IT’S BEEN A GENERATION SINCE THE ARK FELL.

desperate for travelers like you to trade resources,

2400 XOT
Long enough to lose knowledge of space flight; share knowledge, and master the exotica of a lost
more than long enough for this planet to change civilization. Adapt to this world, and humanity may
you. Small settlements dot a strange landscape, survive what those who came before could not.

► A settlement named for its… Needs (or has)… And is dangerously close to The…

1 Bone… 1 Armory 1 Building materials 1 Blinding… 1 Archive LO-FI SCI-FI RPG • JASON TOCCI
2 Floating… 2 Bridge 2 Clean water 2 Burning… 2 Basin
3 Fungal… 3 Chapel 3 Couriers 3 Crawling… 3 Caverns
4 Gargantuan… 4 Dungeon 4 Defenses 4 Cyclopean… 4 City
5 Gilded… 5 Forges 5 Energy 5 Hungry… 5 Cliffs
6 Iron-veined… 6 Garden 6 Exotica experts 6 Invisible… 6 Colossus
7 Mesmerizing… 7 Gates 7 Hope 7 Last… 7 Dome
8 Mirrored… 8 Graves 8 Hunters 8 Living… 8 Forest
9 Mist-cloaked… 9 Halls 9 Info on fauna 9 Murmuring… 9 Fortress
10 Phasing… 10 Lanterns 10 Info on flora 10 Quicksilver… 10 Isle
11 Prismatic… 11 Livestock 11 Info on people 11 Quivering… 11 Monolith
12 Radiant… 12 Market 12 Labor 12 Scouring… 12 Moon
13 Shimmering… 13 Port 13 Medicine 13 Screaming… 13 Palace
14 Silent… 14 Roads 14 New leadership 14 Shadow… 14 Peak
15 Spherical… 15 Ruler 15 News 15 Static… 15 Plain
16 Sunken… 16 Servitors 16 Repairs 16 Sundered… 16 Swamp
17 Thorned… 17 Spires 17 Room to grow 17 Unreached… 17 Temple
18 Translucent… 18 Spring 18 Scrap 18 Vanishing… 18 Tomb
19 Ubiquitous… 19 Statues 19 Shelter 19 Wasting… 19 Tower
20 Whispering… 20 Walls 20 Visitors 20 Weeping… 20 Vault
► You encounter a… With what appears to be… And in need of…

1 Blurry… 1 Beast 1 Autonomous… 1 Armor 1 Acid

2 Carnivorous… 2 Beggar 2 Bioluminescent… 2 Antennae 2 Allies
3 Dead… 3 Bird 3 Caustic… 3 Arms 3 Escape
4 Disguised… 4 Blob 4 Coppery… 4 Bones 4 Exotica
5 Faceless… 5 Bug 5 Crystalline… 5 Claws 5 Food/water
6 Gigantic… 6 Cult 6 Cybernetic 6 Clothing 6 Grooming
7 Hive-minded… 7 Fish 7 Electrified… 7 Eyes 7 Information
8 Hovering… 8 Flower 8 Ice-cold… 8 Flesh 8 Justice
9 Hypnotic… 9 Gang 9 Mismatched… 9 Glands 9 Medicine
10 Levitating… 10 Head 10 Mossy… 10 Horns 10 Opponents
11 Plagued… 11 Reptile 11 Oily… 11 Legs 11 Passage
12 Protean… 12 Rodent 12 Oxidizing… 12 Scales 12 Penance
13 Quick… 13 Settler 13 Reflective… 13 Shackles 13 Prey
14 Small… 14 Swarm 14 Retractable… 14 Skin 14 Protection
15 Spectral… 15 Thief 15 Softly humming… 15 Spines 15 Purpose
16 Stealthy… 16 Trader 16 Stolen… 16 Teeth 16 Rest
17 Synthetic… 17 Tree 17 Stone… 17 Tendrils 17 Shelter
18 Telekinetic… 18 Tripod 18 Venomous… 18 Tools 18 Supplies
19 Telepathic… 19 Warlord 19 Undulating… 19 Weapons 19 Surgery
20 Teleporting… 20 Worm 20 Worm-ridden… 20 Wings 20 Warmth
Version 1.2 • Cover art by Beeple (Mike Winkelmann) • Permission is granted to reproduce for personal use
RULES CHARACTERS EXOTICA
PLAY: Players describe what their characters do. ► Pick or roll d20 for a name. Note pronouns. ► Choose, invent, or roll d6.d6 for a distinction — ► Start with 3 xot — small, unstable, single-use
The GM judges when their action is impossible, something strange or useful that stands out even exotic devices — inspired by combining 2 words
1 Alyx 6 Farai 11 Kyo 16 Qamar
demands a cost or extra steps, or presents a risk. on this world. Decide specifics with the GM. from the lists below. The exact function is up to
2 Briar 7 Grey 12 Lux 17 Raine
Players can revise plans before committing so as the GM to interpret, but player suggestions are
3 Citlali 8 Hyun 13 Ming 18 Taylor 1.1 A cat-sized tardigrade floating nearby
to change goal/stakes, and only roll to avoid risk. encouraged. (These lists can also inspire stable
4 Dusty 9 Ime 14 Nur 19 Van 1.2 White-hot saliva
exotic artifacts, but players don’t start with any.)
ROLLING: Roll 1 skill die — d6 by default, higher 5 Esen 10 Jaya 15 Ori 20 Zhi 1.3 A detachable head that plugs into any body
with a relevant trait or vocation (use whichever is 1.4 A plasma cannon for a hand 1 Atmospheric… 1 Annihilator
► Choose, invent, or roll d20 for a trait that lets you
highest if multiple fit), or d4 if hindered by injury, 1.5 Blurry, confusing features 2 Cybernetic… 2 Assembler
do unusual things (being winged lets you fly)
circumstances, or carrying 2+ bulky items. If 1.6 Otherworldly beauty 3 Electromagnetic… 3 Conductor
and/or roll a d8 skill die against relevant risks.
helped by circumstances, roll an extra d6; if an 2.1 Cameras for eyes 4 Geomorphic… 4 Container
ally helps, they roll their skill die and share risk. 1 Acrobatic 11 Amphibious 2.2 Edible fungal growths 5 Gravitic… 5 Dampener
Take the highest die. 2 Ascetic 12 Boneless 2.3 A cloud of glowing butterflies 6 Haptic… 6 Disruptor
3 Charming 13 Clairvoyant 2.4 Magnetic hands 7 Hydric… 7 Distributor
1–2 Disaster. Suffer the full risk. If it’s mutually
4 Fearless 14 Fanged 2.5 A back full of pipes spewing greasy smoke 8 Kinetic… 8 Expander
exclusive with your goal (GM’s call), you fail.
5 Protective 15 Four-armed 2.6 Skin studded with jagged crystals 9 Mnemonic… 9 Focuser
3–4 Setback. A lesser risk or partial success. If
6 Sharp-eyed 16 Horned 3.1 A voice like thunder 10 Necrotic… 10 Injector
risking death, you’re injured.
7 Stealthy 17 Telekinetic 3.2 Telescoping limbs 11 Oneiric… 11 Manipulator
5+ Success. The higher the roll, the better.
8 Strong 18 Telepathic 3.3 Stinging tentacles 12 Perceptual… 12 Multiplier
If success can’t get you what you want (you make 9 Swift 19 Undying 3.4 Finger-plugs that interface with machines 13 Photonic… 13 Nullifier
the shot, but there’s a force field!), you still get 10 Zealous 20 Winged 3.5 A robot bodyguard 14 Psychic… 14 Projector
useful information or set up an advantage. 3.6 A tendency to vanish 15 Seismic… 15 Regenerator
► Choose, invent, or roll d20 for a vocation with a
4.1 Malleable features 16 Sonic… 16 Scanner
DEFENSE: Break an item to turn a hit into a brief d8 skill die. Take a knife, clothes, and these items.
4.2 Stony flesh 17 Spatial… 17 Shield
hindrance. Broken gear is useless until repaired.
1 Chronicler: portable terminal with camera 4.3 An electrical current 18 Temporal… 18 Transformer
CHANGE: When your highest die in a roll rolls its 2 Chemist: acid vial, glitchy chemical scanner 4.4 The power to transfer wounds with a touch 19 Thermic… 19 Transmitter
max, you may turn it into a 1 to either gain a new 3 Courier: weatherized cloak, hidden pockets 4.5 An aura of flame 20 Xenobiotic… 20 Transporter
trait, raise a trait or vocation’s skill die by 1 step 4 Fugitive: chain & broken shackles (bulky) 4.6 Silver eyes with x-ray vision
(d6➡ d8 ➡ d10 ➡ d12), or add or replace a word 5 Gambler: hidden blade, cards, trick dice 5.1 Two bodies that share one mind IDENTIFICATION: You recognize items on sight as
in a trait, vocation, or distinction. 6 Herbalist: mortar, pestle, analgesic herb 5.2 A hypnotic gaze artifacts or xot. When you try to determine what
7 Hunter: slugthrower (bulky), snares 5.3 Fists that can shatter stone they do, you risk (1–2) accidental activation or
HARM: Seek healers or exotica to clear injuries. If
8 Mechanic: cutting torch, goggles, pads 5.4 Remote-controlled eyes (3–4) only getting a vague sense of function.
killed, introduce a new character ASAP.
9 Mystic: robes, extra trait (e.g., clairvoyant) 5.5 Glowing eyes with heat vision Rolling again yields no further information.
GM: Describe characters in terms of behaviors, 10 Mapmaker: map tube, pens, flimsies 5.6 Psychedelic sweat
INSTABILITY: When you risk harm while carrying
risks, and obstacles, not skill dice. Lead the group 11 Mycologist: edible & toxic fungi, hand lens 6.1 Command over insectoid life
4 or more xot, the roll also indicates whether your
in setting lines not to cross in play. Fast-forward, 12 Pit fighter: cestus, blindfold, bandage 6.2 Suction-cupped hands
xot activate or act unpredictably (1–2) at once or
pause, or rewind/redo for pacing and safety; 13 Priest: vestments, scripture, medallion 6.3 Spiny projectiles
(3–4) with just enough warning to throw them.
invite players to do likewise. Present dilemmas 14 Salvager: cutting torch, chain, flares 6.4 A symbiotic organism over their face
Xot litter the world. They are powerful and
you don’t know how to solve. Move spotlight to 15 Scout: binoculars, muddy cloak 6.5 An aversion to gravity
dangerous to hoard. Use or trade them often.
give all time to shine. Roll a die periodically to test 16 Soldier: sword, cape, repainted armor 6.6 A faithful cult
luck (e.g., run into predators, or out of bandages), 17 Stonecutter: sledge (bulky), hammer, chisel ARTIFACT USE: When you use an exotic artifact in
► This is a starting point. In time, a swift priest with
checking for (1– 2) trouble or (3–4) signs of it. 18 Surgeon: scalpel, bone saw, bandage, wire a risky situation, the roll also indicates whether it
a cat-sized tardigrade may become an impossibly
Improvise rulings to cover gaps in rules; on a 19 Survivalist: tent, water purifier, long scarf is depleted (1–2) already, or (3–4) after this use.
swift prophet with a lion-sized tardigrade. Use
break, revise unsatisfactory rulings as a group. 20 Trader: hidden blade, scrap for trade (bulky)
material from other games for added inspiration. TRADE: 1 xot is worth 1 useful tool or weapon, or
1 bulky scrap bundle. Artifacts are worth 10+ xot.