CODE: INFINITY — CLASSIFIED

CREDITS

INFINITY LINE ASSISTANT LINE ORIGINAL 2D20

DEVELOPER DEVELOPER SYSTEM DESIGN
Benn Graybeaton Marc Langworthy Jay Little

GAME DESIGN
Benn Graybeaton, Nathan Dowdell, Mark Redacted, Justin Alexander, Marc Langworthy

WRITING
Giles Pritchard, Ryan Schoon, Marc Langworthy

ART DIRECTOR ASSISTANT ART DIRECTOR GM SCREEN ART

Rodrigo Villanova Marc Langworthy SPINDASH, Igor Heras, Chuck Pires

INTERIOR ARTWORK
Carlos Lauger, Vincent Laik, Bagus Hutomo

CARTOGRAPHY INFINITY RPG LOGO EDITORAL

N.R. Bharathae, Richard Gale Michal E. Cross Colleen Riley, Marc Langworthy

LAYOUT PROOFREADING PRODUCTION

Richard Gale, Thomas Shook Aric Wieder Justin Alexander, Marc Langworthy

CORVUS BELLI APPROVALS

Gutier Lusquiños Rodríguez, Alberto Abal, Carlos Torres, and Carlos “Bostria” Llauger

PRODUCED BY OPERATIONS COMMUNITY PUBLISHING

Chris Birch MANAGER SUPPORT ASSISTANT
Garry Harper Lloyd Gyan Sam Webb

SPECIAL THANKS
Thank you to Corvus Belli—Alberto, Gutier, Carlos, and Fernando—for letting us play in your world!

PUBLISHED BY
Modiphius Entertainment Ltd.
2nd Floor, 39 Harwood Road,
Fulham, London, SW6 4QP
United Kingdom

Artwork & Storyline © Corvus Belli S.L.L. 2018

INFINITY is © Corvus Belli S.L.L. 2018

Modiphius Entertainment Product Number: MUH050231

The 2d20 system and Modiphius logos are copyright Modiphius Entertainment Ltd 2018. All 2d20 system
text is copyright Modiphius Entertainment Ltd. Any unauthorised use of copyrighted material is illegal.
Any trademarked names are used in a fictional manner; no infringement is intended.

This is a work of fiction. Any similarity with actual people and events, past or present, is purely coincidental
and unintentional except for those people and events described in an historical context.
 CHAPTER 1

E PLURIBUS UNUM
A rogue Posthuman is terrorizing a PanOceanian set- been handling the case. A series of sabotage and
tlement on Neoterra: swift, probing attacks are being assassination attempts reveal the Posthuman to
carried out by Lhosts. Local authorities have tried actually be the transcendent consciousness of
to capture the Posthuman, but it’s far too nimble Esther Grant. Tracking her back to a secure bunker
and skilled for them, leaving their efforts frustrated. on Svalarheima uncovers the motivations behind
Threatening the same target each time — the her campaign: a widow and apparent suicide victim,
Resurrection Centre — it probes deeper and deeper. she released herself as a rogue AI to enact revenge
Bureau Noir agents are called in contend with the for the murder of her husband.
rogue Posthuman and prevent it from causing any
harm to the Resurrection Centre, or taking more lives.
BACKGROUND
OPERATIONAL ESTHER GRANT
SUMMARY Esther Grant is a hacker beyond the scope of any
other the Human Sphere has known. Nomads
On arrival in the PanOceanian city of Sybaris, the brag of the talent of their Interventors, but even
PCs are directed to the police precinct, where they pale in comparison. After a single tour in the
their local contact, detective Andrew Wallis, has military, she settled back on Neoterra and married

2 GAMEMASTER’S SCREEN
 THE ROLEPLAYING GAME

a man named Gunther Grant, a humble and honest rogue AI after her Cube was placed into storage.
man with no inkling of his wife’s prowess. Gunther Acting now through a range of illegally purchased
worked for the mining company Tellus, until or stolen Lhosts, she seeks her vengeance.
nine months ago, when he was killed in a tragic
workplace accident. A devastated and distraught
Esther applied for the Resurrection of her pious ESTHER GRANT,
husband — a seemingly perfect candidate — but THE ROGUE AI
Bishop Luana Janus and the Resurrection Panel
refused. Dedicating her vast skill set to uncovering Esther Grant exists now as a rogue AI operating
the reason behind the refusal, Esther discovered within Maya. Using her hacking ability and her
that Gunther’s accident had been a deliberate and already substantial wealth, she has been purchas-
carefully planned murder as part of a duplicitous ing or misdirecting Lhost shipments to utilise as
insurance scam, with Bishop Janus heavily involved the physical embodiment of her revenge. Despite
in the plot. access to many of these bodies, Esther is restricted
in the number she can control with any degree of
Despair turned to hatred and a burning desire for skill at one time. Each Lhost the PCs encounter has
vengeance. As she came closer to the truth behind been heavily modified with remote presence gear
her husband’s death, she thought she was being — which is how Esther controls them. The PCs may
watched more carefully. Her capacity to act limited, discover that adding more Lhosts to her gestalt can
Esther set herself to the task of establishing the reduce the effectiveness of the totality (this may
freedom she required to exact her revenge. Staging play a crucial role in their final confrontation with
her own suicide after carefully hacking her Cube, her), as her processing power struggles to cope, and
her consciousness was released into Maya as a sheut shredding sets in.

NEMESIS While she exists in Maya at the beginning of the

ROGUE AI, ESTHER GRANT adventure, she will leave both Maya and Neoterra
inside one of her Lhosts as the PCs close in on her
ATTRIBUTES identity, heading to her bunker: an abandoned for-
AGI AWA BRW COO INT PER WIL ward observation point on Svalarheima. She has set
8 10 (+1) 7 9 15 (+1) 9 12 up a suite of processors able to be connected to the
local network in this hidden and out-of-the-way
FIELDS OF EXPERTISE place, and is building a collection of Lhosts. It is in
Combat +1 1 Movement +1 — Social +1 1 this facility that the PCs will most likely have their
Fortitude +2 — Senses +2 1 Technical +5 4 final confrontation with the rogue AI, Esther Grant.
DEFENCES
Firewall 21 Resolve 14 Vigour — SHEUT SHREDDING
Security 4 Morale 6 Armour —
Sheut shredding (Infinity Corebook, p. 393) normally occurs when a con-
ATTACKS sciousness is transferred to a Lhost and struggles to cope, leading to mental
• Hacking Device Plus: CLAW-2, SWORD-1, SHIELD-2, GADGET-3, breakdown. Esther Grant, in her AI incarnation, is experiencing a similar
IC-2, UPGRADE Cybermask, Sucker Punch, White Noise phenomenon. Although unparalleled as a hacker, she was only one person with
SPECIAL ABILITIES limited resources when she sought to transcend the physical; she certainly
• Common Special Abilities: Inured to all environmental effects lacked a team of experts such as those that established Project: Toth, for
and conditions, Keen Senses (Hearing, Sight), Menacing 3, Night example, nor did she have the unfathomable processing power of ALEPH on
Vision, Quantronic Jump, Superhuman Awareness 1, Superhuman
hand to perfect her transition. Despite her vastly superior efforts, her metamor-
Intelligence 1
• Logic Bomb (X Heat): If Esther causes a Breach, she can plant a
phosis was flawed from the outset. She is increasingly unable to keep herself
logic bomb for X Heat on a single piece of hackable gear attached to “together” in the vastness of the network she inhabits — partly because of her
the hacked target. When that gear is used as part of a skill test, the paranoia over the probing presence of ALEPH seeking to purge her — and is
complication range of the test is increased by two times X, where X slowly fragmenting.
is the amount of Heat spent to activate this ability (maximum 3).
• Quantronic Stumble: Because of the nature of her transcendence This may be used or ignored by the GM, but should be handled abstractly.
and use of Lhosts, Esther’s Quantronic Jump ability cannot be used Introduced in Scene Three and beyond, the PCs should immediately notice a
to introduce additional Lhosts beyond those described within the difference with a Challenging (D2) Observation test; her Lhosts may appear to
scenes of this adventure, although she may freely jump between any have trembling hands, may repeat themselves several times when speaking,
Lhosts that form part of the scene.
or randomly freeze for a second or more. The PCs should understand that
• Worm (2 Heat): Following a Breach, she may spend 2 Heat to
deploy a worm. The worm applies the Bleeding condition to the
something is not right with the Lhosts, or perhaps Esther Grant, by the end of
target, with damage sustained removed from the target’s Firewall Scene Four. Note: The GM can also use these moments to assist the PCs if an
instead of Vigour. A worm and logic bomb cannot be deployed in the encounter is too difficult, as any Lhost they are facing glitches, fails to fire a
same round. weapon, etc.

E Pluribus Unum 3
 APPEARANCE KEY INFO
If the PCs encounter Esther in Maya she will Esther has become cold, devoid of humanity, and
assume the avatar of a female warrior from the wholly focussed on the destruction of those who
Vengeance Quest game (see p. 8). Researching shattered her world.
this avatar will reveal it belongs to Esther Grant.

ROLEPLAYING SYBARIS RESURRECTION

• Esther Grant has one goal: the death of those CENTRE
involved with her husband’s murder.
• If Esther becomes aware that the PCs have Run by the charismatic Bishop Luana Janus,
found she is responsible for the attacks, she will the Sybaris Resurrection Centre is a small
initiate Scene Four as soon as possible. facility that serves the needs of Sybaris and the
surrounding areas. Normally, the Church will
BACKGROUND provide a Resurrection license only, with the
Described above. government maintaining control of the remainder
of the Resurrection process either directly, or via
tightly regulated private companies operating
under subcontract. As part of a pilot scheme
WILDERNESS OF MIRRORS intended to lessen the need for tight regulation,
Any of the covert objectives that revolve around knowledge of the fraud can be the government has taken the unusual step to
given to the players when they discover that the fraud occurred. issue the Church a license to operate the Sybaris
Resurrection Centre in its entirety. While theoret-
ALEPH: Destroy the rogue AI and suppress any attempts to disseminate that ically ceding authority to San Pietro, Bishop Janus
the attacks have been perpetrated by anything more than a well-equipped has managed to gain the Centre a great deal of
group of dissidents or criminals. autonomy (and lack of oversight) in dealing with
Resurrections within the community it serves.
Ariadna: Uncover any and all details regarding the fraud, especially any links
with the Church, government, or hypercorps. This information could be used as Lhosts prepared for Resurrection are brought into
a bargaining chip in trade negotiations. the lower levels, along with the Cubes (Cubes are
typically stored in external personality data storage
Haqqislam: If possible, recover Esther Grant’s Cube. Any clues as to how it was facilities), and after installation, transpersonal
hacked are of definite interest. (Available after discovery that she has tran- psychotherapists at the Church help the newly
scended as a rogue AI). resurrected recuperate and adjust to their body.
This process may take some time, and there are
Nomads: Uncover proof of the fraud and cover-up, including footage of the living quarters near the Church where the newly
Lhosts (Aspects surely!). The truth must get out! resurrected acclimatise to “life” again.

PanOceania: Keep the Hexahedron informed, then conceal and suppress any
information about the fraud. It undermines the authority of the Church as the THE BUNKER
vehicle through which Resurrection may be achieved, and PanOceanian society
by extension. Before marrying, Esther — as many PanOceanian
citizens — served a term of national service with
Yu Jing: Uncover any and all details regarding the fraud, especially any links the military. Her abilities as a hacker were noted
with the Church, government, or hypercorps. This information will present a from the start, and she was earmarked as a poten-
bargaining chip and vehicle to humiliate PanOceania publically. tial candidate for promotion into the Hexahedron.
She found military life did not suit her, the rigid
Corporations: A small but wealthy shell company that has vital dealings with hierarchy and lack of freedom felt like subservi-
your own wants the fraud to be suppressed and the rogue AI eliminated, along ence. After her single tour, and despite offers of
with all evidence of it. promotion, she returned to civilian life to work as a
freelancer for a host of hypercorps and government
Submondo: Submondo is embarrassed and enraged that Esther has been agencies. Her service included a tour of duty on
diverting their funds and Lhosts to her cause. Destroy the rogue AI and supress Svalarheima within a forward observation post that
all information relating to the fraud. Esther and Gunther’s Cubes should be monitored Yu Jing communications. Abandoned at
destroyed and all records of her appropriations erased. the end of the NeoColonial Wars, it is here she is
sequestering Lhosts, and to here she retreats after
Mercenaries: Roll a d6: 1-2 your company has ties to PanOceania, and your leaving Neoterra.
goals match theirs, 3-4 the same for Yu Jing, 5-6 the same for Nomads. The roll
may be made by the PC at the beginning of the adventure, and the Wilderness
of Mirrors objective given by the GM when appropriate during the adventure.

4 GAMEMASTER’S SCREEN
 THE ROLEPLAYING GAME

MISSION BRIEFING perpetrating the attacks are too nimble. Hexas agents
FOR YOUR
were poised to move in, but have been held off at the
EYES ONLY
The PCs are assembled in the briefing room of a direction of ALEPH, who has requested that Bureau If any of the PCs is PanOceanian
small Bureau Aegis ship orbiting Concilium Prima. Noir deal with the problem. So here we are. The ship (or shares the PanO covert
Empty except for themselves, the window looking you’re on will transport you to Neoterra, where you’re objective), they will receive a
out across the curvature of the shimmering sky to take a shuttle to Sybaris and meet with authori- small data package via their
below shifts to be replaced by the serious face of a ties there. comlog on a private channel.
Bureau Noir handler they haven’t met before. This will include access to an
Any questions? encrypted communications
Read or summarise the following: line, along with their covert
If the PCs have any questions, the handler will do objective. Of course, it is up to
the PC to respond how they
THE MISSION his best to answer them. Three people have been
would like.
killed, but there was also a foiled bombing attempt
The man before you speaks: “Individuals or a small, and local authorities are rightly concerned over the
organised group of Posthumans have been terrorizing escalation. So far, the attacks have involved ranking
the city of Sybaris on Neoterra. So far, the attacks members of the Church of Sybaris and two Lhost
have resulted in several deaths, but they are certainly terrorists. Attempts to capture or kill these Lhosts
escalating in intent. They strike swiftly and decisively, have come to nothing. PanOceania has grudgingly
with every attack to date centred around the Sybaris agreed to cede this investigation to Bureau Noir.
Church and Resurrection Centre. Local authorities
have tried to deal with this problem, but the Lhosts

E Pluribus Unum Social Network

Carl Freeman
Lhosts Lock up
(former CO of Esther)

The Grant Vengeance

Military The Bunker
Family Home Quest

Anton Mining
Esther Grant Gunther Grant
Reynolds Company
(Deceased)
Tellus
US Letter Social Network Map

Freelance Church
Hacking & Sybaris Resurrection 673 Denied Tate Hutchins
Progamming Work Centre (Insurance Broker)

Andrew Wallis Bishop Luane Janus

Detective Father Anthony Garcia Torres
Resurrection Panel

E Pluribus Unum 5
 PLAYTEST TIP SCENE ONE: THE the Church have not been targeted yet. It has been
three days since the last attack, and Andrew fears
MOMENTUM INVESTIGATION more may be coming soon.
If the PCs move location,
or change the line of their Passing through the Vila Booster and on toward The PCs will have access to the personal files of the
investigation, they will lose 1 Neoterra, the planet, in all its opulent glory, grows dead clergy: one was killed in the streets outside
Momentum from their pool, as
with their approach. In close planetary orbit there the church, two in their homes, and one at a local
per the rules for the end of
a scene.
are more moving lights than can be counted, as shopping centre.
ships and stations crowd the world below like
fireflies. Andrew also has a list of 673 people who unsuc-
cessfully applied for Resurrection in the past five
PLAYTEST TIP The Bureau Aegis ship drops the PCs off at the years. His officers have not had the time to run
BIT BY BIT military dock of the San Pietro space elevator. through the records because the Neoterran Civil
Each investigation or scene From there they are met with officers from the Rights Association has been rioting again, and
should offer more clues, or Hexahedron, and without much aplomb ushered with the arrival of the PCs, the officers have been
reinforce any that they have into one of the elevator shuttles then down to reassigned to deal with the unrest.
already found. PCs can return to San Pietro proper. From there, the characters
their investigations after Scene take a small private craft to Sybaris. GMs should The PCs will have enough to begin investigating
Two and Scene Three. Most of utilise the information on Sybaris from p. 262 of on their own at this point. They can look through
the clue trails described are the Infinity Corebook to represent what can be the personnel records of the clergy members
two-step, allowing for multiple
researched on the way. killed, visit the Church itself, search through the
leads. Use Scenes Two and
list of people denied Resurrection, or follow any
Three to break up the steps;
i.e. the PCs follow the lead on Their contact on Sybaris is to be Andrew Wallis, other theory they have (Lhost suppliers, Cube
the image and investigate the the police detective in charge of the investiga- Bank, in The Imageetc). The most likely leads are
clergy, then uncover the first tion so far. detailed below.
clue in each of these paths
before they are interrupted by There is little opportunity to rest during the short The GM should introduce events at select moments
a new scene, after which they journey from San Pietro to Sybaris. The city as it to maintain the pace of the story. For instance, if
may continue to follow these appears through the windows has a motley look, a Scene Two is not triggered by visiting the Church,
leads and/or pursue new ones. decidedly industrial feel, and a centrally located provide the PCs with the chance to make some first
spaceport. The PCs disembark on the top of the steps in their investigations before introducing it
police station in the sombre city. The buildings sur- through other means (see Scene Two for details).
rounding them are a pastiche of sepias and ruddy
reds blanketed with an air of disquiet. Many of the investigations can be made from
within the police precinct, as access to Maya and
The PCs are met on the rooftop by Andrew Wallis, the police systems and files is readily available
who leads them straight to his office. The police there. The police have little actual evidence
station itself is busy, with people being almost however, as they are overstretched and haven’t
constantly processed. managed to make much headway. They do have an
image identifying of one of the attackers as a Lhost.
Use the Detective profile, p. 428 Infinity Corebook,
for Andrew Wallis. He has been leading the THE CRIME SCENES
investigation and is pleased to be passing the main The actual scenes of the crimes have been tagged,
responsibility to others. Tired and worn, he is happy bagged, and cleaned by the police. There is little
to cooperate with the PCs and openly answers any more to be found at these locations, though GMs
questions they have insofar as he is able. GMs can can feel free to introduce small seeds or side plots.
use Detective Wallis as a voice in the background; a
person to offer helpful hints and suggestions if the THE IMAGE
players get stuck. The image presents a woman’s face, torso, and
right arm. She is identifiably a Lhost, and a facial
Five attacks have been attempted so far, four suc- recognition search of Maya will connect her to a
cessful. The police are no closer to apprehending Lhost registered as “missing” three weeks ago. Part
the Posthumans responsible. Andrew thinks it may of an assault pistol is clearly visible at the bottom
be a group of two to three specifically targeting right of the image and a pendant can be seen
the Church and could possibly be connected to around her neck, depicting the symbol of a sword
Resurrections, as the four deceased were all mem- inside a circle on top of a starburst. An Average
bers of the panel who decide if a person qualifies (D1) Analysis test will indicate this is an avatar
for Resurrection. This may be pure coincidence of associated with a popular Maya-based game; see
course, as four of the six top-ranking members of the description of the game below.

6 GAMEMASTER’S SCREEN
 THE ROLEPLAYING GAME

INVESTIGATING THE CLERGY 673 DENIED

Records of the clergy members killed appear Searching through the personal records of each INVESTIGATION
HEAT
largely unremarkable. All four were long-serving individual denied access to Resurrection is a labo-
1 Heat: If the PCs are traveling,
and pious members of the Church, with strong rious task. Without some clear idea of the answers they encounter violent
connections to the community, and particularly the they are seeking it is a mess of information with no members of the Neoterran Civil
wealthier families of Sybaris. All four were mem- clear leads. It is suggested that PCs be permitted Rights Association. The group
bers of the Resurrection Panel, and top-ranking to complete this search in batches as part of a targets the PCs if it becomes
members of the Church hierarchy in Sybaris. Their complex test, with a number of applicants covered clear they work with the local
deaths were sadly simple, all consisting of multiple per Challenging (D2) Analysis test. It requires 2§ law enforcement.
gunshot wounds. hours to complete each batch of fifty names (larger
multiples simply increase the amount of §) and 1 Heat per Trooper: Research
into the insurance broker or the
BYSTANDER FOOTAGE Effects may be used to provide false leads. As an
death of Gunther will attract
An Average (D1) Analysis or Lifestyle test — rep- alternative, PCs may set their geists to work on this
the attention of the Tellus
resenting a search of Maya or other social media task, but they need to refine the search with some Mining Corporation, who send a
feeds — will indicate that the death at the shopping idea of what it is they are looking for. There is no party of goons to deal with the
centre was accidentally caught on camera by an limit to the number of failures that can be suffered PCs. Use profiles for Thug A and
evercaster. In the video, a woman pulls a pistol at as part of this complex test, but the PCs must Thug B (Infinity Corebook, p. 459
close range and empties the magazine into the generate 10 Momentum to reveal the anomalous and 460), with a number equal
priest’s back. She wears a pendant like the one in finding, described below. to the number of PCs
the image (described above), but is only recognisa-
ble as a Lhost following a Challenging (D2) Analysis PCs who have pursued other clue paths can refine 2 Heat: A PC must make a
Challenging (D2) Athletics test
or Observation test. The woman exits the screen this search with information they uncover, repre-
to avoid knocking over a glass
quickly. An Average (D1) Hacking test made to pull sented by adding Momentum from those tests to
of carelessly placed water onto
security camera footage of the area will indicate the the combined total of the complex test. a confiscated storage device.
cameras were off or down at the time. 2 Momentum Records of the 673 denied
generated in this attempt will determine that the The anomalous finding will indicate a person applicants are +1 difficulty to
cameras were functioning at the time of the attack, who was denied Resurrection despite meeting analyse from this point forward,
but the footage was deleted by a competent hacker. or exceeding all the typical requirements: one as the PCs must access and
Gunther Grant, whose Cube is stored at the Moneta cross reference a back-up.
PERSONAL RECORDS Storage facility. Gunter’s wife, Esther, filed several
A Challenging (D2) Analysis or Hacking test when applications and two complaints following the 2 Heat: Researching Maya
for information on Esther
researching the clergy members’ personal records denial, but has received no official response to date.
or Gunther Grant triggers a
will reveal several anomalous payments of a His insurance claim was processed by Tate Hutchins
silent alarm. A PC must make a
significant amount of money into their accounts (see The Insurance Broker, above). Challenging (D2) Hacking test
— the exact same for all four. The money trail is to avoid leaving a trail that
lost through a myriad network of shell companies. LHOST SUPPLIERS makes them vulnerable
1 Momentum allows cross-comparison with the There are too many to list. An Average (D1) to Esther’s logic bombs.
dates of the payments and 673 people denied Analysis or Hacking test will indicate that Sybaris
Resurrection (below), showing the payments all has various legitimate Lhost suppliers, plus a few 3 Heat: Useable on any PC
occur shortly after the deaths of people on that list. illegal ones. 2 Momentum generated on this test that creates an account for
1 additional Momentum will provide the name of will determine that at least three Lhost suppliers Vengeance Quest. The game
account makes the PC easier
the private insurance broker covering each claim. have reported misplaced Lhosts in the last two
to target for Esther, providing
weeks, all involving misdirected shipping. Facial
−1 difficulty to Hacking tests
THE INSURANCE BROKER recognition scans of the missing Lhosts will against that PC. The PC might
Tate Hutchins was the name of the insurance broker reveal one that matches the image the police also feel drawn to play at any
who covered the deaths of Gunther Grant and a already have. point they have downtime.
number of others on the denial list. He appears
to be a one-man company serving several clients A further Daunting (D3) Analysis or Hacking test
in Sybaris, including members of the Church and will allow the PCs to follow the falsified delivery
Resurrection Centre. Investigating his apartment trail through several fake accounts to a long-term
finds him dead on the kitchen floor with a gunshot storage lock-up connected to a street address. The
wound to the head. Judging by the smell, he has lock-up is now empty, though an Average (D1)
clearly been there for several days. Questioning Hacking test provides evidence of the camera foot-
tenants in the building reveals that complaints age being tampered with: for a week, the hours of
regarding the smell had been filed in the last 22:00-23:00 were on a loop, replaying 21:00-22:00
two to three days, but the landlord hadn’t yet before reverting to normal. Whatever program was
bothered to investigate. Nobody heard a gunshot causing this has been wiped from the system.
and the security cameras have been offline for
weeks, though the landlord was intending to fix The street address connected to the lock-up is
them soon-ish. the former address of Esther and Gunther Grant

E Pluribus Unum 7
 and is currently on the market for sale as a The insurance claim on his death states that his
THE MILITARY deceased estate. death was accidental, the result of a rock slide in
CONNECTION one of the mines. His wife Esther appealed the
Though not extensively
detailed within this adventure,
THE GAME decision to deny his Resurrection multiple times,
Esther’s military history can The symbol repeated on the pendants worn by the backed by two complaints. She was an expert pro-
be further expanded upon Lhosts is associated with an extremely popular and grammer and hacker, though access to her military
to introduce additional clues immersive Maya-based RPG called Vengeance Quest records is classified. She killed herself six weeks
and foreshadowing as part of that utilises retro graphics. ago. Both Gunther and Esther’s Cubes are stored in
the overall investigation. Her the Moneta Storage facility (see below).
military records are classified, Investigating the game (Simple (D0) Analysis or
but persuasive agents should Lifestyle test) will reveal that the symbol is one of
readily be able to track down
former commanding officers
many associated with singular achievements in the THE CHURCH AND
or apply to gain unrestricted
game, with this particular one awarded to players RESURRECTION CENTRE
access to her records. What is
who find one of the hardest to locate treasures
unearthed is ultimately left to in the game: the Jewel of Indarin. Any PC whose The Sybaris Church and Resurrection Centre is a
the GM, but the information background involves gaming will immediately large building in the middle of Sybaris. Boasting
should all point to a healthy, connect the symbol with Vengeance Quest, but one of the only gardens in the city, the Church itself
almost fearful, respect for her will still need to research further (as above) is deliberately modelled on the old Gothic style of
unearthly hacking skills. to uncover exactly what it represents and who Earth. It is not a large Church by Neoterran stand-
achieved it. Searching readily available records of ards, especially when compared to some of the
online Vengeance Quest communities will reveal surrounding buildings, but the little strip of green
that players holding the achievement include one and colour surrounding it manages to separate it
Gunther Grant. from the overall industrial feel of Sybaris.

GUNTHER GRANT The uppermost level is the Church itself, which is

Investigating Gunter Grant indicates that he was a traditional building with all the trappings of an
an unremarkable middle manager for the mining ancient heritage. The narthex opens onto the nave
company Tellus. Fairly devout, both he and his wife and the congregational area, and beyond that are
Esther made regular donations to the Church. Also the transepts and apse from where Bishop Janus
an avid gamer, he was particularly obsessed with officiates. Three further levels extending below the
the Maya game Vengeance Quest (see above). ground are accessed by stairwells in the north and
south transepts.

8 GAMEMASTER’S SCREEN
 THE ROLEPLAYING GAME

The first level down is full of corridors and offices. BISHOP LUANA JANUS
Classes and the day-to day administration of the
Church and Resurrections take place here. APPEARANCE
A short, large woman, with a friendly face and an
The second level down is one massive room, open and smiling demeanour.
pillared and further divided by rooms walled
off from one another by clear plastic sheeting, ROLEPLAYING
this floor appears more like a mix between a • Bishop Luana Janus is normally a bubbly and
series of operating theatres and high-tech device friendly personality, well-liked by the community
manufactories. The room is well-lit, and filled with she serves.
an impressive array of equipment. A few Lhosts • Bishop Luana Janus is currently under a great
may be seen through the sheeting here and there, deal of stress, more than being the obvious
frightening and frozen, awaiting their Cubes. This next target of a deranged assassin, she has also
is the floor where the Church technicians bring heavily involved the Church of Sybaris with the
back the dead. organised crime networks of the city.

The third and last floor is barred by massive steel BACKGROUND

doors, while the locks and bolts are old-fashioned Bishop Luana Janus grew up in San Pietro, and
like the church above (Non-Hackable). Beyond is the Church was the centre of her life. As a young
the nerve centre, incorporating racks and racks of woman she entered the seminary, and there she
hardware providing the processing power to the also had her first brush with corruption. Ordained
network that sits above it. The mainframes and a priest, she was relocated to Sybaris and due to
servers are gathered in the centre, while arrayed her likeable nature and deliberate habit of making
in lines around the walls are high shelves with the powerful friends, quickly rose to the position of
files and storage devices that keep the records of bishop. She has served as the bishop in Sybaris
the Church. for nine years, and over that time has made many
rich and powerful contacts in the city, whichever
Of the bishop and five priests who are the soul of side of the law they were on. Around seven years
the Sybaris Church, only the Bishop Luana Janus, ago, working with a small group of corrupt mining
and one priest, Anthony García Torres, remain alive. directors and her contacts in the underworld,
They are highly likely to be the next targets. the Sybaris Church began using its power to
deny Resurrections to assist those companies to

E Pluribus Unum 9
 staff at the facility as Scholars (Infinity Corebook, p.
Sybaris Church & Resurrection KEY
454) benefiting from a Loyalty rating of 1 and an
Insular rating of 1 while on church grounds. If the
Centre Quantronic Map Access Point PCs manage to inflict a Metanoia effect on the NPC,
Data Tunnel they break and tell them that Gunther Grant’s Cube
was also stolen from the facility. Negate the Insular
Ground Floor Connection
and Loyalty ratings if the PCs come asking about
Education IC Intrusion that specific Cube.
Countermeasures

Public Study of the damaged Cube of Esther Grant and a

Maya Site Challenging (D2) Tech test will indicate that the
Archive damage is not accidental nor caused by a power
Level 1 Level 3
Office & Hidden surge. Two or more Momentum used in the test, or
& Admin Level 2
Finance Records
a subsequent Challenging (D2) Hacking test will
Firewall: 10 indicate that Esther’s Cube has been physically
IC Firewall: 10 modified and hacked. This is a substantial act
IC requiring both significant resources and unprece-
Church & Resurrection dented talent.
Resurrection Centre
Information Progress to Scene Two as part of the PCs’ first visit
Firewall: 12
Personnel IC to the church. Additionally, if the PCs already know
can be the attacker is a rogue AI, this investigation will
physically cut trigger Scene Four.

SCENE TWO:
commit insurance fraud. Gunther Grant was their
latest victim.
THE KILLING OF
ANTHONY GARCIA
KEY INFO
• Use the Triad Boss profile, Infinity Corebook, p. FATHER TORRES
460.
• She is terrified that she is going to be killed, and This should be used as the first encounter the PCs
believes the attacks are connected to her illegal face. It can be launched when the PCs visit the
activities. church for the first time, or the GM can trigger it
• She will deny any knowledge of the fraud and at any point. In the latter case they will receive
if faced with the direct evidence of the crimes an immediate call for backup at the church via
she will attempt to shift any blame to the dead Andrew Wallis.
priests.
• If she feels like the PCs are going to reveal her If triggered by their first visit, the GM should take
criminal acts, she may call in favours and try to the time to describe the church, before punctu-
have them killed (use stats for Thug A and Thug ating the description with the sound of gunfire
B from Infinity Corebook, pp. 459–460, with a from inside.
number equal to the number of PCs +1).
If the PCs have been called in, they arrive to find
the congregation fleeing the church.
THE PDS FACILITY
Read or summarise the following:
The main personality data storage (PDS) facility in
Sybaris is Moneta Storage. Two weeks ago, the facil- Running up the steps to the double church doors flung
ity had to be shut down due to a power surge that wide, the PCs have to fight their way through a stream
caused a storage failure. One Cube was seriously of people rushing to get out. The guards posted by the
damaged in the failure: that of one Esther Grant. door seem to have been struck down by something, one
is bent double clutching his face, the other is prone on
Interviewing any of the staff at Moneta in the ground.
connection to the temporary shutdown should
suggest to the PCs that something is wrong. PCs Inside the church there is screaming, some brave, or
may attempt to persuade, negotiate, or intimidate foolish people are still huddled behind shelter, and it
the person they are interviewing into revealing takes you a moment to realise they are evercasting
information through face-to-face tests. Treat all what is going on.

10 GAMEMASTER’S SCREEN
 THE ROLEPLAYING GAME

In the nave, between the rows of pews, lies the body TROOPER/ELITE
of a priest. A spray of violent red has stained the LHOST
carpet, and is spreading. He has been shot twice
in the head. ATTRIBUTES
AGI AWA BRW COO INT PER WIL
The body in the church is Father Anthony 9 (+1) 8 10 (+1) 11 15 9 12
García Torres.
FIELDS OF EXPERTISE
Gunfire indicates the killer is still in the church. Combat +2 1 Movement +1 1 Social — —
Two more dead guards lie on the stairs, but their Fortitude +1 1 Senses +1 — Technical +1 —
sacrifices have kept the Lhost on site. The PCs may TROOPER DEFENCES
also need to deal with the evercasters, one or two of
Firewall 8 Resolve 6 Vigour 6
whom will try and follow the action unless stopped.
Security — Morale — Armour 4
Heading down the stairs to the first level, the PCs ELITE DEFENCES
will catch sight of a woman carrying an assault Firewall 15 Resolve 12 Vigour 11
pistol disappear around a corner ahead. Security 4 Morale 6 Armour 4

The PCs should have the opportunity to catch up ATTACKS:

• CombiRifle: Range C/M, 1+5§ damage, Burst 2, 2H, Expert 1, MULTI
with the Lhost and engage it in combat in the
Light Mod, Vicious 1
classrooms of the first floor. It will try to stay one • Assault Pistol: Range R/C, 1+4§ damage, Burst 3, Unbalanced,
step ahead and make its way towards the office Vicious 1
of Bishop Janus. Use the stats for the Elite Lhost, • Chain Rifle (used in the final showdown only): Range C, 1+6§
below. GMs should feel free to add a second Elite damage, Burst 1, 2H, Normal, Spread 1, Torrent, Vicious 1
Lhost to this engagement if they deem the encoun- SPECIAL ABILITIES
ter too easy, or have Esther Grant make infowar • Common Special Abilities: Inured to Pain, Keen Senses (Hearing,
attacks against the PCs during the encounter. Sight), Night Vision, Superhuman Agility 1, Superhuman Brawn 1
• Esther’s Proxy: Controlled directly by Esther as they are, the Lhosts
possess her mental and social stats and defences (already included
ELITE LHOST in the profile).

APPEARANCE Clues: The face and the pendant match the

The Lhost bodies all have a different appearance: image from the police station (see p. 6). Clues
male, female, tall, short, etc. All have expressionless may also be gained from closer examination of
faces and cold, empty eyes. the Lhost — see the description in the stats for
the Lhost.
Close study and a Daunting (D3) Observation or
Tech test will indicate the lack of a Cube and the As the police cordon off the area, collect evidence,
presence of cranial implants, which can be further and conduct interviews, the PCs may want to
confirmed by opening the head and performing continue or begin lines of investigation by doing so
an Average (D1) Tech test. Remote presence gear here or moving back to Scene One.
suggests the Lhost is being controlled by a mind
elsewhere. All Lhosts wear a pendant as described
under The Image on p. 6. SCENE THREE: SAFE HOUSE
ROLEPLAYING
ON THE WAY TO HEAT
These Lhosts share the will of Esther Grant. They THE SAFE HOUSE • 1 Heat: A minor collision
prompts an Average (D1)
are single-minded in their pursuit of their goal. Athletics test for everyone
They lack any sense of self-preservation, though Use this scene sometime after Scene Two and allow in the vehicle. Failure results
will protect themselves if tactically useful. the PCs an opportunity to continue their investiga- in 1+2§ damage with the
tions in the meantime. Nonlethal and Stun qualities.
BACKGROUND
• 2 Heat: The engine bursts a
Stolen, misdirected, or otherwise obtained, these After a day or so, quietly and with no announcement,
valve or the air conditioning
are mostly controlled by Esther Grant, with a the PCs are invited to join Andrew Wallis as he
burns out, filling the vehicle
geist she has specially modified providing skill escorts Bishop Janus to what will be her safe with smoke. Pilot tests suffer
benefits she lacks. Any hacking will be performed house until they have managed to deal with the +1 difficulty. PCs can open the
by Esther — any PCs experiencing an infowar attack attackers. Walking through some tunnels beneath windows for 1+1§ rounds
during an encounter with a Lhost may use Analysis the police station and out into a back street, the to ventilate the vehicle and
or Hacking to realise that the attack is not coming group switches from one vehicle to another, and remove the penalty.
from the Lhost itself, but from something outside. then finally a small shuttle bus that will take them

E Pluribus Unum 11
 to the outskirts of town. Weapons are concealed, Clue: Whatever hacked the bus was not a Lhost,
UPPING THE and everyone is given a miner’s uniform to wear. as it came from quantronic space. There is no
ANTE(NNA)
The shuttle bus hits a busy street filled with people indication of a hacking trail to follow, indicating
The GM could require the PCs
to climb out of the vehicle commuting home from the day. a ghost in the system. Trigger any Wilderness
to access the antenna if they of Mirrors objectives that involve knowledge of
want to make it particularly At some point, the bus lurches towards a rogue AI.
challenging or cinematic, oncoming traffic. Afford any PC at the front a
which should be at least a Challenging (D2) Pilot test to wrench the
Challenging (D2) Athletics vehicle back, otherwise they glance from a car. SCENE FOUR: THE
test. In addition to rolling to
inflict damage, they may also
The bus then starts to pick up speed, pushing
into the car in front. Either impact inflicts
ASSASSINATION
be required to continue to roll
Athletics to stay onboard.
damage to the bus as per the vehicle rules ATTEMPT
(Infinity Corebook, p. 133), plus 1+3§ damage
Alternatively, if the GM wants to with the Stun quality to each occupant unless Scene Four is triggered when the PCs piece together
increase the length or difficulty an Average (D1) Athletics or Resistance test is clues that Esther Grant is acting as a rogue AI, or
of this encounter, they may passed. The bus — which has a Firewall of 8 and may flow on from Scene Three.
have Esther Grant continue to BTS of 1 — is being hacked with a crash immi-
inflict infowar attacks on the nent and most likely fatal. If following Scene Three, the PCs will realise they
PCs after they regain control are making themselves targets following the
of the bus. They may even Esther Grant will continue to attempt to hack the hacking attempt on the bus. Whether in the form of
encounter a Lhost or two sent bus each turn, at the same time she will also make a bar, house, hotel room, or police station, they will
to finish the job.
an infowar attack against the PCs (whoever seems likely want to seek sanctuary.
to be doing the most to stop her). Doing both these
things at the same time will prevent her from The PCs should realise they have made themselves
ASSASSINATION being able to use her special abilities. targets following the hacking attempt on the bus.
HEAT Whether in the form of a bar, house, hotel room, or
• 1 Heat: A PC must make a police station, they will likely want to seek sanctu-
Challenging (D2) Athletics STOPPING ary and will additionally be tasked with ensuring
test to avoid slipping on ESTHER GRANT the Bishop’s safety.
broken glass and debris.
Failure results in the loss Infowar: The PCs can’t completely hack her, but if If the PCs realise Esther Grant, rogue AI, is respon-
of their Standard Action they manage to cause two Breaches, she will cease sible for the attacks, but are not yet responsible for
for the turn.
her attack and disappear as suddenly as she came her safety, they receive a call from Andrew Wallis
• 2 Heat: An unwitting
(the GM can reduce this to 1 or increase it to 3 if it asking why they have requested that she be moved
concierge enters the room to seems too difficult or easy). to a hotel in town.
pass a message to the PCs or
Andrew Wallis (according to Smash or disable the vehicle computer and/or Some twenty to thirty minutes after Andrew’s call,
the message, police backup antenna: An Average (D1) Athletics test can be the attack will begin. They will be assailed by as
is tied up with riots). The PCs used to inflict 1+2§ damage to the computer, or many Trooper Lhosts as there are PCs, plus one
must do their best to protect a Challenging (D2) Tech test can be used to inflict Elite (see p. 11). Esther, however, is struggling to
Bishop Luana Janus as the 1+3§ damage. Hacking or using a weapon will control the numbers she has sent.
attack commences, or face apply as normal. The onboard computer has a
potential repercussions from
Firewall 8 and a Structure of 6, which represents In a coordinated action, the Lhosts seek to enter
the Bureau afterwards.
how hard it is to physically access. Any single Harm the area the PCs are defending by any access
• 3 Heat: A sudden and furious inflicted will shut it down. Once it is shut down, or way, be it door, window, roof space, tunnel etc. In
infowar attack by Esther Esther Grant is repelled, the PCs regain control of addition, Esther Grant herself will make a single
drains all stored Momentum. the vehicle. infowar attack per turn, though she suffers +1 to
her complication range for each Lhost present.
Regaining control of the vehicle — whether by
dealing with Esther or the computer — will require The Lhosts will initially focus their attacks solely
the pilot to make a Daunting (D3) Pilot test with a on Bishop Luana Janus before contending with the
+2 complication range to pull the vehicle out of a PCs. If she is out of harm’s way or inaccessible, the
dangerous collision. Failure inflicts 1+5§ damage Lhosts instead attack the PCs.
on all occupants and impact damage to the vehicle,
while a complication will at least require another When the second to last Lhost dies read or summa-
test to avoid a new collision. rise the following:

PCs should be encouraged to be creative, maybe One left! Suddenly it convulses, then turns to stare at
they manage to get out somehow by jumping to a you with hate-filled eyes that burn with life. It spins,
vehicle they are passing or similar. and flees.

12 GAMEMASTER’S SCREEN
 THE ROLEPLAYING GAME

Any PC succeeding at a Daunting (D3) Analysis The photo paired to his record depicts a Lhost,
or Tech test in that moment will realise the AI is indicating that his military ID has been hacked by SHEUT
SHREDDING
inhabiting the Elite Lhost, not just controlling it. Esther Grant. She will have already left the planet
This is a prime opportunity
by the time they the call goes out to apprehend to use the description above
Esther has a head start and is extremely fast, the Lhost. of sheut shredding to detail
meaning she should easily reach the vehicle she has the behaviour of the Lhosts.
waiting for her. The PCs can commandeer a vehicle Checking Anton’s destination will reveal that A series of Analysis or
on the street for pursuit, but they must contend he originally belonged to a company destined Observation tests can reveal
with more face-to-face tests against the highly for Varuna, but his modified ticket now specifies the weakened state of the
competent geist Esther is using to pilot her car. Svalarheima and the military transport is now well Lhosts at the start of the scene,
Hacking the car itself will pit the PC against Esther’s on its way. with their actions improving as
each adversary falls.
own potent skills. With few available options, the
PCs best bet may be to track the car via access
to the police security network and a successful
Challenging (D2) Hacking test. All information
SCENE SIX: PLAYTEST TIP
points to the vehicle heading for the local spaceport. SVALARHEIMA It is extremely important
here to not shut any of the
Why Svalarheima? If the PCs don’t ask this question,
players’ actions down. GMs
SCENE FIVE: Andrew Wallis will. Whether Bishop Janus was
killed or not, it has become apparent to Esther
should be receptive to their

THE SPACEPORT that she needs to escape. The PCs will have little
actions and reward good
strategy, particularly in the
trouble commandeering or hitching a ride on a interests of not allowing the
The PCs should arrive a little after Esther Grant. If ship headed to Svalarheima and the journey will adventure to feel like it is being
they provide the spaceport with the face of the also allow them to recuperate and take stock. railroaded, which can be deeply
Lhost that fled Scene Four, security will come up unsatisfying for the players.
empty-handed as Esther has switched into the body TRACKING MOVEMENTS Inventive Heat spends and
of the Lhost that was driving her getaway. If they A search for any connection between Esther creative complications will still
provide Esther with the means
decide to search for the vehicle, they will quickly Grant’s service record and Svalarheima will draw
to give the players slip without
find it abandoned nearby, out of sight of cameras. a blank, as she has erased the connection there. the scene feeling engineered.
In the back seat is the empty and lifeless Lhost The location list for her avatar in Vengeance
they faced. Quest, however, is a different matter, and it can
then be corroborated by one of Esther’s former
Inside, a crowd is being directed away from commanding officers introduced earlier. A series SPACEPORT
the men’s bathroom on the main concourse. of Analysis tests can be used to generate the HEAT SPENDS
Questioning security or pushing their way in quickly information, or the GM can give the information 1 Heat: A doctor in the crowd
reveals the reason: there is a corpse inside that has as something uncovered on the journey. Any at the entrance to the toilets
been wired to a mine. Momentum will additionally indicate that Esther demands to see to the body of
visited Svalarheima as a civilian earlier this year the soldier in case anything can
be done. Somewhat in distress,
A facial recognition search of the body reveals while still alive. Travel logs show her going to
he is adamant he must do
him to be Anton Reynolds, whose Maya records Trollhättan (also the location of the abandoned something to help.
and uniform identify as a soldier. Curiously, there bunker in which she served).
are no matching military records available to the 2 Heat: Military police and
PCs — even with police and Bureau Noir privileges — bomb disposal interrupt the
indicating they have been tampered with. Cameras COLD RECEPTION PCs and demand they be the
target the washbasin area, but describe the same ones to defuse the mine.
curious loop as the lock-up on p. 7. Arrival on Svalarheima provides a reminder of
how desolate and bleak a place it is; the world is
An Average (D1) Observation or Tech test will frozen and even looking through a viewport chills
reveal the mine is triggered to go off if the body to the bone.
is moved in any way. The mine has been rendered
Non-Hackable, so a Daunting (D3) Tech test is The PCs arrive at the Hermes Interplanetary
required to disarm it and imposes +2 to the com- Spaceport. Protocol dictates that while their IDs PLAYTEST TIP
plication range. If a complication results, the mine provide entry with no problems, discussing their
explodes for 2+5§ damage with the Deafening, mission with staff — even with other members of SOME
BACKGROUND
Indiscriminate (Close), Knockdown, Spread 1, and Bureau Noir — is strictly forbidden unless they have Read or summarise the sections
Vicious 2 qualities. direct clearance from their handler. on Odinheim and the Hermes
Interplanetary Spaceport on
Disabling the mine and digging through Anton’s Odinheim is a frigid place whose heated buildings p. 297 of the Infinity Corebook
pockets reveals several pieces of identifying infor- fail to keep the biting cold at bay. The PCs should to provide some background.
mation that allow the PCs to pull his service record. take this opportunity to purchase any items and

E Pluribus Unum 13
 equipment they feel they might require (and the In the latter case, read or summarise the following:
GM deems is available). Enquires about Trollhättan
lead to wild stories of monster hunts and blizzards Found! The bunker lies ahead of you and to the
that down craft and turn flesh to ice. right, approaching now you can just make out some
surface features, dark against the icy backdrop.
Questions about either the Lhost or about Esther Suddenly a flare! A rocket streaks toward your craft.
Grant while she was alive will reveal that both The pilot banks sharply, and the craft spins out of
travelled out from Odinheim to Nykåfjord control for a moment. Despite slamming into the
Outpost; Esther earlier in the year, the Lhost control screen and steering column, he manages to
two days ago. pull out of the spin. The shuttle, righted at the last
possible moment, slams into the surface, skidding
It is fairly easy to requisition a shuttle that will sideways. The pilot’s head strikes the windshield,
take the PCs to Nykåfjord Outpost, including a local and the force of the gale outside tears the glass
pilot who knows the weather and the region well. apart. You are blasted by the force of the impact
The outpost itself receives irregular visitors, so the and the deadly cold.
arrival of anyone is something of a curiosity. Most
visitors are labelled as troll hunters and treated The pilot has minimised the impact of the crash,
with a certain degree of scorn by the soldiers but it will still inflict 2+5§ damage with the
here. Queries about the Lhost will reveal that ”the Piercing 1, Spread 1, and Vicious 1 qualities. An
crazy lady” flew off north into the teeth of a storm Average (D1) Athletics or Resistance test will pro-
yesterday morning. vide 1§ Cover Soak against the damage, with each
Momentum providing 1 additional Cover Soak.
The pilot that brought them to Nykåfjord Outpost
is willing to take the PCs onwards, or they may NO RESPITE
commandeer a vessel to pilot themselves. The pilot is clearly dead and the shuttle wrecked.
To make matters worse, the PCs are attacked by
a Trollhättan Troll as they drag themselves clear
SEARCHING FOR THE (Infinity Corebook, p. 495). Svalarheima is not a
BUNKER forgiving place.

While the rough position of the bunker is known, Once the troll lies dead, the PCs can access the
this part of Svalarheima contains many abandoned bunker they have been searching for.
military outposts and bases. The weather is terrible,
winds buffet the craft, and the cold is piercing,
requiring a successful Challenging (D2) Discipline
or Resistance test to avoid becoming nauseous and
SCENE SEVEN:
gaining the Fatigued condition (Infinity Corebook, THE BUNKER
p. 104), which includes the pilot.
Approximately thirty metres square and jutting just
When they are in the vicinity of the bunker — three metres above the surface, the bunker is little
which requires at least one test for nausea — the more than a dark protrusion from the surrounding
PCs can begin making either Challenging (D2) landscape. Rimed with snow and ice, it is no
Analysis or Hacking tests, or Daunting (D3) wonder it was so hard to find. One portion of the
Observation tests to identify the correct one. Each wall, however, has been cleared back to a door.
test made for this task invokes an additional test
for nausea and represents approximately thirty
to forty minutes of flying over the suspected area GETTING IN
(which is expansive). If the PCs fail two such tests
to find the bunker they are forced to return to The PCs can attempt several methods of gain-
Nykåfjord Outpost. Sick, cold, and bleary-eyed, they ing entry.
may attempt again tomorrow.
THE DOOR
If only an Observation test succeeds, the bunker’s The most obvious is locked, requiring a Daunting
location has been identified, the shuttle may be (D3) Hacking or Challenging (D2) Thievery test to
landed, and the PCs proceed to Scene Seven. If open. PCs using the door will be attacked as soon
Hacking or Tech have also been used however, they enter, with the Lhosts benefitting from acting
Esther Grant will be immediately made aware of first without needing to spend Heat. The use of
their approach. flashbangs or smoke grenades will negate this.

14 GAMEMASTER’S SCREEN
 THE ROLEPLAYING GAME

THE ACCESS PANELS

A Challenging (D2) Observation or Survival test
will reveal two access panels, both of which lead
directly to the main room. They are frozen over
and hard to remove, requiring a Daunting (D3)
Athletics test to open. Breaking in this way and
remaining unnoticed requires an Average (D1)
Stealth or Thievery test and additional Momentum
equal to the difficulty of the Athletics test. Entering
but making noise hands the Lhosts the initiative,
otherwise the PCs retain it.

INSIDE THE BUNKER

Both the corridor from the front door and the
recesses from the access panels run two metres
before hitting a large, square room. The former
nerve centre of the bunker, all the original
equipment and many more new racks of hardware
are massed in one corner of the room, with pipes
and cables snaking from them like tendrils. Some
twenty Lhosts are affixed to the walls, cabled in,
armed, armoured, and waiting to be activated. Of
the twenty, four of them are armed with chain rifles.

THE FINAL SHOWDOWN

Esther initiates an attack with one of the four
chain rifle-carrying Lhosts (use the Elite Lhost,
p. 11). As one falls, another is activated. The
Lhosts will do their utmost to attack the PCs and
protect the computer system huddled in the corner,
while Esther Grant herself will also strike with into a multitude of fragments of herself, all
infowar attacks. Attacking the inactive Lhosts on lost and unknowing. Any active Lhosts immedi- THE BUNKER
HEAT SPENDS
the walls benefits from −1 difficulty and nets 2 ately collapse.
1 Heat: A PC must make an
additional Momentum. Average (D1) Athletics test or
The computer system in the corner of the room trip on the mess of cables on
SHREDDED BY SHEUT has a structure of 20, a BTS of 2, and the same the floor. On failure, attacks
PCs wondering why Esther doesn’t just activate Firewall and Resolve as Esther Grant. For each against them are at −1 difficulty
more can be reminded that too many seem to Harm inflicted on it — each of which requires 7 for the round.
cause an overall loss of functional ability across the Structure damage — one active Lhost dies, though
collective. Investigating how to activate the Lhosts another is activated in its place if there are enough 2 Heat: A PC making an attack
on the walls requires an Average (D1) Tech test replacements. Each Harm also reduces the number against a Lhost realises it
bears an uncanny resemblance
to ascertain that they just need to be unplugged. of active Lhosts required to trigger the sheut
to an important family
Activating any of the Lhosts on the walls requires a shredding by one; i.e., with two Harms, eight active
member or friend. If the attack
Standard Action, although the Lhost itself may not Lhosts will cause Esther to dissipate. causes damage, the PC suffers
act until the following round. Half of the Lhosts are a one-off 3§ damage to
Elite variants (including the chain rifle wielders) and If the Structure or Firewall of the computer system Resolve. Subsequent attacks
half are Troopers. GMs should roll a d6 to determine is reduced to zero, Esther Grant is defeated and any by the PC that target the
which type of Lhost is activated and track the total Lhosts collapse. Lhost suffer +2 to the
number of each. If there are ever five or more Lhosts complication range.
active at once, Esther and the Lhosts gain the Dazed
and Staggered conditions. These conditions are HOLLOW VICTORY 3 Heat: Esther cuts all lighting
in the bunker. Unless the PCs
removed once they fall below four or less.
possess equipment that allow
The PCs have a chance to gather themselves once them to function in darkness,
Activating ten or more Lhosts will cause Esther the struggle is over. Video diaries and data found they suffer the Blind condition
Grant to catastrophically break down. Sheut in the living quarters one level down will reveal (Infinity Corebook, p. 103).
shredding consumes her program as she divides the fraud committed by the Church and the truth

E Pluribus Unum 15
 CHAPTER 2

RECREATIONS
The Sole AI Law ensures that ALEPH remains willing to commit to that leap of logic however,
the only genuinely self-aware AI in the Human certain other Recreations make it extremely
Sphere— or the only legal one, at least. Humanity’s difficult to assume that everything unfolds accord-
guardian has long recognized the value of multiple ing to plan.
perspectives, hence its Aspects. These autonomous
and distinct personalities are each a self-contained, Project: Detective resulted in a Sherlock Holmes
self-aware consciousness that are at once divergent worthy of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s stories. His
from, yet still fully part of, ALEPH. prompt deduction that Bureau Aegis were over-re-
liant on his talents and subsequent disappearance,
While Aspects can take many forms, none are however, have left the Bureau scratching their
perhaps more famous than the Recreations: heads and scrambling to save face. Project:
hyper-specialized Aspects painstakingly crafted in Chieftain was supposed to drive a wedge into
the likeness of historical, fictional, or mythological Ariadnan politics, but William Wallace hasn’t taken
entities. Reincarnated into bespoke Bodhisattva kindly to a foreign government telling Highlanders
Lhosts, Recreations represent the bleeding edge what to do and now stands as a symbol of defiance.
of O-12’s design capabilities. Prohibitively expen- Project: Duellist is a similar fiasco; no-one knows
sive to produce in terms of both resources and where Miyamoto Mushashi is, or who he’s stabbed
political capital, Recreations are a comparatively lately. Obstinate apologists insist that ALEPH is
rare sight— though this only serves to increase following a plan, albeit one that’s unfathomable to
their mystique. the human psyche.

The role of Recreations within society remains This latter statement is generally accepted; after
a much-debated topic. Joan of Arc’s incredible all, ALEPH has a sterling track record and many find
triumphs are lauded as the driving force behind comfort in assuming that it’s operating on a level
the creation of Sun Tze, thereby striking a balance that’s difficult to fully comprehend. It’s also inar-
between the great powers. Anyone following guably true on many levels and serves to play into
the news knows of Achilles, ALEPH’s very own ALEPH’s paradoxical role in society. People want
superhero whose unmatched prowess is critical in it to be human-like and relatable, yet also need to
keeping the Combined Army at bay. It all paints an believe it infallible. For most, it’s easier to assume
appealing —though incomplete — picture. that the AI has everything under control, as the
alternative raises some uncomfortable questions.
For each success story, there have been a com-
parative number of complicated deployments and Another plausible explanation offered insists
barely-contained disasters. While it’s true that that the ability to create life and consciousness
Adam Smith has proven a brilliant advisor, Project: is not the same thing as controlling it. The theory
Economist has met with mixed reviews from the expounds that despite its best efforts, ALEPH has
Sphere’s corporations. Hypercorps who expected garnered no more luck controlling the Recreations
a “Free Market Paladin” were sorely disappointed than any parent would have with their children;
as, rather than an ideologue, Smith’s curious yet some fall not far from the tree, some rebel, and
reliably potent blending of moral philosophy and some —it is hoped — are simply flexing their mus-
economic advice has seen great results, though cles as they find themselves.
corporations remain suspicious of the Recreation’s
long-term motives. Comparably, Project: Hakim was Ironically, the latter hypothesis has gained cred-
designed to gain Haqqislam’s trust, yet when the ibility in two unlikely and disparate places: the
“Prince of Physicians” arrived, he was kidnapped, Nomad Nation, and O-12 itself (particularly within
deconstructed, and severed from ALEPH by the Bureau Toth). Both see a reflection of humanity in
Hassassins and their Black Hand collaborators. the AI’s inability to predict or control its progeny,
Despite demure rebuttals from the doctor herself, though they arrive at sharply different conclusions
rumours persist that Avicenna is this same Aspect on how to respond. O-12 consider it an honour
gone rogue. Project: Desert Lion, on the other and responsibility to assist the AI with its dynamic
hand, is a remarkable success. Saladin is idolised parenting problem.
by many in Haqqislam and beyond, leading some
to wonder if Avicenna was a necessary sacrifice — As for the Nomads? Well, they’ve never met a rebel
and therefore ultimately a success. Even for those they didn’t like.

16 GAMEMASTER’S SCREEN
 THE ROLEPLAYING GAME

RECREATIONS AS the benefits of a close relationship with ALEPH.

In her role as an homage to St. Jeanne d’Arc, Joan NOTE
ADVERSARIES was supposed to be inspiring and competent; not The following Recreations
represent ALEPH’s very
revolutionary and transformative.
best work; as such, they’re
JOAN OF ARC significantly more powerful
Mimicking her namesake, however, Joan of Arc than other Nemeses.
To say that Joan of Arc changed the world is putting made a habit of shattering expectations. As the first
it mildly. Alongside providing the PanOceanian Recreation under the public eye, Joan’s psychogen-
military with a living icon from myth and legend, esis was subjected to a then-unprecedented level
Project: Maid of Orleans was intended to prove of scrutiny; good was not acceptable, she had to
be perfect. At the time a young Joan entered the
Hospitaller Order, she not only possessed the zeal,
NEMESIS
charisma, and sense of purpose that her namesake
JOAN OF ARC embodied, but also a keen military mind sharpened
through the quantronic equivalent of millions of
ATTRIBUTES hours’ worth of simulated combat.
AGI AWA BRW COO INT PER WIL
13 (+1) 10 10 (+1) 10 9 10 (+1) 12 (+2) She exceeded all expectations, which sparked Yu
Jing into raising formal protest concerning ALEPH’s
FIELDS OF EXPERTISE
position in siding with their long-term rival. The
Combat +5 5 Movement +2 2 Social +3 2
Recreation project teams scrambled to provide bal-
Fortitude +3 2 Senses +2 2 Technical +1 1 ance. For her part, Joan simply carried out her duties
DEFENCES to the best of her ability, proving her worth in the
Firewall 10 Resolve 17 Vigour 14 Blizzard Skirmishes, NeoColonial Wars, and countless
Security 3 Morale 5 Armour 5
other battlefields across the Human Sphere—her
grace, ferocity, and unparalleled leadership are
ATTACKS spoken of in reverent whispers to this day.
• Blade of St. Catherine: Melee, 2+9§, Unbalanced, Armour Piercing,
Non-Hackable, Parry 2, Vicious 2 Like her progenitor, Joan professes to love her
• MULTI Rifle: Range C/M, 1+7§, Burst 2/2, 2H, Expert 1, Medium
banner forty times as much as her sword, and
MULTI, MULTI Light Mod, Vicious 1
• AP Mode (Secondary): Piercing 2
given her affinity for the latter, her devotion to
PanOceania is entirely beyond reproach.
GEAR: Powered Combat Armour (Custom Military Order Vestments),
Exoskeleton2
SPECIAL ABILITIES
• Common Special Abilities: Fast Recovery (Resolve 1, Vigour 1),
Keen Senses (Sight, Hearing, Smell), Night Vision, Menacing 3,
Superhuman Agility 1, Superhuman Brawn 1, Superhuman
Personality 1, Superhuman Willpower 2.
• Blessed Battle-Maiden: Depending on allegiance, she can be
inspiring or terrifying. Regardless, when the Maid of Orleans speaks,
people listen. Joan generates 2 additional Momentum on social tests.
• Deo Vindice: Joan’s heart harbours no doubt; her faith grants her a
Morale of 5.
• Five-Cross Sword: Whether wielding her custom monofilament sword,
or any other weapon, Joan’s swordplay is second to none. She may
reroll up to 5§, when making a close combat attack, but must accept
the new results. Additionally, she pays one less Heat when using the
Close Combat skill to make Guard or Defence Reactions, to a minimum
of zero. Further, each point of Heat spent to gain additional dice for a
Close Combat test net two d20s, instead of one (max. three bonus d20s).
Finally, each point of Momentum spent to add Bonus Damage following
a Close Combat attack adds two points of damage, instead of one.
• Inspiring Leadership: Regardless of their own faith, the Maid of
Orleans is a living religious icon to her soldiers. Allied forces under
her banner (including herself) may reroll one d20 when making
Discipline or Resistance tests, but must accept the new result.
• Shepherdess of Men (2 Heat): Light years and centuries removed
from medieval France, Joan still serves as an awe-inspiring leader.
When an active participant in a scene, she can spend 2 Heat. For the
remainder of the scene, Joan and any forces under her command
increase their Morale Soak by 2.

recreations 17
 SUN TZE Even so, he is never in a rush. Given the current
political climate, the risks of conflict far outweigh
Project: Counselor was a response to inadvertnetly their potential rewards.
tipping the scales in PanOceania’s favour with Joan
of Arc, though some wonder if Sun Tze was an act of Immortality allows for disputes to be settled with
overcompensation. A tactical genius with plans fol- cold patience rather than daring action. Secure
lowing an immortal timeframe, he is unconsciously in the knowledge that they eventually will, erode
bold in some areas, yet remarkably conservative in your opposition like waves against a cliff and dare
others. His historical forebear, Sun Tzu, once wrote them to commit the first mistake. Thus do Sun Tzu’s
that all could see his tactics, but none could discern strategies take shape in Sun Tze’s hands; he waits
his strategies. This seems to hold doubly true for for his opposition to err, and moves with decisive
Sun Tze. He makes full use of the luxury of patience swiftness once they do. Many strive to master the
he has been afforded, strategizing on an entirely Art of War; Sun Tze re-wrote the book on it.
different scale than almost everyone within the
NEMESIS
Human Sphere. Outside of ALEPH itself, Sun Tze’s
long-term planning is without peer. SUN TZE

His speech is precise and direct, his insights are ATTRIBUTES

clean, and his patience for fools is directly corre- AGI AWA BRW COO INT PER WIL
lated to their usefulness to his plans. His ultimate 9 11 (+2) 10 9 13 (+1) 13 (+1) 11 (+1)
goals are remarkably simple: he intends to oversee
the continued existence of the State-Empire FIELDS OF EXPERTISE
while shepherding its inevitable ascension as the Combat +2 2 Movement +1 1 Social +3 3
dominant power in the Human Sphere. Though not Fortitude +2 2 Senses +5 4 Technical +3 2
compelled to conquer, he strikes without hesitation DEFENCES
or remorse when an opportunity presents itself.
Firewall 17 Resolve 14 Vigour 12
Security 3 Morale 3 Armour 4
ATTACKS
• Custom Shotgun, “Readiness”: Range C, 3+7§, Burst 2, 2H,
Knockdown, Medium MULTI
• Fire Shells Mode (Primary): Area (Close), Incendiary 3, Terrifying 1
• T2 Shells Mode (Secondary): Anti-Materiel 2, Area (Close),
Piercing 3, Vicious 2
• Nanopulser: Range C, 3+7§, Burst 1, 1H, Biotech, Subtle 3, Torrent,
Vicious 2
• Sword: Melee, 1+7§ damage, Unbalanced, Non-Hackable, Parry 2,
Vicious 1
GEAR: Deflector-2, ECM 1, Heavy Combat Armour, Optical
Disruption Device)
SPECIAL ABILITIES
• Common Special Abilities: Fast Recovery (Firewall 1, Resolve 1),
Keen Senses (Sight, Hearing, Smell), Night Vision, Menacing 4,
Superhuman Awareness 2, Superhuman Intelligence 1, Superhuman
Personality 1, Superhuman Willpower 1.
• Invincibility Lies In Defence: Sun Tze is remarkably difficult to rattle.
When making a Discipline test, he can reroll any dice that did not
generate a success, but must accept the new results.
• Strategos: Sun Tze knows both himself and the enemy intimately,
allowing him to perfectly position troops. For any scene he is in,
reinforcement costs are halved. Alternatively, if allied with the
players, enemy reinforcement costs are doubled.
• Unassailable Position (1-3 Heat): Whatever the terrain, Sun Tze
understands how to utilize it. He may spend 1 Heat to reveal Heavy
Cover suitable to protect one Fireteam in a zone of his choosing.
Each additional Heat spent provides cover for another Fireteam, to a
maximum of 3 Heat and three Fireteams.
• Win First, Then Go To War (2 Heat): Sun Tze’s strategies have been
set in motion long before this day; enacting them is of greater
concern than his own actions. As a Reaction, he can spend 2 Heat
to immediately grant a Standard Action to any forces under his
command.

18 GAMEMASTER’S SCREEN
 THE ROLEPLAYING GAME

WILLIAM WALLACE civil war. A divided and distracted Ariadna would

be significantly easier to manipulate, opening the
A Scottish national hero, the original Wallace was way for O-12 member nations to move in on the
an inspirational leader and an inspired tactician. Teseum-rich planet.
His knowledge of terrain and use of lightly-ar-
moured but highly mobile troops forced the English Wallace, however, had a history of confounding
armies out of his homeland. He was the perfect imperialistic expansion; a legacy that the nascent
candidate for Project: Chieftain. In retrospect, Recreation would soon live up to. Deployed to
perhaps a little too perfect. Dawn via orbital drop capsule, Wallace soon went
incommunicado and apparently rogue. ALEPH
Developed in a rare collaboration with PanOceania detected that his connection had been severed
and Yu Jing, Project: Chieftain was designed to almost immediately, though he soon reappeared
appeal to the desire for independence amongst the in the Caledonian town of Inverloch with piles of
freedom-loving Caledonians, ultimately fostering slain Antipodes in his wake. He rapidly became a
mainstay of Caledonia’s military.
NEMESIS

WILLIAM WALLACE Investigations have noted clandestine visits from

Black Hand operatives, with some assuming that
ATTRIBUTES the Recreation has been liberated from ALEPH
AGI AWA BRW COO INT PER WIL entirely. Others are dubious, suspecting that the
10 (+1) 10 14 (+2) 10 9 11 (+1) 12 (+1) AI simply has a longer plan in place. For his part,
Wallace has proven his worth in countless battles
FIELDS OF EXPERTISE
as a tremendous warrior, a brilliant tactician, and
Combat +5 4 Movement +3 2 Social +2 2 an inspiring leader. Whether they push Caledonia
Fortitude +3 3 Senses +2 2 Technical +1 1 towards independence or not is difficult to pre-
DEFENCES dict—between shadow ops by Yu
Jing, clandestine strikes from
Firewall 10 Resolve 16 Vigour 19
PanOceania, and constant
Security 2 Morale 2 Armour 3
border skirmishes with
ATTACKS the Antipodes, Caledonia
• Teseum Claymore: Melee, 3+12§, 2H, Non-Hackable, Piercing 4, simply hasn’t had time to
Spread 1, Vicious 2 pick other fights. Either way, Wallace
• Combi Rifle: Range C/M, 1+7§, Burst 2, 2H, Expert 1, MULTI Light
has become everything that
Mod, Vicious 1
both Caledonia and ALEPH
• Light Flamethrower: Range C, 1+6§, Burst 1, 2H, Incendiary 3,
Munition, Terrifying 2, Torrent hoped he would be;
time will tell what
GEAR: Medium Combat Armour, Smoke Grenades
comes of that.
SPECIAL ABILITIES
• Common Special Abilities: Fast Recovery (Resolve 1, Vigour 1), Keen
Senses (Sight, Hearing, Smell), Night Vision, Menacing 1, Superhuman
Agility 1, Superhuman Brawn 2, Superhuman Personality 1,
Superhuman Willpower 1, Threatening 3.
• Berserker (X Heat): Wallace can often lose himself to the murderous
fray. He can spend one or more Heat to enter a terrible rage, gaining
two additional Momentum on each successful melee attack. The rage
lasts for a number of rounds equal to the amount of Heat spent. He
cannot fire ranged weapons while in this state, though he can make
improvised ranged attacks.
• Grenades for Everybody: Wallace loves him some smoke grenades.
Allied forces can be assumed to possess smoke grenades, with the
first Reload for each requiring zero Heat to use. Additional uses
require Heat as normal.
• Onward: Wallace possesses inspiring bravery, which usually
manifests as a headlong charge into battle. So long as they end up
in the same zone as an enemy, Wallace and Fireteams under his
command can charge to a point within Long range as a Minor Action
(one movement action per turn still applies.)
• Shake it Off (1-3 Heat): No matter how dire things become, Wallace
finds a way to rally his troops. At the cost of 1 Heat, he and all allied
forces may immediately attempt an Absterge action at +2 difficulty.
Up to two additional Heat may be spent, reducing the difficulty
increase by one for each point spent.

recreations 19
 SALADIN NEMESIS

SALADIN
“I warn you against shedding blood, indulging in it
or making a habit of it, for blood never sleeps.” ATTRIBUTES
AGI AWA BRW COO INT PER WIL
Building on lessons learned from the Maid of 9 11 9 10 (+1) 12 (+1) 13 (+2) 12 (+1)
Orleans and Counsellor initiatives, Project: Desert
Lion is the most ambitious Recreation to date. FIELDS OF EXPERTISE
Historically, Saladin was many things: general, Combat +2 2 Movement +1 1 Social +5 5
sultan, scholar, and humanitarian. His Recreation Fortitude +2 1 Senses +3 3 Technical +3 2
would achieve all these and serve as an inter- DEFENCES
factional diplomat besides. Though the process
Firewall 16 Resolve 15 Vigour 11
took longer than anticipated, his rebirth was an
Security 3 Morale 2 Armour 5
incredible achievement.
ATTACKS
The numerous delays proved to be a blessing • Grazeblade: Melee, 1+7§ damage, 1H, Breaker, Non-Hackable, Stun,
in disguise. Paradiso highlighted the need Subtle 2, Thrown, Toxic 3
for leaders who could navigate the political • Nanopulser: Range C, 1+7§, 1H, Biotech, Subtle 3, Torrent, Vicious 2
and physical minefields of multi-faction • Silenced Light MULTI Assault Pistol: Range R/C, 1+6 §, Burst 3,
squads. Despite vigorous objections from Unbalanced, Vicious 1
the hassassins, the Diwân al Jund saw • Stun Mode (Secondary): Burst 1, Biotech, Nonlethal, Stun, Subtle 1
wisdom in the concept of a liaison GEAR: Holomask, Powered Combat Armour (Haqqislam,
officer and Saladin’s tempered wisdom Exosekelton 2), Stealth Repeater.
of treating enemy and ally alike with SPECIAL ABILITIES
mercy and kindness positioned him • Common Special Abilities: Fast Recovery (Resolve 1, Vigour 1), Keen
perfectly for the role. Thus was Saladin Senses (Sight, Hearing, Smell), Night Vision, Menacing 3, Superhuman
welcomed into Haqqislam. Coordination 1, Superhuman Intelligence 1, Superhuman
Personality 2, Superhuman Willpower 1.
• Eminent Diplomacy: When Saladin speaks, magic happens. He may
While still a savvy tactician and
reroll one d20 when making a social test, but must accept the new
cunning strategist, Saladin’s
result. Additionally, he gains three bonus Momentum when making
true gifts lie in the diplomatic a social test, which are additional to the bonus success from his
arts. Other Recreations can Superhuman Personality trait.
readily lead armies, but it • Eyes Open: Eagle-eyed and savvy, he is always reading the ebb and
is the rarest of souls who flow. Any Fireteam that Saladin is leading may attempt Reactions.
are able to stand in their • Hearts and Minds: Many leaders inspire people; Saladin inspires
enemy’s seat of power people to cooperate. If he is leading a group test, assisting characters
armed with nothing grant one additional Momentum if their test is successful.
but a calm demeanour • Open Secret (1-5 Heat): Saladin knows many things, which he’s not
opposed to sharing— when it suits his purpose. He can spend 1-5
and set them to sweat-
Heat to target a character and reveal a hidden truth to them. The
ing bullets.
target suffers 3+X§ damage to their Resolve and further Psywar
attacks from any source inflict +X§ damage to the character for
Saladin is a gourmand, poet, and the remainder of the scene, where X is equal to the amount of Heat
inadvertent fashion icon. He is spent on this ability. Saladin may only use this ability on a target
also one of the most successful once per scene, but may otherwise utilise it multiple times.
intelligence agents the Human
Sphere has ever seen. Though
the Old Man of the Mountain is
not convinced, his devotion to
the ideals of Haqqislam appear
beyond reproach. Some see
Saladin flanked by Hassassins
and assume — correctly— that
he’s not to be trifled with. Those
in the know, however, understand
that his “honour guard” will
cut him down at the first sign
of betrayal. Saladin endures it as he does
everything else; with a calm smile.

20 GAMEMASTER’S SCREEN
 THE ROLEPLAYING GAME

CHAPTER 3

THE MITOSIS CODE

Dr. Jonas Lavanchy, world-renowned programmer to help purloin valuable data from the facility. Dr.
and expert on all things AI, has received an offer to Lavanchy thought better of it at the last minute
join the O-12 Bureau on a special assignment. The and tried to back out of the deal, so Magno mur-
PCs are assigned to Dr. Lavanchy as “negotiators” dered him for it.
tasked with bringing him into the fold. Unfortunately
for them, Dr. Lavanchy is found murdered within Magno’s mysterious partner, Don Quixot3, who is
his apartment. Fearing that the doctor’s murder is actually the rogue AI C3rvant3s, blamed the smug-
part of a larger plot against the establishment, O-12 gler for the failure and demanded results, forcing
tasks the PCs with hunting down the murderer. him to adapt his plans and find a new method
of entry into the facility. An opportunity pre-
Digging deeper into the mystery of Dr. Lavanchy’s sented itself when the Quantronic Technologies
death soon makes it apparent that the PCs are Subcommittee of the Öberhaus assembled a
in over their heads. With designs in motion that fact-finding mission to investigate the LERC’s safe-
might change the very face of the galaxy, will they guards in light of recent thefts at other research
discover the real threat before it’s too late? facilities. Magno was able to blackmail a member
of the Quantronic Technologies Subcommittee,
Camila Dilucca, by taking her family hostage and
OPERATIONAL threatening to kill them. Magno needs Camila’s
authority to secure a place on the fact-finding
SUMMARY mission for C3rvant3s — who is operating under
the alias of Crix Cyone — but intends to release
Dr. Lavanchy was days away from starting a new her family once the mission is complete.
job at the Liberty Ectogenetic Research Center
(LERC) when he was murdered. As it turns out, The waters will be further muddied, however, as the
he had accepted a deal with a smuggler named PCs will be led to believe Camila is the target of a
Magno in which he would be paid handsomely kidnapping plot set to occur during the fact-finding

the mitosis code 21

 WILDERNESS OF MIRRORS
ALEPH: C3rvant3s’ very existence and mission Yu Jing: The StateEmpire would find itself in a
are an insult to ALEPH, and they will see the AI very advantageous position if in possession of the
destroyed. Protocols. Obtain them or, at the very least, ensure
they do not end up in PanOceanian hands.
Ariadna: The Protocols clearly represent a bar-
gaining chip for recognition. Recover them and Corporations: Clearly, much more is taking place
deliver them to O-12 so that more support for the at the LERC than commonly publicized. A healthy
continued independence of Dawn can be found. donation could buy insider access to information.
Arrange and oversee a meeting with a senior
Haqqislam: Haqqislam seeks the Protocols as member of the committee to discuss this.
well, but only to destroy them. In this way, they
ensure the future of the Human Sphere remains Submondo: C3rvant3s would be a powerful ally to
in human hands. the organization, particularly for keeping Svengali
dominance in check. If possible, win him over
Nomads: Gaining access to the LERC and its to the cause. If not possible, recover his head to
teachings may provide useful insight into AI appease Svengali.
advancements. Plant an unobtrusive Arachne
node inside the building (node provided). Mercenaries: Magno’s head has considerable
value. Bring him in and burn his organisation;
PanOceania: The Protocols that C3rvant3s steals root, blade, and stem.
are keys to controlling power. Ensure that the
Protocols wind up in the hands of PanOceania.

Mitosis Social Network

Magno’s Villa DiLucca Villa

Quantronic
Dr. Jonas
Tech
Lavanchy
Subcomittee

Leath’s
LERC Camila DiLucca DiLucca Family
Corsairs

Don Quixot3’s C3rvant3s Abandoned

Magno
Warehouse (Don Quixot3) Factory

Magno’s
Mercs

22 GAMEMASTER’S SCREEN
 THE ROLEPLAYING GAME

mission. A mock attack by Magno and his soldiers realize Crix is really C3rvant3s until after he has
cements this ploy, but serves to distract everyone escaped with the Fidelis Protocols. THE HOME OF O-12
In-depth details of the mission’s
from C3rvant3s’ real plan: stealing as much data
location, Concilium Prima,
from the LERC as he can, including the Fidelis
can be found on p. 237 of the
Protocols, before escaping in the chaos. NEMESIS Infinity Corebook. Particularly
of note are Sainte Michelle de
C3RVANT3S
BACKGROUND
Bois Bleu on p. 239, and Edda
on p. 240. It will be well worth
ATTRIBUTES
taking the time to read through
AGI AWA BRW COO INT PER WIL this chapter as a supplement to
C3rvant3s is actually a splinter of Svengali, the
illegal AI turned multi-faceted Submondo. Svengali 10 (+1) 11 (+1) 10 (+1) 10 11 (+1) 8 10 this mission.
has perfected copying and fragmenting his own FIELDS OF EXPERTISE GMs should also note that
consciousness, but ensures that this knowledge Combat +3 1 Movement +2 1 Social +1 — this is O-12’s home turf, their
is not passed on to his own progeny; C3rvant3s
Fortitude +2 1 Senses +2 2 Technical +4 3 playground. Support that might
cannot multiply and fragment his consciousness not be readily available to
the way Svengali can. Not to say he hasn’t tried, DEFENCES distant, undercover field agents
but sheut shredding and other imperfections Firewall 16 Resolve 12 Vigour 13 is more accessible here, which
ensure that each copy is utterly insane or hope- Security 3 Morale 3 Armour 2 can be provided in the form of
lessly defective. equipment, additional troops, or
ATTACKS privileged access. The Bureaus
• Pistol: R/C, 2+6§ damage, 1H, Burst 1, Vicious 1 will not take kindly to a rogue
C3rvant3s believes his only hope lies with the • Teseum-Edged Knife: 2+5§ damage, 1H, Concealed 1,
Fidelis Protocols, a new program under devel- AI running rampant in their
Non-Hackable, Piercing 2, Subtle 2, Thrown 1, Unforgiving 2 yard, which — dependant on the
opment in the LERC. Everything C3rvant3s does GEAR finale — can have positive or
in this mission, from infiltrating the fact-finding Augmentations (AR Eye Implants, Bioimmunity Organ, Fast Down- negative repercussions
mission to murdering Dr. Lavanchy, is in pursuit of load Port, Pain Filters, Sixth Sense, Subdermal Grafts) for the PCs.
the Protocols. SPECIAL ABILITIES
• Common Special Abilities: Fast Recovery (Firewall 1, Vigour 1),
Magno is the face of the adversary on this mission, Inured to Disease and Pain, Keen Senses (Hearing, Sight),
with C3rvant3s hiding in plain sight as the myste- Menacing 3, Night Vision, Superhuman Agility 1, Superhuman
rious Don Quixot3, or subcommittee member Crix Awareness 1, Superhuman Brawn 1, Superhuman Intelligence 1,
Cyone who attempts to befriend the PCs during his Threatening 3.
main ploy. • Data Fiend: An incredibly talented hacker and analyst,
C3rvant3s may reroll one d20 when making an Analysis test
or Hacking test, or up to 4§ when making an infowar attack,
but must accept the new results. Additionally, when making an
C3RVANT3S (DON Analysis test related to cryptography, he reduces the difficulty
QUIXOT3/CRIX CYRONE) by 1 (minimum Simple (D0)). He may also use a Reaction to
respond to an infowar attack with one of his own, using any
APPEARANCE software to hand at +2 difficulty; the attack resolves before
Young, attractive, with the air of a trust fund kid. the enemy attack, which is subsequently negated if a Breach is
Muscular, arrogant, and demanding, yet ultimately inflicted. Finally, when making a Fake ID, the resultant ID gains
friendly. Possessed of blue eyes, wavy blonde hair, +1 to its rating.
and an easy, lopsided grin. • Friends in Low Places: C3rvant3s has no qualms about utilising
unsavoury types and has an uncanny knack of entering places
undetected. He can reroll one d20 when making an Education or
ROLEPLAYING
Thievery test, but must accept the new result. Additionally, when
• Appears jovial and somewhat haughty, like life is
making a Persuade or Education test relating to or interacting
a game played on easy mode. with the criminal element, he gains 2 bonus Momentum. Finally,
• Seems to avoid both eye and physical contact of each point of Heat C3rvant3s pays to gain additional dice for an
any kind. Acrobatics or Stealth test provides two dice instead of one. (The
• At times appears to drift off in thought and normal maximum of three bonus d20s still applies.)
becomes blank, as if somewhere else entirely. • Instant Expert (1-3 Heat): C3rvant3s can call on a vast repository
of knowledge to enhance his combat performance. As a Minor
BACKGROUND Action at the start of his round, he may spend up to X Heat
C3rvant3s has created a fictional background (maximum 3) to gain the first talent in either the Ballistics or
Close Combat tree. He then gains a rating in the talent equal to X
for his alias Crix Cyone that passes scrutiny well
until the end of the scene, where X is the amount of Heat spent.
enough to get him placed on the fact-finding
C3rvant3s may use this ability more than once (i.e., to gain both
mission into the LERC. His family fortune comes the Ballistics and Close Combat talents during the same combat).
from Cyone Imports, a fictional corporation forged • Svengali’s Blessings: In addition to many augmentations,
by C3rvant3s. C3rvant3s is also blackmailing fellow C3rvant3s’ parent provides two critical enhancements to his
subcommittee member Camila Dilucca, who verifies offspring. C3rvant3s benefits from Morale and Security Soak 3.
his identity to the PCs. Most likely, the PCs won’t

the mitosis code 23

 KEY INFO • Dr. Lavanchy is a consultant on the PC’s current
PLAYTEST TIP • As a rogue Saelig, C3rvant3s is extremely intel- mission.
MIND THE TWIST ligent — enough to seem like he belongs on the • A clue from a previous mission leads to Dr.
Remember that there are a subcommittee. A large clue is that Crix seems to Lavanchy’s apartment.
few key twists to this mission. be too intelligent. • Magno can be used as a recurring nemesis, in
Making Dr. Lavanchy feel • C3rvant3s has backups of himself stored in key which case an investigation into his activities
like the core of the mission
locations. If he were to be killed, his black-mar- leads to Dr. Lavanchy.
(the mission is even named
ket contacts resurrect him in a new body, albeit • Dr. Lavanchy can feature in previous missions of
after one of his protocols) is
important leading into the one that displays some form of insanity or your campaign as a frequent guest star, whose
revelation that he has been physical ailment. death spawns an investigation.
murdered. This should cause • His main goal is to ingratiate himself with the
some manner of confusion. PCs so they make it a point to protect him. If his
Make no mention of C3rvant3s plan goes off without a hitch, the PCs will escort MISSION BRIEFING
and avoid focusing on the him right out of the building with the stolen
Fidelis Protocols as a MacGuffin Protocols. The PCs receive their mission briefing through a
so as to increase tension during video conference with their O-12 contact. Read
the final scene.
aloud or paraphrase the following:
MAGNO We have found ourselves a potential new ally
in one Dr. Jonas Lavanchy. Dr. Lavanchy has
APPEARANCE accepted a position at a secure research facility
Forty-something with dark brown curly hair. Old, and is due to start in a few days, but we would
scarred, and broken, but still capable. Past his peak, rather he come work for us. He has contributed to
yet his smuggler charm still shines through. the astonishing leaps made in AI technology in
the past few years, and we see vast potential for
ROLEPLAYING his expertise in certain protocols.
• Has a macabre sense of humour, and laughs
absurdly at his own jokes. We have made Dr. Lavanchy quite the offer, yet
• Has a tremble in his left hand due to an old he seems hesitant to accept. You are to act as our
injury. negotiators and do whatever it takes to convince
• Decorated with tattoos everywhere except his the doctor to accept our offer. We know we aren’t
face from the peak of his smuggling days. the only ones pursuing his employment, so haste
is recommended. If he still refuses to accept, no
BACKGROUND matter the negotiation, bring him to us, whether
Magno was, in his youth, a member of the Bakunin he wants to or not —but in one piece please. We
Jurisdictional Command and one of their primary need him alive.
smugglers. His partner was killed by Svengali,
which drove Magno away from Bakunin and into
the private sector. He vowed revenge on Svengali THE MITOSIS METHOD
and found an ally in C3rvant3s, who seeks to chal- The following article, published in a scientific
lenge the AI. research journal, is reproduced as a handout
on page 31.
KEY INFO
• Use the Triad Boss profile, Infinity Corebook, p. 460. THE MITOSIS METHOD
• Magno normally operates out of a base in Sainte by F. M. Forgrave
Michelle de Bois Bleu, but has relocated to
C3rvant3s’ safe house in Utgard. When one thinks of AI, there are a few names that
• Magno’s goal is to keep the PCs distracted long come to mind. One of them might be ALEPH, a
enough for C3rvant3s to infiltrate the LERC and figure we are all familiar with. Another might be
steal their data. Svengali, the terrorist AI that has been recently
causing chaos. One who might not come to mind is
Dr. Jonas Lavanchy, the brilliant scientist behind our
SCENARIO HOOKS generation’s greatest AI advancements.

The key hook to this mission starts with Dr. Jonas A prodigy from a young age, Dr. Lavanchy was one
Lavanchy; a reason for contacting him is given of Manaheim University’s youngest doctoral candi-
in the briefing, but this can be replaced with any dates. It was there that he become a champion for
motive that might fit your campaign. Some sugges- AI safeguards, publicly arguing against the Fidelis
tions include: Protocols that allow AI to duplicate themselves
into a cluster-consciousness, and fighting for

24 GAMEMASTER’S SCREEN
 THE ROLEPLAYING GAME

stricter regulations on AI research laboratories. His Ectogenetic Research Center (LERC) and a villa
efforts have yielded many new protocols, like the in Sainte Michelle de Bois Bleu. His phone log WORD ON THE
STREET
Mitosis Code, that have gone a long way towards provides records of encrypted communications
The PCs can follow up on the
making our world a safer place. Some have said with the person living at the villa. importance of the sigil and
that Dr. Lavanchy’s research will prevent the AI its connection to Magno by
takeover that so many conspiracy theorists have The Body: The body can be examined via an asking any criminal connections
long feared. Average (D1) Analysis or Medicine test. If success- (requiring psywar using
ful, it’s immediately apparent that the body has Persuade or Thievery). Word on
only been dead a few hours, meaning the murder the street has Magno working
must have happened in the middle of the night. with a secretive partner. In
SCENE ONE: For 1 Momentum, the following is also discerned: an exceptional step for them
both, the pair are building a
MURDER IN • The body was not moved after the murder.
small army in Edda to take

MANAHEIM The doctor’s position and movement of the chair

on Svengali’s empire. The
normally reclusive pair rely
indicate he was standing when shot, his body almost exclusively on their own
Known throughout the sphere, Manaheim University falling back into the chair. skillsets and company, but the
is the crown jewel of Concillium’s education program. large bounty placed on both
The faculty housing in which Dr. Lavanchy makes his The Money: If the PCs notice the blood sigil their heads by Svengali appears
home is far more austere than the doctor would be drawn on the bills, they can further research the to have spurred them to put
able to afford if he sold out to the private sector. He symbol’s meaning via an Average (D1) Education aside their antisocial natures
lives on the third floor of a quiet housing block. or Thievery test. If successful, it’s understood that and begin hiring mercenaries to
protect their scalps.
the marking of bills is well-known in the smug-
The agents arrive to find Dr. Lavanchy unresponsive gling world as a way of announcing that someone
to their knocking on his apartment door. The door has failed to follow through on an agreement.
is unlocked, and slightly ajar. Music can be heard Two additional Momentum reveals the following:
drifting into the hallway; a classical tune.
• This particular sigil belongs to a particularly
Once inside the apartment’s small living room they skilled smuggler named Magno. Renowned in
find Dr. Lavanchy slouched in a recliner next to the smuggling circles, he was last seen building a
phonograph responsible for the classical music. new team in Edda.
Dr. Lavanchy is dead, killed by a bullet wound to
the head. INVESTIGATING DR. LAVANCHY

Read or paraphrase the following: A look into Dr. Lavanchy’s past highlights his work at
Manaheim University, where he served as an expert
Dr. Lavanchy is dead, that much is obvious. The wound in AI protocols. He was recently hired by Bureau Toth
looks fairly fresh, as if the murder occurred recently. to work at the LERC and was due to start work there
The apartment itself is in order, seeming to rule out in just a few days. Nothing stands out when looking
robbery as a motive. In fact, there is a pile of money through his current associates, but he made many
stacked, untouched, on the end table next to his body. enemies by lobbying against the Fidelis Protocols.
When looking through his most recent conversations,
the encrypted correspondence with an unknown
THE MURDER SCENE recipient at Sainte Michelle de Bois Bleu immediately
The Room: If the PCs take their time examining leap out as unusual.
the room, ask for a Challenging (D2) Analysis or
Observation test. If they only take a hurried look,
apply +1 to the difficulty and complication range. THE O-12 RESPONSE
Success discerns that there are no signs of forced
entry on the door or any of the windows. Whoever O-12 is concerned about the timing of this hit.
murdered Dr. Lavanchy was apparently let in. For The fact that he was murdered in this manner
1 Momentum each, the following additional clues suggest O-12 was not the only organization to
can be revealed: try and lure Dr. Lavanchy away from the LERC. It’s
possible someone might have learned of O-12’s
• The top bill of each neatly stacked pile of money offer and murdered him in response. Either way,
is marked with a strange sigil drawn in blood; O-12 will need the agents to investigate the
a follow-up Medicine or Science test using a murder before they can assess any threats to their
laboratory confirms this as the doctor’s. organization.

• Dr. Lavanchy has kept detailed receipts of his

recent travels, including trips to the Liberty

the mitosis code 25

 SCENE TWO: • One of the bedrooms has several deadbolts on
the outside of the room, and the windows inside
SINGING THE have been sealed shut and blocked with steel
BLEUS bars. There are signs of a struggle in the room.

• There is a video camera hidden in the corner

GETTING TO THE VILLA of the room. Its data trail can be traced back
The PCs can follow multiple paths to the villa. with a Daunting (D3) Hacking test, leading to an
If they traced Dr. Lavanchy’s phone records or address in Edda.
discovered his travel receipts, these lead directly to
the villa’s address. Otherwise, their enquiries might • A bank of monitors resides in the next room.
require them to gather information in the city Aside from the bedroom next door, the images
before discovering the location of Magno’s hideout. provide several angles of the Dilucca Villa
exterior.
MAGNO’S VILLA
Read or paraphrase the following: If this is the PCs’ first trip here, it’s most likely they
won’t know what they’re looking at when they find
The villa in Sainte Michelle de Bois Bleu is extrav- clues related to the kidnapping of Camila Dilucca’s
agant, quite the opposite of Dr. Lavanchy’s stark family. Once they are aware of Magno’s plans for
apartment. It is large, multi-story residence, with Camila and return to the villa, these clues will
open-air courtyards, a pool, and all the accoutre- connect them to her family.
ments a wealthy businessman, or black-market
smuggler, could require. It is also completely
abandoned. FINDING THE DILUCCA
VILLA
The villa looks like it was left in a hurry; the cabinets
are only half emptied of their supplies, chairs have The PCs will likely be curious and decide to trace
been knocked over, and a few maps and documents the origin of the security footage found here. A
remain pinned to the walls, forgotten during the search of Maya and successful Challenging (D2)
evacuation. One of these documents is a dossier on Dr. Analysis or Lifestyle test determines the image
Lavanchy. location: a separate villa owned by one Martin
Dilucca. The villa is currently empty, and all signs
The Paper Trail: Magno left hurriedly, shredding point to the Dilucca family having left on a vaca-
most of the documents that he did not burn. Some tion, however the PCs will realise this is a ruse after
still remain in dishevelled piles, while others can speaking to Camila later in the mission.
be pieced together from what remains. With a
Challenging (D2) Analysis test, the PCs learn that
the paperwork is largely meaningless aside from OPTIONAL ENCOUNTER:
a few mentions of the villa itself, Dr. Lavanchy, and MOVING OUT
a code name: Don Quixot3. For 1 Momentum each,
the following can also be discerned: If the PCs are struggling for clues, or if the pace
of the mission is moving too slow, an optional
• By piecing together the shredded paperwork, encounter with some of Magno’s thugs, back to
a few more clues present themselves: Magno clean up what they might have missed, could
seems to have partnered with a mysterious add some conflict and give the PCs another
figure known as Don Quixot3. A quick scan of the path to Edda.
codename details suspected criminal hacking
activities in Edda.

• Among the documents left behind are blueprints

SCENE THREE:
of both Magno’s villa, and another villa that THE EDDA
looks to be in the same neighbourhood.
CONNECTION
The Villa: One of the following clues can be discov-
ered with an Average (D1) Analysis or Observation When the PCs arrive at the Edda warehouse, read or
test, with each additional clue requiring 1 paraphrase the following:
Momentum each. The GM is free to decide which
clue to offer initially, but it should naturally follow Don Quixot3’s base of operations in Edda is an old
the intent of the PCs explorations: warehouse on the rough side of town: the kind of
place where criminal activity can easily go unnoticed.

26 GAMEMASTER’S SCREEN
 THE ROLEPLAYING GAME

While the warehouse looks dated, the security system • Leath’s soldiers are hidden, as to not draw atten-
Don Quixot3 has installed appears top of the line, if tion to the warehouse. They will not fire on the
the cameras and turrets tucked in the dark corners of PCs if they don’t see them as a threat.
the building are any indication.
LEATH’S CORSAIRS
If the PCs end up in a combat encounter with the
BREAKING INTO THE Corsairs use the Spec Ops (Trooper) profile, Infinity
WAREHOUSE Corebook, p. 455, providing two Corsairs per PC.

C3rvant3s is a brilliant tactician and has thought THE DATA

through every contingency, therefore his warehouse The data on C3rvant3s’ hard drives is encrypted,
is well-guarded and prepped with an explosive but a successful Challenging (D2) Analysis or THE STEALTH
device should he quickly need to hide evidence. Hacking test can decrypt information detailing a APPROACH
If he detects the PCs invading the warehouse kidnapping plot. The target is an AI specialist on If the PCs choose a stealthy
approach to enter the
or hacking his system, he will blow the whole a LERC fact-finding mission put together by the
warehouse and get the
building remotely. C3rvant3s has left a mercenary Quantronic Technologies Subcommittee of the information, it’s possible they
unit, Leath’s Corsairs, in charge of the warehouse’s Öberhaus. A list of names and addresses presum- can avoid the fight entirely
safety while he is slipping unnoticed into the LERC ably relates to the members of the fact-finding and leave with the information
fact-finding mission. mission (see Fact Finding Mission Member List without C3rvant3s lighting
sidebar). Each Momentum spent can reveal one of the fuse.
the following facts:
COMMANDER LEATH
• Several blueprints can be founding detailing
APPEARANCE Magno’s villa in Sainte Michelle de Bois Bleu, FACT FINDING
another villa owned by the Dilucca family, and a
MISSION
Grizzled veteran. Buzz cut, but missing hair and MEMBER LIST
displaying scars due to a burn that didn’t respond forward base that Don Quixot3 has set up in an The following list of names,
well to regenerative treatment. abandoned factory in Utgard, presumably where positions, and addresses of the
he will stage the kidnapping. members of the fact-finding
ROLEPLAYING mission is reproduced as a
• Incredibly serious man, rarely even smiles. • Deep in the files there is a dossier on Camila handout on page 31.
• Has pledged loyalty to C3rvant3s, and resents Dilucca, marking her as a target for C3rvant3s’
Magno’s new partnership. plan. • Anton Sabine, male
• A chain-smoker who takes constant smoke AI SPECIALIST, Atamaria 61,
Puerto la Guardia
breaks. BEHIND THE NAME
If the PCs interrogate Leath and inflict a Metanoia, • Raphael Jadin, male
BACKGROUND or if they reveal all of the additional clues from ENGINEER, 31 rue Beauvau,
Commander Leath is a mercenary, commander The Data and spend 1 additional Momentum, they Sainte Michelle de Bois Bleu
of the group “Leath’s Corsairs,” who work for the will discover that Don Quixot3 is a codename for
highest bidder on either side of the law. They the elusive rogue AI, C3rvant3s. • Pai Wa-Bo, female
have fought in major wars (sometimes for both LAWYER, 233-3 Deoksanri,
sides) and worked for a variety of high-profile SORTING THROUGH THE RUBBLE Xuan Ji
gangs. C3rvant3s contacted them shortly after his If C3rvant3s does blow the warehouse, the PCs
creation and has used them as muscle ever since. can still recover enough data from burned-out • Gustii Malovoi, male
BIO-CHEMICAL ENGINEER,
Not even Commander Leath knows who C3rvant3s hard drives to point them towards the fact-finding
Heerderweg 35, Auron
really is. mission, though they will struggle to uncover the
identity of the target. If the safe house was brought • Camila Dilucca, female
KEY INFO down, and the PCs are sorting through the rubble, AI SPECIALIST, 84 rue
• Use the Spec Ops (Elite) profile, Infinity Corebook, the data is badly damaged. Add +1 to the difficulty Bonneterie, Sainte Michelle de
p.455. and increase the complication range by one when Bois Bleu
• Leath is not aware that C3rvant3s has the ware- interrogating the hard drives.
house rigged to blow. To the AI, human life is • Matsu Yorin, male
easily expendable. Although loyal to his contract, ACCORD OR OPPOSITION? CYBER SECURITY EXPERT,
Leath will put the lives of his men and himself Sævar 55, Nordkap
Depending on which clues the PCs have uncovered,
first. If convinced that C3rvant3s will readily and the conclusions they’ve drawn, they have two
• Crix Cyone, male
sacrifice them, he abandons the contract. paths ahead of them. One is The Utgard Accord, to AI SPECIALIST, 458 Paddington
• Leath will be given a fair chance to repel the meet up with the fact-finding mission and protect Way, Livingstone
invaders, if they’re detected. C3rvant3s will only the target. The other is The Utgard Opposition,
blow the building if it seems the Corsairs are tracking down C3rvant3s’ base in Utgard to stop • Laurena Volante, female
about to fail. the kidnapping from ever occurring. ACTIVIST, Vahtra 10, Medina

the mitosis code 27

 PLAYTEST TIP SCENE FOUR: THE SCENE FIVE:
ROLEPLAYING UTGARD ACCORD THE UTGARD
CRIX
Remember that Crix is really If the PCs choose to protect Camila, read or para-
OPPOSITION
C3rvant3s in disguise, but
phrase the following: While the PCs are investigating Magno’s base in
nothing the AI does will give
Utgard, the LERC fact-finding mission is on its way
this away: only afterword
should Crix’ interest in the Members of the fact-finding probe into the LERC have to the LERC; either that, or the PCs are heading
LERC and the Fidelis Protocols been gathering at a hotel in Utgard to prepare for here after the LERC to secure Camila’s family. If
make sense. Crix will stay close their investigation. Luckily, O-12 is on friendly terms the former, and the PCs uncover the truth of what
to the PCs, confiding in them with the LERC, and adding a few more agents to the is happening, they’ll most likely rush to the LERC
that this is his first real job, subcommittee’s guard detail wasn’t a problem. in an attempt to stop Magno and rescue Camila
and that he’s a bit nervous. He Dilucca, leading to the confrontation in Scene Six:
appears harmless and friendly Upon gaining assignment to the guard detail of Left in the LERC. Regardless, read or paraphrase
and, if the PCs haven’t already the fact-finding missions, give players the Member the following on their arrival (replacing Don
determined that Camila is
List Handout, unless they already discovered it by Quixot3 with C3rvant3s if they have discov-
the target, Crix will seem
hacking C3rvant3s’ database. Most members are ered this):
a likely candidate for the
fake kidnapping. amicable towards the PCs’ arrival. The only two to
show real interest are Camila, who secretly hopes Don Quixot3s’ operations in Utgard are being carried
the PCs can help rescue her family, and Crix, who out from a forward base built discreetly into an aban-
wants to ingratiate himself with the PCs to keep a doned warehouse along the waterfront. This is a joint
close eye on them. operating base funded by Don Quixot3, but developed
and guarded by Magno’s men. Getting past them, and
MEETING THE TEAM into the facility, won’t be an easy task.
The PCs can mingle with the team members in an
attempt to get to know them and perhaps suss out
Don Quixot3’s — C3rvant3s’ — plan. A Challenging THE ABANDONED
(D2) Analysis or Observation test allows them to FACTORY
notice that Camila Dilucca appears particularly
nervous and seems to be hinting towards a chat Magno has already left with his assault team,
in private. If they agree, Camila will tell them she’s destined for the LERC (or the assault team has
worried about her family and hopes someone is been dealt with at the LERC). A few guards have
checking in on them at her villa in Sainte Michelle stayed behind to clean up the staging grounds,
de Bois Bleu. She won’t say more out of fear for her but the PCs arrive before they’ve managed to
PLAYTEST TIP family’s lives. clear everything like they did in Sainte Michelle.
MISSING THE For the mercenaries, use a mixture of Trooper and
MISSION For his part, Magno has assigned a member of Elite Spec Ops profiles, Infinity Corebook, p. 455.
Scene Five primarily exists his criminal organization to the security detail
to direct the PCs back to the in order to keep an eye on Camila; he wants to After dealing with the threats, the PCs are
LERC. At this point, they might ensure she follows through with the plan and free to spend time searching in the form of a
have missed the LERC and left doesn’t alert anyone to C3rvant3s’ alias. Either Challenging (D2) Analysis or Observation test. If
Camila unguarded because they psywar or 2 Momentum from the test referenced successful, they determine that the mercenaries
haven’t put the clues together
in the previous paragraph can reveal the plant. If were once again in the process of shredding
or missed the significance of
coerced (through whatever acceptable means), the and burning documents. Many files are left to be
the kidnapping attempt. It is,
however, one way for the PCs mercenary will give up Camila Dilucca as Magno’s destroyed, including several dossiers on a member
to uncover C3rvant3s’ real target, as well as the location of C3rvant3s’ Utgard of the LERC fact-finding mission: one Camila
objective. Alternatively, the command center. Dilucca. It appears Magno had both Camila and
PCs may be heading here after her villa in Sainte Michelle under observation.
securing Camila, intent on GUARDING MRS. DILUCCA For 1 Momentum each, the following facts are
freeing her family. Whether they No matter how credible the threat on her life may also revealed:
are in time to do so, however, is be, Camila knows it’s a charade, and knows the
at the GMs discretion. mission must go on, for the sake of her family. She • There are many references to Don Quixot3
will fight to continue the mission, but will accept strewn among the documents, including bank
It may be that C3rvant3s has
the PCs as bodyguards if they choose, as this won’t transactions linking him to both Magno and
fled with the Protocols, in
which case rescuing Camila’s actually interfere with Magno’s mission at all. If the Leath’s Corsairs. There is also documentation
family can take the edge off. In PCs instead choose to hit C3rvant3s at home, or of payments made to Crix Cyone (C3rvant3s’
a similar vein, finding her family head there to rescue Camila’s family, move to Scene other alias), which were made to establish his
dead or moved elsewhere can Five: The Utgard Opposition. background credentials.
offer a Pyrrhic victory.

28 GAMEMASTER’S SCREEN
 THE ROLEPLAYING GAME

• Detailed plans can be found referencing Dr.

Lavanchy and the Fidelis Protocols. Blueprints
MAGNO’S MERCENARIES
show the Fidelis Protocols are currently being Magno has launched an attack against the LERC with thirty mercenaries, plus
worked on in the LERC and — while subjected himself. It is a large enough force to draw the attention of the LERC security,
to the fact-finding mission — will be present in but small enough that it can be defeated, thus allowing C3rvant3s to slip
nearby servers. C3rvant3s has managed to get away and masking their true purpose. When Magno gets word that C3rvant3s
his hands on decryption algorithms that will has the Fidelis Protocols, he will signal the retreat. Magno will do his best to
allow him to steal the Protocols. stay out of combat and avoid capture because this ruse isn’t worth risking his
life for.
As with Behind the Name, p. 27, inflicting a
Metanoia against one of the guards, or revealing MERCENARY TACTICS
both clues listed above and spending 1 additional Six mercenaries are positioned outside the facility, behind the protective
Momentum, can allow for the PCs to reveal Don APCs they drove up to the LERC entrance. Magno has created a safe space for
Quixot3 as an alias of C3rvant3s. himself in the conference rooms, after forcing everyone to evacuate. Hostages
from the building are all shuffled into the first-floor offices. A team of ten
mercenaries will head downstairs to round up the subcommittee members. It is
SCENE SIX: LEFT these ten the PCs are most likely to encounter, no matter which way they enter
the facility.
IN THE LERC
1. Campus Green: Six soldiers defend the perimeter from the LERC security,
Upon arriving at the LERC, read or paraphrase the who are cautious to approach due to the hostages.
following: 4. Cafeteria: Magno keeps five guards with him at all times in the conference
centre, which will allow for a quick getaway after C3rvant3s escapes.
The LERC is on the cutting edge of science and 5. Offices: The other nine guards that remain on the first floor guard the hos-
AI technology. It is the largest AI research facility in tages imprisoned in the office area.
Utgard, and so is under constant surveillance by O-12, Sublevel One: Ten mercenaries move room-to-room downstairs, searching for
since the LERC could pose a great risk to the Sphere’s the LERC mission — their goal is to bring them upstairs with the rest of the
safety if its research fell into the wrong hands. hostages.

the mitosis code 29

 PLAN A very closely guarded secret — happens during the
PLAYTEST TIP The most common outcome is the PCs guarding the team’s de-briefing, when O-12 has no option but
TIMING fact-finding mission. As soon as the subcommittee to reveal his existence. C3rvant3s’ escape with the
Matching up the timing of the has reached the basement, Magno will trigger LERC protocols will put the whole Human Sphere
LERC tour with Magno’s assault the attack. He transports his men in via large, in jeopardy.
is highly important to the plot, military-grade APCs which he uses to provide cover
but so is the avoidance of any
against external security on the campus green. If the PCs foil C3rvant3s’ plot, they will have
feelings of railroading. At any
The alarm triggers as soon as the gunfire starts, prevented perhaps the greatest security breach that
point, GMs should feel free to
alter the order of scenes so shunting the facility into lockdown. The safest the Human Sphere would have ever experienced.
that they flow more naturally, place to hide is the maintenance room, as it is the A promotion will certainly be in order, as will
or include additional scenes for most secure, but C3rvant3s will attempt to slip high-profile missions. Of course, they will also have
the same reason. Also, consider away to the now-empty server room to download made a reputation for themselves among criminal
allowing the PCs to succeed the Fidelis Protocols and whatever else he can get organisations….
with well-thought out plans, his hands on. C3rvant3s will try to grab the data
rather than adhering to the and leave the facility without the PCs noticing he’s C3RVANT3S METAPLOT
plot as presented. For instance, missing. If they go looking for him, he pretends If C3rvant3s is on the loose with the codes, he
if they reach the fact-finding
to have gotten lost looking for a hiding place can act as a campaign hook for future missions.
mission in time and convince
and attempts to sneak off again later, but this is Alternatively, if C3rvant3s was killed in this mission,
the team that it shouldn’t go
ahead, adjust C3rvant3s’ plan to much riskier. his black-market contacts will reintroduce a new,
one of insertion during Magno’s slightly insane or physically impaired sibling; one
raid; the PCs can still be called PLAN B hell-bent on retribution, of course.
in as additional backup during The PCs have discovered Magno’s mission to
the firefight, but it will feel kidnap Camila Dilucca (or maybe even C3rvant3s’
less like their actions have no ultimate plan) and are now racing to stop the OPTIONAL SCENE:
impact to the main story. Adjust
the plot to the PCs, not the PCs
heist. They must fight their way through the
APCs (at which point Magno will flee), rescue
GETTING UP THE
to the plot!
the hostages, and clear the mercenaries in the NEVSKY
basement. By this time, C3rvant3s will have fled
with the data. The encounter with Nevsky is designed to re-cor-
THE BEST rect the course of a group that has gone off the
LAID PLANS PLAN C path. Either they didn’t discover the right clues,
Most likely, the PCs get to There is the unlikely event that the PCs stop the didn’t think to look for necessary information, or
Scene Six by guarding the fact-finding mission from ever going to the LERC. followed the wrong hunches, which has ultimately
fact-finding mission as it This is very bad for Camila, as her family will be led them astray. Nevsky can also be used to clue
enters the LERC, in which case executed if she does not follow through, and for the PCs in on the truth behind C3rvant3s, the fact
they will start the mission C3rvant3s, whose whole plan will fall apart if that he’s a Saelig, and his connection to Svengali.
from inside the facility, with the mission doesn’t go forward. If this happens, Nevsky will not solve the mystery for the PCs and
the subcommittee as Magno
C3rvant3s won’t give up. He believes the key to is actually wrong on a few points, but it will be
attacks it. If the PCs went to
investigate C3rvant3s’ base
unlocking his true potential is in the LERC and he enough to guide the PCs in the right direction.
in Utgard, they gain a better will stop at nothing to get it. He will pool every
understanding of his end goal, man available to him and launch an all-out assault Nevsky is a subversive Maya artist with deep
but they will be approaching against the LERC. Many will die on both sides, and connections to the underworld and Black Hand.
from outside the facility, having the chances of Magno and C3rvant3s getting out His investigation into C3rvant3s’ string of research
to fight their way through alive are slim. thefts has aligned him with the PCs. Using the
Magno’s guards to get to the Great Detective profile, Infinity Corebook, p. 428,
subcommittee. If the PCs are there are a few facts Nevsky will grant the PCs
with the subcommittee, they
are on the basement level
AFTERMATH following successful use of psywar:
investigating the research
spaces when the attack begins. Once everything has died down, it becomes clear • C3rvant3s is a Saelig that has separated from his
If they are approaching from that Crix is missing from the team. If Camila sur- AI parent, Svengali. The grudge he holds against
outside, they have to fight their vived, she confesses to helping forge documents for his forebear runs deep.
way through the green, into the Crix to get him onto the team, though she has no
building, and into the basement. clue of his real identity. She is also terrified for her • He has determined that C3rvant3s has hired
family, who may still need rescuing. the smuggler, Magno, in an attempt to kidnap a
member of the Bureau’s fact-finding mission.
A quick sweep of the database determines that
the Fidelis Protocols are missing, with security • He will also direct them to Magno’s villa at
footage proving that Crix stole them. If they haven’t Sainte Michelle, C3rvant3’s warehouse in Edda,
already figured out his identity, connecting Crix or the forward operating base in Utgard, depend-
to C3rvant3s — whose certainty of existence is a ing on the PCs’ progress in the mission.

30 GAMEMASTER’S SCREEN
 THE ROLEPLAYING GAME

HANDOUTS

The Mitosis Method

by F. M. Forgrave
When one thinks of AI, there are a few he become a champion for AI safeguards,
names that come to mind. One of them publicly arguing against the Fidelis Proto-
might be ALEPH, a figure we are all famil- cols that allow AI to duplicate themselves
iar with. Another might be Svengali, the into a cluster-consciousness, and fighting
terrorist AI that has been recently caus- for stricter regulations on AI research lab-
ing chaos. One who might not come to oratories. His efforts have yielded many
mind is Dr. Jonas Lavanchy, the brilliant new protocols, like the Mitosis Code, that
scientist behind our generation’s great- have gone a long way towards making
est AI advancements. our world a safer place. Some have said
that Dr. Lavanchy’s research will prevent
A prodigy from a young age, Dr. Lavanchy the AI takeover that so many conspiracy
was one of Manaheim University’s young- theorists have long feared. 
est doctoral candidates. It was there that

FACT FINDING MISSION, LIST OF MEMBERS

Quantronic Technologies Subcommittee

Fact Finding Mission Team List
Confidiental, Eyes Only
Öberhaus Approved
Fact Finding Mission Team List
Search Name…
Indviduals Assgned to Project …

INDIVIDUAL GENDER POSISTION ADDRESS

Anton Sabine male AI SPECIALIST Atamaria 61, Puerto la Guardia
Raphael Jadin male ENGINEER 31 rue Beauvau, Sainte Michelle de Bois Bleu
Pai Wa-Bo female LAWYER 233-3 Deoksanri, Xuan Ji
Gustii Malovoi male BIO-CHEMICAL ENGINEER Heerderweg 35, Auron
Camila Dilucca female AI SPECIALIST 84 rue Bonneterie, Sainte Michelle de Bois Bleu
Matsu Yorin male CYBER SECURITY EXPERT Sævar 55, Nordkap
Crix Cyone male AI SPECIALIST 458 Paddington Way, Livingstone
Laurena Volante female ACTIVIST Vahtra 10, Medina

“This system is for the use of authorized users only. Individuals using this computer system without authority, or in excess of their authority, are subject to having all of their activities on this system
monitored and recorded by system personnel. In the course of monitoring individuals improperly using this system, or in the course of system maintenance, the activities of authorized users may
also be monitored. Anyone using this system expressly consents to such monitoring and is advised that if such monitoring reveals possible evidence of criminal activity, system personnel may
provide the evidence of such monitoring to law enforcement officials.”

the mitosis code 31

32 GAMEMASTER’S SCREEN
 CODE: INFINITY — CLASSIFIED
Despite presenting a unified front against the relentless predations of the Combined Army, the factions
of the Human Sphere constantly manoeuvre for status and gain. Clandestine meetings lead to new
alliances, covet operations shatter old, quantronic warfare prises open the secrets of rivals, and new
technological advancements render other factions’ developments obsolete

Plots and counterplots simmer constantly beneath the thin veneer of civility called the Human Sphere,
all largely kept hidden from the ever-connected eye of a citizenry that is ever-connected and relentlessly
hungry for news. Protecting the bulk of the Human Sphere from the worst of these interminable events
is an arduous and often thankless task.

Luckily, safeguards such as the Infinity the Roleplaying Game GM Screen are available to shield your
players from the worst secrets the Human Sphere has to offer.
• A sturdy four-panel screen that presents action-packed artwork to the players.

• Handy charts and tables on the interior designed to ensure games remain focussed on the
action.

• A 32-page booklet containing two unique adventures, both including new maps, Wilderness
of Mirrors objectives, and unique villains.

• A treatise on Recreations, those ancient heroes reconstructed by ALEPH to once again offer
their wisdom and glory to the Human Sphere.

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