PIERCE THE

HEAVENS
A worker liberation module powered by LANCER
By Michael Prijatelj
 PIERCE THE HEAVENS
By
Michael Prijatelj

Edited by
Michael Prijatelj

Layout by
Michael Prijatelj

Cover Art
Original image by StockSnap from Pixabay

Interior Art
Pages 6–7: Original photo by Vincent Erhart on Unsplash
Page 9: Original photo by Dariusz Sankowski on Pixabay
Page 11: Original image by sleekrokit on Openclipart
Page 12: Original image by hangela on Pixabay
Page 14: Original photo by I Made Pasek on Shutterstock
Page 16: Original image by Danomyte on Shutterstock
Page 18: Original photo by Iswanto Arif on Unsplash
Page 21: Original photo by Richard Felix on Unsplash

Template used
Lancer RPG Template by Michael Prijatelj, used under CC BY 4.0

Playtesting by
Alexis T., Espional, Kips56, JJ, Toki, Orange Orange, Sylvain Kit Fiadh, Leandro Lelis Kermentz

Special Thanks to
Massif Press for the use of the Lancer setting and system, the folks at Pilot NET for their feedback and raw
enthusiasm, Storytelling Collective’s RPG Writer Workshop for advice and guidance, and Gurren Lagann for
serving as inspiration for this module. Fight the power!

Pierce the Heavens is not an official Lancer product; it is a third party work, and is not affiliated with Massif
Press. Pierce the Heavens is published via the Lancer Third Party License.

Pierce the Heavens © 2022 by Michael Prijatelj.

Lancer is copyright Massif Press.

[2]
 CONTENTS
INTRODUCTION 4
OVERVIEW 4
BACKGROUND 4
HOOKS 4
PERSONS OF INTEREST 5

FIGHT THE POWER 6

BEAT 1: DOCTOR’S ORDERS 8
MISSION: DELIVER US FROM HELL 10
BEAT 2: UNIONIZATION 11
COMMONS 12
DIG SITE 13
SUPPLY DEPOT 14
BEAT 3: MEANS OF DESTRUCTION 16
COMBAT: GRIT THOSE TEETH 17
BEAT 4: OURS IS THE DRILL 18
COMBAT: EYES UP, RISE UP 19
CONCLUSION 21

APPENDICES
APPENDIX A: BRIEFING 22
APPENDIX B: CLOCKS 23
APPENDIX C: SETTLEMENT MAP 24
APPENDIX D: NPC NAMES 25
APPENDIX E: EXOTIC GEAR 26

[3]
 INTRODUCTION
OVERVIEW
Pierce the Heavens is a module for the Lancer RPG
system, intended for a party of three to five LL0
characters. Characters who complete this module
earn one license level. The module centers the player
characters (PCs) as orchestrators of a miners’ revolt,
liberating workers from a deep underground mine while
evading the clutches of a despot and her cronies.
Pierce the Heavens begins with the PCs as common
workers. The module plays like a mech-scale prison
break: PCs start with no mech, pilot armor, or pilot
weapons, and only one piece of limited or
miscellaneous pilot gear of their choice. The PCs
may acquire their mechs, RESERVES, and other pilot
gear through exploring the setting. Otherwise, players
prepare their pilots and mechs as usual. The normal
rules for equipping a pilot (i.e., a pilot can only carry one
set of armor, two weapons, and three other pieces of
gear) still apply.
This module references NPCs and sitreps from the full,
paid version of the Lancer Core Book. It additionally
draws upon lore and information from the Field Guide
to the Karrakin Trade Baronies, though the supplement
is not required to run the module.
CONTENT WARNING
This module deals with topics of worker suppression
through police and state violence. This is depicted
through mistreatment of workers, unjust incarceration,
kidnapping, propaganda, and threats of physical
abuse. In addition, this module includes scenes with
mild claustrophobic imagery, as well as a brief
depiction of starving people.
SYNOPSIS
The module begins with the PCs as commoners in
Kestrel’s Bounty, a mining community located deep
beneath the surface of the world. They prepare for a
revolt during a freeform roleplaying section before
launching into mech combat action as the rebellion
begins. This module has four major parts:
1. DOCTOR’S ORDERS: An introduction to Kestrel’s
Bounty. An unlikely agent provides the PCs with
information and tech for a revolt.
2. UNIONIZATION: Kestrel’s Bounty awaits exploration,
offering mechs and reserves.
3. MEANS OF DESTRUCTION: Secure the dig site with
newfound mechs.
4. OURS IS THE DRILL: The ruler of Kestrel’s Bounty
stands between the workers and their freedom.
[4]
BACKGROUND
Rebellion shakes the Karrakin Trade Baronies. Worker-
class revolutionaries — calling themselves
“Ungratefuls” — stage uprisings throughout Karrakin
space. Terrified that her own workers may revolt,
Chevalier Darya Korolyova (a.k.a. “Kestrel”)
handsomely pays her team of enforcers and informants
to stomp out all hints of rebellion within the mining town
of Kestrel’s Bounty.
Already an unpleasant place to live, Korolyova’s
policies beget an untenable situation within the
settlement. Her enforcers withhold basic necessities,
confiscate food stores, and imprison purported
insurgents. Despite this, Korolyova’s best efforts
merely fan the burgeoning flames of revolution.
Dmitri Nakai spies upon Kestrel’s Bounty for the
secretive Union Intelligence Bureau (UIB), after
infiltrating the community over fifty years ago under a
doctor’s guise. As tensions heighten within the mines,
the UIB tasks Dmitri to identify potential insurgents and
arm them with powerful mechs to overthrow
Korolyova’s enforcers and liberate her workers.
HOOKS
The PCs have some reason to escape to the surface of
the world; for this reason, Dr. Dmitri Nakai recruits the
PCs prior to the start of this module. Some example
hooks of such recruitment are provided here.
BORN TO THE DARKNESS
The PCs grew up together in Kestrel’s Bounty. For
their entire lives, they witnessed the exploitation of
their friends and families under the hands of
Chevalier Korolyova. One day, Dr. Dmitri Nakai, who
the PCs have known for years, reveals a plan to
liberate the settlement requiring the PCs’ help.
PRESSED INTO SERVICE
Chevalier Korolyova’s forces captured the PCs as
prisoners of war from another Karrakin house and
sent them to labor in Kestrel’s Bounty for daring to
oppose the Chevalier. Dr. Dmitri Nakai contacts the
PCs due to their mutual animosity for Korolyova. The
PCs had power and prestige prior to their
imprisonment, and they may reclaim it upon escape.
UNDERCOVER AGITATORS
Secret agents of the UIB, the PCs infiltrated Kestrel’s
Bounty with the aid of Dr. Dmitri Nakai, pretending to
be a team of facsimile clones sent to shore up the
worker population. When the time is right, Dmitri
relays the UIB’s orders to stage a worker revolt.
PERSONS OF INTEREST
DMITRI NAKAI HE/HIM
DOCTOR, UIB AGENT
The Union Intelligence Bureau secretly assigned Dmitri
to instigate the emancipation of the Chevalier’s
workers. Dmitri’s wheelchair grants him an unassuming
aura, and his wry sense of humor finds silver linings to
the direst situations.
MOTIVATION: Equality. Dmitri longs for the day when his
comrades, not despots, own the fruits of their labors.
MANNERISMS: Dmitri always wears a wry grin on his
face, as if he knows more than he lets on.
QUOTE: “Desperate times call for aggressive
measures.”
ASUKA LAGUNOVA SHE/HER
UNGRATEFUL INSURGENT
A perpetual delinquent and vociferous opponent of the
Chevalier and her cronies, the youthful Asuka
Lagunova quickly became an icon of resistance among
the workers of Kestrel’s Bounty. Brash, confident, and
charismatic, she brings out the best in her comrades.
MOTIVATION: Freedom. Asuka longs to escape the
tunnels and breathe free on the surface.
MANNERISMS: Asuka constantly swaggers with self-
assuredness and a determined smirk.
QUOTE: “Just who the hell do you think I am?”
UNION & ITS INTELLIGENCE
BUREAU
As a post-scarcity state, Union’s ideological
foundation lies upon the utopian pillars of
fulfilling all peoples’ material needs, facilitating
freedom of travel between worlds, and
preventing unjust exploitation of labor.
Union does not openly meddle in the affairs of
foreign states, but its secretive Intelligence
Bureau keeps tabs on major existential threats to
humanity. At times, the Bureau conducts off-the-
record missions to further Union’s causes.
DARYA KOROLYOVA SHE/HER
CHEVALIER
A veteran of mech combat and amateur of statecraft,
Chevalier Darya “Kestrel” Korolyova rules over
Kestrel’s Bounty. Enforcers sing her praises while
workers curse her name.
MOTIVATION: Domination. Korolyova dreads losing
power, so she instills fear through false bravado and
worker suppression.
MANNERISMS: Korolyova always holds her head high
and chin up when talking so she constantly looks down
upon the person before her.
QUOTE: “You should be grateful that I let you live this
long. Now you can serve as an example to the rest.”
ALEXEI GROSSO HE/HIM
DIG SITE BOSS
A bully through and through, Boss Alexei Grosso
commands the Chevalier’s security forces. A perpetual
scowl carves his heavyset face and cheap wine stains
his breath.
MOTIVATION: Social status. Alexei lords his meager
status over anyone he deems lesser.
MANNERISMS: Alexei fiddles with the hilt of his officer’s
sword when annoyed.
QUOTE: “You’re lucky I’m in a good mood, or I’d drag
you to the stockade by your thumbs.”
PANDANO NORMANI THEY/THEM
QUARTERMASTER
The overworked quartermaster of Kestrel’s Bounty,
Pandano completes the bare minimum of Alexei’s
directives. Large and muscular, their smooth skin
smells of flowery soap, and they wear a comically small
pair of reading glasses.
MOTIVATION: Comfort. Pandano misses the slow days
when they could nap on the job.
MANNERISMS: Pandano sighs heavily at any minor
inconvenience.
QUOTE: “I’m only doin’ as the boss says.”
[5]
 FIGHT THE POWER
Union governance guarantees these rights: “All shall have
their material needs fulfilled, no walls shall stand between
worlds, and no person shall be held in bondage through force,
labor or debt.” But Union’s reach is tenuous, and some
communities slip through the cracks.
However, even when the situation seems hopeless, a light
shines at the end of the tunnel. All those who stand against
injustice will soon discover they have friends in high
places, for Union favors not the mighty, but the brave.

IN THIS SECTION:
BEAT 1: DOCTOR’S ORDERS 8
MISSION: DELIVER US FROM HELL 10
BEAT 2: UNIONIZATION 11
BEAT 3: MEANS OF DESTRUCTION 16
COMBAT: GRIT THOSE TEETH 17
BEAT 4: OURS IS THE DRILL 18
COMBAT: EYES UP, RISE UP 19
CONCLUSION 21

[6]
[7]
 BEAT 1:
DOCTOR’S ORDERS
An introduction to Kestrel’s Bounty. An unlikely agent
provides the PCs with information and tech for a revolt.
KESTREL’S BOUNTY
When the players are ready to begin, read the following
text aloud:
The sun never shines upon Kestrel’s Bounty. Buried
deep below the surface of the planet, dim electric
lamps illuminate the overworked mining community
while the echoes of digging machines quake through
yawning tunnels.
Let the players introduce their characters and decide
how the PCs all know each other, optionally using the
Personal History table (Lancer, p. 41). To introduce
Kestrel’s Bounty to the players, pose the following
questions to the PCs to establish their connections to
the settlement and its NPCs:
THE DESPOT: Chevalier Korolyova (a.k.a. Kestrel) is
a vain tyrant who constantly mismanages Kestrel’s
Bounty with an iron fist. What legends has she
cultivated to convince people of her power? How has
her negligence of the settlement worsened your life?
THE ENFORCERS: Boss Alexei Grosso is a bully of a
foreman who performs Kestrel’s dirty work. How have
he and his enforcers caused harm (physical, emotional,
material, or otherwise) to you or a loved one?
THE REVOLUTIONARIES: The people of Kestrel’s Bounty
do not tolerate Korolyova’s abuse — least of all Asuka
Lagunova, who led a strike a week ago. How and why
did Asuka try to recruit you, in particular (e.g., your
reputation or shared personal history)?
THE HELPERS: Even in a place as harsh as Kestrel’s
Bounty, there are people like Dr. Dmitri Nakai who
lend a gentle, helping hand. How has Dr. Nakai helped
you or a loved one recover from an illness or injury,
even miraculously?
THE MISSION: Dr. Dmitri Nakai trusted you enough to
request your help for a plan to liberate the workers of
Kestrel’s Bounty. For what reason did you agree to help
Dmitri with his plan?
[8]
DMITRI’S CLINIC
Once the previous questions have been answered to
the players’ satisfaction, read the following text aloud:
Within a disheveled clinic on the outskirts of the
Commons, the wizened Dr. Dmitri Nakai furtively
glances through a ragged curtain as he pours cups of
fragrant tea. The stomps of a passing security mech
send shudders through the small building.
The PCs begin in the clinic of Doctor Dmitri Nakai,
located at the edge of town. When everyone is ready to
hear Dmitri’s plan, read the following text aloud:
Once assured of privacy, Dmitri settles into his
wheelchair. “The Kestrel’s running her thugs ragged
with this new patrol schedule. She’s afraid of another
Free Sanjak Revolution. It’s only going to get worse
after she brings reinforcements to Asuka’s execution
tomorrow.”
The doctor leans forward, slides several thumb drives
onto the table, and brandishes a small, drill-like
object. He asks with a grin, “It would be a shame if
some big damn heroes found some very expensive
hardware, staged a revolt, blew a hole in the roof, and
freed her entire labor force, wouldn’t it?”
Dmitri further explains that the thumb drives contain
single-use blueprints for advanced mechs, capable of
either printing a new mech or reprogramming an
existing one.
The doctor calls the strange drill a “Paracausal Drill”,
capable of displacing massive amounts of matter using
technology too advanced to explain. If asked how he
acquired this technology, Dmitri simply smiles and
replies that he “got it from a friend in the union”. He
declines to say more. He holds onto the drill if no PCs
offer to take it.
A DOCTOR’S KNOWLEDGE
Dmitri knows the following information, which can be
revealed over the course of a conversation:

• Asuka Lagunova, a popular leader amongst

workers, incited a strike thwarted by Boss Alexei
Grosso. She awaits execution near the dig site.
• Heightened strikebreaking has left Grosso’s
enforcers exhausted and overextended.
• Chevalier Darya Korolyova (a.k.a. Kestrel)
arrives via the supply depot’s freight elevator
tomorrow to humiliate Asuka and reinforce the
settlement.
• Residents of the Commons need help preparing
for a revolt and undermining Korolyova.
• The supply depot, overseen by Quartermaster
Pandano Normani, houses a Schedule 2 printer
that can quickly print mechs and equipment —
with the right print codes and an active crew.

Dmitri tosses the PCs a bag of medicine before they

leave. “Supplies are tight, but I managed to squirrel
these away for a rainy day. Hopefully you won’t need
them!” he says with a chuckle. The bag contains one
PATCH, one CORRECTIVE, and a set of three STIMS,
which the PCs can distribute amongst themselves.

When the PCs are ready, proceed to MISSION: DELIVER

US FROM HELL.

UNGRATEFULS & FREE SANJAK

The organized labor movement known as the
“Ungratefuls” began in opposition to the
oppressive caste system of one of the noble
houses within the Karrakin Trade Baronies. What
started as a miners’ strike soon developed into
the Free Sanjak Revolution, where Ungrateful
insurgents overthrew their oppressors and
conquered their moon. Since the successful
rebellion, Ungrateful ideology has spread to
other communities, inspiring strikes and revolts
against unjust labor practices within the
Baronies and beyond.

[9]
 MISSION: BRIEFING
Dmitri Nakai supplies the PCs with a plan and the

DELIVER US technology to liberate Kestrel’s Bounty. Preparing the

locals for a revolt and undermining the Chevalier’s
authority improve the odds of success. Alerting the
Chevalier’s thugs accelerates her machinations. Share

FROM HELL APPENDIX A: BRIEFING with the players as a quick

reference to the rules of the mission.

SIMON: “This drill, will open a hole in the
universe. And that hole will be a path for those
behind us. The dreams of those who have
fallen! The hopes of those who will follow!”
– Gurren Lagann, Episode 27
GOAL: Liberate the workers of Kestrel’s
Bounty before the Chevalier arrives.
STAKES: Imprisonment, hard labor, and
potentially execution lay ahead for
those who rebel against Korolyova.

REWARD: If successful, the PCs earn freedom

for themselves and the rest of the
MISSION BEATS working class of Kestrel’s Bounty.
BEAT 2: UNIONIZATION
Regardless of success or failure,
BEAT 3: MEANS OF DESTRUCTION word spreads of the PCs’ valor,
COMBAT: GRIT THOSE TEETH earning them one license level.
BEAT 4: OURS IS THE DRILL RESERVES: The PCs begin with no RESERVES, but
COMBAT: EYES UP, RISE UP may acquire them over the course of
the mission.

CLOCKS
Draw up two clocks visible to the players at the start of
CLOCKS this mission, both of which will be used during BEAT 2:
UNIONIZATION. Once either clock is filled completely,
HARDWARE ACQUIRED progress to A DOCTOR DETAINED in BEAT 2. For more
information regarding clocks, see APPENDIX B: CLOCKS.

HARDWARE ACQUIRED (6 SEGMENTS)

This clock tracks the number of mechs obtained by the
PCs. Fill in segments until there are empty segments
equal to the number of PCs. Each time the PCs acquire
a mech, fill in a segment. Once all segments are filled,
the PCs are ready to progress to BEAT 3: MEANS OF
REINFORCEMENTS DESTRUCTION at any point after A DOCTOR DETAINED.
ARRIVE
REINFORCEMENTS ARRIVE (12 SEGMENTS)
This clock tracks the time remaining before the
Chevalier’s reinforcements arrive. Each segment
corresponds to one hour. Every hour, each PC gets a
turn to perform an action or make a skill check. Fill a
segment on this clock for every hour that passes, or
optionally as a consequence for skill checks that alert
Grosso’s enforcers. A PC may erase one segment by
sacrificing a RESERVE and succeeding on an
appropriate skill check.

Once all segments are filled, PCs immediately progress

to BEAT 3: MEANS OF DESTRUCTION after A DOCTOR
DETAINED. If Hardware Acquired is not completely
filled by that time, extra reinforcements may arrive
during COMBAT: GRIT THOSE TEETH.

[10]
BEAT 2:
UNIONIZATION
This beat uses the rules for Narrative Play (Lancer, pp.
45–49). As GM, look for ways to use different kinds of
Consequences (Lancer, p. 46) based upon the
surrounding narrative context.
LAY OF THE LAND
When the PCs emerge from Dmitri’s clinic, read the
following text aloud:
Three routes lead away from the clinic: A
claustrophobic alley leading into the heart of the
Commons; a wide tunnel to the dig site, resounding
with the drum of machines; and a winding path
leading up to the supply depot, carrying the faint scent
of gasoline.
The PCs may travel to any of the three major locales in
Kestrel’s Bounty: The Commons, the Dig Site, or the
Supply Depot. It takes about an hour to travel from one
locale to another; start tracking time once the PCs
reach their first locale. Give the players APPENDIX C:
SETTLEMENT MAP for tracking where the PCs travel.
PCs may choose to split up during this section, but they
will be unable to communicate at a distance without
appropriate pilot gear (like DATAPLATING).
RALLYING THE WORKERS
Whenever the PCs perform an act that directly aids the
civilian population of Kestrel’s Bounty (e.g., distributing
food and supplies, arming a militia, or publicly standing
up to enforcers), you may award them with an
appropriate RESERVE (Lancer, pp. 51–52). Alternatively,
provide them with a piece of Limited or Miscellaneous
pilot gear (Lancer, pp. 112–114). Generate names for
miscellaneous NPCs the group encounters with
APPENDIX D: NPC NAMES.
PATROLS
Grosso’s fatigued patrols watch for loitering workers or
signs of rebellion. Unless described otherwise, an
enforcer wears a LIGHT HARDSUIT and carries an
ARCHAIC RANGED or ARCHAIC MELEE weapon. Three
enforcers on foot and one in a mech compose a
patrol. PCs who directly engage with a patrol must
pass a HEROIC skill check to succeed without additional
factors supporting them. PCs may reduce this risk by
invoking appropriate Aspects.
Patrols fight to maim, not to kill; when inflicting HARM
as a consequence, they deal 1-2 damage against
minor threats and 3-5 damage against major threats.
Additionally, in this module, PCs cannot die from DOWN
AND OUT unless they choose to do so.

INVOKING ASPECTS PCs may capture mechs from subdued patrols. For
Beyond the normal rules for narrative play, players may every mech the PCs capture, remove one GRUNT NPC
invoke one or more Aspects of a situation to grant from COMBAT: GRIT THOSE TEETH. One PC can spend
accuracy to a skill check or reduce its risk (such as from their turn and expend a thumb drive to reprogram a
RISKY to NORMAL). An Aspect could be a pilot’s captured mech.
background, gear, or RESERVES, or it could be features
of the area (“thick fog”), facts of the situation (“tired
guards”), or even a clever approach to a scenario. A
player should describe how their character leverages
these Aspects in their check.

Aspects that are expended when invoked usually grant

+2 ACCURACY to a skill check, while Aspects that
persist usually grant +1 ACCURACY. Invoking a reserve
usually expends it. For example, invoking a BLACKMAIL
reserve as part of a skill check to convince an enforcer
to cooperate grants +2 ACCURACY; the BLACKMAIL is
then marked as used and expended.

Feel free to adjust details in this beat to fit the narrative

you create with the players. Use the provided NPC and
location information as anchor points for whatever
approaches the PCs devise. Consider offering POWER
AT A COST (Lancer, p. 53) to the players to provide
guaranteed success in exchange for a proportional
consequence.

[11]

COMMONS
When the PCs arrive at the Commons, read the
following text aloud:
Ramshackle houses of rusted scrap congest the
Commons. Posters bearing the Chevalier’s hawkish
likeness plaster the narrow streets, while grating
propaganda blares over a PA system. Down a narrow
alley, three emaciated workers surreptitiously share a
loaf of wormy bread.
As the residential area of Kestrel’s Bounty, this locale
is densely populated by a few hundred civilians living in
relative squalor. The PCs may overhear various gossip
from while traveling through the town:
• Patrols regularly confiscate food and water,
stashing them in the supply depot.
• Some civilians act as informants for the Chevalier
— oftentimes in return for expensive medicine.
• During the last strike, Asuka disabled a mech with
nothing more than grit and a pickaxe.
• The Kestrel rarely comes down to the mines.
When she does, she always perches where she
can look down upon everyone else.
[12]
The Commons serve as a relatively safe area for PCs
to recruit worker allies and gather resources. PCs who
provide aid to workers are repaid with RESERVES or gear
like CAMO CLOTH, NANITE SPRAY, PROSOCOLLARS, or
WILDERNESS SURVIVAL KITS.
Two patrols roam the Commons, but they stick to the
main roads wide enough to accommodate their mechs,
fearing ambushes lurking down the side streets. They
occasionally harass civilians, providing PCs with a
chance to intervene.
FEATURES OF THE AREA
TERRAIN: Roads slope along the natural curve of the
bedrock. Characters of SIZE 1 can walk the main roads,
but cannot squeeze down the smaller streets.
BUILDINGS: Countless buildings constructed from
scraps of old machinery compose the Commons.
Workers occupy most buildings, but some are vacant.
Fugitives easily disappear into the shadowy alleys.
BROADCAST TOWER: A fragile radio tower in the center
of the Commons broadcasts propaganda over the PA
system, detailing Kestrel’s latest “exploits of aerial
domination” and proclaiming how “fortunate” the
residents are to have a “protector” like Chevalier
Korolyova.

DIG SITE
When the PCs arrive at the dig site, read the following
text aloud:
The cacophony of digging machines and pickaxe
swings reverberate throughout this massive cavern.
Eye-stinging clouds of exhaust and iron-tinged dust
shimmer in the yellow glare of spotlights surveilling
the exhausted miners.
The rubble littering the ground makes for treacherous
terrain. A lightly-guarded storage shed stands
adjacent to the route to the supply depot, and the
stockades lie sequestered in an alcove far away from
any site of active digging.
Boss Alexei Grosso oversees operations at the dig
site. The site lies within a vast cavern with only a few
areas of active digging. The two patrols primarily
monitor regions of activity.
FEATURES OF THE AREA
TERRAIN: This cavern is large enough to house several
small ships and hosts a variety of elevations.
Navigating the beaten paths exposes PCs to patrols,
but forgoing the trails risks injury upon unstable terrain.
LIGHTING: Dim yellow lamps illuminate buildings and
active work zones. Bright floodlights on towers pan
through the darkness, searching for renegade workers.
MACHINERY: Active equipment kicks dust into the air,
and its noise drowns nearby conversation. Empty
diggers rest on the edges of active work zones.
THE STOCKADE
When the PCs arrive at the stockade, read the following
text aloud:
The open-air stockade hosts black iron cages
secured with advanced electronic locks. In one cage,
an athletic young woman with short, wild hair, a
determined glint in her eye, and a self-assured smirk
sits chained and attentive. The enforcer on duty
sleeps in a chair nearby, their ears stuffed with cotton.
Asuka Lagunova is locked up in a SIZE 1/2 cell in a
secluded part of the dig site, where her yells can be
drowned out by the sounds of mining equipment. A
sleeping enforcer with cotton in their ears guards the
cells. Opening Asuka’s cage without the proper key is
RISKY and DIFFICULT due to its advanced lock.
Asuka knows the PCs from some of their previous
deeds in town, established in BEAT 1. She promises
that if the PCs spring her from her cell, she will rally
miners to strike and create a distraction.
Asuka knows the following information, and offers it
freely as a show of good will:
• Boss Grosso has a key to her cell; Asuka can
provide a TRACKING reserve for this beat only,
detailing his patrol schedule.
• The storage shed houses hardsuits, archaic
weapons, and explosives; any enforcer on-site
has a key to access it.
• Asuka conveys techniques for disabling enforcer
mechs using ARCHAIC weapons and simple
mining tools, a KNOWLEDGE reserve for this beat
that reduces risk when directly confronting patrols.
If the PCs free Asuka, she thanks them for their help,
commends them for their gutsiness, and grabs the
nearest weapon before charging off to incite another
strike. The PCs immediately receive the benefits of a
DIVERSION reserve that lasts for three hours.
THE STORAGE SHED
This basic, electronically-locked storage shed contains
protective suits for traversing the mines (treat as LIGHT
HARDSUITS and ASSAULT HARDSUITS) pickaxes and
shovels (treat as ARCHAIC MELEE weapons), THERMITE
CHARGES, and gear helpful for mining (e.g., MAG-
CLAMPS, PERSONAL DRONES, and TERTIARY ARMS).
Two enforcers circle around the shed, carrying
keycards that unlock its doors.
THE BOSS
Boss Alexei Grosso leads one of the patrols on foot in
this locale. He is equipped with a HEAVY HARDSUIT, an
officer’s saber (treat as a MEDIUM A/C pilot weapon),
and the keycard to the stockades. Any check directly
dealing with Grosso’s patrol is HEROIC and DIFFICULT
before accounting for external factors.
If the PCs manage to permanently subdue Alexei
Grosso, his mech will not be present during COMBAT:
GRIT THOSE TEETH.
WELL, THAT WAS UNEXPECTED
It is possible that some PCs will be knocked
DOWN AND OUT when confronting patrols.
Enforcers ignore DOWN AND OUT PCs in a fight;
they want them alive to work, after all.
If all the PCs are knocked DOWN AND OUT, they
regain consciousness an hour later (tracked on
the clock) in an appropriate location. Maybe a
friendly worker dragged them back to Dmitri’s
clinic, or enforcers took them to the stockade.
Ignore a PC’s death unless the player desires it.
[13]
 SUPPLY DEPOT
When the PCs arrive at the supply depot, read the
following text aloud:
A muscular person with tiny reading glasses sits at a
desk far too small for them, sighing heavily as they
scribble away at a mountain of paperwork. Behind
them, a wall of chain link fencing obstructs heaping
shelves of untouched supplies and a Schedule 2
printer. Outside the wall stands several massive
transport vehicles and a vast, defunct freight elevator.
Quartermaster Pandano Normani sits at the desk,
squinting tiredly at their pile of requisition forms. Work
and exhaustion distract them from noticing anything
beyond their immediate surroundings. If the players
interact with them, run them according to their
motivations as listed under PERSONS OF INTEREST.
If they haven’t been called away, one patrol makes the
rounds around the depot, each enforcer bored out of
their minds. They answer to Pandano in the absence of
Boss Grosso.
FEATURES OF THE AREA
TERRAIN: The depot is roughly the size of a large
warehouse, capable of housing objects of SIZE 4. Its
floor is solid, even stone.
LIGHTING: The supply depot is lit with yellow lamps
around Pandano’s desk and next to the entrances to
the fence. Otherwise, it is dark.
TRANSPORTS: The depot houses three rusted SIZE 2
heavy transport vehicles, used for distributing
personnel and supplies throughout of the settlement.
The quartermaster manages the keys to the transports.
FENCING: A wall of chain link fence partitions the
supplies and printer from the rest of the depot, blocking
entry to casual visitors. The fence stretches to a height
of SIZE 3 and leaves a gap to the ceiling. Two gates of
SIZE 1/2 and one of SIZE 2 allow for passage into and
out of the area; the locks upon each of them may be
opened with the quartermaster’s keycard.
FREIGHT ELEVATOR: The Chevalier plans to descend
this expansive, rock-walled elevator shaft with an entire
platoon once she leaves for Asuka’s execution. Until
that time, the elevator platform remains disabled; not
even Boss Grosso possesses the means to activate it.
[14]
THE SUPPLIES
Beyond the fencing lies the following supplies:
• Food, water, and basic medicine.
• Tools and supplies for maintaining machinery.
• Pilot gear including EXTRA RATIONS, HANDHELD
PRINTERS (with accompanying pattern chips), and
an OMNIHOOK.
• Two random RESERVES from the Mech
Equipment and Gear table (Lancer, p. 51).
A Schedule 2 printer stands against the back wall.
With parts already available, the printer can construct
four SIGNATURE WEAPONS in one hour, or one mech in
three hours. However, the printer requires a crew of at
least two PCs or NPCs to operate, and a PC must
expend their turn to operate a printer. Each person
beyond the second reduces the time to print by an
hour, to a minimum of one. An active printer is audible
throughout the supply depot and alerts nearby patrols.
A MECH OF MY OWN
Once a PC finishes constructing or transforming a
mech, have them describe what the resulting mech
looks like; this will be their mech for the rest of the
mission. Mention that the mech includes a set of mag-
clamps powerful enough to enable unfettered climbing,
but only for a short period of time.
A DOCTOR DETAINED
When either mission clock fills completely, an out-of-
breath messenger reaches the PCs at their current
locale. They report that Boss Grosso (or, if subdued, an
underling) arrested Dmitri Nakai. The enforcers hauled
Dmitri to the dig site’s stockades and assigned several
mechs to guard the doctor and the drill until
Reinforcements Arrive to march upon the Commons.
The PCs have until then to prepare; once ready,
progress to BEAT 3: MEANS OF DESTRUCTION.
ELEVATOR, GOING UP
The PCs may decide to escape via the freight
elevator. This is possible, although this route
carries risks. Large numbers of workers
traveling to the elevator draw attention from
enforcers, triggering COMBAT: GRIT THOSE TEETH.
Conversely, restricting the number of escapees
means that many will be left behind.
Additionally, while the elevator platform is
disabled, climbing remains the sole means of
ascension. Given the time remaining before
Kestrel’s arrival, any escape attempt will result in
an encounter with her forces: If the PCs lack
mechs, Kestrel’s forces swiftly capture and
imprison the intruders; with mechs, instead
proceed directly to COMBAT: EYES UP, RISE UP.
[15]
 BEAT 3:
MEANS OF DESTRUCTION
Secure the dig site with newfound mechs.
OUT OF TIME
If the PCs have not completely filled the Hardware
Acquired clock at the start of this beat, the PCs must
collectively choose one of the following options:
• MAKE DUE: On each mech, for each unfilled
segment of Hardware Acquired, mark one
system or all weapons on one weapon mount as
destroyed. They may be repaired during a rest.
• FINALIZE REPAIRS: Each mech loses 1 REPAIR per
unfilled segment of Hardware Acquired, and the
Enemy Deployment will have double the listed
Reinforcements.
• CALL IN FAVORS: Sacrifice 3 unused RESERVES per
unfilled segment of Hardware Acquired and
proceed to the next combat as normal.
[16]
ARRIVAL
When the PCs arrive at the dig site with their mechs,
read the following text aloud:
A lumbering mech hefting a gigantic, wicked sword
marshals a ragtag group of enforcer chassis. Boss
Grosso’s voice booms over the captain’s
loudspeaker: “Spread out and secure the area! We
march on the Commons soon after! I won’t let an
upstart doctor and his rats undermine our operation
before the Chevalier arrives!”
Boss Grosso wields an oversized NANOCARBON
SWORD. Mechanically, treat it as if it were a normal
DEMOLITION HAMMER.
The PCs may use reserves acquired earlier in the
mission during this combat and any that follow. When
ready, begin COMBAT: GRIT THOSE TEETH.
COMBAT:
GRIT THOSE TEETH
The PCs must take control of the dig site to locate and OUTCOME
deploy the Paracausal Drill. Boss Alexei Grosso and PC VICTORY
his cadre hastily scramble their mechs in response. If the PCs successfully take over the dig site, all
remaining NPCs surrender, and the workers claim the
If the PCs previously freed Asuka, her strike distracts dig site. The PCs may decide the fate of Boss Grosso
Boss Grosso’s crew; the PCs may deploy after the and his enforcers.
enemy forces. Otherwise, decide order of deployment
as usual. PC DEFEAT
If the PCs fail to secure the dig site, they can still
SITREP: Control (Lancer, p. 268) recover and deploy the Paracausal Drill, but they must
each sacrifice a RESERVE or suffer the effect of System
ENEMY FORCES Trauma from the Structure Damage Table (Lancer, p.
FOR 3 PCS: 1x BOSS GROSSO – ELITE 80) as they protect whomever arms the drill. Dmitri
DEMOLISHER (Broad-Sweep Haft) arms the drill if no PCs volunteer. The remaining
2x GRUNT CATAPHRACTS enforcers retreat down a service tunnel once they
1x PRIEST detect the unstable energy signature of the armed
Paracausal Drill.
FOR 4 PCS: Add COMMANDER template to
PRIEST (Quick March)
+1x HIVE
REWARDS
If the PCs win and at least one opposing mech remains
intact, the PCs gain a REINFORCEMENTS reserve that
FOR 5 PCS: Add VETERAN template to BOSS
can be used during this mission, as Asuka repairs and
GROSSO (Legendary, Veterancy
commandeers a CATAPHRACT to assist (or another
[+Hull])
worker, if Asuka is incapacitated).
REINFORCEMENTS
FOR 3–4 PCS: 1x HIVE If the PCs destroy Boss Grosso’s mech, one PC can
2x GRUNT CATAPHRACTS salvage a NANOCARBON SWORD (Lancer, pg. 130),
treating it as EXOTIC GEAR (see APPENDIX E: EXOTIC
FOR 5 PCS: +2x GRUNT CATAPHRACTS GEAR for more information). During this module, they
may equip it in an appropriate mount during a rest
instead of a FULL REPAIR, replacing any weapons
DETAILS currently equipped to that mount.
This combat occurs at the dig site, as the PCs and
enemy forces contend over four Control Zones. If the
PCs ran out of time and opted to FINALIZE REPAIRS, MOVING ON
double the number of Reinforcements. For each The PCs may rest after combat concludes. During this
enforcer mech the PCs stole or disabled, remove one time, they may check in with their allies before the next
GRUNT CATAPHRACT — first from the Reinforcements, beat. Dmitri finishes calibrating the Paracausal Drill
then from the initial enemy forces. Treat rubble, gravel, while Asuka directs workers to seize personnel
and scrap metal in the area as difficult terrain. transports for the journey to the surface. Other workers
gather supplies and bid farewell to the Commons.
EXPLODING BARRELS
Bright red barrels in metal frames (Size 1, 1 HP, When the drill is ready to fire, move on to BEAT 4: OURS
Evasion 5) and the storage shed’s large generator IS THE DRILL.
(Size 2, 10 HP, Evasion 5) may targeted with melee
and ranged attacks. When destroyed, they emit a 1
READ THE ROOM
explosion, dealing 5 to all characters within the area.
It may be helpful to signal an NPC’s general
abilities to newer Lancer players. For example,
TACTICS you may mention that a Demolisher looks slow,
The PRIEST bestows INVESTITURE upon BOSS GROSSO, bulky, and dangerous to face in melee combat.
who moves to protect the nearest zone. The HIVE(S) They can SCAN the NPC to learn more.
cover unoccupied zones with RAZOR SWARMS, while
the CATAPHRACTS use IMPALE to drag PCs off of zones.

[17]
 BEAT 4:
OURS IS THE DRILL
The ruler of Kestrel’s Bounty stands between the
workers and their freedom.

PUNCH IT
When the Paracausal Drill activates, read the following
text aloud:

The drill floats and crackles with energy before

unleashing a blazing green beam of light toward the
roof of the cavern. Upon impact, it annihilates the
ceiling, the spectacle lasting but a moment.

Bright light shines down through the gaping chasm

above, nearly a mile in depth. The workers cheer from
their commandeered climbing transports and begin
ascending the shaft.

The resultant drill shaft is immense, nearly as wide

across as the dig site itself. The Paracausal Drill
displaced a monumental amount of rock and stone,
leaving a clear and direct route to the surface. The
workers of Kestrel’s Bounty immediately begin their
ascent to the surface.

SCREECHING HALT
Once the transports travel a short distance, read the
following text aloud:

The unearthly screech of jet engines rings through the

shaft as a gleaming, winged mech clad in copper and
azure sweeps into the sky.

Flanked by several chassis with climbing gear, the

flying mech issues an imperious command:
“Ungrateful, barbaric proles! You destroyed my
garden! Flee back to the hovels where you belong, or
you will regret crossing me — Chevalier Darya
Korolyova!”

Chevalier Darya Korolyova, the “Kestrel” of Kestrel’s

Bounty, swoops down the shaft with a contingent of
mechs. If the PCs continue to advance, begin COMBAT:
EYES UP, RISE UP.

[18]
COMBAT:
EYES UP, RISE UP
Kestrel’s forces cut off the workers’ grand escape. If the RAM hits, it dislodges the object, falling in a
Their liberation lies in the hands of the PCs. straight line towards the Player Deployment Zone.
The object is destroyed when it collides with an
obstructing character or object in its path, dealing
SITREP: Escort (Lancer, p. 269)
1d6 to the obstruction. If the obstruction is a
OBJECTIVE: 1x heavy transport (Size 2, 20 HP) character, they are knocked PRONE.

ENEMY FORCES A character may choose to make an AGILITY check to

FOR 3 PCS: 1x KESTREL – ELITE VETERAN ACE avoid this effect. On a success, they are unaffected by
(Strafe, Rapid Response, Viper’s the falling object; the object continues to fall, potentially
Speed, Veterancy [+Agility])) colliding with another obstacle.
1x BARRICADE
1x SENTINEL TACTICS
1x SUPPORT
KESTREL and the ACE use hit-and-run tactics to stay out
of reach of the PCs and wear them down. To obstruct
FOR 4 PCS: +1x SENTINEL
the PCs’ routes to the Extraction Zone, the BARRICADE
uses MOBILE PRINTER to lay down terrain (which it may
FOR 5 PCS: Add COMMANDER template to
RAM later; see Falling Rocks under Details).
BARRICADE (Quick March)
SENTINELS and SUPPORTS move to engage the
+1x ACE (Strafe)
Objective and slow down the PCs with EYE OF
MIDNIGHT and SEALANT GUN, respectively. The NPCs
REINFORCEMENTS
want the workers alive and avoid damaging the
FOR 3 PCS: 1x ACE (Strafe)
transport.
1x SENTINEL
1x SUPPORT
OUTCOME
FOR 4 PCS: +1x SENTINEL PC VICTORY
+1x SUPPORT The PCs literally emerge victorious from the mines and
lead the workers to safety. Chevalier Korolyova’s
FOR 5 PCS: +1x COMMANDER BARRICADE mining industry crumbles alongside her reputation.
(Quick March)
PC DEFEAT
DETAILS The Chevalier routs the PCs and escaping workers.
This sitrep occurs while the PCs climb the wall of the The workers return to the mines, though they no longer
shaft, with the Player Deployment Zone at the bottom labor in darkness. Korolyova imprisons the PCs while
of the wall and the Extraction Zone at the top. Mag- attempting to contain the damage inflicted to her estate.
clamps allow all mechs and vehicles in this battle to
treat this wall as if it were a horizontal surface. For REWARDS
example, a character knocked PRONE would “fall prone” If the PCs destroyed Kestrel’s mech, they or their allies
towards the wall, barely clinging to it with their mag- retrieve the mech and scrap it for parts. One character
clamps, instead of falling off the wall towards the Player may acquire the SUYAMA-STALEY FLIGHT SYSTEM as
Deployment Zone. EXOTIC GEAR, described in APPENDIX E: EXOTIC GEAR.

FALLING ROCKS
Any character capable of taking the RAM action may MOVING FORWARD
RAM an object or piece of terrain as if it were a Continue to the CONCLUSION to explore the aftermath
character. Treat the object or terrain as if it has 5 of this fight.
EVASION; if the object is a wreck of any size, treat it as
if it is SIZE 1 for determining the legality of the RAM.

[19]
 ENEMY MECH
KESTREL Ultra Ace
Striker

Chevalier Darya Korolyova pilots an ostentatious flying mech stylized

with imagery of birds of prey and decorated in her house’s colors of
copper and azure. It darts through the sky with deadly grace, riddling
unwary foes with a hail of missiles and bullets.
HUL: -2 HP: 10 Armor: 0 TACTICS
AGI: +3 Evasion: 12 Speed: 5 Kestrel nimbly flies high above the battlefield, keeping
SYS: +1 E-Defense: 8 Save Target: 10 out of range of MELEE and CQB weapons. She typically
ENG: +0 Heat Cap: 8 Sensors: 10 fires her MISSILE LAUNCHER and uses STRAFE against a
single target before flitting away. She uses
ELITE VETERAN OVERCHARGE to SKIRMISH again or BOOST to safety.
As an ELITE VETERAN, KESTREL:
• Takes two separate turns each round. Kestrel uses RAPID RESPONSE on turns she does not
• Has 3 STRUCTURE and 3 STRESS. expect to be hit; otherwise, she conserves her reaction
• Has +1 on all AGILITY checks and saves. for BARREL ROLL. She attempts to fly through RESTOCK
DRONES deployed by a SUPPORT.

SLOWED shuts down Kestrel’s survival options, leaving

her vulnerable to INVADE: FRAGMENT SIGNAL.

SYSTEMS
SSC Flight System STRAFE Trait
System 1/round, as a quick action, KESTREL can fly spaces
KESTREL can fly whenever she moves or BOOSTS. equal to SPEED in any direction, automatically
dealing 3 to one character below or adjacent to
Missile Launcher the path taken.
Main Launcher, Seeking, Smart, +1
[ 10][ 1][4 ] Rapid Response
Reaction, 1/round, Trait
Barrel Roll Trigger: An enemy character in line of sight moves.
Reaction, Trait, Recharge 5+ Effect: KESTREL may BOOST.
Trigger: A melee or ranged attack hits KESTREL.
Effect: KESTREL performs a barrel roll, flying 6 VIPER’S SPEED Trait
spaces in any direction and causing the attack to KESTREL always takes the first turn, even acting
miss. This movement ignores engagements and before PCs. Whenever there is a question about
does not provoke reactions. who acts first – in both narrative play and mech
combat – it is always KESTREL. If multiple
characters have this trait, only one gets to use it
each time.

[20]
CONCLUSION
DEBRIEFING
MISSION SUCCESSFUL
If the PCs successfully escape Kestrel’s Bounty,
Chevalier Korolyova’s reputation craters amongst both
her noble peers and her ignoble opponents. The
greater Karrakin houses allow Korolyova’s estate to
crumble to deter Union diplomats inquiring about
violations of the Utopian Pillars.

The Ungratefuls of Free Sanjak contact the escaped

workers to propose a coalition; if present, Asuka
enthusiastically pushes for an alliance. If Dmitri
survives, he continues to tend to the sick and wounded,
his energy renewed back upon the surface.

If the PCs are natives of Kestrel’s Bounty, their

liberated friends and families laud them as heroes and
look to them for leadership in the days to come.

If the PCs hail from other Karrakin houses, their

respective houses welcome their return. With
intelligence provided from the PCs, the houses angle to
disrupt Korolyova’s holdings through a combination of
open warfare, economic pressure, and espionage.

If the PCs are UIB agents, they may stay to lead the
escaped workers, or they may be called elsewhere to
pursue a new mission from their shadowy organization.

MISSION FAILED
Chevalier Korolyova sentences the escapees to hard
labor and jails the PCs with the best security she can
afford. However, she cannot simply mend the earthen
gash marring her estate. Union human rights officials
begin interrogating the provocation of the workers’
revolt. Interested factions — such as the PCs’ former
Karrakin houses, the UIB, or groups impressed by the
PCs’ moxie — throw their weight behind the PCs and
their cause.

As pressures mount, Korolyova may find imprisoning

the PCs as difficult as stopping the sun from shining
upon Kestrel’s Bounty.

REWARDS
The publicity of the PCs’ escape attempt earns them
recognition from mech licensers. They gain one
license level upon the conclusion of this mission. They
keep any EXOTIC GEAR acquired over the course of the
mission.

[21]
 APPENDIX A:
BRIEFING
BRIEFING
GOAL: Liberate the workers of Kestrel’s
Bounty before the Chevalier arrives.
STAKES: Imprisonment, hard labor, and
potentially execution lay ahead for
those who rebel against Korolyova.
REWARD: If successful, the PCs earn freedom
for themselves and the rest of the
working class of Kestrel’s Bounty.
Regardless of success or failure,
word spreads of the PCs’ valor,
earning them one license level.
RESERVES: The PCs begin with no RESERVES, but
may acquire them over the course of
the mission.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
Acquire RESERVES and pilot gear via:
• Directly aiding workers
• Sabotaging enforcers
• Exploring locales
IMPORTANT NPCS
• DMITRI NAKAI: Doctor, questgiver
• ASUKA LAGUNOVA: Insurgent leader, imprisoned
• DARYA “KESTREL” KOROLYOVA: Chevalier, despot
• ALEXEI GROSSO: Dig site boss, enforcer leader
• PANDANO NORMANI: Quartermaster
CLOCKS
HARDWARE ACQUIRED (6 SEGMENTS)
• Start with one empty segment for each PC.
• Fill a segment for each mech the PCs acquire.
• Once filled, PCs ready for combat.
REINFORCEMENTS ARRIVE (12 SEGMENTS)
• Each segment represents one hour.
• Every hour, each PC gets a turn to perform some
action or make a skill check.
• Segments fill due to:
▪ One hour passing
▪ Consequence of alerting enforcers
• Erase one segment by expending a RESERVE and
succeeding on a skill check.
• Once filled, PCs face penalties during combat.
[22]
SKILL CHECKS
• Players may “invoke” (or describe how they use)
an Aspect of a situation to grant ACCURACY or
reduce risk (e.g., from RISKY to NORMAL).
• Aspects include:
▪ Pilot Background
▪ Pilot Gear
▪ Pilot Reserves
▪ Features of an area
▪ Miscellaneous factors
▪ A clever plan or approach
• Reusable Aspects grant +1 ACCURACY
• Expendable Aspects grant +2 ACCURACY
• May use POWER AT A COST to trade success for
proportional consequences
LOCALES
PCs start in the locale of their choice. During narrative
play, a PC may spend their turn traveling to a different
locale. Locales include:
• THE COMMONS: Residences, workers to recruit
• THE DIG SITE: Active mining, stockades, Asuka
• THE SUPPLY DEPOT: Printer, supplies, elevator
ENFORCERS & PATROLS
• Enforcers exhausted and spread thin.
• Enforcers do not kill, only maim. PCs cannot die
from DOWN AND OUT unless they choose to.
• Each enforcer wears a LIGHT HARDSUIT and
carries an ARCHAIC RANGED or ARCHAIC MELEE
weapon.
• Three enforcers on foot and one in a mech
compose a patrol. Directly confronting a patrol is
a HEROIC check. Invoking Aspects may help.
Disabling a mech removes it from future combat.
•
ACQUIRING MECHS
PRINTING A MECH
• Requires Schedule 2 printer in Supply Depot.
• Requires 2+ PCs and/or NPCs to run the printer.
• Running a printer for an hour spends a PC’s turn.
▪ Four SIGNATURE WEAPONS requires 1 hour
▪ One mech requires 3 hours
• Each person beyond 2 reduces print time by 1
hour, to a minimum of 1 hour.
• A mech expends one PC’s thumb drive upon
completion.
CAPTURING A MECH
• Mechs can be captured from subdued patrols.
• One PC with a thumb drive can spend a turn to
transform a captured mech into their own mech.
• Expends the thumb drive upon completion.
APPENDIX B:
CLOCKS
Clocks are straightforward visual aids for tracking
incremental progress within a game world, often taking
the form of segmented circles like literal clocks. No
Room for a Wallflower: Act 1 first introduced the
mechanic to Lancer, though the concept existed in prior
games like Apocalypse World and Blades in the Dark.

A clock can be created on the fly to track a variety of

concepts, whether it be the simple passage of time, the
completion of a complex task, or the advancement of a
PC’s or faction’s goals. To make a clock, simply draw a
circle, name it after an obstacle or goal it represents,
and split the circle into a number of sections that reflect
the complexity of the goal, with more segments
indicating higher complexity or more steps.

Depending on the nature of the clock, its segments may

be filled as a reward for successful PC skill checks, as
a consequence for failed or RISKY skill checks, or
simply to indicate progression towards a final goal (e.g.,
acquiring a mech for the Hardware Acquired clock in
this adventure). Usually, a clock and its progress
should be visible to the players, unless it represents a
secret goal of which the players should not be aware.

A clock resolves once all of its segments are filled,

progressing the narrative in some meaningful way. For
example, imagine a clock called “Security on Alert”,
which fills in segments as a consequence for failed skill
checks as PCs infiltrate a base. Once the PCs fail
enough checks to fill the clock completely, the alarm is
raised and the PCs must now contend with heightened,
more aggressive security measures within the base.

This module creates two clocks at the beginning of its

mission and establishes rules for what they track.
During the mission, feel free to create ad hoc clocks to
track player progress, such as time remaining to print a
mech or a complex plan to ambush an enforcer patrol.

[23]
 APPENDIX C:
SETTLEMENT MAP
Arrows indicate permitted directions of travel.

COMMONS

DMITRI’S
CLINIC

SUPPLY
DIG SITE
DEPOT

[24]
APPENDIX D:
NPC NAMES
RANDOM NPC NAMES
FIRST/LAST NAME ROLL 1D20 TWICE
1 Nikifor Kuzmin

2 Kimiko Matsumoto

3 Yeva Volkova

4 Akira Kiyabu

5 Inna Fedorov

6 Jiro Yamagata

7 Lev Vinogradov

8 Hotaka Arakawa

9 Liza Morozova

10 Kaoru Fujita

11 Foma Egorov

12 Masayuki Matsui

13 Nina Aleksandrova

14 Jun Hirose

15 Anton Ilin

16 Izanami Nishimoto

17 Svetlana Pushkina

18 Masaki Kuse

19 Ony Sokolov

20 Yuki Takayama

[25]
 APPENDIX E:
EXOTIC GEAR
EXOTIC GEAR
Introduced in No Room for a Wallflower: Act 1,
equipment with the EXOTIC GEAR tag is a permanent
addition to a character’s arsenal. EXOTIC GEAR is
treated as any other gear, except it does not require
any license levels to equip, and a character can equip
only two pieces of EXOTIC GEAR to a mech at a time.

Suyama-Staley Flight System

3 SP, Exotic Gear, Unique
You may choose to count any and all of your
movement as flying; however, you take SIZE +1
at the end of any of your turns in which you fly this
way.

Additionally, 1/scene, you may use the BARREL

ROLL reaction.
Tore off the wings to ensure your
ascension.

Barrel Roll
Reaction, 1/round
Trigger: You are hit with a melee or ranged attack.
Effect: You perform a barrel roll, flying 6 spaces in
any direction and causing the attack to miss. This
movement ignores engagements and does not
provoke reactions.

[26]