Pocket Sci-Fi

1-2 players (solo/coop), 20-50 minutes per Mission, Ages 12+

Design & Art: Ali Mahmood

Humanity has left its biological and geographical origins long behind. Now cyborgs, you travel
among the stars. There, you encountered the alien Synth race, who are hacking and hijacking
humans through their electronic interfaces. You’re charged with infiltrating and destroying
the command planets of your oppressors. Overcome a series of 3 Missions, starting each with
little more than meat fists and electronic wits.

Mission 1: cybios planet E2: The Supply Closet

Encounter E1: The Vivarium From the walkway outside the Vivarium, you can access the Synth scientists'
supply closet, with an easily-smashed lock. What do you find within?
The cyborg remnants of the human race have sent you to collect data from
Cybios Planet, where alien scientists test new and more effective ways of
controlling humanity. After receiving military and forensic training, you Quantum Test
allowed the Synth to capture you and lock you in a cage like a lab rat. On The basic unit of chance, and indeed the basic element of computation and
schedule, however, hackers remotely unlock all the cages. even reality itself, is the quantum – represented by a die.

Objective: Collect up to 6 unique data samples using methods to be To do a Quantum Test, count the number of icons on the left side of
described, then escape via a launch shuttle. your bio-chip player cards. Sum across both players' cards in a duo game.

Setup Roll that many dice from the supply (with a minimum of 1 die). Then, select
Each Mission has a set of Encounters, such as Encounter 1 (E1) above. You 1 of the resulting values and the consequence shown.
will not necessarily read these in order. Try not to read Encounters until
directed to do so. / The cabinet is entirely empty.
You gain nothing.
Form a supply of at least 18 dice on the side of the table. Get a pencil,
eraser, and small token (such as a pawn). / You find a bio-power charging point.
Gain 1 vigor (by changing 1 of your vigor dice to ). In a duo
Set the reference card near you. Sort the other cards according to the game, note that an effect like this one only affects a single
identifier shown in the bottom-left corner (e.g., C1) and stack them near character unless explicitly stated otherwise.
the dice.
/ You find a Med Stim Pack.
If playing solo: Print a copy of the character sheet (back of this rulebook). Write this Item in the Item section of your character sheet.
On it, write 4 for your Bio-Chip Max. Place cards C1 and C2 beside your Make a note that the Med Stim Pack allows you to reroll 1 vigor
character sheet, with the Bio-Chip side face-up. Write your name. die (hopefully healing from wounds), but it only may be used at
the start of an Encounter, and only may be used once.
If playing duo (coop): Each player prints a copy of the character sheet
and writes a Bio-Chip Max of 2. One player takes C1; the other takes C2. Proceed to E3.
Write your name.
E3: The Balcony
The Bio-Chip Max indicates the maximum number of bio-chips that you The hallway leads toward a large balcony overlooking an enormous area
may have at any one time. below. Massive cabinets, containment cells, electrical equipment, and other
obstacles partition the area into many small rooms. Some of these flicker
Place a die from the supply on the icon of each card, and set each to a with light, while others echo with piercing screams of experimental subjects.
starting value of . These are your vigor dice, indicating your level of life.
If a die reaches 0, you lose that die along with the card beneath it. No bio- As you look out over the grim scene, your cyborg mind builds a mental map.
chip can store more than 6 vigor (i.e., you can never raise a vigor of ). A plan begins to form for achieving your objective of collecting samples
documenting the work of the Synth on this planet, after which you can
If playing solo: If your total vigor reaches 0, you lose the game. search for a spacedock to commandeer a launch shuttle for your escape.
If playing duo: A player with no vigor dice is barely breathing and, lacking Print the mission map on the next page and set it on the table. Place your
a bio-chip, will be unable to help with the game until gaining a new bio- player token in the room labeled E3. Hereafter, as you move among
chip. If both players run out of vigor, you both lose. Encounters, move your token to indicate your location. Each Encounter
may be used one time: If you ever backtrack to an Encounter that you
The other details of your player cards will be explained as the game have already finished, ignore what is written for that Encounter and keep
progresses. moving. You may mark the map to track where you’ve been.

You step out of your cell into the hallway. The lights flicker overhead -- likely Proceed down the ramp to E4.
the work of your remote hackers.

Proceed to the next Encounter, E2.

 Mission 1: chimera planet

E1 E2 E3

E4 E20

E6 E5 E8 E13 E17

E16
E9

E7

E19
E11
E12

E10 E15

E18
 E4: The Ramp
Summary of Battle Rules (see next pages for details)
Halfway down the ramp, you hear a scurrying sound. Out
of a hole, beneath the balcony, emerges a gnashing rat. It
attacks. Set up
Set the enemy’s vigor dice as directed in the Encounter. Note the maximum
rate of damage that the enemy can do ( ).
Fight C3 (Bionic Rat), each enemy = 3, = 3
Place card C3 on the table, with the enemy side face up.
Place 2 dice on the hearts at the top right of the card, Repeating the battle rules
setting each = . These are the rat’s vigor dice, The battle rules tell how the enemy takes a turn, and they indicate when
indicating its level of health. You must reduce these to you take a turn. Repeat the battle rules until the Resolution condition is
0, killing the rat, before it kills you. triggered by the enemy or by your choice. Note refers to a claimed die.

The enemy card indicates the battle’s rules You and the enemy always claim dice into slots from left to right, up to
for conducting each turn. You’ll roll dice, the enemy will available capacity. If the enemy lacks capacity to claim all dice as directed,
claim dice on its turn, and you will claim dice on your prefer to claim larger dice.
turn. Each battle is a little bit different, depending on
your enemy. The rat likes to nibble away at you. On Your Turn, you may use each bio-chip once, either for its dice-
manipulation action or to claim dice. Use your cards in any order. In a duo
You’ll repeat these battle rules. Eventually, a turn will game, you both share Your Turn; alternate cards as desired.
have a Resolution phase, when the Resolution condition
is reached. If the Resolution condition is not met, flush unclaimed dice before
repeating the battle rules.
Resolution is a phase of battle that may
happen at the end of the turn, triggered by Resolution
you or conditionally by the enemy. It consists When the Resolution condition is met:
of damage to you, then damage to the 1. The enemy damages you.
enemy.
2. You damage the enemy.
If you still have vigor remaining after Resolution, and the 3. Remove bio-chips that have no remaining vigor.
enemy does not, you go on to the next Encounter; 4. Flush all claimed and unclaimed dice.
otherwise, you’ll clear the claimed and unclaimed dice
and repeat the battle’s rules again until the next turn If you and the enemy both have vigor, resume repeating the battle rules.
that has a Resolution phase. Eventually, you or the Otherwise, if you have vigor and the enemy does not, you survive the battle.
enemy will die.
Note that the back of the reference card includes the information above.

Enemy’s vigor dice

Battle rules (1 turn)

The enemy usually goes
first, then you take a turn.

Resolution condition
Determines if the enemy
triggers a Resolution phase.
You always may choose to
trigger a Resolution.
Resolution effect
During a Resolution
phase, the enemy does
this damage to you, then
you do damage to the
enemy.

Slots for enemy’s claimed dice

Below is a guide to interpreting battle rules.

Roll [ ] dice (minimum 4) Brackets [X] refer to the count of X. In case

Every battle’s rules begin by instructing of ambiguity, the card will reference “your
you to roll dice. Count the total number [X]” (on your cards) or “enemy [X]” (on the
of die icons on your cards, gather that enemy card). Brackets on player cards
many dice from the supply, and roll always refer only to player cards.
them; as indicated, you will roll a
minimum of 4 dice, even if you have In a duo game, always sum across both
fewer icons. players when counting [X].

Those are now unclaimed dice. Example: [ ] is the total number of dice
icons on your player cards. You rolled [ ]
Example: You might roll . dice during the Quantum Test in E2.

“Enemy claims” directs you to take unclaimed dice

and move them to the slots at the bottom of the enemy
card.

Example: If the unclaimed dice are ,

“Enemy claims lowest die” means that you should move a
onto 1 of the enemy’s slots.

Always fill slots from left to right. If insufficient slots

are available, then take as many dice as possible.
Prefer to take higher-valued dice over lower-value dice
if you must make a choice based on slot capacity.

Claimed dice are referenced by the

symbol .

Example: “Enemy [ ]” refers to the

enemy’s number of claimed dice.

Your Turn Indicates that you now get to Flushing a die means returning it to the supply.
respond (see next page). In most battles, You must flush when directed, and you may not
Your Turn comes after the enemy’s actions. flush (or “unclaim”) a die unless so directed.

Example: “You must flush 1 of your = highest

unclaimed die” directs you to return 1 of your
claimed dice that is equal to the highest
unclaimed die (if you have any that match).
At the moment, you don’t have any claimed dice,
so this instruction has no effect on you.
 Your Turn indicates that you may now use each of your bio-chips once. You may either use the action shown on the card, or you may claim 1 or more dice
into the unoccupied slots of the card. You may use your cards in any order. But remember: Each card may be used only once on Your Turn.

Example: After the enemy claimed a , there are now 3 unclaimed dice, .
Note the action of C2 allows you to decrement 1 unclaimed die up to [ ] times. You have 1 icon, so this action allows you to decrement 1 unclaimed die once.
If you use C2 for this action, then you can turn the into so the unclaimed dice are now .
Then, working toward claiming 3 of a kind on C1, you could use C1 to claim the onto those slots, as shown to the right. The remains unclaimed.

If playing duo, you and your teammate may alternate use of your cards as desired. The key point is that no card may be used more than once on your
(shared) turn.

Resolution Condition If you or the enemy initiates Resolution, proceed with the Resolution
Not every turn has a Resolution phase. effect on the enemy card, then the effects on your bio-chips.
Each Encounter has a specified Resolution condition related to the dice
that the enemy has claimed. If this condition is met, then the enemy The enemy’s Resolution Effect does damage equal to = 3 (as noted at
triggers Resolution. In addition, you always have the option of choosing to the outset of this Encounter), or the enemy’s number of claimed dice,
initiate Resolution. whichever is less. Reduce your vigor dice by that amount. You may divide
the damage among any bio-chips as desired. If a die reaches 0, flush it.
Example: The rat’s condition, “Repeat until enemy [ ] your highest ” Example: If the enemy has 2 claimed dice, you lose the minimum of 2 or
means Resolution must occur after your turn if the enemy’s number of (3), so you lose 2 vigor. In a duo game, discuss how to divide the damage.
claimed dice is greater than or equal to your highest claimed die.
So if the rat has 1 die, and your highest die is (as in the example above), Bio-chips do damage if you successfully claimed dice as specified in the
Resolution doesn’t need to start. Resolution section. Reduce the enemy’s vigor dice by that amount, dividing
damage among dice as you prefer. If a die reaches 0, flush it.
Although you could choose to initiate Resolution yourself, doing so would be
pointless, as you don’t yet have 3 of a kind on C1. Example: C1 does 4 damage if you claimed 3 dice onto it. This would
reduce the rat’s vigor from 6 to 2, leaving it with only a single .
Performing Resolution
If neither you nor the enemy initiate a Resolution phase this turn, then If you and the enemy both have vigor remaining, the battle hasn’t ended.
flush the unclaimed dice and repeat the battle rules.
Don’t flush the claimed dice at this time – only the unclaimed dice. 1. Discard any bio-chip that has no vigor remaining.
Keep repeating the battle rules until you or the enemy initiate Resolution. 2. Flush all claimed and unclaimed dice.
3. Repeat the battle rules until Resolution is triggered again.
Example: Suppose that you opt not to initiate Resolution on the first turn. Nor
does the rat initiate Resolution. You clear the unclaimed and start the 2nd
turn. On this second repetition of the battle rules, suppose that you roll Example: In the battle above, you lost only 2 of your 8 vigor, and the rat only
. The rat would claim the . As shown in the battle rules, you lost 4 of its 6 vigor, so the battle would continue. Repeat the battle rules until
would flush a (equal to the highest unclaimed die) if you had one, but you Resolution is triggered again. Keep going until either you die or the rat does.
don’t. On your turn, you could use C2 to decrement the to a , then claim
this die onto C1. If you have no vigor remaining, you have lost the game. (In a duo game,
1 player with no vigor/bio-chips is comatose until gaining a new chip.)
Now you have 3 of a kind on C1 and could reasonably choose to initiate
Resolution on this second pass through the battle rules. If you have vigor but the enemy does not, you have survived the battle
and may proceed with 1 Mission Action (next page).
Mission Actions E5: The Racks
After you complete an Encounter, before moving to the next, you may take The ramp leads down to a large open area with racks of biological,
1 Mission Action. mechanical and electronic equipment. You slip stealthily toward them and
gingerly examine the items for anything of use.
Your options vary by Mission. For Mission 1, you have the 2 available Mission
Actions below, which require that you have just won a battle. In future Perform a Quantum Test (roll [ ] dice and select 1 of the resulting
Missions, some Mission Actions will be usable at the end of Encounters that values).
don’t involve battle.

If you opt not to take either Mission Action, simply flush all claimed and Touching a battery delivers a powerful jolt, damaging you.
unclaimed dice, then return the enemy card to the stack. Finally, proceed Lose 1 vigor. (As always, flush that vigor die if it reaches 0, along
to E5. with the bio-chip beneath it.)

The racks are full of obsolete, useless equipment.

Mission Action: Collect You gain nothing.
Retain the enemy’s bio-circuitry for future study.
You find a bio-power charging point.
This Mission Action enables you to make progress toward your Mission Gain 1 vigor. (Remember that no vigor die can exceed .)
Objective: collect up to 6 unique data samples and escape via launch
shuttle. A data chip contains vital information.
Write “Datum 6” in your Items (as if you had used a Mission
After you defeat an enemy, examine the enemy’s corpse and select 1 of the Action to Collect a 6 from a defeated enemy’s claimed dice).
enemy’s claimed dice. Write the word “Datum” and that die’s value in your
Items (e.g., “Datum 3”). Your goal is to collect up to 6 unique samples (1-6), One rack has a usable bio-chip.
then reach a launch shuttle. Select card C4. Roll a vigor die onto it. You may gain the bio-
chip and its vigor (subject to your Bio-Chip Max).
You may possess any number of samples, including multiple samples with
the same value (as there may be opportunities to modify or manipulate An expansion slot fits your brain nicely.
samples in some Encounters). But you only may Collect 1 sample per battle, Raise your character’s Bio-Chip Max by 1. Note this only affects 1
and if you Collect, then you may not also Plunder (below). player in a duo game.

Mission Action: Plunder Several doors lead out of the rack room. Suddenly, you glimpse a hovering
Scavenge enemy’s corpse for bio-circuitry that you can use. drone beyond the first door. It hasn’t spotted you yet. Quickly choose your
path forward.
After you defeat an enemy in battle, you may flush the enemy’s claimed
dice (wiping its memory banks and eliminating the opportunity to Collect), Your map indicates the 3 Encounters that you may access from your
in order to flip the enemy card and reveal a new bio-chip. Roll a new vigor current location (E6, E7 or E8). You may travel through dotted lines on the
die from the supply and place it on this bio-chip. map, but not through solid lines. Choose your next Encounter.

Note that in addition to raising your vigor, gaining a bio-chip offers you a
new action and potential Resolution effect. Most bio-chips also include
additional icons ( / / ) that boost your quantum, biological or
cybernetic capabilities. E6: The Hover Hive
Two alien drones flock around you, emitting jolts of lightning at you.
Although it’s not an issue right now, remember that each character has a
Bio-Chip Max, which limits your number of bio-chips. To make space, you Fight C5, each enemy = 3, = 2
may discard an existing bio-chip any time that you are not in battle; Set up the enemy, with for each of its vigor dice. Note that the battle
when doing so, you lose any vigor on your old bio-chip. (You may roll the rules are different from those of the rat, as well as the Resolution
new bio-chip’s vigor before deciding whether to keep it.) condition. If you survive the battle, you may perform 1 Mission Action, as
you could after the rat. Then continue your progress through the map.
If playing duo, and 1 player is comatose, the player without vigor should
gain the new bio-chip. Otherwise, either player may gain it.

E7: The Laboratory

An alien doctor pauses from its autopsy on a human cadaver. Its eyes glint
as it raises an ax in your direction.

Fight C6, each enemy = 4, = 4

Set up the enemy, with for each of its vigor dice. Note that the battle
rules are different from those of the rat, as well as the Resolution
condition. If you survive the battle, you may perform 1 Mission Action, as
you could after the rat. Then continue your progress through the map.
 E8: The Containment Chamber E11: The Churning Drum
As you enter the room, a beep emits from the wall, followed by an audible The trooper apparently was guarding something of great value, stored in an
command to activate the Device Controller. Shards of metal emerge from the adjacent room. There, you find a loud machine with a churning drum. Out of
floor all around, trapping you and trying to fry your circuits with electric its side, small grains of powder spill out. Suddenly, you see a shining crystal
heat. fall out, and you snatch it before it falls into a tube that leads beneath the
floor.
If you possess the Device Controller among your Items, you may trigger it
and escape to the next Encounter as shown on your map. Write 1 Wark Crystal on your Items. For now, you don’t know its purpose.

Otherwise, roll [ ] dice (minimum of 1 die) from the supply. If you wish, you may wait for another crystal to appear. If you do so,
perform a Quantum Test.
• If any die equals or , you smash the power grille and escape to
the next Encounter. / You wait a long time, but the machine produces no more crystals.
• Otherwise, for each die that equals or , lose 1 vigor. However, an enemy eventually enters the room!
Select the enemy from the stack that has the lowest number
Repeatedly roll dice, as directed above, until you die or escape. (e.g., C3 is lower than C8).
You must fight it, with each enemy = 2, = 2. If you
E9: The Empty Hall survive, you may Collect a Datum, but you may not Plunder the
corpse for a bio-chip; return the card to the stack.
A small door opens to the yawning blackness of a dark room. Cool air
brushes your skin. Your cyber-enhanced eyes scan the space for anything of
note, but the floor and walls are bare. You look upward and notice dancing - After great churning and noise, the machine finally delivers.
red dots, then wriggling legs. Before you can reach the door, a web covers Further waiting yields no additional results.
your face. Gain 1 more Wark Crystal.

The room is a dead-end, so refer to the map to find a path forward for
Fight C8, each enemy = 4, = 3 your next Encounter.
If you survive, you may perform a Mission Action as usual, but this room is
a dead end. You must retrace, using the map, to find another path forward.
E12: The Synchrotron Controls
E10: The Examination Room Even though you have defeated the alien creature, the rays continue to
batter your body. Wrestle with the controls to stop the beam.
A row of chairs, reclined for laying down, line one wall of this room. They look
identical to what might have been found in a psychiatrist’s office in a long-
lost century on Earth – except that each is equipped with leather restraints Roll [ ]+[ ] dice. If you have the Device Controller, roll an extra 2 dice.
and chains. A few gibbering remains of humans, lashed to their recliners,
writhe with a mental turmoil that only they can perceive. An alien scientist If the dice sum to 10 or higher, you stop the ray beam. Otherwise, lose 1
walks among them, tentacles wriggle from its head and briefly caress the vigor. Repeat your rolling (and losing vigor) until you succeed or die.
faces of its victims. One tentacle notices you, and the doctor invites you to
lay down. After the beam stops, you notice that one of the glowing red spots on the
alien creature’s body is different from the other spots and more crystalline in
nature. You dig at it and eventually pluck it from the corpse.
Fight C9, each enemy = 2, = [ ]+1
If you survive, then before you can take a Mission Action…
Write 1 Wark Crystal on your Items. For now, you don’t know its purpose.
Some victims lashed to the chairs beg you to release them. But, none is in
any condition to walk. So they then ask you to detach their brain units and The room is a dead-end, so refer to the map to find a path forward for
carry them with you to earth, for reassignment to new bodies. your next Encounter.

If you wish, you may write Brain Units among your Items. If you do so, E13: The Repair Shop
there are 2 consequences:
Various tools and other equipment fill this shop, along with supplies that you
can use to repair some of your bio-circuitry. How well does your electronic
• Some of the brain units provide vital information. Roll [ ] dice from acumen enable you to repair yourself?
the supply. Select 1 of those dice and Collect the corresponding Datum
to your Items.
Roll [ ] dice from the supply. In a duo game, roll 2 additional extra dice
• The bulkiness of the brains now makes you an easier target for (as each character can reach around and make repairs to the back of the
enemies. From now on, increase by 1 for all all future enemies in other character’s body).
this Mission.
• For each die that is [ ], gain 1 vigor.
If you opt not to take their brains, the victims fall deep into inconsolable
despair. Their mad ravings echo behind you as you leave the room. • For each die that is [ ], gain 1 vigor.

Finally, you may take a Mission Action and proceed to the next Encounter. Example: If you roll , with =1 and =2, gain 3 vigor.

Having exhausted the room’s repair supplies, you are ready to move on.

Proceed to the next Encounter.

 E15: The Data Processor E17: The Cargo Hold
You notice microphones embedded behind each chair of the Examination A cargo bay contains dozens of massive containers, each glowing with a
Room, connected to wires that you follow to a wall. A door there leads into a pulsing light. Above, a swam of cyber-wasps guard the room. They
small room with equipment for recording and analyzing the sounds of incrementally draw in energy as they move toward you, each building to an
examinees. You may connect yourself electronically to the computer system, explosion that rips chunks out of your body.
then attempt to hack the system for your own uses.
Fight C7, each enemy = 2, = 4
Perform a Quantum Test. If you survive battle with the wasps, before taking a Mission Action, you
may try to open the cargo containers by doing a Quantum Test and
/ The system deploys active countermeasures. selecting the result below.
If you have any bio-chips with a , reduce the vigor on all of
those bio-chips by 1. The container’s pulsing light delivers a massive jolt.
Either reduce 1 of your vigor dice to or (if all your vigor dice
/ The system shuts down. are already ) lose 1 vigor die and its bio-chip.
This Encounter is done. Proceed as indicated below.
Another flock of wasps flies out of a container!
/ You get the system to provide useful information. Fight C7 again. This time, each enemy = 3, = 5. If you
If you have 2 Data Items that are equal to each other, then you survive, then in addition to taking 1 Mission Action at the end of
may gain a new Datum Item equal to double that amount (e.g., this Encounter as usual, you also may Collect “Datum 4”
and produce ), up to a maximum of . This does not (from some of the extra wasp bodies laying around).
use up your existing Data Items.
/ You can’t get any of the containers open.
You may repeat the Quantum Test up to 3 times, except if the system shuts No effect.
down (above) then you must stop. In any case, the system does shut down
after 3 Quantum Tests. / Several containers hold shining crystals.
Write 3 Wark Crystals in your Items. For now, you don’t know
As this room is a dead end, refer to your map to backtrack and select a their purpose or use.
new path.
Finally, because you have survived a battle, you may perform a Mission
E16: Guard Station Action, and then proceed to the next Encounter as shown on your map.
The pathway opens to a guard station staffed with a lone alien trooper
sitting at a desk and reading from a small computer device. Bored, he half- E18: The Specimen Chamber
turns to ask you a question before realizing that you are a human, not alien. Immediately behind the Examination Room, you find a small hallway, which
Suddenly at attention, he points his gun at you and fires. leads to a chamber with hundreds of shelves. Place in neat rows, you see
biological specimens in jars, each labeled with an electronic tag. And, in the
Fight C11, each enemy = 5, = 5 center of the room, is the archivist of this grizzly collection.
If you survive, you may take the enemy’s weapon, as well as a small device
used to control machines in this facility. Fight C10, each enemy = 2, = 6
If you survive, you may perform a Mission Action as usual, but this room is
Write Riot Blaster in your Items. From now on, every time that Resolution a dead end. You must retrace, using the map, to find another path forward.
occurs, do 1 additional damage to your enemy.
E19: The Synchrotron
Write Device Controller in your Items. Encounters that involve this Item will
explain its effect. You find yourself in a long curving hallway. A low hum begins to build, and
you sense powerful magnetic fields in the walls beginning to affect your
Then you may take a Mission Action and go to your next Encounter. circuitry. A beam of particles, at first only very faintly visible, begins to
trickle through the air. Accelerating and growing in number, they start to
pierce your skin.

You are in the path of a powerful ray beam!

Running forward, you see in the distance a creature standing in the beam,
apparently manipulating some sort of controls. It grows in size and power
from the rays, even as they tear into your flesh.

Fight C12, each enemy = 2, =6

During this battle:

• Each time that you roll [ ] dice to start the battle’s rules, increase 1
of the enemy’s vigor dice by 1 (up to a maximum of ).
• Each time that Resolution occurs, you lose 1 vigor from the ray beam
before the enemy does damage to you.

If you survive, you may perform a Mission Action. Then, you must switch
off the beam before it kills you by going to Encounter E12.
 E20: The Space Dock Mission 2: chimera planet
A dozen small launch shuttles ring the pad outside this alien facility. In the Data collected from Cybios Planet reveal that the aliens have prepared not
distant night sky, you see various alien aircraft flickering among the clouds. only to hijack humans’ cybernetic links, but also their very biological essence
You examine the shuttles and find that their specification matches your from the DNA level up. With these abilities, they have begun grafting human
training. You can fly them. cerebral nerves into cyborg beasts on Chimera Planet–effectively developing
a chimera army with the cunning of a human mind, the calculation abilities
If you have fewer than 6 unique samples among your Items, you may move of a computer, and the raw power and savagery of animal flesh.
your token back to The Racks (E5) and try to collect more. Now that you
have cleared the path to the Space Dock, you may leave the planet after Your goal is to set human minds free from the cyborg animals where they
any Encounter. are currently trapped. Your commanders have provided a device whereby
you can scan the minds and bring them with you back from the planet.
When you are ready to leave the planet, proceed with the Mission Debrief
below. Objective: Free as many minds as possible (up to 6)

Mission 1 Debrief Vigor and Bio-chips

In this Mission, whenever you gain a bio-chip, set its vigor die to 4.
The launch shuttle slices through dark clouds into the glistening sky. You
switch your mind into maintenance mode, sleeping through interstellar Set your Bio-Chip Max to 3 (or 2 and 1 if playing duo), then gain the
travel. You awaken just as massive claws clamp your ship to humanity’s following bio-chips:
outpost in this sector – a space station hidden within a nebula just outside
the Synth’s grasp. You disembark and are ushered to a debrief room.
• Compression Bio-Chip (C6)
On your Character Sheet, score 1 point per unique Datum among your • Inverter Bio-Chip (C10)
Items. The remaining 2 Missions will provide opportunities to receive • Power Modulator Bio-Chip (C13)
6 more points each. At the conclusion, you will need at least 10 points to
win the game, or more than 10 to win with certain levels of honors.
Map
You are equipped with the map on the next page, obtained through a
After hearing your summary of the Mission, your commanding officer sends penetrating radar scan of the planet. Remember that if you reach an
you to the engineers. They examine your memory banks, any Data samples Encounter previously visited, keep moving. Use each Encounter only once.
that you collected from enemy bio-chips, and any Items that you retained. In
addition, they discuss the technologies that you uncovered.
Item
Erase each Datum from your Items. You may keep all your other Items for Your commanders provide you with a Med Stim Pack, which allows you to
the next Mission. reroll 1 vigor die (hopefully healing from wounds), but it only may be used
at the start of an Encounter, and only may be used once. (You may use a
Wark Crystal to manipulate this roll.)
If you have any Wark Crystals, it turns out that you may use them to
manipulate quantum states.
Mission Actions
You may spend a Wark Crystal to change 1 rolled die to any value. This uses Remember you may only use 1 Mission Action after each Encounter. You
up the crystal. have the following 2 options in this Mission.

• You only may manipulate a die in this fashion immediately upon Mission Action: Free
rolling it. For example, in battle, you cannot manipulate a die that the Collect a human mind from a human-computer-animal chimera after battle.
enemy has previously claimed.
• When simultaneously rolling multiple dice, you may see their values When you defeat an enemy in a battle that has a brain symbol , you may
before deciding whether to spend a crystal. free the enemy’s human mind. There are only 6 such battles in this Mission.
• You may spend more than 1 crystal in a single battle turn. On your character sheet (in the Items), track the number of minds that you
have freed. When you free a mind, discard the enemy card.
• You may use crystals to manipulate a die for a Quantum Test.
• You may use crystals to manipulate dice in other situations where you
roll them for any other reason. Mission Action: Swap
Swap in the enemy’s bio-chip to scavenge abilities and a bit of power
For example, when rolling [ ] dice at the start of a battle turn, you can roll
the dice and then spend 2 crystals to manipulate 2 of them. If the battle rules The Synth have hardened their defenses to make it more difficult to take
specify rerolling a die, then you could use another 1 crystal to manipulate that bio-chips from vanquished enemies. You cannot Plunder as in Mission 1.
die after you roll it. Instead of simply gaining a bio-chip (with a vigor die), you may replace
one of your own bio-chips with the enemy’s bio-chip; if you do so, then
increment that bio-chip’s vigor die by 1 (maximum as usual) and
Gather all cards into a sorted stack, including your bio-chips. The discard your old bio-chip. You may not increment your other vigor dice.
engineers will fit you with new bio-chips for the next Mission.

Finally, you may photograph or otherwise save a copy of your current

Character Sheet to serve as a “checkpoint.” If you die during Mission 2,
reset back to this checkpoint, rather than starting again at Mission 1.
Moreover, each time that you die and restart at the checkpoint, gain 1
additional Wark Crystal than you had on your previous attempt, thereby
making each sequential attempt at Mission 2 slightly easier.
E2

E9 E4
Loading Dock

E17

E11

E8
E6

E20

Launch Shuttles

E19

E14 E16
 E1: The Landing E4: The Loading Dock
Your pod arrives in orbit around an otherworldly jungle planet teeming with Electronic eyes and powerful cannons overlook the entrances of this
exotic flora and creatures. Your mission is to infiltrate the Synth research research facility. Fortunately, the back side of the building has a small
facilities nested among the jungle. landing pad, where a launch shuttle appears to have recently crashed. Its
wreckage lies against the building, scorch marks still visible, with mangled
But just as you slip out of orbit, a wave of automated electromagnetic cannons and sensors above. A pair of drones guard the entrance into the
defenses buffets your pod. Your vehicle lurches suddenly toward the lush building from the loading dock.
green landscape below, and you fight to maintain any semblance of control
over your landing. Fight C5, each enemy = 4, = 3
This battle does not have a symbol, but if you survive battle, you may
Perform a Quantum Test. Place your player token on the Encounter use the Swap Mission Action. Then use the map to select your next
location determined below. Encounter.

You completely lose control and slam into the ground. E5: The Swamp
Transfer the vigor die from 1 bio-chip to another bio-chip
(which now has 2 vigor dice that you can spen), then remove the The ground beneath your feet is a quagmire of slimy, luminescent mud. The
bio-chip that has no vigor die. Go to Encounter E2. air is thick with a noxious, acidic scent, and strange bubbles of gas
periodically surface, their contents unknown and best left untouched. Amidst
You manage a soft landing – right into an enemy welcome party. this swamp, you find yourself in a perilous situation, your footing giving way
Go to Encounter E2 (top left corner of the map). beneath the treacherous muck. Each step causes toxic gases to billow
around you.
/ You manage a smooth landing, albeit distant from the facilities.
Go to Encounter E3 (top right corner of the map). Your best hope is to pull yourself up a tree, then leap from limb to limb past
this swamp – hopefully without incurring too much damage along the way.
/ You recover control, then set down carefully near a Synth facility.
Go to Encounter E4 (just north of the L-shaped facility). Roll 6 dice and set them near the center of the table. Sort them left to
right, from smallest to largest. These represent trees. You must leap
between them. Place your player token on top of the leftmost (smallest)
E2: The Welcome Party tree.
A burst of blaster fire rings out through the jungle.
Roll [ ] dice (minimum of 1 die) and set them near you. These dice are
your leaps.
Fight C11, each enemy = 3, = 3
This Encounter does not have a symbol, so if you survive battle, you
only may use the Swap Mission Action. Then use the map to select your You may spend a leap die to move your player token rightward by 1 tree, if
next Encounter. your leap die is the difference between the 2 trees. This uses up the
leap die.
E3: The Jungle Or, you may move from 1 tree to the next without spending a leap die if the
The alien jungle pulses with eerie life, its sounds and bioluminescent two tree dice are equal.
displays setting an uncanny backdrop to your covert endeavor. In the
distance, you hear a thrashing, a crashing, and a roar. It fades as it echoes, Finally, you may move from 1 tree to the next by spending 1 vigor.
then repeats, growing stronger. In the distance, approaching, you spy a
roboticized dinosaur moving in your direction. You climb into a tree, When you reach the rightmost tree, you may return your player token to
concealing yourself in foliage and preparing to take your enemy by surprise. the map, select an adjacent location, and proceed to your next Encounter.

Perform a Quantum Test. Example: For the tree dice, you roll > , with your player
token on the leftmost die, as indicated here by a >
/ The beast comes upon you while you’re still climbing.
In the battle below, = 6, = 4. If [ ] 2, you might roll for your leap dice.
Because the next tree equals your current tree, you can move there without
/ You score a hit on the enemy before it can respond. spending a leap die... >
In the battle below, = 5, = 4.
The gap to the next tree is 2. Your leap die isn’t sufficient. You decide to
spend your die, leaving you with for your remaining leap die. You are
/ You damage the enemy’s jaws with your attack. now at the third tree… >
In the battle below, = 4, = 3.
The 4th tree has a gap of only 1, so you spend your leap die.
Fight C4 , with enemy and as determined above The 5 tree has a gap of 0, so you proceed without spending a die.
th

This Encounter has a symbol, so you may Free a human mind if you
survive the battle. Or, you may use the Swap Mission Action. Then use the Finally, the 6th tree has a gap of 2. You have no remaining leap dice and must
map to select your next Encounter. spend 1 vigor instead to escape the swamp.
 E6: The Arachnidary E11: The Storage Locker
In the dark chamber, a haunting fusion of man and machine takes shape as The room’s control panels are connected to a series of cables that run to a
cybernetic arachnids, their metallic limbs and human minds intricately large metal case. Upon opening it, you discover it contains electronics and a
entwined, writhe and contort under the influence of machines, electronics, sleek cylinder connected to tubes. They hiss, and a puff of white vapor
and noxious gasses. The room resonates with a disconcerting symphony of appears outside the control room window, in the dark space beyond.
mechanical whirring and human-like whispers, creating an eerie tableau of
ethereal transformation and sinister experimentation. Perform a Quantum Test.

Fight C8 , each enemy = 4, = 4 / You accidentally release mind-control gas upon yourself.
If you survive, use the map to select your next Encounter. You lose conscious awareness and begin to sleep-walk. You
awake as you fall into a pool of fetid water. Go to E18.
E7: The Hole
/ You break the device.
Deep within the dense jungle, a thick canopy of towering alien trees No effect. Select your next Encounter from the map.
overhead, you suddenly find yourself inches away from an unexpected hole
in the forest floor, its depth concealed by overgrown foliage. Suddenly, the / You manage to extract a subtle new weapon.
ground vanishes beneath you, and you slide toward the precipice. Gain Item Mind Gas. At the start of Your Turn during a battle, you
may change all the enemy’s claimed dice to any value that you
Perform a Quantum Test. want. This Item may only be used once.

- You fall in, and jagged rocks slash into you as you plummet. Proceed to your next Encounter.
Lose 1 vigor. Then go to E20.
E12: The Thicket
- You catch your balance.
You may carefully lower yourself into the hole, using the rocky You travel along a seemingly harmless path among tall thorny bushes, but
sides as hand-holds, and go to E20. Alternatively, you may soon discover the deceptive nature of the environment. Sinister, predatory
select your next Encounter using the map. plants with venomous tendrils emerge from the ground, their emerald leaves
concealing hidden, razor-sharp barbs. As you unwittingly step into their
If you survive, use the map to select your next Encounter. treacherous midst, the plants spring to life, entangling you in a deadly dance,
their barbs piercing your flesh as they tighten their grip, making your escape
a matter of life or death.
E8: The Control Room
Perched at a sprawling control panel, a Synth’s electronic eyes cast a Roll [ ] dice. If their sum is 12, then you must struggle against the
spectral glow in the dimly lit chamber. Its elongated, sinuous limbs gracefully vines to break free. Lose 1 vigor and roll 1 more die. If the total is now at
manipulate holographic interfaces, commanding intricate machinery beyond least 12, then you have broken free. If not, then continue rolling 1 die at a
a dark, massive window. The creature gazes intently into the inky abyss of time, losing 1 vigor with each roll, until the total on all dice is 12 or greater.
that chamber, where mysterious shapes move with an eerie grace.
If you survive, use the map to select your next Encounter.
Fight C12, each enemy = 3, = 2
If you survive, use the map to select your next Encounter. E13: The Launchpad
Outside an alien facility, a row of launch shuttles stand ready. A lone bot,
E9: The Hunting Grounds with clunky movements but heavily reinforced steel, attempts to guard the
As you venture through the jungle, the brush clears into a broad clearing. valuable vessels, its feeble attempts at vigilance contrasting sharply with the
Without any warning, you suddenly find yourself face to face with a high-tech marvels it's supposed to monitor, service, load and protect.
cybernetic raptor plunging out of the foliage. Its sleek metallic frame glints
with a malevolent intelligence, and you can't help but notice the chilling, Fight C15, each enemy = 4, = 4
predatory gleam in its luminous eyes. If you survive, then you may backtrack here after any Encounter to leave
the planet and proceed to the Mission Debrief.
Fight C1 , each enemy = 6, = maximum enemy vigor die
During this Encounter, the enemy’s vigor dice each start at 6. In addition, Alternatively, use the map to select your next Encounter.
also starts at 6. However, as you damage the enemy, its also
decreases, always equalling the enemy’s largest vigor die.

If you survive, use the map to select your next Encounter.

E10: The Nest

The foliage grows denser, casting an oppressive shadow that chills your
spine. With each step, the eerie hum of machinery and the strange,
unnatural chittering of cybernetic insects fill the air. Suddenly, you stumble
upon a darkened knot of trees, only to find yourself surrounded by a furious
swarm of cybernetic wasps. Their metallic wings slice through the air with
an unsettling mechanical precision, while a powerful intellect coordinates
their relentless attack.

Fight C7 , each enemy = 3, = 5

If you survive, use the map to select your next Encounter.
 E14: The Ambush E18: The Pool
While you are distracted by the bio-chips, a formidable figure, the Synth Beneath your feet, the ground suddenly gives way, and you plummet into a
Elite, suddenly lunges upon you, his mechanical body gleaming with a deadly pool of slimy water with a nauseating squelch, the frigid liquid enveloping
precision. Perhaps he was alerted by the distant sounds of battle on the you in an unpleasant embrace. The murky depths swirl around you, their chill
launch pad and now stands as an unyielding guardian, ready to defend the seeping into your bones as you claw your way back to the surface, then drag
facility at all costs. yourself to the bank. There, you suddenly discover a wriggling sensation in
your ear, where a parasite has half-lodged itself. Its tentacles reach inward
Fight C14, each enemy = 4, = maximum enemy vigor die to your brain, influencing your decisions as you try to wrench it free.
During this Encounter, the enemy’s vigor dice each start at 4. In addition,
also starts at 4. However, as you damage the enemy, its also Fight C2 , each enemy = 2, = 2
decreases, always equalling the enemy’s largest vigor die. During this Encounter, you may not claim any die onto a bio-chip if that
die is equal to the bio-chip’s vigor die.
Notice this enemy does damage or [ ], whichever is greater.
For example, if a bio-chip’s vigor die is , then you may not claim a
If you survive, use the map to select your next Encounter. onto that bio-chip.

E15: The Quake If you survive, use the map to select your next Encounter.

Deep within the jungle, a deafening, low-frequency hum suddenly fills the air, E19: The Corridor
and the very ground beneath your feet begins to tremble violently. The
towering, vine-laced trees surrounding you sway ominously, their massive You enter the building from the launch pad area, the atmosphere shifting
branches creaking and snapping, threatening to unleash a catastrophic from the jungle setting to a dimly lit, sterile corridor. Your footsteps echo
cascade of debris that could crush you in an instant. You find yourself down the metallic hallways as you make your way deeper into the facility.
caught in a treacherous earthquake. Along the walls, you see numerous boxes of new bio-chips and other devices.
Several seem potentially compatible with your systems.
Roll 6 dice. If at least 3 of them are equal to , the earthquake is mild
and you are spared any injury. Perform a Quantum Test.

Otherwise, spend 1 vigor and reroll all those dice that are . Stop if at The devices fail to integrate with your systems after all.
least 3 are equal to . No effect.

Repeat, losing 1 vigor and rerolling until at least 3 dice settle down to . You find a bio-chip suitable as a spare.
You may swap an existing bio-chip with a discarded card.
If you survive, use the map to select your next Encounter.
/ You find an expansion slot device.
E16: The Cages Increase your Bio-Chip Max to 4. You may gain 1 bio-chip from
those that have been discarded, placing a vigor die of on it.
In the heart of this facility, you find rows of cages containing a multitude of
cybernetic rats, their beady eyes and twitching whiskers betraying their / You find a bio-chip melded with an expansion slot device.
unease. The room is bathed in the cold, clinical glow of fluorescent lights, Increase your Bio-Chip Max to 4. In addition, gain either C16 or
and the air is thick with the scent of chemicals. From around a corner, an C17 and place a vigor die of upon it.
alien mastermind, shrouded in an eerie aura, enters the room. With a click of
a remote control, your enemy releases the rats from their cages. As they spill Go to E14.
out in a frenzied swarm, their instinct-driven chaos engulfs you, creating a
heart-pounding, surreal scene of overwhelming vermin that the mastermind
orchestrates with an unsettling, inhuman control. E20: The Hole
Deep within the hole, you make a startling discovery as you see a network of
Fight C3 , each enemy = 3, = 3 glowing wires and intricate electronics intricately embedded in the stony
If you survive, you then must fight the alien mastermind before you can walls. The realization dawns upon you that the entire surface of this planet is
take a Mission Action. a vast, artificially constructed environment, a carefully engineered and
electronically controlled ecosystem. The planet is a zoo, perhaps for
monitoring the performance of the human-computer-animal chimeras.
Fight C9, each enemy = 2, = 4
If you survive this battle, as well, then you may take a Mission Action. In
particular, you may Free a human mind from the rats, Swap the rat bio- Perform a Quantum Test.
chip, or Swap the mind-synth mastermind’s bio-chip.
/ A security system detects you and responds with electric shocks.
Finally, use the map to select your next Encounter. Lose 1 vigor before you manage to flee the hole.

/ You find a charging point but no further information.

E17: The Cargo Gain 2 Vigor.
A single create sits on the loading dock. With a powerful swing, you shatter
its lid, sending a cascade of shimmering crystals scattering in all directions. / You tap into the electronics and scan the planet for danger.
You also see a box within, locked by a device. You may look at all the other Encounters in this Mission. Make
notes on what you learn. Then climb out of the hole.
Gain 3 Wark Crystals. In addition, if you have the Device Controller (from
Mission 1), then gain 4 Vigor from a bio-charge unit within the smaller box. If you survive, use the map to select your next Encounter.
Use the map to select your next Encounter.
 Mission 2 Debrief E1: The Infiltration
You return to the human outpost deep within space and soon face the Infiltrating the planet is no small feat, as a vast constellation of satellites
familiar sights of your commander’s debriefing room. The military guards the sky. Instead, your commanders’ approach is to hack into the
commander's expression shifts from initial relief to a deep concern as planet’s computers via its communication links with the other Synth planets.
scientists explain what they have learned from the trapped human minds Fortunately, scientists studying the minds freed in Mission 2 have uncovered
released in your mission. He furrows his brow, realizing that the newfound a new approach to infiltrating.
knowledge reveals even greater and more ominous alien plans.
You will take remote control of a Synth-created entity, such as a bot or a
Their end goal: release a virus upon humanity that permanently eliminates chimera, and upload your mind from your own body into that of that remote
all willpower to resist the Synth overlords. entity. While this will leave your own “natural” body lifeless for the time being,
you will be able to transmit your mind back to that natural body after the
On your Character Sheet, score 1 point per human mind that you freed. The Mission, as long as the remote entity doesn’t die.
remaining Mission will provide opportunities to receive 6 more points. At
the conclusion, you will need at least 10 points to win the game, and Roll 2 dice, then select the value on 1 of those dice.
more than 10 to win with certain levels of honors.
/ You hack, and upload your mind into, a Bionic Rat.
Erase from your Character Sheet the number of minds freed. Retain all When you gain these bio-chips, set your vigor die to 3.
your Items.
Gain the following bio-chips:
Gather all cards into a sorted stack, including your bio-chips. The + Crypto-Lock Bio-Chip (C3)
engineers will fit you with new bio-chips for the next Mission. + Regenerative Power Bio-Chip (C4)
+ Bio-Rhythm Synchro Bio-Chip (C7)
You may photograph/save your current Character Sheet to serve as a new + Compu-Ennervation Bio-Chip (C15)
checkpoint, in order that you may restart here if you die in Mission 3.
Unlike in Mission 2, do not gain a Wark Crystal each time that you restart. Gain 2 Wark Crystals.

Mission 3: armory planet / You hack, and upload your mind into, a Cargo Bot.
When you gain these bio-chips, set your vigor die to 4.
You will infiltrate the command center of the aliens’ armory, an entire planet
devoted to developing three menacing weapons. These are a virulent virus Gain the following bio-chips:
designed to infect humanity, a mind-controlling software system, and a + Crypto-Lock Bio-Chip (C3)
gruesome army of chimeras. The virus, engineered for rapid spread and + Regenerative Power Bio-Chip (C4)
adaptability, will strip humanity’s resistance to cyberattack. The software + Compu-Ennervation Bio-Chip (C15)
then infiltrates and manipulates human minds, bending them to the Synth’s
will. The chimeras, genetically modified and relentless, are intended to
eliminate any survivors. A Synth officer leads each of these three programs, Gain 3 Wark Crystals.
under the direction of a powerful Synth general.
/ You hack, and upload your mind into, a Millenium Rex.
Objective: Defeat the 3 officers (1 point each) and the general (3 points). When you gain these bio-chips, set your vigor die to 6.

Gain the following bio-chips:

Vigor, Bio-Chips, Map, Items + Regenerative Power Bio-Chip (C4)
Set your Bio-Chip Max to 4 (or 2 for each player if playing duo). + Bio-Rhythm Synchro Bio-Chip (C7)

Your initial Vigor and Bio-Chips will be determined in Encounter 1. Gain 5 Wark Crystals.

You do not start with a map or any Items. Erase any Items from previous Proceed to E2.
Missions. You anticipate being able to obtain a map and/or Items after
defeating the general and/or the officers.
E2: The Central Complex
Mission Action: Swap Through “your” remote eyes, you observe a labyrinthine complex with
You may use this Mission Action as in Mission 2. towering stacks of weapons, spacecraft, and electronics. Uniformed Synth
scurry about, conducting tests and maintenance, oblivious to your presence.
The deafening clang of metal and the scent of noxious gasses hang in the air
Mission Action: Plunder as the facility hums with frenetic activity.
When you start this Mission, the Synth still have hardened their defenses
against plundering of their Bio-Chips. Consequently, you may not use this
Mission Action until after completing a certain Encounter within this You see entryways in four different directions. Bots and chimeras, often
Mission. Thereafter, you may use this Mission Action as in Mission 1. following the commands of Synth soldiers, busily move each. It appears that
for the most part, you will have no difficulty moving without arousing
suspicion, as long as you do not return to the same entryway twice.

You may not visit each of the Encounters below if you have ever gone
there before.

• To investigate an area with many scientists, go to E8.

• To explore an area with electronic equipment, go to E10.
• To follow a large crowd of chimeras, go to E17.
• To move in the direction of the most military personnel, go to E20.
 E3: The Offices E5: The Drone Strike
Emerging from the haunting viral research lab, you navigate a few corridors, The engineers insert a probe, deploying a program that commands your
leaving behind the chilling horrors of the unwilling research subjects. You remote entity to move through the blast doors. There, engineers are loading
find yourself in the offices of the viral research center, where a Synth is a package onto another bot. Like a drone, it wheels toward a row of humans
sorting canisters of viral agents. It briefly pauses, barks orders into a lashed to harnesses. The package suddenly detonates, showering the
microphone, and resumes sorting. You have found the officer in charge of humans with virus particles while blowing a hole in the side of the bot. You’re
the viral-weaponization program. next.

Fight C10, each enemy = 4, = 4 Perform a Quantum Test.

Note whether the enemy, at any time in this battle, claims a . If so, then
the Synth manages to summon help, and you will need to fight a second The explosion rips your remote entity to pieces.
enemy after the first… Every bio-chip goes flying. Lose all vigor. You are dead.

Fight C6 (if directed to do so, above), each enemy = 4, =4 / One of your bio-chips takes a beating.
Reduce your lowest vigor die by 1. If its bio-chip now has no
vigor, flush that die and lose the bio-chip.
If you survive the battle(s), then you may take 1 Mission Action.
- You emerge perfectly intact.
No effect.
In addition, gain Item Zombie Pathogen. It is a vial that contains a virus
accidentally (?) discovered by the Synth, which allows you to turn a Synth
into a mindless zombie. If you survive, the engineers perform a few additional explosions, but none
as bad as the first. Eventually, they leave you alone. You may venture
deeper into the viral-weaponization facility by going to E3, or you may
The vial is a single-use Item that you may spend at the beginning of 1 return to E2.
battle to swap the specified enemy card with the Synth Zombie card (C16).
If you survive the battle with the Synth Zombie, then any Mission Actions
that you perform after that battle apply to the Synth Zombie card, not to E6: The Bot Directors
the original enemy card. For example, you could Swap the Synth Zombie’s A large group of the engineers begin moving among the many chimeras,
bio-chip. bots, and Synth soldiers that are working in the room. They briefly insert a
probe into each bot, then direct some of them to an adjoining room behind
You scan the other vials in the offices to gather vital information that heavy doors. You glimpse an explosion on the other side.
humanity can use to counter any attempt of the Synth to infect and control
human minds. You have achieved one part of your Mission objective. Roll 4 dice, representing engineers moving among the crowd.
You may “unplug” from your remote entity and proceed to the Mission You may use 1 of your bio-chips that has a icon to manipulate the dice,
Debrief. Or, to continue the Mission, return to the Central Complex at E2. as if they are unclaimed dice. (If your card mentions an enemy, interpret
this to mean the enemy has 1 vigor die with = 2, and = 2.)
E4: The Experiment
Having interlocked your brain with a probe, the scientists guide you to the If any 2 of those 4 dice now have the same value, then the engineers
area for parasite implantation. You cannot resist as, with a squelching converge upon you and insert a probe. Go to E5.
sound, a brain-like being slithers through your nose into your sinuses. You
feel viruses replicating within you, the inflamation growing in your remote Otherwise, the engineers leave you alone. You may venture deeper into the
entity’s biological tissues. But the virus turns out, itself, to be a cyborg, with viral-weaponization facility by going to E3, or you may return to E2.
an electronic interface that connects to your remote entity’s brain.
E7: The Recruiters
After an hour of incubation, the scientists bring you over to the restrained
humans, and you breathe upon them. Within seconds, they too become A large group of the scientists begin moving among the many chimeras,
numb. The scientists repeat the experiment for some time, then finally leave bots, and Synth soldiers that are working in the room. They briefly insert a
you in a room to recover. The virus is optimized to control humans, not probe into each chimera (cyborg monkeys, one mule, and a pair of wolves),
chimeras, and you find within another hour that you can use your bio-chips then direct some of them toward another area of the chamber. There,
to fight and expel the parasite. scientists start inserting parasites through the orifices of the chimeras’
faces – preparing to test this method of transmitting viruses to humans.
Fight C2, each enemy = 4, = 4 Roll 3 dice, representing scientists moving among the crowd.
If you survive this battle, you may venture deeper into the viral-
weaponization facility by going to E3, or you may return to E2. Roll 1 dice, representing your remote entity. If this final die is equal to any
of the other 3 dice, then the scientists select you as an experimental
subject. Go to E4.

Otherwise, the scientists leave you alone. You may venture deeper into the
viral-weaponization facility by going to E3, or you may return to E2.
 E8: The Hub E10: The Nexus
In a dimly lit, foreboding chamber, hundreds of humans are bound to the wall Through a sliding door that closes with a whoosh, you enter a massive
by a series of intricate devices. All the victims are organized around a chamber that houses a colossal quantum computer, its intricate lattice of
central hub manned by dozens of Synth scientists and engineers — far too glowing conduits pulsating with otherworldly energy. Teams of Synth
many for you to fight. Bots, soldiers, and chimeras move about, performing engineers, cloaked in luminous, data-infused garments mill around. Access
tasks. points in adjoining rooms ring the chamber, providing an opportunity for a
bit of privacy to do some cyber-snooping.
The devices, with strange, biomechanical tendrils, penetrate the humans’
bodies, delivering an insidious virus directly into their bloodstream. At first Perform a Quantum Test.
struggling, the humans' bodies suddenly go limp, their expressions vacant. In
another area of the room, scientists perform a similar procedure using / The system sends an alarm to a Synth security engineer.
parasites inserted into the eyes of subjects. And in a third area, the Synth Fight C12, each enemy = 4, = 3
force humans and cybernetic animals to breathe into the faces of the
human subjects, verifying the ability of the virus to spread from one living If you survive, and your entity is a Millenium Rex, then your
being to another. scuffle draws further attention. You will need to repeat this
battle a second time with the same card (C12). Only then may
you take a Mission Action and continue to E18.
If your remote entity is a Cargo Bot, proceed to E6.
Alternatively, if you survive and are a Bionic Rat or Cargo Bot,
Otherwise, proceed to E7. then you may immediately continue to E18.

E9: The Mindmaster / You fail to penetrate any information in the system.
No effect. Continue to E18.
The engineers set the harness to perform some final tests, then leave you to
continue their work with the Nexus. A soft beep sounds, and the harness
releases you. Into the room promptly walks a Mind Synth, who immediately / You successfully hack the system to obtain a useful algorithm.
interfaces wirelessly with your remote entity. The Synth presents its Gain Item Cyberboost. From now on, any time that an enemy
credentials – revealing itself to be the officer of the software weaponization triggers Resolution, you may roll and then claim 1 additional die
effort! You prepare for battle, eagerly anticipating progress toward your at the start of the Resolution phase onto 1 of your bio-chips.
Mission objective.
You may use a Wark Crystal to manipulate the die, but you may
not use any of the Actions of your bio-chips to manipulate the
Fight C9, each enemy = 5, = 5 die before you claim it.
If you survive this Encounter, gain Item Archkey. This digital pattern,
retrieved from the mind of your enemy, serves as the master encryption
key of the Synth. Continue to E18.

This key allows you to use the Plunder Mission Action. In addition, the Swap E11: The Weapons Locker
Action also remains available and may prove useful when you are already This small location stores a variety of Synth weapons: some sleek, some
at your Bio-Chip Max. This Archkey also serves as a passcode to the rough, and some profoundly bizarre.
general’s quarters in a subsequent Encounter.
If your remote entity is a Bionic Rat, gain Item Laser Eyes. At the start of
Moreover, humanity can use this key to create digital agents of our own to battle, before rolling any dice, you may spend 1 vigor in order to reduce the
resist any attempt of the Synth to infect and control human minds. You have enemy’s vigor by 2. You only may use this weapon once per battle.
achieved one part of your Mission objective.
If your remote entity is a Cargo Bot, gain Item Electroshock, a weapon that
You may “unplug” from your remote entity and proceed to the Mission you will be able to use 6 times. Place a die from the supply on the bottom
Debrief. Or, to continue the Mission, return to the Central Complex at E2. left corner of of your 1 bio-chips, and set that die to . This die indicates
the “charge” remaining on your Electroshock weapon. Each time that you
use the Action of this bio-chip, reduce the enemy’s vigor by 1 and reduce
the charge die by 1. If this kills the enemy, end battle immediately. When
your charge runs out, erase Electroshock from your Items.

If your remote entity is a Millenium Rex, gain Item Powerclaws. During

Resolution, any time that you do at least 7 damage with your bio-chips (or
with other Items), then do an extra 2 additional damage to the enemy.

Proceed to the next Encounter selected from E20.

E12: The Barracks

You find an room full of empty sleep pods. Beside each is each Synth
soldier’s locker. One stands ajar, not properly locked, and you find a crystal.

Gain 1 Wark Crystal.

Proceed to the next Encounter selected from E20.

 E13: The Firing Range E17: The Zoo
You step into an empty room filled with a metallic hum. Large metal plates This corridor leads to a large domed landscape extremely similar to the
hang from the ceiling, with scorch marks. Suddenly, automated cannons jungle-like ecosystem of Mission 2. It is entirely artificial and populated by
begin firing from the walls at the plates. You feel bullets tearing into your roaming chimeras. They periodically spot one another among the foliage and
remote entity, piercing pain spreading through you as if it were your own launch themselves to fight. Each time one of them dies, a surge of lightning
body. rises from the corpse to a platform hanging from the dome’s peak. You see a
winding ramp that spirals upward within along the inner surface of the
Perform a Quantum Test. dome, from a distant point on the landscape to the platform. To reach the
ramp, you will need to traverse this dangerous jungle.
/ The cannons pummel your remote entity to the ground..
Flush 1 vigor die and lose the bio-chip beneath it. Place the Fuser (C17) on the side of the table. Then, as you progress
through the landscape, you must fight each of the 3 enemies below, one by
In addition, reduce 1 other vigor die by 1. one. After each battle, take the highest claimed die of the defeated enemy
and place it on the Fuser; these become the vigor dice of the Fuser.
Finally, after defeating all 3 chimeras, you must fight the Fuser. Wait to
/ You manage to flee the room before incurring major damage. take your Mission Action until directed below.
Lose 1 vigor.

/ You launch yourself to the ground and slide out the door. Fight C8, each enemy = 2, =2
No effect.

If you survive, proceed to the next Encounter selected from E20. Fight C13, each enemy = 3, =3

E14: The Signal Post

The signal post is a communications room containing equipment for Fight C1, each enemy = 4, =4
monitoring communications from the satellite constellation that guards this
planet. Two drones guard the room and immediately take notice of you.
Fight C17, with enemy vigor as indicated above, =5
Fight C5, each enemy = 3, = 3
If you survive, gain Item Bootluck. This is a single-use device that allows
you to reroll a Quantum Test. The platform contains computers with massive databases describing the
chimeras that the Synth have engineered. In fact, you find information that
Proceed to the next Encounter selected from E20. will enable you to boost your remote entity’s capabilities, as well.

If you survive all 4 battles above, do the following:

E15: The Commissary
The commissary of the alien military base stands eerily empty, devoid of 1. Increase your Bio-Chip Max by 1.
occupants. On the tables and counters, you find a grotesque assortment of
slimy, pulsating, and putrid-looking alien delicacies, a stark contrast to 2. You may gain 1 bio-chip from the discards and place a vigor die upon
human culinary preferences. it, matching the specified for your remote entity type (3 for Bionic
Rat, 4 for Cargo Bot, 6 for Millenium Rex).
If your remote entity is a Bionic Rat or a Millenium Rex, gain 1 vigor from
the food. 3. Raise each vigor die by 1. It is allowable for your vigor dice to exceed
your .
Proceed to the next Encounter selected from E20.
4. If desired, perform a Mission Action (and do not perform any further
E16: The General’s Quarters Mission Actions in this Encounter).
You find that the door to the Synth general’s quarters requires a passcode. If
you have it, then you can sneak inside and lay a trap for the general. The databases will greatly aid the effort to repel any chimeras deployed by
Alternatively, if you lack the passcode, perhaps the general will return before the Synth to destroy humanity. You have achieved one part of your Mission
you run out of time. objective.

If you do not have Item Archkey, roll 1 die. (You may use a Wark Crystal.) You may “unplug” from your remote entity and proceed to the Mission
If the result is or , then you hear troops returning to the area. You Debrief. Or, to continue the Mission, return to the Central Complex at E2.
must flee back out past the guard station and abandon your effort to
assassinate the general. Go to E2.

If you do have Item Archkey, or you roll or higher above, then you do
manage to encounter the general and may proceed with your attempt to
assassinate your quarry.

Fight C14, each enemy = 4, = 4

If you survive, you have accomplished a major element of your Mission’s
objective. You may “unplug” from your remote entity and proceed to the
Mission Debrief. Or, to continue the Mission, return to the Central Complex
at E2.
 E18: The Mind Mirror E20: The Guard
As you turn to exit the private access room, a powerful sensation rivets you The corridor leads to a guard station, where a Synth trooper clad in sleek,
in place. A computational agent – a defensive program deployed by the otherworldly armor stands at attention. The room hums with an air of
Nexus into your mind during your attempt at hacking the computer – has disciplined readiness, and holographic displays flicker with tactical data. As
infiltrated your own mind. bots, chimeras and soldiers pass through the area, each pauses as the
trooper scans for authorization. You pause a few minutes, pretending to
Your perception warps, and you begin seeing hallucinations that intermingle perform a cybernetic self-evaluation on your remote entity, so that the
with your surroundings, creating a surreal dreamscape. And you see “you” crowd clears. Then you attack at a quiet moment.
attacking “yourself” – that is, your remote entity must fight a ghost of itself.
And, while lacking any physical form in reality, this ghost is all too real in Fight C11, = 4, = 4
cyberspace, fully capable of harming and even killing your remote entity. If you survive, you see the partial map below, on the guard’s desk. Although
you can hide the guard’s body in the hallway beyond the guard room, you
The ghost resides within a certain “host” bio-chip: will have a limited opportunity to visit rooms before the Synth detect the
fallen guard.
• Bionic Rat: C3
• Millenium Rex: C4 Roll [ ] [ ] [ ] dice. Based on the list below, mark the map
• Cargo Bot: C5 locations that you will visit before the Synth come running. You may opt
not to mark rolled locations, but you will visit them in order.
If you are currently using the host bio-chip, flush its vigor die. If this leaves Encounter E11, which appears to be a storage space.
you with no vigor, you are dead. Discard the host bio-chip.
Encounter E12, which appears to be an area for the troops.
Now that you are not using the host bio-chip, flip it to reveal the enemy, Encounter E13, which appears to be an area for the troops.
which you must fight using your remaining bio-chips. Encounter E14, which appears to be an electronics area.
Encounter E15, which appears to be an area for the troops.
Fight the enemy indicated above, with each enemy = 3, = 3
If you survive, and you are not at your Bio-Chip Max, then you may gain the Encounter E16, which appears to be the general’s quarters.
host bio-chip. Place a vigor die upon it, matching the specified for your
remote entity type (3 for Bionic Rat, 4 for Cargo Bot, 4 for Millenium Rex).
Do not perform any additional Mission Action. Example: Suppose [ ] [ ] [ ] = 4, so you roll 4 dice, resulting in
. You use a Wark Crystal to change a into a , so you may
mark E12, E13, E14, and E16. Because your vigor is running low, you decide only
If you survive, but you are already at your Bio-Chip Max, then you may to visit E12, E14 and E16, so you mark these on the map. Then you visit these
Swap the host bio-chip. Do not perform any further Mission Action. locations, in order.
Proceed to E19. If you survive your list of selected Encounters, you may either “unplug”
from your remote entity and proceed to the Mission Debrief, or you may
E19: The Harness return to the Central Complex at E2.
The battle with the ghost of your remote entity leaves you with scrambled
perception. You stagger through the door of the private access room back
into the Nexus chamber and collapse to the floor. When you wake, Synth
engineers have wheeled you to an adjacent chamber and wire you securely
to a test harness.

Perform a Quantum Test. E11

The harness detects your remote infiltration of the entity. It locks E12
you in place, and the engineers begin inserting additional probes E13
into your body. They deploy additional computational agents,
which quickly overwhelm you. Your vision goes black.

Lose all remaining vigor. You lose.

E20
/ The engineers shut off the malfunctioning part of your system. E14
Lose 1 vigor. Proceed to E9.

- The engineers fix you up better than they found you..

Gain 2 vigor. Proceed to E9.

E15

E16
 Mission 3 Debrief
You unplug from your remote entity. For a moment, your vision swims, and your flesh writhes with pin-pricks of pain
as your muscles reactivate. You hear confusing sounds. Eventually, however, you make sense of the raucous noise
around you. Throughout the outpost, your officers and other troops are cheering, jumping, and laughing with joy.
Several pound you on the back.

Emotionally, you feel relief to have survived, yet you feel none of the jubiliation of the others around you. You close
your eyes. Your mind plays back images from the Mission, seen through another entity’s eyes. Something feels
missing, as if you lost a limb or a bio-chip. You feel a sinking sensation deep within your bowels, which may be the
only fully human piece remaining within your cyborg body.

Humanity has survived. Yet what is survival, if we lose a little bit of our humanity with each step forward?

If a single piece of a robot is replaced each day, until no original parts remain, is it still the same robot?

If a cyborg is incrementally replaced, is it the same cyborg?

If a species is incrementally replaced, is it the same species?

In the end, will it truly be humanity that has survived?

Gain 1 point for each officer that you defeated.

Gain 3 points if you defeated the general.

Your total score across all Missions determines your result.

9 or fewer points: Failure

Victory is a mirage. Humanity falls to the Synth counterattack.

10 to 12 points: Stalemate
The weakened Synth fail to overcome your defenses, for now. But your infiltrators report the Synth have begun a
new and greater assault on humanity.
When you play again, start with 1 Wark Crystal among your items.

13 to 15 points: Hope
You have debilitated the Synth enough that they will never pose a threat to humanity again. And yet the struggle has
weakened your civilization and, indeed your species. It will take generations to recover, if it is even ever possible.
When you play again, start with 2 Wark Crystals.

16 points or more: Domination

Your scientists use data from your Missions to engineer new weapons targeting the Synth themselves – then unleash
genocidal annihilation upon their race.
When you play again, start with 1 Electroenervator (instantly eliminate 1 enemy, single use). Try to score 18 points.
CHARACTER
Name Points
Need 12 to win the game; 16 to win with honors.

Bio-Chip Max

Items

Summary of Battle Rules

Set up Resolution
Set the enemy’s vigor dice as directed in the Encounter. Note the Not every turn has a Resolution phase.
maximum rate of damage that the enemy can do ( ).
If the Resolution condition is met:
Repeating the battle rules
The battle rules tell how the enemy takes a turn, and they indicate 1. The enemy damages you.
when you take a turn. Repeat the battle rules until the Resolution 2. You damage the enemy.
condition is triggered by the enemy or by your choice. Note refers 3. Remove bio-chips that have no remaining vigor.
to a claimed die.
4. Flush all claimed and unclaimed dice.
You and the enemy always claim dice into slots from left to right, up to
available capacity. If the enemy lacks capacity to claim all dice as If you and the enemy both have vigor, resume repeating the battle
directed, prefer to claim larger dice. rules. Otherwise, if you have vigor and the enemy does not, you
survive the battle.
On Your Turn, you may use each bio-chip once, either for its dice-
manipulation action or to claim dice. Use your cards in any order. In a
duo game, you both share Your Turn; alternate cards as desired.

If the Resolution condition is not met, flush unclaimed dice before

repeating the battle rules.