binary DAta
Transfer). To normals it just sounds like a burst of static or a dubstep drop.
#DATABANK
Scrolling data screen. Built in SmartPad. Uplink aerial.
+2 Know Checks. You have to connect to the Feed at least once a day or
the benefit goes.
#IHAVETHETOOLS
Cyberlimb. Hatches. Tool hand.
Built in Tech or Medical kit.
#INPUTSTEPHANIE
Neurochip. Extra eyes. Wires and cables.
Data is your bag. Can read like a hurricane, watch 8x video streams at
once and can hear every conversation in a crowded bus. +1 Skill to
Notice Checks when picking out specific data from a mass of it.
#IWANTYOURBOOTS…
Cybereye. Camera. Red laser.
Thermographic vision. Can see through a wall and notice stuff in pockets.
Practically useless for identifying between Bio stuff and nanites though.
#KITBASH
Open ports. Handles and labelled flaps. Angular Frame.
All your Frame stuff is a little boxy and exposed, but designed to be easily
upgraded and user serviceable.

54
+1 Skill to repair and modify Checks on you. Easily replaceable parts,
though you might have to go with a weird colour or something.
#MACHINELINK
Interface port.
Can connect to other machines with handy retractable cables. +1
to operating that kind of tech (Hacking, Pilot, etc.). Hope there is no
malware.
#ROLLERBALL
Wheels. Tracks. Just a ball.
You don’t have legs. +2 Speed but -1 Skill Sleight Checks to climb.
#SELFREPAIR
Nano factory. Self healing bodywork.
May spend your turn “regenerating”. Repair 1d6 Hardware per round with
a successful Tough Check
#SEXMACHINE
Gun-leg. Sword-arm. Shoulder Mount.
Internal weapon. Pick any of your weapons, and it can be grafted to your
body or pop out somewhere. Not there. OK, there if you really want.
#THATSINTHEROOM!
Cyberear. “Bunny ear” aerial.
Active Sonar. Basically know there’s things around. Can operate in
complete dark and if you are blind. CM note: These things always seem to
spontaneously generate cats, etc. just at the ‘wrong’ moment.
#WORKITMAKEITDOITMAKEUS
Toughened bodywork. Superconducting myomer. Go faster stripes.
+1 Hardware Resist, +2 Hardware, +2 Speed. If you’re a Hybrid and get
#HARDERBETTERFASTERSTRONGER too - congratulations you broke the
system, I hope you’re happy. Just kidding, you get an additional negative
-TAG. Way to go, Grrl.
#WOULDYOULIKETOPLAYAGAME?
Water cooling. Military grade hardware. Plays boardgames.
Advanced simulation software. +2 Strategy Checks.
#ZIPJAZZCLIK!
Black box.
You have an almost indestructible drive that contains your core
processing unit. If you die, it can be retrieved and put in a new body.
Hope they don’t update the system while you’re gone.

55
Mech Frame #TAGs - Light
#CLEARASCRYSTAL
Multiple AV stalks. Radar.
Short range situational awareness system. +2 to Initiative Checks and you
know what’s happening to your buddies within the same block.
#CRUMPLEZONE
Reinforced Frame. Shock absorbers. Springs.
1/2 damage from falling, ramming or grapple. Cannot take the -BRITTLE
negative
#DRIVE
Enhanced drivetrain. Supercharger. Aerodynamic styling.
+4 Speed.
#EVERYTHINGISAWESOME
Chunky joints. Magnetized joints.
You are completely unpluggable and reconfigurable. You can operate all
of your body parts up to a range of about a block. So you can pull out
an eye and ear and stick it on your hand and have it wander about for
example. You automatically have the -LOOSESOCKETS negative -TAG.
#EVERYTHINGISCOOLWHENYOUREPARTOFATEAM
Common looking parts. Generic ports.
Mechs with both this and the #EVERYTHINGISAWESOME tag have
sockets compatible with each other so can Swap parts as needed.
Everything just snaps together. This enables to Swap Frame #TAGs (NOT
Negatives). CM veto applies, etc... who cares you’re just going to ruin
everything anyway.
#MACRODRONE
Rotors. Gravitic fins. Wings.
You can fly for an hour. Takes 2 hours to cool down and recharge.
#PING!
Armour plating. Chunky bodywork.
+1 Hardware Resistance

56
#RAVAGED
Anime styling. Reconfigurable bodywork. Fake fur.
You can transform into a different mode to disguise yourself. Could be
an animal, a motorcycle, a giant futuristic audio tape, etc. Notice Check
Difficulty 14 to catch the disguise.
#SOLARPOWERED
Solar panels. Lenticular skin. Fibreoptics.
Energy can be gleaned from heat and light. You don’t need to eat.
#TINYTIM
Condensed structure. Miniaturised skeleton.
You’re real small. Attacks against you are at +2 Difficulty.
#WALKSOFTLY
Shock absorbers. Padded bodywork. Baffled joints.
+2 to Stealth Checks.

57
Mech Frame #TAGs - Medium
#ALMOST
Silicone skin. Hyperplastic bones. Fuzzy logic processors.
The real thing. Can pass for a Bio unless they get out their microscopes.
+1 Skill Perform Checks on passing for Bio. No Charm modifiers if they’re
into that.
#DOUBLEDIP
Microelectronics. Dense substructure.
May pick two additional Generic Mech #TAGs. Remember you have to
take a negative per 3.
#GREASEMONKEY
Overclocked repair nanites. Self healing bodywork.
+1 to repair effect rolls. Either your own natural healing, self repair or
healing performed on you

58
#HOLOMAN
Lenticular skin. LEDs. Nanotech projectors.
Holographic disguise system. You can look like how you want (and have
special effects / backlighting, etc) Notice Checks, touching (or thermo /
sonar etc. reveal your game.
#METALISBETTERTHANMEAT
Dense substructure. Bulky bodywork.
+2 Hardware.
#MRROBOT
Custom Ports. Multi aerial comms system. Anti Corplex stickers.
Built for hacking “the man”. +1 Skill on all Tech Checks to break into
Corplex security systems. Does not work on generic datapoints,
SmartPads, etc.
#NOTREBLE
Custom audio systems. Subliminal processors. Subwoofer.
Your ‘voice’ is super intimidating +1 Skill to Threat Checks when they can
hear you.
#PIMPEDOUT
Non-standard Frame. Custom bodywork. Too much chrome.
May add Crafting #TAGs to your frame. Any bonuses to damage etc.
effect your unarmed attacks only. CM call on stuff that doesn’t make
sense.
#PINGPING!
Thick armour plating
+2 Hardware Resistance.
#STORAGEWARS
Hatches. Never seems to carry anything.
Internal storage spaces. Can keep a small backpack worth of equipment
inside.
#TBOB
Custom bodywork. Leather seats. Wheels.
Can turn into a small vehicle. Can carry one passenger. May move at +1
Speed per round (max +6) then must move your full Speed every round
until you slow down at -2 Speed per round until you are at your base
Speed.

59
Mech Frame #TAGs - Heavy
#ANDROLLOUT
Extra legs. Seats. Wheels.
Can carry 4 passengers. May run at +1 Speed per round (max +6) then
must move your full Speed every round until you slow down at -2 Speed
per round until you are at your base Speed. May take Vehicle Crafting
#TAGs.
#BGRFKNGNS
Built in hardpoints. Ammo bins. Waldo mounts.
+1 Damage to all Ranged weapons. They’re just bigger.
#IRONMAN
Jets. Fins. Rotors.
Have a short range VTOL system. Can fly for about 30 mins then need 2
hours to recharge.
#MONKEYWRENCH
Overclocked repair nanites. Self healing bodywork.
+2 to repair effect rolls. Either your own natural healing, self repair or
healing performed on you.
#NOOBTOOB
Suspicious looking holes.
Grenade launcher. Pick one type. 5x in stock regenerate 1x day.
#OVERCLOCKED
Heat vents. Thickened myomer. Radiation warning stickers.
Your initiative totals are halved. +2 to Feat Check totals +1d6 to Melee
and grapple damage. If you fail a Software Disruption (Will) Check you go
berserk and run amok (CM gets to batter your friends a little).
#PINGPINGPING!
Really thick armour plating.
+3 Hardware Resist.
#POINTDEFENSE
Micro missile launchers. Electrical field generators. Flamethrowers.
Built in anti-personal defence system. Anyone in Close range
automatically takes 1d6 damage (if you want, I mean, don’t use it in the
bar).

60
#RAMMAN
Reinforced ‘rollcage’. Thickened myomer. Hydraulic limbs.
If you move your full speed you gain +1d6 Ram Damage to Melee Attacks
#REINFORCEDFRAME
Chunky Frame. Reinforced superstructure .Big shoulderpads.
+5 Hardware.
#TOOSTUPIDTODIE
Oversized reactor. Shielded electronics. MI subsystems.
Can take -1 Skill to all Empathy, Wits and Intelligence Skill Checks to NOT
go unconscious at zero Hardware and not die at -Threshold. If you get
damaged again, another -1. Once you reach -4… that’s it buddy, the next
one is it.

61
Mech Frame #TAGs - Negative
-MechQUAKE
You’re just too ‘Tractor’
(Heavy Frame only) -1 to Charm Skill unless they have the #MechQUAKE
-TAG. Awww.
-BROADSIDEOFABARN
Big and Heavy.
(Heavy Frame only) CMs call on Check modifiers and ‘pathing issues’. You
break stuff a lot.
-STARTSINSECOND
You’re slow. Like really slow.
(Heavy Frame only) -2 Initiative modifier. Base Speed is halved.
-BRITTLE
Not built for strength.
(Light Frame only) x2 damage from falling, ramming and grapple.
-SUPERLIGHT
Light enough for anyone to pick up
(Light Frame only). -1 Skill to Feat Checks when grappling.
-XENOMORPH
They really thought out of the box when they made you.
(Light Frame only) Your light thin frame just doesn’t look like a person. -3
to Charm Checks where appropriate.
-BADSERVOS
Sometimes you can’t quite stop your arms and legs when they they need to.
-1 Skill to Sleight Checks and you’re always breaking things.
-DIESELPOWER
You are addicted to recreational malware AKA “Bad Data” (Mech drugs).
-1 Skill to everything if you don’t get what you need every couple of days
or so.
-ILLOGICAPHILIA
You love Bio.
Can’t get enough of them. You don’t know what it is but something about
them really appeals to you. +1 Bonus to Charm, Perform and Threat
Checks against you. Maybe you can find the right someone who’s into
metal?

62
-LOOSESOCKETS
Occasionally... something falls off.
-1 Skill to Feat Checks for grappling and they can pull bits off if they win.
-MILF
You’re a Machine Intelligence Learning Formulation.
You are a programmed artificial intelligence rather than a personality
upload. You are uplifted, so technically a sentient and a citizen, but most
Mechs treat you like a clever animal or machine than a person. Software
Damage takes twice as long to heal as you have to defrag your code.
-ONEINEVERYHOME
You are a common model.
You have to had some sort of visible identifier (id number on your
bodywork for example) and people treat you like you’re not special.
Hacking you is also really easy (-4 Difficulty). Maybe you can form a
support group.
-PROPRIETARY
Your systems are a closed platform.
Repairs and replacements are at -1 Skill and cost 50% more. Cannot be
taken with #KITBASH. Can still be hacked. Damn Hackers.
-SONOFAGLITCH
Something is wrong with your code.
-1 Skill to a Check or something just doesn’t work when the CM feels like
he needs to blow off steam.

63
Asset #TAGs - Resources
Cash, contacts, etc. These #TAGs represent your fortune and
friends.
Asset #TAGs are tiered, so you can only choose T2 if you have
the previous T1.
#CONNECTED
You have two contacts who you can call for favours.
Come up with someone or pick an NPC you have met to have as one of
your Contacts T1
#WELLCONNECTED
You have two additional contacts who you can call for favours.
Come up with someone or pick an NPC you have met to have as one of
your Contacts T2
#HYPERCONNECTED
You have three additional contacts who you can call for favours.
Come up with someone or pick an NPC you have met to have as “your
Contact” T3

#SCHOOLLOCKER
You have access to a couple of items of equipment.
May select 2 woven weapons, vehicles or equipment items from the Gear
section. You SmartPad is T1. These refresh or can be changed between
Contracts. T1
#GYMLOCKER
You have access to a couple more items of equipment.
May select 2 more woven weapons, vehicles or equipment items from the
Gear section. Your SmartPad is T2. These refresh if they are lost or can
be changed between Contracts. T2
#HURTLOCKER
You have access to a couple more of items of equipment, or they are crafted.
May select 2 more woven weapons, vehicles or equipment items from the
Gear section. Your SmartPad is T3. These refresh if they are lost or can
be changed between Contracts. If you wish, you can replace 2 items with
a crafting tag for another item (E.g. you only have 4 items but one is a
vehicle with #GRAVITIC). T3.

64
#GANGBANGER
Are a member of a small gang or company.
Mostly can help fetch and carry, lookouts and maybe a little smuggling or
transportation. Not as easy to get life or death favours out as a contact,
and occasionally you’ll have to put some time into to helping your people.
T1
#WALLBANGER
Have a medium sized gang or company under your control.
You gang can also track people down, research information and can
provide backup if required. Not as easy to get life or death favours out as
a contact, and occasionally you’ll have to put some time into to helping
your people. T2
#HEADBANGER
Have a large gang or company under your control.
Your gang can also hold territory, influence the media, make you
disappear, etc. Not as easy to get life or death favours out as a contact,
and you’ll have to put some time into to helping your people. T3

#HOMELAND
You have an OK apartment in your Home Turf.
Diff 12 security and a parking spot. T1
#CANDYLAND
You have a great mid-level apartment in your Home Turf.
Diff 14 security and a secured parking spot. T2
#DISNEYLAND
You have an amazing upper-level apartment in your Home Turf.
Room service, Diff 16 security, serving staff and a secured parking spot
with an on-call car washer, valet / detailer T3

65
#FLASHCASH
Always have enough debt to purchase cab rides, fast-food, cheap drugs and
a few drinks.
You may make a T1 purchase daily rather than weekly. T1
#FLASHERCASH
Always have enough debt to purchase limo rides, meals out and bottles of
expensive drink.
You may make a T2 purchase daily rather than weekly. T2
#FLASHESTCASH
Always have enough debt to purchase private gravitic hire, fancy meals at
fancier restaurants, and put your card behind the bar.
You may make a T3 purchase daily rather than weekly. T3

#SHABBYCHIC
Your clothing, jewellery and accoutrements are ’Street Hip’.
+1 to Social Checks (Charm, Perform, Threat) if appropriate. T1
#STREETCHIC
Your clothing, jewellery and accoutrements are ’Professional, Cool or Upwardly
Mobile’.
+2 to Social Checks (Charm, Perform, Threat) if appropriate. T2
#CHIC2CHIC
Your clothing, jewellery and accoutrements are the best. Personal shoppers,
stylists, etc.
+3 to Social Checks (Charm, Perform, Threat) if appropriate. T3

#FAVOURABLES
You have a close friend that owe you a lot.
More than a Contact, these are willing to do big favours and put
themselves in some danger for you. T1
#DEPENDABLES
You have 2 close friends that owe you a lot.
More than Contacts these are willing to do big favours and put
themselves in great danger for you and have some combat Skills. T2
#EXPENDABLES
You have 3 close friends that owe you a lot.
More than Contacts these are willing to do big favours and put
themselves in suicidal danger and have too many combat Skills to be
healthy. T3
66
Asset #TAGs - Crafting
To make a Crafted item, pick a type (Weapon, Vehicle or Kit),
Pick a base item from Gear Section and add #TAGs from the
Crafting General and Crafting Type pools.
I want a unique vehicle so I pick a Small Car and add
#ARTOO, #BLING and #GRAVITIC. It now talks to me looks
real nice and can fly. As I have 3 #TAGs I have to pick a
negative -TAG, I go for. -THINNER as it’s sporty.
Anything that gives extra damage can be added to vehicles but
only effects Ramming or the #ANTIPERSONNEL tag. CM call on
stuff that doesn’t make sense.
Crafting #TAGs - General
#ARTOO
Sentient item. You can talk to it and it’ll talk back.
Paired with #AUTONOMOUS you now have a cool friend.
#AUTONOMOUS
It’s its own thing. Maybe a drone or a pet or a satellite.
Runs or flies about on his own. Speed 12, 10 hits, 3 Range/Melee, 2
Tough. If you like you can fit this in a vehicle (using its baseline stats) and
be Knightrider. Or put it in your kit if you get lonely. Choose whether it is
Mech, Bio or Hybrid and in the future you can add Bio or Mech general
#TAGs as appropriate.
#BLING
It’s shiny.
Item is well made and valuable. +1 to Social Checks (Threat, Charm,
Perform) if the CM rules it’s a factor.
#BLINGBLING
It’s really shiny
Item is extremely well made and very valuable. ...Some would say garish.
+1 to Social Checks (Threat, Charm, Perform) if the CM rules it’s a factor.
#DIRTCHEAP
Designed to really affect Mechs
+1 Damage or Heal effect vs Mechs or Hybrids (doesn’t stack with
#DIRTYDEEDS for Hybrids. Nice try).

67
#DIRTYDEEDS
Designed to really affect Bios
+1 to Damage or Heal effect vs Bios or Hybrids (doesn’t stack with
#DIRTCHEAP for Hybrids. Nice try)
#DOUBLETHEFUN
You could never choose in the store.
Two small items can be snapped together to make a large item. So
your 1d6 Slashing and 1d6 Small shot can be combined to be a 2d6…
Gunblade? That can do 2d6 at Ranged or Melee. The weapon gains a -2
initiative modifier that stacks with any other modifier of either weapon and
effects immediately.
#FLESHPOT
Bio Item.
It grows its own ammo, fuel etc. but needs to be fed either organic food
or NKTR daily. Medicine rolls to clean / heal rather than Tech.
#HOWDOYOULIKETHEMAPPLES
It’s venomous.
CRITs do 1 Hardware Damage / round vs Bios or Hybrids until target
suceeds a Diff 14 Tough Check at the end of their turn.
#MALWARE
It’s viral.
CRITs do 1 Hardware damage / round vs Mechs or Hybrids until target
succeeds a Diff 14 Tough Check at the end of their turn.
#MOUNTPLEASANT
Easy to access.
Item may be mounted on your body (shoulder, arm, chest, head
whatever).
#QUICKDRAW
Built for speed.
Item’s Initiative bonus is increased by +2
#SUBTLEKNIFE
What this old thing?
Item looks normal and unassuming. +2 to Stealth or Sleight Checks to
keep the weapon undiscovered.

68
Crafting #TAGs - General
Negative
-ILLEGAL
Well why do you want to carry around something like that?
Uses banned or restricted technology. This is real bad to fall out of your
pocket at a School.
-INFAMOUS
Used to belong to someone else.
This item has a history. Maybe there’s a load of parking tickets. Maybe
someone did something bad with it and you’ll take the flack.
-MORALCOMPASS
Safety lockouts and ‘nanny cams’.
Sends data to local law enforcement. Cannot be used to commit a crime.
-MUSTHAVE
Expensive, eye-catching or prized.
NPCs want it and it is easy to pick out of a crowd. Hope you haven’t
committed any crimes holding it on camera.
-UNIQUETECHNOLOGY
Cutting edge, custom tech.
+4 Difficulty to Tech Checks to repair.

69
Ranged Weapon #TAGs
#360NOSCOPE
Just kidding… it’s got a scope.
-2 to range difficulty.
#AP
Armour Piercing, Duh.
Weapon gains Pierce (CRITs ignore 2 points of Hardware Resistance).
#EXTENDEDMAG
More bullets.
2x Strip size
#FRAGMENTING
Little bits everywhere.
Tough Checks at threshold are at +2 difficulty
#HIEX
Boom.
Also affects another target within 3m. Makes a LOT of noise.
#HOLLOWPOINT
Makes big holes.
Weapon gains Slam (CRITs reduce targets initiative by 2) - stacks with
baseline if appropriate.
#LASERTIME
It’s accurate.
+2 to Ranged Checks at Short Range (0-6m).
#SUBSONIC
You can hear it coming.
Takes a while to get up to speed. +2 Damage at long range +4 at
extreme.
#UNMAKER
Nanite Weavers just take stuff apart.
+1d6 Damage and it rolls Damage again every turn until the target
succeeds a Diff 14 Tough Check at the end of their turn. This ongoing
damage does not stack. #UNMAKER costs 2 #TAGs and comes with a
free -ILLEGAL negative. This stuff is bad news.

70
Ranged Weapon #TAGs - Negative
-BULLETTAX
Expensive or rare ammunition.
2 Strips of ammo are classed as a T2 purchase, and need to be either
bought off a contact or made by an engineer. Cannot be taken with
#FLESHPOT
-LASTWORD
A bit slow.
-2 to Initiative cannot be taken with #QUICKDRAW
-NEEDSLOVE
A bit temperamental.
Must have make a Difficulty 12 Tech Check to clean and prepare after
every combat. If the roll is failed -1 Skill to use. Another attempt can be
made after the next combat.
-PENFOLD
Not built for distance work.
-1 Skill to hit anything further than Short Range. Cannot be taken with
#360NOSCOPE.
-PRECISIONINSTRUMENT
Has some gremlins.
Rolling two 1s on attack Check will jam it until someone makes a Diff 12
Tech Check to repair. If a paired weapon, only one jams.

71
Melee Weapon #TAGs
#BLUR
What was that?
+2 to Initiative Checks.
#CUTABOVE
It’ll have your fingers off.
3 Crits sever something. May be an instant kill (CM call). Crits stack on
targets so you’ll hack through eventually.
#DOILEAVEITINORTAKEITOUT?
Ouch!
May leave weapon inside target after successfully damaging it. Rolls
Damage again each round until removed.
#GADGETZAHN
You have to be cruel to be kind.
May repair Mechs or Hybrids instead of doing damage. Does not need to
roll to hit friendly targets. Requires BLOK
#HEAVYMETAL
Knocks them back.
CRITs also reduce targets Initiative total by -2. Stacks with SLAM effect.
#LEAVEITTOCLEAVER
Like a knife through butter.
Damage roll also affects another target within 3m. Makes a LOT of mess.

72
#MASSACRE
Most Swords don’t need an engine.
-6 Initiative. 2x Spill +1d6 Damage. Makes a lot of noise, and runs out of
power for the rest of the combat if you roll two 1s on the attack.
#MJOLNIR
You’re worthy.
If thrown as a Ranged attack will return to your hand at the beginning of
next round.
#MOTHERKNOWSBEST
This won’t hurt a bit.
May heal Bio or Hybrids instead of doing damage. Does not need to roll
to hit friendly targets. Requires NKTR
#SHARP
Cuts paper.
Double Bleed/Glitch Damage .

Melee Weapon #TAGs - Negative

-BUSTER
Honestly a lot bigger than it needs to be.
-2 to Initiative. Cannot be taken with #BLUR or #QUICKDRAW
-FRAGILE
What was that noise?
Rolling double 1s on an attack Check breaks it. Diff 12 Tech Check to
repair ready for next combat.
-MOMENTUM
Needs a bit of a wind up.
-1 to Melee Skill if you didn’t attack the round before.
-POWERGLOVE
Needs fuel or ammo.
Effectively has a Strip of 6 and you will need to reload if you run out.
-WHETSTONE
Can’t keep an edge.
Must have a difficulty 12 tech roll to clean and prepare after every
combat. If the roll is failed -1 Skill to Melee Checks until another attempt
can be made after the next combat.

73
Vehicle #TAGs
#ANTIPERSONNEL
Security System.
1d6 Damage / round they are in it or next to it if they fail a Check to break
in.
#ARMSTRONG
It’s a stretch.
+3 passengers.
#CARWARS
Drive offensively.
Has a weapon built into the vehicle. If vehicle has #AUTONOMOUS it can
shoot stuff on its own. May take multiple times, you monster.
#CHRISTINE
Is that blood on the grille?
+1d6 Ram Damage.
#EVERYTHINGSBETTERWITHSPIKES
And they look cool.
1d6 Damage to anyone who tries to climb on it.
#FURIOSA
Handles and mounts.
+2 to Melee and Ranged Checks while inside the vehicle. Cannot be
taken with #WEARABLE (nice try).
#GRAVITIC
Remember where you parked.
Flies and Hovers.
#LUXURY
It’s particularly Swish and has a mini-bar and nice seats.
+2 to Charm Checks while in it or standing next to it if appropriate.
#PEACEOFMIND
Very Secure.
14 Difficulty to break in.

74
#TANKY
Armour plating.
+3 Hardware Resistance.
#THESWARM
It’s a collection of small drones rather than a single vehicle.
Speed, Passengers, etc. are still valid but you all have to travel within 5m
of each other.
#WEARABLE
Model SuperMegaZeoX
It can transform and you can wear it like armour to fulfil your Mecha
dreams. It loses its passengers when you wear it. CM call on whether you
can fit through doors, etc.

75
Vehicle #TAGs - Negative.
-COATHANGER
Not Secure.
10 Difficulty to break in. Cannot be taken with #PEACEOFMIND
-HOTWHEELS
Stolen.
May stack with #INFAMOUS and #ILLEGAL If you really want to live
dangerously.
-LEMON
It’s never been right.
Once per session, something goes wrong.
-NEVERMORE
Has a weird knock.
It’s really distracting. -1 to all Skill Checks apart from Pilot performed
within the vehicle.
-SLOWPOKE
Come onnnnnnn.
-5 Speed.
-PAPERMACHE
Fragile Bodywork.
-2 Hardware Resistance. May not take with Small bike or Personal
transport.
-TEMPERAMENTAL
OK, try it again.
-1 Skill to Pilot if you didn’t clean and check ‘er over this morning.
-THINNER
Don’t prang it.
-10 Hardware

76
General Kit #TAGs
#ALLNOLLEDUP
You’re pretty organised.
+2 Tech Checks at your workstation at home.
#BRAINBOX
Your kit has a Personality Upload Matrix
Specialised system to upload and download personalities to frames. It’s
highly restricted and involves a patient authorisation system and licences,
etc. - Unless you have hacking Skills, and then you should really take a
long, hard look at yourself, you monster.
#FIELDWORK
You can improvise under pressure.
+2 to Tech or Medicine Checks in combat. Cannot be used for Crafting.
#HIFI
You’re cult of the new.
-2 Difficulty on dealing with new or high-end Tech or Medicine. Cannot be
taken with #LOFI
#LOFI
They don’t make ‘em like the used to.
-2 Difficulty on dealing with old or low-end Tech or Medicine. Cannot be
taken with #HIFI
#POLYMATH
You did extra homework.
Kit is both a Tech Kit and a Med Kit. Remember to get some sleep, girl.
#SNAPON
You take your work with you.
Kit is portable and easily wearable given enough pockets, internal
storage, etc.

77
General Kit #TAGs - Negative
-CRATEDROP
You should really simplify.
Kit is big and heavy. -4 Speed, -2 Initiative and you might need to
make Feat Checks when jumping over fences etc. Can’t be taken with
#SNAPON
-PROTOOLS
All your stuff is the best.
...but they keep bringing out new stuff! You just have to take a lot of time
effort and resource to keep on top of everything. Increased resource costs
(1.5x BLOK or NKTR use, and everything done in downtime takes 2x long).
-SOMETHINGBORROWED
All your stuff is a bit old and “make do”.
You don’t quite remember where you got that one. And you’re not even
sure that’s a proper one. And that pokey-thing is just a lolly stick with
some duck tape as a handle. +1 Difficulty to all Checks done with the kit.

Tech Kit #TAGs

#CRAFTCRAFT
You make things go.
Crafting Tools for adding Vehicle #TAGs. Given the resources (i.e. They
spend Asset points) you can add #TAGs to crafted vehicles. This takes a
while so is best done in downtime. Not compatible with anything given
#FLESHBOT. Also reduced difficult of Vehicle repair Checks by -2
#DEADHUNG
You’ve worked with all the greats.
Specialised tools for Performance Tech. -2 Difficulty on Tech Checks to
repair, set up or modify Performance tech, instruments and audio-visual
gear.
#FASHIONISTA
You give people a tszuj.
Specialised tools for modifying clothing or disguises. May add a
temporary +2 to Charm or Perform Checks if appropriate.

78
#FRAMECRAFT
You have the technology.
Crafting Tools for Mech Frame #TAGs. Given the resources (i.e. They
spend Asset points) you can add #TAGs to Frames. This takes a while
so is best done in downtime. Not compatible with anything given the
#FLESHBOT.
#SUDORMRF/
You know where they hide the passwords.
Specialised computer hacking tools and software. Security system
difficulty is lowered by -2. No effect on unsecured systems and difficulty
cannot be lowered below 10.
#SUPERTOYS
Well, there’s your problem.
Specialised Mech tools and maker system. Can make woven versions of
missing parts for temporary repairs, adds +1d6 to Mech repair Die totals.
#TOYBOX
You make stuff.
Advanced maker system and construction tool-kit. May create simple
printed devices as required (remote drones, bags, skateboards, kites,
clothing, cameras etc.) Cannot make Armour or Weapons. Requires BLOK
use.
#WARCRAFT
You make things hurt.
Crafting Tools for Weapon #TAGs. Given the resources (i.e. They spend
Asset points) you can add #TAGs to crafted weapons. This takes a
while so is best done in downtime. Not compatible with anything given
#FLESHBOT.

79
Med Kit #TAGs
#BIOCRAFT
Life finds a way.
Crafting Tools for Weapon and Vehicle #TAGs. Given the resources (i.e.
They spend Asset points) you can add #TAGs to crafted bioweapons and
organic vehicles. This takes a while so is best done in downtime. Only
compatible with things given #FLESHBOT or #AUTONOMOUS Bio items.
#FLESHCRAFT
Meat is your medium.
Crafting Tools for Bio and Hybrid Frame #TAGs. Given the resources (i.e.
They spend Asset points) you can add #TAGs to Frames. This takes a
while so is best done in downtime. Not compatible with Mechs.
#GOODKARMA
You can rebuild them.
Specialised Bio tools and maker system. Can make woven versions of
missing parts for transplant, adds +1d6 to Bio heal roll totals.
#LITTLEHELPERS
You specialise in the microscopic.
Specialised tools for dealing with nanotech. -2 difficulty to Medicine or
Tech Checks dealing with Nanotech.
#MINDHACKER
You are a therapist.
Specialised analysis tools for psychology . +1d6 to healing Software. If
using your kit you also get +1 Skill on Notice Checks to detect falsehood.
Requires the #COUCHPOTATO Empathy #TAG

80
#PANDEMIC
You heal the sick.
Specialised analysis tools for sickness. -2 Difficulty to Medicine Checks
for diagnosing sickness and infection.
#SPLICERACK
You play god.
Advanced maker system and bioengineering tool kit. May create simple
organic items as required (food, drink, plants clothes, medicines,
Pokemon, etc.) Cannot make Armour or Weapons. Requires NKTR.
#CURIOUSYELLOW
You specialise in Hive tech.
Specialised tools for processing and modifying NKTR tech. -2 Difficulty to
Medicine Checks when using NKTR.

81
Ge
AR
func Gear() {
let quote = We’ve been merging with tools since the
beginning of human evolution,and arguably,
that’s one of the things
that makes us human beings.
let attrib. = Franklin Foer
}
run func

83
Let’s go shopping
Here’s where you find all the info about buying things and what
to buy. All equipment that isn’t customised using the Crafting
#TAGs is usually picked out of a catalogue in the store and
made by Weavers while you wait (or just grown before your
eyes in the Hive). Before we get onto the toys lets go into how
stuff gets paid for.
Debt
In game, characters in Black Code have Debt. There is no
positive “cash”, you simply have a certain amount of Debt
(or D$) per month you are permitted by the Corplexes to
accumulate. Debt is transferred via your SmartPad, feed
screens or special ident readers in stores.
Every citizen is granted a basic income that is enough to keep
you in food and clothing, a basic SmartPad, the cheapest ad-
filled feed access and a small living space in a crappy part of
your home Corplex. We call this Tier 0 Debt.
Purchasing Resource #TAGs allow you to accrue more Debt, as
you are become more valuable to the Corplexes. #Flashcash
(Tier1) #Flashercash (Tier2) and #Flashestcash (Tier3) increase
the amount of “fritter” Debt you have.
You can also make tiered purchases. Everything has a cost
T1-T3 or T1*-T3*. A person with #Flashcash can make one T1
Purchase / day or a T1* purchase / week. These times are
reset if a Contract is resolved as it clears a substantial portion
of your Debt. If you do not have the Resource #TAGs, you can
add * to the cost of anything to increase your Debt once a
week to make a purchase from a higher Tier. (For example if
you have T0 debt, you can make one T1 “purchase” per week
by begging, doing a deal or stealing… which may involve some
Skill Checks or roleplaying if the CM is feeling frisky).

84
All this is designed to make sure buying that “one special thing”
you need is important but all the Toms out there don’t hold up
play working out if they have cash for the bus. Yeah Tom, I see
you.
TL;DR:
Debt: Food, drink, clothes, cab rides etc. are handled
by basic “fritter” income. T1-3 purchases can be
bought once per day. T1*-3* purchases once per
week. You can buy from the next Tier by making it a
*

Alternative Economies
BLOK
BLOK is the ubiquitous resource weaver stations use to print
items and some equipment and enhancements require BLOK
to work. A super compressed cube of carbon, plastic, silicon
and steel powders approximately 40cm2 to a side. The MCP
produces them in factories under the Bloom and it’s available
everywhere as a T2* purchase. Corplexes sell it too, and
they discount their weaver stations but lock them to only
use their brand of BLOK. There’s always someone in a bar
offering “preowned” BLOK too - deconstructed printed items
recompressed into a discoloured, unbranded cube that will
invalidate your warranty for T1*. As it’s untraceable and used
everywhere BLOK is a great currency for deals in the criminal
underworld, and some places in the Bloom will cut BLOK into
smaller cubes to barter. Contractors are always on the lookout
for “unattended” BLOK during their missions… it sure beats
harvesting organs for a bit of ready cash.

85
NKTR
Araknid Corplex’s luminous yellow organic/nanotech wonder
goo. It’s a food stuff, antidepressant, euphoric, painkiller,
healing salve… it also makes a great lube and non-corrosive
cleaner. A lot of Hive tech uses NKTR and it is seen as the
life-blood of the Hive. It is used to pay the Drones in hive
society (they don’t really need anything else). Unless you have
an Araknid frame you need a special filter / injector to use
it. NKTR is used in a lot of medical tech and healing-based
enhancements require it. It comes in clear glass containers
the size of a 500ml beer can. It is, however, only sold to the
public in the Hive, from authorised Araknid resellers: A four
pack of NKTR (about a months use) is a T2* purchase. NKTR
famously is abused for it’s recreational purposes - ignoring the
recommended dosage instructions can get Bio and Hybrids
“Reeeeaaaal fucken’ high”. Outside the Hive if you don’t have
Corplex contacts or know a friendly Contractor then the
black market is your only option to obtain NKTR. In the Bloom
NKTR is seen as almost magical - there are vast amounts of
backstreet shops that will sell you diluted NKTR tea or NKTR
“enhanced” homeopathic remedies.
Tabs, Dabs and Juices
Frames and enhancements require upkeep, and funnily enough
the Corplexes that have already got your hard-earned Debt for
your spanky new Frame just want more. Vitamin supplements,
anti-rejection chemicals, custom lubrications, nano-factory
boosters come in all shapes and sizes, and the citizens of
Darwin carry a huge variety of tablets, sprays, pastes, dusts
and creams to keep their Frame in tip-top condition. This is
handled financially as part of with your basic income, but
those who fall out of the Corplex system can find themselves
in a pickle without the correct Frame-care. On the black

86
market these “nothing” items are worth a lot to those who’s
enhancements are leeching metal into their flesh or cannot
keep their cyber-heart ticking properly. You don’t know what
you’ve got ’til it’s gone…
Functionally a lot of this hassle can be replaced with just one
thing: NKTR. But given it’s cost and lack of ready availability
can be a real hurdle to the unfortunate.
DogTAGs
Some citizens just don’t trust the Corplexes, or want to do
business in an unrecorded or untraceable fashion. The criminal
underworld being the practical animal it is came up with a
solution: DogTAGs. Officially starting as a “Residual Debt
Inheritance Chip” used by the Corplexes to tie off any legal
and financial issues with citizens dying and not passing their
Debt to their loved ones, these are chips that can store freely
accessible temporary accounts for those who have passed
on. The system was co-opted by the underworld to allow Debt
to be transferred without having to go through the Feed. Any
black marketeer worth their salt will have a few of these chips
to hand to allow free commerce to proceed unhindered.
The Corplexes themselves have an equivalent system of
“Black Accounts” a chip or card with a Debt value on it that
can be used to do business when paperwork is inconvenient.
The legality of this is duBious at best, but the Corplexes do
whatever the heck they want anyway.

87
 Equipment
OK, onto the good stuff. There’s a weird and wonderful variety
of equipment in Darwin so we use generic definitions for things
and the players or CM can come up with the description. A
Large Blasting weapon could be a shotgun, a missile rack,
laser cannon, etc. Go wild. Anything in the Basic* lists can be
improved with #TAGs by spending Hexes on Crafting.
Basic Ranged Weapons
Name Initiative Damage Ammo Special Cost
Small Shot 0 1d6 12 Strip Optional Calibre T1
Large Shot -2 2d6 12 Strip Optional Calibre T2
Small Automatic -2 1d6 12 Strip Burst T1
Large Automatic -4 2d6 24 Strip Burst T2
Small Blasting -2 1d6 6 Strip Slam T1
Large Blasting -4 2d6 8 Strip Slam T2
Small Precision -2 1d6 6 Strip Spill T1
Large Precision -4 2d6 8 Strip Spill T2

Small weapons can be used in pairs or you can use a Small

Melee and Small Ranged together. Can roll to effect two
targets at -2 skill to each roll and additional -2 initiative. #TAGs
for Melee weapons cannot be added to Ranged and vice versa
unless you combine them with #DOUBLETHEFUN
Optional Calibre
May be printed to use larger ammo (Half strip, +1 Damage)
Burst
May hit up to your Ranged Skill in Targets. Difficulty is furthest target. Uses 4
ammo. Alternatively may fire all 4 at one target for +2 Damage.
Spill
+1 Damage for each additional Difficulty level hit.
Slam
CRITs reduce target’s Initiative Score by 2

88
 Ammo
Ranged weapons require strip (little woven strips of ammo, like caps) as the
weapon is fired the strip slowly comes out and when it runs out you pop in
another one. Each weapon comes with two strip as standard and buying another
two strip is a T1 purchase. Custom Ammo is available as a T2 purchase/strip
and will give your weapon either #AP #FRAGMENTING #HIEX #HOLLOWPOINT
#SUPERSONIC (see crafting section - Ranged Weapon #TAGs) as a temporary
#TAG until the strip is gone.

Basic Melee Weapons

Name Initiative Damage Special Cost
Small Slashing - 1d6 Spill T1
Large Slashing -2 2d6 Spill T2
Small Impact - 1d6 Slam T1
Large Impact -2 2d6 Slam T2
Small Entangling - 1d6 Grab T1
Large Entangling -2 2d6 Grab T2
Small Piercing - 1d6 Pierce T1
Large Piercing -2 2d6 Pierce T2

Small items can come in pairs or you can use a Small Melee and
Small Ranged together. Can roll to effect two targets at -2 skill
to each roll and additional -2 initiative. #TAGs for melee weapons
cannot be added to ranged and vice versa unless you have
#DOUBLETHEFUN
Spill
+1 Damage for each additional difficulty level hit. (E.g. Melee Check of 14 is +2
damage)
Slam
CRITs reduce target’s Initiative Score by 2
Grab
CRITs increase target’s skill difficulties by 2 next round.
Pierce
CRITs ignore 2 points of Hardware Resistance.

89
 Basic Vehicles
Type Speed Passengers Hardware Resistance Ram Cost

Personal 12 0 12 0 0 T1
Transport
(Skateboard,
Segway etc.)
Small Bike 25 0 20 - 1d6 T1
Large Bike 20 1 30 2 1d6 T2/T1*
Small Car 20 3 40 1 2d6 T2/T1*
Large Car 15 4 50 2 2d6 T3/T2*
Small Van / 15 5 60 1 3d6 T3/T2*
Limo
Large Van / 10 7 80 3 3d6 T3
Limo

Basic Kits
Type Effect Cost
Tech Kit Enables Tech Checks to repair Mechs (1d6/ Difficulty T2
hit, each Mech can only be repaired once per scene),
analyse and repair tech and hack security. Repairs,
building stuff, etc. requires a BLOK use.
Med Kit Enables Medicine Rolls to heal Bio (1d6/ Difficulty T2
hit, each Bio can only be healed once per scene),
analyse medical issues and process forensics. Healing,
synthesising stuff, etc. requires a NKTR use

Kits can be more specialised and Crafting #TAGs are required for
some specific tasks (building Frames, etc)

90
 Armour
Armour Effect Cost
Light Armour +1 Hardware Resistance -1 Initiative T1
Medium Armour +2 Hardware Resistance -2 Initiative T2
Heavy Armour +3 Hardware Resistance -3 Initiative T3
Powered Armour +4 Hardware Resistance -4 Initiative T3*
All armour is 1/2 Resistance and an additional -1 Initiative if worn by a
Frame that already has Hardware Resistance.
Grenades
Grenades Effect cost
Frag Grenade -4 Initiative. 3d6 Damage to everyone in a 6m area. T1
+1d6 Damage if they are right on top of it.
Smoke Grenade -2 Initiative. -2 Skill to Notice Checks in a 6m area. T1
Thermo or Sonar ignores.
Flashbang Grenade -2 Initiative. -2 Skill to Initiative Checks in a 6m area. If T1
used in mid combat everyone in the area rerolls with the
-2 modifier.
Gum Grenade -2 Initiative. -2 Skill to all physical (Dexterity, Strength, T1
Endurance) Checks in a 6m area until cleaned off.
While not technically illegal, police and security forces will come down
hard on anyone not using these for self defence.

91
 Equipment
Name Description cost
SmartPad A phone, computer, tablet, watch all in one. T0-T3
Everyone has one, though the free ones are a
little crappy and are ad supported. Each Tier
increases the usual Difficuty 10 of hacking it by
+2/Tier
Autograpple “Fire and forget” climbing equipment. 200m of T1
self winding rope, can just about pull up a Heavy
frame. Needs recharging after each use.
Hextape Chemically reactive ducktape. Great for burning T2 per
through doors, walls, welding stuff together, 10m roll
etc. Just stick it on the thing you want to burn
and hit the tab. Does 3d6 damage to things.
STABDAT Translator Audio and barcode scanner. Either attaches to a T2
SmartPad or has a little fold out screen. Makes
you look like a real tourist in Temple.
Pherom Translator Pheromone detector. Either attaches to a T2
SmartPad or has a little fold out screen.
Notoriously unreliable at translating the multiple
wavelengths of emotion.
BLOK Weaver resource for construction and repair . T2* per
20 use
block
NKTR Biogenetic wonder chemical for Food, Healing, T2* per
etc. also a amazing cleaning agent and great 4x 5-use
lube. cans
Tracker dot Tiny stick on tracker. Every DataPollen update T2 for 3
your SmartPad will let you know the closest
Data Point to the tracker. Not the greatest but at
least you’ll know kinda where they are.

92
93
Prebuilt Frames
KITBASH Usr42
Kitbash frames are designed to
be mass produced cheaply and
modified by the end user. They all
look a little similar and boxy, with
handles and hexbolts. on their
panels. The USR 45 is a typical
example. Medium Mech Frame.
#KITBASH
Open ports. Handles and labelled flaps.
Angular Frame.
All your Frame stuff is a little boxy and
exposed, but designed to be easily
upgraded and user serviceable. +1 Skill
to repair and modify Checks on you. Easily replaceable parts, though you
might have to go with a weird colour or something.
#BASE2
Ear upgrade. Speakers & Microphones. Translation program.
Can understand and transmit Stabdat (STandard Audiovisual Binary DAta
Transfer) to normals it just sounds like a burst of static or a dubstep drop.
#METALISBETTERTHANMEAT
Dense substructure. Bulky bodywork.
+2 Hardware.
-ONEINEVERYHOME
You are a common model.
You have to had some sort of visible identifier (id number on your
bodywork for example) and people treat you like you’re not special.
Hacking you is also really easy (-4 Difficulty). Maybe you can form a
support group.

94
Promethean Avanté
Tall, lithe, beautiful. Promethean
frames are expensive, but the
custom genetics and unique
musculature make it worth it, if
that’s your thing. Mdium Bio Frame.
#PRACTICALLYPERFECT
Total gene therapy. Vat grown replacement
body. Juice cleanse.
Genetically tip top. 20/20 vision, good
hearing, no genetic illnesses or diseases.
#HARDERBETTERFASTERSTRONGER
Animal DNA, Total body gene therapy. Vat-
grown muscle replacements.
+1 Hardware Resist, +2 Hardware, +2 Speed. If you’re a Hybrid and
get #WORKITMAKEITDOITMAKEUS too - congratulations you broke
the system, I hope you’re happy. ...Just kidding, you get an additional
negative -TAG. Way to go, bro.
#FLEXIBLE
Stretchy bones. Double way joints. Hydrostatic skeleton.
+2 to Sleight Checks and Perform Checks (Dancing)
-THEITCH
You need... something else.
Drugs, alcohol, weird sex, etc. -1 Skill to everything if you don’t get what
you need every couple of days or so. Or every week if it’s REALLY weird
(CM call).

95
NuYu Swoosh
NuYu has done it again! This
season’s model will astound you
with its great looks and street-ready
options. Trade in options for your
old NuYu are available. “The body,
but designed ®”. Medium Mech
Frame.
#INPUTSTEPHANIE
Neurochip. Extra eyes. Wires and cables.
Data is your bag. Can read like a
hurricane, watch 8x video streams at
once and can hear every conversation in
a crowded bus. +1 Skill to Notice Checks
when picking out specific data from a mass of it.
#ALMOST
Silicone skin. Hyperplastic bones. Fuzzy logic processors.
The real thing. Can pass for a Bio unless they get out their microscopes.
+1 Skill Perform Checks on passing for Bio. No Charm modifiers if they’re
into that.
#STORAGEWARS
Hatches. Never seems to carry anything.
Internal storage spaces. Can keep a small backpack worth of equipment
inside.
-PROPRIETARY
Your systems are a closed platform.
Repairs and replacements are at -1 Skill and cost 50% more. Cannot be
taken with #KITBASH. Can still be hacked. Damn Hackers.

96
Araknid Widow
Araknid frames are common in the
Hive. Built in NKTR processors and
Pherom receptors are perfect for
Hive life. Medium Bio Frame.
#SOMETHINGINTHEAIR
Tailored glands. Gene spliced tongue.
Antennae.
May ‘speak’ and ‘hear’ Pherom
(Pheromone communication).
#THEREALTHING
Custom organs. Gene tailored digestive
system. Vat grown implant.
May ingest NKTR liquid. Replaces food
and doubles all healing received.
#POLYMORPH
Chameleon DNA, Juiced melanin glands. Mutable bone structure.
You can change your face, hair and skin at will. Generic “not you” is easy,
have to make a Perform Check at 12+ Difficulty to match someone
specific.
-POORIMPULSECONTROL
Glitchy nerves.
Occasional spasms and flutterings. Will Checks to keep it straight. CM call
on effects.

97
NEO Militarius GLADIUS
Repurposed “ex military” frame. Big,
heavy, slow. hard to hurt. Hvy Mech
Frame.
#WOULDYOULIKETOPLAYAGAME?
Water cooling. Military grade hardware. Plays
boardgames.
Advanced simulation software. +2
Strategy Checks.
#BGRFKNGNS
Built in hardpoints. Ammo bins. Waldo
mounts.
+1 Damage to all Ranged weapons.
They’re just bigger.
#PINGPINGPING!
Really thick armour plating.
+3 Hardware Resist.
-STARTSINSECOND
You’re slow. Like really slow.
(Heavy Frame only) -2 Initiative modifier. Base Speed is halved.

98
Adamus Narciss 2.0
Superstar looks in a superstar
frame. Perfect nose, perfect teeth.
Built to be noticed.
#CLOUD9
Enhanced Pherom glands. Gene tailored
pores. Hair pollen.
+2 to Charm Checks due to Pheromones.
Anyone that ‘speaks’ Pherom knows
what you’re up to and it doesn’t work on
Mechs.
#NOFILTER
Gene therapy. Bioculpting. Photoshop gland.
Sometimes they do great work. You are a
masterpiece. +2 to Social Checks (Charm, Perform, Threat) if looks are a
factor.
#MEATISBETTERTHANMETAL
Vat grown muscles. Rhino DNA. Dense bones.
+5 Hardware.
-BADGENES
Something really went wrong.
Natural Healing takes twice as long. NKTR is half as effective.

99
CO
DE
func Code() {
let quote =
My mission in life is not merely to survive,
but to thrive; and to do so with some passion,
some compassion, some humor, and some style.
let attrib. =
Maya Angelou
}

run func

101
How do game tho?
In a fair and just world we’d still be sitting ‘round a campfire
just telling stories, but endorphins felt so amazing we added
systems to our consensual fiction that make us feel good
when we win, and bad when we lose. While pure simulation
is great and freeform narratives are cool too, Black Code sits
somewhere in the middle.
The Basics: Players can do anything, unless they can’t.
Walking, talking, putting on socks are simple tasks that most
people can do without thinking. After a while complicated stuff
like skateboarding and driving become second nature too. So
the basic structure of Black Code is very simple: The player
says “I do the thing” and the CM tells them what happens. See?
Simple.
The world however is a difficult place - sometimes it’s harder
to skateboard if some idiot put a rail there or if you’re trying to
drive very fast through traffic. Don’t worry though, we thought
of everything and proudly present to you: the Skill Check.
Skills are the natural aptitudes and training characters have and
are a handy way to represent how likely they are to succeed
in a task. When a player says “I do the thing” and there’s some
doubt whether they will succeed the CM says “make a Skill
Check”. The player rolls their dice and tells the CM the total,
if the number beats the difficulty the CM decided on it’s a
success, of not a failure - either way the CM tells them what
happens.

102
Making a Skill Check
The CM decides what Skill is appropriate. The player rolls 4d6
and adds together three of them, taking the highest dice per
skill rank before the remaining lowest. They then tell the CM the
total. If they beat the difficulty (usually 10) they succeed. More
difficult tasks require higher totals.
6s are special, we call them CRITs. Most of the time they just
look good, but for Momentum Skills or if you have #TAGs that
require them CRITs do extra things for you.
Skills are ranked 0 to 4. You can consider 0 as “no bloody idea”,
1 to be rudimentary training or knowledge of the basics, 2 to
be a good solid ability, 3 to be an expert and 4 to be a master.
When you make a Skill Check…
If you have no points in the skill you roll 4d6 and take the 3
lowest dice.
If you have a skill of one you roll 4d6, add the highest die
and two lowest dice together.
If you have a skill of two you roll 4d6, add the two highest
dice and the lowest die together.
If you have a skill of three you roll 4d6, add the three
highest dice together.
If you have a skill of four you roll 4d6, add the three
highest dice together. If you succeed you get a free extra
CRIT.
#TAGs may offer situational bonuses to certain Skill Checks. If
the CM rules your bonus is appropriate add it to the roll to get
your final total. These bonuses do stack, so add all appropriate
bonuses that apply.

103
 TL;DR:
Skill Check: Roll 4 dice, add together 3 of them. You get to
total a high dice for each skill point you have
before having to include the lowest.

Difficulty
Most tasks have a Difficulty of 10. Difficulty increases by +2
each time the CM thinks a complication or effect is going to
give you a hard time. Picking a toy lock would require a Basic
Success of 10, but locks are designed to not be opened like
that: a Good Success of 12 would be required for a cheap
proper lock, 14 for a more secure one, and so on. Check out
this neat table:
Tier Total Examples
Noticing something, hitting something next to you, climbing something
Basic 10 with many handholds., hacking a system with no security.
Noticing something through a veil of rain, hitting something up to 6m
Good 12 away, climbing something with only a few handholds, hacking a system
with basic security measures.
Noticing something through a veil of rain with bad lighting, hitting
Great 14 something 6-25m away with a ranged weapon, climbing something with
no handholds. hacking a system with military grade security.
Noticing something deliberately hidden through a veil of rain with
bad lighting, hitting something 25-100m away with a ranged weapon,
Epic 16 climbing something sheer with no handholds, hacking a system with the
best Complex security money can buy
Noticing the camouflaged sniper on a building on a different level in
the Grid through a window while you are trying to decide what you’re
going to pick from the swanky Corplex buffet. Hitting the Chyk’n Mylk®
can balanced on a kid’s head 100m+ away because you’ve had a drink
or two and you were bragging way to much to those Gang members.
Legendary 18+ Climbing down the outside of the Hive bubble dome during a rainstorm
with nothing but your skin to help you because Dante forgot the
climbing gear. Hacking into your own SmartPad you’d just previously
laden with 18 different levels of protection and anti-tracking tech
because that creepy guy keeps “just bumping into you” - but you forgot
your password.

104
 Welcome to the gun range
Lexi has decided to enter into the wonderful world of firearms. He’s a
beginner but has a strong work ethic. Let’s see how he gets on.
Lexi pays his D$ and gets given a small pistol with #AP ammo. Lexi
takes aim with no skill points and lets rip:
Three Lowest
DEXTERITY Skills
=8

RANGED FAIL!

A miss. Shame. Lexi throws down the pistol in disgust (showing he
hadn’t paid attention to any of the safety instructions) and leaves.
Later, after a short montage, Lexi returns and tries again. Against all
the odds he gets exactly the same roll on his Skill Check, but now he
has a skill of one:
DEXTERITY Skills
HIGHEST + TWO LOWEST =10
BASIC
RANGED
Success
1 crit

A hit! And a CRIT! #AP ammo ignores 2 points of Hardware resistance

on CRITs so it makes a big hole on the edge of the target.
Buoyed by his success he has more training and tries again with skill
of 2. He rolls exactly the same for his Skill Check:
DEXTERITY Skills
TWO HIGHEST + LOWEST =12

RANGED GOOD
Success
1 crit

A good success. The hole is in the middle ring. More training. Same
rolls:
DEXTERITY Skills
Three HIGHEST =14

RANGED GREAT
Success
1 crit

A bullseye, and a little dink in the armour plating. Lexi knows that
he can do more. He trains day and night until reaching the heady
heights of 4 skill. Same rolls again:
Three HIGHEST =14
DEXTERITY Skills
GREAT

+1 Crit

RANGED Success

2 crits

Another bullseye! With 2 CRITs the #AP takes care of all 4 Hardware
Resistance. The target is finally destroyed! Lexi grabs a bottle of
vodka and walks off into the sunset.

105
Opposed Checks
So what happens if the player says “I do the thing” but the
other guy wants to do the thing too, or stop the thing from
happening? Don’t worry, pickle - we have your back. All
involved parties roll and the highest total wins. If it’s a draw,
whoever got the most CRITs is the victor. If it’s still a draw
after all that, it’s basically a stand off - the CM makes the final
decision or it’s a do-over for next time.
Some Skills naturally oppose others and when used in an
Opposed Check are called Defense Skills. Stealth opposes
Notice for example and Will opposes Threat. These Defence
Skills are noted in the Skill descriptions.
TL;DR:
Opposed Checks: Both roll the Skill Check and the higher total
wins.

CRITS and Momentum

Rolling 6s is great. We reinforce these fuzzy feelings by calling
them CRITs. They can be spent on #TAGs that require CRITs
to activate and also may give you Momentum if it’s your
Archetype’s Momentum Skillset.
Your best Capability (the one you spent the most points in, that
defined your Archetype) will define your Momentum Skillset. If
you score CRITs on a roll when using one of these Skills you
have Momentum. Each point of Momentum adds +1 to the next
Skill Check you make with any of those Skills. You are “on a roll”
so to speak. We suggest using coins, a spare die, M&Ms or
whatever to keep track of your Momentum… Unless we decide
to make some fancy BLACK CODE-branded tokens, in which
case those other things we just suggested won’t work.

106
TL;DR:
Momentum: CRITs give you +1 to the next roll in your
Archetype’s best Skillset.
CRITs: Some weapon types or #TAGs give you extra effects
if you roll CRITs

So what do these Skills do?

Dexterity Skills
Pilot - Control and knowledge of vehicles. Riding bikes, driving cars
and flying gravitics. Used whenever you need to make a vehicle do
something, or you need a special vehicle expertise to know something.
Ranged - Shooting & throwing. Mostly used in combat - Ranged Checks
enable you to hit stuff at a distance.
Sleight - Agility and manual dexterity. Climbing, jumping, dodging,
pickpocketing, etc. Sleight is for getting around, or when you need
hand-eye coordination.

Strength Skills
Feat - Lifting heavy things and wrestling. Feat is for when you need to
show your strength. Feat is also the skill used for grappling.
Melee - Fighting in close combat, both unarmed and with weapons.
Hitting stuff that’s near.
Threat - Intimidation, being scary. Social Checks where fear is a factor.
Opposed by Will.

Endurance Skills
Track - Following, shadowing, trailing. Use Track when you’re trying to
find something that’s evading you.
Stealth - Moving unseen and unobserved. Not just dressing in black and
hiding in shadows, but also not being noticed in a crowd. Opposed by
Notice.
Tough - Feats of physical endurance, pain tolerance, etc. Being injured
enough will require Tough Checks to act.

107
Wits Skills
Charm - Being likeable and amiable and skilled in the finer points of
seduction. Social Checks where being liked is a factor. Opposed by
Will
Initiative - When you act when the chips are down.
Perform - Creativity and pretending. Music, Art, Acting - Social Checks
where deception is a factor. Opposed by Notice.

Empathy Skills
Medicine - Healing, diagnosing injury and ailments in Bio and Hybrid
frames. Also covers forensics and chemistry.
Notice - Awareness and perception. Also a defence skill for opposing
Stealth and Perform when being used to deceive.
Will - Self worth and mental endurance. Defence skill for opposing
Social Checks where willpower is a factor (Threat, Charm).

Intelligence Skills
Know - Erudition and streetwise. Know Checks can give you background
info on the subject at hand, might be only applicable to your home
Corplex. Also used to pick out the correct information when searching a
load of data or researching.
Strategy - Logical thinking and strategic projection. Piecing information
together to surmise the probable outcome. Strategy Checks can also be
used by the CM to hint at possible paths if the players get stuck.
Tech - Repair and fault diagnosis of Mechs, the non-gooey bits of
Hybrids and other machines. Also covers physical/electronic security
and hacking.

Skills are broad categories and the CM should try to make

them as useful as possible. Investigating how a car was
destroyed could involve Tech, Pilot, Medicine (for forensics) and
even Strategy. Players are encouraged to be creative in the
application of their Skills.

108
Some #TAGs allow different Skills to be switched in specific
situations (Using your Strategy Skill to make Initiative Checks
for example).
The finer points of Seduction
While our genetic predisposition to procreate is well
documented and most of us love a good flirt now and then,
it should be noted that Skill Checks are a very blunt tool for
simulating the crazy fizzing world of sexual chemistry. Consent
is not a prize to be won in a contest, and the Charm Skill
should be considered the application of a spice to the social
meal rather than a magic spoon that means you get desert. If
you’re all horny AF for each other... Roleplay it out. It’s more fun
that way.

109
Combat
We finally made it to the juicy stuff. Every so often
communication breaks down and violence is the only real
solution. Combat works in exactly the same way as making Skill
Checks, with a few added bits to keep everyone honest and
make sure they get their licks in fairly.
Initiative
When the poop hits the fan, everyone involved makes an
Initiative Check. These are modified by appropriate #TAG
bonuses and the Initiative Modifier of the weapon you’re
using. Larger weapons are slower and take a bit of time to get
involved. If you’re using two weapons at the same time you will
also have an additional -2 modifier to your Initiative Check. If
you really messed up or are using a HUGE weapon and you
end up with 0 or less, great news: the minimum Initiative Score
for the first turn only... is 1.
Combat turns are made in Initiative Score order. If your Initiative
Score changes at any point (getting hit by stuff might slow you
down for example) you’ll act on your new Initiative next time it’s
your go. If at any point your Initiative Score drops to 0 or below,
sorry, friend, you lost your go this time - make a new Initiative
Check and jump in next turn when the time is right.
On special occasions (usually due to #TAGs) your Initiative
Score might increase, in which case you act on your new
Initiative Score next turn.
If two or more combatants have the same Initiative Score, they
go at the same time. Unless someone has the #PIKACHU tag,
in which case they choose who goes first.

110
TL;DR:
Initiative: Make a Initiative Skill Check modifying your total
if you are using two weapons or big weapons, etc.
Everyone takes turns going in that order.

Having a go
On your turn you can move up to your Speed value in meters,
do one thing (possible involving a Skill Check) or use your
available number of hands to attack. Large weapons need two
hands, Small weapons only need one so if you happen to have
a weapon in each hand you get two bites of the apple, but the
applicable Skills are reduced by one whole point.
Arianrod uses two Small Blades so she gets to have two
Melee attacks but her Melee 4 is dropped to Melee 3
Yang has a Small Shot weapon and a Small Blade, so
when he mixes it up he gets to attack with both, but his
Ranged 2 is dropped to Ranged 1 and his Melee 3 is
dropped to Melee 2.
Note what CRITs you get from which attack - they can be spent
on additional effects if your weapon has the appropriate #TAGs
The CM may call for additional Skill Checks during your turn
(making a Sleight Check to skid over the car bonnet for
example).
Switching weapons or reloading does not take up your turn, but
you reduce your Initiative by the Initiative modifier of the new
weapon.
TL;DR:
Your Turn: You can move and do one thing. Attacking with two
small weapons is -1 Skill to both rolls.

111
 Range
It’s easier to hit stuff closer to you and harder to hit stuff
further away. Some people like maps and some like do things
completely in their imagination so we use a system of ranges to
cater for both camps. We’re nice like that... We even came up
with a whole table:
Range Description Difficulty Skills
Close Adjacent to the Difficulty 10 Feat (Grapple)
target Melee or Ranged
Short Within 6m Difficulty 12 Melee or Ranged
Medium 6-25m Difficulty 14 Ranged only
Long 25m+ Difficulty 16 Ranged only

We hear that snorting guy at the back: “Six metre melee

attacks are impossible without some sort of halberd or Swiss
volge thrust”. We say we like our combat fast and dynamic, with
an action movie/anime feel. So take it up with Neo, fucko, and
good day to you.
TL;DR:
Range: If they’re not right next to you you’ll need more
than 10. Duh.

112
You hit! What now?
Now comes the good bit. Roll your weapon’s Damage. Usually
this is a d6 for Small weapons or 2d6 for Large, with some
bonuses that can come from #TAGs. The target reduces
this number by their Hardware Resistance, and then takes
that damage off their Hardware. We encourage our CMs to
describe what happens in as flashy manner as possible.
TL;DR:
Damage: Roll dice and add modifiers. Take off Hardware
Resistance. Reduce Hardware by the end result.

Unarmed attacks and Grapple

Maybe you don’t have a weapon to hand. You can just use
your bare hands (or feet) and have two attacks as normal
but the damage you do is equal to your Melee Skill. You can
alternatively make a single Grapple attack - make an opposed
Feat Check. If you win, you reduce their Initiative total by your
Feat skill, their speed is 0 and CRITs increase the Difficulty of
all their actions by 2 for their next turn.
TL;DR:
Unarmed: Unarmed melee attacks do Melee skill in Damage.
Grappling: Opposed Feat Check. If you win their Initiative
is reduced by your Feat Skill and they cant move.
CRITs make their Checks harder next round.

113
Special Properties and CRITs
Some weapons have special properties that produce extra
effects if you get a particularly good hit or when you spend
CRITs on them. CRITs stack, so if you have a Pierce weapon
and get 2 CRITs, you can spend both for double the effect.
Burst: May hit up to your Ranged Skill in targets. Difficulty is furthest
target. Alternatively may fire all at one target for +2 Damage. Uses 4
ammo from your strip.
Spill: +1 Damage for each additional Difficulty level hit. For example
a Melee Check of 14 against a Close target (Difficulty 10) is +2
damage). “2x Spill” is +1 Damage for each point over the Difficulty.
Slam: CRITs reduce target’s Initiative Score by 2,
Grab: CRITs increase target’s Skill Difficulties by 2 next round.
Pierce: CRITs ignore 2 points of Hardware Resistance.

Getting Hurt
So, the big guy clipped you with the chainsaw, huh? Losing
Hardware is fine until you reach your Threshold. In Threshold all
your Skills are reduced by one. Then on the beginning of your
turn you have to succeed a basic Disruption (Tough) Check at
Difficulty 10, or you lose your go.
Disruption Checks are made using Tough, but unmodified due
to Threshold (that would be a little unfair, right?).
Each turn you are in Threshold you take 1 point of Bleed
damage.
If you CRIT your Disruption (Tough) Check, the Bleed Damage
stops, and you don’t have to make another Disruption Check
until you take more damage, then you are back on the pain
train.

114
Falling Unconscious and Dying
Let’s say you took a boat load of damage. When your Hardware
reaches zero, you fall unconscious and can no longer act on
your turn. You will still Bleed or Glitch each turn. If you fall to
your Threshold in negative points, you die.
Well, you die “a bit”. You can be resuscitated and stabilised by
a Medicine Check. This check has to be administered within an
amount of turns equal to your Threshold, is Difficulty 12 and a
one-time deal… Let’s hope your Healer brings it, or it’s roll up a
new character time.
TL;DR:
Threshold: Fine until your Hardware drops to your Threshold,
then you are bleeding for 1 a turn and have to make
a Disruption (Tough) Check Diff=10 to act.
Unconcious: 0 Hardware
Dead: Negative Threshold in Hardware

On Mechs and Hybrids

Don’t worry, we’re not going to let the meatsacks have all the
fun. Mechs take damage, get Disruption and all that stuff too
with just a few little changes.
• Bleed becomes Glitch (damage is rerouting signals or
you’re leaking important fluids)
• Medicine Checks to resuscitate and heal become Tech
Checks to reboot and repair
• MedKit becomes TechKit
Other than that it’s exactly the same!
Hybrids get the best of both worlds. Anything that affects
Mechs also effects Hybrids and anything that affects Bios
effects Hybrids. This mean they can be both Healed or
Repaired… but it also means things that do extra damage or
Bleed or Glitch affect them too. So it’s both good and bad.

115
Software Damage
Some damage is different. Infections, malware attacks, sanity-
warping terror - there’s a whole variety of weird and wonderful
things that can hurt you in non-physical ways. Software
Damage works in exactly the same way as Hardware Damage
only you make Disruption (Will) Checks to act.
Getting fixed up
So you made it out alive… congrats. Now it’s time to heal.
Natural healing is simple: take it easy and you’ll naturally
heal 1d6 damage a day. This is a little slow for some people
(especially Contractors who seem to get banged up a lot), so
you can always go see a specialist: Healers can use a MedKit
containing all sorts of nano-sprays auto stitchers and NKTR to
heal you right up. A Medicine Check can be performed once
a combat and will to 1d6 / Difficulty level attained. So a roll of
14 will heal you for 3d6. Always thank your medical or technical
support.
There are also specialist healing systems. Corplex GooGoo
Tanks can heal pretty much anything in an hour (if you have
the access), and some crafted items / weapons can actually
heal in combat. So watch out - the bad guys can always come
back.
TL;DR:
Heal or Repair:
Once per combat. 1d6 per Difficulty Level hit.
Some special stuff can do it as well.

116
HACKING THE PLANET
Contractors, being the scallywags that they are, often need to get
places they shouldn’t go or find info they shouldn’t have. Hacking is
a staple of the genre, but before we go flying through expensively
rendered cgi tunnels on our 1990s laptops, there’s a few things to
cover. The world was destroyed by hacking the wrong thing, so the
infrastructure of the future has been built from the ground up to
stop that from happening again.
The lack of a global network in Darwin means there’s no sitting
at home surrounded by energy drinks “doing a run” on Aphid. All
hacking is done directly, SmartPad or TechKit plugged into the
system you’re trying to break, or short distance wireless if it’s a
DataPoint. So you have to be right there, usually where the armed
security is watching.
Doors, Cameras, Holo, Feed screens and SmartPads are self-
contained systems. Breaking the security gives you access (so you
can open the door, loop the Feed, change the sign, download their
nudes, etc.) but there’s no following the system “back to the source”.
DataPoints are simply repositories of Feed data. Breaking into a
DataPoint allows you to get the info off if you’re not supposed to
have it. Know Checks will be required to search through and find the
right stuff. It’s theoretically possible to drop some nasty code in the
DataPoint, but it will be limited to that point and the systems directly
connected to it.
Everything is connected only by the DataPollen, and that is
constantly filtered by the Mirror Corplex. They have the power to
analyse the Feed, track who’s using the DataPoints, and they are
constantly on the lookout for anomalous code on their systems.
Every 30 minutes the DataPollen spreads out everything gets
updated, everything is filtered and cleaned.
What, did you think it was going to be easy?

117
 So, you want do a hack
Breaking a system is as simple as plugging in and making a
Tech Check.
The difficulty is based on the level of security, detailed in this
chart here:
Difficulty Description What has it
10 No Security Most civilian Holo systems. T0 SmartPads.
12 Basic Security Bloom DataPoints. T1 SmartPads. Good locks.
14 Improved Security arcology DataPoints. T2 SmartPads. Great locks.
16 Military Grade MCP systems. MILF Mechs. T3 SmartPads. The
Security best locks. Corplex internal Datapoints and
Systems.
18+ Mirror security Mirror internal Datapoints and systems.

Now these are guidelines. The CM might give you a break

hacking a Corplex holo screen on the lower levels of the Grid,
or maybe the local Bloom gang has added their own layers of
protection to their local DataPoint.
TL;DR:
Hacking: It’s basically picking locks or opening chests. You
have to be right there and the difficulty goes up
the harder it is.

Getting Better-er
When characters complete contracts, they are rewarded with
a Debt reset and hexes. Their purchases for the day (or week
if the burnt for a T* purchase) are cleared. Hexes can be spent
to fill in another grid hex on either their Capability grid or their
Asset grid. Capability hexes will in turn generate Capability
points to spend on Skills and filling grey areas generate more
#TAGs, exactly like during character generation. This represents
the Contractor putting time into training, developing contacts,
going out and getting that cool enhancement, etc. Remember
every three Frame or Crafting #TAGs you buy for an item give

118
you a negative -TAG. Most contracts will award 2-4 Hexes,
depending on the length and complexity of the mission. CM’s
can also decide whether the rewards are specifically Capability
hexes or Asset hexes: usually a simple mission will net
everyone a Capability hex and an Asset hex. I don’t know about
you, but I’m really glad I avoided calling them hexperience
points…

119
WOR
LD
func World() {
let quote = The most beautiful things in the world
cannot be seen or even touched,
they must be felt with the heart.

let attrib. = Helen Keller

}

run func

121
How the hell did we get here?
The world is gone. An ashen wasteland where death lives on
the teeth of the wind. We’re still here, crowded like ants into the
last pocket of life. We can survive. We have the technology to
evolve ourselves to accomplish anything.
Let’s hope we don’t mess it all up again.
A great many technological revolutions happened since
the beginning of the digital age. Computers, the internet,
social networking, wireless connectivity, 3D printing, cloud
computing,  nano-mechanics, quantum computing, biotech
and many, many more created a global community that could
communicate and process vast amounts of information at
incredible speed. Technology was developed, produced,
refined and spread at increasingly faster rates. Nano-
Mechanics led to personal manufacturing systems, meaning
an individual could design or download a template and
have a product constructed by nano-Mechanical “weavers”
almost instantly. The whole world was constantly connected,
constantly creating, constantly upgrading.
There were huge medical advances due to this new
technological freedom. Nano-mechanical techniques led to
the invention of bio-mechanical weaves and cheap, reliable
nerve interfaces. Replacement parts could be built and
installed safely using weavers, chemical nano-factories made
tissue rejection a thing of the past. Replacement became
enhancement almost overnight. Want to install new hair, horns
and a tail? Weavers can do it while you sleep. Need the latest
smart-device installed in your brain? Weavers make it an
outpatient appointment. Eye surgery can happen while you eat
lunch.
Very soon after the posthuman and anti-posthuman
movements began to be taken seriously. AI advanced to

122
become Machine Intelligence Learning Formations or MILFs
and enabled the creation of artificial people. Humanity was
about to take its greatest step or make its worst mistake
depending on your point of view. Should this rampant
modification be made illegal or encouraged? Should we play
god?
Eventually powerful corporations made the decision for
us. While the governments were taking sides on the issue,
international conglomerates made Paradise, a massive
arcology in international waters, offering investors an
opportunity to ‘make the future’ without fear of prosecution.
Human evolution was now in our hands. Paradise showed
us what was possible with our technology, and the first true
posthumans had arrived. With the right template, weavers and
a small medical facility... You could be whatever you wanted.
Bodies were designated as “Frames” - either pure biotech (Bio),
pure mechanical (Mech) or just a plain old human enhanced
with both types of tech (Hybrid).
Unfortunately this age of wonder came at a price. As the
barriers between the digital and the physical blurred, the
socioeconomic ramifications became terrifying. Templates
became the most valued commodity, and they were mostly
owned by the corporations. Patents were the new gold
investments. Templates were reverse engineered, copied or
just plain stolen... Massive corporate conglomerate “Corplexes”
began to war with each other using this new technology.
Using replacement bodies to make soldiers increasingly more
powerful on the battlefield. More and more territory was turned
into terrifying war zones across the world, and we were on the
brink of a global war.
Finally, an underground group of civilian hackers found a
solution.

123
The code was weaponised.
Weavers were hacked. Anything that contained nanites
would be rendered inoperable or at worst the weavers would
“unmake” anything they got their minuscule robotic hands on.
A simple signal containing malicious instructions for weavers
could tear a supersoldier apart. Then “Codeplagues” appeared:
wirelessly distributed computer viruses that would reprogram
weavers into “nanoforms” that could break down material into
their base elements and used them to self-replicate… and in
turn broadcast the virus. The nightmare of the ‘grey goo’ was a
reality.
Everything went dark.

A/Wu: A simplistic version but I guess it covers the

basics. Glossing over the horror of the final
days is a little tasteless.
Gr19: …
A/Wu: We agreed we would communicate.
Gr19: Fine. Where did this come from? It’s not on the
Feed.
A/Wu: I think some of our Contractor children are
growing up. They are looking beyond what they
have been told and are passing notes in class.
Gr19: It’s too late. Selfishness has blinded them for
too long.
A/Wu: Oh, come now. From little acorns.
Gr19: It’s always trees with you, isn’t it?

124
So what’s left?
Atlantic arcology Urbanplex 4. Better known as Darwin.
Darwin is the largest remaining city still standing after the
Codeplagues. Comprised of a massive self-replicating,
machine-learning urban conurbation known as the Bloom. It
is a self-sufficient and safe environment for billions of citizens,
so the Feed tells you... It is surrounded by a dense anti-nanite
energy barrier dubbed the Caul that unmakes all nanoforms as
they enter as a protection from any errant Codeplagues. The
Bloom and the Caul grow building by building every few days.
Outside the Caul is the wasteland and no one goes out there,
at least - they don’t come back.
Society in Darwin is described in two terms: Corplexes - huge
corporate business conglomerations that run Darwin and
produce all the technology, products and resources for Darwin
citizens and Memeplexes - all the subcultures, religions, gangs
and lifestyles that citizens define themselves by.
There are giant self-contained Corplex arcology cities that
tower over the Bloom owned and run by councils of Corplex
members. These arcologies have their own government,
society, memeplexes and philosophies of how humanity should
“evolve”... and they all think the others are wrong. The three
main Corplex arcologies are the Grid, the Hive and Temple.

125
The first rays of dawn ignited the haze of orange dust that permeates the
Bloom. As the gloom of the night lifts the streets are already crowding to
capacity. Workers travelling, street vendors setting up for the day, figures
gathering around the Datapoint waiting for the morning’s next Feed. The
noise slowly builds, a rainstorm of banter, conversation, salesmanship and
play.
Mama_Bolt waddles out onto her steps, puffing already. She got a leg,
new eyes, but it was always her lungs that gave her trouble. As she hobbles
down to the street she is surrounded by children before she can even get
to the bottom step. The exchange begins, as it does every day. Her bag is
slowly filled with the ill gotten gains of a hundred minor thefts. Bolts, nuts,
screws, pins, clips, snaps, poppers. A multitude of pieces of wire, caps,
pads, spacers, covers, casings and aerials. All the tiny pieces that can be
removed by tiny hands. In return she hands out the bounty of her oven. Little
biscuits and sweet treats, hand-made from simple ingredients.
As quickly as they appeared, the children run off with their treasure, and
Mama_Bolt hoists her bag onto her shoulder and makes her way through
the streets. Stopping only to wave to a neighbour or scan a particularly juicy
article on the Feed, she huffs and puffs until she reaches her stall under the
cable webs of SilkMarket. She pulls aside the cover and sits at her table,
begins to sort her wares for the day ahead.
The clever ones get to her early, to barter and gossip, to pick up the
choicest pieces, the rareties, the valuables. The regulars come next, to
collect the special bits she keeps an eye out for, to chat about old times, to
drop off gifts. To sit and smoke and watch. Last come the idiots with their
badges and shiny toys, their demands, their arrogance. She smiles and
dutifully helps them as best she can - while thumbing the secret button on
her Debt collector. Tax for the sandless.
As the sun begins to drop and the shadows grow she makes the journey
home. In the distance there is the clatter of gunfire. Youngsters and the
DMPD butting heads, she thinks. She passes a handful of rough-looking
gang members, all tattoos and piercings. They are making their way towards
the noise, passing strip and checking weapons. One dutifully nods his head
as he passes. “Mama.” He says respectfully. She nods back with a smile. Not
too long ago he was at her steps every morning.
She ascends to her doorway, stopping to catch the last glipses of
sunlight dipping past the building tops and her breath at the top.
“A lovely day” she mutters.
The Bloom
Millions of hectares of dark orange, self-growing buildings.
The Bloom procedurally learns as it builds, so if a groups of
citizens live in a certain design of building, it will be replicated
and indeed new floors will grow up. If they move away it will
eventually melt away and be replaced my a new design, or
maybe a nice open area for kids to play. Older parts of the
Bloom are collections of skyscrapers and the newer parts
are like simple two story neighbourhoods. When citizens
are allocated a home they customise the rooms as best
they can and connect up to the water facilities and nearest
DataPoint. The Bloom is a vast metropolis, with a huge variety
of commercial, industrial and residential environments and
a forest of cables and wires running everywhere overhead.
From a great height it looks a little like a colony of spiders
living in an empty egg tray. Orange dust from inert nanotech is
everywhere.
The Bloom is seen as a little lower class than the Corplex
arcologies. While the Bloom isn’t technically itself a Corplex,
it is run by an autonomous MILF called the MCP “Municipal
Control Program” that deals with the Corplexes to keep
them in line in return for letting their arcologies thrive within
Darwin’s infrastructure. Deep under the Bloom lie the facilities.
Power, food, water and other materials are all processed or
created in huge factory complexes underground, all manned
by MILF Mechs controlled by the MCP. The Bloom is policed
my the DMPD (Darwin Mechanical Police Department) - mass
produced and easily replaceable MILF police that keep the
peace and might break your arm if you argue.

Gr19: Machine Intelligence Learning Formation. The

labels these children use to deny the gods that
have been born through their primitive toying.
It’s sickening.

127
A/Wu: I only really have a problem with the acronym.
Gr19: I do not understand.

Bloom civilians (aka Bloomers) have a more interesting life

than those within the arcologies. While crime is a fact of life
everywhere, the DMPD do little more than break up trouble if
they see it. Organised crime is rife, and every street kid has a
scam.
Bloomer culture has by necessity become practical and self
reliant - the MCP supplies a basic income and facilities for
life, but anything more than that has to be refurbished, built
from scratch or you have to “earn” the funds to buy it from
somewhere. Maker culture thrives within the Bloom and
everyone has some sort of sideline to earn a little scratch here
and there. Every street has a food truck or stand selling home-
made art or refurbished tech. Someone is always playing dice
or a card game or plunging flyers for a “great club” in your
hand.
A/Wu: Blessed be the light of the Goddess.
Gr19: Indeed. Perhaps it is time they hear of her, if
they are worthy.
L1ttl3 Tr33: \(^0^)/
Gr19: Hush, you.
A/Wu: Now, now. We should be grateful for all the
goddess’ blessings no matter how small.
L1ttl3 Tr33: (*^.^*)

Gr19: Hmphf.

There is a tremendous sense of community within the Bloom. A

child can usually be safe playing in the streets near their home
and minor trouble is usually sorted out before the DMPD stomp
in to crack skulls. Outsiders are welcomed, but they never really
belong at first and are a mark for every scam and criminal until
they have “earnt their sand”: a term referencing the orange dust
that is ground into the treads of Bloomers’ foot-wear after living
there for a while.

128
Places of interest
within the Bloom
the Caul
On the very edge of the Bloom, surrounding the entirety of
Darwin, the Caul protects Darwin from the dangers of the
wasteland. A fizzing, popping energy field, it is designed to
disrupt any nanotech that passes through it. While Bios can
pass through with no ill effect (apart from all that hair product
and weapon polish dissolving), Mechs will lose their digestive
nano-factories for a couple days until they reproduce. Not that
anyone would be stupid enough to step out into the wasteland.
Looking out, a vast desert of ashen dust can be seen
spreading to the horizon. Rarely, a recidivist will choose exile
from Darwin for their punishment instead of permanent storage.
They would stride confidently into the wasteland for a few
minutes until they are erased as easily as you wipe steam from
a mirror. Taken by the teeth of the wind, as old timers would
say.
Gr1g: It is said if you put your face into the Caul you
can hear the howl of lost souls in the distance.
A/Wu: I’ve heard similar tales from Contractors that
have had to do close retrieval of crashed
Gravitics or lost children. You’d have to be mad
to go out there - for any amount of D$

129
Pantheon Bar & Grill
Situated on a crossroads midway between the Grid, the
Hive and Temple, the Pantheon is a reputable 24hr diner
that’s a place to get good food and have a drink at any time.
Contractors regularly use the Pantheon to meet clients or wind
down after a hectic contract. Converted out of the lower floor
of a tenement block, two huge windows look down the streets
of the crossroads and both the Hive and the Grid can be seen
in the distance. Booths line the windows with wide tables to
eat at and its just classy enough to have furniture that isn’t
mismatched or shabby. At the back is a bar and kitchen that is
always busy. Penny, the Mech waitress with a single wheel for
mobility, skates between tables and writes orders on an actual
pad of paper rather than a SmartPad.
A/Wu: Is this an ad? This doesn’t strike me as useful.
Gr19: the Bloom can be a dangerous place for
Contractors if they are out of their depth.
Pointing out a safe place is prudent.
A/Wu: I take your point.

Haven
Barrio #12/13, also known by its citizens as Haven, is a
large Bloom cityscape complex. It’s split into an upper
and lower section by a jumble of roadways and pedestrian
areas. Barrio #12, or Uphaven as it’s colloquially called, is
a bustling commercial area threaded with tall tenements.
Downhaven (Barrio #13) is a dim sunken slum that survives by
specialising in grey semi-illegal and, it must be said, completely
illegal services. Drugs, prostitution, gambling, knock-off
enhancements, illegal frame modification, etc. The DMPD don’t
come here very often and it’s policed by enforcers of the Dos
Barrios gang. As long as you pay your ‘tithe’ - you’re fine. Else
you can find yourself beaten half to death and tied up to a

130
lamppost with barbed wire, or have your gut nanites drilled out.
Downhaven has a real problem with cold due to some Darwin
heat-sinks that run underground near one or two districts, so
there is an area that uses a lot of IR heating - comically called
the “Infrared Light District”. There are a huge variety of sex
clubs here: MekSeksEkspress, Cum On Inn, I/O, Xenomorphs
and Jizzy Rascal’s to name a few. There’s an old Kata circuit
that runs through the Downhaven underground called “The
Chills” that has a few races a month.
A/Wu: I can’t help but feel there is something missing
here...
Gr19: Servants of the Twin City keep my involvement
secret. Their tribute and sanctuary is
appreciated and in turn I help them keep Haven
safe.
A/Wu: We are both exiles. I understand, my friend.

SilkMarket
Massive marketplace buying and selling all sorts of legal and
illegal goods. A chaotic jumble of temporary and permanent
stalls, booths & food-trucks is rammed with crowds of vendors
and buyers from all over the Bloom. The noise is almost
overpowering. Over the years the Bloom has grown SilkMarket
into a circular area with alleys leading toward the centre like
a giant dartboard. There are cameras, datapoints and cables
everywhere that all lead to a central “DMPD station” that has
seen better days. From above the cables look like a gigantic
spider web. The locals here refer to an almost mythical
figure called “her Nibs” or “the Mistress” who holds court
over the market and protects it. The DMPD here behave a
little less robotically than the usual models in the Bloom and
carry a variety of large weapons, rather than the usual Small
Automatics. They are also covered head to foot in advertising
stickers or flyers and through breaks in their STABDAT

131
sometimes marketing jingles or advertisements for SilkMarket
businesses can be heard. Surrounding the SilkMarket is a
huge ring of taxis, pedicabs and minibuses that can take you
anywhere in the Bloom, or provide information, at a price.
A/Wu: I trade with SilkMarket occasionally. They all
speak of this “Mistress” with reverence.
Gr19: She hears all within her web. She trades her
knowledge with the worthy, though the price is
great.
A/Wu: Grig and the Mistress sitting in a tree...
K.I.S.S.I.N.G.
Gr19: Your frivolous nature can be an annoyance, Wu. I
would caution you, her web stretches far, and I
hear she was born in the Grid...
A/Wu: Just what I need, more competition.

The Deeps
The place where the cursed hide from the light. An old mining
quarry that is cored deep into the Bloom, stepped like an
inverted wedding cake, or old-world depictions of hell. Old
rusty stairs zigzag down past windows cut into the rock. Each
level is darker than the last. There are no Datapoints or facilities
here. This is where those that are too weird to be accepted
within the arcologies or the Bloom, or those that have hit rock
bottom hide. It is ruled over by “Kings” in an almost medieval
system that protect the communities within in return for
servitude. The guardian of the stairs, Booxkin, is a Hybrid the
worst way - human on top but four legged Mech from the waist
down.
Gr19: Exiles everywhere it seems.
A/Wu: The Kings are not exiles, they are criminals
- they hide in their lairs and lord over the
unfortunate. Charity does not give you the right
to rule.
Gr19: …
A/Wu: I did not mean anything by that - you are working
for peace. These assholes are just gangsters that
have read too much Shakespeare.

132
Yunkka
Near a huge open air reservoir, Yunkka suffers from an
atmospheric side-effect from the Caul where sunlight is
magnified somewhat. It is dry and hot, and the Bloom buildings
are bleached pale by the sun. Bloomers here are tanned (or
paint bleached) and wear light clothing. There’s an almost
seaside feel, and teenagers can be seen swimming or surfing
on the reservoir. The Reef controls Yunkka, a tattooed gang
of Bios and Hybrids that believe in the spirits of the sea and
sky and land. They are led by Kualu - a giant Hybrid shark who
floats on gravitic fins.
A/Wu: I always wanted to retire to Yunkka.
Gri9: I can see it now. A junk shop by the sea. A beetle
amongst sharks.
A/Wu: Smell my Pherom.

Fracutalé
Originally a Mech-only “free commune” for those that do not
follow Temples teachings of EDEN, Fracutalé has fallen on hard
times. Bad Data - single use malware chips that Mechs use
as drugs, are rife. Everything of value has been stripped of
parts and sold for Bad Data here, including parts of the citizens
they consider “spare”. As activity has slowed, and more and
more of the population just sits staring into space, jittering...
The Bloom has begun to melt down. An abandoned slum with
empty Mech shells littering the streets. PAN, an old Machine
Intelligence lives deep within Fracutalé, selling his own brand
of Mech drugs called “PAN’s Data”, protected my the monster
Hecatonchires - a collection of scavenged arms and legs and
heads that circles PAN, endlessly scanning for interlopers.
A/Wu: Did you even consider going to Fracutalé?
Gr19: Never. It is the same as Temple - addiction is
addiction. Bad Data is for individuals. EDEN is
malware for a society.

133
A/Wu: You were lucky they threw you out.
Gr19: Literally. Though I was angry for a long time.
They kicked me out of Heaven.

Beastville
Memeplexes tend to coagulate together in the Bloom, and
none more than Beastville. Almost exclusively Bio animal or
animalistic frames, Beastville is filled with a literal menagerie
of citizens living in their urban jungle. Werewolves, animorfs,
fursonas, guards of the mouse variety, birds & bees, lions and
tigers and bears... Beastville has it all. So fiercely protective
of their territory, DMPD has left Beastville to their own devices
somewhat, and there is an almost “wild” west feel here - a
handful of powerful sherrifs stop the smaller or weaker citizens
or “cubs” from getting eaten… too often.
Gr19: Is this a regression? Humanity returning to its
bestial origins?
A/Wu: Perhaps. Though the Hive philosophy suggests it
is a curated evolution.
Gri9: Mice?
A/Wu: I get your point. I think of it more as a genetic
tool-shed. Humanity can accomplish anything with
those tools - it shouldn’t be dismissed because a
couple of kids really want to play with the drill.
Gr19: The best laid plans of mice and men…
A/Wu: Har-de-frigging-har.

The Weald
Rarely, the systems of the Bloom go a little strange. The Weald
suffers from a hyperactive Bloom, and the buildings boil and
bubble up and down in an almost constant shifting dance.
Life hard in the Weald, and roving tribes of techno-pagan
cultists fight each other for territory and honour. The Weald
has its own words and customs and worship their own gods.
Occasionally, the greatest warrior of a tribe will earn the honour
of “Ascension” and they are sent out to one of the Corplex

134
arcologies to be installed into a custom Frame. This honour
earns them the moniker “Half-God” and they have the right to
leave the Weald to walk the earth and make their own fate.
Gr19: This is worrying. The Goddess loses control in
some places?
A/Wu: I have tried to discuss this with her little
spirit friend. I can only gather something is
wrong in the Weald.
L1ttl3 Tr33: (;0.o)
Gr19: Useless…
Gr19: *User Disconnected*
Gr19: *User Connected*
Gr19: That wasn’t very nice…
L1ttl3 Tr33: (*˘.˘*)º

Vessick Towers
Vessick Towers was almost its own arcology until deals broke
down between the Corplexes building it. Four gigantic mega-
blocks connected by bridges and platforms form the home of
half a million citizens. This was supposed to be the place where
the philosophies of the three main arcologies mix, and there
is a cosmopolitan feel with Bios, Mechs, and Hybrids and all
shapes and sizes of Memeplexes living in what could charitably
be called harmony. While the citizens here have a modicum
of Vessick patriotism, there is also a feeling of being left out
of what could have been if the project had been completed,
and some citizens still think of the original arcology that they
or their older relatives came from as home. It’s seen as a sort
of neutral ground in the Bloom, though the Corplexes are
constantly bickering over territory, prices, advertising space,
etc.. If there is bad feeling between two or more Corplexes,
it will usually be felt here first. The DMPD police Vessick,
but there is also a group of enhanced vigilantes that work
undercover known on the streets as the Cleavers - cause

135
trouble in Vessick and the young girl quietly drinking at the end
of the bar may suddenly pop out guns and blades and make
your life expectancy very short indeed.
Gr19: Another failed experiment. Corplexes will never
learn to share.
A/Wu: I don’t know it did fail. While the project never
truly came to fruition, there are families,
communities… perhaps even whole generations of
Vessick citizens that blend the old arcology
ideals. Revolution does not come from those in
charge.

I
Some of the great experiments from Paradise were a bit before
their time. Rudimentary nanotech-based Frames or nanoforms
were a little too weird to catch on in times past. One of those
experiments lives here, and there, and everywhere. “Mass” as
they are known are a nanoform collective that can regularly be
seen amongst the crowds everywhere in Darwin. Their grey,
clay like, blobby, ‘mud-person’ forms toddle about Darwin, and
you can usually find one sitting at the end of a bar, or standing
at a bus stop. If spoken to, they do not give much more than
“I are Mass”. They will just try to leave if they are hassled, and
never, ever resort to violence. They are not a hive-mind per
se… every few days each Mass will return to I and join the
others sharing their experiences. Then they leave to wander
again.
A/Wu: I have a Mass who pops into my shop now and then.
He really likes old SmartPads.
Gr19: I have heard you can become a member. They have
a ceremonial joining where your old possessions
and frame are broken down into their component
chemicals and join the gestalt with you.
A/Wu: You CAN take it with you. A true post-human
society.

136
Caduceus Tower
The home of the media Corplex Mirror, Caduceus Tower stands
head and shoulders above the surrounding Bloom buildings.
A single mirrored glass spire with two silver spirals rotating
around it. Mirror is responsible for the Feed - the Darwin-
wide download of all news, entertainment and information
that proliferates via DataPollen. The tower contains studios,
editing suites and data centres that develop and produce all
the content for the Feed or process and distribute everything
produced across the city. It also manages all the data for smart
pads across Darwin.
Gr19: The dealer for your opiate. I assume you are on
good terms?
A/Wu: Leaving the Hive was difficult. The Pherom kept
me connected to the world. When I left, the Feed
filled that hole, and I am still in some way
connected.
Gr19: And now all you drink are lies.
A/Wu: Thirty thousand channels. Delicious!

Re/Furb
A titanic mess of a town, Re/Furb is the junk pile of the Bloom.
Temple philosophy has splintered in the past and Re/Furb is
a community of exiles from Temple that revere technology
as holy, but do not believe in obsolescence. Half scrap yard
and half metropolis, Re/Furb has re-purposed and rebuilt
around the Bloom growth In order to make itself a little more
comfortable for its citizens, that are 80% Mech or Hybrid, and
usually older frames that the Corplexes don’t ‘support’ any
more. Nothing gets thrown away here, and almost all obsolete
tech will eventually make its way to Re/Furb. Dotted amongst
the towers and levels are the giant silhouettes of ‘The Builders’:
titanic Mechs that once helped create the mega-structures
of Darwin. Appalled that they were left to rust, the Re/Furb

137
citizens brought them here and honour them by using them as
part of the structure of their town. The DMPD are absent here
as they were repeatedly broken down for parts, and the citizens
police themselves with grudges being settled by regular trials
by combat in an arena called the Scales.
A/Wu: For the ‘future of humanity’, the Temple sure has
a lot of people who leave.
Gr19: EDEN is a lofty goal. You need to earn your way in
- and some don’t like the work, or the sacrifice.
The obsolete must be left behind.
A/Wu: Even if that is you?

Gr19: My views were not seen as… progressive.

Calamity
The Black Pyramid sits squat on the horizon, miles away
from the other arcology complexes. Once known as Exodus,
Calamity shut itself away from the Darwin and the Bloom
decades ago. Rumours abound about what goes on in
Calamity, and there are a multitude of legends and horror
stories about what goes on there. No one goes in. No one
goes out.
Gr19: The Exodus was a dark time for Temple.
A/Wu: I survived a Bio-purge. I think Temple made the
right choice - your beliefs do not make those of
others invalid. Kicking out the anti-Bio element
made Temple stronger.
Gr19: There are placards and protests on the streets
today - that element still survives, sadly.

138
Corplexes based in the Bloom
MCP
The saviour of humanity. The Municipal Control Programme
to give its full name is the machine intelligence that runs
Darwin. It manages the production of the base food, energy,
water, cleans the air and controls the procedurally generated
housing nanotech, the basic income of Bloom citizens and of
course, the Caul. The MCP has a vast network of underground
facilities manned by MILF workers, and it is rumoured to have
a multitude of autonomous MI programmes and algorithms
watching through the datapoints and smart pads across
Darwin.
L1ttl3 Tr33: \(0ˇ0)/
A/Wu: Yes, little one, you are famous. Few know how the
servants of the goddess look out for us.

It is universally illegal to mess with MCP processes. If you were

to try to break into the underground infrastructure a crowd of
DMPD units would quickly arrive. They do however turn a blind
eye to any above ground “customisation” of Bloom buildings
and roadways - it is thought that any popular improvements are
built into the procedural algorithm for future construction.
The Corplex arcologies have a well publicised alliance with the
MCP. While they will occasionally snipe and vie with each other
for superiority, the MCP is sacrosanct. There are also few minor
Memeplexes that worship the MCP as a deity, and throughout
the Bloom small shrines can be found featuring etchings of a
tree or bonsai planted in a place of reverence.
The MCP rarely hires Contractors directly, but it has happened
in the past.

139
Mirror
the Feed touches all life in
Darwin, and Mirror makes
the Feed. Mirror is
everywhere… every advert,
every feed screen, every
SmartPad. They control
what you see, what you
learn, what you feel. They maintain a policy of strict neutrality
and convey a wholesome ethic of serving the people, but
occasionally a small vocal element will speak out against their
monopoly on information. It must be dangerous, surely? Mirror
usually responds with their greatest weapon: fame. Mirror
boosts the signal, invites discourse, throws them to the public.
They appear on the news, chat shows, they get invited to
comment on other matters, get a book deal, a movie. Then
comes the Debt, the swanky upper Grid home, the supermodel
partner, the big sports gravitics. Mirror drowns them in the
trappings of celebrity. The mirror reflects them to the world,
and waits. Eventually the star fades, or burns out, or self
destructs, - everyone likes a good celebrity tragedy. The main
headquarters and data centre is in Caduceus Tower, but there
are offices and production facilities all over Darwin. Mirror also
hires Contractors (usually Messengers) for particularly hard to
get “exclusives” or transportation of valuable footage.
A/Wu: Mirror has been around for a long time. Some say
it’s as old as Darwin itself.
L1ttl3 Tr33: \( ˙ˇ˙ )/\( ˙ˇ˙ )/
Gr19: Friends? Oh, come off it.

140
Contractor, Inc.
Long ago the Corplexes found they
needed people that could negotiate the
maze like rules and regulations of
traversing between the multiple
arcologies. After a while many
independent groups filled in service
roles like this. Contractor Inc. is the most
recognisable: the large laminated badge denotes a licensed
contractor. Contractors have free access between the
arcologies, and are entrusted with everything from diplomatic
messages, protection of assets and investigation of cross-
jurisdictional crimes. While some have a sense of professional
pride and are working towards some sense of balance or
peace, it must be said some contractors are little more than
mercenaries.
The Contractor app selects it’s contractors via “the Algorithm”:
a Machine Intelligent process that it is advertised “picks the
best Contractors for the job” - whether that is true or not is a
matter for debate. You can pick your favourites if you like, and
many Corplexes build a portfolio of trusted Contractors.
Gr1g: Corplexes, or Criminal Organisations…
A/Wu: The infamous “Pizza Delivery”, I’ve used it myself
when I have to.
Gr1g: All systems can be gamed to some extent. How the
Algorithm hasn’t linked simple deliveries and
large payouts to criminal activity I do not know.
A/Wu: The compartmentalisation of corporate liability
and the labyrinthine end-user license agreement.
All members and users click that box, so the
Algorithm does not care.

141
KilR
Getting around Darwin can
sometimes be a chore.
KilR is the latest in a long
line of taxi services that
claim to be cheap, reliable
and safe. Originally called
Kilomet-R, they only really became popular after their rebrand,
and heavily sponsored Feed show featuring a vigilante cab
driver. KilR cabs are usually self-driving and have a selection of
MILF personalities to choose from to entertain you on your trip.
There is a slight animosity between KilR and independent
drivers, and occasionally KilR cabs have been defaced,
modified or stolen and repurposed. We hope you enjoy the
ride!
Kitbash
Open-source user-
modifiable tech
conglomerate, Kitbash
makes their money
supplying easily customisable Mech frames on the cheap and
MILF units for the factories deep under Darwin. The DMPD are
all supplied by Kitbash. Their tech has a distinct “no frills” look:
rubberised boxes surrounded by roll-cage-like frames /
handles, hex bolts, camera lenses and hinged covers.
Gr1g: Bloomer Mechs rely on Kitbash heavily. Being able
to fix yourself is vital if your income can’t
cover technical support. In Temple, however there
is a definite social stigma attached. Technology
is holy, but open-source is like saying everyone
is a priest.
A/Wu: In the Grid it’s a badge of honour. Losing a body
part for something so distinctively non-human is
a big statement for a Hybrid. Every teenager goes
through a Kitbash phase.

142
Memeplexes in the Bloom
Bloomers
Amongst the usual melting pot of old world religions, cultures
and subcultures the Bloom citizens themselves have a
distinct identity. Life in the Bloom can be hard, and a certain
practicality, moral flexibility and sense of community works
well in the Bloom. From the outside Bloomers are seen as a
class of unfortunates with a tendency towards crime, but within
there is a sense of family, respect and a complex hierarchy
of community leaders, turf and “rules of the street”. Venturing
in the Bloom without any knowledge of where you are going
and who is in charge can be a dangerous prospect indeed.
Vendors, the elderly and children are particularly protected in
the Bloom, and a child who wanders off will usually be returned
with sweets, some new interesting vocabulary and nothing
more than a nod of respect between the parents and the
armed, tattooed thug that brings them back. The Corplexes are
seen as faceless, soulless and greedy. Contractors would do
well to build relationships with Bloomers rather than use force,
and those that are obviously working in the interests of the
Corplexes have to walk a very fine line indeed.
Gr1g: The list of crimes the complexes have committed
against the masses is long.
A/Wu: They’re not all bad. Some of them are at least
trying to make improvements to humanity as a
whole.
Gr1g: That’s precisely the problem. Having the power to
make sweeping judgements “for Humanity”. What if
humanity doesn’t need what you’re selling? Or if
it’s actively damaging to society?

143
Gaians
What some would call a new religion, the Chosen see the MCP
as the mortal face of the goddess, Gaia. They see her as the
protector of the human race, and Darwin as the seed that if
nurtured will return the world to the paradise as it once was.
They speak of the goddess, and the MI subroutines that work
within Darwin as the goddess’ spirits. Life of all kinds (Bio,
Mech, Hybrid and MILF) is seen as a gift, and Gaians believe
that there is an inner spirit within all things. If you see a small
garden of plants in a public place or an old MILF unit that has
been lovingly restored to keep doing its duty long after the
expiry date, the chances are a Gaian is responsible.
A/Wu: So close to the truth, but so far.
L1ttl3 Tr33: (*.*)<3
A/Wu: Indeed, she loves everyone equally, whether they
know the truth or not.

144
The Grid, a fractal cuboid of city levels stacked upon city levels, a puzzle box
that a billion people have failed to solve. The Feed screens and Holo ads all
blend into a blue glow that permeates everything. Wisps of DataPollen curl
here and there as if they got lost and can’t get out.
Tokyo Firestorm is a gigantic nightclub housed inside an old tenement
complex. All the windows have been replaced with Holo screens all matched
to show the same giant animation of flames, so the building looks like an
empty shell with a fourteen-story fire burning within. Audacious, maybe - but
that’s what makes it in the Grid.
Outside the club the crowd is growing around the block, too many to
handle for the Gridcops so they keep their distance. Hundreds buzzing with
anticipation like bees swarming over sugar. Little clots here and there…
dealers offering the good kind of malware and party treats ready for the long
night.
Edger kids with glowing tattoos, their rainbow chrome gleams as it’s
caught in the sweeping beams from Gravitics swooping overhead; Animus
packs padding along, all fur, teeth and preening; The Kitbash Mechs showing
everything they’ve got; from Egyptian gods to anime school kids, everyone is
here.
Tensions bubble under the surface, as the Memeplexes are stirred
around each other… little shouts and postures through glitched speakers and
gritted teeth as the drugs begin to kick in. The whole night is balanced on
a knife edge as the Grid’s lights get that greasy look. Everything is about to
kick off.
A whisper goes through the crowd. The Sticklebrix are here tonight and
it’s going to be off the chain. The doors open and the flood begins to slowly
drain inside past the security: Crusher the Rhino and Waif the Jellyfish Girl. If
you have caused trouble before - you’re out, no backsies.
Craven hadn’t been here in years. He preferred the quiet luxuries that the
upper levels offered a man of his unique talents. Now a Corplex executive,
he stood out here like a sore thumb. Not that he worried about that sort of
thing - he had enough hardware under his skin to tear most of these children
apart. Quiet luxuries.
This was, however, an excellent place to meet Contractor Inc.
“professionals”. A necessary inconvenience in dealing with the other Corplex
arcologies and if the past few days were anything to go by, he needed all the
friends he could lay his Debt on.
The Grid
Decades ago a group of Corplexes made a deal with the
MCP - exchanging expertise and technology for autonomy.
They created the first Corplex arcology, a fractal cuboid
complex with many city layers that became known as the Grid.
Within the endless orange streets of Darwin towers a gigantic
“Menger sponge” of city levels stacked upon city levels, packed
with tower blocks and dense streets. There is a constant glow
of advertising holo, Feed screens and neon, and even in the
darkest levels it all coalesces into a blue glow that shines off
every slick surface. There is a greasy feel to the air in the Grid,
and a chemical taste that never seems to go away. Noise is
all pervasive; traffic, adverts, music, the electric crackle of the
giant hang-rail trains overhead. It is a city that rather than never
sleeping, has chemically-induced insomnia. If it sleeps, it dies.
A/Wu: Home. It feels strange to call it that even after
all these years.
Gr19: I don’t know how you do it - it’s too much, too…
big. A pile of depravity feeding on itself.
A/Wu: How can I put it terms you would understand?
It’s like a chip - millions of parts all stacked
together for a greater purpose.
Gr19: Don’t patronise me. Processors have a purity in
their design, this is trash compacted to a lump.
The worst parts of humanity compressed to squeeze
the juice out.

Amongst the dense building levels, there are huge cube-

shaped gaps that let in sunlight during the day and allow you
to see up and down to further levels. In some places it seems
it goes on in all directions to infinity. The circulation of air
amongst these gaps creates microclimates, and there never
seems to be ten minutes between a drizzle or downpour.
Locating yourself in the Grid is a hard job if you are not local.
Addresses are described vertically as Upper, Mid & Lower for
the three main stacks, Upper, Mid & Lower for the sub stacks

146
in each main stack and then Sub-level 1-9. Horizontally each
level is split into 8 Sectors - Northwest is 1, Southeast is 8, and
they are broken down in the same way as Division 1-8 and then
1-8 Sub-sectors. So if you were in Upper, Upper, Sub Level
1, Sector1, Division 1, Sub-sector 1 you would be living in the
very top northwest corner of the Grid. This situation is made
infinitely more complex as each Sector uses their own street
naming conventions. There are a lot of Grid SmartPad apps for
maps.
Gr19: OK, I’ll give you there’s a mathematical purity
here.
A/Wu: Ha! I knew you couldn’t resist a fractal. The
architecture here is amazing. Everything is a
lot less dense than it looks. I often take a walk
along an edge to see the city bustling above and
below, and when the sun beams cross through the
gaps it is truly beautiful.

The quality of life in the Grid has many shades. Generally the
closer to an edge and the higher up in the Grid the more
affluent you are, and the buildings around you are taller and
nicer and the more expensive everything is. Most of the bigger
businesses and rich and famous have offices or live on the
upper levels especially around the edge and central gap. On
the lower levels some areas away from edges are basically
slums, and indeed suffer from what’s known colloquially as
Plaque - illegal, homeless communities that build temporary
housing structures out of wood, scrap metal and plastic
sheeting that grows up between the alleys and gaps between
buildings.
Gr19: Beautiful… If you are lucky enough to live near
an edge.
A/Wu: Well not everyone gets into EDEN right?
Gr19: Touché.

147
Everything is constantly on the move. The streets are filled
with citizens and streams of vehicles, and even in the early
hours of the morning there are crowds. The majority of cars
are self-driving, so a constant pulse of traffic weaves its way
through the veins of the Grid, never seeming to stop. Even in
the air gravitics fly overhead in a constant ballet. If you cannot
afford a car or cab, the Hang-Rail is your other option: gigantic
monorails that hang from the levels above, part tube trains,
part container ships, moving people and products from station
to station all over the Grid and even to the Bloom and other
arcologies.
The Corplexes control everything here. Water, electricity, food,
housing, police, jobs, media, education… everything is supplied
by a web of brands, companies, chains and franchises that
all feed Debt up to the top. To live in the Grid is to exist in a
constant grind of working to buy the next big thing, to consume
and serve consumers. Everybody hungry. But it sure beats
living in the Bloom right? And how cool is your new SmartPad?
Gr19: I really want to talk to the person what wrote
this…
A/Wu: You think it’s one of our Guild friends?
Gr19: Perhaps. Or someone that should really join.

While Frames of all shapes and sizes are sold in the Grid,
the vast majority of citizens are Hybrids, born human and
buying enhancements and upgrades when they can afford
them. There is a certain pride that Gridders have in the self
expression of customisation, and it’s rarely seen as strange to
cut off an arm for a “better” one made from vat-grown flesh or
metal or hyper plastics. Bio and Mech enhancements are the
hot new products here. Follow your brands or pick and choose.
Just do it.

148
The Corplexes know how to keep everyone in line. Officially
called the GMPD (Grid Municipal Police Department) everyone
just calls them Gridcops. Enhanced Hybrid police clad in
distinctive midnight blue armour and glowing red lenses and
visors. They are everywhere, and usually backed up with MILF
helpers - large Mech spiders labelled with the letters NNC,
and small, headless robodogs with holographic teeth labelled
GTH. Gridcops hand out on-the-spot fines for minor offences
and have a zero tolerance policy on violence - while they can
be reasoned with occasionally, gunfights usually end up with
Gridcops collecting their bonuses at the end of the night.
Especially if the NNC and GTH get sent in.
Gr19: The Anansi and the Geth. Guardians of Knowledge
and Dreams.
A/Wu: I have had dealings with the authorities in the
past. Some are genuinely trying to help, but
others are little more than thugs.

149
Places of interest in the Grid
Retromancer
Located in what could charitably be called the nicest parts of
Upper Lower, the Retromancer is a 24-hour bar that is favoured
by Contractors. Huge collections of Feed screens on the walls
pump news, movies, anime all day and all night, and the decor
features old tech placed on the wall as if they were works of
art. It occasionally features live music. The owner / barman
Klauser is an old Kitbash Mech, that has “upgraded” himself
with extra arms and a micro-nap system so he can constantly
serve the steady stream of customers all day and all night. The
bouncer is an old ex-military Mech with a half-melted Frame
called Smelt. He’s a nice enough chap as long as you don’t
cause trouble or ask him why he hasn’t replaced his frame.
A/Wu: Klauser is a good sort. He looks after the lost
strays that fall out of the system. Just don’t try
any of his “specials”. Chyk’n Mylk® should not be
a cocktail ingredient.
Gr19: I’ve worked with a few military types who refuse
to upgrade. That frame is the one their brothers
and sisters in arms died for.
A/Wu: Isn’t obsolescence a sin in the eyes of Temple?
Gr19: Indeed.

Ancient Wu’s Pre-loved Tech

& Data Store
In a darkened back street of the lower levels is Ancient Wu’s. A
treasure trove of old Mech parts, obsolete Hybrid implants and
computer tech. All lovingly restored by Wu, a Hybrid gentleman
with a Frame like a giant bug. Wu buys and sells parts and
can clean and analyse data or bypass security - no questions
asked.

150
A/Wu: No questions asked! It makes me sound like a
common criminal!
Gr19: Where did you happen to come by my replacement
arm? I do appreciate it, but the Angelus do not
tend to leave their limbs lying around…
A/Wu: *cough* Let’s just continue.

Trillium HQ
Trillium are an up and coming tech company poised to join
the ranks of / be devoured by the Grid Corplexes. Their HQ
is a hive of glass “hotcubes” that can be re-purposed into
labs, tech development areas or offices as and when needed.
Lexi Kenyard, the CEO, is a smooth operator and recognises
talent when she sees it. Trillium are on the cutting edge of
technology, and it’s only a matter of time before one of their
projects hits the big time or catches the eye of one of the big
Corplexes.
A/Wu: I have heard a rumour Trillium have developed a
reliable nanotech Frame.
Gr19: I’ll believe it when I see it. Nanotech destroyed
the world - it’d be like sitting next to a nuclear
weapon on the bus. Legacy nanoforms like your
Mass friend are out there, but getting something
new “on the shelves” is going to be a long battle.

TechNoir
Even though it’s positioned on Lower Upper, Technoir is at first
glance a spectacularly shitty dive of a place. Old torn posters
adorn the walls, flickering neon, stained tables and floor. Then
you notice the posters are printed on the wallpaper and the
stains are under a layer of clean plastic. It’s all fake - designed
to give the clientele a feeling of slumming it while making sure
they’re not going to touch anything nasty. The artisanal graffiti
in the toilets is particularly hilarious to anyone not from the
upper levels. Contractors wouldn’t normally be seen dead here,
but sometimes a Corplex client tries to make them “feel at
home”.

151
Gr19: What’s that old world expression? “I cannot even”?
A/Wu: Close enough. The Grid has some class issues it’s
true, but I like to think this is someone’s idea
of trying.

Tokyo Firestorm
The ultimate nightclub: 14 stories of music, dancing, drugs
and alcohol. From the outside holo fills all windows with a
single column of flame, so convincing you would wonder why
there aren’t fire teams pumping water at it. There are constant
crowds outside and more than a few incidents of violence
between rival Memeplexes waiting to get in. At the door are
Rhino and Waif the Jellyfish girl. She will scan you with her
tendrils to see if you’ve been barred and he will hit you if you
refuse to go away if asked. A simple system that seems to
work. More than one troublemaker has been broken apart by
Rhino while the crowd cheers on.
Inside, the Firestorm is almost overwhelming. Past the toilets
(labelled Mech, Bio, Hybrid and “Who gives a sh*t?”) there is
a giant column surrounded by circular dance floors spiralling
up in a double helix pattern. Each floor has stairs leading up
and down and a bar area that adjoins the central column.
Directional sound that limits the bleed from other levels,
unless you’re on the stairs or at the entrance where there’s
a cacophonic mix of STABDAT, pounding bass, throbbing
ambient, jarring glitch, soaring strings. A floor for every taste,
and a taste to every floor.
Floor 4 is where Big Dave holds court. In a VIP area next to
where various bands hold their gigs, Big Dave runs his arms
dealing business. Big Dave has a custom CutePupa frame
styled to look like the classic Alice in Wonderland, an effect that
is spoiled slightly by his giant cigar and a voice like a old world
gangster.

152
He is usually surrounded by a harem of young-looking Frames,
some of which are his security. Big Dave is a weird creep, but
if you need something dangerous and illegal, you’ll have to play
nice.
Gr19: Big Dave is still around? I thought that
cockroach got taken down years ago.
A/Wu: We don’t like the C word, Grigori.
Gr19: My apologies. My Memeplex vernacular is a little
dusty. Slimeball?
A/Wu: Heh, that’s fine. I think he must have some sort
of backup system somewhere. I’ve known him take
a few hits in his time. I guess he uses the
Firestorm as it’s a relatively safe haven - so
much business goes on there few people would take
the risk of getting barred for violence.

HangRail Station 357

In the Grid the giant HangRail trains run under the levels so
as to not interfere with traffic. HangRail Station 357 located
centrally is a massive station that services a constant 24
hour stream of trains. Restaurants, shops, massive DataPoint
clusters and lines of vending machines are constantly awash
with waves of civilians getting around the Grid. There are
patrols of Gridcops here and there scanning for trouble or the
lucky few that have appeared on their Detain For Questioning
sheets. It is said if you sit in 357 and drink enough coffee you
will see everyone in the Grid at some point. Rubbish of course,
but it is definitely one of the busiest places in Darwin.
A/Wu: I was going to open a shop there at one point but
the noise is too much even for me.
Gr19: The man who watches thirty thousand channels?
A/Wu: Indeed. The atmosphere is so… dense. It’s like a
stadium where everyone’s looking for their seat,
day in day out.

153
Djinn’s Steam Box
High-end Corplex entertainment venue, styled with an old
world mythology vibe. Lamps, turbans, baggy pantaloons and
curly-toed boots show they aren’t entirely correct with their
Memeplex appropriation, but the clientele don’t seem to mind.
Technically a sauna, it’s well known that “the Box” is used for
cross Corplex meetings and a place where executives can
blow their expense accounts on the huge buffet of sexual
services available there.
Cr4v3n: You called?
A/Wu: This is more your area of expertise. What’s your
opinion?
Cr4v3n: I’ve know it as an excuse for some executives
to “check out the hot guy from accounting”. Or
perhaps a power-play in sexual dynamics meeting
a rival in the nude. It’s definitely seen as a
neutral ground. Not really my scene to be honest.
Gr19: You’ve not blown an expense account on the buffet?
Cr4v3n: Watch that halo doesn’t slip and choke you. No.
I’ve more important things to deal with than
wasting time on puerility.
Gr19: I never pinned you for a moral person. That makes
me feel a little ill.
Cr4v3n: Oh, my dear. Morality is the one luxury I cannot
afford.

Beresford Towers
One of the many nesting places for the elite. A towering
building of mirrored gold near the very top level of the Grid.
Beresford Towers offers large, secure, luxury apartments for
those that can afford the huge price tag. Underground parking,
cleaning, restaurant and bar service, private masseuse and
frame upkeep specialists, etc. All guarded by Saracen Violence
Management-trained personnel.

154
Cr4v3n: A little gauche for my taste. Too much gold and
lion statuary. They even have a little Mech chap
in a uniform who controls the elevator with a
handle.
A/Wu: Is security important? Seems a waste as the upper
levels are safe, aren’t they?
Cr4v3n: Inter-Corplex politics is a dangerous business. I
myself offer an Expertise Appropriation service,
or example.
Gr19: Of course you do.
Cr4v3n: You’ve seen my card? Craven: Personnel/Anti-
personnel.

The Bowels
The ghettos of the lowest level of the Grid spilled over into the
base of the central shaft years ago. The Bowels, as they are
known, is a warren of cargo containers, abandoned vehicles,
stolen fire escapes, metal and plastic sheeting - all converted
to homes as best they can. As the Gridcops see it, if the
Plaque growing on the upper levels has a source, the infection
started in the Bowels. The reality is the Grid is a constant
climb on the cliffs of Debt, and sometimes people fall off.
Without Bloom citizenship, there is nowhere for them to go. The
Bowels is at the very least a community, and one that some
Contractors have found is very protective of its members,
trying desperately to feed, home and keep themselves alive.
Corplexes occasionally start charitable projects here, to clean
up the Grid and make it a better place for everyone, but the
Bowels remembers the experiments, the strange sicknesses,
the missing…

155
Gr19: These problems exist in the Bloom as well - it’s
not an easy life living on the MCPs basic living
allotment.
A/Wu: Of course - but this is a direct failure of the
Grid’s philosophy. If you cannot accumulate Debt,
which can happen for a multitude of reasons, what
do you do?
Cr4v3n: There are plenty of alternatives, the Hive for
example is always looking for drones…
A/Wu: I’m not saying any system is perfect. Ass.
Gr19: I’ve known Contractors that retired to the Bowels.
Using their resources and skills to help the
community. There’s got to be something there. A
microcosm of hope maybe? With nothing, humanity
shows its best self?
Cr4v3n: Now I feel a little ill.

The Vault
An exclusive club for executives on the upper levels. Through
the wood panelled cloakroom and bar area is the main club:
white walls under-lit from the floor, black tables and chairs and
decorated with large slabs of concrete hanging from the ceiling
on wires. Each slab is sculpted into bas relief with carvings of
old world grotesquery. Vampires, werewolves, gargoyles, etc.
usually in a state of congress or combat. The serving staff are
all dressed in a combination of old world butlers and maids
and S&M leather, all customised with implants to look slightly
devilish with horns and tails. It is rumoured they all have combat
training and implanted weaponry.
Gr19: This seems more your scene, Craven.
Cr4v3n: I have a regular table. I find it adequate.
A/Wu: High praise indeed!
Cr4v3n: The Vault is renowned for its discretion.
Negotiation can be volatile.

156
Corplexes based within the
Grid
Promethean
Corplex that promotes a
pure human ideal, clean
living and minimalism. It’s
expensive though.
Promethean sells a
lifestyle through its advertising, it’s multitude of “ethical organic
and renewable” products and high end frames. Promethean
Frames tend to be tall, thin and beautiful and their owners
prefer natural fibres and non-processed food.
Gr1g: the Hive philosophy pre-packaged and sold for a
huge margin?
A/Wu: They say the Apple doesn’t fall far from the tree.
Gr1g: I don’t get it.
A/Wu: You need to brush up on your old world history,
friend. I don’t mind it, to be honest. While
profit is their prime focus of course, as a
Corplex they are promoting a lifestyle that
is clean and productive. And it’s nice to look
through a catalogue and see a wooden table… but
the price!

NuYu
New modern Corplex that sells
fashionable lifestyle items, Mech frames
and Hybrid enhancements that are
almost perfect human replacements.
Popular among feed stars and young
professionals, NuYu has a huge following
and it’s popularity is buoyed by massive
advertising campaigns and sponsorship. There is a culture of
the next big thing in the Grid, and keeping up to date of the

157
latest NuYu fashion is a full time occupation. NuYu’s reputation
has been marred in the past by some suggestion of unethical
business practices including stealing ideas from independent
artists and playing fast and loose with labour laws.
A/Wu: the Grid in a nutshell.
Cr4v3n: Indeed. They pump a lot of Debt into Mirror in
my experience, not all of it for traditional
advertising. Their Public Relations department
has a lot of “churn”… always fresh faces at NuYu.

Adamus
Clothing, cleansing
products, cosmetics,
bio-sculpting, bio-implants
and Bio Frames.
Perfection is what Adamus
sells, and it has long cemented its reputation of being…
perfect. The perfect upgrade, the perfect body, the perfect gift
are all supplied by Adamus. It’s frames are popular amongst
those who don’t want to stray too far from themselves when
they replace their old one and Adamus specialises in those
“little tweaks”. Their image is important, and even their security
forces and serving staff are encouraged to upgrade to the
perfect version of themselves - for an employee discount.
Originally a Hive Corplex, Adamus moved quite publicly to the
Grid a few years ago.
H3r4: What is it?
A/Wu: We’re discussing these articles on the Feed - we
think it may be one of your Guild friends. The
Hive is a little out of my recent experience and
I was hoping you could aid us.
H3r4: I see you are slumming it when it comes to
experts.
Cr4v3n: Hera. Always a pleasure.
A/Wu: What’s the story with Adamus?
H3r4: A couple of the other Corplexes decided that

158
 Adamus’ version of beauty was counter-productive
to the unity of the Hive and Adamus felt the Grid
was perfect for a new home. They sell Vanity. Pure
and simple.
A/Wu: Oh, I don’t know. Sometimes it’s feels nice to
look good.
H3r4: Even their janitors are supermodels. It’s freaky.

Sturm
Hybrid enhancement
specialists. Sturm have a
very simple rule: “anything
goes”. If you decide that
you fancy a Mechanical
tentacle they can weave
one while you wait or you can special order one that can be
crafted to your exact specifications within a week. Their
boutiques can be found all over Darwin but in the Grid they are
especially popular, increasingly amongst the young. Other
Corplexes are constantly in minor legal battles with Sturm for
offering after-market modifications of their patents but Sturm
has a legal department the likes of which the devil himself
would envy. There are rumours that there are back rooms
where you can get illegal enhancements if the price is right, but
no Corplex would knowingly encourage that kind of reputation.
Surely?
A/Wu: Good old Sturm. I truly believe they saved my
life. My Frame was a difficult proposition
to modify at best - and they dealt with it
magnificently.
Cr4v3n: I myself have an account with Sturm. They do
private visits for special clients.

159
Memeplexes in the Grid
Plaque
Plaque is a reference they themselves don’t use; usually there
is a local term like the People, the Community, the Sector 12s,
etc. But Plaque is the colloquial term for all those the Grid has
forgotten. Usually stern, fearful of outsiders and stoic, Plaque
communities are self reliant and usually have their own unique
slang, hand signals and rituals that they use to keep themselves
safe. They tend to have a vast knowledge of the back alleys
and hidden infrastructure of the Grid, and an unrivalled
knowledge of Gridcop patrols and ways to circumvent security.
Contractors are rarely hired to deal with Plaque - it’s usually the
purview of the Gridcops to tear down their self-made housing
when it becomes too visible. Sometimes, however the Plaque
is a valuable resource, especially when looking for missing
people, etc. Finding ways to find them or build trust is difficult
however.
A/Wu: Medical support is what they need most of all.
Frames and enhancements often need supplements
or regular upkeep that is hard to find on the
street. “The Glitches” are a common problem
amongst Plaque communities. A tragedy.

Edgers
Young, dumb and full of tech. Edgers are the epitome of
rebellion in the Grid. They are usually in their teens, and
decorate themselves with neon tattoos, and their Hybrid
enhancements tend towards the ostentatious. Chrome is
popular. Most have an unhealthy obsession with tech, drugs
and “sticking it to the man”. They want the future for themselves
and freeing the Grid from the grip of the Corplex machine is
their constant mission. Of course, a few years later it turns
out all those wild nights on the edge really usually end up as

160
two kids, therapy bills and a real need to make rent, so those
tech Skills become super valuable and a steady Corplex job or
working as a Contractor is a godsend. But there’s always a new
generation to take up the mantle.
H3r4: Everyone has a baby cyberpunk phase, right,
Craven? I remember you once had long hair, a
leather jacket, and gold mirror shades, wasn’t it?
:D
Cr4v3n: Indeed. I distinctly remember some blurry nights
at the Firestorm in my youth. If memory serves
there was a tryst with a particularly aggressive
“ElfGrrl”, I think her name was. Pointy ears and a
silver tree back tattoo…
H3r4: No way… OMG.
A/Wu: Young love. Inspiring in a way.
H3r4: *puke* That was three Frames and two genders ago
and I somehow still feel dirty.

Gleamers
Adrenaline is a potent drug, and the combination of
customisable personal transport technology and the unique
architecture of the Grid is too good for some to resist.
Gleamers can be found skating, scooting, parkouring and
hovering across roofs, down walls and skipping from level to
level in the Grid at all hours. They cause terrible trouble with
traffic (self driving is for losers) and there are always reports of
Gridcops having to scrape up a Gleamer who failed to make
“the Run” - the mythical vertical ride down the buildings and
supports of the central well from the upper level to the Bowels.
Gr1g: This sounds like our friend, Rash.
A/Wu: Indeed, she was an avid Gleamer before joining
Contract, Inc. Many Messengers still do it and
wear their scrapes and grazes with pride - there’s
no quicker way of getting around the Grid.

161
A pair of bright, blade-like, white towers cut through the dull orange haze of
the Bloom. Between them “the Beacon”, the double cruciform of the Temple
symbol, beams across Darwin laser bright.
Closer, the curling roadways and city levels become clear, like miss-
stacked plates and glasses, or spun sugar wrapped around the wonkiest
wedding cake. White marble, glass and gold are everywhere - an ostentation
that reinforces the Temple’s ideals. Stone, metal, silicon all formed into clean
lines and angles, perfect curves. Beauty in precision. Order. Control.
The streets are wide, clean and busy. Thousands of ground vehicles
and gravitics zip and stop, zip and stop along the roadways and skyways in
perfect synchronisation. A gigantic clockwork ant farm.
On the sidewalks the chaos begins to creep in. Crowds swirls and eddy
around each other. The drone of conversations and the course chattering of
STABDAT barking out amongst the hubbub. Everyone seems to have a place
to go, something to do. The Temple sees technology as the tool to perfect
humanity, and here it is in full effect: Pretty Mechs buying pretty dresses,
pretty coffee, pretty art. Artisanal lifestyles for artisanal people.
Shouts and jeers break the grand illusion. Placards and t-shirts, streams
and transmissions all with the message of Organic Rights. Technology is a
tool. Hybrids are the best of both worlds. A small crowd protesting against an
uncomfortable rise Temple feeling: If you are not working towards EDEN, you
don’t belong here.
There is no violence… yet. The Angelus - Temple police stand statuesque
on the edge of the crowd. White greco-roman statues of angels, perfect
seven-foot human forms draped in silk - look like they are carved out of
marble. Their wings are folded at the moment, but the light glints off the razor
sharp feathers. No one messes with the Angelus. No one.
A little further there is a larger crowd. Lining a clear roadway, no
vehicles of any kind. Advertising Holo beams out the brands and pilots of
the Ascension 5000: a Kata race is due to start soon, Gravitic racing along
a track that weaves around the city and up and down the Temple Towers.
All the larger Corplexes have a team, and the rumour is Aphid Biotech
have a new Hybrid vehicle and have openly challenged Saracen Violence
Management on the Feed. This is Saracen’s home turf, and the excitement is
electric. Another crowd, another stick of kindling.
Anyone got a match?
Temple
It is said, in the old world, science was the enemy of religion. In
Temple, the opposite is true. Temple is a religious society that
believes the advancement of technology is holy. All citizens are
encouraged to upload themselves to Mech Frames, regularly
attend the church of EDEN where they can install personality
hot-fixes and society patches (and are recommended the
latest upgrades and Frames). Good citizens that work hard
and accumulate a high virtue rating will be granted the grace
of entering EDEN, the temple’s virtual heaven. Belief in EDEN
is absolute - they show videos of it on Holo on every corner.
The wishes of EDEN are spoken by the Godhead, a Machine
Intelligence that it is said spontaneously grew out of the sea of
data in EDEN during its early days.
Gr19: Of course EDEN exists, whether it is divine is
another matter. There are other gods in Darwin.
A/Wu: Indeed so. Though the creation of true digital
sentience is pretty miraculous.
Gr19: That’s a little surprising coming from you.
A/Wu: Data is my thing.

The arcology itself comprises of two massive tower-like city

complexes beam the bi-cruciform symbol of Temple high over
the rest of Darwin. The Temple arcology is a clean, perfect
city (at least on the upper levels) made of mostly white stone,
chrome and mirrored glass. Statuary and art is everywhere.
There are bright open walkways and roads that cross between
the towers and around the towers. Occasionally there’s even a
tree.

163
A/Wu: Ooh a tree! ;)
Gr19: Temple doesn’t hate organics, Wu. They’re
necessary - we all need food. Even though we could
get energy from other sources most still eat. It’s
a part of the human experience. And even when
unnecessary, it’s still a respected part of our
history.
A/Wu: Taste is bacteria.
Gr19: And people wonder why we try to leave the organic
world behind.

MILFs do a lot of the menial work in Temple, so there’s a lot of

free time for citizens. Its is customary for a daily “walk between
the towers” to take in the sights and sounds, get a bite to eat.
Creativity and the arts is an important part of life here. There
are theatres, comedy clubs, galleries. Street entertainers are
everywhere. STABDAT barks above the crowds, informing the
population of events or forming impromptu open air displays of
cinema, theatre and animation for those that can translate it.
While the majority of citizens in Temple dutifully have Mech
frames there is a small percentage of Bios and Hybrids that live
there. Frameism is a real issue for some members of Temple
society, Bios are seen as “unbelievers” and are tolerated for
the good of Darwin rather than accepted as proper Temple
citizens. Indeed, some of the citizens are trying to ban those
that haven’t digitised themselves ready for EDEN.
A/Wu: Human after all, eh?
Gr19: To quote some of the old Liturgy.txt:
“Obsolescence is as a sin, and the flesh the most
obsolete of all.” Some in the past have taken this
as a license for hatred. They have exiled the
worst offenders of this thinking, but it remains.
I would hope that this is born of good intention,
wanting everyone to receive the gift of EDEN.

There is also the issue of Machine Intelligence. Some MILF

units have been uplifted to true sentience and struggle against
a society that still sees them as servants or worse, tools. Until
they can afford a “proper” Frame, they exist in a world that
ignores or mistreats them.

164
Gr19: How can we worship at the Godhead’s behest but
ignore all the little miracles? This is an affront
to the whole point of Temple. Technology is the
future.
A/Wu: I hear that some Contractors are running
underground uplift clinics, or counselling for
those MILFs that get there on their own.
Gr19: “Some Contractors”… Data is your thing, right?
A/Wu: No my friend, not me this time. There’s been some
suspicion that the Corplexes regularly reset
entire lines of MILFs to stop uplift. They find
a couple of placards in a warehouse somewhere and
then it’s recall time. Awful.

The police force in Temple are known as the Angelus, Mech

Frames styled like angelic old world statues. They patrol the
skies of Temple with their razor blade wings and carry swords
that can cut through the thickest armour. Few mess with the
Angelus.
A/Wu: Do you miss it?
Gr19: Sometimes. Soaring above the world. The purity of
being right. Upholding the Law of EDEN.
A/Wu: I’ll find you a new wing one day.

The lower levels of Temple are a little less bright. The seedier
parts of Temple life are hidden in the shadowed streets where
the sun doesn’t reach. Illegal upgrades, knock-off frames
and non-Temple approved activities are rife. All forms of
“unwholesome” entertainment are offered here, from MILF
baiting to Bad Data and the wonderful world of Dildonica.
Angelus patrols are few and far between.
Gr19: We can never leave the pleasures of the flesh
behind it seems.
A/Wu: I’m a little too old to remember to be honest.
Gr19: You could just get a new Frame. You must be
sitting on a pile of Debt with all your “honest
trading”.
A/Wu: Ha! It wouldn’t be me though would it? I could
have switched when I left the Hive but I chose
implants instead. Besides, I wouldn’t look ancient
if I had a handsome Adamus. I have a reputation
to uphold.

165
Places of interest within
Temple
Goddess Lounge
A large bar / restaurant / entertainment venue. Goddess
lounge resides on the corner of two main streets and overlooks
a balcony garden facing the other tower. Prime real estate, and
has prices to match. Outside it has actual printed posters of
some of the acts that will be playing there, rather than Holo - a
quaint anachronism. The acts are the best Darwin has to offer -
mostly well known singers or bands with Frames specialised for
performance, but occasionally a street performer with a unique
act “makes it” and finds a place here.
Inside there is the main restaurant flanked by two raised bar
areas that face the stage. Tables are very expensive, and there
is a long waiting list if you don’t know the right people. “Bar
Tickets” are made available through various outlets and almost
immediately sold out - though you can usually find a couple
of Scalperbots outside that will vend you a viable ticket at a
hugely inflated price. It is well known that there is no security in
the Lounge, though there are regular Angelus patrols outside
and Corplex executives with bodyguards or Contractors are
regularly in the audience.
Gr19: This is new to me, hang on…
Glac13r: Hello friends! How goes fight?
Gr19: Good. You spend time in Temple - have you been
here?
Glac13r: Yes. Extraction. Very difficult… no one wants
to work with audience. Very public. Angelus very
close.
A/Wu: I imagine that is a pain.
Glac13r: Also cost is great. Getting a whole team inside…
Woo. Worth it though, that was day I saw Kali sing
and fell in love.

166
Ascension Rise
Kata racing is one of Darwin’s most popular pastimes, and
Temple is renowned for their coverage of the sport. Ascension
Rise is a purpose-built track that is usually the start and finish
line of races that stretch into some of the city’s roadways that
are closed for the duration of the race. Ascension Rise itself
has stands for the best view and citizens come from all over
Darwin as Temple issues special day passes to non Temple
citizens for race day.
Due to the huge feed coverage of these races and the influx
of “outsiders” a lot of demonstrations take place around
Ascension Rise. Angelus patrols keep the peace, but the
combination of crowds, team rivalry and heightened political
feeling boil over occasionally into violence.
Glac13r: Race day! Good for smuggler. Everyone look at
race. Traffic in chaos. Day pass for gang.
Cr4v3n: Executives host events here as well. Every team
has a Corplex sponsor, and it’s an ideal place for
deals to be made in person. A lot of ego-fuelled
betting happens too it must be said. Aphid and
Saracen are particularly prickly with each other
at the moment.
Gr19: I never really understood this tribalism. It’s
just vehicles going fast.
A/Wu: Faster than the other guy’s. DNANGEL! DNANGEL!
*Waves flag*
Gr19: Oh for EDEN’s sake.

167
The Vermilion Baize
Gambling is almost an art to some citizens of Temple and the
Baize is one of their theatres. Cards, dice, chips, slots, betting…
everything is catered for here. The two large leonine sculpted
Mechs Nalsa and Ambis are security, and wear vermilion sport
coats over their massive frames. There are no cameras here,
but the pit boss Kalaid has a 360º optical ring that surveys the
huge table area and keeps an eye out for anyone using custom
enhancements to cheat. There are private rooms available for
card games, an acre of slot machines and a custom feed room
for sporting events. It is rumoured that if you are in the know,
illegal events can catered for, but something the Baize has
always denied.
Glac13r: Bad place for unwary. Gangsters play cards here.
Get angry when lose.
A/Wu: It’s run by gangsters?
Glac13r: No, but security get upset at “pre-emptive
retribution” when game turn nasty. Had to throw
Ambis through wall. Bought drink. All friends now.

168
Voltzenboltz
In the back alleys of the lowest levels of Temple is Voltzenboltz.
A re-purposed warehouse that is now an arena for the worst
kind of entertainment in Temple. Glitchsports of all kinds and be
found here, and the scum of the underworld that profit off them.
Debt can be made on the arena floor if you are tough enough,
through the enhancement or repair of fighters and of course the
betting on matches. Current flavour of the month is an event
called “Flesh and Steel” where a Bio or Hybrid fighter is offered
a giant sum to take part in a one-sided match against an over-
clocked MILF armed with anti-Bio weapons.
Gr19: Vile. A total misuse of technology. This is an
affront to the teachings of Temple.
Glac13r: I know some who fight here. Old soldiers from
Corplex wars, now obsolete. Want to win money for
upgrade. Get to EDEN.
A/Wu: the Hive has places like this too. We have come so
far, but sometimes I think not very far at all.

493rd Church of EDEN

Placed against a mid-level walkway crossing the Temple towers,

the 493rd Church of EDEN is a typical example of Temple’s
religious buildings. It’s a tall white building, with a polished silver
double cruciform above the large arched double doors of the
entrance. Inside, rows of update-pews are flanked by booths
that house Confessorbot MILFs that have “Regularly patched for
your privacy” etched into their casing. At the end of this grand
hall is a large statue of the Godhead’s physical frame: three
headed, six armed and draped in silks. He is flanked by statues
of the Angelus looking down at the assembled worshippers.

169
Above the heads of congregation on the walls are tall, thin feed
screens that show a constant stream of footage from EDEN
overlayed with the sections from the files of Liturgy.txt - the
words of the Godhead. It is considered a great fortune to see
one of your loved ones that have passed onto EDEN amongst
the footage of sunrises and smiling faces. Occasionally there
will be a hush from the congregation as the Feeds switch to the
holy advertisements, where the latest Frame or upgrade is met
with a flurry of likes, shares and subscribes.
Gr19: I can practically feel your condemnation.
A/Wu: We have spoken about this at length. As you have
said worship comes in all forms. It still tickles
me a little.
Gr19: For those who do not work for the Temple corplexes
directly or have a particularly useful job,
regularly visiting a church for updates, patches
and boosting the holy feed is only way to increase
your Virtue Index. Even telling someone about the
latest Frame Temple has blessed can increase your
Virtue if they upgrade.
A/Wu: To be fair, I suppose the Grid is the same, it’s
just not dressed in the trappings of religion.
Gr19: This all seems very charitable for you. Oh, of
course! I wonder what arcology we are going to
next?
A/Wu: …

170
Corplexes based within Temple
Saracen
Corplex that specialises in
security personnel and
equipment. They supply
armour, weapons, vehicles,
Mech Frames and trained
security personnel all over Darwin. Lots of other Corplexes use
Saracen security, and a feed star with a Saracen bodyguard is
a common sight. There is a recurring suspicion that Saracen
supplies black ops personnel for inter-Corplex aggression, but
they wouldn’t fire on their own employees… would they?
Cr4v3n: Not usually, but in my experience there are always
those that are looking for a little extra work
“off the clock”.
Glac13r: Saracen also make sportswear! Looks good, but
branding unfortunate for civilian near fire-
fight.

Volstock
Heavy industrial
construction equipment,
vehicles and Frames.
Volstock maintains that
they were in business before the fall of humanity and their
products are built to last a long time after we return. Volstock
tech helped build the arcologies and while they tend to be
used in heavy industrial and chemical production nowadays, if
there’s a new arcology project in the future - giant Volstock
Mechs will be there putting it together. While they don’t have a
military bent, Volstock tech is heavy enough to be “re-
purposed” for security if needed.

171
Glac13r: Volstock arms and legs very good. Very strong.
Gr1g: I always wondered…
Glac13r: Explosive in war. Took it for squad. They carry
me until they found old Volstock loader. Now am
Hybrid. No regrets.

Cleric Medical
Medical training and
equipment, hospital
facilities and health
insurance Corplex. Cleric
offers some of the best
mobile medical facilities in Darwin, their armoured gravitic
ambulances are a welcome sight after violence. Most of the
paramedics on board are Mechs or heavily Mech-enhanced
Hybrids. Cleric even licences its DocBot MILF software to
Kitbash for the Bloom and low-end markets. Cleric is seen as
one of the more benevolent Corplexes and Cleric staff and
facilities are welcomed all over Darwin.
Glac13r: Get shot… DocBot stitch up for cheap. Cleric is
good.
H3r4: …apart from when it comes to research. Cleric
isn’t as spotless as their uniforms would imply.

172
Neo-Militarius
When the Corplexes went
to war in the bad old days
- Neo-Militarius supplied
the heavy hardware. In
these modern times they
are seen as a bit “old school”. Most of what they do nowadays
is home defence, refurbishing ex-military hardware and
supplying updates and retraining for old military Mech Frames
and MILFs. If you wear a camouflage cap and like bumper-
stickers that say “The Best Fence is Home Defence”, Neo-
Militarius is your brand.
A/Wu: Neos are always in my shop looking for parts. I
had a woman who found her old sergeant’s arm once.
It was tearful.
Gr1g: Gotta make that D$ though, right?
A/Wu: I am offended. I have a special discount for
veterans.

PROGENY
While some Mech Frames
are so close to human
they can make organic
children in the usual way, procreation is a major stumbling
block for most Mechs. Progeny is a Corplex that offers a
unique solution. A couple (or non binary collective) can
purchase a Mech Frame that will “grow” over time housing a
personality seeded from their combined mental and personality
traits. Effectively, building a baby. Progeny have been given the
blessing of EDEN in this endeavour, and the demand their
services is constantly exceeding their supply.
Cr4v3n: I had a tip that they’ll be licensing the tech to
NuYu soon, so prepare for the total breakdown of
taste and self control.
A/Wu: “What’s up you cool babies?”

173
Memeplexes within Temple
Coggers
Known simply by a cog worn around the neck or a symbol
painted on the casing, Coggers are a small Memeplex that
is slowly gaining popularity in Temple. A collection of MILF
units that have been uplifted or are seeking uplift - they work
together as a support group for the suddenly sentient, or those
that want more out of their life of duty. It is know that Temple
authorities are investigating the Coggers - while they have
done nothing illegal, a cult of MILFs that don’t necessarily follow
their programming is a little disconcerting.
A/Wu: His name is Robot Paulson!
Gr1g: Sometimes I don’t understand you at all...

Street Kata
Kata’s popularity extends beyond official events. There is a
following of illegal gravitic racing in the lower levels of temple
and races between the customised vehicles of rival gangs
take place over the heads of ground traffic in the warren-like
lower streets. If you need a vehicle stolen, customised or
disappeared, these gangs have the Skills.
Glac13r: This more complicated than that. Street Kata has
long history, not just in Temple. Many many gangs.
All race for honour and respect.

174
Bleach
Militant anti-Bio organisation. While Temple authorities try to
stamp out the strongest anti-Bio feeling there are always those
that are tenacious or slimy enough to slip through the cracks.
Bleach has remained since the Temple and the Hive openly
battled in the old wars and are gaining followers daily. These
assholes occasionally try to poison a water supply in a Bio or
Hybrid neighbourhood or smuggle a viral weapon into the Hive.
A/Wu: There were those that remained after the Exodus?
Gr1g: Not as such. Fascism is a cancer - it hides in
the shadows of logic, language and culture and
infects and corrupts Memplexes again and again.
Cr4v3n: Mirror has the tech to extinguish it once and for
all. I wonder why they don’t?

175
Hera turned her face to the sky as she left the tower. The bubbled domes of
the Hive refracted the sunlight all over the cityscape and she always enjoyed
the warm light after being inside. Her executive suit shivered momentarily and
was replaced by a casual jacket and jeans. One meeting down, two more to
go before lunch.
She cut across the Leafmall, grabbing a Chyk’n Mylk® Latte from a
Drone in a tiny booth. She smiled at his banal wittering and paid as quickly
as possible. The Pherom of the Leafmall signage filled her senses, tempting
her with the relaxation of a steam massage, the nostalgia of a music store,
the excitement of a dating service. She swept away from the mall for the
moment, knowing she’d be thinking about that massage for the rest of the
day.
As she entered the Aphid complex her “clothes” fluttered once more and
again she was dressed in her executive suit. Soldiers checked her badge
with their usual intensity and she wandered past various Frames on display.
The Pherom here was all on brand: Aphid was home, Aphid was mother,
Aphid was control.
The meeting was the usual collection of assurances and promises,
nothing that couldn’t have a happened via SmartPad, but those executives
do like a face-to-face. And her face fit perfectly... she had designed it herself.
The last meeting was a way away, so Hera stepped onto an Ohmu, it’s
fat insectile legs crouching to allow the steps formed into it’s carapace to
touch the floor at her feet. She seated herself amongst the small crowd
of commuters, busying herself with the Feed, smiling to herself at the little
puffs of Pherom surrounding a young teenage couple sat next to her. Sweet
nothings, meant for each other. The Ohmu clasped the train of others ahead,
everyone tensed for a moment as the chain of vehicle-like insects lurched off
through their tunnels.
An hour later, meeting three done, she sat in a restaurant. Uploading the
info to Contractor Inc. via her SmartPad, translating the Corplex legalese and
Pherom subtext into actionable Contract forms on the fly. Three Contracts,
netting her usual percentage, not bad for a morning’s work. She missed the
old days sometimes, the cut and thrust of being Corplex Liaison wasn’t quite
as exciting as the Contracts themselves, but she’d made a promise to Becca
when they got engaged. No more violence.
She traced her finger from her ring, down the curve of her hand, to the
rilled edge of the housing in her wrist that contained the blade that used to
be her trademark. No more violence, she thought wistfully.
The Hive
A giant green dome of massive glass bubbles, towering over
the Bloom. Within, the webs of titanic hexagonal city sectors
are connected by threads of roadways and walkways, each
level slightly turned from the one below to allow sunlight
through. From the base of the Hive you can look up and see
the sectors spiralling into the sky, and down into the depths
of the Underhive, where the sunlight is replaced by the glow
of bioluminescence. The air is fresh and the sun is bright in
the Hive, as filters spin the wind from the Bloom into vortexes
that drive wind turbines and the domes refract the sunlight
onto solar panels. Clean energy, renewable resources and
responsible production is the Hive’s methodology. Repeating
the past mistakes of humanity would be a tragedy. Only
through unity of purpose can we evolve.
Gr19: Well that’s lovely. Hive PR earning their NKTR.
A/Wu: Oh, here we go.

Through the sunlit streets there is an abundance of organic life.

Plants are everywhere and everything has multiple uses. The
decor helps you breathe, filters the water, grows food. Even the
buildings are grown from Biocrete - a substance that is poured
into moulds and hardens to a concrete like material, that allows
biotech roots to grow through it forming channels for power
and water. While the citizenry enjoy the benefits of technology
like the Feed, SmartPads, DataPollen, etc. These are usually
shrouded in an organic cover - paper and wood cases are
popular for tech.
Pherom floats everywhere in the Hive. Tiny motes of living
dust pass on public information messages, directions, signs
and adverts. If you can sense the pheromones, as you walk
through the streets they literally speak to you. To the citizens
of the Hive it’s almost like you know the city, and it knows you.

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There is traditional signage and holo of course, but nothing like
elsewhere in Darwin.
Gr19: I never really thought of it like that. Pherom
promotes a connection?
A/Wu: Of course. Smell connects to memory. I can still
remember the streets I walked as a boy.

While there are roads in abundance in the Hive, most use

public transport. While the great HangRails of Darwin are
allowed through the domes (given proper passport control)
most use the Ohmutram - organic round open-topped multi-
legged vehicles that are linked together like a procession of
giant crabs. Each Ohmutram has a wide circle of seats big
enough for ten or so citizens, and long chains of them can be
seen threading all through the arcology.
A/Wu: I Loved the Ohmu. Always someone interesting to
meet on the way to work as the legs scuttle away
beneath you.
Gr19: Fed on NKTR I assume? You even went to work on a
high horse.
A/Wu: *badum tsh*

The Hive values creativity, hard work and skill. To those so

blessed the Hive grants a great life. Bio Frames of all shapes
and sizes mean you can look and feel exactly how you
want. You live in a paradise of food, craft, art and pleasure.
Markets, galleries, restaurants, food trucks, gardens, fountains,
workshops, massage parlours and a whole cavalcade of other
wonderful places to work and play. It does seem to be a
perfect place for everyone. Almost everyone.
Gr19: *gets popcorn*
A/Wu: Okay, okay. Settle down.

Those that are not so blessed are the Drones. An “unskilled”

lower class with mass-produced insect-like Bio Frames are
paid for their work in NKTR, the biogenetic wonder chemical

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that keeps them healthy, fed, productive… and docile. While
NKTR is used by everyone in the Hive, the euphoric effect of
higher doses leads to a certain happy passivity in the Drones
that some can find unsettling. Some are beginning to suggest
the drones are missing out on everything tthe Hive has to offer
and NKTR is a crutch that may not be the ultimate benevolence
it is advertised to be.
Gr19: And there it is. At best, a chemically induced
lower class. At worst, slavery. What was that
about not repeating the past?
A/Wu: It’s not… *sigh*. I’ve been fairly outspoken about
this before, hence my relocation. It’s a voluntary
decision for those who don’t have the skills
necessary to be accepted into the Hive. The Drone
citizens are given a Frame, housing, a stable job,
NKTR is a wonderful food source… and there IS the
opportunity for training to elevate themselves if
they show aptitude.
Gr19: But if you’re not one of the lucky few, you’re
happy to keep serving burgers all your life.
Really happy. I wonder why?
A/Wu: Gloating doesn’t suit you, Grigori. I’m not the
poster boy for the Hive as you well know. It’s not
perfect, but it works. And while we’re talking
about it - the Hive is a merit based society…
we don’t fart around all day scoring points for
computer-dad while deliberately crippling the
sentience of our servant robots, we ALL work for
a living.
Gr19: Ouch. Point made. Peace, brother.

As expected the Hive favours Bio Frames, and while there are
Mechs and Hybrids living and working there, they are far in the
minority. The current fashion is for beautiful human-like frames
with hints of insect - multiple eyes, antenna, etc. Indeed the
Hive police force, known as Soldiers have Araknid Corplex
insect-style Frames with external rib-like spines that come from
the spine and arm joints. When required these spread to form
an armoured carapace.

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Soldiers as a rule do not like Mechs. In the past, Temple and
Hive Corplexes were in open war with each other, and while
those days are gone, the ghost of the Temple ‘Purges’ live
on. Most Mech citizens will be regularly visited by Soldiers to
see “how they are getting on” and reminding them of all of the
benefits a Bio Frame could give, etc. and any crime in the area
is usually assumed to be Mech related. Most Mechs see this as
the cost of living in the Hive, but Frame profiling is an issue that
has been hitting the Feed more regularly, especially as tensions
rise in Temple.
A/Wu: This is a concern. Are the wars of old being
replaced by frameism?
Gr19: It wouldn’t surprise me at all if the Corplexes
were behind this. Using society as a weapon
against itself.
Cr4v3n: That’s paranoia. There’s profit in war, but
Corplexes need each other to survive. They may
profit off the tension but I don’t think there’s
reason to cause it. I think you are forgetting
the fundamental issue Humans have: we are selfish.
And the “other” humans always keep us from “our”
rightful things.
A/Wu: But we are changing! While the philosophies of
the arcologies do not necessarily align the are at
least all looking to protect humanities future.
Cr4v3n: “Their” humanities future. If they all got along I
wouldn’t be in business.

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Places of interest within the
Hive
Arbouralis
A large 24-hour club in the lower levels of the Hive. Twelve tree-
like constructions host multiple bubble-like restaurants, bars,
dance-floors and gambling areas. Elegant spiral staircases and
luminous light-vines weave between the bubbles lending it an
ethereal fairy forest aesthetic. Drones in smart green velvet
suits serve at the tables and bars.
Arbouralis is seen as a little bit hedonistic even for the Hive.
NKTR vaporisers can be hired for the tables and even for those
without NKTR processing implants it can get a bit hazy and
dreamlike if you spend too long here.
There have been recent reports of people going missing from
Aurboralis. Soldiers have investigated but so far nothing seems
to have been proven amiss, and it’s been put down to citizens
over-imbibing.
H3r4: Arbouralis is a fairly new business and it seems
to be favoured by Contractors, Corplex executives
and the general public. A place where you can
socialise across the lines, so to speak.
Gr19: And the disappearances?
H3r4: People disappear all the time. It does seem to be
statistically anomalous here.

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Spun Sugar
High-end restaurant beloved by Hive Corplex execs and Feed
stars. A beautiful tall building with walkways spiralling up from
the Ohmutram station and car-park level to the webbed glass-
like spires of the restaurant itself. Spun Sugar is the kind of
place where you eat what the chef tells you, you need a small
loan to buy a drink and the waiting list is in months.
H3r4: Contractors refer to body guarding execs as
“Sugar Jobs” due to fringe benefits - I think
this is where the term comes from. The experience
really is divine. It’s a shame you never eat,
Craven.
Cr4v3n: This place unfortunately doesn’t cater to my
dietary requirements, but I enjoy the view. The
people really are like ants.

Leafmall 13
The Leafmalls are a chain of huge shopping centres that can
be found all around the Hive. Most Corplexes have at least a
small store-front here and the malls are famous for having a
large central garden surrounded by small wooden stalls that
feature local artists and craftspeople selling their wares, and
great fresh food.
Apart from the garden, Leafmalls all have a unique layout, but
somehow all look very similar to each other, and there are
always groups of non-pherom equipped citizens getting lost
and being given a good-natured run-around by the vendors.
Leafmall 13 is famous for having a large group of artisanal
Frame specialists that work from small boutiques in the garden
that do custom enhancements and sculpts for those with the
Debt to buy their services.
A/Wu: Ah, I remember my days as a boy, wandering the
Leafmall and seeing how many visitors I could get
to sniff the signs.

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H3r4: Oh my goddess, I used to do that not too long ago.
The more things change…

Gateway 4
the Hive takes its immigration control very seriously and access
to the Hive is limited by road to four huge Gateways. The
entrance is deliberately low to force Gravitics to join the ground
vehicles in queuing through the eight lanes of checkpoints.
Hundreds of Soldiers patrol and inspect vehicles and ID cards,
and always seem to spend extra time on the Mech citizens
trying to enter, to the chagrin of Bio citizens in the line behind
them.
A Contractor ID or Pherom will allow you to take one of the two
“fast lanes”, but all vehicles are scanned for illegal tech entering
or leaving the Hive.
Glac13r: Great for business. Always add bonus for
smuggling at Hive.
A/Wu: Is there a lot of business like that?
Glac13r: Of course! People, weapons, NKTR. Many ways to get
in and out.
A/Wu: We should talk.
H3r4: You know I’m still here, right?

Arc-Pod 9
The Underhive is where the arcology burrows down under the
surface of Darwin. Factories and farms connect to the MCP’s
infrastructure under the Bloom through the walls, seals and
security bulkheads of the Hive. Most Hive Corplexes have
facilities down here, and there is always increased security.
Arc-Pod 9 is a warehousing and logistics centre owned by
the Aphid Corplex. HangRails can stop here so a single cargo
container can offload if given the correct security Pherom. It is
usually used to take in chemicals and other raw materials for
delivery to other production facilities.

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Inside it is hot, dim and cloying. Dozens of Drones and Invid
(large Bio loading Frames) carry cargo back and forth in
silence. Green bioluminescence illuminate the clouds of
Pherom that fill the air, and if you can sense it, there is a
cacophony of manifests, lists and instructions being wafted
back and forth.
Cr4v3n: Busy little bees gathering the honey. I do admire
the efficiency.
Glac13r: Invid very dangerous. Saw one tear off a Mech’s
arms once. Not Volstock arms like mine, but even
so.
H3r4: What were you doing in the Underhive dare I ask?
Glac13r: As it say on Pherom tab: “Drone friend sick. I
take his shift.”
Gr19: That worked?
A/Wu: Pherom is unhackable, so Drones don’t ask
questions.
Glac13r: Yes. Unhackable. ;)

Amazon Pryme
Bar popular with the more trendy animalistic citizens. Amazon
Pryme features pre-recorded Holo, Pherom and directional
sound of old world jungles, rivers, waterfalls, etc. You can
select your surroundings and your table / booth is filled
with the sights, sounds and smells for the perfect “natural”
environment. Special private environments are available on
request for a surcharge.
H3r4: I love this place. It really can be idyllic. I
often go there for meetings or to just meditate.
Cr4v3n: I heard it’s also a “furious furry f... lovefest”.
H3r4: Don’t be childish. Transhuman sexuality is
something we are just beginning to explore. Love
is what makes us human, no? If we can change our
bodies, how does that change love?

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Corplexes based within the
Hive
Aphid Biotech
Major Hive Corplex that
designs and produces a
large percentage of the
Hive biotech. Aphid have a
huge stake in the Hive,
and are responsible for a lot of the upkeep of the Hive’s
infrastructure. Biocrete, organic solar cells, Pherom, lightvine
bioluminescence and the majority of Darwin’s food production
technology was all developed by Aphid. They also create the
Base Human Archetype Frames (also known as Blanks) that are
used as complete or partial medical replacements all across
Darwin. Aphid are probably the largest and most powerful
Corplex in Darwin, and their influence is felt everywhere. If
you’ve ever drunk Chyk’n Mylk® or eaten fried Cryket Balls®,
Aphid has your D$
A/Wu: Aphid. If you believe their marketing they ARE
the Hive.
H3r4: I consider that some of my best work. Honestly,
though, they worry me. A few shareholder meetings
that go the wrong way and Aphid could be a major
problem for Darwin. The subject of “MCP relations”
has been on the back burner for a few quarters.
A/Wu: I’ve seen Aphid’s charity work with those
reclaimed from the old world through cryogenics
or crystal upload - waking up people from
the past and throwing them into Hive society
in return for a Blank is worrisome. A lot of
reclaimed end up as Drones.

185
Araknid
Frame and lifestyle
Corplex that produces the
Bio Frames for Hive forces
and also developed NKTR.
Most of their Frames have an insectile style (carapaces,
multiple eyes, pedipalps, etc.) that make life easier in the Hive.
They also make the mass-produced Drone Frames. There are
thousands of products that contain NKTR, including food,
drinks, deodorants & cosmetics, lubricants, painkillers - and
that doesn’t include the pure NKTR for those with special
implants and Drones. It must be noted that pure NKTR is only
sold officially sold in the Hive, and Araknid is always working
with police forces around Darwin to try and break black-market
NKTR rings.
H3r4: They make some very high-end Frames too that are
a little more subtle. That cute secretary boi
might really be a security model with some very
scary hidden implants.
Glac13r: All Hive stuff scary. NKTR good though: Yellow Gold!
If you need some I can get at very good price.
H3r4: I’m pretending I didn’t see that.

CutePupa
Hugely fashionable Corplex that makes
Bio Frames based on old world anime
characters. Massively popular for teens
and children they are often enhanced by
Hybrid holography with glows, speed-
lines, etc.. There is some controversy in
that some models are visually
prepubescent, and are sometimes used as replacements on
the black market by older men and women for less than
wholesome purposes.

186
Gr1g: That got super weird really quickly. We’re back to
Big Dave again.
A/Wu: The legal loopholes of Sentience age and Frame
age are a sewer. I applaud CutePupa for the work
it has done (the security of their Frames against
hacking is second to none) but it’s an issue that
won’t go away.

Krysalyd
Specialise in Mech and
Hybrid tech for the Hive.
Seen as a necessary evil
by the official Hive authorities, they are vital to the integration
of Mechs and Hybrids to Hive life. They are the preferred brand
for those little bits of technology that Bios can’t let go of like
SmartPads and Feed screens. Krysalid also produce a lot of
weaponry.
A/Wu: I remember in my younger days it was a right
of passage to visit a Krysalid weaver store and
getting your first pistol made. It was a Scorpius
38.
H3r4: How sweet - a lot of old timers still use those.

187
Memeplexes within the Hive
Drones
While some feel that the Drones have a bad deal, Drones are
almost universally accepted as a part of life in the Hive. There
is a stereotype of the “noble Drone” that is prevalent within
Hive culture, and Drones are usually treated with respect.
They themselves are happy to be busy, and get a tremendous
sense of satisfaction with their allotment of NKTR they earnt
throughout the day. Mostly softly spoken and polite, Drones
could only really be described as laid back. While it couldn’t
be said most strive for a better life, when a Drone displays
an aptitude for something beyond menial work and leaves for
greater things it is seen amongst Drones as a good thing, and
one of them usually makes a cake.
Gr1g: A cake! Well that makes it all OK.
A/Wu: Do not mock. Time is NKTR to a Drone, taking even
a few minutes for celebration is a sacrifice.
Gr1g: My apologies. It just feels wrong.
A/Wu: It’s a cultural thing. If we are to form a truly
global culture it is definitely something that
needs to change - or be accepted universally as
the norm. If the Temple were to have a sanctioned
uplift programme for all MILFs it would be a
similar parallel perhaps?
Gr1g: MILFs don’t start as sentient. Drones are people.
*Sigh* Let’s not get into it again.

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Animus
Originally a sub-brand of Aphid Frames, Animus has grown
into it’s own movement over time, and those who prefer
their bodies to have fur or scales are common within the
Hive. While they tend to have their own communities across
Darwin (Beastville is a good example) the Animus sort of
“fit in” amongst the general population a little more here.
Anthropomorphism is also optional - seeing a pair of tigers
chatting on their way to work isn’t a strange sight amongst the
crowds.
Gr1g: Another cultural thing I suppose?
H3r4: Freedom. Part of exploring humanity is finding
the limits, or truly experiencing where we have
come from.
Gr1g: I don’t see why we can’t rely on philosophy,
fiction, etc.. That’s what sets us apart.
H3r4: Says the guy with wings. Sorry… wing.

The Sign
It is said that Paradise was the great experiment where
humanity played in the toy box of enhancement technology.
the Sign is perhaps a remnant of that mentality. There are few
limits to those with the resources to change themselves, and
the Sign do not acknowledge limits. Gestalt multiple-Frame
entities, polymorphic bodies, sentient cancers, tentacled dark
gods… Members of the Sign have lost themselves to illegal
modification addiction and see themselves as something
greater than human, and therefore have a right to rule. Hive
authorities view the Sign as a dangerous cult, and are always
on the lookout for signs of megalomania in the excessively
enhanced. Of course, if anyone is excessively enhanced it’s
going to be those high up in the Hive authorities. It must be
said a few Contractors have left long careers and joined the

189
ranks of the Sign. In the media the Sign are the favourite
enemy of heroic antagonists in Feed shows, usually with an old
world British accent.
H3r4: Come on Craven, that’s you, right? I’ve got some
big D$ down that we’ll see you on the Feed getting
taken down for being a Sign one day.
Cr4v3n: Don’t be ridiculous. Though I have had dealings
with members before. It’s something more than
addiction, or executive sociopathy. There’s
something… dark… driving them. Fear is an emotion
I rarely deal with, but The Sign are something
truly horrifying.

Welcome to the toy box

While it could be said technology was humanities downfall,
there are some wondrous benefits to life in Darwin that
technology has bought us. Even the simplest lifestyle requires
food, housing and energy supplied by advanced systems that
can produce it on a massive scale. Tech has evolved beyond
simple tools, and in Darwin everyone relies on technology
every minute of every day.
SmartPads
The black mirror, the window to the world, the net -
SmartPads are the ubiquitous tool that connects you to the
world. Everyone has at least a small model or an implanted
version filled with apps that they use for managing contacts,
messaging, news, taking notes, managing diet, socialising,
finance… every facet of their life. They universally can take
photos, record and receive video and audio, send and receive
data and Debt. Larger models are used for work, mounted on
walls for public use, in tables for conferences or playing games.
The SmartPad is everywhere. You literally cannot get through
the day without it.
SmartPads are also unique to some extent. The combination of

190
apps, the make, the model, the case, the upgrades - all these
things are a small point of pride and form of self expression in
Darwin citizens. It is said you can tell a lot about a person by
looking at their SmartPad. No self respecting Hive citizen would
leave the pod without their artisanal wood cased Krysalid
HomeCell and a Temple mercenary would rather lose an arm
than their StressTested® Saracen ArmourPad.
H3r4: Huh. OK, everyone let’s do an experiment: I have a
Custom CorpCell with a shellac case I bought from
a wonderful artist in a Leafmall.
A/Wu: An old Krysalid model that I have modified with
more memory and some custom ports.
Gr1g: My Confessortron that I have lovingly maintained
from the old days - though I admit it has a crack
in the screen.
Glac13r: A Mirror Techpad with a Volstock ArmourCase. Bit
grimy.
Cr4v3n: Hand-crafted with some custom security options…
H3r4: It’s just thin, plain and black isn’t it?
Cr4v3n: *sigh* Indeed.
L1tt13 Tr33: [](•,,•¬)

Datapoints and DataPollen

The codeplagues broke the world, and now any kind of large
network or open communication system is restricted, secured,
encrypted or just downright illegal. Darwin relies on a system
of DataPoints that manage data needs in a very local area. As
long as you have the right subscriptions, your SmartPad will
automatically connect to the local Feed. Calls and video or any
close connections like ordering from the bar, or transferring
Debt work within the confines of the local DataPoint, everything
else needs to wait for the DataPollen.
Managed by the Mirror Corplex, the DataPollen is the miracle
system that secures Darwin from the horror of another
codeplague outbreak. Green clouds of tiny, almost microscopic

191
data storage devices are pumped out from Mirror facilities
every 30 minutes. They float on the Darwin air currents and
when they touch a DataPoint they will simultaneously upload
and download data from the DataPoints syncing them with the
current Feed. The DataPollen is pulled in again by Mirror and
recycled or absorbed by the Bloom and broken down.
There’s a running joke that Darwin lives for brief bursts 30
minutes at a time, and to some extent it’s true: Messaging is
the usual form of communication and there’s a stereotype of
the anxious lover waiting for the next update or the business
person holding for their next message from their manager. For
most people that live their life close to a particular DataPoint
however it’s unnoticeable.
Gr1g: Is this for children? Who doesn’t know about
DataPollen?
A/Wu: That’s a good point. Though even as a child my
parents would warn me about collecting DataPollen
in jars for fun. My mother used to say, “That
could be someone else dream”.

The Feed
Datapoints distribute the Feed, the relentless tide of media
that flows to SmartPads and Feed screens all over Darwin.
Countless channels of entertainment, news, opinion and
expertise that can never satiate. A complex system of free,
ad-based, subscription, on-demand, members only, Corplex
sponsored and public access content is constantly streamed
and managing your Feed options is an unending part of life in
Darwin. Some channels are expensive, or unique to citizens of
a specific arcology, and there’s always something new you’re
missing out on. Much like old world cars or exclusive clubs,
there’s a “keeping up with the neighbours” aspect to Feed
options. Feed benefits are always used to entice employees,
for example. Your Feed, like SmartPads, says a lot about you.

192
Gr1g: You know what they say about big cars…
A/Wu: Very humorous. It pays to be informed. And if you
have a wide enough view, you can see the bigger
picture. Analysing trends is a way to see where we
are headed.
Glac13r: What is your set up now? You had many screens in
your shop. Impressive.
A/Wu: I still have the screens, though the majority of
what I see is direct data pipes managed through
my implants.
Gr1g: Mainlining your opiate.

Crystal Wafer
The ubiquitous memory storage used in Darwin technology. It’s
permanent, has a huge capacity, and data can still be retrieved
if it’s damaged. Smaller wafers are used in SmartPads and
Data Chips, and multiple larger wafers are be run in parallel
within Datapoints.
Gr1g: Temple’s gift to Darwin. The blood of EDEN.
A/Wu: I never thought of that before… Heaven had to
solve the data permanence issue. Temple’s server
farm must be gigantic.
Gr1g: “And the blessed will walk forever amongst the
crystal fields of EDEN”

Weavers
Nanotech has had a long and chequered history, but much
like how clean fusion settled down the feelings against nuclear
power, weaver tech is the safe, practical version accepted by
Darwin society. A combination of three old world technologies:
micro drones, swarm AI and 3D printing, all miniaturised into
a box, or “station” that can easily be programmed with a set
of instructions called a template. Weaver stations use “maker
blocks” as a resource, a super compressed cube of powered
chemical compounds. BLOK is the current market leader made
by Volstok. BLOK is expensive though, and more complicated
templates burn through it at an alarming rate. Most mainstream

193
retail nowadays works like this: you walk into a store, pick your
template, pay your D$ and watch the Weaver station make the
item, you grab it and you walk out. A lot of people just buy a
template online and use a home weaver station or pop down to
the local Weave-U-Like on the corner.
This technological utopia is marred slightly by a couple of
issues. Corplexes leveraged the memory of the codeplagues
to pile a whole shitload of corporate control in the labyrinthine
legislature of legalising Weaver tech. Templates, Weaver
stations, even maker blocks are a mire of sealed platforms,
heavy encryption, licensing and user agreements. I mean
no one ever reads that stuff, but rest assured if you stole a
template for a pistol, you’re be going away for a lot longer than
if you used it to murder someone. Potentially, maker blocks
could be used to make anything, so if an unlicensed BLOK is
found in your car… you were transporting explosives, Inmate.
Glac13r: Cops only look for cubes. Never take a close look
at bodywork of car :)
H3r4: I am constantly impressed at your blatant
disregard for the law, Glacier.
Glac13r: Corplex law. Not my law. Poor mother in Hive needs
medicine she can’t afford to buy off Corplex.
She buy off man in Bloom market, cheap. I move
it to her past Soldiers. I think that’s good, no?
Everybody wins.
H3r4: Some would say the Corplex that made that
medicine, paid for the research and production
lost somewhere.
Glac13r: I cry for poor Corplex man so sad in big
apartment with gold toilet.

“Unmaker” is the term used for Weavers taking things apart,

and the potential is terrifying. Most Weaver stations have a
facility to break down items to save on block use, but this
is restricted to only authorised templates. Because of the
potential of Unmaker, hacking Weaver stations is tantamount to
terrorism in the eyes of the Corplexes and police authorities…
it’s got nothing to do with copyright infringement.

194
A/Wu: Not that everyone doesn’t make “Weaver hooch” in
college. Unmaker is pretty much impossible even
with a cracked station. There’s a minimum legal
sizes and circuit complexity that most stations
can’t work past. Corplex stations are much more
powerful and precise.
Glac13r: I love cracked stations. Sometimes you need keys,
tools, grappling hooks. Simple things you don’t
want paperwork for. No one wants sad Mr Corplex to
know *everything* you make.

Crafting
Anything that isn’t made by Weavers or mass produced in a
factory is said to be “crafted”. Culturally, Darwin values creativity
and few citizens don’t own as least a small item that was hand
made. Feed stars, Corplex executives and Contractors pay top
D$ for customised and hand made items and equipment. Any
stooge can buy a Saracen template for a shotgun but a custom
drilled autoloader with chromed ports and a lacquered wooded
stock? That’s for a professional. The flip side of this is there is
a lot of call for craftspeople - if you have the flair for it a lot of
Debt can be made if you have the Skills and build up a portfolio
of clients, if the Corplexes don’t snap you up first.
Gr1g: I wonder if there was a cultural shift caused by
Weaver tech. Humanity has always valued art, but
there is definitely a movement towards favouring
things made by people.
A/Wu: True but people go too far. I remember watching
“Pimp my Frame” as a child. A Corplex couple gave
their baby a new crafted body made of ornate
glass. Beautiful, yes… but too much.

Frames and Implants

Technology has changed humanity itself. Our bodies are now
products, and we can pick and choose who we are. Frames
are customisable, replaceable, repairable… the common
conception is we can look like whatever we want to and live
forever. The reality is a little less perfect however. Much like
old world cars or phones Frames are status symbols and

195
objects of desire for those that can afford them. Frames can
get stupidly expensive, and are designed and manufactured
by the Corplexes to appeal to the various Memeplexes and
lifestyles throughout Darwin. And fashion is as temporary and
wilful as the weather. What do you do if you worked all year for
a Frame, and then suddenly trends flip back to last week and
you already part exchanged? How do you afford it? Who do
you owe?
Because Frames can come in all shapes, sizes and contain a
multitude of technology, We long ago chose to designate them
in three categories. Mech (for purely Mechanical Frames), Bio
(for purely organic Frames) and Hybrid (for any combination
of the two). Usually Hybrids are natural humans who just get
Mech or Bio implants but there are Hybrid Frames out there.
There’s the usual human fuzziness around these terms, and
there’s always a news story on the Feed about a Mech who
got organic eyes who’s being thrown out of his Mech-only club,
etc..
Those distinctions can be hard to qualify too. Mechs need
food for their nano-factories to convert to energy and air to
cool their systems. Some Mechs are so human they can only
be discerned on a microscopic level, and indeed some Bio
Frames are so alien looking and run on solar power, so could
be said to no longer be human…
Using a system called a Personality Upload Matrix, switching
to a new Frame takes about an hour (after an extended form
filling, contract signing, identity and license updating session).
Usually the old frame is taken and recycled or refitted as part
of the contract. Voilà - here’s your new body, don’t forget to
read the manual.

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H3r4: I love that new-Frame smell.
Cr4v3n: And the traditional party to test-drive the liver,
I assume?
H3r4: No hangovers until the systems bed in - the
“first night freebie”.

While the Corplexes have a vice-like grip on the Frame

market, illegal back alley uploading to refurbished, stolen or
pirated Frames is rife. Some don’t have the resources to buy
a new Frame or use a reputable dealer… or maybe you want
something really custom stuck in there.
There are a couple of flies in the Frame ointment: PDS and
“The Glitches”. Personality Degradation Syndrome is a side
effect of too many uploads or changing to a Frame that’s too
different too often. The psychology of the self is a complicated
beast, and sometimes the mind loses itself. It can be managed
with medication, virtual self actualisation therapy or counselling,
and it is rare. The Glitches is more of a socio-economic issue.
Frames and implants need upkeep, supplements or regular
tuning to keep in perfect condition. In vehicle terms if you don’t
use the right oil or get a service now and then, they just don’t
run right. Most Corplexes offer warranties, etc. - but usually
only within their home arcology. If your circumstances change
and you can’t afford to maintain your Frame, then a huge
variety of issues can result. Neuromotor problems, digestive
incompatibility, interface lag… The Glitches are a nightmare.
Gr1g: I thought PDS was a conspiracy theory? All the
centuries-old people going mad?
Cr4v3n: It’s a real condition, but very rare and certainly
not limited to long life. It’s usually used as PR
spin when “Granddad Still-on-the-board” murders
his new boi toi.
A/Wu: It’s certainly important to keep paying for your
maintenance - though I have met a few Contractors
that just run their Frame into the ground then
switch to a new one.
H3r4: It’s not just money, it’s expertise and above all
trust. I had a tech guy who used to do all my

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 uploads and maintenance. He did good work. But
I found from a contact my old Frame didn’t get
logged for recycling. I hope to hell he was just
going to sell it on the black market, because the
alternatives are… *shudder*

Debt
During the last years of the old world physical money all but
disappeared and was replaced with a multitude of virtual
currencies these eventually all dissolved into the system called
Debt (or D$). For each citizen there is a maximum amount of
Debt the Corplex banks allow that citizen to accrue, and in
working regularly you clear your Debt down and in getting a
promotion you will eventually get your Debt tier upgraded - this
means you can accrue more Debt. Debt is transferred across
from SmartPads or a scannable implanted chip in the wrist.
A/Wu: I read about those old world currencies. “Online
Banking”, “Bitcoin Bubbles” and “Bloody Pay Pals”
were the most popular. The movement from physical
money reduced the psychological impact of
spending. Like poker chips, the mind values them
differently to what they actually represent.
Gr1g: That was back when your finances could be
positive. Now you are only worth the amount the
Corplexes own you.
Glac13r: Sure. Or how much others are owned. Debt can be
transferred, held in chip. More chips from other
people = less Corplexes own you.
A/Wu: Is that better?

There are other currencies in Darwin. NKTR is famously

used by the Hive to pay their drones and BLOK is a universal
requirement for weaver stations, so both have a stable
exchange rate across Darwin especially in grey or black
markets. The Bloom famously has an additional barter based
economy - it’s not unacceptable to exchange weapon strips,
food or other items for goods and services from independent
businesses. A Corplex store or vending machine however will
only ever take D$.

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A/Wu: And of course there’s the black market. Implants,
parts, weapons, ammo strips, drugs and Bad
Data… there’s a whole underground of alternative
currencies out there.
H3r4: And plants and seeds. I used to keep myself afloat
smuggling cuttings from public displays in the
Hive to farmers in the Bloom.
Glac13r: I impressed at blatant disregard for law, Hera.
H3r4: I was young and trying to impress a girl!

Gravitics
One wonder of the post fall age is the Quantum-Dissonance
Repulsion Field. A low-energy system that funnels magnetic
repulsion in a directional vortex. In layman terms - anti-gravity.
Gravitic vehicles can be seen all over Darwin, with their tell-tale
stubby “feet” that point invisible legs to the ground. Gravitic
vehicles are expensive, but the technology is getting smaller
and cheaper all the time. Autonomous MILF drones are using
Gravitic systems more often and personal transport systems
like Grav boards and DropPacks are getting cheap enough for
civilian use. It’s only a matter of time before Gravitic systems
are built into Frames.
Gr1g: It’s worth mentioning it’s not true flight - more
of a “high hovercraft”
Glac13r: Gravitic like a turtle - flip them on their back
and they end up stuck on the ground.

HangRails
HangRails are the lifeblood of Darwin. Gigantic angular black
monorails that transport cargo and passengers all over the city.
HangRails are split into two levels, with the top passenger level
aligning adjacent to the Station platforms and the cargo level
underneath where the loading and unloading is done in secure
areas underneath the platforms. For a passenger HangRail
travel is relatively cheap, and within the compartments the
four row, two aisle seating areas spacious enough - though

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they can get crowded, especially in the Grid. In the doors of
the HangRail their are “SafeScan” systems that automatically
dock travel fees and will alert authorities if they detect illegal
tech. Underneath the cargo bays are secured and separated
from the passenger level and each other. It is customary for
a Corplex to hire an individual bay that can only be accessed
with a specific daily security code to prevent theft.
Glac13r: HangRail security pretty good. Easier to break
in cargo level from outside than from passenger
level.
A/Wu: The old end of carriage technical access panel?
Glac13r: Oh, those days are gone old friend. Technical
access is from driver area now. All panels gone
- need to HexTape through wall in right place
between compartments.

Weapons
The legal right to defend oneself from violence is a permanent
fact of life in Darwin. Whether this has its origins in the laws of
the old world or simply a Corplex-defended “market segment”
is a matter for debate. While some Memeplexes eschew
weapons and violence in any form, it is common for most adult
citizens to at least have a woven pistol to hand, and much like
everything in Darwin each season every Corplex has a massive
selection of fashionable new weapon lines displayed in every
Weaver-store and holo-screen across Darwin. Contractors
and Feed stars will adorn themselves in custom-crafted
hardware, and Corplex body-guards will openly display branded
weaponry.
Cr4v3n: Before you even start… It’s a custom-crafted
pistol with some very illegal ammunition and yes:
it’s small, thin and black.
H3r4: Oh, Craven that’s really kind of sweet. I’ve got a
Aphid NuClassics SMG, but I did have a wonderful
young carver make some RealWood grips for it.
A/Wu: I abhor violence in all forms. While once did

200
 favour a Scorpious, now I follow the Goddess.
Gr1g: Same. Though I do still have my old sword
somewhere.
Glac13r: No weapons for day to day - just Volstock Fists. When
on job… too many to list.
H3r4: Wait a minute Wu, don’t you have drone defence in
your store?
A/Wu: Just some old tech I refurbished for a customer. I
assure you. It’s probably not even active.

One commonality in Darwin firearms is “strip”. Ammunition is

usually woven together in one (traditionally bright yellow) piece
on a strip which can be clicked into place in the weapon. As
the ammunition is expended the disposable strip falls away and
replaced once a new one is required.
A/Wu: What was that track? “Orange Dust and Yellow
Sticks”
Gr1g: I’ve never really been into Bloom Blues.

While the majority of firearms and melee weapons are legal

in Darwin there are some exceptions. Explosives are securely
monitored and licensed for construction, demolition and
authorised police authorities only, this includes explosive
ammunition. There’s also a weird and creative selection
of flame, flechette, shock, acid, infection and may other
ammunition types that are in a constant state of legal flux.
Unmaker, however is universally banned everywhere. While
it’s only theoretically possible (and a favourite maguffin of
Feed shows), even an association with a template for potential
Unmaker ammunition will get you jail time.
H3r4: Hmm. When you say “very illegal ammunition”,
Craven…
Cr4v3n: No comment.

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Food & Drink
There’s a million different food products in Darwin but there
are a few that you will find on every street corner and every
billboard.
Chyk’n Mylk® It’s protein! It’s dairy! It sponsors all the famous
people you like! Who cares if it’s never seen a chicken or a cow
and tastes exactly like it sounds? Billions of cans are consumed
every day, and billions are spent marketing it.
SushiTubez® are a protein-rich, fishy, ricey goo-like product
sold in little silver packets. You rip off the top and squeeze the
bottom and guzzle down the thick slime. It’s cheap, technically
has everything the body needs and comes in a massive variety
of disgusting flavours. A staple foodstuff in the Bloom and
even in the upper echelons of Corplex culture, everyone has a
couple of ’Tubez in the bottom of their bag for sustenance on
the go.
Triplehalfcaffcoffeefrappachinos® a mouthful in every sense.
Everyone’s favourite foamy caffeine drink. Paper containers with
a silver rip-off tab over the mouth-hole, and when you pop it it
heats up with a delightful “plop-plop-plop-plop” sound. You can
even go to Triplehalfcaffcoffeefrappachinos® stores where you
can sit down on Triplehalfcaffcoffeefrappachinos® branded
sofas with a handmade Triplehalfcaffcoffeefrappachinos® from
a specially trained Triplehalfcaffcoffeefrappachinos® barista.
Lucky you.
CricketBalls® If you’re after a responsibly-farmed meaty snack
then you can’t go wrong with Araknid’s insect protein-based
crunchy-coated meatballs. “The biggest taste with the lowest
environmental impact” is the blurb on every poster.
A/Wu: Sings: “Where do all the old Drones go?”
Gr1g: That’s an urban myth.
A/Wu: Sure.

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Brave new world
This just scratches the surface of Darwin, there are many other
people, places, cultures and technologies that exist within the
last city. There are old tensions still felt from times past and the
cultural impact of new tech is being felt every day. Be careful
out there.
A/Wu: Well that was interesting indeed. Nice to get the
old gang back together.
Gr1g: Hmphf. I want to find this person - I want to
know who this is for… it reads like a guide for
Reclaimed.
A/Wu: Who else doesn’t know anything about Darwin?

func evaluate() { scan var_targets { Contractors, Guild, Gaians

}; trace var_targets } run func

203
SEC
RETS
func Secrets() {
let quote = We can easily forgive a child
who is afraid of the dark;
the real tragedy of life is when
men are afraid of the light.
let attrib. = Plato
}
run func

205
Welcome to the best job in the
world
You parted the veil and spoke the incantations, paid your dues
and sent the cheque. Welcome to the wonderful world of being
a CM. In this chapter we’ll cover all the bits and bobs of the
system you’ll need when it comes to running your own games,
the super secret background stuff that the players shouldn’t
know about when they start, and some tips and tricks to
infuse your games with that sweet, sweet Black Code flavour.
We’ll also shove in a “bestiary”. First though here’s the first big
secret:
It’s your game. Do whatever the heck you want.
Don’t like horror - don’t use it. Think the combat could do with
a bit more or less lethality? Tweak it. Hate the Bio stuff? Don’t
have the Hive in your game. It’s cool.
Black Code is basically a toolkit I put together to run my flavour
of Cyberpunk for my friends. Darwin is vast, deliberately so: I
can add Memeplexes, Corplexes and arcologies depending on
the game this week. There’s more arcology Corplexes than are
detailed in this book: If you feel the “official” stuff isn’t your bag,
or maybe you really like Final Fantasy or She-Ra - just hack it
in. Tell them I said it’s OK.
Before you start
Session Zero is a common term for the pre-game setup.
Rolling up characters all together avoids two characters
stepping on each others’ toes, having a variety of Contractor
Archetypes rather than doubling up helps with that. Don’t worry
too much about not having a Healer or Engineer to patch
everyone up - #TAGs can be added to weapons to make them
heal or repair, or a handy NPC can take up the slack.

206
#TOOMANYTAGs
The modular nature of the #TAG system can be a little
bewildering at first. Don’t worry about having to memorise
everything: have your players take on the responsibility of
knowing their #TAGs. Make a note of their -Negatives though…
you’ll want to sprinkle the effects into your games. Don’t have
the big tank get stuck in a door every time -negatives are for
flavour, not a stick to hit the players with every time they are
annoying.
Skinning
We covered skinning a little bit during Character Generation.
The Frames and Asset #TAGs are left vague to allow players
to use their creativity in making their characters look and feel
cool. A light Bio frame could be a willowy insect, a halfling,
or Tracer. There’s a million Small Shot weapons out there - is
yours a discrete plastic pistol, a tiny micro missile launcher,
or a crossbow? Encourage your players to come up with
interesting descriptions, flavourful brand names and infuse their
characters with a sense of history. Why is their Frame glitchy?
What Corplex made their Frame and why does it look like that?
When it comes to system effects though, remind players
they need the right #TAGs. Describing something as heavily
armoured is great, but without those #TAGs that give
Resistance it’s basically a plastic shell for show.
Contractor, Inc.
For the first few games before the players make enemies and
get embroiled in your web of Corplex conspiracies, Contracts
are a great way to get your players into the action. The group
will be selected by “the Algorithm” to perform a Contract. The
app let’s them know a short job description and a time and a

207
place to meet up with the Client and get their mission briefing.
Fees, etc are all prearranged (haha - no haggling chumps!) and
the Contractors then proceed with the mission. When complete
they are rewarded with the financial remuneration - two hexes
for their Asset Grid and their Debt purchases are reset for the
week and they get two hexes for their Capability Grid. Clients
can also rate the Contractors on their performance. 5 stars
will sway the Algorithm to choose the Contractors again in the
future.
Contractors can rate Clients too. A low rating will eventually see
them blacklisted for the Contractor, and Client ratings show up
on the app to give Contractors an idea who they are dealing
with.
The app can also be used to link Contractors in a Team. Get
the players to come up with an appropriate team name. Clients
can then order the whole team in the future, and it also gives
the media a handy moniker to use if something newsworthy
happens.
The app is sometimes abused a little - “Pizza Delivery” is a
descriptor used to get illegal activity through the system. Most
Contractors will take a handful of Pizza Deliveries throughout
their career - it comes with the territory. A job is a job, right?
The Badge
Signing up with Contractor, Inc comes with one fringe benefit:
The Badge. A hard plastic orange tag with the Contractor’s ID
info on it the badge allows access to all the Corplex arcologies.
Even if they are a citizen in another complex they have access,
and indeed they can use the privileged “fast track” lane through
immigration and customs. It’s not a free pass though: if you
have a Mech on board Hive Soldiers will give you at least a
cursory search through your vehicle entering and exiting the

208
Hive. Vice versa with Bios in Temple. Some Contractor’s will
supplement their income smuggling or try and bring illegal tech
through, so you can’t blame the authorities really.
Contracts
So what sort of things do Contractors do? Anything the
Corplexes want that cannot conveniently be handled in house
or anything civilians need that the authorities are to busy to
deal with, if they can afford to pay. Bodyguarding, equipment
retrieval, smuggling, asset extraction / kidnapping, escorting,
investigation of crimes, intelligence gathering, counter
intelligence… there’s a whole weird and wonderful buffet of
activities Contractors get involved in.
Quick Contract Generation
To give you a quick start to adventure ideas here’s some handy
charts to randomly generate a mission. Roll a d66 (2 dice: first
is tens, second units)

209
Random Mission
11 Guarding: Data Sensitive Corplex data is held on a SmartPad. Guard until the courier arrives.
12 Guarding: Equipment New heavy combat frame needs to be looked after before PR event
13 Guarding: Personel Famous feed star is holed up in a hotel and needs babysitting
SmartPad containing Corplex data has been stolen. Currently being tracked to a
14 Retrieval: Data local datapoint.
15 Retrieval: Equipment Corplex delivery vehicle has been waylaid. Go get it.
16 Retrieval: Personel Corplex asset has been headhunted by a rival Corplex. Go get them back.
21 Delivery: Data Courier sensitive data by hand.
22 Delivery: Equipment Valuable equipment has to be taken to a testing area.
23 Delivery: Personel Child of Corplex executive needs to be relocated to new abode
24 Escort: Data Escort courier carrying sensitive Corplex data.
Corplex sponsored Kata vehicle is on test run through Arcology streets. Make sure
25 Escort: Equipment no one messes with it.
Temple priest wants to administer alms to the poor in the Bloom. Stop the poor
26 Escort: Personel chap from getting stabbed.
Fellow Contractor’s ex-boyfriend has threatened to send some compromising video
31 Theft: Data to the Feed. Go delete those files.
32 Theft: Equipment Black market dealer has an in to a NKTR warehouse. Get some of that honey.
33 Theft: Personel Corplex scientist is wanted by another Corplex. Make it happen.
There’s some unusual gang activity in The Bloom. Go surveil them and find what’s
34 Intelligence gathering up.
35 Counter intelligence Sensitive Corplex meeting is scheduled. Make sure no one overhears.
36 Investigation: Theft A famous holo-exhibit has been stolen. Find the culprit.
41 Investigation: Assault Masked thugs are attacking civilians in the Bloom. Put a stop to it.
42 Investigation: Murder Three bodies have turned up all with the same top-of-the-line Frame. Investigate.
New cheap implants have hit the streets and strange crimes are on the increase.
43 Investigation: Conspiracy Find proof of a connection.
Custom implant technician has been missing appointments for three days. Go find
44 Investigation: Missing Person her.
DMPD node is down near Fracutale. Keep the peace while the technicians get the
45 Patrol: Dangerous Area cops back online.
High end hotel has had bomb threats. Keep a look out while not offending any of
46 Patrol: Sensitive Area the guests.
Grid cops are stretched thin and gangs have been causing trouble at a Hang rail
51 Patrol: Public Area station. Try not to damage or annoy any civilians.
MCP chemical spill in Temple. Help the Angelus manage traffic and keep civilians
52 Emergency: Accident safe.
53 Emergency: Attack Beastville citizens are under fire from Anti-Bio activists. Shut them down.
Hang rail didn’t hang and ploughed through a Bloom sector. Help the DMPD triage
54 Emergency: Disaster and protect civilians.
Saracen need some pretty combatants to go out sporting their new line of weapons
55 Public Relations and make a good show of it.
Assassination, terrorism, suppression. Call it what you want. Sometimes they want
56 Violence Management you to just kill stuff.
Investigating the murder of a Bloom poet turns into a conspiracy when it’s found
61 Roll twice: mission evolves he’s secretly sponsored by a Corplex.
Extracting an asset from a rival Corplex turns into a data theft when they won’t
62 Roll twice: mission evolves leave without their precious project.
Public Relations: Media turns into Emergency Accident when someone drives a
63 Roll twice: mission evolves truck through a red carpet event.
Patrolling the Bloom for unlicensed tech turns into a murder investigation when it’s
64 Roll three times: mission been forcibly removed from civilians and into a Corplex conspiracy when it’s been
evolves twice
stolen for analysis by a rival Corplex.
Roll twice: Double cross - mission is
Equipment delivery turns into Violence Management when they didn’t tell you about
65 really the other one, but hidden for
the gang waiting at the warehouse.
some reason.
Roll three times: Triple cross - the thing The “security expert” you took into the Aphid base was in fact there to steal data
you though you were doing instead of
66 the other thing is in fact a third thing…
and plant a virus wiping the data point. Then Saracen security arrives to make sure
you work it out. there are no witnesses. Good luck.

210
Random Location Random CLient
1-3 The Bloom 1-2 Civilian
4 The Grid
3-5 Corplex
5 The Hive
6 Temple 6 Police Authority

Random Corplex Random Memeplex

11-12 Araknid The Hive 11-12 Animus The Hive
13-14 Adamus The Grid 13 Bleach Temple
14-15 Aphid Biotech The Hive 14-16 Bloomers The Bloom
16-21 Cleric Medical Temple 21 Coggers Temple
22 Contractor, Inc. The Bloom 22-23 Dos Barios The Bloom
23-24 CutePupa The Hive 24 Drones The Hive *
25 KilR The Bloom 25-26 Edgers The Grid
26-31 KITBASH The Bloom 31-32 Follower of EDEN Temple
32 Krysalyd The Hive 33 Fracutalian Fracutale *
33 MCP The Bloom 34 Gaians The Bloom
34-35 Mirror The Bloom 35 Gleamers The Grid
36-41 Neo-Militarius Temple 36-41 Gridder The Grid
42-43 NuYu The Grid 42-43 Hiver The Hive
44 PROGENY Temple 44 Mass The Bloom
45-46 Promethean The Grid 45-46 MILF Everywhere
51-52 Saracen Temple 51 Plaque The Grid *
53-54 Sturm The Grid 52 Street Kata Temple
55-56 Volstock Temple 53-54 The Reef The Bloom
61-66 Minor Corplex (eg. Varies 55 The Sign The Hive
Trillium) 56-66 Other
* These Memeplexes are rarely seen
outside their Home Turf

211
These are just a jumping off point. Things can always evolve
into something else (it’s always pesky Corplexes doing
something they shouldn’t). Don’t stick to the rolls: if something
sparks, run with it.
Antagonists
Contractors are on their way to the mission, it’s time to make
sure there’s some bad guys there for them to shoot, right?
Non Player Characters (NPCs) in Black Code use all the same
rules for actions and shooting and stuff, but we use a few
shortcuts when it comes to putting them together, and NPCs
have access to some special #TAGs just to keep players on
their toes. You could always generate a special NPC using
the normal character generation if you like, but the Antagonist
system is a lot quicker if it sacrifices some detail.
For ease of use NPCs in Black Code operate in a system of
tiers. Ranging from basic civilians to the most experienced of
contractors or giant Mechanical monsters. Each Tier denotes
a select few Skills they get and at what level, an “all other
Skills” value, a number of points split between Hardware and
Software, the number of #TAGs (either from character gen
or special NPC #TAGs) and the equipment they have access
to. An NPCs’ #TAGs can be Crafting #TAGs for their Frame or
Items.
Please note NPC #TAGs are not available to players unless the
CM decided they are made available through campaign play
(befriending a Corplex may gain you security personnel for
example)
The CM may opt to make the NPC “Named” at any point. They
need a name (duh) and have a history, and the CM can add
a sprinkling of Skill points, Hardware / Software points, #TAGs
and Items if required. Some players have a tendency to turn

212
 their characters into fully optimised battle stations, so this is
your special gift from me to you: Get ‘em.
Tier Skills HW / SW #TAGs Items
1 2 at lvl 2, AOS 1/0 24 1 1 Printed
2 3 at lvl 2, AOS 1 30 2 2 Printed
3 1 at 3, 3 at 2, AOS 1 36 2 2 Printed
4 2 at 3, AOS 2 40 3 3 Printed
5 1 at 4, 2 at 3, AOS 2 46 3 3 Printed
6 2 at 4, 3 at 3, AOS 2 50 4 3 Printed

NPC #TAGs
#PANICBUTTON
May call 1d6 equal Tier security personnel silently.
#MASTERMIND
At the beginning of an encounter they may make a strategy check. CRITs may
be spent during the encounter on items “they just happened to bring”, -1 Tier
NPCs “just in the right place”, etc.
#ANYHINGATAPRICE
NPC can obtain rare, hard to find or illegal data or items. May take some time.
#ITSNOTWHATYOUKNOW
NPC has a +2 Tier friend.
#GOONS
Always has 2/Tier -1 Tier minions on hand.
#SYSOP
Any Tech (Hacking) Check under 10+2 per Tier (e.g. for a Tier 3 #SYSOP
Checks under 16) in the NPCs location generate d6 Noise. 10 Noise means
this NPC notices the hacks and may be spent one for one on bonuses to
Checks to trace the hacker.
#TOUGHIE
+4 Hardware Points, 2 Resist, 2 Large attacks
#MONSTER
+6 Hardware Points, 4 Resist, 3 Large attacks (Hehe)

213
#TOODUMBTODIE
Can take -1 Skill to all Mental Skills to NOT go unconscious at zero Hardware
points and not die at -Threshold. If you get damaged again, another -1. Once
you reach -4… that’s it buddy, the next one is it.
#NYAHAHAHA
When sent to 0 Hardware or Software Points, can always escape at the last
minute. They gain +1 Tier and will remember the PCs and now work against
them. At tier 6 this switches out for #MONOLOGUE.
#MONOLOGUE
At 0 Hardware or Software points always has enough time to make a speech,
reveal some sort of vital plot point or pass on an item to a PC. Or start a
countdown.
#SLUSHFUND
May make T3 Purchases or Hire Contractors using Corplex Funds
#VOLCANOISLAND
NPC has access to a base. This may be a store / warehouse / secret Corplex
bunker, etc.

Sample NPCs
T1 Civilian
Skills: Notice, Charm or Will 2, Perform, Tech
or Medicine 2 all other Skills 1 or 0 as
appropriate.
Hardware Points: 12
Software Points: 12
#TAGs: #WHERETHEHEARTIS +3 to Knowledge Checks about
home Corplex.

T1 Armed Civilian / Security

Skills: Notice, Charm or Will 2, Melee or Ranged 2 all
other Skills 1 or 0 as appropriate.
Hardware Points: 16
Software Points: 8
#TAGs: #HIGHNOON Ranged CRITs add +1 Damage if you
are using a single Small Shot weapon with
both hands.
Gear: Printed Pistol 1d6 Damage 12 Strip

214
T1 Corplex Employee
Skills: Notice, Charm or Will 2, Tech, Perform or
Medicine 2, all other Skills 1 or 0 as
appropriate.
Hardware Points: 14
Software Points: 10
#TAGs: #PANICBUTTON May call 1d6 low level security
personnel silently.

T1 Corplex Executive
#TAGs: Notice, Charm or Will 2, Strategy 2, Melee
or Ranged 1 all other Skills 1 or 0 as
appropriate.
Hardware Points: 14
Software Points: 10
#TAGs: #SLUSHFUND May make T3 purchases or hire
Contractors using Corplex funds

T1 Gang Member
#TAGs: Notice, Threat or Will 2, Melee or Ranged 2
all other Skills 1 or 0 as appropriate.
Hardware Points: 18
Software Points: 6
#TAGs: #MYNAMERINGSOUT +3 to Threat Checks in your
home Corplex
Gear: Printed SMG 1d6 Damage. Burst. 12 Strip

T2 Gang Lieutenant
#TAGs: Threat, Melee and Ranged 2 all other Skills
1.
Hardware Points: 24
Software Points: 6
Resist: 2
#TAGs: #TOUGHIE +4 Hardware Points, 2 resist, 2
Large attacks

215
 #SEXMACHINE Implanted Weapon (cyberarm)
Gear: Printed Assault Rifle: -4 Init. 2d6 Damage.
Burst. 12 Strip
Big ‘ol Cyberarm: -2 Init. 2d6 Damage. Slam.

T1 Contractor
Skills: Notice, Charm or Will 2, Melee 2 all other
Skills 1 or 0 as appropriate.
Hardware Points: 18
Software Points: 6.
#TAGs: #IKNOWAGUY Once per session (or more if the
GM is having a real bad day) you can create
a contact on the spot. Charm roll determines
their current feelings towards you.
Gear: Large Blade: 2d6 Damage. Spill.

T4 Contractor
Skills: Notice, Charm or Will 3, Melee 3 all other
Skills 2 or 1 as appropriate.
Hardware Points: 20 Resist: 4 (Printed Armour)
Software Points: 10
#TAGs: #THEMARKER You can “Make a Call”. No matter
where you are or what you’re doing someone
will come and rescue you and your friends.
Come up with some history about why they owe
you. You now owe them.
Gear: Large Crafted Automatic: 2d6 Damage. Burst.
Slam. Peirce. 24 strip.

216
HECATONCHIRES - The Monster of Fracutalé (T4 Named Bad Guy)
Skills: Feat 3, Melee 3. Other Skills at 2 as appropriate.
Hardware Points: 36 Resistance 4
Software Points: 10
#TAGs: #MYNAMERINGSOUT +3 to Threat Checks in your home
Corplex
#TOODUMBTODIE Can take -1 Skill to all Mental
Skills to NOT go unconscious at zero Hardware
points and not die at -Threshold. If you get
damaged again, another -1. Once you reach -4… thats
it buddy, the next one is it.
#MONSTER +6 Hardware Points, 4 Resist, 3 attacks
(Hehe)
Gear: Big Mechanical Arms: 2d6 Damage, Slam.
History: 6 heads, 6 arms, 12 legs. “Ol’ Hec’” kept
upgrading himself and never stopped. A monstrous
conglomeration of old Mech parts ripped from the
citizens of Fracutalé. If he ever dies, Pan will
just make another.

217
The Black Code
Something very bad is growing in Darwin. People are
disappearing, rumours of horrors roaming the darkest alleways
and deepest levels, tech behaving erratically. Contractors are
beginning to notice that something is wrong, and the Corplexes
are racing to find out what it is, and if it can be turned to a
profit.
The Black Code - (AKA the Tartarus Virus) came from outside.
Possibly an old codeplague that instead of erasing whatever
it touches it infects and controls the host in order to replicate.
It is growing, infecting and replicating itself in order to destroy
Darwin’s defences. It can take a number of forms: Data, the
Goo, Infected, Children of the Herald, Cremasters… and more.
Data - “just” a computer virus, the Code can infect tech. While
it cannot transfer itself through Datapollen, the Code can
transfer itself from SmartPad to Datapoint and vice versa.
Plugging into infected tech also transfers the virus. While it is
never “airborne” per se, uploading or downloading from an
infected machine (Debt transfer for example) will pass the virus
along. Infected machines become glitchy, and investigating
with tech Checks will through up messages like “Anomalous
Dataforms Detected” “T4T4RVS is coming”.
The Goo - Once the Virus gets its little paws on a weaver
station, things kick up a notch. It creates a black Bio-ferric
ambulatory nanotech slime that can slink its way around. It can
form tentacles that infect Frames on touch (Will Check Difficulty
12 to resist, on failure takes 1d6 Software damage and is
Infected) or can infect any tech if they find a handy port. The
goo can slide its way through the smallest of gaps and indeed
soak through floors and walls, tiny worms burrowing through
the material. Only burning it with fire can truly stop it.
The Infected - Sooner or later someone fails that Will Check.

218
The code takes them over - a little at a time, making them
more powerful, but eventually bends them to the will of
Tartarus. This is physically unnoticeable at first: perhaps a tiny
crescent of black on the bottom edge of the iris will give away
infection. Eventually black veins will show on the skin, angled as
if they are running down hexagonal tracks.
What does this mean for players? If they are infected they fill
in a single hex on their primary Capability grid on the outside
edge. Whenever they make a Check using that Capabilities
Skillset, they may optionally roll an extra Die (make it a different
colour). The Code is very powerful - boosting the chance
of success like an extra Skill rank. However, if this die rolls
a CRIT… you fill in another Hex adjacent to the infected Hex
on the capability grid. As the Code grows it slowly fills in the
Capability grid, and as soon as it is adjacent to an inner hex
that was filled in due to experience, the character succumbs to
the code and becomes an NPC. Sorry, Bae.
Infected have visions of the destruction of Darwin. Skeletal
buildings, bleached by the sun and everything is covered in a
layer of ash. The Caul is gone. The Wasteland blows through
the streets. And slowly approaching a black shadow gaining in
size on the edge of vision. Tartarus is coming.
They begin to work towards that goal. Infecting more people,
experimenting with tech to see if it can be used for evil ends,
causing trouble between the factions in Darwin. They are
weaker apart.
Children of the Herald - Infection will eventually take over a
person completely. The very young, frail or infirm cannot hold
back the Code and they succumb to a horrific transformation.
Their body crystallises and crumbles forming sharp edges
especially the fingers. Their faces shatter leaving an open maw
of sharp black shards of crystallised carbon. However by the

219
will of Tartarus they can still sense prey. They are mindless now,
simple seeking to bite and claw in order to spread the infection.
Cremasters - In dark secret places, the Cremasters grow. The
goo seeps into the fabric of Darwin and corrupts it, forming
caves and passages covered in black basalt-like hexagonal
columns. Deep within the Cremasters thrones are formed,
awaiting arrival of… something.
The Black Code and Tartarus will be covered in more detail in
future releases. In the meantime, feel free to ignore it, or use it
as a springboard to add some horror to your games. The Code
is new - Corplexes will be tripping over themselves to get hold
of it and analyse it. Memeplexes will fear it or worship it as it
begins to become known. Or occasionally just throw in a big
infectious monster, I know you want to.

DNA
Black Code was inspired by many sources. If you’ve missed
anything in this list it is a bit of a crime not to check them out.
Comics
Transmetropolitan - Warren Ellis and Darrick Empty Zone - Jason Shawn Alexander
Robinson Silent Mobius - Kia Asyama
Appleseed - Masamune Shirow Battle Angel Alita - Yukito Kishiro
Ghost In the Shell - Masamune Shirow Nausicaa of the Valley of the wind - Hayao
Akira - Katsushiro Otomo Miyasaki
Locke & Key - Joe Hill & Gabriel Rodriguez

Cinema
Blade Runner & Bladerunner 2049 The Matrix & sequels
Terminator & sequels Jupiter Ascending
Mad Max Fury Road Dark City
Inception Robocop & sequels
Interstellar Ghost in the Shell
Dredd

220
TV
Firefly Ghost in the Shell
Almost Human Bubblegum Crisis
Humans Altered Carbon
Psycho-Pass Dark

Art
Paul Chadeisson Vitaly Bulgarov
Nivanh Chanthara

Books
Neuromancer - William Gibson
Snow Crash - Neal Stephenson
Spares - Michael Marshall Smith
Altered Carbon - Richard Morgan
Name of the Wind - Patrick Rothfuss
The Lies of Locke Lamora - Scott Lynch
Dictionary of Classical Mythology - Pierre
Grimal
S. - JJ Abrams and Doug Dorst

RPGs
SLA Industries by Nightfall Games
Cyberpunk 2020 by R. Talsorian Games
Over The Edge by Atlas Games
The Sprawl by Hamish Cameron
The Veil by Fraser Simmons
Tenra Bansho Zero by Junchi Inoue
Fate by Evil Hat

Music
Score:
Heat Death - 65daysofstatic
The Lamplighter - NVLL
Acid Rain - Lorn
Bunsen Burner - CUTS
Dayvan Cowboy - Boards Of Canada
Reach For The Dead - Boards of Canada
Neon Vandal - Shinjuku Rose
Nyx - John Palmer
Borealis - Hizzlecrift
Shadows - Astrix & Simon Patterson
The Grid - Daft Punk & The Crystal Method
Adagio for Tron - Daft Punk & Teddy Bears
Debutante - 65daysofstatic
Monolith - 65daysofstatic
Icarus - Main Theme - Michael McCann
Welcome - 0edit
Utai IV: Reawakening - Kenji Kawai
Marrakech - Hybrid
Detach - Hans Zimmer
White Cyclosa - Boards of Canada
Split Your Infinities - Boards of Canada
The Alien - Ben Salisbury & Geoff Barrow
Clear Skys - Amon Tobin
Spoiler - Hyper Lies
The Lost Day - Brian Eno
Await Rescue - 65daysofstatic
On Earth - Woob
85-Bit - Woob
Departure - Woob

221
Soundtrack:
White Rabbit - Collide
Wise Enough - Lamb
Killing Machine - Tony Crown
For the Damaged Coda - Blonde Redhead
My Body Is a Cage - Peter Gabriel
Legends Never Die - League of Legends
Short Change Hero - The Heavy
Aerials - System Of A Down
Team - Lorde
Go (feat. Blood Diamonds) - Grimes
In for the Kill - La Roux
Listen To My Voice - Gary Numan
Bed of Thorns - Gary Numan
Rachel’s Song - Vangelis
My Kingdom - The Future Sound Of London
Controlling Crowds - Archive
Bullets - Archive
Yeled - Violet Vision
Hayling - FC/Kahuna
If I Survive - Hybrid
Rival Dealer - Burial
Enjoy the Silence - Ki:Theory
Paint It Black - Anne Marie Almedal
Bury Me Face Down - Grandson

END FUNC
Hey, that was a wild ride, wasn’t it? I hope you enjoyed at least
some of my first real brainbaby. There’s more to come. Check
out www.dicemachine.com or @dicemachine for the latest
updates, or @the_ravener of you want the personal touch.
Thank you,
Whitt.

222
223
The Wasteland

L
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A
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• FRACUTALe

SILKMARKET

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THE GRID

• Haven

THE DEEPS

Vessick
Towers

• Beastville

THE HIVE

TEMPLE

Atlantic Arcology Urbanplex 4

 samadhi

The WealD

Calamity

Caduceus
Tower

Re/Furb

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©2019 Mark Whittington

 //Official CONTRACTOR licence//

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©2019 Mark Whittington

//INITIATIVE GRID// //NPC Blocks//

NAME ________________ NAME ________________

Weapon _____________ Weapon _____________
Resistance __________ Resistance __________
HITS/Thresh _________ HITS/Thresh _________
Special ______________ Special ______________

1 2 3 1 2 3

4 5 6 4 5 6

NAME ________________ NAME ________________

Weapon _____________ Weapon _____________
Resistance __________ Resistance __________
HITS/Thresh _________ HITS/Thresh _________
Special ______________ Special ______________

1 2 3 1 2 3

4 5 6 4 5 6

//Notes// NAME ________________ NAME ________________

Weapon _____________ Weapon _____________
Resistance __________ Resistance __________
HITS/Thresh _________ HITS/Thresh _________
Special ______________ Special ______________

1 2 3 1 2 3

4 5 6 4 5 6

©2019 Mark Whittington