Glossary

Game Rules alpha 5.3 and the world of MADpunk

An alphabetical reference to the rules, Traits, organizations, groups, equipment, technologies, protocols, titles, and fictional locations of MADpunk. Entries include related terms and references to the game documents.

This glossary excludes biographical entries and real-world cities. Organizations and their acronyms are included. OMEGA-7 is a clearance level for access to confidential documents. English terminology and abbreviations follow the English edition.

Wiki

1

1935 Revolution

The coup of July 7, 1935, promoted by LUME against the US government. The capture of the presidential cabinet led to a government staffed by union experts, exceptional powers for major corporations, and the opening of the market to the warring powers.

The Free Fatherlands of Nova Columbia emerged from that transformation.

See also: LUME; New Constitution; Blue Bloc

Dossiers: Persons of Interest v11.2 — foundation of the FNC.

9

9-to-5

Minor Economic Weakness. 1 point.

Your salary level is 1. | During character creation, draw 3 fewer cards. | If you lose your job, your salary level drops to 0.

See also: Weakness; Agent Traits; Salary

Game Rules alpha 5.3: Agents · Traits · Economic Weaknesses.

Agent’s Guide alpha 5.4: Agent creation · Weaknesses · Economic.

A

A Face Only a Mother Could Love

Minor Social Weakness. 1 point.

CHA-2 | Disadvantage on social rolls with people you are attracted to.

See also: Weakness; Agent Traits

Game Rules alpha 5.3: Agents · Traits · Social Weaknesses.

Agent’s Guide alpha 5.4: Agent creation · Weaknesses · Social.

AA

See Atomic Academy.

Absorption

It forms the basis of DEF and is inherent to a character. Although it is not mutable, modifiers—especially equipment—affect it, and its value may be positive or negative. Examples include a reptile’s scales (positive) and brittle bones (negative).

When damage is taken, DEF[Ab] does not change, but DEF[Ar] wears down: subtract all damage taken from Armor. If it reaches 0, the Armor is destroyed. However, with the necessary resources and Skill, Armor can be repaired as long as it has not been destroyed, even in the middle of combat.

Abysmal Characteristic

Major Special Weakness. 3 points.

-3 to a Characteristic of your choice.

See also: Weakness; Agent Traits

Game Rules alpha 5.3: Agents · Traits · Special Weaknesses.

Agent’s Guide alpha 5.4: Agent creation · Weaknesses · Special.

Academic skills

Mathematics, Physics, Chemistry, Biology, Geology, Philosophy, History, Politics, Law, Economics, Anthropology, Archaeology, Geography, Psychology, Literature, Sociology, Medicine, Religion, Astronomy, Architecture

Any Academic Skill chosen also requires a Specialty. However, this does not limit the Skill’s use; its level still applies to the entire academic discipline, but with a -1 penalty (except for the Specialty).

Academic Specialty

Additional Specialties may be added to an Academic Skill by spending 1 Skill Point. A character with Mastery in an Academic Skill is considered a specialist in all its fields.

To learn a new Specialty in an Academic Skill, Marks may be spent directly without a Skill Challenge. However, the broader a character’s knowledge of the discipline, the harder it is to learn new Specialties:

Mark cost = (Specialties ×5) – Skill level

Under this formula, the first time an Academic Skill reaches level 5, a character with only one Specialty gains 1 for free; the same happens at level 10 if they have only two.

Game Rules alpha 5.3: Agents · Skill Points; Agents · Skills · Advancement.

Agent’s Guide alpha 5.4: The Agent · Skills; The Agent · Advancement.

Action phase

Following turn order, each player takes 1 primary action (requiring a roll) and 2 secondary actions (resolved without a roll).

Game Rules alpha 5.3: Combat and health · Action phase.

Agent’s Guide alpha 5.4: Combat and health · Action phase.

Activated Charcoal

Standard equipment.

Grants advantage on rolls against ingested poison if taken within 1 hour.

VIT+1 against intoxication and poison | uses 1 (consumable) | $2 | duration 2 hours

Medical assistance: treats Poison wounds of up to Moderate severity only.

Game Rules alpha 5.3: Equipment · Standard; Combat and health · Healing.

Agent’s Guide alpha 5.4: Agent creation · Standard Equipment List; Combat and health · Healing.

Active modifier

The modifier applies only when acting with the equipment and cannot be used in response to another action. Examples: firing a pistol or swinging a hammer.

Some modifiers add to the Characteristic and Skill of the character using the equipment. Example: firing a pistol requires dexterity and proficiency with weapons.

Others are independent of the character and are added directly to the roll. Example: using an explosive to destroy a wall does not depend on the detonator’s personal strength.

Addict

Major Physical Weakness. 3 points.

WIL−1 | Choose a consumable substance from the equipment section; without it each session, GLO−1. | You may spend 1 WP to avoid the penalty for 1D12 rounds. | Gain the Personality Aspect “Addict” [make a WIL Roll to try to resist the temptation to take your substance].

See also: Weakness; Agent Traits

Game Rules alpha 5.3: Agents · Traits · Physical Weaknesses.

Agent’s Guide alpha 5.4: Agent creation · Weaknesses · Physical.

Adonis

Major Social Strength. 3 points.

CHA+3 | Advantage on all positive rolls involving people attracted to you.

Game Rules alpha 5.3: Agents · Traits · Social Strengths.

Agent’s Guide alpha 5.4: Agent creation · Strengths · Social.

Advanced equipment

Restricted to characters with the appropriate Traits or membership in a specific organization.

Advanced equipment cannot be more powerful than IURR Cores (see Cores) or EVERYMAN mutations (see Acquiring mutations and how they work).

As a Strength

Major Special Strength. 3 points.

Gain up to 2 pieces of advanced equipment; you have the resources needed to repair them.

Game Rules alpha 5.3: Equipment · Advanced; Equipment · Equipment list; Agents · Traits · Special Strengths.

Agent’s Guide alpha 5.4: Agent creation · Strengths · Special; Agent creation · Advanced equipment; Agent creation · Equipment.

Advanced Visor

Advanced equipment

Allows vision in darkness, detection of body heat (including an Invisibility Cloak wearer), X-ray vision through a solid surface, and extended vision using a telescope or microscope. The user may change the visor’s function 1 time per turn.

PER+10 for vision | DEF[Ar]+2 | uses 30 (rounds) [requires electricity] | $600,000

Game Rules alpha 5.3: Equipment · Advanced.

Agent’s Guide alpha 5.4: Agent creation · Advanced equipment.

Advantage

Roll 1 additional D12. Choose the result most favorable to the situation.

Advantages and disadvantages can stack on a roll, but do not increase the number of dice rolled. Instead, compare them to determine whether the situation favors the character:

Comparison	Result
advantage > disadvantage	advantage
advantage = disadvantage	they cancel each other out
advantage < disadvantage	disadvantage

Game Rules alpha 5.3: Core mechanics · Advantage and disadvantage.

Agent’s Guide alpha 5.4: Core mechanics · Advantage and disadvantage.

Affiliation

Every Agent has an affiliation: servant of the blocs, independent, member of a Non-Aligned Group, etc. Choose it during character creation.

The Agents’ affiliations and missions can cause hostility, tension, and conflict between characters. In some games of MADpunk, players will find themselves on opposing sides with no possibility of reconciliation or a truce.

If the players are opposed to one another, the Handler must remain neutral at all times.

Game Rules alpha 5.3: Introduction · Agents; Agent creation.

Agent’s Guide alpha 5.4: Introduction; Agent creation.

Age

Age determines initial VIT and the maximum Skill level a character may have during character creation. Draw 1 card to gain Skill Points for every 2 years of age, rounded down.

In addition to reducing VIT, aging degrades the other Characteristics: starting at age 40 (including the year they turn 40), roll 1D10 every 5 years:

Game Rules alpha 5.3: Agents · Vitality; Agents · Aging; Agents · Skill Points.

Agent’s Guide alpha 5.4: The Agent · Special Characteristics; Agent creation · Skill Points.

Agency Car

Advanced equipment

A reinforced car that accommodates hidden accessories: a smoke screen (PER-10 for pursuers), an oil slick (DEX roll to avoid crashing), concealed machine guns (SPD+5 for initiative | DEX+18 for attacking | uses 100 (shots)), an ejector seat with parachute, turbo boosters (SPD+30 for 1 round)…

Game Rules alpha 5.3: Equipment · Advanced.

Agent’s Guide alpha 5.4: Agent creation · Advanced equipment.

Agent

Each player in MADpunk acts as an Agent: a player character who, despite the name, does not necessarily work for an agency. They are an Agent because of their role in the plot and their service to an ideal, group, or person, rather than their profession.

In a game of MADpunk, the Agents become involved in a plot. Whether they work together, serve rival powers, or have come together by sheer chance, the Agents must interact with one another to complete the mission.

See also: Handler; Affiliation; Agent creation

Game Rules alpha 5.3: Agents; Introduction · Agents.

Agent’s Guide alpha 5.4: The Agent; Introduction.

Agent creation

To create an Agent, follow these steps:

First: choose your name, gender, nationality, age, and affiliation.
Second: roll 1D4+1 for WIL. During character creation, it cannot fall below 1.
Third: purchase Agent Traits. You begin with 3 Strength points and may spend a maximum of 15 points on Strengths (a maximum of 12 Weakness points). Each major Trait costs 3 points; each minor Trait costs 1 point.
Fourth: modify your Characteristics according to the Traits chosen. Modify VIT according to age and, if the character is 40 or older, make aging rolls every 5 years.
Fifth: gain the Native Language Skill at level 5. The native language depends on the character’s nationality, background, and history. Choose three Skills as Masteries: these begin at level 1.
Sixth: draw cards from a poker deck according to age (1 for every two years). Allocate the points gained to appropriate Skills (observing the age limit).
Seventh: choose the character’s basic equipment according to their history, profession, and background, within the limits of their salary. Choose any equipment granted by Traits.
Eighth: assign the personality aspects gained from Traits. You may also choose other personality aspects.

Game Rules alpha 5.3: Agent creation.

Agent’s Guide alpha 5.4: Agent creation.

Agent personality

Each character begins with up to 4 aspects defining their personality, gained through Agent Traits or chosen by the player.

Personality aspects gained through Traits are game mechanics that cannot be ignored.

Personality aspects chosen by the player need not always be acted out. Treat them as concise guidelines that define the Agent and help the player portray them.

The personality aspect limit applies only during character creation. Some aspects may be gained during play, especially through psychotronics.

Agent Traits

Every person is a world unto themselves. Talents, virtues, vices, physical features, and weaknesses give a character their color.

Agent Traits represent the distinctive qualities that create an identity and help the player define their character. These Traits are divided into Strengths and Weaknesses: each Strength must be balanced by a Weakness, because in MADpunk all power demands a sacrifice...

Strengths and Weaknesses may be major (3 points) or minor (1 point). All characters begin with 3 free Strength points; to gain more, they must purchase Weaknesses for the necessary points.

A maximum of 15 Strength points may be spent; a maximum of 12 points may be gained from Weaknesses.

Game Rules alpha 5.3: Agents · Traits.

Agent’s Guide alpha 5.4: Agent creation · Traits: Strengths and Weaknesses.

Aging

In addition to reducing VIT, aging degrades the other Characteristics: starting at age 40 (including the year they turn 40), roll 1D10 every 5 years:

1D10	Effect
1	INT−1
2	PER−1
3	CHA−1
4	DEX−1
5	STR−1
6	SPD−1
7	DEF[Ab]−1
8	VIT−1
9	(-1) to a Characteristic of your choice
10	Roll the die again. Double the modifier.

Alcoholic

Minor Physical Weakness. 1 point.

CHA+1 | VIT-1 | Gain the ‘Addict’ personality aspect [make a WIL roll to try to resist the temptation to drink alcohol].

See also: Weakness; Agent Traits

Game Rules alpha 5.3: Agents · Traits · Physical Weaknesses.

Agent’s Guide alpha 5.4: Agent creation · Weaknesses · Physical.

ALEC

American League of Exemplary Citizens. A private organization that manages the Everymen and their public image. LUME and EDO are its majority investors.

The League handles recruitment, training, and the creation of public identities for Everymen: stage names, uniforms, origin stories, promotional campaigns, and more. Its members appear in films, shows, and patriotic events, presenting their powers as an expression of individual merit and the opportunities offered by the Free World.

The League oversees Spandex Diplomacy, a doctrine of deterrence and retaliation that calls Everymen into action to “save” the day. The Solaris Protocol forms part of this doctrine and is used only in extreme cases.

Alongside Nobel & Midland Chemicals, ALEC sponsors The Haven Foundation, which provides care, rehabilitation, and retirement support for Everymen whose health or personal circumstances prevent them from remaining active.

Game Rules alpha 5.3: Blue Bloc · Everymen; Blue Bloc · Everyman.

Agent’s Guide alpha 5.4: Powers · Mutations; Agent creation · Faction Strengths.

Dossiers: Agencies & Institutions v9.3 — ALEC.

American Dream

Minor Economic Strength. 1 point.

Raise your salary by 1 quality level (starting at quality 1). | You own a car (equipment) and a house, and have a nuclear family. | Once per session, you may make a CHA roll to request financial assistance from your family.

Game Rules alpha 5.3: Agents · Traits · Economic Strengths.

Agent’s Guide alpha 5.4: Agent creation · Strengths · Economic.

American League of Exemplary Citizens

See ALEC.

Amnesia Drug

Advanced equipment

Administered in a drink or by injection. The target must make a WIL roll at DF15 or forget the last 1D4 hours; they become docile for the drug’s duration.

INT-3 | WIL-1 | VIT-1 for intoxication (stacks) | consumable | $80,000 | duration 1 hour

Game Rules alpha 5.3: Equipment · Advanced.

Agent’s Guide alpha 5.4: Agent creation · Advanced equipment.

AMU

See Autonomous Mechanized Units.

AMUs

See Autonomous Mechanized Units.

Antibiotic

Standard equipment.

Grants advantage on infection and disease rolls. Counts as medical assistance for healing wounds of moderate severity or lower.

VIT+1 for healing wounds | uses 1 (consumable) | $50

Medical assistance: treats Disease wounds of up to Moderate severity only.

Game Rules alpha 5.3: Equipment · Standard; Combat and health · Healing.

Agent’s Guide alpha 5.4: Agent creation · Standard Equipment List; Combat and health · Healing.

Antibodies

Minor Physical Strength. 1 point.

DEF[Ab]+3 against poison and disease.

Game Rules alpha 5.3: Agents · Traits · Physical Strengths.

Agent’s Guide alpha 5.4: Agent creation · Strengths · Physical.

Area attacks

Area attacks can damage both equipment and its user at the same time. In that case, calculate the damage taken separately.

Armor

It is added to DEF[Ab] and can only have a positive value. It represents protection external to the character, such as armor and vehicles. It is inherent to equipment, and its value is mutable but is NOT affected by modifiers.

Armor (DEF[Ar]) is the equipment’s durability and determines how much damage it can absorb before being destroyed. Whenever an attack targets the equipment and succeeds, subtract the total damage from its DEF[Ar]:

When DEF[Ar] reaches 0, the equipment is destroyed and permanently unusable.

If an attack targeting equipment deals damage that its Armor cannot absorb, the equipment takes double damage. Example: a laser beam melts the metal of an armored vehicle.

Some equipment provides Armor to a character. In that case, whenever the character takes damage, add the equipment’s DEF[Ar] to the character’s DEF[Ab]. Otherwise, equipment can only be damaged by an attack that targets it directly, which may require a PER or DEX roll from the attacker to hit it (if it is very small).

Game Rules alpha 5.3: Agents · Defense; Equipment · Armor.

Agent’s Guide alpha 5.4: The Agent · Special Characteristics; Agent creation · Equipment.

Ascetic

Minor Mental Strength. 1 point.

WIL+1 | Advantage against hunger or fatigue. | Once per session, you may ignore negative fatigue or damage modifiers for one roll.

Game Rules alpha 5.3: Agents · Traits · Mental Strengths.

Agent’s Guide alpha 5.4: Agent creation · Strengths · Mental.

Astraeus Tower

Astraeus Tower is Tokyo’s largest and tallest skyscraper and the headquarters of Hyperion Motors. It represents one of the principal centers of corporate power and FNC influence in Japan.

The Helion Core lies beneath the building; Tokyo Hypersonic Station was built beside it.

Dossiers: Hot Zones v8.2 — Tokyo.

Atomic Academy

The Atomic Academy is the International Union of Revolutionary Republics’ leading scientific and educational institution. It brings together the Union’s foremost specialists and directs the development of the nuclear technologies supporting much of its industry and military power.

It is the sole producer and supplier of Cores and has the authority to grant or revoke licenses for their use. It developed the Tungsten Protocol and certifies the Vol’framin.

It cooperates with the VKKB and the Palace of Sparrows, conducts research in the Dead Zone, and maintains a neutrality consortium with the IIAS to calculate the Doomsday Clock.

Dossiers: Agencies & Institutions v9.3 — Atomic Academy.

Atomic cannons

Atomic cannons are monstrous portable weapons with overwhelming firepower. They offer a wide variety of projectiles and ranges.

They usually have 1 Core and 5 to 15 uses. Changing Cores is quick and simple (1 combat round).

Atomnaya Akademiya

See Atomic Academy.

Attack Roll

Attack Rolls are any rolls intended to inflict damage on a target. They are always active: made during the attacker’s turn as their primary action. They are generally Strength or Dexterity rolls.

Not every primary action is an Attack Roll. Example: immobilizing an opponent with a hold requires a Strength roll, but does not count as an Attack Roll because it deals no damage.

damage points = Attack Roll – Defensive Roll

Subtract the target’s DEF (see Defense) from the damage points. If any remain, subtract them from the target’s Health Points (HP), causing a wound.

total damage = damage points – DEF[Ab] – DEF[Ar]

Game Rules alpha 5.3: Combat and health · Attack And Defense.

Agent’s Guide alpha 5.4: Combat and health · Attack And Defense.

Autistic

Major Mental Weakness. 3 points.

CHA-3 | Disadvantage when reading other people’s emotions or understanding others. | +1 Fumble Roll on social rolls.

See also: Weakness; Agent Traits

Game Rules alpha 5.3: Agents · Traits · Mental Weaknesses.

Agent’s Guide alpha 5.4: Agent creation · Weaknesses · Mental.

Autonomous Mechanized Units

AMUs. Autonomous Red Bloc war machines powered by Cores. They operate where human presence is limited or impossible, without exposing a pilot inside the machine.

An AMU requires ten Cores to function. The reactors are depleted and must be replaced; operating it retains the radiation risks and supply requirements of Red Bloc machinery.

Documents about their technology and control systems are confidential and require OMEGA-7 clearance.

Dossiers: Instruments of Power v6.2 — Autonomous Mechanized Units.

See also: OMEGA-7

B

BAE

See Bureau des Affaires Extérieures.

Basic Characteristics

MADpunk characters have 6 Basic Characteristics: Intellect (INT), Perception (PER), Charisma (CHA), Dexterity (DEX), Strength (STR), and Speed (SPD).

All basic Characteristics start at 0 for every character. A value may be positive (adding to a Characteristic Roll) or negative (subtracting from a Characteristic Roll). These values change according to modifiers.

Game Rules alpha 5.3: Agents · Characteristics; Core mechanics · Characteristic Roll.

Agent’s Guide alpha 5.4: The Agent · Basic Characteristics; Core mechanics.

Battle-Hardened

Major Physical Strength. 3 points.

SPD+1 | VIT+1 | DEF[Ab]+1 | You have advantage on rolls to take cover. | You make a Defensive Roll when attacked by surprise, and these rolls cannot Fumble.

Game Rules alpha 5.3: Agents · Traits · Physical Strengths.

Agent’s Guide alpha 5.4: Agent creation · Strengths · Physical.

Berlin Guild

The Berlin Guild provides clandestine access to the Dead Zone, commissions expeditions to recover resources and information, and uses the irradiated territory to smuggle goods between the two major blocs. Its operations supply clients on both sides with technology and provisions from the rival bloc.

The Dead Zone offers ideal territory for trafficking materials whose movement the Hyperpowers control. The Guild brings in mini-Cores, tungsten injections, and Vol’framin equipment for clients in the Blue Bloc. In the opposite direction, it traffics EVERYMAN Capsules to clients in the Red Bloc.

The Dead Zone’s isolation has not diminished interest in what it contains. Its radioactive anomalies and materials, particularly the so-called “Core stones,” attract buyers willing to pay large sums for their recovery. The Guild hires explorers to obtain these resources and information, supplying them with radiation protection equipment from the black market.

Dossiers: Unaffiliated Groups v6.2 — Berlin Guild.

Big Guy

Minor Physical Strength. 1 point.

STR+1 | DEF[Ab]+1 against blunt damage | Advantage to resist being moved.

Game Rules alpha 5.3: Agents · Traits · Physical Strengths.

Agent’s Guide alpha 5.4: Agent creation · Strengths · Physical.

Bikairé

See Bikairé Atoll.

Bikairé Atoll

Bikairé Atoll is the FNC’s principal atomic testing ground. Its turquoise lagoons and white-sand beaches house facilities for testing warheads, classified weapons, experimental EVERYMAN Vats, and failed replicas of Cores. Its isolation and absence from maps facilitate clandestine operations.

Located in the Mariana Islands in Oceania. Its indigenous population was displaced after it passed from Imperial Japan’s colonies into FNC hands.

The detonations have caused deformities in fish, the disappearance of wildlife, and the appearance of black, iridescent waters. Hundreds of cases of cancer and mutations granting abilities similar to those of Everymen have been recorded among affected populations.

Point Blue Scientific Base coordinates the experiments. The region attracts VKKB spies and journalists; White Flag International denounces the tests and their consequences.

Dossiers: Hot Zones v8.2 — Bikairé Atoll.

Black Market Contacts

Major Social Strength. 3 points.

CHA+1 | Once per session, you may make a CHA roll to obtain 1 prohibited or hard-to-find resource, including Cores and EVERYMAN Capsules. If you Fumble, gain the major Weakness Person of Interest or Enemies.

Game Rules alpha 5.3: Agents · Traits · Social Strengths.

Agent’s Guide alpha 5.4: Agent creation · Strengths · Social.

Black Ops

Major Professional Strength. 3 points.

PER+1 | STR+1 | DEX+1 | SPD+1 | Draw 7 cards for Martial Skills. You may make one of them a Mastery. Martial Skills have no age limit for you.

Game Rules alpha 5.3: Agents · Traits · Professional Strengths.

Agent’s Guide alpha 5.4: Agent creation · Strengths · Professional.

Blue Bloc

The geopolitical alliance led by the Free Fatherlands of Nova Columbia (FNC), the hegemonic power of the First World. It champions capitalism, democracy, freedom, and the American Dream.

To serve the Blue Bloc is to serve the interests of the American megacorporations and the elite of Columbia University.

The FNC strongly favors Agents who are loyal to it or serve its interests. Players who choose the FNC as their affiliation gain access to unique, exclusive Strengths with benefits far greater than those of standard Agent Traits.

For each Blue Strength chosen, the Agent must fulfill a set of obligations to retain its benefits. All power comes at a price, and the FNC does not tolerate dissent.

Brainiac

Minor Mental Strength. 1 point.

INT+1 | Draw 3 cards for Academic Skills.

Game Rules alpha 5.3: Agents · Traits · Mental Strengths.

Agent’s Guide alpha 5.4: Agent creation · Strengths · Mental.

Brittle Bones

Minor Physical Weakness. 1 point.

DEF[Ab]-2 against blunt attacks.

See also: Weakness; Agent Traits

Game Rules alpha 5.3: Agents · Traits · Physical Weaknesses.

Agent’s Guide alpha 5.4: Agent creation · Weaknesses · Physical.

Broken Psyche

Major Mental Weakness. 3 points.

WIL-2 | INT-1 | You act irrationally and suffer from a psychological disorder chosen by the Handler (mandatory personality aspect).

See also: Weakness; Agent Traits

Game Rules alpha 5.3: Agents · Traits · Mental Weaknesses.

Agent’s Guide alpha 5.4: Agent creation · Weaknesses · Mental.

Brotherhood of Drillers Without Borders

Fraternité des Foreurs Sans Frontières · FSF. A mercenary organization that presents itself as an NGO dedicated to locating, installing, and operating oil wells for companies and states. It combines industrial operations with a force capable of defending the facilities.

The FSF maintains a policy of neutrality between the blocs. It accepts assignments from any source, provided the client can pay its high fees, and continues its services for the duration of the contract.

Its members include people who have undergone the EVERYMAN program’s Vats and retain their mutations but have been rejected or removed from the program. Some did not develop sufficient abilities to qualify as Everymen; others were retired because of age, psychological problems, or other reasons. The Brotherhood also recruits Vol’framin deserters, combining these abilities with its members’ technical and military experience.

Dossiers: Unaffiliated Groups v6.2 — Brotherhood of Drillers Without Borders.

Bureau des Affaires Extérieures

BAE · Foreign Affairs Office. The foreign intelligence service of France, an industrial and colonial Blue Bloc power allied with the FNC.

The Bureau gathers political, commercial, and strategic intelligence abroad. It protects French industrial and colonial interests and the networks sustaining the country’s international presence. France’s economic strength increases the resources available to maintain sources and conduct operations.

Its networks are especially important in North Africa and maritime trade. France’s economic strength supports a growing service capable of sustaining its own operations.

Dossiers: Agencies & Institutions v9.3 — Bureau des Affaires Extérieures.

Bureaucrat

Minor Professional Weakness. 1 point.

INT+1 | WIL-1 | Draw 2 cards for Accounting or Law. | Gain the ‘Bureaucrat’ personality aspect [make a WIL roll to resist obeying a superior’s orders].

See also: Weakness; Agent Traits

Game Rules alpha 5.3: Agents · Traits · Professional Weaknesses.

Agent’s Guide alpha 5.4: Agent creation · Weaknesses · Professional.

Burly

Minor Physical Strength. 1 point.

VIT+1 | VIT+1 to resist pain | DEF[Ab]+1 against blunt attacks.

Game Rules alpha 5.3: Agents · Traits · Physical Strengths.

Agent’s Guide alpha 5.4: Agent creation · Strengths · Physical.

C

C10D

See Capitol Ten Dynamics.

Caesar & Sons

Caesar & Sons is one of the world’s most prestigious banks and the principal Swiss custodian of the fortunes and secrets of both blocs’ elites. Its neutrality is commercial: it protects each client’s interests and confidentiality, even while maintaining relationships with their adversaries.

Its vaults hold documents and secrets as well as money. Caesar & Sons’ reputation depends on the continuity of that protection and its ability to keep relationships with opposing individuals and institutions separate.

The bank maintains that it never betrays a client. That obligation does not prevent it from accepting business from their rivals or serving both sides of a dispute.

Dossiers: Agencies & Institutions v9.3 — Caesar & Sons.

Caffeine Addict

Minor Physical Weakness. 1 point.

SPD+1 | DEX-1 | Gain the ‘Addict’ personality aspect [make a WIL roll to try to resist the temptation to consume caffeine].

See also: Weakness; Agent Traits

Game Rules alpha 5.3: Agents · Traits · Physical Weaknesses.

Agent’s Guide alpha 5.4: Agent creation · Weaknesses · Physical.

Capitol Ten Dynamics

Capitol Ten Dynamics is a Columbian megacorporation specializing in electronics, computing, and defense systems. Its activities combine technological research, industrial development, and defense program contracting for the FNC.

The corporation develops advanced computer systems and maintains an artificial intelligence research division. Its capabilities allow experimental projects to be turned into industrial and defense applications.

Also known as C10D. Documents detailing the STERLING Protocol and its R&D facilities in Bern require OMEGA-7 clearance.

Dossiers: Agencies & Institutions v9.3 — Capitol Ten Dynamics.

See also: OMEGA-7

Careless

Minor Mental Weakness. 1 point.

Choose a Skill; it has disadvantage and +1 Fumble Roll. May be taken more than once, each time for a different Skill.

See also: Weakness; Agent Traits

Game Rules alpha 5.3: Agents · Traits · Mental Weaknesses.

Agent’s Guide alpha 5.4: Agent creation · Weaknesses · Mental.

Cautious

Minor Mental Strength. 1 point.

Choose a Skill. Draw 1 card for it. | -1 Fumble Roll for the chosen Skill. May be taken more than once, each time for a different Skill.

Game Rules alpha 5.3: Agents · Traits · Mental Strengths.

Agent’s Guide alpha 5.4: Agent creation · Strengths · Mental.

Celebrity

Major Social Strength. 3 points.

Choose one of these Skills: Music, Art, Writing, or Acting. Gain a +2 modifier to an appropriate Characteristic. | Draw 3 cards for the Skill, which becomes a Mastery (with no age limit). | Once per session, you may roll the modified Characteristic to influence your fans.

Game Rules alpha 5.3: Agents · Traits · Social Strengths.

Agent’s Guide alpha 5.4: Agent creation · Strengths · Social.

Central Committee

The Central Committee coordinates the Party’s leadership and organizational apparatus. Selecting, promoting, and removing officials allows it to control key administrative positions and maintain political discipline.

CHA

See Charisma.

Characteristic

A value representing a character’s capability. There are six Basic Characteristics: INT, PER, CHA, DEX, STR, and SPD. The Special Characteristics are DEF, VIT, and WIL.

Characteristic Roll

A Characteristic Roll adds the result of 1D12 to a Characteristic and a set of modifiers. The most common modifiers are Skills and equipment.

Compare the total with a Difficulty Factor (DF). If it equals or exceeds the DF, the action succeeds; otherwise, it fails.

A player may spend 1 Willpower Point (see Willpower Points) to repeat any roll that has not resulted in a Fumble. If they roll a 12, it is an automatic Fumble.

Game Rules alpha 5.3: Core mechanics · Characteristic Roll; Core mechanics.

Agent’s Guide alpha 5.4: Core mechanics.

Charisma

The character’s physical appearance. Measures sociability and ease of expression. Determines first impressions and allows the character to influence others. Essential for social skills.

See also: Basic Characteristics

Game Rules alpha 5.3: Agents · Characteristics.

Agent’s Guide alpha 5.4: The Agent · Basic Characteristics.

Chelovenchik

See Chelovenchiki.

Chelovenchiki

The Chelovenchiki, known as Tin Men, are individuals who have replaced parts of their bodies with heavy machinery. Their mechanical components depend on compact Cores implanted in their bodies, whose energy supply is essential to their survival.

Each Tin Man’s abilities depend on the implants they carry and the extent of their reconstruction. Kuznitsa develops and manufactures these modifications as part of its work in engineering applied to the human body.

A Chelovenchik requires at least one compact Core implanted in the body. The reactors are depleted through use and must be replaced to keep the implants functioning. A continuous supply is vital.

Mechanical integration retains the risks inherent in Core technology. Radiation exposure requires the protective measures and maintenance injections of the Tungsten Protocol, which reduce its effects without eliminating them.

Dossiers: Instruments of Power v6.2 — Chelovenchiki.

Clock Roll

Whenever a player causes the hands to move, they must make a Clock Roll: the result indicates how many minutes the Clock advances or moves backward. The die used depends on the situation’s risk and critical importance.

Die	Risk and resolution
1D4	Minimal risk. Cannot Fumble or score a Critical.
1D6	Low risk. Cannot Fumble or score a Critical.
1D8	Moderate risk. Cannot Fumble. On a 1, roll the die again and double the result.
1D12	Grave risk. If the roll is intended to move the hands backward, treat a 12 as 0. On a 1, roll again and double the result (no Fumble). If the roll is intended to advance the hands, a 12 counts as 12, but a 1 still doubles the result.
1D20	Extreme risk. On a 1, roll the die again and double the result. On a 12 (even on the Critical reroll), the Clock advances to Midnight.

Clumsy

Minor Physical Weakness. 1 point.

DEX-2 | Disadvantage when handling objects.

See also: Weakness; Agent Traits

Game Rules alpha 5.3: Agents · Traits · Physical Weaknesses.

Agent’s Guide alpha 5.4: Agent creation · Weaknesses · Physical.

Code of the Streets

Minor Social Strength. 1 point.

CHA+1 | CHA+1 in the underworld | Draw 3 cards for Deception, Intimidation, or Fast Talk.

Game Rules alpha 5.3: Agents · Traits · Social Strengths.

Agent’s Guide alpha 5.4: Agent creation · Strengths · Social.

Cold War

The struggle between the Hyperpowers for global dominance. Competition between the FNC and IURR rests on atomic power, deterrence, and operations intended to alter or preserve the balance between the blocs.

Game Rules alpha 5.3: Introduction · Concepts.

Agent’s Guide alpha 5.4: Introduction.

Dossiers: Instruments of Power v6.2 — Autonomous Mechanized Units and Doomsday Clock.

Cold Warrior

Minor Social Weakness. 1 point.

WIL+2 to resist propaganda from the enemy bloc | Disadvantage on rolls to resist propaganda from your own bloc. | Gain the ‘Cold Warrior’ personality aspect [make a WIL roll to cooperate with someone from the enemy bloc].

See also: Weakness; Agent Traits

Game Rules alpha 5.3: Agents · Traits · Social Weaknesses.

Agent’s Guide alpha 5.4: Agent creation · Weaknesses · Social.

Columbia University

Columbia University is the Blue Bloc’s principal training ground for its elites. Its relationship with LUME has made it a key institution for gaining access to the FNC’s political, corporate, and intellectual networks.

Its economics, history, politics, and philosophy programs adopt a radically neoliberal approach. University education reproduces the principles of the minimal state, entrepreneurship, and corporate influence characteristic of the FNC.

Admission combines academic demands with extraordinarily high fees. The institution brings together students of exceptional ability and those with the resources needed to enter this world.

See also: LUME; Saint Daniels; Ivy League

Dossiers: Agencies & Institutions v9.3 — Columbia University.

Columbian

Relating to Nova Columbia or the FNC. The spelling distinguishes it from Colombian, which refers to Colombia, the country where Villa Esperanza stands.

Combat

Combat in MADpunk takes place in rounds, each representing approximately 6–10 seconds. Each round has two phases: initiative and action.

Game Rules alpha 5.3: Combat and health.

Agent’s Guide alpha 5.4: Combat and health.

Combat Stimulant

Advanced equipment

Ignore all fatigue and wound penalties for its duration. When it wears off, suffer GLO-3 from fatigue for 24 hours and make a VIT roll to avoid cardiac arrest (immediately entering a dying state). If more than one is taken in a day, make a Fumble Roll; failure causes cardiac arrest.

SPD+4 | STR+4 | PER+2 | DEX+2 | INT-2 | uses 1 (consumable) | $25,000 | duration 1 hour

Game Rules alpha 5.3: Equipment · Advanced.

Agent’s Guide alpha 5.4: Agent creation · Advanced equipment.

Commanding Voice

Minor Social Strength. 1 point.

CHA+1 | CHA+1 to give orders | Giving orders to subordinates during combat counts as a secondary action.

Game Rules alpha 5.3: Agents · Traits · Social Strengths.

Agent’s Guide alpha 5.4: Agent creation · Strengths · Social.

Compact Cores

See Mini-Cores.

Comrade

Minor Social Strength. 1 point.

CHA+1 | Advantage on rolls to interact with lower- or middle-class characters.

Game Rules alpha 5.3: Agents · Traits · Social Strengths.

Agent’s Guide alpha 5.4: Agent creation · Strengths · Social.

Conspiracy Theorist

Minor Mental Weakness. 1 point.

INT+1 | CHA-2 when discussing the ‘conspiracy’ | WIL+2 to resist ‘official accounts’ | Gain the ‘Conspiracy Theorist’ personality aspect [roll WIL to avoid ‘discovering’ connections to the conspiracy where none exist].

See also: Weakness; Agent Traits

Game Rules alpha 5.3: Agents · Traits · Mental Weaknesses.

Agent’s Guide alpha 5.4: Agent creation · Weaknesses · Mental.

Consumable

Consumables can only be used once. Each use represents 1 consumable item of the same type.

Core

Of all the inventions in the Atomic Academy’s prolific history, none has influenced the IURR and its rise to Hyperpower status more than the Yadro (‘core’ in Russian): a miniature nuclear reactor, and the closest anyone has come to nuclear fusion.

The Core’s ability to power heavy machinery triggered a vast Industrial Revolution that made the IURR the world leader in engineering. Produced at secret bases in Siberia, Cores are used throughout the Red Bloc to operate machinery too large, powerful, and unwieldy for conventional use.

The Atomic Academy is the sole producer and supplier of Cores and controls licenses for their use. Access to the official supply depends on its authorization.

Game Rules alpha 5.3: Red Bloc · Cores.

Agent’s Guide alpha 5.4: Powers · Core-Powered Machinery (CPM).

Dossiers: Agencies & Institutions v9.3 — Atomic Academy.

Core stones

Materials recovered from the Dead Zone that attract buyers willing to pay substantial sums. The Berlin Guild hires explorers to retrieve them alongside other resources and information from the irradiated territory.

See also: Dead Zone; Berlin Guild; Living Dead

Dossiers: Unaffiliated Groups v6.2 — Berlin Guild.

Core-Powered Machinery

Core-Powered Machinery (CPM) cannot be used without an active Core. It is generally so heavy and unwieldy that it can barely be moved; any roll using CPM without a Core fails automatically.

CPM is special equipment (see Equipment) that, while active, ignores the user’s Characteristics for all rolls: even the weakest person can wield a CPM hammer.

Its operation depends on Energy cost, measured in Cores. Each time a piece of CPM is used for a roll, it expends 1 use. Once all uses have been expended, the Cores are depleted and must be replaced. Losing a Core for any reason reduces the total uses according to the following formula:

current uses – (total uses / total number of Cores)

Cores are so powerful that CPM can operate even without meeting its energy requirements (the number of Cores needed for optimal operation): as long as it has 1 Core, the CPM can still be used. If its energy requirements are not met:

The CPM has disadvantage on rolls.
If a Fumble is rolled, it fails automatically.

Cores are generally so efficient that even CPM vehicles measure uses in actions rather than turns. Of course, there can always be exceptions to the rule.

Game Rules alpha 5.3: Red Bloc · Core-Powered Machinery.

Agent’s Guide alpha 5.4: Powers · Core-Powered Machinery (CPM).

Cores

See Core.

COS

See Crown Overseas Service.

Coward

Minor Mental Weakness. 1 point.

SPD+1 | WIL-1 | Disadvantage on courage rolls | Gain the ‘Coward’ personality aspect [if outnumbered, you must pass a WIL roll to avoid fleeing. If your opponent’s Skill level is higher than yours in a contest, you must pass a WIL check to compete].

See also: Weakness; Agent Traits

Game Rules alpha 5.3: Agents · Traits · Mental Weaknesses.

Agent’s Guide alpha 5.4: Agent creation · Weaknesses · Mental.

CPM

See Core-Powered Machinery.

Crawling

Secondary action. Movement in 1 round: SPD−1 meters.

Critical

Critical (1): roll the die again and double the result. A 12 no longer triggers a Fumble; it simply counts as 12. If you roll another 1, roll again and quadruple the result (there is no limit to the number of times the roll can be repeated).

Game Rules alpha 5.3: Core mechanics.

Agent’s Guide alpha 5.4: Core mechanics · Criticals and Fumbles.

Critical state

At 2 HP or less, a character enters a critical state. Roll 1D4 + remaining HP: this is the number of hours they have left to live. While in a critical state, a character:

Cannot act or react.
Cannot recover HP or WP.
Cannot heal wounds.
Makes a Fumble Roll each hour. On a failure, they lose 1HP. If this reduces HP to 0, they die. They may spend 1WP to prevent the damage.

The only way to bring a character out of a critical state is with medical assistance (taking them to a hospital) or a First Aid Skill Challenge: wound severity and damage type determine the Difficulty Factor.

Game Rules alpha 5.3: Combat and health · At death’s door.

Agent’s Guide alpha 5.4: Combat and health · At death’s door.

Crown Overseas Service

COS · Crown Overseas Service. Protects the British Crown’s interests through foreign intelligence, counterintelligence, and covert operations.

It belongs to the Blue Bloc but operates from an impoverished England dependent on the FNC. It retains diplomatic, financial, and commercial contacts inherited from the Empire; limited resources make its most ambitious operations dependent on other services within the bloc.

Other agencies use its offices, credentials, and contacts as cover for foreign operations. This cooperation keeps the service active, although it reduces British control over the priorities and outcomes of joint operations.

Dossiers: Agencies & Institutions v9.3 — Crown Overseas Service.

Cryogenic Pistol

Advanced equipment

Fires a freezing blast. On a successful attack, the target is frozen for 1D4 turns. A frozen target suffers DEF-5 against blunt attacks and takes freezing damage each turn, penetrating any Armor that is not resistant to cold. Freezing severity depends on the margin of success:

0–5: Partial freezing. SPD-5 | 1 freezing damage
6–10: Near-total freezing. SPD-10 | Unable to move from the spot | 2 freezing damage
11–20: Total freezing. Lose turn | 3 freezing damage
21+: Death from frozen organs.

Game Rules alpha 5.3: Equipment · Advanced.

Agent’s Guide alpha 5.4: Agent creation · Advanced equipment.

D

Damage

Against an Attack Roll, the Defensive Roll’s result is used to calculate damage points: if damage is 0 or less, the character has evaded or countered the attack.

damage points = Attack Roll – Defensive Roll

Subtract the target’s DEF (see Defense) from the damage points. If any remain, subtract them from the target’s Health Points (HP), causing a wound.

total damage = damage points – DEF[Ab] – DEF[Ar]

A character loses HP for every damage point they fail to absorb. The damage received from a single attack determines the type of wound suffered, which acts as a temporary negative global modifier.

Damage points

See Damage.

Damage types

Depending on the attack type, damage points may ignore or penetrate a character’s defenses. These attacks are the most dangerous, as unmitigated damage can be fatal.

Blunt, Slashing, Piercing, Ballistic, Explosive, Radioactive, Psychic, Gas, Poison, Disease, Fire, Cold, and Laser.

Depending on the damage type, some attacks can bypass a character’s defenses and deal damage directly. Examples: a bulletproof vest will not protect against gas; an anti-tank mine ignores a car’s DEF[Ar], etc.

Conversely, some forms of DEF are especially effective against specific attack types. Examples: a radiation suit can protect against radioactive attacks; a gas mask grants immunity to gaseous attacks, etc.

See also: Damage; Defense; Radiation; Psychic Damage

Game Rules alpha 5.3: Combat and health · Damage types; Agents · Defense.

Agent’s Guide alpha 5.4: Combat and health · Attack And Defense; The Agent · Special Characteristics.

Dead Zone

The Dead Zone covers the territory between Berlin and Zielona Góra devastated by the atomic bombings that ended the Great War. It officially belongs to no nation, and its population has no international recognition. Steel and concrete walls surround its ruins, surviving communities, clandestine facilities, and contaminated areas.

Eighteen atomic bombs fell on Berlin and its surroundings during the conflict’s final phase. Postwar treaties divided other territories but left the Dead Zone outside recognized national sovereignty.

Current contamination is uneven. Passable routes and buildings that can be explored for limited periods exist alongside hot spots where exposure is far more dangerous. Dust, water, food, materials, and accumulated doses determine survival.

The Atomic Academy maintains research facilities in the region. The IURR uses prisoners for forced labor and brings people in to study the effects of radiation. The exceptional concentration of inhabitants with psychotronic abilities is one of its programs’ secrets.

The Berlin Guild facilitates clandestine entry and exit and hires expeditions to recover resources and information. Its explorers are known as the Living Dead.

Dossiers: Hot Zones v8.2 — Dead Zone.

Deaf

Major Physical Weakness. 3 points.

PER-3 | Any roll involving hearing fails automatically. | Disadvantage when communicating without writing, unless the other person knows sign language.

See also: Weakness; Agent Traits

Game Rules alpha 5.3: Agents · Traits · Physical Weaknesses.

Agent’s Guide alpha 5.4: Agent creation · Weaknesses · Physical.

Defense

Defense (DEF) is a special Characteristic encompassing a character’s ability to absorb or mitigate damage. DEF is subtracted from all incoming damage and equals the sum of Absorption and Armor.

DEF = DEF[Ab] + DEF[Ar]

Whenever a character takes damage, subtract their total Defense: if the result is still positive, the target takes damage and loses Health Points.

damage taken = damage – DEF

See also: Absorption; Armor; Damage; Damage types

Game Rules alpha 5.3: Agents · Defense.

Agent’s Guide alpha 5.4: The Agent · Special Characteristics.

Defensive Roll

Defensive Rolls made in response to an action do not count as primary or secondary actions, since they occur during another participant’s turn and are entirely reactive. How a Defensive Roll works depends on whether the primary action is an Attack Roll.

Against a non-attack roll, the Defensive Roll’s Difficulty Factor equals the opponent’s primary action result. If the Defensive Roll succeeds, the action is neutralized.

Against an Attack Roll, the Defensive Roll’s result is used to calculate damage points: if damage is 0 or less, the character has evaded or countered the attack.

damage points = Attack Roll – Defensive Roll

A surprise attack, a Fumble on a Defensive Roll, or an Attack Roll against an incapacitated target gives the defender a result of 0, leaving them to rely on DEF to withstand the blow.

See also: Attack Roll; Defense; Reaction

Game Rules alpha 5.3: Combat and health · Attack And Defense.

Agent’s Guide alpha 5.4: Combat and health · Attack And Defense.

DEX

See Dexterity.

Dexterity

A combination of agility, flexibility, balance, precision, and coordination. Enables sleight of hand, object manipulation, stealthy movement, and the use of tools and weapons. Essential for skills requiring finesse.

See also: Basic Characteristics

Game Rules alpha 5.3: Agents · Characteristics.

Agent’s Guide alpha 5.4: The Agent · Basic Characteristics.

DF

See Difficulty Factor.

Dice

The game primarily uses a twelve-sided die (1D12). A Fumble Roll uses two six-sided dice (2D6).

The notation states how many dice to roll and how many sides each has: 1D4 is one four-sided die; 1D6, one six-sided die; 1D8, one eight-sided die; 1D10, one ten-sided die; 1D12, one twelve-sided die; and 1D20, one twenty-sided die.

Game Rules alpha 5.3: Core mechanics; Core mechanics · Fumble Roll.

Agent’s Guide alpha 5.4: Core mechanics; Core mechanics · Criticals and Fumbles.

Difficulty Factor

The game primarily uses a twelve-sided die (1D12). The roll is added to a Characteristic and compared against a Difficulty Factor (DF). If the total equals or exceeds the DF, the action succeeds; if it is lower, the action fails.

The harder an action is to perform, or the less likely it is to succeed, the higher its DF.

Difficulty Factor	Difficulty
DF 3	trivial
DF 6	very easy
DF 9	easy
DF 12	normal
DF 15	difficult
DF 18	very difficult
DF 21	expert
DF 24	nearly impossible
DF 27	impossible
DF +30	legendary

The table’s values reflect the capabilities of an ordinary human. Advanced equipment, Core-Powered Machinery, and mutant and psychotronic powers can overcome the highest factors and achieve the seemingly impossible…

Game Rules alpha 5.3: Core mechanics.

Agent’s Guide alpha 5.4: Core mechanics.

Directive 9

See Directive Nine.

Directive Nine

A VKKB branch specializing in technology extraction operations. It obtained the Synthetic Mind technology used by the IURR administration, whose development the Inter-Comintern credits to Union scientists.

It supplies Kuznitsa with foreign technology for study and adaptation.

Its institutional dossier is confidential and requires OMEGA-7 clearance.

See also: VKKB; Kuznitsa; Synthetic Minds

Dossiers: Instruments of Power v6.2 — Synthetic Minds; Persons of Interest v11.2 — technological activity; Agencies & Institutions v9.3 — Directive Nine.

See also: OMEGA-7

Directorate of Strategic Reserves

The Directorate of Strategic Reserves guarantees the IURR’s oil supply and uses fuel supplies as an instrument of foreign influence. Its work combines reserve security with intervention in agreements and routes affecting the international market.

The Directorate manages reserves, negotiates supply agreements, and protects pipelines and related infrastructure. Its priority is to prevent outside disruption from limiting the Union’s mobility, transport, or activity.

It competes with the Diwan of External Affairs to prevent agreements promoted from Jabal Alasid from placing the Union’s supply under outside control.

Dossiers: Agencies & Institutions v9.3 — Directorate of Strategic Reserves.

Disadvantage

Roll 1 additional D12. Choose the result least favorable to the situation.

Advantages and disadvantages can stack on a roll, but do not increase the number of dice rolled. Instead, compare them to determine whether the situation favors the character:

Comparison	Result
advantage > disadvantage	advantage
advantage = disadvantage	they cancel each other out
advantage < disadvantage	disadvantage

Districts of Light

Shibuya, Shinjuku, and the other Districts of Light are filled with shopping centers, neon, and holographic advertisements. Consumption and excess dominate these spaces, while the city’s size and lack of centralization allow the world’s largest black market to operate.

Dossiers: Hot Zones v8.2 — Tokyo.

Diwan of External Affairs

The Diwan of External Affairs is the most powerful of the agencies defending oil interests. From the palace Leviathan Jabal Alasid, it seeks to dominate the global oil market through intelligence about those deciding concessions, contracts, prices, routes, and supplies.

The Diwan uses these visits to learn ambitions, discover weaknesses, and cultivate loyalties. Surveillance of guests and compromising situations provide intelligence and blackmail material. Favors, corruption, and personal pressure turn that information into specific contracts and decisions.

The FNC’s MIPC and the IURR’s Directorate of Strategic Reserves oppose the Diwan’s attempts to impose its terms. The interests of producers, buyers, and powers force the agency to negotiate and compete continually.

Dossiers: Agencies & Institutions v9.3 — Diwan of External Affairs.

Doomsday Clock

The Doomsday Clock expresses the proximity of thermonuclear war. Its hands reflect tensions between the blocs and the risk that international crises will lead to irreversible escalation. The assessment is updated hourly using global data, predictive models, and geopolitical analysis.

The IIAS and the Atomic Academy cooperate through a neutral consortium. The Academy maintains its own Clock, synchronized with the Institute’s, and a permanent representative in Bern.

When one minute remains until Midnight

In the Blue Bloc, RUDOLF—a Synthetic Mind, or advanced artificial intelligence, created by the IIAS—analyzes geopolitical information, assesses crises, and identifies possible interventions to curb escalation. It sends encrypted instructions to the Second-Men, telling them where and how to act. The agents receive these orders through their RUDOLF Watches, personal devices synchronized in real time with the Doomsday Clock.

The Red Bloc’s response begins with the IIAS notifying the Atomic Academy. The Academy activates the response mechanisms of the VKKB and the Palace of Sparrows. The VKKB takes command and coordinates its own agents, the Palace, and military forces to intervene at the sources of the crisis. A psychotronic signal also activates the instructions implanted in the Ptichiki, sleeper agents unaware of their status.

The Clock during play

From its base in Bern, the Doomsday Clock continuously indicates the time remaining before the end: when its hands reach Midnight, the FNC and IURR will launch their entire atomic arsenals and annihilate all life on Earth.

Not every character has access to the Clock, needs to pay attention to it, or even knows it exists. The Handler should treat it as an abstract concept representing, on a grand scale, how close the game is to ending prematurely.

The Clock’s starting time is entirely at the Handler’s discretion, but a margin of between 1 hour and 20 minutes until Midnight is recommended.

The Agents’ actions and events in a game of MADpunk can cause the Clock’s hands to advance, move backward, or stop temporarily.

The Agents’ actions should be the main driver of the hands’ movement. The Clock can move after a Fumble or a successful roll, after passing a Skill Challenge or losing a Skill Contest, or even after a decision that requires no roll or challenge.

It all depends on the action’s risk and critical importance.

Game Rules alpha 5.3: Doomsday Clock; Doomsday Clock · In the game; Doomsday Clock · Players.

Dossiers: Instruments of Power v6.2 — Doomsday Clock.

Double Agent

Major Professional Weakness. 3 points.

Choose two affiliations: one genuine, the other apparent. You may purchase exclusive Strengths from both, but must fulfill all obligations. Discovery has disastrous consequences.

Game Rules alpha 5.3: Agents · Traits · Professional Weaknesses.

Agent’s Guide alpha 5.4: Agent creation · Weaknesses · Professional.

Dutchman’s Mask

Dutchmen equipment.

CHA+3 to intimidate | DEF[Ab]+2 to absorb radiation | DEF[Ar]+5 | $500

Dutchmen

The Dutchmen are a revolutionary organization that attacks the Blue Bloc’s political, corporate, and financial elites. Its members wear false iron jaws, their steel teeth fixed in a permanent grimace. For them, the call to devour the rich has both a symbolic and a literal meaning.

The Dutchmen possess Core-powered weapons and machinery. Their sources of funding and supplies remain unclear. Their masks provide limited protection from radiation, without replacing preparation under the Tungsten Protocol.

The FNC accuses the Red Bloc of funding the organization and using its attacks against Columbian interests. The IURR publicly denies these accusations.

Major NAG Strength:

You belong to the Dutchmen, a revolutionary anti-capitalist terrorist group dedicated to ‘devouring’ the rich (literally and metaphorically).

CHA+3 with middle- and lower-class characters

Gain 1 piece of quality 1 Core-Powered Machinery (see Core-Powered Machinery). Each session, receive enough Cores to operate the equipment.

Gain a Dutchman’s Mask: CHA+3 for intimidation | DEF[Ab]+2 to absorb radiation | DEF[Ar]+5 | $500

Once per session, you may make:

A CHA roll to influence the masses when in a major Blue Bloc city.
An INT roll to request assistance from the Dutchmen (funding, information, resources).

Obligations

You owe your allegiance to the Dutchmen’s spiritual leader and follow his anticapitalist ideology. Gain the Major Social Weakness “Fanatic” without receiving Strength points.

You will be invited to take part in terrorist attacks throughout the Blue Bloc. Participating may incur the FNC’s wrath.

Game Rules alpha 5.3: Third World · Dutchmen.

Agent’s Guide alpha 5.4: Agent creation · Faction Strengths.

Dossiers: Unaffiliated Groups v6.2 — The Dutchmen.

Dying state

When a character leaves a critical state but still has 3 HP or less, they enter a dying state. A dying character:

Cannot act or react, but is conscious at 3 Health Points.
Cannot recover WP.
Makes a Fumble Roll each day. On a failure, they lose 1HP and enter a critical state. If this reduces HP to 0, they die. They may spend 1 WP to prevent the damage.

Once a dying character has 4 HP or more, they leave that state and are considered ‘healthy’.

A character with 2 HP or less due to permanent modifiers such as old age remains permanently in a dying state and requires continuous medical care to survive.

If temporary modifiers reduce VIT to -10 or lower (meaning HPmax is 0 or negative), the character enters a dying state until VIT rises enough to allow HP. If the modifier is permanent (such as aging or cancer), the character dies.

Game Rules alpha 5.3: Combat and health · At death’s door; Agents · Health Points.

Agent’s Guide alpha 5.4: Combat and health · At death’s door; The Agent · Special Characteristics.

E

EDO

Evolutionary Defense Office. A privatized branch of the Columbian government devoted to genetic mutation through radiation.

EDO controls the program for manufacturing and managing EVERYMAN Vats, contracting its implementation to Nobel & Midland Chemicals. These sealed chambers bombard a subject with controlled radiation to induce mutant powers. The combination of metal used, radiation intensity, and exposure time determines the abilities the subject acquires.

Under that contract, Nobel & Midland also developed EVERYMAN Capsules: heavy-metal spheres that release a controlled burst of radiation when bitten, capable of inducing a temporary mutation.

Although Everyman powers are its main responsibility, EDO also handles other projects that augment human capabilities through biological means.

Game Rules alpha 5.3: Blue Bloc · EVERYMAN Capsules.

Agent’s Guide alpha 5.4: Powers · Mutations.

Dossiers: Agencies & Institutions v9.3 — EDO.

Eidetic Memory

The ability to recall conversations, documents, faces, figures, and details of encounters or agreements with precision.

Major Mental Strength. 3 points.

INT+3 | Any roll to recall a piece of information succeeds automatically.

El Magno

A private yacht associated with Villa Esperanza that takes its parties out into the Caribbean. It has a swimming pool, airfield, professional kitchen, jet skis, and cannons fired at small fishing boats to entertain the guests.

Electromagnetic Pulse Emitter

Advanced equipment

Disables radios, computers, vehicles, and electrically powered equipment within a 50 m radius for 1D4 turns. Does not affect Cores, but does affect CPM controls (the pilot has disadvantage and automatic Fumbles for the pulse’s duration).

DEF[Ar]+2 | uses 3 (actions) [requires electricity] | $1,500,000 | range 50 m

Game Rules alpha 5.3: Equipment · Advanced.

Agent’s Guide alpha 5.4: Agent creation · Advanced equipment.

Elite Athlete

Major Physical Strength. 3 points.

Choose a Sport Skill and make it a Mastery. Gain a +2 modifier to an appropriate Characteristic. Draw 3 cards for the Sport (ignore the age limit).

Game Rules alpha 5.3: Agents · Traits · Physical Strengths.

Agent’s Guide alpha 5.4: Agent creation · Strengths · Physical.

Elitist

Minor Professional Weakness. 1 point.

INT+1 | Draw 2 cards for Art, Music, or an Academic Skill. | CHA-3 when discussing that subject. | Gain the ‘Elitist’ personality aspect [make a WIL roll to resist criticizing anything within your field of expertise].

See also: Weakness; Agent Traits

Game Rules alpha 5.3: Agents · Traits · Professional Weaknesses.

Agent’s Guide alpha 5.4: Agent creation · Weaknesses · Professional.

Enemies

Major Social Weakness. 3 points.

You have made a powerful enemy whose threat tests your abilities. They will do everything they can to destroy you and make your life hell.

See also: Weakness; Agent Traits

Game Rules alpha 5.3: Agents · Traits · Social Weaknesses.

Agent’s Guide alpha 5.4: Agent creation · Weaknesses · Social.

Energy cost

Some equipment has energy requirements and becomes inactive if these are not met. Uses determine how much energy is spent in 1 turn, and can be replenished if the appropriate energy source is available. Example: cars running on gasoline.

Some equipment with energy requirements must remain connected to a power source to function. Example: a computer terminal must be plugged into the mains.

For CPM, Energy cost is measured in Cores. Each time a piece of CPM is used for a roll, it expends 1 use.

Energy requirements

The CPM has disadvantage on rolls.
If a Fumble is rolled, it fails automatically.

Game Rules alpha 5.3: Red Bloc · Core-Powered Machinery.

Agent’s Guide alpha 5.4: Powers · Core-Powered Machinery (CPM).

Equipment

Equipment is one of the main sources of modifiers in MADpunk. Characters generally start with equipment appropriate to their profession or that they could reasonably own given their background and history.

More advanced or exclusive equipment can be obtained by choosing the right Traits or joining a particular faction. In all cases, the Handler decides what equipment is available to a character.

During play, characters may obtain equipment without restrictions if they have earned it. New equipment is one of the best ways to reward players after a successful mission.

Every piece of equipment in MADpunk consists of modifiers, Armor, uses, quality, and price.

All equipment has at least DEF[Ar]+1. If it reaches 0, the equipment is destroyed. Not all equipment adds its Armor to the character’s Defense; armor and vehicles are the exceptions (see Equipment Armor and durability).

However, before an opponent attacks, a character may choose to use a piece of equipment as a shield and apply its DEF[Ar] to their Defense (see Attack Roll and Defensive Roll).

Game Rules alpha 5.3: Equipment; Equipment · Modifiers; Agents · Defense.

Agent’s Guide alpha 5.4: Agent creation · Equipment; The Agent · Special Characteristics.

Equipment price

Price indicates the equipment’s rarity and determines how difficult it is to obtain, repair, or improve. All equipment of a particular type has a base price, modified by quality:

price = base price × quality level

For unusable quality, multiply by 0.
For low quality, multiply by 0.5.
For medium quality, multiply by 1.
For high quality, multiply by 2.

Game Rules alpha 5.3: Equipment · PRICE.

Agent’s Guide alpha 5.4: Agent creation · Equipment.

Equipment quality

Quality has four possible levels:

Unusable: the equipment is out of commission. This occurs when its DEF[Ar] falls to 0%.
Low: disadvantage when using the equipment.
Medium: neither advantage nor disadvantage when using the equipment.
High: advantage when using the equipment.

A Skill Challenge can permanently improve equipment quality. To attempt it, the equipment must have 100% of its DEF[Ar], and a monetary cost equal to its price must be paid (double if someone else performs the upgrade).

Game Rules alpha 5.3: Equipment · QUALITY.

Agent’s Guide alpha 5.4: Agent creation · Equipment.

Equipment repair

Damaged equipment can be repaired with the necessary Skill and resources, but requires a successful Skill Challenge. The resources needed for repairs can be expressed as a monetary cost:

price × (total DEF[Ar] – remaining DEF[Ar]) / total DEF[Ar]

Undertaking the Skill Challenge yourself without outside assistance halves the repair cost.

Armor can be repaired as long as it has not been destroyed, even during combat.

Game Rules alpha 5.3: Equipment · Armor.

Agent’s Guide alpha 5.4: Agent creation · Equipment.

Equipment upgrades

Game Rules alpha 5.3: Equipment · QUALITY.

Agent’s Guide alpha 5.4: Agent creation · Equipment.

Espionage skills

See Second-Men Espionage skills.

Everyman

Everymen are people who have survived a transformation induced by radiation and developed superhuman abilities. Their powers vary from person to person in both nature and strength. The transformation can produce extraordinary abilities, but also harmful mutations and serious lasting physical and mental damage.

Surviving the change does not guarantee becoming a superhero. Some subjects develop powers of little use, deformities, or changes that are difficult to control. Mutations can affect both body and behavior and compromise an individual’s independence.

Physical and mental deterioration limits their active lives. Average life expectancy after acquiring powers is between five and ten years.

The FNC is a pioneer in radiation-induced genetic mutation. Its closely guarded EVERYMAN Vats can produce mutant humans with powerful augmentations: the Everymen. These ‘exemplary’ American citizens are managed by ALEC (American League of Exemplary Citizens) and sent around the world to perform ‘heroic deeds’.

Major Blue Strength:

You have been selected for Project EVERYMAN. Gain a major mutation in any Characteristic, with Mastery.

This Strength may be purchased more than 1 time to gain additional minor (1 point) or major (3 points) mutations. These do not receive Mastery.

You belong to a team of Everymen managed by ALEC. You receive an upper-class salary.

Obligations

Your public image is under constant scrutiny: you must attend propaganda events, appear in advertisements, and play a role preselected by the League in public.

When called into action, you must respond promptly and follow the mission parameters to the letter. As an EVERYMAN, you are expected to behave perfectly in public.

Game Rules alpha 5.3: Blue Bloc · Everymen; Blue Bloc · Everyman.

Agent’s Guide alpha 5.4: Powers · Mutations; Agent creation · Faction Strengths.

Dossiers: Instruments of Power v6.2 — Everymen.

EVERYMAN Capsule

See EVERYMAN Capsules.

EVERYMAN Capsules

One of the most important inventions of the Evolutionary Defense Office (EDO, a privatized branch of the American government focused on radiation-induced genetic mutation) is the EVERYMAN Capsule. Its existence is officially denied, but the FNC military has used it for decades, with results as effective as they are terrible.

When bitten, these small metal capsules release an extreme, controlled dose of radiation that forces a mutation overload, even in someone without a mutation.

When you consume an EVERYMAN Capsule, roll 1D12:

If the character has no mutation, they gain an overloaded mutant Skill: the roll’s result is the overload total. Capsules generally specify which power is gained; if not, choose a random Characteristic and let the Handler determine the power.
If the character has a mutation, it overloads: the roll’s result is the overload total.
If the character already has an overloaded mutation, make a Fumble Roll: on a failure, the character explodes (see Mutant exposure table); on a success, add 1D12 to the overload total.
If the roll is a Fumble, the character takes 1D12+10 Radiation Points: this automatically triggers an Exposure Roll.

The FNC officially denies their existence. The military and the Second-Men use them in covert operations, and their clandestine circulation makes them a valuable resource outside official channels. The Berlin Guild smuggles capsules into the Red Bloc.

Consumable | $200,000

Game Rules alpha 5.3: Blue Bloc · EVERYMAN Capsules; Equipment · Advanced.

Agent’s Guide alpha 5.4: Agent creation · Advanced equipment; Powers · Mutations.

Dossiers: Instruments of Power v6.2 — EVERYMAN Capsules.

EVERYMAN program

An FNC program to research and produce mutant capabilities through controlled radiation. EDO controls the manufacture and management of EVERYMAN Vats and contracts the work to Nobel & Midland Chemicals, which also developed the Capsules.

The existence, effectiveness, and survival rate of the Vats, along with the use of capsules by the FNC military, are highly classified information.

Dossiers: Agencies & Institutions v9.3 — EDO and Nobel & Midland Chemicals.

EVERYMAN Vats

The transformation is induced in sealed heavy-metal chambers known as EVERYMAN Vats. The material used, the radiation intensity, and the exposure time allow the resulting abilities to be guided, although the outcome remains subject to risks and unpredictable effects.

The procedure is extremely painful and places the body under enormous strain. The actual survival rate is 23%, compared with the 98% claimed in classified official documents. The abilities acquired are permanent.

The EVERYMAN Vats, closely guarded by the FNC, can produce mutant humans with powerful augmentations: the Everymen.

A mutant augmentation can only be acquired through a Radiation Exposure Roll (see Radiation Marks and Exposure Rolls). However, EVERYMAN Vats are designed to ‘guarantee’ a mutation (+20 to the roll, unless it is a Fumble…), giving the FNC greater control over the powers a character may receive.

If an EVERYMAN Vat has been used, the player chooses which Characteristic receives the mutation.

Given the risk of overload, the best way to level up a mutant Skill is to use EVERYMAN Vats. These can be calibrated to provide a modifier sufficient to ‘guarantee’ enough Radiation Points to gain a Mark without unpleasant surprises.

Game Rules alpha 5.3: Blue Bloc · Everymen; Blue Bloc · Mutations; Blue Bloc · Radiation.

Agent’s Guide alpha 5.4: Powers · Mutations.

Dossiers: Instruments of Power v6.2 — Everymen.

Everymen

See Everyman.

Evolutionary Defense Office

See EDO.

Exclusive Strengths

Choosing the IURR or FNC as an affiliation grants access to Exclusive Strengths, with benefits greater than ordinary Agent Traits. Each Strength chosen imposes obligations the Agent must fulfill to retain those benefits.

During character creation, an Agent may choose to join a Non-Aligned Group (NAG) and gain exclusive Strengths in exchange for fulfilling a set of obligations (in MADpunk, all power comes at a price...).

NAG Strengths are still less powerful than those the Hyperpowers offer, but make up for this with lighter obligations and greater freedom of action for the Agent.

Game Rules alpha 5.3: Red Bloc · Strengths and obligations; Blue Bloc · Strengths and obligations; Third World · Non-Aligned Groups.

Agent’s Guide alpha 5.4: Agent creation · Faction Strengths.

Exemplary Characteristic

Major Special Strength. 3 points.

+3 to any one Characteristic.

Game Rules alpha 5.3: Agents · Traits · Special Strengths.

Agent’s Guide alpha 5.4: Agent creation · Strengths · Special.

Exposure Roll

Whenever a character gains one or more Marks, they must make an Exposure Roll. Roll Vitality and subtract accumulated Radiation Marks, then consult the radiation table. On a Fumble, the roll’s value is 0 and the character also gains an additional Mark.

Result	Effect
25+	The character gains a major mutation (see Acquiring mutations and how they work).
24	The character gains a side effect (see Side Effects).
20–23	The character gains a minor mutation (see Acquiring mutations and how they work).
10–19	Nothing happens.
5 to 9	The character suffers temporary GLO-1 from radiation poisoning.
0 to 4	The character suffers permanent GLO-1 from cancer.
−1 to −4	The character suffers permanent GLO-2 from cancer.
−5 to −9	The character suffers permanent GLO-3 from cancer.
−10 or less	The character has (1D12 – Marks) days to live; if the value is negative, they have 1D12 hours. At each time interval, the character permanently loses VIT until death (their body is decomposing).

Mutants and psychotronic characters use their own Exposure tables.

Game Rules alpha 5.3: Radiation · Radiation Marks.

Agent’s Guide alpha 5.4: Combat and health · Radiation.

F

Faction Strengths

See Exclusive Strengths.

Fanatic

Major Social Weakness. 3 points.

WIL+2 to defend your beliefs. | INT-2 to question your beliefs | Disadvantage against orders from the spiritual leaders of your belief system. | Gain the ‘Fanatic’ personality aspect [make a WIL roll to resist the precepts of your beliefs].

See also: Weakness; Agent Traits

Game Rules alpha 5.3: Agents · Traits · Social Weaknesses.

Agent’s Guide alpha 5.4: Agent creation · Weaknesses · Social.

Faraday Helmet

Special copper-and-lead mesh. Grants Advantage on rolls to resist psychotronic powers and immunity to mind reading and mind control. A psychotronic wearer cannot use their powers.

DEF[Ab]+10 against psychotronics | CHA-3 | DEF[Ar]+5 | $500,000

Game Rules alpha 5.3: Equipment · Advanced.

Agent’s Guide alpha 5.4: Agent creation · Advanced equipment.

Dossiers: Instruments of Power v6.2 — Psychotronics.

Fatal wound

Fatal (damage points >= HP): Instant death

For Psychic Damage, instant death occurs when the head explodes.

Fatigue

Fatigue appears in the rules as negative modifiers. Moderate Psychic Wounds impose GLO−1 from fatigue; Severe wounds, GLO−2; and Grave wounds, GLO−3.

If a psychotronic character has a total fatigue modifier of −3 or lower, add +1 Fumble Roll before using their powers.

Upon leaving the overloaded state, the character suffers GLO-3 from fatigue for 1D12 hours.

Game Rules alpha 5.3: Psychotronics · Willpower; Psychotronics · Psychic Damage; Blue Bloc · Radiation.

Agent’s Guide alpha 5.4: Powers · Psychotronics; Powers · Psychic Damage; Powers · Mutations.

Fine Wine

Major Physical Strength. 3 points.

From age 20 onward, age-related decline occurs every 10 years instead of every 5 (20–29 VIT+4, 30–39 VIT+3, etc.). Aging rolls begin at 50 and occur every 10 years. Minor wounds always heal, even after 60.

Game Rules alpha 5.3: Agents · Traits · Physical Strengths.

Agent’s Guide alpha 5.4: Agent creation · Strengths · Physical.

First Aid

Professional skill.

Game Rules alpha 5.3: Agents · Skills · PROFESSIONAL SKILLS; Combat and health · At death’s door.

Agent’s Guide alpha 5.4: The Agent · Skills; Combat and health · At death’s door.

First Aid Kit

Standard equipment.

Contains everything needed (bandages, antiseptics, tourniquet…). Reduces the difficulty level of stabilizing a character in a critical state by 1.

DEX+5 for First Aid | DEF[Ar]+2 | uses 10 (supplies) | $50

Medical assistance: treats Physical wounds of up to Moderate severity only (Blunt, Piercing, Slashing, Ballistic, Explosive, Fire, or Cold).

Game Rules alpha 5.3: Equipment · Standard; Combat and health · Healing.

Agent’s Guide alpha 5.4: Agent creation · Standard Equipment List; Combat and health · Healing.

FNC

Free Fatherlands of Nova Columbia. The Hyperpower that leads the Blue Bloc. It emerged from the overthrow of the former United States government and the corporate political project promoted by LUME.

Foreign Affairs Office

See Bureau des Affaires Extérieures.

Fraternité des Foreurs Sans Frontières

See Brotherhood of Drillers Without Borders.

Free Fatherlands of Nova Columbia

See FNC.

FSF

See Brotherhood of Drillers Without Borders.

Fumble

Fumble (12): make a Fumble Roll. If you pass, the action roll’s result is 0 (before modifiers); if you fail, the action fails automatically and the consequences are severe.

Game Rules alpha 5.3: Core mechanics · Fumble Roll.

Agent’s Guide alpha 5.4: Core mechanics · Criticals and Fumbles.

Fumble Roll

A Fumble Roll uses two six-sided dice (2D6). If the player rolls a 7, the action is a Fumble and fails spectacularly (the Handler decides the consequences). Any other result avoids disaster, and the action roll’s result is 0 (before modifiers).

Depending on the gravity of the situation and the Difficulty Factor, the Handler may require more than one Fumble Roll. In that case, every roll must be passed. As soon as a 7 appears, the action is a Fumble and you stop rolling.

Difficulty Factor	Fumble severity
DF 3–12	+1 Fumble Roll
DF 15–18	+2 Fumble Rolls
DF 21–27	+3 Fumble Rolls
DF +30	+4 Fumble Rolls

Some Traits, equipment, and powers make actions safer and can reduce the number of Fumble Rolls. If the number required by the Handler is reduced to 0 or less, no Fumble Roll is needed and the action roll’s result is 0 (before modifiers).

Game Rules alpha 5.3: Core mechanics · Fumble Roll.

Agent’s Guide alpha 5.4: Core mechanics · Criticals and Fumbles.

G

Gambler

Major Special Weakness. 3 points.

WIL-1 | +1 Plot Roll per session. | Your Criticals triple the result instead of doubling it. | Your Fumbles fail automatically. | Gain the ‘Gambler’ personality aspect [roll WIL to resist the temptation to gamble].

See also: Weakness; Agent Traits; Plot Roll

Game Rules alpha 5.3: Agents · Traits · Special Weaknesses.

Agent’s Guide alpha 5.4: Agent creation · Weaknesses · Special.

Gas Mask

Standard equipment.

Immunity to gaseous attacks.

PER-3 | DEF[Ar]+2 | uses 20 (rounds) [filters must be replaced] | $60

Game Rules alpha 5.3: Equipment · Standard.

Agent’s Guide alpha 5.4: Agent creation · Standard Equipment List.

Geiger Counter

Standard equipment.

PER+10 to detect radiation | DEF[Ar]+2 | uses 30 (rounds) [requires batteries] | $400

General modifier

A general modifier applies to every roll involving a Characteristic, regardless of context. Example: carrying a light machine gun reduces Speed in general.

Game Rules alpha 5.3: Agents · Modifiers.

Agent’s Guide alpha 5.4: The Agent · Modifiers.

General skills

Native Language*, Foreign Language*, Brawling*, Swimming, Climbing, Survival* (environment), Wisdom*, Driving* (car, motorcycle, bicycle), Sleight of Hand, Stealth, Disguise, Deception, Intrigue, Empathy, Awareness, Negotiation, Leadership, Intimidation, Charm, Persuasion, Fast Talk

An asterisk (*) indicates that a Specialty must be chosen.

Geopolitical events

Optional rule. At the Handler’s discretion, geopolitical events beyond the Agents’ control may move the Clock’s hands forward or backward, or temporarily stop them.

Some events can even make the Clock advance continuously, imposing a time limit on the game (within the fiction or in real time, at the Handler’s choice). An event of this magnitude may force the Agents into a special mission that will stop the Clock if successful.

A geopolitical event’s consequences may go beyond moving the hands and affect the Agents more directly.

GLO

See Global modifier.

Global modifier

Modifiers generally apply to a single Characteristic, unless they are global (GLO); in that case, they apply to ALL Characteristics.

Good Breeding

Minor Economic Strength. 1 point.

Advantage against disease | Raise your salary by 1 quality level (starting at quality 1).

Game Rules alpha 5.3: Agents · Traits · Economic Strengths.

Agent’s Guide alpha 5.4: Agent creation · Strengths · Economic.

Grave wound

Grave (10+ damage points): GLO-3

To attempt to heal it, you need medical assistance that covers the wound’s severity and type.

For grave wounds, roll VIT against (DF12 + damage) each week. On a success, the wound heals, but the character gains a permanent negative modifier to an appropriate Characteristic. Example: a deep cut to the arm required amputation to save the character’s life.

See also: Wound; Wound healing; Psychic Wound

Game Rules alpha 5.3: Combat and health · Damage; Combat and health · Healing.

Agent’s Guide alpha 5.4: Combat and health · Wounds; Combat and health · Healing.

Great Green Fruits

Great Green Fruits is a Columbian agrifood multinational controlling the production and movement of food from plantations to consumer markets. Its economic scale allows it to exert direct influence over territories, governments, and supply chains.

Its advertising presents a cheerful, healthy company associated with abundance. Great Green Fruits’ commercial identity forms part of Blue Bloc consumer culture and accompanies the expansion of its products and operations.

An oligarch from the IURR’s agricultural sector is its majority investor. Despite its Columbian identity, the company therefore maintains a major financial relationship with the Red Bloc’s economic elite.

Its leadership regularly attends exclusive gatherings at Villa Esperanza.

See also: LUME; Villa Esperanza; Caesar & Sons

Dossiers: Agencies & Institutions v9.3 — Great Green Fruits.

Great Humiliation

The treaty following the Great War that forced Japan to surrender its Pacific colonies and subordinate Tokyo to Columbian corporate interests. The imperial family retained its position but was exiled to Kyoto and excluded from the city’s affairs.

Dossiers: Hot Zones v8.2 — Tokyo.

Great War

The conflict that transformed the global balance and preceded the Cold War between the Hyperpowers. The powers used Leviathans to devastate territories and subjugate nations. Atomic bombings of Berlin and its surroundings ended the war and created the Dead Zone.

After the conflict, many Leviathans were destroyed, abandoned, or decommissioned. Postwar treaties divided territories but left the Dead Zone outside recognized sovereignties.

Dossiers: Hot Zones v8.2 — Dead Zone; Instruments of Power v6.2 — Leviathans.

Greedy

Minor Mental Weakness. 1 point.

Gain the ‘Greedy’ personality aspect [make a WIL roll whenever you are offered or must spend a significant amount of money]. | Disadvantage on rolls involving money.

See also: Weakness; Agent Traits

Game Rules alpha 5.3: Agents · Traits · Mental Weaknesses.

Agent’s Guide alpha 5.4: Agent creation · Weaknesses · Mental.

Guest House

The Guest House functions as a luxury complex for ambassadors and guests from the international elite. It contains a spa, Roman baths, and the Lion Casino. Its receptions and celebrations rank among the most exclusive and wildest parties on the planet.

Surveillance extends to guests’ private activities. Cameras and spies record their visits while access to luxuries, favors, and vices creates compromising situations.

Dossiers: Hot Zones v8.2 — Jabal Alasid.

Gut Instinct

Major Mental Strength. 3 points.

PER+3 | When you reach a crossroads or must make an important decision, make a free Plot Roll. On a success, the Handler tells you the correct choice. | Advantage on rolls to detect traps.

Game Rules alpha 5.3: Agents · Traits · Mental Strengths.

Agent’s Guide alpha 5.4: Agent creation · Strengths · Mental.

H

Handler

The Handler leads the Agents and organizes their missions. They play the non-player characters and direct the plot.

Players roll dice to determine whether an action succeeds or fails. The Handler sets the difficulty of success, clarifies doubts, and interprets the rules.

If the players are opposed to one another, the Handler must remain neutral at all times.

Hard of Hearing

Minor Physical Weakness. 1 point.

PER-1 | Disadvantage on listening rolls.

See also: Weakness; Agent Traits

Game Rules alpha 5.3: Agents · Traits · Physical Weaknesses.

Agent’s Guide alpha 5.4: Agent creation · Weaknesses · Physical.

Hard to Kill

Major Physical Strength. 3 points.

VIT+1 | Your threshold for entering a critical state is 1HP. If you take lethal damage, make a Fumble Roll for each point of damage below 0: if you succeed, you survive with 1HP. Recover 1 additional HP per day.

Game Rules alpha 5.3: Agents · Traits · Physical Strengths.

Agent’s Guide alpha 5.4: Agent creation · Strengths · Physical.

Haven Foundation

See The Haven Foundation.

Health Point recovery

Each day, a character recovers 1HP (2 if under 25) and automatically heals one minor wound.

Recovery is limited by wounds: any wound of moderate severity or higher uses its global damage modifier to block recovery, reducing the character’s maximum available HP.

For example, with VIT+4 and 14 HP, a Moderate wound and a Severe wound reduce your maximum to 11 HP until they heal.

Healing a wound does not grant HP; it removes the negative global modifier and the limit on maximum HP recovery. However, wounds heal first, and HP are recovered afterward.

A character over 60 has difficulty healing. Minor wounds require basic medical assistance instead of healing automatically: each day, the character must pass a VIT roll against (DF3 + 1) to heal the wound.

The roll is almost automatic, since the wound still heals on a failure. However, requiring a roll creates the possibility of a Fumble and the wound worsening.

Game Rules alpha 5.3: Combat and health · Healing.

Agent’s Guide alpha 5.4: Combat and health · Healing.

Health Points

HP depend on VIT and represent a character’s current health. They are calculated using the following formula:

HPmax = 10 + VIT

Whenever a character takes damage, subtract it from their HP. At 2 HP or less, the character enters a critical state. At 0 HP or less, the character dies (see At death’s door). Characters naturally recover 1 HP each day (2 if under 25 years old).

A character’s HP cannot exceed their HPmax. If a modifier lowers VIT for any reason, all excess HP are lost immediately. Conversely, if VIT increases, current HP do not change immediately, but the maximum that can be recovered increases.

Wounds of moderate severity or worse (see Healing and recovering Health Points) temporarily limit HP recovery until they have healed. Less severe wounds heal automatically as HP recover (except in characters over 60, whose wounds must still be healed).

Game Rules alpha 5.3: Agents · Health Points; Agents · Vitality.

Agent’s Guide alpha 5.4: The Agent · Special Characteristics.

Heavy tools

Heavy tools are disproportionately large and cumbersome, but while powered by a Core they are light and easy to handle. Their power and effectiveness are immense, although their use is not very flexible.

They usually have 1 Core and 10 to 20 uses. Changing Cores is quick and simple (1 combat round).

Hedonist

Minor Mental Weakness. 1 point.

CHA+1 | WIL-1 | Gain the ‘Hedonist’ personality aspect [roll WIL to resist the temptation of carnal pleasures].

See also: Weakness; Agent Traits

Game Rules alpha 5.3: Agents · Traits · Mental Weaknesses.

Agent’s Guide alpha 5.4: Agent creation · Weaknesses · Mental.

Hegemon

The title of the IURR’s supreme leader, proclaimed by the Pan-Slavic Revolutionary People’s Party after its electoral victory. It embodies revolutionary authority and legitimizes the state and party.

The Hegemon retains the title while secluded aboard Mater Zima and kept alive artificially. The Inter-Comintern and the Mechanized Bureaucracy govern in his name.

Helion Core

A large nuclear reactor beneath Astraeus Tower that supplies Tokyo and its hypersonic station. Its construction provided the energy needed for the urban and industrial expansion driven by Hyperion Motors.

The VKKB and the Dutchmen have tried unsuccessfully to infiltrate its facilities for decades.

Dossiers: Hot Zones v8.2 — Tokyo.

Hercules Lighthouse

Built on San Sebastián Castle, the Hercules Lighthouse is an exceptionally large tower whose light can be seen from across the Strait. It also functions as a fortress and a scientific base dedicated to studying Atlantic winds.

Rumors suggest that the VKKB is conducting clandestine experiments to control the winds of the Strait and unleash storms against its enemies.

Hero

Major Social Strength. 3 points.

CHA+2 | VIT+1 | Social advantage with military personnel and civilians on your side | Draw 5 cards for Martial Skills (with no age limit).

Game Rules alpha 5.3: Agents · Traits · Social Strengths.

Agent’s Guide alpha 5.4: Agent creation · Strengths · Social.

HOG doctrine

The policy of the US presidency before the 1935 coup, opposing the country’s involvement in the business of the Great War. It clashed with corporate plans to expand industrial and arms exports.

Hot Zones

Locations where the Hyperpowers’ interests converge: political and economic power, espionage, atomic research, and the consequences of the Great War.

Dossiers: Hot Zones v8.2 — Introduction.

Hot-Tempered

Minor Mental Weakness. 1 point.

STR+1 | INT-1 and CHA-1 while angry. | Advantage on close-combat attacks while angry. | Gain the ‘Hot-Tempered’ personality aspect [roll WIL to avoid losing your temper and remaining angry for 1D6 turns].

See also: Weakness; Agent Traits

Game Rules alpha 5.3: Agents · Traits · Mental Weaknesses.

Agent’s Guide alpha 5.4: Agent creation · Weaknesses · Mental.

House of Kars

The House of Kars is a criminal organization rooted in the Armenian–Turkish borderlands. It combines smuggling and clandestine services with a specialty that attracts clients from far beyond its usual territory: provoking incidents with international repercussions while leaving as little evidence as possible.

Its regular network operates between Turkey, Armenia, and the Caucasus. It is a frequent customer of the Berlin Guild, acquiring mini-Cores and tungsten smuggled out of the IURR.

Dossiers: Unaffiliated Groups v6.2 — House of Kars.

HP

See Health Points.

HPmax

See Health Points.

Hyperion Motors

Hyperion Motors is the technology conglomerate and automobile manufacturer that leads Tokyo’s megacorporations. Its control of essential infrastructure and industrial position make it one of the city’s principal sources of power and Columbian influence in Japan.

Its headquarters occupy Astraeus Tower. Beneath the building lies the Helion Core, the reactor that supplies Tokyo. In addition to manufacturing cars, Hyperion developed the hypersonic trains that run across Japan.

Hyperion is the public sponsor of the Tokyo Development Authority, an institution bringing together major corporations and criminal organizations. The TDA seeks recognition of Tokyo as a city-state and the expansion of its power over China, Korea, Japan, and Australia.

Dossiers: Agencies & Institutions v9.3 — Hyperion Motors.

Hyperpowers

The powers that fought for global dominance during the Cold War. The FNC is the hegemonic power of the Blue Bloc, and the IURR of the Red Bloc.

See also: Blue Bloc; Red Bloc; Doomsday Clock

Game Rules alpha 5.3: Introduction · Concepts; Red Bloc; Blue Bloc.

Agent’s Guide alpha 5.4: Introduction.

Hypervigilant

Minor Mental Weakness. 1 point.

PER+1 | SPD+1 for reactions | WIL-1 | Gain the ‘Hypervigilant’ personality aspect [roll WIL to avoid being startled by any loud noise].

See also: Weakness; Agent Traits

Game Rules alpha 5.3: Agents · Traits · Mental Weaknesses.

Agent’s Guide alpha 5.4: Agent creation · Weaknesses · Mental.

I

IIAS

International Institute of Atomic Security. An intergovernmental organization that assesses nuclear risk, headquartered in Midnight Tower in Bern.

The IIAS was established at the FNC’s initiative and operates in Blue Bloc countries. Headquartered in neutral Bern, it brings together atomic scientists and geopolitical specialists from United Nations member states.

The IURR’s Atomic Academy remains independent of the Institute. The two maintain a neutral consortium through a cooperation agreement allowing them to share information and synchronize their clocks. The Academy has a permanent representative in Bern.

The consortium combines global data, predictive models, and geopolitical specialists’ opinions to assess crises and strategic movements. The result expresses the proximity of total war. The IIAS employs the Second-Men and establishes the apocalypse prevention protocols they must follow.

The Second-Men are funded by the Institute and follow its emergency procedures. Even so, their true allegiance lies with the FNC and its presidency.

Game Rules alpha 5.3: Blue Bloc · Second-Men; Doomsday Clock.

Agent’s Guide alpha 5.4: Agent creation · Faction Strengths.

Dossiers: Agencies & Institutions v9.3 — IIAS.

Illusionist

Minor Social Strength. 1 point.

DEX+1 | CHA+1 while performing | Advantage on sleight of hand, provided there is an audience.

Game Rules alpha 5.3: Agents · Traits · Social Strengths.

Agent’s Guide alpha 5.4: Agent creation · Strengths · Social.

Immunity to psychotronics

An ability described in intelligence dossiers that makes its possessor unaffected by psychotronics.

Impatient

Minor Mental Weakness. 1 point.

SPD+1 | DEX-1 for slow actions | WIL-1 to remain patient | Gain the ‘Impatient’ personality aspect [roll WIL to resist impatience and wait].

See also: Weakness; Agent Traits

Game Rules alpha 5.3: Agents · Traits · Mental Weaknesses.

Agent’s Guide alpha 5.4: Agent creation · Weaknesses · Mental.

In Debt

Minor Economic Weakness. 1 point.

You owe money to an organization. | At the end of each mission, you must hand over 25% of your earnings (including equipment). | If you do not, your salary quality drops to 0 and you gain the Weakness Enemies.

See also: Weakness; Agent Traits; Enemies; Salary

Game Rules alpha 5.3: Agents · Traits · Economic Weaknesses.

Agent’s Guide alpha 5.4: Agent creation · Weaknesses · Economic.

Inefficient Metabolism

Minor Physical Weakness. 1 point.

You cannot eliminate RP naturally.

See also: Weakness; Agent Traits

Game Rules alpha 5.3: Agents · Traits · Physical Weaknesses.

Agent’s Guide alpha 5.4: Agent creation · Weaknesses · Physical.

Infamous

Major Social Weakness. 3 points.

You are among the most despised people in the world. You have enemies wherever you go. | All rolls to request assistance have disadvantage.

See also: Weakness; Agent Traits; Enemies

Game Rules alpha 5.3: Agents · Traits · Social Weaknesses.

Agent’s Guide alpha 5.4: Agent creation · Weaknesses · Social.

Initiative

See Initiative phase.

Initiative phase

The initiative phase establishes turn order for the action phase, using each participant’s SPD (plus any applicable modifiers).

Turn order runs from fastest to slowest. Ties between two or more characters are resolved randomly.

This order is not fixed and is recalculated at the start of each new round: modifiers may change participants’ SPD during the action phase.

At the start of the initiative phase, a player may spend 1WP (Willpower Point) to make a Speed roll and add the die result to their initiative total for that round. On a Fumble, they lose their turn.

If a new participant enters combat during the action phase, they make a Speed roll to see whether they can act immediately or must wait until the next round. Once in combat, they can be targeted by other participants’ attacks and actions.

See also: Speed; Willpower Points; Round

Game Rules alpha 5.3: Combat and health · Initiative phase.

Agent’s Guide alpha 5.4: Combat and health · Initiative phase.

Insensitive to Pain

Minor Physical Weakness. 1 point.

VIT+1 to resist pain | PER-1 for touch | You do not know your HP; the Handler tracks them.

See also: Weakness; Agent Traits

Game Rules alpha 5.3: Agents · Traits · Physical Weaknesses.

Agent’s Guide alpha 5.4: Agent creation · Weaknesses · Physical.

Institut Psikhotroniki

See Palace of Sparrows.

Institute of Psychotronics

See Palace of Sparrows.

INT

See Intellect.

Intellect

A character’s mental and cognitive ability to analyze and understand abstract concepts and complex ideas. Measures logic, intuition, and memory. Essential for academic and Intrigue skills, and for solving logical problems such as puzzles and riddles.

See also: Basic Characteristics

Game Rules alpha 5.3: Agents · Characteristics.

Agent’s Guide alpha 5.4: The Agent · Basic Characteristics.

Intellectual

Minor Social Strength. 1 point.

Choose Music, Art, Writing, or Acting. Gain a +1 modifier to an appropriate Characteristic. | Draw 1 card for the Skill, which becomes a Mastery (with no age limit). | Incompatible with Celebrity.

Game Rules alpha 5.3: Agents · Traits · Social Strengths.

Agent’s Guide alpha 5.4: Agent creation · Strengths · Social.

Intelligence Contact

Minor Professional Strength. 1 point.

PER+1 | Draw 3 cards for Intrigue, Stealth, Disguise, Empathy, Deception, Awareness, Acting, or Strategy; make one of them a Mastery.

Game Rules alpha 5.3: Agents · Traits · Professional Strengths.

Agent’s Guide alpha 5.4: Agent creation · Strengths · Professional.

Intelligence Service Member

Major Professional Strength. 3 points.

INT+1 | PER+1 | Draw 7 cards for Espionage Skills (see Second-Men Espionage Skills); make one of them a Mastery. | Gain 1 piece of special equipment. | Once per session, you may make an INT roll to request support from your intelligence agency (financial resources, information, or contacts). Incompatible with Second-Men and Intelligence Contact.

Game Rules alpha 5.3: Agents · Traits · Professional Strengths.

Agent’s Guide alpha 5.4: Agent creation · Strengths · Professional.

Inter-Comintern

The Inter-Comintern is the ruling party of the International Union of Revolutionary Republics and monopolizes its political power. Its General Secretariat is headquartered in the Moscow Kremlin. The Party and bureaucracy govern in the name of the Hegemon, who retains his title but has not appeared in public for more than a decade.

A bureaucracy of more than ten million people coordinates its work through analog machinery, strict procedures, and widespread use of Synthetic Minds, which are essential to its operation. The Party directs this structure and the mechanisms organizing production, distribution, and state activity.

Dossiers: Agencies & Institutions v9.3 — Inter-Comintern.

International Institute of Atomic Security

See IIAS.

International Union of Revolutionary Republics

See IURR.

Intuition

Minor Mental Strength. 1 point.

PER+1 | INT+1 for intuition | Advantage on rolls involving intuition.

Game Rules alpha 5.3: Agents · Traits · Mental Strengths.

Agent’s Guide alpha 5.4: Agent creation · Strengths · Mental.

Invisibility Cloak

Advanced equipment

Smart fabric that blends into the surroundings. Grants near-total invisibility while stationary (PER-20 to detect the wearer). While moving, invisibility is partial (PER-5).

SPD+1 for initiative | DEF[Ar]+1 | uses 10 (turns) [requires electricity] | $5,000,000

Game Rules alpha 5.3: Equipment · Advanced.

Agent’s Guide alpha 5.4: Agent creation · Advanced equipment.

Iron Man

Major Physical Strength. 3 points.

VIT+1 | WIL+1 | DEF[Ab]+1 against all damage types | When you enter a critical state (including from radiation), roll 1D12 instead of 1D4.

Game Rules alpha 5.3: Agents · Traits · Physical Strengths.

Agent’s Guide alpha 5.4: Agent creation · Strengths · Physical.

IURR

International Union of Revolutionary Republics. The Hyperpower that leads the Red Bloc. Its power rests on the Inter-Comintern, its state and security apparatus, and the atomic and industrial technologies developed by its scientific institutions.

Ivy League

The sphere of influence of the Columbian educational elite associated with Saint Daniels. The school belongs to the FNC’s most exclusive educational circles and retains its own admission and recruitment criteria.

Dossiers: Agencies & Institutions v9.3 — Saint Daniels.

Ivy League Student

Major Professional Strength. 3 points.

INT+1 | CHA+1 | Draw 5 cards for Academic Skills. | Once per session, you may make a CHA roll to request assistance from a university colleague.

Game Rules alpha 5.3: Agents · Traits · Professional Strengths.

Agent’s Guide alpha 5.4: Agent creation · Strengths · Professional.

J

Jabal Alasid

Mount Lion · Jewel of the Desert. A land Leviathan converted into a mobile palace that travels through the deserts of Arabia. Its steel-and-marble structure, painted white and clad in gold, displays the kingdom’s oil wealth.

These receptions and visits make the fortress a setting for negotiation, intrigue, and secret agreements. The Diwan of External Affairs is headquartered there.

Keeping the Leviathan moving consumes extraordinary quantities of oil. Thousands of servants keep it running and attend the court; many live in cramped quarters inside, while those being punished work in the boiler rooms.

Beneath the palace complex, the Jabal Alasid remains a military fortress capable of razing cities and bringing governments to heel. The Royal Guard protects the court’s quarters.

Dossiers: Instruments of Power v6.2 — Jabal Alasid; Hot Zones v8.2 — Jabal Alasid.

Jewel of the Desert

See Jabal Alasid.

Jörmungandr

The Jörmungandr is a submarine Leviathan powered by an experimental Mega-Core. Its size and power exceed those of earlier land models. Capable of devastating entire islands with its attacks, it is the most powerful conventional weapon in the world.

The Jörmungandr was built as a new model designed to operate underwater. Its design uses the ocean to cool the Mega-Core and prevent the overloads that had made modernization of the land fortresses impossible.

Prolonged exposure can have serious consequences even for Vol’framin with extraordinary resistance to radiation. Psychological disturbances have been recorded among personnel assigned to the reactor.

Dossiers: Instruments of Power v6.2 — Jörmungandr.

K

Keen Eyesight

Minor Physical Strength. 1 point.

PER+1 | Advantage on all vision rolls.

Game Rules alpha 5.3: Agents · Traits · Physical Strengths.

Agent’s Guide alpha 5.4: Agent creation · Strengths · Physical.

Keen Hearing

Minor Physical Strength. 1 point.

PER+1 | Advantage on all listening rolls.

Game Rules alpha 5.3: Agents · Traits · Physical Strengths.

Agent’s Guide alpha 5.4: Agent creation · Strengths · Physical.

Kremlin

The Kremlin houses the Inter-Comintern’s General Secretariat and the VKKB headquarters. The Central Committee organizes the Party’s leadership and cadres; the Presidium, headed by the General Secretary, holds its highest political authority.

Dossiers: Hot Zones v8.2 — Moscow.

Kuznitsa

Kuznitsa, the Forge, is the world’s most advanced engineering agency. It develops large machines, Mechs, weapons, and engineering applied to the human body within the IURR. Its principal mission is to turn technological advances into designs that the Union’s factories can manufacture.

The Forge answers to the Atomic Academy and develops civilian and military machinery, from high-powered mechanisms to specialized units that use mini-Cores.

Its most advanced developments include the Chelovenchiki, or Tin Men. Integrating mechanical structures and implants requires adapting each device to its recipient’s body and verifying compatibility.

Kuznitsa maintains offices and facilities in Yekaterinburg and Moscow, where it concentrates its capabilities most closely associated with biomechanics and Synthetic Minds.

Dossiers: Agencies & Institutions v9.3 — Kuznitsa.

L

Labor Union of Managers and Entrepreneurs

See LUME.

Latent Mutation

Minor Special Strength. 1 point.

Advantage on Exposure Rolls. | If you score a Critical, automatically gain a major mutation in a random Characteristic. Incompatible with having a mutation.

Game Rules alpha 5.3: Agents · Traits · Special Strengths.

Agent’s Guide alpha 5.4: Agent creation · Strengths · Special.

Latent Psychotronic Potential

Minor Special Strength. 1 point.

Advantage to resist psychotronic effects. | At a critical moment, at the Handler’s discretion, gain a major psychotronic power. | Incompatible with mutations.

Game Rules alpha 5.3: Agents · Traits · Special Strengths.

Agent’s Guide alpha 5.4: Agent creation · Strengths · Special.

Latex Mask

Advanced equipment

A synthetic face of a specific person; requires photographs and a mold. Degrades with heat, water, or physical contact.

Game Rules alpha 5.3: Equipment · Advanced.

Agent’s Guide alpha 5.4: Agent creation · Advanced equipment.

Lebende Tote

See Living Dead.

Leviathans

Leviathans are mobile fortresses whose size and destructive capability made them some of the most feared weapons of the Great War. Designed to devastate territories and subjugate nations, they required immense quantities of oil to deploy. Most land models are now destroyed, abandoned, or out of service.

Land Leviathans depend on oil. Their consumption and operating costs limit their military usefulness even for the great powers. Keeping one active requires fuel supplies and financial resources that few states can sustain.

The Atomic Academy attempted to modernize them using Cores. The project was abandoned because their energy needs overloaded the reactors and the cost proved excessive. The land Leviathans still operating remain dependent on oil.

Active examples include Mater Zima and Jabal Alasid. The Jörmungandr belongs to a new submarine generation and uses a Mega-Core cooled by the ocean.

Dossiers: Instruments of Power v6.2 — Leviathans.

Light Feet

Minor Physical Strength. 1 point.

SPD+1 | DEX+1 for movement and balance | Advantage to move freely and maintain balance.

Game Rules alpha 5.3: Agents · Traits · Physical Strengths.

Agent’s Guide alpha 5.4: Agent creation · Strengths · Physical.

Lion Casino

The casino in Jabal Alasid’s Guest House. Part of the luxury complex that receives ambassadors and guests from international elites.

Little Birds

See Ptichiki.

Liver of Steel

Minor Physical Strength. 1 point.

VIT+1 | Advantage against all types of poison | Lose 1 additional RP each night.

Game Rules alpha 5.3: Agents · Traits · Physical Strengths.

Agent’s Guide alpha 5.4: Agent creation · Strengths · Physical.

Living Dead

Explorers who venture into the Dead Zone are known as the Living Dead: Lebende Tote in German and Zhivyye Mertvetsy in Russian.

The Guild hires these explorers, although the name also covers those who work independently or for other interests. They include agents sent by the powers, journalists investigating the Hyperpowers’ clandestine activities, and residents of the Dead Zone itself seeking the resources they need to survive.

See also: Dead Zone; Berlin Guild; Core stones

Dossiers: Unaffiliated Groups v6.2 — Berlin Guild.

Lucky

Major Special Strength. 3 points.

+1 Plot Roll per session. | On Plot Rolls, you may win on a 12. | Advantage on luck rolls (except Plot Rolls or Clock Rolls).

Game Rules alpha 5.3: Agents · Traits · Special Strengths.

Agent’s Guide alpha 5.4: Agent creation · Strengths · Special.

LUME

Labor Union of Managers and Entrepreneurs

LUME is the only legal union in the Free Fatherlands of Nova Columbia and the Blue Bloc’s most influential political think tank. Composed of the nation’s business and financial elite, it brings together the great fortunes and corporations behind the creation of the FNC. Most policies and laws enacted by the government originate in its proposals.

It originated at a gathering of wealthy families, investors, and magnates at Columbia University. It drafted the New Constitution and promoted the transformation that produced the FNC.

It also monitors the central government. It examines offices and departments for inefficiencies or bureaucracy that, according to its principles, should be replaced by corporate management. Corporations retain their rivalries and form temporary alliances to promote laws or pressure other companies.

Dossiers: Agencies & Institutions v9.3 — LUME.

M

M.A.D.

Mutually Assured Destruction. The atomic bomb, nuclear paranoia, and the logic of M.A.D. are the pillars of the Cold War.

Mad Scientist

Major Mental Weakness. 3 points.

INT+3 | CHA-2 | CHA-2 for anything unrelated to research | WIL+2 for research | Draw 5 additional cards for ONE Academic Skill, which becomes a Mastery (with no age limit). | You have disadvantage in all other academic disciplines. | Gain the ‘Mad Scientist’ personality aspect [you are interested only in your research. Make a WIL roll to do anything that does not help your research]. | GLO-1 for any task unrelated to research.

See also: Weakness; Agent Traits; Mastery

Game Rules alpha 5.3: Agents · Traits · Mental Weaknesses.

Agent’s Guide alpha 5.4: Agent creation · Weaknesses · Mental.

Magnetic Lock Opener

Advanced equipment

A device that opens mechanical and electrical locks in seconds.

DEX+15 to open mechanical and electrical locks | DEF[Ar]+2 | uses 20 (actions) [requires batteries] | $45,000

Game Rules alpha 5.3: Equipment · Advanced.

Agent’s Guide alpha 5.4: Agent creation · Advanced equipment.

Major Mutation

Major Mutations are more active than passive, and their functions are broader and more flexible.

As a Strength

Major Special Strength. 3 points.

Gain 1 major mutation in a random Characteristic. | A Hyperpower knows you exist: gain the Weakness Public Enemy or Person of Interest.

Major psychotronic power

Major powers are more active than passive, with more open and flexible functionality. Rather than having 1 use and a fixed WP cost, their cost varies according to the intended application.

Game Rules alpha 5.3: Psychotronics · Mechanics.

Agent’s Guide alpha 5.4: Powers · Psychotronics.

Major Psychotronics

Major Special Strength. 3 points.

WIL+1 | Gain 1 major psychotronic power. | If detected, gain the Weakness Person of Interest. | Incompatible with mutations.

Game Rules alpha 5.3: Agents · Traits · Special Strengths.

Agent’s Guide alpha 5.4: Agent creation · Strengths · Special.

Major Smuggled Core

Major Special Strength. 3 points.

You have a medium-quality piece of CPM and a sufficient supply of Cores; to replenish them, you must pass a CHA roll on the black market. | You can learn Yadro Skills (see Vol’framin Yadro Skills). | Gain the Weakness Person of Interest [Red Bloc] without receiving points.

Game Rules alpha 5.3: Agents · Traits · Special Strengths.

Agent’s Guide alpha 5.4: Agent creation · Strengths · Special.

Martial skills

Pistols, Rifle, Archery, Martial Arts, Explosives, Combat Vehicle Piloting, Strategy, and War Machinery Operation.

Rifle, Martial Arts, Combat Vehicle Piloting, Strategy, and War Machinery Operation require a Specialty.

Master

Minor Professional Strength. 1 point.

Gain 1 additional Mastery in any Skill (with no age limit). | Draw 1 card for that Skill.

Game Rules alpha 5.3: Agents · Traits · Professional Strengths.

Agent’s Guide alpha 5.4: Agent creation · Strengths · Professional.

Mastery

Every character has 3 Masteries: Skills in which the character excels, usually related to their profession. Every Mastery must have at least 1 level and grants these benefits:

Characteristic Rolls to which the Mastery applies gain advantage.
Skill Challenges involving the Mastery are 1 difficulty level lower, both for overcoming challenges and for learning (see Skill Challenge and Skill advancement).

A character with Mastery in an academic skill is considered a specialist in all its subjects.

See also: Skill; Academic Specialty; Advantage

Game Rules alpha 5.3: Agents · Skills; Agents · Skill Points.

Agent’s Guide alpha 5.4: The Agent · Skills.

Mater Zima

The Mater Zima, known as Mother Winter, is one of the great land fortresses that have remained in service since the Great War. Once the jewel of the Russian Empire, it became a national symbol of the IURR after its capture by revolutionaries. It now serves as the Hegemon’s residence and a venue for official ceremonies and receptions.

After withdrawing from public life, the Hegemon moved the fortress to the outskirts of Novgorod, where it remains stationed for most of the year. His court retains a ceremonial role, while the Union’s effective government and the VKKB leadership remain in Moscow.

Once a year, Mother Winter travels across Russia, visiting the Union’s most important cities to commemorate the Red March. Its arrival recalls the revolutionary advance on the capital and displays the Union’s historical continuity.

The Mater Zima still depends on oil to operate and move. Its immense consumption and operating costs limit its military usefulness, as they do for other land Leviathans. Core technology has not replaced its oil-based power supply.

Dossiers: Instruments of Power v6.2 — Mater Zima.

Mech

See Mechanized units.

Mechanized Bureaucracy

The IURR’s administrative apparatus, directed by the Inter-Comintern. More than ten million personnel coordinate production, distribution, and state activity through analog machinery, strict procedures, and widespread use of Synthetic Minds.

Dossiers: Agencies & Institutions v9.3 — Inter-Comintern.

Mechanized suits

Mechanized suits are mechas scaled down to human size: more manageable, affordable, and easier to pilot, at the cost of reduced power and strength. They are generally reserved for security forces.

They usually have 2 to 4 Cores and 30 to 50 uses. Changing Cores generally requires another person’s assistance, or the wearer risks becoming trapped inside the suit.

A suit allows its operator to handle loads and tools beyond the capabilities of an unassisted person. Associated equipment notably includes heavy Core-powered tools, particularly large hammers.

Their use is subject to Atomic Academy oversight and Vol’framin preparation. Tungsten Protocol injections, protective measures, and technical training reduce the dangers of radiation exposure.

Game Rules alpha 5.3: Red Bloc · Types of CPM.

Agent’s Guide alpha 5.4: Powers · Core-Powered Machinery (CPM).

Dossiers: Instruments of Power v6.2 — Mechanized suits.

Mechanized units

Mechanized units (‘mechas’) are immense feats of engineering piloted by humans. They have both civilian uses (mainly construction) and military ones. Their size and energy requirements vary, but are generally high.

They usually have 5 to 10 Cores and 30 to 50 uses. Changing Cores is slow and requires mechanical assistance.

The power of these units made it possible to build factories the size of cities and monumental structures of steel and concrete. Their use is part of the Red Bloc’s industrial expansion and projects such as the Steel Wall, which separates the Dead Zone from the IURR.

Kuznitsa develops Mechs and transfers technology to the factories that produce them. The Atomic Academy controls Core technology and licenses its operators.

Game Rules alpha 5.3: Red Bloc · Types of CPM.

Agent’s Guide alpha 5.4: Powers · Core-Powered Machinery (CPM).

Dossiers: Instruments of Power v6.2 — Mechs.

Mechs

See Mechanized units.

Medical assistance

Healing wounds worse than minor requires medical assistance. Hospitals are the main source, covering all wound types and severities. Other sources include:

First Aid Kit: up to moderate physical wounds only (blunt, piercing, slashing, ballistic, explosive, fire, cold).
Medical Bag: up to moderate wounds of any type.
Antibiotic: up to moderate disease wounds only.
Activated Charcoal: up to moderate poison wounds only.

Game Rules alpha 5.3: Combat and health · Healing; Combat and health · At death’s door.

Agent’s Guide alpha 5.4: Combat and health · Healing; Combat and health · At death’s door.

Medical Bag

Standard equipment.

Counts as assistance when recovering from wounds.

VIT+2 for healing wounds | INT+2 for medicine | DEX+2 for surgery | DEF[Ar]+2 | $800

Medical assistance: treats wounds of any type, up to Moderate severity only.

Game Rules alpha 5.3: Equipment · Standard; Combat and health · Healing.

Agent’s Guide alpha 5.4: Agent creation · Standard Equipment List; Combat and health · Healing.

Mega-Core

An experimental reactor of exceptional size and power that drives the Jörmungandr. The submarine design uses the ocean for cooling, preventing the overloads that made it impossible to adapt land Leviathans to Core technology.

Working on it is one of the Union’s most prestigious technical positions. Prolonged exposure can cause severe consequences and psychological changes even in extraordinarily resistant Vol’framin.

See also: Jörmungandr; Core; Vol’framin

Dossiers: Instruments of Power v6.2 — Jörmungandr.

Men of Tungsten

See Vol’framin.

Menagerie

Villa Esperanza’s collection of exotic and dangerous animals. It includes big cats, elephants, crocodiles, snakes, sharks, and other specimens that are difficult to obtain.

The collection also includes mutated animals with extraordinary abilities, originating from clandestine atomic experiments. Rumor has it that some servants are thrown to the beasts as punishment.

Mental Defenses

Minor Mental Strength. 1 point.

DEF[Ab]+3 against psychic damage.

Game Rules alpha 5.3: Agents · Traits · Mental Strengths.

Agent’s Guide alpha 5.4: Agent creation · Strengths · Mental.

Mental suggestion

A psychotronic ability that introduces ideas, influences decisions, or induces emotions that the subject perceives as their own.

Dossiers: Persons of Interest v11.2 — psychotronic abilities.

Microdot Kit

Advanced equipment

Reduces a page of paper to the size of a punctuation mark. A microscope is required to read the message.

PER-20 to detect the paper after reduction | DEF[Ar]+1 | uses 10 (pages) | $50,000

Game Rules alpha 5.3: Equipment · Advanced.

Agent’s Guide alpha 5.4: Agent creation · Advanced equipment.

Midnight

When the Clock’s hands strike Midnight, the FNC and the IURR launch their atomic arsenals and the game ends.

The Handler may give the Agents one final chance to avert catastrophe: they have one hour to turn back the Clock.

However, turning back the Clock once it has struck Midnight is far from easy and requires an action or event of sufficient significance and critical importance.

All Clock Rolls are replaced by Fumble Rolls. Add one additional Fumble Roll for each risk level. If a roll fails, the game ends.

The exception is a positive extreme-risk roll (1D20) that moves the Clock backward. If it succeeds, Midnight ends.

As a last resort, if everything fails, the players may try their luck with a Plot Roll (see Plot Roll). On a success, they gain one additional hour to stop Midnight.

If the Plot Roll fails, the end is imminent: automatic defense systems launch the Hyperpowers’ entire atomic arsenals, annihilating all life on Earth. The game is over.

Game Rules alpha 5.3: Doomsday Clock · Midnight.

Midnight Tower

The original IIAS headquarters in Bern. A brick building with three towers, it served as the first Second-Men base. It hosts the Institute’s quarterly meetings; the facade of the central tower publicly displays the Doomsday Clock.

When one minute remains until Midnight, alarms initiate security protocols and the transfer of key people to private bunkers.

See also: IIAS; Doomsday Clock; Second-Men

Dossiers: Hot Zones v8.2 — Bern.

Military Service

Minor Professional Strength. 1 point.

STR+1 | DEX+1 with firearms | Draw 3 cards for Martial Skills.

Game Rules alpha 5.3: Agents · Traits · Professional Strengths.

Agent’s Guide alpha 5.4: Agent creation · Strengths · Professional.

Mini-Cores

Compact variants of Cores used, among other applications, to integrate machinery into the human body. Chelovenchiki rely on these reactors to sustain their implants and survive.

They are depleted through use and must be replaced. Outside official supply channels, obtaining them may depend on the black market.

See also: Core; Chelovenchiki; Berlin Guild

Dossiers: Instruments of Power v6.2 — Cores and Chelovenchiki.

Minor Mutation

Minor Mutations are more passive than active, with a function limited to a single application. They are generally always active, although some may be temporarily suppressed with a WIL + Mutation level Roll (the Difficulty Factor and duration of suppression depend on the mutation).

As a Strength

Minor Special Strength. 1 point.

Gain 1 minor mutation in a random Characteristic. | May be taken up to 2 times, but if you do, gain the Weakness Side Effects.

Minor psychotronic power

Minor powers are more passive than active, and their functionality is limited to a single application. Using them requires WP; the amount depends on the power’s potency.

Game Rules alpha 5.3: Psychotronics · Mechanics.

Agent’s Guide alpha 5.4: Powers · Psychotronics.

Minor Psychotronics

Minor Special Strength. 1 point.

WIL+1 | Gain a minor psychotronic power. | Incompatible with mutations.

Game Rules alpha 5.3: Agents · Traits · Special Strengths.

Agent’s Guide alpha 5.4: Agent creation · Strengths · Special.

Minor Smuggled Core

Minor Special Strength. 1 point.

You have a low-quality piece of CPM and a sufficient supply of Cores; to replenish them, you must succeed on a CHA Roll on the black market. | Gain the Weaknesses Person of Interest [Red Bloc] and Radiation Poisoning without receiving points. Incompatible with Major Smuggled Core.

Game Rules alpha 5.3: Agents · Traits · Special Strengths.

Agent’s Guide alpha 5.4: Agent creation · Strengths · Special.

Minor wound

Minor (1 damage point): No modifier applies.

Each day, a character recovers 1HP (2 if under 25) and automatically heals one minor wound.

The roll is almost automatic, since the wound still heals on a failure. However, requiring a roll creates the possibility of a Fumble and the wound worsening.

MIPC

Motor Industries Petroleum Council

The MIPC is the agency through which the FNC’s major automobile manufacturers protect oil dependence in transportation. Its influence within LUME and the Columbian political system sustains a vehicle market that continues to use liquid fuels despite the development of nuclear energy.

It promotes alternative oil operations, negotiates supply agreements, and supports covert operations to protect the supplies and prices industry requires. Its campaigns against nuclear energy also target the EVERYMAN program.

Dossiers: Agencies & Institutions v9.3 — MIPC.

Moderate wound

Moderate (2–4 damage points): GLO-1

To attempt to heal it, you need medical assistance that covers the wound’s severity and type.

For moderate wounds, roll VIT against (DF6 + damage) each day. On a success, the wound heals.

Game Rules alpha 5.3: Combat and health · Damage; Combat and health · Healing.

Agent’s Guide alpha 5.4: Combat and health · Wounds; Combat and health · Healing.

Modifier

Modifiers are gained:

From Agent Traits (see Traits) during character creation. These are permanent.
From equipment (see Equipment). These are not permanent.
Caused by events during play. Example: an Agent loses an eye in a confrontation, applying a permanent negative modifier to PER.

Modifiers generally apply to a single Characteristic, unless they are global (GLO); in that case, they apply to ALL Characteristics.

There is no limit to the number of modifiers that can apply to a roll. However, some modifiers (especially equipment) can ignore a character’s Characteristics.

Game Rules alpha 5.3: Agents · Modifiers.

Agent’s Guide alpha 5.4: The Agent · Modifiers.

Montevideo disaster

A disaster associated with the EVERYMAN program that damaged its reputation and prompted investigations and tighter restrictions on Everyman deployment. The MIPC publicized the scandal and pressured the FNC government to investigate and impose restrictions.

Mother Winter

See Mater Zima.

Motor Industries Petroleum Council

See MIPC.

Mount Lion

See Jabal Alasid.

Mr. Gatsby

Major Economic Strength. 3 points.

Raise your salary by 2 quality levels (starting at quality 1). Once per session, you may make a CHA roll to secure large-scale funding. | Once per session, you may make an INT roll to obtain privileged market information. Incompatible with any other Economic Trait.

Game Rules alpha 5.3: Agents · Traits · Economic Strengths.

Agent’s Guide alpha 5.4: Agent creation · Strengths · Economic.

Mutant

A person who has acquired mutant augmentations.

Although the FNC holds a monopoly on mutant creation, anyone can acquire mutant augmentations under the right circumstances. Such an event is very rare in nature, however (it requires a Critical), and the results are unpredictable.

Mutants cannot naturally clear radiation from their bodies. When they gain a Radiation Mark (see Radiation Points), the Radiation Points are not spent on the Mark; they accumulate instead.

A psychotronic character cannot acquire mutant abilities.

See also: Mutation; Everyman; Mutant exposure

Game Rules alpha 5.3: Blue Bloc · Everymen; Blue Bloc · Radiation; Psychotronics · Radiation.

Agent’s Guide alpha 5.4: Powers · Mutations; Powers · Psychotronics.

Mutant exposure

Whenever a mutant gains one or more Radiation Marks, they must make an Exposure Roll (see Radiation Marks and Exposure Rolls). However, mutants use different table results, and the more mutations they have, the less stable their powers become.

VIT + 1D12 – Radiation Marks × number of mutations

Result	Effect
35+	Gain a major mutation.
30 to 34	Gain a minor mutation.
13 to 29	Nothing happens.
12	Gain a side effect (see Side Effects).
−9 to 11	The mutant enters an overloaded state.
−10 or less	The mutant explodes, dealing 1D12 + mutation levels in damage within a radius of 5 × highest mutation level.

Game Rules alpha 5.3: Blue Bloc · Radiation.

Agent’s Guide alpha 5.4: Powers · Mutations.

Mutant overload

When a mutant enters an overloaded state, roll 1D4 and add the Radiation Points absorbed to gain the Mark. This is their overload total:

overload total = 1D4 + Radiation Points for the Mark

Add the overload total to the level of every mutant Skill. It also indicates the duration in minutes: each time 1 minute passes, overload decreases by 1.

An overload can raise a mutant power’s level above 10.

While overloaded, a mutant:

Cannot suppress their powers.
Explodes if they Fumble a roll using their mutations (see Mutant exposure table).
Subtracts the overload total from the Exposure Roll’s result (separately).
If they roll another result between -9 and 11 on an Exposure Roll, adds the new overload roll’s result to their overload total.

Upon leaving the overloaded state, the character suffers GLO-3 from fatigue for 1D12 hours.

Game Rules alpha 5.3: Blue Bloc · Radiation.

Agent’s Guide alpha 5.4: Powers · Mutations.

Mutant powers

See Mutation.

Mutation

Each mutation is associated with a specific Characteristic, and there is no limit to the number of mutations a character can acquire. If an EVERYMAN Vat was used, the player chooses the Characteristic that receives the mutation; otherwise, roll 1D10 and consult the following table:

1D10	Characteristic
1	Intellect
2	Perception
3	Charisma
4	Strength
5	Dexterity
6	Speed
7	Defense (Absorption)
8	Vitality
9	Your choice
10	Repeat the roll.

A mutation is represented by a special Skill starting at level 1. Like an ordinary Skill, it applies as a modifier to its associated Characteristic. The mutant Skill’s effect and use depend on whether it is major or minor.

Like Skills, mutations range from level 1 to 10, with 10 being the maximum. During character creation, a player may spend Skill Points to increase their mutation’s level, always observing age limits (see Skill Points during Agent creation).

Mutations can be Masteries.

Game Rules alpha 5.3: Blue Bloc · Mutations; Blue Bloc · Radiation.

Agent’s Guide alpha 5.4: Powers · Mutations.

Mutation advancement

Unlike other Skills, mutations require radiation to level up: they are a kind of cancer that absorbs radiation to increase its power.

Mutants cannot naturally clear radiation from their bodies. When they gain a Radiation Mark (see Radiation Points), the Radiation Points are not spent on the Mark; they accumulate instead.

Whenever a mutant gains one or more Marks, they may spend accumulated Radiation Points to attempt to level up their mutations as though they were Skills (see Skill advancement): they spend Radiation Points instead of Skill Marks.

Mutations can be Masteries.

Game Rules alpha 5.3: Blue Bloc · Radiation.

Agent’s Guide alpha 5.4: Powers · Mutations.

Mute

Major Physical Weakness. 3 points.

CHA-3 | All voice rolls fail automatically. | Disadvantage when communicating without writing, unless the other person knows sign language.

See also: Weakness; Agent Traits

Game Rules alpha 5.3: Agents · Traits · Physical Weaknesses.

Agent’s Guide alpha 5.4: Agent creation · Weaknesses · Physical.

N

N&M Chemicals

See Nobel & Midland Chemicals.

NAG

See Non-Aligned Groups.

Native Language

All characters start with the Language Skill (their native language) at level 5: they gain 1 level each year until age five.

A character’s native language depends on their nationality, background, and history.

Game Rules alpha 5.3: Agents · Skill Points; Agent creation.

Agent’s Guide alpha 5.4: Agent creation · Skill Points; Agent creation.

New Constitution

A manifesto drafted by LUME that advocated minimal government and liberalism as solutions to the crisis. Its principles guided the political and economic transformation that produced the Free Fatherlands of Nova Columbia.

See also: LUME; 1935 Revolution; Blue Bloc

Dossiers: Agencies & Institutions v9.3 — LUME.

Nobel & Midland Chemicals

Nobel & Midland Chemicals conducted the research that made it possible to create superhumans through controlled radiation exposure. As EDO’s principal contractor, it implements the EVERYMAN program and occupies a central position in the development, use, and maintenance of the FNC’s superhuman abilities.

Also known as N&M Chemicals. It developed the EVERYMAN Vats and Capsules and remains EDO’s principal contractor. Alongside ALEC, it is a patron of The Haven Foundation.

Despite its influential contributions, the company still presents itself publicly as a chemical products business, since the FNC keeps the existence of the EVERYMAN Vats secret.

Dossiers: Agencies & Institutions v9.3 — Nobel & Midland Chemicals.

Nobel Prize Winner

Major Professional Strength. 3 points.

INT+2 | Draw 7 cards for Academic Skills; make one of them a Mastery. | Academic Skills have no age limit for you.

Game Rules alpha 5.3: Agents · Traits · Professional Strengths.

Agent’s Guide alpha 5.4: Agent creation · Strengths · Professional.

Non-Aligned Groups

NAG Strengths are still less powerful than those the Hyperpowers offer, but make up for this with lighter obligations and greater freedom of action for the Agent.

Game Rules alpha 5.3: Third World · Non-Aligned Groups.

Agent’s Guide alpha 5.4: Agent creation · Faction Strengths.

Non-player character

A character portrayed by the Handler, who directs the plot, sets action difficulties, and interprets the rules.

Notable Characteristic

Minor Special Strength. 1 point.

+1 to any one Characteristic.

Game Rules alpha 5.3: Agents · Traits · Special Strengths.

Agent’s Guide alpha 5.4: Agent creation · Strengths · Special.

Nuclear Paranoia

Major Special Weakness. 3 points.

WIL-1 | When you trigger a Clock Roll, roll 2 dice and apply the worst result for humanity. | +1 Fumble Roll during Midnight. | Gain the ‘Nuclear Paranoid’ personality aspect [whenever the Clock advances, roll WIL to resist panicking and suffering GLO-1].

See also: Weakness; Agent Traits; Clock Roll

Game Rules alpha 5.3: Agents · Traits · Special Weaknesses.

Agent’s Guide alpha 5.4: Agent creation · Weaknesses · Special.

Nurse

Minor Professional Strength. 1 point.

VIT+1 | Advantage on First Aid rolls. | Draw 3 cards for Medicine, First Aid, or Basic Care.

Game Rules alpha 5.3: Agents · Traits · Professional Strengths.

Agent’s Guide alpha 5.4: Agent creation · Strengths · Professional.

O

Obese

Minor Physical Weakness. 1 point.

SPD-1 | VIT-1 | DEF[Ab]+1 against blunt attacks | Disadvantage on fatigue rolls.

See also: Weakness; Agent Traits; Fatigue

Game Rules alpha 5.3: Agents · Traits · Physical Weaknesses.

Agent’s Guide alpha 5.4: Agent creation · Weaknesses · Physical.

Obligations

For each Strength exclusive to a bloc or Non-Aligned Group, the Agent acquires obligations. They must fulfill them to retain the benefits. In MADpunk, all power comes at a price…

NAG Strengths have less restrictive obligations and allow greater freedom of action than those of the Hyperpowers.

Game Rules alpha 5.3: Red Bloc · Strengths and obligations; Blue Bloc · Strengths and obligations; Third World · Non-Aligned Groups.

Agent’s Guide alpha 5.4: Agent creation · Faction Strengths.

Old Blood

Major Economic Strength. 3 points.

Raise your salary to the maximum level (5, starting at 1); this level cannot be reached through ordinary means. | Once per session, you may make a CHA roll to influence geopolitics: make a 1D4 Doomsday Clock Roll in either direction. | Gain the major Weakness Person of Interest or Enemies without receiving points. Incompatible with any other Economic Trait.

Game Rules alpha 5.3: Agents · Traits · Economic Strengths.

Agent’s Guide alpha 5.4: Agent creation · Strengths · Economic.

OMEGA-7

The clearance level required to access certain confidential documents. An OMEGA-7 notice indicates that consultation is restricted to those holding that level of authorization.

Mentioning a dossier or protocol subject to OMEGA-7 confirms its existence but does not itself reveal the restricted information it contains.

One-Eyed

Minor Physical Weakness. 1 point.

PER-2 | Disadvantage on precision rolls | +1 Fumble Roll for reactions on your blind side.

See also: Weakness; Agent Traits

Game Rules alpha 5.3: Agents · Traits · Physical Weaknesses.

Agent’s Guide alpha 5.4: Agent creation · Weaknesses · Physical.

Orderly Life

Minor Mental Strength. 1 point.

INT+1 | WIL+1 | Gain the ‘Methodical’ personality aspect [you must pass a WIL roll to break your routine].

Game Rules alpha 5.3: Agents · Traits · Mental Strengths.

Agent’s Guide alpha 5.4: Agent creation · Strengths · Mental.

P

Pacifist

Minor Social Weakness. 1 point.

CHA+1 | WIL+2 against provocation | Gain the ‘Pacifist’ personality aspect [roll WIL to attack during combat].

See also: Weakness; Agent Traits

Game Rules alpha 5.3: Agents · Traits · Social Weaknesses.

Agent’s Guide alpha 5.4: Agent creation · Weaknesses · Social.

Palace of Sparrows

The Palace of Sparrows, officially the Institute of Psychotronics, studies the human mind, its relationship with the body, and the brain’s psychotronic patterns. It develops mind-control techniques and trains agents with psychotronic abilities. It has its own leadership and operational autonomy within the state structure. Its headquarters stands in Vorobiovy Gory, the Sparrow Hills, southwest of Moscow.

The Institute operates publicly as a psychiatric hospital. This cover conceals its psychotronic research and agent preparation programs. Its role as an intelligence organization is not publicly acknowledged, although it forms part of the IURR state structure.

In addition to psychotronic agents, the Palace uses masters of hypnosis and mental conditioning to train double agents, the Ptichiki (“little birds”). Thanks to them, the Union possesses the world’s largest espionage network.

The Institute’s leadership retains authority over the Palace as a whole and its scientific, educational, and operational activities. The VKKB directs all Sparrow operations: espionage networks, agent deployment, missions, and the intelligence obtained.

The Palace collaborates with the Atomic Academy on joint research in the Dead Zone into radiation’s effects on psychotronics, both in acquiring powers and destroying them.

See also: Sparrow; Ptichiki; VKKB; Psychotronics

Dossiers: Agencies & Institutions v9.3 — Palace of Sparrows.

Palace of Sparrows skills

Hypnosis, Psychotronics (science), Psychological Warfare, Psychotherapy, and Suggestion (subconscious).

With the Sparrow Strength

You may learn skills exclusive to Palace members. These skills have no age limit, and you may choose one as a Mastery.

Draw 12 additional cards during character creation. The Skill Points gained may only be spent on Palace Skills and psychotronic powers.

Pan-Slavic Revolutionary People's Party

PSRPP. The revolutionary coalition that won the election and proclaimed the Hegemon. Its merger with the structures of the former revolutionary movement produced the Inter-Comintern as the Union’s governing party.

Paranoid

Minor Mental Weakness. 1 point.

INT-1 | PER+1 | CHA-2 with people you do not know | WIL+2 to resist mental attacks. | Gain the ‘Paranoid’ personality aspect [roll WIL to trust other people].

See also: Weakness; Agent Traits

Game Rules alpha 5.3: Agents · Traits · Mental Weaknesses.

Agent’s Guide alpha 5.4: Agent creation · Weaknesses · Mental.

Partial modifier

A partial modifier applies only under specific circumstances. Example: a telescope only improves Perception when looking into the distance, and may hinder perception of the immediate surroundings.

A partial modifier (see Characteristic modifiers) applies only to VIT rolls and has no effect on HP or on determining whether a character dies from negative VIT.

A partial modifier (see Characteristic modifiers) applies only to WIL rolls and has no effect on WP or on determining whether a character’s psyche has broken.

Game Rules alpha 5.3: Agents · Modifiers; Agents · Health Points; Agents · Willpower Points.

Agent’s Guide alpha 5.4: The Agent · Modifiers; The Agent · Special Characteristics.

Party Animal

Minor Social Strength. 1 point.

CHA+1 | CHA+1 at parties | Advantage on intoxication rolls.

Game Rules alpha 5.3: Agents · Traits · Social Strengths.

Agent’s Guide alpha 5.4: Agent creation · Strengths · Social.

Passive modifier

The modifier applies at all times, whether acting or reacting. It applies for as long as the equipment is functioning. Examples: wearing armor or taking a drug.

Pen Gun

Advanced equipment

Looks like a fountain pen. Fires an explosive projectile dealing 1D12+8 damage within a 1 m radius (ignores basic Armor). If destroyed, make a Fumble Roll to see whether it detonates.

Game Rules alpha 5.3: Equipment · Advanced.

Agent’s Guide alpha 5.4: Agent creation · Advanced equipment.

PER

See Perception.

Perception

A character’s ability to perceive and understand their surroundings. Measures the effectiveness of the senses (sight, smell, touch, hearing, and taste). Essential for detecting patterns and details.

See also: Basic Characteristics

Game Rules alpha 5.3: Agents · Characteristics.

Agent’s Guide alpha 5.4: The Agent · Basic Characteristics.

Person of Interest

Major Professional Weakness. 3 points.

You have attracted the attention of a Hyperpower’s intelligence service or an organization with global influence. They know everything about you and want to use you for their own ends. | If you Fumble a roll to request assistance, the organization finds you and sends Agents after you.

See also: Weakness; Agent Traits

Game Rules alpha 5.3: Agents · Traits · Professional Weaknesses.

Agent’s Guide alpha 5.4: Agent creation · Weaknesses · Professional.

Personality Aspects

See Agent personality.

Phantom Pain

Major Physical Weakness. 3 points.

You have lost a limb: DEX−3 for an arm, SPD−3 for a leg

See also: Weakness; Agent Traits

Game Rules alpha 5.3: Agents · Traits · Physical Weaknesses.

Agent’s Guide alpha 5.4: Agent creation · Weaknesses · Physical.

Piercing Gaze

Minor Social Strength. 1 point.

CHA+1 | CHA+1 to intimidate someone while looking them in the eye | Anyone trying to intimidate you while you hold their gaze has disadvantage.

Game Rules alpha 5.3: Agents · Traits · Social Strengths.

Agent’s Guide alpha 5.4: Agent creation · Strengths · Social.

Plate Armor

Advanced equipment

DEF[Ab]+12 | SPD-3 | DEX-1 | DEF[Ar]+25 | $250,000

Game Rules alpha 5.3: Equipment · Advanced.

Agent’s Guide alpha 5.4: Agent creation · Advanced equipment.

Player

A participant who portrays an Agent, makes their decisions, and resolves their actions through the rules. The Handler runs the game and portrays Non-player characters. This term is distinct from Gambler, the Weakness associated with gambling.

Plot Roll

MADpunk is a world of overwhelming forces and insurmountable challenges. At some point during a mission, a player may find themselves completely outmatched, with no realistic chance of winning. In that case, they may ask the Handler for a Plot Roll.

Each player may make one Plot Roll per game session. The Handler decides what happens if the roll succeeds and what failure entails.

The player rolls 2D6. On a 7, they lose. On a 2, they win. On any other number, the Plot Roll ends and the character must fend for themselves. The player may spend 1 Willpower Point to reroll, but then every result except 2 is a loss.

Pocket Dosimeter

Standard equipment.

Allows the wearer to know their accumulated Radiation Points.

DEF[Ar]+1 | $60

Point Blue

See Point Blue Scientific Base.

Point Blue Scientific Base

Point Blue occupies the center of the atoll. Watchtowers and bunkers stand on the surface; beneath the water lies a labyrinthine complex extending into the depths. Sonic frequency emitters keep away any marine creature that could pose a threat.

The base coordinates experiments and studies the effects of radiation on the ecosystem and the human body. Some of this research uses indigenous people as experimental subjects.

Dossiers: Hot Zones v8.2 — Bikairé Atoll.

Poison

Standard equipment.

Must be consumed. The target must pass a VIT roll each minute (or round) for duration X or take poison damage (ignores conventional defenses). The poison’s duration, damage severity, and roll difficulty depend on the type of poison.

uses 1 (consumable) | $X (varies with potency) | duration X (varies with potency)

Game Rules alpha 5.3: Equipment · Standard.

Agent’s Guide alpha 5.4: Agent creation · Standard Equipment List.

Poison Umbrella

Advanced equipment

A gas mechanism drives a poisoned needle into the target: very difficult to detect and barely noticeable (PER-10 to notice the prick). If the target is unsuspecting, it counts as a surprise attack and bypasses combat. The needle can be loaded with any poison.

Game Rules alpha 5.3: Equipment · Advanced.

Agent’s Guide alpha 5.4: Agent creation · Advanced equipment.

Poker Player

Major Mental Strength. 3 points.

WIL+1 | In Skill Challenges, the deck always starts with both jokers. | If you fail a Skill Challenge, it always counts as a Fumble. | Gain 2 additional SP during Skill Challenges.

Game Rules alpha 5.3: Agents · Traits · Mental Strengths.

Agent’s Guide alpha 5.4: Agent creation · Strengths · Mental.

Poor Characteristic

Minor Special Weakness. 1 point.

-1 to a Characteristic of your choice.

See also: Weakness; Agent Traits

Game Rules alpha 5.3: Agents · Traits · Special Weaknesses.

Agent’s Guide alpha 5.4: Agent creation · Weaknesses · Special.

Portable Terminal

Advanced equipment

A suitcase with a keyboard and telephone coupler. Allows Computing challenges against any terminal it can connect to, including remotely over the telephone network.

INT+6 for computing | DEF[Ar]+3 | [requires continuous electrical power] | $600,000

Game Rules alpha 5.3: Equipment · Advanced.

Agent’s Guide alpha 5.4: Agent creation · Advanced equipment.

Potassium Iodide Tablets

Standard equipment.

Grant advantage on the next Radiation Exposure Roll.

DEF[Ab]+2 against radiation | consumable | $20 | duration 24 hours

Remove 2 RP from the body. A maximum of 1 dose may be used per day.

Game Rules alpha 5.3: Equipment · Standard; Radiation · Prevention.

Agent’s Guide alpha 5.4: Agent creation · Standard Equipment List; Combat and health · Radiation.

Powers

There are three sources of power: mutations (Blue Bloc), psychotronics (“magic”), and Core-Powered Machinery (Red Bloc). A psychotronic cannot have mutations.

Game Rules alpha 5.3: Blue Bloc · Mutations; Psychotronics; Red Bloc · Core-Powered Machinery.

Agent’s Guide alpha 5.4: Powers.

Presidium

The Presidium holds the highest political authority and is headed by the Inter-Comintern’s General Secretary. From Moscow, this structure exercises effective government in the Hegemon’s name and maintains the relationship among the Party apparatus, military commanders, and security bodies.

Dossiers: Agencies & Institutions v9.3 — Inter-Comintern.

Primary action

During the Action phase, each player takes 1 Primary action, which requires a roll. Using psychotronic or mutant powers is an exception: in certain circumstances, no roll is required.

Not every primary action is an Attack Roll. Example: immobilizing an opponent with a hold requires a Strength roll, but does not count as an Attack Roll because it deals no damage.

Running, firing a firearm, getting up from the ground, giving orders to a subordinate, and replacing a Core are Primary actions.

Game Rules alpha 5.3: Combat and health · Action phase; Combat and health · Attack And Defense.

Agent’s Guide alpha 5.4: Combat and health · Action phase; Combat and health · Attack And Defense.

Prodigy

Major Mental Strength. 3 points.

+2 to the age-based level limit for all Skills | Draw 5 cards.

Game Rules alpha 5.3: Agents · Traits · Mental Strengths.

Agent’s Guide alpha 5.4: Agent creation · Strengths · Mental.

Professional skills

Sports*; Music*; Art*; Craft*; Piloting* (boats, aircraft, trucks, trains…); Mechanics; Electricity; Hunting* (includes fishing); First Aid; Acting; Surgery; Accounting; Computing; Machinery Operation*; Writing* (requires at least level 5 in a language); Dialogue; Journalism; Marketing; Cooking*; Basic Care*.

An asterisk (*) indicates that a Specialty must be chosen.

PSRPP

See Pan-Slavic Revolutionary People's Party.

Psychic anesthesia

A psychotronic ability that allows the user to calm someone, induce sleep, or suppress sensations through physical contact or concentration. Described effects may last for hours, days, or weeks.

Dossiers: Persons of Interest v11.2 — psychotronic abilities.

Psychic Damage

Psychic damage generally cannot be blocked (even by DEF[Ab]) and ignores all conventional Armor. Only psychotronic effects can inflict this type of damage.

Medicine is entirely ineffective at healing Psychic Damage because it does not cause conventional wounds.

Game Rules alpha 5.3: Psychotronics · Psychic Damage.

Agent’s Guide alpha 5.4: Powers · Psychic Damage.

Psychic Wound

Medicine is completely ineffective at healing psychic damage, which does not cause conventional wounds (see Damage and wound severity). Whenever a psychic wound is suffered, consult the following table:

Wound and damage	Effect
Minor (1 damage point)	No modifier applies.
Moderate (2–4 damage points)	GLO-1 from fatigue.
Severe (5–9 damage points)	GLO−2 from fatigue
Grave (10+ damage points)	GLO−3 from fatigue
Fatal (damage points >= HP)	Instant death as the head explodes.

Psychic wounds below grave severity can heal naturally by passing a Willpower roll at the appropriate interval. Grave wounds require psychological assistance to heal, although this can also aid recovery from lesser wounds.

Game Rules alpha 5.3: Psychotronics · Psychic Damage.

Agent’s Guide alpha 5.4: Powers · Psychic Damage.

Psychic wound healing

Psychological assistance applies as a modifier to all psychic damage recovery rolls. On a success, the wound heals. On a failure, reduce the wound’s damage by 1 (which may lower its severity). On a Fumble, the character loses 1HP to psychic damage and the wound worsens.

For moderate wounds, roll WIL against (DF6 + damage) each day. On a success, the wound heals without lasting effects.

For severe wounds, roll WIL against (DF9 + damage) each week. On a success, the wound heals, but the character gains a minor personality or Mental Weakness (see Traits). If healed with psychological assistance, the wound leaves no lasting effects.

For grave wounds, roll WIL against (DF12 + damage) each week ONLY with psychological assistance. On a success, the wound heals, but the character gains a major personality or Mental Weakness (see Traits).

Game Rules alpha 5.3: Psychotronics · Psychic Damage.

Agent’s Guide alpha 5.4: Powers · Psychic Damage.

Psychological assistance

Game Rules alpha 5.3: Psychotronics · Psychic Damage.

Agent’s Guide alpha 5.4: Powers · Psychic Damage.

Psychometry

A psychotronic ability that allows the user to perceive impressions of past events associated with an object by touching it.

Dossiers: Persons of Interest v11.2 — psychotronic abilities.

Psychotronic

A person with psychotronic powers; also an adjective describing those abilities or their effects. The specific possibilities depend on the powers acquired and the Psychotronics rules.

Psychotronic exposure

See Radiation and psychotronics.

Psychotronic Fumbles

Psychotronic powers generally do not require a Characteristic Roll to take effect: spending the necessary WP is enough. However, in certain exceptional circumstances, the psychotronic may be forced to make Fumble Rolls before using their powers:

If they have suffered psychic damage, +1 Fumble Roll until they recover.
If total fatigue modifiers are -3 or lower, +1 Fumble Roll.
If total wound modifiers are -3 or lower, +1 Fumble Roll.
If 10 or more WP are spent on a single effect, +1 Fumble Roll.
If in contact with a radiation source, additional Fumble Rolls are required based on its intensity (see Radiation and psychotronic powers).

When a Fumble Roll fails while using psychotronic abilities, consult the following table based on the total number of Fumble Rolls required.

Fumble Rolls	Effect
1 to 2 Fumble Rolls	The power has an unexpected, harmful effect chosen by the Handler.
3 Fumble Rolls	The psychotronic takes 1D12 psychic damage and falls unconscious for that many hours.
4 Fumble Rolls	The power overloads. Add 1D12+12 to the power’s level for the intended effect only. The psychotronic then falls unconscious for that many hours and gains a side effect in a random Characteristic (see Side Effects).
5+ Fumble Rolls	The power overloads. Add 1D12+24 to the power’s level for the intended effect only. The psychotronic’s head then explodes.

Game Rules alpha 5.3: Psychotronics · Willpower.

Agent’s Guide alpha 5.4: Powers · Psychotronics.

Psychotronic power

Psychotronics is associated with the special Characteristic Willpower (WIL), and requires Willpower Points (WP) to use.

A psychotronic power is represented as a Skill. Its level applies as a modifier to Characteristic Rolls, and it advances like ordinary Skills (see Skill advancement). There are two types of power: minor and major.

A psychotronic CANNOT gain mutant Skills (see Acquiring mutations and how they work) and can have only 1 psychotronic power. Their Radiation Exposure Rolls therefore produce different results from normal (see Radiation Marks and Exposure Rolls).

Game Rules alpha 5.3: Psychotronics · Mechanics; Psychotronics · Radiation.

Agent’s Guide alpha 5.4: Powers · Psychotronics.

Psychotronic Wave Jammer

Advanced equipment

Generates neural white noise within a 15 m range. All affected psychotronics must make a WIL roll to avoid taking 1D12 psychic damage and losing consciousness. Psychotronic powers within the field have disadvantage and Fumble automatically. Emits +5 radiation each round it remains active within a 15 m radius.

DEF[Ar]+5 | uses 10 (turns) [requires uranium] | $1,200,000

Game Rules alpha 5.3: Equipment · Advanced.

Agent’s Guide alpha 5.4: Agent creation · Advanced equipment.

Psychotronics

Psychotronics encompasses exceptional abilities associated for centuries with magic and supernatural phenomena. Their origin remains unexplained. The hypothesis that they arise from brain mutations has neither been demonstrated nor made it possible to reproduce them under controlled conditions.

Psychotronics is the most mysterious ‘science’ on the planet. It studies the strange phenomenon that allows a tiny minority of humanity to use supernatural abilities.

Mystical sages, terrifying prophets, heroes blessed by the gods, mysterious practitioners of the arcane… Throughout history, psychotronics has always been associated with ‘magic’.

Psychotronics is associated with the special Characteristic Willpower (WIL), and requires Willpower Points (WP) to use.

Game Rules alpha 5.3: Psychotronics; Psychotronics · Mechanics; Psychotronics · Radiation.

Agent’s Guide alpha 5.4: Powers · Psychotronics.

Dossiers: Instruments of Power v6.2 — Psychotronics.

Ptichiki

Little Birds. Sleeper agents unaware of their status, carrying implanted instructions. A psychotronic signal activates them during the Red Bloc’s response to a nuclear crisis.

The Palace of Sparrows uses specialists in hypnosis and mental conditioning to train these double agents.

Dossiers: Instruments of Power v6.2 — Doomsday Clock; Agencies & Institutions v9.3 — Palace of Sparrows.

Public Enemy

Major Social Weakness. 3 points.

A Hyperpower considers you persona non grata. You are a terrorist in its territory and will never be safe within its sphere of influence.

See also: Weakness; Agent Traits

Game Rules alpha 5.3: Agents · Traits · Social Weaknesses.

Agent’s Guide alpha 5.4: Agent creation · Weaknesses · Social.

Pulitzer

Major Social Strength. 3 points.

PER+1 | CHA+3 for journalism | Draw 3 cards for Journalism, which becomes a Mastery (with no age limit). | Once per session, you may make a CHA roll to obtain privileged information. | Advantage on rolls to take photographs.

Game Rules alpha 5.3: Agents · Traits · Social Strengths.

Agent’s Guide alpha 5.4: Agent creation · Strengths · Social.

Pushing a psychotronic power

Even without the required WP, a psychotronic can use sheer willpower to force their power. Make a Willpower roll: on a success, the psychotronic loses HP equal to the missing WP and the power takes effect.

Forcing a power is dangerous, adding +1 Fumble Roll if a 12 is rolled.

Game Rules alpha 5.3: Psychotronics · Willpower.

Agent’s Guide alpha 5.4: Powers · Psychotronics.

Puzzle Enthusiast

Minor Mental Strength. 1 point.

INT+1 | PER+1 to detect patterns | Advantage to solve puzzles or riddles.

Game Rules alpha 5.3: Agents · Traits · Mental Strengths.

Agent’s Guide alpha 5.4: Agent creation · Strengths · Mental.

Q

Quick Draw

Minor Physical Strength. 1 point.

SPD+1 | SPD+1 for initiative | You never need to roll to draw a weapon.

Game Rules alpha 5.3: Agents · Traits · Physical Strengths.

Agent’s Guide alpha 5.4: Agent creation · Strengths · Physical.

Quick Fingers

Minor Physical Strength. 1 point.

SPD+1 | DEX+1 for handling objects | Advantage on manual tasks under pressure.

Game Rules alpha 5.3: Agents · Traits · Physical Strengths.

Agent’s Guide alpha 5.4: Agent creation · Strengths · Physical.

Quick Mind

Minor Mental Strength. 1 point.

INT+1 | SPD+1 for quick thinking | Advantage on activities performed under pressure.

Game Rules alpha 5.3: Agents · Traits · Mental Strengths.

Agent’s Guide alpha 5.4: Agent creation · Strengths · Mental.

Quick Reflexes

Minor Physical Strength. 1 point.

SPD+1 | SPD+1 for all reactions | Advantage on reflex rolls.

Game Rules alpha 5.3: Agents · Traits · Physical Strengths.

Agent’s Guide alpha 5.4: Agent creation · Strengths · Physical.

R

Radiation

In MADpunk, radiation is one of the most persistent threats characters face: the power of the atom is everywhere. The greater their exposure, the worse the consequences.

Radiation is a special damage type that cannot be blocked conventionally (see Radiation emitted by CPM): it passes through both Armor and skin.

Unlike other damage, absorbing radiation causes no immediate wounds or modifiers; it accumulates unnoticed in the body. Once 10 or more Radiation Points accumulate, they are consumed to gain a Radiation Mark. Once gained, Marks are permanent, and the more a character has, the more severe the lasting effects.

Game Rules alpha 5.3: Radiation.

Agent’s Guide alpha 5.4: Combat and health · Radiation.

Radiation and psychotronics

Psychotronics and radiation are incompatible: radiation somehow interferes with psychotronic waves. In the presence of a radiation source (see Radiation sources), a psychotronic must make Fumble Rolls to use their powers, even if no Characteristic Roll is required. The number of Fumble Rolls depends on the radiation’s intensity:

Radiation Points	Additional Fumble Rolls
1–4 Radiation Points	+1 Fumble Roll
5–9 Radiation Points	+2 Fumble Rolls
10–14 Radiation Points	+3 Fumble Rolls
15–19 Radiation Points	+4 Fumble Rolls
...

If a Fumble Roll fails, consult the Psychotronic Fumble table.

Result	Effect
24+	The character gains a side effect (see Side Effects) in a random Characteristic, related to their psychotronic powers.
10–23	Nothing happens.
5 to 9	The character suffers temporary GLO-1 from radiation poisoning.
0 to 4	The character suffers permanent GLO-1 from cancer.
−1 to −4	The character suffers permanent GLO-2 from cancer.
−5 to −9	The character suffers permanent GLO-3 from cancer.
−10 or less	The character has (1D12 – Marks) days to live; if the value is negative, they have 1D12 hours. At each time interval, the character permanently loses VIT until death (their body is decomposing).

Game Rules alpha 5.3: Psychotronics · Radiation.

Agent’s Guide alpha 5.4: Powers · Psychotronics.

Radiation emitted by CPM

Whenever CPM is used, roll 1D12. The result indicates:

The Radiation Points emitted by the Core.
The radiation’s emission range in meters.

Whenever a Core is damaged directly (for example, when CPM is attacked with damage that penetrates its Armor), make a Fumble Roll to see whether it explodes. If CPM is destroyed, make a Fumble Roll to see whether its Cores explode.

Game Rules alpha 5.3: Red Bloc · Radiation.

Agent’s Guide alpha 5.4: Powers · Core-Powered Machinery (CPM).

Radiation Marks

Mutants cannot naturally clear radiation from their bodies. When they gain a Radiation Mark (see Radiation Points), the Radiation Points are not spent on the Mark; they accumulate instead.

Game Rules alpha 5.3: Radiation; Radiation · Radiation Marks; Blue Bloc · Radiation.

Agent’s Guide alpha 5.4: Combat and health · Radiation; Powers · Mutations.

Radiation Points

Each night, a character loses 2 RP if under 25 years old, or 1 RP if aged 25–60. Characters over 60 cannot lose RP naturally.

Mutants cannot clear radiation from their bodies naturally. When they gain a Radiation Mark, Radiation Points are accumulated rather than spent on the Mark.

Game Rules alpha 5.3: Radiation; Radiation · Prevention; Blue Bloc · Radiation.

Agent’s Guide alpha 5.4: Combat and health · Radiation; Powers · Mutations.

Radiation Poisoning

Major Physical Weakness. 3 points.

VIT-2 | Begin with 2 Radiation Marks. | Disadvantage on Exposure Rolls.

Game Rules alpha 5.3: Agents · Traits · Physical Weaknesses.

Agent’s Guide alpha 5.4: Agent creation · Weaknesses · Physical.

Radiation prevention and removal

Each night, the human body clears accumulated radiation. Age affects how effectively the body eliminates toxins and regulates itself after exposure to a source:

Under 25, lose 2RP each night.
Between 25 and 60, lose 1RP each night.
Over 60, RP cannot be lost naturally; medication and other methods are required.

Certain equipment helps clear radiation from the body. Example: potassium iodide tablets not only grant advantage on the next Exposure Roll, but also remove 2RP from the body (1 use per day).

Prevention is always better than cure. Ultimately, the best way to avoid radiation’s dangers is to be cautious, avoid dangerous radiation sources, and use the best radiation protection equipment.

Mutants cannot naturally clear radiation from their bodies. When they gain a Radiation Mark (see Radiation Points), the Radiation Points are not spent on the Mark; they accumulate instead.

Game Rules alpha 5.3: Radiation · Prevention.

Agent’s Guide alpha 5.4: Combat and health · Radiation.

Radiation source

A radiation source is anything that emits Radiation Points (RP), either in a single burst (Cores) or continuously (irradiated wastelands). For continuous sources, exposure is measured at time intervals.

Game Rules alpha 5.3: Radiation.

Agent’s Guide alpha 5.4: Combat and health · Radiation.

Radiation Suit

Standard equipment.

PER-3 | DEF[Ab]+10 against radiation | DEF[Ar]+2 | $600

Radiation Vulnerability

Minor Physical Weakness. 1 point.

VIT-1 | Gain a Radiation Mark every 8RP instead of every 10.

See also: Weakness; Agent Traits

Game Rules alpha 5.3: Agents · Traits · Physical Weaknesses.

Agent’s Guide alpha 5.4: Agent creation · Weaknesses · Physical.

Reaction

Game Rules alpha 5.3: Combat and health · Attack And Defense.

Agent’s Guide alpha 5.4: Combat and health · Attack And Defense.

Reckless Driver

Minor Physical Strength. 1 point.

SPD+1 | All vehicles you drive have SPD+5 | +1 Fumble Roll while driving | Draw 1 card for Driving.

Game Rules alpha 5.3: Agents · Traits · Physical Strengths.

Agent’s Guide alpha 5.4: Agent creation · Strengths · Physical.

Red Bloc

The geopolitical alliance led by the International Union of Revolutionary Republics (IURR), the hegemonic power of the Second World. It champions socialism, communism, equality, and the International Revolution.

To serve the Red Bloc is to obey the decrees of the Inter-Comintern and the Mechanical Bureaucracy, and to have faith in the Hegemon’s wisdom.

The IURR throws its full weight behind Agents who are loyal to the Inter-Comintern and willing to sacrifice everything for the Revolution. Players who choose the IURR as their affiliation gain access to exclusive Strengths with benefits far greater than those available through standard Agent Traits.

For each Red Strength chosen, the Agent must fulfill a set of obligations to retain its benefits. All power comes at a price, and the IURR demands absolute submission to the party.

Red March

The revolutionary advance on Moscow following the capture of Mater Zima during the Great War. Thousands of peasants and revolutionary supporters joined the fortress; its arrival in the capital culminated in the tsar’s surrender.

The name also refers to the annual commemoration during which Mater Zima travels through the Union’s major cities.

Renegade

Major Professional Weakness. 3 points.

You may take a Hyperpower’s Strengths without fulfilling their obligations. | Gain the Weaknesses Public Enemy (of your Hyperpower) and Person of Interest (of the opposite bloc). | All resources, funding, and support those Strengths would provide are lost. | +1 Fumble Roll on rolls to seek support each session; if you Fumble, the Hyperpower you betrayed finds you.

Game Rules alpha 5.3: Agents · Traits · Professional Weaknesses.

Agent’s Guide alpha 5.4: Agent creation · Weaknesses · Professional.

Rerolling

A player may spend 1 Willpower Point (see Willpower Points) to repeat any roll that has not resulted in a Fumble. If they roll a 12, it is an automatic Fumble.

Game Rules alpha 5.3: Core mechanics · Characteristic Roll; Agents · Willpower Points.

Agent’s Guide alpha 5.4: Core mechanics; The Agent · Special Characteristics.

Resilient Mind

Minor Mental Strength. 1 point.

INT and WIL ignore fatigue and age modifiers | Advantage on rolls to recover from psychic damage.

Game Rules alpha 5.3: Agents · Traits · Mental Strengths.

Agent’s Guide alpha 5.4: Agent creation · Strengths · Mental.

Respected Profession

Minor Social Strength. 1 point.

CHA+1 | CHA+1 among members of your guild or class.

Game Rules alpha 5.3: Agents · Traits · Social Strengths.

Agent’s Guide alpha 5.4: Agent creation · Strengths · Social.

Revolutionary

Major Social Strength. 3 points.

CHA+2 | Draw 5 cards for Academic or Martial Skills. | Once per session, make a CHA roll to mobilize the masses or start an uprising. On a Fumble, gain the major Weakness Person of Interest or Enemies.

Game Rules alpha 5.3: Agents · Traits · Social Strengths.

Agent’s Guide alpha 5.4: Agent creation · Strengths · Social.

Rocket Pack

Advanced equipment

Each use is a flight of up to 100 meters lasting two rounds (about 20 seconds). If the pack is destroyed, the character plummets.

SPD+30 (except initiative) | DEF[Ar]+10 | uses 10 (flights) [requires hydrogen peroxide] | $800,000

Game Rules alpha 5.3: Equipment · Advanced.

Agent’s Guide alpha 5.4: Agent creation · Advanced equipment.

Romantics of ’12

A communist revolutionary movement that demanded independence for Cádiz and its own constitution after the Great War. The uprising triggered a war with Spain; IURR support and intervention allowed the new regime to consolidate.

Dossiers: Hot Zones v8.2 — Cádiz.

Round

Combat in MADpunk takes place in rounds, each representing approximately 6–10 seconds. Each round has two phases: initiative and action.

See also: Initiative phase; Action phase; Turn

Game Rules alpha 5.3: Combat and health.

Agent’s Guide alpha 5.4: Combat and health.

RP

See Radiation Points.

RUDOLF

RUDOLF is a Synthetic Mind designed by the IIAS to analyze geopolitical data and news from both blocs and assess the risk of reaching Midnight. As part of the Doomsday Clock’s response mechanism, it sends instructions and protocols to the Second-Men so they can intervene in crises and prevent escalation.

It sends encrypted instructions to the Second-Men, telling them where and how to act. Agents receive orders on their RUDOLF Watches, synchronized with the Doomsday Clock in real time.

Dossiers: Instruments of Power v6.2 — Synthetic Minds and Doomsday Clock.

RUDOLF Watch

A personal Second-Men device that receives instructions from RUDOLF, the IIAS artificial intelligence.

Synchronized with the Doomsday Clock in real time. Once 1 minute remains until Midnight, RUDOLF sends an emergency signal and an encrypted message indicating where and how the catastrophe can be prevented. Each session, you may repeat one Clock Roll. Exclusive to the Second-Men.

INT+3 to determine whether an action or event could have geopolitical consequences | DEF[Ar]+5 | $1,000,000

The RUDOLF Watch must remain on your person, and you must pay attention to it at all times. You cannot refuse a mission sent by RUDOLF and must follow the IIAS’s apocalypse prevention protocols.

See also: Second-Men; Doomsday Clock; IIAS; RUDOLF

Game Rules alpha 5.3: Equipment · Advanced; Blue Bloc · Second-Men.

Agent’s Guide alpha 5.4: Agent creation · Advanced equipment; Agent creation · Faction Strengths.

Dossiers: Instruments of Power v6.2 — Doomsday Clock.

Running

Primary action. A character must succeed on a Speed Roll to move, in one round, to a position beyond their normal reach (5+SPD).

S

Saint Daniels

Major Blue Strength:

Saint Daniels (Saint Daniel’s School for the Mystically Gifted) is a private institution closely connected to Columbia University and the Ivy League. Young people with psychotronic abilities are brought into the school to receive training in their exceptional gifts.

WIL+2

Gain one major psychotronic power and make it a Mastery.

You can learn Skills exclusive to the Columbian elite (see Saint Daniels Mystical Skills).

Draw 5 additional cards during character creation. The points gained are exclusively for psychotronic powers and Mystical Skills.

You have exclusive contacts in the Ivy League and Columbia University. Once per session, you may make a roll of:

CHA to request financial support from the American elite.
INT to request assistance from a Columbia University intellectual.
WIL to request assistance from one of the school’s psychotronics.

Obligations

The Columbian elite is intensely private and jealously guards its secrets. You are required to follow rigid codes of conduct, rules of brotherhood, and rituals. Keeping the elite’s secrets hidden is your highest priority.

If you encounter young people with psychotronic abilities on your missions, you must recruit them into the school and ensure they receive the proper ‘education’.

Just as you can request support from the Columbian elite, they can demand that you return the favor. Psychotronics are especially sought after.

Students can pursue university degrees in fields such as economics, sociology, philosophy, and religion alongside Saint Daniels’ specialized training. Higher education and the development of exceptional abilities form part of the same educational path.

The FNC publicly condemns psychotronic abilities as heresy against the Christian faith. In private, its elites value these individuals as exceptional assets, spiritual guides, and researchers into the arcane. Discretion about this specialization is part of life at Saint Daniels.

Game Rules alpha 5.3: Blue Bloc · Saint Daniels.

Agent’s Guide alpha 5.4: Agent creation · Faction Strengths.

Dossiers: Agencies & Institutions v9.3 — Saint Daniels.

Saint Daniels Mystic skills

Astrology, Alchemy, Mysticism, Pagan Religion, Kybalion, Freemasonry, and Ars Goetia.

Mysticism and Pagan Religion require a Specialty.

With the Saint Daniels Strength

You may learn skills exclusive to the Columbian elite.

Draw 5 additional cards during character creation. The points gained are exclusively for psychotronic powers and Mystical Skills.

Salary

Each character has a salary. Salary quantifies the resources and goods available to a character, and depends on their social and cultural context.

Salary serves two purposes:

It determines how much equipment an Agent can afford during character creation. For this purpose, the character receives their salary for each year from age 18 onward.
It determines the financial resources available to a character each month.

Salary uses a level system similar to equipment quality, applying the level as a modifier to a base salary of $1,000.

salary = base salary × salary level

At salary level 0, the character has no resources and their salary is $100.
At salary level 1, the character is lower class and their salary is multiplied by 1. This is the starting level for all characters.
At salary level 2, the character is middle class and their salary is multiplied by 2.
At salary level 3, the character is upper middle class and their salary is multiplied by 3.
At salary level 4, the character is upper class and their salary is squared.
At salary level 5, the character belongs to the elite and there is no limit to their wealth.

Salary level

See Salary.

Schizophrenic

Major Mental Weakness. 3 points.

PER-1 | WIL+1 | INT-3 and CHA-3 during a schizophrenic episode. | The Handler may ask you to make INT or WIL rolls to distinguish reality from illusion; on a failure, you experience a psychotic episode for 1D12 turns. During the episode, +1 Fumble Roll on all rolls.

See also: Weakness; Agent Traits

Game Rules alpha 5.3: Agents · Traits · Mental Weaknesses.

Agent’s Guide alpha 5.4: Agent creation · Weaknesses · Mental.

Second-Men

The Second-Men are funded by the Institute and follow its emergency procedures. Even so, their true allegiance lies with the FNC and its presidency.

Major Blue Strength:

You are a member of the Second-Men, the FNC’s elite covert agents.

GLO+1 (for being the best of the best)

Draw 10 additional cards during character creation. The points gained may only be spent on Espionage Skills (see Second-Men Espionage Skills). These Skills have no age limit. Make one of them a Mastery.

Gain 3 pieces of advanced equipment and a RUDOLF Watch (see Advanced equipment).

You are employed by the IIAS (International Institute of Atomic Security). You receive an upper-class salary.

Obligations

As a Second-Man, your mission is simple: stop the Doomsday Clock, whatever the cost. You are expected to be present in the world’s most volatile conflict zones and ‘hot spots’.

The RUDOLF Watch must remain on your person, and you must pay attention to it at all times. You cannot refuse a mission sent by RUDOLF and must follow the IIAS’s apocalypse prevention protocols.

Game Rules alpha 5.3: Blue Bloc · Second-Men.

Agent’s Guide alpha 5.4: Agent creation · Faction Strengths.

Dossiers: Agencies & Institutions v9.3 — IIAS.

Second-Men Espionage skills

Foreign Language, Sleight of Hand, Stealth, Disguise, Deception, Intrigue, Empathy, Awareness, Acting, Pistols, and Martial Arts.

With the Second-Men Strength

Draw 10 additional cards during character creation. The points gained may only be spent on Espionage skills. These skills have no age limit. Choose one as a Mastery.

Secondary action

During the Action phase, each player takes 2 Secondary actions, resolved without a roll.

Walking, picking up or dropping an object, drawing a weapon, taking cover, communicating information to another character, and reloading a firearm are Secondary actions. Drawing a weapon while nervous is a Primary action and requires a Dexterity Roll.

Game Rules alpha 5.3: Combat and health · Action phase.

Agent’s Guide alpha 5.4: Combat and health · Action phase.

Self-Taught

Minor Professional Strength. 1 point.

The difficulty of all level-up challenges is reduced by 1. | Gain 2 additional SP whenever you begin a level-up challenge.

Game Rules alpha 5.3: Agents · Traits · Professional Strengths.

Agent’s Guide alpha 5.4: Agent creation · Strengths · Professional.

Severe wound

Severe (5–9 damage points): GLO-2

To attempt to heal it, you need medical assistance that covers the wound’s severity and type.

For severe wounds, roll VIT against (DF9 + damage) each week. On a success, the wound heals, but the character gains a temporary negative modifier to an appropriate Characteristic. Example: after a fall, the character must use crutches for a time.

See also: Wound; Wound healing; Psychic Wound

Game Rules alpha 5.3: Combat and health · Damage; Combat and health · Healing.

Agent’s Guide alpha 5.4: Combat and health · Wounds; Combat and health · Healing.

Shy

Minor Mental Weakness. 1 point.

CHA-1 | Disadvantage on social rolls. Gain the ‘Shy’ personality aspect [roll WIL to initiate conversations and social interactions].

See also: Weakness; Agent Traits

Game Rules alpha 5.3: Agents · Traits · Mental Weaknesses.

Agent’s Guide alpha 5.4: Agent creation · Weaknesses · Mental.

Siberia Protocol

The Siberia Protocol can impose an extreme winter on a defined area using environmental control technologies developed by the IURR. The VKKB can order its activation in emergencies.

The artificial winter alters conditions in the territory to demoralize the enemy and give Union forces an advantage. Its effectiveness requires those conditions to be maintained for several months.

The cost of sustaining the intervention is its principal limitation and restricts its use.

The protocol was used once inside the IURR to suppress a series of uprisings in Eastern Europe. The intervention caused one of the worst famines and mass killings of the modern era.

Sickly

Major Physical Weakness. 3 points.

VIT-2 | Calculate age-based VIT as though you were 10 years older. | Begin aging rolls at age 30. | Disadvantage against disease.

See also: Weakness; Agent Traits

Game Rules alpha 5.3: Agents · Traits · Physical Weaknesses.

Agent’s Guide alpha 5.4: Agent creation · Weaknesses · Physical.

Side Effects

Major Special Weakness. 3 points.

A negative modifier of 1D4+1 to a random Characteristic; it has a troublesome, problematic mutation or psychic effect. | May be gained even without mutations or psychic powers (see Acquiring mutations and how they work). | May be taken more than once.

Game Rules alpha 5.3: Agents · Traits · Special Weaknesses.

Agent’s Guide alpha 5.4: Agent creation · Weaknesses · Special.

Skill

Skills represent a character’s proficiency, mastery, and knack in a particular field, and serve two purposes:

They act as positive partial modifiers, making Characteristic Rolls easier when the Skill applies to the action. Example: the ‘Rifle [Sniper]’ Skill may be added as a modifier to a PER roll when using a telescopic sight.
Skill level helps overcome Skill Challenges, where Characteristics and modifiers do not count. The more experience a character has in a Skill, the more likely they are to pass the challenge (see Skill Challenge).

Skills have 10 levels. 1 represents a beginner, 5 an expert, and 10 a world authority.

Depending on a character’s background (and at the Handler’s discretion), some Skills cannot be learned or require a convincing backstory to explain their acquisition: a peasant in the IURR is unlikely to be interested in learning ‘Economics’, or could not specialize in ‘Free Markets’ without raising suspicions of treason.

Game Rules alpha 5.3: Agents · Skills.

Agent’s Guide alpha 5.4: The Agent · Skills.

Skill advancement

After completing a mission or game session, a player may spend accumulated Marks to level up their Skills. To do so, they undertake a Skill Challenge against the Handler with a Difficulty Factor equal to the next level they want to reach. Unlike during character creation, Skills may be raised to the maximum level of 10 during play.

However, instead of using Skill level and Willpower to gain Skill Points, they use their accumulated Marks. Spent Marks cannot be recovered, whether the challenge succeeds or fails.

Game Rules alpha 5.3: Agents · Skills · Advancement.

Agent’s Guide alpha 5.4: The Agent · Advancement.

Skill Challenge

Sometimes an action’s success depends on a character’s knack and mastery of a particular Skill, rather than their Characteristics. In a Skill Challenge, the only factor that matters is the character’s level in the Skill.

For a Skill Challenge, the Handler takes a poker deck and deals 5 face-up cards to the player and 5 face-down cards to themselves. Based on the challenge’s difficulty, the Handler sets a Difficulty Factor that the player must equal or exceed to pass.

Difficulty	Poker hand
Trivial	high card
Very easy	one pair
Easy	two pair
Normal	three of a kind
Difficult	flush
Very difficult	straight
Expert	full house
Nearly impossible	four of a kind
Impossible	straight flush
Legendary	royal flush / five of a kind

The player must build the best poker hand possible and, at a minimum, achieve the hand indicated by the DF. However, the Handler, whose hand is hidden, also takes part in the challenge. The player’s hand must therefore also equal or beat the Handler’s.

The Handler’s hand only counts combinations at or below the Difficulty Factor. Even if they have three of a kind, if the required hand is two pair, the Handler will have at most one pair. The player has no such restriction and may pass the challenge by achieving a hand higher than the one specified by the Difficulty Factor.

If the deck runs out for any reason and another card must be drawn, shuffle the discard pile and deal again. If the player runs out of SP, the challenge ends and the hands are compared.

See also: Skill Points; Skill Contest; Mastery

Game Rules alpha 5.3: Core mechanics · Skill Challenge.

Agent’s Guide alpha 5.4: Core mechanics · Skill Challenge (poker).

Skill Contest

A Skill Challenge can take place between two characters (player or non-player) competing to see who is more proficient in the Skill. Before the contest begins, the Handler and participants agree on what is won and what is lost.

In a contest, each player is dealt five face-down cards (only they may look at their own cards), and each receives SP equal to their Skill level. Starting with the more experienced character (decide randomly if both have the same level), each participant may take the following actions on their turn:

Spend 1SP to discard one card from their hand and draw one card face down.
Spend 1 Willpower Point to discard one card from their hand and draw one card face down. With the Handler’s consent, the opponent may change the stakes.
Pass. If both players pass, the contest ends.
Surrender and concede victory to the opponent. The stakes can then be renegotiated to be more favorable to the loser.

Once the contest ends, both hands are revealed and the character with the higher hand wins. If the hands are equal, the character with the higher Skill level wins. If their levels are equal, the character with more unspent SP wins. If those amounts are equal, decide randomly.

Skill level

Skills have 10 levels. 1 represents a beginner, 5 an expert, and 10 a world authority.

A character’s age determines the maximum level of their Skills. Anyone can have some proficiency in a field, but true mastery requires decades of effort. Certain character Traits can ignore or increase the Skill limit.

Age	Skill limit
0–4	1
5–9	2
10–14	3
15–19	4
20–29	5
30–39	6
40–49	7
50+	8

During play, a skill may be raised to the maximum level of 10.

Skill Marks

Over the course of a game, MADpunk characters learn from their experiences and grow (or deteriorate) as people. This is represented by Marks accumulated in their Skills:

Whenever an Agent succeeds on a Characteristic Roll using one of their Skills as a modifier, add 1 Mark to that Skill; a Critical adds 1 additional Mark.
Whenever an Agent passes a Skill Challenge, add a number of Marks to the Skill equal to the challenge’s difficulty level.
A Fumble on a Characteristic Roll or Skill Challenge removes 1 Mark.

Game Rules alpha 5.3: Agents · Skills · Advancement.

Agent’s Guide alpha 5.4: The Agent · Advancement.

Skill Points

During a Skill Challenge

Skill level helps with the challenge: the greater the character’s mastery, the more likely they are to pass difficult challenges. For each level in the Skill, the player receives 2 Skill Points (SP). These can be spent for various effects:

SP	Effect
-1 SP	Discard any number of cards from your hand and draw that many cards.
-2 SP	Force the Handler to reveal their hand.
-1 SP	Force the Handler to discard one card from their hand and draw one card face down.
-2 SP	Force the Handler to discard their entire hand and draw five cards face down.
-2 SP	Add 2 jokers (wild cards) to the discard pile and shuffle it back into the deck.

A player may spend Willpower Points to gain additional SP (1WP = 1SP). However, if the player fails the challenge, it counts as a Fumble.

During a Skill Contest

Each participant receives SP equal to their Skill level. During their turn, they may spend 1 SP to discard a card from their hand and draw one face down.

During Agent creation

Points are obtained through playing cards dealt according to age. Each Skill level costs 1 point. These points can only be spent during character creation.

Game Rules alpha 5.3: Core mechanics · Skill Challenge; Core mechanics · Skill Contest; Agents · Skill Points.

Agent’s Guide alpha 5.4: Core mechanics · Skill Challenge (poker); Core mechanics · Skill Contest; Agent creation · Skill Points.

Skill Points during Agent creation

For every 2 years of age (rounded down), a character draws 1 card from a poker deck (54 cards in total, including jokers). The card’s value determines how many points they gain to increase their Skills. Each Skill level costs 1 point. Masteries begin at level 1 for free.

Card	Skill Points
2–10	1
J–K	2
A	3
Joker	4

In the hypothetical case that a player draws more cards than the deck contains, count 80 points (the value of the entire deck), then deal the remaining cards.

Skill Points can only be spent during character creation. To increase a Skill’s level or add a Specialty to an Academic Skill during play, see Skill advancement.

Game Rules alpha 5.3: Agents · Skill Points.

Agent’s Guide alpha 5.4: Agent creation · Skill Points.

Slow-Witted

Minor Mental Weakness. 1 point.

INT-1 | SPD-1 | Disadvantage when thinking quickly or reacting.

See also: Weakness; Agent Traits

Game Rules alpha 5.3: Agents · Traits · Mental Weaknesses.

Agent’s Guide alpha 5.4: Agent creation · Weaknesses · Mental.

Smoker

Minor Physical Weakness. 1 point.

VIT-1 | Disadvantage on fatigue rolls. | Make aging rolls 10 years earlier than normal. | Gain the ‘Addict’ personality aspect [make a WIL roll to try to resist the temptation to smoke].

See also: Weakness; Agent Traits; Fatigue

Game Rules alpha 5.3: Agents · Traits · Physical Weaknesses.

Agent’s Guide alpha 5.4: Agent creation · Weaknesses · Physical.

Societas Hermetica Serpentis Coronatus

A Blue Bloc organization. Its dossier is confidential and requires OMEGA-7 clearance.

See also: OMEGA-7

Solaris Protocol

The Solaris Protocol provides for the activation of the most powerful Everyman in the EVERYMAN program. It forms part of the doctrine known as Spandex Diplomacy, which uses superhuman abilities as instruments of pressure, deterrence, and retaliation.

The individual associated with the protocol is an overloaded Everyman with the power of a star. His strength surpasses that of the program’s other subjects, placing him among the FNC’s weapons of mass destruction.

The Everyman’s power is so extreme that he must remain in controlled stasis and cryogenic freezing at a secret base in Alaska. These conditions keep the overloaded individual and his destructive capability under control.

Uncertainty about his mental stability compounds the danger. There are doubts about how long he can remain conscious and sane under the effects of such power. Prolonged activation could compromise his judgment and control of his abilities.

ALEC invokes the Solaris Protocol to bring him out of that state and deploy him as an instrument of deterrence or retaliation.

See also: Spandex Diplomacy; Everyman; ALEC

Dossiers: Instruments of Power v6.2 — Solaris Protocol.

Somatic perception

A psychotronic ability that allows the user to perceive injuries, organ failures, and tissue changes through physical contact. These sensations can be interpreted as diagnostic information. The power does not heal or alter the body.

Dossiers: Persons of Interest v11.2 — psychotronic abilities.

Sons of Simon

An anticommunist counterrevolutionary group funded by the IURR oligarch who owns Villa Esperanza. Its representatives are regular guests at the residence.

Its Non-Aligned Group dossier is confidential and requires OMEGA-7 clearance.

Dossiers: Hot Zones v8.2 — Villa Esperanza; Unaffiliated Groups v6.2 — Sons of Simon.

See also: OMEGA-7

SP

See Skill Points.

Spandex Diplomacy

A doctrine of deterrence and retaliation that calls the Everymen into action to “save” the day. ALEC implements it. The Solaris Protocol forms part of the doctrine and is used only in extreme cases.

See also: ALEC; Everyman; Solaris Protocol

Dossiers: Agencies & Institutions v9.3 — ALEC.

Sparrow

Sparrows are the clandestine agents created by the Palace. The VKKB directs their operational activity. They include field agents with psychotronic abilities assigned to espionage and infiltration, who maintain civilian professions and may build genuine careers as part of their cover.

Major Red Strength:

You have been admitted to the infamous Palace of Sparrows and trained in your powers by the Institute of Psychotronics.

WIL+4

Gain one major psychotronic power and make it a Mastery.

You can learn Skills exclusive to Palace members (see Palace of Sparrows Skills). These Skills have no age limit for you, and you may make one of them a Mastery.

Draw 12 additional cards during character creation. The Skill Points gained may only be spent on Palace Skills and psychotronic powers.

Each session, you may make an INT roll to request information and resources from the VKKB.

Obligations

You are a civil servant of the Red Bloc: your profession depends on your psychotronic abilities. Secretly, you are an Agent of the VKKB, the IURR’s intelligence service, which will demand your services: failure or noncompliance is severely punished.

Every year, in the name of science, you must return to the Palace and submit to its scientists’ psychotronic research and experiments for at least two weeks.

Game Rules alpha 5.3: Red Bloc · Sparrow.

Agent’s Guide alpha 5.4: Agent creation · Faction Strengths.

Dossiers: Agencies & Institutions v9.3 — Palace of Sparrows.

Sparrows

See Sparrow.

SPD

See Speed.

Special Characteristics

Defense (DEF) represents the ability to absorb or mitigate damage. Vitality (VIT) represents overall health and stamina and determines Health Points. Willpower (WIL) measures will and mental resilience and determines Willpower Points.

Specialty

An asterisk (*) after a Skill means a Specialty must be chosen. ‘Archery’ and ‘Gymnastics’ are both ‘Sports’, but experience in one does not translate into mastery of the other.

Additional Specialties may be added to an Academic Skill by spending 1 Skill Point. A character with Mastery in an Academic Skill is considered a specialist in all its fields.

See also: Skill; Mastery; Academic Specialty

Game Rules alpha 5.3: Agents · Skill Points.

Agent’s Guide alpha 5.4: The Agent · Skills.

Speed

Represents both physical speed (how fast a character can move through space) and mental speed (reflexes and reaction). Determines Initiative and is essential when acting in a hurry or under stress.

Game Rules alpha 5.3: Agents · Characteristics.

Agent’s Guide alpha 5.4: The Agent · Basic Characteristics.

Standard equipment

These items are available to all characters, although availability may depend on profession or history.

The manual’s equipment list omits quality levels and shows only each item’s base price. If an item’s Armor is omitted, assume DEF[Ar]+1; the item is destroyed if it takes damage.

Steady Hand

Minor Physical Strength. 1 point.

DEX+1 | Advantage on all aiming rolls.

Game Rules alpha 5.3: Agents · Traits · Physical Strengths.

Agent’s Guide alpha 5.4: Agent creation · Strengths · Physical.

Steel Isthmus

The fortified land access connecting Cádiz to the rest of Spain. The IURR has invested major resources in protecting it and sustaining its naval position.

Despite the controls, smugglers transport Cores and people across the isthmus and between Cádiz and Africa.

See also: Hercules Lighthouse; Core; Red Bloc

Dossiers: Hot Zones v8.2 — Cádiz.

Steel Wall

The structure separating the Dead Zone from the IURR. Its construction forms part of the Red Bloc’s industrial expansion, made possible by the power of Mechs.

STERLING Protocol

A protocol associated with Capitol Ten Dynamics. Documents detailing it require OMEGA-7 clearance.

See also: OMEGA-7

STR

See Strength (STR).

Strength (STR)

Physical power. Determines how much weight a character can push, pull, grip, lift, throw, and move, as well as their ability to resist being moved. Essential for skills requiring brute force and for close combat.

See also: Basic Characteristics

Game Rules alpha 5.3: Agents · Characteristics.

Agent’s Guide alpha 5.4: The Agent · Basic Characteristics.

Strength (Trait)

Agent Traits are divided into Strengths and Weaknesses. Strengths may be Major (3 points) or Minor (1 point). All characters begin with 3 free Strength points; to gain more, they must purchase Weaknesses for the necessary points.

A maximum of 15 Strength points may be spent; a maximum of 12 points may be gained from Weaknesses.

Game Rules alpha 5.3: Agents · Traits.

Agent’s Guide alpha 5.4: Agent creation · Traits: Strengths and Weaknesses.

Stubborn

Minor Mental Weakness. 1 point.

WIL+2 to resist changing your mind. | Gain the ‘Stubborn’ personality aspect [roll WIL to change your mind].

See also: Weakness; Agent Traits

Game Rules alpha 5.3: Agents · Traits · Mental Weaknesses.

Agent’s Guide alpha 5.4: Agent creation · Weaknesses · Mental.

Suggestible

Minor Mental Weakness. 1 point.

CHA+1 | WIL-1 | Disadvantage to resist any attempt at manipulation.

See also: Weakness; Agent Traits

Game Rules alpha 5.3: Agents · Traits · Mental Weaknesses.

Agent’s Guide alpha 5.4: Agent creation · Weaknesses · Mental.

Surprise attack

A surprise attack, a Fumble on a Defensive Roll, or an Attack Roll against an incapacitated target gives the defender a result of 0, leaving them to rely on DEF to withstand the blow.

See also: Attack Roll; Defensive Roll; Defense

Game Rules alpha 5.3: Combat and health · Attack And Defense.

Agent’s Guide alpha 5.4: Combat and health · Attack And Defense.

Survivor

Major Physical Strength. 3 points.

VIT+2 | DEF[Ab]+1 against weather and disease | Recover 1 extra HP per day. | Choose a location: you have Survival Mastery in that location. Draw 3 cards for Survival (ignore the age limit).

Game Rules alpha 5.3: Agents · Traits · Physical Strengths.

Agent’s Guide alpha 5.4: Agent creation · Strengths · Physical.

Sword Cane

Advanced equipment

Game Rules alpha 5.3: Equipment · Advanced.

Agent’s Guide alpha 5.4: Agent creation · Advanced equipment.

Synthetic Fiber Vest

Advanced equipment

State-of-the-art fabric, undetectable under a shirt.

DEF[Ab]+8 | PER-10 to detect it beneath clothing | DEF[Ar]+10 | $80,000

Game Rules alpha 5.3: Equipment · Advanced.

Agent’s Guide alpha 5.4: Agent creation · Advanced equipment.

Synthetic Mind

See Synthetic Minds.

Synthetic Minds

Synthetic Mind is the name given to advanced artificial intelligences. Their ability to process information, act within automated systems, and control machinery gives them strategic value in the technological competition between the blocs.

The Blue Bloc leads the development of high-level Synthetic Minds and auxiliary artificial intelligence systems. Their applications include process automation, information analysis, and the coordination of complex systems.

Synthetic Minds are widespread throughout the Union’s administration. Integrated into its bureaucratic machinery, they help coordinate a state apparatus spanning numerous republics and millions of officials.

The Inter-Comintern credits IURR scientists with their development. In reality, the technology used by its administration was obtained through extraction operations conducted by Directive Nine, the VKKB branch specializing in this task.

The existence of Autonomous Mechanized Units has led specialists to suggest that Synthetic Minds may be used in their control systems. However, their unusual and strangely human behavior has baffled Blue Bloc scientists.

Dossiers: Instruments of Power v6.2 — Synthetic Minds.

T

TDA

See Tokyo Development Authority.

Telepathy

A psychotronic faculty whose applications may range from reading thoughts to manipulating memories and perceptions. Its scope varies between individuals; possessing it does not imply mastery of every possible application.

Dossiers: Instruments of Power v6.2 — Psychotronics.

Temporary Commission for Counterintelligence and Security

See VKKB.

The Dutchmen

See Dutchmen.

The Forge

See Kuznitsa.

The Haven Foundation

The Haven Foundation is a charitable foundation providing care, rehabilitation, and retirement support for Everymen who have sacrificed their health in service to the FNC. Nobel & Midland Chemicals and ALEC are its sponsors and support its work.

The foundation takes in Everymen with injuries, physical deterioration, or mental health difficulties requiring specialized care. It also supports those whose active service has ended and who need help in retirement.

Its centers combine residences and clinics dedicated to treatment and rehabilitation. The foundation provides a caring environment for those needing ongoing assistance and those undergoing recovery.

Dossiers: Agencies & Institutions v9.3 — The Haven Foundation.

The Strong, Silent Type

Major Mental Strength. 3 points.

CHA+2 | Advantage on rolls to remain calm or keep a poker face. | Begin every Skill Contest with 2 additional SP. | Once per session, you may resist all fatigue and damage modifiers for 1D4 turns.

Game Rules alpha 5.3: Agents · Traits · Mental Strengths.

Agent’s Guide alpha 5.4: Agent creation · Strengths · Mental.

Thermal Camouflage Suit

Advanced equipment

Cools the body to conceal body heat, making heat-detecting tools completely ineffective.

PER-8 to detect the wearer while stationary | PER-4 to detect the wearer while moving | DEF[Ab]+2 | DEF[Ar]+7 | $350,000

Game Rules alpha 5.3: Equipment · Advanced.

Agent’s Guide alpha 5.4: Agent creation · Advanced equipment.

Third World

However much the Hyperpowers want to prove otherwise, the dichotomy in the MADpunk universe is false: there is a third option beyond the blocs.

NAG Strengths are still less powerful than those the Hyperpowers offer, but make up for this with lighter obligations and greater freedom of action for the Agent.

Game Rules alpha 5.3: Third World · Non-Aligned Groups.

Agent’s Guide alpha 5.4: Agent creation · Faction Strengths.

Tin Men

See Chelovenchiki.

Tireless

Minor Physical Strength. 1 point.

VIT+1 | Advantage to resist fatigue | Once per session, you may ignore up to 1 negative fatigue modifier.

Game Rules alpha 5.3: Agents · Traits · Physical Strengths.

Agent’s Guide alpha 5.4: Agent creation · Strengths · Physical.

Tokyo Development Authority

TDA · Tokyo Development Authority. An alliance of major corporations and mafia organizations seeking to turn Tokyo’s de facto independence into recognized sovereignty and extend its power over China, Korea, Japan, and Australia. Hyperion Motors acts as its public promoter.

Its nominal leadership represents the organization publicly, but effective power and priority setting belong to Hyperion Motors’ executive leadership.

Publicly, the TDA attracts investment, negotiates concessions, and opens markets. Its clandestine operations include industrial espionage, technology theft, bribery, extortion, and sabotage of competitors.

Tokyo Hypersonic Station

A station built beside Astraeus Tower and powered by the Helion Core. It connects Tokyo to the rest of Japan through hypersonic trains, major routes, and tunnels.

Dossiers: Hot Zones v8.2 — Tokyo.

Tracking Beacon

Advanced equipment

Coin-sized and adhesive to any surface. The receiver indicates approximate direction and distance within a 10 km radius.

DEX+5 for placement | PER-10 to find the beacon once placed | uses 72 (hours) [requires a battery] | $30,000

Game Rules alpha 5.3: Equipment · Advanced.

Agent’s Guide alpha 5.4: Agent creation · Advanced equipment.

Truth Serum

Advanced equipment

Injected. For each question, the subject must make a WIL roll at DF15 or answer truthfully.

INT-4 | DEX-4 | VIT-1 for intoxication (stacks) | consumable | $40,000 | duration 1 hour

Game Rules alpha 5.3: Equipment · Advanced.

Agent’s Guide alpha 5.4: Agent creation · Advanced equipment.

Tungsten injections

Treatment with tungsten compounds as part of the Tungsten Protocol. Candidates with exceptional radiation resistance undergo intensive, prolonged preparation under medical supervision.

Vol’framin require regular booster injections to maintain the treatment’s protection. Their frequency depends on exposure and the intensity of work with Cores.

A single injection does not replace the initial preparation. The ability to operate atomic machinery depends on an individual’s resistance, continued treatment, and technical knowledge.

Tungsten injections and protective equipment circulate on the black market. Vol’framin deserters and those working outside official supply networks depend on these channels to maintain their treatment and continue operating.

See also: Tungsten Protocol; Vol’framin

Dossiers: Instruments of Power v6.2 — Tungsten Protocol.

Tungsten Protocol

The Tungsten Protocol combines treatment through injections of tungsten compounds, protective equipment, and technical training to reduce the effects of exposure to Cores. It enables work with atomic machinery but does not provide immunity to radiation.

Candidates are selected for exceptional resistance to radiation. This predisposition allows them to undergo an intensive, prolonged course of injections under medical supervision. Not everyone can tolerate or complete the process.

Vol’framin require regular booster injections to maintain the treatment’s protection. Their frequency depends on exposure and the intensity of work with Cores.

A single injection does not replace the initial preparation. The ability to operate atomic machinery depends on an individual’s resistance, continued treatment, and technical knowledge.

Training for the Vol’framin, certified by the Atomic Academy to use CPM. It is also one of the Yadro skills.

As a Vol’framin, you are a civil servant of the Red Bloc, whether a worker, pilot, scientist, engineer, or soldier. Each session, you must pass a Tungsten Protocol Challenge to retain the positive modifier against radiation.

Game Rules alpha 5.3: Red Bloc · Vol’framin.

Agent’s Guide alpha 5.4: Agent creation · Faction Strengths.

Dossiers: Instruments of Power v6.2 — Tungsten Protocol.

Tungsten Suit

Advanced equipment

Used by IURR workers in environments with extreme radiation. Includes an air filter (immunity to gaseous attacks).

DEF[Ab]+20 against radiation | PER-2 | DEF[Ar]+5 | uses 30 (rounds of filtered air) | $400,000

Game Rules alpha 5.3: Equipment · Advanced.

Agent’s Guide alpha 5.4: Agent creation · Advanced equipment.

Turn

The Initiative phase establishes turn order from fastest to slowest. Following that order, each player takes 1 Primary action and 2 Secondary actions in the Action phase.

Game Rules alpha 5.3: Combat and health · Initiative phase; Combat and health · Action phase.

Agent’s Guide alpha 5.4: Combat and health · Initiative phase; Combat and health · Action phase.

U

Ultrasonic Cannon

Advanced equipment

Attacks all targets in a 15-meter cone. The waves penetrate any defense except hearing protection. Affected targets must make a VIT roll at DF15 or suffer GLO-2 and disadvantage for 1D4 turns. A Fumble may cause unconsciousness or permanent hearing damage.

DEX+15 for shooting | DEF[Ar]+5 | uses 8 (shots) [requires electricity] | $800,000 | range 15 m

Game Rules alpha 5.3: Equipment · Advanced.

Agent’s Guide alpha 5.4: Agent creation · Advanced equipment.

Uncontrolled Psychotronic

Minor Special Weakness. 1 point.

INT-1 | WIL+1 | Draw 1 card for your psychotronic power | +1 Fumble Roll for psychotronic powers | Requires a psychotronic power.

See also: Weakness; Agent Traits

Game Rules alpha 5.3: Agents · Traits · Special Weaknesses.

Agent’s Guide alpha 5.4: Agent creation · Weaknesses · Special.

Union Member

Minor Economic Strength. 1 point.

Choose a profession: make it a Mastery and draw 2 cards. | Once per session, you may roll a Characteristic appropriate to your profession to request assistance from the union. | Raise your salary by 1 quality level (starting at quality 1).

Game Rules alpha 5.3: Agents · Traits · Economic Strengths.

Agent’s Guide alpha 5.4: Agent creation · Strengths · Economic.

University Student

Minor Professional Strength. 1 point.

CHA+1 | Draw 3 cards for Academic Skills. Incompatible with Ivy League Student.

Game Rules alpha 5.3: Agents · Traits · Professional Strengths.

Agent’s Guide alpha 5.4: Agent creation · Strengths · Professional.

Uranium Miner

Minor Physical Weakness. 1 point.

DEF[Ab]+2 against radiation | STR+1 | VIT-1 | Begin with 1 Radiation Mark.

See also: Weakness; Agent Traits

Game Rules alpha 5.3: Agents · Traits · Physical Weaknesses.

Agent’s Guide alpha 5.4: Agent creation · Weaknesses · Physical.

Uses

Uses determine how many times a character can use equipment, or how many rounds it can remain active before becoming unusable. Some equipment has no uses and can be used indefinitely.

What uses represent depends on the equipment:

Consumables can only be used once. Each use represents 1 consumable item of the same type.
Firearms use bullets, and uses represent magazine capacity.
Some equipment has energy requirements and becomes inactive if these are not met. Uses determine how much energy is spent in 1 turn, and can be replenished if the appropriate energy source is available. Example: cars running on gasoline.
Some equipment with energy requirements must remain connected to a power source to function. Example: a computer terminal must be plugged into the mains.

For CPM, each roll expends 1 use. Generally, even CPM vehicle uses are measured in actions rather than turns, although exceptions may apply.

Game Rules alpha 5.3: Equipment · Uses; Red Bloc · Core-Powered Machinery.

Agent’s Guide alpha 5.4: Agent creation · Equipment; Powers · Core-Powered Machinery (CPM).

V

Vagrant

Major Economic Weakness. 3 points.

VIT-1 | CHA-3 in formal or upper-class settings. | Your salary level is 0 (standard equipment cannot exceed $100).

See also: Weakness; Agent Traits; Salary

Game Rules alpha 5.3: Agents · Traits · Economic Weaknesses.

Agent’s Guide alpha 5.4: Agent creation · Weaknesses · Economic.

Villa Esperanza

Villa Esperanza is a private complex between the jungle and the beaches of Colombia’s northern coast. Behind walls tens of meters high stands a mansion of glass, lights, and silver belonging to the oligarch who controls the IURR’s agricultural production and trade. Its parties bring together guests from international elites.

A permanent Vol’framin detachment serves as his personal guard. Their presence keeps the connection to the IURR visible, and the owner remains loyal to the Union.

The owner is the majority investor in Great Green Fruits and funds the Sons of Simon, a counterrevolutionary anticommunist group. Representatives of both interests are regular guests.

Dossiers: Hot Zones v8.2 — Villa Esperanza.

VIT

See Vitality.

Vitality

Vitality (VIT) is a special Characteristic representing a character’s general health and stamina. It measures endurance and resistance to pain, disease, fatigue, and aging. It determines Health Points (HP).

VIT can be negative or positive, and its starting value depends on the character’s age:

Age	Vitality
0–4	VIT+0
5–9	VIT+1
10–14	VIT+2
15–19	VIT+3
20–24	VIT+4
25–29	VIT+3
30–34	VIT+2
35–39	VIT+1
40–44	VIT+0
45–49	VIT−1
50–54	VIT-2
...

HP depend on VIT and represent a character’s current health. They are calculated using the following formula:

HPmax = 10 + VIT

VKKB

Vremennaya Komissiya po Kontrrazvedke i Bezopasnosti · Temporary Commission for Counterintelligence and Security.

The VKKB is the Union’s supreme counterintelligence and security body, publicly recognized as a state institution. It is headquartered in the Moscow Kremlin alongside the Inter-Comintern. Its responsibilities include pursuing foreign espionage, suppressing internal threats to the IURR, and coordinating international intelligence operations.

The VKKB coordinates the Union’s agencies in security and intelligence matters. It works closely with the Atomic Academy, the Palace of Sparrows, and the military apparatus, organizing joint operations within the state’s overall strategy.

Its resources include the Siberia Protocol, an environmental control technology whose use requires sustained investment and is restricted by its cost.

The IURR’s intelligence service. Sparrows are secretly its agents; failure to perform or fulfill requested services is severely punished.

Each session, a Sparrow may make an INT Roll to request information and resources from the VKKB.

Game Rules alpha 5.3: Red Bloc · Sparrow.

Agent’s Guide alpha 5.4: Agent creation · Faction Strengths.

Dossiers: Agencies & Institutions v9.3 — VKKB.

Vol’framin

Physical preparation is accompanied by Yadro training: nuclear science, machinery operation, heavy mechanics, and safety procedures. Those who complete the treatment and training and obtain Atomic Academy certification are known as Vol’framin, Men of Tungsten.

Vol’framin operate Mechs, mechanized suits, weapons, and atomic tools in civilian work and military missions. Their capabilities come from the machinery they use and their preparation to withstand its operating conditions.

The protocol reduces exposure damage but does not eliminate its consequences. Radiation and the intensity of treatment damage health and shorten life expectancy. Core failures and overloads remain dangerous even for a trained operator.

Major Red Strength:

You have been trained in the Tungsten Protocol and certified by the Atomic Academy to use CPM.

VIT+2 | WIL+1 | DEF[Ab]+10 against radiation

Gain one piece of CPM of your choice. The Academy supplies Cores as needed.

You can learn Yadro Skills (see Vol’framin Yadro Skills). Make one of them a Mastery. During character creation, draw 10 additional cards: the Skill Points gained may only be spent on these Skills.

When using CPM, you may spend 1 Willpower Point to modify the roll:

Roll 1D4. You cannot score a Critical, but you cannot Fumble either. No uses are spent. You minimize risk by running the CPM at minimum power.
Roll 1D20. 1 and 12 remain a Critical and a Fumble, respectively. Spend 2 uses. If the roll triggers a Fumble, add +1 Fumble Roll. You maximize power by running the Cores at full output.

Obligations

You are a civil servant of the Red Bloc, whether a worker, pilot, scientist, engineer, or soldier. Each session, you must pass a Tungsten Protocol challenge to retain the positive modifier against radiation.

Although you work directly for the Inter-Comintern, your true loyalty lies with the Atomic Academy, which supplies your Cores and can, in extreme cases, revoke your Vol’framin license.

Game Rules alpha 5.3: Red Bloc · Vol’framin.

Agent’s Guide alpha 5.4: Agent creation · Faction Strengths.

Dossiers: Instruments of Power v6.2 — Tungsten Protocol.

Vol’framin Yadro skills

Yadro Science, CPM Operation, Heavy Mechanics, and Tungsten Protocol. The first three require a Specialty.

With the Vol’framin Strength

You may learn Yadro skills. Choose one as a Mastery. During character creation, draw 10 additional cards: the Skill Points gained may only be spent on these skills.

Game Rules alpha 5.3: Red Bloc · Vol’framin.

Agent’s Guide alpha 5.4: Agent creation · Faction Strengths.

W

Walking

Secondary action. Any character can move approximately 5+SPD meters in a round. If the total is 0 or negative, the character is immobilized.

Game Rules alpha 5.3: Combat and health · Action phase.

Agent’s Guide alpha 5.4: Combat and health · Action phase.

Walking on difficult terrain

Secondary action. Movement in 1 round: (5+SPD) / 2.

Weakness

Agent Traits are divided into Strengths and Weaknesses. Weaknesses may be Major (3 points) or Minor (1 point). They are purchased to gain points with which to acquire Strengths. A maximum of 12 points may be gained from Weaknesses.

Do not think of Weaknesses as something negative. They are intended to make the Agent more interesting and rounded, rather than make the game unpleasant. They can also help the Handler create plots for the Agent.

Game Rules alpha 5.3: Agents · Traits.

Agent’s Guide alpha 5.4: Agent creation · Traits: Strengths and Weaknesses.

Weathered Skin

Minor Physical Strength. 1 point.

DEF[Ab]+3 against cold and fire.

Game Rules alpha 5.3: Agents · Traits · Physical Strengths.

Agent’s Guide alpha 5.4: Agent creation · Strengths · Physical.

WFI

See White Flag International.

White Flag International

White Flag International is a humanitarian organization dedicated to rescuing and assisting civilians in war zones, disaster areas, and contaminated territories. Its teams provide medical care, organize evacuations, and document abuses encountered during their operations. It works in both blocs and the Third World, regardless of the nationality, ideology, or status of those it assists.

White Flag negotiates entry permits, local ceasefires, and evacuation corridors. Its vehicles and facilities display a white flag bearing the initials WFI, used to identify its missions and request safe passage. Recognition depends on the agreements reached and the conduct of the forces on the ground.

The organization also treats wounded combatants, provided they surrender their weapons before entering its facilities. It does not allow its hospitals to serve as military posts or its convoys to carry weapons, prisoners, or agents operating under humanitarian cover.

It documents and denounces abuses, checks the evidence, and protects the identities of patients, witnesses, and collaborators when disclosure could expose them to reprisals. It prohibits its staff from conducting espionage.

Dossiers: Unaffiliated Groups v6.2 — White Flag International.

White Tungsten Treatment

A secret IURR medical preparation for missions in contaminated environments with extreme radiation. Documents detailing the procedure are confidential and require OMEGA-7 clearance.

The process dramatically reduces the perception of pain and fatigue and increases resistance to radiation during the mission. Its effects are temporary, and the procedure poses a high risk to the subject.

Dossiers: Instruments of Power v6.2 — White Tungsten Treatment.

See also: OMEGA-7

WIL

See Willpower.

Willpower

Willpower (WIL) is a special Characteristic measuring a character’s strength of will and mental resilience. It determines Willpower Points (WP) and is closely linked to Psychotronics.

It is relatively static compared with the other Characteristics, and its starting value is determined by rolling 1D4+1 (during character creation, WIL can never be 0 or lower). A character’s available WP equal their WIL.

A character with WIL of 0 or less has lost their willpower and their psyche is broken. Their player loses control of the Agent until their WIL recovers to above 0.

If the reduction is permanent, the Agent’s story is considered over. Their fate rests with the Handler. Have they become catatonic? Or a hypnotist’s zombie slave? It all depends on the permanent modifier they received…

A partial modifier (see Characteristic modifiers) applies only to WIL rolls and has no effect on WP or on determining whether a character’s psyche has broken.

Game Rules alpha 5.3: Agents · Willpower; Agents · Willpower Points.

Agent’s Guide alpha 5.4: The Agent · Special Characteristics.

Willpower Points

WP have three uses:

Spend 1 WP to reroll one of your own rolls. If you roll a 12, the roll is an automatic Fumble.
Spend them during a Skill Challenge as additional Skill Points (see Skill Challenge). Failing the challenge then counts as a Fumble.
They are required to activate psychotronic powers (see Psychotronics).

Spent WP are recovered by resting. Generally, a character recovers 1 WP per night of rest.

A character’s WP can never exceed their WIL. If a modifier lowers WIL for any reason, all excess WP are lost immediately. Conversely, if WIL increases, current WP do not change immediately, but the maximum that can be recovered increases.

Game Rules alpha 5.3: Agents · Willpower Points.

Agent’s Guide alpha 5.4: The Agent · Special Characteristics.

Wound

A character loses HP for every damage point they fail to absorb. The damage received from a single attack determines the type of wound suffered, which acts as a temporary negative global modifier.

Wound and damage	Effect
Minor (1 damage point)	No modifier applies.
Moderate (2–4 damage points)	GLO−1
Severe (5–9 damage points)	GLO−2
Grave (10+ damage points)	GLO−3
Fatal (damage points >= HP)	Instant death

Recovery is limited by wounds: any wound of moderate severity or higher uses its global damage modifier to block recovery, reducing the character’s maximum available HP.

Game Rules alpha 5.3: Combat and health · Damage; Combat and health · Healing.

Agent’s Guide alpha 5.4: Combat and health · Wounds; Combat and health · Healing.

Wound healing

To heal wounds more severe than Minor, a character requires medical assistance. Hospitals are the main source, covering all wound types and severities.

With medical assistance that covers the wound’s severity and type, a character may make a VIT roll to heal it. On a failure, the wound persists but its damage is reduced by 1, which may lower its severity. On a Fumble, the wound worsens and the character loses 1HP, potentially entering a critical state.

The interval before another roll can be made depends on wound severity.

For moderate wounds, roll VIT against (DF6 + damage) each day. On a success, the wound heals.

Healing a wound does not grant HP; it removes the negative global modifier and the limit on maximum HP recovery. However, wounds heal first, and HP are recovered afterward.

The roll is almost automatic, since the wound still heals on a failure. However, requiring a roll creates the possibility of a Fumble and the wound worsening.

Game Rules alpha 5.3: Combat and health · Healing.

Agent’s Guide alpha 5.4: Combat and health · Healing.

WP

See Willpower Points.

X

Xenophobe

Minor Social Weakness. 1 point.

CHA-2 with people from a chosen group | Gain the ‘Xenophobe’ personality aspect [roll WIL to interact with people from the chosen group]. | May be taken more than once, each time for a different group.

See also: Weakness; Agent Traits

Game Rules alpha 5.3: Agents · Traits · Social Weaknesses.

Agent’s Guide alpha 5.4: Agent creation · Weaknesses · Social.

Y

Yadro

See Core.

Yadro Fumbles

If a CPM Radiation Roll scores 12, the number of repeated Fumble Rolls and the severity of the result depend on Energy requirements, quality, damage sustained, and the pilot’s skill.

Whether the energy requirements are met. If not, +1 Fumble Roll.
Quality. Add +1 Fumble Roll for each level below high quality.
Damage sustained by the CPM. If it is below 50%, add +1 Fumble Roll.
The pilot’s Skill. If they have no Yadro Skills (see Vol’framin Yadro Skills), +1 Fumble Roll.

Fumble Rolls	Effect
1 to 2 rolls	1–2 Cores stop working.
3 to 5 rolls	Roll 1D12 and multiply the result by the number of active Cores. This is the action roll’s result. The circuits then burn out and the CPM becomes permanently unusable.
6+ rolls	The Core explodes, dealing (1D12+12 × number of active Cores) damage points in an area of (12 × number of active Cores) meters. Beyond the destruction area, out to twice the explosion’s radius, everyone present receives that amount of radiation.

Game Rules alpha 5.3: Red Bloc · Radiation.

Agent’s Guide alpha 5.4: Powers · Core-Powered Machinery (CPM).

Z

Zhivyye Mertvetsy

See Living Dead.

1

1935 Revolution

9

9-to-5

A

A Face Only a Mother Could Love

AA

Absorption

Abysmal Characteristic

Academic skills

Academic Specialty

Action phase

Activated Charcoal

Active modifier

Addict

Adonis

Advanced equipment

As a Strength

Advanced Visor

Advantage

Affiliation

Age

Agency Car

Agent

Agent creation

Agent personality

Agent Traits

Aging

Alcoholic

ALEC

American Dream

American League of Exemplary Citizens

Amnesia Drug

AMU

AMUs

Antibiotic

Antibodies

Area attacks

Armor

Ascetic

Astraeus Tower

Atomic Academy

Atomic cannons

Atomnaya Akademiya

Attack Roll

Autistic

Autonomous Mechanized Units

B

BAE

Basic Characteristics

Battle-Hardened

Berlin Guild

Big Guy

Bikairé

Bikairé Atoll

Black Market Contacts

Black Ops

Blind

Blue Bloc

Brainiac

Brittle Bones

Broken Psyche

Brotherhood of Drillers Without Borders

Bureau des Affaires Extérieures

Bureaucrat

Burly

C

C10D

Caesar & Sons

Caffeine Addict

Capitol Ten Dynamics

Careless

Cautious

Celebrity

Central Committee

CHA

Characteristic

Characteristic Roll

Charisma

Chelovenchik