Artificial Sky

By Archon’s
Court
Checks
Roll 1d20 and attempt to get below the
Stat being used for the check.
Weapon Concealment Checks
When searching for a weapon, the GM
rolls a Wisdom check for your
character, adding the weapon’s
concealability to your roll.
Combat
Combat is divided into rounds, which
are themselves divided into 2 parts:
quick actions and slow actions.
At the start of a round, each
combatant decides whether they want
to take a quick action (which allows
them to move ​or​ do something) or a
slow action (which allows them to
move a​ nd​ d
​ o something).
PCs and NPCs taking quick actions go
first, then characters taking slow
actions.
When a character attacks, they roll
1d20 and attempt to reach a number
above the target’s Armor. If they do,
they deal the amount of Damage
notated on their weapon.
Stealth
There are 2 states of concealment:
Hidden and Visible. When the PCs are
Hidden and seen by an enemy, they
make a Dexterity check: on a success,
the enemy is suspicious, but doesn’t
know where they are.
When a PC uses a gun, they are
immediately made Visible.
Hacking
When hacking, a Tech chooses a
Program, invests a chosen amount of
Computing Dice (removing them from
their total Computing Dice), and
rolling them. Computing Dice that roll
1-3 are returned to your total.
Many programs are affected by the
amount of Computing Dice invested
(listed as [dice] in program
descriptions) while others are affected
based on the sum of those dice (listed
as [sum] in program descriptions).
Running multiple Computing Dice
through your Remote Interface can
overload it: if 2 of your Computing Dice
roll the same number, you suffer a
Syntax Error as the code is mangled. If
3 roll the same number, they cause a
Fatal Error as your Remote Interface
crashes violently. As well as their
effects, if you roll a Syntax Error or Fatal
Error, your Program does nothing.
Level 0
Characters start at level 0, with 1d4
health, no class, and $200.
Stats
Artificial Sky uses 6 stats (Strength,
Dexterity, Constitution, Intelligence,
Perception, and Charisma). Roll 3d6 for
each.
Classes
Pointman
HP: 1d6 per template
1: Precise Shot
2: Quick Reload
3: Inspiring Presence
4: Suppressive Fire
Precise Shot: H
​ alve damage for
advantage to hit.
Quick Reload: ​Reloading your
weapon does not cost an action.
Inspiring Presence: S ​ pend an action
to give another PC a free attack, with
an extra +2 to hit and +2 damage.
Suppressive Fire: ​Spend 2 shots to
suppress a target. Suppressed targets
have disadvantage to hit, and if they
move there is a 4-in-6 chance they are
hit, taking your weapon’s normal
damage.
Stalker
HP: 1d6 per template
1: Low Profile, Skills
2: Vigilance
3: Ambush
4: Obliterate
Low Profile: ​Ranged attacks have a
2-in-6 chance of revealing you if you
are hidden.
Skills: Y
​ ou have 4 points to spread
between three skills.
The Stalker’s skills are Hide, Move
Silently, and Sleight of Hand.
When using a skill, add it to your
Dexterity stat and make a Dexterity
check.
Vigilance: I​ f you are surprised, you
have a 50% chance to act on the
surprise round anyway.
Ambush: A ​ ttacking while hidden
grants an addition +1 to hit and an
additional 3 Damage.
Obliterate: ​While hidden, you can
make 3 ranged attacks in a turn. This
immediately reveals you.
Marksman
HP: 1d6 per template
1: Practiced Eye, Long Trajectory
2: Insult to Injury
3: Hold Still
4: Know Thy Enemy
Practiced Eye: A​ fter missing a target
with a ranged weapon, you gain a +2
bonus to hit that target on the next
turn.
Long Trajectory: ​All ranged weapons
gain 2 range while you use them.
Insult to Injury: R
​ anged attacks deal
+1d4 damage if the target has been
damaged this turn.
Hold Still: ​Your ranged weapons have
+2 to hit on targets with less than 50%
of their health.
Know Thy Enemy:​ As an action,
observe an opponent, then make an
Intelligence check. If you succeed, your
next ranged attack against that
creature does 6 damage. If your check
succeeds, you cannot use this ability
for the rest of the encounter.
Brawler
HP: 1d10 per template
1: Adrenaline Pump
2: Augmented Musculature
3: Cybernetic Nerves
4: Automated Hindbrain
Adrenaline Pump: O ​ nce per day, the
mechanical pump next to heart injects
you with a cocktail of chemicals. While
the chemicals run through your veins,
your Strength score is changed to 18,
and you gain +1 to hit and +1 damage
with all melee attacks. However, while
the pump is active, you don’t t​ hink​,
you solve everything with force.
The pump stays active for 5 rounds,
but you can attempt to deactivate it
early, with a 2-in-6 chance of success.
Augmented Musculature: ​+1 to
Strength. Once per day, overcharge
the servomotors to deal 3 damage on a
melee attack.
Cybernetic Nerves: ​A second set of
nerves activates when the Adrenaline
Pump turns on: while the Pump is
active, you can move twice as far as
normal.
Automated Hindbrain: ​When you die,
your Adrenaline Pump empties itself
into your veins. You have 5 rounds left
to live. Make them count.
Face Trust Me: Y ​ ou can persuade anybody,
for a while. Through a combination of
HP: 1d6 per template half-truths, regular truths, and
absolute nonsense, you can get a
1: Well-Spoken, Provoke group of people to believe whatever
2: Connected lies and excuses you can come up
3: Shift the Blame with. After 1d6 minutes, they come to
4: Trust Me their senses, at which point they’ll be
very annoyed​.
Well-Spoken: +
​ 2 to CHA

Provoke: ​In combat as an action, you

can target an opponent who can see
and hear you. The target must save or
attack you. This ability cannot force an
opponent to make massive mistakes
(jumping off cliffs, etc.). Out of combat,
the target must save or act in anger
(yelling, violence, etc.)

Connected: ​You know a guy, who also

knows a guy, who also probably knows
another guy. If there’s something you
need (information, items, etc.) which
you could feasibly get, you know
someone who will get it for you, for a
price.

Shift the Blame: I​ n combat as an

action, you can target one of the other
PCs, and start rattling off all the
reasons it was their fault you’re
fighting, and how you had nothing to
do with it. Opponents must make a
save or attack the targeted PC. Out of
combat, you can blame someone else
for something you’ve done, unless it’s
obvious you did it. No save, because
you’re just s​ o trustworthy​.
Tech R: 50' T: 1 computer D: 0
Tear through the defenses on a target
HP: 1d4 per template terminal, extracting [dice] pieces of
information (passwords, bits of map,
1: Remote Interface, +1 CD etc.).
2: Skills, +1 CD
3: Emblem-Type Programs, +1 CD Camera: Loop
4: +1 CD R: 50' T: [dice] cameras or other
sensors D: [sum] rounds
Skills: Y
​ ou have 4 points to spread Loops a camera for [sum] rounds.
between three skills. While the camera is looped, it displays
whatever was in front of it when it was
The Tech’s skills are Disable Device, first looped.
Craft, and Computer Use.
Camera: Takeover
When using a skill, add it to your R: touch T: [dice] cameras or other
Intelligence stat and make an sensors D: concentration
Intelligence check. Your Remote Interface connects to
cameras and sensors, allowing you to
see through them until you break
Perk:​ ​Phone calls are directed into
concentration.
your Remote Interface.

Synthetic: Lockdown
Drawback:​ ​When hit with a crit, your
R: 80' T: Synthetic creature D: [dice]
Remote Interface is damaged. It
rounds
automatically reboots itself in 1d6
Target a Synthetic opponent. They
turns; if you manually fix it, it takes 1d3.
must save or be unable to move or act
for [dice] rounds as their servomotors
Cantrip-type Programs
halt violently.
1.​ ​Turn an electronic device (lightbulb,
computer, etc.) on or off.
Synthetic: Hallucination
R: 80' T: [dice] Synthetic creatures D:
2.​ F
​ lash colors into a Synthetic or
[dice] turns
Hybrid character's face, giving them a
Target [dice] Synthetic or Hybrid
-1 to hit on their next attack.
creatures. They must save or begin
hallucinating copies of you and the
3.​ Change the image on a screen to
other PCs. Each turn, they get another
anything you want. This does not take
save.
an action.

Device: Honeytrap
Program List
R: 80' T: Electronic device D: [dice]x10
minutes
Terminal: Collect
The next person to use a Program on
the target device suffers a Mishap, and
you are given their location. If more
than 3 dice are used, the effect never
times out.
Door: Force Open
R: 50' T: one mechanical door D: 0
A targeted door is forced open.
Door: Lock
R: 50' T: one mechanical door D: 10
minutes
A door closes and locks itself, requiring
a Str check equal to 10+[dice] to open.
If someone is standing the door
Door: Electrify
R: 50' T: one mechanical door D: [sum]
minutes
Reroute power into a target door;
anyone touching it during the
duration of the effect takes [sum]x2
damage. If [sum] is above 12, the door
audibly crackles.
Release Capacitors
R: self T: self D: [dice]+1 rounds
During this program's duration, any
dice you expend on other programs
return to your pool on a 1-5, rather than
1-3. When this program's duration
ends, you must Save or suffer a Mishap.
Emblem-type Programs
Logic Bomb
R: 100' T: [sum] electronic devices D:
[dice] minutes
Take control of [sum] devices you can
see. You don't have much time, but
you've got a lot of power: doors, turrets,
cameras, computer terminals, it's all
yours.
Synthetic: Dominate
R: touch T: Synthetic creature D:
concentration, must stay within 10' of
the target
Physically wire yourself into a
Synthetic creature. The target must
Save or be completely controlled by
the PC. The PC must end their turn
within 10' of the target, or the
connection is broken.
Mishaps
1. You accidentally ran into a
countervirus. It's filling your vision with
nonsense, giving you a -2 to hit and to
Perception for the rest of the day.
2. Your Remote Interface sparks. Your
program fails, and drains the rest of
your CD.
3. You're hit with biofeedback, your
Remote Interface electrocuting your
brain. Take 2d6 damage.
Dooms
1. You trip an alarm. Someone's going
to be coming, and they won't be
happy.
2. Your Remote Interface fails. You'll
need to pay quite a bit to fix it.
3. Biofeedback from your Remote
Interface reaches a critical level. Your
head explodes.
Your Doom can be avoided by stealing
a military-grade Remote Interface
from a corporate blacksite. Which
sounds so safe, doesn't it?
Combat Operator
HP: 1d4 per template
1: Combat Drone
2: Cyclone LMG
3: ERA, Ceramic Armor
4: Missile Pods
Combat Drone: T ​ he Praetor-6 drone is
a bipedal combat platform commonly
retrofitted for use in industrial
environments. It moves and attacks on
your initiative, has 20 health, and an
AC of 15. It has two attacks: a slam with
its coarse manipulator arm (which can
carry up to a ton, but crushes most of
it), which deals 6 damage with a -2 to
hit, and a set of smoke grenades (-2 to
hit when in smoke, covers a 20 meter
radius, lasts 5 rounds, 2/day).
Cyclone LMG: A​ ttached to your drone,
the Cyclone LMG has +2 to hit, 4
damage, and a 200 meter effective
range. 6/day
Ceramic Armor: +
​ 15 health for your
drone.
ERA: ​A set of explosive charges set
around the armor of the Praetor-6:
once a day, they can be triggered,
negating an attack made directly
against the drone.
Missile Pods: A​ ttached to your drone,
the missile pods have a 350 meter
effective range and deal 10 damage in
a 20 meter radius. 1/day
Recon Operator
HP: 1d4 per template
1: Recon Drones
2: Stunner
3: Air Support
4: Metamaterial Coating
Recon Drones: A ​ pair of CT-02
quadcopters built for government
surveillance: tiny and almost
completely silent, but unarmored.
They move and attack on your
initiative, have 1 health each, and an AC
of 20. They cannot attack. To see them
requires a Wisdom check above 13.
Stunner: A ​ small metal pole with an
electric charge attached to your
drones. +1 to hit, Con save above 10 or
be knocked unconscious, melee range.
1/day.
Air Support: A​ micro-grenade
launcher bolted to the bottom of your
drones, directly below the stunner. It
can fire any Fang-18 grenade, but each
drone can only hold 2.
Metamaterial Coating: ​A coating of
metamaterials that redirect light
around the drones increases the
difficulty to see them to 20.
Equipment
Armor
Unarmored: 1​ 0 AC, $0
Armored Vest: ​13 AC, $250
Tacsuit: ​16 AC, $400
Powered Armor: 2 ​ 0 AC, $1000
Weapons
Talon-4 Handgun: ​30 meter effective
range, +0 to hit, 3 damage,
Concealability 3. $100
A favorite of civilians wanting a reliable
self-defense option, the Talon-4 is
Sunspot Defense’s best-seller.
Scalpel-9 PDW: ​45 meter effective
range, +1 to hit, 4 damage,
Concealability 2. $200
The Sunspot Defense Scalpel-9 is a
common sight among the police
forces of the world. With a large frame,
it’s harder to conceal than the Talon-4,
but makes up for it in range, damage,
and accuracy.
God Hand Assault Rifle: 1​ 00 meter
effective range, +2 to hit, 4 damage,
Concealability 1. $300
The Ashur Technology God Hand uses
the same 5.4mm round as the
Scalpel-9, but its longer barrel gives it
more range and accuracy.
Suneater Shotgun: ​50 meter effective
range, +1 to hit, 8 damage,
Concealability 1. $325
The Suneater was named after Ashur
Technology shoved Sunspot Defense
out of a 20-year military contract. Its
10-gauge shells necessitate a complex
recoil-management system.
Sawn-off Suneater: ​10 meter effective
range, +1 to hit, 8 damage,
Concealability 3. $350
Removing most of the Suneater’s
barrel cuts the range, but makes the
weapon far easier to hide.
Rogue-2C Sniper Rifle: ​500 meter
effective range, +4 to hit, 8 damage,
Concealability 2. $600
The Rogue-2C is the newest model of
Sunspot Defense’s longest-range
offering, prized by hunters (and
assassins) for its compactness.
Eye of Nisaba Anti-Materiel Rifle:
1000 meter effective range, +6 to hit, 16
damage. Concealability -2. $2750
Ashur Technology’s Eye of Nisaba fires
staggering 14mm armor-piercing
rounds designed to cut through
armored vehicles. The advanced
recoil-control systems, rocket-assisted
projectiles, and targeting processors
built into it make it prohibitively
expensive and almost impossible to
hide.

Fang-18 Micro-Grenade Launcher

The Fang-18’s range, to-hit bonus, and
damage are all based off of its
ammunition.
Concealability -1. $1350

High Explosive Grenade: 100 meter

effective range, +0 to hit, 8 damage in
a 15-meter radius. If the HE grenade
misses, it lands somewhere in a
20-meter radius of the target.

Kinetic Energy Grenade: 200 meter

effective range, +1 to hit, 10 damage.

Smoke Grenade: 100 meter effective

range, covers a 20 meter radius in
smoke for 5 rounds. All characters in
the smoke have a -2 to hit.

Rocket-Assisted HE Grenade: 200

meter effective range, +2 to hit, 6
damage in a 10-meter radius. If the HE
grenade misses, it lands somewhere in
a 15-meter radius of the target.

Sunspot Defense’s lobbyists recently

legalized explosive weapons firing
projectiles 20x42mm or smaller,
allowing their Fang-18 to purchased by
civilians: no paperwork required.
Shape of the
Campaign
Artificial Sky is built around a 9 session
campaign, with 1 adventure per
session, and the characters leveling up
on sessions 2, 4, 6, and 8.
The 1st adventure is supposed to take
the PCs and show them the growing
threat of the corporations, while the
9th is designed to be a final attempt to
stop the corporations from taking over
before it’s too late.
Each session gets more difficult as the
corporations win in the courts, getting
more allowances from the
government until the end of the
campaign, where they move toward
extraterritoriality: if they succeed, the
law will no longer have power over
them.
A Sample Campaign
Outline
Through a Glass Darkly
Police officers sweep through the PCs’
apartment complex searching for the
union leader Alexis Markovich. If they
find him, they kill him.
If Alexis was killed, the police later lie
on the news about how it was in
self-defense. If he survives, he makes a
speech about the threat of corporate
control.
Justify Your Answer
PCs go through a 3-node investigation
scenario (disposable cellphone, police
station, office building), finding it was
Yosef Industrial Augmentations that
gave the kill order.
Yosef forces the legalization of military
combat augmentations for corporate
security, citing either the “tragic death”
of Alexis Markovich (if he was killed) or
the ineffectualness of the police (if he
escaped) as why they’re needed.
Move Fast and Break Things
Anarchists ask the PCs for help raiding
a Yosef factory. They loot
augmentations they can’t install, but
the anarchists give them the address
of an engineer who can.
Corporate security is now authorized
to hunt people down for arrests.
Some Assembly Required
The players go to meet the engineer,
only to find Yosef security throwing
him into an armored van.
The newly formed Anti-Corporate
Council appears on the news for the
first time. If Alexis survived ​Through a
Glass Darkly​, he is at the head of it.
See No Evil
The Anti-Corporate Council hires the
PCs to protect them, along with any
surviving anarchists from Move Fast
and Break Things.
Law & Disorder
The PCs arrive at the courthouse with
any surviving anarchists, and go on a
rampage.

If the Anti-Corporate Council survives, YIA (possibly) wins extraterritoriality.

they appear on TV condemning Yosef
Industrial Augmentations’ attempt to
kill them. If they’re killed, YIA makes a Tower of Babel
statement about how the “terrorist” The PCs attack the Yosef Industrial
ACC has been arrested through the Augmentation headquarters.
efforts of heroic police officers. Sunspot
Defense wins a case that allows them The news reports a terrorist attack on
to bring military-grade weapons into the YIA headquarters.
corporate areas.
Skip forwards. Show what the world
Vote With Your Wallets looks like, and what the PCs
With the Anti-Corporate Council in accomplished.
hiding (or dead) protests begin,
opposed by armed Sunspot Defense
mercenaries.

Corporate spokespeople spin the

protests as violent riots. Sunspot
Defense becomes allowed to mobilize
armored vehicles to stop the rioting.

Careful What You Wish For

The protests become violent as
Sunspot Defense brings tanks into the
city. The characters get a message
from the Anti-Corporate Council (if
they’re alive) or the anarchists from
Move Fast and Break Things (if they’re
alive), or a new revolutionary group (if
they’re both dead) about how YIA will
be lobbying for extraterritoriality.

The government cordons off the city as

conflict continues.
Art Credits
Unnamed: China Fotopress

“Cyberpunk”: GogOsWorld
(​https://www.deviantart.com/gogoswo
rld/art/cyberpunk-103315523​)

“Evil Corporation”, “Burning Barrel”,

“Military Robots”, “Drugs”: Antlii
(​https://www.behance.net/AnatoliiBabi
i​) and Bloomicon
(​https://www.behance.net/bloomicon​)

All art is the work of its respective

creators.