Mythic RPG Project: Chapter 5b: Melee Combat Example

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When I sat down to write combat examples with Mr. Quin, I realized, that while piloting drones, has great potential as a combat prowess, it was perhaps a bit exotic for basic combat examples. Unless, you really want to see poor Mr. Quin smacked all over the pavement by a ganger. So, I am going to put some Merc muscle down below. A professional heavy we will call Gnasher, because I think it is a rough and tumble sort of name. I am going to design him off camera, as you have already seen character creation in action.

Concept

There are a lot of people who are forced out of the burbs and even out of archologies who end up on the Fringe, but since the big collapse of ‘05 there have always been Fringers, and in the 42 years that follow they have developed there own ecosystem of doctors, lawyers, diplomats, and lawmen. None of these things would necessarily be recognized by burb’inite, but in the Fringe is where life goes on. Hard life. Life with little luxury, but life none the less. And every one needs a little problem solved now and again. 

Gnasher, who despite his 6'6" height and 300lb weight, is a people person and liked to solve problems. He does this mostly by ramming problems repeatedly into a wall until they stopped wanting to be problematic. In a tiny world where have and have nots may be defined in calories, Gnasher's democratic view of problem solving (as he would work for nearly anyone with a problem, a little bit of cred, and perhaps a Hostess wrapped pie) makes him a popular people person indeed.

Summary:
“Gnasher is a semi gentle giant who will help settle the score for the little guy in exchange for a place to sleep and a really big meal. If you throw in some cred and a kind word you could have a friend for life. Sadly, Gnasher is not a great thinker or judge of character, and only has a few skills, but one skill he is very very  good at. That be fighten’ ”

Gnasher

Attributes
Strength Incredible
Agility Average 
Reflexes High 
IQ Low 
Intuition Low 
Willpower High 
Toughness Exceptional 

Abilities
Drive Rig Below Average
Brawling Incredible

Strengths
Local Hero (good for free beer and social rolls) +2RS
Luck of the innocent (bullet miss) +2RS

Weaknesses
Scorpion Troubles (a gang) -2RS
Big Hearted (hard to tell people no) -2RS
Felony Record and Tattoo (to all social rolls with corps and cops) -5RS

Scenario: A mom and pop grocery store, Tommy's Groceries,  got vandalized, and the local gang they pay for protection, Fat Cobra,  doesn't seem to be taking it very seriously. With an offer of 100 cred worth of groceries and an invitation to stay in the employee break room every night for a week Gnasher takes the "case". 

Gnasher goes to the nice man with all the drones, which remind Gnasher of toys from when he was a kid, and offers some free muscle over the next week or two if he can find the "spiky haired punk in the green jacket" (a direct quote from Mr. Tommy himself). As it happens, the semi hyper vigilant drone jockey has a few square blocks around his house bugged for video, and can provide a good picture of the jerk and this current residence, an alley on the boarder of Fat Cobra and Scorpion territory. Gnasher Thanks Mr. Quin and hurries to the location. 

The ganger in question is a drifter, but one that looks pretty hardcore, and he is sporting a little chrome so a small timers, like Fat Cobra, don't see enough reward for the risk. Fortunately for this demo, Gnasher doesn't think that far ahead. (If it should be necessary a few armed drones are following Gnasher, Mr. Quin likes him and is looking out for his investment).

Unknown Drifter

Attributes

Strength High (Exceptional with right cyber arm)

Agility Above Average

Reflexes High (hard wired, and he can't sleep)

IQ Average

Willpower Low

Toughness Average

Abilities
Knife Exceptional

Judo High

Machine Pistol High (and out of ammo)

Strengths
Nylon weave plating to ribcage (+1RS vs blows to central mass)

Cyber arm punch lethal damage

Weakness

Stress Hallucinations after 2 wound levels (-1RS to all mental tasks)

Setting

The stage for our pugilistic drama is a 20 wide dead end alley with a few trash bens and a strong smell of urine. There are a few intact beer bottle and liquor bottles and a very out of date band poster at mouth of the alley.

Is the drifter awake? (odds question) very likely as he can't shut off his enhanced Reflexes which gives him awful insomnia (High 75%, roll...25 Yes), he is slumped against the wall drinking the cheapest of strong booze trying to unwind enough to sleep.

There is no roll to see if he notices Gnasher coming down the alley, grabbing a full garbage bin along the way.

Gnasher plans to say hello by throwing a 50 pound garbage ben from around 10 foot away, this gives the drifter time to hop up to his feet. 

Does Gnasher go first? the intersection of Incredible to High is 75%...roll 37. Yes

Does Gnasher hit the Drifter? Same skills so same difficulty? 64. Yes

Does Gnasher Hurt the Drifter? Here we pit the damage of an aluminum garbage, say +1RS added to Gnasher' Incredible Strength, against the Drifters Average Toughness +1RS for his cybernetic enhancements. This is Awesome vs Above Average coming to an 85%....roll 50 Yes. (had it been an Exceptional Yes we could have tagged on that it knocks him back down or even tested to see if he was knocked out). From here out the Drifter has -1RS to all of his rolls

Gnasher follows the throw with a lumbering charge in hopes of body checking the Drifter, who is just now reaching or his combat knife in his jacket.

Does Gnasher go first? This pits Gnasher's Brawl (Incredible) vs the Drifters Knife fighting (Exceptional) with a -1RS wound penalty. Gnasher has a 75% chance of going first... roll 68, Yes

Does Gnasher hit? as the Drifter couldn't get his knife out he has to rely on his Judo score of High -1RS, while Gnasher is still Incredible, giving Gnasher an 80% chance...roll 61, Yes

Does Gnasher knock the Drifter down? I will say the Drifter has to pit his full Strength against Gnasher's, there is no way his chrome will help with this so it is Incredible Vs High -1RS.  The chance of success is 80%... roll 04, an Exceptional Yes. In this case we will tag on a second wound as well as being knocked prone. The wounds are up to -2RS and being prone (for which there are no guidelines) is worth another -1RS which can be cancelled if he can get up.

Gnasher intends to end this quick by giving the Drifter a swift kick to the head. The drifter at this point just wants to get away from this giant and will try to sweep his legs, but from this disorganized prone position the penalties to being prone still stand.

Does Gnasher go first? Gnasher has a wicked 95% chance...roll 52, Yes.

Does he hit the Drifter? Because he is aiming for a small area he has a -1RS,  so he is down to a 90% chance...roll 63, Yes

Does he Hurt the Drifter? having just taken a head shot gives Gnasher a +2RS to his Incredible Strength (Superhuman) vs the Drifters Average Toughness -3RS to Low, which gives Gnasher a 100% hit with a Exceptional Range of  20%...roll 13! This means in additional to getting another wound (-3RS) the damage is Full Effect, and as this is a blow to the head he is knocked out.

It is only then Gnasher remembers he forgot to tell the drifter why he was taking a beating... guess he will just have to wait till the drifter wakes up.

Mythic RPG Project: Chapter 5a: Combat Rules

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Combat in Mythic is like no game I have ever seen before, be it abstract or tactical. The whole of chapter 5 geared for you to get the most out of it with charts that explain various tactical advantages, weapon capabilities, the effects of armor, and the consequences of hit location. As such I highly suggest you have a copy of the book at hand to play, but can give you a simplified run down here. 

Basic Combat Procedure

Combat comes down to Fate Questions. There is no side system that treats combat differently than a car chase or reeling in a swordfish in a deep sea fishing trip; with that said though, combat is more granulated than most other Fate related question answer pairs.

The first step is to define what you wish to do. Also give some consideration to what the opposition will do should they go first. 

"I hit him with the shovel; I blast them with my shot gun; I do a roundhouse kick to her face; I body check the ganger and knock him down. After that it is rolling time.

The three (or four) things to ask to lead to a resolution are:

1. Do I go first/next/again? Yes, move on to the next question. No, declare the oppositions action and move to step 2.
   
2. Do I hit/do they hit me?
3. Do I hurt them (or accomplish the combat related task like disarm or trip)/ Do they hurt me( etc.)?
4. (Do I/they succumb to their wounds? Start asking after a side has taken 3 wounds)

Depending on the weapon, the character skill, and a dose of luck combat can be very fast or very drawn out.

Do I go first (or Next or Again)?

As simple as this question is there could be some complexity around the answer. The relevant check would be either the combat ability that the PC wishes to bring forward (Martial arts, sword fighting, a hip shot with a pistol, or a magic combat spell). But there is a secondary consideration that has to be wedged in. Is your pistol or sword in hand? Is the spell simple enough to "cast on the fly"? Are you in a combat disadvantaged position (sitting in a chair or laying in bed). If you don't have a particular combat related skill or can't bring it to bare you can default to Reflex Attribute -2RS.

If the answer is yes, you preform the combat action you have in mind. If it is an exceptional yes you may, if logic of the situation dictates get an additional +1RS on the following question. 

If the answer is no then the opposition goes first, usually with the most logical attack available to them. If the result was an exceptional no then the opponent gets the leg up in the next section.

Do I hit/Do they Hit? 
In the case of a melee this is an apposed roll between two combat skills or failing that combat skill vs. Reflex -2RS.  

If you are aiming for a particular location then that will penalize your roll. It is assumed most attacks are for center mass or some other logical position (an armor leg maybe if you are using a swinging weapon).

In the case of ranged weapons, such as guns, lasers, and crossbow bolts the attack is abstracted to the difficulty of the shot, considering things like range, cover, and visibility, but after that point it follows the same procedures below to how effective the hit is. 

A Yes is a hit and a No is a miss, but and Exceptional hit can give an additional +1 or +2RS, or instead give a rider such as disarms knocks down. An Exceptional No, suggest something goes wrong in your attempt that will disadvantage you in the next round.  

Do I hurt them/Do they hurt me?
To determine damage make a Fate check with the aggressors weapon damage (see chart pg. 50) verses the defenders Toughness Attribute (modified by armor if applicable). On a Yes you have a partial effect and the defender now has -1RS for all actions until they have a chance to recover.  All wounds are cumulative.

On a No the damage was grazing or absorbed as a cosmetic wound. 

On an Exceptional Yes  you get the full effect. Not only does the defender take a -1RS wound penalty, but the but a lethal weapon, assuming a hit to center mass or head is dead. A hit to a limb renders that limb crippled. If the weapon is designed to stun the effects are the same for the combat. The defender is knocked out or the limb rendered inoperable. 

Make sure to track each wound taken in your notes, because the information is vital for recovery.

Do I/They Succumb to Wounds?

After taking 3 wounds, whether are lethal or stun, a character must make a Toughness check against an opposition of the damage rank that caused the last wound. Succumbing to wounds is not fatal, but it is the end of the fight. Should you pass, you still have to make this check again after every additional wound, at the new difficulty. 

On a Yes answer the character falls unconscious, over come by the massive system damage of a terrible beating. 

On a No you still take the damage of the hit, -1RS, but you still have fight in you. 

On an Exceptional Yes Stun damage knocks you unconscious. Lethal damage kills you

On an Exceptional No the lethal hit becomes a stunning hit, and a stunning hit is not registered.

Editor: Speed this up by rolling three sets of dice percentile as soon as you declare your action. Make sure there is an order to them (or if you are rolling  a dice rolling app read them in the order they are generated). Then, you just need to look up results. 

Recovering from Stunning Wounds

As one would expect recovering from stunning wounds takes less time than recovering from lethal wounds. This roll places the characters Toughness across from the most damaging Stunning wound. 

On a Yes result the character recover from that particular wound. (Each wound must be handled individually, so keep track of how and where you are damaged).

On a No result, there is no change and the accumulated penalties still apply to your actions.

On an Exceptional Yes, You recover form this wound and the next highest wound.

On an Exceptional No, the wound not only doesn't recover, but a recovery check cannot be made for another 1-30 days (depending on players choice based on the severity of the wound)

Recovering from Lethal Wounds

Recovering from a lethal wound is harder. First an appropriate increment from 1-30 days must pass. Then a Toughness check is made against the highest ranked Lethal Wound.

On a Yes Result the character recovers from that particular wound. 

On a No Result the character has no change and the same amount of recovery time must pass before another roll can be made.

On an Exceptional Yes result the Character recovers in half of the expected time.

On an Exceptional No result a complication arises from the wound and the character dies.

Each one of these rules above are just the bare bones of the system. The full combat chapter has all kinds of useful modifiers to make the game shine. 

Over the next couple days I will play out a few combats the come back here and drop a demo, but if you are reading this before I do, pick up a copy of the book and see all the excellent demos that are already in print.

Random Events
Though we haven't covered the topic of Random Events yet, they can happen during any Fate question. I suggest all Random Events generated during a fight be be either be about the fight. This excludes Remote Events, Moving Towards or Away from a Thread, or Ambiguous Events, unless they make since in context of what you are doing right now. Combat is exciting and should be derailed. With that said, this isn't in the Rules a Written, it is just my advice 

Editor: This is one of the more lethal combat systems for a narrative RPG. If you are playing solo you can adjust the dials a bit, but then you would lose the excitement of the fight. I strongly suggest if you character takes lethal damage then you find medical care somehow. Sure you may then owe the mob money, but they will be invested in your recovery so you can pay them back. 

I highly encourage you to take some time and read this chapter. It has excellent examples and cards which outline each step of combat, useful weapon charts and charts that give combat modifiers. There is no way to do justice to this system with a mere summary. 

I am working on a combat example for melee and ranged fighting, but trying to get into a short enough blog post is proving difficult. It plays faster than it reads. The best solution I have come up with is two blog post, one melee and the other ranged. In the mean time I am going to move on to Chapter 6.

Mythic RPG Project: Chapter 4b: Resolution Table and Unskilled Tasks

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Fate Chart and Character Sheet

One of the most delightful things about the Mythic RPG is that while your character is out there doing quest, risking there lives, or just enjoying some down time at the local coffee bar, you are in fact building the setting.

Back at the beginning of the project I encouraged you folks to record baseline Attributes, Abilities, etc., because they are the measuring stick by which you can judge the power level of the character. If super strength is the norm for most NPC then that becomes the Average. If a typical hacker can crack a bank security system, that becomes the Average, if a scavenger in a post apocalyptical game can gather enough food and water in 1 day to support 1 person that becomes the Average. The degree of how much better, or worse your character is from that defines the Rank of the Detail (tag) which imbuing them with. 

But, there is another "baseline" that needs to be covered, and that is Tasks. Fortunately the author provided us with tools to easily record Task difficulties, complications, results. 

(click on image to expand)

These are Resolution Tables. As you play you fill out the details of these cards. 
(if you don't have access to a computer with a printer or a woodcut press in your garage, these can easily be made on a double sided index card, or a word processor document).

There are great detailed examples in the Mythic RPG of these getting filled in on page 39 of Mythic RPG

Mythic RPG has a great example of these cards that have been filled in starting on pgs. 36 and 39, fully filled out copies on pg. 41.

Lets go through the process real quick, using Mr. Quin as our example. Mr. Quin's best ability is designing drones and vehicle, but what does that process look like?

Question:

• Is an engineer successful at designing a new snooping drone?

Notes:

• The end result will have a unique design and custom, chasse, OS,  signaling system, firewall, etc. to make it resistant to other hackers.

Acting Rank:

• Drone/Vehicle Design

Difficulty Rank:

• Abstract quantification of unique design (Ranges from High to Awesome)

Modifiers:

• Library of drone design schematics +1RS
• Machine shop to work with hands on design +1RS
• Lack of parts or software necessary for prototype -2RS
  
• Inferior work environment (hardware or software) -2RS

Results

Yes:

• Fabricator ready schematic and software bundle, and a 1 use prototype.

No:

• Flawed product of lower than expected quality in one or more areas, +1SR to hack attempts by other pilots.

Exceptional Yes:

• Design exceeds expectations and is of a quality rank 1 higher than original design

Exceptional No:

• Time and money wasted, this drone will never fly.

Now lets look at something Mr. Quin is less proficient with.

Question:

• Can drone pilot hacker seize control of opposition's active drone

Notes:

• Impossible without vehicle control deck (VCD) or a Cyber Deck (CD), and cracking software
• Success by Hacking doesn't allow Remote Drive, it just allows the Hacker to use the listed commands.

Acting Rank: 

• Remote Drive or Hacking (or similar skill at -3SR penalty)

Difficulty Rank: 

• Higher of opposed Pilots Remote Drive (if actively controlled) or Firewall of attacked drone.

Modifiers:

• Quality of  Vehicle Control Deck's Signal module +/-1RS
  
• Familiarity with drone model +/- 1RS
• Distracting conditions -1RS

Results:

Yes:

• gain control of oppositions drone for 1 minute until it senses the intrusion and reboots.

No:

• Cannot try to gain control now and must wait 1 round to try again with -1RS (cumulative).

Exceptional Yes:

• This is your drone now to do with as you please.

Exceptional No:

• Signal interference shuts down your your VCD's signaling capability until a system reboot (minimum 1 round), All your drones go on auto pilot.

One last topic to wrap up Chapter 4: 

Unskilled Tasks

Ideally your character knows what they are doing, but there are only so many points go around and nobody knows how to do everything. Not to worry though there are ways to work around this (maybe).

Unskilled simple tasks

If a task is just an expression of an Attribute then you can just roll the attribute with no penalty. 

Semi-specialized tasks

If you are attempting a simple task that could be assisted by training, default back to the Attribute with a -2SR for the unfamiliarity.
If the character has a similar ability the penalty is only -1SR and uses the Ability as the default. 

Specialized tasks

If you are a fish out of water when it comes to a very specialized Ability there are three ways it could go. First is simply you can't perform it. Secondly if you have a very tangentially related ability you could attempt it at -3RS. Lastly if you are the sort that believes any player should be able to try anything you can attempt it at a -4RS or larger penalty. Keep in mind every negative RS brings you that much closer to an Exceptional No result.

Mythic RPG Project: Chapter 4a: Task Resolution

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Link to Character Sheet and Fate Chart

Link to Setting Sketch
Link to Odds and Resisted Rolls example

Task Resolution

This next section on task resolution picks up where Odds rolls and Resisted Questions leave off, giving guidelines for variables, and information on storing regularly occurring game actions. There are a lot of little knobs and dials in this chapter, though it is pretty short (pgs. 37- 42 in the MRPG). We will cover here section by section and then, perhaps in the next post, continue Mr. Quin's mini adventure and see what kind of modifiers are necessary to get through a day in the Fringe.

By now Odds questions are pretty well covered, and the primary focus of this chapter is squeezing the most utility out of Resisted Questions, which are used for the resolving of Tasks. 

"Task resolution is the process of figuring out whether a

character is successful in attempting an action. Mythic uses

the same yes/no question format to resolve tasks as it does

any other question, phrased simply as, “Does the character

succeed at such-and-such task?

Task resolution is one of the most frequent uses made of

the Fate Chart. Everything from a character trying to climb

a wall to fighting an enemy is task resolution.

No matter what the task, though, they are all handled in

similar fashion." pg. 37

A task resolution starts with an initiating question, that will call on your own Attributes, Abilities, and Strengths (see Chapter 3a) that will be resisted by some other Ranked Detail on the opposing side. (Remember Details are descriptive tags such as IQ, Sprinting, or Shape Shifting, and Ranks are how good you are actions related to your Details when compared to the average person with the same ability.)

Initiating questions don't have to mention a Detail on either side. They just clearly shouldn't be odds questions. 

Odds Question: Is the Guard looking my way? Answer No

Task Question: Can I sneak past the guard and slip into the next hallway?

Here we can see the relation between the Odds and Task questions. The Odds question sets the scene, the Task question puts the scene in motion. Task Questions can proactive, "Can I sneak past the guard?",  but they can also be reactive. 

Set up: Rounding the corner you note a goon is waiting with an  baseball bat mid swing at your face?

Task Question: Can I duck!?!

Once you have determined what the Task is now determine the  Details from your character and the opposition that will come onto play. In the first example of sneaking past the guard, if you have Stealth Ability that could be paired against the guards Intuition Attribute or perhaps an Alertness Ability (if he is a professional guard). Now you have the set up for Resisted question. Note your Stealth Ability (lets say Exceptional)  and the Guards Alertness Ability (Hight), and check where they bisect on the Fate Chart: 65%.  You roll a 30, and quietly slip past the guard before he turns back around.

The parts covered so far.

1. Set the Scene (much more on this in future chapters)
2. Ask the Task Question
3. Determine the related Details 
4. Determine the associated Ranks
5. Find the intersection on the Fate Chart and roll for success (which will probably take you right back to number 1. Set the Scene)

Now lets shake things up with...

Modifiers
So what is a Modifier in context of the Mythic RPG? 

"...circumstances that impact either

the acting rank or the difficulty rank." pg.37

Breaking that quote down we see that modifiers are not arbitrary, but are brought on by circumstances, and they have to be important enough to "impact"  the rank of the Detail; and finally that they can be applied to the Acting Rank (active  or the party of the roll, not always, but frequently the PC) or the Difficulty Rank (usually an opposition or obstacle). 

There are three broad categories of Modifiers outlined in this chapter.

1. Wounds, modifiers for injuries and damage. This could be a casual injury that hasn't healed yet, like a broken nose, or very serious injury that will take a while to heal, like being jut stabbed.. Time and action can heal wounds unless you are very unlucky.
2. Momentary Advantages such as attacks from surprise, finding a long pole to help boost you over a moat, or delivering a scathing remark that leaves your debate opponent stammering.
3. Environmental:  On going conditions that make a task harder or easier. Weather, temperature, and biome come to mind when we think of environments, and those can certainly be impactful, but so could activating your wired reflexes, trying to fight after being tear gassed, trying to remove things from a burning building, or trying to swim against a riptide.
   

With a broad and open mind these three categories should cover all your modifier needs. That covers the breadth of a modifier: How about the depth? How many Rank Shifts (RS) are a modifier worth? And for that matter what is a Rank Shift?

A Rank Shift raises or lowers a Detail's Rank depending on the severity of advantage or disadvantage of the modifier. And how much should it RS effect a roll? The game suggest for most be conservative and stick with a single rank shift and then only in the case of a significant advantage. Though if circumstances are overwhelming (yet not impossible according the the Logic of the scene) a higher rank shift (positive or negative) could be warranted, up to a +/-4RS for the most extreme circumstances. 

Figuring out Results

After taking any RS into consideration you roll for an outcome. As we discussed in the last chapter there are four potential results, but what each of them means is highly dependent on the context of the scene. 

"In short, a yes means the character did indeed succeed at

her task, exactly as stated, and a no means she did not. It’s

okay to keep this simple. If an exceptional result is rolled, but

there is no immediate exceptional result presenting itself,

then keep it a simple yes or no. For instance, a character may

attempt to pick a lock. A yes means he succeeds, a no means

he doesn’t, so what does an exceptional yes mean? I suppose

he could succeed really fast, although we’re only talking a few

seconds here. Rather than spending time trying to figure out

what additional benefit this character gained, it may just

make more sense to downgrade this to a simple yes." pg.37

So, Yes answer means a success in the action, and a No answer means a failure. Exceptional Yes may add a rider, such as such as a faster performance, and an Exceptional No may indicate some additional negative consequences to a failure. All of the results need to be filtered through the Logic or context of the scene. 

(Editor: there are times when you should pass according to logic or you should fail, but there was enough of a gap to determine a roll was necessary or the outcome of a single roll could drastically impact the fun of the game. In such circumstances, maybe you chose not to roll, but that does subtract some excitement from the game. In stead I suggest failing forward. For an example lets say you are playing a character with a cybernetic arm on which is a hydraulic hammer. It can punch dents into half inch steel plates (according the the advertisement). The character wants to bust some security glass to make a hasty escape from some dire situation. He checks his Exceptional Power punch vs there High-quality security glass and he rolls over the 75% pass rate. It isn't an exceptional failure but he doesn't break the glass. But, that doesn't mean he hasn't effected the glass. It could now be riddled with fractures weakening it to further attacks, should security give him time to make them.)

Continued in Chapter 4b: Resolution Table and Unskilled Tasks

Mythic RPG Project: Chapter 3b: Odds and Resisted Questions: A day in the life of Mr. Quin

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In Chapter 3 we are introduced to the Fate Chart (see Interlude 1), which is used to resolve binary, yes/no questions.  There are two types of such questions introduced in this chapter. One are simple odds questions, "Is it raining?", "Are the Guards looking this way?", "Do they have maple donuts?"

The second kind of question is Resisted. This is pitting one trait against another. In the first part of the narrative below we will focus on Odds questions. At the bottom we will engage in some Resisted Questions. It will pretty clear which is which.

"Wake up,
Get out of bed,
Drag a comb across your head"

Jack wakes to his alarm playing the old Beatles tune and considers very seriously rolling over and going back to sleep [Why doesn't he? Transform Friendship, he has offered help to a potential ally with some of his technical expertise], but then he remembers that Tom is waiting at the "park" or will be in (he checks his watch) about 23minutes. Damn.

He follows the instructions of the Beatles tune and even goes so far as to put on clean clothes: well clean-ish clothes. After a little consideration he also slips on a lightly armored great coat and puts his stun wand in one pocket and his antique Peace Maker Mark 4 in the other. He hums a little discordant tune of his own and the audio shuts off and his coffee maker starts. Well, coffee-ish. He hasn't had real coffee in weeks, but if the new contract plays out maybe he will have a few credits to spare and splurge a bit, but that is business for tomorrow. 

Another hum at a different tone brings several small drones his way, until they reach his feet and fold up like origami boxes. He picks them up an fervently hopes he won't need them today. Lastly, he puts on a pair of smart glasses, several years out of fashion, but loaded with good software, and with twice rinsed Styrofoam mug of "coffee" hits the street. 

Is there a scrap vendor out today? Odds 50/50 (we are ignoring chaos factor for todays examples) 71 No.

He is meeting Tom at a small "park" in a clearing behind a couple of old apartment blocks whose rear sides face each other. After 9pm it is a good place to get shot, but during the day it should be safe.

As he walks there (as quickly as he can and not get out of breath), he goes over Tom's request again in his head [preceding the mundane]. He just wants a "quick" lesson on how to scavenge scrap from old tech. What Jack knows that Tom apparently doesn't is that this isn't a skill you can pick up in an afternoon, but he agreed to see just how much he could pass on in a few hours. 

He mumbles to his glasses and they start a 3 hour count down. After 3 hours of friend prices, meaning free as he owes Tom a marker, Jack will start charging. By the minute. 

Does Jack make it on time? Somewhat Likely (65) No he is late, by about 10 minutes. Tom looks annoyed (is Tom a merc?  Unlikely 26  Yes, his specialty is (waste misfortune) a Cleaner, which pays very well, so this new found interest in scrap is a bit odd, but it is calling in a marker, so I reset the count down to 3.5 hrs.

Is Tom surly? unlikely (he after all wants a favor) (61 No), Tom tries to plaster on a smile and swallows  the bitching that is just on the tip of his tongue. The two associates politely shake hands. Tom too has smart glasses, a newer pair, the bastard. 

As they walk to the Market, Jack explains that scrap is only the start to the processes of making a living off of reclaimed tech. Should we find a few doodads that aren't to busticated we can pull out some components and that will make some quick cred, but it isn't too likely. What you really need to have an eye for is that busticated junk that the vendor wants to unload quick. You will want to pick out pieces that will require minimal repair, or maybe even can immediately be used by a tech-doc to make something lasting and useful with minimal effort on their part.

The lecture portion of the lesson lasts all the way to the Market, which is already pretty busy. The Market is an open air affair with just tiles on the floor marking off what used to be sheik shopping space: back when this part of the Fringe was still part of town. It may have even looked good back in the day, but the geodesic dome that covered the "open air mall" has had dozens of panels drop out. On rainy or cold days it is a miserable place to be, but Tom and Jack got lucky and there are sunny skies, and it looks to be a good day. Until they go to step in. A young man with an 8 inch spiked mohawk stands in front of them. "Toll day losers, pay up or F*ck off". 

J-"It is your show Tom"

Tom shrugs and pulls out some Benford Inc. scrip, and peels off a couple hundred. The punks eyes glaze over with greed. He quickly pockets the dough and lets Tom through but puts a hand on Jack's chest. "That coves him, now you pay up."

Jack knows that the punk has been paid enough to let 4 people in. The punk knows that Jack knows. So they both lock eyes in a classic stair down [Punk's Will Power is Average, Jack's is High, crossing the two on the Fate Chart gives Jack a 75% chance of making the punk flinch. roll... 45]. The punk steps back "Just screwing around with you geezer, go on in." 

Once inside, Jack starts to regret the coat. Yes, the holes in the geodesic mall let he rain in and the cold in, but the grime makes the Market dingy and there are not enough holes (lets not even mention air conditioning) to vent off  the heat of this many moving bodies. He feels slow roasted under the layers of grey acrylic faux wool and Kevlar. 

Jack catches up with Tom at the first "booth" which is really just square of blanket in one of the "room". Back when this place was fully operational, sound buffers in each shop would have cut the noise down to a murmur, but now all the haggling voices, especially from the barkers trying to attract business to there square, bounce off the transparent (but very dirty) photoelectric plates and even half full in the morning the noise is painful. Jack pops in a set of ear plugs he designed which should cancel some of the racket. This is the prototype put to its first real test, [Jack is a drone designer but a lot of elements go into that so I have decided he can use his Exceptional drone design skill against the High noise volume, checking the Fate chart he has a 65% chance of success. roll... 34] and the buffers kick in giving him a relief to one discomfort of the Market. 

Now he just has to avoid getting fleeced or rolled and he may have a good morning. 

Wizard Dad: Setting Elements Tables for the Eberron Setting (3.5 edition) Pg. 4: Beyond Khorvaire; Monster Nations; New Nations

Link to Page 1 and ToC 

Beyond Khorvaire

1-2
    1-2. Aerenal
    3-4. Xen'drik
    5-6. Sarlona
    7-8. Frostfell
    9-0. Argonnessen

3-4
    1-2. Khyber
    3-4. Planer Chart

Monster Nations

1-2
    1-2. Darguun
    3-4. The Demon Waste
    5-6. Droaam
    7-8. The Mournlands
    9-0. The Shadow Marches

The New Nations

1-2
    1-2. Darguun
    2-3. The Eldean Reach
    5-6. The Lhazaar Principalities
    7-8. The Mror Holds
    9-0. Q'barra

3-4
    1-2.  Talenta Plains
    3-4. Valenar
    5-6. Zilargo

Mythic RPG Project: Interlude 2: Setting Sketch: Cyberworld number [Redacted]

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what we know. 

• Cyberpunk setting
• Mega corps
• Governmental Power weakened
• Powerful organized crime
• Fringe mercenaries used for corporate and underworld espionage.
• If you leave an M-class corp alive, it means they think you are still useful
• be useful
• Life on the Fringe
• Exist in the abandoned parts of cities, mostly an outer ring or a fenced off internal ghetto
• Fringers have no legal rights. They are non entities. Protection comes from gangs and organized crime, for what it is worth.
• There is a brisk business in making use of scrap, the cast off technology of the archeologies and 'burbs. 
• Tech Docs refurbish or create needful things and small luxuries from scrap. For a price. 
• Fringe Runners typically live on the Fringe but fairly close to the edge of "The City"
• Fringe Runners work for or with Fixers. They are the ones with all the connections.
• Fixers  arrange jobs, equipment, and mediation as necessary, but it will cost you.
• Most Fringe Runners have deep ties to some more powerful organization.
• There are broadly four types of ordinary people. 
• Outsiders/Nomads, who live beyond the Fringe. Very dangerous. No guaranteed protection, excepting the various extended family/gangs of the nomad packs.
• Fringers, who live in the abandoned parts of urban sprawl. See life on the Fringe above
• Sub-urbanites, people who work for corporations, but as easily replaceable cogs. Spend between 10-14 hours a day proving themselves useful. Afraid of sliding into the Fringe and desperate to rise up into the archologies.
• Archologist. valuable employees living in corporate compounds. Have access to all the basics of human needs, plus what ever luxuries are available. Typically paid in scrip but as everything is available from your friendly megacorp, that is not a problem.

Link to Chapter 3b